Featured Daily Sketches: Mimi Among the Geraniums 1 and 2, March 2012

March 27, 2026 Bernadette

From 2012:

Mimi Among the Geraniums 1

(On the left) Mimi enjoys a sunbath on the windowsill on the landing, which gets full morning sun. It’s only 18″ wide and 8″ deep, not really big enough for too many cats at one time, so it’s a prized spot, warm and cozy, with a great view. And when the window is open the breeze is wonderful and brings in lots of sounds and scents for kitties to dream about.

Of course there is quite a bit of reflected light on Mimi’s black fur, which we know is not entirely black but quite brown. I had intended to sketch her in black for a contrast of her with the green leaves, but then I saw the colors and all was lost.

I hope she does this again when I have the time to sketch her—I’d like to try it in other media, brush markers and watercolor pencils.

. . . . . . .

Mimi Among the Geraniums 2

(On the right) Well, the last time I sketched this in colored pencil I was hoping I’d have the chance to capture it in brush marker, so today I did.

The markers don’t blend as well as colored pencil, but Mimi enjoys her sunbath in a slightly more abstract way because it’s just her and the leaves. This morning was too cold to have the window open, but that made the little windowsill like a greenhouse, trapping the sun’s warmth in the corner with her.

I like both sketches. There are elements of both mix of tones in the colored pencil and in the brushy bright solids of the brush markers. Soon those geraniums will go outside for the summer and the chance will be gone, but we’ll see what else I can do before then.

In 2026: In a post from a later year included with the first sketch I added,”I did catch her in marker a few days later. Funny to see I had the window open on this day when today it was snowing!

I’ve done other sketches of Mimi and other cats on that windowsill but none with geraniums, though a few photos. I used the first version as a garden flag the first time I printed in 2012 but the white background turns a little gray over time. But I’ll always remember cats on that windowsill and how the light was so inspiring. And how Mimi loved it because it fit her purrfectly!

Daily Sketches 2011 to 2015

I think I accomplished what I'd set out to do three years ago today, a challenge to me and entertainment and enjoyment for you: to create a quick sketch of my cats each day as a way to practice and experiment, and present the sketch on that day with no editing, no waiting, no excuses, just to do the sketch and share it.

Read more about the reason for the daily sketches in Daily Sketches: the Idea, Most Popular, Awards.

Click here to see other daily sketches.

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"Feline Style Sampler" book of sketches and portraits.

A collection of 34 images of feline artwork

**The award-winning* Feline Style Sampler**

Now in its third printing since 2013! Daily sketches, illustrations, commissioned portraits all in a small coil-bound gift book. Click here or on the image to read more or find this book on Portraits of Animals.

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*Certificate of Excellence, Cat Writers' Association 2014 Communications Contest

Gifts Featuring Cats You Know!

Find Daily Sketches on Handmade Items

These two sketches will be featured on a few new gift items I’m making!

In the meantime here’s another daily sketch of Mimi with geraniums on several gift items.

Garden Sketch With Mimi Daily Sketches Gift Bag

Find the Garden Flag, Tile or Gift Bag in my gallery of handmade gifts on Portraits of Animals.

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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals 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.