"Thank You" Kittens

Good evening to all my fellow crafters out there in blogland.

All too fast the past week has disappeared...today is Thursday, 

therefore it is once again time for another challenge at 

Crafty Little Fairies! 

This week, the theme chosen by the Pink Fairies is quite an easy one...

'ADD A TAG'

you can create anything you like, but please remember to use a

stamped or digi image to be eligible for the prize from our lovely

sponsor, who this week is Crafty Ribbons.

Thank you Crafty Ribbons. 

Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that a few weeks ago,

John and I had to make the heart-breaking decision to have our beloved

kitty cat, Pagliacci (Pally) put to sleep. I am still grieving for him, as for

15 years he had been such a gentle and loving companion, and now

there is a huge emptiness about our home. Of course we love  

Cookie, our remaining kitty, but he is not an affectionate cat, 

so I miss the big 'cuddle sessions' I had with dear Pally.

Our vet, Sarah, had grown to love Pally...he was her first feline patient after

moving to our area, and sadly for her, her own kitty, Ninja, died as a result

of snake bite just 2 days before Pally's passing. Sarah spent an hour

with us that morning and was very compassionate, so I made this 

card  for her to say "thank you", and also to write a few

words of comfort for her loss of Ninja. 

Our Pally was white and ginger, and Ninja was a grey, 

striped tabby, so they are both on my card.

A close-up look at my flower embellishment over a punched border.

Inside my card where I wrote a note of "thank you", and also of

condolences to Sarah. (sorry the photo is blurry).

Challenges 

Crafty Calendar - 'Animal Antics'

Creative Card Crew #58 - 'Animals'

Lexi's Creations #112 - 'Use Your Punches and Dies'

Penny's Paper Crafty #170 - 'Use Your Favourite Colour Combination' (Pink and Green)

Simply Create Too #57 - 'Animals'

Sweet Stamps #162 - 'Swirls' WINNER

Through The Purple Haze #34 - 'Bingo' (flower, image, punch)

Image - All Night Media 418G

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Paper Pleasure Plus

Sentiment - Lili Of The Valley

Dies - Cheery Lynn Wreath Strip, Flourish Leaf Strip; Marianne LRO116

Punches - Martha Stewart PATP Pansies; EK Success Scalloped Corner

Flowers - Prima

Ribbon, liquid pearls, baker's twine, and Peel-off sticker negatives from my junk stash

For a chance to win a lovely prize, and to see the beautiful creations by my teamies, why not visit us at Crafty Little Fairies, and enter our 'Add A Tag' challenge.

Thank you for visiting, and until next time "Happy Crafting",

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Poinsettia, Holly and Pine

So far, my New Year's resolution is still 'on track'. It was to create Christmas 

cards throughout the year so I could avoid the awful frenzied panic I 

experience each November and December.

Just before Christmas last year, I succumbed to temptation and bought the

Memory Box Grand Merry Christmas die. I knew it would be so 

versatile, not only in its original form, but the negative pieces

 from the word 'Christmas' could be used on other cards.

I love the Spellbinders Poinsettia die, and have used it many times. 

Inside my card, which has a large area on which to write a

personal Christmas message.

Challenges

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 'Paper Flowers' HONOURABLE MENTION

Christmas Card #17 - 'Anything Goes'

Winter Wonderland - 'Paint The Town Red' TOP 3

Dies - Spellbinders Poinsettia; Impression Obsession Pine Branch; Memory Box Grand Merry Christmas; Cheery Lynn Holly Strip; Marianne Poinsettia;

Punches - Martha Stewart Branch; EK Success Scalloped Corner

Ink for sponging - Versacube Gold

Tiny flower gems are from my junk stash

Thank you for visiting, and until next time, "Happy Crafting",

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

"Hello"

Last week, a friend who loves my cards, asked me if I would go to 

her home and show her and a couple of her friends how to make a 

simple card. None of them have ever done any papercrafting, although

they all do some form of craft, be it knitting, sewing, etc. As I basically

only have enough tools and equipment for myself, I really had to 'put my

thinking cap on' as to a design that was pretty, employed several easy

techniques for beginners, yet required a minimum of equipment. 

This is what I came up with...

I have always loved the combination of pink and green, and I knew I had

several sheets of the striped paper in my large paper stash. The pinks of

the cardstock, ribbon and topper are all a perfect match IRL, but as so

often before, they look very different in the photographs. I would love

to know why this happens????

Quite a few years ago, there was a company here in Australia that

would travel each year to many areas and hire a hall for a few days, where

they would sell a vast selection of lovely papers, cardstock, punches, and 

stamps, all designed by themselves. I particulary loved their papers, and

 this 'topper' was from a heavy-weight sheet of deeply-embossed, 

small rose images at various stages of opening (here). I cut a 

fully-opened rose for each of the ladies, using a circle die.

Inside the card is fairly simple, and these cards were a good way

to use some of the huge collection of peel-off stickers I have 

managed to accumulate over the years.

On Sunday, my friend is going overseas for a few weeks, so we will have 

our craft morning when she returns. I hope the ladies enjoy 

making this card.

Image - Paper Pleasure Plus

Paper - Grace Taylor Vintage Collection

Embossing - Couture Creations Trellis

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles, Floral Doily Motifs; Cheery Lynn Butterfly Trio; 

Punch - EK Success Scalloped Corner

Sentiment - Wild Rose Studio Cute Greetings

Stickles - Star Dust

Peel-off Stickers, Ribbon from my junk stash

Thank you for visiting, and until next time, "Happy Crafting"

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Flutterbyes

Gosh, aren't the weeks disappearing rapidly, and therefore it is yet again time

for the Pink Fairies at Crafty Little Fairies to invite you to join us for this 

week's challenge, the theme of which is always such a popular one -

'THINGS WITH WINGS'

You may interpret this one anyway you like e.g fairies, butterflies, 

dragonflies, birds, or even aeroplanes.

A big THANK YOU to our 2 wonderful sponsors this week. They are

and

I made this card for a dear little girl who will be turning (no prizes for 

guessing...) four years old soon. I hope it is 'girly' enough for her, with a

combination of a fairy, butterflies, flowers, and buckets of glitter (perhaps a slight

exaggeration!). The '4' was in a big packet of wooden numbers

I bought years ago - I painted it blue then embossed it with about 

4 or 5 layers of Opals E.P., finally sprinkling it, while hot and

 'sticky', with Martha Stewart Ultra-fine glitter.

I LOVE my new Butterfly Border die!

A closer look at the little fairy and her flowers. The fairy is by PSX, and 

this stamp is one of my oldest. PSX stamps are of such high quality, but 

sadly the company ceased production many years ago.

Inside my card. The blue cardstock and the ink for sponging are a much

closer match in reality (would I tell a fib??!!). Seriously though, isn't it 

strange how colours often do not photograph true, particuly reds.

Challenges

An Oldie But A Goodie - 'Spring Has Sprung' (everything except Butterfly Border die)

Crafters' Cafe #54 - 'Flowers'

Crafting For All Seasons #72 - 'Spring Into Spring'

Cupcake Inspirations #251 - 'Butterflies'

Hobbybook Designer #1 - 'Make It Girly'

Milk Coffee - 'At least 2 Flowers'

Paper Shelter #149 - 'Fairies'

Papertake Weekly - Bingo (Gems,Die-cuts,Flowers; and Die-cuts,Free,Glitter)

Passion For Promarkers #238 - 'Butterfly Kisses'

Squirrel And The Fox #65 - 'Autumn or Spring'

Image - PSX 

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - First Edition Spring Drop

Sentiment - Wild Rose Studio Cute Greetings

Dies - Spellbinders Labels Eight, Classic and Scalloped Ovals; Joy! Crafts Butterfly Border

Punch - Martha Stewart Branch

Embossing Powder - Opals

Tiny butterflies - from a $2 shop

Flowers and gems are from my junk stash 

For a chance to win one of two lovely prizes, why not visit us at Crafty Little Fairies, 

and enter our 'Things With Wings' challenge, but please remember that to be eligible, 

you must use a stamped or digi image.

Until next time, "happy crafting",

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Icy Snowflakes

Good morning to all my crafting friends out there. Although we are into autumn

here, the weather is still hot! Today we are expecting yet another day of 

mid 30s, with high humidity. My card today makes me long for some

 lovely chilly weather, and to dream of a white Christmas.

I am continuing my attempt to build up a collection of Christmas cards to avoid

that awful panic I inflict on myself in late November and most of December.

This card was fairly quick to produce, so I may make a few more with 

slight variations...besides, I have always loved simple blue 

and white colour schemes with lots of sparkle. 

Inside the card, I have left a large space on which to write

 my personal greetings.

Challenges

Brown Sugar #84 - 'Make It Sparkle'

Crimbo Crackers #59 - 'Blue and White'

Christmas Card #15 - CAS

Milk Coffee - 'Emboss It (wet or dry)'

Moving Along With The Times - 'Moody Blues'

Dies - Cuttlebug Snowflake; Sullivans Scalloped Border

Punch - Carl Snowflake

Embossing Folder - Snowflakes (brand unknown)

Scissors - Fiskars Small Scallops

Scorpal

Ink - Tim Holtz D.I. Tumbled Glass

Kindyglitz - Crystalina

Holographic peel-off sticker

Thank you for visiting, and until next time..."happy crafting",

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Shopping With Rosie Rabbit

Hello to all my crafting friends.

I know this post is late, but with our sad loss on Wednesday (see 

previous post), I felt too emotionally drained to write it up.

The Pink Fairies at Crafty Little Fairies have a new challenge for you,

and the theme this time is 

'SHOPPING'

Our lovely sponsor this week is

If you want to be eligible for their fab prize, you must use 

a stamped or digital image.

In an attempt to increase my supply of Christmas cards throughout the year,

to avoid that frantic and frenzied panic of last-minute card-making, I have 

created a Christmas card using Stampavie's A Rosie Rabbit Gift.

A closer look at Rosie in her shopping bag, coloured with Promarkers.

The inside of my card matches the front.

Challenges

ABC Christmas - ' 'D' for Die-Cut'

Animal Friends #11 - 'Points/Dots'
Cutie Pie #63 - 'Cute With Dots and Spots'
Divas By Design - 'Make It Sparkle'
Fab 'N' Funky #205 - 'Christmas'
The Paper Shelter #147 - 'Animal Magic'

Image - Stampavie A Rosie Rabbit Gift

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Imaginisce Let It Snow; Art Stamps Australia Gold Glitter Card

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles and Rectangles; Joy! Crafts 

Winter Wishes Snowflake Border 2021; Elizabeth Craft Designs Seasons Greetings

Punches - Carl Snowflake; Martha Stewart PATP Snowflakes (negatives); Creative 

Memories Corner 

Ranger Stickles - Platinum

For a chance to win a lovely prize, why not visit us at Crafty Little Fairies,
and enter our 'Shopping' Challenge.

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Vale Pagliacci

I have not been very active with my blog lately, but there are reasons for this. 

First, for quite a while now, we have been trying to deal with a very sad situation with our son who lives in London.

Second, regular visitors to my blog will know that I am a 'mad' lover of cats (and all other animals too). For several months now we have known that our darling boy, Pagliacci (Pally) had used up his 9 lives, and was therefore on 'borrowed time'.

Over the past 3 weeks he has deteriorated dramatically, requiring trips to the vet, and constant attention. The 'spark' had left his eyes, he was barely eating, had lost heaps of weight, was unsteady on his feet, and we just felt he was telling us that he was ready to go, so on Monday night John and I made the heart-breaking decision to help him leave on his final journey.

Dear Pally turned 15 last Christmas, and has had so many illnesses and injuries we have lost count. Of all the 26 cats I have been owned by, he was THE personality boy. Experts say that cats can have up to 16 forms of vocalisation in their vocabularies, and we are sure that Pally used them all. He has also been the loudest and most constant purrer. I lay on the floor next to his bed for much of last night, soothing and stroking him, and as weak as he was, he purred for hours, as if to say "thank you for staying with me".

Our vet came early this morning, and spent an hour with us sitting on a rug in the shade of a gum tree in the garden, where we said our goodbyes, and she attended to her task. Sarah was so gentle and compassionate with both Pally and us. This morning was particularly poignant for her, as Pally was the 1st cat she treated when she moved to our district, and she lost her own beloved kitty just 2 days ago.

Our home will never be the same without our darling boy and his 'conversations', and LOUD purring. This morning was all the more difficult because in the months since Pally started to 'fail' he has become very dependent, super affectionate, and 'sooky', wanting to be with us constantly (even in the bathroom).

For many years whenever I spent an afternoon in my studio, Pally would always sit outside, under the window, until his invisible wristwatch said it was time for me to begin the late afternoon feeding and bedding down routine with our pets. He would use his 'NOW!!' meow relentlessly until I obeyed.

He is now asleep forever in that same spot. 

Sleep peacefully little boy.

The whole time I have been writing this, I have had tears streaming down my face, so I will close off, wash my face and have a cup of tea.

Sad hugs,
Jennifer. xx