Saturday, January 21, 2023

In Memory of Janis


Hi guys, I just wanted to post a few words today to remember our dear blogging friend Janis Woolbright, who sadly passed away earlier this month. 

Many of us got to know Janis through her Cat Lovers Blog Hopwhich took place each year in October and must have been a herculean task for her to organise.  Janis hosted the hop on her sweetly named blog Her Peaceful Garden, where her son James posted the sad news of her passing on Friday 6th January. 

I'd been chatting with Janis just before Christmas and had been planning to ask her to be my elf again later this year. During the conversation she was full of concern for me and my family and made no mention of her own health worries, brushing aside my queries with her usual humour and endless concern for others. 

Janis was my first elf here at Christmas Kickstart and created this adorable card for our Festive Felines Challenge

She kindly made a return visit in the same year for Challenge #25 when we played with The Christmas Story as our theme. 

 


Her encouragement and support were invaluable when I first began this crazy Christmas Kickstart adventure and I will be forever grateful for the help and ideas she supplied. 

Her son James has been very kind in keeping in contact with her cardmaking friends, and I was especially touched by his comments about how crafting played a big part in her life:

'As her health continued to falter, she continued to keep busy, working in her garden as she was able (until she finally retired from it last year), and returned to her old interest in cardmaking and papercrafting, which became her most satisfying hobby and occupied her last years.  She entered her greeting cards in contests on the internet and won many prizes and delighted in sending them to friends both online and offline.  Her most successful venture was the annual Cat Lovers Hop that she created and hosted on her blog, which drew entries from cardmakers all around the world.'

I'm glad her family have a sense of what a special part of our crafting community Janis has been and how much we will miss her. I'm know you'll all want to join me in sending love and special thoughts to Jim, James, Betsy and all her family during this weekend which will see her memorial service and burial take place at at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Kamiah, Idaho. 

15 comments:

  1. So sorry to hear about the loss of your dear friend. It was so kind of her son to reach out and let everyone know, and to make such a beautiful tribute post to his mom.

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  2. Thank you for posting this news. I'm glad she got joy from card making and surrounding herself with friends from across the world.

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  3. Thanks for sharing this news, Jo - I popped over to Janis's blog and left a note for the family; she will be missed!

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  4. Very sad news and thanks for letting her blogging friends know Jo.. hugs for you to with your lovely tribute, Robyn

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  5. So sorry for your loss, Jo. I didn't know her but I see her through your eyes and those of her son. She sounds like a special person.

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  6. Janis was such a dear friend - to everyone she came in contact with, I'm guessing! And you're right, she never complained about her own health (I also spoke to her in early December with no idea...). I will also miss her terribly - I already do!

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  7. What a shocking loss to this blogging community to learn of Janis's passing. May she forever rest in peace. We are blessed to have so many of her creations still online to enjoy. Blessings to her family and loved ones.

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  8. It was bittersweet to see your lovely memorial post about Janis, and a reminder to us all to hold life with both hands and enjoy everything that brings us joy. Janis and I became online friends almost 11 years ago, and spent hundreds of emails discussing crafting, family, and anything that came to mind. She was a generous and thoughtful friend to all, and the glue that held her family together. It's still hard to believe that I'll never see a chatty, humor-filled message from her in my inbox again, but so touching to know how many people she impacted in her life time.

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  9. Thank you for writing this beautiful tribute, Jo. Like you, I was emailing Janis in December and she never said a word. I'm still shocked, but I'm grateful to James for posting the news so we can share how loved she was and how much she will be missed. Hugs, Darnell

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  10. Thank you for posting this heartfelt tribute to Janis Jo. I'm so pleased she was able to find comfort in her crafting and the online crafting community right to the end. Hugs, Vicky x

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  11. I am sorry for your loss Jo. I didn't have the pleasure of becoming her friend, but sounds like she was well loved. May she rest in peace.

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  12. I join your pain for the loss of Janis, I was able to admire her projects in her blog and through you. He left an example of great humanity and generosity. Taty by www.scrapperconpassione.blogspot.com

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  13. Jo... what a beautiful tribute to your friend. Thank you for sharing. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

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