Animal Crackers - Pretty Late Afternoon

Howdy, 

Got up yesterday morning and thought.. I'm gunna get my photos done early today. Then we went to breakfast... then to do errands, then came home and internet was down, on phone forever with Techs, went out to cry and yell about it to and with Hubby and sit with him while he worked on car. Then out of no where late late afternoon it hit me!! MY PHOTOS!! Took off to find animals to take photos of.  I just knew everyone would be miles off and not being cute, but to my surprise - the ladies were up front and being beautiful! Look how pretty sweet Ellie Mae is - 

She had just done one of her loud screams and then was coming towards me for some ear scratches. She is so beautiful. 

Patti then came to the fence and struck a pose for a glamour shot - I Love the glamour shots.. it is like they want their photo taken.

She is so special. We nearly lost her years back after numerous snake bites, but she fought and pulled through and is healthy and just a love to everyone. 

Pavo was calmly and quietly standing back waiting his turn to get a little attention. He is so .. so .. well calm.

Now to not calm. Oh Miss Juliet. I took about 20 photographs of her and was going through and deleting most all of them. And this one struck me as really beautiful. Her eyes were so in focus.

I like this one! She is so difficult to get photos of she is so in your face and moving constantly. 

 

Her little shadow is her BFF little Hannah. This young girl idolizes Juliet. I guess she could have worse role models. Even if Juliet is teaching her to be hard to take photographs of! 

Both Hubby and I were very excited to find that after the good rain we got days back that the Amaryllis flowers were finally blooming! These are very special bulbs. They came from a dear old friend that was very well known for her beautiful Amaryllis, she brought them to all functions during the season they were blooming. Well Hubby got a pot of bulbs a couple of years ago and this year they are very healthy, and seem happy -

 

 

Now I decided to end this week with this funny photo of Mr. Mercedes - He has gotten so big. Handsome.

 

And still into everything - LOL But we dearly love this guy, even if his middle name is Trouble. 

Hope you have a smile again this week. I mean really how can you not with that close up grin from Mercedes? ha! 

We do hope you have a blessed weekend and have lots of furry hugs! 

HUGS and

High Hopes Stamps - Fireman Matthew

Howdy - 

Fireman Matthew is an adorable hero don't you think? This guy is a great image for any birthday but especially a "guy card".  

 

I colored him with my Copics (colors below) and then shaded with pencils.  I really love the way that the pencils give a dusty dirty look for a working fireman. I went pretty simple with the pattern paper, found an older Basic Grey paper, with a yellow scrap and all placed on a black card stock base. I like the worn rusted look of the pattern paper with this one. I matted my handsome fireman with black card stock and then sewed down all the layers. 

The sentiment is also from High Hopes Stamps "Birthday Emergency" - love it! Especially for those with a "few" candles on their cake! LOL  

And then to add that pop... some Nuvo Glitter for that splash of water coming from our fireman's hose! 

Copic colors used -

Love this guy! There are so many I love from High Hope Stamps! I have a top 100 I'm in love with.. plus a few.. LOL To see all the fun at High Hopes Stamps pop over to the web site HERE.

Have a blessed day-

HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Moving to new bachelors pen

Howdy - 

 We finally moved Domino into the Bachelors pen next to the lady goats. Peso's old digs. It was weird but I just had hard time with moving Domino too fast and needed to give missing Peso and his pen some time. But now Domino has claimed his spot and is loving being up near all the ladies to show off his handsome looks!

 

Seriously... he is handsome and we all know it! Most of all him. HA! 

I went out mid morning thinking that everyone would be done with breakfast and I could snap a few photos. Well the ladies were still chowing down. Slow but enjoying their fresh hay. The only girls that would look up were Patti and Juliet from this group. Wouldn't stop chewing... but did look up enough for a short pause and a snap of the camera. 

I had to snap a photo of Bella even though she wouldn't look up at me. She is just so pretty.

She always looks like she is wearing perfect eyeliner... mine never looks that good. 

Just as I was going to walk off, my two youngest girls, Hannah and Josie came up, silly Josie.

 

 

I was rubbing on Hannh's head and Josie decided that all attention must go to her. She kept pushing and shoving Hannah back. Now I can't show attention to her when she is not being nice so I backed off a step and this was the look I got. Ok.. so cute does get attention and I loved all over her and Hannah best I could... they are so funny. 

Then had a chat with Lucy. Our old lady - she was just so calm and comfortable enjoying the morning breeze and chewing on what was left of her breakfast. Sweet old girl.

Moxie then rushed up behind me. She is so funny as well. Look at that little grin. 

 

I called her up she let me rub all over her... then flop. Yep belly was in need of a good rubbing as well. This girl loves belly rubs! And she gets all she wants! 

Before heading in I stopped to smell the roses...

 Hubby's veggie garden is really growing this past week... but his roses also are enjoying the Spring! He spent an entire evening clipping back, cleaning and fertilizing them last week, they are already showing off their flowers for us! They are so pretty! 

Hope you have a smile this week, and we all here hope you enjoyed our furry family - 

HUGS and

High Hopes Stamps - Hedgie Stack

Howdy - 

Today for High Hopes Stamps I colored up a little "Hedgie Stack"  All though while coloring it struck me.... I don't think I've ever seen a real hedgehog. LOL They are not common here in Texas but read that they are starting to be found - especially as pets. Anyway back to my card - This Hedgie Stack is really a sweet image especially for a Spring image! 

Now despite the thunderstorm warnings going off on my phone and the sky getting darker,  I decided to go with bright sunny happy colors! I colored with my Copics (colors below) and then dug out some pattern papers from Graphic 45's Secret Garden collection.  A border punch from Ek Success all sewn together and layered on white card stock base. The sentiment is also from High Hopes Stamps "Spring is in the Air" punched out with a Ek Success ticket punch, then edged with a Copic marker. It seemed to me it needed just a bit more... oh I love my Nuvo Decors! The White dots were just the pop it needed. 

Copic colors used -

To visit the High Hopes Stamps Web store and find SO SO SO many wonderful images for your projects click HERE... You will fall in love!

Have a blessed day - 

HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Cute poses are hard to get

Howdy - 

Some days I go outside and there are animals with cute poses everywhere. Yesterday I went out and really had a hard time finding anyone to get cute snaps of, Macey ended up being nosey and wanted a photograph of her.

She is a beautiful old woman, and then I had my first cute photo. Then I decided to head over to the goat pen on the way Sergio backed up to the fence ... this is his way of telling me he "needs" to have his rear end scratched.

 

 

 Now he was calm and stayed still as long as I kept scratching. I stopped for 1/2 a second to try and snap a photo and I got this look from him. "Really... don't stop!" LOL I kept on for a little while then tried to explain I needed to move on and find more photographs. He wasn't happy... he trotted along the fence with me and snorted as I moved on. Not happy I had to leave. He is such a funny boy. 

At the goat pen they were all being lazy and laying around. Sweet Pea caught my eye. She makes the funniest faces, just cracks me up.

 

I really think she makes them on purpose sometimes. She had her neck stretched out, ears back and that silly grin with her teeth showing. So silly. 

Crissy was finishing up some breakfast. I wish I could explain how much hay she had stuffed in her cheek.

 

 

I stood there and talked to her as she just kept putting more and more hay in her mouth. She then laid down and chewed and chewed. I guess she was storing it up so she didn't have to stand and eat. Had something to "chew" on for a while. 

 

Vera was standing at the fence staring off at I have no idea. I talked to her and nothing. Still have no clue what she was looking at. Maybe I would rather not know? Maybe she was just deep in serious thought? 

 

 

Do these goats have serious thoughts? I think I will go with something moving in the distance. 

 

And then I wanted to show first week photos of Hubby's garden. Now it is a much smaller garden this year, time and weather has just kept things smaller for him. More manageable this year in containers in the backyard.

 

 

 

The tomatoes are already growing and have blooms starting! I can't wait to have fresh farm grown tomatoes! We (love how I say "we) We also have Yellow Squash, Zucchinis and potatoes planted! I'll show progress now and then.. love fresh garden veggies.

 

A rare rare sighting here - This was such a shocker to find later in the afternoon - Daddy Cat, he rarely is this still and in the open for a photograph, but he getting a little tamer. 

I found him lounging on a pile of soil from the garden. That look is please don't come any closer and make me run off cuz this is very comfortable. I zoomed snapped and walked away. After all he did look very comfortable.

Hope you have your Saturday Animal Crackers smile  - we love you visiting each week. 

Have a blessed weekend - 

HUGS and

High Hopes Stamps - Momma's Love

Howdy - 

SPRING!! I love Spring! All the green, the flowers and the baby animals! Today for High Hopes Stamps I am using a perfect Spring Image from the new re-release Spring Fever. This is Momma's Love - so sweet! 

Colored the cute little chicks with my Copics (colors below) and then found papers from Kaisercraft's Secret Garden collection. I layered three of the pattern papers on a white card stock base, after sewing them all together with a straight stitch. My image and the High Hopes Stamps sentiment "Spring to Follow" were cut out and then created a faux mat with a dark pink Copic.  I then happened across a old Fiskar's punch of a bird - seemed it was meant to see it as I love it with the Spring image. I added three Nuvo Decor White Paint Dots. 

Copic colors used -

I just love the Spring colors and feel. For more fun and pretty images make sure to visit the High Hopes Stamps web store HERE and fall for lots more images! 

Have a blessed day!

 

Animal Crackers - Thirty Years!

Howdy - 

Today I start off with our sweet old lady Darlene - this beautiful girl is turning 30 in the next couple weeks.  

 

 

She has her ups and downs with her health. But over all she is doing really great. She keeps up with all the other ladies... maybe in the back of the pack but keeps up. And she still knows the hint from "Dad" to move out of the pack and come for her special "old people feed" - a special equine diet for older donkeys. We love her to pieces and want to keep on celebrating her birthdays for many years! 

 

I visited Alvin in his pen. He really has a wonderful pen - one end is sunny and has a view of the ladies donkey pen and then the other end runs along the ladies goat pen and is nicely shaded. 

 

 He is such a looker and loves showing off and head butting the fence to impress the girls. And we already know his off spring are handsome as well. I think we may do some breeding with him later this year... I miss baby goat time - wouldn't it be wonderful to have a little girl with his coloring and ice blue eyes.

I am going to talk to Hubby about putting Miss Louise in with him... those two - with their coloring and both with the ice blue eyes! Wowser!

 

 

And then maybe we would get a break from her screaming every time she is in season! Oh my she is a loud one! LOL Beautiful yes.. Loud for sure! 

 

I then spotted our Stud - Raffie... he is showing NO interest in the three ladies in the pen with him. So that is a good sign... that and the huge bellies on two of them. LOL But he has total interest in some of the other girls off in the other pen. Ha! 

 

 

I couldn't get him to look at me at all! He just couldn't risk taking his eyes off those girls! What a guy! 

 

What  a rough couple of weeks with our sweet chickens. So stressful. Poor Hubby has just gone crazy trying to keep his girls safe. 

 

 

We have a dirty word around here... Raccoons...  Oh my they found a way into the coop ... we lost a chicken, fixed the coop.. then again... This went on for too long. Now it has been over a week and no predators have found a way in. Praying Hubby has found every tiny little place they can work their way into. How do they get that big head and body in such tiny little spaces. Our only named chicken Spec, who is one of the older gals and thankfully she is safe. We are getting new chicks hopefully this next week. But it has been very sad around here loosing girls from our coop.

 

 Oh and Guinea she is safe as well! We have been trying to figure out her age... she is right at 9-10 years old now we think. Amazing!

Even though she may be old she still does her fast pace fence runs ... all day long every day! Exercise keeping her young at heart? Not sure? 

Now I showed off my old bird house from my Dad - I thought I had to show it off again ... with Momma Cat, our kittens Mom and outdoor cat.

We call this her "Perch" It is an antique bread box, sitting up on my back porch bench. With a blanket on it to make it soft and cozy. She LOVES this spot. It is safe, and is up just enough to get this nice breeze but is out of the sun. This is her afternoon spot, all afternoon, every afternoon. It just happens to sit right below my bird house that happens to look just like her. Adorable right?

Hope you have your Animal Crackers Smile - And we all hope you have a blessed weekend.

HUGS and -

High Hopes Stamps - Chicken Flock

Howdy - 

 I have just gone nuts for the new High Hopes Stamps Chicken Stamps! And this one is too adorable! This is "Chicken Flock"  

 

 

Now with this chickens I just had to go with that country feel. So I dug deep in my pattern papers and found some older Graphic 45 papers, then colored with Copics and sewed down everything with a fun Zig Zag stitch. 

 

The perfect High Hopes Stamps sentiment "Just Chick-en in" makes me happy with this image!  Then for that little extra with my country feel I added three red buttons. Buttons are one of those embellishments that I love using! 

To see more fun country images (High Hopes Stamps has SO MANY fabulous country images!) click HERE to pop right over!

Have a blessed day - 

HUGS and

Animal Crackers - and a few more

Howdy - 

I had a few more photos from being out the other day - I just had to show them as well. Pepita and Lacey moving towards me, Pepita you can see does have a little belly.. but is that a good hay belly or baby? A month or two more will tell us - Now Lacey.. hmmm yep leaning towards a baby there!

 

 

 She is really a wonderful Mom - She takes such good care of her babies and really watches over them well. I do hope maybe this time we get a girl? Oh Big Al is stunning, her last baby BOY... but I really need a new spotted GIRL! Yes I know I say that a lot! But I really really really want a spotted baby girl!

 

 

While out with the Mom's I heard a little "baaaa" Miss Penelope called out. She is so beautiful and sweet. I snapped a photo and then bent down at the fence and sure enough she made her way over to me for some head scratches.  Love her coloring! 

 

 

 

The last two photos today are from my Kitty Photo Shoot again - I had so much fun with the kitties that morning. The sun in the windows was so pretty - and I bet I took 50 or more photographs. This was my favorite of Ferrari - 

 

 

I adore the whiskers and the pink bottoms of her feet. She is so tiny compared to the other three. Beautiful. 

And handsome ... the only boy of the group. My "trouble" kitty. Silly Sweet Cuddling Mercedes.

He is really a joy, oh yes panic at times with his inquisitive nature. We do love him... and all three of his sisters.

Hope you have your Saturday smile - This fur children really do bring a smile to us - so much happiness. 

Hugs and -