Cat Lovers & Cat’s Pajamas Hops – Fall Willow Swing Card + Black Coffee Interview + Blog Candy

Whether you’re new or visiting for the first time, Welcome! I’m excited to show you today’s post for the Cat Lovers Hop, which also happens to be for The Cat’s Pajamas Winter Hop, too! If you manage to hang in til the end of the post, there might be blog candy, too!

 

Before I begin, I have a question for you:

Have you had your Black Coffee and Sugar fix for today?

No, I’m not confused. I know the Coffee Lovers Hop is over. : ) For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, allow me to introduce you to Elaine Chong‘s virtual pet, Black Coffee, and her little friend, Sugar:

Elaine and Black Coffee have a great sense of humor as you’ll notice if you scroll through their Instagram account HERE. I thought we’d briefly interview them both today. Let’s start with a couple of quick questions for Black Coffee:

• What crafts have you tried your paws at or would like to try?
  • I have tried painting, knitting, cooking and I am really good at bathing the worms!
    • It cracks me every time I see you doing that last one… Our readers can see your skills at it HERE. I think that pond is going to be in today’s card!
• What is your favorite thing to do with paper?
  • I like to make marks on them, tear them apart and sometimes eat them when they look yummy!

And, now, a couple of questions for Elaine:

• Do you have any real cats?
  • Not at the moment but when I was a kid, my family used to have quite a number of them and they were one of my major playmates.
  • By the way, our first cat was a black cat
• Do you sell your drawings? Where can we find them?
  • Currently I am not selling my drawings.
• Have you ever thought about publishing a Black Coffee book?
  • Yes, I have been thinking of publishing a Black Coffee book and hopefully next year.
    • I think that would be a delight!

Thank you both for taking the time to join us for the Cat Lovers Hop (and Sugar, too!)!!

In honor of Black Coffee’s visit today and her love of ‘bathing the worms’ in a pond, I made this card of a weeping willow tree dressed in autumn yello and a fun pair of furry friends on a swing at sunset (It HAS to be sunset… my cats were always sleeping at sunrise. lol!):

The top section is on acetate… Here’s what the reverse looks like inside:

Hmmm… Maybe Black Coffee will end up with a canine friend like Sprinkle the cat has!

Note: when embossing on acetate, heat your heat gun up well before bringing it over to the acetate and move quickly so as not to warp the acetate too much!

The background was done with Ken Oliver’s Color Bursts. I tried something new and used them as straight watercolors. I know, it’s hard not to go for the thrill of watching those powders BURST to life on a page, but this effect turns out beautifully in a different way. It’s amazing how little powder is needed!

  

Once I painted the background, I added some of the Liquid Metals on top for an amazing shimmer effect… it almost looks light sunlight glistening on the water!:

I put the sentiment as if it were carved on the tree – as some sweethearts are wont to do. It’s hidden when the top is closed over it.

See the CAT tails?!! Another nod to the hop and to Black Coffee’s favorite pond! I love weeping willow trees — not to be confused with pussy willow trees, that I also love!

You can even take Pussy Willow buds and made some cute cats! : )

Materials used:

• The Cat’s Pajamas: Just Let it Happen stamp set
• Scrapbooking Made Simple Simply Defined dies:
  • Serenity, Stillness and Reflect
  • Be Inspired, Serene
• Ken Oliver Crafts Color Burst – Alizarin Crimson, Indigo, Yellow Ochre
• Ken Oliver Crafts Liquid Metals – Copper, Iron Oxide, Pewter, Platinum, Yellow Gold
• Tsukineko Versamark Ink
• Ranger Perfect Medium pen
• Inkadinkado Black embossing powder
• Hampton Arts Copper embossing powder
• Faber-Castell Texture Gems Gel Liner – Gold
• Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops – Gloss Carnation Pink and Gloss White
• Scrapbooking Made Simple “Stacey Tape” double sided adhesive 2.5″ wide
• Canson Cold Press Watercolor paper 140#
• Core’dinations cardstock: black, brown, yellow, blue
• Misc. Acetate and Washi tape (to connect the two pieced at the top)

I am entering this card in the following hops and challenges – click on any one for the details on how you can join the fun:

• The Cat’s Pajamas Winter Blog Hop
• Cat Lovers Hop
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Autumn
• Crop Stop Linky Party #21 Anything Goes (Crop Stop carries: Core’dinations, Ken Oliver’s Color Bursts and Liquid Metals, Perfect Medium, and Versamark)

*****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****

• ***** Edited to add: giveaway now closed*****

Thanks for hanging in there for the extra long post! Now, about today’s blog candy – Today it’s for continental USA peeps only. Sorry, International peeps, but it includes a small frame that just won’t ship well. There will be another post with something available to anyone, anywhere, so stay tuned!

This package includes some miscellaneous ephemera from Graphic 45’s Raining Cats and Dogs set, a little set of Kitty sticky notes, and a Design Works 2″x3″ Cross Stitch kit to make that cute kitty with balloons and includes the frame. Woot-woot!

If you would like to be in the running to win this blog candy, pay close attention to the rules: Continental USA addresses only: Leave ONE comment on this post before 11:59 pm Pacific, Sunday Oct. 30, 2016, using the phrase “BATHING THE WORMS” somewhere in your comment. If you don’t have the words “BATHING THE WORMS” in your comment, I’ll assume you’re not interested in the blog candy (and won’t be offended!).  Also, if you are (or become) a follower of this blog, you may make a SECOND comment telling me so for an additional entry. You may also receive an ADDITIONAL entry by becoming a follower of Elaine‘s AND my Instagram accounts (@innertreasureart and @d.ann.c). If you do follow both of our Instagram accounts, come back here and leave comment with your Instagram user name. Duplicate comments will be deleted. There you have it… you may have up to three chances to win. FYI: This particular giveaway is only open to peeps in the continental USA.

On October 31, 2016, I will use Mr. Random org to draw a winner from the comments that qualify and will try to announce it here on the blog some time before noon EASTERN time. Please come back and check to see if you’re the winner. The winner will have 72 hours to contact me with their snail-mail address or another winner will be chosen.

Ok, it’s time for me to go take a little catnap!

I might pop back in later today with some cool felt cat coasters to show you. Hope to see you soon!

~D.Ann

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