Baby chicks and a few favorite chickens

This morning I was able to snap a quick picture of the grey hen and her babies. It looks like we may only have two from her. She is very protective and I had to pick her up to get the quick look at the chicks. They both look great I am going to have to relocate them to a safer place tomorrow I think.  Mingling among all the other chickens is dangerous for them until they get a little bigger. Aren't they cute!

This is the General, he is our Dominique rooster, he rules the flocks, making sure that any fights get broken up. He does not tolerate picking on each other in his house! Even though they have roost in the house they all choose to huddle around him to sleep it is sweet.

This is Bella Blue, she had a rough start as a baby chick. Her momma has only hatched one chick since I had her and she was not a very good mom. I found her squished and pecked in horrible shape so I placed her in a small box so I could find suitable housing for her. I placed her up high where I thought she would be safe, but within minutes a group of curious chickens found her and knocked her from her 5 feet to the ground. Then since she was injured they started to peck at her. I felt horrible, thankfully I got to her quickly and she lived for 5 months on my screen porch. My DH was not thrilled with the mess she would make, but I was scared to put her out with the flock. This spring I slowly introduced her to everyone and every night would have to tuck her in as she was too scared to go in by herself. She is now fully integrated with everyone, still a little flighty around some of the bigger chickens. But she comes right up to me and loves to be carried and petted. She is by far my prettiest hen and the sweetest.

Cool flowers

Sorry I have been MIA lately, my Mom is visiting from MD and we have been busy spending time with her. It is dreadfully hot here and looks like we may get a break in the next few day! The card was stamped with a script stamp in grey then I stamped the floral image in versamark and heat embossed with clear. Then I used tumbled glass and broken china to color the image. It was cut using a spellbinder die and then attached to an embossed script white cardstock. The ribbon is a silk ribbon that I colored with the same distressed inks.

Today I went out to put our chickens out and found 2 baby chicks have hatched, we have a black and buff babies, and 5 more eggs to hopefully hatch. I had not intended on having chicks hatch but when we went away the girls decided to get busy and had a nest when we returned. I guess they were a little territorial and the couple we had taking care of the animals was scared to move them.  So I decided to go ahead and let a few hatch to keep flock replenished.  We have quite a few roosters that hatched from last year that need to go, they are getting too aggressive toward the hens. Once the babies get use to me I will post some pictures. Have a great Tuesday!

Purple and Green

I stamped the cling floral (Hero Arts),  colored with copics BV00, BV02 & BV04. Then I stamped a script background from PTI in grey Memento ink and overstamped the flourish (Hero Arts)  in Celadon ink (PTI). I added the pearsl, something I collect and rarely use and attached the panel to purple cardstock.

I think I am going to add this as decor to the babies room. I have to find a frame or something but I love these colors and need some "girly" decor for her room. I have yet to buy one girly thing, I just haven't been able to yet! We had my in-laws visit over the weekend, we went out to eat at Nikki's a Hibachi place, it was so good! Then we went to get ice cream and order my DH ice cream pie. We have a place called Boombalattis in Wilmington that has to die for ice cream! Now we are preparing for my Mom to visit, we haven't seen her in awhile so everyone is very excited. It is going to be super hot, so we need to plan some things to do! Have a great week.

I finally played with the new canvas background stamp from hero arts. I love all the beautiful cards I have seen other making but have not know what to do with it. I decided a simple background would dress this flower image up. I stamped the flower with hero arts chalk ink  and PTI Spring moss. Then I used the same chalk ink to ink the canvas stamp, their ink provides awesome coverage. All stamps are hero arts. TFL

I am excited it is Friday, but this week sure did fly by. DH has been working long hours so hopefully he will get to relax a little for Father's Day weekend. My in-laws are coming by for a quick visit on their way to San Francisco via the motorcycle. Then my Mom is visiting for a week, Owen is so excited to have Nannie come! So next week is going to be a busy one. Hope everyone has a great Father's Day weekend!

Floral thank you

While working on my card design I kept trying to find a coordinating color to use as my background. After many different choices, I finally decided to try white. I realized I hardly use white, but it creates such a nice dramatic effect. I will have to try to incorporate it more in my projects. I stamped the floral stamp in versamark and embossed in detail white powder on a piece of Memory Box PP. I then die cut it in the deckled oval shape, love the deckle shapes! The white background was embossed and the butterfly was stamped on the same PP and cut out. The sentiment was then attached to the card.

Chris got an old antique school desk from a friend for the boys Monday. It is so nice, solid, and has adjustable heights. During the summer we do Summer School for Owen, to keep him on track and to see if one day I may be able to homeschool him. We are on day three and so far he is doing wonderfully, we set goal and rewards to make it fun and this year we are trying to include Wyatt in some of the learning. Hope everyone has a good Wednesday

It sure is hot here!

 While Wyatt napped today I worked in my office, this card is all Hero Arts stamps. I stamped the cling notepad in light grey ink and overstamped the flower on that. I colored with copics BV01, BV02, BV04, YG93,YG95 & YG97. It is die cut with a spellbinder die and attached to embossed lavendar cardstock.

Yesterday and today have been HOT here in Eastern NC. My poor DH and our crew have been trying to beat the heat by starting work at 5:30, and staying hydrated. By the end of the workday everyone is wore out and ready to go home! This time of year is always tough here especially for our line of work.

Back home again

I made this card for neighbors of our  family farm in Galax, VA, we tried to have the boys fish in our pond but the brush had grown up so high we couldn't get to the bank. Chris decided he would ask the neighbor if we could fish at their pond and they were so wonderful. They let us borrow their polaris ranger, fishing tack, and bait. As we had only corn and bread for the carp in our pond. He stocks his pond full of bluegill, carp and bass. It was full of fish and Owen caught 4 nice fish! Chris had only met them once before, they were the sweetest couple. I find it very refreshing to meet wonderful, nice people in todays world.  I used the new house stamp and stamped it on various patterns and cut out to assemble the house. I used copic markers for the tree and the window sills. The background is a script stamp, stamped in black ink on kraft.All stamps are hero arts.

We arrived home yesterday, and had a wonderful time on vacation! The boys were so much fun and so good.  I had a little time to finally make a card while Wyatt took a nap. We had a hectic morning our oldest dog had a Chiropractor appt. Then our youngest dog went missing, which is very unlike him. He found us almost two years ago and doesn't ever go anywhere. I looked everywhere, finally made up signs started laminating them and thought I would look around the property again. I went back behind my office and he had squeezed under the stairs in the shade. It is brutally hot here and he did not want to be put up in the kennel where he goes every day. The only reason he has to be in there is he still chases my chickens and guineas. Owen and I were very happy to know he was okay! I am posting a few more pictures of our trip also.

Wyatt at Foscoe Mining Company, the boys got so dirt and had a blast panning for gems.

Owen's first fish he caught and our accommodations for the night the old milking parlor. It was really not bad at all, especially when the big storm hit later that night and we all stayed nice in dry!

Tweetsie RR

Today is a totally non-craft post for we are finally taking our first ever family vacation of four! Both the boys love trains so when I saw Thomas was going to be at Tweetsie RR in Boone,   I planned our trip. I knew it was going to be a bad time to have Chris leave work, but Thomas only comes for a week. I told my DH we were going with or without him, and thankfully he was able to come. The boys would have been very disappointed with just me as I was unable to ride most of the rides since I am pregnant (bummer). Chris was on the phone for a good bit of the day putting out fires as we call it, but we are here and that is what is important.  The boys were so excited to ride on Thomas, and to see Sir Topham Hat too! They both were so good, Wyatt was awesome on the 5 hour trip here, not one complaint from him.  Wyatt rode everything even the crazy spinning rides, he loved it. Owen of course was his usual outgoing self, with no fear and had a blast on all the rides. I love his spirit, and it seem Wyatt is like him in that way so far. Tomorrow we are going to try gem mining and then downtown Boone and on Sat. we are heading up to Galax to visit the family farm. I have agreed to try to rough it and we are camping up there. Not sure how that will go, should be interesting!

Summertime butterflies

I made this card for the Hero arts June Challenge: Theme Summertime. I love seeing the butterflies during the summer, there are so many different colors and species. This is a new stamp from Hero arts, and it is so fun to paper piece. I used some scraps from the baby announcement card, I love these papers from Memory Box. I think I need to order some more!  I stamped it on various pieces of pattern paper and cut and pieced the butterfly together. I stamped a die cut with a  background design with Spring Moss over the white paper and attached the butterfly to it. Then I embossed the purple die cut and attached to the pattern paper. The sentiment was stamped then the same background design was stamped with the second impression using spring moss to give it a softer color.Finally I used a spica gel pen in clear to accent the butterfly, it is hard to see on the photo.  I love how this turned out!

My little one is not feeling well, seems to be similar to the virus Owen had last month. A fever, swollen glands and feeling tired. Of course we have a trip I have been planning for months scheduled for later this week. For now we are just resting and getting lots of fluids in him. I am hoping by then he will feel better!

Sketch Challenge

One of the blogs I follow had posted a link for a challenge by  ABC Toys and Crafts. This is my version of the sketch. I love this stamp by Memory Box, it was stamped with Memento Ink, and colored with copics B00, B02 & B04 and then Y000. I used an embossing folder for the texture and the rick-rack die from PTI.

Looking forward to hopefully a fun day at the beach with the boys tomorrow. It's been hot here so it will be nice to play in the water!

Guess what...

We found out Thursday we are having a girl! When we decided we wanted to add another child to our family, everyone assumed we were trying for a girl, since we have two boys already. More than anything I just wanted to have another child, but the truth be told I was terrified it would be a girl. I have been so nervous about this ultrasound. I am use to boys, have all boy things and my boys are rough and tumble adding a girl to the mix is a scary thing. However, yesterday Owen had an Awards Ceremony for completing first grade. While talking to his teacher a little girl who was sitting near us had heard our conversation. She looked at me and said, "Girls are fun, and not scary at all, you will be just fine" then she added "except for my big sister". Then I looked around at all the little girls in his class and though  I will be fine! That is why I love kids, they see things so much simpler than we do and untainted. We make things so complicated and stressful, if only we could keep that outlook as we grew older. How much happier the world would be!  We will all find our groove and things will be crazy, but that is okay too!  I am sure she will be able to hold her own against her brothers, but I also see how sweet and caring Owen is to Wyatt and know he will adore her. A friend told Chris, well your days of hunting and fishing are over its tea parties for you now! I thought that was funny! I am starting to get excited about the cute clothes, buying dolls, and making her a quilt. I think I am going to make the quilt using a similar color pallet like the above card. All stamps are PTI, the PP is Memory Box. I paper pieced the house and sign.  Thank for stopping by have a great weekend!

Daffodil tag

Happy Tuesday! I love short weeks, I hope everyone had a relaxing Memorial Day. I have enjoyed making tags lately instead of the standard cards. This one uses another set from PTI: Year of flowers Daffodil. I love their flower sets, they are designed so pretty and are easy to apply different techniques on them. This one I used paper piecing, the background was stamped with a script in a dark brown and a dot stamp in a lighter brown. Then I stamped the image in black for placement and then stamped again on various colors to make up the flower. The images were cut out and and attached to the tag. I cut the butterfly out of the same pattern paper.

Owen had the best day ever (according to him) last week, when a friend of ours invited him to check out their Swamp Logging operation. Owen love the show Swamp Loggers, and before this he was sure he wanted to be a Landscaper like his Daddy. Then he saw all the awesome equipment they use when they log around this wet NC land and he was hooked! Poor Chris he is no longer Owen's idol, it is Mr. Wes! Owen was on cloud nine when he got home, had me print his pictures so he could show everyone at school. We are so appreciate of our friend for taking the time to have Owen over, he absolutely loved it!