Cards for Beagle Rescue (Attention Animal Lovers)

A couple of months ago, I was asked if I would consider making Christmas cards to raise funds for an animal welfare group known as Beagle Rescue. You can learn more about this cause here.

My association with this organisation has been as a foster carer for Beagle dogs in need of a new home. These dogs are generally rescued from death row at council pounds or other animal welfare facilities. I've fostered several dogs and it is very satisfying to see them find their forever homes in happy and safe places, especially the older dogs like Ellie who had a mammary tumour when we took her into care. It made for some very interesting times like when I cared for a 4 month old puppy so thin that he could walk right through my fencing. I still help Beagle Rescue when I can, however, I'm no longer fostering dogs. But I kept a souvenir:

Pictured with my son Ashley and his cousin Ciaran, this is our adopted (versus fostered) tan-and-white boy Beagle, Toby, or as he is frequently referred to, NORTY DOG. I did try to re-home him to a lovely couple with a very pretty girl Beagle but he busted out and tried to come back to me so he was obviously meant to be part of our family.

Sadly, there are too many people out there who don't consider the responsibilities of pet ownership before taking the plunge and the casualties are the animals. So I set out to make some cards to help this organisation. It was quite a challenge since they asked for cards with a distinctly Beagle character. Alas, a too-busy life intervened and I didn't make anywhere near what I had hoped but here's what I have managed:












I've never been one to be able to make cards on mass so these took me some time to complete (I made a few of each design). And you know my motto, never-a-naked-envelope, so each card has a co-ordinating envelope. I had a "light-bulb moment" while stamping and decided to make use of a cute Beagle photo as the main image as an alternative to stamping. I'm happiest with the first card shown, with the blue background. I'm still struggling to like the Glorious Green card (shown last), but I think it's the colour, it's never been to my liking.

I'm hoping if I start earlier, I might be able to make more next year, perhaps with the help of some other animal-loving paper-crafters. As I've said many times before, you can never start your Christmas cards too early.

Thanks for your attention to yet another worthy cause. So many worthy things to fill the day with...

Love Crafty Kim

Join Stampin' Up! to Receive Extra Goodies & Help the Breast Cancer Cause

(Please click on the image to enlarge it)

If you've been thinking about joining Stampin' Up!, October is a great month to join Stampin' Up! for these reasons:

• It's the start of a quarter, you don't have to meet your first sales quota until the end of March 2010.
• Customers are purchasing for Christmas, so it's easy to make your quota, and in the New Year, there's the Sale-a-Bration promotion, which again helps you to generate sales.
• The new Summer Mini Catalogue will be mailed directly to you this month, and you'll be able to pre-order in November.
• The Sale-a-Bration Catalogue is mailed directly to you in November, and you'll be able to pre-order in December.
• You'll be invited to attend the fantastic Stampin' Up! Convention in Sydney in April 2010.
  
• Stampin' Up! has a program called Stampin' Start, and you can earn up to 15 free stamp sets in your first 6 months as a Demonstrator. Signing up in October gives you the best 6 months to take advantage of this program. Plus, you will earn extra free stamp sets during Sale-a bration.

This year it's an even better time to join because for every person who joins the Stampin' Up! family between 1 October and 31 December 2009, Stampin' Up! will donate $5 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. As you know, this is a cause I am passionate about, so I'm going to raise this donation to $50 for each person who joins my SU! team before the end of the year.

Plus, until 31 December 2009, you'll also receive a FREE pack of Raspberry Tart Designer Series paper and a Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad to help you get started!

This is on top of the already great value starter kit. There's nothing to lose, please telephone 0402 347 010 or email me for your no-obligation information pack about joining Stampin' Up!

Love from Crafty Kim

THINK PINK for Breast Cancer & Please ACT NOW

(Photo courtesy of charmedfavors)

Some of you will know that raising funds for cancer research and patient support has become a passion of mine since my own diagnosis with breast cancer in 2003, at the age of 34 years, when my son was still an infant. It was a tough journey but I'm one of the lucky survivors (I like to say I'm thriving). Some of my fellow patients aren't so fortunate and sadly, new cancer diagnoses are made every hour. It'd be a rare person whose life hasn't been touched by cancer in some way.

In the last six years, I've volunteered with breast cancer support agencies such as the NSW Cancer Council, National Breast Cancer Foundation and The McGrath Foundation (now led by Glenn McGrath and Tracy Bevan, in loving memory of dear Jane) in varying capacities. In this time, the month of October has evolved to become the Pink Month. There are so many rewarding ways to contribute, such as purchasing specially labelled "Pink merchandise", hosting a Girls Night In or buying Pink Ribbon Day merchandise.

I am hosting a Breast Cancer Fundraiser as part of our Get Ready for Christmas Craft Day in Epping on 10 October 2009. If you haven't registered yet, it's not too late but please get your skates on and email or phone 0402 347 010 now. Stampin' Up! has very generously donated LOTS OF GREAT ITEMS and your chances of winning will be large so I reckon that's enough incentive in itself to come along.

In the lead up to Pink Ribbon Day next month, please consider how you can make a difference in the life of a cancer patient. If you're interested, there's a link to my own breast cancer story here

as well as more information on the event.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more.

Love from Crafty KimT

Happy Father's Day

(Card created by Nicky Adamson)

“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven years.” Mark Twain.

I love this quote, it pretty much sums up how I was at seventeen years old. I thought I knew it all and I couldn't wait to "fly the coup" (my parent's home). Within weeks (or was it hours?) I knew I'd had it pretty good at home. Amazing how one's perspective changes.

Hope all the Dads out there had a Happy Father's Day. The monochromatic card above was made by Nicky Adamson during our weekend away at the beginning of August. I love the simplicity of the card. Sometimes we get carried away with layering, matting, sponging and other special techniques (all good fun) but really, I love a clean look. Nicky is one of my downline demonstrators and has recently launched her own website. Be sure to check it out here. Thanks Nicky for sharing your creation.

Well I'm happy to be back here posting. A crafty friend told me today she had subscribed to my blog which prompted (shamed) me into coming by for the first time in too long. Thanks everyone for your patience and continued interest.

Love from Crafty Kim

A Very 70's Colour Challenge

I recently had a weekend away stampin' with other Stampin' Up! demonstrators and one of the challenges set was to create using the above colour combination which originates from Kristina Werner. It looks like something out the 70's doesn't it? To those who can remember the 70's that is.

Now I was busy with another project which I will detail to you in future posts so I wasn't able to take up the challenge but there were some very impressive responses which I thought I would share with you.

First is this one from Carol Dunstan which uses the new Just Beachy set from the recently released Spring Mini Catalogue:


The 4WD and surf board is great for male cards, I've got another card using this set to share with you later. And then there was this cutie using Animal Crackers:

The message is "reach for the stars!" and here is how the card looked when you open it up:


Probably my favourite of these cards was the following from Belinda Hennessey:

I love the Always stamp set and matching wheel teamed with decorative paper and some impressive sponging. Belinda has also used her white gel pen to outline some of the brown images so they really "pop".

Well done to all the participants and thank you for sharing your work.

Love from Crafty Kim

Arden Fair Opens at 8am Saturday 22 August 2009

Thanks for the enquiries about when the Arden Fair kicks off.

The fun begins early, at 8am. There'll be plenty of coffee available and head over the Cake Stall for something yummy to go with the caffeine hit.

The location again is Beecroft Village Green, for a map, please click here.

Back to paper-crafting next.

Love from Crafty Kim

Show Time

Probably not the Show you were expecting when you first glimpsed the title of this post. Nevertheless, I want to let local craft enthusiasts that the school my son attends, Arden, located in Beecroft (Beecroft Road, North West Sydney) is holding its biennial fair on Saturday 22 August 2009.

The Arden Fair is well known for its quality craft offerings which the school community has been preparing for the last two years. I've been along to the craft working bees and the creations of some of the crafters are very humbling to me little paper-crafter me ;) Their talent in quilting, embroidery and general needlecraft is exceptional. I'm told by the school's receptionist that people often ring to ask when the Arden Fair is coming up so they can go craft shopping. So be at the craft stall early because the good stuff sells quickly.

There's lot of other things on offer. Rides and amusements for the kiddies, gourmet food, bargain books, toys and homewares. Don't be thinking it's a garage sale, it's all in good condition; the stall managers are very fussy about what they'll accept for sale.

Proceeds of the fair do benefit the school but a portion of the school's fundraising is also donated to children's charities in Australia and overseas. So, please, if you're in the neighbourhood, come for a look-see. I'll be there, keep an eye out for me. I'll be kid-wrangling (I drew the short straw).

Thanks in advance for your attention and support,

Love from Crafty Kim