Challenge #11 Sponsored by SheepSki Designs

Welcome to our 11th Challenge here at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  Please do not forget to check our rules. Thanks!

       OK, let's get right to what you all want to know - our winner of the prize offered by FABRIKA FANTASY for our January, 2018 challenge is:

#112 Lynn

with this fab card.

Congratulations!  Please email us at 2craftycrittercrazies(at)gmail(dot)com so that we can arrange to get your prize to you.

     In addition, we've chosen Hazel of Hazel's Happy House to be our Guest Designer in March.  We do hope she's available and would like to design with us.

Hazel, please contact us by email about designing in March.

Now, the February Challenge!

     We're sponsored this month by SheepSki Designs.

    Here's a little inspiration from our team to encourage you and, this month, we're delighted to welcome Sherry G. of Loose Stitches  as our Guest Designer.  

Sherry G. using "Understanding"

And now from the Design Team...

Last month was Angela's last challenge with us.  She's been with us since the beginning and we'll miss her delightful creations.  Be sure to visit her blog and become a follower.  She not only has marvelous creations, every Friday she has a freebie to give away!  :-D  Thanks for being on the team, Angela.  We'll miss you.

CarolG using "Otter Halves" 

Cheryl using Otter Halves

Donna using "Rocket & Rosie"

Helen using "Smile"

Ine using Rocket & Rosie

Karen using "Flutterby"

 Lisa using "Lil Skunk"

Lori using "Rocket & Rosie"

NanaConnie using "Bumble Bee Blossoms"

Teresa using "Humphrey "

     

You have until 8 p.m. (Pacific time) on February 27 to enter your project.

     If you'd like to be a future Guest Designer, don't forget to please tell us in a comment, or put GDT next to your name on your entry, or even send us an email (see sidebar for address.)  If you don't remember to do any of those, our DT will be choosing someone to invite from the entire list of those who participated.

    If you have any problems with the Inlinkz, please leave us a comment or send an email and let us know.

An InLinkz Link-up

Bringing Home Bunny #2

If you're looking for our Challenge #10, click HERE or scroll down one post.

Hello Fellow Critter Crazies,

This month I want to tell you about some of my misadventures in introducing my pet rabbits to each other.

My very first pet rabbit was an English Angora that I named Neelix, after a bunny-looking space alien on Star Trek Voyager.

A few months after I got Neelix, I decided to add a 2nd English Angora to our family. I had had Neelix neutered, so I had no qualms about bringing home a female, which I promptly named Kess. (If you are a Trekkie, you know that my Neelix certainly needed a Kess.) I introduced them in my living room and they almost immediately fell in love.

Sadly, Neelix did not live long. A few weeks later, while still grieving the loss of my darling bundle of fluff, I impulsively brought home a baby girl bunny - a Fuzzy Lop. The two girls never got along very well, so I could not let them out of their cages at the same time.

After Kess passed away, I didn't bother getting Nahla a companion, since she was grumpy and territorial for most of her life. Besides, she struggled with health issues, so I didn't want to chance infecting another rabbit. 

About a year ago, I adopted Ricky - a lionhead/mini-rex bunny.

Ricky was darling and so very sweet. He had the run of my 8'x10' aviary, tons of toys and as much attention as I could afford to give him. His neighbours were my two female guinea pigs and, of course, my birds. But he still seemed lonely, as evidenced by his frequently jumping great heights to get into the guinea pig cage. Someone was re-homing a 4-year-old, neutered male Dutch rabbit, so I decided to get him as a companion for Ricky.

Jelly Bean was a sweet bunny and by now I knew not to put the rabbits together straight away. I set up a pen within the aviary so they could get used to each other that way. But every time they got next to each other they fought, even though they were both neutered. Even the two-foot tall pen did not keep them apart, as Ricky learned how to scale it. Each time the rabbits got together, the fighting was worse, leaving both of them scarred. After 3 months of trying, I finally decided to return Jelly Bean to his original owners, who had realized they missed him too much anyway.

 Finding out that a male-female match is best, I went to my local shelter and adopted a spayed female New Zealand rabbit. She was only 4 months old, so I figured she would be quite docile. I could not have been more wrong. The moment she saw Ricky, she started ripping fur out of him through the bars of her pen. When we tried to put them together, they jumped straight at each other in full-on attack mode.

The Humane Society had supplied us with some very good literature on introducing new rabbits to each other. That information also let us know the signs of a mis-match, so we took the rabbit back to the shelter the very next day.

That same day, we found out that a neighbour had a female Flemish Giant needing to be re-homed because of allergies in a child. We put our new-found knowledge to work, introducing Ricky and Petunia in an upstairs hallway, with close supervision.

They ignored each other at first (good sign). Then they showed slight curiosity (another good sign). Next Petunia showed a little more curiosity and Ricky ran away, terrified. (still not a bad sign) His reaction reminded me of Donkey's reaction to Dragon in Shrek. After all, she was three times Ricky's size and he'd already had some bad experiences with other rabbits.

We did nearly a week of supervised dates, increasing the time bit by bit. By the end of the week, they were nuzzling each other and fully in love.

 Both rabbits still love human attention, but they are content to have each other for constant companionship. They eat together, sleep together and groom each other. It is the kind of marriage we all dream of... except for the licking each other's fur...

I would love to hear your stories of introducing new pets to each other. In the meantime, here are some bunny digis for you. (left-click to enlarge; right-click to "save as" to your files) When posting, you can acknowledge the artist as "Tickell Expressions" or simply "Teresa from 2CCC".

Challenge #10 Sponsored by Fabrika Fantasy

Welcome to our 10th Challenge here at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  Please do not forget to check our rules. Thanks!

       OK, let's get right to what you all want to know - our winner of the prize offered by SASAYAKI GLITTER for our December, 2017 challenge is:

#83 Kym

with this fab card

Congratulations!  Please email us at 2craftycrittercrazies(at)gmail(dot)com so that we can arrange to get your prize to you.

     In addition, we've chosen Sherry G. aka Loose Stitches to be our Guest Designer in February.  We do hope she's available and would like to design with us.




I hope you'll contact us by email about designing in February.

     Before we get to our latest challenge, we want to introduce you to the newest DT members who are joining us this month.

CarolG   Hello from Hamilton, New Zealand.  I am a lifelong crafter who has tried all sorts of crafts (especially those with fabric and paper) and am lucky enough to have a craft-tolerant husband. We have four children & eight grandchildren all living in NZ. I blog monthly about my crafts, so check it out - creationsnz.blogspot.co.nz   I don’t think I have a particular card making style but tend towards the unfussy, although I have been known to go WiLd from time to time and I do like to get inky.  I love challenges and trying new things,  so I’m looking forward to being part of such a creative team. Cheers, Carol Gunn.

Cheryl 

Hello Everyone. Cheryl here -  Mum of 2 very energetic kids, Wife of very patient Husband, and lover of all things cute and cuddly (that's why I'm really pleased to be on the team).

I started crafting when my Grandma taught me to knit. I was 14 at the time and I have had some sort of crafty project on the go ever since. I love to make cards - not bought one from a shop for the last 11 years. I am addicted to card making; its my relaxation 'me' time.

I was a demo for Stampin Up! for over 2 years, and on the Design Team For the Love of Stamps - Hunkydory recently for a 6 month term. Occasionally I appear in Making Cards magazine - you can't beat the feeling of being in print, and there are regular get-togethers at my house in North Lincolnshire (UK) with my crafty friends where we try new products, eat cake, and drink tea.  I just love exchanging ideas and trying out new products.

My phobia of technology had prevented me from having a blog for a long time, but now I've got one called MY CRAFT SHED! I've joined Facebook, and even got an Instagram account - amazing! Can't think why I hadn't done this all sooner. Really looking forward to getting crafty with the Critters.

Ine  

Hello, I’m Ine (creaine).

I’m a married mum, have one daughter, and work 3 days a week at a Bank. I live in a small town in the South of the Netherlands.

I think card making is a great hobby. I  have my own blog, a Facebook Page and a Dutch card group on Facebook, so come and have a look.

I’m working on a few other Design teams… a great job to do! I love to work with digi’s, sketches and embroidery on cards as well. Love to work with die-cuts. Further I enjoy swimming and reading and surfing on my computer. Looking forward to seeing all your creations!

Karen   

Hi Ya'll.

2 Crafty Critter Crazies is a perfect fit for me. With 6 cats and a dog, you might see pet hair as an embellishment on my cards. I live in Mt. Juliet, TN, which is about 15 minutes east of Nashville.  I'm married, and am the Director of Education at Nashville College of Medical Careers. I have been crafting for 25 years, and it's my therapy...along with chocolate.  I'm looking forward to fun-filled Crafty Critter term.

Finally, the January Challenge!

     We're sponsored this month by Fabrika Fantasy and here's a little bit about them.

We are a small creative team writing and illustrating fantasy adventure and children's books. We love to draw fun and amusing characters, and are happy to offer them to you as digital stamps. We hope you like these digital images and they help make your creations bright, interesting and memorable!

     Here's a little inspiration from our team to encourage you and, this month, we're delighted to welcome two (!) Guest Designers, Donna M and Donna R.  

Donna M. using "Snowman's Friends"

Donna R. using "Snowman's Friends"

And now from the Design Team...

Angela using "Snowman's Friends"

CarolG

using  Frolicking Possums

Cheryl

using Wonderful Meeting

Helen using "Winter Sheep"

Ine using "Winter Games 1"



Karen using Cute Toy 1

 Lisa using "Cute Toy 1"

Lori using "Winter Sheep"

NanaConnie using "Winter Games 1"

Teresa using "Cute Toy 1"

     

You have until 8 p.m. (Pacific time) on January 30 to enter your project.

     If you'd like to be a future Guest Designer, don't forget to please tell us in a comment, or put GDT next to your name on your entry, or even send us an email (see sidebar for address.)  If you don't remember to do any of those, our DT will be choosing someone to invite from the entire list of those who participated.

    If you have any problems with the Inlinkz, please leave us a comment or send an email and let us know.

An InLinkz Link-up

Twitter-pated with Birds

For Challenge #9, click HERE.

Merry Christmas 2CCC friends,

This is Teresa, finally back in the swing at 2CCC and I have lots of Christmas goodies for you in this mid-month post.

About 2 years ago, my wonderful husband made me an enclosed aviary in our basement so my pet birds could fly free without risk to their safety. Since then, my handful of birds has grown to 19: 2 doves, 2 cockatiels, 4 budgies and 11 finches. With the exception of the finches and my 16-year-old white dove, Treasure, all of these have been birds that needed new homes. As for my Zebra finches, I have had to re-home a number of them because the little darlings keep reproducing. Otherwise, I would be completely overrun (over-flown?) by tiny beeping finches. (I was not beeping out a bad word; that is actually the sound they make. )

 Even though I have a variety of species, they all get along reasonably well. Most stick to their own, but my cockatiels - Sassafrass and Frannie - have taken a shine to the doves. Who can blame them?

Most of my birds are not hand-tame, except for the doves, but my finches like to land on my head and shoulders, tugging on my long silver hair. I suspect they think it is straw and will make good nest material.

Health issues with small birds can often be fatal. Usually by the time you notice something is wrong, the bird is too sick to recover. I always keep a small hospital cage in case I ever have a sick bird on my hands. That way I can keep the bird warm (with a heat source under one half of the cage) and quiet until (hopefully) she recovers. For anyone keeping more than two birds, I recommend having a small hospital cage or small animal carrier. Being prepared can make the difference between a sick bird surviving or not.

The best way to keep a healthy flock is to provide a nutritious diet, clean air & water, plenty of exercise, an area away from drafts, and a reasonably clean environment. Over the years, I have developed a recipe that I feed to my birds, which is high in protein and has lots of nutrition, including calcium, which all females need, especially if they are breeding. They also get fresh greens daily and I often add other fruits and veggies to their mix for more nutrition and because they like variety. My first Christmas gift to you is my recipe. If you don't have pet birds, perhaps you will consider making a batch of bird bread as a Christmas gift to the outside birds around your home. They will certainly appreciate it, especially if you live in a cold climate like I do.

Now, even if you don't love having real birds in your life, you might like having them on your cards and craft projects. So I am sharing some of my bird digis with you. Please do not share them directly, but feel free to send your friends here to pick up the images themselves. If you post a project, please give credit to Tickell Expressions. If you can't remember that, you can say Teresa from 2CCC and that will be fine. Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy these.