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:

Remembering Old Friends--Part 2

It was with great sadness that Cat Lady Cynthia (Cat Lady No. 205) said goodbye to her beloved Montana last week. The patriarch of his cat family (pictured front and center above with Grace, Wolfgang Thomas, Poe, Sophie Isabel Moon, Callie Kat, and Countess Ivy Von Macula), he had just celebrated his 19th birthday on June 14.

His nicknames included Little Man, The Buddha, and Boo Boo. This was how Cynthia described him in a blog post last year: "He's been with me through 10 moves and 6 new cats. Montana is one of those laid-back, dog-like cats that loves to chat with me. He's one of those a 'one-in-a-million' cats that I know I'll never have again. I cherish every day I have with him and hope for many more. He's my Soul Cat."

This beautiful watercolor of Montana was painted by Cynthia's father. She tells us:

"My parents are both artists...My mother's work is more abstract. My father, Thomas Gaskill, at 85 is still painting (mostly watercolors) and enters a piece yearly in the Florida Watercolor Society competition & other national shows. Although animals are not his usual subject to paint, he did it as a favor for me last winter - a labor of love. Whereas it was a treasure then, it is now priceless to me. "

"Montana's presence in our home was as huge as he was in his earlier days...we all miss his Buddha spirit and kind heart."

Featured Art Auction....It's All In Black and White

Is your best buddy a bicolor beauty in black and white?

There are many different bicolor patterns with descriptive names such as patched, pied, particolored, harlequin, magpie, piebald or "white spotted". Specific patterns include:



"cow or moo cat" (random spots like a Holstein)











"mask-and-mantle" (covering eyes with "cape" on back)
















"cap-and-saddle" (color on top of head and large spot on back)






Pictured here are 10 miniature watercolor paintings of bicolor cats and their cat ladies that were a part of the 365 Cat Ladies featured in this blog during 2009. All are being auctioned off this week on Ebay...here is your chance to collect original artwork without breaking the bank, plus you will own a little piece of 365 Cat Lady history!

Place your bid today at:

http://myworld.ebay.com/whimsysu

Auction ends the morning of Tuesday Feb 23. Thanks for visiting!

It's All In The Family...

If you shake your family tree, do cats fall out?

There is a belief within the scientific community that the love and adoration of cats (sometimes referred to as felinophilia) can be a genetic phenomenon, passed down from generation to generation. Take the family of Teresa and Tony (pictured above, aka Cat Lady No. 298 and Cat Lad No. 299), for example.

Teresa's mom and dad, Cat Lady Peg and Feline Fella Bob, exhibit the undeniable signs of felinophilia. They adopted kitties George and Gracie from Lollypop Farm in Rochester, New York, as a retirement gift for Peg.

Teresa tells us about their little feline rascals: "George is addicted to anything with carbohydrates and can be found dragging a loaf of bread around the house if you are not careful. Gracie loves treats--she will be your shadow until she gets fed. When my parents go away and leave the cats under their neighbors' care you can find dish towels in the bathroom upstairs. No cat has confessed yet."

As if that weren't enough evidence to confirm the felinophilia-genetic-link, the kitty love bug has also bitten Teresa's aunt and uncle, Cat Lady Carole and Feline Fella Jim. "They saw how much my parents enjoyed their cats and went to the same rescue organization to get their cats, Mirah (tortie) and Fred (orange tabby). Mirah loves bottle caps and Fred loves staring out the window at the birds."

Does felinophilia run in your family? Leave a comment at the end of this post and tell us if your family tree is crawling with cats!

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady Sandy...A Cat's Best Friend

Eleven-year-old Cisco (pictured on the left) was Cat Lady Sandy's very first cat. She found him crying in a garbage can when he was just a tiny kitten, and he has owned her heart ever since, and visa versa.

As good friend Flora reports: "Cisco is a one-woman cat and gets jealous when others vie for Sandy's attention. Cisco particularly likes supervising Sandy's devotional reading time every morning because he gets her all to himself...Sandy is very devoted to her family and friends and spends most of her time focusing on the needs of others, so I think it is only right that at least one of God's creatures spends his time focused on her."

Kitty Cara showed up a couple of years ago to become the official outside cat, "but a run-in with some fanged neighborhood thugs last winter convinced her that life as an indoor cat had much to recommend it. Cisco and Cara now spend their days pretending the other doesn't exist."

This portrait may be the only time you ever see these two lucky adoptees in such close proximity!

Thanks for visiting!



WELCOME 2010! This WALL POSTER CALENDAR is priced right at $5.99 and I have dozens of different Cat Lady designs to choose from. See the entire selection at: Susan Faye Poster Calendars

Cat Lady No. 356...All About Zippy

When you have fur as soft as a bunny, and the cutest meow, and your name is Zippy, it just follows that everyone who meets you wants to scoop you up and hug you.

Zippy, however, has other ideas. Cat Lady Debbie--who has had Zippy since she was a wee kitten--is the only one who is granted permission to scoop up and hug. As Debbie's daughter Dana reports: "Zippy loves to be in the same room as you but sure doesn't like being held. In fact she screams as soon as you start to pick her up. My mom is the only one that can hold Zippy for an extended amount of time."

Debbie, who works at an assisted living community and loves helping people in any way that she can, has obviously won the heart of Zippy!

Cat Lady and Feline Fella Nos. 354 and 355...It's All in the Family

Tender hearts are obviously genetic. Take Cat Lady No. 45, ( SnipPet Creator Carrie), for example. Devoted animal lover, tireless animal rescue volunteer, and all-around sweetie pie.

Turns out, that's exactly how you could describe her parents, Cat Lady Linda and Feline Fella Putney. As Carrie tells us: "Mom and Dad are the best pet parents around! Those furry kids are so lucky! Mom volunteers doing a clean and feed shift weekly at Safe Haven for Cats...and also donates many of her paintings and artwork to their annual fundraising auction. In addition, she appears on WRAL News once a month with a cat or kitten available for adoption."

Many of the adoptees arrived via Carrie's rescue efforts, such as orange and white Oliver, tuxedo kitty Sylvester, and Misty the black and white spotted cat--Carrie "fostered her and saw how funny and wonderfully quirky she was and my parents adopted her, thankfully."

Henry the gray cat wound up in an Atlanta shelter with a terrible skin allergy after Hurricane Katrina hit...but now has found his home sweet home with Linda and Putney. The most recent adoptee was Cupie. "She was a 'return' at the cat shelter where my mom volunteers. She was very overweight, elderly and at some point had a botched declaw job...in most people's eyes not very adoptable...so my mom wanted to give her a loving home."

And last but not least is Boston Terrier Louie, the great love of their life. Louie had been neglected, "had no hair and ended up at the Atlanta Humane Society. I knew my parents loved Boston Terriers, so I told them about him, and the rest is history. They LOVE that dog more than I can explain."

Inspired? If you have room in your home and your heart, please consider adopting a pet from a shelter or pet rescue operation near you, or why not volunteer an hour or two each week! A great way to start out the New Year!

Cat Lady No. 352...Proper Oral Hygiene

Bathrooms can be a chamber of horrors for some cats (all that running water!), while others find it a wonderland of amusement. Take Gunther and Iris, for example... a brother and sister pair of fearless felines who love to supervise toothbrush time with Cat Lady Camilla.

According to Camilla's daughter Danielle, "Gunther is very lazy dazy and is a little goofy sometimes. Iris loves to sit on Camilla's back while she is bent over the sink brushing her teeth. She also likes to drink the water from the sink when Camilla leaves it running for her."

Good dental care is important for cats too. Here are some tips from Cat World's article on Cat Dental Care:

How to prevent dental problems:

• Regular visits to your vet, which will include an oral examination.
• Daily care of your cat's teeth at home.
• Regularly check your cat's mouth for any signs of dental problems. If you notice any of the symptoms such as drooling, bad breath or red or bleeding gums, seek veterinary attention immediately.
• Avoid feeding an exclusive diet of canned food.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 331...Christmas Coral

Mermaid Cat Lady Lorinda and her favorite catfish Jonah have a great gift suggestion: adopt a coral reef in honor of a loved one.

Coral reefs, home to incredible biodiversity, are in danger... According to the Nature Concervancy, "If the present rate of destruction continues, 70% of the world's coral reefs will be destroyed by the year 2050".

The Nature Conservancy's Adopt a Coral Reef program provides critical funds for the permanent protection and restoration of some of the last great places on Earth. Other Nature Lover gift ideas include planting trees and giving carbon offsets. Visit the Nature Conservancy website for more ideas.

Thanks for visiting!

Another gift idea: This ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop:
Mermaid 14 Original ACEO Art

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. 317...In Training

Cat Lady Joni is a crazy-cat-lady-in-training-- she just adopted her very first cat, Precious, and is already both enchanted and enslaved by her new furry friend.

Joni has been carefully studying the comments in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November, and was particularly interested in Cat Lady Karen's CCL qualifications:

[editor's note: Karen forgot to mention a rather important one--she is author of The Cat's Meow, which is Catster.com's official cats and kittens blog]
-I lie about how many cats I have and never include Garage Cat in the tally.
-I'm crazy.
-I'm rarely more than an arm's length from a purring ball of fur.
-I do not go to animal shelters because I would come home with another half dozen cats.
-I don't go on vacation because my Siamese suffers from severe separation anxiety.
-All of my cats (except the aforementioned Garage Cat) have their own blogs.
-I dress up my cats in cute outfits and photograph them.
-No kids. And I was a spinster for 46 years.
-I have conversations with my cats.

Joni is looking forward to shopping for an all-new winter wardrobe for Precious and helping her pick out a name for her new blog. Joni is not so crazy about the spinster idea, but if that's what it takes to find someone called "Mr. Tasty Face", it might be worth the wait...

Thanks for visiting!

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 in a Box Miniature Watercolor

Cat Lady No. 307...Happy Birthday Scorpios!

It's birthday time for Bixby Boy. He was born under the sign of Scorpio, which makes him a bit of a Lone Ranger of a feline. Cat Lady Lorinda doesn't mind his independent streak because underneath all of that fur and aloofness is a heart of gold, not to mention a real party animal!

To find out more about Scorpio cats, visit CatScopes at Catster.com.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 275...Happy Birthmonth, Libras!

There comes a time in every Cat Lady's life when she becomes too old to get carded, and too young to take advantage of the senior discount at the all-you-can-eat buffet.

That is precisely why Libra Cat Lady Caroline has decided to give up celebrating birthDAYS in favor of celebrating birthMONTHS, with the help of her purrfectly balanced pair of party animals, Bob and Barry.

The month was kicked off with luncheons with various friends, a barbeque, and a day at the spa. Festivities will continue with chocolate cake every Tuesday and the receiving of gifts every day from 3 until 7. Harmony and balance are important to Libras, so the singing of "Happy Birthmonth To You" is entirely optional, unless you have perfect pitch.

If your cat is in middle-age, you may want to consider celebrating its birthmonth with a catnip-toy-a-day theme. Is your cat a Libra? Click these links to check out its profile and its horoscope.

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 274...World Teachers Day

Cat Lady Lolana and her class kitty Gato Bernardo were delighted to receive special e-cards today in honor of World Teachers Day.

World Teachers’ Day, held annually on October 5th since 1994 - when it was created by UNESCO - celebrates teachers worldwide. Its aim is to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers.

Do you have a teacher you would like to thank? Just visit the World Teachers Day website where you will find free e-cards in five different languages--send one to every teacher you know and tell them how much they mean to you.

Thanks for visiting!



This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...click here:

Cat Lover No. 64

Cat Lady No. 266... Patterns

Illustration Friday
(theme:"pattern")

Various varieties of Garden Fairies can be identified by the intricate patterns in their wings. A skilled wing-reader can determine a fairy's place of birth and her special calling in the garden. An true expert might even be able to ascertain her preference in nectar--from very sweet to dry.

Garden Fairy Anika, for example was born in the Gardens of Gallamay, and her special calling is dewdrop dusting. She enjoys the company of her winged cat, Rikolo, who follows her on her rounds each dawn, ensuring that each dewdrop shines and sparkles and perfectly reflects an upside-down universe if you peek inside...


As for nectar, that small lavender triangle in the middle of the wing would indicate sweet. The sweeter, the better.

Thanks for visiting!


This brand new illustration is now available as a matted print in my Etsy Shop: Garden Fairy No. 4

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. 236...Setting Goals

Cat Lady Rebecca --who also happens to be the School Principal--has high hopes for Teacher's Pet Jeremiah, known as "Jerry" to the kids. She just read an article about Oreo the Cat, who earned a High School Diploma online.

She tells Jerry that if he really applied himself and wouldn't spend so much time in front of the sunny window, a diploma could be his, greatly enhancing his job prospects in the future.

Jerry, however, is quite happy with his current duties as Chief Mouser and Seat Warmer. Besides, he has six toes on one paw, and seven on the other paw, making math particularly challenging...

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 Teacher's Pet No. 4 ACEO

Cat Lady No. 229...Pussycat Prodigies

Cat Lady Jolene can't get enough of Nora the Piano Cat, particularly her performance of CATcerto, complete with an orchestra.

Jolene has emailed the link to all of her cat-loving friends, and has even started playing the videos for Sonia and her kittens, just adopted from the local shelter.

Jolene is hoping for at least one prodigy from the group and has strategically stationed their cat beds and food dishes beneath her own grand piano. And just in case that doesn't work out, her son's guitar and small drum set are close at hand.

So far, Sonia and the kittens only show interest in chasing around the little plastic thingamajigs from milk jugs, but Jolene hasn't given up hope yet. Hmmmm, now where did she put that harmonica?


This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...add it to your collection by visiting Cat Mom No. 28 ACEO

Cat Lacy No. 226...Making the Grade

Cat Lady and Teacher Mary Beth gets an A+ today from classroom cats Reedin and Rightin. As they get ready for Back To School, Mary Beth wrote a cat haiku as part of a lesson plan:

teacher's pets await
return of many small hands
petting petting purrrrrrrrrrr

Here are some great examples of cat haiku with purring as a theme, submitted for the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for August:

From Cat Lady Chris:
Big blue eyes I see
Looking fondly back at me
Two hearts purr as one

From Cat Lady Jeanette:
Sleeping next to me
Furry faces, soft whiskers
Cats purring their love

From Bibi Girl's "meowmie":
A bag I can hide
in from evil things without.
Chin rub. Eyes squint. Purr

If you would like to share your own Cat Haiku, please add it to the comments section of the August Giveaway post, where you will be able to read all of the other entries! Thanks for visiting!



This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale...add it to your collection by visiting Teacher's Pet No. 3 ACEO

Cat Lady No. 217...Birthday Girl

There are 8GR8CATS that would like to wish a very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to a very special Crazy Cat Lady, the vivacious and charming Carm. Quite apropos, Carm is a Leo, and takes great pride in her pride of beautiful cats.


Until fairly recently, believe it or not, Carm had been a dog person. Then one fateful night a dark, mysterious stranger entered her life. Puff-Kitty Silhouette appeared as if by magic as a stray and started making nightly appearances at Carm's and her husband Randy's back door. "Being a solid black colored cat, only her peridot-colored eyes would shine in the night as she made plaintive pleas to let her come in so that we could become her PURRsons...Puffy worked her black feline magic and opened our hearts and the door to our home! "

The next summer "when we found out that a family friend's momma barn cat had kittens, we thought it would be delightful to add a kitten... or perhaps two! The fabulous kitty boys Sunshine-Kitty and Moonlight-Kitty were next to join our cat family. Puffy took over as an adoptive mother cat as they were only 6 weeks old."

At the suggestion of a friend, Carm and Randy went to a Cat Fanciers Association cat show and fell in love with the Maine Coon Breed... "The next spring momma barn cat had her spring litter and there among a litter of short-haired barn kittens was this little fluffy cream and white kitten that looked just like the Maine Coon kittens I had been drooling over... Furbert Leo Cappuccino joined his brothers Sunny and Moony, and of course Puff-Kitty. Furby was the most adorable little guy and looks as much like a Maine Coon today as he did then. "

That's probably where our story should stop... but Carm happened to find a Maine Coon Breeder online that next summer: Chadwickoon Maine Coon Cats in Fredonia, NY. "You don't just go see Maine Coon kittens!!! The lovely Lady Godiva Candy was our first girl, followed by Lord Thomas Milton who was a surprise birthday gift for Randy that winter."

When Carm and Randy returned to the Cat Fanciers' show, they were carrying their Maine Coons Candy and Tommy into the show ring to be judged! Then Carm and Eileen, their breeder, "hatched a plot to breed a couple silver patched girls. Rainbow Joy was born to be their queen and she became the mother of All-American Pride-the Octopussy- about a year and a half later. Joy also had 3 other kittens- Happiness, Love, & Peace- who found lovely forever homes with other Maine Coon lovers. That is the story of the 8GR8CATS... Puffy the oldest will be 13 and Pride the baby will be 8 this year."

When not sharing her love for felines on her blog Crazy Cat Lady Carm, retired schoolteacher Carm is a hobbyist photographer and a docent at the Buffalo Zoo. She has won many contests for her cat photography and has had her photos included in several publications, CFA's "The Maine Coon Seminar", "Cats 24/7", and most recently I Can Has Cheezburger's first hard copy publication that came out last October. Her cats have appeared on many websites all over the world, including this one, featuring beautiful photos and poetry about each cat: My Cats' Poems. To find out more about Carm's pride, visit Pride's Catster Page!

Last spring Carm saw a YouTube video about Crazy Cat Ladies by comedian Chris Leavins and thought it was the most hilarious, ingenious representation of this subculture known as CCLs. She started sending Chris pictures of her cats. This took on a life of its own on his website "Cute with Chris" and "Carm the Crazy Cat Lady from Buffalo" was born.

Best wishes for a PURR-fect Birthday Extravaganza!