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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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