Cupcakes!

Not to let the loss of our cats overshadow K's birthday. We had a couple of her schoolmates and their families over on Saturday for cupcakes and pizza. We had a great time! I wanted to share the cupcake toppers with you. They were a cinch to make and can be done using any extra scrapbooking materials you have hanging around. I simply punched flowers out of scrapbook paper and used eyelets for the center. A straw is the stem with green ribbon tied for leaves. Easy peasy! And they matched her birthday banner I made earlier this month. For another cupcake idea, check these cute cupcakes out at my online friend Jessica's blog The Entertaining Kitchen. She also has many, many fantastic recipes!

Saying Goodbye Part II

The problem with loving is that pets don't last long enough and people last too long. ~Anonymous This is my sweet, sweet kitty Gadget. As you can see, she loved to be warm. If there was a patch of sunlight to be found coming through the window, you would find her there. She was also my bed buddy, often to the point that I was unable to move my legs.

Oh, the stories I can tell about this one! I found her at a pet store in Phoenix while looking for someone to keep Giz company during the day while I was at work. There was a box full of kittens that were all either orange tabby or midnight black. Smack in the middle of the box was this sweet girl with a big red ribbon on her neck. I told the lady working there that she was the one that I wanted and she shook her head and said she had already spoken for her herself. But, I could have any of the others. I just politely declined and continued to look around the store for things that I needed for Giz. Just before we left the store, the lady relented and said if I promised to "love, honor and obey her for the rest of her life" I could have her. Of course I jumped at the opportunity and thus our relationship began.

Just like Giz, Gadge has been with me through almost 15 years of ups and downs, heartaches, moves, a marriage and two new human baby girls. C used to kid that Giz was my prissy side and Gadge was my more subdued melancholy side. She could often be found staring at herself in the mirror of all things or in the reflection of the glass in a frame. We would jokingly say she was depressed.

Unlike Giz, Gadge had many a trip to the vet for crazy things like licking a patch of hair on her tummy till it bled. I got meds for her that I called "Kitty Rogaine" and gave her lots of love. The vet that time told me that she was not getting enough attention of all things! When I was 7 months pregnant with my first daughter at Christmas time one year Gadge swallowed 18" of curling ribbon and had to have emergency surgery to remove it from her intestines to the pricey tune of $900. My hubby who grew to love cats only after he met me, couldn't stand the thought of me losing her in my state, not to mention the guilt I would have carried because I should have known you don't have curling ribbon in a house with cats. Needless to say any gift that entered my house after that lost it's ribbon before it came through the door! Unfortunately, she did the same thing a couple years later when a balloon with some ribbon on it floated to the floor. That time she passed it, but we discovered she had kidney stones and she had another surgery for that. Needless to say she used up many of her nine lives!

I cannot believe that it has only been 11 days since we said goodbye to Giz. Tonight, Gadget crossed the bridge to be with her. Gadget actually stopped eating at about the same time as Giz. I have a feeling she just knew. My sweet girl, I know you are with Giz and giving her all the extra love we sent. The two of you are probably already playing hide and seek. Our house will definitely not be the same. I miss you and I love you!

Teddybear Trail Mix

K's birthday is tomorrow. I needed something to send as a snack for her class. This recipe is all over the internet. Here is my twist... 1 box honey o cereal 1 box chocolate chip teddy bear grahams 1 bag multi colored marshmallows 1 bag swirled chocolate chips I put the trailmix in cellophane bags and tied with colored ribbon.

The possibilities are endless on trail mixes. I hope the kids enjoy them!

For my sister

Because she loaded me up with some very beautiful paper the last time I visited. I will be taking these notecards and magnets (using that paper) to Arizona with me for her.

I'm hoping that after spring break I will be able to make some more clipboards and frames and get the Etsy shop going again. Since I moved my crafting area, my creative juices have started flowing again. Just needed a new space I guess!

Saying goodbye is never easy...

As a veterinarian, I have noted with interest that during a single human lifetime a number of pet lifetimes may pass, and as we recall each pet that shared our time, it seems that they never stayed with us quite long enough. ~T. J. Dunn, Jr. DVM

This sweet, regal looking lady is Gizmo. I know, the name doesn't fit her. Look at those little legs crossed. So demure!

This pic was taken just after Giz spent 2 days at the vet getting treated for the beginnings of renal failure back in late December, explaining why her little leg was shaved (for the iv). I called her "boots" for days after because it looked like she had a little boot on.

I found Giz almost 15 years ago at the Humane Society in Phoenix, Arizona. She was a little ball of black and white fur and immediately brought such joy to my life. She purred like a motor boat and would get on my nightstand and drink out of a cup much bigger that she was with her paws wrapped around it.

Giz was a lover of chasing wadded up paper balls around the house. She was with me through many ups and downs, broken hearts, eight moves (including one across 2 states), a marriage and welcoming two new (human) baby girls into the family. She loved to jump from the top of the armoire onto the bed scaring the @#$% out of my hubby, who only became a cat lover after he met the likes of me and my little fur babies and I warned him that in no circumstance would I give them up for a man.

I never thought a cat could be so emotionally in tune to humans, but Giz was. If she sensed I wasn't happy, she was there. If I cried, she would come and rub on my legs, and purr telling me in her own way that she was there for me. Just the other night, K was awake at 1 am with an ear infection and guess who came to visit us on her bed? Even though she wasn't feeling well herself, she jumped up and slept on K's bed the rest of the night. I guess I never realized till now how steadfast and unconditional her love was.

After almost 3 months, Giz's health declined to the point that we have decided that it was time to say goodbye. I have had to explain to my girls 3 and 6 that Giz went to sleep and won't be waking up. She welcomed them after having me to herself for almost 9 years. They will surely miss her. I miss her. This is by far one of the hardest things I have ever done. My sweet kitty is gone.

I love you Giz. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend and confidante over the years. Our house will never be the same with out you!

Happy Birthday Banner

This is not a whine, but a fact. I have sleep apnea. So what precious little energy I have goes to my top priorities - a husband, 2 little girls and a house. That leaves little time for the things I love - crafting, blogging and my Etsy store (you can see that by the fact I only have 2 items at the moment!).

When I do get the chance to craft I really love being able to finish a project. I was able to make this cute and colorful banner for my little girl's birthday later this month when the littlest one took a long nap yesterday. I had a great time and am pleased with the results. I might have to make a couple of these for the Etsy shop (when I have time/energy).

Please excuse the lighting in the pictures, we are finally getting some much needed rain in southeast Texas.