Tag Archives: cats

I ❤️ Cats

Shop, Sketchbook,

I love cats so much.

When I was little, I wasn’t allowed to have cats.

Neither of my parents understood my intense need to have cute furry feline friends, and it was very sad.

We had a shiba inu, Alex, but he and I were never good friends.

So I thought about cats pretty much 24/7.

I’d check where the neighborhood cats hang out on my way to and from school every day.

I fantasized many scenarios where a kitty would show up at our doorstep and my parents would magically OK me keeping it.

As I got a little older, my parents finally understood it was ok to have a cat, and I’d adopt cats from my friends or just off the street throughout my early teenage years.

My parents had a strict “No Pets in The House” policy (except for our giant gold fish. Seriously, those things grew to be 9 inches long!), so the cats had to live outside, and none of them lasted longer than a few years, sadly 😿

Fast forward 15 years, I adopted two cats with my ex, and we (cats and I) had a nice, long-term relationship until a few years ago.

lulu & sheppie respectively

I haven’t had any kitty of my own since then, but I do make a point to visit friends with cats from time to time and get the refill on some kitty love.

Cats also inspire my creativity a lot. Surprise!

Many cat-themed drawings were made during my Happiness Is 365 day project back in 2014-2015
Kitty doodle in my sketchbook

And, here are some of my fan favorite kitty designs in my shop.

This is my ideal birthday party!
You did it!
oldie but a goldie
Works for pet sympathy or every day
winter kitties

Do you love cats, too??

In case you didn’t know, I have an entire Cat Lover’s collection😽 in my shop that you’ll love.

In addition to these adorable cards, you’ll find prints, wrapping paper, and ceramics, too!

Meow 🐾

xo

Happy 4th!

Nature, New Products, Shop, ,

If you’re in the U.S., Happy 4th!

I usually don’t do anything on the 4th 😅 but this year we’re going to a BBQ at my friend’s. They’re grilling up some steaks and salmon, they said. So fancy ✨ We’re bringing a salad from our garden. A proper celebration!

(However, I guarantee you I’ll be in bed by the time fireworks start 😂 I got earplugs.)

Just like my new birthday card implies, I’m not much of a partier. Cozy celebration that ends at a reasonable time is def my style.

No matter what you’re doing, be safe and enjoy your day 💙❤️

xo

Cat mom, piggies & pet sympathy 🐶🌈

New Products, Shop, , , , , ,

I hope you enjoyed the new collection sneak preview last week!

(If you missed it, you can check it out here.)

I’ve been putting in many hours to make this collection really awesome and am super excited to share a few more designs with you 🤩

This.

We’re cat-less at the moment but I think this is what our cats would send me if they were still around… I’m a sucker for cute cuddly creatures. Even if they require you to scoop their poop every day 😀

(and why do they always have to 💩 right after you clean the litter box???)

(I believe this is the first time I used a☝️poop emoji in my newsletter 😹)

I already have dog dad and cat dad cards in my shop, so I’m excited to add a cat mom card this year!

(dog mom, please be patient… next year.)

Meet the Little Piggies! 🐷

This design was born out of a doodle I made in my iPad on the couch one night.

I was just doodling to relax and unwind – I had no intention of making a product. BUT I kept looking at it and couldn’t stop smiling 😀

You create awesome stuff when you’re relaxed and just playing, no?

Little Piggies will also be available as archival giclee print.

And a wrapping paper.

You can get it in my Spoonflower fabric shop a little later, too. Oink!

Oh man, and this beauty has a special place in my heart 💙

I’ve been meaning to create a pet sympathy card for a couple of years.

If you’ve ever lost a pet, you know it hurts so bad.

Animals you connect with – your relationship can be so healing and nurturing. They just look at you like you’re the coolest thing even if you’re feeling crappy about yourself.

I was going to incorporate a pet sympathy message in the design at first, but I came to love the design without it. This way, you can send the card as a pet sympathy or simply enjoy the art.

I named it All Things are Connected.

It’s a belief that keeps me humble and grateful to be part of the earth. I know my time here is just a tiny microscopic blip in the long history of the planet, and it puts me into perspective.

The apple trees in the art represent the orchard in eastern Washington where the ashes of our departed kitties lie. I smile and cry to imagine them snoozing under an apple tree and being friends with all the other pets that have left us.

It’ll be coming to the shop as a print, too.

My new collection will launch late January/early February 🌈 and I’ll be sharing more previews to get you excited in the coming weeks.

Talk soon,

xo

DIY Llama calendar tea towel & winter kitty projects!

Fabrics,

Hi friend,

Do you LOVE pretty things?

(I assume you are if you’re reading my blog😉)

I love having beautiful things around because they make me happy!

Vibrant colors and joyful designs always lift up my mood.

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you that you can now enjoy more fun designs in my Spoonflower fabric shop.

How about this adorable 2019 Llama Dream calendar tea towel??

It’d make a perfect holiday gift for a llama lover (or an alpaca lover, you know they’re almost the same thing).

Purchase this design in linen cotton canvas ultra (which is sturdy and absorbent) fat quarter, 18″x27″. All you have to do is trim the ends and sew around the hem.

Easy peasy, right??

Also, my winter kitty design is available as fabric!

How about a tote bag to carry your books or groceries?

Or a pillow to cozy up with this winter!

Don’t even get me started on how ADORABLE this dress is 😍😍😍 Will you please make this for a tiny person in your life and send me a photo??

I might cry.

I got a yard of fleece to make this no-sew blanket. I intend to gift it to my friend’s baby – unless I decide it’s too cute I can’t part with it 😂

Too much cuteness?

I hope you can handle this because I’ve got 27 other designs (yes, twenty-seven) you can play with in my shop.

How about these adorable pillows from my last holiday collection?

Who would’ve thought to make your own lamp shade? With fabric? If you love succulents, this could be your jam😍

Go ahead and explore the most adorable fabric collections here!

Enjoy 😘

xo

ps. Be sure to read their holiday shipping timeline and mark your calendar. It could take 2+ weeks to get your fabrics.

🐱🍄 Cats and mushrooms 🍄🐱

Mini Sabbaticlas, Pottery, self-care, ,

Hey,

I was on my 7th week sabbatical this past week.

What the heck is that? A fine question. I take every 7th week off to rest and recharge. A practice I started in October, 2015 inspired by seanwes.

(This is pretty much how I stay sane and don’t get burnt out in my biz.)

But I wanted to pop in and say hello!

I’m actually not feeling 100% this week, so this time off came at a perfect timing.

My week’s itinerary included: sleeping more, organizing my inventory for the upcoming holiday fair season, and just kind of hanging out on the couch a lot.

I also thought it’d be fun to show you what I’ve been working on in my pottery class at South Seattle College this quarter.

Tuxedo cat ornaments are coming back! 

Once they’re glazed, these cuties will be going to King Street Maker’s Market 11/29-12/2. If I have leftovers, I’ll post them in the shop later!

I’ve also been working on some personal projects.

I plant to mount these mushrooms and the hedgie on a wall in our kitchen to create a fun woodland scene 🦔🍄 I wanna make different seasonal themes so we can switch them around throughout the year!

Oh the possibilities are endless 😍​

xo

Fall & Winter Collection sneak preview 🐱🐷🐶 (Pt. 2 of 3)

New Products, Shop, , , , , ,

Did you enjoy the sneak preview of my new collection last week?

Today I’m back with more cuteness to delight you!

Let me show you some of my new winter holiday designs.

Meet the Winter Kitties 🐱

I love all animals, but I’m more of a cat person if you ask me.

Last year when I made my doggie design, A LOT of my customers asked “where are the CATS??”

So I designed these adorable winter holiday kitties just for you ❄️

Also available as wrapping papers (how can you not??)

And notepads! Wouldn’t you love to organize your holiday to-dos on this cutie? You can, very soon 😻

The next up is 2019 Year of the Boar card!​

New Year’s holiday is a BIG deal in Japan and many other cultures, so I’ve designed cute animal zodiac cards for the last 4 years.

2019 is the Year of the Boar, and these happy, party boars bring me SO much joy 😆

And I updated the Doggies in Sweater design from last year (it was for the Year of the Dog design for this year).

Now it’s a plain doggie design without any texts 🐶 so it’s appropriate for Christmas or any other occasions!

Don’t forget – doggie wrapping papers are already in the shop!

And here is my new Hanukkah card design 🍽

I love learning about foods in culture and the meaning behind them – I really enjoyed researching about foods for Hanukkah for this design! 😋

(and it made me hungry!!)

Well, did you enjoy the previews​?

There is a lot more where they came from, and I can’t wait to share more next week 😘

xo

p.s. My new collection won’t be available online till early September, but you can shop the existing cuteness (and they’re equally cute 💕) today.

Kitty ornaments are here! 🐱

Animals, Pottery, ,

A few months ago, I made ceramic pet ornaments for my friends who’d recently lost their pets.

I loved them so much that I decided to make a handful to share with you!

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have seen the makings of these ceramic cat ornaments.

It’s taken me longer than expected to finish these… Making ceramic anything is a long process!

But good news, the wait is finally over.

They’re here and looking for a new furever home 😀

They come in 3 colors: Tuxedo (SOLD OUT!), Black, and Dark Grey Tabby. (* note Grey Tabby is very dark and appears almost black at a first glance.)

You can select the color upon checkout.

They’re hand crafted and painted/glazed individually by me.

Each one is slightly different and makes it a one-of-a-kind artwork.

They’re about 1.5″ round (35 mm) and attached to a waxed cord for easy hanging. The cord is about 4″ long (95mm).

You can hang them on your wall, from the rearview mirror in your car, your houseplants, or on your Christmas tree during the holiday season.

You can also switch the cord to a longer string/chain and wear it as a necklace! It’s lightweight but pretty sturdy.

These cuties will make a perfect gift for someone who’s lost their cats or for any cat lovers who just want to be surrounded by anything that has cats on them 🐱

I only made a handful of each and am not sure if I’ll make more in the future.

I may, but it all depends on the time/energy I have… I’m not promising anything… 🙊

If you want them, go get them NOW!

Enjoy 😘

xo

p.s. If you missed the link above, you can shop these adorable kitty ornaments here.

p.p.s. Are you a Seattle local? I won’t be selling these at fairs and markets, but I’d be happy to bring them to you if you want to pick up in person! Just write a note indicating which event you’d like to pick up your purchase at, and I’ll refund your shipping. You can check out my event calendar here.

How are you going to celebrate your (cat-loving) dad this year?

Animals, Hand Lettering, Illustration, New Products, ,

I’ve always loved cats since I was little.

Since my parents wouldn’t let me have cats for a long time, I fantasized about having one pretty much 24/7.

My husband, Dave, always loved animals and was more of a dog person when we met. He was even allergic to cats growing up. But magically, he grew out of his cat allergy as he got older – it’s like he was destined to meet me, a hopeless cat-lover!

I had my two cats, Lulu and Sheppie, from my previous relationship, when we met.

Lulu (left) and Sheppie (right)
Lulu (left) and Sheppie (right)

They were pretty much my babies. It was important to me that whoever I’d bring in to our life would understand how important they were to me and at least tolerate them, if not love them.

To my delight, my kitties won him over pretty quickly with their cuteness, loving personality (in their cat-like ways), and their comical antics.

Dave is so sweet and loving with any and all cats he meets. I sometimes wonder if he’s become a bigger cat person than I am now!

We’ve been through some scary and tough situations with our cats, too – especially, losing Lulu last year was extremely heartbreaking. He’s been my rock through thick and thin, and I’m really grateful to have him in my life.

Our sweet girl.
Our sweet girl.

On Father’s Day, I like to thank him for being an awesome dad to my cats.

I’ve been making a cat Father’s Day card just for him in previous years because let’s face it, my cats are not very crafty 😀

And, I thought there might be other people who want to celebrate their cat dad, too!

So I decided to share this special Father’s Day card with you.

05_Cat-Dad-Father's-Day-Card-in-hand_550px
“Thank you for being an awesome dad to my cats.” Father’s Day card, 4.25″x5.5″ folded, blank inside.
02_CU_Cat-Dad-Father's-Day-Card_550px
“Thank you for being an awesome dad to my cats.” Father’s Day card, 4.25″x5.5″ folded, blank inside.

Make your special (cat-obsessed) man smile this Father’s Day 🙂 You can order yours here.

p.s. I’m going to be closing my shop between June 1 – 12, 2016 so please place your order before May 30th in order for your card to be shipped by May 31st!

Thanks friend! Hope you enjoy it 🙂

xo Yuko

Yuko Miki Honeyberry Studios Headshot