Happy New Year 

from Buttowillow and 

Susan Faye World Headquarters!

Happy Easter!

New Year! New artwork!

Illustration Friday: Glow

...Best Wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Joy-filled New Year! Let's honor this precious baby by practicing human kindness each and every day...

From Mother Earth to Dear Old Mom

Need a last-minute gift for your mom or other favorite nurturer?  Here's an option that will benefit TWO moms: your own maternal mom-figure and Mother Earth.

The Nature Conservancy has a long list of ways to honor of your mom:

Adopt a Coral Reef

Adopt Trees in Brazil

Protect Habitats for Hummingbirds

Adopt An Acre of Rainforest

OR make a donation of any amount and send a beautiful Tribute E-Card

Click here for more information:  

Mother's Day Gifts from the Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy's strong performance is recognized by Charity Navigator as exceeding or meeting industry standards. Here is their track record:

• We've protected more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide — and we operate more than 100 marine conservation projects globally.
• We work in all 50 states and more than 30 countries — protecting habitats from grasslands to coral reefs, from Australia to Alaska to Zambia. See where we work.
• We address threats to conservation involving climate change, fresh water, oceans, and conservation lands. Learn how we're responding.

Spring Break Vacation Alert!

It's true. Songbirds, geese and whales may be heading north this time of year, but I am heading SOUTH next week on the first day of Spring. I'll be leaving six months of soggy Northwest gloom behind and will be hoppin' down the bunny trail in search of sunshine and desert wildflowers and cottontail cuties. I am delirious with anticipation.

Have I mentioned that one of my favorite things to paint is desert flora? Not to mention desert fauna... I hope to come back with a camera full of reference photos for brand new watercolor paintings and a surplus of vitamin D in my system!


I will be closing my SusanFaye Etsy shop and my CurioCabinet Etsy shop on the evening of Sunday, March 18 and will re-open the shops nine days later on Tuesday, March 27. All orders placed by tomorrow (except for special request items) will be shipped by Tuesday. My Imagekind and Cafepress shops will remain open.

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BIRD FEEDER REPORT

Studio assistant Buttonwillow will be staying behind to enjoy a "stay-cation" of cat-napping and bird-watching. We are happy to report that more birds are showing up around the yard of our new house including TWO Northern Flickers! They have been enjoying some suet that I had placed in a front tree/shrub.

Mrs. Flicker posed nicely on the fence across the street...

While Mr. Flicker was on the move foraging for bugs on the ground...

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Save some green today and tomorrow, March 17 and 18! Receive 17% off your entire purchase from my SusanFaye Etsy Shop today and tomorrow... just use coupon code SAVEGREEN17 when checking out (if you forget to enter the code, don't panic-- drop me a line and I'll send you a Paypal rebate). Discount does not apply to wholesale listings.

happy leap day from buttonwillow (or, battle of the bulge, week 4)

hello everybody. buttonwillow cat here.
i'm here to wish you a happy leap day.

it says here on the internet that tables get turned and things can be a bit topsy-turvy on leap day. it's a little like a blue moon where strange things can happen.

which is exactly why i am writing on the blog today instead of art lady.

what's that noise i hear?

oh yeah, it's art lady whining over by the fireplace.
you see, i've had to place her on a very strict diet.

she's only allowed to have one cup of carrots per day. that's all she gets to eat for the whole day. i hope she appreciates it, because i'm sure i heard her doctor say she is only supposed to have one-half of a cup per day, but i felt sorry for her.

back to the blog.

let's see, it says here on the wikipedia that "February 29 is a date that usually occurs every four years, and is called leap day. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days."

obviously, it was a lot easier to change the calendar than to try to change the orbit of the earth, but knowing humans, i'm just a little surprised that they aren't out there right now trying to fix the orbit. who knows? maybe they are...

what? why is art lady sitting on the floor, you ask? well i didn't want her shedding on the furniture. who wants gray hair all over the upholstery? she's awfully quiet over there. i'd better go check on her.

it would be just like her to try to slip some chocolate in with the carrots.

okay, the carrots check out.
i wonder if she wants to be scratched behind the ear for being such a good girl
(heh, heh).

all right, let's wrap this up. i've got seven or eight meals planned for myself today...

...not to mention some serious napping on my favorite easy chair.

as for art lady: don't give in to her no matter how sad she looks or how loud she howls. this is for her own good.

love and fishes,
buttonwillow cat

Collecting Cats

In kindergarten I was taught the virtues of sharing. So as I continue to unearth treasures from my storage shed, I am very determined to share the wealth. I am sorting my kitty and canine collectibles as either "keepers" or "adoptees"...some for me and some for you!

Here is a vintage Valentine "keeper", something a kindergartner might have received back in the 30s or 40s. At first glance it looks mighty sweet, but upon closer examination it would appear that having your heart pierced with an arrow might be a little bloody. Sheesh! I'd sleep with one eye open too if I were that kitten!

Another "keeper" is this Kitty Cucumber Clown Juggler ornament from 1985. It was a gift to me that year, the first year that Kitty Cucumber hit the gift shops. It has been on my Christmas tree for over 25 years now.

According to the Smithsonian Institution Reasearch Information System, "Kitty Cucumber (a cat character) first appeared in 1985, in a die-cut booklet produced by B. Shackman & Company, Inc. This firm has sold toys and printed materials since 1898. The Victorian-style Kitty's name was invented by the daughter of the president of the company for a favorite doll. Her mother [Mary Peters Lillemoe] designed the Kitty Cucumber now used on a variety of products, such as books, paper dolls, and art work."

I have two different Kitty Cucumber "adoptees" in my Vintage Etsy Shop this week. First is a collectible revolving music box from 1989 featuring a cat doctor and kitten. It plays "You've Got A Friend". Wouldn't this be a cute gift for a veterinarian?


The second adoptee is a Kitty Cucumber dealer's sign from 1987, one that a gift shop owner would put out with a display of Kitty Cucumber figurines.

Click on either image for more details.

And may you have a lovely day filled with chocolate, fun, and love (and NO arrows!)

Have a Blessed New Year, Thank You, and HELP!

Here is one reason you have not heard much from me lately:

My studio assistant Buttonwillow and I would like to thank all of our beautiful customers and patrons for keeping us so busy over the past few months. Not to mention, keeping the Willamina post office very busy too! I love sending my little goodies off to exotic and faraway places like Ireland, Hong Kong, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Italy, Mexico. and Portugal.

I love what I do, and it would not be possible without your support, encouragement, and friendship!

Buttonwillow continues to help in whatever way possible.
What IS her fascination with scissors!?!

(for a clue, see "Buttonwillow's Secret Identity...Revealed")

Here is another reason you haven't heard much from me lately:

Susan Faye World Headquarters is moving!

Here is the story: It seems that my sweetie Dave and I had a Golden Opportunity this past autumn to buy this lovely 3 bedroom home in McMinnville, Oregon, for a song. (Okay, we had to fork over some dough too, but not very much.) Our intent was to buy it as a rental property. But the more we hung out there, the more we couldn't resist its irresistible charms such as big windows, a fireplace, and the fact that it puts us 30 minutes closer to Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland.

We decided it would be crazy not to move in, and rent out my Willamina cottage instead, keeping Dave's acreage in the Coastal Hills for recreational purposes. So for the past few months we have been refurbishing the 20-year-old home (before and after pictures will be shared in the weeks to come), have moved in our personal belongings, hosted Christmas dinner there, and now it is time to move my art supplies, craft accoutrements, shipping supplies, sewing set-up, office furniture and business belongings.

Which brings me to the HELP! portion of this blog post.

Boy do I have a lot of STUFF! I'm not going to show you pictures of all of my STUFF, for fear of winding up on an episode of "Hoarders". But suffice it to say, it is time to liquidate a lot of my STUFF, because I simply don't want to move it or try to make room for all this STUFF at the new place.

So Phase One of my STUFF liquidation is my Out-With-The-Old-To-Make-Room-For-The-New Sale in my Etsy shop. I am retiring most of my 2011 designs, and prices have been slashed 25-50% with the help of my studio assistant and her razor-sharp claws. You'll find bargain prices on pendants, earrings, sachets, bookmarks, and more at this link: Susan Faye on Etsy


Your assistance in making these items disappear will be greatly appreciated. There are lots of "little somethings" that you might tuck away for Valentines Day or Easter gifts. Down the road, I hope to start listing craft supplies, and vintage items too.

Thanks again for all of your love and support during 2011, and here's wishing a fruitful, serene and beautiful 2012 for each and every one of you.

And thank you for not turning me in to "Hoarders". I'd be so embarrassed.

A Very Blessed Event

It's that time of year when we celebrate many blessed events: the miracle of gratitude and abundance at Thanksgiving, the Festival of Lights at Hanukkah, the promise and hope of a brand new year, and the birth of baby Jesus, who grew up to teach us beautiful lessons about compassion, tolerance, and love.

I'd like to share a story about another blessed event that I recently learned about.

Two and a half years ago I was contacted by a young woman still in high school. She wanted to commission a Mother's Day portrait of her two "moms" with two of their cats, Squishy Carson and Xyla. She wondered if she might also be included in the painting. Here is the portrait of Camilla, Danielle and Shannon:

At that point in time, Camilla and Shannon were Danielle's legal guardians. It seems that back in Danielle's freshman year in high school, life at home with her birth mother and her mother's boyfriend had become unbearable and Danielle and her older sister needed to find new living situations.

Danielle tells us, "Shannon and Camilla, family of our neighbor, offered me a home. (my sister who is two years older than me went to live with Shannon's brother and his wife). They had legal guardianship of me all throughout high school and technically into college." Shannon and Camilla have been together in a domestic partnership since May of 2001, became Danielle's legal guardians in May of 2005, and were legally married in October of 2008.

Camilla and Shannon are animal lovers, and share their lives with a large menagerie of pets that includes both felines and canines in a wide range of sizes and ages. You can see the whole kit and caboodle here in their pet family album. Camilla is responsible for the fun and creative names; Shannon is responsible for the photography (she is a professional photographer AND dog trainer!). You can see her work at these links:

PawsitivePortraits.net
PetDegreeTraining.com

A few weeks ago Danielle, now a college student, contacted me and wanted to surprise her moms at Christmas with a special portrait that would commemorate a very special blessed event. Danielle explains that this past year "We started talking and decided before I turned 21 (on November 11, 2011) they should adopt me."

So they did--on October 21, 2011.

Congratulation to this "modern family" and thank you Danielle, Camilla, and Shannon for a great holiday story that so beautifully teaches us about compassion, tolerance, and most of all -- love!

More Pet Poetry!

The Holiday Pet Haiku Giveaway ends tomorrow...have you entered yet? Here are just a few of the wonderful entries so far:

jhitomi wrote...
My cat wants sunshine
Please Santa will you bring us
Some Vitamin D?


Birgit wrote...
Dog looks for Santa
perched on the window sill
barking til dawn.

Growling and barking
he scares Santa Claus away
to my big dismay.

Amber wrote...
Mittens loves cocoa
Tries to sneak a sip from me
Batting at the froth

Now it's your turn...Give it a try!
Haiku is a beautiful and elegant form of Japanese poetry. The simplified version of haiku is usually described as an un-rhymed, three-line poem of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. See what you can come up with using the theme of pets and a holiday of your choice (Christmas, Hannukkah, New Year's, Kwanzaa, etc).

Then leave your haiku in the comments section of the original post for a chance to win one of three prizes: THREE winners will be selected at random and each will receive a

$25 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop!

Each person may leave up to three different haiku in the comments, for three chances to win. Giveaway ends tomorrow, Saturday Dec. 17th.


Thanks for participating!

Holiday Pet Photos

Do you have a favorite holiday pet photo?

This one was taken several years ago during an unusually snowy Christmas vacation. My son had recently moved to Oregon and it was his first experience at being "snowed in". We put out lots of extra food for the birds and Buttonwillow enjoyed lots of "wishful thinking"...

You are invited to post your own favorite holiday pet photos on my facebook page! I'm hoping everyone will be inspired by these photos, then write a holiday pet haiku (or three) for a chance to win one of three $25 gift certificates to my Etsy shop! Click here for details on the giveaway: Haiku Giveaway

Thanks for visiting!

Are You Ready?

The big weekend is almost upon us.

I've made myself a list of things to do.

Thanksgiving Thursday: Eat, drink, be merry. Give thanks for my friends, family, pets, cat ladies, pet people, nature lovers and lovely customers who have supported my creative endeavors in so many ways over this past year!

Black Friday: Rest, relax and veg out (Buttonwillow demonstrates the proper technique in the photo to the right). Be thankful that I'm "Shopping Small" this year.

Small Business Saturday: Rest, relax, and "Shop Small". American Express has spearheaded a movement that asks consumers to patronize small, independent, local, mom and pop businesses this year. "The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. On November 26, we're asking millions of people to Shop Small at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge."

Simply Sunday: Rest, relax, and alert the elves to prepare for a busy week or two ahead.

Cyber Monday: Head back to the workshop and get those elves into high gear! And give thanks again for my friends, family, cat ladies, pet people, nature lovers and lovely customers who have supported my creative endeavors this past year !

[If you would like to make your own holiday list, click here for a printable list maker page like the one pictured here--a little holiday thank you from me]

And here are two more thank yous in the form of
two special offers
that are available between now and midnight on Cyber Monday:

1. Use coupon code THANKYOU15 at check-out and receive 15% off your entire purchase from my Etsy Shop. [Discount does not apply to wholesale listings]

AND

2. With any total purchase of $20 or more from my Etsy Shop, each customer will receive this exclusive mini print of my watercolor painting "Full Moon Serenity" absolutely FREE. It is 5 x 7" and suitable for framing, or display it on a small tabletop easel or on your fridge or bulletin board. Limit one free print per household.

HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND!

A List of Lists and a Freebie For You!

It's that time of year to make lists. Many lists.

Grocery Lists
Gift Lists
Errand Lists
Christmas Card Lists
Wish Lists
Craft Supply Lists
To-Do Lists
Guest Lists
Important Dates To Remember Lists

So in order to help you with your list of lists, I have a little gift for you. It's my way of thanking you for your love and your support of my creative endeavors over the past year.

As readers, pet lovers, customers and friends,
you are all tops on my list!

Below is a printable list-making page. Right-click on the image and use the "save image as" option to save it to your desktop. You should then be able to print it up just like you would any photo. When printed full-size, it should fit on a standard 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper; then just cut it in half to make two lists.
[Please remember, this list-making page is a gift for personal use and enjoyment only. Commercial use or reproduction is prohibited. Please respect this policy with regards to all artists and their artwork...it's good karma!]

So what is tops on your list of lists this week? What lists will you be working on over the coming weeks? Please share in the comments section of this post. Thanks for visiting!

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!