Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO... Cat Lover No. 86

Cat Lover No. 86 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on October 7, 2009, and introduced us to several different ways to preserve the colorful beauty of autumn leaves:

1. Use a glycerin and water solution
2. Iron between two pieces of wax paper
3. Drying in the microwave
4. Press between the pages of a heavy book

Whichever way you choose, you will find more detailed instructions here: How To Preserve Leaves

My mini watercolor painting of Cat Lover No. 86 is currently available for sale in my Etsy Shop. This ORIGINAL work of art 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!

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!

365 Cat Ladies Revisited

Over the past few weeks I've been pleasantly surprised at how many Cat Ladies are already picking out holiday gifts for their special somebodies, and tucking them away until that special day.

With that in mind, I've been re-stocking my Etsy shop and have decided to offer up the remaining mini paintings from my 365 Cat Ladies ACEO collection, a few of which are pictured here. You'll find tabbies, himmys, tuxies, persians, black cats, and ginger kitties; blondes, brunettes, and silver-haired goddesses-- every kind of cat and cat lady that I could think of...

You might remember that in 2009 I had the crazy idea of painting one Cat Lady for each day of the year, and then featured them on this very blog. About 100 of those that I posted were commissioned custom portraits. The other 200 were fanciful cat ladies from my imagination, painted in ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) format, which means that the artwork size is 2.5" x 3.5", the size of a baseball card.

Each is hand-painted on super-heavy Arches 300-lb. acid-free cold-press watercolor paper with professional quality watercolor paints. They are artist-initialed on front, signed, dated, and titled on back. ACEO art is a super affordable way to collect, share and enjoy original art!

These mini paintings are adorable when matted and framed, or displayed on an easel!


I'll be adding more, and highlighting some of my favorites over the coming weeks. Please visit this link to see those that are currently available.

Enjoy!

Happy Equinox!

Spring has Sprung!

You may think that I am in denial about the arrival of Autumn, but I am not. I do see the brilliant yellow, red and rust leaves blowing in the wind and the cheerful pumpkins plumping up in the fields.

But I have it on good authority that today is the first day of Spring...

...in Australia!

Cat Lady Laura of Moags and Smeet should know. She lives there. She says, "Springtime in Australia is beautiful. Our summers are too hot for the type of natural beauty I was accustomed to in Canada, and it is actually through late winter and early summer that most of Australia blooms into its natural best.

"Traditional spring garden plants like daffodils, pansies, and jasmine are all flowering in abundance, native plants like the grevillea are blooming, and all over the countryside fruit trees are in blossom. It is simply gorgeous. Spring also brings some of the most enjoyable temperatures for enjoying the great outdoors, with temperatures in the 20s to low 30s (Celsius), which is much nicer than summer time 40s! Our garden offers up a natural theatre of brightly coloured birds, little lizards and even the occasional flying fox for Tig to watch from the comfort of a sunbeam on his window seat. Purrfect!

[ed. note: I had to google "flying fox" and this is what I found: it is a fruit bat, the largest bat in the world!)

Laura continues: "I have always been a crazy cat lady. Growing up in the countryside of Cormack, Newfoundland, my brothers and I had farm cats as small children, then spent years doting on my Grandmother's cat, before adopting the straggly stray kitten that we slowly nursed into a much-loved pet. Patches still rules the roost at my parents home today at the ripe old age of fifteen.

"Dan and I now have a blended fur-family of our own. Tiger [pictured, left] is a rescue cat whom I adopted five years before moving to Australia - he made eye contact and it was love at first sight. I had to take him home and spoil him rotten. When the time came to move to Australia, there was never a question that Tig would be heading to the land down-under.

"I often joke that he is the most expensive rescue cat in Australia, owing to the prescreening, specialist vet preparations, export and import permits, airfare, and other hurdles involved in his move, but you can't put a price on love! Although it broke my heart to see him off at the airport, he survived the trans-Pacific flight and (eek!) his mandatory 30 days in arrival quarantine before we were reunited in smootches, pats and cuddles.

"Oliver, our Dalmatian, was born in New Zealand and traveled to Australia with my partner, Dan, who is also a Kiwi. The boys get along surprisingly well, and can even be found snoozing together in happy harmony on the bed from time to time."

Find out who is "Moags" and who is "Smeet" by visiting Laura's blog about her jewellery business: Moags and Smeet. (where you can also find out why she spells jewellery that way..!). You can purchase her beautiful creations by visiting her Etsy shop. Also be sure to visit Laura's website Creativity Unmasked, a site that celebrates artists, makers and all things creative!

Thanks for visiting!

Gobble Up Your Veggies!

You may have noticed that this blog has been a wee tad neglected for the past few weeks. I'm happy to report that I am up to my elbows in lots of fun custom portraits in addition to filling orders, packing and shipping. I am SO grateful for all of my beautiful customers for their patronage and support. Pet People and Nature Lovers are the nicest people in the world!Buttonwillow After the Big Meal...

This will be my fourth meatless Thanksgiving. Many might say, "But it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without TURKEY!" I am here to tell you that a day filled with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberries, stuffing, corn, eggnog, fresh-baked rolls, pumpkin pie, laughter, my wonderful son and other loved ones, and of course, my crazy cat, (plus the image in my head of some young tom turkey is running wild and free through a field full of daisies)-- now THAT is a day to be thankful for indeed!

If you are interested in the many benefits of eating less meat, check out this post:
Some Food For Thought

And here is a reprint of a post from last year with links to some great ideas for a meatless Thanksgiving... Have a blessed and safe day of thanks!

Cat Lady Delia and Cat Lady Tehani aren't quite ready to become full-time vegetarians, but several months ago the two friends started a Meatless Monday Supper Club. Knowing that eating less meat is healthier for their families and for the planet, once a week they get together to share recipes and enjoy a meatless meal.

Even Kittens Inky and Keoki get in on the act and enjoy a vegetarian meal each Monday, although the jury is still out on whether cats should have an entirely vegetarian diet or not...

Meatless Monday has been such a success that Delia and Tehani are now planning a Vegetarian Thanksgiving!

The Veggie Table.com has some great menu ideas and recipes for a Non-Turkey Turkey Day....and VegCooking.com has some suggestions for Faux Turkey, if you aren't quite ready to give-up the turkey tradition....

Enjoy!

Cat Lad No. 361...Men Who Love Cats

Meet Feline Fella Nick and and his fab Persian sidekick George of the United Kingdom--best buddies, and further proof that real men love cats. Nick is sporting his favorite woolly hat which rarely leaves his head and George is sporting his favorite woolly winter fur coat which he will dispose of in Spring...

Need more proof that real men love cats? Check out the website Men and Cats.

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 Ladies 305 and 306...Gobble Green Idea No. 3

Cat Lady Delia and Cat Lady Tehani aren't quite ready to become full-time vegetarians, but several months ago the two friends started a Meatless Monday Supper Club. Knowing that eating less meat is healthier for their families and for the planet, once a week they get together to share recipes and enjoy a meatless meal.

Even Kittens Inky and Keoki get in on the act and enjoy a vegetarian meal each Monday, although the jury is still out on whether cats should have an entirely vegetarian diet or not...

Meatless Monday has been such a success that Delia and Tehani are now planning a Vegetarian Thanksgiving!

The Veggie Table.com has some great menu ideas and recipes for a Non-Turkey Turkey Day....and VegCooking.com has some suggestions for Faux Turkey, if you aren't quite ready to give-up the turkey tradition....

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. 276...Leaf Crazed

The New England leaves are falling in all their glory, and Cat Lady Juliette can't help but pick up every single one that is more beautiful than the last.

With the help of feline friend Bigelow, Juliette will take the ever-growing collection to the workshop where the leaves will be preserved and can be used in special craft projects during the winter months...

There are 4 different easy ways to preserve these beauties:

1. Use a glycerin and water solution
2. Iron between two pieces of wax paper
3. Drying in the microwave
4. Press between the pages of a heavy book

Whichever way you choose, you will find more detailed instructions at the New Hampshire Fall Foliage Website: How To Preserve Leaves

Thanks for visiting!

I'm honored and delighted that Etsy.com has featured my tutorial "How To Paint A Cat Lady (and Lad)" in their daily blog The Storque! Check it out in their "How-Tuesday" feature of the week where you will find great arts and crafts how-tos every--you guessed it--Tuesday!

Cat Lady No. 273...Apple Slump

Cat Lady Ruthie and Hubert have just returned from a lovely afternoon of picking apples in the back yard. Ruthie can't wait to try out an old, hand-written recipe that she found tucked away in the back of the recipe box of her dear departed grandmother. The recipe is called Apple Slump and here is how it goes:

Peel and core some apples and slice them up nice and put them in a stew pot. Cook with a little sugar and water until soft but not too soft. Then in a bowl, sift 2 cups flour and 1 big pinch of baking powder with a pinch of salt, add 2 cups of milk, and stir. Roll out to fit into the stew pot and set on top of the apples. Put on the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Don't peek until that 10 minutes is up! Serve with fresh cream.

For more old-timey apple recipes visit the Apple Journal where there are dozens of recipes reproduced from The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture published in 1914 in North Yakima, Washington.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 271...An Autumn Riddle

Cat Lady Gwyneth and Lord Bigglesworth have a riddle for you:

What do autumn leaves and ripening bananas have in common?

Some clues can be found at
Why Do Leaves Change Color?

Still not sure? Here is the answer as explained by Science Made Simple:

The green color in unripe bananas comes from chlorophyll, the same pigment that gives green leaves their color. As bananas ripen, the chlorophyll breaks down and disappears, revealing the yellow color which has been there all along. The yellows and oranges of autumn leaves are also revealed as their chlorophyll breaks down.

Now go have some fun and jump into that big pile of leaves. You know you want to...

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 268...Sweater Weather

Cat Lady Kyra and feline friend Delilah can't wait for fall weather to begin...

For Kyra, it means pulling all of her aran sweaters out of the cedar chest.

The Aran Sweater gets its name from the islands where it originated many generations ago, off the West coast of Ireland. The Islanders were fishermen and farmers and each family had their own particular pattern, a unique combination of stitches, which was closely guarded and passed down from mother to daughter, generation to generation.

Here is a sampling of Aran patterns and their meanings: Aran Patterns

As for Delilah, autumn weather means that there is a greatly increased chance that a soft, warm sweater might be forgotten in a nice warm spot where she might curl up for a long, warm nap...

Thanks for visiting!


Just one day left to enter the September Giveaway! For details, visit this post: ENTER NOW!

Cat Lady No. 267...Keeping Toasty

Feline Fanatic Jerrilee and her Himalayan Honey are looking forward to cozy autumn nights in front of the fireplace.

The chimney has been inspected and cleaned, the flue is open and there is a nice stack of dry fire wood just outside the back door. Kindling, old newspaper, and matches are at the ready.

Next, it's time for a refresher course on How To Make A Good Fire In Your Fireplace. This link has step-by-step instructions.

Now all that's left to do is to check the cupboards for hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Jerrilee's work is done. "That's easy," thinks Honey to herself. "Try growing your own winter coat..."

Thanks for visiting!

You'll find this "feline fanatic" design on a selection of t-shirts and gifts in my Cafepress shop: Himalayan Gifts and Tees

Cat Lady No. 263...Hug a Tree Today

The air is crisp and colorful leaves are skittering everywhere.

As card-carrying tree-huggers, both Cat Lady Joanee and feline friend Tomcat Tabbee know how important their leaf-bearing friends are--for offering endless climbing opportunities, for providing homes for fascinating feathered creatures, and for their ability to keep the planet healthy.

Did you know: Protecting 1 acre of mature forest from destruction reduces the same amount of emissions that your car produces in about 30 years?

Take this eye-opening quiz to test your knowledge about woodlands and forests and their relationship to the health of our planet and our loved ones:
Forest Quiz

Then be like tomcat Tabbee and go climb a tree! Or at least hug one...

Want to be like a tree and do something nice for our planet? Choose a reusable bag instead of throwaway plastic or paper. 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. 262...Happy Equinox!

Garden Fairy Zuzana and her winged cat Fafner have been very busy today celebrating the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.

As part of the celebration, they get to paint as many leaves as they can with their favorite colors: gold, rust, burgundy and crimson.

Their counterparts in the Southern Hemisphere are celebrating the equinox in a different way today: they are overseeing the blossoming of Springtime.

Confused? This site will tell you everything you need to know about the equinox that is celebrated each September: THE SEPTEMBER EQUINOX EXPLAINED

Thanks for visiting!


This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...click here:
Garden Fairy No. 3

Cat Lady No. 254...Maple Madness

Cat Lady Allison and her tabby cat mom Babs and Junior the Kitten think that there's nothing better than a beautiful maple tree, particularly this time of year.

Allison's favorite is the sugar maple, because she is nuts about real maple syrup. She thought about making her own maple syrup last spring and looked into it: Making Your Own Maple Syrup. Upon reflection, she decided she'd rather just buy it at the local country store.

She did find some delicious recipes that use maple syrup however: Maple Syrup Recipes.

Babs doesn't think much of maple syrup but is of the opinion that maple trees make for some of the best climbing around. Junior doesn't know anything about that. He just loves those fluttering leafy things that keep falling and floating and begging to be pounced on.

Thanks for visiting!


JUST ONE DAY LEFT to enter the 365 Cat Ladies September Giveaway No. 1! Click on the link to find out more before it's too late!...

Cat Lady No. 251...Welcome O Bounteous Apples

Illustration Friday
(theme:"welcome" )

“Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.” Wm. Shakespeare

As Cat Lady Bibi can tell you, if you truly want a merry feast, look no further than your apple tree. Hers is overflowing with the succulent red jewels, so it's time to roll out the welcome mat to all things apple-icious: apple cider,
apple sauce,
apple butter,
apple crisp,
apple streusel,
baked apples,
apple chutney,
apple pie,
apple tarts,
apple turnovers,
and apple fritters

But feline friend Braeburn's favorite is Bibi's Rum Raisin Apple Cake. He doesn't care for the cake itself, but he finds that after Bibi has consumed a considerable portion of the cake, his tuna portions become significantly more generous...

Enjoy!


WEEKEND DEALS ON ETSY!

FREE worldwide shipping on EVERY item in my Etsy shop Fri Sept 11 through Sun Sept 13 ! Includes original ACEO miniature watercolor paintings like this one...

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. 216.....A Stroll Down Memory Lane

According to cat bloggers in-the-know, tomorrow is World Cat Day. So with that in mind, Cat Lady Dina and Georgio would like to take a stroll down memory lane and re-visit some of their favorite Cat Lady stories so far:

Cat Lady Dayna and Mercury




Cat Lady Carrie and Crew



Scrabble Fiends, er Friends




Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 17...Teacher's Pet

After graduating from Michigan State University, Cat Lady Dayna spent the entire summer looking for a teaching job. Finally, just weeks before fall, she got a great job (which she still has!).

Most of her friends were buying Monte Carlos or going crazy with clothes with their first pay checks...But all Dayna wanted was a cat. Her Mom wouldn't let her have one growing up, so on the very same day that she got her first pay check, she went to a shelter and picked out a little gray and white cat. She and hubby Robert named him Mercury because he was the same color as their car (a Mercury sedan).

Mercury was convinced he was a dog...Always loyal, he would come when called and he loved to cuddle. And every very night he faithfully watched over the kids as they slept.

Mercury was a beloved member of his family for 13 years and will always be remembered with great fondness and love...

Send me your Cat Lady story: If I use excerpts of 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.

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