Ten Cats & A Dog, Max!

When the kittens came along, the big kitties felt a bit left out. The kittens are in the videos, the kittens are playing the games, the kittens are getting the "extra" treats...I know the big kitties think they get all the attention. It was hard to believe we found the kittens only two weeks apart and they are so close in age. We had Jack before Lil Lil. I always say he wished for her. They could not love each other more. Since the big kitties like lots of attention as well, I thought I would introduce them...in the order they came to bless our lives. This post is for those who follow my blog and have asked to see pictures of them.

From Bottom to Top

Cat 1: Rudy has been with me for 13 years. He first appeared outside my door when I was painting my bedroom. His eyes were shut tight and he was so skinny that I thought he was really sick. It turned out he just has terrible allergies!

Cat 2: We found Alley in a restaurant parking lot next to a busy, busy street. I thought she was running past us when we walked outside the restaurant, but she ended up landing at my feet. She is our Alpha cat and lets all 9 cats know it each day, so we nicknamed her "Stinky". She looked so much like Rudy when we found her that we got them mixed up for weeks. However, she ended up getting bigger than him and we soon discovered she was pregnant. She had 5 beautiful kittens and we found great homes for all of them.

Cat 3: Bonnie strolled over to us when we were walking at a track. She is declawed and has an extra digit like the Hemingway cats. Once home, we realized she was pregnant. Bonnie had 4 kittens and once again we found great homes for all of them.

Cat 4: Minnie was probably living on our farm before we were. Occasionally, we would see her outside and I would affectionately call her Minnie Mouse since she dashed by like a little gray mouse. After a few months, we were finally able to start feeding her. Then, one day she came over with 5 kittens. Oh no, not another one with kittens! Once again, we found homes for 4 of her 5 kittens. Minnie is the most grateful cat we have. She brings calm to the group and I now call her "Mother" Minnie.

Cat 5: Maggie is Minnie's daughter. She is a beautiful Calico cat. Maggie stayed with us since she has such a timid nature. After 4 years very little has changed. I am the only one who can get close to her. She is so loveable, but so scared of just about everything.

Cat 6: Alvin just appeared one day on the farm. He is a big tabby "Tom Cat", a true gentle giant. I nicknamed him "Fatty" because he looks so much like Miranda's cat on Sex and the City.

Cat 7: We went to an estate sale and ended up with Summer. Her owner had recently died from cancer and the family was trying to find her a home. We left the estate sale with Summer, a pet carrier and a rabbit painting. I will post a picture of the rabbit painting on my Easter post. Thanks to the internet, I was able to locate the artist who had been featured on HGTV. I have since become friends with her and her family. We also learned so much about Summer through them and have met so many wonderful friends.

Cat 8: It was a warm rainy Thanksgiving Day and I had the door open while I was cooking. The smell of Turkey must have been too much to pass up. Molly was outside the door crying to come in and eat. She was so skinny and completely soaking wet. After 3 pregnant female cats, I was not ready for another one. We were so blessed she was not pregnant! I love the way she can rest completely flat on her belly...just adorable!

Cat 9: One trip to the Lumber yard and we came home with a little orange kitten. We named him Jack for Lumber Jack. However, I am a huge fan of Jack Nicholson and our Jack just loves the ladies like him. Although, his true love is Lil.

Cat 10: Lil is Jack's wish for a soulmate. We found Lil just weeks after we found Jack. She was stranded in a parking lot and she climbed my pant leg begging for food. I thought she would never stop eating when we brought her home. She is the most playful cat we have and I know she loves Jack as much as he loves her!

Our one and only Dog: Our little white American Eskimo is Max and we found him in our barn. He is the watch dog for all our farm cats. He alerts them of anything new and scary. More importantly, he is my husband's best friend.

~PWGL Token of Love Gift Exhange Post~

While reading the posts I follow, I was surprised with my Token of Love Gift which should be arriving in the mail this week. My swap partner, Bonnie Barrasso "BonnieSinger", made an incredible gift for me which she posted on her blog today. As you know, I love making decorated boxes and dolls. The gift she made me had both...one of her adorable dolls on the top of a painted box.

Bonnie received my gift last week which is the second picture of the decorated boxes with little stuffed hearts and a handmade card. She sent me a very appreciative thank you note saying how much she loved hearts. We had so much fun with this swap. I look forward to doing it again. Not only did I get a wonderful gift, I got a wonderful friend! Here is the link to Bonnie's blogspot: http://bonnesinger.blogspot.com

~A Vintage Valentine~

Decorating for the holidays is so enjoyable and puts me in such a festive spirit. I was lucky to find many vintage Valentine Day cards in the attic of our old farmhouse. They are probably from the 50-60's era. Many of the names signed on the back are some of our neighbors and their relatives. I have decided to deliver them on Valentine's Day. I am anxious to see if they remember sending them!

One of my favorite cards is a cat playing the fiddle. I liked it so much, I decided to paint it. It is hanging above the jelly cupboard and looks nice next to my two dolls from The Cart Before the Horse. I feel so fortunate to own some of their wonderful creations.

I sent my Token of Love gift last week and I will be posting pictures of what I made on my next post.

~Lil Lil Has My Heart~

It never fails when I finish any project, my cats want to make sure they put their stamp of approval on it. I made this little hooked heart as part of my Token of Love gift, but I ended up making something else instead. So, Lil Lil can have my heart...of course she already does.

As usual, I have several projects going at once. I finished my Token of Love gift which will be mailed tomorrow. When I received the name they sent me, I realized it was one of my blog followers which is such a nice surprise! Yesterday, I started Gritty Jane's doll class again (sounds like I failed the first time, but these workshops just keep me going). I am just amazed how fast some of my classmates can make a doll. I need to get busy...it is great motivation after you see some of their amazing work.

I just finished another hooked rug with row houses on one wintry night. I think this pattern is by Pris Butler (I hope that is correct). The rug seems to fit nicely next to the houses I painted for Christmas. I have enjoyed keeping the Christmas lights out a bit longer than usual. However, this weekend I am going to start decorating for Valentine's Day!

I was pleasantly and overly tagged this week. I am so appreciative of the thoughtfulness which I am planning to return. I will need the weekend to get caught up sending out blog awards and letting everyone know I received them.

~Two Great Loves~

Since I am a huge fan of Hannah Davis bandboxes as well as Gritty Jane dolls, I decided to name my newest doll, Hannah Jane. I made her a small bandbox stuffed with a toile pin cushion to compliment her three Victorian nesting boxes. She looks so serious...not a hair out of place and certainly not anything like her creator!

Speaking of Jane, she is having another doll workshop which will start in January . I added a link to the workshop if you are interested in joining us. The workshop is being held on Ning, so you will need an account to take the class. Jane does a great job explaining all of this to make it very easy to participate. Here is the link: http://clothclaydolls.ning.com/

I am so excited about finding out this week who I get to send my "Little Token of Love" for the Valentine's Day swap. I will post a picture of what I made as well as what I receive after the swap. If you would like to be part of the swap, you still have time to sign up.

I love hearing from everyone. Please leave me a post, so I can visit your site and follow your blog.

Mr. Bright Eyes, My King of Hearts

One of our cats, Alvin, always has such a bright-eyed expression. He is so lively and fun. I call him, Mr. Bright Eyes or Handsome! I decided to paint a primitive, folky picture of him for Valentine's Day. As usual, I made three nesting boxes to match. If we ever move, I will have plenty of storage boxes to use...at least for the small items!

Thank you to everyone who has visited and linked to my blog. I plan to visit each of your sites on a regular basis. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Sharon at PrimThyme for selecting my site for a blog award. Here is a link to her site: http://primthymesblog.blogspot.com/

I just posted another cat video to our Feline Films. It is amazing how much they can enjoy a little yellow & white mouse...I am calling it The Cat-and-Mouse Game!

The finishing touches are being added to my Gritty Jane doll, so I hope to post again this week with pictures of her.

Cheers to a New Year!

Moving past my Santa doll posting is going to be tough. I love seeing Johanna Parker's Santa when I log on...however, he is still here...just scroll down a bit. With the New Year approaching, it was time to change the background from Reindeer to something more festive for 2009.

Well, I have been hookin' again (sounds like something I need to give up for the New Year!). If you have been following my blog, I am also finishing up one of my Gritty Jane dolls. I will never forget my art teachers always telling me to finish one project before I started another. Obviously, I am still not listening! Although, I did get my hooked rug finished and I am very pleased with it.

I started collecting yelloware bowls around the same time Martha Stewart made them popular...the ones I collect are called "Martha Bowls". I decided to hook three nesting yelloware bowls to match my collection. I seem to have a thing for "nesting" since most of my collage boxes are in a nesting set. I posted a picture of the nesting boxes I finished to match my Gritty Jane doll. Right now, my two-headed pumpkin man called "Double Trouble" is standing behind them, but not for long once I get my doll finished.

If you stop by, please leave me a post. I would love to hear what you collect.

“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”

~William Authur Ward