i know i haven’t posted a client blog in way too long (and i have so many awesome shoots to share)…but i must admit, i am kind of obsessed with my new little pal. here are a few hilarious videos of some of his interactions with his furry siblings this week.

CATCHIN’ TAIL (starring Archie, Tichka and Little Dude) – the curious kitten, has found a favourite new toy…it wags, it wiggles, it is attached to a dog.

Catchin’ Tail from Marcia Leeder Photography on Vimeo.

I GIVE! (starring Archie and Cameron) – this is actually an improvement on their interaction.

I GIVE! from Marcia Leeder Photography on Vimeo.

On Sunday, September 12, 2010, the West Highland Terrier Rescue Group with be holding their annual Westie Walk and Family Fun Day, supporting Westies In Need.

There will be games, races, contests, BBQ and more fun for the entire family! The will also be an auction and one of the items up for bidding is a gift certificate from Marcia Leeder Photography that entitles the winner to a photo session for their dog and an 11×14 print.

Check out the Westies In Need website for more details!

i laughed my socks off while making this classic movie parody. i hope you enjoy it too! the brilliant original music by Elmer Bernstein absolutely makes it. you’ll be whistling the theme song for the rest of the day!

(double click the screen to view fullscreen)
if you have issues viewing in the video below, you can watch (and forward to your friends) THE GREAT KITTEN ESCAPE on YouTube.

i am very excited to announce the addition of a new furry member to my family!
(yes, that’s right…i am one step closer to being dubbed “the crazy animal lady down the street”, and i’m totally okay with that.)

you may remember The Riverdale Gang…well, little Archie, who captured my heart during our photo shoot, has come home to stay.

Archie (named after the famed redheaded comic book boy-next-door) is such a sweetheart! he loves to purr, snuggle in my neck, and tickle my ears with his whiskers. he has already kneaded my chest, marking me as his person. in true kitten fashion, he is curious about everything. i try to keep him entertained with toys galore, but he seems most interested in the rest of my gang…

who, overall, are adjusting to his presence fairly well. i really didn’t know how it would go, so i am relieved that there has been no bloodshed.

i did assume that Cameron would love him instantly. well…not so much (as you can see for yourself in the video below). i hope in time she will warm up to him, since i brought him home for her to have a friend to play with when i’m not around.

Little Dude is curious, but a tad afraid of him, which is funny to see…lots of nervous yawns and licks going on.

the biggest surprise is Tichka’s reaction. it looks as if she has found a soul mate in this teeny ginger furball. it melts my heart to see them together. he lets her lick him and poke his belly with her nose. they have even shared a snuggle or two within record time. he’s seems to be a smitten kitten too.

i am happy to say that my redheaded gang is complete…two girls and two boys, two dogs and two cats. hopefully in no time, once Archie settles in, we will all be one big happy family!

REMEMBER: there are still four other kitten beauties that are now ready to be adopted to a lucky home!

remember these little monsters?

well, i had the pleasure of visiting with the crew again the other day at their new foster home. they are 8-weeks old and thriving! they are full of piss and vinegar, as all kittens are. notice that their eyes have all changed from the newborn blue. poor mama cat, who is as sweet as can be, has been having some health issues and is being cared for by the vet. they are hoping she is over the worst and is on the mend. i do too!

there are 4 male kittens and 1 female (the black one) available for adoption (along with momma, who is no more than a year old herself) and are named after the Riverdale Gang.

they are available through Toronto Cat Rescue. the adoption fee is $175 and includes de-worming and vaccinations as well as covering the cost for spaying or neutering, when they are the appropriate age. in my opinion, that is an absolute steal for all the cuteness and love you will be bringing into your home. ideally they would love to adopt them out in pairs or at least into a household with another cat. they are all already comfortable around dogs too.

perhaps one little one might come home with me…cameron has made it clear to me that she wants a friend.

UPDATE August 18, 2010: sad news…momma cat, who they lovingly named Smootka, passed away today. rest in peace sweet girl. your kittens will be taken care of.

UPDATE September 2, 2010: they have all been adopted (yes, i took Archie)

meet ARCHIE (the one who stole my heart)

JUGHEAD (his markings even look like a little crown)

REGGIE (check out those big ears!)

and MOOSE (the little red fireball!)

i must admit, i can get very snobby and set-in-my-ways when it comes to light. i know what lighting situations i enjoy shooting in. the times when the light is not ideal, i refuse to shoot.

early one morning last week, i showed up to a location in farm country. it was sooooooooooooo foggy that i could not see 20 feet in front of me…made for an interesting drive.

my first instinct (translated into child-friendly words of coarse), was “darn! what am i going to do now?!”.

but then i thought about it. when would i have an opportunity to shoot in these kind of weather conditions? i certainly never see any fog in the city!

so while i waited to be let in the front gates, i took a couple “artistic” shots. it was more than good practice…it reminded me to make the most out of any situation…a lesson i hope to continue benefiting from every single day of my life.

you know those unbelievable moments in romantic comedies where it seems soooooooo set-up that you can’t imagine it happening to someone in real life? i used to be a major sceptic of those scenes, but over time i have come to the realization that many situations in my own life are just as far-fetched. like the time i caught myself on fire and didn’t notice right away. it evolved from simply thinking to myself, “some thing’s burning” to having to drop and roll. or just today, when i was making a tuna and bean salad out of the last ingredients in my kitchen and just as i reached for the peppermill on the shelf, it tipped over, falling on a wine glass (which is NEVER on that counter) and smashing it into a million pieces…most of those pieces falling into the salad. teeny pieces of glass in my salad…the only food in the house!

yes, my life definitely feels like a rom-com (just waiting for the ‘rom’ moment to come along). the way it’s going lately i wouldn’t be surprised if i meet my future husband after hitting him with my car!

okay kidding aside, here is the story of my current ridiculousness…

the other day i was in the kitchen and heard a teeny squeak coming from under the kitchen counter. i went to investigate it and discovered cameron had a mouse trapped underneath the kitchen block. seeing as she was just staring it down, as it hid behind the corner leg, i thought it would be safe to run and grab my little camera from my purse and try to grab a shot of the hostage situation.

now, mice don’t freak me out at all (not that i live in squalor and see them often)…but i think they’re cute! so i wanted to catch and release him outside.

FUN FACT: my childhood nickname was ‘mouse’. my aunt martha chose a different animal name for all of us…and there didn’t seem to be a method to her madness. by the way, a huge thanks to my brother for keeping the nickname alive…NOT!

anyway, i picked up a clear tupperware container as my humane trap of choice, got down on the floor and squeezed myself into the corner of the kitchen block to rescue the little guy. as i went to lay the container on top of ‘the squeaker’, cameron got frisky, there was a scuffle and then…he was gone! POOF! NO MOUSE!

now cameron didn’t have him in her clutches and he didn’t run past me (where tichka was waiting patiently to get in on the action). on further inspection i noticed a crack in the wall, big enough for ‘jerry’ to squeeze himself out to safety.

well…situation over.

…or so i thought.

i went about my business in the kitchen. after a few minutes, i felt an itch on my left wrist. i started scratching under the sleeve of my hoodie. then i felt a lump in the sleeve at my wrist (are you starting to cringe?!). my first thought was that i was a dryer sheet balled up and stuck in the sleeve. as i folded back the sleeve at my wrist i saw…A TAIL!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!

i started screaming and jumping around like a freak and ended up tossing him free onto the kitchen floor.

(once again, i am not afraid of mice, but seriously?!!! it startled the heck out of me!)

can you believe in that earlier scuffle, ‘mickey’ escaped into the sleeve of my hoodie?! gotta give him props for that quick move. crafty little rodent!

as soon as he was on the floor, i jumped down to save him from the jaws of cameron. i finally successfully executed my earlier plan and trapped him in the tupperware container.

i allowed the girls to be entertained by him for a few minutes (and took some video), before i set him free in the backyard.

i’m thinking mr. mouse might not venture into our home ever again.

but seriously?! who does that happen to?! who gets a mouse up their sleeve?! oh man i had a good laugh over that.

recently i had the pleasure of meeting a household of six cats! unfortunately one of the cats was extremely shy, but the other five frisky felines flashed their whiskers for my camera (now say that 10 times really fast!).

most of the cats were rescued from TORONTO CAT RESCUE. there are many cats and kittens looking for a home. please check out their list of available cats.

meet kismetROSIE BUBBA ATTICUS and pinto

i am featured in an article, along with a few other local photographers, in the summer issue of LOCAL MAGAZINE, written by sarah dann (the founder, editor, publisher and obviously busy doggy momma).

the article also features a few of my dog photos of tichka, LD, sydney and winston.

thank you sarah for the fantastic article!

LOCAL MAGAZINE is a complimentary full colour magazine that is distributed in Toronto’s beach area.

check out the LOCAL MAGAZINE WEBSITE for more information and where to pick up your copy at these local beach locations.

i caught cameron reading about her brother and sister. i think she was a tad jealous (sorry honey, it was just about dogs).

i just heard the very sad news that a sweet little pal i photographed in 2007 has passed away.

nemo had a rough start to his life, being bounced around to different homes. his luck changed when he met shelley, who loved him dearly and helped him work through his past issues and fears.

recently nemo developed a tumor in a valve in his heart, and over the last month, became sicker and sicker.  he collapsed on tuesday, and shelley had to make the most heartbreaking decision any doggy momma will ever have to make.

my heart goes out to you shelley. take comfort in the fact that you gave your boy an amazing life.