Hear the Leopard Roar!

 Happy PPF Everybody!


What a wild week it's been! Moving outside my comfort zone I am trying my hand at wild animals. Hey watch out this kitty's got claws! Had a lot of fun dripping the watercolor and then overlaying it with chalk pastel. The result is somewhat scary but it's nice to be heading in a new slightly wild direction.

I feel just like this leopard this week. As Katy Perry so memorably sang in her song ROAR:

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar
 
What do you feel like roaring about this week?

Murdock the Blind Cat

Hi Folks!

I am having a wonderful week. I did a portrait of a lovely blind cat called Murdock. Murdock is a real character and I found him on facebook where he has a page. He had a chronic infection in both eyes that had caused them to rupture. He was adopted by a Vetinary Technician who took him home who says "I didn't plan on keeping him while I was fostering him, but we went through so much and we were very attached to each other by the time he was finally fully recovered. He was really sick for a long time and almost didn't survive his first surgery. He had to have a blood transfusion and was hospitalized in an oxygen chamber.

Even while going through his trials, Magical Murdock has been a very loving and happy kitten. His positive attitude and sweet disposition steal the hearts of many. He continues to thrive and doesn't let his disability slow him down. He's a true inspiration, not to mention the most amazing, handsome cat I've ever known!"

He is a bit of a star and you can learn more about him here and vote for him over at Modern Cat Magazine. I hope Murdock is paw-sitively beaming about his paw-trait.

All right all right enough with the cat puns....

Owl in the Snow, watercolor, 12 x 18"

Brrr we are at 13 degrees and when I went outside my face froze so I am staying inside. I hope the animals are okay - the squirrels and owls and bunnies. I hope they're all snuggled together having a party in some hollow tree! Here's my latest pic 'Owl in the Snow' which can be bought as a print over at Redbubble.

And here's some tips to help the birds in your neighborhood survive the winter.

Stay warm! 

Linking up with Moo Mania: 

Teddy in the Snow

Well last night we on the East Coast got hammered by snow. So I have been snug as a bug in a rug crocheting up a storm. I crocheted this little teddy who looked so cold I decided he needed a sweater. You can make your own sweater toting bear by getting the pattern here.

Was it snowing in your neck of the woods? We only got about a foot of snow in Baltimore. How much did you get?

Do any of you sell prints of your work online? I live in the USA so I use Imagekind and they really produce gorgeous prints and prints on canvas. The problem is if people in Europe order them because then the postage is high. So I decided to open a UK based print on demand shop and am now over at Redbubble so that peeps in Europe can get cheap postage when buying my prints. Check out my shop! Let me know if you have used Redbubble and whether you think its a great company.

I'm also joining in with the Hookin on Hump Day Blog Hop:

Pugs Go Wild in a Cake Shop

I did this humorous cartoon today of some pugs going crazy in a cake shop in the 1950s (just click on the image to see it in more detail). It was so much fun to do. I am going through an anthropomorphic in my art and loving it. Let me know if it tickles your funny bone.

I grew up in England and voraciously read all the Giles cartoons. His recreation of the battle axe that was grandma was nothing short of genius. And I preferred his cartoons done in the Daily Express when they were black and white. This is an example:

I  was also influenced by the Rupert the Bear comics in which Rupert Bear has many adventures with his pals badger and pug. Now I look at it I am amazed at how little this pug resembles a real life pug although he is still cute. However Rupert's adventures were mesmerizing.

Prints of the pug cartoon can be bought at this link at Imagekind

Paint Party Friday for Tracey

Hi, today at Paint Party Friday we are celebrating and showing our support for Tracey who is undergoing chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. As well as being a wonderful artist she is also brave and has a great sense of humor. Everyone joined in with a tea party art tribute in Tracey's honor. She loves painting tea paraphernalia including mugs, cups, teapots and teabags so I did this illustration of two retro cool cats having a cuppa. A collage of all the paintings in honor of Tracey can be seen over HERE.Y

You can buy this cat print, tshirt, mugs, cushions etc. if you click on this link at Redbubble. 

It's a Crafty Business

this link

How exciting! Saturday was my first time selling my stuff at a crafts fair! I took all my little amigurumis with me. The fair took place at a school and the kids were enraptured by all my little creatures and they sold like hot cakes. The owls were especially popular with the budgies a close second.

In the end all the animals sold out so I will start crocheting a bunch for next year. I got several custom orders and would love to do more in the future. My crochet hook is for hire so if you need a particular animal made, a Christmas stocking, or anything else just email me emmakcontact[at]yahoo.com

One of my owls twit-ta-wooing on my Christmas treee

I wonder whether owls will be in next year or some other animal!? No matter, I will just crochet a whole range of the critters. Owls are super-easy to crochet and you can use this free pattern as a starting point and then let your imagination run wild with a range of colors - great for using up scraps of wool.

I was also showing off my portfolio for the pet portraits and everyone was really impressed. It was a bit exhausting but it was really fun to talk to people and get feedback on my art. I suppose I am not really that reclusive but when you are working on your art you are in your own little creative world. So it was smashing to get some positive feedback.

And if you need any last minute prints of my art check out my store at Redbubble. Just click on this link to see prints from $24.

If you sell your art or crafts at crafts fairs tell me about your experiences. Is it worth it? 

Linking up with #AllAboutYou Pin Party
 

Feline Groovy

What can I say? I am totally crazy about cats. There are cat people and there are dog people. I do like dogs but even though I constantly pestered my mum to get me a Jack Russell dog as a child she never did so my companions were always cats. Maybe that's why I became more of a cat person .....who knows?

I know that many cats are not loyal. And that sometimes you notice that your cat is going to all the neighbors, giving a plaintive wail and receiving many treats. But I don't care how duplicitous they are. They are so chic!

David Bowie cat

 I am even allergic to cats but that does not stop my passion. I had a pure white cat as a child and she was such a diva. She was a rescue cat and at the beginning she was so traumatized she would only stay in my wardrobe. She vanted to be alone like Greta Garbo. But after a while she warmed up to me and would cuddle on my lap but she would sometimes turn around and bite me. Still, she was the Mae West of cats. She wore a fake diamond collar.

Here's my latest cat portrait.....Cat Daydreaming....of which I have prints for sale over at Imagekind [click link].

Sing along with The Stray Cats "I got cat class and I got cat style"




If there is any justice in his world may I please come back as a cat. Eating and sleeping all day and wearing a fabulous (and humane) fur coat and prancing about on the pads of my feet all day. Divine.

What animal would you like to be reincarnated as?