Story Time with Flora Cat

Words and images copyright 2011 Susan Faye. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in ANY form, including electronically, without express written permission of the artist. Thank you for respecting this policy with regards to ALL artists--it's good karma!!

FLORA THE GARDEN CAT

Garden cat Flora loves the summer sunshine, but when it shines too brightly onto her silky white fur, she heads for the cool blue shadows of the garden shed.

It's fun to play hide 'n' seek from Maine Coon tabby cat Gardner among the flower pots and watering cans. Sometimes Flora looks right at him through the window and he doesn't even see her. (Gardner is easily distracted by lady bug beetles and other bitty-crawly-fluttery things in the garden)...

READ PART I OF STORY TIME AT THE GARDEN SHED HERE: PART I


Flora Cat is the star of two new handcrafted glass pendants and matching earrings now available in my Etsy shop.


I used the citrus-y colors of summer in this artwork. The lemon yellow and lime green of the garden shed get a breezy cool-down from the deep blue window.

I was happily surprised by the Mondrian-like geometric pop-art effect of the window lines when I cropped the art for the square pendant:

I've handcrafted each of these pieces of wearable art using a mini paper print of my artwork which has been preserved under crystal-clear glass. The pendants are artist-signed on the back, then sealed. A silvertone bail is added on the back. The earrings have a solid lime green back; the larger dangle earrings feature a sterling silver earwire.



You'll find these brand new designs in my Etsy shop at this link: Susan Faye Jewelry.


Enjoy!

Cat Lady Spotlight...Roscoe's Mom

Meet Cat Lady Nancy-- photographer, collage artist, animal lover, and one of the newest members of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club. Her fabulous feline Roscoe will be turning 23 years old next month.

She holds Roscoe responsible for turning her into acrazy cat lady and tells us that he was the inspiration for creating her first pet collage. Nancy tells us a little more about Roscoe:

"I rescued Roscoe from a home in Detroit (my birthplace) when his owners got a hunting dog and banished him to the basement. Just like me, he was lucky enough to wind up in Chicago, where he initially spent time perched in a window 24 floors up with a beautiful view of the city. He now lives in a condo on Chicago’s lakefront, where he can enjoy sitting on a balcony that overlooks Lake Michigan.

"People are usually shocked when I tell them how old he is... He’s still going strong and doesn’t look a day over 19!! Actually, since he’s a Persian cat and has a round face, he still looks kind of kittenish. He does have kidney disease (so, don’t despair if your senior cat is diagnosed – they can last for quite a while).He gets infusions every other day, as well as various meds, one to stimulate his appetite. He’s pretty much the same as he ever was, though skinnier with less fur. He remains beautiful and his big eyes are still golden and clear.He still likes to sprawl on my husband’s keyboard (when he’s trying to work, of course). He still meows for us to put ice in his drinking water. Unfortunately, he continues to refuse to be a lap cat, something we always joked would change when he grew old and tired.

"Here’s to my beloved Roscoe – longer may he live!!!"

Check out Nancy's fun and exotic pet photo collages in her Etsy shop Pet Collage Paradise (she will even create custom collages featuring your own pet)! The photographic elements in her work are hand cut and pasted. She incorporates words, found objects, specialty papers, feathers, fabric, silk flowers, beads, and gemstones into her creations.

...BY POPULAR DEMAND and now in my Etsy shop: You may now purchase Personalized Cat Lady I.D. cards individually without the"kit" (the kit includes a pinback button, Creed and Guidelines). That means a lower price and less postage! Plus, $1 will still be donated to the Oregon Humane Society for each card purchased (almost $100 has been donated so far....). Great gift idea for every Crazy Cat Lady on your list. Click here for details:

CARD ONLY

CRAZY CAT LADY KIT

Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club Membership Drive--Buy One Get One Free

The harvest moon made a guest appearance this week, so that means it's time for our autumnal membership drive for the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club.

Haven't heard about the club? Meet Kittie B. Wilderd, spokesperson and card-carrying Crazy Cat Lady who represents loving ladies from around the world who just can't resist a whiskered face and a sweet meow. She carries her I.D. card wherever she goes to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a "Class A Feline Fanatic." She is a proud member of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club (the CCCCLC)!

Just like Kitty, you too can be a Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady with your very own personalized I.D card, official pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed.

AND for this weekend only, when you buy one Cat Lady Club kit, you will receive another one absolutely free for a friend. Already a member? Surprise two Cat Lady friends with their very own kits. This kit makes a great gift for your pet sitter, veterinarian, or that crazy lady down the street who has more cats than you do!

♥♥♥ And with the purchase of each kit, $1.00 will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society.!

What are you waiting for?! Just visit this special listing for complete details on the special offer:

Buy One Get One Free
CCCCL CLUB KITS

CCCCL Summer Fun Membership Drive- Buy One Get One Free!

That's right. The hazy lazy crazy days of summer have arrived at last, so that means it's time for a summer membership drive for the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club.

Haven't heard about the club? Meet Kittie B. Wilderd, spokesperson and card-carrying Crazy Cat Lady who represents loving ladies from around the world who just can't resist a whiskered face and a sweet meow. She carries her I.D. card wherever she goes to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a "Class A Feline Fanatic." She is a proud member of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club (the CCCCLC)!

Just like Kitty, you too can be a Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady with your very own personalized I.D card, official pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed.

AND for this weekend only, when you buy one Cat Lady Club kit, you will receive another one absolutely free for a friend. Already a member? Surprise two Cat Lady friends with their very own kits. This kit makes a great gift for your pet sitter, veterinarian, or that crazy lady down the street who has more cats than you do!

♥♥♥ And with the purchase of each kit, $1.00 will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society.!

What are you waiting for?! Just visit this special listing for complete details on the special offer:

BOGO CCCCL CLUB KITS

CCCCLC Member Spotlight...Meet Cat Lady Teri

CCCCL Club member Cat Lady Teri learned to knit and crochet as a girl, then got sidetracked for a few decades with raising a family and such. She recently took up knitting again and enjoys the company of her purrsonal assistants, past and present.

Current helpers are The Twins LeeLou and Zuzu. They arrived as teeny tiny kittens in a Pop-Tart box on Mothers Day 2006, courtesy of Teri's daughter. They had been found in a culvert after a rain storm and the mama was nowhere to be found.

Teri explains: "For being twin sisters, they couldn't be more different. ZuZu is probably 12 pounds of solid muscle and still afraid of her shadow but can be a sweetie when she is in the mood. She tends to be a watcher more than a lover though. LeeLou is maybe 8 or 9 pounds of pure sugar. Loves to sit in my lap or lay next to me in bed. She is my main knitting assistant." Teri's feline angels are Red and CC. You can read more about them in this post: Cat Lady No. 279

Teri has started a knitting group on Ravelry.com called the Amazing Flying Squirrel Karma Team. Projects have included an afghan for a grandmother's 100th birthday, making gators (kind of a cowl for men) for the soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, making an afghan to be raffled to raise money for RAINN, and making lapghans and afghans for residents of LANDAHAM State Psychiatric Hospital. "I am very proud of this group and the work we are doing!! Members of Ravelry.com are welcome and encouraged to stop by (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/amazing-flying-squirrel-karma-team) and help with a project or offer moral support. "

Thanks for all your good works, CCCCCL Teri (that's Card-Carrying Crazy Crafty Cat Lady Teri)! You are an inspiration to knitters and cat ladies everywhere!

It's easy to join the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club! The membership kit includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient.

ABOUT THE CCCCLC

CCCCLC Goes INTERNATIONAL!!

Welcome to the newest members of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club!

Our newest members come to us from far and wide, including our first international members! Cat Lady Anne (pictured here with Picasso) and Cat Lady Lotta join us from Finland. You may remember Anne as Cat Lady No. 293, our Fabulous Finnish Feline Fanatic who taught us how to say "cat lady" in Finnish: "kissaleidi".

We'd also like to welcome Canadian members: Cat Lady Luanne P. and veterinarian Dr. Katie J., both from Ottowa, Canada. An equal-opportunity pet lover, Luanne sells handmade and eco-friendly pet business items for both cats and dogs at her website Rusty-Dawg Pet Products.

From here in the states we welcome Cat Ladies Janet I., Sarah H, Jana B., Cheryl R., Alison R., Penny D., Debra G., Pamela L., Rose G. Susan H., Dianna G., Crystal B., Carol P., and Lisa W.

Be sure to carry your I.D. card in your wallet at all times to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are a certified feline fanatic, and always wear your club pin with pride. Remember that a dollar from each new membership goes to the Oregon Humane Society who does great work here, and last month we donated $30. In the rural Northwest there seems to be a high number of rescues from "hoarders" each year and the OHS has developed a great foster program to deal with these emergencies. Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

It's easy to join the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club! [Note: Memberships may be purchased until the end of today, and then shop will be closed for a 10-day vacation until March 24]. The membership kit includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient. Find out more here:

ABOUT THE CCCCLC

More Cat Ladies In The News...

Lucky Cat Lady Karen (Cat Lady No.256) got to" talk cats" this week with none other than beloved actress and pet person Betty White!!

Karen (aka Food Lady to Skeezix the Cat and author of The Cat's Meow blog) interviewed Ms. White after the well-known pet advocate received a lifetime achievement award from P&G Pet Care (Eukanuba/Iams) and the Morris Animal Foundation "for her support and commitment to the veterinary industry and animal health and welfare". Read the entire interview here:

BETTY WHITE TALKS TO THE CAT'S MEOW

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have any news or stories to share? Drop me a line at: art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.

Card-Carrying Cat Lady News

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEELY AND FIONA!
Best wishes to birthday girls Fiona and Keely! These sensational sisters are celebrating their very first birthday today! Their Cat Lady Alison (No. 333) has big plans to commemorate the day--I hope I get go see photos! Here is the original post about Cat Lady No. 333 and the girls: Sisterly Love



It's easy to join the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club! The membership kit includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient. ABOUT THE CCCCLC

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have any news or stories to share? Send them to art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.


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CCCCLC Member Spotlight...Cat Lady Jana

Meet Cat Lady Jana, proprietress of Colorado Catnip Toys and newest member of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club!

Jana and her team of five expert assistants (who also happen to be fluffy felines) create colorful catnip toys, mats and quilts. Jana tells us:

"Organic catnip from the health food store is used in all my products, It is has a lasting aroma and carries an extra punch...I use the finest fabrics from the quilt shops because of the higher thread count and the fabric holds the colors after many washings. All fabric is 100% cotton (unless otherwise stated)."


It seems Jana was born to be a cat lady. "All but one of my 'kids' were orphans. I raised one from a kitten, and the others I have acquired for one reason or another. I have had cats all my life. Raised on a farm, my day had the cows, my sister had the horses, my two brothers had the dogs, I had the cats, and of course, my mother had all the animals, a husband and four kids to raise."

You'll find her delightful creations in her Etsy Shop: Colorado Catnip Toys

[Editor's note: Consumer reporter Buttonwillow put two of Jana's catnip toys to the test and gave them a big paws up as she merrily bounced off the walls and performed her wide-eyed "I am the tiger that's going to eat you" routine.]

It's easy to join the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club! The membership kit includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient.

ABOUT THE CCCCLC

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have news to share? Send it to art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.

Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady News

Welcome newest members of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club: Cheryl R., Joanne M., Shari S., Carm C., Marie G., Anne S., Teresa Y., Virginia B., Donna K., and Karen N.! Be sure to carry your I.D. card in your wallet at all times to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are a certified feline fanatic, and always wear your club pin with pride.

Hey ladies! Did you know that if you have a Custom Cat Lady Portrait, you can substitute that image for the generic cat lady on the I.D card? Here are some examples:

Cat Lady Teresa (aka Cat Lady No. 279)

Cat Lady Carm (aka Cat Lady No. 217)

Cat Lady Anne (aka Cat Lady No. 80)

Custom portraits start as low as $19.95 for a mini portrait with one person, one pet:

Mini Portrait

Club memberships with I.D. card may be purchased here:

CCCCL Club Kits

Price includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient.

Did you know that Andy Warhol was a certified Feline Fella? What a surprise! Cat Lady Kate over at www.ModernCat.net wrote a wonderful article about his artwork featuring cats, and his paintings are delightful!

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have news to share? Send it to art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.

Crazy Cat Lady Club Guidelines

Not a member yet? Certain guidelines apply. In order to qualify for an Official Cat Lady I.D. card, one or more of the of the following criteria must apply:

• Your cat wears hats on holidays and/or has a flashier wardrobe than you do.
• Your cat is the author of his or her own blog and has subscribers.
• You spend more on gourmet cat treats and litter than on your own groceries.
• Your cat has his or her own Facebook profile and more friends than you do.
• You consider loose fur to be the ultimate fashion accessory & wear it proudly.
• Your cat has nicer furniture and playthings than you do.
• You share your home with cats in spite of your severe allergy to pet dander.
• You have a "My Tabby is Smarter Than Your Honor Student" bumper sticker.
• You and your cat communicate through telepathic messages.
• Your cat has his or her own television, plus video tape and/or dvd collection.
• The veterinarian sends thank-you notes for financing their child's college tuition.
• You NEVER leave home without the proper CCCCL I.D. card in your wallet

If you are unable to meet the criteria listed above, do not despair. The following will apply:

When using the abbreviation C.C.C.C.L. (Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady), it shall be permissible to substitute any one or more of the following words for the term "Crazy":

• Caring
• Creative
• Comical
• Cute
• Courageous
• Capable
• Corporate
• Clever
• Cuddly
• Compassionate
• Clairvoyant
• Collegiate
• Courteous
• Curious
• Classy
• Caffeinated
  

Congratulations!! You have qualified! Membership Kits are available here: CCCCLC Kit and include a personalized I.D. card, a members-only pinback button, and full color copies of the Guidelines and the Crazy Cat Lady Creed. Enjoy!

Crazy Cat Lady Club Creed

Welcome new members!

The Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Creed

...I promise to love, cherish and honor my feline friends through sickness and health, for richer or poorer, whether purebred or stray, domestic or feral, exotic or just darned cute as the dickens.

...I will come to the aid and assistance of fellow crazy cat ladies in times of need including but not limited to: kibble shortages, catnip-mice-under-the-fridge events, and the classic cat-stuck-in-a-treetop emergency.

...I fully understand the intoxicating lure of catnip, and the associated dangers that its consumption poses to houseplants and ankles, and will administer said substance responsibly and with close supervision.

...I will always spay or neuter responsibly and do everything within my power to reduce pet overpopulation and needless euthanasia.

...I will not hoard, collect, or otherwise take in more cats or kittens than I can provide a clean, loving, and healthy environment for.

...If choosing a purebred cat of a specific breed, I will first consider adopting a homeless purebred cat from a shelter or rescue organization.

...If able to, I will always give generously to animal shelters and rescue organizations either by volunteering and/or through financial gifts.


Each new member of the CCCCLC will receive a full color copy of the club's Official Creed, suitable for framing! Click here for more information: CCCCLC Kit

Mystery Cat Lady Unveiled

At long last the identity of our Mystery Cat Lady can be revealed. Of the many theories and guesses that were put forth, it was Cat Lady Teri (aka No. 279) who came up with the answer that was closest to the truth:

"She is the 'Crazy Cat Lady' inside all of us...we don't all have the same hair, so there are many representations of us. As CCL's, we spend large amounts of hours at the shelter. The CCL inside of us would not leave a pregnant beauty to deliver at the shelter, so we brought her home. Now we all have homes full of life and color!"


Meet Kittie B. Wilderd, who is a card-carrying Crazy Cat Lady and represents all of us who just can't resist a whiskered face and a sweet meow. She carries her I.D. card wherever she goes to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a "Class A Feline Fanatic."

You too can become a member of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club. With the purchase of The Crazy Cat Lady Kit, you will receive the following:

♥ A credit-card-sized I.D. card that will be personalized with your name (or the name of a loved one), city and state, and your choice of hair color and complexion.

♥ An exclusive members-only "Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady" pinback button. Wear this 2-1/4" laminated button with pride wherever you go.

♥ The Official Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club GUIDELINES--an 8.5 x 11" high-quality full color print suitable for framing.

♥ The Official Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club CREED--an 8.5 x 11" high-quality full color print, suitable for framing.

♥♥♥ With the purchase of each kit, $1.00 will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society.

Be the first on your block to join! For complete details, visit this link: Crazy Cat Lady Kit

Thanks for visiting!