Friday, October 30, 2015

Feline Better - Cat Lovers Hop Day 5








Here's another Halloween one.  This is for all of you who ever tried dressing up your cats in doll clothes when you were little.....



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The CAT LOVERS HOP is EXTENDED!!!!!

Oct. 26 - Nov 1, 2015
Happening through the weekend at Her Peaceful Garden
Last day to link up:  Now is Nov. 1
Last day to comment:  Now is Nov. 3
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http://herpeacefulgarden.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-cat-lovers-hop-is-here.html

Hi, Friends......

Wow!!!  This has been a fabulous Cat Lovers Hop week, hasn't it?  

I can't thank you all enough for the fun I've had looking at the totally wonderful and creative cards and other projects you've linked up.  I haven't made it all the way through the list yet, but I will.  Your participation has been awesome, but what I have REALLY enjoyed was how willingly you have shared the heartfelt and touching stories of your kitties!!!  I have laughed and I have cried reading about how so many of you have adopted rescues, bottle-fed tiny kittens, cared for your beloved aging pets, and shared your life with these amazing animals......our cats.  Thank you sooooooooooo much.  By the way, I will be starting a folder for our Cat Lover Hop projects on my Pinterest page.  I know I will want to browse through it in the future!

For this last day of the hop, I am showcasing another of our sponsors:  Newton's Nook!!!

Months ago....back in May, I won the set I am using today on their blog.  In my correspondence with the owner, Jennifer Jackson, I mentioned that I was thinking about having a Cat Lovers Hop sometime in the future and would she be interested in sponsoring if I ever did.  She wrote back and enthusiastically said she would love to sponsor and to let her know when I got it together.  That, folks, is how this got started!  I just had to let the idea brew for awhile....  :)

Please join me in thanking the terrific people (and the real Newton, too, of course) at Newton's Nook for sponsoring!!
Here are some links:  Newton's Nook Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

I also want to give special mention to one last company who is another of our terrific sponsors:  Art Impressions!!

I, unfortunately, do not have any of their wonderfully amusing cat stamps so I couldn't showcase them with a project.  (That's why I am soooooo jealous of whomever wins their Cat Lady tri-fold stamp!!!)  I know some of you have used their cats in this hop, though, and I really appreciate that.  I hope you all will join me in thanking them for sponsoring, too.  


Here are some links:  Art Impressions Blog and Facebook

Okay.......on to today's project........


You wouldn't believe how much trouble I had with this card!!!  My heat gun died in the middle of heat embossing this adorable image and sentiment from Newton's Sick Day.  Did you hear what I just said????  MY HEAT GUN DIED!!!  

I had just finished heat embossing the K&Co scrap that I used to piece poor Newton's blanket.......I switched off the gun and reached for the white cardstock to heat emboss it and hit the switch again to turn it on and.....nothing....zip....nada.  This was my first heat gun and so I've had it for many years.  It has given me reliable service without so much as a single grunt, grumble, or unkind word and with no warning, no zapping noise, no sparks or smoke, it died.  Waaaaaaahhhhh!!!!

What to do.....?  I know I read online somewhere recently about this happening in the middle of a project with another crafter.  I tried the hair dryer....not hot enough.  I have a propane stove, so I didn't want to try that....(Newton's fever isn't thaaaaaat high!)  

So my only option was the toaster oven!!!  Yes.  The problem is that you have to have the door all the way closed for it to heat up....and I couldn't get it hot enough to melt the powder by holding it in the prewarmed oven compartment with the door open.  So I nervously put the entire panel inside and pushed down the toaster button, standing ready with my toaster tongs and a glass of water.....just in case!!!  Ha.  I had a false start or two where I opened the door too soon, but the powder finally melted and I didn't even burn the house down!!  It's not really bonded onto the paper perfectly and I DO NOT recommend this technique, but it worked for finishing the card and that's what counts!!!  

I decided on an orange/brown striped and white Newton for this card and proceeded to watercolor.  I really like how the image turned out.  But after all that, I discovered I had stamped the sentiment on catty-whompus.  It's partly straight and partly not.  Whaaaa-aat?  I had it kind of curved up on the block, I guess. (sigh...) It's been a big week for me, peeps!  lol...  I still love how the card turned out.  And I hope you do, too.  :)

Well, that's my last cat project for the hop.  Remember that you can still join the Cat Lovers Hop by linking up a cat-themed project (by 11:55 pm Pacific Sunday, Nov. 1) and/or commenting on the linked projects (through Nov. 3).  The Guidelines/FAQ page is here and you can link up on the main page.

Thanks so much for ALL the fun and inspiration this week!  Hugs to you and your beautiful cats!!!

<3
Janis (and all my kitties!)


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
In addition to the Cat Lovers Hop
1. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #200 - Use Snippets
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Throwback (I chose the Wonderful Watercolor challenge from a few weeks ago)
3. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

22 comments:

  1. It is true...there are NO limits when it comes to crafting!! What a time for your heat tool to bite the big one!! Your card is just darling...no matter what you had to go through to finish it~~

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  2. Well now that is dedication! I don't know if I would have thought of that - plus we don't have a toaster oven! My heat tool is pretty old too! I am a huge fan of Newton's Nook so I think your card is simply adorable! What a sweet stamp! I love how you coloured Newton! He's a grey tabby when I colour him hehe! Really hoping you'll make it to 100 so I've gone into my craftroom for the first time in 3 weeks to make a card! I will get it posted to my blog tonight before the challenge ends! And I've used Newton too! Yay! I don't have Art Impressions stamps either but I saw some adorable ones on this hop! Thanks again, Janis, it has been a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing how your idea for the hop was born! I have so enjoyed looking at everyone's cards and projects - I wish there was a way to comment on Rebecca Yahrling, Karen Ladd and Shartl but they are in Flickr. If they read this, please know that I looked at all of their adorable cards! And I would like to thank them for their very kind comments on my blog!

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  3. I have used the Super cute card, love that image. before I had a heat gun I used the element on the electric stove and tried the toaster too, thenI bought a heat gun

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  4. Some days you just an't win for loosing! It is amazing how innovative and creative we are when we need to be! RIP- heat tool!

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  5. He's fabulous in spite of all your trials and tribulations! I love the color of his blankie and how you colored him and the shadow, too. The sentiment will never be notices on a galloping hors...cat! : ) In fact, it kind of follows the shape of Newton.

    Thanks again, for organizing this fun hop! You're just three shy of 100 and I'm sure someone will bring it over the top before the night is over. Wish I could, but I'm plum tuckered out... I think I look like the kitty with his head on wonky in your cute comic! I truly hope this went smoothly enough for you to consider doing it again next year!!

    Thanks again to all the sponsors, too!

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  6. Ugh, I dread the day my heat gun dies. I'm amazed you didn't start any fires. :)

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  7. Dear Janis, love your card. Love your post. My heat gun died a few months ago. Like you said, OK, then dead. I gave it to my man and he said 'it's dead'...'but I can fix it' It took a while for the part to arrive but it's good as new now. In the mean time, I used an iron. Check out this post http://craftynomad.blogspot.no/2015/08/its-emergency-get-ironing.html where I talk about it and had lots of comments from people on alternatives. We are in the country here and getting a new one was tricky. One person suggested I move house!! Didn't really understand that, till I remembered my friend next door had a heat gun, so I moved there, had a coffee and borrowed it away for a while, till mine was fixed LOL.

    I was hoping to get another post in but I had to make soup. Should have made the card!! The soup ain't so special!!!! Thanks for organising this. Maybe you should make it 9 days next time, one for every life. Of course you are!! Doing it again I mean.. It's been a real blash. Hugz

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  8. Hello!
    Yes it was fabulous cat week!
    I enjoyed!
    Thank you for making this cat blog hop!
    So nice that Newton nook was sponsoring this hop.
    Big thank you for all sponsors!
    your card is very nice,great coloring
    sorry about your heat gun.
    you are very smart to use toaster oven!

    Thank you ,for organizing this fun cat hop!
    have a great day
    hugs

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  9. Thanks to all the amazing sponsors for making this even more fun. Hugz

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  10. Awwww, that poor little sick Newton is adorable...and he's such a trooper for hanging through all the toaster oven business. As I said to you earlier, I live in dread of my poor old heat gun going kaput in the middle of a project and I applaud your dedication. Nothing like a heat gun emergency to get the blood going...or flowing, or boiling...depending on the outcome. Love love love the way you watercolored him and when I have more time I'm going to experiment with coloring my Newtons in different markings. For some reason I've never even seen this particular image but it is so darn cute! Thanks again for this amazing hop Janis! I thought I was done for the week but then I had to make yet another card to push up towards 100 entries. Whoopie!

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  11. That little sick newton is just adorable, lovely coloring and I love that blanket too! And it's amazed that you didn't give up and lastly you got success in your mission!
    Thanks to all amazing sponsors and I really enjoyed this cutest and different hop Janis! I commented on all the entries but not able to comment on Flickr!
    Hugs!

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  12. Cute card. Hope you get a new heat gun soon

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  13. OK, so never even thought of my heat gun stopping ... now I'm scared cuz mine is pretty old! Well, your card came out really cute! Poor kitty, hope he feels better by tonight so he can do some trick or treating! lol

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  14. Janis, your card is simply adorable!
    I am sorry to say I will be missing out on the remainder of the hop but the past day or so (around here) has become super busy, then, throw in Halloween and I am in over my head. The next few days are already stacking up with plans as my hubby is on vacation. Hopefully I will get to at least back-track later to SEE what else was added... Best of luck with the remainder of the hop!

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  15. Poor Kitty has a tummy ache ............Really cute card..........Lis

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  16. Oh NO!!! NOT the heat gun!!!! Even so.... look at how adorable your card is... I just took one look and said 'nnnnaaaaaawwwww'

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  17. Oh - I feel your pain!!! I actually have an old heat gun stashed (now finding it is a different story!) if this ever happens - awesome recovery tho!! SO glad I got to play again :) See how popular kitties are?!?! Hugs!! Christi

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  18. Lovely card! Certain to make anyone feel better. :)
    Thank you for sharing your work with us this week for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. ~Michelle

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  19. Oh dear - that is just so bad news with the heat gun :-( I must admit that last time I used mine, it was making a very strange noise indeed !!!! May well be on it's last legs too. :-(
    LUV your Newton card - I have fallen in love with him and might have to treat myself to some Newtons hahaha :-D

    Thank you for the great Hop. Such a pity that I couldn't comment on the Flickers :-(

    Hugz
    IKE xx

    My Challenge Blog
    My Shop
    My Blog
    FB Fan Page

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  20. So sorry for your heat gun trouble on this cute card. I actually have back up heat guns but so far none have failed.

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  21. Hello Janis! I'm so happy to see this card featured todayI I can't believe you had to finish embossing in the toaster oven! That's so CRAZY! Definitely a resourceful way to solve the problem and finish your card! I hope your blog hop has been a big success!!
    - Jen {Newton's Nook Designs}

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THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your kind words encourage me so very much!!!

Have a lovely day!
<3
Janis