Great Rescues Day Book

Many of you may be familiar with the Great Rescues Calendar and Gift Book—this is the follow-up to that book. I had wanted to introduce the Great Rescues concept with a product that everyone uses, a desk calendar.

But by nature calendars are dated and the product I had in mind was a more timeless day book for tracking events and anniversaries and birthdays and other annual reminders and happenings, and for taking notes and organizing information to be kept over a long period of time. This way, the art and stories can stay with you for as long as you use your day book—I’ve used my current one for over 20 years—and I don’t have to wait another full year to publish the next calendar.

Because I had a limited number of 2011-2012 calendars printed I am publishing my first Great Rescues Day Book with those same 16 portraits and stories so that others can still enjoy them, and I can continue work on the next one without worrying about a strict publication date because of the calendar in it.

The left-hand page of each spread features the portrait and rescue story, and each month still has its theme reminder, but in place of the calendar is a page of lines with numbers so you can write in a birthday or annual event on the line for that date and not be concerned about the day of the week.

Sample day book page.

These day books also come in handy for keeping track of your pets’ birth/adoption and health records.

Most people keep track of contact information digitally, but I have included a few pages for address and phone information.

And behind that is a section of the “22 Cats” notebook paper for your notes to yourself or to others. These books are also printed on a matte-finish stock through the entire book for greater ease in writing note with markers and gel pens, and even with pencils. In addition, because I hope you’ll use this constantly for years to come I’ve given up the die-cut cover for now and created a solid cover on heavy-weight matte-finish cover stock.

Sample page of 22 Cats notebook paper.

Great Rescues Calendar and Gift Book

Join me for a book signing for Great Rescues Calendar and Gift Book at the FosterCat annual spaghetti dinner on September 10! I’ll be there with my special pen to inscribe a dedication to your favorite rescue kitty—or kitties, no matter how many.

It’s also time to think about “back-to-school” gifts, and not to early to think of holiday gifts for the end of the year. I’ll donate 10% of all my sales that day to FosterCat, so you can increase your donation if you attend the dinner and buy a book!

I’ll be donating a few things to the Chinese auction—one copy of Great Rescues Calendar and Gift Book which I’ll be happy to inscribe for the winner, a framed print of one of Peaches and Peonies, and perhaps set of crocheted pawprints or a basket of notecards as well.

The Carnegie Arts & Heritage Festival is that weekend, but I will be at the dinner for the signing and with merchandise for sale.

I hope to see you there!

Click this image, print it out and post it!

The dinner is on Saturday, September 10, 2011 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Wallace Memorial Presbyterian Church in Green Tree.

The menu includes spaghetti with a choice of either meat or meatless sauce, salad, rolls, beverage and dessert. Takeout orders will be available.

Helping to raise more funds in addition to the meal prices, Chinese auction items including restaurant and other gift certificates donated by local businesses will be on display, and you can also buy tickets for the 50/50 raffle. Cat toys and other items will be offered for sale at the event.

Tickets are $9 for adults and $4 for children ages 12 and under.

Click the image of the flyer at left, print it out and post it wherever you think people may be interested in attending—vets’ offices, hair salons, your local church, local businesses and gyms in the area, groomers and at your own place of business.

FosterCat, Inc.

If you can’t attend but still want to help FosterCat and its network of 25 foster homes, you can always make a donation at their website, www.fostercat.org. Even if you don’t live near Pittsburgh, consider making a donation to this organization that both removes cats in peril from shelters and keeps them out of shelters in the first place, giving them a loving and comfortable foster home until a permanent home can be found.

FosterCat, Inc. is an all-volunteer 501c (3) organization formed in 1999 to provide for the temporary care and also permanent placement of homeless kittens and cats. Through its network of 25 foster homes, FosterCat has fostered and placed over 1,050 kittens and cats for permanent adoption. There is no paid staff but everyone volunteers their professional talents as well as foster talents, and the only expense outside of direct care for cats is the cost of advertising the organization for potential homes and for foster homes.

Peaches and Peonies, pastel © B.E. Kazmarski

They were the recipient of the online auction of the print of “Peaches and Peonies” in honor of Peaches’ 100th birthday, and I regularly feature cats they have in foster in June for Adopt-a-Cat Month.

Wallace Memorial Presbyterian Church is located at 1000 Green Tree Road, Pittsburgh.

For tickets, visit www.fostercat.org to purchase on line or call Carolyn Kozlowski at 412-531-4776.

An artist friend purchased a calendar and e-mailed her remarks today. I was so excited to hear from a fellow animal artist and author of several books! My portraiture style is very much in the fine art portraiture genre, though I do work in looser styles and different media, but I study the work of other artists all the time to inspire growth and change in my own work.

Chris Davis is one of those artists—I have one of her books, For Every Cat an Angel, which she sent after I lost my Peaches last year. I found her colorful, whimsical style so comforting for its lighthearted nature, and indeed that is the name of Chris’ publishing company, Lighthearted Press!

Here is what Chris wrote:

Bernadette, I sat down last night and read your calendar from cover to cover – it’s fabulous! Like a good book, I didn’t want it to end. Every cat lover should have one of these calendars. The stories are uplifting, and the notes and quotes you put on the calendar pages are helpful and inspiring.

I think you’ve created something very special here. Your stunning artwork jumps off each page. I enjoyed reading the additional info at the end, where you told more of each heartwarming story.

As an extra special gift, you included all those resources and important info at the back for anyone who shares their life with a cat. What a treasure! I’m delighted with this extraordinary work of art. I think all the love and care you give to your kitties was also given to this calendar…and it shows!

Congratulations, Bernadette – you’ve got a winner, here!

Cheers, Chris

www.lightheartedpress.com

And please visit Chris’ website to see her illustrated books! You’ll love them—and she’s working on a new one!

Read other reviews on my Reviews page.