Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO... Cat Lover No.87

Cat Lover No. 87 is a DIY CCL.

Her Siamese feline friend Spinner knows that stands for a "Do-It-Yourself Crafty-Cat-Lady".

She was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on October 9, 2009 and introduced us to the website One Pretty Thing. Each day its creator (Cat Lady Rachel, with the help of pretty kitty Lil' B) "scours the craft forums, sites and blogs to bring you the best tutorials and DIY projects from across the internet," including my "how to paint a Cat Lady" tutorial!

My mini watercolor painting of Cat Lover No. 87 is in ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) format, which means that the artwork size is 2.5" x 3.5", the same as a baseball card. ACEOs are a fun and economical way to enjoy and collect original artwork!

It is hand-painted on super-heavy Arches 300-lb. acid-free cold-press watercolor paper with professional quality watercolor paints. It is artist-initialed by me on the front, signed, dated, and titled on back. For information about purchasing this one-of-a-kind original mini painting, click on the image above.

Thanks for visiting!

Party Animal Turns Six!

Skeezix Glass will tell you that the color pink and getting cool birthday presents are two of his favorite things, but when you get right down to it, there's nothing better than friends and family who love you.

For example, there are friends like Katie Tulip, Shabby, and Angel Kalin who commissioned this brand new Skeezix family portrait as a gift to commemorate Skeezix's sixth birthday today!

Then there are family members like Rocky the Gutter Cat (Rocky's Ramblings), Tripper (Life's a Trip!), and big brother Mao (Mao's Mews). Best of all are the Food Lady (The Cat's Meow) and Mr. Tasty Face. Mr. Tasty Face doesn't seem to have his own blog, but he gets an occasional starring role in each one, plus he has the tastiest face in town, so that's okay.

To find out more about how Skeezix is spending his Big Day with friends and family, click here: Happy Berthday... to ME!

PARTY ON, PARTY ANIMAL!!

A Happy Surprise Day!

Sister Debbie has the purrfect plan to surprise her brother Rick for his 5oth birthday, including giving him this portrait that features Rick and fellow feline fella Dennis with their two favorite cats. She explains:


"Rick, the guy in the green, had his birthday in May, but a surprise birthday party is being thrown for him today on June 26. Hopefully, he doesn't suspect a thing!"

About the kitties: "Callie (the brown kitty) and Zeke (the grey) are Tonkinese and 10 years old. Rick and Dennis got them as kittens. Callie is the quiet shy one, but she's a jumper and has been known to stroll on top of the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator. Hmmm, Zeke is a little hefty and might not be as agile. He is the attention-hound. He also loves peanuts! They're both very vocal! It's quite common for one of them to walk through house meowing loudly looking for some company."

HAPPY SURPRISE DAY RICK !!

Remembering Gracie

When Cat Lady Sharon first met Gracie she was about 2 weeks old and barely recognizable as a kitten.

"She still looked rather primordial. Her mother was a black cat with a white chest and Gracie looked like she was going to be a grey cat. Since the family lived 50 miles away I didn't see Gracie again until she was almost 10 weeks old and I went to pick her up. I was shocked to find out that she was Siamese."

"Even as an energetic kitten Gracie never got into trouble around the house. She was always very careful when she explored every nook and cranny. Like most cats, she loved being in high places. I think the most exciting times of her life were the three times she found a mouse in the house and suddenly became a fierce warrior...

"Gracie had a privileged life--she stayed indoors, had lots of toys, tasty food, very comfortable accommodations, and was well-loved. She loved to follow the sun around the house and watch the goings-on in the neighborhood. When she was 2 or 3 I asked her vet how he thought she would do with another cat in the house and he recommended against it so she was always the queen of the house. She flew across the country a few times visiting family (always in the plane's cabin with me!) but it became clear that she was more comfortable staying at home so friends and/or a professional cat sitter would take care of her whenever I traveled.

"Gracie was a very sweet cat--introverted with others but always very loving with me...Up until 6 months ago she was a very healthy cat but I knew that she was already living beyond the expected lifespan of an indoor cat. She was diagnosed with lymphoma in early September and responded well to medication so she was still able to enjoy her life even though her energy was diminishing. She turned 20 in late March and just after Easter she definitely took a turn for the worse. She was peacefully euthanized on April 10th."

Rest in Peace, Sweet Gracie.

[FOOTNOTES: "Since I knew Gracie's end was coming I thought about what I wanted to do for my feline future and decided that after about a month I would get two cats together...My plan was to wait a month so I could get some work done at home and do a bit of traveling before adding to my household. However after one night without a cat I knew that I couldn't wait a month so that day I went and adopted two 2.5 year old sisters--Daisy and Coco. Both are grey and white. They are both delightful--active and sweet and very fun to watch as they cuddle and lick each other."

QUILT NOTE: "The crazy quilt was a gift from my great aunt who purchased it on Nantucket Island (off the coast of Cape Cod). It was made in the 1860's...the workmanship is meticulous and the variety of fabrics and embroidery is really amazing."]

CAN YOU FIND THE CAT MOTIFS? (click on quilt image, then click with magnifying glass cursor to see detail)...There are several kitties scattered throughout the quilt, plus dogs, birds, butterflies and children!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

As Cat Lady Debbie can tell you, there's nothing like a Terrific Tonkinese to put a twinkle in your eye. Take Twinkle, for example--a thirteen-year old beauty who is Debbie's pride and joy.

"Twinkle is quite a character -- when her Daddy goes away overnight he has to have a little talk with her beforehand and tell her he will be away and to take care of Mommy. If he does not do this -- Twinkle will come into the bedroom in the middle of the night, jump up on the bed and 'tell me' that Daddy is not home. If he has told her - I don't hear a peep from her until morning!!

"Another thing she does is 'fuss' (that is what we call it anyway). She meows with her mouth closed! However, she uses a very loud meow if she is actually trying to make her wants and needs known."

The Cat Fanciers' Association tells us, The Tonkinese blends the best features of its ancestors into one beautiful, medium-sized cat that is remarkably dense and muscular. Whether appearing in the coat pattern of its Burmese predecessor, with sparkling gold-green eyes, the pointed pattern of its Siamese ancestor, with glittering blue eyes, or the “mink” coat pattern seen in the show ring, with its unique aqua eyes, the Tonkinese is an intelligent, gregarious cat with a sense of humor.

Read more about the Terrific Tonkinese here: Tonkinese Breed Profile

Featured Art Auction....Siamese Cats

"Their sleek lines, striking color contrast, finely chiseled aristocratic heads, deep blue almond eyes, and short silky coats make them living art. Combine this beauty with acute intelligence, inquisitive personality and a loving nature and you have the essence of the Siamese cat. -- The Siamese cat as described by the Cat Fanciers' Association

Pictured are some of the miniature watercolor paintings that were among the 365 Cat Ladies featured on this blog during 2009. During the coming months, all of the remaining original artwork from the series will be auctioned off on Ebay.

This week's offerings highlight Siamese cats and their cousins, the Himalayan cats. These collectible art cards will be listed at an opening bid of $9.95. To participate in the auction, please visit Susan Faye's Ebay Auctions. ACEO collector cards are a wonderful way to collect original art without breaking the bank!










If you are considering adopting a particular breed of cat, there are a number of services to counsel you and help you find a homeless pet in need of your love. Examples are Purebred Cat Rescue in the Midwest, Persian & Himalayan Cat Rescue in California, or Texas Siamese Rescue, a coalition of shelters located in Texas, Virginia, California and Colorado.

Thanks for visiting!











To bid on any of these original miniature watercolor paintings please visit
http://myworld.ebay.com/whimsysu

The Name Game

Cat Lady Alice is a special education teacher, and has a big heart and an inborn love for those with special needs. Maggie and Millie are two former stray cats that now share her home, and of the two, Siamese-mix Maggie is definitely the matriarch.

Good friend Flora tell us, ""Alice is always looking out for the stray cats in her condominium complex and has the cat food bills to prove it. Alice has a quick wit, a great sense of humor, and a kind and loving spirit that blesses all who know her."

At least two of the outside cats have names: Bailey and Blue Eyes. I wonder if Alice knows the No.1 Rule of the Stray Cat Code: “if you name ‘em, they’re yours"!

Thanks for visiting!

Birthday Twins...A Good Investment

Cat Lady Ann knows a thing or two about good investments:

"I adopted Fred [orange tabby, pictured above] from my investment broker - needless to say, best investment I made with him. Fred was born April 30, 1995. I named him Fred ('Frederick' when he gets in trouble) since the cat I had at that time was named Barney - what else could I do? :o) Fred is a big, beautiful, green-eyed orange tabby, very social, a real lap-cat."

Another excellent investment: A feline fella!!

"One of my requirements in a man was that he had to like cats and Sam [handsome gentleman, pictured above] had a cat when I met him. Her name was Misty. I had two cats, Fred and Pierre. We all became one family in June 2002.

"We adopted Edmund [also pictured above], sometimes known as Mr. Ed, Eddie or just plain Ed, July 1, 2008. His mother was a stray that arrived at a friend's house and a few months later on April 29th left very pregnant, so my friend believes she had the kittens the next day, April 30th. She never expected to see the mom cat again but a few weeks later mom and her four kittens appeared outside her kitchen window. She took care of them until they were ready to be adopted. We lost a cat from a heart blood clot in April and were ready to adopt - so we took a look and came home with Edmund, a mix but looks like a chocolate point Siamese. Quite a handsome fellow with gorgeous blue eyes."

Although birthday twins Fred and Ed were born 14 years apart, obviously their stars were aligned just right to land in such a loving home with Cat Lady Ann and Feline Fella Sam!

This portrait was commissioned by Daughter-In-Law Natasha. Be sure to visit her delightful blog: Samster Mommy- Crafting, Cooking, and Chaos from Mommyland. You'll find lots of great craft tutorials and recipes for the busy mom!

Cat Lady and Feline Fella Nos. 359 and 360...The More The Merrier

Cat Lady Jean and Feline Fella Tom, married for 43 years, were a one-cat-at-a-time family for decades, but in recent years that has all changed... Jean (aka Jean the Queen--of Laundry and Litter!) tells the story:

"We've been married since 1966 and have one daughter, Karen. We have had a cat in our lives since Karen was a small girl but we'd never had more than one at a time and they tended to live long lives (17+ to 18+ years).

"Then after losing the last single cat, we decided a few months later to get another cat and wanted a kitten -- and looking through various cat publications, Tom was very taken with a breed we'd never heard of before, the RagaMuffin. We contacted a breeder [who happens to be Cat Lady Sharon, No. 269!] and she ended up finding us our special boy, Cole. We then got Bliss, our old-style Siamese that same year; the following year after becoming addicted to showing cats (something we'd never known about previously) we adopted St Nick as a good candidate for being shown.

"All of our cats have titles -- Cole and Nick are both Quad Grand Champions (highest rank possible) and we have literally, hundreds of rosettes and a few plaques and trophies to show for their achievements. Our newest kitten, a four-month old Tonkinese boy, Beau, has only been in one show but got 6 ribbons out of a possible 8 -- so he's off to a very good start but he kinda 'acted up'-- yowling and flipping & flopping around-- so he may end up not continuing with a show 'career.'

"They are wonderful cats -- with lots of experience in riding in cars and exploring motel rooms, being brushed and taking 'show' baths -- and bringing us a lot of joy each day!"

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 344...Home For The Holidays

Cat Lady Meredith is enjoying a group hug with Sandy and Sam, just adopted from a local shelter.

Are youhinking about adopting your own purr-monster this holiday season? As part of Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign, Cat Lady Karen is featuring a different feline in need of a forever home each day at her Cat's Meow blog. You'll also find a link to locate adoptees in your area.

The Iams 2009 campaign launched on October 1st, and joining forces with 3,500 animal organizations, their goal is to help 1.5 million pets find homes this holiday season.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 323...Book Buddy

Library-cat-in-training Professor Purrlots is enjoying today's lesson from School Librarian Patricia. Today she is reading the story about a real-life cat named Dewey Readmore Books who was dropped into the book return of the Spencer Public Library in Iowa one fateful night.

Dewey took his new job as the library cat quite seriously and spent 19 years running the place. His "Basic Rules For Cats Who Have a Library to Run" is a must-read for any aspiring library cat.

The library cat's golden rule, according to Dewey, is: "Never forget, nor let humans forget, that you own the joint!

To find out more about Dewey and his illustrious career, visit this wesite: Dewey Readmore Books

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No.308...Gobble Green Idea No. 4

Cat Lady Belinda and her Siamese sidekick Dora will be entertaining 11 guests on Thanksgiving, and have resolved to make the day as earth-friendly as possible by: Reducing--buying products with the least amount of packaging and choosing biodegradable paper packaging over plastic; Re-using--no paper plates or other throw-aways; and Recycling and Composting everything possible at the end of the day.

For decorations, Belinda plans to make these gorgeous candlelight luminaries as featured on TreeHuggingFamily.com. They are made from recycled tin cans, and Belinda will send one home with each guest.

In the mean time, Dora is hoping to recycle this box into her very own private napping spot, which she will certainly need after helping out with the turkey on Turkey Day!

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 278...DIY CCL

Cat Lady Deborah is a DIY CCL. Feline friend Spinner knows that stands for a Do-It-Yourself Crafty-Cat-Lady.

There simply aren't enough hours in the day to craft all the crafty things that need crafting, so Deborah is grateful for websites like One Pretty Thing. Each day its creator ( Cat Lady Rachel, with the help of pretty kitty Lil' B) will "scour the craft forums, sites and blogs to bring you the best tutorials and DIY projects from across the internet".

This week Deborah can't wait to try the Halloween crafts, especially the free Halloween art to download from the Graphics Fairy. Spinner hopes she will use it to decorate a very special Trick-or-Treat bag filled with catnip (for tricks) and tuna (for treats)!

Thanks for visiting!

Thank You to One Pretty Thing for featuring my watercolor tutorial, "How To Paint A Cat Lady (and Lad)" in the October 9th Daily DIY section!!! Click on the button below if you are a DIY CCL!

Cat Lady No. 256...Party Animal Turns Five

Skeezix the Cat was just three months old when Cat Lady Karen (aka Food Lady) brought him home as a surprise for her Feline Fella Jeff (aka Mr. Tasty Face).

Skeezix, who was almost hairless and often cold, began wearing sweaters with the help of the Food Lady. His penchant for pink and the Food Lady's love of photography soon made Skeezix a famous feline fashionista of the cat world.

Food Lady is a wildly talented writer, photographer and artist, and in no time at all her young apprentice showed great promise at the computer. Skeezix began helping the Food Lady write The Cat's Meow-- Catster's blog for cats and kittens, AND writing his very own blog: Skeezix's Scratching Post.

So it is with great love and adoration that the Food Lady and Mr. Tasty Face join with great friends like Shabby and Katie Tulip and angel Kalin in wishing Skeezix the Very Happiest of Birthdays!



Congratulations to Cat Lady Danielle,who also just happens to be Cat Lady No. 122! Her name was drawn at random and she is the winner of the September Giveaway No. 1. Thank you to everybody who participated!

Cat Lady No. 250...Something Fishy

Just ask Cat Lady Mirabelle and her trio of finicky feline gourmands: there's nothing like a great fish dinner.

But lately Mirabelle has become concerned about the state of the seafood she and the cats consume. As the Nature Conservancy recently pointed out in its Cool Green Science blog: "Our oceans contain some of Earth’s most imperiled habitats.

"Shellfish beds, coral reefs and seagrass meadows once bustling with life have been depleted, and critical fish stocks have plummeted. Less than 1 percent of our oceans are currently protected. There’s even a giant garbage patch twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific."

It's enough to make a cat gag on her tuna souffle.

Luckily, Mirabelle found a list of 10 things she can do right now to make a difference, including:

• Reduce plastic consumption
• Choose earth-friendly cleaners and detergents
• Buy local and organic to reduce pesticides and toxins that wind up in your food and in oceans
• Choose sustainable seafood at your restaurant and market (use this handy Seafood Watch Pocket Guide)

For the complete list of tips with helpful links, visit
Marine Conservation:What You Can Do

Thanks for visiting!

WEEKEND DEALS ON ETSY! FREE worldwide shipping on EVERY item in my Etsy shop Friday Sept 11 through Sunday Sept 13 ! Includes all Cat Lady giftware, ACEO art, prints, and Custom Pet People portraits.

Just add the code "Weekend Deals" in Message to Seller section during checkout, and shipping fees will be promptly refunded via Paypal.

Cat Lady No. 209...Kitty Stitches

Cat Lady Julie has recently graduated from the basic knit and purl to some more advanced knitted lace patterns. They require focus, concentration, and an occasional neck massage from her knitting buddy Miss Mirelda.

Two new patterns that Julie can't wait to try are the Cat's Paw/Crown of Glory and the Cat's Eye .


Miss Mirelda can't wait to have a sweater in each...


This original ACEO mini watercolor painting has just been listed for sale...Add it to your collection by visiting my Etsy shop:
In Stitches No. 6

Cat Lady No. 194...Kitty Capers

Cat Fish Xanadu's favorite game is to pretend he is a sea serpent and to chase Cat Lady Mermaid Esmerima through the kelp forest and try to nip her tail fin.

Apparently, toe-nipping is a favorite pastime for mortal Cats and Cat Ladies and Lads, if the July Giveaway entries received so far are any indication.

Cat Lady Laura reports: My youngest kitty, Newman, loves to play a foot game with his Daddy. He hides inside his favorite S-shaped lounger, and when Daddy comes out of the bathroom, Newman tries to grab his feet as he goes by. He only plays it with Daddy!

Cat Lady Rita Anne reports: Far TOO many of our babies like the "Toe Attack Game". This game is best played when Mommy or Daddy are not quite awake in the early morning. The kitties wait for that moment when the human foot slides so temptingly under the sheets/covers. Those toes MUST be stopped! The plan of attack is there is none! Just GRAB that toe or toes with claws out, dig in, holding on for dear life and then BITE the big toe with every ounce of strength a kitty has! This is a REALLY fun game, but tragically doesn't last too long as human skin is way too thin and starts to bleed through the sheets. Bummer!

Read more funny Cat Games in the comments section of the July Giveaway post!

This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale...Add it to your collection by visiting my Etsy shop:
Mermaid No. 9

Cat Lady No. 183...A Royal Birthday Gala

Cat Ladies have the nicest sisters, who wish them a Happy Birthday in the nicest ways. One such sister is Felicia, who reports:

"This Fourth of July, Cat Lady Vanessa will be celebrating her 36th birthday basking in the glow of her adoring cats Tessa and Claudia. The girls are planning a brunch followed by a magnificent cake and presents.

"A regal, self-confident kitty, Tessa secretly believes the parade and fireworks are actually in her honor. Regrettably, the kitties won't be able to attend the fireworks display, as they are indoor cats and must stay home and wait impatiently for their queen's return.

"This is all fine and well for Claudia, who is upset by loud noises and will be quite content huddled in one of her secret hiding places."

Be sure to visit sister Felicia's wonderful Etsy shop: Catwalk Paperworks for fun and nostalgic collage art, gifts, and greeting cards!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Cat Lady Vanessa and a HAPPY HOLIDAY weekend to all!



♥ Have you heard? I'm included in Etsy's weekly voter poll asking "Which Item Colors You Beautiful?" Please vote for my "Peaceable Kingdom" print at: Etsy Voter
Thanks!

Cat Lady No. 161...A Different Kind of Green

Cat Lady Raylene and Feline Friend Armani are saying goodbye to the front lawn this weekend.

Inspired by articles such as the recent one on the Nature Concervancy's conservation blog Cool Green Science, Raylene is going to replace that green stuff with more earth-friendly landscaping that won't require toxic sprays, chemical fertilizers, excessive water, or gas-powered lawnmowers. Raylene is choosing native and drought-tolerant plants with attractive mulch to keep down the need for watering.

Oh, and a few catnip plants too, at Armani's insistence...

To find out more, click here: How "Green" Is Your Lawn?

Cat Lady No. 143 ...Counting Cat Years

Cat Lady Amber and Himalayan Cat Mom Suki are enjoying the newest additions to the household--Gemini twins!

Amber believes that because there are 7 cat years per human year,every cat should get to celebrate 7 times per calendar year; coming out to a new celebration every 7-1/2 weeks or so.

The twins will be weaned in a few weeks--just in time for their first celebration. Amber recently found a recipe for Cat Birthday Cake that she can't wait to try out...She'll save the party hats and favors for their 2nd celebration...it won't be a very long wait.

Thanks for visiting!





Purrfect for keeping track of 7 cat birthdays per year:
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.

• 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