Animal Crackers - Wind, Weather, Wings and Tail Feathers

Howdy -

Well yesterday I decided I had better hurry out and get some photographs... you see there was a storm coming!!

Sadly the Girl Donkeys decided that they would leave our side of the pasture and move on over to the larger pasture at the neighbors.. so didn't get any cute close up photos of them.

They were in a hurry and really didn't care when I was calling out to them to come back for pictures. They were actually trotting!!

Bringing up the rear of the herd was Patti and Patricio "Pat Man"... and Patti was tormenting Raffie and really didn't want to leave I think.

The girl has been in season the last week, and really giving the boys some issues. Raffie was really trying to charm her.. Patricio was just running along side thinking everyone was playing with him. No Pat Man I think Raffie was being very serious... good thing the new pen we enlarged for Raffie is all chained together! He puts some pressure on the connections of the panels - chains are our friends here.

After Patti was away Raffie decided to come and see if I had any snacks for him. I have started a VERY BAD habit... You see his new larger pen runs up along the chicken coop. And every afternoon I take out an afternoon snack for the chickens. Lettuce - Carrots - Crackers - Sun Flower Seeds. And well I have been sneaking a few little nibbles to my boy. Bad Mom I know...

But common - he is the name sake of the blog our website and the antique business... so he deserves a little spoiling right?

At that point I looked over to Franks pen where he and the four girls he has a guest right now were all running and screaming... Found Grace like this...

Then very large drops started falling on me....
I turned to the sky and saw this.... It was about 2:30 in the afternoon -

Been some very violent weather in Texas the past few days. And we have fortunately missed the nasty stuff... but also missed the rain. We need the rain. So I was happy to feel a few drops and see that we seemed to be in the path of rain... Rained for about 25 minutes then moved on. Little over 1/4 inch... not much, but seeing the news I was ok with it.. the hail bad storms were close to us and ok to pass by us yesterday.

What a difference a week makes.... We are loosing the furry chick feathers, and starting to grow in real feathers, even TAIL feathers! Got a couple that are already growing their combs... hmmmm not to sure about that... these are suppose to all be girls....

 Hope it is just the type of chicken... will have to do some research on that.

Even tiny Violet has started growing her tail feathers and getting some really pretty wing feathers!

 So this weekend for us is a calm weekend around the house. Ahhhhh been a while since we have had that. Hubby has lots of Garden things on his list - as well as repairs and building things. Me, I am hoping to get a bunch of eBay listing work done, and have some much needed crafting time. Looking forward to a home weekend. What is on your list this weekend? Isn't it nice sometimes to not have plans and just get through the day as it happens. I love that - wonder if I will even get out of my Eeyore lounging pants? Now a day all day in my comfy Eeyore clothes and crafting time... that is a nice day! LOL

have a great one! See you tomorrow for Garden Sunday!
HUGS and

Whimsy Stamps Challenge - More than 2 Dies

Howdy -

Challenge time at Whimsy Stamps and this month the challenge is to use 2 or more dies on your project. Well that is a great reason to clean off and find my Die Cutting Desk isn't it? Oh my took me half and hour to find my Big Shot Pro... and that sucker is really really large! But now I can see it and I actually used three die cuts on my card! Whoo Hoo!

Here is my project -

I used Lia Stampz new image called "Flower Girl" - isn't she pretty? I colored with my Copics after matching her up with some papers from Graphic 45. Then I went to find some dies to use -

First I pulled out "Double Scallop Doily Die" - very girly! Then I die cut out the sentiment "Happy Birthday" that is a part of the Sentiment Die collection  - LOVE This set!!!   But then I found a new die that I purchased a while back and it was still sealed up and not used. Well how sad is that?? So I opened it up and used three different papers to cut it out - The "Bird Cage Die Set" Now when I think about it... I used four little dies within this set.. the cage, the two birds and the vine... so does that make my total SEVEN die cuts now? LOL Oh well Seven or Three... over two and I am happy with the end results!

Here is the inside more of the same papers -

And the Copics used to color my image -

Now you must pop over to the Whimsy Stamps Challenge and see all the DT inspirations!! Then join us for a chance to win some Whimsy of your own. LOTS of chances!

Have a wonderful day -
HUGS and -

High Hopes Challenge - Pastels

Howdy -

Now I had some fun with this card! The challenge this week is to use pastel colors. I traditionally would have gone straight to the large stash of pinks... but I decided to work with blues and greens for a boyish card. But what image to use....

I had some fun with some favorites!!

First I pulled out my VERY FIRST High Hopes stamp - "Brayden"  No need to explain why is there? I normally color this adorable little donkey in gray, but since I think Lacey or Jazz might be delivering soon I decided to copy them and do this one in reddish browns... Not sure if he turned out like I had hoped, but he is still a cute donkey. Then I pulled out "Buddy the Goat" I went with a look like Peso, one of our bucks. Needed to be more white, but Peso is never really clean to tell that he is white in areas so it works for me with more gray tones. Then in honor of the new little chicks we have, I pulled out and used "Lil' Peep" and "Lil' Chirp"... love those little chicks! Then for a sentiment I used again the "From Our Barnyard" - but this time I cut off the "to Yours" - didn't have room on the card  for it to fit right - and well what if this is a city slicker that gets this card? They have no barnyard... LOL I just entertain myself sometimes so well.

Inside same papers - from DCWV Nursery Baby Boy collection

And Copic colors used -

Now you need to click on over to the High Hopes Challenge site and see the other DT's pastel cards, then please do join us for some fun!!

Catch up around the house today - I have no clue how two adults can destroy and mess up a house so fast... oh wait it is me and my Hubby and we have three inside little dogs... Ahh that is how! LOL

Hope you have a wonderful day - color something!
HUGS and

Gardening Sunday - Peach Trees and Old Stuff

Howdy -

One evening this last week I went out with Hubby and "helped" him water. I followed around and asked dumb questions and we chatted about the garden. It had been a little while since I had walked out to the "orchard" and I was shocked when I saw the trees. They are looking so good! Full of leaves and tons of new growth on them. All despite the high winds, cold nights and yes... that pesky hail storm. He had told me we had some pretty peaches on the trees, but that some had holes and damage due to the hail. But still ... LOOK how pretty the peaches are!

About half of them are damaged pretty good.. but I would say that next year we should have some great fruit! 

I am so proud of Hubby and his orchard and garden.  He is out there every evening checking and watering. 

We even got our first "produce"... three green beans and one squash! LOL

I thought I might share some photos that I took of the Antique show yesterday morning - I snapped just a few quick photos just as the show opened.

This is a new display we got ... trying out Hubby's antique duck decoys on it -

And of course lots of dolls....

Hope you have something fun planned for today - Maybe an Antique Show? Or out to enjoy the outdoors? Was gorgeous weather yesterday... hope today is the same.

Have a wonderful blessed day -
HUGS and

Animal Crackers- Here's A Chick, There's A Chick...

Howdy -

OH I am just soooo excited!! Now I love my Chickens, Rhode Island Reds, and my bare rear ended Wyandottes. But I have really been wanted to get some Heritage Chicks... some color, and some rarer chickens. Some Puuurtty chickens!

Well I finally talked Hubby into getting some, and after researching online and then calling a bunch of different chicken breeders in our area I found a lady that is just wonderful. She has some of the prettiest chickens, ducks and guineas... I focused on chickens, Hubby was going nuts for some of her rare Guineas... they were a bit pricey though so we didn't end up with any of those.

I did come home with 7 beautiful little chicks with my name on a few that are still in her incubator.

Look how adorable!!!

We picked out a mix of different breeds - I had researched a few of them ahead of going, then fell in love with some new ones -

Now I love them all the same but shhhh... this little girl is really a favorite!

I named her Violet -  A Lavender Ameraucana. I wanted at least 2-4 of these girls. But this was the last little girl she had.  She had 4 or 5 boys... We are not quite ready to deal with roosters... again working on Hubby. I think we have decided to "try" a few different kinds of breeds, then decide which we would like try and hatch some of our own babies in the future. That might be a year or two though... would need another pen, and since Hubby is already working on pen two for these girls... I will wait a while before I nag for pen number three. LOL Yes.. we have to have a separate pen for these girls I don't want to have to get mad at my Wyandottes for plucking out these girls tail feathers!

Now this little gal is another I am so excited over -

This is "Inge" she is a Swedish Flower Hen. Another harder breed to find sometimes. This gal was also all alone.. well in a pen with lots of chickens, but all alone in her breed. She had just sold all of her Swedish Flower Hens a couple of days before. Adults and all!! And this one girl slipped through the gathering. So I had to have her! These are suppose to have tons of color - looking forward to watching her grow up.

 These two girls are two that she insisted I buy - she said I would love them.... pretty girls she said and really great egg layers.

They are Bielefelder Chicks. The Mom and Dad were sure pretty - Don't have names for them yet... need to see what their personalities are like.

Then we purchased two Dorking chicks -

 A breed she suggested to us - She said they were one of her favorite and really a great chicken. I just loved that they have so many toes... LOL 5 compared to the others having 3.

And then we got one Australorp chick.... really gorgeous but didn't get a photo, she was shy...

I have my name on another 6 or so in her cooker and as soon as they hatch she will call me to claim.

Hubby and I could really go nuts with all these birds! LOL Not like we have with donkeys.. goats... dogs... cats. But I just love all the color and personality with the different breeds. And I am really excited when the eggs start coming! We have some blue layers in these girls!

You will probably get to know all of these girls in the future - :0) New family members here! Still waiting on donkey babies - no signs ... sigh. That is how they like it I guess... a watched pot never boils so I am going to look at my chicks and then maybe they will decide to surprise me and go into labor. Maybe!!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend - Weather has been wonderful her the past couple of days hope it holds through the weekend then  we can get some rain next week. Just saying it would be nice ...

Hugs and -

Whimsy Stamps May Release Blog Hop

Howdy -

Welcome to the May digital release blog hop!!!!

We have lots of new images to share with you today created by

Marika Collins Collection

Stamp Art Design

Miss Rach Digital Collection

Moon Cookie Gallery

Lia Stampz

All Whimsy Stamps digital images are 300dpi for high print quality.You can re-size, flip, or rotate to fit your own project To find all of today's new releases please visit the Whimsy Stamps Store

Don't forget to leave comments along the way as there will be 2 mystery DT Members who will each be choosing a winner from the comments left on their hop posts!

These winners will each win a Whimsy digital image of their choice. The Grand Prize winner of the hop will be chosen from the very last stop, which is Michelle

This winner will receive 5 digital stamps of their choice from the Whimsy Stamps Store

The hop will run for 1 week and end on Thursday 7^th May at 12 Noon EST, when the lucky winners will be announced right here.

Below is a complete list of the hop in case you get lost along the way

Lisa

Ruza

Kelly

Audrey

Valou

Jackie

Andrea

Charlene

Michelle

Now let me show you my card with one of the new images this month! 

This is "Daisy" from Marika Collins Collection - 

I colored with my Copics (colors below) and matched up with some bold pattern papers from Graphic 45. I added a satin ribbon, that was not the correct color at all! So I colored it with the a Copic that I used in my image! Love doing that! Added some buttons and then a sentiment from the Whimsy "Drama Queen" - I added some very old Shimmers onto the dress and stickles on the bling!

Here is a close up of shimmers on the dress -

Lots of sparkle huh?

Inside more of the same papers -

Copic colors used -

now make sure you followed the hop and leave those comments for some great prizes!!

Have a wonderful day -
HUGS and

High Hopes Challenge - Dots and Spots

Howdy -

This week at the High Hopes Challenge the challenge is "Dots and Spots" - I needed a birthday card for a friend so I combined for the challenge and had some fun with a couple of the new images at High Hopes that I knew my friend would like -

I used the new "Barn" along with "Lucy's Lambs" - I stamped Lucy and her lambs first, masked them and then stamped the barn. Colored with my Copics (colors below).  I used paper scraps as I had a great dotted paper in scraps. And doesn't it make you feel good to use up scraps?  I then stamped out the sentiment " From our Barnyard to Yours" Love that one! Punched out some flowers and leaves and embellished the corner.

Inside I used up more papers and stamped a Happy Birthday.

Copid Colors used

Easy challenge this week and fun. Dots work with lots of subjects! Join us at the High Hopes Challenge with some Dots and Spots and then win some High Hopes of your own!

Have a great day -
HUGS and