Darwin

Last Tuesday we lost our beautiful girl, Darwin. It was very sudden, and we are still waiting for test results to find out why she died. We are completely devastated, and miss her so much. We have buried her in the garden with one of her favourite toys, and wrapped in Mark’s fluffy dressing gown, which she loved.

Emily, her sister, has had a check up and blood tests, and she is completely fine, but I can’t help worrying about her. She is getting lots of fuss, but she’s also a little bit annoyed by me checking on her every half an hour.

Darwin & Emily on the cat stairs

Darwin & Emily

Darwin was a beautiful cat, very shy with strangers, but incredibly affectionate and playful with us. She slept between us with Mark’s arm around her, and her face pressed into his hand. She shouted at us when she wanted a cuddle, or wanted to play. Her tail would tremble with happiness when we walked up to her, or when we picked up a toy or the cat treats jar, and she’d roll upside down when she wanted some fuss, often holding her face with her paws and kicking her chin, as if her face was a kick toy. She loved to play, chasing around the house with Emily, and dragging her toys around. She loved the cat tunnels, exploding through them as fast and as violently as she could. She loved being cuddled. She was such a playful, affectionate, gentle thing. I can’t put it into words how much this little cat meant to us. I miss her so much. My little bear.

 Hobbes, Darwin & Emily

Darwin, 9 weeks old

Darwin playing

 Snuggled on Mark's fluffy dressing gown

 Watching YouTube videos

Boxes of Kittens

I recently bought a new digi from Sami Stamps, and I made a couple of cards today using it. The first one was inspired by the colours in these two challenges:

MFT Color Challenge

The Sisterhood of Crafters 'Pink & Lavendar Photo Inspiration'

Here's my card:

I'm also entering it into the Cute Card Thursday challenge 'Too Cute!', because it doesn't get much cuter than boxes full of kittens...


I made the same card with a slightly different sentiment, and different colours:

I'm entering this one into the following challenges:

Less Is More '2 of 4 Legs' (even though technically there are 16 legs altogether...)

Addicted to CAS 'Animal'

My time to Craft 'Domestic Animals'

Crafty Creations 'All Creatires Great and Small'

Unauthorised Personnel in the Craft Cupboard

Cats & Bears

There's a challenge over at Tip Top Tuesday, and the theme is 'Animals'. So I've been busy making cards, featuring cats and bears. Here are a few pics:

 

I'm entering this one into the Tip Top Tuesday: 'Animals' challenge.

I'm entering this one into the MFT Color Challenge:

Just a Note... and some cat hugs

Here's a notecard I made with one of my favourite new digistamps - an armful of cats! Probably ought to make some non-cat-related cards at some point...

I'm entering this into the Clear It Out Challenge : 'Anything Goes'.

More Cards for Cat Lovers

I just bought a couple of new digistamps from Little Claire. Here's a card I made with one of them. I love the image, as it has a cat AND some cakes on it - what else could you need on your birthday?

I'm entering this in the Creative inspirations: 'Birthday Bonanza!' challenge.

Wishing you Cats & Happiness

Hi! I've just bought a new digistamp from Sami Stamps, called 'Covered in Kitties'  :)

Here are a couple of cards I made with it:

 
I'm entering this one into the Corrosive Challenge : 'Hip to be Square'

And I'm entering this one into the Inkspirational Challenge: 'Space'

Cat Obsession

I've made some more cat stencil cards, although I think I really ought to stop and make something different! But here are a few new ones:

I was inspired by Colour Q's challenge to make this one in black, grey and red.

I'm also entering it in The Paper Players challenge: Clean-and-Simple challenge...Watercolor!
The grey background was created with ink dusters, and the flowers were stamped and then coloured using ink and water brushes.

I'm entering this one in the Cupcake Inspirations challenge - gorgeous colours in this challenge! The colours haven't come out very clearly in my photo, though

   

I tried something a bit different with this one, and I'm not sure if it worked or not... I think I prefer the flowers, but I like the 3D punched hearts with the stamped images. I'm entering this in the Papertake Weekly Challenge: Words, Words, Words

Made a Cat Stencil...

Hiya! I've made a cat stencil, to make cat versions of the butterfly cards I made earlier. A bit obsessed with stencils at the moment! I wanted to make the same card in different colours, and have been inspired by quite a few challenges :)

Here are a cards few I made with the new stencil:

I'm entering this card into The Crazy Challenge : Springtime, because of the bright colours, which make me think of daffodils, tulips, forget-me-nots and rain-soaked grass :)

I'm entering this one into the following challenges:
Inkspirational Challenges

Color Throwdown

 
These two challenges made me use colours I would not normally think to use, and I'm really pleased with how it has turned out :)

I'm entering this one into the Simon Says Stamp "Make Your Own Background" challenge, as these cards are home-made backgrounds that take shape because of a stencil :)

I'm entering this one into the following challenges:
Allsorts "Quick and Easy Does it!"
Crafty Sentiments "Anything Goes"

I'm entering this one into the Wags n Whiskers "Flowers" challenge. Any of these cards fit the 'flowers' theme, but all my favourite flowers are blue, so this is the one!

I'm entering this one into The Pink Elephant challenge - love the colours!

I'm entering this one into the CASology challenge: "Sweet", because cats and flowers are sweet, and because the colours remind me of sweets!