Blessing of the Animals

When Jeanette Chaney of Country Design Style suggested a group of pet-loving bloggers get together for an event benefiting shelter animals, I knew I'd want to be involved. 
Having lived with, and loved, many furry rescues over the years, this was a cause after my own heart. The tour involved shopping at a local thrift store which supports an animal shelter and creating a post about how you incorporated your item in your home. 

Sadly the nearest such store was a bit far away from me, but it just so happens there was a fundraiser at nearby Animals in Distress, (a local rescue sanctuary) where I was able shop the "flea-less" market, buy homemade treats and participate in the Blessing of the Animals in their wonderful facility, all proceeds benefiting their four legged friends.The delightful minister blessed the shelter residents as well as the visiting pets and the blessed furry friends received their own St Francis medal.

For more info on the tour and to see the schedule of bloggers click HERE

clockwise from top left: the shelter is nestled in a beautiful park-like setting; a pool for the animals' hydro therapy, Anton; now a happy rescue success; was brought to the shelter ill and unable to walk; in the lobby delightful pet themed goodies and handcrafts for sale all raise money for care of the cats and dogs.

A feline friendly kitty room with steps to a ceiling high glass enclosed kitty catwalk lets feline residents explore from above. Genius!

   

Boo Bear Blessing Keepsake

When our Boo Bear arrived one day in our yard, injured, aging and as we later discovered, deaf, we knew she was ours for keeps but she would need lots of extra TLC. Fortunately, she acclimated quickly to indoor life; she now rules the roost, demanding only certain flavors of food (salmon yes, flounder no), hogging the blankets and holding her own with four other very feisty felines. Though happy, advanced years and a rough start have brought on health problems, so I figured she'd be a good candidate for some divine intervention. Not keen on traveling, and to avoid any unnecessary trauma for all involved, I substituted her photo to be blessed in her absence.

Using the medal Boo Bear received, photos, scrapbook supplies and images from the Graphics Fairy, I decided to create a keepsake for my furry friend.

Shop windows, Venice Italy CPaul2013 background imageitalophiles.com

Just returning from Italy, I used the beautiful and whimsical dolls, cards and puppet theaters I saw there as inspiration. I found a small shop in a side street featuring everything cats! Cats!

I spray adhered the images to sturdier paper board and cut an opening out of the large image, creating a frame for a diorama, leaving about two inches on either side to fold back.

 I added some color accents to the frame image with light watercolor washes and painted in Boo's pupils to avoid a zombie look! 

With the magic of hot glue, I added feather wings and some accents to the frame. Layering the image of Boo with rolled up cardboard as a spacer, created a dimensional effect. I then simply glued the front and back together.

A simple white bow and faux pearl accent the medal

image Graphics Fairy

Though most notably associated with the feast of St. Francis, the Blessing of Animals is a tradition celebrated by animal lovers from a variety of faiths and cultures around the globe and often coincides with 

World Animal Day. 

Catnip tea anyone?

Cardboard Box turns Kitty Suite

  Crazy for Cats? Pop over and see more pet themed projects at   PennyWise's post from earlier this year  Creature Comforts 

Make Way for Shelter Animals - on Tour

I'm so thrilled to be included in this tour!

Here's the Purrfect Line-up!

Something to Bark about!

Monday

Country Design Style

Deja Vue Designs

Weathered Pieces

Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

Tuesday

One more time events

Fresh Idea studio

The Crafty woman

Wednesday

Lilacs and longhorns

Stow and Tell u

Meegan Makes

Thursday

              PennyWise (That's me)

Plum doodles

a Nest for all Seasons

Friday

My soulful home

Designers Sweet Spot

Cupcakes and Crinoline

Don't Miss a post!

Click here to see the rest of the Four Legged Fun in the Weekly

SCHEDULE OF BLOGGERS

Oops la la!

So Sorry!

Seems like there's been some technical difficulties and some Pennywise email subscribers aren't getting their posts lately.

  

If you missed this recent post I'm attaching a link to PennyWise in Paris

Thanks to all our wonderful readers and subscribers!

We're working on getting this fixed ASAP

Pet Lovers: Please check back for our 

Blog Tour to benefit Shelter Animals 

beginning October 14th!

Make way for Shelter Animals!

I'm so excited to be part of this blog tour focusing on benefiting shelter animals!

Monday's Purrfect Line-Up! 

Something to Bark about!

Country Design Style

Deja Vue Designs

Weathered Pieces

Dogs Dont Eat Pizza

Don't miss a post!

Click here for the rest of the weekly

SCHEDULE OF BLOGGERS

A note to my subscribers: Something went awry with my blogger platform so posts aren't going out correctly (not at all or all at once!) Oh No! We're working hard to fix it ASAP!

Thanks!

PennyWise in Paris

After much budget crunching and complex navigation of the world of travel rewards systems, my husband and I were able to realize an end of summer jaunt overseas: 
first stop, the City of Lights! 

 While online searches and advice from experienced travel bloggers recommended thousands of helpful tips and must-visit locales for enjoying this most popular of destinations, with limited time, sadly we could only get a small glimpse of the delightful Vie Parisienne.

 With a promise not to bore anyone with endless "what I did on my vacation photos", I thought I'd share a few of the fun, fascinating and of course, pennywise highlights and projects inspired by our trip in a few of my upcoming posts.   

Artful Dining

Having recommendations from two reliable and Paris savvy blogger sources Botanic blue and Tina Boomerina, we had one of our most enjoyable (and surprisingly affordable) meals in the restaurant at the Musee D'Orsay. Open late on Thursdays, we popped in on a whim (admission covered by a must-buy museum pass) and with minimal crowds we were able to score a table sans reservation. France's version of a "museum cafeteria" features painted gilded ceilings, soaring windows, chandeliers and delightful and attentive service. For the price of an average cafe lunch we had wonderful dinner after admiring the collections.

A renovated train station the D'Orsay is an open and airy unique venue to admire some truly wonderful masterpieces. 

The Musee de la Chasse et la Nature

or, Pardon me, there's a bear in the parlor

 Paris' most famous draws are spectacular but can be crowded and sometimes overwhelming when scheduled back to back. Why not take a break from the maddening crowd and pay a visit to the quieter, smaller, and sometimes quirkier venues the city offers.

I had seen some information on the Musee de Chasse and Nature and popped in for a quick visit. As an avid animal lover it might seem an unusual choice to visit a hunting and nature museum but after reading about how it elegantly portrayed mans interaction with the natural world etc etc, my interest was piqued-  plus I wanted to see the giant polar bear.  

                         Lions survey the gallery                         A fox sleeping on a tapestry chair

The museum is housed in a beautiful limestone circa 1650 building and worth every bit of the modest 8€ entry fee. It features an unusual array of taxidermied animals set cheekily among beautiful art, antiques and contemporary animal themed works. Because there were only a handful of visitors that day, the accommodating staff were happy to personally and enthusiastically fill us in on some of the fascinating facts about the exhibit. The museums petite manageable size made it a perfect attraction for a quick visit when you find yourself with some extra time or a rainy afternoon keeps you inside.

lovely garden courtyard

The dog room celebrates all things canine

All photos CPaul2013

Of course Paris lives up to it's reputation as a shopper's paradise, but if budget (and luggage space) prevent a major spree, window shopping can be a delightful, inspiring and (for the strong willed) free activity. Boutiques brim with an amazing array of merchandise but it's the exquisite and artful arrangements that make Paris shops so special. Even the casual corner flower stands are thoughtfully displayed.

While taking photos inside shops is frowned upon, I freely snapped away outside for my digital "scrapbook" of inspiration to refer to later. From the use of bold colors to the creative juxtaposition of unique objects, the art of display in France is just that.

    

 Lock up Love

The Ponts des Arts

Want to embrace the romance of Paris for the price of a padlock? The famous bridge boasts thousands of locks emblazoned with initials and declarations of amour! With a lock and a sharpie you can help ensure your romance will last a lifetime (although no data actually supports this). Simply write names or a message on the padlock, attach to the bridge and toss the key into the Seine below. Snap a photo as a fun romantic keepsake. 

I happened to catch a bride and groom as we were walking by, a pretty common site.

PennyWise Paris Tips

Dining out every meal can get pricey. Many travel experts and friends wisely recommended substituting non-stop restaurant dining with improvised al fresco meals, much like natives of Paris do.
If you pack a small penknife with corkscrew in your (checked) luggage, you can buy some wine, gourmet cheese and fresh fruit at a local market and you'll be ready to enjoy your delicious picnic fare and people watching in one of the wonderful scenic parks.
You can even go all out and pack a blanket and non breakable cups if space allows.

All Photos property of CPaul 2013

When Pumpkins Fly

Nothing beats the romance and adventure of soaring through the sky aloft in hot air balloon. Although such a flight is still on my "must do someday" list, for now I'm happy to settle for airborne delights on a much smaller scale.

Last winter I set mini polar bears in flight in tiny baskets suspended from Christmas ornament "balloons". Now with Halloween, one of my very favorite holidays, fast approaching I thought I'd give pumpkins their due.

Tending to embrace the more whimsical than ghoulish side of the holiday, I created this easy and not-at-all scary DIY using basic and inexpensive craft supplies and odds and ends.

The fun part is making each balloon a unique creation. I settled on a traditional mostly orange black and white color scheme but any style or palette can be fun. Simply pop in some quirky pilots and send them up, up, and away.

image from my Polar bear Club Post

Digging through my "treasures" I pulled from seasonal crafts, ribbon, and unused jewelry findings.

I Used:

Faux pumpkins

Ribbon

Small baskets

Passengers

Fish net stockings

Accessories and accents

Printables

images (left to right) ebay,  vintage fan girl, the New Yorker

There are many fanciful balloon designs online and in books for inspiration, some historically accurate and some pure whimsy. Apparently, flying pumpkins have been around for some time.

A Royal Raven takes flight outdoors (actually he's hanging from a garden shepherd's hook) My balloons aren't designed for permanent outdoor display but are fun to set out temporarily for a party or event.

The balloon starts with a white painted foam pumpkin spruced up with quick and not too fussy painted patterns

The basket handles pop off easily.
You can leave them as is but I gave them a quick spritz of white and sage green topped with glow in the dark spray paint for night flights.

I used black craft wire to attach baskets as a sturdier and tangle-free alternative to string or fishing line and is easily thread through weave of basket.

A raven gets a quick paper crown

Scrap ribbon, faux jewels and a printable banner make fun adornments and are held in place with hot glue. 

A smaller pumpkin dons fishnet stockings in a quick makeover.

 Simply pull foot of stocking tightly over pumpkin, tie a knot, and snip. 

A cute craft store halloween cat serves as pilot.
An unused multistrand choker glued in place makes a sturdy hanger. 

I kept one pumpkin fairly simple just adding some ribbon and an owl passenger on a twig perch, fashioned from a toilet paper roll and faux wood contact paper. 

The oh so simple supplies

Wired ribbon and a vintage printables from images from the Graphics Fairy make fun topper flags.

Though not traveling by balloon, I will be away from my blog for a short time. I love getting questions and comments about my projects so I will be sure to respond promptly when I return!

Cheers

Happy Fall!

A Big Thank You, or Danke Shoen!

I was so thrilled and surprised to open an email the other day with the nicest message from Susan Clayton of the delightful blog The Eclectic Shorebird choosing me as a recipient for the Leibster Award. (cue happy dance!)

This is an award given to newer or smaller bloggers (with fewer than 200 followers or so) by their fellow bloggers as a token of recognition and coming from a blogger I truly admire makes it all the more special! Part of the award involves answering a series of original get to know you questions and then in turn nominating a blogger (or several) of your choice! What a fun way to share a little "Liebe"

I'll be announcing my Liebster blogger picks in the upcoming weeks!

I can't wait to share some of my favorite blogs which have been inspirational to me!

But for Now

Make sure to pop over to visit The Eclectic Shorebird featuring Susan's beautiful photography and thoughtful and humurous commentary. I especially enjoy her

Tea in the Library Series:

 lovely tea sets and words of wit and wisdom

  

And now for the Q&A part of the Award

              Susan came up with some really fun questions: