Stamps, Paper, Scissors and Donkey Smiles

Day three of CHA

2012-01-31T11:50:00.001-06:00

I am sorry I haven't been posting as much as I would like. But I am taking photos and plan to share lots. Honestly I have been just falling over at the end of the day. Lol.

Here is "The Suzi Blu" doing demo on the booth.

Totally loving this gal. What a ball of energy!

More as I can later. And I am taking lots to share once home promise!

Hugs
Michelle

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sneak Peek - Suzi Blu - Spirit Girl

2012-01-30T02:30:00.000-06:00

Well CHA is under way! And today it is my turn to share on the Stampavie DT Blog. And I had to share here as well right?

Really stepped out of my normal box here and just went with it and "tried" to do something a bit different. And I had a TOTAL BLAST doing it!

Started off with a canvas, tore pieces of cardstock to create my background. I colored the Spirit Girl with promakers, and then cut her out. The sentiment is also one of Suzi's new stamps called "Fall in Love". Love these new quotes in her collection. I then cut out some roses and a bird from pattern paper, chipboard words and trimmed the edge with measuring tape twill ribbon.

So how have you stepped outside your crafting box lately? These new Suzi Blu images really help inspire and make it all so easy to have fun!

Hope you enjoyed it ;0) Off to CHA now!
HUGS and-

CHA is open

2012-01-29T15:02:00.001-06:00

Bev, Jing, Me, Heidi, and Barbara all together in the booth!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The show opens in the morning

2012-01-28T21:21:00.001-06:00

Well it is just about time, the booth is pretty much done. We were all totally wiped out and really wishing we could blink and be transported back to the hotel rather than having to walk. But if that had happened we would not have run into "him"

Yep Bev, Jing and I got to say hi to Tim Holtz. :0) tomorrow you won't be able to get within ten miles of him with all the people.

Oh and we got to spend most of the afternoon with Stampavies newest artist Suzi Blu! Totally love her! She is just too cute. Here we were taking a sit on a roll of carpet resting a bit.

Not sure what we were doing, she has been calling me Texas so maybe this was our pistols? You get really tired and a bit loopy after a while. LOL

More at some point tomorrow
Hugs
Michelle

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Doing the finishing touches

2012-01-28T12:02:00.001-06:00

Today is finishing up the pretty things in the booth. This afternoon will start loading in the products and art.

Barbara cleaning things shiny.

Heidi painting the table legs

Stuart and Barbara's husband Rudi..... Well I just don't know LOL

More later
Hugs
Michelle

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The booth is being built

2012-01-27T11:25:00.001-06:00

Sorry I didn't get a chance to blog since landed. But I am on the ground and It is all in the works! We are at CHA and it is a construction area with all the booths going up. Here Heidi is priming our new towers.

I am posting with my phone so I will try (if it works) to have some Fun and blog through it all short post and photos:0)

Hugs
Michelle

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Leaving on a jet plane....

2012-01-26T13:02:00.001-06:00

Well I have my boarding pass. I am through security, which was a zoo btw. And I know sit at my gate to wait for my flight to LAX.

As I am sitting here trying to figure out if I am dong this blog post right, I look up at a family sitting at a kids table. There is a about a 2 year old little girl with the cutest long gold curls just flipping away and playing games on a iPad. Seriously she looks like she has been working it since birth, heck she probably has... Lol. Maybe she could give me some tips.

So I'll be in Anaheim this evening. Hope this is a smooth flight....so hate flying.

Hugs
Michelle

Animal Crackers - Their Eyes are Open!

2012-01-21T02:30:00.000-06:00

YEP. the puppies eyes are open! They are just sooo cute. Ok, so they were cute before, but they are starting to really have that little puppy look.

See.....

This BIG dude is HARD to take a photo of! Ammo is a wiggle worm... but totally adorable!

Tuco... still to early to know if eyes are blue yet, but maybe? And look at all the copper showing up on him! That is exactly what Hubby was hoping for, a blue merle with copper...... Take a look at the photo we just got of "Mini"... now called "Dixie" From Libbie's first litter. She is Chica's sister -

Beautiful isn't she! And I do believe she is a bit spoiled :0) I love it! And I have been thrilled to have gotten emails this past week from her "Mommy" and seeing lots of photos of her! I can't believe how much she looks like Chica - I think it is that they both have the same shaped face.

Ok, so I couldn't get a good photo to show you that... LOL Something in the grass was just too interesting. She wouldn't take her eyes off of it for nothing. ha! I tried her name, snapping and even the word "Cookie" but nope... it was really cool whatever it was.

We have been letting the Donkeys out in our make shift pen to "mow the grass". We let the pens take turns in this pen. Yesterday was the Mom's and babies turn.

They LOVE to get out of their normal surroundings and much out on all the long grass.... well what was long grass -

Vicki and Leticia wouldn't even look up - but they were getting lots of good fresh green vitamins :0)

Same with Ramon... I need to check on his dates ... it might be time to wean him soon. He is such a handsome big boy.

Macie made time for me.

Man she is gorgeous! Her baby, Sonia, was loving on her... Love this photo.

Then I visited the Goat pen -

Daisy Duke - she is putting on a little bit of a tummy. I have no clue how far along she is but she is pregnant. CAN'T wait for her and Peso's babies ;0)

Speaking of babies... Baby Cleatus is sure getting big.

I don't want to think about the fact that soon he will need to leave. Can't keep all the boys you know. He is a handsome funny little guy though isn't he.

Hope you enjoyed this week's Animal Crackers. I don't think I'll get one up next week, due to being at CHA, so it will be a bit hard to get photos - but I am suppose to arrive home in time the following week to maybe get some photos taken and on... if nothing else I'll make sure to snap some puppy photos cuz missing a week is one thing, but two would really miss a ton of growth!! I am going to really miss them the week I will be gone...oh and Hubby and all my other babies! I can't wait to go.. but I am already homesick and I am not leaving until Thursday! How stupid is that? Just a home body I guess, and I really do miss home when not here. I'll have a ton of fun I know. But miss my Hubby and my furry babies like crazy! Ok.. gotta stop.... just such a dork! LOL

I hope to pop in a couple of times this week if I can. But I haven't even begun to get things together for my trip, plus I have to get the house cleaned, laundry all done and stock up the kitchen so things will be good for Hubby while I am gone. So I'll be running like a mad woman most of the week.

HUGS and

CardMaker Magazine Tina Wenke -Sent from Above

2012-01-18T13:28:00.001-06:00

Hello today I am just a little excited to share the latest issue of CardMagazine

Check out page 67....

Yep.... I have a card on page 67 :0) with one of my favorite Stampavie Tina Wenke images "Sent From Above".

I made an easel card. With EK Success retro flower punches and lots pearl bling. The image is colored with Promarkers ...

There are some great handmade flower patterns in this issue... Really cool ideas!

Pick up an issue if you see it :0) and I believe you an even sign up for digital issues on their website .... I think maybe?

Ok... Trying all this pst form my iPad to make sure I am ready for next week at CHA. A few issues with using my iPad and blogging ... So I hope I finally have it figured out.

I am so behind in getting ready since I was sick all last week and weekend........ Sigh.

Hugs
MichelleO

Stampavie CHA 2012 Winter Release Sneak Peek - SUZI BLU!!

2012-01-16T02:30:00.000-06:00

Don't Pass out here... BUT I GET TO SHOW OF SOME CRAFTING!!!!

IT'S HERE! Our Favorite time of the year! The Stampavie DT CHA Winter 2012 Sneak Peek! This is where each day thru the end of February the DT will show off a project with one of our new releases on the Stampavie DT Blog- You will see Sarah Kay, Tina Wenke, Penny Johnston and our newest artist Suzi Blu! Wonderful fun image - Sentiments and a few new things as well!! This is one great release -

Today I am the lucky one that gets to start things off - and I thought it would be a great chance to show off what I put together with two new stamps from our first Suzi Blu collection. I so totally love these images!

For my frame I used the Suzi Blu images "Fly Free" and "A Creative Life" - How totally fun are these! I paper pieced a pretty dress with lace ribbon for the Girl "Fly Free' and then used the entire House and with quote "A Creative Life" for the center of my frame. These new Suzi Blue stamps are so versatile - art projects, journals, cards, scrapbook pages what ever you can dream up these images are sized to work and give you lots of inspiration to jump off and create your own works of art!

For instructions on how to make my canvas frame you can see a prior project post HERE -

Now make sure you visit the Stampavie DT Blog each day to get inspiration and those great sneak peeks of the new release images! We will be showing them off EVERY day thru the end of February!

See I told you I have been crafting ;0)

Have a great Monday! HUGS

Animal Crackers Calendar Winner

2012-01-14T09:17:00.003-06:00

OOPS forgot to post the winner of the calendar. I am blaming the cold medicine! So I did the random number generator and...

Random Sequence Generator

Here is your sequence:

Timestamp: 2012-01-14 15:11:28 UTC

And that means that the winner is.......

Marilyn said...: Another great Saturday of Animal Crackers to sit and drink coffee with. Lovee the pic of Leticia... so darned cute! And the puppies... if I lived closer Michelle, I'd sure try to get dibs on one of them.
Saturday, 07 January, 2012

YEA! Marilyn if you can email me your snail mail address - michelleo@hughes.net

I'll get this out to you right away!

HUGS!

Animal Crackers - What is his is mine...

2012-01-14T02:30:00.000-06:00

Yep... I do believe that Hubby has shared his illness with me. Wasn't that sweet of him. Oh well gotta keep going, some meds and I should be over it in a few days right?

Well the puppies turned a week old this week. I can't believe it has only been a week!! LONG week. But they are both doing great now.

How adorable is Tuco now that he has some meat on his bones...

ok so it is only a little meat.. he is still very small but he makes up with lots of cuteness! I am just dying for those little eyes to open up!

The Big Guy.. Ammo - he is totally adorable as well, just in bigger format. I think he already has a bit of copper showing on his cheek... takes a few weeks before you really know if they are going have much copper coloring or not. But I bet he is gonna look a lot like his Daddy Autie.

Handsome man isn't he? Great Daddy too. He loves to lay just outside of the puppy box so he can see his two boys -

Before I headed outside, I thought I would show you Gato's newest spot. She LOVES the new chair from IKEA that is in the Living room. It is her spot. Now it helps that the dogs are not allowed in the Living Room, so she has total peace in there. LOL

Look how big Fuzzy Estella is getting. I just totally adore her "bangs". They are out of control!

Now little Sonia also really has some bangs issues. Heck she has just hair in general issues! She is really a long haired girl - totally matted too. The girl loves to roll in the leaves and dirt - But when you are that cute it is all ok.

Little Leticia came running over... me too me too - I am cute! Yes she is! But her hair is totally under control - LOL

And then my girl. Gabby Goo - She is spoiled rotten, all that time she lived in the back yard and the couple of days she spent in our bathroom when she was so sick. But not now - this girl is healthy and loves to run and play. She loves for me to kiss the end of her nose.... and as soon as I took this shot I did!

From all the babies... and adults -
HUGS! and have a great Saturday!

A Cold but Beautiful Sunset

2012-01-12T19:03:00.000-06:00

Hi- Thought I would give you a bit of update. Still crafting away for CHA. Oh I am telling you these new Stampavie images are totally awesome! I am in love. Wish I could give you a little sneak peek... I have one coming up next week though :0)

But for now I thought I would share a photo of the sunset tonight. I took the dogs out a little while ago just before it was totally dark. Looked to my right and saw the most amazing sunset. This really isn't nearly as gorgeous as it was. I had to run all the way through the house get my camera find my camera card and then run all the way back through the house. It was already much different, but still very pretty.

Had more purple in it when I first saw it. Funny how fast a sunset changes isn't it.

Updates on my sick babies here. Hubby is still just dying with his cold. Actually he is doing much better. No more fever, and now he is coughing, which we all know means it is on the downhill side. How long he will cough I don't know. I finally fell asleep last night with all his coughing going on, and he woke me to tell me he was coughing... LOL men.

Tuco the teeny tiny puppy. He is still so little, but he is really doing much better - here is a photo I took with my phone... Really cracks me up how BIG Ammo is. He looks like he is from a totally different litter! And Tuco is really the older brother.

I do feel better about Tuco though. He is eating more his "share". And is moving around and even dreaming. I don't know that means he is well, but to me when a puppy kicks and twitches in his sleep he is sleeping well and feeling better.

So now I'll go back to my crafting desk.... after I get Hubby another cup of hot tea -
HUGS and

I am still here ---

2012-01-10T20:37:00.000-06:00

Sorry I went MIA on you - Things got a bit stressful and tiring. Puppies... They are doing pretty good today - Yesterday it was a different story. I spent most of Sunday night, and all day Monday totally freaking out over the little Blue Merle - "Tuco" the little guy we want to keep. You see he lost all his strength, and wasn't eating. His much bigger brother seemed to have control over all the milk. Tuco just had given up and decided it wasn't worth struggling to get in there and fight for his space. We took them into the vet and decided that we just needed to boost his sugars and vitamins and then it should kick start his strength. So I began trying to feed him a teeny tiny bottle. He DID NOT like it! I did get a little into him a few times over night and early this morning. And at this time he seems to be getting in there and telling his brother to share. But I am going to keep a close close eye on him. The vet weighed both of them... Tuco still weighed his original 1/4 pound - his brother, who was getting all the food, weighs in at 3/4 pound! PIG!

Darn they are cute though! Now... I have told you we are keeping Tuco, the tiny Merle. But the great news.... That little Piggie... my BFF Tracey and her husband want him! His new name is Ammo. Can't imagine why they didn't like me calling him Toad - Pudge or Piggie can you? I am excited that someone I know is taking him so we can see him... he will probably even visit from time to time :0)

Here is Libbie with two of them chowing down. - She is a really good Mommy :0) I totally love that Pink Heart blanket. Hubby bought it for Libbie as a welcome to your new home blankie. She loved it as a puppy. Then we brought Autie home and he used it. And each litter of puppies have used it. During normal times it is always in Libbies bed, she knows it is hers and loves sleeping on it. Good thing it washes so well huh?

Then on top of my Puppy worries and stress... Hubby is just so ill he can't live. Ok, so it is a cold. But he thinks he is dying.... I have waited on him all day, covered him in his recliner, made hot tea many many times, and even made homemade Potato soup for him. I think he is going to live... I am sure of it, but wow... Men are really bad sick people!! I really don't mind taking care of him when he is sick, he was a pretty great nurse for me after my accident. All in a great marriage right?

Crafting - so I have gotten to do a little bit of crafting, but it is all hush hush secret until CHA end of the month. OH I can't wait to show off what I have been doing!!! I'll try and get some other things to share this week for you - besides animals. I know the crafting is the "main" purpose of the blog after all. LOL

HUGS!!

Animal Crackers - Puppies, Christmas Carrots and some CANDY

2012-01-07T02:30:00.000-06:00

Hello! Oh it is so wonderful to have healthy puppies. Libbie was taking her sweet time, and I was getting.... totally freaked out! But she had them and they are totally adorable! Two sweet little boys. Now I think I have mentioned that if we had a Blue Merle, like Libbie, that Hubby was probably going to want to keep it. And just as expected. He has already claimed him and named him. LOL He of course keeps saying maybe we will keep him, but I know him... this guy is gonna be a member of our family -

Cute huh? His name "might" be.. LOL ... "Tuco" - yes, one of Hubby's favorite movies is The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, and he loves the character Tuco Rodriguez. I just hope he is a sweet boy and I really have all my fingers and toes crossed that he has blue eyes like his Momma.

Puppy two - now we have a couple of nick names we have been calling him. "Toad" and "Pudge" but the new owner can name him officially.

We might have someone that wants him... fingers crossed there too - then they will both be officially claimed.

Libbie has been her fabulous self - a wonderful MOM. She barely leaves their presence, and when she just HAS to go outside, she barks the whole way there, goes really really fast, and then barks the entire way back. I guess that is so they know she is still there. LOL too funny.

Can't wait to take a million puppy photos and share!!

Then while getting ready to post today I realized that I never shared our traditional Christmas Day Donkey photos. It was rainy and cold so we didn't spend as much time as we like to with the donkeys, but they got like 6lbs. of carrots so they were ok.

Here my niece Cori is making sure that everyone gets a carrot... not just the ones with long necks through the fence. :0)

Cori very quickly learned that Lacy is very greedy with the carrots and grabs them up fast... move slow Cori and watch those fingers! :0)

Kaylynn has that sweet confident reach - Love that new puppy hat with ears she got for Christmas! LOL

This was just too great of shot over the fence to not share...

Tali was brave and ended up feeding Ted E. Bear, the standard. He is Totally obnoxious about getting carrots... or anything else you have.

OH and just had to share this one of Little Leticia! She is too young for carrots, but it didn't mean she wasn't going to push her way to the front of the fence to get some loving! She is SO DARN CUTE!

Now I have something a bit different. This year I made up some calendars from Shutterfly

it had been years since I had ordered anything like this, but I wanted a few for some family and friends for Christmas. Talk about FAST service!! I ordered on a Sunday night late, and Hubby brought in the box from the post office on Tuesday! Seriously FAST! And they really turned out pretty darn cute - Now I can post a large photo from the site due to their copyright stuff... but it is really cute - trust me :0)

So I have one of these that I got for one lucky ready of Animal Crackers... :0) If you need an Animal Crackers Calendar.. post here and I'll pick a winner and announce next Saturday ok? Make sure you let me know who you are if you post anonymously -

Gotta run - Hubby and I are taking a day with some friends... IKEA for the girls, and a stop at Cabela's probably for the boys - and a late lunch for all of us!

HUGS and

PUPPIES!!!

2012-01-05T14:05:00.001-06:00

Finally! They are here! Libbie had her puppies early this morning! Two totally adorable little boys - One looks like her, One looks like Autie :0) Better photos on Saturday's Animal Crackers.

horrible photo sorry.... but they are still cute with their Momma :0)

They are noisy! LOL but that is ok with me, they are too adorable..... Can't wait for their eyes to open. That is when all the personality really shines!

HUGS and-

Papertrey Ink - Friendship til the End

2012-01-04T12:44:00.001-06:00

Hello - It is January, and most of crafting time is so exciting right now... Oh I SO wish I could show you all that I have been working on!!! But I can't... not just yet :0) New release for Stampavie for CHA! And this year is gonna blow your socks right off! Seriously!

But I have also am going to try and work on my News Years Resolution... the same one from last year. I am going to try and use some of my "other" stamps - I did pretty good last year, my Dust it off Sunday post were working pretty good. I probably made 1/2 of them... and that is pretty good right? So I am going to try it again this year. Maybe I can do better -

And yes I know it isn't Sunday today... but well I don't have anything else to show and I really loved how this came out. I am just craving Spring. Warm - Sun and Flowers. So I decided to color up my own flowers. And this was the perfect time to use one of my much loved but not yet inked Papertrey Ink sets.

This set is called Friends til the End. I love these bold big flowers, they come in two sizes in the set with LOTS of sentiments to go along with them.

Colored with my ProMarkers - and then die cut out with Papertrey Inks matching dies! LOVE matching dies!! Cream colored card stock for the base of the card, then scrap hot pink card stock. And what do you think about my sentiments stamped on twill. Love how that looked. Soft... and different.

I used October afternoon papers, zig zag stitched to the card stock. This pattern seemed to match perfectly with my flowers, country like. I even did the inside! Shocker I know, but another thing I hope to do more of in 2012.

A bit simpler - but I love it. Fun -

Felt good - warmed me up I guess you could say. I used my Papertrey stamp, and got some pretty pink flowers. Already planning my next Dust it off project!

So what are you resolutions for 2012 - Oh I have one more. DIET - I know four letter word! I was doing so well with that one last year too... lost 26 lbs! And then a little of it came back over the holidays. I went a bit nuts... and a bit chocolate... and a bit bread.. you get the idea.. LOL So here I am again. Recommited and back on the Weight Watchers Wagon.

I need some support here.. so I was thinking. Since I spend so much time with all of you, any of you interested in a bit of support group for loosing weight? If so let me know... email me, maybe we could help each other... cheer each other on? Just an idea.

Ok off to get a few more CHA things done... oh can't wait to share.... he he he

HUGS and-

Tina Wenke's Winter Birdhouse - Cocoa in a Bottle

2012-01-02T02:30:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy New Year!2012 - wow. The holidays are over and now it is time to focus on the new year, but before I move on I wanted to show you a project I made as a little present this Christmas, using Tina Wenke's Winter Birdhouse image. Totally ADORE this image!

Now I would like to tell you that I worked over this project for hours, but reality. It took just minutes. The bottle is from Coca-Cola - their vintage 6 pack from last year. I HAD to have them when I saw them, but then never made anything with them. This year I clean and sanitized them, filled them with Hot Cocoa mix. Now you could mix up a homemade batch... but me. Well I just purchased a large box and divided it into the individual bottles. Then I found some cute corks for the tops at the craft store.

To decorate, red swiss dot Bazzil card stock, EK success punched border, Satin dotted red ribbon... done. The image. Now here again, you could color up individual images for each bottle. But time was short for me. So I colored up one - then made color copies on white card stock. Can you tell it is a copy? Cut out and added to the front.

Now you do need to add instructions - so I found tea dyed tags from my stash, added the same border to the bottom and hand wrote the instructions and tied to the top.

Hot Cocoa on a cold January night - yummy!
HUGS and

Babies on Review 2011

2011-12-31T02:30:00.000-06:00

Wow... last day of 2011. This year seriously flew by didn't it. I thought I would take today to go back and see some of the babies born this past year - love to see the babies! Honestly I thought I would be showing you some really new babies today.... Libbie just decided she wants to wait until 2012 to have them.... but man is she wide! And waddling everywhere. Can't be too far off now though -

But here are a lot of the babies from 2011

Yolanda - She is sold... we are just baby sitting until Estella is old enough to wean then the two will be moving next door - She has turned out to be a really friendly girl.

Belle - She is the only one out of the triplets born that we still have. I am hoping she gives us more blue eyes in her babies. She isn't the friendliest, but she wants to be. Hoping she decides to be a bit more outgoing -

Fric and Frac... ok so these went to auction, they don't live here any more. But man they were cute!

Daisy Duke - The only one of triplets we kept. Total freak she will barely let us touch her. I really really am hoping that we get some gorgeous babies from her. She is bred now with Peso grey and white... with her gorgeous black and white and those blue eyes. If I can't get her babies to be friendly she may go in the future. I can't stand unfriendly children. But she was so gorgeous I had to take a chance we can tame her and/or her kids.

Louie.. born on the 4th of July. He should have gone to auction, but well.. he had so much personality and was so friendly Hubby just couldn't send him. So he was "fixed" and now is basically wasted space, and a pet. We love him totally :0) I just wish he would stop growing! He is now wider than he is tall... LOL

Rhett and Scarlet - the two friendliest goats in the world. Obnoxious friendly. These two are keepers for sure! We have to remind them that they really shouldn't be lap climbers now that they are now full grown, but hey.. they are dwarf goats so they aren't too too big I guess... LOL

Libbies summer puppies. Both have great new homes now. We wanted to skip this last cycle and give her a rest, but oops... time got away and it was here and out of control. So we will have this next litter and hopefully Hubby and I will have the strength to actually follow through and get her and Autie fixed after this - I'll miss the puppies, but not the noise and mess. And Libbie has had her share now -

Gabriella "Gabby Gabby Goo" My sick girl. She started off life aging me - ran high high fevers that first month. Many times getting up to 107! I spent a few weeks there icing her down more than once a day and taking her temp every 4-6 hours. But when it leveled out at normal - she was fine and hasn't had an issue since. She is really a gorgeous red/brown girl. And looks so much like her full sister Rosie. Since we lost Rosie this year - we think we will probably hold on to Gabby... I hope.

Sonia and Ramon - born just days apart from each other. Funny... Macie and Jazz ALWAYS deliver within a week of each other - last time with in an hour! Makes great playmates! Sonia will probably stay to see if she is a good breeder donkey - Ramon will go into the sale pen. He will make a great friendly pet for someone.

Jose - Now this guy... he really needs to be a stud! Solid black, great confirmation and SMALL! I hope we can find someone that needs a stud like him. Hubby says maybe we should keep him for when we retire Black Jack Jose's dad. But that is a ways off.

Estella - we believe she is sold and going with Yolanda next door. They think that is who they want to take as Yolanda's BFF. We have nick named her "Parana" - yep she is a biter. Just like her older sister Irene.. who was nick named "Shark" - So they may want to rethink taking Estella the land Parana!... Ha!

Cleatus - this guy seriously cracks me up! I can watch him for hours he is so funny. Not that he means to be at all. He thinks he is the biggest goat in the pen and picks fights with everyone....and boy does he stand his ground even if the other goats are 10 times his size.

And the last baby of the year. Leticia - Oh this girl is unbelievable! So so so tiny, and so gentle and friendly. She will stay on our not for sale list - future breeder - she is so gorgeous, and has lots of color in her background!

So for 2012... Well first up will be Libbies puppies... goats for sure LOTS and LOTS of goats. New Buck Peso has really been doing his job and I can't wait to see what color babies we get. And the only donkey. Well Annabell is it - she won't be due for a long way off, but that should be our only baby donkey for the year. We have had some population control in effect. And this year we really want to thin out and sell a bunch of our babies from the last 3 years before there are more. Just way too many to feed - Hubby is wanting to look into getting Boar goats this year, breeding them for selling more off. They are a great auction goat, I just don't want to think of where they go from the auction. But if we can sell more that will help with the feed bill right? Well that is what he keeps telling me anyway - And with all the donkeys we have they will start doing a job in the pens with the goats and keep the coyotes away. That is the biggest problem for people with boar goats in our area. Shouldn't be an issue at all here with all the donkeys!

Hope you have enjoyed Animal Crackers in 2011 - and I look forward to a great 2012!
HUGS from all of us here!

A special gift

2011-12-27T02:30:00.000-06:00

Hope you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends - We had lots of family here yesterday for LOTS of food and visiting with the animals. We are all truly blessed. Today since I have no craft project to show off to you I thought I would share a present I received a couple of weeks ago. I have wanted to show this off since the moment I got it and well... my head was lost in the mad dash of Christmas - so I thought now that all is calm I would share this wonderful little joy that traveled across Texas to me. HUGE THANK YOU to Anna "Sweet Miss Daisy"

Totally gorgeous right? I had one of these a few years back... and a oops with a new kitten and it was gone. Anna thought of me when she saw this and sent it to me just cuz! Isn't she just the bestest? This beautiful piece of glass is a donkey pulling a cart.. right you can see that, but it is vintage - probably I would guess 1940's. It came with candy in the cart and now are collected.

I have been an enormous fan of Annas for years, and so thrilled to now call her a friend. Love my Internet Friends! I just wish we could meet up in person. You would think that since we are both from Texas Anna and I could do that easily right? But actually we are pretty far apart. Texas is a big place you know! One day we will get too - I know it.

If you haven't been to her blog (which I doubt you haven't she is the really awesome) Make sure you visit her blog Sassy & Sweet Notes. She is super talented and her stuff will really inspire you to new levels. GORGEOUS! But she also lives on a farm... and that means lots of fabulous animal stories! She even has donkeys!!! :0)

Thank you Anna!!

HUGS and

Animal Crackers Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T02:30:00.000-06:00

Wanted to share our holiday Christmas Card with all of you

So from all of us here at Animal Crackers to your family A Merry Christmas!

Hugs and -

A Card I received.... Thank you TA!

2011-12-23T08:47:00.000-06:00

Hello - Today I just had to show you a card that came in the mail!! I received this from a dear Internet Friend -TA, she has been a wonderful joy for me to get to know over the past few years. You may know her from her blog Carbone's Corner. She has always been great at comments on my blog and from there we started emailing and getting to know each other. She is a really sweetie and one day I really do hope to meet her in person - Well you just have to see the Christmas card she sent me! This card will for sure go into my Donkey cabinet for safe keeping!

Totally awesome right! She has had this card in the works for months she said... I so love it! It is a scream!!! What could be better than a Gift bearing Christmas Donkey?

A view of the back of the Donkey of course!!!!

How totally awesome is this card seriously???

But the inside is also fabulous -

Thank you so much TA!!! Love ya girl and one day I really do hope to give you a huge DONKEY HUG in person!

Hope her card gave you a Christmas Smile as much as it did Hubby and I!!

HUGS and

Me and My Space - A little of my collectibles and GATO

2011-12-22T02:30:00.000-06:00

HI! Wanted to show you something that just makes me happy! Tickles me! Now Hubby would say get over it, it is just a plant. But who cares, I love my plant! You see that Christmas Cactus? That is last years Christmas Cactus!! And I kept it alive all year, and now it is blooming! Just in time for... CHRISTMAS! TA - DA!
I feel so proud! This is the top of my Glass Display cabinet, off our kitchen. This entire room was part of what we re-did this month. The top of the cabinet makes me happy - and those flowers really make me smile! You see I am not that great with plants... so keeping that alive and having it bloom is just short of a miracle! The other plant is part of my Prayer plant. My Grandma had one that I always loved, so Hubby got me one a few years ago. It grew 10 miles long (well really long) and this is a piece of it that I rooted and have planted... again how cool is that???? Let see you can see my my favorite bread and cake box - and a few of my vintage toys. Love the top of this piece of furniture! ;0)

Inside isn't too bad, just really crowded! And this is after I cleaned it out - thinned out the collection and cleaned everything ... I just didn't think out enough - but I oh well I just HAD to keep all of these pieces

I love to collect! What can I say have lots of different things - :0)

Oh in our re-do Gato got a new window bed - She seems to really like it -

Cozy and warm there - and up away from the three dogs and that is probably the best part of the window bed!

Hope you liked my quick peek... if you like I can snap more photos around the house now that it is all painted - new floors and clean! I really had planned to do one of the room... but lost track after I saw all the blooms on my cactus! LOL

HUGS and -

Inky Impressions - Christmas Cheer!

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Whoo Hoo! I have two presents purchased! (INSERT SHOCKED FACE HERE) - I have never been this far behind at Christmas. It just hasn't felt like it was this close. And I guess my brain has been focused on getting my house back in order so I just wasn't watching the calendar. So you can imagine I am in a bit of a panic this week. I went to the grocery store yesterday to get my baking stuff... needed to be in combat mode for that trip! Wow dangerous place with all of us with our list talking to ourselves going up and down the isles. But I think I got everything. I am going shopping this morning to pick up a few more gifts then come home to bake and make candies. Maybe then I will start feeling the HO HO spirit. I'll find some Christmas music to work to that really should do the trick.

But for my post today I have the Inky Impressions Challenge. And the Challenge is - Christmas Cheer! To use Green and Red basically -
Here is my card -

I used MarLeigha's Ornament Dance again - ;0) I just think she is adorable! She is colored with ProMarkers I used Basic Grey Christmas papers from my scraps - Die cut with Nesties label 17, and then the red piece is cut with a Papertrey Ink die. I added some bling and an epoxy sentiment.

Make sure to pop over to the Inky Impressions challenge and see all the DT's Christmas Cheer! Then join us for this weeks prize!

On the run!!!! HO HO HO!
HUGS and -

A Family Christmas Accordion Album

2011-12-18T02:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Sunday - today I wanted to show you an accordion album I made of my family through the years - I really thought my Mom might like this :0)

The pieces of the album are die cuts from Sizzix. So easy to just pop in chip board run through the die, holes all line up and corners are perfect. I then went to town decorating! LOTS going on here. The cover is a new Stampavie Tina Wenke Christmas image. Santa with Children. Then I used lots of Tina's new Christmas sentiments.

This side you see photos of me with Santa... me and my Sister in front of our Christmas tree, and then one of my sister and her new baby doll... she is gonna love me for showing these online :0)

On the other side I showed off her kids at Christmas-

With Santa - Posing with their Christmas outfits - and our family tradition of the kids posing with the donkeys on Christmas day. What ... you don't know lots of people with that Christmas tradition? LOL well it is one of ours!

There are tons of embellishments and papers here - I just had fun and put as much as I could on them! Love how it came out. And I think my Mom will really enjoy it.

Hope you enjoyed seeing it and maybe it gave you an idea for a different gift for someone in your family!

Have a great Sunday-
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - A Hello and a Smile!

2011-12-17T09:39:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I have been off a day all week. And am behind. This entire month I have been behind. So I wasn't prepared for today's post ahead of time like I usually am. It was really cold outside early this morning. But I braved the cold just for you and went outside to see if I could get some donkey "noise" for you to enjoy. Normally when you go out to feed every single donkey hee haws and screams until that hay is thrown at them. This morning it was not so loud. Figures... I wanted them to make noise this morning. But I did capture a very lame scream from Ellie Mae. Now remember this is lame... she is normally much much louder and much more longer in her screams.

Oops.. should have warned you to check your volume ;0)

I went over to capture the goats talking... and got this short but totally funny little clip of Peso... now you have to look REALLY close... but he looks over to me and then SMILES! seriously... watch his lips!!!! Darn it is hard to see!...

OH and take a look at how puffed up they are... brrr... Peso is a really handsome man. But as Louie ages he is really becoming stunning. He is cut, and worthless as a stud for us as he is related to all the girls. But seriously, his fur is gorgeous! And he is super sweet. :0)

Now I thought I would share a few photos from my phone this week -

Here is Hubby getting attacked by all the babies. While all the Mom's were eating dinner one evening this week. Lets see... behind him is Gabby, then left to right, Sonia, Ramon, Estella and behind her that you can't see is Pedro :0)

This is a great shot of Gato... she was keeping an eye over our house projects -

The girl loves to sit up on top of things... and the ladder was just too perfect!

Here is a great photo I got of Leticia the morning after she was born... Man this girl is soooo tiny and stunning!

And one more... this is from Hubby's phone this morning. We were making our way around the pens, and he was getting ready to water.. when all hunkered down in the grass was this little girl. Now you have to know... there is no zooming here. She let us walk right up on her and wasn't about to leave her warm spot in the grass.

We have lots of Bunnies here on our property. Neighbors can't believe it as they have very few. But you see, we have many many donkeys. Donkeys scare off coyotes and other predators so we are a safe zone for the bunnies in our area. With all the winter clover, and winter rye that Hubby seeded, they are really happy right now.

Libbie update... we are with in a week or two of puppies! She is wide as she is tall now.. Wouldn't Christmas Puppies be fun?

Have a great Saturday!
HUGS

Stampavie WinterBird House Photo Frame

2011-12-15T21:51:00.000-06:00

Hello - today I wanted to share with you a project that I made for the Stampavie DT. I love how this came out! Sometimes I see things in my head, and they actually do come out just as I imagined them!

This is one of my favorite gift items to make - Love how easy and wonderful these frames turn out. You start with a artistCanvas. Turn it upside down. Then cover it with scrapbook paper, cut an"X" in the inside of the wood part of the frame, and fold in to cover outeredges of the frame. Measure the inside depth of the wood, and cut stripsof paper the same width and cover the sides. Then measure the inside openingand place inside. The papers I used are Basic Grey Figgy Pudding. For a laceylook, I punched an EK Success border folded the edge and attached. Let it standup around the edges - give a great dimensional look.

My image is from the Stampavie Winter Release - This is Tina Wenke's Winter Birdhouse. I totally love this image! Gorgeous. I colored with Letraset Promarkers (Ivory, Tan, Caramel, Apricot, Denim Blue,Powder Blue, Cobalt Blue, Warm Grey 3 & 5, Marsh Green and Poppy) I then use a Marvy Snow Marker to create the puffed snow. This marker is awesome!

Here is a side view so you can see the depth inside the frame. Oh and that gorgeous sentiment! This is also Tina Wenke's - Stampavie release.

I also added some large dark red flowers and leaf punches. Oh and I guess I should tell you the fabulous photo is my Mom's family. My grandparents... Mom with her brothers and sister. My Mom is that cute little girl sitting on her Mom's lap :0)

Hope you like it!
HUGS and-

Past Christmas Cards.....

2011-12-14T09:55:00.000-06:00

Hello - Is it just me or is Christmas hurling towards us at the speed of light? Seriously, it seems like Halloween was just a week or so ago. And Thanksgiving was really just a blur. And now Christmas is like a week and 1/2 away? I finally got my Christmas Cards done. I do photo cards of my "children"... started that tradition over 10 years ago and now if I didn't do it I think I could get some people upset at me. So each year I try and find a different way to make a fun Christmas scene with all the animals.... then it had to go to just new baby animals. Hey have you ever tried to get photos of over 50 animals in one image? LOL not fun. So Hubby has taken 1/2 out to mail today and the second 1/2 will go out tomorrow. I'll show it here next week... :0) Cuz I really would love to mail one to each of you that visit my blog and make sure I am not talking to myself in cyber space. But since I can't do that I'll show it here closer to Christmas.

But since I haven't done much crafting this week, I have been working on those cards. I thought today I would do a little stroll down memory lane and show off a few of my past cards.

This is a couple of the earlier cards... dorky I know... but I was just learning how to use digital scrapbooking... LOL

It is a little sad to see animals that are no longer with us. Bonnie especially... man we miss that dog! She was amazing. Smart, never had to train her to do anything - but her time was short, and we were blessed to have her.

This was one of my favorites - was a fun idea but I questioned it 1/2 way through ... LOL Those blocks haunted me for a while. But it was different! And the blocks now are scattered all through my donkey cabinet.

Then I was having to create new ways to add everyone... this was the photo part of the front of one card, I did it here.. but this was the last year I put everyone on the front of the card. It was set on a lace piece on a red card.... sorry no finished photo...

This was a more recent one... went to just new additions to our animal crackers family. For sure makes it easier to be a little more creative.

I did one I really loved in turquoise and brown.. can you believe I can't find a photo of it at all? Sigh.. I am so disorganized. But please don't tell anyone, cuz I hate to admit that.

So you all ready for Christmas? I would like know that somewhere in the universe things are going smoothly... AAAHHHH ok off to get things done ;0)

A Soggy Sunday Addition to our Animal Crackers!

2011-12-11T11:27:00.001-06:00

Well we thought it might happen during the night. A front came through, it was chilly and raining. And Vicki was more than ready to deliver. And when the sun was just peaking over the horizon, Hubby went out to check, and sure enough - we had a soggy addition to our Animal Crackers Family. Meet Vicki's baby girl - Leticia

Totally adorable! Tiny little thing, really tiny! And well... a total shocker. LOL oh no we were expecting her... but well... a Spotted Mom and a Spotted Dad = a ... looks like a brown little girl!!! The last two that Vicki and Raffie have had were spots, and so this one was just a bit of a shock! Raffie's Mom is a solid brown so I guess Grandma had some to do with Leticia's coloring.

It had rained all evening into late last night. Not a lot of rain, but a slow yuck rain. So everything is wet... including most of the donkeys. And it is going to take a little longer for this baby to dry off and poof out. Vicki is a proud Mom, and a muddy Mom.

And even though he got really nasty wet and muddy - "Dad" had to have his day one photo with the tiny little girl. I can already tell he is going to spoil this one rotten! Hubby has a real soft spot for the tiny donkeys. Especially the girls ;0) I think that is cuz he knows the boys have to go.

Hope this one stays small, cuz she has LOTS of color in her genealogy. Yes.. we keep records as far back as possible. I have up to 6 or 7 generations back on some of our donkeys. Better Genealogy records than I have on us that is for sure! LOL

Have a wonderful Sunday!
HUGS and-

Animal Crackers - Brrr...

2011-12-10T02:30:00.000-06:00

Well it has been really chilly here this week. Well Chilly, Cold for Texas that is. We actually had a few nights below freezing. The donkeys and goats are all puffed up to stay warm. They are sooo cute when all puffed up.

You can see here how Estella's fur is all puffed up. Estella is so adorable puffed or not puffed.

But I know this week have been waiting to see the newest member of Animal Crackers... This is Pedro... a dry Pedro.

AWE.... I know you are just loving those bangs!!! He is a gorgeous silver color. And honestly I haven't loved on him as much as I would have liked to this week. But it has been so cold and wet! BRRRR....

Here he is interested in what Mom is eating. Despite just a few days old he is already thinking of all types of food... just like Mom.

Got a gorgeous photo of Cleatus this week too... This guy is totally hysterical!

I swear he looks like he is smiling! And those eyes are just gorgeous. Hubby keeps reminding me that he isn't staying. He will have to go as soon as he is weaned. Now if i have him "fixed" or "cut" then he can stay safely until we thin them out and go to auction again. And that would be a long long time from now :0)

Now to end today I thought it would be fun to end with a video - Cleatus kicking up his heals and then walking off into the Sunset with his Mom, Lillie... Have a great weekend!

HUGS and

Just Magnolias and Hanglars - Dreaming of a White Christmas

2011-12-09T02:30:00.000-06:00

Great challenge this week at Just Magnolias and Hanglars challenge... but not real life for me. Dreaming of a White Christmas -I use to personally wish and hope and dream for snow in Texas. Now... having all the animals - NOPE Give me Spring and Fall.... I am happy right there! But to play with fake snow for a challenge. That is fine :0)

So for today's challenge my card - I went through my winter Tilda's and found this little lady - I love her. I want an out fit like that. Might not look as cute on my as it does her, but I still want it.

I decided to challenge myself to color a white suit for her. I think it came out looking more tan, but I still am happy with how it came out. I have such a hard time doing this. Snowmen totally freak me out! LOL But I really like her suit. I colored with my Letraset Promarkers. I wanted her to be standing in the snow... so I hand drew in some mounds of snow and then shaded them just a little bid.

For my card - the challenge was to have snowflakes - snow that kind of thing. I found this sparkle glittered card stock in my stash. I couldn't find a maker, I think I got it at Michaels.

I used white card stock, then kraft card stock. I white gauze ribbon around the middle, with a few small mulberry roses. I found a pin from Maya Road that just felt right too. Reminded me of that snowman... LOL

For my sentiment -

Was just PERFECT for the challenge. This is from Inky Impressions. They have some fabulous sentiments you can find them HERE.

Make sure you click on over to Just Magnolias and Hanglars challenge this week - to see all the winter wonderful projects. Then join us to play in the snow!

I'll see you tomorrow for Animal Crackers!
HUGS and -

Inky Impressions Challenge - Ribbon

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Wednesday! Today is the Inky Impressions Challenge and this week I am using one of the brand new images from the Winter release. This is MarLeigha's Ornament Dance - isn't she pretty?

I colored her with my Letraset Promarkers. I am really totally falling in love with these markers!! I just need more of them.. wink wink... Now after I colored her I went just a tad nuts with my stickles. The plan was to just add a little to her ruffles... diamond stickles. Then I saw my pink stickles and well... a sparkly party dress for Christmas would be fun. Then the red trim needed some red stickles... and then well... her shoes looked left out... LOL So she is really sparkly!!

Now for my card - The challenge this week is to use lots of Ribbons!

While looking for paper for this card I ran across the Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses collection. That ornament pattern paper was just too perfect for the image! I matched up some pink card stock and then Bazzil Swiss Dot red card stock. Then to follow the challenge I found a pink satin ribbon and a red satin ribbon to use as bands across my card. My sentiment is an epoxy sticker.

Now you need to pop over to the Inky Impression Challenge and see the other DT Cards and then join us! You could win some images for yourself.

So whats up today? Me... cleaning up from the house re-do. I have been pretty good about following around Hubby and trying to keep things as clean as possible while he was working. Setting up things in new ways and decorating as we were going. Well... this week he was sanding all the trim for the final coat of paint... I was in the back of the house doing some work, and all the sudden I realized there was a cloud coming down the hall. I went to see what was going on........... OH MY! the house is covered in a white powder. EVERYTHING! So I have been trying to not freak out, and start finding things again. A lot of work, but it is a sign that things are winding down and starting to be finished. I hope.

Have a great day -
HUGS and

Dependable Darlene!

2011-12-05T09:09:00.001-06:00

Yep..,. our old gal Darlene is very dependable. She always... always has her babies when it is really cold and usually rainy!OH and usually in the middle of the night. So with the first cold rainy night of the year... she gave us this...

How adorable is he? Ok.. the donkey ... Hubby I think is adorable too. We named him Pedro. He is so sweet. I think he is going to be super friendly. It is hard to love on Pedro.. you see Darlene would rather us love and scratch on her :0)

I can't wait until things dry out and I can get some better photos of him. Every time we have gone out to love on him, he is wet. Nasty drizzle! So watch out for Animal Crackers this weekend cuz I am gonna have more baby photos!

Ok, gotta get to work...
Have a warm Monday! We had to turn the heaters on this morning..... brrrrrrrrrr
HUGS and-

Stampavie Sarah Kay House

2011-12-04T02:30:00.000-06:00

Hello today it is my turn to post over at the Stampavie Design Team Blog :0) And this also fits under my normal Dust it Off Sunday post as you see.. The house has been on my shelf for over two years. I purchased it at a yard sale for 50 cents. The papers are dug from my stash, and I used all older Stampavie Sarah Kay stamps. So I used up lots of different things from my collection of "things" - So now to my post -

Today I want to show you my little house :0) I cannot even tell you how much fun I had making this project! Like a little girl playing paper dolls!Now this started as one of those chipboard houses you can purchase at any craft store.

The roof comes off. I found papers in my stash that had the vintage country feel I was going for, and then covered the sides of the house, then went on to the the million punched hearts for the roof. Yes, the “tiles” on the roof are punched hearts! I inked the edges of each one, then turned them upside down and glued them on every inch of the roof. Ok.. so it wasn’t a million of them, but it was a lot! I covered the chimney with a piece of coredinations card stock embossed.I used vintage lace on the edges of the roof, and then around the middle of the house. I love how the dangling pearls look sort of like Christmas lights! Then I colored Noel Charity and cut her out for the front door of my house.

Then I went to look for something for the sides.

Sabine watching the snow to fall was perfect… well almost perfect, it was too tall even after I shrunk it with my printer a tad… so I only used 1/2 of the window. PERFECT!

Then for the other side.

Chloé watching the trees in the autumn wind seemed to fit the fall winter feel of my house. But again too big, so I shrunk her as well and then cut her out.Then Hubby had the brilliant idea of shrubs! I was trying to figure out how to make them, and he looked at me and said why don’t you just use model train shrubs. Uh I don’t know… hmmm…. and well I got these shrubs for like $2.00. And I went into a section of the craft store I had never been! LOL

Again I totally had fun with this project! I think this would be great to put a gift into, then they can display the “box”!

Hope you enjoyed my Sarah Kay House -
Hugs and -

Animal Crackers - Back at the Neighbors

2011-12-03T02:30:00.000-06:00

Took my camera one night this week when Hubby and I were feeding all the animals at our neighbors - we are getting pretty attached to these guys and gals... ;0)

So last time I showed you all the horses in her front pens - today I want to show a few of the ones in the back of the property. They are all so gorgeous. And I wish I could capture their hair right now. With the cold coming they all feel so luxurious! ..... love petting on them so stunning.

Speaking of hair... This is Dolly. I totally love her mane -

She has a tad of Punk rocker look to her mane - She is one that is totally sweet - loving obnoxiously sweet... She makes Hubby crazy when he is trying to load in round bales. She is literally all over the truck trying to get attention. (he really loves it.. and gets out of the truck to give her the attention she is wanting) but my windows show all tracks of her being there... she leaves a tongue trail... ewe..... :0)

Now most of the other girls... we confuse. Sad huh? We are trying to learn their names, but many of them look the same, and honestly some of them are always a group and I loose track of who is who... But they are sweet.. and still get their share love - just as "horse". The neighbor will be here next week... I'll make a cheat sheet for these girls like I have the babies names, that helps me learn them better :0)

This girl always comes to the fence for her nose petting. She has such a pretty calm face.

This might be Marilyn... or not.

She is such a striking horse -

This I think is Coriander - again.. maybe

I totally love this girls eyelashes!! I am continuously telling her they must be fake lashes. If only mine could be that long... well and not white.

This is Jordan... FOR SURE this is Jordan... you see he is the only "boy" in the back.

Now Jordan thinks he is one great Stud man... especially since he has is harem of ladies in this pen... but shhhhh don't tell him he is a gelding ok? Would just ruin his macho attitude. LOL He really is a handsome man. Sometime a bit of trouble maker, getting out of the fences or picking fights with other boys (and why he is in back with all the ladies) but hey what guy isn't in some trouble at some time?

Doggie Photos....

This is Personality -our snake bite victim.... I totally adore this gal.

She is all better now, back to her normal self. And such a gentle girl.

This is Niner... I showed him last time... but I got such a gorgeous photo of him I had to show him again...

He is bigger than the girls. Less timid, and when he sees that "milk bone" box - he become very pushy :0) But still a love -

And since I showed Niner again it wouldn't have been fair to leave out Moxie this week now would it? So I made sure to snap a photo of her... she is super timid.... but a joy when you finally get her to you - she cracks me up when she takes the "cookies" from me. She is so gentle and takes them so slowly.

All three dogs are really loves. And they do keep the stinky animals - you know skunks, raccoons and such away from the house. They never stray off too far. The farthest I think they go is our house. And that is more now than in the past... I think they have figured out that is where that Milk Bone box goes each night.... :0) LOL

Just one more photo today.... the neighbors 4 miniature donkeys... wonder where she got these spoiled guys? wink wink.....

Hubby loads up the hay in the back of my pick up to drive up to the front pens.... the donkeys are always right there to steal as much of it as they can before they get run off... LOL

Hope you enjoyed visiting the neighbors.... She really has gorgeous animals and we are really enjoying "baby sitting" for her.

Have a wonderful weekend. We are preparing for some cold weather here.... making sure the barns are all ready and the animals have a place to get out of the cold rain. Stay warm where ever you are!

HUGS and-

Busy - Busy - Busy... almost all of us

2011-12-01T08:09:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to pop in real fast and let you know we are still here! Man is this a busy time of year or what? This week has been one of those weeks where you feel like you are running a million miles and hour but moving in slow motion. Do you know what I am talking about? We are still working on the house - but can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Well at least for this project that is.... there is and will always be 500 other things on our to do list. I have had to work extra hours this week, and all of that doesn't leave much time for crafting.

I have been working on a DT project for a Stampavie post this weekend, and it has been really fun and I love how it is turning out. So there is no cards this week... sorry... we are all just so busy this week... the dogs are even tired and been really busy this week. Keeping up with Hubby and I have disrupted their naps all day we are all just so busy..........well not all of us -

Cleatus plays really hard for about an hour a day - the rest of the time he rest up for that hour. Kids have a hard job playing you know.

So just wanted to say HI... sorry for the lack of crafting here and I will be back to crafting as soon as I clear the construction dust!

HUGS and

Me and My Space - Back to my Buttons and a Vintage find of Dad's

2011-11-29T08:46:00.001-06:00

Back with my Buttons again - I showed you my button storage a few weeks ago. And I love it but it was just too full. And I didn't really want to get rid of it, but expand it somehow. I didn't find another drawer just like the one I have, but while surfing a while back I found this 6 drawer chipboard box. It was super cheap on sale, and when it arrived in the mail I looked at it and thought now what am I going to use this for? I am so bad about getting things because they are cheap and then not knowing what I am going to use it for. I put it on my desk and there it sat for over a week. Then one day I looked over and caught my button drawer in my eye sight behind the drawers! DUH! I found a couple of sheets of paper I loved and went to work decorating.

It makes me soooo happy!!! I inked the edges of the entire box with Papertrey Ink's Vintage Cream ink. Then used two patterns of The Girls Paperie - it hurt cutting into them as I don't think I can replace them. I read somewhere they were going out of business, I hope not... I adore their papers. Anyway the box is just over 12 inches tall so I cut to fit the drawers, used a circle punch for the finger pulls. Inked the edges with Distress Inks Old Paper - Glued it down and done in no time at all. I wanted to label the colors of drawer somehow.. and found a very old package of rub on letters... perfect! I went for a scattered random look - that way I didn't have to be perfect in lining up .. wink wink :0)

And look at the drawers opened and with my buttons in them!

OH it just is soooo pretty!!!!! And then take a look at what I did to my old button drawers ...

Yep... I just added the left over papers to the front. Didn't have enough scraps to have them all go the same way but still like how it turned out and then I had a place for Black - White - Brown and Misc.!

Ok so they don't match perfectly - but that is my life! LOL And I love looking up on my desk and seeing them -

Now you know we have been working in the house, cleaning, painting- moving furniture and putting down new floors. Well while clearing out one of the cabinets in my living room I found these buried. They were my Dad's.

I have told you in the past my Dad was an artist of all kinds. When he passed away in 2000 we cleared out pretty fast. Some of his things got put into a box and then when we moved to the farm that box got put in the back of this cabinet. It was so wonderful to find these things. These three painting/charcoals could be as old as I am!! REALLY that OLD! And they have never been used, and all still good! I am so excited. I don't know if I should or will use them. Should I? I think it would make my Dad happy... but all these years and they are still like new.

ok... Hubby is calling me. Time to put down the last of the flooring. The kitchen... then we are done until we save up more $ and get enough to do our bedroom. That will be a few months probably. Better go and help him.

OH BTW... the winner of my Blog Candy hasn't emailed yet - look back to last weeks post and see if it was you!!!! If I don't hear in a few more days I'll choose another winner.

Off to work! HUGS and-

Animal Crackers - Up Close and Personal

2011-11-26T02:30:00.000-06:00

How is this for personality in a face? Seriously - this girl screams personality with one look!

Estella "Stella" - Gorgeous!

Many of the donkeys were out enjoying the fresh green rye grass that is coming up, but I did get Pepita to come over to say hi and snap a photo -

I can't get over how much she looks like her Daddy Black Jack... so I went off to try and get a photo of him to show you....

But every time I went around in front of him he moved... he too was interested in grass only... but his grass was greener on the other side of the fence - ;0)

Then my priority was the new baby! Cleatus - But Mom Lillie... she wouldn't let him out of the barn. Now you have no idea what I had to do get this photo for you... must love you guys.. cuz I pulled my back out Thursday, and I am walking pretty stiff... and I had to get down on the ground and then climb into the front of the barn.... back out was even tougher! But so worth seeing Cleatus....

He is such a cutie... and love when we get those blue eyes from his Daddy Frank!

Close up... did I tell you how much I love those eyes?

As I climbed out of the barn and slowly stood up leaning on the barn, Louie was right there in my face.. standing on the barn -

He is such a sweetie...

But how could he not be totally sweet - his Mom Jill has always been a love, and very friendly.

Her coloring is getting better and better as she is getting a little older. Can't wait for her and Peso to have babies.

Speaking of Peso....

Oh my goodness this guy cracks me up!! Ok, the way he moves around, his voice ( a tiny little voice ) and now his fur!! He seems that he has some long hair genes in him. I love that as we don't have hardly any of that in our goats. His fur is gorgeous. But the top of his head and his goatee seriously crack me up.... it just won't stop growing! Look at all that hair on his head! And it always is standing straight up... HA!

As I came out of the goat pen I saw that the dogs were all really relaxed enjoying the grass in their yard and the warm afternoon sun. Chica was sitting up and almost falling over asleep - She is gorgeous!

Went to hunt for Autie... he was being bad digging under a bush.. so no photo of him. Then I couldn't find Libbie... finally I found her squished down in the grass - totally passed out.. Sigh...

Pretty sleepy face huh?

None of the doggies wanted to come in when it was time, all relaxed and sleepy. So after calling them a couple of times, I walked in the back door and yelled out "Cookie" and all three had tons of energy! Surprise Surprise Huh?

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Me.. moving slow and doing just a few chores - First of the week of we will start back on flooring - should have it all down by the middle of the week.
HUGS and -

Just Magnolias & Hanglars Challenge

2011-11-25T02:30:00.000-06:00

It's Black Friday... Did you spend the entire night and early morning standing in lines somewhere to save money? Me... sorry I was snug in my bed. Not my thing to stand in the cold - I don't like shopping in crowds on a normal day.. LOL So Black Friday - that is a stay at home and have left-overs from Thanksgiving. We had a small Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. Our house is still in construction, so it was just Hubby, MIL and myself. Sitting in a small cleared area of the house that is finished. Simple, Quite and we still got work done during the day as well. Not too much longer and we will be done. I HOPE! :0)

But for today's post it is time for the Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge and the theme for today is Pink/White/Red .... hmm I missed the red when I read that - Oh well.. I had lots of fun working with the Pink and White!

My image is one of my stamped gifts from long ago. I colored it up with my Copics - Then I remembered in my scraps this matching paper! How perfect is it for this image. Love polka-dots don't you? Then also in my scraps was this flower piece. The band is pieces. The middle written is Tim Holtz tape on white card stock. You can see through that tape, didn't know that when I bought it. but that is ok, I played with a piece left over and realized you can color it with you inks... so I will be doing that next time. Then the stripes are fabric tape, I bought online a while back. I can't find the brand sorry. My flowers are Prima with Martha Stewart leaves punches. I shimmered the flowers up with some smooch and added button centers. Sentiment is an epoxy sticker.

Hop on over to the Just Magnolia & Hanglar Challenge lots of Pretty in Pink.. and White and RED!

Have a great Friday! See you tomorrow for Animal Crackers -
HUGS and

Happy Thanksgiving - Meet Cleatus and BLOG CANDY WINNER

2011-11-24T08:18:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving for all the US people - For everyone else Happy Thursday! ;0) Today is my Blog Candy winner day, but I also wanted to introduce you to the newest member of the Animal Cracker Family!

Lillie interrupted our house re-do yesterday... she was in labor! The first baby was out and already talking when we ran outside. But the second one... well it was breech, and stuck. After about 20 minutes we finally got it free and out. Sadly it was too late. Thank God Lillie was ok. And loving on her first baby not watching us take off the second one. She lost her last baby, it was only one, and it really effected her badly. She looked for that baby for days and then started stealing other babies. Since she is the biggest and oldest... she kept what she took. Until we moved her out into a small pen on her own. But this time... she is obsessing over her son - and showing him off to everyone. He is a cutie.... I named him Cleatus. Hubby just shakes his head at me. LOL I don't know why... he looks like a Cleatus doesn't he?

Now the only babies left for the year is Darlene and Victoria... Darlene is looking pretty close. Vicki.. nope no signs yet. So two baby donkeys to look forward to still -

NOW ... time for my Blog Candy Winner!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-11-24 14:32:40 UTC

Ashley Lydia said...one of my favorite holiday traditions is singing the 12 days of Christmas on christmas eve with my family. We all pick out a day from a hat and we have to sing that part. Its loads of fun, especially the 5th day solo lolol. Asides from that I love watching the thanksgiving day parade with my family, and then gong shopping with my mom and all the sisters my aunts on black friday. We all take turns buying "surprise" shirts that are revealed during thanksgiving dinner and we all wear them while we shop the next day. Its so much fun, im tearing up because this year im away from my family for training ,I will be with them but I miss them so much. Ohhh the memories =)

So Ashley Lydia... if you will email me at michelleo@hughes.net - I will get your Candy out to you!

I am already stacking up things for the next candy! So look out for the next candy.....

Ok... gotta go and find my kitchen in the house repairs so I can start my Thanksgiving Dinner going. See you tomorrow for Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge!

HUGS and

Inky Impressions Challenge - Cookies for Santa

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hello - today is Inky Impressions Challenge day! And it is my day to post on the Inky Inspiration Blog as well! Yea! The theme today is to make your own embellishment. I love doing that. And today I got to ink up a brand new Inky Impressions stamp. I TOTALLY LOVE this image, too cute! This is Joey & Lynnie's Cookies for Santa

Too cute I told you! it has so many details to it, but it isn't too much to color in. For my card I used Bo Bunny Blitzen Collection - love the fun colors in this Christmas collection. I sewed down my image and papers. Then I went to work on my embellishment. - First I made my flower, Now you can make these flowers with just a strip of paper. Fold every 1/4 inch then attach the ends and lay flat for the flower. I hope that makes sense. Now mine.. I was lazy and used a Sizzix Tim Holtz Die :0) It cuts too sizes at once -

I cut out of a scrap of off white paper.... Was thinking that I wanted the flower white. But when I put it on the card it was totally blah. So I took out a Marker and colored it! It matches better and has a much richer look now.

And then speaking of coloring it... My ribbon leaves... I LOVE this "technique" LOL I say that loosely, it isn't really a technique just a simple change of color. And I love to color ribbons to match my projects. But recently I found this seam binding tape that really colors up perfectly!

This is 100% Rayon Seam Binding and when you color it was an alcohol marker it really takes the color gorgeously! Here I took the beige ribbon and colored it with a Letraset Promarker Pear Green color.

This is the binding I use... you can find it on the internet - google it. - Ebay has a bunch of it. And with 100 yards on a roll it last a long time ;0)

I hope that this gives you some ideas for making up your own flowers - And ribbon leaves.

Make sure to pop over to the Inky Impressions Challenge today - fabulous challenge, and the other DT projects give some other great inspiration for making your own embellishments!

HUGS and -

I am still here ....

2011-11-22T13:05:00.001-06:00

Went MIA again didn't I? Sorry about that. Just FYI - anyone who says "Oh common, just a quick paint and a little repair to the floor before the holidays... it won't be bad" - - Please have your head examined at once! This has been a nightmare! A much needed nightmare and once we are all done it will be wonderful!! But oh my... what a can of worms we have opened up here!

Ok, so I have told you we were painting the inside of the house - and the repair to the flooring. Nope wouldn't work... so we had to purchase all new flooring. Then while ripping out the old flooring - Hubby nearly fell through the sub-floor!! So back to the store for Sub-flooring to make sure the house is safe. It is all coming together now, but man what a headache. I smashed my right hand last week while working - it was pretty bad but now is all better other than the scrapes. Then this weekend I smashed my fingers on my left hand... not as bad but made me feel really stupid! I am an accident waiting to happen! Hubby says I am just trying to move to fast, and with no depth perception I am being even more klutzy than normal. I guess that is true. So today I am trying to move a little slower... nature and my old rear end are helping with that too, cuz I am worn out! But it is seriously looking so good!

I'll snap a few photos when we are done. But for now... wanted you know that Libbie and Autie are on the watch for us...

The dogs have loved having the flooring boxes stacked up in the Living Room... they are like stairs for them... they run up them and sit and can see out the front windows perfectly, without having to stand on their tippy toes at the sill. Libbie especially has loved this spot. Hope she isn't gonna mind that by tomorrow night... this should all be gone and in place in the house and she is gonna have to go back to her toes. If you are wondering where Chica is... that little girl has just been in so much trouble. She seems to like being right under Hubby while he is painting... she is a mess and has had two baths this week already...sigh too cute to get mad at, even when she has a blob of paint on her head.

I'll be back tomorrow for my Inky Impressions Post... See you then!
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - WE ARE FREE... sort of...

2011-11-19T02:30:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we created a temporary area off of the Young Girls pen - an area to let them eat some green growing grass. Why mow it? Especially when their pen isn't taking off so well with them eating things before they even get a chance to grow.. LOL

Here they are just starting to come out their gate... run hurry.... Check out how high Mirta has her back end off the ground! LOL Wish Lina wasn't in the way darn it!

They were all lapping the open area - running and bucking!!! YEE HAW! Fresh grass and Freedom!!! Well... a little more freedom ;0)

This one is blurry I know... they were running and I was laughing... But look All fours off the ground here!

And then all together it sounded like everyone was "Thanking Us" all at once. Man the neighbors were probably wondering what we were doing... IT WAS LOUD! LOL Hubby and I were both laughing so hard.... they are just too funny!

Then I went to see the babies....

Sonia is getting to where she is gonna need a hair clip to hold back those bangs! I hate that they loose that as they get older... Many of them are starting to get that woolly look to them. Funny some get long winter fur and some don't. But when those that do... do, it is gonna be a cold winter!

Miss Estella... "Stella"

Ok.. I don't have favorites you know.... But oh my "Stella" has personality that just melts my heart. She is soooo funny, warm and LOVES Donkey hugs. When she sees me come out the back of the house, she grunts at me. And she loves for me to sing to her. We sing "Stella bo bella... fee fi bo...." You know the banana song? Come on all together now... LOL

Sorry this next one is a HORRIBLE photo... bad lighting, and it was taken with my phone.

But I just couldn't miss it. Chica and Gato were on the bedroom floor the other night. Chica gave Gato about a 30 minute bath - You know those hard to get places... her ears, above her eyes, all down her next. Hope Chica doesn't get a fur ball.....

Now one more photo... this one again isn't great as Hubby took it with his phone at work -

Is this a scream or what? Hubby has lots of pet cats at work... strays that they feed. After getting them all trapped and fixed of course. Population control for sure! Anyway - Hubby gets attached to all animals around him. At work it is these cats... this is one of his favorites - taking a "Cat Nap" in the afternoon sun. Was sound asleep... Too funny.

Well hope you all have a wonderful Saturday - Hubby and I have been deep in re-doing... one mess has led to another and another and another.... I'll snap some photos to share later in the week -

HUGS and

My Sizzix Photo Album - too cute!

2011-11-17T09:28:00.001-06:00

Hello - Today I have something to show that has no stamping! Shocker huh? I few weeks ago I found a great sale on a few Sizzix dies at their outlet. REALLY great prices. Most everything I got was 60-80%off! Was a great way to get a couple of the Pro dies that are normally $60.00 - I got a few for $11.00! And then I also added a couple of smaller things that I just thought were too cute to pass up for the price.

This photo album die was one of those things. It is the XL Photo Album die -

I usually make up a "practice" item when I use a new die for the first time. Play with scrap stuff you know? Well this one was going so well and easy that my practice mock up was too cute so I just kept going with it! The outside of the album is cut out of Sizzix scoreboard, It was cream colored, but I used a copic to make it blue to match my papers. All of the papers I used for the album inside and out are from The Girl's Paperie - totally love these papers!!!! The die cuts out the two outer boards, the binding edge with the scallops and then creases in the folds at the perfect places for easy folding. It also cuts out the label for the title, which I added an epoxy sticker that seemed fitting.

Now after I got the inside all done it was pretty poofy... wouldn't stay flat. So I fixed that by adding a stretch lace ribbon from the back to the front held closed with a Maya Ribbon Ribbon latch. I think that may be my favorite part. :0) I then found some metal corners while digging for the latch, and they just were screaming to be used on this one!

Here is the inside -

The instructions tell you to make an accordion piece to attache the inside papers to the cover. That worked out perfect, I used chipboard pieces cut to fit in just a tad bit smaller, each piece covered front and back with different coordinating papers.

I didn't like the accordion showing once the book is opened, so I cut out some sizzix large border dies (Also purchased on sale for a couple of bucks!) Love how cute that turned out!

I know you could make this with out the die. Really it would be pretty easy... but sometimes it is nice to just lay the piece of mat or scoreboard in the Big Shot and all the pieces come out for you... with all the creases and a perfect fit.

My Mom asked me the other day what I do with the things I make for my blog. I had to laugh as sometimes it is funny I make things just for the fun of making them and showing them here with no purpose for it after that. This turned out so cute, I can't decide if I should just wrap it up and give it as a gift - or just MAYBE keep it for myself :0) Wouldn't it make a great Donkey Album? LOL We will see... I am sure this Sizzix die will be used again -

Well better get going... Hubby is banging away in the living room as I type. We didn't get to do much last week in our living room. But this week he is getting deep into re-doing it. Funny... or Sad though as we move things to paint and clean and rearrange... the flooring we were hoping would last us another year or two (10 year old inexpensive laminate) well... it ain't going to do it. We all thought didn't want to get into it now.. are having to put down new flooring, and because all the rooms run together that means new flooring in the living room... dining room and our main hallway. Hubby's day or two of painting... just turned into a huge project. BUT when it is all done - we will have freshly painted walls.... new trim and NEW FLOORS! Totally awesome! Good thing we decided to not have Thanksgiving here this year - otherwise I would be totally freaking out right now!! LOL

HUGS... I just heard him yell at Libbie for chasing the cat into the room.... better run myself and help corral our furry kids. :0)

Me and My Space - Needing a New Home - More Clean Out Candy!

2011-11-15T08:43:00.001-06:00

Today I thought I would share more of my stuff with you - Just breaks my heart that I have stamps that have not seen the light of day, much less ink! So I am offering up more for you to love and use for me -

Also in my candy, I found a box this week with lots of "things" in it. You know those things you pick up over the years on sale, at conventions and in kits. You mean to use them on something... but they end up lost in a box. Yep.. my box is full of those "things" -

So here is my Candy -

I have Four Whiff of Joy Stamps - three images and one Christmas sentiment. I think I may have used these each maybe once....

And then there are two Sugar Nellie images - again.. maybe once they have been inked up.

Then there is a small pile of my "Things"... chipboard stars, felt embellishments, stickers, fabric labels, stickers and wood embellishments. Lots of goodies for card making, scrapbooking or whatever you are working on.

A couple of close ups of the stamps.....

Now what do you need to do to have a chance to win? Leave a comment on this post - how about telling me about you favorite holiday tradition? That is it! I'll ship world wide, so no worries there. And I'll pick a winner next Thursday! Share my candy if you like :0)

Wow.. it has taken me over an hour to get this post done this morning. We have a thunderstorms moving over us! And Satellite Internet so it isn't working so well this morning, but that is due to rain so YeA! So far we have gotten close to 2 inches of rain this morning - That is such a blessing!!! Hubby got up at the crack of dawn this morning and put down 100lbs. of grass seed, and finished up just as it started to rain really good. No wind to blow away this seed! Just good heavy rain to soak it in.... Now you will see us out there each day looking for green sprouts... LOL

Have a wonderful day - us... right now we are just enjoying watching the rain - then errands later in the day.
HUGS and

Dust it Off Sunday - Papertrey Ink Through the Trees

2011-11-13T02:30:00.000-06:00

Today I pulled out some of my Papertrey Ink stamps! Ok, to be honest here. I have been slowly buying Papertrey Ink stamps over the past year or two, I LOVE them! But I don't use them as much as I should, get wrapped up in DT work and other things and just don't get the chance to play as often with them as I would like sometimes. Well the other night I was in a mood to do something simple, quick and with a bit of fall feel to it.

Here is what I came up with -

I totally fell in love with the Papertrey Ink set Through the Trees as soon as I saw it. Adore that the leaves and the trunks are two separate stamps... and there are lots of sentiments other images that are part of the set.

The papers are from Prima, all fall colors I think. Kept things pretty simple, just layers of papers - I stamped three trunks, then went across with green leaves and then again with red leaves. Changing colors you know :0) I doodled around the edge - The band with the sentiment. Been dieing to use them! That too is a die from Papertrey Ink they are Photo Finish Strips - you get four different dies to top off photos.. or whatever project you are working on, have so many ideas for these! I stamped with the coordinating die and then inked the edges. Then added 6 adhesive rhinestones.

Simple.. but I like it :0 And I got to use these stamps!! Do you have any stamps you need to ink up? Go for it! Have some fun with stamps that are just begging you to ink them up!

HUGS - have a wonderful Sunday!

Animal Crackers - "Sitting" next door

2011-11-12T02:30:00.000-06:00

Hubby and I ( I say I loosely cuz me I just go for the loving.. ) anyway Hubby and I have been "sitting" for our neighbors furry children. She has Horses, and doggies... and of course somewhere she acquired a few miniature donkeys... :0)

This is Alonso - remember him :0) She also has Frio, Coffee and Toffee... but they all were too interested in eating instead of seeing me. But Alonso... he is always looking for attention. Even if that means making his way up on the porch, and peeking inside the front door from time to time... LOL

Here come her "Babies"......

They all have really fun names... Which is which I have no clue and spelling their names well.. we are going to just refer to them as "the boys". I think they are all about 7 or 8 months old now.. and TALL wow!

Tall.. and VERY handsome. They are all very sweet boys.

This a future stud... Bogey - He is a handsome dude.

I am just getting to know him, he comes to the fence to see me while I am there. I like when they will let me rub the end of their nose - he is a sweetie.

And then we get to obnoxious but a total love. This is Marty....

Hubby is totally attached to Marty. He is pushy friendly and really has a fun personality. And yes... his harness is on sideways. This is how we found him when we showed up. How the heck he did that I have no clue.... But knowing Marty... it is something he would do and expect from him.

And this guy is really a gorgeous funny guy... I hope I have this right... I think this is Pop Rocks

Pop Rocks, Bogey and Marty have all just come up from the large back pen to live in the pen with "the boys". So they have been in the back and I don't usually spend as much time with them as I do this front pen - "the boys" Mom's were all taken to the large back pen and so the little ones are not all alone this is now a sort of bachelor pad now. Or more like a Frat house...

She has three doggies, that I have tried very hard to not get attached to... LOL But they are just so darn sweet and fun you just can't help falling for them. :0) This is Moxy -

Now how or why she has her ears up like that - no clue. But man is she a sweetie.

This is her brother - Niner

He is just a bit bigger than Moxie and has the energy of 2 or maybe 10 dogs... Most of the time he is first to the gate to say hi.

And the third doggie... is Personality. (shh.. don't tell anyone, but she is my favorite) She is also a sister... and I have no photo of her today. She gave us a scare this week. Seems she was bit by a snake, and has spent the past few days at the vets. No worries. They say she is doing great and we will bring her home Monday morning to join her sister and brother. Thankfully all better and healthy!

Now there are many more horses so maybe one day in the future I will walk the back pasture and do some of the "Ladies" and then I can show off Personality too.

Hope you enjoyed today - fun to see a few "different" animals and get to know some of the furry children in our care. We don't "own" them, but we have adopted them into our Animal Crackers family -

Have a great Saturday and see you tomorrow for Dust it Off Sunday!
HUGS and

Just Magnolia & Hanglar - Black/Grey, Red and White

2011-11-11T02:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday!! Ok, so the week blew by again, and I am still trying to catch up.. but it is Friday and dealing with it... that is time for the Just Magnolia & Hanglar Challenge! This week the challenge is a color challenge. Black or Grey, Red and White. Love color challenges! And this one was really fun to get out of the box of my normal colors.

I started with picking my papers, so I knew I had the color combo covered. I chose papers from My Minds Eye and Teresa Collins. With Black and White card stock. I sewed down my layers. Using the wording from the pattern paper as my "sentiment" for the front of the card. Then I went to my stamps...

This Hanglar image just seemed right... all colored with my Copics -

And here is my card all -

A Papertrey Ink Black Satin Ribbon - tied in a bow around the paper, with red mulberry roses. Love this color combo - why don't I use it more often?

Now make sure to POP over to the Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge - Gorgeous DT cards all done up in Black/Grey, Red and White.....

Have a great Friday and see you tomorrow for Animal Crackers :0)
HUGS and

Inky Impressions - Glitter it Up!

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Well the theme of today's Inky Impressions challenge is Glitter it Up! You might have guessed that if you saw my post yesterday ;0) -- I got a few new stamps from Nicole at Inky Impressions this last week and I was just dying to use them all at once! But I think Rock n' Roll Donnie was one that I just had to have and use right away. I don't know why... I just think he is too fun!

Isn't he handsome? Just makes you swoon doesn't it? Swoon.. there is word that isn't used much anymore! I colored with my Copics. Then I added dimensional glaze on his sunglasses and guitar.. sorry you can't see that in the photo - really is shiny!

Then for my card for the challenge - LOTS of Glitter here with two colors of Glitter card stock.

I saw this image with a sort of spot light look with it. Well that was in my head I am not sure I pulled it off to well with the card stock or not. But that was the goal... a shiny, sparkling spot light. I tore a piece of scrap My Minds Eye music paper to use as a mat behind the oval cut image. I used to JoAnn's rub on sentiments - a little hard to read in the photo. They too look better in person. It needed more, and really I couldn't figure out how to embellish it. So I just used 4 brown buttons tied with twine.

A simple card from me. I can't decide if I like or not... I have such a struggle with simple and not adding more and more and more.

Now pop over to the Inky Impressions Challenge HERE and if you would like to do some shopping you can visit the Inky Impressions Store HERE. And please do join us for the Inky Impressions Challenge... you don't have to use Inky Impressions images - but get extra credit if you do :0) -

Well Hubby and I are gearing up for some work around here. Got all our supplies and now it is just a matter of getting a couple of days in a row to do the "Work" we are going to try this week... cleaning and painting... new colors for the living room, dining room and our main hall!! Whoo Hoo!!! We have been talking about doing this for over a year - When we moved in I was in a sage green phase. So tired of the green now. I am more in a brown and taupe mood. Bringing in color with our "junk" instead of the walls. So I showed you the kitchen a while back... chocolate brown - we did the bathroom in a bit of darker brown and white, and now the rest of the rooms in the front of our house will go a light taupe color. So excited about it.... well not the work of moving all our very heavy furniture and the actual painting.. LOL like Hubby will let me do much, he likes to do the painting his self. I just don't do it to his standards! That is ok with me... but it will still be lots of moving and cleaning -

Hope you have a great day!
HUGS and

Me and My Space - I caved... Spinning Desk Storage

2011-11-08T02:30:00.000-06:00

Hi - Well I need to be honest... I caved. I have been trying so hard to "watch my spending". And only get those necessary items. Ok... well those needed items. Ok... so just cut back. :0) The other day I went into Michael's to get some bling card stock for my challenge project for tomorrow. And I was pretty good... I had 5 sheets for bling paper in my hand. (they were on sale in 5's.. ) I was going back to the front of the store glancing quickly at the new Christmas things. And then I saw that the Storage items were on sale 40% off. I don't really have room for any more of the jet cube items - would love to have more, but no space for them.... but then I saw this.....

OH I have seen them many many times before. I believe it from Making Memories. I never "needed" it. But recently my desk top storage has gotten a bit tight. You see I am really loving my ProMarkers... and I am liking having them on my desk. Well I have had them in a second bucket on my desk but that wasn't working, and well... this was like $20.00 AND it matches all of my other storage... and well... I "NEEDED" it!!! :0)

LOL... what do you use on your desk? This thing - I think I am going to really like it, it has SO much space in it! I have lots of room for "growth" :0)

See you tomorrow -
HUGS and -

Animal Crackers - Hi How Are Ya?

2011-11-05T02:30:00.000-05:00

I love these Donkeys :0) I mean come on ... this just makes you smile doesn't it? I always see a bubble of chatting above them... with a "Hi... How Are Ya?"

Lydia is such a sweetie... pushy but very sweet. Yesterday afternoon I went out and snapped just a few photos... I have been a little under the weather this week - and although sunny, it was chilly so I didn't spend too much time out there. I love this photo though... You can see her personality can't you. And totally love that one piece of hay sticking out of her mouth. Just so perfectly country!

Here is another one of Lydia... she followed me down the fence line... she loves close ups :0)

None of the Momma's and Babies were into the photo taking... as I said it was sunny and just a bit cool. The weather they love. Wonderful afternoon nap time - If I had a cot and a blanket I really would have loved to join them! And this makes me so happy too... seeing all these wonderful babies :0)

Now this one I took last week with the camera in my phone -

The goats got a new toy.... Hubby had a friend that needed to dispose of a large spool. PERFECT Goat climbing and bed! They love to be up off the ground - We are working on getting another one... they just love this one. OH and you can see the picnic table in the background... it is a goat bed as well.....

I tried and tried to get a photo of the dogs this week. But they are just too interested in all the new grass. It has been forever since they have had grass in their yard.

Autie has really been funny this week. I told you last week that Libbie is in season. Autie has been acting different - he has not been this way with her earlier times. He is SUPER protective of her. He is always checking on her. Never leaves her side when they are outside. Whines when he isn't with her. Barks at anything that comes close to her. Barks just to tell everyone that she is moving. He has rarely barked at all before this. It is all so strange. AND even stranger... since he as been barking more... Libbie is barking a lot less! I hope this goes away when she goes out of season... between the barking, and the whining when he can't see or be near her is driving us nuts! And Chica nuts!! She misses her Dad, her play partner, her running buddy.... He hardly even is having anything to do with Chica - cuz all attention is on Libbie.

Sorry was a bit light this week huh? I am feeling better - so hopefully I can get ahead on a few projects and get some better photos for next week. Funny... I use to function just fine with hardly no sleep- still keep on grooving and doing my thing. But lately - if I am sick or something keeps me up at night and I don't get my "beauty rest" ... I just can't even do the simplest things the next day. I am in a fog..... You think it is cuz I am getting old??? LOL

Have a wonderful Day! Hope the weather is nice where you are - should be pretty today... but another front is coming in Sunday or Monday... so I guess winter is gonna come in fast and strong this year!

HUGS and-

Inky Impressions Stamps: Snow Much Fun Blog Hop - Day 2

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello! Day 2 for the Inky Impressions Stamps Snow Much Fun Blog Hop! I hope you are all taking part in our hop and enjoying all that you are seeing!

There is a $25.00 Gift Certificate to one winner at the end of the two day hop - So make sure to visit the Inky Impressions Store HERE and see all the fun stamps and supplies you can get there!

For all the details of the hop visit the blog HERE -

Here is the list of blogs and the order to hop around -

Inky Impressions Challenge Blog

Now would you like to see my project? I think this image has SO MANY possibilities! And it just makes me smile!

This is Mamaw!!! Go Mamaw Go!

Isn't she great? LOL I colored with Copics and then used stickles lace for the snow!

And then for my card -

I used October Afternoon red dot paper, white card stock and dark purple. Spellbinders Nesties die for the image and mat. Then the bottom I used Papertrey Ink Scalloped edge. A MS punch for the lace middle. I used a mintage watch face and button for one embellishment, and then mulberry roses and MS branch punch. The sentiments are epoxy stickers that I have had forever!

It is a wonderfully fun image and perfect for a smile for any friend. Now it is time for you to hop over to the next name on the list... Mackenzie's Blog. Have fun!

And make sure to visit the Store and see all the new releases!

Thanks for visiting!
HUGS and -

Inky Impressions Stamps: Snow Much Fun Blog Hop

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello at Inky Impressions there is a 2 Day Blog Hop! And if you got here from Mackenzie's Blog thanks so much for following along the blog and joining all of us. If you have just popped into my blog please make sure to go from here back to the start of the blog hop at Jenn's and see all the Hopping fun stuff!

There is a $25.00 Gift Certificate to one winner at the end of the two day hop - So make sure to visit the Inky Impressions Store HERE and see all the fun stamps and supplies you can get there!

Here is the Hopping list for you to follow - or hop around on your own.

Inky Impressions Challenge Blog

Carrie
Jackie
Lora
Mackenzie
Michelle

Would you like to see my first Blog Hop project? :0)

I was so excited to use this image when I saw it... just too adorable! This is Marisa's Sleigh Ride

and I used her to decorate a Sizzix Scalloped Gift Bag!

Isn't she pretty... I used my Copics to color her - then added lost of stickles for some winter bling!

And here is my gift bag -

Super easy to do!!! Especially with the Sizzix die :0) Cut, fold, a little adhesive and then decorating! I am thinking these will be really fun for those little Christmas Gifts for friends!

So make sure you saw everyone on the hop, and then back to the Inky Impressions Blog for the details of how to get in on the prize!

Thanks for looking today and please pop by tomorrow to see another new image... one that is just way too fun for words!

HUGS and-

Chanson d'amour Wedding Card

2011-10-30T12:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it was my turn to post on the Stampavie DT Blog - Do you visit there? Everyday a DT takes a turn showing off a project for inspiration. I love visiting and seeing what everyone is making. Well I couldn't post here the same day that would have bumped Animal Crackers... so here is my Stampavie post -

Today you are getting a peek at a wedding card I have made for a dear friend. Hope she isn’t peeking here as she will be getting it this weekend :0)
I wanted to do something a bit different – go more vintage and romantic. I think the Penny Johnson Chanson d’amour image is PERFECT -
I used kraft card stock for the base and to stamp my image on with brown ink. I then stamped the image a second time on white card stock and cut out the birds. Very little coloring on this one, just a bit of rose colored for the heart, then a white gel pen for the highlights of the word and the lace around the heart.
The birds once cut out I pop dotted them onto the main image and then covered them with shimmerz -
They look as if they are in flight over the card don’t they… ok but they are pretty….
I added lots of scallops, satin ribbon, roses and branch punches to add to the romance – Then I decorated the inside and envelope too…
Sentiment is a word punch and stamp from Papertrey Ink, and the envelope… I just stamped off the corner of the envelope with the main image.

I think it turned out pretty – I hope the bride and groom like it as well. Totally loving the shabby vintage images in the Penny Johnson collection, sometimes it is really nice to step outside the box and do something a bit different, and love this style to do that.

Hope you liked it - I'll show the part of our wedding gift later in the week :0)
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Winter Grass Seeds

2011-10-29T02:30:00.000-05:00

This week I have a bunch of photos of the day we spent putting down our winter grass seeds. I love watching Hubby when he is doing that... not that it is fun to watch him walk in circles around the pens... nope it isn't.. but watching the donkeys run from him and around him now that is entertaining.

Now the youth pen... they run from "Dad" spreading the grass seed. Lots of running, bucking and kicking! Having fun...

It is just too fun watching them... look at that tail up in the air!

Oops... out of the way now they are coming at me!

The goats are really watching this all... why are they running? LOL

Now the other pen... that is a totally different story... these are the older Momma donkeys and their babies... These donkeys are very very curious! Is this food?

"Dad" explains no that it isn't for them....

But they think they had better follow him and make sure that isn't food for them. Once they follow him around.. oh two, three or four times around they get bored. Nope this isn't for them. They then go back to the hay that is out for them.

Now the sad thing... Hubby chose this day to spread the Winter Grass Seed, as we had a really good chance for some rain before a front approaching us. You know Rain is something we just haven't seen much of at all around here the past year. So this was our chance to get the seed down and get it soaked in..... well the front came.... it is chilly here and the wind blowing so hard we can feel it in the house. No Rain. And now we think that a lot of our seed..... well the farm down the hill next to us should have some really nice winter grass -

I had to show you a photo of Estella... one week old and just gorgeous!! She is gonna be a pistol though - already we see her testing her Momma and seeing how far she can get with out getting that demanding snort and foot stomping on the ground. Each time a bit farther and farther...... ADORABLE!

Now I have put off the secret from yesterday... But I think you have probably figured it out....

Yes... Libbie is in "season" - and we honestly wanted to skip this time and not let her breed again. But how do you do that when they both live in the same house. A small house... with no real way to keep them separated, it surprised us. Shouldn't have, but it did, time flies. So it looks like there will be puppies coming, and if I counted correctly they should arrive about the same time as Christmas..... What a gift. Wonder how many, and what colors we will have this time. Heaven help us if there is one that looks like Libbie... Hubby is gonna really be tough to get it away from, he has been really sad we sold the only Merle that she has had.... but FOUR dogs is I think more than I can handle...... time will tell..... Who do you think will win this one? Yea... me too... I think if there is a blue one with those ice blue eyes... I had better figure out how to deal with more....

Hope you have a wonderful Saturday... and I hope that Animal Crackers gave you a smile this week.
HUGS and

Just Magnolias and Hanglars - Christmas Time!

2011-10-28T02:30:00.000-05:00

It's Friday! And it is Team B week at Just Magnolia and Hanglars Challenge - my week! You may not have noticed but we have split the team and are now doing every other week - Lots of prizes and lots of inspiration still - but well... a little less stress for the team. And this time of year, that is a huge bonus!

Are you aware how close Christmas is? Seriously.. have you counted the days? I have... and it is scary! LOL Now why I was counting the days? Uh.. I'll tell you that in tomorrows post - how is that for a cliff hanger?

Now for my card this week - the theme is Christmas! And we were given some adorable sentiments from one of our sponsors this week... The Cutting Cafe really love them! Perfect for your holiday cards.

I played with one of my older Hanglars - love this "couple" :0)

I colored with my Copics -

Then I went to work on my card - I used papers from My Minds Eye Lost and Found Christmas Collection - really yummy vintage papers!

Ok, shocker here... but I didn't sew anything! For some reason this card just went together and I never even thought about using the sewing machine... I think it was cuz I was excited about using that GORGEOUS piece of antique lace! It is one that I got from Etsy... Totally ADORE it! I inked the edges of all the papers with Distress Ink Old Paper, and the attached to a kraft card stock base. It all went really fast. My embellishment - I found a metal Making Memories metal corner in my box from my scrapbooking days - Love how well it matches. Printed out my sentiment, added just a bit of color to it and all done!

Hope you like it - And make sure to visit the Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge - two prizes this week... and LOTS of inspiration for your Christmas cards! Why not join us and that would be one of your holiday cards done! :0)

I'll see you tomorrow... yes... I'll let you know what is coming..... any ideas??? LOL

HUGS and

Inky Impressions Challenge - Anything Goes!

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello - today's Inky Impressions Challenge Day! And this week it is an easy challenge - Anything Goes! How easy is that? And don't forget you don't have to use an Inky Impressions image to join us... well until you have your own Inky Image that is, cuz you are gonna love these images they are just adorable!

Me... I used Deputy Christopher - I have a serious crush on him -

Handsome little guy isn't he? I colored with my copics - I really love using my Blender to remove some of the ink on the boots and hat... gives them a bit of that worn leather look don't you think? I cut out the image with my Nesties Label 17 dies, and then cut out a piece of the new Tim Holtz Kraft Core-dinations paper, oh oh oh so yummy. I really love this paper! I sanded the edges of it - gorgeous!

Then for my card -

I went for a guy looking card... sometimes you need a just cuz card for Men too right?

So I went with a dark brown card stock for the card base, a piece of that yummy Kraft Core'dinations paper sanded of course. While looking through my paper for a printed paper, I ran across this vintage papers piece- Love it and how manly and western it feels. So I sewed it down. I really had a hard time getting a second pattern paper - then the light bulb went off in my head and I dug and dug through my vintage finds. Do you love the card I used? It is the back to an advertising card. Has some sort of poem on it, but I love the symbols! I thought for sure Deputy Christopher would play his share of poker don't you think? LOL...

My sentiment is from I think Hero Arts - stamped onto a small price tag that I have tied with twine and inked. Oh the twine... I also wrapped the center of the card with a ribbon and then twine over and over. Then to finish it off I added three vintage buttons with twine through them as well.

I usually have a super hard time with guy cards, but this one really went together fast, and was fun. Maybe that was because of my crush on my image?

Now pop on over to the Inky Impression Challenge - Great prizes and lots of inspiration!

Have a great Wednesday - Me... lots of little things I need to get done, wonder if I will actually get to them all... I have had a problem getting things done lately, horrible at getting side tracked lately... LOL

HUGS and

Me and My Space - Something new.. but very old.

2011-10-25T02:30:00.000-05:00

Hi - This weeks Me and My Space post is on Tuesday, I have a challenge post for Wednesday. And this week I got something in that is just making me giggle and I was very excited to show them to you!!!

Aren't these just wonderful???

I am just soooo excited about them. I found these wonderful Antique alphabet stamps on Etsy a couple of weeks ago. I have wanted some vintage/antique letters for a long time, but well... they are usually really pricey. Well. this set was just perfect for me. They are super clean - great condition, all "usable" and honestly... a FABULOUS price!

The box is just a bit worn, but from everything I can tell this set is probably from the 1940's maybe early 1950's - I think... so worn is to be expected. But the stamps are in wonderful condition. The set still has its metal line up bar and the wooden bar for long words. Plus the original stamp pad... dried out but it is still there! I have already used them in a project or two, and all though silly they just make me happy to use them!

Now I am obsessed and want more of them... other fonts and sizes. LOL ok, I'll just be happy with this set for now, but I will be keeping a watch for one to add to it, then I'll have a collection started :0)

So you have anything new (or old) that makes you happy to use?

I'll see you tomorrow for my Inky Impressions Challenge post... Have a great Tuesday!
HUGS and-

Dust it off Sunday - nothing new I can show :0(

2011-10-23T02:30:00.000-05:00

How is this for a post... I have nothing I can show you. Oh I have something I made to show you today, but it is a gift for someone, and I didn't get it to them like I had planned. And it probably wouldn't be nice to show it off here before they get to see it right?

So here I sit .... With nada to post. And I really wanted to not miss posting. Especially since I may have figured out my posting on my iPad... I got an app called BlogPress... It may solve my issues. I sat and researched it yesterday while waiting for the refrigerator repair man. My crusher for my much loved crushed ice.... It stopped working a while back, and I was really missing my "Dairy Queen" like crushed ice....wait many may not know what that is. Fast food place that most know for their ice creams. Me nope - it is their wonderful crushed ice with a yummy fountain coke. Ok diet coke now....it is better with the full sugar coke though. Would rather have that instead of the ice cream! Anyway back to my broken crusher. It went out a while back and planning a day ahead of time to sit and wait for the repair man just wasn't easy.

That was until they called last week and said my warranty was running out. Ha! So I sat here all morning yesterday for my 8am- 12pm appointment.... At 11:45am, he was here. Looked at it and said.... Yes Mam, just as I thought we are going to have to order you a part and reschedule to put it in.... Sigh.... So today I am still having to use cubes instead of my crushed ice. I miss my crushed ice.... Which do you like? Cubes or Crushed?

To make me feel better Hubby and I spent the evening outside. Playing with LOTS of baby donkeys. That does make me happy :0) and we do have lots right now. It will be a long year next year with very few babies. We are trying to get them all moved back to spring babies, instead of summer/fall. It is an 11-12 month wait for a baby donkey. So we have our two Jacks penned up until after winter. Smart, but not fun when I am wanting to hug on a baby next year. Warning I will be whining then ok?

Well I hope you didn't mind my rambling about nothing. And thanks for visiting me even when I don't have anything to show you.... I'll try and get a few projects ahead this week.

Hugs
(oops .... I have no kicking donkey on my iPad! Guess I'll figure out how to get that on my iPad while waiting for the part huh?)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Animal Crackers - Went to get a Pedicure and Came home to find...

2011-10-22T02:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to get a pedicure, and came home to find this...

How stinking Cute and Cool is that???? I had told Hubby a couple of days ago that Patti might be thinking of having her baby, but she still looked a long way off - hardly no bag at all. Well... she decided it was a gorgeous day so why not? Gorgeous or what?

Little carbon copy of her Mom too.... We are calling her Estella - why? I have no idea, just saw the name and really liked it. Leaves room for lots of nick names too. She has long hair, that is wavy. Patti is a SUPER good Mom, she LOVES being a Mom. So much so that she is terribly jealous of all other Mom's until she has her own baby. She is constantly rubbing on her, and touching her.

Love new born ears... one they look huge, but especially that they have that little curl at the end of them for the first couple of days. And look at those beautiful eyes.

Here again... rubbing on and giving love....

Total sweetness. I am sad that I missed the birth - that is only the 2nd or 3rd in all of them that I have totally missed. But it is also exciting to drive up glance that way and see a brand new baby that wasn't there when you left. Adorable!

And of course we have to have our day one photo with Dad -

This one has LONG legs! We (Hubby and I) always argue about Patti's babies... he says she is too big, and her babies are too big... I say who cares :0) They are adorable even if a little super model tall - Not the best for breeding perfect small donkeys, but sometimes I think it is better to have healthy bigger babies that make great pets.

Sorry I went a bit nuts today with taking baby photos and totally forgot to take pictures of anyone else! But really... new born babies are always great for a smile right?

We only have two more Mom's to be now for this year. Darlene and Vicki - and honestly I would have put all my odds that either one of them would have gone before Patti! And that is why I don't gamble...

Have a wonderful Saturday, Me... I'll be out in the pasture watching babies play :0)
HUGS and

Notes Caddy - a Sizzix Die

2011-10-21T02:30:00.000-05:00

Quick post today - been working around the house, and on the computer. You may see my blog changing a bit over the next few days. Bored and thinking it is time to change things up a bit... maybe just colors and such... who knows... may end up right back to the same, just bored. Haven't got my MoJo either, I lost it somewhere, may have packed it up while cleaning my craft room. LOL But I did take some time last night while watching the baseball game, to play with one of my Sizzix Dies. This is the Bag, Caddy - cute but as always, smaller than I thought when I ordering...

I think although small, it is a cute die. Lots of possibilities - I used DCWV Mat sheets to cut it out, so it is pretty heavy board. I then used scraps to cover with pretty papers. I inked the edges, added vintage lace and a couple of Cherry Lane butterfly dies, that I colored, and stickled. Dug through my very old Thicker alphabets and spelled out "notes". Found a small pad - right now it is hanging on my metal door in my craft room, but I think it could be cute on my refrigerator ... maybe hubby then could find something to write on besides the mail... LOL

Now I did this post and my photo on my IPad... I have been trying to learn how to use it better - it is really different!! Do many of you use IPads to blog? How do I blog and not be in html posting? I can't see my photos in my post, and speaking of my photos... I haven't found an app that will let me put a watermark on my photo... I would love to be able to blog on the go, and use my IPad more effeciently - I need an online class! LOL Now that Sprint is doing the IPhones, I would love to upgrade my cell phone to that then my phone and my IPad could talk too... ok, dreaming right now... I'll ask Santa for that -

Told you - no MoJo ... been really sidetracked with computer stuff - - and not getting anywhere which is really frustrating!

Oh don't forget to pop over to the JUST Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge... I've gone to ever other week on the DT, but still have to keep up with all the gorgeous DT projects :0)

Have a nice Friday... meeting up with BFF Tracey for pedicures and gossip... ahem.. chatting. HUGS and

Me and My Space - Help me decide on my Button storage and My Vintage Bread Boxes

2011-10-19T02:30:00.000-05:00

Hi - today I thought I would show you my button drawer box thingy - I have sort of shown it before, but well... I wanted to show it off today again.. LOL I made this a while back. Well I painted it, This was an unfinished piece I got at Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off. I think I paid like $5.00 And it came with the little handles! It had to be painted blue and white to match my room of course. I used inexpensive acrylic paint -

It really turned out cute, and I love it sitting up on my desk top shelf. My button Drawers!

Here is a look in the "Red/Pink" drawer -

Now this has been great for me.... has been... I have been trying to decide where to go from here.... Should I get a second one or find larger storage? Mine is SO full that the drawers are just not working well and I have started piling up buttons in other places. So ... opinions here, Do a second one and expand? Or should I look for something larger?

Thought I would also share one of my all time favorite storage items.... You can find these all over my house for storage - Here are a few on top of one of my cabinets in my Craft Room - Vintage Tin Bread Boxes!

These here hold old family photos - and paperwork - and old tools and the tall round container... it has some old markers and ink pads in it.

They make me happy - I love seeing them in my room, I love recycling them for my uses, and honestly - they are pretty inexpensive at yard sales or markets... well sometimes they are, I have seen crazy prices at some shows - but shop around!

Hope you enjoyed today- give me your opinion on my button drawers -
HUGS and -

Tina Wenke Mice Under the Mistletoe - and Aquamakers

2011-10-17T08:54:00.001-05:00

Just in case you didn't get a chance to see my Stampavie DT Blog post on Saturday - I wanted to post it here on my personal blog. :0) Couldn't bump Animal Crackers right?

For my post I wanted to play with one of Tina Wenke’s new images Mice Under the Mistletoe – I adore her mice :0) I had no clue where I was going with the image, just having fun with the image and Letraset Aquamarkers . Have you had a chance to see these markers? They are just too cool for words. I love the water color looks – and these markers make it oh so much easier for me… well with practice.

Probably need more practice, but I am having fun with them! I cut out the image in a circle, and then cut the bottom portion off – kind of different.

My card went pretty vintage looking – love the papers from My Minds Eye Lost and Found Christmas collection. OH and that sentiment – don’t you love that too? That is one of the Tina Wenke new Christmas sentiments, it is so wonderful to have those in the Stampavie collection!
Hope you like my card – lovin’ the new Christmas images!

Have a fabulous Monday! I am cleaning house today! YEA! (... total fake enthusiasm there but I am trying to make myself feel better about it ok? I have some Crafting ideas in my head and I won't let myself play until the house is clean... so YEA!)

Hugs -

Family - My Aunt's 80th Birthday

2011-10-16T07:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went to a celebration. A fabulous celebration, My Aunt's 80th Birthday. It was a wonderful time seeing family and meeting family we haven't seen in FAR too long, in the large church we all attended as a family when I was very young. My Aunt still attends there. And my Aunt - she is an inspiration, just as beautiful as always. When I was little I use to think she was perfect, she was and is always dressed beautifully, never a hair out of place, gorgeous - and a voice of an angel. I don't remember a lot about attending the "big fancy church" when I was little... sleeping on the pews between my Mom and Dad, how large the place was.. and blue... everything was blue.... and I remember my Aunt's singing. I was a good kid in church most of the time, but when my Aunt sang with the choir .... I would sit motionless. It was fabulous yesterday as we were all standing around talking and remember... My Aunt and her friends gathered at the piano and started to sing. Same angelic voice, gorgeous. And just fabulous to hear them all in harmony. As I got a little older maybe 5 or 6... my family started going to a closer church.. a much smaller church - no blue there. It was all orange and brown. Funny the things we remember as little kids huh?

As Hubby and I set off for the celebration yesterday, we were as always flying out the door trying to gather things and make it on time. Half way there... I realized I forgot to take a photo of the card!! I spent two nights on it, and wanted to share it with you!! Well Hubby and my Mom took it in their hands and towards the end of the party, they tracked down the card, and my Aunt so I could get a photo of her opening it. Now that is something that we don't see much - and that is why we make all these cards right? To see happiness they bring? Here is my Aunt just after she opened her card -

Now my close up of my card... well It isn't my usual with my fancy camera, lights and white back ground. This ...I think came out pretty darn good considering I took it on a party table with my phone! :0)

Just a few details... One of my all time favorite Sarah Kay images from Stampavie "Noel Joy" - she doesn't have to be used just for Christmas you know - Webster Pages papers I think... sorry can't remember for sure - The mat is a Heritage Creations Die - The pink lace die is from My Favorite Things, Prima Marketing Flowers and of course I sewed things together.

I did the inside too :0) The sentiments are from Papertrey Ink - Inside and Out Birthday set.

It really was wonderful to see so many from the family. We promised to not let it be so long until we all get together again. We had talked about a family gathering here and so they could meet our furry children (can't take them to a church gathering you know.. LOL ) Anyway were were going to get together last fall... some ding dong poked her eye out and really wasn't up to it then. But She is now! So we are going to try and have a family Texas BBQ here in the coming year - have everyone out. Things like that are tough to plan here in Texas - have to make sure it isn't too hot... cooler weather, but then not cold and wet either. Tough... especially since we would have to have most of it outside... my house... not big enough for my entire family to visit at once ! LOL Heck it fills up just when my immediate family of my Mom and Sister come with all their family... small house... larger Craft room - Priorities you know... What do I need a large Living Room For? Craft Space... that is where my time is spent.

OK... I am running SOOO late now for our locals breakfast gathering. Any minute now Hubby is going to come in and give me that look - you know the one "You aren't ready yet???" Nope still sitting here in my Eeyore PJs... better run! Have a beautiful Sunday!

HUGS and -

Animal Crackers - Green and Gorgeous!

2011-10-15T02:30:00.000-05:00

Hello! Today we are celebrating!!! For those in our area - or other drought areas... this is called GRASS!!

Isn't it gorgeous??? OH it has been sooooo long since we have any grass growing here - and after two rains.. it is popping up all over our property! So quickly that we now are going to have to break out the lawn mowers, and tractor! Hubby already shredded the front of our property, mainly to cut back all the dead so we can see all the pretty green coming up :0)

Now I don't know if you saw my post the other day, but I said we opened up the area between our two main pens. Letting all our "Adult" donkeys and their babies roam together and letting them eat all the luscious green going to waste between the pens. You see in their pens... as soon as a hint of green starts to sprout they have been eating it. It has been way to long since they have had much fresh to eat.

This was after just two days... all the grass is gone... They did a serious number on it didn't they? This is also why I have no video of kids playing this week... no time for playing - they were eating non-stop!

There were a few asking about our "sick" baby... Gabriella "Gabby" - she is doing wonderful! She is extremely pushy and obnoxious just like her Mom - LOL

Gorgeous isn't she? We are very attached to this little one, Hubby has been calling her Little Rosie - She is Rosie's full sister, and looks a lot like her. A whole lot like her. We miss Rosie to pieces. But very glad that Gabby is here now.

I looked up from here to find Darlene - only enough shade for one under this tree....

Ok.. one if you are Darlene that is. LOL Very Wide, Very pregnant, but not ready yet!

Juliet was enjoying some shade as well... And no we haven't moved her out of the youth pen to roam with the other three standards yet... why you ask? Well she loves the other mini's primarily Lydia and Marisa... they are all bestest buddies... and they are always togehter! LOL

She might be bigger than the mini's but she is just as cute!

I went to check on the goats... Rhett cracks me up with the buckets....

She tries so hard to walk in them, lay in them, what ever in them! She turns them over just to play inside of them. It is too funny to watch. She is really turning into a gorgeous goat - Great coloring and those stunning ice blue eyes!

Speaking of ice blue eyes....

Miss Libbie - She was so ready for me to be done taking photos and take her back into the air conditioned house!

Autie was also ready....

The sun was in his eyes... Don't you love his little "horns" Doesn't matter what we do those little hair horns pop up... Too cute!

Chica - Found her waiting on the porch - -

She is looking SO much like her Dad Autie. She has always had that puppy look, and the short puppy fur, but just in the last two weeks we have noticed that she is filling in and her fur is growing by leaps and bounds. When they are clean their fur is gorgeous - it last for just a few hours.... sigh...

Hope you enjoyed this week - I will keep trying for that baby playing video... working with children is so tough in the filming business you know!

So what are you up to this weekend? We are attending a birthday celebration for my Aunt who is turning 80. Will be a great time, and we will see family we haven't seen in a very long time.

Have a great Saturday! HUGS and-

Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge - Distressing!

2011-10-14T02:30:00.000-05:00

OH my ... the them for this weeks Just Magnolia and Hanglar's Challenge this week is so me this week. DISTRESSING!! I feel like I have been running in slow motion all week, not getting done all that I plan to accomplish - It has just been a freak out week! LOL But I did take some time one night this week to sit and craft for this weeks challenge. Some chillin time just me and my craftin'!

I pulled out another "shared" Hanglar image. I love this one - too sweet isn't she? I chose my papers first, My Minds Eye Lost and Found papers, then I colored to match - She has a sort of vintage raggedy ann look doesn't she? I inked papers, and used a distressing tool on others. I sewed everything. I then used a piece of my vintage lace from Etsy - and then wove some red ribbon through it, and tied a bow. I used glue dots to hold the ends in place, they were just not behaving well! My sentiment is a ticket I found in my stash, with a Alota Rubber Stamps Hello sentiment. Love this one - so cute and simple, and I like that it is small - so it fits anywhere! Then three tiny red buttons to finish it off.

This one turned out cute and made me happy - a break crafting well spent you could say? Relaxed me I know that, and that gave me the push to get back to all the craziness!

Now pop over to Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge and see all the Distressing cards from the DT! Really gorgeous stuff...

Now I must return back to my list of things to do... I have a goal to get all caught up today!!! Hope I do so I can play tomorrow :0)

HUGS and have a wonderful Friday - see you tomorrow for Animal Crackers Saturday!

Me and My Space - A look into my Goodie Boxes

2011-10-13T02:30:00.000-05:00

Hi - Today for Me and My Space a day late I thought I would show you the inside of my Goodie Boxes :0) I have LOTS of different plastic boxes filled with all kinds of Embellishments. Many are from my Scrapbooking days, Lots of alphabets and such. While cleaning up my desk and a few drawers I kept coming across little bits of things. You know little boxes, packages and containers of those little things you want to keep close so you will remember to use them. Then they get buried and forgotten. Yep... that is what happened to lots of my things.

Well I kept piling them up and soon I had a pretty big pile. I went to sort things into those many many boxes and decided that I would just create two boxes that would sit on top of my desk, easy access and hopefully as I purchase or get new things they will go into these boxes and not buried. That is the plan today anyway, not that my plans always work out. :0)

So here is box one....

Now this box is the smaller things, brads, clips, a few special buttons, and such. I have a bigger brad box across the room. And it honestly is a pain to work out of and search in... so I rarely dig in it. This is some of my favorite brads, and newer brads. I Love those big jumbo brads, and above those are Doodlebug sugared brads.. oh yummy! In the center in the front... those are those tiny adorable Making Memories brads that look like tiny buttons. Above those are some new adhesive glittered round thingies I just found. On the top left.. those are all sorts of clips - love office supply clearance sections... LOL Those little test tube things, I got those on clearance in a small scrapbook store YEARS ago and lost them in my stash. They are tiny little letters... interesting... need to use them. On the right you see all types and shapes of paper clips. There are other things in here too but that is the high lights...

Box 2 -

This box weighs a ton... It is all the larger things. Most all of this is older stuff from my scrapbooking days, that I have pulled out to try and use more. Clear acrylic shapes. Frame galore! All kinds of shapes, and colors. I really need to use up some of these. In the front middle are stick pins... This box has just a lot of different things... oh including those dominoes :0) don't know where they came from where I will use them... but I am going to try!

I will say I don't know if it cuz they are new on my desk, or just that I have thought about things I have seen recently, but I have been digging in these two boxes and using a few things recently! YEA... I really need to use up some stash... sigh....

Now I thought I might also start showing you some of my other loves... Hubby and I collect all kinds of old stuff - I have been sucked into Vintage Blogs lately... and thought if you all wouldn't mind I might share some of my things as well...... If you don't like it... I'll stop :0)

So first off I thought I would share the back wall of my "new" kitchen. You might remember last year... just two weeks prior to my bosses and friends Heidi and Stuart from Stampavie were to come and then leave for CHA... Hubby started tearing apart my kitchen. We took out all the cabinets, put in new, new counter top (love that butcher block top from Ikea!) And a new tile back splash. We decided to not put upper cabinets on this one wall in my kitchen instead he built me these wonderful shelves to show off just a few of my collectibles. Oh.. Hubby finished the kitchen just with just over a day to spare before our guest arrived! LOL

A couple of my biggest loves is my Yellowware stoneware kitchen things. I have LOTS of this. I just put a few bowls out here. And then I adore vintage kitchen tin. I especially love Nesco's Garden Girl collection. Don't know why... just love that little gardening gal - she is so... so... so.... Leave it to Beaver Momish... LOL you know what I mean? Hair perfect, dressed perfect, out to do her gardening... Lets see what else is here... oh the birds are ones my FIL made years ago... we miss him. And having the birds all through out my house is a smile. I also have a few vintage repo toys - a few other pieces of pottery. And some older tin kitchen items. Really love that 1800's era kitchen tin. Just a bit pricey most of the time!

Well hope you enjoyed! Thanks for letting me share :0)
Have a great Thursday - see you tomorrow for Just Magnolia and Hanglar day!
HUGS and

Inky Impressions Challenge - A wonderful Sketch

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello - The normal scheduled Me and My Space will be on Thursday this week. Today is the Inky Impressions Challenge. And this week we have a sketch to work with.

I will say it was a long weekend, and I was running just a bit late for this challenge. But whew got it done in time. The wedding on Saturday was absolutely GORGEOUS! and the Rain held off. Well actually it rained a bit in the morning, then cooled off and was wonderful for the wedding. Then on Saturday night and Sunday Morning it rained.. and rained... and rained!!!! We got right at 2 inches on our property!!! We spent Monday working on the pens and mixing up some of the donkeys a bit and seriously you could already see little tiny green sprouts coming up! Hubby is going to work on seeding the pens as well this week, but oh my those little green sprouts of grass seriously made me want to cry! Our animals have been so craving fresh grass to eat. And here it comes! We opened up a space between two pens and let all the Mom's and babies mix up and have some area that had more green in it.. and man have they been going to town eating up the green that is growing. I'll show photos this weekend ;0)

Ok but now lets get to the challenge! It is a sketch this week, and was perfect for using Angelica's Sled, Angelica's Pretty Gifts and Did Someone Say Presents sentiment.

So I followed the sketch with papers from Bo Bunny's Blitzen Collection - I inked the edges of everything with Rangers Dauber Snow White paint. The papers are gorgeous, but a bit bold, so I softened them with the white paint a bit. For the corner embellishment I found chip board piece, I painted it with the same white paint, then added three snowflake buttons.

I colored my image with my Copics. Not so happy with my sunset or sunrise... did not turn out at all like I was hoping... blech... Need to work on that for my next one. I again did the snow with my Marvy Snow Marker. Totally love that :0) I stamped the presents separate, the cut them out and popped them onto the sled.

Isn't Angelica pretty? She is on sale right now at Inky Impressions... so hurry on over if you like her. They really have some adorable images.

And make sure to visit the challenge HERE You don't have to use an Inky Image to join us, but we love it when you do :0) But until you have your own Inky images do play along for a chance for the prizes OK?

Well that is it for today - I'll be back tomorrow with Me and My Space post - see you then!
HUGS and

Dust It Off Sunday- A Magnet?

2011-10-09T02:30:00.000-05:00

yes, for today's post I made a magnet! While sitting and watching the last Yankee Baseball Game... Boo Hoo... I was wanting to do something a bit different - something with a few of the products I had found while cleaning out the last couple of weeks. I had run across not one, not two but three boxes of Technique Tuesday's white chipboard shapes - I totally loved these when I bought them years and years ago! Now what was I going to make with them? Well I also came across three sets of stamps that I had gotten with a gift card a while back. I hadn't even opened them up yet... just been too busy with everything else I was working with. These stamp sets are from Stampers Anonymous, Tim Holtz Collection. "Good Thoughts" "Going Somewhere" and "Ultimate Grunge". (this set I think I just may be using a LOT more!) I totally love the look of Tim Holtz stuff... but I have a very hard time pulling it off. It is hard to be so free! LOL

Anyway... this is what I came up with...

Now you have to know here, I had no clue where I was going with this as I was making it. I was more or less just playing around with different things. First I started off by stamping the sentiment with embossing ink and embossing with espresso brown embossing powder. I then took the small checkerboard stamp from the grunge set and inked it with the embossing ink and stamped both sides of the chipboard, then heated with clear powder. (You can't really see that on the right I ended up covering most of it up) For some color I used my Pan Pastel paints and softly rubbed it down. making some areas a bit darker blue than others. I thought about just coloring with my Copics... but something I have learned... LOL ... Copics break down the embossing powder so don't do that ok?

Then I inked the edges with Tea Dye Distressing ink... it just had to have distressing ink on it, no choice there..... I then went to play with making my flower. I found a scrap piece of pink card stock. I stamped it with the tiny alphabet stamp from one of the sets, I used Papertrey Vanilla ink - love that stuff. I then punched out three medium EK Success flower punches and two small. The petals were all inked with the Distress Ink, then I rolled them in towards the center with a paper piercer.... to give the flower more shape. To Fern punches and Branch punches all inked of course. I then glued it down around the edge of the oval. The center of the flower was going to be some sort of bling... but it just didn't feel right as I put that down. So instead I used a dot of my new Viva Pearl Pen. Oh my I am loving that thing!!

From there I thought I was finished. I stuck down a piece of magnet to the back and sat it there on my desk in front of me. But it was just so empty on the left side. So I dug through my newly found brads! I remembered seeing dragon fly brads... and yes, they were the perfect finishing item!

It was fun, different and well... for me personally I really feel the statement is true to heart! I plan on putting this one on my fridge and enjoying it.

It was nice taking a break from my normal and playing... We all should do more of that!

I am scheduling this one just prior to going to the wedding. I don't know when we will be home so I thought it was better this way - We have LOTS of rain in the forcast. Yes, RAIN... we need it so badly, but seriously not funny for an OUT DOOR wedding and reception. I am hoping and praying that it just keeps it cooler for this evening, and once things wrap up then the skies let loose! Maybe that will happen... I'll let you know.

Have a wonderful Sunday :0)

Animal Crackers - Babies are so cute!

2011-10-08T02:30:00.000-05:00

I just adore all types of babies... we all do... but come on is there anything cuter than this?

This is Sonia... She really unbelievable. Gorgeous and super friendly. I just melt in those beautiful eyes -

This is Ramon. The Man... LOL He is going to make someone a wonderful stud jack one day. Hubby was telling him the other night that maybe we would keep him for the day we retire his Dad Black Jack..... Uh.. no we can't do that... He tells all the good looking boys that though.

And then there is the newest baby... Jose! Ok... now this guy I am secretly thinking we may save for a future stud Jack! LOL I can not even explain how totally gorgeous he is. One he is small, that is number one in a good stud. And two he has a solid black face, a really desirable look. And three his fur... The only way I can describe it is solid black with a shadow of silver. I have tried to capture it by camera and I just am not doing it justice. The silver is primarily on his legs, and chest... he has a bit on his rear end and tail as well. It is just totally gorgeous!

I have been asked how we tell the three babies apart... well... they are each totally different. :0) Sonia is short and has more of a red cast to her. Ramon is the tallest, and is a darker in color than Sonia. Jose he has the black face, and is the skinniest (at this point, he will fill in as he ages) I know I said something about trying to capture the three playing together... but it really hasn't happened yet -

Here Ramon was trying to play with Jose and Jose was just starting to play back... and then here comes MOM!!!! Look at that fast pace... those ears back... that stern look! Get away from my Son!!!! She is starting to let him away more, but she is a very protective Mom.... LOL

Ok the Babies are cute, but so are my full grown children! Here is Josephina "Josie" and Gloria enjoying the shade of a tree. They are so sweet. We added Gloria to our for sale page... but it is going to have to be a special person that I check out well! HA.. I do that with everyone that buys one our donkeys! ;0)

How is this for a LAZY afternoon photo? Seriously... they were all passed out! Love Jill on the far left totally laying across her son Louie...

I am so thrilled with our "future" stud buck. He is still pretty young - but man I am loving his coloring and personality. Still isn't as friendly as I would like but he is getting much better. You have to remember, we took him away from his Mom and all his friends, drove him in the front of the Truck and then dumped him in a pen with totally strangers, most of which where ladies telling him that they were in charge not him. Everyone is getting along much better now - and me... I am thrilled with getting Peso!

And I wonder why my floors are full of dirt, leaves and grass all the time? These two are the bestest of playmates. They play ALL the time!~ ok, they sleep too, but then they go right back to playing. When they are wrestling like this it gets hard to tell which one is Chica and which one is Autie! LOL (Chica is on the left here, Autie on the Right upside down)

And then there is our girl Libbie... She plays hard too... but only when she is in the mood. The rest of the day she is on watch!! When outside she runs from fence to fence and checks on all of HER Donkeys and all of HER Goats - She is in control of everything that goes on - The other animals, the cat, the insects, the squirrels and even the wind. She barks to give her instructions and tell everyone what they are suppose to be doing. My little leader... Libbie... LOL

Ok.. first I have to send out there a Happy Birthday to my Dad... he would have been 65 today. It is hard to believe it has been 11 years since we lost him. I miss you Dad... Happy Birthday.

Well.. busy day today... my best buddy Tracey's daughters wedding is this evening. I am sure it will be beautiful -

Have a great Saturday! Thanks for visiting me and my Animal Crackers :0)

Inky Impressions Inspiration - Holiday Tags!

2011-10-07T02:30:00.000-05:00

Today it is my turn to post on the Inky Impressions Inspiration blog. This week - haven't had the energy for a lot of inspiration, and then I ran across a few of my simple tags from Christmas last year. Time is short during the holidays, and I am not the best at planning ahead and working in advanced, and these tags are simple, but personal for your gifts.

First you start with a tag die. Any brand works, or you can hand cut them. But I like to mass produce these when making them and dies do speed things up. My die is from Papertrey Ink. I cut out how ever many I am ready to work with and usually I cut them out of kraft card stock. I like the vintage look for my Christmas packages.

I then choose a stamp -

How totally adorable is Delilah's Ducky Christmas So fun and cheerful! I just had to use this one, well... but it really didn't fit my vintage adult tag look -

Don't be afraid to use "parts" of your stamp!

With a vintage white ink I stamps off the side of the tag - yes.. sadly Delilah is missing but that adorable Duck was just not the best fit for my tag - and I just LOVE that Christmas tree! From there you do as much as you feel. For me I distressed the edges, inked the edges, added some twine at the top and a "To" and "From"... oh and I just have to put my bling on things.

And I just couldn't stand it... Delilah needed a tag too - so for the kids receiving gifts - I made up a few special tags with her as well...

Simple red paper, and these tags are ready for their gifts. Now these are simple and you can make up a whole bunch of them in a very short time - - -

But if you have more time, and get started now you can really make them special!

Ok, I love this one more... I just may have to get busy now... I colored with my Copics, and added lots of stickles and bling on this one.

These tags add a wonderful personal touch to any gift! Now take a look at your stamps or part of your stamps and maybe you can add your touch to your gifts.

I hope you enjoyed my inspiration today - Thanks so much for looking.
MichelleO

Me and My Space - More Peeking in my Drawers and a Candy Winner :0)

2011-10-05T02:30:00.000-05:00

Hi - Did you think I had fallen off the the earth again? Sorry - was a tough couple of days, allergies, headache, and then yesterday I had my first big eye exam since I finished up with my accident last year. I can report for that - everything is good. My "good" eye - I say that loosely cuz I am blind as a bat without my glasses, but she said everything was healthy and my injured eye seems to have healed well and adjusted well. Now I have an appointment in a month to see the Dr. that made my prosthetic eye and check on it and polish it. Yes... I have to have it polished once a year - Make sure I have that sparkle in my eye :0) Anywho... I have been wiped out and worn out. Having trouble even crafting the past week.

So for today I though I would show you the other three Canvas Dotted Shelf Baskets... I showed the first three last week - This is the three furthest away from my desk.

Top Drawer -

We will call this my hmmmm..... To alter drawer? To Decorate drawer? I don't know what to call it! But it has many of the smaller things I have in my stash to decorate and or alter in future projects. Blank Calendars, photo books, ornaments, Coasters, Jumbo paper clips, Canvas, and notebooks. Lots and Lots of little goodies to play with!!

Middle Drawer -

Simply put.. Envelopes - yep... all sizes shapes and colors. Boring, but very necessary as a card maker ;0)

Bottom Drawer -

Oops... Autie wanted to see in this drawer too... sorry :0)

Lets try again -

This is what I am calling my overflow and not used much drawer. I have a pile of mulberry roses that wouldn't fit in my main flower drawer. As I use them up these will go and fill in. The white Baby wipe box has little inks, pens and markers in it. The clear divided box has beads. And then in the front I have a couple of Fiskars tools for working with silk flowers.

Yep... overflow and not used much. Why here right next to my desk? I am hoping later to clean out a shelf across the room and move things there. But for now it is at least all sorted here.

Now I have been just giggling with excitement over this....

I was trying to come up with a way to label my canvas drawers that are my daily used items on my desk. ( I have showed them on a past Me and My Space Post ) NOW... HOW CUTE DID THESE TURN OUT??!! I used my Nesties Fancy tag, cut out blue card stock, typed out my labels... Bling, Ink Pads, Glues and Tapes... etc... glued them onto the tags, then used mini brads and poked straight into the canvas and attached them! Totally makes me smile and look up and see them! I am working on labels for all the drawers all around me now!

Alright I'll settle down now and do the winner for last weeks stamps -

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-10-05 00:19:17 UTC

Winner is:
Karen McAlpine said...I like your idea of the "working drawer". I use a file box type thing for this. But, it was over flowing. I did clean it out and refiled some of the things elsewhere. I keep several folders full of stamped images for quick cards. The blog candy stamps look scrumptious. I would love to give them a new home. Great job cleaning! Have a great day!!

Karen - email me (michelleo@hughes.net) your mailing address and I'll get these out to you ASAP!

Alright I am off now - lots to catch up on and I think Hubby and I are going to run a few errands first and then come home to chores.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Baby Jose and a few photos from our Day

2011-10-01T08:37:00.001-05:00

I am so sorry I am late this Saturday... we got home last night from our day of Antiquing at the show and honestly, I could not function to edit photos or type. I got up at 3:45 am and then all the million of miles of walking I was done for the day. :0) Our day trip was wonderful, we saw LOTS and LOTS of wonderful things. Didn't bring home much, but most of my wants were pretty large and I have no space, and that was good for the wallet too... cuz OUCH prices were high on the things I fell in love with! LOL as usual.....

First up thought I have to show you baby photos right! Baby Jose is just a doll. He is so loving already, well when his Mom will allow it that is. She is a super protective Mom, and unless you force her to let you have some time with the baby she is constantly herding him off so NO one can have access to him. She especially is making sure he isn't spending time with those rowdy children Ramon and Sonia! Just unruly! I give her a week... then the three kids will be totally out of control and she will decide that letting him play with the other two gives her a bit of free time.

So here is our traditional "Dad" photo - Jose is really going to be a looker! His face is solid black and he has a light cross down his back. Handsome man huh? OH Hubby is a looker too :0)

What a good boy.. he stays right with Mom Jolene... now anyway... Soon he'll be one of the rowdy ones off bucking and kicking and playing out of control. But those first few days whatever Mom wants she gets!

And after a few minutes of us loving all over her boy, she was done with us. And took him off to the other end of the pen. Man they are even cute walking away aren't they?

I can't wait to get video of them all playing. I love when there are multiple babys so close in age in one pen. Too cute for words, and so I'll just have to capture it on video for you! Maybe by next week ;0)

Ok now I thought since I didn't get any other animal photos this week I would share a few from my day out with Hubby yesterday. We went to the Roundtop/Marberger Antique Show here in Texas. I believe it is one of the largest antiquing events in the country. We were up before 4 am and after all our morning animal chores were done we were on the road to make the hour and half drive to the show.

It was a gorgeous sunrise on the road.....

I only got a few photos during the day, I kept thinking I needed to stop and take pictures, and then something would catch my eye and I would loose that thought... Ha!

One thing I just have been totally nuts over the past couple of years is these....

Post Office and Store Displays.....

If we ever rebuilt or built on another room to our house, One of these would for sure be in the plans. I just totally love them! Oh I stopped and looked at every map case and small drawer furniture there was, and there LOTS and LOTS of them. But these cases, I just adore. But you can see they are enormous so I am only dreaming here -

Something I could find room in my house and mainly craft room for this totally amazing store display... do you know what this is for?

It may be hard to see... I had a VERY hard time getting a photo. It was so crowded with both people and stuff I couldn't move around. Ok... so let me see if I can explain... On the smaller end here those middle doors open up and you can rotate those inside shelves. Hint here.. those inside shelves are rounded.... Then on the each of the longer sides it has those six doors that open down. And oh... the old wavy glass was just gorgeous on each panel. The doors open down on each row... to make is super easy to get......

Ribbon rolls!!! It is a store display for rolls of ribbon!!!! OH drool drool drool!!! I would toss out of my craft room in a second to have this in there!!!! But oops... the price tag. Yep... it was not cheap at all! Sigh... maybe one day I'll find one.... I hope I hope I hope!

There was only two other things I really really really really wanted to bring home - This is one of them.......

Can you totally see this in my house! Now I have showed you in the past I collect all things donkey. I have a cabinet in my living room that is full to the exploding with vintage toys, glass, porcelain and modern toys... but this oh my this would be the massive cherry topping! I must tell you it is HUGE. I think it stood 4 feet tall. It was made in the late 1800's I think it said. You would hook it up to a wooden cart, and it actually moved when pulling the cart. Hubby had to totally pull me away. I wanted it SO SO SO bad. OH wait... it was nearly $4,000 Oh yea, that was why we walked away. Isn't he great though?

The other item we walked away from I didn't get a photo of. it was a two foot tall wooden rocking donkey. Totally cute, but not in great shape and was almost $1,000. I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as the folk art donkey -

But I did come home with this :0)

I have the bested Hubby in the world. He is a sterling silver pin!! So totally love him. And this isn't some tiny little pin. Nope he is a huge Hee Hawing 3 inches tall! I look in all the cases, you never know what you will see packed in those case of stuff in a booth... we went into one booth and this lady had tons and tons of sterling. I have a charm bracelet I have worn for years, and I love to look at all the vintage charms. And then there he was, sitting in this case of all kinds of animal pins.... I pointed to him and said very calmly... "May I see this one please?" It was hard to sound calm and polite you understand. Hubby was already deep into the booth and turned to see what I was having them pull out. As soon as he made it back my way it was already in my hands, and I think he knew I really didn't want to let it go. He looked at the lady and said... "I think we have to have that" I just love him. OH but he wouldn't buy me that $4,000 dollar donkey...... OH heck I still love him! I wore this guy all day and had lots of comments about how cute he was.

As we walked the million miles - yep... my legs will confirm it was a million miles of hard walking! I saw lots of pretty things. I really was trying to find some goodies to use in crafting. You know the vintage stuff that is so wonderful to use? But honestly... didn't see much that jumped at me, and when I did see something the prices were just too insane. But it was a wonderful day, and we totally enjoyed all of it. We stopped for dinner on the way home, and got home just as it was getting dark.

Thanks for letting me show off a bit of our day... instead of normal animal crackers posting. Back to regular schedule next week ;0)

Have a wonderful Saturday!
HUGS and

Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge - a sketch

2011-09-30T02:30:00.000-05:00

Friday - man this week has gone fast! Lots to show, Lots to still do, run run run...

This week at Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge there is a fabulous sketch to work with by fellow Dt member Jane . I loved working with this sketch.

A rare thing for me is I made the card first - then chose my image and colored it. Don't know why I did that this week, I NEVER do that. But I guess that was cuz I really liked the sketch and went to work on it... I saw these Webster Papers while cleaning out this week. That may have been my excitement for the sketch too...

So I followed the sketch... using sage green card stock, cream card stock and two pieces of websters pattern paper. Love the roses! So pretty! For my band across the middle I used a vintage piece of white ribbon lace that I painfully wove sage green ribbon through.... then once the card was done you can hardly see it! darn it. My sentiment is Rubbernecker stamps, well have of one... I cut the top of the sentiment off... just wanted this part "Live Laugh Love" Now for the image....

Used one of my gifted stamped out images, I colored her with my Copics - when done, the background was really white... so I colored that too... Love how that came out, it matches the papers much better - Now that wagon... well it was really empty, needed something. But I wasn't planning on adding any flowers to the card, didn't want them to compete with the pattern paper.... so I used them! I cut out a few of the roses from a scrap of the paper and placed them in the wagon! What do you think? odd?

Oh and then I decided that I wanted to go ahead and add the butterfly. There was one on the sketch, you can add anything really... but I went with the butterfly. This is a new die to me, I think I love it. Cheery Lynn Designs butterfly. You get three different dies in this set, I punched on Bazzil Bling card stock then colored with my Copics to give more colors and stickles for some added sparkle to the center.

This was a great sketch, I do believe that I will be using it over again. Hope you will be visiting the Just Magnolias and Hanglars challenge and trying it out yourself!

A Hubby day today - he is off work, and I think we are going to chill and do some Antique-ing. Just a day to see pretty things and let the brain rest.

Hope you have a wonderful day planned too! HUGS and-

Tina Wenke Winter Accordian Card

2011-09-29T02:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it was my turn post at the Stampavie DT Blog - and things have been so over booked this week, so I am showing my project here today on my blog :0) If you already saw it over just smile again it here ok?

It started off with my Sizzix Bigz Accordian Album die. Hasn't been used in a while and I thought it might make a nice and different little card or book for someone. Don't know if it will fit in any envelope as it ended up really thick, but I had a lot of fun creating it!

The front, I kept pretty simple. Covered all the chipboard pieces in cream colored card stock and inked them all. Then I found Christmas papers, matted them and sewed them together. The "Title" of my little book I used Tina Wenke's Holiday Hugs sentiment, punched out and then created a pleated flower behind it. Simple ---- then I went to work on the inside :0)

Did I have some fun here or what! I used four of the new Tina Wenke Winter release stamps. Alex in the Snow with Puppies, Jane Skating, Sam skating, and Sarah in the Snow with Kittie Loved all four of these images when I saw them. And all together they just work so perfectly! I colored them with Letraset Promarkers - Then went just nuts with all kinds of embellishments! Twine, snowflakes, buttons, flowers, pleated flowers, Tim Holtz tickets, and even a small little thermometer!Here are some close ups -

Hope you like my Winter Accordian Card :0) Are you having fun with new release images? Now if only winter would start to show up here in Texas! But until then I'll just keep coloring winter inside!

See you tomorrow for Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge!
HUGS and -

HUGS -MichelleO

Inky Impressions Challenge - Punches and Dies and a Bundle of JOY!! ;0)

2011-09-28T02:30:00.000-05:00

Today is my week for the Inky Impressions Challenge, and the challenge this week is to have fun with your punches and dies! I also have something brand new to show off at the end of the post!! Lets just say Jolene wanted to be next in line and show off what she has been up to the last 11 months!

But first let me show off my Inky Impression card - then you can oooh and ahhh ok?

But warning.. I went just a bit nuts with LOTS of my dies! LOL

I felt like a kid with this one! It was lots of fun to create! I started off with Deputy Christopher I just love this little dude. He is so cute! I colored with my Copics, and then added some "weeds" from Rubberstamps Tapestry.

Then to the card - lets see... This is sort of an easel card, with an extra fold I guess? I used Tim Holtz City scape die, then my Papertrey Ink fence, and then a Spellbinders pocket watch - I added some scrap papers behind all the windows.. just needed some lights on you know? The fence I cut out of Core-dinations paper and sanded it. A fence needs to be worn and old right? Then the words... I found deep in my stash, scrabble words - they seemed perfect to me! This card just makes me smile :0)

Howdy :0) isn't he cute?

And I almost forgot I wanted to show off the pocket watch close up. I die cut it out of the same paper as the fence... sanded, and then I topped it off with one of my vintage watch faces that I found in an antique shop a while back. It fit just right! And then two metal dots for added texture.

Now that is my card... maybe a little overboard with the dies and punches, but man was it fun! Make sure to pop over to the Inky Impressions Challenge and see all the wonderful projects by the other DT members!

OOPS almost forgot... I promised some ooohs and ahhhs didn't I?
Look what we woke up to yesterday morning ;0)

Jolene was showing signs Sunday that she might be wanting to go first - Monday afternoon yep... she was going to have her baby and soon... so we went on watch, and when we got out of bed she had just delivered him! A stunning solid black boy we named Jose! I'll get some cute and fuzzy photos of him for you, this was his first standing, just after being born. All legs and ears! Love that solid black face! He is a handsome guy isn't he?

Hope you enjoyed - thanks so much for popping in!
See you tomorrow!
HUGS and