High Hopes Stamps - Checkin' It Twice

Howdy - 

How can it be the last day of July? Where did the month go? This is my last card for the High Hopes Stamps Christmas in July series. And I just had to end it with the big man himself. This is Santa - "Checkin' It Twice" Great Santa Claus image!  

 

Santa is colored with my Copics (colors below) and then I added some Nuvo Glitter paint for his trim. Why? Because I think Santa needs some magical sparkle!  

My pattern papers is from Basic Grey, love those coordinating front and back patterns. I sewed down the layers and then went to punch out and color my sentiment. High Hopes Stamps "Naughty List" is just so much fun and perfect for this image. It is punched out with an EK Success punch then matted with the same dark red pattern paper. 

A simple but fun card. And easy to mail with less embellishments - sometimes that is a must for mailing out cards.

Copic colors used -

Have you gotten your Christmas Cards started? Planned what image you just have to use this year? If not make sure to jump over to the High Hopes Stamps Website HERE and see all the Christmas images you will for sure find one, two or ten you just fall in love with! 

Have a blessed day - 

HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Beautiful

Howdy - 

She is beautiful isn't she? My Old Little Puppy. She must have her Momma's genetics as her eyes are getting cloudy and her hearing is going. And her hair is getting grey. But she is loved even more than ever. 

 

 

 

My old Puppy - :0) 

 

Went out early yesterday morning to take photos the three big donkeys were getting a little drink with their breakfast.

 

Now keep in mind that bucket was full.. and by the time all three got a drink it was 1/2 a bucket. Yea buckets are filled more than once a day around here. 

Malory was still chowing down on her breakfast.  That is one big bite! 

Jorge always stop eating and comes to say hello and get loving. Such a handsome guy! 

Then I hear a horrible racket!! Uh AJ that is why you don't have a nice hut!! 

Dad fixes it all up and then you bang your horns and head on everything, until ... well things look like this! Take care of you house! 

Heading back in and my sweet little friend has made the entire walk around the property to visit everyone with me. She is so sweet.

Such a loving little girl. Adore her! 

Hope you have a furry friend to hug! And have a blessed weekend. 

HUGS and

 

High Hopes Stamps - Wasn't ME

Howdy - 

Christmas In July at High Hopes Stamps - and this week my image is a little close to home! People ask me, why don't you put up a Christmas Tree? Well...

It has happened to us ... years ago and that was calm cats. I can't imagine with these kitties we have it would be insane! But I still love the image! It is a holiday giggle favorite of mine. High Hopes Stamps "Wasn't Me" I colored with my Copics (colors below) and then found some pretty pattern papers from Teresa Collins World Traveler collection. All the layers are sewn down with zig zag and straight stitches. 

For the sentiment I went with High Hopes Stamps "Define Naughty" Sometimes I think I can here our cat Bubba saying that when he is in trouble. LOL  I punched out the sentiment with an EK Success punch then faux matted it with a Copic around the edge. 

Copic colors used - 

 Giggled while doing this one for sure. A fun image for your holiday card! To see all the images at High Hopes Stamps click HERE and see all the fun!

Animal Crackers - Heads Up

Howdy - 

 Went out early yesterday morning to snap some photos of the fur children. Olive Oyl was posing for me - stretching that neck out.

Maybe it is one of those poses to make her look slimmer... I know how those poses work. (insert rolling eyes here... )

Another pretty pose - Miss Thelma was climbing up on the rocks to make her way to the shady part of the yard. I called out and she turned, just like she knew I needed a pose for my photograph  

So pretty - love those blue eyes - 

Now take it from me Grace has gorgeous eyes too... but at times breakfast is so good you just have to close your eyes and enjoy the fresh hay! 

 

Even with her eyes closed so so pretty - and those horns stunning!

Then looking off towards the back - I see handsome Sergio - longing to be with girls in the back pasture.

Handsome - and as much as I would love to have little Sergio's. It's just not "allowed" right now. So dream boy dream - 

As hot as it is all the grazing grass is.. well... BROWN. But "Dad" takes care of everyone. The Men had fresh green hay for dinner and they seem to really enjoying it. And they stopped to all give a Thank you. 

Handsome aren't they?  Yeah they know it. LOL

As I came in the back door I found this. What are they discussing?

May be the fact that that they both want Mr. Owl that fuzzy little toy between them. It is the cats toy.. but from time to time Chica runs through the house with it. She has always loved playing with kittens. Such a great Big Sister. 

Hope you have a smile this week - They are such sweet kids. And love to share their lives each week with you. 

HUGS and

High Hopes Stamps - Baking Ginger

Howdy - 

Christmas in July at High Hopes Stamps! And one of my favorite things about the holidays is the BAKING!! I don't do as much as I use to - but I do still like to make a few goodies. Grandma's Pralines are a favorite! When giving as a gift I like to include a card - and this image is just too perfect for special treats. This is Baking Ginger - 

Yummy Gingerbread cookies! I colored with my Copics ( colors below ) and found some kraft card stock papers from My Minds Eye - love the warm colors on the kraft card stock. I punched a border for the band across the middle with an EK Success border punch, then sewed everything together. The sentiment is also High Hopes Stamps "Baked with Love" Now full disclosure here... I dropped a copic on my sentiment after had it stamped and punched out with a EK Success ticket punch... so I went with it and made a bunch of hearts to match the image. Work? or Not? 

To top off my Little Baking Ginger images - that icing needed to be done! So I pulled out my Nuvo White paint pen and gave it some shine! 

Copic colors used -

Ok.. now I am wanting some homemade cookies... Not on the eating healthy plan at the moment. darn. 

Hope you enjoyed my little Christmas Goodies card - I think I need a few more of these to have ready to go for the season! 

Have a blessed weekend - HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Rise and Shine!

Howdy - 

This week I wanted to introduce you to this guy! 

 

The other morning I was sitting at my desk early and hearing the rooster next door in the distance.... and then this tiny little sound answering back... then it clicked! Wait that was coming from our chicken coop! 

It was so cute! And then I decided that he could just introduce himself right? LOL

 Oh I hope that video works for you guys as it just makes me giggle every time I play it. And I have played it A LOT!!

He is one proud little dude! 

I had to have another talk with another guy here. Oh my Domino ATTITUDE!!

Why does he have to act like a total Bully!! Head banging the fence and screaming out. I have learned my lesson though I don't lean down next to his fence anymore... literally head banging me! But still even just walking near him he rams his head on the fencing. So I tried to talk to him and explain he was such a sweet cute little guy... where did that cuddle bug go? 

 

He was adorable... LOL Still is handsome... just way to much ATTITUDE!!! 

Every morning while Hubby is getting all breakfast ready for the doggies and kitties together I sit at the table and talk to whoever visits me and wants to chat. Yesterday it was Miss Porsche - and I did have something to talk to her about! 

The last couple weeks she has been very cuddly and wanting head scratches and loving. Well that is just wonderful. EXCEPT at 2 am! She starts head butting me. Pushing on my hands, purring and climbing on me. Why does she not bother "Dad" ??? LOL I usually can pet her a few minutes then she will lay down and go to sleep next to me. But she really needs to stop waking me up in the middle of the night! I don't sleep that well as it is... But I love her. 

Then we discussed that her nose has finally healed. She had a nasty scratch on the end of her nose this last week. We didn't know for sure who caused it, but had an idea... 

Her Momma Cat! Momma gets along with all her kids very well... except Porsche. Before Momma came inside Porsche was the leader in charge of all the kitties. Momma, once she got use to "inside", decided that she was MOM... and all that means. But Porsche still tries to be the boss and Mom puts her in her place. 

Momma seems to fit in perfectly other than that. She loves her spots inside. And they are her spots. And despite that she doesn't have the big wide world outside to roam in, I think she has discovered that things are good for her. No worries for danger for wild animals, no finding comfortable places to sleep at night. (She sleeps next to me in bed most nights) And no dealing with the weather - rain, cold and extreme heat. 

 

She is a happy cat. And very loved along with her kitties. 

Not loved though was this sight...

 Oh Hubby was very excited and came in screaming to come out quick and see... He knows not to tell me cuz I might not come if I know it is something... well like this! A large Black Rat Snake - I snapped a photo and went back in. Hubby chatted with him a while and then waved him off into the brush. As long as he isn't in my chicken coop he has a purpose - just not near me!

Hope you got a giggle smile this week - ok other than the snake... But Little Dude Rooster for sure! 

Have a blessed weekend - 

HUGS and

High Hopes Stamps - Still Sleepin'

Howdy - 

It is Christmas in July at High Hopes Stamps - And my little guy needs to head out to do some Christmas Shopping but well - he is having a hard time getting going! This is "Still Sleepin' " 

 

This guy cracks me up - I relate to him I guess. Colored with my Copics (colors below) and found some older DCWV papers that had a bit of Christmas and a bit of warm coffee feel to them.  I layered them and sewed down to a green card stock and then placed on a dark brown card stock base. Love the colors. 

The sentiment is perfect for my sleepy guy. "Coffee is the Rise & Shine" A little caffeine and this guy will be ready to hit the malls for some shopping for presents. 

Copic colors used -

This one came together fast and I love how it and the colors worked so well. For so many great images to have fun with pop over to the High Hopes Stamps Web Store and have some fun surfing through all the fabulous! 

Have a blessed day - 

HUGS and
 

Animal Crackers - Messy - Hay - Grapes

Howdy - 

A lot of fun going on this last week. Busy Busy Busy - First up is Old Miss Darlene enjoying her "Old People Food" as we call it. LoL... She LOVES it! As you can tell by her face!

Really enjoys it!  Oh Darlene ... that is not lady like! But she does love it and it is so good for her. Lots of minerals and vitamins to help her in her golden years.

 

Got a call that there was a small load of hay being baled. Yes Please! We always take advantage of any hay available. Gotta keep the hay barn full for all the fur children! 

And fresh cut hay is always a favorite around here!!! The three stooges were really into their breakfast.

But then there was Mallory who was really "IN" her breakfast! Fresh hay is very fluffy and soft though so you can't blame her.

Love that Crissy was just eating around her. mmmm fresh hay! 

My boy Sergio left his breakfast and was insisting on attention.  Really insisting.. Pushing the panels and making a lot of noise insisting! I'm coming Serg!

I love my little orphan guy! He is truly my big boy! oh and yes... I removed the hay from his nose. 

Then the other project this week that "we" tackled. 

 For over 20 years now we have talked about picking the wild mustang grapes that grow all over our road and property. You can't pick them until they are totally ripe. Well that is when everything eats them. And by the time we find them ripe they were pretty picked over - but gotta feed nature right? Well this last week Hubby came in and said its time for grapes! He grabbed two 5 gal. buckets and went grape picking! Now a lot of them are very high and you need a ladder. Not my place to be at all. But Hubby filled two buckets and then it was time to wash and make jelly!

Here is some of the jars from the batches we made in two afternoons. Takes time and lots of picking and stirring. Measuring and watching the clock. I was the assistant - this was Hubby's project. 

I love that we get to pull out the large pot! It was my Grandfather's. I never knew him. But my Grandma gave us the pot years and years ago. It was his Crawdad Boil pot. Or Crawfish... but around here they are Crawdads. Yuck to me, but some love them. But I am thrilled to be the keeper of the pot now and that it still has use! And the jelly... mmmm turned out so good! 

So do you can anything yummy? We've done a few kinds of jelly and jams over the years. We tried pickles a couple of times. And Hubby has done all types of peppers - he is never allowed to do Habanero Peppers again. Took forever to get the burning smell out of the house! WOW they were spicy hot! 

I'm more of the yummy fruit jelly type! And this grape is wonderful. 

Hope you enjoyed this week - and I do hope you have some special time planned this week with family, friends or fur children! 

HUGS and -

High Hopes Stamps- Skiing Santa

Howdy - It's Christmas in July at High Hopes Stamps! But I think someone forgot to tell Santa about the Plan - He is still out on vacation it looks enjoying some water skiing! he he he - I just love this "Skiing Santa" too much fun! 

I decided to have a little fun and non traditional Christmas colors and use red with the ice blue - Matching up my coloring of Santa and the Water with my Copics (colors below)  - 

Found a scrap of a red dot pattern paper, then some Coredinations cardstock with dots as well! All my layers are sewn down and the a great sentiment to have more fun with Santa enjoying summer... High Hopes Stamps "Think Snow" Especially funny here in Texas as it has been 100 degrees for a few weeks now! I'm more think I'll stay in the air conditioning!

Now Santa's Hat needed some fluffing so I used Nuvo white pearl paint and then added more to the water for those white caps - with some Nuvo glitter for the sparkle of that cool water. Love how that came out. Looks wet! 

Copic colors used -

Fun image to color up - and great for a Christmas card that is different and in the warmer weather! 

To see all the fun image at High Hopes Stamps - pop over to the web store HERE and you will find lots to have fun with no matter what the subject!

Have a blessed week! 

HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Oh NO!

Howdy - 

Well once again our "neighbor" ( trying to not call any names in my anger ) once again their workers decided that burning brush when it is over 100 degrees, when everything is dry, dead and with a 20MPH wind is the thing you should be doing one afternoon this week! And the wind was blowing our direction.

I am not sure who was more freaked out - Me - Hubby or the donkeys! The wind did blow the fire across our fence line and about 100 feet onto the back pasture before our fabulous fire department arrived and put it out and wet everything down. It took 3 TRUCKS!

Donkeys were running and bucking and well totally freaking out - Hubby got them all gathered up near the front of their pen, closed them in a smaller area with some feed to try and calm them down. Feed always makes me feel better - 

 

This is the fourth fire they have started in a year and a half. Well Momma here is going to find out who to scream at and find out why they have not been fined and something done! So I think this week I will be on the phone with people to let them know how I feel! 

It is so so so scary to see flames moving across the grass, into the trees on our property. Ok... now onto other things to keep my blood pressure from going up again. 

Oh wait while it is still on the higher side this happened yesterday... 

 

Bad Bad Bad Bubba! Not sure how he got up there - but he did and was trying to jump to the next high piece. Hubby moved as fast as he could to get a chair and get to him to stop him from doing any damage. Sadly... that beautiful antique yellow nappie bowl on the left is no longer with us. Fell to the floor and shattered. That is the first thing I think that any of the kitties have broke. And of course it was Bubba. I was so upset about loosing my nappie bowl. But he is a curious cat and it is part of having them. Bet he better not make a habit of it cuz his he has his first strike now. 

And then his sister Porsche just laying on the window bed snoozing. I think that foot covering her face is to help with the sun, and all the bad activity of her brother.

 

 

I went out yesterday to check on everyone after all the scary activity of the evening before - Found Miss Juliet "flirting" with Sergio....

 

 

Juliet stop tormenting that poor boy and leave him alone! 

 

As soon as she saw me walking out she moved around the barn to come and see me. But after a few head scratches and attention -

She moved over to Raffie's pen and started her "flirting" with him as well. So much so that the fence panels were pushed over slightly. Have to call Hubby out to stand those back up. 

Juliet... its too hot just give it up! 

It is good to see my fur children hydrating! It is so so hot! And they drink A LOT of water this time of year! 

Hydrate girls! Hydrate! Lacey and Irene have been traveling around together lately. New BFF's I think.

Hope you are all doing well where you are and have better weather there. It is just too hot to do anything out doors at all! 

Have a blessed weekend - 

HUGS and