There are many kinds of cats in the world...

... Cute cats

Fat cats

Lazy cats

Cuddling cats

Huggable cats

Devious cats

Vicious cats

Playful cats

no matter what they are, they are definitely ADORABLE!

Remembering the past

While digging the Net for old royalty-free images of Christmas I came across this site, that has huge collection of all things soviet. The idea of the site is NOT to get Soviet Union back, but to REMEMBER how it was to live back then.

Now, I was born shortly before it all fell apart (thank god!) and don't have too many strong memories about the life back then. But I do remember long lines and tickets to buy some bread, I do remember when most of the stores had pretty much nothing in any department - food or clothing. I remember, when we had to survive on pretty much what we would grow in our backyard and wearing shoes that have seen one too many repairs. Living through times like that I would NEVER in million years to wish for anyone to live through it again.

But there were some good times too. I've always loved the celebration of New Year and loved to decorate house with my hand-made ornaments, paper snowflakes, pices of cotton on a thread strung across the ceiling and pictures. I was so touched, when I saw this particular card on that site - I actually remember drawing it on a big sheet of paper (called vatman) for my mom's office New Year party. I was maybe 9 years old and that picture helped me to get into an art school later...

This year, for the first time in many years I actually do have that anticipation of a holiday season inside, just like I use to when I was a child. It doesn't matter, that I actually never believed in Father Frost (Russian version of Santa) and his granddaughter Snegurochka (see picture below), and knew all too well, that gifts were coming from my Mom, who was very bad in hiding things, but I always acted so surprised, that it never occurred to her, that I knew what I was getting for New Year, LOL.

Like we say, I could be a great actress (even though for a long time I couldn't pronounce that word and it was coming out somehow sounding like a rat - those who know Russian, will understand this - I was saying аткрыса, instead of актриса).

But all of it still makes me feel very good especially when I smell tangerines and fresh sap of evergreens, it takes me back when I was running around the house in red pantyhose and a tank top and drew on everything I could, including my face and arms and legs...

I remember, when I use to sit under the tree (we call it the New Year tree, not Christmas) with all its shiny ornaments and bright lights and imagine myself living in a beautiful fairy tale, where holidays would never end.

We also had a tradition of coming outside after midnight and say Happy New Year to our neighbors and exchange some baked goods and candies.

Did you (or do you) have a family tradition that makes you remember yourself as a child and brings back all those memories? Or maybe it is a smell of something, or a song, or - like me - a card... I would love to hear from you!

Happy holiday shopping!

News from our creative family

My husband finally has opened his own shop on Etsy - it has fine art prints of his gorgeous photographs from all over the world (well, almost all over). He has photos of people from different countries, still lifes, nature, food, cute animals and so on.

Check it out - he has new shop specials right now - Buy three prints get one free. They are printed on museum quality paper with archival inks.

This one is one of my favorites - it was taken in Japan and I just love the composition and the feel of it...