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Hope Springs Eternal....

Meet Ashley. A snowy white rabbit with a pink nose and a sparkling-like-a-diamond disposition.  Almost always.

This little funny bunny has but one question lately:

Normally she doesn't yell like that, but Ashley has been holed up in her burrow all winter long, and her stash of root vegetables is getting pretty darn low.  Not to mention her disposition.  It isn't quite so sparkly lately.

And that's not blue sky that you see behind her either.  Outside the skies are gray gravy sludge, spewing rain and occasional sloppy sleet.  So Ashley's friend Bea came over and they painted the burrow walls a lovely shade of sky blue.

They also added a mural of fanciful flowers as tall as Ashley's pastel-pink-lined ears. Suddenly Ashley's disposition ascended from the doldrums and she broke out the box of chocolate-dipped violets that she'd been saving for just such a special occasion.  Bea was delighted.  They will paint her burrow later this week.

How do YOU beat the winter doldrums?  Do you make art, plan your spring garden, bake carrot cake?  Please share your tips in the comments section.

Get a jump on Spring with my new line of hand-crafted jewelry featuring Ashley and her friends.  Click here to see what's new in my Etsy shop: Things for Spring Categories: rabbits, spring, story time


Birds Count - Count Birds! 
The Great Backyard Bird Count starts today!

It's an annual four-day event that starts today, Friday, February 15. You can count birds for as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. Important: the number you report is the total highest number of a particular kind of bird that you see at any given time.  For example if you are watching for a period of 30 minutes, and at one time you see 3 chickadees all at the same time, and later you see 8 chickadees all at the same time, you would report seeing 8 chickadees (not 11). Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you only count birds that you are familiar with and can positively identify. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. Click here to learn  How To Participate 


Inka, In Good Standing

We know nothing about the origins of our little foundling Inka, however we are fairly certain that she is part bunny rabbit. She often sits on her haunches just like this when she needs to get a better view of something.

Of course, sometimes, even the bunny thing doesn't provide adequate elevation to see what one needs to see... ...in which case one simply resorts to the humanoid bi-ped thing: We just LOVE this little creature from another planet; don't you? Categories: Inka


More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys

It's a simple equation:
2 cats + 1 paper bag = more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Hope your day is just as much fun! Categories: Buttonwillow, just for fun


Calling All Creative Crafty Cat Ladies!

Do you love fabric as much as I do? My very first real job was working at the House of Fabrics.  I won't say how many decades ago that was.  I loved to sew, and I was like a kid in a candy store.  I loved the feel of the fabric, I loved the smell of the fabric, and most of all I loved the colors and patterns on the fabric.  I often wondered how one got to be one of the  mysterious, nameless lucky ducks who designed all of those beautiful textiles.

Fast forward that unspoken number of decades. A few years ago I discovered the fledgling company called Spoonflower.  Through their new service an artist could format artwork to certain specifications, send it off into the internet void, and a couple of weeks later, a yard or two of professionally printed fabric would arrive in the mailbox.  It was a dream come true! It was the kid in the candy store thing all over again. I went wild transforming my artwork into fabric catnip toys, brooches, lavender sachets, bookmarks, and more, and I have thoroughly enjoyed sending my fabric creations off into the world via my Etsy shop. But why should I have all the fun?
It's time to spread the joy throughout the land!

I am now offering my "I heart Cats" fabric squares for sale on Etsy. Use them for appliques, pockets, small goody bags, a baby or child's quilt, a wall hanging, or lavender sachets like these: Each square measures 4.5 " x 6". (Which means that if you use a 1/4" hem or seam allowance all around, you will have a 4" x 5.5" finished piece). The actual printed area is 2.5" x 4". My artwork has been printed on Kona Cotton premium quilting weight fabric and is ideal for quilting and sewing, with a soft hand and smooth surface.

* Estimated shrinkage 2%
* Machine wash warm or cool using phosphate-free detergent
(note: designer name and copyright symbol appears on each block as pictured) So get those crafty cat lady creative juices flowing and leave your bright ideas in the comments section. For example, devoted rescue-cat-foster-mom Rosie of Maryland recently purchased one of each square to make a quilt that she will donate to a fundraising auction for the animal rescue she works with called Charm City Animal Rescue (www.charmcityanimalrescue.com).  Isn't that a great idea?  She has promised to send a photo of the finished project which I can't wait to see! To see my assortment of fabric craft squares, click here: Fabric Squares.  And stay tuned-- I'll be adding new ones in the weeks and months to come! Categories: arts and crafts