Season's Greetings from Santa Squirrel!

This year's beautiful, timeless and classic Christmas card. Ha!

I hope Santa Squirrel scurried down your chimney! He clawed his way under my tree and left me this...

A camera is so much better than an acorn. One time, on a street far, far away, our car was broken into and low and behold, a tiny pile of acorns was found on the driver's seat. True story. It must have been Santa's naughty elf.

I can't wait to take souvenirs with my new camera. I hope you'll be back for many visits in 2018 to discover mementos of Guatemala, Florida, Utah, and more. (Maybe even Minnesota!) And speaking of Minnesota, Santa Squirrel brought me two new books by award winning author Peter Geye. The Minnesota-nice writer is critiquing my novel. He's also the subject of my latest blog post over at The Chorus of the Crows  Be sure to stop by...

Meanwhile, I'm heading into the kitchen to make my traditional, messy and delicious, Christmas Lefse. Click here for a tutorial from my very own kitchen.

Merry Christmas 

and

Happy New Year!

Shelter

This is a famous shelter. Do you recognize it? Here's a hint. It's a manger! Obviously, I figured that this selection from my first illustrated book Mary Rode to Bethlehem on Me was the perfect fit for this week's Illustration Friday theme. After all, the famous couple (not shown) were looking for shelter on a fateful night so long ago. All the animals shown here are just a bonus.

Home is where the cat is...

Bedroom Buddies

 Home is the theme for www.illustrationfriday.com this Holiday week.  And there's no place like it.  I painted this funny cat illustration exactly like my bedroom looked a few years ago.  That headboard has been in the family since the civil war. The old oval mirrored dresser belonged to my in-laws.  Life with my cat Baby (shown on the bed) only seemed like an eternity!  

Is home really a home without pets? And if they weren't around wouldn't it be boring?  My husband always reminds me of that when I'm furious about Hana's latest rampage.  They add so much love, destruction, cat germs, random cat litter bits, shredded paper trails, food thievery, general annoyance, falling hazards and joy to life.  I purposefully left out the most important one of all.  Humor!  Here's a huge selection of home life photos.  Home life with cats...

Hugs.  So sweet.  Our new Ikea sink before it was installed in the bathroom.  A perfect fit.

Tongue tied.  This is real and NOT photoshopped.

Can you come out and play?

So much for getting some work done...

Catie Couric.

Got water?

Cat Carrier.

Please go around me...I'M NOT MOVING!

Minnesota Cat.

Akua has never met a box, bin or basket he doesn't love.

Can you find Waldo Cat?

There she is.

Do you need a napkin?  Yup.  That's where I keep my (clean) napkins.  Gross.

Happiness is a warm pizza box.  Excuse me.  I'd like another slice.

Have a Meow, Meow Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Saturday's Critters

Merry Christmas!

Some of my favorite ornaments...

Have you wrapped all your gifts yet?  

This is an easy idea I scoped out on Pinterest.  Take a marker and draw a face on a brown paper bag.  And glue a puff ball in the center for a nose.  Unfortunately I can't place these under the tree because my cat Hana is obsessed with chewing the handles of paper bags.

I finally used my illustration Meow, Meow Christmas on my Holiday cards.  So lastly, I'm sending greetings and best wishes to all my blogging friends.  To everyone that is online on Christmas Eve that is!

Merry Christmas!

A Crafty Owl for Christmas

I always try to do at least one crafty Christmas project.  Then I can pawn them off to friends and family as gifts.  Some people open up these homemade presents with joy.  Others with revulsion.  One relative (undisclosed identity) held up my mushroom craft from last year like it was a stinky rag.  Oh well.  What can I say. 

  This year my project was a hoot.  And easy to boot!  I drew a simple owl design on tracing paper.  Then traced the cut outs.

I went through one of my bins of fabric scraps.  I have two black hole sized bins dating back to college.  I'm not joking.  I cut two owl backgrounds out of the swirly fabric.  And all the cut outs out of different colors of felt.  I sewed and stuffed the owl with 1/4 inch seam.

Then I used embroidery thread to sew on all the parts with buttons for eyes.  If you want to try this easy project just print out the pattern below.  Easy!  And then you can wow your friends.  Or at least that is what you'll think.  They will smile and secretly plot to give you a lump of coal next year! 

P.S.  Be sure to stop back on Wednesday for a really delicious and savory recipe.  Squash ravioli and cream sauce with all the fixings.  And pass on this owl post to any crafty comrades. Thanks and happy blogging in 2012! 

Have A Meow Meow Christmas!

I painted this illustration in November for a holiday card contest. My last minute entry didn't win. But I recieved 48 votes in less than 2 days thanks to my friends and fellow MNSCBWI members. I should be sending it out as my Christmas card. Maybe next year. I definately think it's a hoot. In fact my cat Akua has already climbed the tree this year. Hana and Akua are still full of youthful shenanigans. In March they will turn two. I wonder if they'll calm down a bit? NOT!