Cat Addams: Meaningless Musings

Baxter The Dust Bunny

2011-06-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

...over the past few months my illustration station has been riddled with concepts of insane design and stories of oddities...

..i have narrowed down my projects to a handsome few..

..while i still slave away on poems of dear and departed magicians, i have adopted two new projects..one is illustrations for a book of macabre children's poems and the other is of my own nonsensical musings...it's about a Dust Bunny and revenge...

somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

.. disappointment..

2011-05-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

‎..i was greatly excited by the sound of the ice cream truck...my reaction is like that of a hunting dog on alert,...i jumped up and down to see over shrubs and vehicles to catch a glimpse of the elusive neighbourhood ice cream truck..then, much to my dismay i witnessed several small children running up to a black Jeep Cherokee with a speaker attached to the roof, selling bomb pops and drumsticks from the rear hatch...

morosely yours,
Cat Addams

..#2..

2011-05-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

..bit by bit the book is coming together, Dead Magician #2 now has a story and a rough illustration..
..meet Pierre Lapin....roughly translated from french to english- Peter Rabbit..not an intentional joke..but it is quite humorous, when thinking that his death is by bunny attack...

morosely yours,

Cat Addams

..Bear Circus of Twilight...

2011-04-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

..now available for any who dare, a tale of tales about tall freak bears..

..a realm not too unlike our own, is a place these bears call their home..

..a circus tent, alone in the trees, what happens inside you'll have to wait and see..

somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

Barnes And Noble

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Bear-Circus-of-Twilight/F-Thomas-Vincent/e/9780615437217/?itm=1&USRI=bear+circus+of+twilight

Amazon Marketplace

http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Circus-Twilight-Thomas-Vincent/dp/0615437214/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302210964&sr=8-1

..almost...

2011-03-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

..done...soon it will be 1 down..9 to go....

..but for now, i'm off to have a cookie..

morosely yours,

Cat Addams

...pencil sketching..

2011-03-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

...dead inept magician #1...

morosely yours,

Cat Addams

..say "hello" to my little friend..

2011-03-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

...every now and then my hands become weary of the pen and paper, and pester me to pull out the fabric and needle....not one to deny my hands of such activities, i do so...but only if we have decided upon a worthy project...and after close inspection of my workspace, i came across an alarming discovery... i am lacking in the monster department...not a single one hiding under my desk, sneaking through the files or making a home of my bookshelf....well that just isn't acceptable..how i've gone so long with out a monster..i'll never know..
...after donning my "mad scientist" cap and setting my hands to work with some pattern paper...i have created Yurik...he likes to arrange and rearrange the books on the shelf and is rarely heard...working in silence like that of a librarian...Yurik is a delight with his wealth of knowledge and keen sense of stylizing with accessories..

morosely yours,
Cat Addams

...lemon cookie

2011-02-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

...i believe that the lemon cookie is long over due for that credit in which it deserves...

somewhat gloomily yours,
Cat Addams

..Pirates?...

2011-02-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

....Somali Pirates = worst pirates ever...they don't even dress with a bit of pizazz...i mean a little eye patch here, a wooden leg and stripped shirt there...goes a long way...
‎...not to mention their "ships"....it's an inflatable motor boat...*sigh*...no style at all...

morosely yours,
Cat Addams

...new projects

2011-02-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

...the past few months have been riddled with freak bears from another realm that put on a circus in the middle of a dense forest.... and now that i have shipped off the twenty-some illustrations to the publisher, i can relax and focus on a few of my own projects..all of which have one thing in common- MAGIC.
...i am a fanatic of anything involving magic, illusions and escapes....being an amateur magician, i thought it was only proper for me to start a small book of comical magic poems...with a portion of the writing finished, i have found myself struggling to finish the rest...unsure if it is the fear of not knowing what to do when it is finished, or if my brain has actually shut down..i decided to start doodling and creating magic show posters to get my brain back on the right path...

morosely yours,
Cat Addams

Relatively Insane....Pt. II

2010-10-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a few days since I have finished my Poe portrait, and all of the anxiety, and suppressed curiosity still reside in my brain. However the pumpkin cookies have disappeared.

The curiosity isn't terribly bad, but it did kill the cat, so my fears are rational.

I keep thinking that my art will release the madness that has struck me since we came to the studio,but instead, it adds to it.

What shall I do with these demons? Probably just throw a party and eat cake until we fall over.

Morosely yours,

Cat Addams

Relatively Insane

2010-10-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

I have been spending the last few weeks in the confines of our studio. Suppressed curiosity and an appetite for pumpkin cookies have me at my wits end.
I am starting to feel like a character out of a Poe story.
Upon that realization, I started scribbling his image on paper like a lunatic.
Now it is turning into an actual project of mine.
I downloaded a few images of the Gothic writer off of the inter-webs. His face is quite interesting, from his crooked nose to his abnormally large forehead. A caricature artist's dream. However I am not a caricature artist and I found it to be quite difficult, yet I forge on with this illustration that will more than likely be appreciated by only myself and handful of bedlam residents.

Morosely yours,
Cat Addams

2010-03-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

....just an oddity from the mind of a lunatic...

somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

.....

2010-03-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

..working on a series of illustrations for my storybook about an interesting affair of the imagination...

somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

...I caved....

2010-03-07T00:21:00.000-08:00

..and bought the Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch.

I told myself I wasn't going to do it....but there I was at the Apple Store in Portland....surrounded by technical goodness and the name Wacom staring me in the face. After some deliberation, I realized it would be better for me if I had the stylus instead of a mouse during those evenings with Photoshop.

The tablet accompanied me for nearly 3 hours tonight.

I placed one of my old cartoons into Photoshop and started filling in some color.

Somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

My Review of Travel Wallet

2010-03-04T12:38:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at Timbuk2

Big ol' wallet for when you need to travel heavy.

Best.Wallet.Ever.

By CatAddams from Oregon on 3/4/2010

Pros: Stylish, High Quality, Slim, Durable, Lots of Pockets

Best Uses: Everyday Use, Travel

Describe Yourself: Casual Dresser

I bought this wallet to use everyday, I have to be organized all the time, and this helps me do that. Perfect for people who want to carry their checkbook along side their credit cards and spare change. It also looks stylish when I carry it alone...almost like a clutch for girls who don't need to be bedazzled. Love it.

(legalese)

Jolly Roger

2010-02-19T05:59:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a crazy idea for the past 3 weeks. My crazy idea stars my lovely little LuLu character on a voyage across the seven seas.
Loads of concept drawings and tons of scribbled gags are spilling over the sides of my drafting table.
Just thought I would share two of my ideas for LuLu's jolly roger....not sure which would be better for a 6 year old who travels with a black widow spider.

Somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

back again...

2010-01-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

...so i haven't checked in in awhile...but i have been doodling, sketching and creating like a mad woman...
...recently i have fallen in love with maps. maps of all sorts, old, new, town, state, country and world maps....i've always had fun with maps, i am one hell of a navigator.... :)

...below is just a quick doodle of a pirate treasure map that i did for fun over the weekend... i really want to start working on a very detailed map of either France or Tahiti...stay tuned...it will happen....

somewhat gloomily yours,
Cat Addams

Ramblings..

2010-01-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

I did finally get around to finishing that cartoon yesterday, but not without a struggle.

Today is going to be devoted to redrawing some of my best gag ideas, that didn't turn out so well on paper. And there are several of those, but I have chosen one in particular to start off with.

I also plan on hitting the streets with my camera to find some reference photos. You can never have too many.

Trying to start this new year off right, keep myself busy and motivated.

Also my website is almost ready to launch. After hours and hours of grueling work from The Editor, who I believe is at his wits end. Even for a computer geek, he is ready to pull his hair out over those insane codes.

a push and a shove

2009-12-31T10:10:00.000-08:00

Procrastination seems to be winning today. My current cartoon lies on my desk quasi-finished.

I fear putting ink on it. I keep finding other things to do instead of inking. Such as rummage through drawers, re-stack papers and tackling the mountain of dishes in the sink. I even watched "The View".....now that's bad.

I need help.

So a push and a shove is what I need. Push me into my chair, shove that pen into my hand. Because at this rate, I'm not going to be doing it myself.

Resolutions...

2009-12-30T07:47:00.000-08:00

As the new year approaches, I get to sit cozy in our little apartment working on illustrations and cartoons.

Sipping on tea and the occasional glass of rum, nibbling on chocolates and playing records, I have drawn up a very small list of New Year's Resolutions.

1. Send out cartoons to at least one publication every week.

2. Follow my Wii workout regimen.

3. Take up archery.

Nothing much, but enough to keep me on my toes.

I have, in fact, started the first 2 resolutions on the list. The early bird gets the worm, preferably gummy worms, but I am not going to be picky.

..a day to feast...

2009-11-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

In honor of this day of turkey corpse feasts, I would like to leave you with delightful little recipe from a cookbook that is very dear to my heart.

For those with small budgets the "Chas Addams Half-Baked Cookbook" gives us Stewed Pigeons.

Carefully pluck 1/2 dozen pigeons, rinse them, wipe them with a wet towel and cut off their little heads and feet: in draining their small bodies, take care not to break the delicate entrails; save the heart, liver and gizzards. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, let it get smoking hot and then put in the pigeons and brown them: dust them over with one tablespoon of flour, then cover with boiling water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until nice and tender. Meantime, gather enough peas to fill a pint measure. When pigeons are tender put the peas in the pan and cook until peas are tender. Serve in deep dish on bed of peas.

Somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

...taking notes....

2009-11-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

Recently I have taken to carrying a small notebook where ever my travels take me. May it be the lab, an aquarium or maybe just the local tea house, I have my little black notebook by my side. Humorous things happen everyday and being a cartoonist, I need to keep tabs on all of these events and mental notes just aren't what they used to be.

It's amazing how many ideas can flood one's head when out of reach of paints, ink and paper.

Seems like a simple solution really, but it has taken me years to actually become disciplined enough to do it. It's funny what motivates us.

Somewhat gloomily yours,

Cat Addams

83 years and counting...

2009-10-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

Strangely enough, today I found myself in a delightfully claustrophobic store. A store filled with great little oddities. Anything from fake pet vomit to bacon band-aids.
Upon my inspection of a "growing brain", my little eye spied the treasure of all treasures. A Houdini action figure. If you know me, you know how I admire Mr. Houdini. For just $10.99 he was mine. I am touched to find that I stumbled upon this great discovery on none other than Harry Houdini's very own death day. 83 years ago today, Mr. Houdini passed away in Detroit, Michigan. How we miss him so.

Somewhat gloomily yours,
Cat Addams

One Year

2009-10-31T18:08:00.001-07:00

*sigh*

October 31st...All Hallow's Eve....

Not only is it the greatest holiday to grace the face of this earth, and Houdini's death day..but it's also my anniversary. One year. Seems like only yesterday that Editor Addams and I were saying our vows in a dark little chapel. Delightful.

I believe we will be spending our evening surrounded by jack-o-lanterns and a bottle of pumpkin juice, while we watch classic horror flicks.

Abracadabra and a Bunch of Hocus Pocus

2009-10-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ever since my youth I have had an interest in magic...rarely spoken, but indeed there. Feelings have been a bit repressed lately, until reading a post by Mr. Gris Grimly in which he explains that his Cabaret Macabre is to be held at the Magic Castle in Hollywood on the 31st of October.
"Magic Castle" I thought....How I have wanted to go in to that establishment for so long, sitting high upon the hilltop above the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Knowing that you may only enter the Magic Castle if you are invited by a member or have purchased tickets to a soiree, I had to devise a plan to get in with out breaking my bank account or stalking Neil Patrick Harris.

I have set 2 plans into motion...1- Learn as many magic tricks as possible and audition in front of the board of directors..2-The Magic Castle inducts honorary members such as authors and historians (and I have been working on a delightfully dreadful tale of 10 Dead Magicians), so if my poor attempt at an audition fails...I have something to fall back on.. But I do believe that my comedy magic act of "The Worst Magician" may do the trick (no pun intended).
So I am off to levitate playing cards and stick pencils into dollar bills.

Somewhat gloomily yours....
Cat Addams

Get your dynamite caps!!!

2009-09-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Because it's Chas Addams 21st Death Day!

Being the kooky ol' cat that he was he would love it if we all celebrated with a cup of hen bane tea and entrails.

The General

2009-09-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Turns out the one and only Buster Keaton filmed a little movie called "The General" here in Oregon back in 1926.
The town of Cottage Grove was the film location.
The hubby and I took a nice little stroll through the downtown district. There wasn't much left to show of the great events from the past except for this fantastic mural of my Buster. You can see little ol' me near Buster's left hand...
Besides our somewhat fruitless search for Buster artifacts, we each got a fun old hat from the antique store.
We will be returning to Cottage Grove when the rest of the Damfino's from the International Buster Keaton Society show up in a year or two to take a tour of the film locations that are a bit remote.

The Great Stone Face

2009-09-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

Just spent a large part of my day enjoying Buster Keaton films. A truly talented actor.
I believe that his slapstick comedy tops that of the 3 Stooges and Chaplin.
With his deadpan expression and vaudeville background he stole my heart.

As with most days, I did learn a very important lesson- Never let Buster Keaton build you a house in one week....it could be disastrous...

The Suite Life...

2009-09-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Sitting here in our little Victorian suite and enjoying the sounds of seagulls from the port below.
Life is good here in Port Townsend, WA.
Life is good at the Palace Hotel. A hotel with a very rich and colorful past.
Built in 1889 by a sea-faring captain, it quickly turned from a saloon and billiard parlor to a delightful little brothel. The brothel served the community for over 8 years until a grumpy sheriff stormed in and raided the place. The madame and her girls had to leave town. But the building was soon restored to a clean an orderly Victorian hotel. A 3 story hotel with suites and single rooms. Each room is named after one of the most noted girls from the brothel.
We are staying in "Simone's Room". A nice suite on the 3rd and top most floor, with a small full service kitchen and bathroom. (We do not have to share a bathroom like the peasants on the 2nd floor)
I personally can not wait until the wee morning hours.....I am hoping to see the rocking chair in the corner to be moving back in forth....I am hoping Simone comes by to visit....wouldn't that be a hoot. There is no "proof" that the hotel is haunted....but I can dream.

Just a dog-eared page...

2009-09-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

Once again the curse of Cat Addams strikes a band down. *sigh*
I have recently rediscovered my love of The Matches....only to find that they have parted ways.
In my deep sadness, all I can do is leave you with one of my favourtie lyrics from my dear and departed Matches.

If I'm the sum of all my friends,
then all my friends are some of me
and if you're some way just like them
then I am you to some degree.

Boiled Salad of Fiddleheads...

2009-09-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

Newly Sprouted Ferns
Pick a mess of 20 fiddleheads and keep them moist until a half of an hour before you dine. Scrape off the prickly hairs with a dull knife. Unroll the coils if you can, but try not to break them, as they must be cleaned. Chop off the coarse bottoms. Boil them for 30 minutes in heavily salted water.

Not particularly appetizing....

Meaningless Musings....

2009-09-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

As I drag my heals through this technologically advanced world I find myself stopping here at the gates of the blogging realm....Once again the puppet of the world wide web....
*sigh*
But on a lighter note- I found a few quarters in the pocket of my jacket. Watch out Jolt Cola...here I come.

Cat Addams: Meaningless Musings

Baxter The Dust Bunny

.. disappointment..

..#2..

..Bear Circus of Twilight...

..almost...

...pencil sketching..

..say "hello" to my little friend..

...lemon cookie

..Pirates?...

...new projects

Relatively Insane....Pt. II

Relatively Insane

.....

...I caved....

My Review of Travel Wallet

Jolly Roger

back again...

Ramblings..

*a push and a shove*

Resolutions...

..a day to feast...

...taking notes....

83 years and counting...

One Year

Abracadabra and a Bunch of Hocus Pocus

Get your dynamite caps!!!

The General

The Great Stone Face

The Suite Life...

Just a dog-eared page...

Boiled Salad of Fiddleheads...

Meaningless Musings....

a push and a shove