Friday Sketchers, just in time...

I got a challenge done! Whoo Hoo, almost too late, but got it done! Friday Sketchers has a great sketch and was fun to work with. And even more fun is I used one of the adorable Sarah Kay images that I just love. This is "First Kiss", how cute. And colored with my Copics, to match the colors in the papers.

My papers, dark brown card stock for the base, then a chocolate brown for the mats. The pattern papers are wonderful.. yummy... sparkly with lots of glitter. They are from My Minds Eye Laundry Line. I doodled around the image with little hearts, X's and O's, seemed to fit. After matting, I found two metal photo turns, and mini brads. The blue color card stock... don't know what color it is.. anyway I punched the bottom of it with Martha's Valentine Punch and then inked all around the edges of everything before attaching. The band across the center is a American Crafts

cream and dotted satin ribbon.

For the sentiment... not so crazy about that. I punched two Martha scallop hearts, and then hand wrote "1st Kiss" on them.

Love the sketch, and so happy for the first time in a long time I got to join in a sketch just for fun.

Who knows maybe tomorrow I will have another one! I hope to have some crafting time again later today - if Hubby doesn't come up with some project he wants to work on... you know what it is like on their days off!

HUGS and-

Brrrr a chilly Donkey Saturday!

Man when a "real" cold front hits it hits! Last night about 6:30 the wind starting blowing... by 8:30 we were outside repairing the roof on a barn! And it blew all night, and still was going this morning. But before I get to some donkey photos I have a card.










Friday Sketchers always has great sketches to work with. This week Mumur from France gave us a real challenge! But as scary as it looked, I loved it! I pulled out one of my K&Company pads an used all of the papers from the collection. (saves matching LOL) And then I went to work putting all the pieces together. I inked the edges of all of them. For my image I was so excited to use one of the new Sarah Kay images. This is one that was released along time ago.. and now it is coming out again, be ready - all the new Sarah Kays will be ready for purchase really soon! Many stores already have pre-purchase... better get them quick these will go fast! I colored with my Copics and white gel pen. I inked the edges and then doodled with a Copic Mulit-liner. To fit all the embellishments for the sketch I added felt flowers from Creative Collections, Buttons, Ribbon, Arrow Photo Turns from 7 gypsies, and the sentiment from Hanna Stamps. I love how it came out! I think all of the details of the sketch really do make this card work. Run over and check it out and see the fabulous inspiration from the DT.



Do you still want to see some Donkey photos?


I thought so...


You just knew I had to start with a photo of Freddie - ahem - Fernando. But his personality Freddie fits well. He is so funny, and he knows he is funny to. We were outside this morning at 7 am... working on his barn. We ran out of metal and couldn't finish it last week. And when Hubby got home from work it was already dark, and very windy. So we got up early and went to work getting the north wall on so they could get out of the wind. He is not afraid of anything! Right in the middle of everything we were doing, and you can't get mad at him, even when he was trying Hubby's patience and pushing and nibbling and knocking him over (mind you right into his newest "pile") Hubby couldn't get mad cuz when you look at him he bobs his head up and down puts his ears back and runs around in a circle. Then comes back for more. LOVE him!








Now

when I got out to take photos last night the sun was already going down so they are not great, but I did catch bath time! First was Patti and her Dirt Bath, and like a good daughter Irene did just as Mom and took her bath next! They are so funny. The others were not liking all of the dirt blowing right at them.



Now I was a long way from Teddy and Bonnie so this is a bit grainy, but they are so funny. Bonnie is my Border Collie, my inside baby. Despite the fact that she is always a dirty mess ;(

She has her own yard. I have to keep her for her own safety from the Donkeys so she doesn't get hurt. Well Teddy, formally known as Ted E. Bear, loves to run the fence with her. They will do this forever and there are paths worn in the dirt on both sides of the fence. Ted is one of my standards BTW. If you are wondering what Bonnie has in her mouth it is her Frisbee (hope she didn't hear me type that word or I would have to take her out an throw it, we can never say it out loud or you must do in now! She so smart she might know when I type it too) I know it looks worn out, when new it is bright pink and green. That Frisbee is only a little over a week old. She really works them!

One more really odd photo. Hubby called me outside about 10pm last night to see the sky. This photo really doesn't show well, I haven't figured out this night time photo thing yet. But the sky was unbelievable! Spooky yet really Beautiful! I had a really hard time taking this too I was leaning on a pole to try and hold still the wind was just about to knock me over!







That is all for today - I want a few minutes to read a few blogs, then I have to get my stuff together. My buddies and I are going to a midnight crop, this is a new location for us to crop. Our LSS closed... I am sure we will have tons of fun, but it is about a 30-40 minute drive. It will be a late night! Hope you have some fun planned for this weekend!

HUGS and-

It's been a long night....

and still no baby..... Yes Bella is ready, in fact she started pacing and really looked like it was happening about 10 pm last night.... then things went crazy. The neighbors cow - a very big black cow - showed up. Running, kicking and tearing up everything, she was nuts. And we were scared she was going to go through a donkey fence! Bella freaked and actually tried to run through her fence getting away from the cow. I think that she just upset herself so much that she stopped labor. But I still stayed up most all of the night and checked on her, Hubby had to work today and he got up and checked on her nearly every hour as well. Ok.. so you now know it was a long night!

So only a couple of Donkey photos for today... but with the out look for some baby photos REALLY soon hopefully. The first one is us... well the donkeys waiting for Bella to deliver, yes this was this morning.. they wait just like Hubby and I do. The other two are Bella..... eating her breakfast. Not realizing that she is putting everyones life on hold.

I will post more photos as soon as the baby is born!!!

Now I do have one card to show, sorry.... ;0)

This is from the sketch for Friday Sketchers. I was going through my stamps I found Alota Rubber Stamps Nutshell Ride.


I LOVE IT! I mean common look at the look on his face, hysterical! I colored him with my Copics, doodled the edges and double matted with the same card stock that I used for the card base and mat. The pattern papers are from Basic Grey Figgy Pudding Collection. I stacked a twill ribbon with a piece of ric-rac. The flowers are prima, and I used snowflake buttons. The Joyful Christmas is also from Alota Rubber Stamps.

Alright... better run out and check on Bella - I will be back to catch up on some blogs I have missed the past couple of days. Have a great Saturday!

HUGS and-

Thank Ewe.. Donkey Day!

Thank Ewe! I have always loved this stamp, it is just too cute with all of those curls. And it was perfect for this weeks sketch and Friday Sketchers Challenge Blog.
This week the sketch is by my Buddy Claudia... love her stuff don't you, she has so much talent! And I loved the sketch, she added the challenge of making your image fit within the vertical band.



Well this Rachelle Anne Miller stamp "Cuddle Up" was perfect for this.

I started out by stamping out my sheep twice, and cutting out one for a mask. I then covered the main image and pulled out my Copic air system, to create the sky and the ground, while I had it out I sprayed the four flowers, then I ran out of air! Darn it! (then I proceeded to beg Hubby for a compressor.... as the cans just do not last long enough!) After being told not now, I added just a bit of color to the sheep's wool and their faces and the hearts.


For the card base I used a green card stock, and then I was so excited to use some new Basic Grey I picked at Hobby Lobby, Periphery... cool name and really cool papers! Picking three of the patterns I cut them to follow the sketch. The band across the middle I ran through the Doily Lace Martha Stewart Border punch, and then inked the edges of everything. Then with a blue thread I sewed down all the pieces. Attaching my image in place and adding my artistic flowers with spacers and mini brads, then I stickled the sheep... they just had to have some bling. The sentiment on the bottom corner is from High Hopes.



Now it is Saturday so here time for Donkey Day Photographs. This week I am showing of photos of Hubby or "Daddy" with the kiddos... Last night just before dark we went out to check on Bella ... we still have no babies... and to say goodnight to all of the donkeys.



First thing is to find Annabell "Bella" and see how she is doing, she is really putting off this baby. "Daddy" is now telling Bella that anytime would be nice.... Any book you read on donkeys will tell you there is no for sure signs of exactly when they will deliver. You have signs that show they are close, and to put you on guard, but they can also put it off, just in case it is not a safe time to deliver a baby. Bella really looked like it was any moment this last week, then all things stopped. So we are on code yellow for just a bit longer. Maybe this will be the week - You also see the Jolene "JoJo" one of our dark faced donkeys is Bella's best friend, they are always together. I LOVE JoJo's bracelets on her legs, and her fur is so beautiful.



In the same pen is Irene and her Momma Patti, Irene is a real attention hog, and loves to have her Daddy's attention, heck she loves attention from everyone. Hugs are just the best from her... all of our babies are taught to give hugs and at times they really lean in almost knocking you over. Donkey Hugs are a day one thing with Hubby and I....



Here is Gloria getting her Hug from "Daddy"... and you can see Angelina is in line for hers... this looks as if it is a controlled atmosphere, it is anything but that! They do not like taking turns and usually it is a free for all and they all attack at once.


Hope you enjoyed Donkey Day, I so hope I have some baby photos next week... heck I'll break in the week and show those off! Have a great Saturday!

HUGS and-

Embrace The Goddess Within - and Alota Halloween!

Before I get to the two cards I made for today - I have to say a HUGE Thank you to Katharina!!! I was gone all day yesterday and late last night I was heading for bed after a long day and decided to take just a few minutes check my email and see a few blogs to relax a bit. When I saw Katharina's blog... no relaxing! I was screaming for Hubby to hurry and see! Katharina chose me as her featured YaoB Sunday (Your artwork on my Blog)creation for this week! How exciting is that! Thank you from the bottom of my heart Katharina! You have made my day, week, and month!

I do have two cards for today. How about fun and just for laughs first? I didn't get but a small handful of stamps at the Expo this past weekend. This is two of them from Rubbernecker. I have quite a few of their "character" line. I find them... well hysterical! This was a new one to me and I had to have them! Embrace the Goddess Within - is just a perfect sentiment for this beautiful little lady! LOL! I have to tell you Hubby thought it was an Alien, then once I colored it in, he said "Well it still looks like an Alien... but it also looks just like..... " I won't finish that here just in case. ;0)

Quickly, My little lady is colored with Copics, Sakura Glaze Pens and Spica Glitter Pens, really looks awesome! Love her glitter purple shoes! I used a light purple card stock for the base, then found some scrap dark purple card stock that I placed under a piece of patterned vellum. Thought that had a different but pretty look. The pattern paper is from Heidi Grace and has a beautiful shimmer to it. I matted everything and sewed together (this helps with attaching vellum he he) I wrapped a satin ribbon around the pattern piece and then used three of my new bling flowers across the ribbon. Ok, how funny is it!!!

Now for some serious work.. ha! I just got the new Alota Rubberstamps Halloween Witches Brew collection! There are so many fun images with this collection. I picked a few to fit the sketch of this weeks Friday Sketchers and colored them with Copic Markers, Sakura Glaze Pens and Spica Glitter Pens. My circle is Heidi Grace Halloween Shimmer paper, love it very fun, I cut it with my Fiskars Circle Cutter and placed it on black card stock. I was a little frazzled about what to use for the band across the middle, and then remembered this fun Halloween ribbon that I purchased last year on clearance. Dug for a while and found it! I ran three pieces across to make it wide enough, love how the "boo" ribbon matches her dress. I should say I planned it, but nope pure luck! I turned the sketch to place the pumpkin and cat at the bottom corner. Now you can't see it in the photo but on the black card stock I used a spider stamp that is part of the set and VersaMark water mark stamp, looks kind of neat in person, just hard to see in a photograph. Then I stitched the edges of the circle and around the edge with the orange Soufle pen. The image is inked on the edge with purple and stitched with purple.

Because a black card stock would be hard to do anything on the inside I placed a matted white card stock inside, stamped with the Alota Rubberstamps Happy Halloween, doodle the edge and then stamped with the spider stamp from the set. And this card is perfect timing for this weeks Papertake Weekly Challenge which this week is Halloween! YEA!

I have a few minutes so I am going to try and hit a few blogs, then I have to run... it is MIL shopping day. I hadn't planned for that today but my MIL has a few things she has to do today, so we are going to get everything she needs for the week done today. Hope you have a great Monday planned, make sure to have some time to get inky -

HUGE HUGS and -

Pretty Willow with Lantern

I love Willow with Lantern, she is so pretty and that dress is just gorgeous. I wanted her to pop on this card, be the focal. So I tried to make the rest of the card soft and light. The layout is from this weeks Friday Sketchers I don't know about mine, I don't really do well with random.

Willow is colored with Copics and then cut with a border around her. I used a piece of My Minds Eye paper, the teal and dots is one side, and the brown is the opposite side. Love that! I followed the sketch and then sewed the pieces of paper down. I wanted to use ribbon and the scattered bands, but I didn't want them to draw away from Willow, so I went with white. These are all part of the Doodlebug Ribbon white collection. The neat thing is the patterns on the ribbons are a soft teal blue.

Well that is it for today. Not a great morning for me, I hope I am not coming down with something, just a bad night sleep. But I just don't feel so hot today. I just hope it passes and I can get my stuff I had planned today done. At this point it isn't looking good. Maybe if I get a coke, and sit still reading blogs I will feel better right?

Have a great Monday, and get inky!

HUGS and-

Peek-a-Boo Rachelle Anne Miller and It's Donkey Saturday!

or should this just have been Donkey Week? Man I just looked back and this past week had more Donkey post! That is not normal... but it was fun for me ;0)

A card first - I got my new Rachelle Anne Miller Stamps this week! And this is the one stamp I have been just going nuts waiting for! Oh I love all of them, but since I saw this adorable kitty I have wanted it! This is Peek-a-boo, cute huh? I colored him with my Copics and Spica Glitter Pens.

I used a light purple card stock for the base, one because I just thought it went well with the image, and two because it was sitting there left over from another card. Using scraps when I can! I actually got out of my chair and went over to my older pattern paper and went through and found some older Basic Grey papers from the Lucky and Fusion lines. I followed this weeks Friday Sketchers Challenge for my card, and cut the pieces to fit. I inked the edges of everything with a dark brown to make them pop a bit more. I worked forever trying to put the vertical sentiment, and then remembered these really neat tags from K&Company, it was pure luck that it was the exact size as my image and looked good behind it. The "Thinking of You" is from a local Rubber Stamp Store, Stamp Antonio. It is a bit of a drive for me, but oh my... This is not a just in to look around store. I go out with much more than I should each visit. Ok so back to the card - I then added the three flowers on the bottom with buttons. I know the sketch shows two on top and two on bottom but it just didn't fit right on my card, sorry. I gel pen stitched the edge of the card and the image and done! Then I looked at it and thought... Man I have really been into the Purple and Green lately! I think I need to try and get in a different color zone next week. But I do love it!

Now to my babies!!! It is Donkey Saturday! For those that don't know... each Saturday I show photographs of my Donkeys.

This first photo is again a "breakfast at the bale" photo, I know I show a lot of these, but hey I take my photographs at 7am, it is breakfast time. But today I just had to shoot this one... anyone feeling sorry for Darlene today? My she is really getting wide! She is still at least a month or more away from when we think she should deliver... she is a "big boned" girl normally but when she is this far along she really does get wide, good thing we don't have any small gates for her to walk through!

Alright then I took a great shot of Coffee this morning - I just love his EARS! That is where he has gotten the nick name Ears. He is one that we have for sale, I am really getting attached to this guy, it is going to be hard to let go of him...... :(

Then I took a photo of two of my Standards. This is Cocoa and Valentine her son. He is the biggest Momma's boy you have ever seen, he is rarely more than 10 feet from her, and Lord help us, if he ever looses her. Crying, Heeing and Hawing, Running, Kicking and pure panic until she comes out of hiding. Most of the time this is happens just after dark and it is a major disruption on the property until we find "Mom" for Valentine. You would never know he is over 4 years old! I know I have told this before but.... some have asked why I named him Valentine, was he born Feb. 14th? No he was born in April.... he is named for my favorite Kevin Bacon character in one of my favorite movies. Now I hope you will not think less of me - I love the Tremors movies. And the first is my favorite. We watch it at least once or twice a month. I know Dorky huh?

Alright lots to do this morning! Today is a special 12-12 Crop at my LSS The Scrapbook Corral. It is Scrap Pink day, what could be better than a crop with my buddies and all for a great cause! So I better get going! Hope you have some fun planned for the day, and get inky!

HUGS and-

Get your cup of Coffee....

Yes get your cup of Coffee - cuz I got lots today!

First lets do a card and get that out of the way as it is Saturday and I do have Donkey photographs!

My card today was so much fun! I used this weeks Friday Sketchers Sketch love all the details of it. I have been dying to use one of my new Alota Rubber Stamps, this is Cupcake Girl and she can be found: HERE Now I can't tell you why I didn't use her yesterday for Cute Card Challenge, but I guess now I have two cards that qualify for this week! LOL! I colored her with my Copics and matted her with the same as the base color.

Now I just got a new DCWV stack called "Sweets" and it has some yummy papers! these are both from that stack. I hope you can see how cute the top pattern paper is with all the words and cupcakes! I matted and inked everything then found a very thin ribbon as per the sketch and ran down three times down the left side. I used two felt flowers and sugared brads for centers. The sentiment is from Rubber Stamps Tapestry. I know the details are quick today... but like I said I have lots today ;0)

Alright now to some Donkey photos! Now aren't

these some serious looks on their faces?

Well you see on we had some visitors the other day.......

Strangers! And they are not suppose to be on "their" property!!! Our neighbors sheep get out all of the time. But they usually don't get onto out property. Well this week somehow they made in thru our fence at some point. Yes next week we will be checking all the fences just to be safe. But Wow did it disrupt my babies day. Hours they spent just staring. They couldn't get to them as they were in their individual pens, but if they could have I am sure they would not have been on our land for long! Wish you could have heard all the snorting and grunts as they were not happy donkeys and they wanted these odd looking animals to go away!

Now the next Donkey news has just been killing me to keep quiet!!! You see Helene at Alota Rubber Stamps went out and found some images just to make me over the moon happy! You see she has DONKEY IMAGES!!!!!! When she emailed a couple weeks back and told me she had found them I was screaming with excitement, but then she even let me in on putting some of the sentiments together for these adorable babies!!!!! We emailed back and forth and finally got some great sayings. We could have probably done another whole sheet of rubber in sayings!

Now are these not the Cutest??? They are actually called "Sweet Little Donkeys 1" and Sweet Little Donkeys 2" (Just click on their names to get to them) I think these are going to sell really fast... so hurry on over and get yourself some donkeys!!!! I am just soooo excited I had to share even before I got mine to stamp out. But you do know you are going to be seeing some Donkey cards really soon!

Ok... today's post has just worn me out! I am going to go get me a coke and sit for awhile and catch up on some blog surfing! Hope you have a great Saturday!

HUGS and-

A Guardian Angel...

How excited was I when I got the mail yesterday evening? Well I nearly screamed when I saw the envelope from A Whiff of Joy! Well I stamped a few of them up right away! Oh they are so beautiful! And the quality is just fabulous! This is one of the ones I stamped out first and colored, she is from the guardian angel collection and is called "Melinda Helping Angel". She is the perfect Guardian Angel.

I colored her with my Copics, white gel pen and stickles for her wings. Her size is perfect to use on this weeks Friday Sketchers Challenge blog, so I found Basic Grey pattern papers and cut my pieces to fit the sketch from Heidi in Norway, it is a wonderful sketch and I see that I may be using it a lot more!

She is matted in two layers of card stock one to match the Basic Grey Papers, and then the second is the same pale yellow that is used for the base. Love these soft colors, I also inked the edges of everything with a pale blue ink to give shadow to it all. For the circles in the sketch I cut three flowers with my Spellbinders die. I used a piece of Core'dinations pink card stock so I could sand it and give it some additional color. I used large light yellow brads for the centers.

And yes I didn't forget it is Saturday... it is Donkey day! This morning I took a few photographs, one is Miguel... now this is what we call out Momma pen. It is a small birthing pen. At this moment it is being used as a penalty box. Or as parents of small children would call a "time out" area. Miguel is one of our Jacks. The jack that needs to be gelded... that is for sure now. He has not been able to get any of our girls pregnant. And Hubby just didn't want to geld him, he is a handsome and is a perfect sized and figure of a donkey. But he for some reason just can't do his job... and his testosterone is making him very aggressive. Not to us, he is a true love to us. But to other donkeys. He actually knocked pens over that were strapped together and beat up one of the standard donkeys... yes the large size donkeys and he is only 31 inches tall! To say the least he is one tough guy. Well he has an appointment this coming week to be gelded, and that should help his attitude. We love this guy and he should make a happy pet from here on.

My next two photo are of Rosita and another of her and her Momma Lacey... she is doing much better. Had a little set back a couple of days ago, but the meds are working again and she seems to be feeling better and is actually running and grazing with the others in the pen. Rosie is my girl, and I am so happy she is doing better. I just hope we keep her healthy this time.

You can see from this one photo that she has not lost a lot of her fur from last winter, this is because she has been so sick. I have been brushing her and trying to remove as much as I can, but she doesn't like the brushing, I think it hurt her in some areas so I didn't force the issue... we are going to shave her now that she is feeling better.

I also want to thank all of those that have been sending their well wishes with Hurricane Ike. We were totally spared here. No rain, No wind to speak of. It turned and didn't even come near us. Early predictions were for right across us, but now as you have probably seen in the news Houston was hit hard, at this moment is still being hit. Now I just pray that the people in that area are safe.

Hope you have a great Saturday planned, and have some time to spend with family... friends and stamps and ink!

HUGS and-