Animal Crackers - First week of 2016 Smiles

Howdy -

First week of the year has been just as busy and nuts as the last year... normal. But a little time out with my "children" makes everything wonderful.

Starting with my baby boy Autie.

 My little love. He is a dirty mess here, but still adorable.

Chicken time... This lady was perched on her pole. Isn't she a beauty...

We are very proud of our "girls".. the egg production has been way up!! We have change food last month and from what we are seeing we are liking the results.

Now the new food must be good cuz we need to spill it out everywhere and enjoy it to the fullest!

 How funny... and I just love those fuzzy rear ends!

Now this is what we call modern goat dating....

Head butting with a fence!! Now how romantic is that?

Rico was trying hard to get attention.. now how can you not adore that face.

This is such a calm sweet man. Well unless he "accidentally" gets out of his pen and finds freedom... then he runs, bucks and kicks with glee... and it isn't easy to get him to understand he is safer in his pen. LOL

And here is Daisy and her adult kids Jackie and Liz chillin' in the sun.

Still a sweet trio.. Momma and her girls.

I hope you enjoyed this week again.... Big Hugs from all my kids and me!

Whimsy Stamps - My Significant Otter

Howdy -

Now tell me this Whimsy Stamp is not a perfect image for your sweetheart? An anniversary, a Valentine or just a great I Love You card!

"My Significant Otter"

"There is No Otter One for Me" ... how adorable! I colored up the sweet Otter with my Copics and then cut it out. Now to be honest I cut out about four different pattern papers from the Paper Studios collection, then it just didn't feel right... I finally after some major rearranging that this one just needed to be a simple layout. This otter just wanted one pattern to work with. I sewed down the paper on to a purple core'dinations card stock then it all onto a white card stock base. The sentiment comes with this Otter.. actually there are quite a few sentiments with the set!

Inside one of those patterns I cut out to match -

Copic colors used -

I hope you enjoyed my Otter card - and made you grin. Make sure to visit the Whimsy Stamps Store and see all the images available! There is a BIG SALE going on!... So Hurry!

Have a blessed day -
HUGS and -

High Hopes Stamps - Betsy Loves Barney

Howdy -

I have fallen head over heels for the new High Hopes Stamps "Live Love Laugh" release!! And one of the cuties.. "Betsy Loves Barney" is just adorable!!

Who wouldn't love piggies in love smooching?!! I colored with Copics (colors below) and then cut out with an oval Spellbinders. Then a little inking around the edges. The papers are from Paper Studios Theodosia Square collection. I sewed down the layers, and then added some antique lace and dots of Viva Decor Pearl Pen. Then the addition of a fabulous new sentiment from High Hopes - "A hundred Hearts"  -

Inside more of the same papers -

Copic colors used -

Too see all the yummy new images at High Hopes Stamps - click HERE 

Have a wonderfully blessed day -
HUGS and

High Hopes Stamps -Live, Love, Laugh

Howdy -

New Release at High Hopes Stamps! And this one is all to cute! Live, Love, Laugh! For my first card I colored up Love Birds.

Sweet image of two birds - and it works perfect with the new sentiment "Just the two of Us" Along with the papers from Paper Studio with White and Green card stock. Sewing all the layers down and a satin ribbon to top it off.

Inside more of the same papers.

Copic colors used -

Now don't forget to visit the High Hopes Stamps Store HERE and then the BLOG HERE to see lots of inspiration!

Hope you enjoyed!
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Year End Favorites

Howdy -

Well today is the last day of 2016 and I thought that would be a great time to look back to a few of the favorite shots of the year.

So lets take a look back... and how can we not first look at our only baby donkey this year -

Mr. Sebastian

This guy just oozes personality! Still does all grown up... LOL Such a handsome little man, this boy has been the center of attention since the moment he was born. Love this guy to pieces and for sure a favorite photo of the year.... But this second photo is my all time favorite of the year.

Hubby sent me this selfie this summer to cheer me up and make me grin. It still does!

Now we had three baby goats this year... all three little boys that now have new homes and families. But these three brought so much joy to us they had to make our favorite list for the year -

Luna - named for that cute little moon shape on his nose.

Such a sweet boy...

And his half brother Uno... this guy's eyes just melts my heart. So pretty he should have been a girl! LOL Very sweet as well.

And then a little later their larger little half brother Centavo... this guy was a BIG baby and very funny!

A stunning boy with tons of personality!


We added quite a few chickens to our family. The Bantams a true favorite new addition.

Sadly we lost Frizzle and Spot to some bad varmit... But Red the Rooster and Jet his girlfriend are doing well. Jet has actually started getting regular with laying a few eggs! We will be adding more chickens to our family this spring, I am pretty sure more Bantams will be in the order!

I could go on and on showing off my favorite kid photos of the year. I found about 20 right off... but I can only show so many in a post....

We will close with one more favorite photo - two of the standards Cocoa and Valentine in a field of Indian Paintbrush wild flowers...

I know you all know how much we adore our family and love sharing them with you each week. We are blessed to have each of you visit Animal Crackers each week and hope you will continue to visit in the coming year -

Big Hugs -
and

High Hopes Stamps - Fox Friends

Howdy -

Things have settled down and a little quiet time for crafting after all the Christmas holiday. I had this adorable new High Hopes Stamp "Fox Friends" that I had been just really wanting to ink up. These little foxes are too cute to not color and bring to life!

Cute right? I colored up with my Copics (colors below) and then matched up with some papers from the Paper Studio Theodosia Square collection. Matched up with a dark brown core'dination card stock and kraft card stock for the base. I sewed down the layers and added some vintage buttons for embellishments. The High Hopes Sentiment "Thank You for being a friend" just seemed to work perfect with these foxes.

Inside of the card -

And Copic colors used -

The new High Hopes Stamps Woodland Friends are just so much fun and really great images for so many cards!

I hope you enjoyed these little foxes and make sure to see all the Woodland Friends - HERE at the High Hopes Store! And then keep a watch cuz the new release is coming out January 1st!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Merry Christmas!

Howdy -

A Very Merry Christmas from Animal Crackers! I snapped a few photos while out yesterday afternoon while out loving on the kids, in between baking and wrapping gifts that is. But first...

Thought you would like to see this years photo for our Christmas cards... Santa is for sure checking to see who is naughty or nice! Hope all my kids are on the nice list!

Now a few fun faces for Christmas weekend!

Alice and Vera... two sisters...

 Now we are going to "say" that that was a little kiss Vera is giving her sister Alice. You know sisters one minute they love... one minute they are head butting each other and fighting. But in the end they do love each other...

Annie was just chilling and watching the entire love hate thing going on.

Pretty girl... hard to believe she is now one of my old ladies. She was a young girl when we got her in our original 4 goats those years ago.

And speaking of my older girls. Our old lady love... Darlene -

Sweet girl... she looks so old and you start to feel sorry for her. Then she sees the chance at carrots and/or hay and bam! She is out trotting the young girls and beating everyone to the front of the line! Love my old lady!

One of the Guineas was standing still!!! LOL you have no idea how hard it is to get these girls to stand up and still long enough to snap a photo!

Too funny... seriously these birds are fast and always on the move!

Now someone that is NOT on the move....

 Hubby sat out his bag to fill it up... and sorry... Gato decided she wanted it more for a bed. Buy the cat beds.. and nope laundry, boxes, quilts and now Hubby's bag!

From Hubby, Myself and all our furry and feathered family we wish you a very very very Merry Christmas!

HUGS and -