Animal Crackers - Serious Business

Howdy -

Beautiful Sunshine yesterday afternoon - made for some pretty photos of the kids. Weathermen are predicting rainy cold weather all weekend so was fabulous to enjoy a few days of the sun.

Thought this week I would start off with Miss Libbie... this is her don't bother me I am on watch right now look.  Very SERIOUS BUSINESS!

Ears up, totally concentration  - she is doing important work, watching all the other animals and making sure no one is out of line. LOL In her world she is always in total control. We just go with it most of the time and let her think that.

Maybe that is what this look is as well... Patti was trying to get my attention just as a few other girls were walking up to the fence for attention as well... but that look is well... they hung back until she got her head petted first. 

Being one of the older ladies does carry weight you know. She is a sweetheart - love my Patti girl.

Miss Jazz was out with the dead branches working on a little itch she had - One reason we leave some of the larger down trees... great scratching post.

She was really going to town on that itch!

Doris was wondering if it was time to get more food again... Sorry Doris just a photo op - 

Love my chickens I really do. But I remind Hubby all the time if I don't come back in when in with them check on me... I know they would eat me if they had the chance. These girls are tough!

Speaking of tough - got a great shot of Scraredy Cat! A rare captured photo!

This guy and his brother Fraidy Cat fly like the wind 90% of the time when you get very close. But once in a while they will stay still and see if you are really a threat... that sun was feeling too good to give up that spot and he stayed really still and let me shoot my photo and tip toe away. He is such a handsome kitty.

And speaking of beautiful - My girl Jackie... I have fallen so in love with this baby - bottle feeding really makes them so friendly and really makes me very very attached!

 She seems to be a very healthy little girl - in fact I had to cut down a bit on the milk for her as she was getting wider than she was tall. LOL But she is doing great and is a VERY talkative girl. Love that little stick in her mouth... she is so cool...

Hope you enjoyed today - Got a few more that were good shots but I just can't share everyone every week. Post would be a mile long... ha! So I will save them for next week - Have a blessed wonderful weekend - enjoy someone furry and give them a big hug!

HUGS and -

Let Your Dreams Take Flight

Howdy -

Had some fun again with another House Mouse image this week. Took some inspiration from another Splitcoast Stampers Color Challenge -  CC514 - Crisp Marina Point

Fun colors to work with and perfect for the hummingbird in the image.

colored with my Copics (colors below) I found papers that have the same colors as the challenge, and sewed down in the patterns. I added some stickles to the hummingbird.. birds need some bling don't they? 

Love that grin on the mouses face... loving his flight don't you think?

Inside more of the same papers -

Copic colors used -

Love playing with these House Mouse images and having fun playing with the inspiration at Splitcoast as well -

Hope you have a blessed great day -
HUGS and -  

High Hopes Challenge - Stripes!

Howdy -
Today it all about stripes. The challenge this week for High Hopes Stamps is asking us to use stripes on our projects. Easy right?

I pulled out another of the new release stamps "Wow... What A Catch!"




Love this fishing bear -

I found some papers from Simple Stories Legacy collection - loved the color combos of this set. Great striped pattern paper for the challenge. I used Kraft card stock for the base and made up a layout. I zig zag stitched the papers together. The image is colored with my Copics (colors below). I added four buttons... they have a more reddish color to them in person. I then decided that those fish needed some sparkle to them so I added stickles to them.

Close up -

Inside more of the same papers - using up scraps -

Copic colors used -

Great challenge this week - we really would love it if you would pop over to the challenge and throw a project into the hat to win more High Hopes of your own!! Great DT inspiration as well...

Me..... I am still fighting this cold. Hate when it lingers! I have so much I want to do and I have that slow motion feel to me. Hard to get things done when you feel that way isn't it? So sitting still and coloring seems like so much of a better idea. LOL Hope you have a much better day where you are.

Have a great one -
HUGS and -

Animal Crackers - Lots of talking going on...

Howdy -

Went outside the other evening, it had been a nice sunny warm day and everyone was gathered around just before sunset. So I grabbed my camera and went out to see who wanted to pose for me. See I planned ahead I knew the weather reports were not sounding good for later in the week and this weekend!

First thing walking out towards the girl donkey pen I realized that Hubby was out towards the barn working on his flatbed trailer. You know that big thing with wheels that hauls in hay from time to time? Well the Donkeys know what it is and when "Dad" is loading it it must mean a load of hay is coming in.

Darlene was first up to start the "talking" -

 My Matriarch, the old girl, she is basically the one in charge so it is only reasonable for her to start the conversation.

But then Darlene's two BFF's had to chime in...

First Jazz... 

And then Bella -

Now the first thing you need to know is that this is not a normal chit chat voice they have... especially when they think extra hay is involved. It gets LOUD! Soon we had Hee's and Haw's going on from EVERYONE! Hubby looked over the trailer at me like I had done something to start it all up. I looked at him and said it was all his fault he loaded up the buffet cart and they thought they were getting a bonus meal! LOL Now you really should have seen their eyes and the noise later that night.. when an 18 wheeler showed up close to midnight with over 600 bales of hay on it... hope the neighbors will forgive that bit of noise from the girls! LOL Good news noise and all we have LOTS of hay in the barn now.

Found Cocoa our Standard Girl standing off to the side under one of the oak trees... Lazy Afternoon you know sometimes it is just too much effort to even hold our ears up you know...

Actually with the icky illness I had this last week I totally understand the too much effort.. LOL Why is it you get a cold and even if you feel better after a few days the cough will stay for a month? SIGH... I hate having a cough!! Oh well... on to adorable....

Miss Abigail - 

 She has become so much sweeter now that all the baby goats are hanging together quite a bit. Of course my bottle babies are obnoxious friendly.. so that is rubbing off on the others and I am finally getting mobbed and doing lots of body rubbing and cuddling! I totally Love it!

Now there is one baby goat that I haven't been picking up and nuzzling this last week... you see he seems to smell like someone has peed on him... I know that isn't nice conversation... but really he smells. And all though male goats do totally stink as they grow up to be "men", but babies are sweet and soft and fun to cuddle! Well Wyatt.. has been stinky this week... and we now totally know why!!!!

 Little dude is a piggie!!! And he has now figured out that since Mom won't stand still as much to let him eat as he is getting older, that if he follows behind he can snack and walk at the same time! He is literally sucking down milk while walking behind his mom here! I guess that he has been doing it so much that she is tired of being.. well pulled on and him always there, so when she has to go... well he just needs to learn to give her some time to herself!! LOL

Hope you enjoyed today's photographs. Really wish I had my phone to video all the noise for you - was a riot. With all my "kids" it is always fun and interesting here!

Have a wonderful blessed weekend -
HUGS and-

All Cooped Up - House Mouse

Howdy -

Had some time to surf the Splitcoast challenges this week and find some new inspiration for a card. I ran across their Fan Club Theme Challenge and just fell in love with this months Theme!!!

All Cooped  Up - to make a project with a Chicken, Farm type of theme to it. OH NOW that is a Theme that I can work with!  Talk about inspiration! And I knew just what stamp I wanted to use. I have been just itching to use it lately and this was perfect.

House Mouse - Feather Bed 

Splitcoast Stampers Fan Club Theme - All Cooped Up CT0115

With the added sketch challenge DDSKETCH0115

Totally adore this image! Now I have to admit if I found three little mice in with my chickens in their coop I don't think I would find it adoring... I think I would scream and then yell for Hubby to make the mice go away.  I love the stamp image though - I colored with my Copics (colors below) 

My Pattern papers are all from Graphic 45 - the Cats and Dogs Collection and French Country Collection. I followed the sketch for layout, and sewed down all my papers to black card stock and then a kraft cardstock base. I kept it simple for this one no more embellishments - I just like the papers and the colored image and was happy. And that is not my norm. I love embellishments, but this just felt done and happy to me. Maybe it is just simply that I tried to color the chicken like my girl Elenore :0)

For the inside of the card I used up my scrap papers -

And my Copic colors used -

Was my first time trying one of the Fan Club Monthly Themes... will be looking forward to February's Theme for sure - loved this one!

Off to get some work done now. Getting ready for an Antique Show.... Lots to clean up, price and pack up... so not the fun part of the job, but necessary. 

Have a blessed day -
HUGS

High Hopes Challenge - For a Girl!

Howdy-

High Hopes Challenge this week is all about us girls! To make your card for a girl. Which means we can use lots of those girly items we like so much.

I pulled out another of the new release High Hopes Images - Beary Wishes... adorable little bear don't you think? 

I colored with my Copics - and then added thick clear dimensions glaze over the balloons. I cut with an oval nestie used a Copic around the edge and inked the edges with Ranger Distress Ink in Tea Dye color. The papers I used are from Kaisercraft's Charlotte's Dream collection. Sewed down in a zig zag stitch. Die cut two borders, and then three dots of Viva Decor Cream Paper Pen. (Which now I am seeing are very crooked.... hmmmm)  A small sentiment in a punched piece.

Inside more of the same papers -

Here are the Copic colors used -

Just love girlie cards - Please jump over to the High Hopes Challenge Blog and see all the DT's inspiration and then join us for a chance to win new High Hopes to play with!!

Me... I am going to head back to bed for a nap. Sleeping with this icky crud I have is not good! Just about the time I start to fall asleep... I start coughing. Sigh... Hopefully this is the downhill side of this nasty thing!

Have a wonderful blessed germ free day!
HUGS and-

Animal Crackers - Sunny Afternoon

Howdy -
After a long cold wet week - yesterday the sun came out and was gorgeous!! Everyone was really enjoying the warm sunny afternoon.

The baby goats got to come out and play. With it so cold and rainy they spend most of the days in the huts. But with the Sun out Mom's let them have more freedom -

Jackie was asking if it was time for her bottle. I have got her to only twice a day, breakfast and then dinner. So she wasn't happy when I didn't have anything for her - Adorable!

And wherever Jackie is Lizzie usually isn't to far away. She gets a little bit of the ends of the bottles, just to keep her happy. 

These two girls have now approached the over friendly status. They are obnoxious, and I love that!

We worked on some of the huts a few weeks ago. They destroy almost everything put in there. So legs and supports just don't do well over any time at all. But I am thinking that this hut is probably going to need the roof cut back a bit... before Sandy ends up on top of  Lillie... LOL  So far it is holding... so far....

Found one of the outdoor kitties enjoying the sun as well.

Shhhhh she was hiding from me in the winter weeds.... Beautiful Momma Cat!

Ted E. Bear was pushing his way between a fence and a tree ring - longer green grass is worth being squished a bit you know.

Then I snapped a photo of one of the Wyandottes -

They were at the edge of their pen really making some noise wanting their afternoon snack.

Love that the mud has dried up... especially in the chicken coops. Really slick in there with all the mud. I think they like it, but me I have nearly hit the ground more than once in there.

Been a tough week around here. Weather has made it hard to work outdoors. I have been a bit ill, pushing it off as much as I can but I think yesterday it hit me. Now on the up side.. I keep telling myself that anyway. But the toughest part of the week... we lost one of the baby goats. Josie died earlier in the week. Crushed both Hubby and I. They only thing we can figure is that she got smothered under her Mom the night it was so cold and rainy. We found her in the back of the hut the next morning. They try and get as close as they can to Mom when cold and I guess that Chloe shifted during the night and she was so little she couldn't get out. Totally depressed us all week. She was so beautiful.

The hardest part of raising animals... I am so not good at loosing anyone.

Hope you have some Sunny weather where you are - enjoy it and get out there and enjoy a furry or feathered friend!

HUGS and -

Tilda - For You

Howdy -

Went digging into some older stamps the other day again - I can't remember the last Magnolia Tilda I used - This one was always a favorite. I made the card using a sketch from Splitcoast, I forgot to write down which challenge and now I can't find it. Oh well I got the inspiration!

I even broke out of the square for this one. 

My papers are from older stash as well. Tilda brand Kitchengarden collection. I sewed down the layers, stamped a Stampin' Up sentiment and then added some Viva Decor dots to look like little pearls.

Inside same papers -

Colors used -

I pulled out a few Ranger Distress Markers along with my Copics this time. Those flowers and stems to get little -

Hope you enjoyed my card - Think I may be coming down with a cold or something... I think some soup and more coloring will help, don't you?

Have a great day-
HUGS and

High Hopes Challenge - Furry Friends

Howdy -

Today is the High Hopes Challenge! Yea.. and to go along with the new release the challenge this week is "Furry Friends". This new release has so many fun furry animals in it! You can choose any High Hopes Furry image in the challenge.

I chose "Favorite Honey Bear" for my card this week.

 I colored with my Copics - and then added glaze over the honey for that sticky shiny look.  For my papers I used a dark yellow card stock for the base, the pattern papers are mostly all Graphic 45, and then the bees are from my scraps. The bees just seemed to work well.  I added three dots Viva Decor Black Pearl Pen. All my papers are sewn down.

Inside same papers -

Copic Colors used -

 

Great fun new challenge and really fun wonderful new release images - you can see all of them HERE 

Looking forward to more coloring this week. Have LOTS of birthdays this month so need to get my cards caught up. :0) 

Have a wonderful blessed day! 

HUGS and - 

 

Animal Crackers - Napping in the Sun

Howdy -

Another cold wet nasty weekend here - but we had some beautiful sunshine on Tuesday! So I grabbed my camera and went out to take photographs while I had the chance. I love how much the Sun makes everyone so lazy...

Josie and her brother Wyatt were napping in what was left of breakfast hay. Sunning a bit. Looked pretty comfortable I thought about climbing in and joining them.. but well probably still a bit nasty under that hay - They have been taught by one of the masters of sleeping in the hay though -

Their Mom Chloe... 

I do believe she has literally fallen asleep while eating hay... gives a whole new meaning to eating in bed huh?

 This girl does have some horns doesn't she?

Since I showed two of Chloe's triplets thought I should show the third... my little man Doc.

 He has stolen my heart too. We are 99% sure he is a keeper. We will retire Frank this next year and let Doc grow up and be a future buck stud around here.... With those looks and his personality should get some great babies one day!

 Headed out to the girls pen for some sunny face shots... uh HELLO??

Nope couldn't get anyone to hardly even acknowledge that I had made the trek out to see them. Then I got a quick look from Vicki.

Of course it was more of a look like I was bothering her breakfast... but I got acknowledged!

Then as I made my way back inside... the doggies all came in with me.

Uh Chica.... did you roll in the dead grass girl?

 And I wonder why I have so much of the yard in my house when I sweep up! Adorable... can't be upset with her, that face is just too adorable.

Hope you enjoyed this week...
HUGS and -