king of the jungle

rrroooaarrrrr! (*i want orange-lion kitty!*) 

happy monday :)

Happy National Feral Cat Day: elusive King Henry

here's a familiar face... the elusive orange tabby male. i've been trying to TNR him for a year! my last attempt was on my birthday 4 days ago. i had hoped the stars would be on my side and grant me my one birthday wish. but alas, all i caught was a small possum (quite adorable) and a few minutes later a very irate and LARGE raccoon (more round than long, not unlike my teddy bears!). have you ever heard a raccoon growl? sounds like a werewolf! it was my own fault for keeping the trap set out after dark.. i just didn't want to give up. wee possum and rotund raccoon were both let out unharmed.. i was probably more shaken then they were ;)

the story about mr. orange tabby is that neighbors (known and unknown) are feeding him, so he's not seeking out food thus not attracted to the fish baits i set in the humane trap. finally last month, by chance, i discovered a kind neighbor on the other block, Pam, who is feeding him daily. we had a nice chat about King Henry (that's what she named him) and she filled in some details about his origins. apparently a few years ago, a car pulled up in the alley and poor King Henry was simply "dropped off", letting out a loud miaow as they shut the door and drove off. sadly, many people don't bother to neuter/spay their animals and abandon them when they start howling, spraying, and other effects of primal urges. Pam had also tried to TNR Henry, but unsuccessfully. so working together, she and I -the two "Ps", coordinated a trap day, made the appt at the cat clinic, and she withheld Henry's food....

but, Henry never showed up. frustrating since i see him with great regularity. he has a routine that cuts through my yard- i've seen him snoozing under our butterfly bush in the morning, sunning himself belly up in our wildflower patch at noon, napping behind the boxwoods in the early evening (pictured above). Pam is pretty sure that another neighbor is also leaving food out for the cats! which means coordinating with them also to withhold food before trapping day.  it's easy to let days, weeks, months slip by...it can feel overwhelming trying to do it yourself.  good thing is, a dialogue is happening and there is moral support. a lot of work to nab this guy but i am ever confident we will. you hear me, Henry?

October charity: 10% of each sale of Halloween Kitty Cat Witch print on eBay goes to Alley Cat Allies, helping cats like King Henry nationwide. 

Each print is on a unique 1930's dictionary page, no two are alike. pigment ink and real acrylic hand painted eyes. this mixed media art print makes a lovely gift for animal-lovers and for a good cause!

(=^;^=)

new bears today!

 

 

☂☀ right now i'm experiencing the odd weather phenomena of rain while the sun shines brightly. that's a sure recipe for a rainbow :) speaking of rainbows, come see the colorful and tie dyed bears, elephants and one fabulous feline w/ pet dog on my web site today.

cheshire (TNR'd) cat in the garden

yesterday about 7am in the garden, i heard a scramble up a neighbors fence. i see our lady Gemini being chased by Mr. Elusive Orange Tabby. Gemini bounds sprightly from the fence, up the garage roof and onto the 100+ year old catalpa tree. the chase ended there. go girl! the birds however were barking agitatedly by the presence of the Cheshire cat resting contentedly on a thick limb. i have yet to TNR orange tabby boy. he (and the other "neighborhood" cats)  is being well-fed by well-meaning neighbors on the other block and therefor is not attracted to my sardine baits. perhaps a neighborly chat is in order (ie: can we complete the circle of care and get this cat to the clinic?). the good thing is i haven't seen any kittens or new cats on the scene. thankfully we got the girls spayed a while ago.

elsewhere outside...here are some pics from our back yard wildflower patch:

i mixed in some tall ornamental grasses last year, from clumps i divided (ignore that huge leafy weed there lower right corner). it attracts all kinds of beneficial bees, butterflies, yellow finches, insects. a natural bird feeder all year round. we never have to water or mulch it. just mow it down in the early spring and nature does the rest! on the project list is to make a water fountain feature to put in the middle of it. we joke about having a crazy 20 foot water spray (the kind you see in public parks) that would drown out any noise. there are days here that are peaceful and quiet, and days that are constant buzzing of noise.. that's city life. right now is one of those peaceful moments... an ideal day to hang out laundry and bake bread (in addition to working on special orders and bears ;)

☀have a lovely summery day!

fly away ears

 

ever have a hair day like this? i know i have :) these are the extra long doxies i mentioned a while back. poor pups, looking at me with their no-eyes saying "please finish us"! why am i procrastinating? well, what happens is i tend to start something else... like a red/white/blue calico cat perhaps?

i typically work on multiple bears at a time. it keeps things loose and fresh- not so much pressure when i can stop and pick up something else. and the neat thing is they all get done around the same time and that's a satisfying feeling! hope to show you more bears in progress and when/where they will be available.

have a sweet saturday!

PFATT preview

i've been cat sitting for a neighbor this week so kitty's are on the brain! i'm working on a new dynamic duo of kitty w/ her pet pooch for this month's PFATT marketplace. the dog is so small that he will have wire or string jointed limbs. kitty may be in my "stick" bear style or a round headed style. you'll just have to be surprised on the 10th!

woof woof + miaooows ♥

family pawtrait special order

the real-life inspiration:

last month i completed a unique extra special special order. i was commissioned to create a family "pawtrait" of a loving couple, Darin + Nancy and their 2 cats to celebrate Nancy's big 60th birthday. it was to be the centerpiece (main gift) of a party aptly themed "life's a bear". i used tie dye mohair for Darin to represent his tattoos. the bears/ cats sit atop the family lily pad. as i was nearing completion of the set, Darin informed me of some exciting news! they just adopted an italian greyhound pup and asked if i could include him in the portrait too. so i came up with a totally new mini dog design, and was pretty pleased with the results (their pup is pictured top right, bottom left pic i googled for additional reference):

t'was an honor and delight to create Darin + Nancy's bear family portrait!

if you would like a one of a kind bear-portrait of your loved ones for a special gift or occasion, please contact me.
p.s. i will be working on more little pooches for valentine's update ❦

natalie wood

cats of rome

happy national feral cat day! i've saved up these photos of the kitties from our Rome trip just for today :) cats are just everywhere i go, lol! i heard about Torre Argentina Roman Cat Sanctuary and made it a point to visit there and was so glad we did. we had a nice long talk with one of the volunteers and said hello to all the cats. the shelter is also a permanent home for a few special-needs cats that were found abandoned.

the adoptable cats are inside the shelter, and the TNR ferals are living outdoors among the ancient city ruins. it was quite a sight to see! all are provided food, care and shelter by dedicated volunteers. Torre Argentina also has a long-distance adoption program to sponsor a cat. thank goodness for cat sanctuaries like this! there are many ways to help the roman kitties, please visit the sanctuary's website www.romancats.com. and tell a friend!

puuuurrrrrrss and hugs xoxo

PFATT cats to help ferals

(all are SOLD, thank you! i am accepting a few orders, email me)

hi all! my PFATT Marketplace offering this month is a little different you may notice! i made a quartet of primitive cloth cat dolls from a Netty Lacroix pattern (love her work). i originally made one to hang on my front door, then seeing how lovely it turned out i made a few more to share with you! i think it's a nice way to raise awareness for National Feral Cat day on October 16th. they are just $35 each- proceeds go towards TNR of feral kitties in my neighborhood, like this fella:

here he is. i finally got a picture of the elusive orange male who likes to go poo in my yard! i've tried half a dozen times to trap him. normally i can trap a cat with 2 attempts, so he's been a particularly frustrating case. the crust around his eyes concerns me, but otherwise he looks well-fed and has a nice coat (the well-fed part being why he isn't attracted to my baits, argh). my goal is to have him neutered by Halloween. and i've seen a dark tabby slinking around at night and in the dark of early morning... does it ever end? cross your paws and wish me luck!

to adopt a PFATT cat see my listing today.. on where else, the PFATT marketplace :) miiiiaaooow!

sneak peek: dancing cats

okay folks, i've given in! i've uploaded my first ever video on youtube! it was the only way i could figure out how to share my video with everyone and different web browsers. so here it is, another sneak peek for my update this week... ta da.... dancing cat necklaces! they will dance to anything but they do seem to love old jazz. i made three black kitties (one was doing a top hat and cane routine off camera). hope you enjoy my little video!

meowy christmas!

it's a white christmas here in chicago! that didn't stop this gal from doing her rounds in the neighborhood, what a nice thick winter coat gemini has. i've seen her coat get super full and puffy during the coldest months, like a raccoon. she's a robust lady! warmest wishes to you from us here in the windy city... may you have peace and plenty. xoxo

enter the kitty dreamscape

lo-fi cat psychedelic dreamscape music video animated/directed by my best gf/ art college classmate jeanne hospod. tomorrow is her *birthday*!
the ending gets me choked up 'cos it reminds me of my 3 kitties sailing into the afterlife. jeanne also was a 3 cat momma, now she has 2. both are rescues.

equal parts "ghost-rodeo, space-travel, cats, art and enlightenment from the far reaches of austin, tx". sit back and make sure the volume is on. it's a beautiful 4:30 minute ride :)

sunbathers

our first giant sunflower! i planted about 5 seeds but one dominated the others and took over. the overhead powerlines aren't very picturesque, but it's the city and that's how it is. the squirrels use them quite effectively as aerial bridges. speaking of squirrels...

i looked out my window one chilly morning and saw this little guy sunbathing absolutely motionless on the tree trunk for a good long while. enjoy it while you can, right?

we were graced with another Gemini sighting today. a real close encounter... our back deck! Rob ushered me into the kitchen "hurry hurry, shhhh.... don't scare her away". i said she can't hear us through the thick deck doors ;) it was so comforting to see a kitty nearby while having morning coffee. we miss the company of felines. i couldn't leave the room until she left.

have a fantastic weekend! hope there's sunshine on ya. xoxo

yum

a fellow cat lover/ dear friend forwarded this to me the other day. could you use a cup right now? me too :) being the season for all things warm-in-a-cup.

i'm back in the studio busy working on new bears for abracadabra teddies 10th birthday event happening november 20th. hopefully they will get there in time!

stay warm and cozy.

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

remember these grocery store parking lot kitties? this colony was the one that started it all for me... click here to revisit our story. gosh, it's been 2 years already!

here is a familiar sight... our neigborhood feral cat Gemini. i see her frequently and always thank myself for getting her spayed. she is looking great and has her thick coat coming in. revisit her 2009 TNR story here.

now that cooler weather is approaching, i really would like to TNR 2 more ferals i've seen out and about; a black and an orange. just need to wrangle a volunteer to help transport them to the clinic cos it's too much stress for me to do single-handedly: the trapping, holding over night in my basement, early 7am clinic drop off/ pick up/ monitor and feed (overnight to 48 hrs for females)/ release. it is a great reward to help these cats and knowing their lives have been improved and preventing further kittens from being born. there are just so many healthy, socialized cats waiting in shelters that need homes.

today and all year round, please spread the good word about feral cats and how people can help with TNR (trap-neuter-release).

revisit my last years National Feral Cat day post here, or click on the category "cats" (in the side bar) to read more feline tales :)

bye-bye!

just cuz

sent to me by a fellow cat lover who knows me well :-) sorry i have no idea who to credit this surreal feline fantasy to (if you find out, let me know). the blue dress just kills me. a bit of whimsy to start your weekend!

Stamps to the Rescue

Seeing the poster for these wonderful campaign stamps made my wait in line at the post office almost bearable ;) Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet stamps, from US Postal Service with Ellen DeGeneres -release date April 30th. I'll be definitely getting these stamps. Way to go Ellen!

The Night Shift

On my studio table this evening: debut squirrels in progress! The one on the right isn't stuffed yet, but has a cute gesture like he's tapping his little foot :)

Speaking of little feet... I'm 99.9% sure I know who left these dainty tracks in our yard.

Signing off for the night. Ready to watch disc 2 of Planet Earth. Is it just me, or does that David Attenborough make you want to reach for the tissues too?

Season's Greetings from Bootsyland

Look what arrived in today's mail! A heartfelt card from Bootsy (formerly Frankie the foster cat) with a little help from his wonderful parents Allison + Jason:

It had me in tears of joy... and even Rob too. (sniffle)

A happy ending to begin a happy New Year!