365 Cat Ladies and Friends

Have a Blessed New Year, Thank You, and HELP!

2011-12-31T07:55:00.000-08:00

Here is one reason you have not heard much from me lately:

My studio assistant Buttonwillow and I would like to thank all of our beautiful customers and patrons for keeping us so busy over the past few months. Not to mention, keeping the Willamina post office very busy too! I love sending my little goodies off to exotic and faraway places like Ireland, Hong Kong, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Italy, Mexico. and Portugal.

I love what I do, and it would not be possible without your support, encouragement, and friendship!

Buttonwillow continues to help in whatever way possible.
What IS her fascination with scissors!?!

(for a clue, see "Buttonwillow's Secret Identity...Revealed")

Here is another reason you haven't heard much from me lately:

Susan Faye World Headquarters is moving!

Here is the story: It seems that my sweetie Dave and I had a Golden Opportunity this past autumn to buy this lovely 3 bedroom home in McMinnville, Oregon, for a song. (Okay, we had to fork over some dough too, but not very much.) Our intent was to buy it as a rental property. But the more we hung out there, the more we couldn't resist its irresistible charms such as big windows, a fireplace, and the fact that it puts us 30 minutes closer to Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland.

We decided it would be crazy not to move in, and rent out my Willamina cottage instead, keeping Dave's acreage in the Coastal Hills for recreational purposes. So for the past few months we have been refurbishing the 20-year-old home (before and after pictures will be shared in the weeks to come), have moved in our personal belongings, hosted Christmas dinner there, and now it is time to move my art supplies, craft accoutrements, shipping supplies, sewing set-up, office furniture and business belongings.

Which brings me to the HELP! portion of this blog post.

Boy do I have a lot of STUFF! I'm not going to show you pictures of all of my STUFF, for fear of winding up on an episode of "Hoarders". But suffice it to say, it is time to liquidate a lot of my STUFF, because I simply don't want to move it or try to make room for all this STUFF at the new place.

So Phase One of my STUFF liquidation is my Out-With-The-Old-To-Make-Room-For-The-New Sale in my Etsy shop. I am retiring most of my 2011 designs, and prices have been slashed 25-50% with the help of my studio assistant and her razor-sharp claws. You'll find bargain prices on pendants, earrings, sachets, bookmarks, and more at this link: Susan Faye on Etsy

Your assistance in making these items disappear will be greatly appreciated. There are lots of "little somethings" that you might tuck away for Valentines Day or Easter gifts. Down the road, I hope to start listing craft supplies, and vintage items too.

Thanks again for all of your love and support during 2011, and here's wishing a fruitful, serene and beautiful 2012 for each and every one of you.

And thank you for not turning me in to "Hoarders". I'd be so embarrassed.

A Very Blessed Event

2011-12-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when we celebrate many blessed events: the miracle of gratitude and abundance at Thanksgiving, the Festival of Lights at Hanukkah, the promise and hope of a brand new year, and the birth of baby Jesus, who grew up to teach us beautiful lessons about compassion, tolerance, and love.

I'd like to share a story about another blessed event that I recently learned about.

Two and a half years ago I was contacted by a young woman still in high school. She wanted to commission a Mother's Day portrait of her two "moms" with two of their cats, Squishy Carson and Xyla. She wondered if she might also be included in the painting. Here is the portrait of Camilla, Danielle and Shannon:

At that point in time, Camilla and Shannon were Danielle's legal guardians. It seems that back in Danielle's freshman year in high school, life at home with her birth mother and her mother's boyfriend had become unbearable and Danielle and her older sister needed to find new living situations.

Danielle tells us, "Shannon and Camilla, family of our neighbor, offered me a home. (my sister who is two years older than me went to live with Shannon's brother and his wife). They had legal guardianship of me all throughout high school and technically into college." Shannon and Camilla have been together in a domestic partnership since May of 2001, became Danielle's legal guardians in May of 2005, and were legally married in October of 2008.

Camilla and Shannon are animal lovers, and share their lives with a large menagerie of pets that includes both felines and canines in a wide range of sizes and ages. You can see the whole kit and caboodle here in their pet family album. Camilla is responsible for the fun and creative names; Shannon is responsible for the photography (she is a professional photographer AND dog trainer!). You can see her work at these links:

PawsitivePortraits.net
PetDegreeTraining.com

A few weeks ago Danielle, now a college student, contacted me and wanted to surprise her moms at Christmas with a special portrait that would commemorate a very special blessed event. Danielle explains that this past year "We started talking and decided before I turned 21 (on November 11, 2011) they should adopt me."

So they did--on October 21, 2011.

Congratulation to this "modern family" and thank you Danielle, Camilla, and Shannon for a great holiday story that so beautifully teaches us about compassion, tolerance, and most of all -- love!

More Pet Poetry!

2011-12-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Pet Haiku Giveaway ends tomorrow...have you entered yet? Here are just a few of the wonderful entries so far:

jhitomi wrote...
My cat wants sunshine
Please Santa will you bring us
Some Vitamin D?

Birgit wrote...
Dog looks for Santa
perched on the window sill
barking til dawn.

Growling and barking
he scares Santa Claus away
to my big dismay.

Amber wrote...
Mittens loves cocoa
Tries to sneak a sip from me
Batting at the froth

Now it's your turn...Give it a try!
Haiku is a beautiful and elegant form of Japanese poetry. The simplified version of haiku is usually described as an un-rhymed, three-line poem of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. See what you can come up with using the theme of pets and a holiday of your choice (Christmas, Hannukkah, New Year's, Kwanzaa, etc).

Then leave your haiku in the comments section of the original post for a chance to win one of three prizes: THREE winners will be selected at random and each will receive a

$25 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop!

Each person may leave up to three different haiku in the comments, for three chances to win. Giveaway ends tomorrow, Saturday Dec. 17th.

Thanks for participating!

Pet Poetry

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all who have submitted entries in the Holiday Pet Haiku Giveaway so far!

Fat Dormouse wrote:
I miss sweet Pumpkin.
Her mad bauble-chasing fun
Used to make me laugh.

Cat Lady Karen D. wrote:
Room mate found kitten
snuck him home without consent
Love my cat, Quincey

Nancy said...
My sweet Sadie dog
sleeping under Christmas tree
hoping for a bone.

Now it's your turn...Give it a try!
Haiku is a beautiful and elegant form of Japanese poetry. The simplified version of haiku is usually described as an un-rhymed, three-line poem of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. See what you can come up with using the theme of pets and a holiday of your choice (Christmas, Hannukkah, New Year's, Kwanzaa, etc).

Then leave your haiku in the comments section of the original post for a chance to win one of three prizes: THREE winners will be selected at random and each will receive a

$25 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop!

Each person may leave up to three different haiku in the comments, for three chances to win.

Thanks for participating!

Holiday Pet Photos

2011-12-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

Do you have a favorite holiday pet photo?

This one was taken several years ago during an unusually snowy Christmas vacation. My son had recently moved to Oregon and it was his first experience at being "snowed in". We put out lots of extra food for the birds and Buttonwillow enjoyed lots of "wishful thinking"...

You are invited to post your own favorite holiday pet photos on my facebook page! I'm hoping everyone will be inspired by these photos, then write a holiday pet haiku (or three) for a chance to win one of three $25 gift certificates to my Etsy shop! Click here for details on the giveaway: Haiku Giveaway

Thanks for visiting!

It's Time For Holiday Pet Haiku! [And a Giveaway!]

2011-12-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

(12/17 ...The giveaway has ended. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to the winners!)

It's time to flex your creative writing muscles and enter the world of Holiday Pet Haiku! Give it a try. Just for fun.

New to haiku? Haiku is a beautiful and elegant form of Japanese poetry. The simplified version of haiku is usually described as an un-rhymed, three-line poem of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. See what you can come up with using the theme of pets and a holiday of your choice (Christmas, Hannukkah, New Year's, Kwanzaa, etc). For example:

Buttonwillow sleeps,
dreaming of mouse-filled stockings
with no room for coal

See what you can come up with, and leave your haiku in the comments section of this post for a chance to win one of three prizes: THREE winners will be selected at random and each will receive a

$25 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop!

Each person may leave up to three different haiku in the comments, for three chances to win.

Giveaway ends the evening of Saturday, December 17 at 7 p.m. PST.

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 (you may send info directly to my email if you don't want to make your contact info public). If you visit www.susanfaye.net , you will find an email link.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, you may send your haiku entry directly to my email .

THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!

Farewell to a Faithful Friend

2011-12-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

I first met Reva Dog eleven-some years ago. She was a young girl then, and belonged to my sweetheart Dave. He had rescued her as a stray. She was shy and sweet and devoted to her canine "big brother" Scout, following him wherever he went.

She was an outdoor girl, built for cold climates and mountain climbing, but equally enjoyed many adventures in the deserts, valleys and canyons of California, Arizona, and most recently, Oregon. She loved gamboling, racing, exploring, and basically running wild and free in the Great Outdoors, always with her companion Scout, until he passed away a few years ago.

I'm going to miss her vivacious "doggie dance" and woo-wooo howling at dinner time, her impossibly fluffy ears, and her infinite patience with small, annoying cats. (Buttonwillow the cat thrilled at tormenting the gentle giant of a dog, unaware that she could be snapped in two at any moment by the jaws of the infinitely tolerant beast who chose to ignore her animal instincts)...

I'm going to miss her "Wookie talk" (she could sound just like Chewbacca) and the way her great plume of a tail would spin in a circle like a giant propeller whenever she would gallop to greet Dave.

Goodbye, sweet girl dog and faithful friend.

An Apple for the Teacher and Cat Haiku Revisited

2011-11-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

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.

Are You Ready?

2011-11-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

The big weekend is almost upon us.

I've made myself a list of things to do.

Thanksgiving Thursday: Eat, drink, be merry. Give thanks for my friends, family, pets, cat ladies, pet people, nature lovers and lovely customers who have supported my creative endeavors in so many ways over this past year!

Black Friday: Rest, relax and veg out (Buttonwillow demonstrates the proper technique in the photo to the right). Be thankful that I'm "Shopping Small" this year.

Small Business Saturday: Rest, relax, and "Shop Small". American Express has spearheaded a movement that asks consumers to patronize small, independent, local, mom and pop businesses this year. "The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. On November 26, we're asking millions of people to Shop Small at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge."

Simply Sunday: Rest, relax, and alert the elves to prepare for a busy week or two ahead.

Cyber Monday: Head back to the workshop and get those elves into high gear! And give thanks again for my friends, family, cat ladies, pet people, nature lovers and lovely customers who have supported my creative endeavors this past year !

[If you would like to make your own holiday list, click here for a printable list maker page like the one pictured here--a little holiday thank you from me]

And here are two more thank yous in the form of
two special offers
that are available between now and midnight on Cyber Monday:

1. Use coupon code THANKYOU15 at check-out and receive 15% off your entire purchase from my Etsy Shop. [Discount does not apply to wholesale listings]

AND

2. With any total purchase of $20 or more from my Etsy Shop, each customer will receive this exclusive mini print of my watercolor painting "Full Moon Serenity" absolutely FREE. It is 5 x 7" and suitable for framing, or display it on a small tabletop easel or on your fridge or bulletin board. Limit one free print per household.

HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND!

Kitties and Kindness

2011-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Cat Lover No. 67 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on November 12, 2009, and introduced us to World Kindness Day, which takes place in November each year.

The Australian Kindness Movement describes an act of kindness as: "a spontaneous gesture of goodwill towards someone or something - our fellow humans, the animal kingdom, and the kingdom of nature. Kind words and deeds come from a state of benevolence, generated by a core response deep within all of us. When we carry out an act of kindness it is a message from one heart to another, an act of love, an unspoken 'I care' statement."

Numerous scientific studies show that acts of kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental. Kindness can enhance feelings of emotional resilience, and vigor, and can reduce the unhealthy sense of isolation in both the giver AND the receiver!

So let's make every day World Kindness Day towards our fellow humans, our pets, and our planet! It's a win-win proposition.

Own a piece of 365 Cat Ladies History! Cat Lover No. 67 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.

Rainy Day Activities

2011-11-17T17:26:00.000-08:00

My ACEO artwork of "Raindrops and Kitten No. 4" was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on Nov. 6, 2009. It is the size of a baseball card and was painted on super-heavy Arches 300-lb.cold-press watercolor paper with professional quality watercolor paints. I initialed it on front, and signed, dated, and titled it on back.

It represents several of my favorite rainy day activities:

Painting watercolors (what else?!)
Walking in the rain with a pretty umbrella.
Snuggling with a warm and fluffy friend.

It's POURING here in the Willamette Valley at this very moment, so I guess it's time to get out the watercolor paints, snuggle up with Buttonwillow, and since it's dark and cold outside, I'll just imagine walking in the rain for now.

What are your favorite rainy day activities?

Click on image above for more information about "Raindrops and Kitten No. 4".

A List of Lists and a Freebie For You!

2011-11-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year to make lists. Many lists.

Grocery Lists
Gift Lists
Errand Lists
Christmas Card Lists
Wish Lists
Craft Supply Lists
To-Do Lists
Guest Lists
Important Dates To Remember Lists

So in order to help you with your list of lists, I have a little gift for you. It's my way of thanking you for your love and your support of my creative endeavors over the past year.

As readers, pet lovers, customers and friends,
you are all tops on my list!

Below is a printable list-making page. Right-click on the image and use the "save image as" option to save it to your desktop. You should then be able to print it up just like you would any photo. When printed full-size, it should fit on a standard 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper; then just cut it in half to make two lists.
[Please remember, this list-making page is a gift for personal use and enjoyment only. Commercial use or reproduction is prohibited. Please respect this policy with regards to all artists and their artwork...it's good karma!]

So what is tops on your list of lists this week? What lists will you be working on over the coming weeks? Please share in the comments section of this post. Thanks for visiting!

Giveaway Winners Revealed!

2011-11-16T06:26:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the 365 Cat Ladies Secret Identity Giveaway! Three names were drawn at random and the two runners-up were:

Rana Wilson , The "Crafting Enlish Prof", who said... Well, Dobby is named after a house-elf, and wow, should I not have done that. He's very much like Dobby the house-elf, only without the socks... And Buttercup is a not-so-stealthy stealth-licker... LOL!

Check out Rana's crafty creations at her Etsy shop Definitive Designs.

Cat Lady Jenny said... My cat Milo is a dog in disguise. He carries around pens in his mouth, drinks out of the toilet, and comes when he is called. What a goof.

Jenny has a great selection of creations for bird lovers at her Etsy shop A Bird In The Hand Art.

Rana and Jenny each won a mini calendar and chose the Cat Lover version pictured here...

The grand prize winner of the $30 gift certificate to my Etsy shop is:

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B, who said... We have "Lulu, Princess Warrior"..she can take on the world, and she thinks she's a big dog - even taking on a pit bull that attcked her little brother, Braxton, the Wal-Mart Greeter of a ShihTzu {he loves to greet anyone and every one on our walks, at the door, anywhere..}

You can follow along on her adventures over at her blog Main Street Memories. I love her profile description: "Pretending to be a normal person day after day can be exhausting, so I don't.."

CONGRATULATIONS to the WINNERS!!!

And a big thank you to everyone who participated!

More Secret Identities Revealed!

2011-11-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

Does your pet have a secret identity?

Hop on on over to the Secret Identity Giveaway post and share your pet's alter-ego secrets for a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop. The two runners up will each receive their choice of one of my new calendars, either Cat Lovers or Nature Lovers (a $14.00 value). Giveaway ends TONIGHT, November 13. At 8 p.m.

But first, check out some of the entries:

Sock Monster

Amy said... Our Pixel pretends to be Helpful NASA Kitty during the day (http://bit.ly/tjhtDk), but at night he becomes the Sock Monster! (http://bit.ly/vAUwzF) It took us over a year to figure out which cat was behind the mysteriously transported socks!

Game Referee

Linda B said... Have 3 cats and they all have jobs, so the last is Fritz, our black cat, the playbaby. His job is to find bottlecaps, milk bottle rings and use the "force" to get me and my husband to play catch. He catches them in mid air and brings it to the other person, so all 3 of us can play.

Yoga Instructor

bcbeaveratheart said... My dog Brooklyn is a "Yoga" instructor in her spare time, she is able to preform all kinds of contorted positions, she does the best downward dog yoga position lol.

Cartoon Mooch and Horror Movie Character

Kimberly W said... I have 2 beautiful Golden Retrievers. "LeeLoo" my 10 year olds secret identity is Wimpy from Popeye, she is always looking for a free meal. And sweet Dollar Bill recently had surgery and has so many staples and stitches we can't help believe she is secretly Frankenstein or as we are calling her "FrankenBill".

Abominal Snow Pet

mystkblu said... I posted a picture on your Facebook wall of my fairly feral 3 pound monster Zoey. In this shot she's covered in snowballs that accumulated in her very fine, very long fur. She rarely comes in the house (we've had her for 7 years and barely see her). However, this particular storm proved too much and she came in with snowballs stuck all over her! Normally she just weathers the storms outside, but I guess the snowballs were enough to drive her inside and have Mom pull them off! [you can see the photo here]

Thank you for participating!!

Secret Identities Revealed!

2011-11-08T06:47:00.000-08:00

Apparently, it is not unusual for a pet to have a secret alter-ego. Here are some examples:

NOCTURNAL FLORIST

HornCatCreations said...My cat, "Batman" is a nocturnal florist. He likes to take the flowers from the vase and turn them into abstract surprises on the table.

DETECTIVE/ARCHAEOLOGIST

DESPINA said...Our new puppy loves digging like a maniac!! Also, he somehow always manages to find things around the house which I've considered lost for ages!! I'd say he's like a detective-archaeologist -hence the name "Indy" I just gave him :))

DAREDEVIL/STUNTWOMAN

Janine said...One of my 3 cats' secret identity is Evil Knievel. She can jump across anything, including a fish pond!

VAMPIRE

rosewendy said...My dog gained his name shortly after arriving to live with us as a small puppy. His needle sharp baby teeth managed to draw blood at least once a day so my teenage daughter named him Jasper after(an incredibly hot) popular movie vampire.

HOUSE ELF

Rana Wilson said...Well, Dobby is named after a house-elf, and wow, should I not have done that. He's very much like Dobby the house-elf, only without the socks... And Buttercup is a not-so-stealthy stealth-licker... LOL!

WARRIOR PRINCESS and WALMART GREETER

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...We have "Lulu, Princess Warrior"..she can take on the world, and she thinks she's a big dog - even taking on a pit bull that attacked her little brother, Braxton, the Wal-Mart Greeter of a ShihTzu {he loves to greet anyone and every one on our walks, at the door, anywhere..}

Does your pet have a secret identity?

Hop on on over to the Secret Identity Giveaway post and share your pet's alter-ego secrets for a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop. The two runners up will each receive their choice of one of my new calendars, either Cat Lovers or Nature Lovers (a $14.00 value).Giveaway ends November 13. At 8 p.m.

Thanks for participating!!

Secret Identity Giveaway

2011-11-06T06:19:00.000-08:00

Question: Does your pet have a secret identity?

On Halloween it was revealed that Buttonwillow's secret identity is:

Zee Midnight Slasher.

Here is a bit of her secret alter-ego's handiwork:

Are you ready to reveal your own pet's secret identity?

Fighter pilot?

Member of a motorcycle gang?

Ornithologist?

Be-boppin' Bobby Soxer?

Master Gardener or Soccer Star?

Based on your pet's characteristics and special qualities, tell us in 50 words or less what his or her secret identity is in the comments section at the end of this post. Multiple pets in one household count as one entry. Don't have a pet? Use the pet of a friend or relative. Entries will also be accepted in an identical post over at The Hive.

Each person who leaves a comment will be entered into a drawing to be held on November 13. At 8 p.m. PST on that day, three names will be drawn at random. The first name drawn will win a $30.00 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop. The two runners up will each receive their choice of one of my new calendars, either Cat Lovers or Nature Lovers (a $14.00 value).

NEW:
Bonus Entry #1: Become a follower of this blog (click "Join This Site" over there in the right-hand column), and once you do, please leave an extra comment at the end of this post saying you have done so. Already following? That counts too! Leave an extra comment to that effect.

Bonus Entry #2: Become a "liker"of my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SusanFayeArt, then leave an extra comment at the end of this blog post saying you have done so. Already a "liker"? That counts too! Leave an extra comment to that effect. You may post a picture of your pet in their alter-ego guise on my facebook page!

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address included in the comment. You may send the info directly to my email if you don't want to make your contact info public.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, please contact me by e-mail. If you visit www.susanfaye.net , you will find an email link.

Thanks for participating!

Yipes Stripes! Today's Featured ACEO Cat Lady

2011-11-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday
Theme: stripes

Cat Lady Constance is just wild about stripes and orange ginger cats, like her friends Rusty and Paprika

Cat Lover No. 72 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on November 14, 2009. She introduced us to one of her very favorite paintings: "Woman With Cat" by impressionist painter Lilla Cabot Perry (1848-1933).

To take a peek at this beautiful painting, and to learn more about the artist, visit The Pet Museum website and enjoy the article Orange Cat, Left Shoulder.

Thanks for visiting!

Own a piece of 365 Cat Lady history! My original painting of Cat Lover No. 72 is now available for purchase 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.

Holiday Shipping Deadlines with Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO

2011-11-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Cat Lover No. 81 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on December 16, 2009. She introduced us to Wrap Art
by artist John Boak. His website and blog contain great ideas using scraps of paper and found objects from around your house to embellish your gifts in the most creative ways.

Speaking of wrapping it up, it's not too soon to take a look at holiday shipping deadlines if you are planning to mail cleverly wrapped packages to friends and relatives during the coming weeks. Some of these deadlines are just 4 weeks away (Yikes!)...

Here are U.S. Postal Service deadlines to keep in mind if packages need to arrive by December 24th:

Domestic Mail Class	Deadline
FIRST CLASS MAIL®	DEC. 20
PRIORITY MAIL®	DEC. 21
EXPRESS MAIL®	DEC. 22 (Check your local Post Office)
PARCEL POST®	DEC. 15

International Mail Addressed To:	Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG)4	Express Mail International® (EMS)5	Priority Mail International™ (PMI)6	First-Class Mail International™
AFRICA	DEC. 20	DEC. 10	DEC. 2	DEC. 2
ASIA/PACIFIC RIM	DEC. 19	DEC. 15	DEC. 9	DEC. 9
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND	DEC. 19	DEC. 15	DEC. 9	DEC. 9
CANADA	DEC. 21	DEC. 16	DEC. 12	DEC. 9
CARIBBEAN	DEC. 20	DEC. 15	DEC. 12	DEC. 9
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA	DEC. 20	DEC. 10	DEC. 2	DEC. 2
MEXICO	DEC. 21	DEC. 15	DEC. 9	DEC. 9
EUROPE	DEC. 20	DEC. 15	DEC. 12	DEC. 9
MIDDLE EAST	DEC. 20	DEC. 15	DEC. 12	DEC. 9

Military Mail Addressed To	Express Mail® Military Service (EMMS)¹	First-Class Mail® Letters/Cards	Priority Mail®	Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL)²	Space Available Mail (SAM)³	Parcel Post®
APO / FPO / DPO AE (Iraq and Afghanistan) ZIP 093	N/A	Dec. 3	Dec. 3	Dec. 1	Nov. 26	Nov. 12
APO / FPO / DPO AE (all others) ZIPs 090-092, 094-098, 340, 962-966	Dec. 17	Dec. 10	Dec. 10	Dec. 3	Nov. 26	Nov. 12

My Etsy Shop Ordering Deadlines

In order for your items to be received by Dec. 24 , I must receive your order by:
International: Dec. 1 (first class international mail)
United States:- Dec. 11 (first class mail items)
Dec. 15 ( priority mail items)
Please allow an additional 5 days for wholesale/bulk orders, items that will be personalized, or special requests.

Another reason to plan ahead and order early:

Each item is individually hand-made by me (or one of my helper elves) and although I try to anticipate customer needs and keep my inventory up-to-date, I sometimes run out of certain materials and/or certain items by early- or mid-December. If you have your eye on a particular something for a particular somebody, there is no time like the present to procure your present!

Click here to see my current selection of goodies: My Etsy Shop

Thank you for your continued support of my creative endeavors!
It means a lot to me. :-)

Own a piece of 365 Cat Lady history! My original painting of Cat Lover No. 81 is now available for purchase 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.

Buttonwillow's Secret Identity....REVEALED!

2011-10-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from Susan Faye World Headquarters!

You may have already noticed that my studio assistant Buttonwillow has her own built-in Halloween costume that she enjoys wearing year-round-- a velvety black mask and cape, just like those of her hero, Zorro. This gives us one clue to her secret identity, which will be revealed for the very first time to all on this scariest day of the year.

Another clue is her tail. Upon a casual inspection, you will notice that it looks oddly like an exploding paintbrush-- quite appropriate for an art studio assistant. But upon closer scrutiny, you will discover that the very end of her tail forms the shape of a "Z". It really does! She was born with a fancy kink in the end of her tail with two sharp bends that actually form a Z. This makes her tail shorter than average and creates that distinctive "pouf" at the end. It is reminiscent of Wile E. Coyote's tail just after the TNT explodes, don't you think?

The last clue is her panther-like razor-sharp claws that strike fear in the hearts of table legs, catnip toys and house plants everywhere.

By now you have probably put together the clues to guess her secret identity. Yes, in the dark of night, when you least expect it, Buttonwillow becomes her legendary alter-ego:

Zee Midnight Slasher.

Beware the mark of Zee Midnight Slasher. Should you find an artfully slashed "Z" in your sofa, your wooden wall paneling, or your leg, then you know she has been afoot, avenging the plight of small fluffy bicolor kitties everywhere, whose owners ignore their plaintive pleas for more tasty cat treats from the pantry.

You have been warned. Muah-ha-ha...

Happy Halloween!

Adopta Guadalajara...Spotlight on International Cat Ladies

2011-10-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Gato Lady and Perro Lover Diana, pictured here with her daughter and their friends Hoppy, Luna, and poodle Trufa . Diana is part of a wonderful information network and website in Mexico called Adopta Guadalajara, providing valuable information on cat and dog adoption, prevention of pet overpopulation and animal abuse, and responsible pet ownership.

Diana says, "Most of all, we promote spaying and neutering of cats and dogs, no matter if they are males or females. In Mexico this is not so common as we wish it was. We also want people to be responsible owners and to adopt instead of buying animals."

Their facebook page is ADOPTAGDL with over 65 000 fans, and they also have a radio program that can be heard through internet.

Keep up the good work, Diana and Adopta Guadalajara! Muchas Gracias!

Thanks for visiting!!

Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO... Cat Mom No. 9

2011-10-27T21:42:00.000-07:00

Cat Mom No 9 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on February 24, 2009. She introduced us to Spay Day, an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International to inspire people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats.

Spay Day takes place on the last Tuesday of February each year, however, Cat Mom No. 9 encourages you to make EVERY day "Spay Day."

Four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are euthanized in U.S. shelters each year. Spaying or neutering is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats and a proven way to reduce the vast numbers of animals who are born each year, only to die prematurely and without a family who loves them. Learn more here: Pet Overpopulation and what you can do.

Thanks for visiting!

My original ACEO art of Cat Mom No. 9 (pictured above) is now available for purchase 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.

A Black Cat By Any Other Name... Today's Featured ACEO Cat Lady

2011-10-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

According to a Very Scientific Poll that I recently conducted on Facebook, the most popular names for a black cat are: Midnight, Shadow, and Licorice, with Shadow being the all-time-most-votes-classic-favorite!

Other outstanding names were: Boo, Jynx, Cinders, Inky, Sputnik, Raven, Dark Knight, Tabou, and my personal favorite, Moonshadow!

My ACEO artwork of Cat Lover No.83 (pictured here) was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on December, 2009, expressing her opinion that black cats are lucky. Are you lucky enough to have a beautiful black cat in your life? If so, let us know what his/her name is in the comments section of this post!

Thanks for visiting!

My original ACEO art of Cat Lover No. 83 (pictured here) 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.

Garden Cat Lady No. 5... Cats Who Chomp Greenery

2011-10-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Garden Cat Lady No.5 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on June 30, 2009 . She warned us to be aware of plants that are toxic to cats, both inside and outside in the garden.

Does your own furry friend like to chew, chomp, or eviscerate plant matter?

The ASPCA website has a very useful list of plants that don't mix with cats, many with photos to help with identification. There are also descriptions and symptoms, plus a 24-hour hotline-- this is a great website to bookmark: Plants That Are Toxic To Cats

Happy (and safe) Gardening!

My original ACEO art of Garden Cat 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.

Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO... Cat Lover No. 33

2011-10-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Cat Lady No 33 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on October June 3, 2009. She introduced us to the poem "The Cat and the Moon" by William Butler Yeats, featuring a black cat by the name of Minnaloushe:

The cat went here and there
And the moon spun round like a top,
And the nearest kin of the moon,
The creeping cat, looked up.
Black Minnaloushe stared at the moon,
For, wander and wail as he would,
The pure cold light in the sky
Troubled his animal blood.
Minnaloushe runs in the grass
Lifting his delicate feet.
Do you dance, Minnaloushe, do you dance?
When two close kindred meet,
What better than call a dance?
Maybe the moon may learn,
Tired of that courtly fashion,
A new dance turn.
Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
From moonlit place to place,
The sacred moon overhead
Has taken a new phase.
Does Minnaloushe know that his pupils
Will pass from change to change,
And that from round to crescent,
From crescent to round they range?
Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
Alone, important and wise,
And lifts to the changing moon
His changing eyes.

Thanks for visiting!

My original ACEO art of Cat Lover No. 33 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.

Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO... Cat Lover No. 63

2011-10-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

Cat Lady No 63 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on October 4, 2009. She introduced us to an old-timey recipe 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.

My original ACEO art of Cat Lover No. 63 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.

Thanks for visiting!