Monday, December 28, 2020

High Hopes Stamps - Happy New Year

Howdy - 

Happy New Year!! It is 2021~~~ Whoo Hoo!! Today for High Hopes Stamps I pulled out a favorite New Year Image of mine... I just love how sweet this image is! "Father Time & Baby New Year


Are those sweet baby cheeks or what? Now if only 2021 will be just as cute to us all! I colored with my Copics (colors below) and then found some papers from Paper Studio's Winter Collection. The pine cones in the paper worked well with kraft paper for my base. I added the High Hopes Stamps sentiment "Happy New Year!" It has my favorite font for sentiments. Then three red enamel dots for embellishments 

Copic colors used - 


I know we are all happy 2020 is over and now we can look forward to a better year in 2021. I plan on lots more coloring of my favorites stamps from High Hopes Stamps! 

Have a blessed day -

HUGS and 

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Animal Crackers - Merry Christmas!

Howdy! And Merry Christmas!


This has been a rough year for us all... and we are all looking forward to the New Year to start over. But before we do, every year on the last Saturday of the year a review of some of our favorite photos! 

Now we were very blessed this year with three gorgeous healthy baby donkeys. 2 girls and 1 boy... 

First was Beautiful Hanna ... 


Trying to give Momma some space for delivery we quietly sat off to the side awaiting our first baby in a while. But Sweet Bella wanted us to be a part of the blessing and got up and came to us and delivered Hanna right at our feet. 

Second was Josie ... 


Now Black Jack and Josephine have given us a couple of gorgeous solid black babies and we were so hoping for another and praying it was going to be a girl for the future. And it was total screams of happiness when this tiny little girl was born. 


And finally then weeks later we got the spot we were wanting. Big Al was born! 


Now we really were holding our breath when waiting to see if this little spot was a girl or boy... oh so wanted that one more to be a girl. But Big Al was here and despite him being a him... we were in total love with him. This guy has the biggest brown eyes and a huge piece of our hearts. 

I have such a hard time when I am going through the photos to pick "a few to show off again" We have so many wonderful fur babies and I really could show them all off over and over. 



Each has their own personality and habits. But each are loved totally.



Ok so a few of them have a little more outgoing personality... 



And probably do get their photo taken more than others because they are ... well just too funny and have to be shown off. 

They have all been a joy to be "locked down" with during the year and have helped keep smiles on our faces through the year. 


Now we look towards 2021 and hope that you will continue to visit us, enjoy our fur babies and that they bring you smiles each Saturday. We send you and your family a Merry Christmas and blessing in the New Year - 

HUGS and 

Monday, December 21, 2020

High Hopes Stamps - Baking Ginger

Howdy - 

I know we are all in Christmas Baking Moods right now.. and this sweet little gal makes a perfect little card to give with those goodies as gifts! 

This is Baking Ginger from High Hopes Stamps


She is colored with my copics (colors below) and then matched up with some Christmas Papers from Paper Studio. All sewn onto red card stock with a zig zag and straight stitches. This image matches up perfectly with the High Hopes Stamps sentiment "Lovin' from my oven!" 

A pretty red and white gingham ribbon tied around the papers just felt fun and pretty for this one. 

Copic colors used 


Lovin' this image and sentiment - Oh Oh Oh and wouldn't it also be perfect for Valentines baked gifts? 

Hope you enjoyed and have a blessed day - 
HUGS and 

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Animal Crackers - Those that like to cooperate

Howdy - 

We have a lot of animals... but I seem to gravitate to some of the same for photos. They are just more fun and more photogenic I suppose. But I can't help it. I like taking happy pictures, and not just backends or side views of "kids" that don't want to cooperate with me and my camera. One of those that LOVES to have his photo taken... Al Jr. 


I come out the back door and he is at the fence begging for attention and his "close up" I would have like to take a photo of him and his brother Chipmunk to show you how poofy they are, but nope he wanted a close up.  So imagine... due to the cold weather they are so fluffy and well - poofy! But he is cute right? He know it! 

Then I looked over and saw Big Al having some sort of discussion with Black Jack. Not his biological Dad but sort of an adopted Daddy that lives next to him.


I love that they have no threat to each other, no I am the man thing going on. And maybe Black Jack is passing on his knowledge that he has gained over the last 25+ years 

But then Big Al heard me and charged towards me for his head scratches.


Love that! But boy you have to snap quick or he is right on top of you. He didn't even drop the hay in his mouth while coming to see me. Don't waste food! 

Scarlett or "Red" is one of my first baby goats... and now one of the old ladies. And she is my female version of Al Jr. She is right on the fence before you know it, ready for her close up. 


But when you are one of the senior gals and this good looking it is all good! 

Went to say hi to my little ladies the Chickens. This little gal was really staring me down. I was trying to tell her just how pretty she was all puffed up to stay warm. But that seems to not working... she was still eye balling me! 


I am ok with her... but Hubby's two other children. I tend to freak out if they are watching me! 


This "happy" little couple of black vultures have been living in the attic of an old structure on the property for at least 10 years now. They leave for periods and then return and have that years children, raise them and then hang around for a bit and then they fly away, then we look up and they are back. After about 10 years here I assume this is now their retirement plan of hanging around to spend their last years with us. 

Now I decided to show off another collectible to end. Just seemed weird to end with the vultures. So here is a small part of my little goat collection. I adore German Stick Leg animals and sell a lot of them in our antique business... but goats and donkeys usually end up staying with me. he he 


But i keep all kinds - lets see here we have German Stick legs, celluloid, cast iron, and wood. They just make me happy! And collecting these little items don't take up hardly any room. Important because we already collect so much! 

Hope you got a smile again this week. These fur babies always bring smiles to us! We are very blessed. Hope you have a blessed weekend as well - 
HUGS and 


Monday, December 14, 2020

High Hopes Stamps - Little Sleuth

Howdy - 

Sometimes you just need a pick me up smile card right? Well I think High Hopes Stamps Little Sleuth is a great for that type of card. He is just so fun. 


I went with some shades of greenish gray this time. I had the pattern papers from Paper Studio on my desk and they felt right for the Little Sleuth. Our little guy is colored with Copics (colors below) and then matted and sewed everything together. The High Hopes Sentiment "No Mystery" is perfect! 

When looking at it when done... he needed something to follow, so I added a few enamel dots for him to get some clues from! 

Copic colors used - 


Love how cute this one turned out. And it is good for guy or gal! Hope you enjoyed it and to find more fabulous High Hopes Stamps jump on over to the website HERE 

Have a blessed day - 

HUGS and 

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Animal Crackers - With this many children...

Howdy - 

I always say how blessed we are to have our property and have the animals and life we have. But with this many children (fur children) it seems there is always something going on or someone to worry about. The last couple weeks that was Alice, our goat with the hurt leg. She is actually healing pretty well and is now putting weight on her leg. The last few days it has been one of our big donkeys. Valentine. Our baby... ok so he is a 16ish year old baby but he is our baby. 


He has been under the weather, just not himself and you could tell he just hasn't been feeling well. We kept a very close watch on him and he had us really worried for a couple of days but he finally is acting more like himself and seems to be feeling much better. We are so happy. We hate when one of our babies isn't feeling well. 

Valentine's Mom Cocoa... she wasn't worried about him. 


Honestly she seemed to enjoy that he wasn't following her around and she had her own space. LOL Sorry Cocoa he's feeling better and now he is right back on your tail! 

Jackie was enjoying her breakfast... ok it was just past lunch so it was leftover breakfast. But how stale can dried hay get? 


She is a pretty girl,  quiet and calm. Love her grey and white coloring with those blue eyes

I went to visit Jorge... I try so hard to get photos of this guy.... 


He always has to be right in your face, touching you, reaching out to you, normally through the fences. He is so handsome... a few long whiskers, but handsome. But within a minute he ALWAYS flips around for his rear end scratches... sigh.... He gets that habit from his Dad Black Jack ... he does the exact same thing. 


Such a silly boy! 

Ok so a few weeks ago I showed you one of my concrete donkeys Hubby rescued... this is another one we have. Now he looks to be in nice condition and stands up tall... but this guy in real life only has three legs....


But it is a back leg that he doesn't rely on as much as the front two, so he doesn't lean as much as the other. It is all good... I love them both! 

Hope our children brought a smile for you this week. They are a blessing and a Joy - 

HUGS and 

Monday, December 7, 2020

High Hopes Stamps - Snow Yummy

Howdy - 

We've had a little chill in the air and that makes for a great time for a warm cup of cocoa... not to sure about this Snowman soaking in it as he may melt away, but he seems to be enjoying it. This is High Hopes Stamps "Snow Yummy


This handsome guy is colored with my Copics (colors below) and then matched up with some fun snowman pattern paper from Paper Studio. Cute right? I matted with more Paper Studio red paper and sewed down all the layers. The High Hopes Sentiment "Dot Warm Heart" works out perfect with the image. Then for a bit of sparkle I found some Bling Enamel Dots for fun.

Copic colors used


I'm craving a cup of cocoa now... sounds "Snow Yummy" right? 

Hope you enjoyed - 
HUGS and 


Saturday, December 5, 2020

Animal Cracker - Moving Day

Howdy - 

Domino has moved into the large men's pen out in front... away from the girls completely. 


This boy just needed to have some distance from the ladies. For his benefit, theirs and OURS! LOL He stinks too... nasty. Now that he can't see or smell the ladies, his smell and stickiness will go away. He seems to be doing ok in the pen. We were concerned that there would be lots of "I'm in charge" going on. Head butting and fighting. King of the pen attitude... But honestly it has been pretty quiet, well other than Domino calling out to let us know he wants to move back. 

Spartacus has been watching cautiously and keeping distance, but he always has been a calm sweet boy. 


The twins that were in with Domino haven't really even missed him much at all yet. All they really know is that now that he is gone they get the better hut... the one in charge got first pick you know. 


Chipmunk is always the calm one, in the back. Now he can get at least next to his brother Alvin Jr. and get more head scratches. 

Now Alice.. sigh...  we've been so so so worried about Alice the last couple of weeks. 


You see Alice hurt her leg. She has been three-legging it. We have her all wrapped up with a pretty ace bandage, and I guess with time she is starting to feel better about putting weight on it and has started using it again. Whew... with all these fur children there is always one to worry about at all times! 

Turned to walk back to the house and this was waiting for me. Total grins from me. How can you not stop, smile and do lots of belly rubs with this cutie waiting and wagging her tail? 



She will lay there forever waiting for those belly rubs... Such a sweet heart... 

Uh Oh... I stand up from belly rubs and see these three watching me love on Moxie... 


Jealous for any attention that isn't for them. Like they miss out on any loving at all! My babies! 

Hope you got a smile this week, be glad you couldn't smell a few of those photos... We are very blessed but the smell I can do without. 

Have a blessed weekend - 
HUGS and 

Monday, November 30, 2020

High Hopes Stamps - Sitting Santa

Howdy - 

Ho Ho Ho! Isn't this just the cutest little round Santa? Sitting Santa from High Hopes Stamps! 


Just love him! I used my Copics to color (colors below) and then added lots of Viva Deco Sparkle to his coat and hat. I just think Santa has lots of sparkle to him. I found some pattern papers from Paper Studio that has a great little Santa pattern. I had to use it with Sitting Santa. Keep it simple and make Santa the large star of this one. I simple gingham ribbon tied on the corner. Then a High Hopes Sentiment "Merry Christmas!"

Simple... but Simply a sweet Christmas Card! 

Copic colors used - 


I hope you enjoyed Sitting Santa from High Hopes Stamps - visit the web site HERE for lots of great deals and thousands of stamps to choose from!

Hugs and 

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Animal Crackers - Breezy afternoon

Howdy - 

Its a good thing Hubby was on top of things yesterday... I totally was lost in allergies and forgot that it was Friday... the day before Animal Crackers! He reminded me I need to head out and take my photos while the sun was still up... Thank you Hubby! A front was just blowing in and everyone was out enjoying the breeze. 

I was trying to sneak up on Big Al ... he was totally snoozing in the nice weather. But he woke up and I barely snapped before he was up and literally in my face. He is such a sweetheart. 


A handsome sweetheart... totally in love with this guy! 

Yes A.J. we are totally in love with you too... 


I was trying to snap a photo of the twins, they were side by side and looking so cute. But nope. Alvin Jr. is a total camera hog. He wants to be the only fashion model in this pen. Good thing his brother Chipmunk is so easy going. 

Chrissy was enjoying some left over breakfast... This was the only photo out of 15 that I took that her mouth wasn't totally wide open smacking her alfalfa.


Not lady like at all... But she is so calm and sweet its ok to have that one little flaw in her eating habits. 

Now I mentioned that the wind was blowing a cool breeze. It seems the chickens were all gathered to discuss the weather and whatever else they were gossiping about. Lots of chatter going on. 


I thought while passing Hubby's potted plants I would show off his citrus. They have had a tough season with no rain, so Hubby has been really keeping a close watch on them and making sure they had at least his watering. 

But after looking at the 10 day forecast I think that they will have to be picked before a cold snap this next week. We've been watching them for so long I hope they taste as good as they look. 

Cocoa was watching from a distance while I was roaming around. 


She is so timid some days and I had to move very slow and talk to her constantly to let her know I was moving towards her. She started to back away and take off. But she stayed and let me take a few photos of her, rub on her neck a little bit... then she turned away from me. No worries, it was just to have some rear end scratches.... She may be cautious and a bit timid but when she wants it she does allow those wonderful scratches. 

Came inside to find Libbie laying by the back door. 


Being totally blind now, her hearing is extra sharp. I think she was listening to us in the backyard and on the back porch. I really wish I knew what she was thinking. Its complex I am sure. 

Hope you got a large smile from the fur children. They always make us smile. We are blessed.

HUGS and