~The Rainbow Bridge..

This is one of my favorite The Cat's Pajamas stamps. I originally purchased it as my Rainbow Bridge dog, a needed stamp for all dog lovers. If you aren't familiar with the story.. or even if you are.. grab a tissue..

The Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

~Classical Elegant Notes..

Every time I pull this Stampin' Up! Elegant Notes set off the shelf I think of my multi- talented niece. She is not the typical teenager with earplugs in her ears and an iPod hanging from around her neck listening to rock and rap. Her iPod is full of Rachmaninoff and Schumann, Beethoven and Satie, Oboe Adagios and Piano Concertos with an occasional U2, Coldplay or Beatles track stuck in here and there. She is a straight A honur student who serves on her highschool's Senate, plays the piano and the oboe, and holds an after school job. As a Christmas gift I made her a box of thank you cards using this set. I embossed soft white Arturo cards from Ellen Hutson's online store using my rectangular Nestability dies. The text stamp from Elegant Notes was inked with SU Soft Sky and stamped in the center of the rectangle. Half of the cards were stamped with the treble clef and half with the base clef in Buckaroo Blue as an overlay. The Thank You sentiment was also stamped in Buckaroo Blue. The finished cards placed in a Clearly Creative Box from Papertrey and tied with Martha Stewart's Cloud Piped Nylon ribbon.

~A gift for one of Molly's..

many MySpace friends.

My sister's Wire Haired Terrier, Molly is a popular dog. She even has her own MySpace page with more friends than me! For Christmas Molly received a package from one of her four-legged online friends. So my sister asked me if I would make a little something to send to Molly's friend Justin, who was having a Very Old Dog birthday, as a birthday present, a thank you for her Christmas present, and token of her appreciation. Justin's person has already contacted me for my homemade dog treat recipe that i used to fill the tin! My recipe for the decorated tin is as follows:
Stamp by Stamp Gallery, Paper by Bo-Bunny - Roll Over Dog, Ribbon from the scrap jar stained with walnut ink from Tsukinek, Marvey Scalloped Punches, Stampin' Up Rounded Tab Punch. Dog Treats: Hills Prescription Diet Treats for photo purposes .

~better than Victoria's Secret..

my new Pajamas.. from The Cat's Pajamas! Two new sets in the series Cowboys and Indians have just been released in the Clearly Swanky Clear Stamp sets Havin' a PowWow and Its a Western Thing . They can also be purchased as individual traditional wood mounted rubber stamps. The other series, Love is equally as nice and just in time for Valentine's Day.

Besides the great stamp image there are in my opinion two things that make this card special. Recently my sister called me from Denver while shopping at Joann's and asked me if I had the DCWV The Pets Stack. I didn't, and since haven't been able to find it anywhere else, so she sent it to me knowing my All things Dog addiction. The paper is from that set. The other thing that makes this card special is the dog's hat. Its flocked. I'd never used flocking before and decided what better time to try than on a white cowboy hat. This was a fun card and I'm looking forward to making more with my new stamps and paper.

~The DOG's Pajamas..

~The Cat's Pajamas.. in doggie clothes

Not long ago I ran across Alma and The Cat's Pajamas, a find that ranks at the top of my "places to buy stamps" list. {Privately I refer to Alma's cute and quirky retro designs as The Dog's Pajamas. } A good number of her stamps have already "Gone 2 the Dogs"! This covered tea tin works perfectly as a Valentine's treat jar and can be filled and refilled with your pets favorite treats.

~criss-cross my heart..

won't you Be Mine..
the December My Favorite Things stamp set offered by PaperPretties arrived just in time to headline my batch of Valentine's Day cards and gifts.

This is an adapted version of the criss-cross card which I paired with Stampin' Up's Ginger Blossom Designer Paper, Groovy Guava, River Rock and Whisper White cardstock.
My Copic markers added colour to the box of chocolates tucked into the outer flap on the front of the card. Thank you Kim! ~HUGS~

~an unexpected opportunity..

Yesterday a gentleman visiting the beach for a week's break from the cold Indianapolis winter stopped by our local activity center on a whim and offered to do a one day Stone and Silver Jewelry Workshop. Not since my college days had I an opportunity to work in this medium so of course I said, "Indeed, we would be interested!" Unfortunately for those who were unable to attend today's workshop due to the short notice, they missed out on a fun day and an entertaining, creative, and educational experience. Fortunately for myself and the other gentleman in attendance the nearly private one-on-one instruction was an experience well worth the effort.
Our teacher spilled out a container of unusual polished stones in a variety of shapes. I chose an irregular oval piece of lavender jade for my project. Within only a four hour block of time I had cut and shaped, soldered and filed, sanded and polished pieces of silver and stone into a finished piece of jewelry. When we were finished with our pendants, we were reminded that we had created a one-of-a kind piece and that it was the little imperfections that made it so. I chuckled to myself as this is something I am constantly reminding myself each time I sit down to create a card. Creativity, regardless of the medium, is a personal and unique expression.

~Picture This..

My little helper..




A picture is worth a thousand words! What more can i say?

Samp set: Stampin' Up retired Ruff Day. Paper and ribbon: from my personal stash. Altered frame: from Target Dollar Bin. Dog Bones: Purina One.

~Sweet Sixteen..

for my sweet niece..

Happy Sweet Sixteen

Sweet sixteen! Sweet sixteen!
I can't believe it's true;
The person sitting before is
Is really, really you.

May the days that lie ahead
Bring happiness untold;
Choices that are good and wise
For your life as it unfolds.

Sweet sixteen! Sweet sixteen!
Colored candles on a cake!
I send you a Happy Birthday
With a wish for you to make!

from your very proud Aunt..

~one of My Favorite Things..

As I's said before Kim van der Sanden 's My Favorite Things is one of my favorite things. And of all of her My Favorite Things Let's Go for a Walk tops the list. As a dog lover and a collector of dog stamps its no surprise. For over thirty years at least one loving Gentle Giant, more commonly known as the Great Dane, shared my home. My first was Tweed, a beautiful brindle who came into my life when she was only eight weeks old. Seven, a merle rescue came to live with us in Tweed's older years and after Tweed crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge Abby, another rescue, fine and elegant and blue as cold steel graced my couch. Abby and Seven have joined Tweed at the Rainbow Bridge as has Isis, my first regal and well bred Harlequin. Isis was also a rescue of sorts and lived to the ripe old age of twelve, nearly unheard of at that time in a Dane. I fell in love with bold black and white spots of the Harlequin and after Isis I sought out a perfect puppy of Isis' same breeding. Catherine Von Meistersinger came from Kentucky and shared my days and nights, my ups and downs, and my many moves and a very special place in my heart. Today Zoë, my wild and wooly wonderful Whippet graces my couch or any other place she chooses to lie. She is my constant companion.

Happy Thanksgiving!