Cattitude Monday - Fantasty Art and Real Life

Happy Monday! - Today's Cattitude Monday images are a reflections of both "art" and "real life."

For my artistic piece today I chose this fantasy art print by, Leslie Newcomer found here: http://www.fantasycatart.com/ I liked this piece because of the colors. It reminds me of Spring and while we're having a bit of a throwback to Winter right now I can still dream of balmy spring days like this.

My real life photo is none other then new kitten, Callie-Jo taking a sleep break by hogging the heat vent. Doesn't she look warm and snug. Just the place to be on a cold chilly day like today.

Enjoy your day and pet a cat today if you haven't already. Hugs, Ida

What's Wrong With This Picture

Wasn't the 1st "Official" day of Spring 10 days ago? - So what's wrong with this picture? - This is what we woke up to this morning and brrr baby it is COLD outside. The poor spring flowers look pretty sorry today.

I am so NOT a fan of snow so I'm hoping and praying that this goes away quickly.

It isn't even April 1st so this is just a really "cruel" joke for sure.

Happily (well maybe not) freezing here in the Pacific Northwest. Ida

Spring Flowers of Hope

Well I'm coming in just "under the wire" this week since it's still technically Friday here being as it's only 8:39 pm! Had some difficulties today trying to find time to stamp and coming up with an idea I liked.

This isn't the most fancy card in the world but I do like the nice fresh spring colors.

For this card I used: Pixie Pink Card stock with a layer of Lavender textured (Bazzill) and Green Galore, Whisper White.

Stamps Used: Garden Whimsy, Dots and Daises BG (both SU) and Spring Sentiment by Hero Arts

Inks/Markers Used: Green Galore, Pixie Pink, Wisteria Chalk (ColorBox) and Basic Black

Other: Oval Scallop Punches (Marvy) Green Galore Brads, Iridescent Ice EP (on bug), paper piercing tool, Ribbon SU (retired) not sure of the name of the ribbon at this time. Foam Mounting Tape.

Be sure to check out the other great bloggers challenges by using the icon on my sidebar.

Cattitude Monday - A Bit of History

Here is a picture of my new kitten, Callie-Jo and one of our other cats, Dottie have a stare down with each other.




For this weeks entry I thought I would give you a little fact about an unnamed cat that helped out in a very special way here in Washington State. I learned this information when I visited the dam.






While many cats 'work' as mousers, one kitty who was nameless actually helped build a dam! When engineers were building the Grand Coulee Dam, they had trouble threading a cable through a pipe. Someone suggested a cat would do the trick. Engineers tied a rope to the cable, tied a string to the rope, and tied the string to this kitty's tail. This nameless kitty crawled through the pipeline and finished the job that the humans couldn't manage to do

Back later with something else to share.

Roaming Gnome

Happy St. Patrick's Day! - Okay this isn't a "traditional" card for the event but it's still got GREEN on it so that counts in my book.

Recently I participated in a Mystery Image swap where all the participants were sent the same stamped image and we had to create a card for our partner using that image. Once everyone had received their cards they were all posted so we could see what everyone had done with their image. It was pretty cool seeing how very different the cards turned out. This was the card that I sent to my partner.

He became a "Roaming Gnome" when I accidentally sent him to someone in Texas instead of the correct partner who lives in Wisconsin. So he travelled around a bit before he reached his final destination.

Card Stock: Summer Sun (Card Base) Ruby Red, Old Olive, Whisper White.

Stamps used: Gnome by Stampendous, Dot BG by SU, Hello by Papertrey Ink

Inks used: Palette Noir Black

Prisma Colored Pencils, Gamsol & Blending Stumps

Other: Silver EP, Piercing tool, Nestabilities Dies, White Liquid Applique, Felt Flowers (Maya Road), Silver Brads, Mini Brad (Queen and Co.), Foam Mounting Tape.

A BLESSING FOR YOU AND YOURS:

May the grace of God’s protection And His great love abide Within your home-within the hearts Of all who dwell inside.

BCG Wk 38 Celebrating Birthdays

This weeks theme for the Blogger's Challenge Group was Birthday Cards (any kind for any age)

I had a card that we made for my Stamp Club meeting already done but since it was a pretty much cased card from Northwoods Stamper on SCS http://splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/802078?cat=12324 I decided to do another card but am posting both cards.

Card #1 Uses (Birthday Whimsy) from the Sale-a-bration catalog.

Card stock used: Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White and Bali Breeze Designer Paper.

I stamped the (Sanded BG) stamp with TT ink on the TT card stock. Then I stamped the birthday cake image with Old Olive and colored the flames in with Pumpkin Pie and distressed the edges with CC ink then mounted it onto a square of PP card stock & distressed the edges with the Cutter Kit. I layered a piece of the Bali Breeze DP on the Old Olive cs and added a strip of CC pierced and added 3 TT brads. I stamped the cake image again using Chocolate Chip CRAFT ink and Clear EP then cut out the cake and mounted it over the olive cake with foam dimensional tape.

Card #2 Uses (Birthday Whimsy)

Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red Textured, Old Olive, Whisper White and Designer Paper from DCWV(Die Cute With A View). I pierced a piece of Old Olive and layered that onto my RR textured card stock leaving a space between that and the designer paper. The corners were rounded with a small corner rounder. My cake was done the same was as in card one. I did use Nestabilities to cut out my circle and scallop for this card. I also embossed the sentiment and added Olive and Not Quite Navy brads to the sides and a piece of the Chocolate Chip PolyTwill ribbon at the bottom of the card.

If you have questions on how these cards were made feel free to e-mail me.

Check out all the other Birthday creations by clicking on the Bloggers Challenge Group icon on my sidebar.

Cattitude Monday - Meeting Callie Jo

Sure wish I could figure out why the pictures don't upload side by side. It looks uneven which I hate but until I figure out how to put them in differently I guess you'll just have to bear with me.
This weeks Cattitude Monday is all about CALLIE JO the newest member of the Krause household. So far Dottie is the only one of the older cats that has even somewhat accepted the new kitten. Here she is allowing Callie to lay next to her. Then Callie got a little to close in picture number 2 so she ended up hopping off the couch shortly after I got the shot.
My last photo shows the "curiosity" of a cat because she was very interested in what was on the computer screen. I was actually viewing Rubber Stamps at: www.addictedtorubberstamps.com . Doesn't she look adorable! - Yes I am a proud mommy!

Blogger's Challenge Wk. 37 - These Boots Are Made For Walking

Yee Haw! I did it. I was really stumped about this weeks challenge since creating a shaped card (other then a rectangle) is really OUT OF THE BOX for me. I wanted something fun and creative but really couldn't think of a thing to do. Thank goodness for Google Search because I found this template here: http://www.houseofstirfry.com/chia/templates/bootcard.html

I love Western Themed cards so this was something I thought I could handle. The tricky part was adjusting the pattern to my computers settings. I ended up printing out the pattern and then sizing mine at 5x7"

All Supplies SU unless noted otherwise.

For this card I used: Close To Cocoa and Ruby Red Card Stock and Chocolate Chip & Ruby Red Ink

After I cut out my card I stamped the Sanded BG stamp with Chocolate Chip ink and the used a sponge dauber to sponge some CC around the edges. Then I stamped a piece of CTC with CC ink using the Striped pattern block from the now retired set: Background Sampler. I cut out a portion to make the boot heel and glued it on.

Then I stamped the Paisley BG with Ruby Red Ink on RR card stock and distressed the edges with the RR ink and the Cutter Kit. I had to fit this piece to my boot pattern. Then I stamped the HOWDY (Cat's Pajamas Western Set: It's A Western Thing) with Chocolate Chip ink.

I again stamped the Paisley BG this time on Close To Cocoa card stock with Chocolate Chip ink and used the Key Tag Punch to punch out the boot strap. I pierced around it and the top of the boot and added faux stitching with a CC marker. The silver accent piece came off of a pair of old western star earrings that I never wear. I used glue dots to adhere it to the strap piece and then mounted that with foam mounting tape.

That's it. I feel so much better that I actually accomplished something that really was a "Challenge" to me. That's one of the reasons I love this group because it makes me get out of my normal stamping mode and try something different.

Be sure to check out all the other fabulous and fun cards made by the other members of the group. You'll find them by clicking on the Bloggers Challenge Banner on my side bar.

Meet Miss Callie-Jo

Tuesday after bowling my mom wanted to stop by the Pet Store so she could buy a fish for her tank. As is my habit when I'm there I took a peek to see if they had any cute kittens. Normally I just LOOK and leave. That wasn't the case this week. I saw this little beauty and was hooked immediately. Now mind you we have 4 other cats already so I really didn't need another cat. I called hubby (who happened to be out of town working) and he said, "NO, NO, NO...We do not need another cat." Of course I did my best to convince him that we did need one and that she was sooooo CUTE etc....but in the end he said his decision would be not to get one but he always leaves me to decide what I think is the right choice. Of course you know what my choice was. Yep, I bought her. She is part Siamese and part Calico (the owners were calling the Simaco's)

I decided to name her CallieJo (sounds like Calico if you say it fast enough). The first night we had her I barely got any sleep. None of the other cats liked her and I didn't think they would so I bought a big carrier to sleep her in until they get use to her. She mewed and mewed something awful. That of course caused our big male (also part Siamese) to YOWL at the top of his lungs. He could give a Howler Monkey a run for their money I think for loudness! Finally at 3:00 am still awake and exhausted from lack of sleep I got up and found a fuzzy teddy bear that I put in the carrier with her and within 5 minutes she was sound asleep. Ah, peace and quiet at last.

It only lasted though until 5:00 am when my husband would normally be getting up. He always lets the other cats out for a romp around the house and some cat treats before he goes to work so they started pounding on the door and meowing which woke the kitten up. Needless to say I was pretty tired the next day.

She is a sweet cat though and I think that she makes a nice addition to the family.

Pastel Chicks

I created this card for an "Embossing" challenge that I signed up for. I absolutely love Pastel Colors (although I rarely wear them as they make me looked washed out.) For this card I wanted the look of those cute little Easter Chicks you use to see that were dyed pastel colors for Easter. You know parents use to give them to their kids as Easter gifts. Poor little chicks usually didn't stand a chance of survival but they were cute dyed all those fun colors.

We could use any type of Embossing for our cards. For my card I used a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Swiss Dots) for the chicks eggs. I stamped the chick first on the color of paper I wanted with Basic Gray ink and then ran it through the Cuttlebug and cut out the egg portion. I then mounted the egg over the chick image that was stamped on Whisper White card stock and colored with SU Markers. I punched the chicks out with a Square punch and mounted them on matching colors of card stock then added a punched flower with brads to the corners.

The sentiment was stamped with a Versa Mark ink pad and Embossed with Bold Black EP and punched out with the Word Window Punch. I also dyed a white flower from the Pretties Kit with Certainly Celery ink and then pressed it onto the Versa Mark pad and embossed it with Iridescent Ice EP and added a half pearl to the center from the Pretties Kit. Then I adhered it to my bow of Pink Taffeta ribbon.

Card Stock: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal, Designer Paper (Lavender Lace)

Inks: Basic Gray, SU Markers: Barely Banana, Apricot Appeal

Other: 3 For You Flower Punch, Soft Subtles Brads, Foam Mounting Tape, Cutter Kit

It was hard getting a decent photo of this card for some reason. Tall cards seem to be difficult to photograph for me. Anyway I think the card turned out cute and I hope the receiver will as well.