The Cats are adjusting to Oregon

Well, the cats and I have been here in Oregon for a few weeks now and I think we are adjusting to all the green. They flop over on their backs in the front yard and roll back and forth on the grass, especially after it's just been mown--all the nice stubby grass feels good!

Albuquerque, our home for 15 years, is beautiful, but it is not green. In fact, flying over Albuquerque you notice how not green it is. What it is is many lovely shades of brown. And we didn't have a lawn, lawns are too thirsty for a dry environment, but we did have 2 acres for the cats to roam and a driveway with plenty of places to hide so they could jump out and startle you when you walked up from getting the mail. A favorite cat past time :)

New Mexico evening

I have a lot of images of New Mexico on my camera that I want to paint in the near future. I especially love the hills and the Sandias when they turn pink in the evening, all the sun and long shadows. For now though,
we are busy getting used to moisture in the air and rolling in the grass, hiding behind the blackberry bushes and working on new card designs for Greeting Card Universe.

Check out this cool fan page I found!

Check out this cool fan page I found!

Thanks to Emily for featuring one of my cat designs on her blog, Creative Artist's Blog! She features designs by other artists and today is all about cats :) 

Kathy's Needlework Canvases

If you love needlepoint , you should check out a fun store on Ebay: Kathy's Needlework Canvases:

"Kathy's Needleworks caters to the discriminating, adventurous needlepoint artisan. We are proud that some of the best contemporary artists around collaborate with us-- enabling us to offer beautiful works in folk and modern art on quality Zweigart needlepoint canvas."

Kathleen Mason runs the store (very nice woman!) and she has a wide variety of designs for needlepoint aficianados looking for something new. She has folk art, or cats and dogs,
several artists who sell on Ebay like Annie Lane, Jan Weiss, Lori Everett, Ryta, and Sandra Silberzweig. I have a page too :) She offers needlepoint designs that you won't find
anywhere else. And for me, having my art as a needlepoint design is new and fun!

There have to be some needlepoint-loving cat moms out there, so this one is for you :)

Salem Friends of Felines

I saw this wonderful window while I was driving the other day. In it was a kitty jungle gym and a beautiful cat laying contentedly on top, looking out at the passing traffic. I was on my way somewhere or would have stopped in, but on my list of must-dos! It's Salem Friends of Felines, a cat rescue and adoption organization with attached thrift store. They are a no-kill organization for cats in Salem, Oregon. Here is their website and info:

Our Mission Statement:
To help as many homeless cats and kittens as we can by placing them in loving permanent homes; to reduce feline over-population through education and our spay/neuter assistance program; and to bring more public awareness to the plight of homeless and unwanted cats.

They offer spay and neuter help through a voucher program. Call this number to get in touch with a volunteer:

503 362-5611

You can adopt cats and kittens from this location or at the Petsmart on Lancaster Dr. NE.

Pet Rescue and Adoption organizations work very hard and depend on volunteers to run. So, let's hear it for animal lovers and volunteers!

Greeting Card for Thanks Volunteers

My Friend, Amma the Nearly-Feral Cat

I have a cat friend named Amma who was found as a small kitten under our shed along with a very feral, spitting mother cat. They both eventually became tamer, but the "feral" will always be there. I'm glad. Feral in a cat means the cat belongs to itself, not us. I named her Amma for Amma, the hugging Saint. (I was reading her biography at the time and Amma, the cat, is very loving when she chooses to be around us.)

Amma is still skittish around us, but when she wants attention, she will come right up and rub rub rub, then head butt, all the while talking a blue streak. And this can go on for a good half hour. I try to make sure I give her that focus when she asks for it because when she has had enough, she's gone. She prefers to be outside when it isn't freezing.

Amma has blue eyes and short hair, looks like a Siamese, but is big and heavy like a Ragdoll. She's a beautiful girl. And she is the inspiration for several of my cat drawings, like the one below, that is a refrigerator magnet.

Amma is one example of what Alley Cat Allies and Coronadocats.org in Phoenix describe as cats who happily live outdoors, with a little help in the way of spaying or neutering, and vaccinating. When Amma wants human contact, she comes and asks for it, clearly, and when she wants a treat or a little cat food, she lets you know. Trying to pick her up to hug is like chasing mercury across the floor.

Here is a link to a great article on feral cat communities.

Kittens and Kitties and Cats Oh My!

Yesterday's post was part of a "Lightning Round" challenge with graphic artists and their blogs within the Greeting Card Universe community. And what fun! I have a master list of the participants and their individual blogs along with a wonderful selection of kitty cards from GCU.

Here's the list, enjoy!

LIGHTNING ROUND: KITTIES

Furry Friends
“Animals are such agreeable friends...”
Painted Cottage, Judith Cheng

Cats Are Angels Among Us
“Let’s face it, cat lovers are passionate about their cats…”
Rycky Creations, Robin Chaffin

Jack and Lillie: The Story of Two Rescues
“Jack and Lillie are cats...”
DB Visual Arts, Denise Beverly

Friends with Fur
“I wish I could say I have kitties and cats running all over the place...”
Janet Lee Designs, Janet Palaggi

An Ode to Kitties
“I love cats...”
Diana’s Cards, Diana Delosh

For All Us Cat Lovers
“A life without cats?!? A love story...”
Aura2000, Aura 2000

Everyday Art: Inspirational Kitties and Cats
“The key to finding inspiration in everyday places and things is observing…”
Sun at Night Studios, Sun at Night

Feline Friends
“Cats can be great companions...”
Sunshine’s Creative Explorations, Donna Lorello

Feline Fever
“I fell in love with cats almost twenty years ago...”
It’s a Beautiful World, Catherine Sherman

The Kitty and the Mashed Potatoes
“Sulu was a rescued feral kitten...”
Kilter Cards, A Ley

Luna, a New Family Member
“My daughter and her boyfriend just got a sweet little kitten a couple days ago...”
I Love Cuttables, Cindy Johns

Cats in Love
“Could it be that cats in love express more with their body language than we can imagine?”
Naquiaya’s Cards, Naquaiya

Meow, Meow, Meow
“Being the owner (did I say that?) of five cats…”
Cherie’s Arts ‘N Crafts, Cherie

When the Cat’s Away
“Cats, can anyone truly resist them?”
Salon of Art, Doreen Erhardt

Our Beautiful Gypsy Kitty
“One day probably 20 years ago a gorgeous seven toed calico cat just showed up literally on our doorstep…”
Dragonfire Graphics, Betsy Bush

Here, Kitty! Kitty! Kitty
“DogBreedz isn’t only about Man’s Best Friend…”
DogBreedz, Peggy Mundell

My Rescue Cat Speckles: A Love Story
“On one blazing hot summer night in 2006 in Plano, Texas, a cat wandered outside next to the large patio of my apartment…”
This & That, Rick McBride

CorrieWeb is the Cat’s Meow
“I love kitties!”
CorrieWeb, Corrie Kuipers

I Was Always a Dog Person
“Kitties were an acquired taste for me...”
Cottage Creek Greetings, John H. Johnson

My Cat Loves Birthday Candles
“I live with a cat who is fascinated by fire…”
Blessing Art Cards, Sharon Fernleaf

New ‘Kit’ On the Block
“Introducing Abby, our newest critter kid!”
Cards from the Heart, Lisa Charlton

My Cat Loves Birthday Candles

I live with a cat who is fascinated by fire. Maybe because he started life being cold. We were given two male kittens who were 2 days old and abandoned by their young mother. One was half the size of his brother and a little cool to the touch. I put him inside my shirt, over my heart and held him in place there for two days, rubbing his tiny back. At the end of the second day he was a lot warmer and active. I named him Tagni, an ancient Etruscan name he likes. He’s a small guy with a huge personality and a few quirks.

When he was really young he would walk around the house barking. I reminded him he was a cat and that dogs bark, kittens meow. He stopped barking and I was sorry I had mentioned it. He is also the only one of our cats who loves broccoli and brussels sprouts. He likes to take a sniff or sample of whatever I’m cooking or spices I open and then walks away. Educating his palate.

Eight years later, Tagni still loves to lay next to my heart. He also likes to get too close to flames so I have to be careful when lighting candles. Especially this year . . .This year’s birthday cake had enough candles to pose a serious threat to the table it was sitting on, let alone a curious cat. It could have been a CATastrophe J For kitty birthday fun:

One of my cats and birthday cards Birthday Spa Treatments
I have an orange tabby, so I love Jamie Wogan Edwards' Apple Girl With Tabby
And one of Corrie Kuipers' wonderful birthday cats Sweet