New Shadow Box Art!

As I've mentioned before, I had a beautiful love affair with shoebox dioramas in grade school.  I was equally in love with the fancy sugar eggs at Easter that had peepholes and charming miniature tableaux inside. So it should be no surprise that I take childlike delight in making my shadow box magnets and desktop dioramas...

Here is my work table with several in progress.  I print my artwork onto high quality heavy paper stock and begin to snip snip snip, then glue glue glue: 

Here are the newest designs that I recently came up with using elements from some of my illustrations (all recently added to my Etsy shop):

A ginger-orange tuxedo tabby mom and kitten magnet..

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104999366/orange-tuxedo-tabby-cat-and-kitten

A longhair ginger-orange tabby cat mom and kitten magnet...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104999111/orange-tabby-cat-and-ginger-kitten

A Maine Coon tabby cat mom and kitten magnet...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104998610/maine-coon-tabby-cat-and-kitten-shadow

And a Desktop Diorama featuring cats Gardner and Flora from my Garden Shed illustration..

https://www.etsy.com/listing/106697972/shadow-box-3-d-cat-art-garden-shed

To see my tutorial on making a Desktop Dioriama, click here:

Make a Desktop Diorama

 To see my full line of 3-D shadowbox/ diorama/ shrine/ tableaux, visit this link to my Etsy shop section:

Susan Faye Shadow Box Art  

 

Thanks for visiting!

Story Time at the Garden Shed Continues ...

Words and images copyright 2011 Susan Faye. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in ANY form, including electronically, without express written permission of the artist. Thank you for respecting this policy with regards to ALL artists--it's good karma!!

Gardner the Garden-Shed-Fluff-Monster

Maine Coon Tabby Cat Gardner takes great pride in his magnificent mane and sensational stripes. He also takes great pride in the job title that Gardenkeeper Carletta has bestowed upon him: Fluff Monster.

As Official Fluff Monster of the Garden Shed, Gardner's duties include: stalking creeping crawlies, swatting at fluttering flitteries, and shedding a continuous stream of the finest fluff for feathered friends to gather and use to floof up their nests.

Right about now Gardner would like to speed up the fluff-distribution process, as the sunbeams of summer are warming up and heavy fur coats are becoming out-of-season. Carletta will soon come to his aid with a soft brush and a good grooming, but in the meantime, he wishes he could figure out how to get inside that cool garden shed. How did Flora get in there??

READ PART I OF STORY TIME AT THE GARDEN SHED HERE: PART I

READ PART II OF STORY TIME AT THE GARDEN SHED HERE: PART II

LEARN MORE ABOUT MAINE COON TABBY CATS HERE: Main Coon Rescue

Like Flora Cat, Gardner is the star of two new handcrafted glass pendants and matching earrings now available in my Etsy shop. I've handcrafted each of these pieces of wearable art using a mini paper print of my artwork which has been preserved under crystal-clear glass. The pendants are artist-signed on the back, then sealed. A silvertone bail is added on the back. The earrings have a solid lime green back and feature a sterling silver earwire.





Also available: my collectible Garden Shed mini art zine

Enjoy!

Story Time with Flora Cat

Words and images copyright 2011 Susan Faye. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in ANY form, including electronically, without express written permission of the artist. Thank you for respecting this policy with regards to ALL artists--it's good karma!!

FLORA THE GARDEN CAT

Garden cat Flora loves the summer sunshine, but when it shines too brightly onto her silky white fur, she heads for the cool blue shadows of the garden shed.

It's fun to play hide 'n' seek from Maine Coon tabby cat Gardner among the flower pots and watering cans. Sometimes Flora looks right at him through the window and he doesn't even see her. (Gardner is easily distracted by lady bug beetles and other bitty-crawly-fluttery things in the garden)...

READ PART I OF STORY TIME AT THE GARDEN SHED HERE: PART I


Flora Cat is the star of two new handcrafted glass pendants and matching earrings now available in my Etsy shop.


I used the citrus-y colors of summer in this artwork. The lemon yellow and lime green of the garden shed get a breezy cool-down from the deep blue window.

I was happily surprised by the Mondrian-like geometric pop-art effect of the window lines when I cropped the art for the square pendant:

I've handcrafted each of these pieces of wearable art using a mini paper print of my artwork which has been preserved under crystal-clear glass. The pendants are artist-signed on the back, then sealed. A silvertone bail is added on the back. The earrings have a solid lime green back; the larger dangle earrings feature a sterling silver earwire.



You'll find these brand new designs in my Etsy shop at this link: Susan Faye Jewelry.


Enjoy!

Welcome Summer! Introducing The First Of A New Series

I'M CELEBRATING SUMMER WITH SOME BRAND NEW ART!

I'm excited to introduce the first in a series of illustrations called "Gardenkeepers". Inspired by my own horticultural adventures in my humble posy patch and greenhouse, I am working on 12 new images that depict the joys of tilling the soil, sowing seeds of happiness and going green. Each illustration will feature a different gardenkeeper girl enjoying the beauty and wonder of Mother Nature with help from a furry friend or two.

The first of the series is "Gardenkeeper Carletta" and her garden tool shed. It's hard to start a posey patch if you don't have the right tools and a place to keep them! When summer arrives, I think of citrus-y colors: lime, lemon, orange, pink grapefruit and I wanted to incorporate them into this piece.

Here is my initial sketch in pencil on graph paper:
I then used waterproof Micron pens to draw the black and white outlines on my watercolor paper, then painted the details with watercolor paints. Once the image was scanned into my computer, I added a solid blue sky using my very favorite color at the moment: turquoise-aqua-Caribbean-sky-blue! You can read more about Gardenkeeper Carletta and her garden helpers in last week's post: Story Time With Captain Wheeler Von Barrow IV

Here is the finished artwork, now available as a print in my Etsy Shop:

It's an 8 x 10" inkjet print on high quality matte photo paper, printed with Epson Durabrite Ultra inks. The print will be signed by me. [NOTE: the image in the listing is low resolution --rest assured, your print will be crisp and detailed]. You can pop it into a standard size 8 x 10" frame. It's an easy way to brighten up a child's room or surprise your favorite cat lady or garden goddess.

There are three variations also available in print form (click on each image for more information):

The Garden Shed

Wheelbarrow Cat (Captain Wheeler Von Barrow IV)

and "Invitation to a Wheelbarrow Ride"

Enjoy!

as seen on:

Story Time with Captain Wheeler von Barrow IV

Summer is here!

That means it's time to shed those old fur coats. Gardner the garden cat is disposing of his as fast as he can, leaving a trail of fluff behind him wherever he goes.

That means Garden Keeper Carletta can work and play in the garden all day long. Have you ever had a butterfly land on your head?



That means a brand new watering can has appeared at the garden shed. Carletta picked it out yesterday on her way home from the last day of school.


That means the very first strawberries are ripe and ready to be plucked. Ladybug Lulu is at her post, defending the bounty of berries from unwelcome pests.


That means it's time for a game of hide 'n' seek. Flora Cat is already hiding--can you guess where?

That means that the garden shed is open for business and business is blooming!

And that means Captain Wheeler von Barrow IV is ready and waiting for his first wheelbarrow ride of the summer.

You can call him "Wheeler" for short...

...as in:
Wheeeee- ler!!

Summer is here!
Let's Celebrate!

Words and images copyright 2011 Susan Faye. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in ANY form, including electronically, without express written permission of the artist. Thank you for respecting this policy with regards to ALL artists--it's good karma!!

Wendy's 3-D cats

Meet Domino, Dylan, and gentle giant Dante. According to Cat Lady Wendy, her three darling D’s "are larger than life – 3-D to the max! "

watercolor painting copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Wendy shares their story:

"The first 'D' to cross our doorstep was Domino, a little tuxedo ladycat with the feistiest personality I’d ever encountered. Domino had been abandoned by my son’s roommate, so rather than taking her to the shelter, I told my son to bring her to me. She was ridden with fleas and malnourished and at one year of age had already had a litter of her own. I took her to the vet as soon as possible, and she was ‘fixed’ from head to toe.

"Next came Dante, who is a male red classic tabby Maine Coon. My beloved Tommy had just passed away and I wanted another red kitty, so this time I ordered one up from the Lacocoon Cattery in Lacolle, Quebec. Maine Coons are a very gentle breed, and Dante is no different. They are also very large, and Dante lived up to his genetics, reaching a maximum of 21 lbs. of solid muscle and flowing long fur.

"Dylan came our way when my brother’s cat unexpectedly had five kittens. After four months, he hadn’t managed to find homes for any of them, so I took Dylan, who is a male cream tabby, and found a home for one of his sisters right next door. Dylan is very much the pesky little brother.

"And the hierarchy in our home remains in the same order as their arrivals. Domino’s the boss!"

You'll find some adorable photos of Her Highness Princess Domino today on the 3-D Cats Blog: Wendy's 3-D Cats

Enjoy!

Summer Friends

It's back-to-school time already?! Although Paddy is looking forward to resuming his very important job at the Pacelli High School Library, there are still 15 official days of summer left on the calendar!

Hi everybody! Summer is all about new adventures and making new friends from faraway places. Here are some photos that my Cat Lady took of me and my housemates and two new friends that we met this summer.

The first new friend is a funny little feline named Breezy who came all the way from Oregon to visit. She smells very pretty, like a summer garden, but she tickles my nose...

Me and Breezy

Chessie and Breezy

Tillamook and Breezy

Scotty and Breezy

The last picture is of a very special and mysterious kitten who came to visit at the beginning of summer and still has not left yet:


Look at those fancy stripes! Or are they spots? His name is AleXander. Can you guess what kind of kitten he is? I'll tell you more about him soon...

See you back at school!

Editor's note: Do you have any photos of you or your pets enjoying something you have received from my Etsy or Cafepress online shops? I'd love to see them, and with your permission, post them here on my blog! Send them to my email: art [at]undertheoaks.net

Our New Columnist...Paddy the Library Cat

Introducing Paddy The Library Cat, a new columnist here at 365 Cat Ladies and Friends. Paddy was one of the special Library Cats featured in the February 2010 issue of Cat Fancy Magazine..

Hi, I'm Paddy! I was found on a very cold day in winter, abandoned on a rural highway. I was about 4 weeks old and pretty much dead. I had a horrid infection in my eye, and later, when I was 8 years old, I had to have that eye removed (That's OK, though). I am 11 years old now.

I am the Library Cat at Pacelli High School. I live with my Cat Lady Katy (who is the librarian at Pacelli High), her friend Cat Lady Deb, nine other cats and a couple of dogs, birds, fishies, and one rabbit!

I came to the lady's house on Valentine's day, 1999 and have been with her since then. I love people and dogs and cats and just about everything on Earth. I visit the library at least once a month and here are my duties:

1. To bring a quiet and peaceful presence to the library
2. To teach a little library history: for example, cats and libraries go way back to the ancient library in Alexandria where they were used to keep rodents away from the scarce and valuable texts.
3. To be a "library magnet"; ie, attract reluctant learners who previously didn’t come to the library at all.

In the coming weeks, I'll tell you about my favorite books, and lots more. Thanks for visiting, and come back soon!

Paddy says:
Here is my philosophy for having a great library (and a great life too!)
focus
stay peaceful
don't panic

Spotlight on Maine Coon Cats

Cat Lady Laura's heart belongs to two members of that lovable breed of gentle giants known as the Maine Coon Cat...David (the larger cat) and Sesame (a female half the size of David) are from different families: David was given to her by a friend and Sesame was adopted at the local Humane Society. They look and act like brother and sister even if they are not related and happily claim the honor of being Laura's furry children.

Maine Coon Rescue is a nationwide 501c3 Non-Profit organization dedicated to rescuing Maine Coon and Maine Coon Mix cats. They describe how the heavy-boned Maine Coon breed developed to adapt to the harsh climate and rugged terrain of Maine:

"Its long legs assisted to traverse obstacles, snow, wooded areas, causing them to develop a great deal of stamina and sturdiness. Their coat is insulated against the wind and cold, it repels water and snow. Their feet are larger than most breeds to give them traction on snowy surfaces with tufts assisting in the distribution of their weight. Their ears are larger and thicker because of their dependence on hearing, also providing approximately 75-90 degrees of rotation to more acutely funnel sound. Their tails are bushy to protect from cold and long to act as rudder and provide more balance and power in running and maneuvering at a rapid pace."

Most of us are familiar with the traditional Maine Coon with tabby markings, but the breed includes cats with many different colors and markings. Visit Crazy Cat Lady Carm's website and you will enjoy beautiful photographs of her fantastic pride of Maine Coon cats and friends on a daily basis!

Here is Carm's blog header for spring--each season or holiday Cat Lady Ann "dolls up" Carm's Custom portrait. It's so much fun to see what she will come up with next!!

My auctions on Ebay this week feature ACEO artwork of Maine Coon tabby cats. Each oneof these original mini watercolor paintings was a part of the 365 Cat Ladies series featured in this blog during 2009. Here is your chance to collect original artwork without breaking the bank, plus you will own a little piece of 365 Cat Lady history! Auctions end Saturday morning, May 8th.

Place your bid today at: http://myworld.ebay.com/whimsysu