Animal Crackers - I have a Stick

Howdy -


Brrrrr..... Baby it got cold outside. And I braved the cold yesterday morning early just to snap these photos! Really early like before 7 am! LOL We were going to be gone all day and with the time change I was concerned that it was going to be dark when we got home so I went out to photo before we left. And it was a good thing I did... cuz it was really dark!


Was just at freezing here, and all the animals were puffed up to stay warm. I went to snap one of "Red" Scarlett is her real name, but we call her "Red" She was enormous! But just as I went to take a beautiful photo of her she picked up a stick and was flipping it up and down in her mouth to show me just how talented she is.

Up and down with her lips she flipped that little stick. So proud... Finally she dropped it and let me take a pretty photo...

Ok so she isn't a rocket scientist... but she is beautiful. Such a vibrant shade of red too. I am thinking she is going in with one of the boys next week to try for more RED!

Found the boy donkeys all puffed up and enjoying breakfast.

My baby Sergio made a few noises at me as a "hello, I would really love to come over to you and get some head scratches, but breakfast just got here and I really don't want to loose my place over the largest piece" I totally understood of course....

But Felipe.. head scratches were more important to him.

You can really see how large his face was poofed. Cheeks and bangs.  I rubbed a bit on him and then told him he better head back to grub as the others would eat it down fast as cold as it was.

Even the chickens were all puffy... Inge was really strutting around...

Her coloring is just amazing. I so need to find a boyfriend for her so we can make more Swedish Flower Hens as I am in love with her.

Speaking of in love ...

 As I left the chicken coop and came into the back yard I found Moxie and Nally at the other gate waiting for their morning "Cookies".  Every morning, Every Night before bedtime, Every time we have been gone from home and return they get a little Cookie. It is sort of our way of making sure they stick close to the house and checking up on them. Now I could not turn those faces down so I got them each a cookie loved all over them, rubbed bellies and faces and then they took off with their treats to the front porch where they have a bed and a big cozy quilt to cuddle down into. Just as they ran off Hubby walks up and ask me if I gave them a cookie.... well yes of course. He laughed and said well so did I about 10 minutes ago... LOL Their record for working both of us all day is 7 a piece... Ha! But we try and stay at the 4 and under most of the time. They deserve being spoiled though... Love theses two to pieces! Sister and so much alike and so different as well.

Hope you have a wonderfully blessed weekend!
HUGS and

Whimsy Inspirations - YOU and ME

Howdy-

This week I was going through some of my favorite Whimsy Digital Images. I came across LiaStampz "You and Me" this is such a great image for anniversary card don't you think?

Sweet couple - I colored with my Copics (colors below) then went back with my pencils to shade. Seemed like a cool fall day with the image so I added some fluffy clouds. I then inked the edges of the images as it just seemed to bright with the papers. The papers are Prima Marketing Cigar Box - love the vintage feel - I added two die cuts from Whimsy's Double Scallop Border Die such a great die. I found a silky ribbon and created a band with a bow. Then six dots of my Viva Decor Paper Pen to create faux pearls.

Inside I used scraps of the papers.

Copic colors used -

Had fun with this one  - was so nice to work off a clean desk. It has been months since I saw the entire top of the desk! LOL Now to find the rest of the craft room... another day as I am having fun coloring right now.

Hope you have some fun today -
Hugs and 

High Hopes Challenge - Mittens!

Howdy -


Well things are getting cold this week here... ok to some chilly not cold. But for me cold. Great time for the High Hopes Challenge this week. Mittens! Fun different challenge isn't it?


All you need is a High Hopes image wearing mittens or mittens on your pattern paper. Mittens showing anywhere in your project basically. Well I found that the new image "Santa's Gift" has him wearing mittens. Then I went through my scraps and found some papers with mittens in the pattern. Not sure of who made them... old old scraps.

I colored Santa with my Copics (colors below) then I matted on dark red card stock, that I also used for the card base. A few carefully placed pieces of the pattern paper to show off the mittens , and then some adhesive lace. The Noel with the mittens is from the pattern paper.

A little Doodling around Santa and some added stickles for Santa's outfit and then on the pattern paper there was some bling... but not enough so I added more.

Inside more of the papers.

Copics used -

Nice fun challenge - we sure would love it if you could join us at the High Hopes challenge blog - you could win some great new High Hopes to play with! 

Hoping to get more coloring done today... I spent hours cleaning off my desk and dusting.. oh my love my craft goodies but boy they do get dusty!

But now they are dust free and just crying out to be used... need to do what they want don't you think!

Have a great one- HUGS and

Animal Crackers - New Focus!

Howdy -

Well Momma Got a New Camera! And wow what a difference! Still trying to figure out how it all works. Totally amazing how much things have improved since I got my last camera oh about 10+ years ago. Smaller, easier to hold, and the zoom... wow! I got a Sony Cybershot with the 20.4 Mega pixels and the 50X zoom. That zoom is really going to be awesome out here on the farm for photos across the pastures. A million different settings but I will figure it all out in the next decade before I have to get a new one.


Here are some of my first photographs out of the box...

Grace and I have been having a few discussions this last week. You see she is suppose to be very pregnant. And some days I think she is. And other days I worry she isn't. First time Mom so I just don't know for sure as usually they only have one and they don't show as much as a Mom that has a few kids. Yesterday was a worry day. She just isn't showing a bag and not as large as I think she should look. I think she is faking the entire pregnant thing to get extra feed and mineral block. You think here she is telling me "Really I am...  More feed please"  Well if we have nothing in a few more weeks she will go back in with Frank and we will try again. This girl will give me gorgeous babies no matter how many times we have to try!

Tried another close up... 

But I don't think Sam was liking the noise on my camera too much. That was a look of You better not come any closer don't you think?  Handsome man... cautious... but handsome!

Then I tried out the zoom... Darlene was all the way across the pen from me. 

Love this girl so much. I say girl loosely. So hard to believe this lady is getting really close to the 30 year old mark. She is so loving and wonderful and looking better and healthier than she has in years. The no babies for a while and eating fresh green grass since we have had rain last spring as been wonderful.

Then I found a little boy trouble going on in the goat pen. These boys love to play king of the pen. Show off their testosterone a bit. Here Alex is getting a good upper hit on Chuck.

 Need to video this one day if you have never heard the hits these boys make it would amaze you how hard they go at it.

But don't worry about Chuck... he got the very next good hit -

Gives me a headache just watching these guys!

Doesn't seem to bother Ted E. Bear... he just got a bit of a itch...

 

Our standard Ted. He is just the sweetest big lug nut in the world. But when you have a itch.. you have to scratch ! That fence was wiggling all over the place. 750lbs does damage when put to work. 

Hope you enjoyed today. Will keep working on learning the things this new camera will do and see what we can get next week.

Have a great day and make sure to hug a furry friend! 

HUGS and-

Whimsy Digital Stamps Challenge - Two or More Images

Howdy -

Today is the Whimsy Digital Stamps Challenge - Monthly challenge for the Whimsy Digi Team - and this month is a great one! To use more than one image. I had some fun with two of Crissy's Digis... one of which is one of my absolute favorites...

Now Scarecrow and Friend is a great image... but I can imagine you know that the other is one more "me" - This is Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Love this adorable little one! 

Now I used Photoshop to merge my two images into one - then I colored with my Copics. (colors below) I cut it down to fit into the Double Scalloped Square Die from Whimsy. A fabulous die that is perfect sized for cards. I used Kraft card stock with papers from Simple Stories Legacy collection. The sentiment is a tab also from Whimsy Stamps. A ribbon some MS leaf punches and mulberry roses for embellishments.

Inside more of the same papers but I decided to take advantage of the lined pattern paper for the inside to be able to do some writing.

Copic Colors used -

 Fabulous challenge this month for Whimsy - make sure you get a chance to join in on this one! LOTS of great prizes to win. So visit the blog HERE and join us please won't you.

Thinking this is another stay indoors day around here. LOTS of rain in the forecast today. YEA! Soggy animals outside but the cooler weather and the rain for a nicer November will be appreciated by them later.

Have a great one!
HUGS and-

High Hopes Challenge - Button Up!

Howdy!

The High Hopes Challenge today has things everything Buttoned Up! Love using buttons on my projects. I pulled out another one of the new Christmas release images for this one.

Jingle Pup is a great one for a holiday card!

Colored with my Copics (colors below) went with all darker richer Christmas colors to match papers from Authentique Believe Collection. I used some Whimsy Adhesive Lace trim  and die cute a background for my image. Of course I added two buttons to my project tied with simple twine. The sentiment is also from High Hopes "Jingle all the Way".

Inside my card I used the same papers and scraps -

Copic Colors used -

Hope you can please join us at the challenge this week we all have buttons to add to our cards right?

Have a great day - I think I should do a little more coloring today ... need to get caught up on some cards and honestly I could use some down slow time did TONS of walking this past weekend and my hardly used muscles are feeling it! LOL need to do more of it...

HUGS and -
 

Animal Crackers - A few favorite Re-Runs

Howdy -


Ok, today I am going to be showing you old photographs. I was going through some of my older photos... some of my favorites. I can blame the re-runs on a few things. Camera is acting up. Hubby and I are looking at buying a new one, I just hate to as I love my camera. But it seems it only after almost a decade it has become old and a dinosaur compared to the new cameras out there and working on it just is as crazy as spending money on ... VCR. I could blame re-runs on just simply thinking about how many adorable babies we have had and getting all emotional cuz the photos are just too sweet... but the emotions may be a little higher than normal due to the fact that I forgot my hormone pill the past couple of days....  Anyway my camera and my emotions are showing off old photos today......

Tradition is day one photos with "Dad" as we all know... this is one of my all time favorites.

 Ok so Hubby is looking into the sun and has a grouchy face... and it is before he cut off his moustache. But I totally love the look on Lacey's face... Those eyes crack me up. It is like "Hey I just spent how many hours in labor and cleaned her all up and now you are taking her and getting a cute photo?? Uh no not with out me!!" All time favorite day one photo!!!

 Sweet photo favorite... I guess it is because it is Macie and her baby Sonia...

 Macie and her babies are always super super shy and sweet. Slower and cuddly! Sonia was a tiny tiny baby and she has become a very small little lady now that she is all grown up. Still has her Mom's big eyes.


I have a million adorable photos of puppy Chica - She was and still is so adorable in photos. This one was so funny cuz she climbed WAY up on the tree and then freaked out and barked until I helped her down as it was just high up you know!

Chica now all grown up has springs in her feet and can jump up on anything she would like.

Hank has to be our all time cutest baby goat and that is saying something! We have had LOTS of really adorable goats born here. But Hank was a bit small - actually really really small.... You see he was part of quads. Here is standing next to his brother Bobby. Yes born same day to the same mom in the same group. Bobby and Hank's sisters were normal sized... not quite as large as Bobby, but much much larger than Hank - 

He would ride around in the pocket of my jacket... totally cutie! Still is, just larger and stinky now!

Now this has to be one of my all time favorite photographs of one of the goats.

Is that enjoying the afternoon sun happy face or what. I wish I could be that calm and enjoy the sun once in a while.

Sorry again for the re-runs.... Hopefully I can find a new camera that I like as much as my faithful old one....

Hope you have a wonderful Saturday -