2010 was an amazing year for me, so I thought I would use the last day of December to look back on the highlights. The fun started early on, when Fin hosted the Cat-O-Lympics. Binga and I competed in Boxing… I think we will be having a rematch one of these days.
Then there were the two BlogPaws conferences — I sent my human to both of them and she came back with a load of great stuff!
She came home from the second BlogPaws with an award for me — I won the Pettie for Best Cat blog! The prize was $500 to go to a rescue of my choosing. With the help of my readers and friends, I picked out Holly’s Place, which rescues many animals that no one else wants, including many FeLV and FIV+ cats.
My blog also won the Cat Writers Association‘s Muse Medallion for “Best Blog: Entertainment,” and my 2010 Calendar won for “Best Color Photograph: Series”.
Then there was my new book,
which came out in August! I threw a really fun book launch party online, with giveaways and prizes and a benefit for Winging Cat Rescue.
It did not take long for my book to win its first two awards: Winner in the Animal/Pets: Novelty category and Winner for Best Interior Design in the National “Best Books 2010″ Awards, sponsored by USA Book News! I am beyond honored to have won all these awards in the past year!
But I also had lots of fun! I held several contests, which I really enjoyed. Remember the FURminator contest, where you had to guess the size of Boodie’s FURminated fur pile?
Or the contest where you had to guess the combined weight of me, Binga and Boodie to win a copy of my book?
I will have to think up some more fun contests like these in 2011!
But do you know what really made the year for me? Helping save the lives of several cats who were about to be euthanized. Because I live so far away from the high-kill states and my human does not foster cats herself, sometimes we feel really helpless. Of course we donate money to many organizations and rescue groups, but there are times when action is needed even more than money. And I found that if I used the networks I had built up through Facebook and Twitter, and if my friends, fans and followers did the same, cats’ lives were saved. I will never forget Freya, who I did not think was going to make it… but she did! She went from death row in a Georgia shelter to a great home in Arkansas. Robin Olson of the Covered in Cat Hair blog, Bobbie of the Cats~Goats~Quotes blog and the great people at Feline Rescue and Rehome made the phone calls and did the ground work, but it was through your efforts at getting the word out that they had the opportunity to do so! I saw similar scenarios unfold time and time again in 2010, and I hope to have many more opportunities to be part of these life-saving efforts in 2011.
I also hope to raise awareness of the plight of homeless cats. While I am proud of my book and my blog, and I have worked hard at both of them, I think my favorite thing I did this year creatively was the 4-1/2 minute film my human and I put together for the One Day on Earth project, documenting the day in the life of cats, with a plea to help those who are homeless. I hope it inspires everyone who watches it to do something for cats in need.
See you in 2011!
What a nice recap of the last year!! 2010 was a great year for us as well – Mom is particularly happy about being able to help spread the word about kitties in need too!! (including Simon!!)
Wishing you all a bright & happy 2011!!
~Nico, Simon & JayJay 🙂
I hope 2011 will be as good as 2010 for you and your human servant ! What a nice year. Ours was not that bad either only Lisa left us after nearly 20 years, but she is more happier now where she is and she stays in our hearts of course.
Sparkle, 2010 really has been an amazing and wonderful year! Here’s to an even better 2011! Happy New Year to you!
Gosh, Miss Sparkle, we had no idea you were so decorated. We didn’t do anything special this year. Our mom joined the advisory board of the local no-kill shelter, and she has ideas for bringing them more local attention (the current officers are mostly older and don’t know much about modern networking), but she hasn’t actually done anything yet. We hope your 2011 is just as successful but with less hard work!!
Your proud Oklahoma friends, Fuzzy and Zoe
It’s been a big year in the House of Sparkle! You deserve all the acclaim for all your hard work! We are proud to be your friends and fans.
May your new year be filled with joy, health, and riches beyond your imagination!
Purrs and Hugs,
Fin and Mom
Sparkle, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: YOU ROCK! We knew you had accomplished a lot in 2010, but not That much! We think 2011 is gonna bring more great things.
Happy New Year!
Here’s to a healthy and happy 2011, for you, your family, and the homeless kitties you’ll help.
Yr pals, The Katnip Lounge Kitties
And you even had a rescued kitty named after you. 🙂
Happy 2011.
What a totally Pawesome year for you, sparkle and all the great things you did to help all the other kitties that need homes. sending purrs & scritches for a Happy New Year and more homes for the homeless kitties as well. Even as a mouse, I know how hard & cold it is to have a proper home.
What a great year and what we liked best was the last video…..Happy New Year Sparkle!
You have had a very full and exciting year Sparkle.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Wow! You’ve had an eventful year. I’m glad to say that I remember just about all of these events. I hope you New Year is even better.
Sparkle, that was a beautiful video. Do you mind if I share it on my blog? I wish we could have more cats but we can’t. Happy, healthy, prosperous New Year.
Sparkle, you have packed a ton into the last year. May 2011 be a wonderful year for you, your fur-sibs and your humans.
You had a wonderful year Sparkle and it is so wonderful what you do to help kitties in need! You and your human are an inspiration and you make us want to do our part in helping kitties too. We wish you, Binga, Boodie and your human all the best for 2011!
Sparkle
It has only been recently that we have joined so many others who visit you daily. We did not realize how much you have accomplished over the course of 2010. WE would like to think that 2011 will even be better! We just finished watching your videos and Mom sat and cried at A Cat Day On Earth. Mom and Dad help out with one local feral rescue. It is very successful and they (Lucky Cat Rescue) is able to adopt out around 30 cats per month. None of the cats in the program will ever be out of it, they stay in until they are adopted. We are always so happy to see a long time resident leave us for a forever home. Cute kittens are so much easier to adopt out, than older cats. But we still have good fortunes and all the kitties do get adopted. The founder does go around to all the kill shelters and pulls out cats that are on their last day. I don’t know how she does it, but as she tells us, it saves at least that one. It’s hard, so hard. All of those loving kitties and no forever homes. We hope for better. We believe in better and when you know better you do better.
May you new year be filled with better.
purrin
xoxox
I’m so so happy with you , Sparkle !
2010 is Brilliant for you !!!!!!! 2011 I hope it will be more Brilliant for you !!!!
HAPPY NEW CAT YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY !!!
and I hope more cats around the world will be adopted in this 2011
xxxxxx
Puddy
PS : I just know Binga was a rescued breed, We have a a special page in our blog call ” We Support Rescued Breed ” and I link your blog in this page and hope you don’t mind : )
Everyday Mr Puddy: We Support Rescued Breed
Binga came from the Lacy St. Animal Control in Los Angeles, and Boodie was actually rescued by the Amanda Foundation — she and her sister were put in a box and abandoned in the parking lot of a vet clinic. So they are both rescue kitties.
Happy New Year!!!!!!
Sparkle, You had SUCH a busy year! I feel like a kitty-slacker now. But, I DID convince the Human to let me start my blog and believe me that was no easy task. She’s been a slow learner–maybe next year we can jazz it up a little.
Happy New Year, Sparkle & Family (feline & human, too!)
Sparkle – Yous Rocks! Yous deserves all those awards and toys!
Me wishes for you that the New Year brings joy, warmth, good tidings and all that is beautiful! Oh yes, and lots of kitty treats!!
Penelope The Cat From Hell (and the brat Kozmo)
Concrats on a year well done Sparkle and, may next year be even better!! Cheers!! : raises Niptini and Cheerses : Happy Mew Year every kitty!!!!
Yow! Sparkle, you’ve had a great year! Here’s to even better things to come in 2011!
Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, and Hollie
It was indeed a good year for you Sparkle! Have an even better one next year!
What a wonderful, positive year you guys have had, both for yourselves and others!…We are very grateful for your friendship this past year, precious friends…We wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year filled with love and joy…xoxo…J, Calle, Halle, Sukki
You’ve had a great year Sparkle, I hope 2011 holds even more success 🙂 Happy New Year!
Definitely a year to remember, Sparkle! We wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2011! 🙂
Wow, what a year! I wish you continued success in 2011! <3 Happy New Year to you and your family! <3
You have been very busy Sparkle – mum is crying again over your video she hates the thought of shelters that don’t have a no kill policy.
We wish you a Happy New Year.
Luv Hannah & Lucy xx xx
It has been a great year for you, Sparkle! We wish you continued success in 2011! We love that video you made. We really would like for it to be seen by everybuddy in the world!!
That was indeed a special year for a special Sparkle. Happy New Year to you and your Mom from all of us!!!
Wow! You have had a very busy and successful year. Hpw can you top it? I bet you will find way, you are such a talented cat. Happy New Year and many more successs!
You had a pawsome year, Sparkle! We hope 2011 is even better. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Sparkle, you did have a super year. Hope you can top it in 2011. We definitely think the very best thing you did was make that video about a day in the life of the cat. That video needs to be shown over and over. Anyway, you sure did well in 2010 and we are very proud of our cat friend. Happy New Year.
It was a big year indeed Sparkle. Happy new year to all of you!
There have been a lot of wonderful and worthy happenings in 2010. We wish you a very happy New Year and hope 2011 brings an abundance of laughter, good health, joy and success!
Wow, Sparkle, you’ve had an amazing year! Here’s to 2011 – Happy New Year to you, your feline buddies, and of course, your human too!
Hugs
Legend, Tsunami, and The Paper Princess 🙂
It has been a busy year for you. Happy New Year!