Animal Crackers - What's Up?

Howdy -

I am thinking that maybe just for a little while I am going to not post and cheer about the rain. Love getting it - EVERYTHING is so Green and it is JUNE!! But things are soggy here, and we have really had some wind and heavy rain this week. Just about everyday this week I would ask Hubby what are the rain chances for the day - he would answer 10% maybe 20%... then mid afternoon dark - wind - lightning - and heavy scary rain. Check the chances then and they have changed it to 40% or 50%... yea like they stick their head out the window and realize it is raining and oops we better up the chances!

Hubby and went out yesterday morning and I snapped a bunch of photos.. and yes, I know they are all dated the 13th... but I thought it was the 13th. It was the cold medicine I am on, totally got my head messed up.

Love this photo I got of one of the Rhode Island Reds - Love the details on the feathers -

She was a little wet - not smart girls here folks - they stand out in the rain storms. But gorgeous feathers-

Speaking of not smart and just makes me want to take a shower -

This is Black Jack one of our studs. Is he crusty or what? Loves to roll in the mud. Dirt baths is what we normally would call it, but with all the rain... they are mud baths. He is Crusty! And perfectly happy. Common.. you are wanting to take a bath now right? LOL

Speaking of needing a bath - the dogs, yes they just had them, but they sure get stinky when they play outside in the wet grass. Chica is the worst... that girl loves to play outside and get totally nasty. But it is ok, with that sweet face she can have all the fun she wants.

Another Dirty Dog -

One of our outside doggies - Niner. All three of the outside dogs are just nasty. I really don't want to even think about what they have been rolling around in - Since they like to sleep in the middle of the donkey pens, you can only imagine. But sweet... Nasty yes, and totally sweethearts.  And in case you have missed in the past where Niner got his name. Started out as the neighbors dogs - she moved and we were taking care of them, they now are ours and live here. There were nine puppies... we all named them all... then we got to the last puppy... he is "Niner".

Caught Cocoa getting a little special breakfast -

Hubby feeds off of this cart - Rolls around to all the pens and breaks the hay bales and feeds each group their ration of hay from each bale. Now this is the same hay that Cocoa was fed in her little pile for breakfast. But it is soooo much better straight off the cart. Every morning she eats from her pile until Hubby is all done then she thinks she is sneaking over and no one sees her. And she gets the special stuff left on the cart. ;0)

And how is this for sweet?

Gabby and Felicia are such good friends :0) Love both of these girls, they both have super sweet personalities.

OH and BIG NEWS!!!

We moved the Guineas into the goat pen!!!!

 I didn't take photos the day we did it. Heck catching them and getting them over was just about all we could handle.  They have been in now for 3 or 4 days. And settled really well. I hope they stay in with the goats. They will be safe there - no dogs. No Coyotes. Yes, even our "pet" dogs worry me with them, they are good hunters. And I don't want them going after the Guineas. So far they have been happy there and haven't flown out. I know one day they probably will, but hopefully go right back. They have lots of grass, lots of huts, and the goats really don't care too much that they are there. Well other than the male screaming late at night or too early in the morning. He LOVES to hear his own voice.

The chickens are SO much more calm. They were getting so stressed I was worried they wouldn't lay eggs - The reds are just now getting of age, and the Guineas really did cause panic quite often. But in with the goats they are good.

Here is Hubby talking to "Beavis" while the goats are having dinner. Yes I named the male "Beavis".

He kept running over to see what the goats were eating but never would eat any. He is so funny... he follows Hubby all around, talks constantly to him. He will get inches away from Hubby and the second he tries to pet him - Whoosh - he is gone. One day I am sure he will be right on top of Hubby.

Well - better run - If the rain stays away today we are going to go and see my BIL who is set up at a local art show. We haven't had a chance to see his booth with all his paintings all hung and displayed. Looking forward to it. If the weather will be nice -

How is the weather where you are? Been scary weather the past couple of months hasn't it? Hope you will have a wonderful nice weekend where you are -

HUGS and -

High Hopes - Summertime

Howdy -

The challenge this week over at High Hopes Blog is just in time around here - Summertime! Kids are all out of school here and it has started to really heat up. Hubby was working outside yesterday afternoon and I kept looking out the window to make sure he was still moving around out there. I cannot handle the heat anymore. And all though Hubby has no issues working out in the heat I still keep an eye on him, just to make sure. He was fine of course. In fact about 4pm he came in and said that is all for a while until is cools down a bit. See he is smart.

And with the warmth of summer it was a good time to have a challenge for Summertime. Now what does that mean? Well I take it to mean things that remind you of summer. Subject, Colors and such. Don't know if that is totally correct but that is how I ran with it. :0)

Here is my card - and I like to think that it was inspired by fellow High Hopes DT Anna at Sassy & Sweet Notes. She has been taking the most gorgeous Sunflower photos recently! So when I saw this pattern paper it just all came together!

Used one of my older favorite images - "Jolie's Little Friend" She is just so sweet, especially smiling at her new green friend. I colored with my Copics, then sewed to a double mat matching my card. My card  - oh used more yummy new Graphic 45 papers! From the French Country Collection, love the warmth of this collection. And since I am really into chickens right now that collection really makes me smile :0). I chose two patterns and did a little zig zag stitching to put them onto the deep red mat. And all onto the yellow card stock base. I added a red and white gingham ribbon across the bottom. And yes, it isn't white... I colored it with a yellow copic marker so it would match better. Love making things work for different colors like that. I punched out two leaves from a marvy punch out of core'dinations green card stock and the sanded the edges and the middle. Found two very old yellow Prima flowers in my stash, colored the center orange and added a brown button. The Sentiment is from Papertrey Ink again, the script alphabet die, it was on my desk still :0) 

Inside is all done with left over papers - 

And here are all of my copic colors -

Hope my card gave you a little smile and warmed you up - Now you hop on over to High Hopes Challenge and join us in a little Summertime fun ok?

What is on your list to do today? Me? Well a few errands with Hubby in the morning, then home to do a little cleaning. I usually try and run through the house on Mondays - it was the plan yesterday. But I got sidetracked (easy for me to do) anyway sidetracked into the living room and the massive mess of boxes for the estate that I am selling on eBay. I got to looking at the boxes and realized that many of them were 1/2 full. And things were really in a total disaster state. One thing led to another and guess what? I have 2/3 rds of my living room back!!! Yep - got everything back in order and managed to get rid of 5 huge boxes and narrow down the piles. Walked by the door last night and found Gato stretched out a mile long on the rug. LOL She hasn't seen the rug in a few months since the collection arrived. She was enjoying the wide open space. So was I.. that room was starting to make me twitch. So now... the rest of the house and the regular chores for today. And then some listing on eBay. (BTW... have a little bit of a sale on my crafting supplies for the next couple of weeks.)

Hope you have a wonderful day - Hug someone you love ok?
HUGS to you -

Animal Crackers - What is he looking at?

Howdy -
Well we got a little more rain yesterday - keeps things green around here! YEA! This week I have a few more photos that I took last week.

This photo was one of my favorites of all that I took -

I watched Autie for about 5 minutes. He was like a statue... never moved an inch...

What is he looking at???

Now you have to know Autie doesn't normally hold his attention that long. And to be that still for so long... no, well not usually, unless he is asleep and snoring. Well I couldn't stand it any longer I had to go and see what he was looking at. So I headed into the back yard to see, and just as I got there - he ate it. Yep... that is my boy. I am pretty sure it was a june bug. At least that is what we call them here in Texas. A plain brown beetle, that shows up every year about now and is here through summer. Autie likes when they show up - little snacks you know. Ewe. But better than grub worms.

Now I could ask what is Lucy looking at? But with the goats -

A goat can stare for hours and hours at absolutely nothing. Patience or just nothing better to do but stare out into nothing. I don't know.

Now I KNOW what Big Moe was looking at -

Niner one of the outside dogs was strolling by his cat house.  Moe, he loves that he is safe in his area and can still see everything going on. Even "dogs" like Niner.  Moe hate to run and hide. Heck I think Moe hates to run at all. He is a handsome man isn't he?

Uh oh - Samantha "Sam" was looking at Niner too... and...

It looks like she was sticking her tongue out at Niner - good thing she is safe in her cat house :0)

Ramon - he took a glance at me on his way to dinner. Of course he couldn't come and say hi to me - no... his dinner of hay might go stale.

 He is such a handsome boy too. He has that really dark face and his fur turns that gorgeous red. He needs to be sold to a new home and be a Jack and pass on those looks. Maybe one day  -

And then one more LOOK for you - Is this a serious look or what?

One of my Wyandottes - LOL I think she is part Hawk or Eagle... I was in snapping photos last week. Normally when I go in the pen in the evening I take in lettuce or some sort of left over treat... but that night I just came in me and my camera. Hubby is always saying to sit still too long in there if they are hungry enough they'll eat you. I roll my eyes and say yea right. But with that look... I'll keep moving around.

Last night I went into the pen to clean their water container, and check their food. I had been in earlier in the day and all was good. Well... there were 4 of the girls that all their tail feathers were missing! And their hind ends were raw! I called Hubby over trying to figure out what had happened and then it did... One of the other chickens ran over and pecked and yanked out a feather!!  Yes, I freaked, sorry I don't like my children to miss behave or have anything wrong. So I came in and read to see what the problem was. So either they are low on Protein, or bugs, or stress and overcrowded. Now reality I don't think it is any of those. Hubby says it is called a pecking order and they are just doing what birds do. But I decided to take control. They were treated just in case. Sprayed stuff that would taste bad to stop them from wanting to pull the feathers, and then added vitamins to their water. Tomorrow I'll get some Calcium, more DE and everything else they have on the shelf for chickens. Just in case.

So what is on the plans for your weekend? Here? Little bit and a whole lot of nothing much. Normal routine - Nice simple weekend. All though I think while I was out there I saw the grass grow and inch or so - Hubby is gonna have to mow probably - he already mowed once this week, but it needs it again. Great that everything is green - but not fun to have to mow so often. Especially when you have so much to mow. Nature of things on a farm.

Have a great one -
HUGS and

Me and My Space - Antique Dolls in my DonkeySmiles Store

Howdy -

It has been awhile since I showed some of my latest Antique treasures that I have found and now selling. Today I thought I would show off a few of my dolls - I have gotten a few that really make me happy. One or two that will be sad to see go. But that is the nature of the business - I get to have it for a little while then it goes on to a new home.

First I thought I would show a little sweet doll - A Kestner Mold 257  Bent Limb Baby Character Doll.

Mouth full for a little doll - but even with all that info she has one other thing that just sent me over the moon when I found it as part of her  -

I purchased her at an auction. Was told all the above in her description, but also that she was a sleep eye bisque doll. No rare thing at all - but after I got her home and started looking closer she is really rare -

Let me show her first .. then I'll tell you her rare quality if you don't see it right off -

 Those that know dolls might say "oh she is a google eye" and if you only look at one photo that could be.

She does look off to the left side -

 BUT with just a little tilt of her head she will then look off to the right!!

 She is a FLIRTY EYE doll! And a Kestner! Which is a very collected maker. When the auction house listed her as a sleep eye that was correct, when they laid her back her eyes closed. But they did not realize that there was tissue paper in her head, ( a good practice when shipping bisque dolls with movable weighted glass eyes as they can break very easily ) But when I pulled the tissue out to make sure she was solid and working properly I saw all of this!!

Hubby thought I was nuts.. well many times he does... but I was yelling to come and see quick! Very detailed workings for such an old bisque doll. The weights move up and down for the sleep eyes, then side to side for the flirty eyes. OH and the sleep part... that has a rare feature too!! Usually the glass eyes just roll 1/2 way and the top part of the eye is painted flesh color. But these eyes have small metal eye lids that slide down just like eye lids! So totally cool!

Anyway... was really exciting to me, I have read about these dolls, but to have gotten one at auction as a bonus feature was really fabulous! And after I sat and played with her for a while... leaning her left to right and making her eyes move around I took all the photos and got her listed in my eBay store. There are a whole bunch of photos in the listing if you would like to know more... HA... that sounded like the movie Starship Troopers... love that movie! You can see the Kestner Flirty Eye Doll HERE in my EBay store.

I actually am listing quite a few dolls lately. We don't have too many shows over the summer - and I want to buy more dolls and different dolls for the Fall shows - so I am moving stock on eBay...

I have a tiny little Kestner doll listed - she is only 4.75" inches. Sweet little thing -

She is listed HERE -

A much larger Kestner - She measures 23" tall! And is that a hairdo or what!!

She is listed HERE -

A totally adorable little guy listed too - A Scotsman in his full tartan kilt costume! He is only 7 1/2" tall

He is listed HERE- 

And even a much later but just as sweet - Storybook Doll - mid 1940's for this cutie - 

 She is listed HERE -

There are lots of things going on now in my eBay store - I think I have way over 100 items now! See I have been very busy!

 I have Dolls - Toys - Cher Items - Toy Cars - Vintage Fashion Clothing - Old Creamware Ironstone - Antique Etching Art - OH... and a whole bunch of crafting items! Mostly smaller 6x6, 8x8 paper pads, Stamps and even a few Dies.

Got lots listed - I think this weekend I deserve a little crafting stamping coloring time for fun! After I do a little house cleaning ... sigh.

I'll be back Saturday for Animal Crackers -

Hugs and -

Whimsy Stamps Challenge - A Shaped Card

Howdy -

Today I did something a little different. That is the great thing about challenges - sometimes they make you work outside your normal. This week the Whimsy Challenge is to make a shaped card.

This was a great opportunity to go through the Whimsy Shape EZ templates - Have you had a chance to Play with them? They are great! Whether you have a electronic cutter or cut by hand these templates are easy and a great starting point to your project. And there are a bunch of them!

Me - I felt like a cup of tea -

Shape EZ Tea Cup Flip Card

Cream colored card stock for the base. Then from a piece of Whimsy's Cottage Charms paper.  For the insert and the cut of roses. Love those roses! Whimsy papers are so gorgeous - I love the shabby feel of this collection. Inking the edges of everything with Ranger Distressed Ink Tea Dye.

I added some mulberry roses and flower with Martha Stewart leaves Punches. They are sort of hidden... but you can see them from the side view maybe -

The sentiment is also Whimsy - Simple Everyday Greetings A great go to set for your cards!!

Inside I went simple but added a few more roses.

There was no coloring with this card - but I still had fun with it, and I like how it turned out.

How long has it been since you made a "shaped card". And yes I know rectangle and square are shapes... but outside the box, ok? Have some fun and join us this week at the Whimsy Challenge! You can make any shape card - as long as it isn't a box.

Have a Wonderfully Blessed Day! Maybe enjoy a cup of tea?
HUGS and

High Hopes - Thank You or Ewe?

Howdy -

I had way too much fun working on this weeks High Hopes Challenge Card this week. Why? I don't have a clue, other than it just made me smile and I pulled out some old favorite products, a new one that I think I need a whole lot more of!

The challenge this week? Is to create a Thank You card - Mine is more Thank Ewe...

So what do you think? Went just a bit crazy huh? But cute? Now the sheep was the starting point. Adorable right? High Hopes Lg. Fluffy Ewenice One of my early High Hopes images. I just fell totally in love with that sweet little face and that heart shaped nose.

I stamped her on light grey card stock. Reason? Well I wanted to make sure that when I did her wool coat it would really pop in white. So I stamped on a light grey. Colored with Copics, including the back ground. I colored over the grey to with BG10 to make it cheerier and not so... well grey! LOL Cut her out with a circle Nestie. I then colored her wool with my Marvy Snow Marker. A favorite forever! I set it aside to dry while I went to work on the card.

New papers for me! And oh my I need more already. Graphic 45 Secret Garden Collection. I purchased a few of these paper pads to put into my eBay store. I bought one for myself, and I am finding it really difficult to not go in and purchase the remaining one from myself! LOL Have you seen this new collection. Totally in Love! Anyway enough about the paper... I used a white card stock base, stacked up two of the pattern papers on a dark pink card stock mat. Sewed them all together. Cut out a larger Nestie Circle for a mat for Ewenice. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to use for embellishments - Then I found another item that I just put into my store - The Magnolia Floral Swirls Corner. So I cut out in green, then again in the same dark pink. Cut out the flowers and glued together. Attached to two of the corners - Having fun here!!

My sentiment is a Papertrey Ink Alphabet die - I cut out all the letters to spell out "Thank Ewe" in white and attached. I then went back to Ewenice. Now in order for the Marvy Snow Marker to do its magic it has to be completely dry... then you use your heat gun over it and watch it poof up! As it did I was happy with the results. But then after I attached it down to the card I wanted more... so I pulled out a Viva Decor Pearl White Paper Pen and added some sparkle to the fluff. Now we are really happy! She needed some Viva Decor Rose Paper Pen on her bow so it would pop too. I really wish you could see this in person, you just can't see the depth in the photo. I dotted around the circle mat with the Pearl White, and then dotted the centers of the flowers.

Close up of Ewenice -

Inside of the card is left over papers and a Nestie scalloped circle that I had sitting on my desk - Never waste!

The Copic Colors I used -

I really have no clue why I had so much fun making this one... The one thing I will say is that I worked during the day this weekend, while calm and watching a movie. With no time limits and nothing hanging over my head that I really should be doing. OH there were things that I should have been doing, but nothing that was stressing me. LOL It has been a while since I really spent an afternoon playing like that. Told Hubby I will have to do more regularly like I use to.

SO now you need to click on over to High Hopes Challenge and see all the DT's Thank You cards - Then really join us!! You could be the one that wins more High Hopes!

Hope you are having a good week. Things are calmer than normal around here - and there are no complaints from me. Hope the rest of the week stays the same!

Have a Wonderfully Blessed Day
Hugs and -

Whimsy Stamps - June Digital Release Blog Hop!

Howdy -

Back for a second post today - The first of the month is Hop Day for Whimsy. So after reading the Hop info - take a peek at today's Animal Crackers Post below ok?

To the HOP!

Welcome to the June digital release blog hop!!!!

 

We have lots of new images to share with you today created by

Marika Collins Collection

Moon Cookie Gallery

Stamp Art Design

Scrappers Delights paper crafts

Fairydust

Crissy’s Digis

All Whimsy Stamps digital images are 300dpi for high print quality.You can re-size, flip, or rotate to fit your own project

  To find all of today's new releases please visit the Whimsy Stamps Store

Don't forget to leave comments along the way as there will be 2 mystery DT Members who will each be choosing a winner from the comments left on their hop posts!

 

These winners will each win a Whimsy digital image of their choice.

The Grand Prize winner of the hop will be chosen from the very last stop.

 This winner will receive 5 digital stamps of their choice from the

 Whimsy Stamps Store

 

The hop will run for 1 week and end on Saturday 8th June at 12 Noon EST.

Below is a complete list of the hop in case you get lost along the way

Jackie R

Juelmarie

Michelle

Jackie S

Brenda

Sheri

Tracy

Christine

Now for my card to share with you!

Fell in love with Crissy's new Digi the second I saw it. A fat cat, in a tube wearing shades. I mean common! Great image!
His name is "Cool Cat Lifesaver"

I don't know why but 99% of the time I color a cat image I always color a orange stripe cat. Maybe it is remembering our old cat Goober. She was a tabby, and I just go straight for orange on cats. So with my Copics I colored in some stripes. You want some honesty here? I made a boo boo on his face, after spending forever on him. Started to really pout and pitch. BUT then it came to me... pop dot on another face! A little 3-D look. So I did up another face. And then decided that the tube could be popped up to. I was trying to make it look like his paws were really holding onto the tube, but it didn't quite turn out like I was thinking. Oh well...

Side view -

My papers are all from First Editions "Boho Chic" collection. Cut out the cat and used the stripes as the background. I also added some corners from Whimsy. Corner Dies Set - My Go To corners! Found the sentiment in some of my printed out Digi Sentiments - Also Whimsy! "Chill Out!" is part of the City Talk set. PERFECT for this Cool Cat don't you think?

Oh almost forgot I added stickles to the sunglasses! They just had to have some bling to them, right?

Here is the inside - Same paper collection -

And Copic Colors Used 

NOW it is time for you to go to the next lady on the hop - (after you peek at Animal Crackers below) 

So have fun over at Jackie S ! And have a great Saturday!