Adopt don't buy.

Going along with the previous card's focus:

Don't buy or breed while shelter animals die.

25 percent of shelter animals are purebreds.  Rescues exist dedicated to every breed out there.  Consider adopting a homeless animal of a breed you prefer instead of using a breeder or buying from a pet store. 

Licensed and backyard breeders add to the mass overpopulation of cats and dogs in this country. Backyard breeders are people who breed dogs in their backyard, without knowledge of or appreciation of animals and simply to make a buck.

Pet stores purchase their animals from puppy mills where the animals are treated poorly; abandoned, killed, or sold cheaply once fertility wanes; and resulting in behavioral and/or health problems often times. Much more information can be found online if you are interested.

A card with those interested only in purebreds:

The best things in life are adopted.

In honor of the millions of animals entering shelters and homeless each year in this country alone.

Adopt an animal. Save a life.

A clean and simple card in honor of the 6-8 million animals a year entering shelters and the many other animals homeless on the street.

International Homeless Animals Day

In honor of International Homeless Animals Day, celebrated today, I will be posting today and in the coming days some cards regarding animal adoption. Animal adoption is a cause I greatly believe in.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates 6 - 8 million cats and dogs enter shelters every year.  3 - 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters every year.  Surprisingly, 25% of dogs in shelters are pure-bred.

Only 3,500 shelters exist in the U.S., leaving many homeless animals on the streets. Looking at the big picture, the size of the U.S. and the many homeless animals out there, 3,500 shelters are not enough.

I adopted my cat, Jasper, eight years ago at just ten weeks old, and I have never looked back.  Jasper is the best cat I have ever known and is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

With my ex, I adopted two dogs, the best dogs you could ask for.  Atticus was adopted from a no-kill shelter who had been born there and was eight months when we adopted him.  You see, black dogs (and black cats) are not often adopted. Gilbert was rescued during Hurricane Katrina, found along with other animals, in a trailer and locked in a cage, left to die. (Picture to come!)

Animals from shelters are some of the best animals you will ever know.  They are desperate for love and a home and deserve all the love in the world.  Consider adopting one of the many, many animals who need love and shelter. Save a life and make a friend for life.

A card I made in honor of International Homeless Animals Day and for the sake of all of the animals who need a home desperately.

Just saying hello!

A cheery little card using the new Penny Black stamps.

New stamps!

I received my new Penny Black stamps in the mail!  These are the stamps I ordered from Etsy.  I bought the stamps from Etsy seller "nahani bluette". They sell many Penny Black, Parisian-themed, and other stamps too as well as vintage jewelry, homemade cards, knitting & crocheting books and knitted & crocheted items.

In coming days I will post cards I've made using my cute new stamps.  I do apologize for returning to the same stamps again and again, as with the robot stamps.  Money is tight here and stamps - as well as other crafty items - cost a great deal and really add up. 

Here is one of the cards I made using the new Penny Black stamps:

The new stamps inspired thoughts of enjoying and appreciating the moments and beauty we are given in life, so I have included quotes of this nature on many of the cards you will see.  I utilized new fonts I found online recently (free fonts!), typed up some quotes using MS Word, and printed them on Gina K. Designs white cardstock.