Back To School Giveaway

Have you noticed? Fashion-correct Cat Ladies have retired their white shoes and handbags, fluttering leaves are changing their hues, and the school crossing signs are blinking once again. That can only mean one thing: it's time to introduce my new back-to-school-inspired pendants and have a GIVEAWAY!









































Inspired by cat-loving teachers, librarians, students, and book club buddies, these designs celebrate the love of books and reading!

A mini print of my artwork has been preserved under crystal-clear glass, then hand-crafted into a sparkling pendant. The rectangle glass tile is 7/8-inch wide and 1-1/4 inches tall and features a silvertone bail. Here is your chance to win one:

Just leave a comment at the end of the post and mention the name of your favorite teacher, librarian, student, or bibliophile and your name will be entered into a random drawing! Giveaway ends Friday, Sept 17 at 10 p.m. PST. One name will be drawn at random and will receive their choice of one of these pendants, including a 24" silvertone petite ball chain. Open to book lovers 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!

The 10 new pendants pictured are now available for sale at my online Etsy shop. Just click on an image to find out more information about that item!

Cat Lady No. 274...World Teachers Day

Cat Lady Lolana and her class kitty Gato Bernardo were delighted to receive special e-cards today in honor of World Teachers Day.

World Teachers’ Day, held annually on October 5th since 1994 - when it was created by UNESCO - celebrates teachers worldwide. Its aim is to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers.

Do you have a teacher you would like to thank? Just visit the World Teachers Day website where you will find free e-cards in five different languages--send one to every teacher you know and tell them how much they mean to you.

Thanks for visiting!



This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...click here:

Cat Lover No. 64

Cat Lady No. 243...School Daze

It's back to school on Tuesday for Cat Lady Donna's two young children, so with the help of Floofie, Donna is reading up on advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Here are their tips about walking to school:

• Make sure your child's walk to a school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.
• Be realistic about your child's pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
• If your child is young or is walking to new school, walk with them the first week to make sure they know the route and can do it safely.
• Bright colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers.
• In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider starting a “walking school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.

For more great tips about topics like backpack and bicycle safety, bullying, and homework, visit their website: AAP Back to School Tips.

Thanks for visiting!

This "Bookworms" design can be found on a variety of gifts and apparel at my Cafepress online gift shop:
Library Cat No. 12


Purrfect for back to school, this Wire-O bound, 160 page journal has your choice of papers and measures 5" x 8", a handy on-the-go size to fit in your backpack.

• Back cover made of thin black flexible textured plastic, measures 16/1000" thick
• Front cover made of 12pt glossy paper, laminated for durability
• Filled with your choice of 60lb bookweight (24 lb bond) paper -- blank, dot grid, lined college-ruled, or a task journal.

Cat Lady No. 239...Story Time

Classroom Cat Meemee Meowmeow always loves story time. That's when Cat Lady Teacher Ms. Lucy reads out loud from a storybook, pausing after each page to hold up the beautiful pictures so that the entire classroom can see.

Today's story is Alexander and the Wind-up Mouse, written and illustrated by Leo Lionni, about a real mouse and a mechanical wind-up mouse.

Here are two great book reviews, with illustrations.

The first review is by Scribbler, who "obsessively seeks out children's books of old" to share with her son and also sells vintage kids' books on Etsy:

Alexander and the Wind-up Mouse
Review #1

The second review is by Danielle K. who was 7 years old at the time of writing the review:

Alexander and the Wind-up Mouse
Review #2

Thanks for visiting!


Just Listed! These three ACEO miniature watercolor paintings are now available in my Etsy Shop! Stop by and see what else is new...

Cat Lady No. 238..Teacher's Pet's Pets

It's time for Cat Lady and Elementary School Teacher Kristie to get ready to go back to school with the help of terrific tabby Olive. But as Kristie is prepping her stuffed animals for the annual trip back to their beloved second grade classroom, Olive manages to sneak them out of the bags for one last bite and tussle!

"I swear Olive can sniff out a stuffed animal anywhere," Kristie says. "It's uncanny."

Olive loves her stuffed animal buddies and would prefer that they stay at home with her instead of making the trek back into the classroom for the students. However, Olive knows that the children will take good care of them and love them, just like she does. Well, except for the bite and tussle thing!

Kristie and her husband, Justin (also a teacher) have enjoyed Olive's shenanigans for the past four years. Olive shares her home with her kitty sisters Gracie (eight), Lily (three), KitKat (one), and her brother, GrayBoy (five).

When not teaching in the classroom or scratching cat chins at home, Kristie loves crafting and has a wonderful online shop at Etsy.com full of her colorful creations. Be sure to check out

SewFabulousCrafts!

Cat Lady No. 236...Setting Goals

Cat Lady Rebecca --who also happens to be the School Principal--has high hopes for Teacher's Pet Jeremiah, known as "Jerry" to the kids. She just read an article about Oreo the Cat, who earned a High School Diploma online.

She tells Jerry that if he really applied himself and wouldn't spend so much time in front of the sunny window, a diploma could be his, greatly enhancing his job prospects in the future.

Jerry, however, is quite happy with his current duties as Chief Mouser and Seat Warmer. Besides, he has six toes on one paw, and seven on the other paw, making math particularly challenging...

Thanks for visiting!


This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...add it to your collection by visiting Teacher's Pet No. 4 ACEO

Cat Lacy No. 226...Making the Grade

Cat Lady and Teacher Mary Beth gets an A+ today from classroom cats Reedin and Rightin. As they get ready for Back To School, Mary Beth wrote a cat haiku as part of a lesson plan:

teacher's pets await
return of many small hands
petting petting purrrrrrrrrrr

Here are some great examples of cat haiku with purring as a theme, submitted for the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for August:

From Cat Lady Chris:
Big blue eyes I see
Looking fondly back at me
Two hearts purr as one

From Cat Lady Jeanette:
Sleeping next to me
Furry faces, soft whiskers
Cats purring their love

From Bibi Girl's "meowmie":
A bag I can hide
in from evil things without.
Chin rub. Eyes squint. Purr

If you would like to share your own Cat Haiku, please add it to the comments section of the August Giveaway post, where you will be able to read all of the other entries! Thanks for visiting!



This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale...add it to your collection by visiting Teacher's Pet No. 3 ACEO

Cat Lady No. 160...Story Time

Once upon a time there was a Cat Lady named Kathy. A school librarian and avid reader, Kathy enjoyed time with her favorite books, her beautiful granddaughters Lily and Violet, and two fabulous felines.

Then one fateful day, she decided to adopt a third kitty and leave it at that.

As fate would have it, and unbeknownst to Kathy, the new adoptee "was with kitten", and soon there were an additional three new arrivals.

Bonding ensued and the math was elementary: 1 loving cat lady + 2 cats +1 kitty mama + 3 adorable kittens = Kathy's Purrsonal Book Club. Members Gracie, Charlie, Coconut, "Big" Ernie, Lavern and Shirley are enjoying today's selection, a gripping whodunnit murder mystery.

And they all lived happily ever after. The end.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 114...Bookworm Birthdays

Librarian and Cat Lady Kari enjoys reading aloud to the neighorhood kids at Storytime Hour with the help of Library Cat Skittles...

Today is a special story day because it is Skittles' birthday, and Kari is reading Happy Birthday To You by Dr. Seuss. The book tells about a fantastic land called Katroo, where the Birthday Bird throws everyone an amazing party on their special day. The book itself is having its 50th birthday this year!

After Kari finishes reading the story, Skittles and the kids will visit Seussville on the library computers --an interactive site with lots of fun and games and interesting stories about Dr. Seuss. There is even a Storybook Maker that helps you write your own illustrated storybook with the help of Horton (of Hears a Who fame).

Skittles is fairly certain that if she daintily walks across each and every keyboard, she will get to be the star of at least one storybook. It is her birthday, after all...

Thanks for visiting!

Create your very own Storybook:
This Wire-O bound, 160 page blank book has your choice of papers and measures 5" x 8", a handy on-the-go size to fit in your backpack. Get creative and let the muse flow.

• Back cover made of thin black flexible textured plastic, measures 16/1000" thick
• Front cover made of 12pt glossy paper, laminated for durability
• Filled with your choice of 60lb bookweight (24 lb bond) paper -- blank, dot grid, lined college-ruled, or a task journal.

I have dozens of journal designs to choose from at
Susan Faye Blank Books

Cat Lady No. 105...Support Your Local Library

It's National Library Week! Teenager and Cat-Lady-In-Training Emma enjoys sharing a mystery novel with fellow book lover Spooky the Library Cat...

As part of National Library Week, today is Support Teen Literature Day, and Emma found a wonderful list of book recommendations on the website of Young Adult Library Services Association.

For more information about Library Week, visit the website of: The American Library Association

Happy Reading!

Hey book lovers!
Surprise Mom with a Custom Library Cat Lady Portrait...A one-of-a-kind and very affordable gift for Mother's Day...Last day to order is April 25. For pricing and options, please visit my Etsy online gallery by clicking here: CUSTOM CAT LADIES

Cat Lady No. 101...Earth Day

School librarian and Cat Lady Patti enjoys sharing a book about recycling with library cat Arnold. She is busy setting up a special book display with an Earth Day theme.

She was recently surprised to learn that there are actually TWO Earth Days.

The first was a tradition founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969, and is observed around the world on the March equinox.

The second Earth Day was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, and is observed on April 22 of each year.

Patti and Arnold hope that their students will be inspired to make every day Earth Day. Patti has gathered together a great assortment of books to introduce her kids to issues such as pollution, over-population, climate change, and species extinction; and she hopes they will begin to think about creative solutions involving renewable resources, conservation, alternative energy, and more...

Arnold will be doing his part by enjoying a nice nap in the solar power that streams through the library window each afternoon at two p.m...

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. 67...Favorite Stories

Preschool Teacher Noreen enjoys sharing a good story with fellow book lover Frosty...

Their favorite book creator is Tomie DePaola who has illustrated hundreds of books and has written quite a few too.

Tomorrow Noreen will read his book Strega Nona to her class. Tomie has print-out coloring pages on his website, so a special treat will be for the kids to color the Strega Nona Page.

Frosty hopes Noreen will break out the 64-color box of crayons for the occasion...

Thanks for visiting!


A classroom essential for Noreen: a Cat Lady Apron from my CafePress Shop! Ties at neck and waist. Two center-stitched bottom compartment pouches for keeping tools and recipes handy. 35% Cotton / 65% polyester blend, twill fabric. Machine washable and guaranteed. There are over 100 designs to choose from... click here: Cat Lady Aprons

Cat Lady No. 47...Hail To Perspicacity!

Cat Lady Mabel and feline friend Abraham are bibliophiles; in other words, they are hooked on books. Today they are reading President Obama's autobiography Dreams From My Father in honor of Presidents Day, and find it quite inspiring.

Mabel is particularly delighted to have a President who has such a beautiful command of the English language and speaks so articulately and with such elegance.

Mabel loves words: obscure words, funny words, multi-syllabic words. Her favorite word today is perspicacious. She believes that our new president is perspicacous and hopes you will look it up in the dictionary, because it is a fun word to use once in awhile.

Abraham loves words too. A few favorites that he enjoys hearing are tuna, sun beams, and out bad dog. Abraham likes to think that he is perspicacious too.
Thanks for visiting!

Book Bags Galore!...My 100% cotton canvas tote bags have plenty of room to carry everything you need, including dictionaries for words like perspicacity. They include a bottom gusset and extra long handles for easy carrying.
Over 100 designs are available at: Susan Faye Cat Lady Totes

Cat Lady No. 32...Temptations

Cat Lady Mona and Tabby Cat Budda are looking up Budda's favorite quote:

"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are." Marcus Aurelius

Budda wholeheartedly adheres to this philosophy, which might explain the endless temptations he faces on his road to enlightenment. These temptations include:

Plants: The temptation of climb them, shred them, redistribute their soil.

Impromptu Cat Toys: What's the harm in imagining that Mona's paint brushes are dangerous furry stick critters that must be subdued before they go berserk?

Unauthorized Napping Humans: As Mona recounts: "Budda’s most recent failure to maintain peaceful centeredness involved an incident while Mike was napping on the couch. Budda hunkered down as if stalking, then catapulted himself onto Mike’s chest. After a dramatic pause, he threw in a 2-pawed slap in the face, for good measure."

Water: Fascinations include food dish water, toilet bowl water, paint rinsing water, and the redistribution of said water throughout the art studio. This leads Mona to ponder: "How does a cat manage to get water all over the toilet seat, the floor, and half way up the wall, and yet he, himself remains completely dry?"

You can read more about the Adventures of Budda and his Cat Lady here:
Fur In the Paint

Budda also hopes that you will take a look at Cat Lady Mona's EXQUISITE pastel paintings of wildlife and farm animals at her online gallery:
WILD FACES GALLERY

And for an excellent how-to on using oil pastels, visit Mona's excellent tutorial:
Tips and Tools For Working With Oil Pastels

Thanks For Visiting!

Don't resist this temptation...My 100% cotton canvas tote bags have plenty of room to carry everything you need, including books on Marcus Aurelius. They include a bottom gusset and extra long handles for easy carrying.
Available at: Susan Faye Cat Lady Totes

Cat Lady No. 14...Jenny and Allie

Lap Cat Allie likes nothing better than to curl up with Cat Lady Jenny to hear a good story. With a Master's Degree in Library Science, Jenny loves all things book-, grammar-, and language-related.

Allie Cat loves all things mouse- or flamingo-related. The love of mice? Allie's mom was a champion mouser at the farm where Allie was born. The love of flamingos? When Jenny adopted Allie and moved her into her new home, there was not a mouse in sight! What else could Allie do but play with the beautiful pink flamingo beanie baby which, if pounced on just so, skitters across the floor like a fat little mousie!






The PURRfect way to carry all of your books, or pink flamingos...These 100% cotton canvas tote bags have plenty of room to carry everything you need when you are on the go. They include a bottom gusset and extra long handles for easy carrying. You'll find them at my online gift shop: SUSAN FAYE ORIGINALS along with other fine CAT LADY giftware.

Cat Lady No. 9...Library Cat

Librarian Cat Lady Linda Lou enjoys a quiet moment in the Classics Section with Library Cat Jane Pawsten. Linda Lou and Jane enjoy a good page-turner and are always happy to help you find one too.

Their favorite website is ILoveLibraries.org
sponsored by the American Library Association.
All together, there are an estimated 123,291 libraries of all kinds in the United States today, including: public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries and special libraries, which includes business and corporate, medical, law, religious, armed forces, and government libraries.

Surprise your favorite librarian or book lover with a fine gift from www.cafepress.com/SusanFaye including cocoa mugs, blank book journals, book bags, and note cards!

Would you like a Custom Cat Lady Portrait? ...A one-of-a-kind and very affordable gift for any cat lover...For pricing and options, please visit my Etsy online gallery by clicking here: CUSTOM CAT LADIES

Cat Lady No. 5...Back to School

Winter Break has ended and it's time to hit the books again. College student and Cat Lady Sara is already studying for Friday's Biology exam with help from Library Cat Dexter.

Dexter is fascinated to learn that there is such a thing as a single-celled organism, but is impatient and wants to skip ahead to the chapter on Highly-Independent-Tuna-Loving and Elegantly-Whiskered Small Mammals.

Sara carries all of her books - and groceries too - in an eco-friendly reusable cotton tote bag. You can do the same. You'll find her image and many more on tote bags at my Cafepress Gift Shop. Click here to see the complete selection: TOTE BAGS


Would you like a Custom Cat Lady Portrait? A one-of-a-kind and very affordable gift for any cat lover...For pricing and options, please visit my Etsy online gallery by clicking here: CUSTOM CAT LADIES

Thanks for visiting!