Mother Earth Called, and Thanks You for Caring...

...Earth Day, Every Day!

 Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle! 

If not for your great, great grandchildren,

 at least do it for the cat! 

Pass it on...

Buttonwillow's Eco Tip Of The Day

(Falling under the "Re-use" category of the "Re-use, Reduce, and Recycle" Principles of Green Living...)

Going Green with Snazzy Rats and My Newest Design

With Earth Day fast approaching, I've been mindful of trying to keep my latest project earth-friendly. Although not perfect in their "footprints", my Snazzy Rat catnip toys are trying to do their part to have a small impact on the planet, while having a big impact on Kitty Dearest.

And in honor of April 22, here is a sneak peek at my newest Snazzy Rat design:

artwork and design copyright 2013 Susan Faye, all rights reserved

It's definitely "green" and called "Earth Day Every Day". I hope you like it! I'll be adding it to the line-up if we reach the next "stretch goal" in my Kickstarter campaign (details here).

Here are some of the other ways that I've tried to make this project as "green" as possible:

FABRIC: My catnip toys are made from 100% cotton fabric with no synthetic fibers. Spoonflower.com, who does my printing, uses digital textile printers, which are modified large-format inkjet printers. Unlike traditional textile methods, this process creates less textile waste, and uses less electricity, water, and ink. Spoonflower uses eco-friendly water-based pigment inks on natural fiber fabrics. No additional chemicals are used in the process. Read more about their operation here.

THE 'NIP: The catnip that I use is certified organic, grown both in Canada and the U.S.A.

Assistant Yarn Inspector Inka performs a quality assurance test

YARN: The tails are made from up-cycled yarn-- you know, those little leftover bits that knitters donate to Goodwill or sell at a yard sale in hopes that someone can use it up. I look for the SNAZZY remnants. 

FIBERFILL: I use a tiny bit of fiberfill to fill out the rat's ears and nose and currently have been using bamboo fiberfill.  However, I recently found out that it uses a lot of chemicals in the processing and is not so eco-friendly after all.  Does anyone have any ideas for a fiberfill that would be "greener"?

PACKAGING:  I've switched from plastic poly-bags to glassine paper bags. These almost transparent paper bags are recyclable and bio-degradable, yet will still keep the catnip toys fresh and clean until kitty is ready for them. 

As you probably know by now, I'm currently raising the "seed money" necessary to launch this new line of catnip toys. By making a pledge, you will be pre-ordering your choice of Snazzy Rat designs   If we reach my next "stretch goal" before the end of the campaign, I'll be able to add the "Earth Day Every Day" design to the line-up.  As of this writing, we are just a few pledges away! Please help by making a pledge today, or by sharing my Kickstarter link with all of your crazy cat lady friends.  Here it is: http://kck.st/Z05ibL.

And as Earth Day approaches, remember to always reduce, re-use and recycle EVERY day! It really makes a difference in the long-run.  Your grandkids' grandkids will thank you.

Eat Your Veggies! Seven Good Reasons Why

It's Vegetarian Awareness Month!

That deserves a 14 Carrot Salute!

The North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) has provided seven great reasons to go meatless, whether for one day a week or for every meal:

• Reduce the risk of major killers such as heart disease, strokes and cancers; • Provide a viable answer to feeding the world’s hungry through more efficient use of grains and other crops; • Save animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and terror of slaughter; • Conserve vital but limited freshwater, fertile topsoil and other precious resources; • Preserve irreplaceable ecosystems such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats; • Decrease greenhouse gases that are accelerating global warming; • Mitigate the ever-expanding environmental pollution of animal agriculture.

Not convinced yet? You'll find lots of great information, recipes, and resources for healthy, compassionate, and ecological living at the NAVS website.

Need more incentive to give it a try? Take a pledge to go Meat Free this October… for a day, week, or the whole month, and You Could Win Up to $1,000! Just visit this link and click on the "Pledge Online" button: World Vegetarian Day.

My personal tips for enjoying vegetarian meals: forget that truck-weary, picked-green, pithy, hybridized stuff that passes for produce at most grocery stores. Buy local, visit farmer's markets, or grow your own and you'll be amazed at how FLAVORFUL vegetables and fruits can be when they are fresh off the tree or vine-ripened! Choose the more flavorful heirloom varieties (my personal favorite). With the money you save by not buying meat, you can splurge and buy ORGANIC produce that is pesticide free. And become friends with exotic food items like falafel, tofu, and tempeh, orzo, pesto, and hummus. Embrace garlic.

Your taste buds will thank you!

What is your favorite vegetarian food item? Please share in the comments section below.

Your Patriotic Duty

The USA is not just about the wonderfully diverse human beings that live here.

It is also about the wonderfully diverse wildlife that lives here, including our national symbol, seen here in all its glorious wildness at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

The USA is also about the wonderfully diverse landscapes, wilderness, and vistas that stretch from sea to shining sea. If you've ever visited any of our National Parks, you know what I mean.


So I believe it is the patriotic duty of the wonderfully diverse human beings to make sure that the wonderfully diverse wildlife and the wonderfully diverse vistas are preserved, protected, and enjoyed. Two ways to make those things happen are to lend support to organizations such as The Nature Conservancy or The National Wildlife Federation, or better yet, volunteer your time and your talents! Your grandchildren's grandchildren will thank you.

Now let the fireworks begin!

Picnic For The Planet on Earth Day!

As Earth Day approaches, and snow and ice turn to daffodils and songbirds (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere), what better way to celebrate than with a picnic! Mario Tabby and Bella Cat like nothing better to nibble on tuna al fresco in their favorite sunny spot in the patio garden. Food tastes so much better when mixed with clean air and sunbeams.

The Nature Conservancy is hosting a special event called Picnic For The Planet on Earth Day 2011, and in preparation, they have a new suggestion each week for becoming more aware about the food that you eat. This week's suggestion is Eat Sustainably, with an emphasis on knowing more about your seafood.

"For centuries, the oceans' bounty seemed inexhaustible. But humans have altered our oceans' ability to provide for us, so we must make more conscious food choices and ensure that the seafood we are eating comes from a sustainable source." You can help by learning more about sustainable seafood; this article is a good place to start: Finding Nemo On Your Plate.

Also helpful: The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch provides regional guides that contain the latest information on sustainable seafood choices available in different regions of the U.S.A. Their "Best Choices" are abundant, well-managed seafood that is fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Seafood to "Avoid" are overfished and/or fished or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment. You can view the guides online or download a pocket-size version.

Thanks for visiting!

New in my Etsy shop: Art for your Fridge!

These new mini dioramas have SUPER strong magnets on the back to secure your most important memos to the refrigerator, file cabinet, or locker. Click on the image for more details.

Go Green Garden Cat Giveaway Ends Tonight

There is still time to enter the Go Green Garden Cat Giveaway if you haven't already. It ends tonight at 11 p.m. PST.

Enter for a chance to win one of THREE prizes in the August giveaway: your choice of a Garden Cat Print from my Etsy shop (or your choice of any other matted print in the shop of equal value [$12.50])! Just leave a comment at the end of this link: GIVEAWAY with your own favorite tip for a green garden OR tell us what your cat's favorite garden activity is.

Be sure to check out the other great suggestions and garden cat stories while you are there. Here are a few examples:

Crazy Cat Lady Carm says: "This year we planted our little metal fire pit/container with parsley and basil--our town made it illegal to have recreational fires... Randy loves to make homemade pesto. We planted some Russian giant sunflowers- they are well over 8 feet tall. It's just so much fun and entertainment to see how big they will get! I feel like Jack and the Beanstalk!"

Cat Lady Catherine says: "I don't use any chemicals in my garden since I have rabbits and birds that always come to visit and with my cat munching on the catmint and chasing butterflies ~ I want to make sure everyone in my garden stays happy and healthy! Except the ants... I wish they would take a hike!"

Cat Lady Emily says: "Catherine, try crushed (pulverized) eggshell for the ants! It’s a trick mom taught me... they get hurt on it and it deters them plus the plants like the nutrients."

Thanks for participating! Details for the giveaway are at this link:

Go Green Garden Cat Giveaway

Go Green Garden Cat Giveaway

With a lot of attention focused on the health of our oceans lately, it's good to remember that what we do right here at home can help keep our oceans healthy. The Nature Conservancy suggests that creating an organic square foot garden can help the environment in numerous ways, including keeping unwanted chemicals out of our seafood!

"Lately there’s been a tremendous surge in interest in eating locally. There are Slow Food groups popping up all over the globe, books about eating food sourced within 100 milesfarmers markets becoming more common and trendy.

"But what’s better than going to a farmers market and filling your cloth bags with your local farmer’s latest and greatest veggie? Well, how about stepping out on your porch or into your yard and picking some bright, juicy, delicious, home-grown tomatoes or some fragrant basil?...Square foot gardening can be done anywhere you have 6 to 8 hours of sun daily."

For more information, visit their link "Go Chemical-Free with a Square Foot Garden"

Got your gardening gloves on? That means it's time to celebrate the joys of gardening with a GIVEAWAY!

Just leave a comment at the end of this post with your favorite tip for a green garden OR tell us what your cat's favorite garden activity is. Your name will be entered to win one of THREE prizes: your choice of a Garden Cat Print from my Etsy shop (or your choice of any other matted print in the shop of equal value [$12.50])!

Giveaway ends Sunday, August 22 at 11 p.m. PST. Three names will be drawn at random and each will receive their choice of one matted print. Open to gardeners and feline fanatics world-wide!

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you in case you are the lucky winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address included in your comment.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, please contact me by e-mail --you'll find a link under my Profile.

Thanks for participating!

Keep Those Green Tips Coming! Giveaway Ends Monday

As part of the 365 Cat Ladies Get-Ready-For-Summer Giveaway, readers have been asked to share favorite way to Reduce, Re-use, or Recycle.

Everyone who shares a tip will be entered into a drawing and one name will be drawn to win their choice of one of my brand new Cat Lady beach bags!

Greatma reports that she has been recycling all of her paper and plastic containers, using recyclable bags for the grocery store and buying used items to reuse for years and years--long before it became the thing to do. [Thanks for leading the way, Greatma!!]

Cat Lady Nutamu reuses a lot of throwaways in creative projects. "Broken bits of jewelry can be reused in a new piece, even eggshells can be used to add a fractured glass texture in paintings (oil or acrylic)".

Crazy Cat Lady Carm reports: ''The 8GR8CATS go through a GR8 deal of catfood cans! We rinse them out and bring them to the Buffalo Zoo with us. They are used to make all kinds of crafts with the children who attend the various camp and craft programs at the zoo! We love the marmalade tote!"

Cat Lady Loralai buys almost all of her clothing from thrift stores. "Even got the hubby to realize what a great way it is to reduce, reuse and recycle. I've always done that, but now its actually COOL!"

Artist SnippetGirl does her shipping the earth-friendly way: "I use recycled boxes and packing materials from Subway and my neighbors for shipping my artwork to customers. I sent out an email to all of my neighbors and they drop off boxes and peanuts on my porch."

You can read more entries at the end of this blog post: Get-Ready-For-Summer Giveaway and then be sure to add your own entry if you haven't already! Giveaway ends on the summer solstice, Monday, June 21 at 8 p.m. PST. At that time, one name will be drawn at random and the winner will receive his/her choice of ONE of the Susan Faye Beach Bags pictured ($22.99 value), now available in my Cafepress Shop online.

Thanks for participating!!

These cotton beach totes are a good way to practice the 3 Rs. By re-using them for toting and shopping, you reduce the petroleum products needed to make plastic bags and reduce the amount of plastic bag bits ending up in our soil and our oceans. You can use them to carry your bottles to the recycle center!

Today is World Oceans Day!

World Oceans Day was officially declared by the United Nations in 2008, to be observed on June 8th of each year. This year's theme is "Oceans of Life".

Discover some surprising reasons we're all connected to the oceans by visiting this interactive Nature Conservancy link. Then leave your own message of hope and see what others have to say here: Messages of Hope.

Your message can be anything, but here are some suggestions from the Nature Conservancy to help get you started: How are you connected to the sea? What do you hope for the future of our oceans? Why do you think it is important to conserve our coasts and waters? What about the ocean inspired you to begin living a greener life?"

To find World Oceans Dayevents in your area, click visit this link: THE OCEAN PROJECT

Thanks for visiting!

Earth Day Approaches...

Garden Enthusiast Lupe and Garden Cat Sarafina like to garden in the most earth-friendly way possible.

Earth Day is celebrating its 40th birthday this year on April 22, and to celebrate, the Nature Conservancy has been suggesting a weekly action.

This week's featured action is: Green Your Garden

Lupe was interested to learn that "even while you’re gardening in your very own backyard, you can make a big difference in the health of the ocean. Fertilizers and other chemicals used in conventional gardening are washed into watersheds and eventually to sea, where they can harm coral reefs and other marine life".

Visit this link to learn more about composting, square-foot gardening, reducing chemicals, plus many more tips: Green Your Gardening

Lupe hopes you will join her and Sarafina in making EVERY day Earth Day this year!

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I need your vote!

This is a photo that I've entered in the Cafepress & iVillage Earth Day Photo Contest...
A tiny baby lizard that was found sunning himself on the tire of my car in Southern California. I was so honored that he let me hold him for a short while to enjoy his preciousness!

Click on the photo to see details and if you enjoy the photo, I would certainly appreciate your vote! While you are there, you can enter your own photo and/or receive a free canvas Earth Day tote bag (you just pay shipping charges for the tote). Contest ends April 30.

Cat Ladies 302 and 303...Gobble Green Idea No. 1

Cat Lady Rebecca and her sister-in-law Roxie have decided to make their Thanksgiving meal a little more earth-friendly by becoming "Locavores" (also known as "Localvores").That means eating foods grown locally and in season.

When you eat locally-grown foods, it means that the food has fewer food miles, meaning the carbon emissions associated with local foods are smaller. An added benefit is that the food is fresher and picked at peak ripeness, meaning more nutrition value for you and your family!

For Thanksgiving menu ideas, visit the 100 Mile Diet website, where you will find links to localvore recipes.

Feline friends Pippi and Chipotle have their own ideas about eating local and have high hopes of catching something right outside their back doors....Doesn't get any fresher than that!




These original ACEO watercolor illustrations have just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...give the gift of original art by visiting
Let it Snow No. 10 ACEO Art
Raindrops and Kittens No. 4 ACEO Art

Cat Lady No. 214...A Green Barbeque

As Darci was preparing for the annual backyard barbeque extravaganza in honor of Kitty Queen Simba's birthday, she was shocked to learn that the estimated 60 million Americans who barbequed on the 4th of July released some 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, burned the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest and consumed the same amount of energy that the city of Flagstaff, Arizona, uses in a year.

Yikes!

So Darci was quite pleased to find some tips for greening up her barbeque practices on the Nature Conservancy website.

• Use reusable or biodegradable plates and utensils. If you can't find those, at least go for products made from 100 percent recycled materials. Remember that your biodegradable plates will need to be cleaned before going in the compost bin — ketchup, hamburger grease and other-non-veggie food matter doesn't compost.
• Encourage recycling by putting out easily identifiable bins — you'll find fewer bottles and cans smeared with ketchup in the garbage.
• Use gas, propane or electric grills, which aren't perfect but burn more efficiently and cleaner than charcoal or wood. If you have a charcoal grill, make sure you burn natural lumps, not briquettes, and don't use more than you need.
• Grill locally grown veggies! While local doesn't necessarily mean organic, small farms are often more likely to be more sustainable and pesticide-free.

For more great tips, visit this link: Top Ten Ways to Green Your Barbeque Party

Thanks for visiting!

This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale...add it to your collection by visiting my Etsy shop:
Cat Mom ACEO

Cat Lady No. 111...Oceans Need Love Too

Terra firma gets the lion's share of attention on Earth Day, but Mermaid Cat Lady Luana and Cha-Cha, her Cat Fish, would like equal time for the oceans of the planet.

Luana and Cha-Cha enjoy star gazing on warm summer evenings, but the swirls of trash floating on the surface of the sea are starting to obliterate the view. And just last week Cha-Cha got tangled up in a plastic bag and nearly became lunch for a passing shark!

The Ocean Conservancy has lots of useful information and great programs to address the problems facing our oceans. In September, nearly 400,000 volunteers at 6,485 sites in 104 countries and 42 U.S. states picked up trash along the world's coastlines and waterways during the annual International Coastal Cleanup - and they collected more than 6.8 million pounds of trash.

Luana and Cha-Cha hope you will reduce, re-use, and recycle and help to keep trash out of their home!

Thanks for visiting!

Want to do something nice for our planet? Choose a reusable bag instead of throwaway plastic. This extra-roomy 100% cotton canvas tote bag has plenty of room to carry all of your treasures over and over again. It features extra long handles for easy over-the-shoulder carrying. I have over 100 designs to choose from at: Susan Faye Tote Bags

• 10 oz heavyweight natural canvas fabric
• Full side and bottom gusset
• 22" reinforced self-fabric handles
• Machine washable
• Measures 15" x 18" x 6"

Cat Lady No. 108...Are You Green? Take the Quizzes!

Cat Lady Delta has made many new friends during her first year at college, but she looks forward every weekend to going home and getting a hug from Best Friend Mr. Muggles.

This weekend, Delta and Mr. Muggles spent some time taking some fun quizzes in honor of Earth Day.

Delta took the "How Green is Your Dorm Room?" quiz and found out it needs some work. Like using a portable fan instead of a portable air conditioner. And using a compact fluorescent lamp instead of an incandescent lamp.

She helped Mr. Muggles take the "How Green is Your Seafood?" quiz and found out they have some work to do there too.

Some more fun quizzes include:
How Green is Your Laundry?
How Green is Your Love Life?
How Green is Your Bathroom?
and the always popular How Green Is Your Pirate Ship?


Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 38...Nature Lovers

Cat Lady Dahlia and her furry friend Murray enjoy communing with nature.

This week they are priming the bird feeders with seed and suet ("bird bait" as Murray likes to call it, in his cat-humor sort of way), in preparation for the Great Backyard Bird Count which takes place Valentines Day Weekend, starting Friday, February 13.

Unfortunately for Murray, but luckily for the birds, all of the feeders are much too high and Murray is much too plump to reach any of the feeders. So he will be content to sit inside with Dahlia and her binoculars and count their feathered friends for a few hours each day.

If you would like to participate in the Bird Count (it's fun and easy, and educational too!!), visit their wonderful interactive web site: www.birdsource.org/gbbc

This watercolor painting, entitled "Nature Lovers" is available as a limited edition print at www.SusanFaye.etsy.com

Thanks for visiting! I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments section below.

Cat Lady No. 24...Siamese Twins

Proud Siamese Cat Lady Phoebe and Proud Cat Mom Jasmine are enjoying the newest additions to the household--twins!

When Phoebe decided she wanted a Siamese cat, she joined the Siamese Internet Cat Club and discovered that there were dozens of unwanted Siamese cats in shelters and other situations. Through their website, she found sweet Jasmine, who happened to be expecting, and brought her home.

Phoebe will enjoy the thrill of kitten antics for six weeks, then will find loving homes for the twins using the services of SIAMESE RESCUE.


Send me your Cat Lady story: If I use excerpts in this blog, you will receive a free Susan Faye Cat Lady Refrigerator Magnet. Send to: art@undertheoaks.net with "Cat Lady" in the subject line.

Keep a journal about your favorite feline... this blank book and other fine gifts can be found at: www.cafepress.com/SusanFaye.

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to leave a comment... I'd love to hear your feedback.

Cat Lady No. 22...Calico Crazed

Cat Lady and Maryland Resident Veronica is crazy about Calicos, and tricolor beauty Babs knows it! Veronica was particularly pleased when the entire state came around to her way of thinking...

According to the Maryland Manual Online:

"Effective October 1, 2001, the calico cat became the official cat of Maryland (Chapter 194, Acts of 2001; Code State Government Article, sec. 13-317). Its colors of orange, black, and white are shared with the Baltimore oriole (State bird) and the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly (State insect). "

It further states: "A calico cat must be a tri-color, with its three colors in distinct patches, not mixed as in a tortoiseshell cat. To be a true tri-color, a calico cat's colors must be: white; red or cream; and black, blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, or fawn. "

Babs isn't concerned with all of that (although to her recollection, she's never met a lilac cat and seriously questions their exsistence...); she's just happy that she matches her Cat Lady's beautiful red hair!

Send me your Cat Lady story: If I use excerpts in this blog, you will receive a free Susan Faye Cat Lady Refrigerator Magnet. Send to: art@undertheoaks.net with "Cat Lady" in the subject line.

Calico Cats can be found on a variety of toasty warm sweatshirts plus tote bags, note cards, and other gifts at: www.cafepress.com/SusanFaye.

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to leave a comment... I'd love to hear your feedback.