Thursday, March 28, 2024
Daily FeaturemarketplacephotographssophieThursday

Marketplace: “Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things” Garden Flag

"Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things" garden flag.
“Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things” garden flag.

When you visit my house, Sophie keeps watch from the flower bed by the front porch, not far from where I took the photo of her in the window.

That’s kind of like how it is in my yard, especially in the spring, and that’s when I remember so many of my fine felines posing in the forget-me-nots. The photo I used on this garden flag and other products, however, is the most special of all.

This art is the only one in my set of garden flags that is not a sketch or painting, but a photograph, and a very special photograph called “Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things”, taken in 2005—May 4, 2005 to be exact.

The Garden Flag

This image is the only garden flag design I have from a dozen different flags, and I only have five of these flags left in stock. Until I figure out how to make these I won’t have any more, so make sure you get your spring garden flag so that Sophie can watch for you too. And…

A Special Discount

2 for $25.00 Gift Items

Purchase gift items in pairs for $25.00, a minimum $5.00 savings!

Use the coupon code 25FORTWOGARDENFLAGS in your shopping cart.

Please find the flag on Portraits of Animals.

I have a little gallery below of other items with Sophie’s image on them too.

"Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things" garden flag.
“Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things” garden flag.

About the photo

Sophie could use any prop to dramatic effect, and the lace curtains were her favorite. Of course, you can’t see her. But if you look closely you might see a cat’s face through the lace that might have Sophie’s big green eyes with heavy eye-liner, and her tabby babushka and outlined nose.

I took a number of other photographs the same day I took “Sophie Keeps and Eye on Things”, all with the lace curtain filled with early evening sun. I was preparing to leave the house on my bike and had my original little 2MP digital camera, and because Sophie always fussed when I was leaving she got extra attention, inside and out. Never sorry for spending that time!

In the evenings I closed my curtains before I left. Sophie always watched me leave the house and she took the opportunity to play around with the curtains—often I had to inspect the lace to see her white fur through the mesh, or she dramatically appeared from between the panels, around the edge or underneath, but she was always there with her big round eyes.

On this day, in the late afternoon, the warm spring sun angled into the window imparting a creamy tone to the lace, and the forget-me-nots I’d planted in pots in the windowbox were in full flower. Before I left I closed the curtains because I’d be gone after dark, and Sophie began her little game while I was still indoors, so I stopped and captured a few images of her silhouetted and peering through the curtain at me.

Then I finally went out the door and, as I always did, stopped to look back at both my front windows and the door to see which kitties were bidding me farewell, or sending me on a guilt trip, depending on their attitude. I don’t remember who was at the other window or the door, but Sophie managed to find an open spot to peer through the lace at me in several different ways. I had my bike and my hands full of things, and only my little 2MP digital with no zoom, and wished I had my Pentax film camera at least, knowing the shot would be difficult with the tiny digital. I considered stepping back in to get the film camera, but knew she’d move and I’d never see this particular shot again. So I put everything down, kicked out the kickstand on my bike, pulled the digital out of its little wallet, pointed and clicked, several times, and hoped for the best. And I got it.

I lost Sophie at the end of 2006 and hardly a day goes by that I don’t think about her. Her rescue story is also one of the funniest of all my rescue stories, so take time to read “The Housewarming Cat”. You can also read more about the day I took this photo and see other photos I took that day in Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things, Take the Photo Now.

Other items with this artwork

I have this image currently not only as a garden flag but also as a photo print in many styles and sizes, and as a greeting card which is often used as a sympathy card, even a cabochon pendant, and a feline votive. I had a tile and will make more, and also a small keepsake that could be used for a gift or storage, or for an urn to keep your kitty’s precious cremains and keepsakes. Whenever I create a new product, Sophie usually ends up on it. To see all that’s available, go to Portraits of Animals and search either “Sophie” or “Sophie Keeps an Eye on Things”.

Here’s a gallery of what I’ve made so far.

 


black cat with garden flags.
Mimi is pretty pleased with her representation.

Marketplace

Mimi looks over my sample flags, happy to see she is amply represented!

Take a look at other new merchandise and featured artwork.

Marketplace is a feature on The Creative Cat to share the latest coming out of my studio with my readers. Once a week on Thursday I feature something new in my “shop”.

Read about creating custom items

Find out more about creating custom items for your own home using the images you see here. Visit the “Ordering Custom Art” page to see samples and read bout how to order.

Find out about events and festivals where you can find me and my work.

Sign up for my e-newsletter (below), check the widget on the sidebar on my home page, or sign up to receive posts on Portraits of Animals Marketplace. I plan on plenty of events this coming summer in the Pittsburgh area.

It’s all done under the close and careful supervision of my studio cats!



Copyright

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.


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© 2022 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski

Weekly schedule of features:

Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life

Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters

Tuesday: Rescue Stories

Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork

Thursday: New Merchandise

Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy

Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats

And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!

 
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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.

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