For Cosmo

Here's my card for this week's Viva la Verve sketch and inspiration challenge. The inspiration part was to be inspired by the sights of the season. My inspiration for this card isn't from anything I can see, but it's from something I feel pretty deeply.

A year ago today was one of the saddest days I’ve experienced. I had to make the very difficult decision to put my Cosmo the crazy dog to sleep after he suddenly fell ill with an aggressive form of cancer. While I’ve since added my sweet goldendoodle, Chloe the cutie puppy, to my house (and she’s quite the addition with her spunky personality!), I still feel the crazy one’s absence all the time in so many ways and I know that on the anniversary of his passing, those feelings will be especially strong today.

I’m taking some time today to remember him in a positive way by bringing a thank you gift to the staff at his vet’s office. They took such good care of him during his many illnesses and incidents and really cared about him even though he was really a not so pleasant patient. I still regret that Cosmo's last moments were at the emergency animal hospital and not at his regular vet's office with its familiar hands and faces. I know that I can count on them to be there in the same way for Chloe as she grows up. Fortunately, so far, she's a much more cooperative and easy-going patient! And, if I can stand the chill, I’m taking Chloe to romp at the dog park, where she’s at her happiest, tumbling, chasing and wrestling with other dogs. And while she plays, I’ll be trying to stay warm and thinking of good times past with Cosmo . . .

Materials Used:

Always on my Mind stamp set (Verve Stamps); Night of Navy Classic ink, Night of Navy and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!); white cardstock (Xerox); Distressed Dots patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); Days Away designer paper (On Holiday line-The Girls' Paperie); oval dies (Spellbinders); heart die (My Favorite Things); blue satin ribbon (Michaels)