Meet Topsy and Turvy

The votes are in!

My teeny tiger tabby duo now have adorable names, thanks to your wonderful suggestions and participation in the selection process both here on this blog and on my Facebook page. "Topsy and Turvy" came in with 18 votes, with "Fiddle and DeeDee" and "Polly and Molly" close behind with 16 votes each.

Kittens Topsy and Turvy are particularly grateful to Nancy T. for coming up with the winning names!

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Topsy and Turvy would like to remind you that today is World Spay Day, an annual event of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International to inspire people to save animals' lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats. If your pets are already spayed or neutered, you may want to make a donation to one of the agencies providing low-cost services, to enable someone else to spay their pets or feral cats at a low cost. You'll find lots of great information here, including a locator for finding low-cost spaying and neutering: WORLD SPAY DAY 2012

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NEW from Susan Faye Creative Arts!

My most popular art images are now available for sale as high quality giclee prints at IMAGEKIND! New images will be added over the coming weeks and months, so check back often. The print of Topsy and Turvy pictured here has just been made available.

Your art will be printed on your choice of photographic or fine art papers, with several sizes to choose from. You may also choose to have your artwork matted and framed or printed as a canvas wrap.

Click here to visit my new online gallery:
http://susanfaye.imagekind.com

Once a Cat Lady, Always a Cat Lady

Today marks the end of yet one more complete orbit around the sun. In other words, I've added a new number to my age. In other words, I ain't no spring chicken. In other words, I enjoyed a lovely birthday today.

Here I am when I actually was a spring chicken [note: this is the first time, and definitely the last time that I will ever appear topless on the internet]:


Many beloved pets have paraded through my life over these many decades: goldfish, dogs, guinea pigs, tadpole/frogs, turtles, parakeets, tropical fish, my son's bearded dragon, and of course, cats, kitties, felines, and kittens.

The two polydactyl orange tabby kittens pictured here were my introduction to petdom. They weren't officially pets, as they were part of a family of strays that lived in our woodpile out back and kept it free of mice. But we got to play with the kittens and I loved these two in particular. They were twins, except for the fact that one had six toes on each paw, and the other had seven.

This former spring chicken and longtime Cat Lady would like to thank everyone who has contributed to a fantastic year as we circle the sun together, ending with your warm wishes and thoughtful greetings today!! You are loved and appreciated!

Name the Kitten Giveaway Part 2... Time To Vote

Garden Fairy Ellette's head is spinning! There were so many wonderful names suggested for her new kitten-- she found she couldn't possibly narrow it down to just five. So she chose TEN of her favorites, which you will see at the top of the right-hand column in an official poll. Please vote for your favorite name, then leave a comment saying "I voted!" in the comments section of this post.

Everyone who suggested a name in last week's post is already entered and everyone who votes on the final 10 names will also be entered into a random drawing. If you have done both, your name will be entered twice! The voting will end on the evening of March 16 and there will be two announcements: the name of the giveaway winner and the name of Allette's new kitten.

What is the giveaway prize, you may ask? A special 10-inch Ellette Garden Fairy doll (as seen in my Etsy shop) that includes her tiny book, a bouquet, and BOTH the bunny and the kitten! The prize includes free shipping to anywhere in the world.

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!

Garden Fairy Story Time: The Foundling

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!!

Hi! My name is Ellette.
One of my favorite things about being a garden fairy is having antennae.

My "feelers" help me with balance and direction, especially when I am flitting and flying about the woodlands and my posy patch. AND, just like my butterfly friends, my antennae have very special scent receptors that help me sniff out my favorite beverage: nectar.

I've made a little book showing some of my best nectar posies. Pink roses, candytuft and zinnias are my very favorites. Don't they sound delicious and fun? Here is a link to a list of the best nectar flowers for butterflies (and garden fairies too!)

Sometimes my antennae will detect smells other than nectar. Just yesterday when I was showing my posy book to a friendly white garden bunny, my antennae detected something new in the garden: the subtle scent of tuna mixed with traces of curiosity, plus a hint of irrepressible mischief.

I peeked under my garden bench, and just look at what I found:

A sweet little kitten in need of a home! My garden bunnies and I agreed that she should come live in our posy patch. She jumped up into my arms and purred loudly. I'm pretty sure that means she's staying...

Now my little foundling needs a name. Can you help me?

Help Ellette find a name for her new friend. Leave your suggestion in the comments section of this post.

Update: Giveaway entries are now closed. Thanks for participating! See all of the great suggestions in the comments section below.

Garden Fairy Ellette is so pleased! Thanks to your wonderful suggestions and your votes, her new kitten now has a name: Faerydae.

Ellette is a fabric art doll that I have hand-crafted with quilted butterfly wings. Her copper wire antennae feature crystal beads. She comes in two sizes and her arms can hold any of her three favorite things in a warm embrace: a little black and white cat (smaller doll holds a white rabbit) , a paper book called "My Garden" (it features 8 of my mini garden illustrations), and a bouquet of silk flowers.

Ellette is made from 100 percent cotton fabric that has been professionally printed with my watercolor artwork. She is filled with eco-friendly bamboo fiberfill. Surface washable only, if done gently.

To learn more about my dolls, visit this link to my Etsy Shop:
My Fairy Dolls

A Proverb for the Ages

Illustration Friday

(theme:"proverb")

Here is a little proverb that I made up. I believe it to be very good advice for cats and cat lovers of all ages. It is wisdom gleaned from years of indulging my inner child who obviously never outgrew her love of the deluxe box of 64 Crayolas, the one with the built-in sharpener and colors like cornflower and copper. Oh how I loved that copper crayon!

What was or is your favorite Crayola color?

The design "Kittens at Play" is available on clothing and gifts for kids and adults at this link: Kittens at Play

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Dunking!! Tomorrow is National Doughnut Day

It's time for tea...and Cat Lady Phoebe and the triplets are craving doughnuts, probably because tomorrow is National Doughnut Day! Here is a reprint of last year's article about this auspicious occasion:

Tomorrow is Salvation Army Doughnut Day.
Observed on the first Friday and Saturday of June, Doughnut Day was established in 1938 to honor the work of Salvation Army volunteers who prepared doughnuts for thousands of soldiers in World War I.

Here is the original recipe for enough doughnuts to feed an army, reprinted from the Salvation Army website:

Salvation Army Doughboy Doughnut

7-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lard
8 eggs
3 large cans evaporated milk
3 large cans water
18 cups flour
18 teaspoons baking powder
7-1/2 teaspoons salt
8 teaspoons nutmeg

Cream sugar and lard together, beat eggs, add evaporated milk and water. Add liquid to creamed mixture. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large sieve and sift into other mixture. Add enough flour to make e stiff dough. Roll and cut. Five pounds of lard are required to fry the doughnuts. Yield: approximately 250 doughnuts

Happy dunking!


The purrfect mug for dunking doughnuts!

This ceramic mug features my whimsical artwork and a large, easy-grip handle. Treat yourself or give as a gift to someone special.

• Measures 3.75" tall, 3" diameter
• Dishwasher and microwave safe

You will find dozens of Cat Lady mugs available at my Cafepress shop: Susan Faye Mugs

Corsage Kitties...Ready For Spring!

Remember pinning those giant, lavish, ribbon-festooned corsages on Mom's shoulder for special occasions like Easter or Mother's Day in days gone by? I have very happy memories of visiting my brother's greenhouse filled with fragrant orchids, and picking out the perfect blooms and greenery to create a special corsage for Mom in springtimes long ago.

All of these happy memories came back to me as I was creating these little springtime brooches:

Introducing my "Corsage Kitties", handmade soft sculpture brooches to brighten your day. Just like Mom, each of these fanciful felines is ready for Spring in her tiny corsage of delicate silk flowers, hoping to adorn your sweater, jacket, hat or handbag on your next special occasion.


Each 3-inch-tall brooch is hand-crafted from eco-friendly cotton fabric printed with my whimsical artwork, then stuffed with bamboo fiberfill. Silk flowers and a sturdy clasp bar pin are hand-sewn onto the back.







The brooch is a purr-fect gift idea for your favorite Cat Mom, Feline Fanatic, or Veterinarian and will arrive in a jewelry gift box, ready for gift-giving!



I've just listed them for sale in my Etsy Shop! Click on an image for details. Thanks for visiting and...Enjoy!

Mystery Cat Lady In Four Easy Steps...

pencil lines, background wash and face tones...



















a momcat and one tabby kitten appear...


















more tabby kittens and purr-haps a calico too...



















A green sweater, but what about the hair? This cat lady just can't seem to make up her mind.
And just who is this cat lady anyway?
Any guesses?

Go to this link and leave your guess in the comments section and you will be entered for a chance to win a set of 3 tile coasters: 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for January.

It's January Giveaway Time!

Just who is this woman and where did all of these kittens come from? And why does she have so many different hair colors?

Any ideas?

Leave your theories in the comments section of this post (50 words or less please), and you will be entered into a drawing for this set of 3 tile coasters from my Cafepress shop! Giveaway ends Sunday, January 17 at 7 p.m. PST when one name will be drawn at random.


Please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are a winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address, or contact me directly at my e-mail with your info...

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, you may send your entry by e-mail by clicking "view my complete profile" at the end of "About Me" where you will find an e-mail link...

NOTE: Guesses and theories that were entered on my Facebook fan page are also eligible and will be included in the drawing!

Thanks for participating!!

Confined Spaces in Wild Places

Illustration Friday
(theme:"confined")

Young Gilbert is inexplicably drawn to sitting in confined spaces. Unfortunately, this is directly at odds with his keen instinct to pursue big game hunting and can often lead to perplexing and somewhat embarrassing predicaments...

Thanks for visiting!

Gilbert's predicament is available on a wide array of brand new t-shirts and gift items for both kids and adults in my Cafepress shop. Purr-fect gift ideas for your favorite Cat Lover, Garden Goddess, or Bird Watcher! Click here:

BIRD BRAIN No. 7

Cat Lady No. 330..Happy Birthday Sagittarians!!

Cat Lady Diane is celebrating her birthday today with the help of cat mom Charlene and kitten Charlie, just adopted from a local shelter. It turns out that like Diane, Charlene was also born under the sign of Sagittarius just a year ago, meaning that she is a very happy-go-lucky sort of feline...

Do you have a Sagittarius cat (born November 22-December 21)? Read more about your fabulous feline at Catster Astrology

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 329...Getting Jolly

'Tis the season to be quite jolly, and nothing makes Cat Lady Rhonda more jolly than Egg Nog Rum Raisin French Toast. That, and a kitten.

To ensure maximum jolliness for the upcoming season, she just adopted Miss Pickle and Dilly from a local shelter, PLUS she has scheduled three brunches between now and Christmas at which she will serve Egg Nog Rum Raisin French Toast.

Here is a link to the jolly recipe (kitten not included):

Egg Nog Rum French Toast

Enjoy!!


Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! This ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop:
Cat Mom No. 32 Original Art

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. 296...Hummin' In the Rain

If ever Cat Lady Debbie is feeling a bit blue, all she has to do is hug kitten Chompers, get out her brightest umbrella, and hum a little bit of "Singin' In The Rain".

Debbie is not quite bold enough to sing it out loud with joyful glee and wild abandon, like Gene Kelly did. But she has been known to stomp through a splishy-splashy puddle or two and swing around a light pole when no one is looking...

Perhaps one day she will be slightly delirious (as Gene Kelly possibly was--he was coming down with a flu bug and had a high fever when the sequence was filmed) and she will bust out singing:

I'm singing in the rain, Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feelin', I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds, So dark up above
The sun's in my heart, And I'm ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase, Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain I've a smile on my face
I walk down the lane With a happy refrain
Just singin', Singin' in the rain

Thanks for visiting!

Look at what Cat Lady and Etsy Seller ElleJays made out of some of my new quilt blocks!! I can't wait to see what else she comes up with!