I have a problem.

For my birthday this year my boyfriend Grimace, has generously given me the gift of cat! It's a big step for both of us: for him it's because he's a self-proclaimed "dog person" and  for me because I've never really owned a pet before. I've had pets in my life sure, but not one that I chose or was ultimately responsible for. I feel like we're there... we can do it!

 I feel like cats take care of themselves for the most part and since we're away at work for much of the day, they can entertain themselves like cats do with the sleeping and the lounging and the napping.

So what's the problem right? Well turns out I have to PICK a cat. Finding a cat that's good for our lifestyle and one that we both feel attuned to is proving more difficult for me than I thought. 

We are going to adopt the cat from the Sante D'or no-kill cat shelter in Los Feliz. Their website has pictures of all their animals with descriptions of their likes and dislikes, or as I like to call it,  cat porn "Muffy enjoys laying in the sun, scratches on the shin and long walks on the beach..." So going into it, we already had a few thoughts on what cats would best be suited to us.

I guess I had the wrong idea of what would happen when we got there. I had this notion that the right cat for us would just step right up to us, meow, roll over for belly scratches and ask us what's for dinner. No such luck. Don't they know it's adoption day? These cats need so learn a lesson from the ultimate orphan.. annie...

Walking in that place as nice as it was, was a whirlwind of cats and kittens and bunnies and puppies ! The folks there pointed us in the direction of a few adult cats that we're mellow and people friendly. Magda was one we saw on the website that seemed perfect but she was a bit temperamental with us and gave us a few bites. Orangie, a big ol' floofy orange cat was not gettin outta his basket for anyone. Moxie a lovely Calico definitely lived up to her name, and Sasha was a big lump of cat - who liked being held but not one I would put into the category of spunky. Cleo was chatty and charming, and Orangie has an amazing thick coat of long orange fur. 

We both got hooked on a young tabby named Bonita. So super cute! She liked being picked up and purred like crazy! She's part of a litter though and really needs the attention of someone around all the time or of a companion animal. One cat that Grimace really liked but one I didn't spend enough time with was a boy cat named North. Like many all white cats with blue eyes, North is deaf. 

This is North.. aint he purty!  He is a BEAUTIFUL regal cat with long white fur and bright blue eyes. He doesn't like to be around other animals or kids so we're set there. But how does one "talk" to a deaf cat? Laser pointer? Morse code taps on the floor? 

This is Sasha- the Lump Cat

Here's Moxie who is definitely Moxie! 

This is sweet sweet Bonita.

The shelter requires a home visit per the conditions of their grant. I cleaned the place up and down! Cords.. managed! Dust bunnies... eradicated! Sandie came by and checked out our place and despite the abundant feathers, sequins, and yarn balls (what am I - part cat?) she approved us! 

She did let us know that Bonita and North may have other. better suited, homes to go to. She gave me a calendar and January is a big picture of North's pretty eyes! Way to salt the wound Sante D'or! Gee wiz...

She did recommend Magda, Sasha and a black cat called Panther who drooled on me as I held her at the shelter. Guess that means she's happy? Or disturbed?  She thought these cats are most "dog-like" since Grimace is a dog person. What does that mean a cat is dog-like anyway? Will it fetch?

We are going back today to spend more time with them. We have a game plan. We've made lists of the cats and have our shorts lists of our prospective cats. A little out of control? Perhaps.Off we go then! Wish us luck! Let's do this shit!   

When I was in high school, my painting teacher , when admiring a painting of a chair I was working on, noticed a particular shade of green paint I was using. He said something to the effect of  "Oh I just want to EAT that!" My adolescent brain at once thought both what was in this paint that would make it so delicious and what was the chance that my teacher shouldn't be around children? My response to him was "Uh.... Yeah I guess"

He may have been onto something.

One of the great things about painting to me is discovering new shades of paint and what they can do. Sure, you cold just stick to the basics: blue, red, yellow, green, black and white, but why? If I had the time back that I spent mixing all those colors when I could have just used Portrait Pink, I'd sail a boat to China! Well, I wouldn't go THAT far, but yes it was a lot of time. 

In comes Prussian Blue, my new favorite paint color. It's dark, it's intense, it's dreeeeeaaaammmy! 

Prussian Blue (aka Berlin Blue or in Crayola terms Midnight Blue) is the first synthetically produced pigment and one of the first known synthetic compounds. It was well known for it's stability and light-fast nature making it a great replacement for the expensive Lapis Lazuli popular at the time. 

Prussian blue [Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3] was probably synthesized for the first time by the paint maker Johann Jacob Diesbach in Berlin around the year 1706.  He was attempting to create a red lake pigment from the insect Cochineal but obtained the blue instead as a result of the contaminated potash he was using. Don't you just HATE it when your potash gets contaminated?! I know I do!

In 1752 the French chemist Pierre J. Macquer made the important step of showing the Prussian blue could be reduced to a salt of iron and a new acid, which could be used to reconstitute the dye. This new acid? Hydrogen Cyanide... yeah THAT Cyanide... the killy one. Think eating your paint is a good idea now? Hmm?

Well actually, in this case it is.

Despite the fact that it is prepared from cyanide salts, Prussian blue is nontoxic because the cyanide groups are tightly bound to Fe. Pharmaceutical-grade Prussian blue in particular is used for patients who have ingested thallium or radioactive caesium. Prussian blue works by trapping thallium and cesium in the intestine, so that they can be passed out of the body in the stool rather than be re-absorbed. According to the FDA, if persons are exposed to radioactive cesium, radioactive thallium, or non-radioactive thallium, taking Prussian blue may reduce the risk of death and major illness from radiation or poisoning. It makes a great addition to any Bioterrorism Kit too!

Despite this handy dandy end-of-the-world tip, the reason I like Prussian Blue is because of it's deep, jewel-like, intensity. 

In my new painting for Trader Joe's, the lettering and the bell hop's hat all use Prussian Blue but in different ways. Oftentimes when you mix white with a color, it makes it more muted- it makes it a pastel shade. In the case of Mr. PB here, it develops different levels of color with out loosing any of it's intensity. 

And when mixed with black, PB gives it a warm and deep highlight that simply adding white can't provide. 

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai, a famous artwork which makes extensive use of Prussian blue. Isn't it perrrrrty?! It's a wonderful warm blue that's is a great compliment to deep yellows like mustard and ocher, and is a prefect level of intensity for paintings of sky or sea. 

Prussian Blue is a great paint color and a great cure for poisoning! I don't know if my teacher was really onto something or not so, may not be dining on Prussian Blue anytime soon, but I'm glad to have it around just in case.

So when this is done.... this page will showcase cool places to shop, eat, and visit! Look here for crafty tips, and reviews of my favorite tools and tricks!

ADVENTURE!