DebiCady

Description: Mishipeshu is the water panther of Native American mythology & Michigan legend. He lives in an island in Lake Superior, where he protects the sacred copper. He causes storms, whirlpools, rapids and waves on the lake. He is said to look like a huge wildcat with copper scales, deer antlers, and spikes along his back. Although a dangerous creature, he is also capable of bringing protection and healing, depending on his mood and how you treat him.

Description: My interpretation of The Star, the 17th Major Arcana Card in the Tarot. It represents hope, inspiration, insight, courage, spiritual enlightenment, and deep healing, particularly following a period of difficulty. Some symbols I have incorporated include bleeding heart (finding beauty in pain, inspiration, healing), primrose (healing grief and heartache, hope amidst despair), firefly (inspiration, light in the darkness, joy, hope), moth (transformation), birch tree (rebirth, new beginnings, growth).

Description: Daisy is inspired by a sweet marionette. She dances in her garden, surrounded by her friends.

Description: Miss Great Gray Owl and Miss Eurasian Eagle Owl welcome Miss Snowy Owl to her winter home in the their forest with a tea party. Little do they know, the mice are having a tea party too, right under their beaks!

Description: The Mistress Of Copper Mountain is a popular Russian fairytale figure who controls the rich mineral deposits of the Ural Mountains. She wears a malachite dress and has lizard servants (sometimes appears as a lizard herself!). She has rooms of different stones - here she is pictured with her garden of copper flowers, bees of gold, and walls of lapis lazuli.

Description: Sunface Kachina, known as Tawa in Hopi, represents the warmth of the sun, shelter for the elderly, and a bright future & playfulness for the young. The sun is also essential for crop growth. The pattern around the border was inspired by Hopi pottery designs.

Description: The dragon and phoenix are important supernatural creatures in Chinese mythology, symbolizing yang and yin, man and woman, emperor and empress, etc... They are very auspicious symbols of success, harmony and happiness, particularly in marriage.

Description: My interpretation of the icon of Jesus, also known as Christ the Pantocrator or Christ in Majesty. It depicts Jesus holding the Gospels with his hand raised in blessing.

Description: A whimsical nutcracker decorated with holly leaves and berries for Christmas.

Description: Saint Kevin is a 6th century saint and hermit who is said to have lived to be 120 years old. There are many wonderful legends about his interactions with animals, including a blackbird, wild boar, otter, and even a lake monster! His feast day is June 3rd.

Description: Scenes from the Russian fairytale “Frog Tsarevna” are whimsically portrayed in this watercolor illustration.

Description: Bastet is the Ancient Egyptian goddess of cats, women’s secrets, the home, domesticity, childbirth, fertility, perfumes & ointments, and music. She protected the home from evil spirits and disease, particularly diseases associated with women and children. She is a solar deity, and appears here with her related symbols: the Eye of Ra, the ankh, and the sistrum, as well as a cartouche bearing her name. The other motifs used in this illustration are inspired by those seen in Ancient Egyptian tomb and papyrus paintings.

Description: Maria in the Forest, also known as “Maria im Walde” or “Holy Mary of the Forest”, refers to a little known apparition of the Virgin Mary. On June 17, 18 & 19, 1849, she appeared as the Immaculate Conception to three young shepherdesses in a wooded area near Dolina, Grafenstein, Carinthia, Austria. This apparition in celebrated on June 17.

Description: Two whimsical forest spirits, surrounded by their friends - trees, mushrooms, moss, owl, squirrel and flowers. They are very happy, loving spirits, but they are very protective of their forest too. However, if you are kind and loving to the forest and the creatures who dwell there, the forest spirits will be loving and helpful to you too.

Description: A cute little kitty dressed as Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden from Russian fairytales, surrounded by sparkling snowflakes.

Description: Baba Yaga, the witch from Russian and Slavic folklore, brews a potion one night in the middle of her enchanted forest. She is accompanied by her cat and dachshund, and her hut on chicken legs, and is watched by all the creatures in her forest in this whimsical illustration.

Description: Saint Melangell was an Irish princess who fled to Wales to live as a hermit and keep her vow of celibacy. She founded a community for women there, and was abbess for 37 years. She and her sisters offered physical and spiritual healing to the community, which is why I have bordered this illustration with medicinal herbs that were in use in Wales over 1,000 years ago: violets, agrimony, St. John’s Wort, calendula, and comfrey.She is patron saint of hares, rabbits, small animals and the natural environment. Her feast day is May 27 in England, January 31 in Wales, and May 17 for the Eastern Orthodox.

Description: A pretty witch and her dachshund familiar ride across the night sky on her broomstick. Is she up to mischief, or just enjoying the ride?

Description: My version of the Nativity of Jesus, inspired by Orthodox Christian icons.

Description: This beautiful orange meadowhawk dragonfly was hanging around my back yard one day, and was kind enough to pose for some pictures! Dragonflies are symbols of change, transformation, and joy. They are also connected to fairies and nature spirits.

Description: A house blessing inspired by the hex signs of the Pennsylvania Dutch, with dachshunds replacing the animals normally portrayed in such signs. Because a home with a dachshund is blessed, indeed!

Description: Miss Vanity loves make up, dressing up, sparkly things, and going out on the town.

Description: Mishka is a bear, a character that frequently appears in Russian fairytales and folklore. He is generally portrayed as rather kindly, good-natured, but not always particularly smart. He is shown here playing the balalaika. The border of this illustration was inspired by the Russian folk art khokhloma.

Description: I was lucky enough to see this beautiful cicada break free of his shell and start climbing up the sycamore tree in our front yard. He still had moisture on his wings, and they looked iridescent like stained glass! Cicadas have long been symbols of rebirth, longevity, reflection, change, resurrection and immortality.

Description: I found this beautiful rose growing behind the chain link fence in my neighbor's yard. You can find beauty anywhere if you take the time to look.

Description: The golden pheasant is a beautiful game bird native to forests in the mountains of western China.

Description: The American Woodcock is a small shorebird found primarily in eastern North America. They spend much of their time in the brush, where they are camouflaged and safe from predators. The population is in decline due to loss of habitat.

Description: Lel plays the flute while Snegurochka watches longingly from a distance. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: Nadyezhda listens with interest as the mice offer to help her complete her chores. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: The Golden Fur sits in the forest, rooted to the ground by her heavy golden tail. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: Vasilisa approaches Baba Yaga's hut with her doll, Baba Yaga flies in background. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: Her mother and neighbor look on as Aioga is transformed into a goose. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: The princes cast their arrows, and Prince Ivan is shocked to find that his bride-to-be is a frog. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: Prince Ivan tries to catch the firebird, but is left with only a tail feather. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: The merchant's youngest daughter warily eyes the scarlet flower. Illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".

Description: Three lovely dachshunds give a traditional Russian greeting with Bread & Salt. Cover illustration from "Dachshund Furry Tails: Russia".