Card Chain Challenge - September Reveal

 

Hi, Friends.....

It's time for the September Reveal for the Card Chain Challenge.  It's so much fun to see what everyone has made to share!!

 

 

 

I received this lovely card from Gundi in Germany .....so cute!!  She even included some sweet kitty surprises as a special gift.  Thank you, Gundi!!  ❤

 

 

 

 

One of the themes for September was a shaped card so I triiiiiiied to make a kitty card using some lovely Paper Smooches dies and some photo-realistic fur patterned paper.  Unfortunately, it ended up looking more like a WOLF!!!  Oh, my.....  (Note to self:  go whimsical, not realistic with these dies!!  lol...) Here's the "wolf-cat" card I made for Nat in Canada.  (sigh...)

Supplies used include:

• Paper Smooches - Cat Dog Card Dies (retired)
  
• Kaisercraft - Pawfect paper set
• DCWV and Core'dinations scraps for facial features

Hope you liked my card.....even though it looks like a wolf!! Ha. (By the way....I gave the dies a second try on a different card and it turned out looking like a super-cute cat.  Purr!!  I will post it sometime soon.)

You can still sign up for the October exchange through Oct. 7 HERE.  I hope you will join us!!!

Thank you for stopping by!!

❤

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Crafty Hazelnut's October Pattened Paper Challenge
2. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #124
   

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Exotic Oriental Card -- Exploring New Areas

"A cat is a Regency gentleman --  elegant of pose, exquisite of manner, with spotless linen and an enthusiasm for bare knuckle fights, rampaging love affairs, duels by moonlight, and the singing of glees.  He expects immaculate service from his domestic staff."
                                                                                  ------------ Pam Brown


Hi, Friends........

Today I am sharing a very different card from my usual style.  I saw that MFP Speedy TV was having an Oriental Sketch challenge, so I decided to play along.  This is my first attempt at an Asian looking card.  The jury is still out on how successful I was!

 



Here's the sketch that I was trying to emulate:

 

I started out by using some wonderful papers and a fascinating Asian postage stamp rubber stamp that I received as part of a prize from the lovely Jennifer Frith.   (THANKS, Jenny!!)  

Jenny is an amazing artist/illustrator and is such a sweetheart.  Please go check out her blog, Jenny's
Sketchbook, and prepare to be charmed!!!  You will LOVE her adorable animal paintings!!!

Here you can get a better look at the stamp on the mulberry paper, and also see the gold filigree ribbon I have used on several of my cards.  This is the end of that lovely thrift store spool.......such a beautiful find for 40 cents!! 

I got this fabulous Asian looking bow at the same thrift store for 10 cents!!  I knew it would be perfect for a card someday.  :)  Can you see the pretty gleam of the gold thread?

I put a notched piece of gold ribbon under the bow, and also added a gold embossed panda (shaded with distress ink to show the image better) to the lower corner of the center panel.  I edged a couple of the pieces with gold marker for accent and then it all got mounted onto a shimmery gold card base. 


I am still undecided as to how well I like this card.....but the exotic motifs and unfamiliar color combinations were super-fun and challenging to work with.  Thanks for taking a look at my card and for exploring new areas with me!!! 

Have a very lovely week!

<3 
Janis 

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  MFP Speedy TV Challenge #34 - Oriental Sketch
2.  All Sorts Challenge Week #256 - Oriental
3.  Red Rubber Designs #117 - Postage Due 
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CAT STATUS UPDATE:
Othello, Andromeda, and Aliyah are moping around because my son is gone visiting relatives out of state. Chaienne doesn't care and Whiskers probably doesn't even notice, but the other three are depressed, restless, and out of sorts. Othello, in particular, is bonded on to my son. Othello is a guy-cat and considers me a very poor substitute for his best friend. Tonight, Andromeda was standing on a chair and clasping her paws around the doorknob of my son's closed bedroom door trying to open it and get in. Sometimes she is too smart for her own good!
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Watercolor -- Hello Spring.....

I am sharing a sweet Spring card with an adorable bunny stamp, given to me last year by a good friend.  (Thanks, Gwen <3 ).  I don't think any of us want critters gardening in our plot.....or worse, harvesting!!  That's for us to enjoy.  But I do love them on cards.  :)

This is one of my first attempts at watercoloring an image stamped on watercolor paper and embossed..  I am pretty pleased with my beginning effort.  I used Crayola watercolor pencils and a Zig Brush H2O water brush.  It was really fun....and not as hard as I thought it would be!!  I liked being able to splash a little brown "dirt" on to the overalls of the bunnies by brushing over the brown pencil and applying over the blue.  The lovely flowers are from Prima. The blue patterned paper and the cardstock are DCWV that I have had forever.  This was a good excuse to use my stash.  Yay!!

Thanks for stopping in and I would love for you to become a follower (see sidebar).  I love comments, too!!  :)   Hope your spring weather is lovely!!

<3
Janis

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Red Rubber Inspirationals #114 Spring  
2.  Pumpkin Spice Challenge #66 - Ducks or Bunnies 
3.  Use Your Stuff Challenge #130 -Spring
4.  Hobby Cutz Challenge #42 - Flora and Fauna 
5.  The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #67 - All Creatures Great and Small

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CAT STATUS UPDATE:

Old, wily Chaienne (Shy-Cat)

Spring is surely in the air.  Even old Chaienne (Shy-Cat) wants to go out for awhile at night now.  I don't mind her going out for a short time, but I hate for her old bones to be subjected very long to our cool night temps.  Last night, though, she asked to go out just as I was going to bed and I forgot to ask hubby to let her back in before he came to bed.  So she was out all night.  She was fine, of course......probably found a nice warm spot under the house or in one of the many padded cat nest boxes we have in the back porch area.  She was glad to come back in this morning, though.
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Easter Card -- Tulle for Texture

Hi, Friends....

My crafty ladies got together this week.  Since we were small in numbers and there weren't kids for me to help, I actually got to make some cards!!  Still, I kind of missed the fun of having the younger ones there.  :)

Today I am sharing my first Easter card of the season.  (I know I am getting started late!!)  I went with a butterfly theme for Easter this year as a symbol of the changed and renewed life that is available to each of us by faith through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is an easy card.  First, I covered a A-2 size card with some mint green and white DCWV patterned paper.  Then I cut a rough rectangle of pink tulle (see detailed photo below) and tacked that down with a bit of gluestick in the center that would be hidden. Then I glued the doily over that.

I recently won a very generous gift voucher to Serendipity Stamps and had the best time shopping in their online store!!!   One of the items I chose was their Floral Butterfly Stamp and Die Set that I used here (only the solid outline die).  It is soooooooo gorgeous.  (THANKS, Serendipity!!)  PLUS....for a limited time, if you order this set, you also get the Large Hello stamp and the Small Flower Set  FREE!!  Be sure to check them out!!

I can't tell you how impressed I am with the nice folks at Serendipity.  They answered all my questions promptly and went way beyond and over the top, letting me take advantage of all the current free offers with my gift voucher.  Wow!!  Millions of thanks, Mary!! 


Here's a close-up so you can see the detail of the tulle.  It is actually pink tulle, but the color is so delicate that you don't really see the pink.  I LOVE the added bit of texture that it brings!!!!

I stamped and heat embossed a strip of white flowers across the butterfly from the Lisa Johnson Designs Spring Backgrounds that I won from the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog and from My Favorite Things last year.  (THANKS,  S&CT and MFT!!!)
 

I folded the wings upward and glued the body of the butterfly onto the doily.  Then I finished the card off with a sentiment from my stash stamped and heat embossed onto white cardstock and a simple Happy Easter stamped inside.

Love how this turned out.  Very simple design, but pretty.   Look for more butterflies in my Easter cards this year!!!

<3
Janis

No challenges this time.  Just thank yous.  :)

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CAT STATUS UPDATE:
Time to do spring chores with the outside cats:
1.  Try to catch the new tomcats that have taken up residence here over the winter, so they can be neutered.  The only one of the two new boys we'll be able to catch is little Alexander.  He is a darling sweet little orange tabby first-year tom.  I can catch him, but hubby and son can't.  :)  But can I get him into a carrier????
2.  Clip the unkempt mats from the long-haired kitties.  I have 4 fluffy cats and 3 of them have some impressive mats in their winter coats.  The fourth one keeps his coat amazingly tidy.  Wish he'd give lessons to the others!!
3.  Treat for the icky things (ticks, fleas, and worms).  Time to be thinking abt those nuisances again.  Ugh.
4.  Trim all claws slightly so when the kitties jump on my lap or shoulder outside I don't get accidentally punctured.  OUCH!!  This is why I always carry a nail clipper with me!!  :)
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THANK YOU TO ALL BLOGGERS -- You Made my Day Brighter

Hi, Friends,

I know I take a lot of space acknowledging the bloggers and companies from whom I have won prizes.  That is, actually, one of the reasons I even started this blog!!  I love visiting scores and scores of blogs for the incredible ideas, tips, techniques, and inspiration I get.  (Don't even go look at my profile to see how many I follow...Holy Cowness!!  I told you not to look!!!....and there are others that I follow by email that aren't on that list...and others that I visit regularly that are on my calendar function that aren't on either of those!)

Papercrafting blogs are amazingly beautiful places and have opened up new vistas of card-making for me that I never knew existed!  But today I want to express my appreciation, in particular, for each of them and their amazing generosity in offering prize giveaways.  This has made it possible for me to get into papercrafting in much more serious way.  And, of course, all this has made me very aware of other products that I absolutely-can't-live-without-NEED!!  Ha.

This card of thanks is especially for each of you bloggers and companies who are so kind to offer prizes and giveaways....some that I have won, and others that have been enjoyed by other crafters:

 You really have made my day brighter!!!   

Today I am sharing a card that I made with a Winnie & Walter set called Scenery:  Big Bang Confetti,  I won this from Jennifer McGuire's blog.  THANKS, W&W and Jennifer!!!   (You must go check out Winnie & Walter.  What a fun company!!)

I also used on this card some of the incredibly lovely iridescent sequins I won from Mariana Grigsby's blog.  Oh, my goodness, they are delicious!  THANKS, Mariana!!!

The sentiment is from Lil' Inker Rainbows & Clouds Sentiments.  I won this set from Amy Kolling's blog  last year and I think I've used this set more than any other that I own.  I love the font and these mix and match sentiments are perfect for many of the cards I make.  THANKS, Amy and Lil' Inker!!


Okay, down to business........
I got a big JoAnn's order on Friday, so I have a bunch of new toys that I am playing with......and new-to-me techniques that I am trying out:

1.  Toy #1:  Hampton Art Ala Mode Pastel Embossing Powders.  I really wanted these to make chalkboard effect cards.  But when I saw the lovely spring colors, I knew I wanted to try an ombre effect with them using the W&W stamps I had just received.  I stamped the diamond background stamp all over the watercolor paper and sprinkled the pastel shades, one at a time, in sweeps across the card before zapping with the heat gun.  LOVE how this turned out!!!  I used pink, orange, and yellow, but in the photo you can't tell any of it is orange.  Oh, well...

2.  Toy #2:  Ranger Inkssentials Blending Tool.  I had long admired all the lovely cards made by crafters using this blending tool, but had no idea how much difference it would make over my makeshift cosmetic sponges!  LOL!!!!  I am such a loon.  This IS the right tool for the job!  It was so much fun using it with the Broken China Distress Ink on the background.  Loved how the pastel diamonds just started popping out when I inked around them!!!  FUN!  I used Worn Lipstick Distress Ink on the sentiment panel and LOVE the gradient effect the blending tool made!!!

Another toy I bought and used for this card was my new paper trimmer.  Heretofore, I have done ALL my paper cutting with a utility knife and my metal ruler for a straight-edge on a self-healing mat.  It actually works wonderfully well and is cheap.  But I thought I would splurge for this on-sale trimmer.  I like it so far, although it seems to slightly turn the cut edge down or up...not sure which, yet....prob down.  But it is very fast compared to my previous method.  LOVE that!!  :)

Another new-to-me technique is water splattering.  Always before, I thought the idea was NOT to splatter water (or tea or coffee) on my projects.....and here I was doing it on purpose!!!  Ha.  I tried this same card on some slightly textured cardstock and it did not have the look I was wanting, so I tried it again on the watercolor paper.  That was the trick!!  When I splattered it with water, the lovely Distress Ink did its magic and made the sweet little spots that I think add interest to this background. 

My goodness, I am a wordy old thing!!!  Such a simple card and I talk and talk and talk.  lol....

I would love for you to talk to me, too.  Please leave a comment below.  I would love to hear what you think of my first attempt at some of these new techniques and using my new toys.   

Tell me what your pets are doing now that spring is on its way!

Make me shut up and smile by joining on the side panel and becoming a follower!  Actually, that might only have one of the desired effects!  :)  :)  :)

<3
Janis

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Winnie & Walter Join in to Win
2.  Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge Week 204

Inspiration photo for Speedy Fox and Friends #204

3. A Creative Need -  March Challenge #17 -  Blue, Yellow, and Pink

Inspiration photo for A Creative Need #17

4.  Inkspirational Challenge #52 - Photo Challenge






 

Aren't these just the most sensational inspiration photos??????  Love 'em!!!


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CAT STATUS UPDATE:
Our sweet little Jetta cat came back home today.  Ever since we moved to our new house 2-1/2 yrs ago (is that right???), two of our kitties have migrated back and forth over the pastureland between the old house and here.  It isn't very far, really, but it is over coyote land and I really wish they would stay here.  Bonzi is getting up there in years and tends to stay here more and more (whew!) but Jetta still goes back and forth way too much.  I always breathe a relieved and grateful sigh when I see her here where she belongs.  As the weather warms up, we probably will see less and less of Jet-Girl and Bonzi, as they decide they can live off the land for the warm months.  Stay home, kitties, where it is safe!!!
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My Brand New Big Shot!!! Yippeeee!!!

Hi, Friends.....

Okay, really......  Please, tell me truly.......

When the value of the lovely dies you have won from the blogs of wonderful crafters and generous manufacturers exceeds the price of a die-cut machine..................

 Isn't it time to buy yourself one????????

I THOUGHT SO!!!!

I have been the extremely fortunate recipient of several dies from entering craft blog drawings.  

Dies I have won.  This doesn't include ones from Serendipity that I won, but haven't received yet.

Now I realize this is just a small clutch of dies, but it has been sitting idle.......since I didn't have a die-cut machine! 

So, after having received money from my dear son and dear husband for buying one at Christmas (it takes me a looooooooooooong time to make a decision sometimes!!!), I finally made the plunge and ordered one from Amazon.  Hooray!!  

It came today and I've been having fun playing with it.  Here's a big shot of my Big Shot and some of the cuts I made with it to learn my way around. 

My first attempts at die-cutting.  How fun!!!!  I can't wait to start making cards with these!

Sure do wish my in-process crafting actually looked this tidy.  Before I snapped the photo, I first had to clean up all the little bits and pieces from those lovely heart doily cuts! Ha.

Note to my local craft group ladies:  

Guess what this means.......

We have a die-cut machine to play with now!  Hooray!  Corrie, you won't have to wait till you find one cheap at a yard sale now.  :)

Had to share my fun news with you all. 

Have a lovely weekend!

<3

Janis

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CAT STATUS UPDATE:
I decided to store my Big Shot in a pretty pink and yellow zippered nylon bag to keep cat hair and dust off of it.  Within 5 minutes of putting it away, this is what I found:

Whiskers making herself at home on top of my brand-new Big Shot (in the pink/yellow bag)!

You can depend on a cat to find anything new in the house and to nest on it.  This is not a very soft place, though.  The machine is a bit "bony" with the hard plastic pieces that jut out here and there.  Whiskers must have agreed because she only stayed there about 10 minutes......still it was long enough for Andromeda to come and investigate.  Now that Whisk-Whisk is nested comfortably on my bed in her usual spot, Andromeda has taken her place on the Big Shot:

Andromeda giving the Big Shot a try.

Well, Andromeda didn't stay there long, either, because my son put an empty can of fish down for the kitties to lick.  Before I had a chance to add Andromeda's picture to this Cat Update, here's who got on the Big Shot next:

Aliyah's turn.  (Forgot to zoom in...sorry for mess.)

This all happened in succession during a stretch of about 20 minutes.  I am not making this up!  Aliyah must have decided it wasn't comfy enough for her old bones and joints, either, so off she went to check out the fish can.  So far, Othello and Chaienne haven't discovered it.  Cats......

RE: Whiskers.  She is still not 100%.  She has some weakness (or pain) in her hindquarters and is not as spry about hopping up on chairs and things as usual.  I don't think she has been up in the loft once since this happened!  She is better, though, so I am glad.

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Bridal Shower Card

Hi, Friends.....

I've sure been swamped with all sorts of happenings this last week and wishing I could be creating and posting on here, but had other commitments.  I hope I can be on here more regularly now.   Thank you to those of you who have kept checking in.

Today I am sharing a card that I think turned out really pretty.  But, oh, do my photography skills need help!  Maybe better lighting, huh?  (She says in a brilliant flash!!  Ha.)  I made this for a friend's bridal shower back in January, but am just now getting it posted on here.

I love the monochromatic look to it, but are they hard to photograph!!!   Isn't that heart-shaped doily sweet that goes off the edge of the card a little on one side and is cropped on the other?  The lovely butterfly is from Pink Paislee and the bow is made from lace seam binding.   The papers are from DCWV.

Hope you like this.  Sure wish I knew how to crop the photo!!  ;o

<3
Janis

I am entering this in the following challenges:
1.  Craft-Dee BowZ March Challenge -- Anything Goes and include a Handmade Bow
2.  Bunny Zoe's Crafts March Challenge -- Monochrome
3.  Incy Wincy Designs  -- Monochromatic
4.  Make My Monday -- Beautiful Butterflies


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CAT STATUS UPDATE:

My poor sweet Whiskers was sick yesterday.  She just lay in the sun yesterday morning instead of rushing in the house when I opened the door.  After I got home from Ladies Bible study, she was still lying in the same place and not at all interested in coming in the house.  I knew she was really feeling poorly!  I started fretting over her and worrying, particularly after just losing Rooster (even though the two things were unrelated).  Hubby was getting ready to leave for a work trip, but gave her some medicine before he left.  She just lay around all evening and was very low.  I let her sleep in the house last night (unusual) and she was feeling MUCH better this morning.  Who knows what was wrong.  No apparent wound, although it could have been an infection brewing from a bite.  So glad my little Whisk-Whisk is mostly back to her usual perky self!

Whiskers, on a different day, back on the bed while the bedspread that she gets dirty is being washed!

CHICKEN STATUS UPDATE:
My oblivious hens don't even seem to notice Rooster is gone.  Dumb clucks.  Ha!  I am so glad they are doing fine, particularly Hen.  She was quite dependent on Rooster..  We had been given them together (because Rooster had become an outlaw at his former home and had to go!) and Hen rarely left his side, until just the last month or so.  The other two hens had been abandoned, and subsequently rescued and brought here.  They never had the time of day for Rooster from the start, although he was quite enamored with them, of course.  So, all seems fine with my hens.  The day after the attack, all three hens even layed me an egg each.  That's a good sign.  :)

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Runway Inspired Challenge #55

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Sunday (Mar. 9) is the last chance to enter my GIVEAWAY!!!  For extra entries, please comment on any or all posts from this past week, including this one!
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Hello, Everyone.....

I hope you remembered to change your clocks.....spring them forward an hour.  (I know that not every place observes Daylight Savings Time, but we do in Idaho and I love it!!)  I thought before I did that spring chore, I would post my interpretation of this elegant challenge.  Are you familiar with the Runway Inspired Challenge blog?  I have seen many amazing interpretations by craft bloggers of the RIC fashion models and marveled at their beauty and creativity.

When I saw this particular one, I knew I wanted to give it a try, also!

So here is my interpretation of this elegant and shimmery photo:

This card went together quickly (for me!) because I used a pre-made glittery card from DCWV Solid Glitter Box of Cards. I pick these up when I see them on clearance at JoAnn's or DCWV Deals.  I especially like the glitter ones or the solids.....so I keep my eyes open for them. 

I also used a David Tutera Celebrate Metallic Silver Starburst from a package I got on clearance at JoAnn's.  (Do I like clearance craft items?  Oh, yes, I sure do!)  Amazingly, Joann.com still has them in stock---unfortunately, not on clearance---but I got them at my "local" (2 hrs away) JoAnn store. 

I was trying for a shimmery pastel pink with the silver and glittery black colors, but my pale pink star sequins don't show too well.  And, actually, my shiny silver starburst doesn't look very silvery, either.  I still have a lot to learn on photography!!  

I heat-embossed my "Thanks" with silver embossing powder on DCWV black cardstock and mounted it on some pastel pink printed cardstock, also from DCWV.  I adhered this to the card front with 3D Foam Squares from Scrapbook Adhesives.  I topped it off with a delicious bow with ribbon I won in a prize.  I am sure it must be May Arts because it is decadently rich and lovely to work with.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for your wonderful comments.   I have been very delighted that a number of new people have come to look around and enter my giveaway.  Thank you so much.  Remember that you can still get an extra entry into my giveaway by commenting on this post.

And.................


I have this humongous smile on my face because some of you have decided to be followers!!!  Thank you!!!
:)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)

Have a lovely weekend and don't forget to "Spring Forward" by changing your clock an hour ahead, if it applies to you. You probably better not try it if your area doesn't do it!  Ha.  It's also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms, whether or not you do DST. 

<3
Janis

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Runway Inspired Challenge #55
2.  Stampin' for the Weekend -- Sparkle and Shine
3.  Brown Sugar -- Make it Sparkle


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CAT STATUS UPDATE:

I subscribe by email to the Merriam-Webster Word of the Day. A couple of days ago, the day's word was:

froward --  habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition.  

I was pretty sure I already knew what it meant and also pretty sure I could find a place for it in my cat updates!

Interestingly, M-W used a quote from the Lewiston Morning Tribune (a newspaper from a neighboring town here) to illustrate the usage of froward.  It was talking about grackles (birds), but it sure seemed applicable to young half-grown cats:

"By the end of the trip I was happy to be rid of them—pushy, froward little party-crashing beasts that make rude, high-pitched squeals and constantly invite themselves to dinner, filching from unattended plates."

If you've ever had a litter of half-grown kittens, you probably know exactly what I am talking about!

Our sweet little Night-Sky kitty, Andromeda.

At 2 years of age, Andromeda is virtually full-grown, but she is froward, nonetheless.  Early this morning, everyone in the house heard a clatter from the kitchen.  (It is significant, I suppose, that none of us bothered to get up to investigate....lol...)  It was later discovered that Andromeda had opened up the tea cupboard door and dislodged a tin of Raspberry Earl Grey tea, sending it clattering onto the countertop below.   Fortunately, the noise seems to have startled her out of doing any additional mischief, since all seemed to be in order and she was asleep when I finally did get up.  Naughty little kitty!  :)

What noises and bumps in the night signal that your pets are up to no good???
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Cute as a Button Vintage Tea Cup Thank You Card

Looking for my GIVEAWAY????  Comment on any or all my posts this week!
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Hi, all.....

I am still making Thank You cards for all the lovely things I received for my birthday.  When I saw that Buttons (and Bows) was the theme for a few challenges, I thought they would be sweet things to put on this card.

The ribbon across the top is layered with a celtic knot patterned trim I found at a thrift store.  I glued that over the top of the pink.  I like how the silver edges of the pink ribbon peek out.

The white panel with the teacups is re-purposed from the flap of a decorative envelope that held a note I received from a friend (I told you I would use this, Christy!!).  It was too pretty to get rid of.  Don't you agree????

I put Glossy Accents on the teacups to make them gleam.  I took this shot at an angle so you could see it better.  The GA also makes them a slight bit dimensional, which I like.

Can you see the little teapot-shaped tea ball near the second cup on the right?  I colored over that with a Sparkle Gelly Roll pen to make it shimmer.

All in all, I really think this turned out nice.  Of course, it is *another* pink card!!  I just can't stay away from them for very long!  :)

Thanks for stopping in to see my blog.  I really appreciate all the comments.  Remember each comment on a post from this week is an entry in my giveaway!!

<3
Janis

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  BMC Get Inky Challenge --  Buttons, Buttons, Everywhere
2.  Alphabet Challenge Blog -- B for Buttons and Bows
3.  House of Cards -- March Challenge #1 Add a Button in the Vintage/Shabby class.

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CAT STATUS UPDATE:

I'm amazed I was able to get these last two cards photographed.  Right in the middle of my photo session on this stormy night, Othello came inside with the muddiest paws ever!!  He was so affectionate that I just knew he would jump up on the table where I had my newly-completed cards and put HIS "finishing touches" on the masterpieces, if you know what I mean!!!  Arggggghhh.....they would have been finished, all right!!!  He finally was sequestered in my son's room until I was done.  No mishaps....this time!

What have your pets put their muddy paws on lately???
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Hooray!! It's my Birthday!!!

Hello, Everyone....

Today is my birthday!!!!  Welcome to my Birthday Party!  I don't have a giveaway.....yet.  But I do have a manufacturer who has already offered to sponsor a giveaway on my new blog.  How exciting!!  Right?  Keep an eye on my blog for details about that next week.  :)

In the meantime, I want to give a great big THANK YOU to my Bible study ladies who had a birthday party for me and another BD gal on Tuesday.  There were pretty decorated party plates and a homemade super-yummy German chocolate cake with that incredibly delicious homemade gooey coconut icing.  (Swoon!!!)  That's my absolute favorite kind of cake!!!  (Kathy, you are amazing!!)  There was yummy Tillamook Vanilla Bean ice cream (Sharon, you didn't even know this for you, too!!  hehehee) and toasted almond slivers and Almond Joy M&Ms to go with it....or by themselves....I had them both ways!  Ha! 


Look what they gave me!!!!! 

Such lovely cards (one with chickens....I LOVE my sweet chickens!!!), the most colorful and festive fish candy dish WITH chocolate Easter eggs to go with it (YUM!), some lovely notepads---one magnetic with Thomas Kinkade paintings (so gorgeous!) and one spiral that is reversible (blank unlined pages and so you can use it from the front or from the back....The back has a BD confetti pattern on the cover!), and the most adorable and pretty clips I think I have ever seen, some of the most delectable homemade and home-canned jam from home-grown raspberries (scrumptious!!!), and a super-cute coffee or tea mug with its own coaster or cover (lovely colors and flower on this set!!).  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

You each will be receiving your own personal thank you card from me, but here is a sparkly THANK YOU for the whole group to tell you each how much I love and appreciate you!!!  You bring so much happiness and sparkle into my life.  Thank you for the lovely party and for the super-sweet gifts and thoughts.  You ladies are the best!!

Thank you to everyone far and wide for visiting my blog.  I have had visitors clear from Australia and Ireland and Poland (and several other European countries) as well as the U.S. and Canada.  I am so thrilled. Your comments really mean a lot to me!!!

Have a lovely day!  And don't forget the giveaway that I will be posting next week!!

<3
Janis


Note to my community Ladies Craft Group:

Next meeting is Tuesday, March 4, 1 pm at the church.  I am hoping Sharon will be sharin'....(little pun there!) about making paper flowers.  See you all there!!!

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CAT STATUS UPDATE:

This morning I really wanted to sleep longer.......being my birthday and all!....but I kept hearing Andromeda (how did I know it was you, little girl?) opening the bottom kitchen cupboard doors.  (scratch, bang.....scratch, bang....)  I think she does this when she is bored and wants me to get up.  She usually doesn't manage to get them open enough to get inside, but she tries.  She also had pried open both doors of the DVD cabinet.  Persistent little creature....but sweet.  :)

What do your cats do to get you out of bed?????
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Get Well Soon Card for Neighbor

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing a card I made a few weeks ago for my next-door neighbor who is recuperating after falling on the ice and breaking his ankle in two places.  Ouch!!!  I hate to admit this, but he said it happened when he was reaching down to pet one of my cats, Scooter.  Oh, that made us feel even worse!!!  He said she didn't trip him, he just over-reached and slipped.  

Since this was a card for a man, I put away my ribbons and doilies and got out some cool stencils, instead.  I won this amazing set from Artistcellar designed by Jill K.Berry called:  TEXTures 2 and this is the Gera design.  Cool, huh?  THANK YOU, Artistcellar!!!

I taped my stencil over some patterned cardstock from my stash that had a design I wasn't really crazy about.  By stenciling, I could cover it up mostly, but still have the pattern subtly showing in the lines of the design.  Yay!!  With the stencil taped in place with Washi (so I could easily remove it), I inked over the cardstock with several colors of coordinating small pigment inkpads in my stash (blue, gray, purple, and a cheap white that is actually more cloudy than white!).  After removing the stencil, I sprinkled clear embossing powder over the whole thing and turned my heat gun on it.  Love how the pigment inks blended into each other as I smoothed the pads over the stencil.  I also love how the glossy heat-embossed parts have a bit of texture themselves.

The sentiment is a discontinued clear acrylic stamp set called Scriptures of Peace (#50277) from Clear Dollar Stamps, before they switched gears and went to all digis and cut files and switched names and what all.  You might still be able to find this set on eBay, if you are lucky.  I use it a lot!!  I stamped it on a piece of navy cardstock and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder, although it doesn't look very silver in this photo.  Gotta work on my photography!!! I mounted the sentiment piece on some kraft cardstock and cut the edge with some manly-looking decorative scissors......because I couldn't keep from dressing it up a little bit!  Ha.  I thought this simple cut was just right.  What do you think?

It was really fun using my stencils for this card.  I have another set I won also that I want to play with soon!  Do you make stenciled cards?

Thanks so much for coming to visit my blog.  Have a lovely rest of the weekend!!!

<3
Janis

Edited to Add:  
I am entering this in the following challenge:
1.  Moxie Fab World --  Styling with Stencils Challenge  (allows back entries up to 4 wks from post date of Mar. 20) 

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CAT STATUS UPDATE:  

What are the cats doing right now?????

Othello is reclining on a crocheted afgan, intently grooming something from between his toes that he probably picked up outside.  It's cute to see kitties taking a bath!  He must have it taken care of because he just curled up in a "dime" (as we call the very compact ball cats can curl themselves up in) and is all tucked in for an afternoon nap.  Zzzzzz....

What are your cats doing?
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BIG THANKS

Hello to each of you!!  This afternoon I am posting a card I sent to Sabrina Alery thanking her for the super-duper box of stash prizes she sent me a while back.  If you haven't visited her blog:  The Honor Roll, you really should stop by.  She has wonderful projects and tips. 

I wanted to make a thank you card using items she had sent me.  As you see, my photography is quite poor here, but I hope you get the idea!

I absolutely loved this paper she included and built the card around it.  I hardly ever use big alphas, but I made the plunge and used these luscious velvety flocked chocolate letters for the greeting.  So glad I did.  It's good for me to stretch and jump out of my cat bed sometimes!!  I used these yummy Prima flowers she sent me, also. 

All in all, this is a very different style for me and I was surprised at how much I liked it.

Thank you, again, Sabrina!!

<3
Janis






CAT STATUS UPDATE:
What are the cats doing right now???

Everyone seems to be dozing peacefully.  Whew!  This morning I came into the kitchen to find the drawer holding the plastic wrap and foil etc. pried open about 8 inches.  Fortunately, nothing seemed to be torn up.  Andromeda was probably the culprit!