MEWsager Gift Tag

Posted on October 28, 2020 by dannscraftingwhims

Finally! After many technical difficulties and a few lost posts, I got my blog back to working!

Welcome to the 2020 Cat Lovers Hop, (our 6th year!) hosted by HerPeacefulGarden.

As you know, I look forward to this hop each year. Unfortunately, those of you who follow my blog know that I haven’t been able to craft as much this year, as what little energy I have has been used up caring for my folks. In trying to get ready for this hop, I find out I’ve been away so long that WordPress has completely changed up the format and it’s like learning how to make a post all over again. Argh! (I think there’s something to that saying about not being able to teach an old cat new tricks!) Ok, enough caterwauling!

I found this adorable little hand held massager at the Dollar Tree. Not only is it cute, but it’s perfect for my mom whose psoriatic arthritis makes it too painful for her to give my dad a back massage that distracts him from his pancreatic cancer pain. This allows her to knead his muscles without hurting her hands.

I was hunting for a cat stamp to shadow my printed punny sentiment, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. They say necessity is the mother of invention… So I drew and drew a likeness of the cat until I was satisfied with it — which reminded my why I really prefer buying stamps!! After printing the message on cardstock, I cut out the tag (Spellbinders Exquisite Labels 11)and then traced my cat image and colored it in. On the back side I used the cutout of the cat image and then wrote a personal note around it.

I copied my drawing and made this .jpg file (aka “digi”) in case you happen to find a similar massager at your local dollar store and want to use my kitty drawing for a card. You should be able to right click and save it. If not, you’ll have to take a screen shot or draw you own. I rarely use digis, so I don’t know anything about re-sizing, etc., sorry, but I’m sure you can figure it out! Tag me or come back and comment when you post your project so I can cheer your efforts!

This will be my only entry in this year’s Cat Lovers Hop. I hope you have a FURbulous day and enjoy the rest of the hop!

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Chocolate Keeps You Safe! Fun Fat Cat Card

Posted on October 23, 2018 by dannscraftingwhims

Hello again! I’m back with a humorous card for the Cat Lovers Hop.

A few months back our whole family went on a diet and each successfully shed scores of pounds. However, my folks recently hit a plateau. To congratulate them on their accomplishment, and encourage them to keep up the good work with some humor, I send them this fun card:

I think these two cats are safe, don’t you?!! I love how shiny the Brilliance ink is when stamping with it! To help it stand out, I just lightly colored the kitties with some chalks:

The Liquid Pearls make the chocolate look almost edible (if slightly melted)… Gotta love those fun Technique Tuesday Sassy sentiments! : )

Of course, I was so excited to send it to them, I was already writing in it when I remembered to take a pic… just ignore my scribbling (thx)!

I love that stamped sentiment: Did you ever notice there are no recipes for leftover chocolate?! So true! (and you notice the chocolate is gone except for the wrapper and a couple of crumbs)

On the back, there’s a little pocket for a gift card for them to get some new ‘skinny’ clothes:

Supplies:

Penny Black: 9 Lives stamp set
Technique Tuesday: Sassy Bday & Sassy Hangry
Spellbinders: Labels 40 Decorative Accents dies
Justrite dies: Filigree Corners
Recollections white cardstock
Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black & Rich Cocoa dye inks
Tsukineko Brilliance Coffee Bean & Pearlescent Rust pigment inks
Art Performance markers
Pebbles, Inc. Pearlescent Chalks – Jewel Tones
Ranger Liquid Pearls: Dark Chocolate
Ranger Stickles: Joyful
Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss Carnation Pink
Simply Defined Stay-Put glue

I’m playing along with the following challenges – click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun:

***** Giveaway now closed *****

Purr-prize! It’s time for another giveaway for all you kitty loving blog hoppers along with my faithful blog followers! This time I have a little package (#1) of fab feline goodies:

Meowza! Kitty footies, color in postcards, washi tape, cat eraser, sticky notes, a magnetic bookmark, kitty tissues, and even an adjustable cat ring! Purrfect!

What do you have to do to be eligible to win my prize package #1? If you’re interested, just leave me a comment using the words “kitty cat” together somewhere in your comment.

Bonus entry option #1: Be a follower of my blog and leave me another comment.

For a second bonus entry follow me on Instagram (@d.ann.c), like and comment on the post featuring this card. (It doesn’t have to be a long comment, just a heart will do.) Come back here and leave a comment letting me know that you did it and your Instagram name.

Bonus entry option #3 (for a total of 4 possible entries): Follow me on Pinterest (@dannscrafting) and re-pin any one of my cards that you like. (If you don’t like them, you don’t have to pin any. lol!) Come back here and leave a comment letting me know your Pinterest name.

You will have until Midnight, Eastern Standard Time, October 28, 2018 to get your comments in. Sometime after noon Eastern Standard Time on Monday, October 29, I will publish a post listing all winners from giveaways on my blog from this hop (chosen using Random.org). Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prizes so, if you’re not subscribed, be sure to check back later that afternoon for that post!!

There’s more fun coming… be sure and mosey back here soon!

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

2018 Cat Lovers Hop – Day 1 – Cat On a Fence Card

Posted on October 22, 2018 by dannscraftingwhims

While I’ve been away chasing my tail, time has zipped by faster than a mouse running from a barn cat (waaayyy faster than running from a house cat!) and we’ve come ’round to my favorite time of year again…. The 4th annual Cat Lovers Hop has begun!

This year our fabulous hop hostess, Janis of HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com, has gathered a clowder of generous sponsors and prizes will be given among those who enter projects and those who comment on projects entered, so there are plenty of opportunities to win and to enjoy loads of feline crafting inspiration If you didn’t start at the beginning, you’ll want to click HERE to get all the details. (And don’t forget, to be a winner in her hop, you must also be signed in HERE.) The hop Guidelines & FAQs page is HERE.

To add to the fun, I am pleased to announce that there will be several blog candy giveaways on my blog during this year’s hop, starting with this very post! If you’re not already a subscriber, you will want to sign up so you don’t miss any posts and chances to win some fun crafty goodies.

My first card is this sweet Cat on the Fence from Cheapo Dies. They may be inexpensive, but they’re good quality dies… I have several of their dies and they’ve all cut well so far! You will want to stay tuned until the end as there will be a Cheapo Dies giveaway and discount code!! This die is made to cut completely out, but I covered both sides with some circle dies to frame it up and hold it in place for a see-through window.

I cut it out two additional times, One in white and one to back it. I used part of the one I cut out of the card for the envelope. I also cut the cat out again for the inside against the ‘sunset’.

Supplies:

Cheap-O Dies: Cat on the Fence
Spellbinders Tear Drop Circle, Large Classic Circles, Small Classic Scalloped Circles dies
Little B: Meow & Woof (just the paw print) dies
Recollections Elegance card pack – gold
Recollections white, brown & black cardstock
Copic Markers B39; C7, 13; E55, 71; R35, Y17; YG17, 63, 67
Pebbles, Inc. Pearlescent Chalks Jewel Tones
Simply Defined Stay-Put glue

***** Giveaway now closed *****

Now, for the news you’ve all been waiting for… the blog candy giveaway!

Cheapo Dies has kindly offered to give one commenter on this post (open worldwide) THIS darling cat die:

They are also generously offering a special discount code to all who are participating in this hop or reading this post: You can use the code CAT for 10% of your orders from Oct. 22, 2018 (that’s today!) until Nov. 7, 2018. Thank you, Cheapo Dies!!! There are at least half a dozen cat dies, all under $5 and oodles of other fun dies…. click HERE to check them out!

What do you have to do to be entered to win the above cute cat die from Cheapo Dies? Well, let’s show them some gratitude… First, go to their Facebook page HERE, like it and leave them a message thanking them for their generosity! Then come back here and leave me a comment that you did so. Easy peasy. One entry per person. This giveaway is open worldwide. You will have until Midnight, Eastern Standard Time, October 28, 2018 to get your comments in. Sometime after noon Eastern Standard Time on Monday, October 29, I will publish a post listing all winners from giveaways on my blog from this hop (chosen using Random.org). Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prizes so, if you’re not subscribed, be sure to check back later that afternoon for that post!!

Well, we’re off to a roaring start! Let the fur fly (and craft scraps, too!) as you get busy cranking out those Cat Themed projects. I can’t wait to see what you create! I’ll be back later today with another kitty project to aMEWs you. Meanwhile, big, furry hugs & purrs to you all!

If you’re continuing on the hop, the next entry is the talented ionabunny HERE

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Cat Lovers Hop – Final Day – You’re Special Crazy Cat Card + Blog Candy

Posted on October 29, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

I’m so glad you could stop by today for the final day of the Cat Lovers Hop!

And what a hop it’s been! With over 130 talented entries already, who knows how many we’ll have before the day is done?!! I’ve had cat loving visitors from 15 countries stop by!

Who knew that National Chocolate day is October 28 and National Cat day is October 29?! (International Cat day is August 8). Isn’t it crazy how they seem to have a “day” for everything?!! I think EVERY day should be chocolate and cat days!!!

If you’ve been following my posts this week, then you know that I’ve been interviewing famous cats. I sent out many more requests, but not all of our beloved felines deigned to reply. The one I really missed was Tarder Sauce aka “Grumpy Cat” as I had a cat colored like her and some blog candy, too. What was I thinking?!! We all know her most popular MEMEs:

But I’d rather not impute motives… who knows what she’s been going through at the time I wrote? Maybe she’s even had way too many PAWparazzi chasing her lately. So I went ahead and used the image I colored in her honor and put together a fun card in fall colors:

And the inside shows what the little PAWparazzo was up to…

Didja notice my inspired ball of yarn exclamation point?! I’ll fess up as to why it’s inspired… I had masked off the rest of the sentiment while inking it up… then forgot to take off the mask. DUH! It left a smudge that needed covering. THAT’s when the ball of yarn exclamation point idea came up. Too bad the smaller ball wouldn’t cover up the smudge as it’d’ve made the perfect exclamation point! (Note to self… remember for next time!)

There’s a better view of that fantastic metallic creative medium on the left and the Perlen ‘milk’. I used a rounded flower tool to round the eyes before adding glossy accents. They look really cool IRL.

Supplies used:

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz stamp sets: Crazy Cats, Mini Cats & Dogs, and Crazy Talk
Sizzix Tim Holtz Framelits dies: Crazy Cats and Mini Cats & Dogs
Ranger Dylusions Raining Cats small stencil
Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink
Imagine Crafts Creative Medium Metallic Copper
Copic Markers
- Large Cat: B21; E00, 11, 31, 33, 74, 79; RV02; W1,3,5
- Small Cat: YR02, 04, 21, 24; W1
Sakura Pigma Micron 005 black pen
Sharpie white paint pen
Viva Decor Perlen-pen
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
Silly Winks sticky back foam
The Paper Studio – Spare Parts camera charm
Core’dinations cardstock: black and white
Misc. card base
Various adhesives
Dollar store medical tape (I use this to hold my dies in place, but I liked the look of it over the milk bottle, so cut it to fit before putting Glossy Accents over it)

I’m entering this card in the following hops and challenges – you can click on any one of them for more information in case you’d care to join the fun:

Cat Lovers Hop
~~Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes~~ oops.. the limit is 5
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Autumn (5th and final)
Crop Stop Linky Party #21 Anything Goes (Crop Stop carries: Core’dinations, Dylusions, Memento, Pigma Micron, Ranger Glossy Accents, and Sizzix brands) 4th entry(only one left!)

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

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

Now it’s time for my final blog candy for this hop, open internationally:

There is a Design Works 5×7 Cross Stitch kit, a set of 4 Grumpy Cat buttons (my favorite says “I’m on a button? I hate buttons!” lol!) and some kitty sticky note page markers.

If you would like to be in the running to win this blog candy, pay close attention to the rules: Leave ONE comment on this post before 11:59 pm Pacific, Sunday Oct. 30, 2016, using the word PAWparazzo somewhere in your comment. If you don’t have the word PAWparazzo 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 my PINTEREST account, @dannscrafting , come back here and leave comment with your Pinterest 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 open to International peeps, too.

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.

It’s been a fast and FURRYous week of activity! I hope you’ve enjoyed the hop, I certainly have! Thank you all SO VERY MUCH for stopping by and for all the kind, encouraging and entertaining comments you left – they are much appreciated!!

I have one more project, but if I don’t get it done today, I’ll save it for next hop! : )

See you ’round blog-land my fur-loving friends! Don’t forget to stop back in the afternoon on October 31 to see if you won any blog candy!

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Art Impressions Stay Balanced with Chocolate – Speedy Recovery Watercolor Cat Card

Posted on October 28, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

Welcome sweet peeps! I WAS going to use this cat stamp for the final card of the Cat Lovers Hop – That’s how I feel already, so I know tomorrow, I WILL be flat on my back, for sure! However, I needed a card for a cat-loving/chocolate-loving friend who got home from the hospital yesterday. (Hence my absence.) This one came together quite quickly with the help of the Art Impressions Watercolor stamps.

Here’s the inside sentiment, which may be the best part of the card:

I am very determined to lead a balanced life! lol!! I think she’ll love this with a little box of chocolates, don’t you?!

You’ve heard of cats having shiny coats? I gave this cat one with those metallic watercolors:

I’m still getting used to the AI watercolor stamps. I know watercolor is supposed to be soft and a little blurry, but once I add water, they loose too much definition. Finding the right balance of water is tough for me. I like that they don’t require a lot of water and so dry quickly with little warping of the paper. My fix for now is to re-stamp over the blurry areas to add a little definition.

Tips for adhering 140# watercolor paper to a card without warping.

Use 110# paper (or heavier) for the card base
Use Tombow Xtreme adhesive. It takes a bit to get used to flicking off to the side before lifting up (and to remember to do it!), but it is super strong!! I’ve had it straighten out warped watercolor paper once adhered to the card base.

Yes, those are real mini m&m’s – what a waste of chocolate!! I looked for mini bonbon stickers or buttons, but couldn’t find any and the ones I tried to make with drops didn’t look right, so this was the next best thing. I GUESS I can sacrifice 4 mini chocolates for a good cause! (You have no idea what a good friend you are!!!) Hahaha!

Supplies used:

Art Impressions Zoo Crew Feline stamp set
Art Impressions Watercolor stamp sets: Flower, Foliage, and Chest of Flowers
Art Impressions sentiment stamps
Spectrum Aqua Artist’s Markers – Floral set: Blossom, Bud Green, Heather, Leaf Green, Marigold, Orchid, Rose Pink
Yasutomo metallic watercolors
Memento dye ink – Tuxedo Black
Canson cold press 140# watercolor paper
Core’dinations 110# cardstock – white. 65# cardstock – gray
Tombow Xtreme adhesive
E6000 Industrial Strength Adhesive
Mini M&Ms 4 for card…. rest for cardmaker!! : )

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:

Cat Lovers Hop
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
Crop Stop Linky Party #21 Anything Goes (Crop Stop carries: Art Impressions, Core’dinations, Memento and Tombow brands)

Oh, before I go, I’d like to introduce those of you who haven’t seen them to the Simon’s Cat videos. I didn’t get an interview, but they are still worthy of mention… They are short and ever-so-sweet! No matter how many times I see them, they make me laugh!! I recommend just scrolling down the video list on his YouTube channel and starting at the beginning. Here’s one every cat owned crafter can relate to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV3SWjrt2rE

I can’t believe tomorrow is already the last day! I do have at least one more fun post planned for you, so don’t forget to stop back by!!

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Cat Lovers Mama Elephant Thank You Page Hugger Bookmark Card + Lil BUB Interview + Blog Candy

Posted on October 28, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

Hello there, friends and visitors! Welcome to Day 5 of the Cat Lovers Hop!

If you haven’t checked it out yet, do make a little time to check out all the fab projects and amazing talent – just click HERE. There are nearly a hundred entries already!

For today’s interview, I am delighted to have the darling lil BUB with us today:

This is her orchid impression. I think it’s a new family of orKITTYae… the FELINEopsis! Not to be confused with the CATTleyas. : )

For those of you who aren’t already one of her 1.4 million followers on Instagram, you can check out her story on her website by clicking HERE. She is a “perma-kitten”, which means she will stay kitten sized and maintain kitten-like features her entire life. (Personally, I’m a “perma-kid” which means I will stay a kid on the inside my entire life!) She is a published author, a talk show host, the star of an award winning documentary, created Lil BUB’s Big FUND for the ASPCA (the first national fund for special needs pets), and has helped raise over $300,000 for animals in need. A portion of every sale from her STORE full of BUB cuteness goes to this fund.

That’s one busy little kitty! We’re honored that she took the time from her busy schedule and chose to reply to one of the questions I sent her.

What is your favorite thing to do with paper?

Sleep on it.

A true kitty, indeed!

Some of you may have the popular Weather Bug app on your phones. Did you know there’s a Weather BUB app?!! And it’s FREE! You can find it HERE.

In honor of lil BUB’s appearance today, I made this card with a removable Page Hugger bookmark on it:

It’s not often I do a CAS card, but I really wanted the bookmark to be the star of the show.

And, on the inside:

Supplies used:

Mama Elephant Page Huggers stamps and dies
Mama Elephant stamps: Sunday Sentiments and Hello Friend Wishes
Memento dye inks: Tuxedo Black and London Fog
Copic Markers: E00, 31, 33, R32, RV04, W3, 5
Sakura Pigma Micron black 005 pen
Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss Apple Green
Core’dinations cardstock: black and white
Misc. card base and adhesives

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:

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

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

Who’s ready for another blog candy giveaway?!!

Up for grabs today is this Plaid Bucilla 4.25″ x 5″ cross stitch kit, an I love my cat key chain and some kitty sticky note page markers. Today it’s for continental USA peeps only, as the key chain is heavy.

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 “PERMA-KITTEN” somewhere in your comment. If you don’t have the words “PERMA-KITTEN” 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 BUB’s AND my Instagram accounts (@iamlilbub 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.

Well, my desk is getting full of scraps of paper from the craftnado that has hit this week. I might just follow lil BUB’s lead and lay my head down on the paper pile for a quick cat-nap.

Before I go, I want to thank you all for visiting and for your sweet and encouraging comments! They mean a lot to me!! I’ll be back as soon as I can.

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

pps: Enabler alert… perhaps you’ve seen these cute Post-It note holders at Office Depot or Staples… You can find them MUCH cheaper on Amazon…. just sayin’!:

As Tigger would say: TTFN!

Newton’s Nook Inky Paws Challenge – Cozy Plaids Purrfect Party Thank You Card

Posted on October 26, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

Good evening and thank you for stopping by!

I have a quick card to post (I HAVE to make it short as I promised it’d be like a Manx’ tail!)

I needed a Thank You card and this one is dedicated to our hop hostess, Janice, and today’s special guest, Hobbes and the Newton’s Nook gang!

Love that warm and cozy fall plaid! I added some extra faux pearls (colored with Copic Markers to match the color scheme, buttons and sparkle to bling it up…

Materials used:

Newton’s Nook stamp sets: Newton’s Antics, Newton’s Bday Bash, Newton’s Sick Day (part of the sentiment only)
Spellbinders Ornate Squares die
Memento Rich Cocoa dye ink
Copic markers: E000, 11, 25, 29, 33, 74, W1, R22
Crayola pencil – orange
Pebbles, Inc. Basic Bright chalks
Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens – clear
Core’dinations kraft cardstock
My Mind’s Eye Magnolia paper & Vintage Card pack
Coats & Clark Metallic decorative thread
Recollections button stickers and faux pearls
Papertrey Ink Canyon Clay ribbon
Tombow Xtreme adhesive

I am entering this card in the following hops and challenges. You can click on any on for more info. :

Something has come up for tomorrow and I may not get a post in, but I’ll be back as soon as I can with the last two interviews for the hop.

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

DIY Newton’s Nook Kitty Kiddy Games + Interview with Hobbes + Blog Candy!

Posted on October 26, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

Oh, I am so excited to share all the fun stuff in today’s post for the Cat Lovers Hop!

I can’t believe it’s already half over! Are you having fun yet?!!! Can you tell I’m a ‘litter’ bit excited?!! You’d better grab a cuppa as this post will be MUCH longer than my average post. For those of you who persevere and make it all the way to the end, there may be some extra special blog candy waiting for you. (wink-wink!)

Many of you are familiar with one of our generous sponsors, Newton’s Nook and the famous cat for which they’re named. (If you’re not, you can read Newton’s story HERE.) Did you know there’s another feline in the family named Hobbes?! If you’re one of the nearly 3k followers of Newton’s Nook on Instagram, you’ll see pictures of them both, but a quick scroll through reveals Newton about 20x more often than Hobbes. Who can blame him – what with the company named after Newton and all. So I thought we needed to get to know Hobbes a little better and he graciously answered a few interview questions for us.

If it’s not too personal, can I ask if you were named after Calvin’s best friend?
- Yes I am! My owner, Jeff, loved Calvin and Hobbes cartoons and has all the books so when they adopted me he wanted to name me after his favorite cartoon tiger.
  - I love how Calvin’s Hobbes always pretended to be a stuffed animal when other people were around, but went back to being a tiger with Calvin! lol! Believe it or not, I still have their books, too! I found these cartoons about Calvin’s crafting skills that might give crafters a chuckle:

What’s it REALLY like living with Newton?
- Newton is a great big brother. We like to snuggle and nap together when it’s cold outside. Although sometimes we do argue over who gets to sit in an open window or sunbeam!
Do you think Jen will ever do a Hobbes stamp?
- I don’t think so. I’m too shy to be in the spotlight! But I have seen Jen color the kitty images to look like me on some of her cards!
Do you have any crafts you enjoy getting your paws into?
- Sometimes I like to chase bits of bakers twine when Jen is crafting! But mostly, I just like to keep her company and sit on the chair beside her while she creates or walk across her creations!
What is your favorite thing to do with paper?
- Chase it, of course!! Or sit on it!
Do people often send you and Newton cards or hand-made crafts? What are some of your favorites?
- We do sometimes receive handmade cards from our fans and the whole family loves to see what everyone creates! Cards with cats colored to look like the card creators pets are my favorites!

Thank you, Hobbes, for taking some prime sunbeam time to chat with us! You look so dapper in your bow tie!! (Bow ties are cool!) Here’s a parting truism from Calvin & Hobbes:

Speaking of Calvin & Hobbes… If you’re a fan, you might enjoy checking out Disney artist Brian Keesinger’s Instagram account for some fun Little Hahn and Chewie mash-ups reminiscent of Bill Watterson’s work. (… like this one HERE… or THIS ONE… and THIS ONE… ok, I’ll leave you to find more that you like! No… wait! One more just for the Cat Lovers Hop… the C.AT-AT — HERE.)

Well, now, back to the crafting. In honor of Hobbes visit, for today’s project I put together a couple of DIY kitty kiddy games. You know those little containers you get with take-out sauces or dressings in them?

The lids can be easily up-cycled to make these fun little games. (I also use the cups to mix and briefly store paints.)

I tried my hand a coloring one for Hobbes and one for Newton. My apologies to both of you as I’m not the greatest color-er. I’ll have better pics here in a minute… meanwhile, here’s a quick video of one in action:

View this post on Instagram

DIY kitty kiddy games coming up on the blog a later today! Stay tuned! (Details will be on the first post of 10/26/16. (link in profile.) Made with upcycled lids from take-out dressing pots. #newtonsnook #sssmchallenge #ssswchallenge #copicmarkers #copiccoloring #diykidsgame #diykidsgames #diygame #diygames #kidstoys #diytoys #papercrafting #upcycle

A post shared by @ d.ann.c on Oct 26, 2016 at 9:43am PDT

I used some fall-colored cat paper and, since there was an outer ring, I poured in some fall-colored beads for a shaker effect, too. – Hey! You could add a handle and make a baby rattle and if you see your baby master the game, you’ll know you have a genius! Just kidding! lol!! They probably present a choking hazard, so best not to give to anyone under 5 – and no kitties, either, ok?!

I’ve long looked at the basket of the hot air balloon in Newton Dreams of Paris and thought it looked like a Rubik’s cube, so I turned it into one. I’m sure Hobbes is smart enough to sort that out once he wakes up!!

And, of course, the nerd in me HAD to put Newton’s game on a Newton’s Cradle for the photo! (for the non-nerds among us, this is a device named after Sir Isaac Newton that demonstrates conservation of momentum and energy.) If this was for the coffee hop, I’d’ve put grounds and brown beads in the shaker part. : )

Tips and lessons learned:

Punch the holes in the game board BEFORE you put the backing paper on! Can you guess how I know?!!
Using cardstock to cover the cardboard on both sides adds strength to the base.
I used E6000 adhesive for the outer edge of the lid as it was so thin I needed something to sit on the edge without running down the side. Plus it doesn’t dry too quickly, allowing me to take a flat toothpick and drag it along the edge at my slow pace and then put the Krazy glue on the inner part and still have it sticky when I was done. Also, it is strong enough that I regularly use it on jewelry, so I knew it would hold well. Once dry, I noticed that I’d missed a couple of spots, but that was easily remedied by putting some E6000 right up against the edge. Alternately, you could run a bead of decorative hot glue around the edge.
I used Krazy glue on the inner flat ring as it would spread easily and not leave streaks when dry. After using the glues, I could relate a bit to this Calvin & Hobbes comic… (I think glue has a life of its own as it always manages to get somewhere that I didn’t put it!!)
Check that your beads will move around freely once the backing is on BEFORE you glue the top down. : ) Can you guess how I know?!!
I pricked the holes with a paper piercer, then enlarged them a bit with that tool with a round ball that you use to shape flowers (senior moment) and finally smoothed it out and widened it a bit more with a ball point pen.
Turn the plastic lid upside down and fill it with your beads, put the glue on the edges and lay your backing on top of the lid without turning it over until it dries. Place a paperweight on top to hold it down for a tight seal. This will keep your beads from sticking to any excess glue. Can you guess how I know?!! There was, indeed, a little bit of trial and error with these, but I like how they turned out.

Materials used:

Newton’s Nook stamp sets: Newton Loves Coffee & Newton Dreams of Paris
Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink
Core’dinations white cardstock
American Crafts The Color of Memories cat paper
Copic markers
- Hobbes: C3; E00, 02, 11, 23, 25, 29, 31, 33, G9, R89, RV29, Y13, YR07
- Newton: C1, #00, 02c G09, YR21, 24
Sakura Pigma Micron 005 black pen
SMS Simply Defined “Stacey Tape”
E6000 Industrial Strength Adhesive
Krazy glue
Misc. Cereal box for cardboard, take-out dressing lids, beads.

I am entering these projects (Hobbes from this blog post and Newton from Instagram in some cases) in the following hops and challenges. You can :

Whew! Congrats!! You’ve made it all the way to the end of this post. Now what?!!

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

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

Hobbes whispered something to Jen after his interview and she generously offered to donate a surprise stamp set of the mischievous Newton as blog candy for someone today! AND she said it was open to anyone – international or USA! Woot-woot! Want to see which set she is offering? You can see it by clicking HERE, and while you’re there, you might want to go check out the other fab and fun goodies in her store, ok?!!

If you would like to be in the running to win this Newton’s Nook blog candy, pay close attention to the rules: Leave ONE comment on this post before 11:59 pm Pacific, Sunday Oct. 30, 2016, using the phrase “CALVIN & HOBBES” somewhere in your comment. If you don’t have the words “CALVIN & HOBBES” 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 Newton’s Nook’s AND my Instagram accounts (@newtonsnook 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 anyone world-wide.

Phew! It took me a green tea frap and a pumpkin spice latte just to get through it all! I promise the rest of my posts for this hop will be MUCH shorter…. Like if this post was comparable a Main Coon cat’s tail, the rest should be like Manx tails, ok?! lol!! Thanks to you all for your patience and for your kind words of encouragement in the comments. They mean a lot to me!

I’ll be back again real soon… do try and stop back by!!

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Felt Kitty Coaster

Posted on October 25, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

Good afternoon! The whim has finally taken me away from cards to post this nifty little kitty coaster I made back in February. (Yes, there are several things nearly a year old that have yet to be posted. At the speed at which I move, if I were on a turtle’s back I’d probably be shouting ‘Wheee!!’ lol!) My idea was to make a whole set, but life ended up getting in the way and now the rest are on the back burner. So, for now, I’ll share the only one I made… purrfect for that cuppa…

I first saw the post about these on Kunin Group felt products Facebook page HERE and followed the link back to Laura’s Made Peachy blog… you can read her guest post by Katie Norris of Baker Ross and get the template download to make these for free HERE. There are several different decorating ideas and patterns on the two links. I will say that the eyes and nose pieces are so tiny.. even the ears and paws might be a lot easier glued on rather than stitched.

What is it about cat’s paws that just make you want to play with them?!! Speaking of which… try typing “cat’s paw bear” into your Google search bar and check out the images. Some are photoshopped, but they’re pretty stinkin’ cute!

This was my first try at stitching like that… I think it turned out ok. You could probably stuff these and make little toys out of them, too.

Materials used

Kunin Group felts
DMC embroidery thread

I’m entering this project in the Cat Lovers Hop. Click on it for more information as to how you can join the fun… there are many prizes up for grabs! : )

I have a special interview planned for tomorrow and there will be blog candy, so be sure to check back in. Thank you all so much for your kind comments!!

~D.Ann

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

pps…. One last bit of fun for the day… those of you who have been subscribers for a while know my fascination with pareidolia – the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness. Here are a couple of heavenly examples that fit out Cat Lovers Hop….

The Cat’s Eye Nebula (NGC 6543)

The Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334)

Well, there you have it. You now know the depth of my cat loving geekiness! Now, if you want to know some REALLY interesting trivia… Did you know that the center of the Milky Way tastes like raspberries and smells like rum? True story! You can read about it HERE.

Can’t wait to get out there and see if it’s true! : )

G’nite all!!

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

Posted on October 25, 2016 by dannscraftingwhims

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.

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

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.