Celebrating 30 Cats in 30 Years + GIVEAWAY

Hi, Friends......

WARNING: Very long photo-heavy post!!! But worth it, I hope...

I am here with a very special project I made for my son's 30th birthday last month. I wanted to make something extra-cool for this milestone and got to thinking....what about a mini-album with a photo or stamped representation of all his cats over his lifetime: Thirty Cats in Thirty Years.  I didn't know if he had personally had 30 or not, but I figured it would be close. 
(Now...make no mistake, our *family* has likely had over triple that number of cats in 30 years....but of the ones that James claimed, I didn't know if there would be 30!!)

I started by listing all his cats the best I could remember and finding photos to print for as many as I had. Then I got out my Graphic 45 "Raining Cats and Dogs" collection and decided on the colors to use. I ended up using the entire palette: rust, teal, cream, black, and tan. 

Then I got out my stamps and figured out which images went well with the vintage G45 elements I was using. I went for mostly realistic images instead of cartoony ones. Stamping and coloring those cats took quite a bit of time!! I found a few stickers in my stash that looked remarkably similar to some of his cats and used them, too.

Then I got to work constructing my mini-album. I used my computer to make and print out the title and the nameplates of the cats throughout.





Here's a top front shot tied with some fabulous cat ribbon that Liz Cavill sent me last year (THANKS, Liz!!). I have it strategically tied in such a way that only "Celebrating 30 Years" shows and doesn't give away the contents. :)







Here's an angled shot so you can see the thickness of it.

Here is the front with the tie undone showing the embellishments and fussy cut elements from the G45 collection. Every edge in the entire mini-album except for the ivory base was inked!! 


 





I used a double-sided accordion fold design that I contrived using some dimensions from a totally gorgeous Graphic 45 Double Fold Card design. You can see that particular YouTube tutorial HERE and find the link info to print out your own instructions.

I cut each page panel to measure 3" x 4". Then I took 2 standard 8-1/2" x 11" sheets of vanilla cardstock and scored at 3-1/8", 6-1/4", and 9-3/8". That left one panel not quite 2 inches wide, which I would use as a tab for gluing over the first flap of the neighboring panel to make this long accordion shape. 

I cut each scored sheet roughly in half width-wise and trimmed so I had two scored panels 4-1/8" tall and scored and folded accordion-style from each piece of cardstock....4 long narrow scored pieces in all.

I glued the short tabs over the next page to make this long folded base.  The seams would be covered with the page panels and would barely show.  You can see them slightly along the top edges in the above photos.  Then I started adding the page panels I had made.  Trying to keep all the cats in chronological order the best I could remember!!! 



I will take you through each panel of pages all spread out, but I wanted to show you that you can hold this in your hand and turn the pages like a book as you leaf through it, also. You don't have to have it spread out long!





Supplies used throughout my mini:
A wide variety of ancient thrift store stamps
Dollar store stickers
Occasionally a stamp that is still current, which I will detail in the notes.
Versafine ink in Smokey Gray or Vintage Sepia
Clear embossing powder
Coloring done mostly with a combo of Prismacolor colored pencils and Distress Ink markers and Spectrum Noir markers.
Papers are mostly scraps from Graphic 45, but there are some DCWV snippets used, too.
Various embossing folders detailed in the notes.
Dies: My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set, My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set, M&C Boutique - Large Circle Frame die set.


Panel 1: Starts with Henry, James' first cat that he got when he turned 3 years old.





A few notes and acknowledgements:
Henry - Dollar Store sticker.
Blotchers - image is from the Jessicalynn Originals - Cats & Kitten Purr-n-Fur Fuzzy Buddies stamp set that Michele Henderson sent me. (THANKS, Michele!!)
Junior - he was tail-less so I trimmed off the tail of the same image I used for Felix.
Penguin - retired image from Hampton Art made for Graphic 45 "Raining Cats and Dogs" collection.
Diamond - digital image kindly provided by Ike's Art for one of my Cat Lovers Hops, from her Fleaz Navidad collection. (THANKS, Ike!!) This is the "I LUV my Teddy" image...with the Teddy trimmed off. lol...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Panel 2:

A few notes and acknowledgements:
Xena - Dollar Store sticker
Skedaddle - Digital image kindly provided by Mynn at MHK Designs from her "A Girl and Her Cat" set. (THANKS, Mynn!!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Panel 3:

A few notes and acknowledgements:
Nigelle - Hero Arts - Fluffy Kitty (B937) stamp
Tiger Lily - Embossed background Sizzix - TH Texture Fades - Collage folder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Panel 4:

A few notes and acknowledgements:
Dusty - same image that I used for Blotchers above....they are from different litters but had the same wild barn mommy....as did Marshmallow. They all looked alike!
Ophelia - Background is dry embossed with Sizzix - TH Texture Fades - Courtyard embossing folder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Panel 5:

A few notes and acknowledgements:
Blackie - Same image I used for Blotchers and Dusty.
Rabbit - Digital image "Hello There" kindly provided by Ike's Art for one of my Cat Lovers Hops from the Ike's Art - I LUV CATS digital set. (THANKS, Ike!)  Background is dry embossed with Darice - Paw Print embossing folder that D.Ann Comer sent me.  (THANKS, D.Ann!!!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Panel 6:

A few notes and acknowledgements:
Huckle - Long-retired All Night Media stamp. I couldn't get a photo of this part-time tom who has taken up residence, so a stamp would have to do.
The Title Page is the "last" page on the back because the way the album folds makes it the "first" page. LOL...sounds like cat logic to me!!!  Ha.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All spread out long....:

And the other side of it all spread out long:

Soooooooo................Did you count the cats???? 

Did I manage to find 30 cats for his 30 years?

I haven't had a GIVEAWAY for a long time, so why don't we do one today?????
Please tell me in the comments:
(1) How many cats you count that belonged to James
AND
(2) Which cat you think is the most beautiful and/or which cat page you like the best.

Eligible commenting closes at 11:59 pm Pacific on Saturday, July 6, 2019. To continue celebrating my son's 30th birthday, I will draw a random winner to win a $30 USD credit to the online store of your choice among those comments answering both questions. Open worldwide!! Yay!! (Currency exchange rates will vary for my international readers!)

Thank you so much for stopping by and seeing my project.  This is the first time I have attempted something like this!!!  I had a great time making it. My son says it was his favorite of all the birthday gifts he received.
(Awwww......he sure does know how to make his crafty mom glow with pride!)

🖤
Janis



Thank you for the honor of entering this mini-album in the following challenges:
1. Graphic 45 - June Selfie Challenge #G45Selfie
2. Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #355 - Use Snippets
3. The House that Stamps Built Anything Goes Challenge #J2619
4. Crafty Calendar June Challenge - Masculine
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June
6. DL.Art June linky
7. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #392-393 - AG
8. Let's Create June Challenge - AG w/ opt. Masculine
9. Ike's World Challenge #121 - F is for Fold (more than one fold)
10. Die-Cut Divas June Challenge - Birthdays
11. Show Us Your Pussies Challenge #43 - Furrything Goes
12. Power Poppy Creative Confetti Challenge - For a Man
13. Addicted to Stamps Challenge #175 - For a Boy/Man
14. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
15. Stamplorations June Challenge - Stamps & Birthdays

16. Mini Album Makers June Challenge - Any Handmade Book Goes

 

Graphic 45 Vintage Ad Cards for Dad

Hi, Friends......

While I had my Graphic 45 "A Proper Gentleman" collection out, I made some fun and simple Dad cards using one of the wonderful vintage patterned cardstock pieces along with old advertising. I get a good chuckle reading old papers and ads, so this was a super-fun set to make and right up my alley!! Since this reflects something about myself, I am entering it in the #G45Selfie June Challenge.

I dressed up the cards by die-cutting some small arrows, buttons, hats, etc. from the glossy black cardstock of an old Darice embossing folder package. I really liked using this thicker card...esp for buttons. They look shiny and dimensional. Perfect!!
(Taking a page from my crafty friend Karen Ladd's playbook, I am now scouting around for other discarded packaging that might make some interesting die-cuts. I already snagged a Ritz cracker box and have a tiny bag of shiny red buttons!!  LOVE!!)

Here are my cards. You will want to click on them to enlarge the images so you can read these fabulous old ad texts.  
(Your browser might work differently than mine, but here's how I inspect a close-up: right click on the image, choose open link in new tab, go to that new tab with the image, hover over image with cursor and the + should appear, left click to enlarge.)

 

And here is the set all together:

Supplies used include:
Graphic 45 "A Proper Gentleman" Collection
My Favorite Things - Blueprints 7 die set (arrow)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Tilda Cutaways die set (ampersand)
Serendipity - Birdies die set (hat)
Poppystamps - Button Oval die set (button)
Repurposed packaging for the diecuts
Core'dinations/Darice black cardstock for mats and card base

Hope you enjoyed these fun masculine cards. Which one do you like the best?  I love them all, but that muscle man one makes me laugh.
(Hey....I might need one of those contraptions while I rehab my hand!!!)


Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and leave your encouraging comments!!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card set in the following challenges:
1. Graphic 45 - June Selfie Challenge #G45Selfie (reflects my love for hilarious old advertising)
2. Kat Scrapiness June Card Challenge - Food &/or Father's Day
3. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #92
4. Crafty Calendar June Challenge - Masculine
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June
6. DL.Art June linky
7. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #392-393 - AG
8. Let's Create June Challenge - AG w/ opt. Masculine
9. Double D Challenges - Pick a Pattern

Joyeux Noel with Lots of Sparkle

Hi, Friends......

I am here today with a super-sparkly Christmas card for Jo's Christmas Kickstart Challenge. Her theme this fortnight is "Glitter, Sparkle, and Shine". I couldn't resist making a pretty double embossed card for this fabulous theme and I hope you will join us. She just posted this challenge a few days ago, so you have lots of time to play! (Yay....Janis is NOT the last one to submit a card this time!!!...lol...)

I had a bunch of paper scrap strips on my craft table, so I whipped up some layered embossed backgrounds. This particular one had a pink/gray snowflake pattered paper scrap in it so I went with a sparkly snowflake design for this challenge.

I try to use neglected stamps for Jo's themes, but this time I used a different neglected supply.....one of my Stampendous Encrusted Jewel Frantage Kits. I think I have the entire series of these kits in their various colors....and I carefully hoard them and only sneak a peek occasionally because they are soooooooo exquisitely gorgeous!!! lol... 

Well...it was time. I got out the white kit and applied some of the lovelies around the edges for a non-stop sparkle and shine border. Deeeelish!!!!  I totally LOVE how much depth and dimension all the layering and embossing produced!!

TIP FOR DRY EMBOSSING LAYERED BACKGROUNDS:
I have been making these backgrounds for a long time, but I recently read where a crafter always lightly mists her single-layer cardstock with water before putting it in the embossing folder. It helps to give a good embossed impression.  So I tried it with one of my layered backgrounds.  WOW....what a difference!! Unmisted, sometimes the layers would not get the pattern completely embossed.....with a light misting the impression is so much better!! This is definitely going to be a regular part of my process from now on. Had to pass that on to you!!

Here's an angled shot so you can see a bit more of the sparkle and texture.....

Supplies used include:
Sweet Dixie - 4 Layering Snowflakes die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Darice - Snowflakes and Flourishes embossing folder
White sparkle embossing powder for background
Sentiment stamp from stash
Versamark ink
Ranger - Embossing Powder in silver for sentiment
Stampendous - Encrusted Jewels Kit - White
DCWV glittered cardstock for snowflakes
Scraps from stash...mostly DCWV....for background

I hope you liked my card. It was so much fun playing with all that sparkly yumminess!! Thank you, Jo, for another fun Christmas Kickstart Challenge. I hope all of you will join in!!!

Update on my hand injury: It is NOT broken!!! YAY!! After my fall nearly a month ago and several weeks of pain....I was beginning to wonder if I had actually broken one of the small bones in there. I didn't want to risk further damage by working it if something was broken so I finally went in yesterday and had x-rays. No obvious breaks or fractures....sooooooo thankful that I am not facing surgery!! I am cleared to start exercising it and hopefully get it to a point where the pain is less and my grip is restored....so I am not always dropping things with that hand because I forget that I should not grab things with it!! Patience, Janis.....patience! Ugh.

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Christmas Kickstart Challenge #13 - Glitter, Sparkle, and Shine
2. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #442 -AG Christmas
3. Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #354 - Use Snippets
4. Creative Inspirations June Challenge - Glitz and Glamour
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June
6. DL.Art June linky
7. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #392-393 - AG
8. Aud Sentiments Challenge #229 - AG with a Sentiment

I Like Your Style!

Hi, Friends.........

I am here with two masculine cards using the Graphic 45 "A Proper Gentleman" collection. I love these vintage-style car images. One of these will go to my hubby for Father's Day. I am safe posting them, though, because he doesn't look at my blog. Ha.

I was inspired by the fabulous June card sketch from Stick it Down.

I am entering this in the Graphic 45 June Selfie challenge as these cards reflect some of the eclectic vintage antiques we own and enjoy.....including an old farm truck out next to the driveway. :)

Here are the two cards I made:

And the other one....

Supplies used include:
Graphic 45 "A Proper Gentleman" collection
CARDZ-TV Potpourri stamp set
Versafine ink in Onyx Black
Distress Ink in Black Soot
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Scrapbook-Adhesives - Photo Corners in gold
Core'dinations - kraft cardstock

Hope you liked seeing my masculine cards. Thank you for stopping by!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. Graphic 45 - June Selfie Challenge #G45Selfie (reflects my love for vintage items)
2. Stick it Down - June Card Sketch Challenge
3. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June
4. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Masculine
5. DL.Art June linky
6. Word-Art Wednesday Week #390-391 - AG
7. Kat Scrapiness June Card Challenge - Food &/or Father's Day
8. Creative Inspirations June Challenge - Glitz and Glamour (I added gold to my cards for a glamourous gleam to go with the elegant vintage cars.)
9. Tales from the Craft Room Challenge #5 - For the Boys
10. Power Poppy Creative Confetti Challenge - For Dads

Graphic 45 Baby Cards

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a set of baby cards I made with the Graphic 45 "Time to Celebrate" collection. You might recall that I take some of my cards to our little church and people can "buy" them by donating to the Hope Center (our local pro-life pregnancy center) where I volunteer. All the proceeds go to the Center....I do not keep any for supplies.

This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart and so I am delighted to be entering this set in the Graphic 45 June Selfie Challenge (#G45Selfie). This theme does not require a selfie photo, but should reflect something about yourself.  It's perfect because I had a request for a Baby Girl card this week......so this project not only reflects an important issue to me, but helps me raise funds for the Hope Center...with baby cards. 💓💓💓

Here's one of the cards by itself.......
Do you like how I used two bows on the edge? It reminds me of a sweet Baby Book cover.

Here's the set of three with a mix and match of the different patterns in the Graphic 45 collection.

Supplies used include:
Graphic 45 "Time to Celebrate" collection
Distress Ink in Walnut stain to ink edges
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Darice/Core'dinations cardstock

Thank you for taking time to visit my blog. Your comments brighten my day!!!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this set in the following challenges:
1. Graphic 45 June Selfie Challenge #G45Selfie (reflects something about myself)
2. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June
3. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #91
4. Crafter's Castle June Challenge - AG
5. DL.Art June linky
6. Word-Art Wednesday Week #390-391 - AG

Summer Bird Stamped Tissue Gift Wrap

Hi, Friends......

Are you up for an easy and fun project that can include the kids? Recently I was watching my 8-yr old granddaughter for the day and we had a power outage for around 3 hours. It turned out to be a wonderful blessing in disguise because we got to do a bunch of low-tech kinds of activities together. (....which I think kids should be doing instead spending hours on their electronics, anyway!!)
 
I had a new bird field guide that I wanted to wrap up and give to our pastor's wife, so my granddaughter and I (with the aid of flashlights) stamped bird images on some brightly-colored used tissue gift wrap that I had previously flattened and stored folded.  So fun and cute!!
(We prob should have stamped more images on the tissue since they look a bit sparse on this small gift, but it looked like we had a lot on there on the big unfolded sheet! Oh, well...part of the blank space got covered with a sticky note, anyway.)

Supplies used include:
Stamplorations -Trendy Birds stamp set
Altenew Crisp Dye Ink in Desert Night and Dusk
Used Tissue Gift Wrap

Hope you liked this fun idea for gift wrap....and great way to reuse that pretty tissue that I bet you save just like I do!! lol.... Thank you for stopping by today.

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this project in the following challenges:
1. Three Amigos Challenge #27 - Things with Wings
2. The House that Stamps Built DCC J519 - Things with Wings
3. Crafter's Castle June Challenge - AG
4. TCP June Challenge #358 - Summer
5. Through the Craft Room Door - AG (Week of June 4th)
6. Word-Art Wednesday Week #390-391 - AG
7. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #91
8. Stamplorations AG challenge
9. Simon Says Stamp Work-It Wednesday - Summer
10. DL.Art June linky

Kindness Blooms - OLC

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a last-minute entry into the current Winnie & Walter - May Color Combo Challenge. I haven't done much crafting since my fall and this is going to be a short post since my injured hand, although much better, tends to swell when I overwork it.

Here's the lovely inspiration that Heather chose for us.......so pretty!!!

Here's my card.....

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Kindness with Evelin T Designs stamp set
Versafine ink in Onxy Black
Distress Inks in Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Seedless Preserves, and Dusty Concord
Core'dinations - heavy duty white cardstock

Hope you like my card. Thank you for stopping by today!

🖤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter - May Color Combo Challenge
2. Craft Stamper June TIMI - must stamp
3. Crafter's Castle June Challenge - AG
4. TCP June Challenge #358 - Summer
5. Through the Craft Room Door - AG (Week of June 4th)
6. Word-Art Wednesday Week #390-391 - AG
7. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #91
8. Cards Und More Challenge #36 - Thank You
9. Time Out Challenge #137 - Nature with opt twist: OLC