Cat Lady No. 327...Fa La La La La

Cat Lady Monica and Tabby Turbo just finished decking all of their halls with boughs of holly and would like to share some tips with you, provided by Oregon State University:

Did you know that storing holly in the same area with ripening fruit can result in defoliation, due to the ethylene gas given off by the fruit?

Cut your boughs of holly when temperatures are above freezing and when wind and strong sunlight will not cause excessive drying. Holly should be moved into cool, moist storage as soon as possible after cutting.

When using treated holly in the home, give it the same care you would give a flower arrangement, i.e., supply water to the cut stems, keep out of drafts and other places that promote dryness, and keep in a cool room if possible.

For more information, read the whole article: Preserving Cut Holly

Enjoy!

FREE SHIPPING IN MY ETSY SHOP: FREE worldwide shipping on all purchases totaling $20 or more for the entire extended weekend from Thursday Nov 26 through Monday, Nov. 30. You must include the words "Weekend Deals" in the Notes To Seller box when you check out! http://www.SusanFaye.etsy.com

Cat Lady No. 322...Carol Time

'Tis the season that Cat Lady Cynthia has been waiting for all year: the caroling season. It's the only time of the year that a gal with somewhat modest singing skills can sing loudly and with great enthusiasm in public places without raising too many eyebrows.

She's brushing up on the lyrics of all of her favorites with the help of her purrsonal neck warmer, Clyde Catman, and this great website, which includes lyrics to dozens of her favorite carols, plus a little history about each song:
Christmas Carols

Enjoy!





Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! These ACEO watercolor illustrations have just been listed for sale in my Etsy Shop

Cat Lady No. 320...Music To My Ears

Illustration Friday
(theme:"music")

Cat Lady Veronica is sporting the ultimate caroling accessory for the upcoming season! The latest in fashionable neckwear, it is guaranteed to keep neck and shoulders toasty warm while purring to the music. This particular neck-warmer goes by the name of Mo and will be happy to double as a lap-warmer for post-caroling cocoa consumption.

Thanks for visiting!


Two more creations by Etsy crafter ElleJays featuring one of my quilt blocks!

You'll find this pocket applique and mini quilt wall hanging listed for sale in her Etsy shop along with many more great cat lover gift items!

The individual fabric squares are for sale in my Susan Faye Etsy Shop

Cat Lady No. 304...Gobble Green Idea No. 2

Cat Lady Jonquil and her Persian beauty Downy have decided to make their Thanksgiving meal a little more earth-friendly this year by eating organic.

Although there has been a recent debate about the nutrient value of organic versus non-organic, Jonquil buys organic to avoid ingesting antibiotics, pesticides and other toxins.

According to the Organic Trade Association, there are also many benefits to the planet: organic agriculture can improve soil fertility, prevent chemical fertilizers from polluting waterways and accommodate higher species diversity.

Check out the Eat Well Guide Online to locate local, sustainable, and organic food near you...

This original ACEO watercolor illustration is No. 11 in my series called "Let It Snow" and has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...add it to your collection by visiting Let It Snow No. 11 ACEO Art

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. 292...A Day of Climate Action

In early December Cat Lady Sigrid and feline friend Petronella will be welcoming world leaders to their hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark, to craft a new global treaty on reducing emissions and stemming global warming.

In preparation for that historic meeting, thousands of events will take place tomorrow during the International Day of Climate Action. People in 181 countries are coming together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history. At over 4500 events around the world, people are gathering to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis, based on respected science from researchers and scientists around the world.

To find out how you can participate, visit the website: http://www.350.org

Thanks for visiting!



This brand new watercolor painting, called "Let It Snow", is another sneak peek at one of the fine art Cat Ladies that will be part of a special art exhibit at Lawrence Gallery Sheridan here in Oregon. "Gallery Gals Holiday Art Exhibit" will take place November 1 through December 31, and will feature the work of four gallery staff members, including yours truly!

Cat Lady No. 291...All About Snowflakes

Cat Lady Heidi and feline friend Snowflake think there is nothing prettier than a snowflake, whether it be the frozen or the furry kind.

About the frozen kind: Did you know that some snowflakes can get as big as almost two inches? According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, "Snowflakes are agglomerates of many snow crystals. Most snowflakes are less than one-half inch across. Under certain conditions, usually requiring near-freezing temperatures, light winds, and unstable, convective atmospheric conditions, much larger and irregular flakes close to two inches across in the longest dimension can form. "

About the furry kind: If you are a cat named Snowflake, chances are you spend an inordinate amount of time keeping your fur snowy white--which can often lead to tongue fatigue and hairballs. Snowflake recommends that your cat lady get a cat grooming mitt or glove. Heidi uses one on Snowflake each evening, always resulting in contented purring, not to mention a well-rested tongue.

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
Let It Snow No. 9 ACEO

Cat Lady No. 290...Warm Hearts

It's getting blustery outside, but Cat Lady Katlin and calico cat Katinka have had their hearts warmed by reading all of the entries so far in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for October.

Each entry includes a favorite animal shelter or rescue organization and here are some great examples:

Cat Lady Amy writes: My favorite rescue group is Second Chance Pets here in Houston. They work very hard to place cats, and to keep cats together when an elderly owner has passed away or can no longer care for them. As we have no children, my husband I have named them in our wills in addition to our siblings.

Petie the Cat from Canada says: Our favorite shelter/rescue is Darcy's ARC in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I would loves to win a portrait of me and my mama, purrss

Cat Lady KSee wrote: I have 4 rescued cats. My two girls were rescued by Metro Ferals. The boys were born across the street and Alley Cat Allies trapped an neutered, returned them where they came back to my patio. After much work they are indoor kitties.

To find out how you can participate in the giveaway, visit this link: Gift Certificate Giveaway . Thanks for participating!



This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...add it to your collection by visiting
Let It Snow No. 8 ACEO

Cat Lady No. 289...Autumn Snow

Cat Lady Eileen and Mr. Maxim always love the first snowfall, which often happens in October when you live in northern Minnesota. It means it's time to find favorite old scarves and hats, or better yet, go shopping for new ones.

Eileen happens to know that the average total snowfall for Duluth in October is 1.6 inches.

That's because she found a great place to look up the average snowfall in your area: Average Snowfall In Total Inches

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

Let It Snow No. 7 ACEO

Cat Lady No. 211...Let it Snow

Cat Lady Helga is a prize-winning snow sculptor and especially enjoys sculpting likenesses of tabby cat Heidi. But snow pets will have to wait, because today in Toronto it was a beautiful summer day at 80 degrees without a flake of snow in sight.

In the mean time Helga and Heidi are content to enjoy photos of previous masterpieces created by the Canadian Snow Sculpture Team while they dream of winter wonderlands to come...



Stop using up and throwing away plastic or styrofoam cups at the office or workplace. Be stylish and eco-friendly with a re-usable ceramic mug. I have dozens of designs to choose from: Susan Faye Mugs

You can find many more great gift items featuring Helga and Heidi in my Cafepress shop: Let It Snow No. 3

Cat Lady No. 41...More Snow!

Cat Lady Norah and her Himalayan beauty Priscilla PrettyPaws always wear matching striped scarves when sledding. Imagine their delight when they awoke this morning to find a fresh blanket of snow.

There's nothing like sailing down a slope at breakneck speed with the wind in your whiskers. It's especially nice when you have such a luxurious winter coat, not to mention a tres chic scarf that Norah's 92-year-old grandmother knitted by hand...

When not sledding, Nora and Priscilla PrettyPaws enjoy sitting by the fireplace and looking at their ever-growing collection of ACEOs, a type of artist trading card. They are the size of baseball cards and are fun and easy to collect by going to places like Etsy.com. For more information on art trading cards, go to: ACEO

It just so happens that this hand-painted portrait of Norah and Priscilla IS an ACEO trading card and it is for sale on my Etsy site: www.SusanFaye.etsy.com
These very affordable mini watercolor paintings are adorable when framed and arranged in a grouping!

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 21...Snowflake Magic

Cat Lady Kimmie makes sure that Ellie Kat always wears her bright green scarf in winter, because a snow white cat could so easily get lost in the snow...

One of their favorite things to do together is to enjoy the magic of snowflakes, like catching snowflakes on their tongues, and building snow castles and snow cats....

If you like snowflakes, but would rather enjoy them from inside your nice warm living room, here are some really fun things to do:

HOW TO MAKE A PAPER SNOWFLAKE

Or, if you can't seem to remember where you left your scissors, try this:

MAGIC SNOWFLAKE GENERATOR

Have fun, and don't forget your scarf and mittens!

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.

Kimmie and Ellie Kat 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.

Cat Lady No. 6....Warm Hearts

The "Giving Season" may be over for some, but Cat Lady and knitting enthusiast Marta and KiKi Kitty exercise their generous hearts all year round.

Today they are delivering hand-knitted gifts to patients at a convalescent hospital down the street. KiKi is happy to donate her favorite polka dot scarf if it means getting scratched behind the ear by an adoring recipient.

Tomorrow they will collect unused blankets and warm coats from neighbors and donate them to a homeless shelter downtown. Marta's and KiKi's warm hearts keep them toasty as they walk all the way home through a magical snowfall...

Send me your Cat Lady story: If I use it 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.

Marta and Kiki can be found on a variety of warm sweatshirts, cocoa mugs, and note cards at: www.cafepress.com/SusanFaye.

Thanks for visiting!