Sunday, March 17, 2024

Shimshi's Caturday Art and Sunday Selfie For St. Patrick's Day

Okay, okay - Full Disclosure. We do not celebrate St. Patrick's Day. However, We know that many of you do, so I, The Mighty Shimshon (Shimshi for short) aka The Little Purrince, aka The Baby Mancat (even though I am nearly 10 years old!), Master of the Queen's Mischiefs and Captain of the Guard, decided to make a gesture to that festival as We prepurr to join this weekend's blog hops - the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and Beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Delightful and Predictably Unpredictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

My Selfie, therefore, has a Green Shamrock frame. Tasteful and not too fussy, We think.



















For the Caturday Art, We used LunaPic's  Garden effect, which has a lot of green in it, at 55%, to further enhance the St. Patrick's Day theme:


















We made a second artification with the Quirky effect, this time at 60%. Which do you prefurr?

















We have been spending a lot of time snuggling with Mummy or curled up on her lap, and She could not resist taking photos of Us while We were doing that, so here, as a Bonus, is another Selfie of Me (you can also see a bit of Caspurr's back, because We were sharing Mummy's lap at the time):


























We artified this one as well - furrst, with the Grey filter at 75%:


























And secondly, with Frida - one of Our Favourites, which We haven't used for quite a while:

























I don't know about you, but I think this last one makes Me look older than I am. What do you think?


And here, before We forget, are the blog hop badges:


       



Next week is Purim, and We hope to celebrate it (despite the furry subdued and un-celebratory mood in the country, because of the war and the hostages still being held in Gaza) up in the Enchanted Forest. Details in next week's post.

Meanwhile, Mummy did manage to post about last week's field trip in her own bloggie, which you and your Humans are invited to read. These trips are happening at an alarming rate (for Us, anyway, as We don't like being left alone at home all day) - and, in fact, She has another one tomorrow, up north (paws crossed that the Bad Humans over the border there don't start firing rockets and things in Mummy's direction)...


And now, it's time to start blog-hopping. See you all next week. Till then, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you who celebrate it. 

Be well. Be safe. We love you all.



Sunday, March 10, 2024

Caspurr the Birthday Boy: Caturday Art and Sunday Selfies - and Some Sad Goodbyes

Greetings, Effurryone!


It is Me again, Caspurr the Tigger-Tabby King, here to repurrysent the J-Cats in this weekend's blog hops - the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and Beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Deliciously and Unpredictably Predictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

Before We do that, however, We have a Trio of Sad Goodbyes to make. 

Last week, just after posting, We learned that dearest Dai$y, the all-powerful Matriarch of Trout Towne, had gained her Angel Wings. We send purrs of Condolence to her grieving family, Human and Furry.

Then, today, We learned that two more old furriends had received their Angel Wings. The feisty and opinionated Cathy Keisha (CK) has, after a long and eventful life, now been reunited with her loving Mom, Pattie (aka TW or "The Woman"). Purrs of Comfort to her Dad, Fred (aka Pop).

And LouLou, the lovely LouLou, the French kitty with something to say on just about anything - she too has crossed the Rainbow Bridge and left her Mama and Papa heartbroken. We send them Our heartfelt purrs of Condolence.

We are devastated at the loss of so many beloved furriends and not really in the mood for art or selfies, but We had already prepurred the pictures, so here they are.


********


This is Me, relaxing after My Birthday Pawty. It was a lovely pawty and I received lots of prezzies - but it was also exhausticating. Hey, I'm a Senior Kitty now, so they tell Me. I'm entitled to take life Easy! 













We made two different artifications of this picture - both of them furry artsy-fartsy indeed!


Furrst of all, this one uses LunaPic's Ink art effect at 40%, lightly washed with a Dark overlay, at 20%:














In complete contrast, this second, furry colourful artification uses the Yarn effect at 85%, topped with Paisley at 15%:














Now, here is My Official Birthday Pawtrait. Do you think I look sufficiently Dignified for a Tigger-Tabby King?


























The only Problem with this one is that I was snuggled up with My (not so little) Brofur, Shimshi, so you can see his Butt (which is not inconsiderable in size) in the lower right of the picture.

However, in the gold coin struck in honour of My Birthday, as well as in the new postage stamp (yes, We still use them in Tigger-Tabby Land), that has been dealt with and all you can see is My Own Handsome Face:


























For those interested in the technicalities, We created these with the help of PhotoFunia.


Here, now, are the blog hop badges:


        



Before We start on Our Visits, We wanted to answer a question some of you have asked, about the view from the window which appears in several of Our Photos. We have been asked if Our Apawtment is high up. The answer is - Yes and No. Our building is on a slope, so that from the street entrance, Mummy only has to walk up one and a half flights of stairs. But most of the rooms face in the other direction, and on that side, We are five floors up and We face out over a valley, so it looks much higher.

One final word before We set out on the blog hops. Mummy finally posted on her own bloggie, about her Caterwauling Club's concert last month and about her field trip to Masada a fortnight ago - so, if you haven't taken a look yet, do go and read it.  Besides lots of pictures, there are also video clips from the Concert.



Now it really is time to sign off. Mummy must rest before Caterwauling Purractice this evening - and before that, She needs to prepurr her knapsack and some Sandwiches for tomorrow's field trip.

Till next week then. Meanwhile, be well. Be safe. We love you all.








Sunday, March 3, 2024

Admiring the View with Queen Trixie: Caturday Art and Sunday Selfies

Greetings, Effurrybody!

Queen Trixie here - as the J-Cats' Official Repurrysentative to this weekend's blog hops: the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and Beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Delightful and Predictably Unpredictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

I am sorry to have to report that, after almost a week of lovely, spring-like weather, today it is once again cold and rainy! At least, it was earlier this morning. The sun has now peeped out from behind the clouds, but more rain is expected later in the day and through the night, as well as tomorrow. Ah, well - that's spring for you. At least the almond trees are in blossom and everything is green on the hill across the road and down in the valley below the living-room window. 




 










So I decided this picture was the purrfect choice for today's Sunday Selfie. All that was left to do was to artify it, which I did with the help of LunaPic.

My furrst attempt used the Smoke Effect at 55%, with an overlay of Surreal at 90%:














I look quite sultry, don't I? That's one of the reasons I like the Smoke filter.


The next artification uses Dark, at 35%, overlaid again with Surreal, this time at only at 85%:














Last, but not least, the Scribble effect at 70% was brightened up by the brilliant, artsy-fartsy colours of Candy at 40%:














I didn't think about it at the time, but of course, the cushion with its colourful Flutterby  and Flower also adds to the feeling of Spring.


Mummy had really hot weather for her field-trip last week. She started writing about it on her own bloggie the furry next day, but as She wanted to include the concert the week before, and various other things, and as Things Happened even as She was writing (like Mew-nicipal elections on Tuesday and another terrorist attack on Thursday in which two people were murdered), it all took much longer than planned and so it isn't quite ready yet. She hopes to finish it tomorrow.
She had better - because She is going to be furry busy later this week, with a lecture concert and a doctor's appointment and an Opurra - and next week, She has yet another field-trip! There is going to be a lot to write about.

Here now are the blog hop badges:


        


We almost fur-got! This Fursday, March 7th, is My Brofur Caspurr's 11th birthday! So We shall have a celebration, up in the Enchanted Forest, this coming Saturday at 5 pm, Israel time, to which you are all invited. You know how to get there. If you are new, and/or have neffur before been to one of Our Pawties in the Enchanted Forest, give Us a meow and We will send the coordinates directly to your Transportation Device.


Now it is time for LUNCH - after which, We start blog hopping. See you all again next week.

Till then - be well. Be safe. We love you all.








Sunday, February 25, 2024

Spring Seems To Be In The Air: Caturday Art and Sunday Selfies With Shimshi

Hallo again, Effurrybuddies!

Well, I don't want to jinx things by saying Spring is here but - it is a mewtiful, sunny day (with just a few puffy little white clouds) and tomorrow, the weather prophets say, it will be warmer than average for this time of year. Which, if you come to think of it, is a Good Thing, because Mummy has another one of her Archaeology Field Trips tomorrow.  She wrote about her last trip in her own bloggie a few days ago and will pawsibly write about tomorrow's trip (to Masada) later this week. Or purr-haps She will write, instead, about her Caterwauling Club's concert last Tuesday - which was a Great Success, even though Mummy didn't have a So-Low this time.

Meanwhile, I, the Mighty Shimshon (Shimshi for short) aka The Little Purrince, sometimes known as The Baby Mancat, Master of the Queen's Mischiefs and Captain of the Guard, am here to lead My Fellow J-Cats on this weekend's blog hops - the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and Beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Delightful and Predictably Unpredictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

We have three different selfies for you to choose from this week, each of them artified with the help of LunaPic.

Furrst of all, here is one I really wish Mummy had deleted. It's so embarrassing!













I don't know why Humans have this - this - Thing about snapping Us while We are bathing!  I think She must be some kind of a Purr-vert!  She didn't even have the decency to place an X in a strategic pawsition! (No, I don't mean My sweet, little, pink tongue.) I suppose She thinks She can sell this shot to COSMEOWPAWLITAN magazine!

Well, at least the artified version, using Ceremony at 60%, overlaid with Beauty at 45%, is marginally better...















Next up is a beautifully placed shot, capturing the effect of sun and shade, as I took advantage of the late afternoon sunlight falling on the living-room sofa.
















We thought the chiaroscuro effect would be best enhanced by the Smoke filter, which We set to 60%:















Finally - a dignified shot which pays Due Respect to My Status as a Purrince, as well as showing My Alertness, as befitting the Captain-of-the-Guard:
















For the artification, We used the Grey filter, at 70%:















Which do you like best?


I should just mention that all three will be going on display at the Israel Museum later this week:


























Now, here are the blog hop badges:


        


And now, it's time for Us to start blog hopping.



Till next week then.

Be well. Be safe. We love you all.





Sunday, February 18, 2024

Come Rain, Come Shine: Caturday Art and Sunday Selfies With Caspurr

Hallo there, Effurryone!


How are you all? It's been a furry eventful week here, in My Domain, both with regard to the highly changeable weather, and with regard to the War - but Mummy will no doubt write about that in her own bloggie, either tomorrow or on Wednesday (on Tuesday, She will be too busy, as She and her caterwauling friends have a concert). 

At any rate, here on OUR bloggie, it is My Turn to lead My Fellow J-Cats on this weekend's blog hops - the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and Beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Delightful and Predictably Unpredictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

Before I, Sir Caspurr the Courageous, the Caspicatious, Furrst of My Name, the Snuggle Bug, Commander-in-Chief of the Impurrial Forces, King of the Tigger-Tabbies, share my selfie(s) with you, We want to slip in this guest selfie, which Mummy took on her archaeology field trip to Caesarea last week. As you can see, Mummy is a magnet for homeless kitties, wherever they may be:















Now, this kitty may be officially homeless, but with all the fish restaurants around the ancient harbour, he or she is certainly not hungry, or lonely. S/he even let Mummy pet him/her - a favour s/he did not grant to others whom Mummy saw making the attempt.


And now for My Own Selfies. They are furry similar, I know, but each one was framed and artified differently. Tell Us which you prefurr:














Here is the artsy-fartsy version, using Lunapic's Tattoo effect, at 80%:















And now for no. #2:















We artified this one with the Fairy effect, at 55%:

















Finally, We made an artified version of the Homeless Kitty from Caesarea's Guest Selfie, using the Floating effect at 35%:















How's that?


Now, as We said, Mummy's Caterwauling Club has a concert on Tuesday (and no, alas, She did not get the So-Low she was after), so We will cut this short and allow her to get a good rest before this evening's rehearsal (which is likely to go on for longer than usual as it is, basically, the Dress Rehearsal - although they don't dress up for it).

Here are the Blog Hop badges:


        


Till next week then.

Be well. Be safe. We love you all.







Sunday, February 11, 2024

Sunny Caturday Art and Sunday Selfies With Queen Trixie

Greetings, Effurrybody!


As you can see, I - Queen Trixie, Furrst of My Name, Empurress of Jerusalem, Israel and the Entire Middle East, Queen of Hearts, the Panfur Princess, Guardian of the Boudoir and Alpha Kitty Extraordinaire - will be leading My Fellow J-Cats on this weekend's blog hops. Specifically - the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and Beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Delightful, Predictably Unpredictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

We did have some pretty cold, rainy weather last week, but the weekend was nice and sunny and more than usually warm for this time of year. What is more, tomorrow is set to be warmer still, before the cold and rain return later in the week. This is furry fortunate for Mummy, who has one of her archaeological field trips tomorrow, about which She will no doubt meow write, later in the week, in her own bloggie. She will probably also write something about the War, so We will refrain from doing so, because it is furry depressing and Our Job is to cheer Mummy up!

Mummy also has to go early to Caterwauling Purractice this evening, as She is hoping to get a So-Low in next week's Concert, so We will make this Short and Sweet.

We have chosen three pictures of Me, each one with a different Lunapic filter (or filters) for the artification. 

Furrst of all, here I am, warming myself by the heater, because even in the warmer weather, it can be quite chilly at night in Jerusalem:













The artsy-fartsy version of this uses the Night art effect at 25%, with an overlay of Stained Glass at 20%:














Next up, one of Me enjoying a lovely, warm sunpuddle:













This was artified, counter-intuitively, with the Dark filter at 45%, and then warmed up with an overlay of Sunshine, at 20%:














The final selfie shows me admiring a single, purrfect sunbeam:













Now, Mummy is a bit confused about the artification She used for this one. She scribbled down Smoke 40% with an overlay of Candy at 45%, but when She downloaded the finished Creation, She filed it simply as Candy 45%. So now, We aren't sure whether She used just one filter, or a combination of two. At all events, We don't think any of the filters did complete justice to this picture...













Time to add the blog hop badges, before We fur-get:


        


Till next week then.

Be well. Be safe. We love you all.











Sunday, February 4, 2024

Shimshi's Calm and Contemplative Cold Days Caturday Art and Sunday Selfie

Greetings, Effurrybuddies!


Well, for once, the Weather Prophets were right. We have had more Skywater - lots and lots of it! And the Cold - Oh! Don't let Me get started on that! It's been so cold, even the Central Heating wasn't sufficient, and Mummy had to bring out one of the portable heaters for Us to curl up next to. And Mummy herself sat on the sofa, wrapped in a Snuggle Blanket. Trixie curled up next to her, under the Blankie, and I think Caspurr snuck in under the duvet in the bedroom. As for Me - I found myself a cosy spot on the Rug, next to the Radiator:















Mummy says We should remember it's much worse for Our Soldiers, stuck in the cold and rain in Gaza and in the North (where there is even Snow)!

Of course, there were some sunny periods between the showers and thunderstorms, though it was still colder than usual for this time of year. 

Those were the times when I, Shimshi, in My Role as Master of the Queen's Mischiefs, took it upon Myself to a-mewse Mummy and My Fursibs.

Of course, all three of Us Kitties have to keep Mummy happy when the News is not always good, We are still at War, many people are still being held hostage by the Enemy and the Whole World seems to be against Us - well, large and extremely vocal parts of the World, anyway.

At such times, I have found that it helps to be Calm and Contemplative. This seems to have a Soothing Effect on Mummy. Although sometimes, the reverse is true and We are able to jolt her out of the Doldrums by being Extremely Naughty and making her fur-get effurrything else.  It's not always easy to know which is the best approach.

Here is a picture of Me being Calm and Contemplative:
















Note the frame, in Israel's colours, blue and white, with a Shield of David design in the corners.

I think either of these pictures would be good choices to repurresent the J-Cats in the weekend blog hops - the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the Wise and beautiful Athena and her HuMum, Marie, and the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the Delightfully and Predictably Unpredictable Kitties Blue and their HuMom, Janet.

We artified each of these pictures, with the help of LunaPic. Tell Us in the Comments section which you prefurr - and why?


Furrst up, here is the one of Me, warming myself by the portable radiator. We used the Dark filter (one of Our Favourites) at 60%, with an overlay of a new effect that We found, Vangogh5, at 50%:














As you have no doubt realised, We enjoy mixing and matching different effects.

For My calm and contemplative pawtrait, however, We stuck with just one filter - the original Van Gogh effect at 70%:















We are furry pleased with both of these.


Now, here are the blog hop badges:


        



Time for Us to start blog-hopping now. See you next week. Till then - be well. Be safe. We love you all.