So Far....Tuesday

I missed posting what I was working on last Saturday, but finally got around to cropping and sizing these pictures. This is Millie.

Point Your Toes

How To Make A Cat Toy

First Step:

Paint a mouse

Next:

Order fabric with mouse printed on it. 

Sew cat toy and fill with a mixture of polyfill and catnip.

Give to Gypsy for testing

Conclusion:

Need to use strong fabric for the back of the toy. 

Regular weight quilting cotton does NOT hold up to Gypsy's fangs and talons.

Wordless Wednesday

Sphynxes

My latest commissioned portrait:

My Drunk Cat with Clean Teeth

Gypsy is kind of a strange cat. I’ve had cats my whole life so I know, I know—all cats are strange.  But I’ve never had a cat before that is so absolutely determined to be up in high places (on people’s shoulders, on top of doors, the highest most wobbly shelf on the cat tree, etc.) Combine that with the fact that I’ve also never known a clumsier cat. Hilarity is inevitable. When I lived at an apartment that had stairs going up the second you walked in the door, I was always pounced on from the railing halfway up the stairs when I came home from work…and she would stay perched there for as long as I would let her, no matter what I was doing. She has fallen asleep and started snoring on my shoulders. She also has trouble jumping onto things that are only a couple of feet tall..its like she doesn’t judge the distance before she jumps. Or she has no depth perception…its hard to tell. She is a strange cat.

Strange cat, Gypsy developed some halitosis recently, so I took her to the vet  to see if it’s her teeth or what. Thankfully it was her teeth (halitosis can be a sign of kidney or liver failure). So she got her teeth cleaned Monday. They said she was good to go home when I got off work at 5. 

I have never gotten a cat back from the vet that was still this drunk from the anesthesia!

First, my already uncoordinated cat was seriously wobbly, but at the same time extremely restless. She would NOT just lay still.

Me: Gypsy, here, stay in your nice warm bed (which is on the counter in my bathroom)

Gypsy: whaaaaaatttts happening?? I don’t like this feeeelinnngg

*stands up and sways back and forth*

Me: Gypsy, lay down

Gypsy: I think I’ll go for a walk

*falls off counter*

*tries to jump onto the toilet and ends dangling by front paws*

*makes flying leap for counter and misses by a mile*

I locked her in her kitty carrier while I went and ate dinner so she wouldn’t get herself hurt.

Then the next morning her restlessness was gone. Instead she was a limp noodle who acted half asleep even though her eyes were open. I set her down in the hallway to see if she could walk. She slouch-ran to the bathroom and fell over upon rounding the corner. *sigh*

I was a little worried, but she was able to jump up onto the counter just fine (or at least as well as she normally can) and seemed to just want to sleep on her bed so I decided it was safe to leave her there and go to work. She was wide awake and able to walk normally by the time I got home around 5:30…I guess she just needed to sleep it off…

Last night she even had a wrestling match with her kickaroo and won so I guess she’s back to 100%

Cat Portrait: Working with Poor Quality Reference Photos

Still needs some work...and I think this cat looks way too kitten-like in proportions, but it's deadline is today so this is probably the final portrait.

Here's the reference picture I was given:

And here's the portrait:

And a zoomed in pic of the face:

pet portraits

I got a small job doing a pencil portrait of my vet's receptionist's friend's cat (whew.) but haven't been able to do it yet because I'm having computer troubles. See, the picture she gave me it the only picture she's got, so I don't want to get it crumpled or dirty--So I need to scan it in to my computer (then I'm going to enlarge it to the size I want the actual portrait to be before printing it out.) Well, my computer at home doesn't like having things plugged into both USB ports apparently. so when I plug in my scanner/printer then my mouse stops working. And I can't enlarge the picture very well with out a mouse. Very annoying. So I need to bring the photo to work to scan it in and I keep forgetting to. I wish I was better at computer things.

So here's a quick pencil portrait of my cat Gypsy since I haven't finished (or started) the portrait of that lady's cat yet.

Bartering Artwork

I confess...I spoil my animals. I rarely buy myself things, but I am always buying new stuff for my cats and dog. But I try and be reasonable about spending ridiculous amounts on things my animals wont even appreciate. However I think my dog might appreciate the obvious craftsmanship that goes into these collars. (ok, well maybe not as much as I do.) but they just look so cool...
However, I don't have $70 or so to spend on a collar for my dog. so I emailed them and asked if they would be willing to trade a collar for a portrait of paco (the owner's dog.) I just got an email back saying yes!
I'm so excited!


an example of a portrait I did of a friend's cat: