An alternative birthday

EDIT 31.3.20 ; I would like to dedicate this post to a very special dog Bear. I had already written this post and have chosen not to change it. Bear lived life at full pace, always happy, always loving.

Good morning and happy April everyone. I am here to share the first of 2 design team posts, the first for Country View Crafts. However it's my birthday...yes seriously it's not an April fool. This year it is going to be a very different one, no treats out, no family or friends to see. Just Hb and me. We will certainly be doing a BIG celebration next year though as it is a biggy for me! Something to look forward to in these very dark times.

Our theme over at CVC for our April challenge is a most apt theme for me......animal magic!  Billy is our cat who lives here.  However Bear, my son's gorgeous dog had been staying with us following severe issues with his hips and spine to avoid stairs. Sadly after initial good progress things deteriorated rapidly and yesterday this gorgeous soul had to be put to sleep.......

I had already planned to use these photos today and despite the devastation that this gorgeous boy has gone to find the sunshine else where I wanted to still share them. . Here is dear Bear  relaxing in our garden last week before he was taken so poorly.

The most gentle giant you could ever meet.

Rest in peace darling boy.

*****BEAR 28 Feb 2012-31 March 2020*****

We would like to see all your animal creations for our April challenge and one lucky randomly selected entry will receive a £20 gift code to spent on the website. 

All the details can be found here;

For my first project I used the wonderful owl from Visible Image and before anyone says anything yes of course a bird is an animal, as is a fish, a butterfly, a horse, a snail, a snake, a spider, a whale...you get the picture...they are all classified as animals. You can even go for a unicorn or two if you like.

This is how I put my card together;

First I made a distress ink background using squeezed lemonade, salty ocean and mermaid lagoon, I added a sun using an acetate circle and mustard seed distress ink.

Then I stamped 2 sentiments from the Visible Image so much stronger set ( I see that Susan does not have this one on the website but could order it for you if you email her).

 I then stamped the awesome owl from the Night owl set onto inky mop up card and cut him out.

I added a little extra colour to him with distress markers and glossy accents to his eyes.
I also stamped the branches from the set around the edges.
Here is my finished card.

I would like to enter it into the following challenges; 

Through the dark room door 1/3 anything goes
Shopping our stash 1/3 under the sun, moon and stars
Try it on Tuesday 1/3 beauty of nature
Happy little stampers watercolour anything goes

I hope I may have inspired you to join in with our April "Animals" challenge. You can use any stamps/products, the choice is yours. 

You can enter our challenge as many times as you like and combine with other challenges. There is also a £20 crafting voucher up for grabs to the lucky randomly selected winner to spend over on the Country View Crafts on line store. Remember that UK postage and packing from CVC  is absolutely FREE! Once again all the details for the April challenge can be found here.

I am back on the 15th April with my 2nd "animal" project..this time it is another bird but a very different one to my owl.

So for my birthday treat today my Hb and I will be........
..................................................................................................
.....staying indoors and protecting our NHS. That is the most useful thing we and everyone can do for now;
there is always next year.

My Hb usually buys me this gorgeous personalized lemon sponge birthday cake each year from Konditor and Cook, not so this year of course. They are shut along with all the other businesses. I so hope they can survive and bounce back.  So here is a virtual slice for you and me from my birthday 3 years ago with a very young looking Daisy (who is now 6) and my personalized lemon birthday cake. Gosh how I miss her.

These times will pass.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Stay safe, stay indoors and stay creative.

Run free darling Bear dog xxx

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x