An Apple for the Teacher and Cat Haiku Revisited

My original ACEO watercolor painting of "Teacher's Pet No. 5" was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies and Friends on August 25, 2009.

This Cat Lady introduced us to some examples of Cat Haiku poetry that were written by our readers. Here they are again for your literary pleasure:



From Crazy Cat Lady Carm describing Pride:

oh brilliant orange cat
little prince of the sunset
feline spirit guide

From Cat Lady Tammy:

My big green eyes gaze
At my crazy cat lady
With undying love

From Cat Lady Lyz:

Julius, Marley;
Leave their paw prints on my heart;
Hair everywhere else

From Cat Lady Sarah:

One more cat makes nine
When does the line stop shifting?
The love is endless

Own a piece of 365 Cat Ladies History! Teacher's Pet No. 5 is now available in my Etsy shop. This mini watercolor painting 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. It is hand-painted on super-heavy Arches 300-lb. acid-free cold-press watercolor paper with professional quality watercolor paints. Click here for more details.

An Apple For The Teacher...

Why are apples associated with teachers? Some believe that this tradition began in New England during the 19th century when farming families supplemented a teacher's meager income with with homegrown food, such as potatoes and apples.

Whatever the reason, apples remain the symbol of appreciation for hard-working teachers. And don't despair if you just realized your backyard apple tree is still four months away from bearing fruit... You'll find a great assortment of apple-themed treasures on Etsy.com.

Here is an Etsy treasury that I've curated with teachers in mind-- just click on the image below to see the entire collection (there are two listings with cats--can you find them?). While you are there, please leave a comment at the end of the treasury, and click on some of the items--the more attention the treasury gets, the more likely it is to make it onto Etsy's front page!

[The giveaway has ended and the winners are: Chrissykat, Gio, and Jean Williams (who entered on Facebook). Congratulation ladies-- I'll contact you on Saturday with details on picking out your sachet.]
Bonus for cat ladies and friends: Tell me which item in the treasury is your favorite by leaving a comment at the end of this post and you'll be entered into a drawing to win one of my lavender kitty sachets (pick from the designs below). I'll draw three names at 10 p.m. PST tonight! Entries will also be accepted on my Facebook page and at The Hive.

Thanks for visiting!

Have You Hugged A Teacher Today?

Illustration Friday

(theme:"lesson")

Today's lesson: May 1-7 is
PTA Teacher Appreciation Week.

Since 1984, National PTA has designated the first full week in May as PTA Teacher Appreciation Week, "a special time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating our children. PTA events at the national, state, and local levels celebrate the outstanding contributions teachers make".

Have you hugged a teacher today?

Back To School Giveaway

Have you noticed? Fashion-correct Cat Ladies have retired their white shoes and handbags, fluttering leaves are changing their hues, and the school crossing signs are blinking once again. That can only mean one thing: it's time to introduce my new back-to-school-inspired pendants and have a GIVEAWAY!









































Inspired by cat-loving teachers, librarians, students, and book club buddies, these designs celebrate the love of books and reading!

A mini print of my artwork has been preserved under crystal-clear glass, then hand-crafted into a sparkling pendant. The rectangle glass tile is 7/8-inch wide and 1-1/4 inches tall and features a silvertone bail. Here is your chance to win one:

Just leave a comment at the end of the post and mention the name of your favorite teacher, librarian, student, or bibliophile and your name will be entered into a random drawing! Giveaway ends Friday, Sept 17 at 10 p.m. PST. One name will be drawn at random and will receive their choice of one of these pendants, including a 24" silvertone petite ball chain. Open to book lovers and feline fanatics world-wide!

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!

The 10 new pendants pictured are now available for sale at my online Etsy shop. Just click on an image to find out more information about that item!

Cat Lady Spotlight-- Color Coordinated

Cat Lady Carolann has discovered the secret to perfect color coordination, down to the fabulous felines in her life:

"Somehow over the years I have become known for my love of things black and white, and for wearing silver. My cars are generally black too. I live in Melbourne which is renowned for its leagues of women in black (all very stylish of course!!) and in truth it is now very easy to dress. Hot days = sleeveless loose black, cold days = long sleeved many layers of black.... I can even get dressed in the dark with ease because everything goes together!!

"I haven't always had black cats, but over the years they have become progressively more black. The first was a grey tabby whose name was Mitzi, and there was Parker who was white with tabby spots. Then there was Donald Jordan, known as DJ... DJ lived to a very good age and saw me into marriage and then supervised the upbringing of our son Simon. They were great mates and I have many pictures of them sitting looking delightedly at one-another...

"When DJ died, I took my son to the local Lost Cats home for him to choose his own kitten and he chose a black long-haired one. It was Christmas and I tried very hard to persuade him to name the cat Pudding or something similarly seasonal, but he was insistent and our new cat was named Mr Pussy [pictured above]. Since my son is now 23 (and Mr P about 15), we have lived with smirks and giggles for quite a while. Hence the cat's other names: Mr P, Fatness, Fat Cat and when we're cross with him.... Hairy Legs. He is the fattest of the two we have, and steals food with great dexterity and in absolute silence. Until you hear his teeth crunching into whatever he's stolen.

"About 10 years ago we were at the vet and I read a notice about a home wanted for a young cat brought in with many injuries but now healthy. Foolishly I asked to meet it and fell in love with a small fierce black short-haired cat who ran straight out of the cage and up onto my shoulder into my hair where he sat purring. Instantly smitten I put him back in the cage and went out to the car and dragged my son in and the same thing happened to him. He walked out of the cattery with a dazed besotted grin saying 'Mum, we have to have him' so we did. They had already named him Basil so we kept it.

"Unfortunately Mr P was furious with me when Basil [also pictured above] came home, and has not spoken to me since. Seriously. He remains Simon's cat and tolerates me feeding him, but if I pat him (as I do often) he immediately retires to a corner and grooms himself, removing all traces of my hand!! By contrast, Basil is sitting on my knee as I write this... Many are the books I have read with Basil following the pages turning."

When not teaching special education classes, Carolann enjoys blogging, card-making, and most of all, READING! Be sure to visit her blogs--one called Black Cat's Miaow where you can follow her creative endeavors; and the other which is devoted to books: Library of the Black Cat. Carolann belongs to the Order of the Opus Gluei, a fun paper-crafting design group that has a different creative challenge each week.

A big thank you to Carolann's friend Cat Lady Lisa of The Craft's Meow who made the birthday portrait of Carolann, Mr. P and Basil possible!!

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 323...Book Buddy

Library-cat-in-training Professor Purrlots is enjoying today's lesson from School Librarian Patricia. Today she is reading the story about a real-life cat named Dewey Readmore Books who was dropped into the book return of the Spencer Public Library in Iowa one fateful night.

Dewey took his new job as the library cat quite seriously and spent 19 years running the place. His "Basic Rules For Cats Who Have a Library to Run" is a must-read for any aspiring library cat.

The library cat's golden rule, according to Dewey, is: "Never forget, nor let humans forget, that you own the joint!

To find out more about Dewey and his illustrious career, visit this wesite: Dewey Readmore Books

Enjoy!

Cat Lady No. 321...And The Winner Is...

Cat Lady Cameron and tabby Timothy love statistics and are pleased as punch to share these with you: Out of 41 entries in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for November, one name was chosen at random, and the winner is: Cat Lady Jana of Colorado Catnip Toys!

Among her crazy cat lady qualifications: "I have 5 cats, all were orphans. They all help me make catnip toys and kitty quilts I sell on Etsy. At any one given time I will have one cat on my shoulders, one cat laying on the ironing board, one cat sleeping by the sewing machine and sometimes one cat in my lap. Let me tell you, it is not easy sewing with all my helpers. But I would feel lost without them. We all sleep in the same bed. Sometimes that bed gets pretty crowded. I love each of them differently. I have Mr. Tigger, Yakkie, Pokey, Scooter and the baby Zippy. I am a cat person from the word go. They are my kids. I am definitely a CCL!"

Here are some more statistics: In our very scientific poll, the question was posed: How many cats does it take to make you a CRAZY Cat Lady?

The answer "10 or more dearest darlings" was the top choice with 30 percent of the votes. Surprisingly, the second most popular answer was "one cute kitty" with 23 percent of the votes. Thank you to everyone who participated in both the poll and in the giveaway!!




Give the gift of original art without breaking the bank! This ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop:
Library Cat No. 23 ACEO Art

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. 238..Teacher's Pet's Pets

It's time for Cat Lady and Elementary School Teacher Kristie to get ready to go back to school with the help of terrific tabby Olive. But as Kristie is prepping her stuffed animals for the annual trip back to their beloved second grade classroom, Olive manages to sneak them out of the bags for one last bite and tussle!

"I swear Olive can sniff out a stuffed animal anywhere," Kristie says. "It's uncanny."

Olive loves her stuffed animal buddies and would prefer that they stay at home with her instead of making the trek back into the classroom for the students. However, Olive knows that the children will take good care of them and love them, just like she does. Well, except for the bite and tussle thing!

Kristie and her husband, Justin (also a teacher) have enjoyed Olive's shenanigans for the past four years. Olive shares her home with her kitty sisters Gracie (eight), Lily (three), KitKat (one), and her brother, GrayBoy (five).

When not teaching in the classroom or scratching cat chins at home, Kristie loves crafting and has a wonderful online shop at Etsy.com full of her colorful creations. Be sure to check out

SewFabulousCrafts!

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. 234...Cat Adoration Haiku

Cat Lady Doris and teacher's pet Madame Purrie want to expand the horizons of recently rescued classroom kittens Punky and Spunky.

Poetry readings have become part of their morning ritual and today's selections happen to be Cat Haiku.

Here are some more wonderful submissions from the 365 Cat Ladies August Giveaway, with love and adoration as a popular theme:

From Crazy Cat Lady Carm describing Pride:

oh brilliant orange cat
little prince of the sunset
feline spirit guide

From Cat Lady Tammy:

My big green eyes gaze
At my crazy cat lady
With undying love


From Cat Lady Lyz:

Julius, Marley;
Leave their paw prints on my heart;
Hair everywhere else

From Cat Lady Sarah:

One more cat makes nine
When does the line stop shifting?
The love is endless

Thanks for visiting!

It's not too late to enter the 365 Cat Ladies August Giveaway! Take some time to read all of the fantastic Cat Haiku entries in the Comments section at the end of the post, then add your own if you haven't already. Click here to learn a little more about writing cat haiku.

Cat Lady No. 230...Go Granny Go!

Cat Lady Nancy and fellow book lover Mojito are not clear about whether or not to celebrate National Senior Citizens Day today.

Then-president Ronald Reagan was 77 when he signed the proclamation for National Senior Citizens Day in 1988.

Nancy turned 50 last week and promptly received her invitation to join AARP. She thought she had clearly arrived at Senior Citizenhood. But she was soon to discover that Elderhostel will not consider her to be an Elder until she is 55. She'll qualify for some government benefits at 62, but the corner restaurant won't even consider giving her the Senior Early Bird Discount Dinner until she is 65. What's a girl to do?

Go out and hop on her mountain bike for a quick ride, then enjoy a video conference with her grandson before teaching her Friday yoga class. Go Granny Go!

Are you a granny on the go? This extra-roomy 100% cotton canvas tote bag has plenty of room to carry all of your favorite books or groceries. It features extra long handles for easy over-the-shoulder carrying.

• 10 oz heavyweight natural canvas fabric
• Full side and bottom gusset
• 22" reinforced self-fabric handles
• Machine washable
• Measures 15" x 18" x 6"

You'll find dozens to choose from at my Cafepress shop:

Susan Faye Tote Bags

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. 224... Do You Haiku?

Cat Lady Mildred and fellow poetry lover Abercrombie occasionally enjoy reading Cat Haiku. Both are excited about trying their hand at it themselves, then entering the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for August.

Here is their first attempt at Cat Haiku:

Voluminous cat
of ginger stripe elegance
purrs with contentment

The simplified Western version of haiku is usually described as an un-rhymed, three-line verse of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. Twodragonflies.com gives a more complete description of Western haiku:

• contains 17 syllables or fewer
• written in three lines or fewer
• it is untitled
• it is unrhymed
• it can be read in one breath
• has two images in juxtaposition
• contains concrete images
• contains two images separated by a pause
• links nature with human nature
• often includes a season word or "kigo"
• contains no similes

For more information about haiku, visit their informative link: About haiku
Thanks for visiting!

Purrfect for jotting down Cat Haiku:
This Wire-O bound, 160 page blank book has your choice of papers and measures 5" x 8", a handy on-the-go size to fit in your backpack.

• Back cover made of thin black flexible textured plastic, measures 16/1000" thick
• Front cover made of 12pt glossy paper, laminated for durability
• Filled with your choice of 60lb bookweight (24 lb bond) paper -- blank, dot grid, lined college-ruled, or a task journal.

choose from dozens of journal designs at
Susan Faye Blank Books

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 180...And the Winner Is...

Cat Lady Joleen and Teacher's Pet Radcliffe have taken time out from teaching summer school math to announce the winner of the 365 Cat Ladies June Giveaway. You can read all of the fun and fanciful entries here: Dream Vacations

With the help of a random number generator, each entry was assigned a number between 1 and 35, and then a random number was picked. And the winner is: No. 14, Cat Lady Robin Michelle!!

Not only is Robin a devoted Cat Lady, she is also a devoted stitcher! See some of her beautiful work at her blog: One More Stitch

Robin will receive this tote bag from my CafePress Shop: Nature Lovers

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Thank you to all of the Cats and Cat Ladies and Lads who participated!


♥ This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale...Add it to your collection by visiting my Etsy shop:

"Teacher's Pet No. 2"


♥ Yay! I'm included in Etsy's weekly voter poll asking "Which Item Colors You Beautiful?" Please vote for my "Peaceable Kingdom" print at: Etsy Voter
Thanks!

Cat Lady No. 163...School's Out!

The grades are turned in, the desk is cleaned out and it's time to hit the road!

A well-deserved vacation at the coast awaits Cat Lady Coretta but teacher's pet Bernie must stay behind--all of that sand and water gives him a headache.

So how to find a reliable and loving pet sitter? Luckily Coretta found a very useful article on The Cat's Meow blog which includes all of the important questions to ask a potential cat sitter. Read the whole article here: How to Select a Cat Sitter

Thanks for visiting!

"Teacher's Pet" is a brand new series of original ACEO art cards that I am working on. This is No. 1 in the series. Add it to your ACEO collection by visiting my Etsy shop:
Teacher's Pet No. 1

Cat Lady No. 148...Last Chance for TWO Giveaways...

Cat Lady Danica has TWICE the fun with feline friends Jezebel and Geronimo, and wants to remind you that you have TWO chances to win giveaways in May...but time is running out!

The 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for May ends tomorrow, so enter today! Just go to the link and leave a comment at the end of the post about your favorite teacher.

365 Cat Ladies May Giveaway

On May 31st, a name will be drawn at random and the winner will receive this roomy tote bag to carry all of your favorite books!

There is also a May Giveaway at Susan Faye's Picture Show which ends tomorrow.
Visit the link below to find out how you can win this set of magnets.

BIRD BRAINS GIVEAWAY

Thanks for visiting!

Either of these prizes would make a great thank-you gift for your favorite teacher...For more gift ideas please visit my online shops:

www.SusanFaye.etsy.com

www.cafepress/Susan Faye
www.cafepress/SusanFayeNature

Cat Lady No. 141...Who Was Your Favorite Teacher ?

The 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for May has Cat Lady Cassie reminiscing about her favorite school teacher.

It would have to be her Junior High Algebra teacher who introduced Cassie and her best friend, Rhoda, to the world of science fiction. Miss Watson had an extensive collection of paperback books by Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, which she would loan out to the girls--because the school library did not have any science fiction books on its shelves!

Feline Friend Esmerelda is wondering what Cassie waiting for! If she posts a comment about her favorite teacher, she'll be entered to win a Cat Lady tote bag...

Visit this link to read all of the great entries and to reminisce about your favorite teacher before it's too late:

365 Cat Ladies May Giveaway

On May 31st, a name will be drawn at random and the winner will receive this roomy tote bag to carry all of those books that you can read...thanks to a teacher!

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 137...May Giveaway Time!

If you can read this...
Yes, it's time to thank a teacher. As the school year winds down, school teacher Cat Lady Elaine and her fellow bookworm Homer are excited to announce the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for May.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post and mention a memorable teacher who made a difference in your life.

On May 31st, a name will be drawn at random and the winner will receive this roomy tote bag to carry all of those books that you can read...thanks to a teacher!

Thanks for visiting!