She was quite heavy, a chalkware or plaster type statue. She was dinged, chippy, and the tips of her ears were missing.
In other words, she was perfect! So naturally she came home to our little cottage.
Months and months later, what did I stumble upon in a second hand store but this beauty! She's a lightweight ceramic statue and, like the other kitty, she also had a chipped ear and big blue eyes. She is signed on the bottom with the most heartfelt message: "1982 Happy Valentine Cindy, Love Mommy and Weldon" with a little hand drawn bouquet. How very precious!
And so the two of them, who look like long-lost sisters, became our long-haired white cottage cats.
It seems that an awful lot of BIG kitties have found themselves in thrift stores in the past couple of years because earlier this year I spotted this guy at yet another Salvation Army. I happen to be very fond of long-haired black cats (you can see My Boy and My Girl in my sidebar), so there was no way I was leaving him behind.
Like the others, he's not perfect. He has some minor chippy issues, but mostly he has a 'haziness' that I can't seem to clean off. He looks dirty, but he's not. And he's a bit of a wild man. Whoever painted him (he's also ceramic) gave him some wild and crazy cat eyes and whiskers! Such a character - I love him!
And then, of course, in August we got the real deal... A total mix of all the fake kitties with her long-haired black and white coat and her crazy eyes! Here she is doing her best imitation of the reclining kitties. I think she nailed the pose and the wild-eyed look (visible if you enlarge the photo)!
So like I said, they're multiplying!!! But I think we have reached our limit. Our little cottage is just that - little - and these guys are HUGE!!!
Have a great weekend, everyone! And I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday post, and White Wednesday at Faded Charm, so be sure to head over and check out what everybody is sharing this week!!
Months and months later, what did I stumble upon in a second hand store but this beauty! She's a lightweight ceramic statue and, like the other kitty, she also had a chipped ear and big blue eyes. She is signed on the bottom with the most heartfelt message: "1982 Happy Valentine Cindy, Love Mommy and Weldon" with a little hand drawn bouquet. How very precious!
And so the two of them, who look like long-lost sisters, became our long-haired white cottage cats.
It seems that an awful lot of BIG kitties have found themselves in thrift stores in the past couple of years because earlier this year I spotted this guy at yet another Salvation Army. I happen to be very fond of long-haired black cats (you can see My Boy and My Girl in my sidebar), so there was no way I was leaving him behind.
Like the others, he's not perfect. He has some minor chippy issues, but mostly he has a 'haziness' that I can't seem to clean off. He looks dirty, but he's not. And he's a bit of a wild man. Whoever painted him (he's also ceramic) gave him some wild and crazy cat eyes and whiskers! Such a character - I love him!
And then, of course, in August we got the real deal... A total mix of all the fake kitties with her long-haired black and white coat and her crazy eyes! Here she is doing her best imitation of the reclining kitties. I think she nailed the pose and the wild-eyed look (visible if you enlarge the photo)!
So like I said, they're multiplying!!! But I think we have reached our limit. Our little cottage is just that - little - and these guys are HUGE!!!
Have a great weekend, everyone! And I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday post, and White Wednesday at Faded Charm, so be sure to head over and check out what everybody is sharing this week!!
Donna
17 comments:
Oh how beautiful!!! I love your collection...My grandmother used to make these from a friend who had a pottery house down the street from her. I remember that when I was alittle girl visiting her, she would take me to her house! I made a litttle kitten and she made me a 'White Cat' just like yours except mine had blue blues!!
Nice work!
Melissa
Hi Donna, I'm that way with birds. I have little birds in every room. I've collected them for over 15 years, but they're sort of scattered about. You have a beautiful home, I was peeking at older posts. Thanks so much for your comment on mine. tami
Lovely post!We are the same with dogs here!
They are so precious, as is your real fur baby! I'm having a giveaway, c'mon over and join in the fun!
You have confirmed my thoughts that we attract things. You are attracting those kitties and they are adorable! As is your new baby.
xo
Claudia
Love it!! That kitties are so cute. I never liked cats until we adopted a beautiful black persian. He's such a fixture in our household now...and he looks *exactly* like your black cat statue. You can see him here:
http://marvelouslymessy.blogspot.com/2010/07/cozy-cat-cushion-craft.html
My goodness, they are multiplying and they are all adorable. I thought this post was going to end badly with the real kitty knocking the faux kitties off their perch.
Phew! Oh wait, that only happens at my house!
The real deal seems to be happy with companions.
Brenda
I think it is time for me to look for ceramic ones with chippy ears instead of the real-deal since I now have 5 of them. Loved this post. Deb =^..^=x5
That's funny. I think you were kind of wishing your real-life cat into existence. :)
Hi Donna~ ~ ~Good thing you have a big heart so that all those sweeties now have a good home. They look great in their new place.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
Hi Donna - I enjoyed seeing your collection of ceramic cats. During the late 60s,70s and early 80s, ceramic 'classes' were very popular. The one I went to for about five years offered unfired greenware in many shapes and forms. You bought the greenware; cleaned it up by taking off the mold seams and smoothing the finish. Then the owner of the studio fired it to a white bisque finish. The fun part was applying glazes to the bisque to your own liking. Then the owner fired the pieces again to attain the shiny ceramic finish. I have an upright cat like yours only mine has black eyes - I guess I wasn't very imaginative. I am starting to see many pieces like this in second hand stores - many of the people who made them would probably be in their late 50s,60s and 70s now and many are probably getting rid of some of their 'stuff'. Owls and mushrooms were a couple of the popular motifs during those years. It is wonderful to see another generation enjoying these pieces.
Uh oh, time for a new room. The kitty parlor.
Love,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
I love it when things are meant to be and they come to us-real pets do that too-or God's sends them too us-that's why I have 3 cats and 3 dogs!
With chipped ears and scratches, they are perfect!!! They have been well loved and I am sure are so happy in their new home. I think they fit right in with the family, Char
I was surprised to see that big ceramic cat. I had one just like it long ago. My mom had it made for me to sit by my fireplace. Not sure why she did that since Im deathly allergic to cats and so dont really like them. Ive had to train myself not to like them so I wouldn't touch them and set off a big allergic reaction. But funny, it was nice seeing this cat once again. :)
It's yvonne again, the pop ups got me so mixed up I forgot who I was talking to.Have a great Thanksgiving. Yvonne
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