Canvas Frame Birthday Gift

Hi - well as I promised yesterday, today I want to show you the canvas frame that I made for our neighbor friends birthday this weekend. She had a foal born a couple of weeks ago, his name is Duncan. Isn't he just adorable?

I wanted to make her something special to show him off, can't believe those legs... LOL My mini donkeys don't have 1/2 those legs under them! Literally! This was his day one photo... she was so excited when that hind end popped out with all those spots.

For those that have never seen a post with one of my canvas frames, you can find the instructions here. I have had a few post with these frames. I love making them - great gifts.

This frame is a 8X10 canvas, a great size for a 4x6 photo to sit in side the back of the canvas. It is really important that when purchasing your canvas to get one that has a wide wood border so you have plenty to cover and decorate.

My papers are from long ago.. LOL K&Company Wild Saffron paper stack. The border punch used is from EK success, as is the Retro Flower punches. I used twine around the corners to add a bit more country to the piece. I wanted to put his name on it, and wasn't sure what to go with,when I remembered another product from long ago.. my thickers! Man I have tons of these things from my scrapbooking days, and this western chipboard font is perfect for this little guy. I hated to use the flowers in the corners, as that isn't really "manly", but I like  how it looks and couldn't come up with anything better. So Flowers it is!

I hope she liked it. I was happy with how it turned out, but with a photo like that it already had a good start :0)

Can't wait for tomorrows post.. some happy news and  new post!

Have a great Monday!
HUGS and

Whimsy - Gift Horse

Hi - Man I have just been a busy little crafter the past couple of days! Lots on my to do list still... the house work is just going to have to wait until I am all caught up. A neighbor friends birthday was yesterday, I wanted to make up a card and a small gift for her. I thought I would show the card today and tomorrow I'll show her gift.

When I got to thinking about what image to use on her card, I remembered Whimsy stamps Gift Horse. She has horses, in fact just the cutest foal born a couple of weeks ago. So after I figured out how to get it onto my new Mac, then opened in my new Mac, then printed at the right size on my new Mac..... (can you tell I am getting a bit frustrated with the learning curve?) Really if I get how it all works it will be good, but man it is so different! Once I got all that done I had fun making her card -

 I really enjoyed this one, First I colored Gift Horse with my Copics. Now just in case you are wondering....... I did those spots on the hind quarters on purpose. Her horses are Appaloosas and her new baby looks sort of like this. LOL After coloring I pulled out My Minds Eye - Miss Caroline paper pad, love the soft colors. I chose two patterns and sewed them down. To save paper I cut the center out of the yellow paper, and used that for the matting of the image. I found a ribbon in my stash that had the exact same coloring, and ran it as a band across the middle. Then I got to use my new die :0) LOVE this corner die. It is from Memory Box and is called the Macarena Corner. I cut 4 of them, and attached them to each corner.

My sentiment is also a Whimsy stamp - Treasured Moments Tickets - that is die cut with the matching ticket die found HERE. I love these ticket sentiments, and Whimsy has a bunch of sets of stamps with great sentiments on them. I have been starting to "collect" them, Ha!  I added a folded piece of ribbon to the ticket, and then three mulberry roses.

For the inside I basically copied the paper combo from the front, then stamped a Papertrey Ink Birthday Inside and Out sentiment.

I hope it makes her smile. And I hope she sees a least a little resemblance to her new foal. Make sure to pop back tomorrow, as the gift... it will give you a look at the new baby too... wink wink....

Hope you have a great Sunday - me, breakfast with the locals at the cafe. Then I am going to visit my BFF Tracey for a bit in the morning, she just moved into her new house and has her craft room ready to start showing off. And I have been dying to see it in person, those photos she sends me on my phone are just not enough. Then home in the afternoon, should do some cleaning, but I think I need to get more crafting caught up for DT work. The house cleaning will still be here on Monday right? Right.

See you tomorrow
Hugs and

Animal Crackers - SMILES

I don't know if I can even express how this photo makes me grin. I am in total love with this guy HANK...

He is still very tiny, and is very confused on who his Mom is. Grandma Paintbrush is still letting him stay with her, and she is feeding him. (Thank You Paintbrush!) And I have been supplementing with a few extra bottle meals every few days. His teeth have started coming in, and I think we are going to have a few issues there and the bottom row.. well they stick out a bit. But that just adds to his personality right? He answers me when I call his name, and he always comes a running when I come into the pen. Now.. I just need to figure out how to get him into the house! I would totally... if the dogs wouldn't bother him. But I guess he is going to have to stay in the goat pen. 

This is Hank's real brother Bobby. The giant baby goat. 

He is leveling out and isn't the huge guy in the pen anymore. Hubby and I have been talking and we are going to wait a bit on auction for the guys. He needs to find a home and be a future breeder stud. Gorgeous Guy! And in the past week, he has actually been almost friendly. 

Speaking of finding homes...

Mel has been sold. He will stay here for another week or so, then I will call the family that visited last weekend. They called and wanted to find a "pet goat" for their daughter. She has a baby lamb, and they want a goat to be friends. They are making a sort of mini farm. Mel was smart and when they went into the pen to decided who to purchase, he was one of the few guys that actually let them pick him up and hold him calmly. Other than Hank... and he ain't going anywhere. 

Anna Belle- Our only pregnant donkey. She is getting really wide. 

It makes me so sad that we are only having one baby donkey this year. Logically I know we have to be responsible and sell more from the past two years. With the drought here we haven't sold nearly as many as we would have liked. So to control the population and the FEED BILL.. we have not bred for the last 12 months. Anna is the only one, timing. She has already been bred when we decided. So I am going to have to really spoil and enjoy this baby! LOL just like I do every baby.

Irene - she thought she was hiding from me.

Shade tree it isn't, but still a fun place to hang out. She moved into the adult pen a few weeks ago. Took her a while to get use to it, but she is now "at home" and settled in well. 

Big Cocoa - The one is charge. 

Charge of what? Any thing and every thing! She is our standard female, she leads the other two standard boys, and thinks she has control of all the other donkeys and goats too. We just let her think it. Makes her feel good. 

Walking back to the house the dogs were all laying in the shade waiting for me so they could go back inside. I love this shot of Chica and Tuco - 

totally adorable huh? 

Ok, honest here... this post took me hours to do. OH MY! Couldn't get the photos off my camera onto the new Mac. Then I figured that out, then I couldn't figure out how to add text to my photo... then the watermark... Someday I will know how to use this new computer. 

Have a great Saturday :0) 

HUGS and

Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge - Bows and Buttons

Hi - It is Friday! And today is my week for Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge. And the challenge this week is Bows and Buttons or Buttons and Bows. Either way you need to use buttons and bows on your card.

Me... I used a new Magnolia image. I thought this was an adorable Magnolia image, I love Tildas... but I really like that there are some other new images. But... well I ordered it and when it came, WOW it is a big image! LOL So I stamped it out and colored it, then decided that is is really a big image for a 6x6 card. Unless it is the entire front of the card. So I tried it on a 5x7 card. Still big, but it works.

 So due to the image being so large I thought it was best to keep it simple. Which is tough for me. I used cream card stock for the base, then my two pattern papers are from Paper Studio. I liked that it has a pastel feel.. for some reason I see a duck I think babies??? LOL Anyway... I added a cream colored ribbon with that all important bow. Three buttons in the right corner. And my sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps, as well as the fancy ticket die -

I forgot to show you my water. I had colored the duck with my Copics, but then I topped the water off with Dimensional Glaze, for that shiny thick look. Love that.

Now you need to pop over and see all the DT cards at the Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge. Great prize as always.

See you tomorrow for Animal Crackers!
HUGS and

Me and My Space - My present from Hubby

I am soooo lucky! I have the bestest Hubby in the world. Look at what he refinished and gave me as a present!!!!

 I am so in love! With this Library Card Catalog and Hubby :0)  This is a special cabinet, it was his Dad's. It sat on the shelf in his work area filled with nuts, bolts, screws.. and lots of other little things. When we cleaned out this area a few years ago, I found it.. wish I had taken a photo of it then. Totally falling apart and almost in pieces. I begged him to save it for me. Well he put it out in the barn and it has been there for a while. Well a few months ago he pulled it out and worked on it, until it was returned to all its gorgeous glory. He had to even make a few of the drawers and I think he had to put a new top on it, as the old pieces were past rescuing. All the pulls were broke, or missing. So new ones were found. For now, I have decided to just put in temporary hand written labels. Just until I live with it for a bit. But later I will make some pretty labels.

It holds a TON of things. I was thrilled that my Stampavie stamps on the acrylic folders fit PERFECT in the drawers. But that is just the tip of all the junk... tools and craft goodies that is stored in all 15 drawers.

Here is a photo from the front, as it sits on the back of my desk.

Just makes me smile... I love it! OH.. and in a later post I'll show you the sewing machine drawers that are sitting on top. Those were a antique store find that we both saw and loved.

One day I will have lots of this "vintage" storage in my room. I do like my cube storage boxes from Michaels. But honestly... this is much more my feel. Just takes time to find it all and afford it all! LOL So a little at a time.

See I have the bestest Hubby in the world huh?
Ok.. now back to working on my computer, man transferring all this stuff over is taking forever! But I have gotten a lot done. And so far everything is coming out of the old one and into the new one. Whew...

Have a great day -
HUGS and

wrestling with my computer

Just wanted to pop in and say Hi - I feel so bad that I haven't gotten a post the last couple of days. I have been right here in front on the computer for days! We have been having issues with our desktop computer for months. And this week, in the middle of a major project online, it crashed...over and over and over. I worked on it until I was totally fried myself. Sunday afternoon I gave up the ghost and gave in. Went into town and purchased a new computer.

Had a budget and I was determined to stick to it! I quickly realized that it wasn't gonna happen. I blew the budget... not cuz I was just getting super fancy or anything... but more that you see these specials on computers and think that is a great price. But I forgot that now they come with NOTHING on them to speak of. So I had to rethink my entire thinking and really look at all the computers and what we "needed"... 4 hours later I came home with a computer that was not at all what I left to get.

We now have a all in one APPLE... Love that there is no tower, and I think I once I have transferred things over and get things to work from the Windows programs in Mac software, I am going to totally love this thing! We are a Mac family now - IPhones, IPads, and now our new Apple. It will take some time to learn some things but so far I am liking it.

So I have a card that is ready to show you... but that photo... well it is in the old computer. I have a plan for getting all my photos out tomorrow. Took me all day just to get the new one up and running and set up talking to everything it needs to. My HP printer is getting along with my Mac, wireless network is humming along, Email seems to be working. Oh and I also got this new Apple thing called Time Capsle - it is my network.. but it also does automatic backups. Every day... when ever anything is added to the computer. This will be fabulous... since it looked like I was backing up on my old one, and in reality it was only backing up one small file for the last 8 months... somehow I did something wrong in setting that one up, this one - just does it. And yes, I checked - it is actually doing it. :0) Tomorrow will be one last day screaming at the old computer and I pray getting everything off of it.

So up early, first vet appointment for Tuco's last puppy shots. Then home to save as much as I can. Wish me luck... I hope I can rescue it all.

HUGS and

Animal Crackers - A Penny for your Thoughts

Sometimes I would give a lot more than a Penny to know what they are thinking.... I caught Autie deep in thought outside yesterday... well as deep as Autie gets I guess.

I totally adore this guy - isn't he handsome?
Speaking of handsome.... We said bye bye to Ammo/Buddy - I have been calling him Buddy, don't know why just fit...

His new Mommy and Daddy will give him a new name I am sure, He is going to be a "only child" and I am sure he is going to be spoiled rotten, and totally adored. We will miss him... but 5 dogs is just too much and he is going to make his new parents very happy. 

I got this photo the other day... TOO CUTE....

Janet and Gracie were being brave and introducing themselves to Tuco and Ammo - it was totally sweet, until Tuco barked.. then everyone took off in opposite directions. Now it is deceiving the size of Tuco and Ammo... Ammo is actually much longer than Tuco... angle of the photo I guess.

Got a good photo of Gracie - She is just stunning! Love those ice blue eyes!

  

I am having trouble taming her down. But once I do catch her she lets me hold her and talk to her. But all the babies are in that run free excitement stage. So catching them is more of game... all but Hank, he still runs to me :0)

Here are two more girls... Crissy and Janet.

Crissy is much calmer than her sister Janet, but both are really beautiful.

Felicia - my scraggly donkey. Now that the nights are warmer, I do think we are gonna have to start brushing her out... closer to summer we will probably have to shear her.

Funny how some are like this and others slick off on their own. Genes I am sure have a lot to do with it.

Yolanda - pretty and sweet girl.

She is sold. Has been for a while, but we are 'keeping' her until she is old enough to stand her own with the big horses next door. Love that dark nose. Her new owners are coming to visit this weekend. Yolanda has a huge crush on him. :0)

I have a huge crush on Tuco -

Hubby has said since the day Tuco was born that he was going to be "his dog" his little dude. Uh... sorry dear, Tuco is my baby :0) My little cuddler.

And for the last photo... this hysterical photo I got with my phone of Libbie....

Boy I wish her hair would grow back in faster! She loves her new collar. I think she feels like it is her jewelry... It kind of looks like she is smiling too doesn't it? LOL

Well hope you enjoyed today's photos. To be honest I got about 10 other great photos of baby goats. But well... I can only fit so many in a post at a time. So already have some ready for next Saturday.

Have a wonderful weekend.
HUGS and

Sarah Kay - Suzi Ponders

A quick card today - another Thank you card I made for my Mom to use. Stampavie's Sarah Kay image Suzi Ponders -

 This card was a pretty quick card, and I love that I used up more of my scraps on this one. Not that Webster's Pages is ever "scraps", I kept things pretty flat and simple so it is easy to mail. My sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and die cut with one of their dies. Three buttons on the corner, with three adhesive pearls - they don't even really look like buttons now do they?

Suzi Ponders is really a sweet image. As are all of Sarah kay images. I used Promarkers to color.

I also did the inside of the card, but forgot to get a photo... sorry.

Sorry I missed a few days this week. Today I go to the Doctors office. My finger is not healing well. It looked good and I thought it was all over, but the last couple of weeks it has started hurting again, and has this odd knot and is unbelievably sensitive. So off the Doctors... hope it isn't anything bad. Maybe I do really need to live in a bubble. That is what most around here are saying- LOL

Have a great day! HUGS and

Suzi Blu - Angel of Art in Metal Foil

My turn posting at the Stampvie DT Blog again today and I tried something new!

I just love trying new things. And this was way too much fun! I had seen these cool metal art projects on the internet  and then ran across this YouTube Video showing how to do it.. so you know I had to try it right? 

Here is how mine turned out.

 This really pretty easy to do and it was so fun! The main supplies? Hardware store Foil Duct Tape - and embellishments. Cutting the tape into pieces and placing them on a piece of chipboard. For wording and "pop-up" effects under the metal, I used Chipboard Thicker letters, and chipboard flourishes. Attach them in place on the chipboard. Then stick down in pieces of the tape, overlapping in different directions. Then you use what ever, bonefolder, metal working tools, the end of a pen... what ever to go around the chipboard pieces and give the appearance of metal embossing. Then I found copper metal foil tape and put down a few small pieces. Edges of the tape are then worked with whatever you have. Metal scroll tools, pens just decorate! Black paint is rubbed over the entire piece. Then rub down.. and most off to leave just enough to enhance the piece. Bronze colored rubbing powder for a shimmer. 

Then to the pretty focus point... Suzi Blu's Angel of Art!  So perfect for my metal art!

She is colored her with my Copics, then added some Stickles and Bling to dress her up a bit. She is attached to the piece, then a few other embellishments. Corner pieces, clock faces, Hearts, Stars and Crowns... whatever felt right.

Close up of the metal - 

Love working with new things.. Hope you enjoyed it :0) 

Have a great Sunday 

Hugs and

Animal Crackers - Enjoying all the babies

It is Saturday! This week Annie had her babies. It was a tough birth and the first one was a boy and as soon as he was born we knew something was wrong. He made it through the night, but was just too weak. His Sister on the other hand came out literally kicking and ready to go. Annie is a great Mom and is WAY protective of her girl.....

Meet Gidget

Now I have told you about Hank... our tiny tiny little boy, that we worried so much about. Well he is doing pretty darn good. Had some issues this past week... well... you see he was eating dinner at every "restaurant". The Mom's well they don't like that, and then his own Mom didn't like his smell and she wasn't letting him eat at home either. But finally it all sorted out and he is doing good again.

You have to know ... he is my special guy. You will be seeing lots of photos of Hank.

You go into the pen, and he RUNS to me, and then....

He is up on my leg, scratching ... pick me up, pick me up... Totally adore him :0)

Speaking of tiny and cute though... here is the Video I told you about last week. This is itty bitty Olive Oyl.

And one more video... this is the gathering right before the adults all get dinner -

It was rather quiet this night.. normally it is a lot more noise.... seriously. I love Frank in the back ground. That guy gets so excited at Dinner time. And NO worries about Paintbrush and Chloe head butting, they have really hard heads - and it is just what they all do.

So how about a donkey?

Across the pen with my zoom lens. Everyone is still really enjoying all the green. Late afternoon eating is all we think about. But I caught Ellie Mae looking at something in the distance - not for sure what :0)

In the Frat House (the youth boys pen) I found Felipe really talking out to the youth girls pen. It is Spring and all the guys are really showing off

Well I'll end today with some really quiet baby kids. Vera and Alice... shhhh afternoon nap here

Ooops one more that was just too cute to not share....

Found Jack, Crissy, Janet and Olive Oyl all lined up sleeping in their step... well step that they keep flipped upside down. Cuz you know it is just funner that way... LOL

Have a wonderful weekend!
HUGS

Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge - Lovely Lace

Happy Friday - Life is beginning to feel a bit more normal. Just a little bit, but I will take it! Life has been just topsy turvy lately! Now it is still exciting around here and lots going on. Heck 21 baby goats out side, and 6 dogs in my house can attest to that! (Ammo is living with us until we find him a new home) But for some reason this week I have begun to feel like I am getting things settled around me and that makes me feel better and when we feel better? WE CRAFT! Whoo Hoo!

So in plenty of time I got today's Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge done! My Mom asked me for a few more Thank You cards. She had back surgery just over a month ago, and is doing pretty darn good I might add. She is even back to driving! Go Mom! I am so proud of her. Anyway she has used a few of my past Thank You cards recently, and she has asked for a few more... didn't have them in my million cards stashed, so I have made up a few for her special. Hope she likes them.

This weeks Theme at Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge is Lovely Lace. Well that is a pretty theme....

I pulled out some of my antique lace, and then went for paper to match. Love the 7 Gypsies Conservatory Paper collection - perfect to go with vintage lace right? I used Kraft card stock for the base, with a cream colored mat. Then I layered a couple of pattern papers around and sewed things down. I found one of my favorite Hanglar images, and colored her up with my Copics, then shaded with pencils. Love how rich that makes the image. I die cut her into a oval, and then shaded the edge of the oval with pencil as well. Why.. well I couldn't find my Distress ink on my desk.. LOL So I just used a pencil and blended it! A few mulberry roses with some Fiskars Tree punches. Yes.. those are trees.. but I like how they look like branches, and the shapes behind the roses.

For the sentiment I used Sizzix Wingo Zingo Alphabet die, and spelled out my Thank You.

Inside finished off as well...

So a great challenge this week at Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge! Wonderful prize as always up for grabs. But also ... you can join in on a DT search on the Challenge blog just by joining us!!! Seriously so find some Lace and pop your card on.

Well what is your plans for the weekend? Me? A bit of cleaning, and I am still trying to re-organize my craft room. I have no clue who keeps coming in here and totally messing things all up and turning it into a disaster area. :0)

Have a great Friday - and see you tomorrow for Animal Crackers.

Me and My Space - Makes Me Happy Copic Storage :0)

Hello! Oh how shocking is this, back to another normal post! Me and My Space went on break a few months back... and I am going to try really hard to get it back into the schedule. May not make every Wednesday but I am going to try! Promise.

Today I have something VERY exciting to show you!!! My Copic Storage! I have had a few different ways of storing my markers over time. But this just makes me giggle - so I hope this one works out as a keeper!

Now I can't take the credit for this idea... other than using the pretty box that is :0)

Here is my Copic Storage Box....

I already had the box. Don't you just love those pretty deco boxes? I adore them, This one was part of a set of thee I got at Michaels way back.

Now I have seen this whole "technique" many times all over the Internet - I saw it on Pinterest even. But all the ones I have seen are in plastic boxes for easy traveling. Well I don't travel with my Copics. They sit on my desk, slides a few inches side to side is about all the movement they get. So I took their idea and well used it in something pretty and happy :0)

So my box - I measured it and then used a piece of Plaskolite Ceiling Light Panel, I purchased this at Lowes for less than $15.00 and only used 1/2 of the sheet for my storage. I have enough for my buddy Tracey to make one too. So what is this panel? It is hard to describe.. It fits in those large Florescent light fixtures, but it has square openings in it, that the Copics fit perfectly in. I measured my box and cut two pieces to fit tight into the box. I then took four - 5inch bolts, put them into the corners, slipped one panel in, then a washer, then a nut. On all four corners. then measure to see how high you need the second panel, put a nut on each bolt, then a washer, then the panel. Then a washer and nut to hold it tight on top. ( I forgot the top nuts, so they are missing in my photo sorry)

The Fun begins at this point-  just place the markers in! I decided to follow the Copic Color chart while putting mine in -

I was so proud I did this all on my own. :0) Hubby came home and looked at it and asked why are there empty places? That is the markers I am missing and I am leaving the spots open so I can easily fill in as I get them. He looked at me and rolled his eyes and walked away. LOL  I have lots to fill in don't I? A few at time I'll one day get them all!

So my box makes me happy - and my markers are all safe and sound and sitting pretty on my desk :0)

Thanks for visiting "Me and My Space"

HUGS and