How a Rescue Cat Named King Arthur Changed My Life—and Sparked My Greeting Card Journey

For more than 25 years, I’ve been deeply involved in animal rescue—especially with cats. My love of cats goes all the way back to childhood and has only grown stronger with time. At one point, my home was filled with thirteen rescue cats, many of whom had serious health issues and were considered “unadoptable.”

But one cat in particular changed everything.

Meet King Arthur

King Arthur was a five-year-old orange Maine Coon mix who was found on the streets of Staten Island, left to die. Maine Coons are typically large, fluffy cats—often 20 pounds or more—but Arthur weighed just seven pounds when he came to me. He was diabetic, fragile, and had been given only six months to a year to live.

Because of his medical needs, no one wanted to adopt him. Daily insulin shots, special food, constant vet visits—it was too much for most people.

But not for me.

Arthur became part of my family instantly. He was gentle, loving, and had the sweetest spirit. I happily took on the responsibility of his care, and to everyone’s surprise, Arthur didn’t just survive… he thrived. He stayed with me for ten beautiful years.

The Crisis That Changed Everything

About five years into his life with me, Arthur developed a severe eye infection caused by his diabetes. The only way to save him was surgery to remove the eye—but the cost was over $1,000, and I simply didn’t have it.

Euthanasia was not an option.

So I asked myself a question that changed my life:

How can I use my art to save him?

Turning Art Into Hope

At the time, I had been drawing portraits of many of our rescue cats. That’s when the idea came to me—I could turn those portraits into greeting cards and sell them to raise the funds.

Using Photoshop Elements, I prepared the artwork and designed the layouts. I bought blank cards and envelopes from my local art store and printed small batches on my Epson printer. Of course, King Arthur was the star of the first collection.

Within just a few weeks, I had raised enough money to pay for his surgery.

And it worked.

Arthur had his operation, healed beautifully, and went on to live many more happy years.

But something else happened too…

I discovered the incredible power of turning artwork into greeting cards.

Why Greeting Cards Are So Powerful

That small fundraiser showed me something magical:
You don’t have to be a big company or a professional printer to create beautiful, meaningful cards.

With the right tools, you can:

• Turn your artwork into something people can hold, send, and treasure
• Print exactly what you need
• Create income, connection, and impact from your art

That one rescue cat launched an entire new way for me to share my work with the world.

And now I want to show you how to do it too.

Join Me: Greeting Card Workshop (Online)

In my Online Greeting Card Workshop, I’ll show you exactly how to take your artwork and turn it into professional-looking greeting cards using Canva. Whether you want to make cards for friends and family, build a small card collection, or explore a new way to share your art, this class will give you the tools and confidence to do it.
Date: Saturday February 7, 2026
Time: 1:30- 4:30 PM (ET)
Skill Level: Beginners to Intermediate
Live on Zoom – Recording Provided

You’ll learn how to:

• Design beautiful cards in Canva
• Format your art for printing
• Create one design and turn it into multiple cards
• Print at home or use professional printers

 No design experience needed
Perfect for artists, illustrators, and creatives

 Join the Greeting Card Workshop here

Let’s turn your art into something meaningful you can share—just like I did for King Arthur. 💛