Catnip Chronicles

Thoughts, stories & adventures from behind the artwork

Welcome to Catnip Chronicles — a peek behind the scenes at Dogrose & Catnip, where I share the realities of being a pet portrait artist, my creative process, wildlife and original artwork, and the occasional thought that doesn't quite fit anywhere else.

There'll be artwork, experiments, lessons learned, dogs, cats, creativity and probably the odd rant along the way. 😄

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Positive, Negative... or Just Realistic?

My husband thinks I can be negative sometimes. Not all the time, I hasten to add, but often enough for the comment to pop up every now and again. If he sees the proverbial glass as half full, he sometimes thinks I'm concentrating on the empty half. I, on the other hand, would probably point out that we'd better put the glass somewhere safe before someone knocks it over! Mug half empty The funny thing is, I don't actually see myself as a negative person at all. I don't wake up

lyndajruggart

Jul 285 min read

Unlocking Creativity, Clarity and Focus in my Pet Portrait Art: The Benefits of Daily Journals and Planners

If you’ve ever felt like your mind is constantly “on”—looping thoughts, overthinking conversations, juggling ideas at 2 am—then you’ll understand why journaling quietly became one of the most grounding habits in my life. For me, it didn’t start as anything fancy or structured. It started with a traveller size fun notebook… and a need to get everything out of my head. Where It All Began My very first journal was a green leather traveller notebook —simple, compact, and someth

lyndajruggart

Apr 144 min read

The Joy of Walking Dogs in All Weather and Its Impact on Our Wellbeing

If we were sat having a coffee, I’d probably laugh and say my week is a bit of a patchwork. Monday to Friday I’m out walking dogs, whatever the weather decides to do, and at weekends I work in a garden centre. Somewhere in between all that, I’m also a pet portrait artist. It sounds busy, but honestly, all of it fits together in a way that feels very natural to me. Being outdoors is the common thread. Whether I’m walking dogs through muddy fields, chatting to customers among t

lyndajruggart

Feb 104 min read

Dogrose and Catnip

Hand-drawn Pet Portraits & Original Animal Artwork

Beautiful, character-filled portraits of the pets you love, individually created from your photographs by Wiltshire artist Lynda J Rugg.

Catnip Chronicles

Thoughts, stories & adventures from behind the artwork

Stay in touch

Positive, Negative... or Just Realistic?

Unlocking Creativity, Clarity and Focus in my Pet Portrait Art: The Benefits of Daily Journals and Planners

The Joy of Walking Dogs in All Weather and Its Impact on Our Wellbeing

Keep in Touch