Wood Grain

Heaven's Gate

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Wood grain is one of my favorite patterns to recreate.  And it is so random that you can use some creativity while you paint it.  But it is hard to do better than mother nature.  My favorite wood is old and gray and weathered over time.

I still find my cat baby's eyes mesmerizing in this piece. And I also tried to recreate another type of pattern here.  The multi-colored pattern of a calico coat.  I love how random that is as well. The feisty nature and haphazard quilt of colors make Calicos my favorite kitty.  

Pattern is the theme this week over at www.illustrationfriday.com

Hidden

Bedroom Buddies

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Can you find the hiding cat?  Can you spot the hidden cat?  Hidden is the theme over at www.illustrationfriday.com  this week.  

Rescue me...

Heaven's Gate

This is my old cat Baby.  She is looking out of the entrapment of her yard toward the great beyond.  Actually, she could easily squeeze through the fence.  But if the fence posts were closer we wouldn't see her beautiful sad face.  I'm posting my portrait for the www.illustrationfriday.com theme rescue.  And declaring this week an official cat week. 

Do you know that the Walker Art Center is hosting the 2nd annual Internet Cat Video Festival this week?  Well, it is.  And over 10,000 furry friends showed up last year.  So many that they had to move it to the State Fair grounds this year.  And I've already got my tickets.  Meow. And one of my cats is already at the State Fair.  My painting Cat on a Blue Stairway is on display at Heritage Square.  Are you curious?  Well, go there and see if you can sniff it out. 

Touch. Don't scratch.

This was so darn cute.  They cuddle together all the time.  But the Ikea sink we were installing was the purrfect crib.  Sigh.

Tomorrow the theme is looking down.

Who gets the Oscar?

Oscar the cat

5 random true or false statements about good old Oscar from the beautiful Hicatee Cottages in Belize (the answers are at the end)

1) Oscar got his name from his golden color.  Kind of like the naked statues at the big Hollywood hoopla awards.

2) Oscar once came home wearing a tarantula on his back.  

3) Oscar dictates where breakfast will be served to tourists.  Depending on where he takes his cat naps.

4) Oscar loves to sneak into guest rooms and hide underneath your covers.  Surprise!

5) Oscar almost got killed by a Boa Constrictor.  He used up another life on that one!

1) False  2) True  Just another day in the jungle!  3) True  4) False  5) True   The Boa had him constricted around the gut and was trying to eat him by a back foot. His owners heard the commotion and luckily fended off the Boa with a broom. (I think) By this time Oscar had passed out.  But afterwards Oscar suddenly drew a breath, looked around and got up.  He was pretty sore for awhile though! 

Random 5 Friday

Bins, Bags, Baskets and Boxes

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I hooked up to Random 5 Friday last week.  And since my cat Hana got the spotlight treatment I thought this Friday I'd share 5 Akua facts.

1) Akua has never met a bin, basket, box or bag he doesn't love.  He'll just climb in and zone out.  He is very zen when he's doing the pail treatment.

2) He is a living Teddy Bear.  

3) He is a lazy Lion.

4) Bacon is the only thing that brings out the beast in him.

5) As soon as my husband opens the bedroom door, Akua races up the stairs to see me.  His only non lazy adventure and the sweetest thing in the world.  That's my boy!

>^..^<

  

Miss Sassafras

I decided to have a little fun today and link up to Random 5 Friday  I've been a good illustrator and have been linking up to illustrationfriday for a couple years now.  Not today.  Today I'm sharing 5 random facts about this naughty cat. 

1) She is named Hana after the quiet town at the end of the Hana Highway on Maui.  The dangerously twisty but scenic road is what life is like with this devil cat.  It's a fun journey.  But you have to be on your guard.  She can outwit a rocket scientist.  Outplay a toddler high on birthday cake and infuriate a Buddhist monk.  

2)  This tongue photo is photoshopped.  But not in the way you might think.  The tongue is real.  I just didn't have a digital file of it.  Only a poorly printed old photo.  Random fact?  She has a long tongue of course!

3)  One of her nicknames is little Froggie.  Because I remarked when she was a teenage kitten that her skinny little legs looked like frog legs.  Not anymore.  She's a jumper. (she's jumping in the photo)

4)  Her newest nickname is Miss Sassafras.  Because of all her sassy cries.

5)  One of her cutiest habits is leaving fuzzy socks by the front door after we leave the house.  Smile.  I'd go on but that makes 5!