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Top Posts in 2012

photo of six cats in sun
Littered with cats!

It’s hard to believe it’s the last day of the year and time to look back and forward simultaneously—including, as are many other bloggers, here on The Creative Cat. We bloggers are known for being stats freaks, but there is a logic behind that: we have something to offer readers, and we also want to offer readers what they want, so what we do is merge what we have with what you tell us is popular through visits and comments. In addition, when I choose to create a new product whether it’s a single handmade item or a series of printed greeting cards, I take a look at statistics to see what images are popular, what posts receive a lot of feedback and combine that information with my own ideas.

I really do have a method for posting here each day and I divide my posts into five categories: non-fiction writing including informational or educational articles including health and welfare, adoptable cats and pleas for assistance to individuals or organizations; creative writing including my rescue stories, poetry, essays and fictional stories; photos, including reprises; artwork, including daily sketches, current paintings and portraits whether historic or current; and merchandise including all the things I’m making or offering and articles about how they come about. I also have a “feature” for each day including cats for adoption and in need on Monday, rescue stories on Tuesday, feature portrait or painting on Wednesday, new merchandise on Thursday and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday a mix of “The Artist’s Life”, “Living Green With Pets”, “Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat”, book reviews, essays and poetry.

The daily photos and daily sketches throw me off sometimes because they really are from “today”, not planned and created ahead of time. That’s a challenge to me in a life that’s governed by highly planned and scheduled commercial art and writing, and a promise to you to keep things fresh and spontaneous, to take just the things I have on hand and make something entirely new, compose and present it right now. The occasional “vintage” or “archive” image is one I’ve stumbled upon while researching something else, it brought a moment or a story to mind that I want to share, and I decide to do that extemporaneously as well, and it also provides a respite from “all black cats all the time”, which even I need a visual break from, though they are non-stop inspirational.

This year has been full of changes and adjustments for me, but by the end of it I’ve been able to be consistent in what I’m offering each day as well as planning even better ways to organize and present for next year.

So without further ado, here are your most read and/or commented posts in 2012 with its featured image, an excerpt and a link to the rest of the post.


Non-fiction Articles

Two articles are far and above the most read and most commented of all articles I’ve posted, so I’ve included them both since obviously they were both very special to readers. “A Final Wish” was actually posted in 2011, but still had much readership as we moved into 2012.

A Final Wish

five animals
Lilibel, Sylvester, Mickey, Barney and Petey are looking for homes.

In our rambles finding our forever pets, we’ve all encountered a lifelong animal rescuer, an individual so dedicated to capturing animals and making them well and whole that their life story is wrapped around with all the animals they saved. Such is Dorothy, who has saved and nurtured probably more animals than she can remember.

From Melanie

My dear friend is nearing the end of her life due to cancer. She has 5 great pets that need re-homed soon. Dorothy would like to continue to care for her pets until she is too ill to do so. This could be a couple of weeks to another month or so. Dorothy has been a rescuer and friend to the underdog for most of her life. She is really trying to hang in there to make sure her pets find great new homes. I hope you can help make her final wish come true. Read more…

Jar Kitty: Never Give Up Hope, Even After 20 Days

tabby cat in carrier
Jar Kitty in the carrier right after her rescue and having the jar removed.

Note: two of the photos below may be a little graphic for some viewers.

Twenty days with a plastic peanut butter jar on her head? In the heat of this summer? Yes, and she lived through it and was rescued by a cat rescuer who just could not believe the cat had perished out there, somewhere, never to be found. Janine Quinn knew “Jar Kitty” was still around and still wanted Janine to rescue her, even when the kitty disappeared for over a week in temperatures above 90. Read more…


Creative Writing

Again, two articles are far and above the most read and most commented in this category, and sadly it still warms my heart to see my tributes to Cookie and Kelly, and read again all the good wishes from readers. A poem was not far behind.

My Little Sunflower

tortoiseshell cat looking through deck railing
Cookie in early December 2011, tired of having her photo taken.

Another star watches over me tonight. Cookie is with the rest of my feline family in the heavens, but her love is with me forever. Read more…

Where’er You Walk

cat with paintbrushes
Kelly, the Art Cat.

So I had to say goodbye to another of my companions this morning, a shock, but not unexpected. Kelly went to be with her best friend Cookie, to cuddle with Peaches again and to be with her soul mate Namir, and no doubt to happily touch noses with her mentor, Moses, and rub herself on old friends Stanley and Sophie and Nikka. Read more…

The Gift of a Morning

tortoiseshell cat in greens
Cookie in my garden.

My sincerest wish as I remember Cookie is that all of you who read what I write, each of you who has a relationship with one or more animals, that your relationship is as deep, complex, satisfying and, if your species or breed allows it, as long-lasting as was Cookie’s and mine. I could never feel that I have any regrets, that Cookie and I “missed” anything but we lived as full a life as a human and cat could do. It depends on many things often beyond our control, but I wish those things for everyone who loves an animal, now and always. Read more…


Daily Photo

Littered With Cats

six cats in one photo
Littered With Cats

Funny, I posted this last January, but this is just what it looks like this morning in January! There’s Cookie looking out the door, Mimi having a sun bath, and the Fantastic four just, well, littering the floor. Something about that January morning sunRead more…


Daily Sketch

Kitty Shape

black cat silhouette
Kitty Shape, ink brush pen © B.E. Kazmarski

There is something I love about kitty shapes, and this rounded bath shape is one of them. It’s so simple, and so clearly feline. But while I love the silhouette, I was tempted to fill it with a pattern of some sort… Read more…


Portrait or Artwork

Peaches and Peonies

pastel painting of calico cat with peonies
"Peaches and Peonies", pastel, 23" x 16", 2008 © B.E. Kazmarski

It was at the beginning of June five years ago that I took the reference photos, and at the beginning of June in 2008 that I finished this painting of my little Peaches in her moment of glory. Read more…


Merchandise

More Valentine Cards for Cat Lovers and Lovers With Cats

two black cats with red background
Nuzzles and Purrrrrs for Valentine's Day!

Here are four more designs to finish out my set of Valentine note cards and greeting cards, as always inspired by and based on images of my household of felines! Read more…


So there you have it!
Thank you for a year of readership,
and guiding my wandering creative mind to refining its ideas to something everyone can enjoy!


Inspired by felines you know! Visit Portraits of Animals on Etsy this Holiday Season.

Inspired by felines you know! Visit Portraits of Animals on Etsy!

All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.

Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

6 thoughts on “Top Posts in 2012

  • We always love stopping by. Now I wish I’d done an overview. Oh, well next year. Happy, healthy New Year 2013 to you and your family from ours!

    Reply
    • Layla, I wasn’t going to either but decided I wanted to share! We love it when you stop by. Most of all we are going to hope that you have NO STORMS in 2013 and Merlin continues to do well along with everyone else. Odin is invited to come and play with the kids at any time, I think it would be a riot, literally.

      Reply
  • Denise

    I’m so glad to have found your blog – I truly enjoyed reading about all your kitties past and present over the last year. I’m so grateful to you for sharing your photos and sketches with us and thankful to be fortunate enough to have a few hanging on my walls.

    Your posts about Cookie and Kelly broke my heart as I too feel like I knew them…but I also know they had wonderful lives with you and were loved by all of your faithful readers.

    Happy New Year to you! I’m looking forward to another year of the Creative Cat – thanks for sharing so much of your life with us 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise, I’m so glad to know there’s a kind heart in Winnipeg and a home for many hopeless shelter animals! I’m planning on the best year ever for everyone here.

      Reply
  • I loved reading through your list, Bernadette – the Jar Kitty story was also in my Top 10. The posts about Cookie and Kelly made me a little sad because I feel like I knew them. And I was happy to see that Peaches and Peonies, made the list!

    Reply

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