R and R at the Retreat

I took time out as I usually do when I'm at the retreat to walk around and explore on Friday and Saturday. On Thursday some of the ladies spotted a flock of wild turkeys! I had left my SLR camera in my truck and had to scramble to get it. I did manage to snap a few pics but I could never quite get close enough to them for good ones.

 These guys can cover some ground!

The beginning of Thursday's sunset. This is one of my favorite parts of the retreat!

 Last look before the sun goes down below the horizon.

 One last look before going back for dinner.

 This was taken during my walk on Friday. I just love when you can see the moon in the sky before the sun goes down.

 I'm always looking for opportunities to take pictures of birds as I have a couple of friends who are bird watchers. This little flock of birds made me smile. As I was walking through the hay pasture they would all fly at the same time and land again just a bit further ahead of me. I had a difficult time trying to photograph this behavior but settled for this shot.

I found this little guy on my walk Saturday afternoon.

I really had a hard time trying to get in position to get a better shot without making too much noise. They can't see very well but they can hear and smell. I think he's got a whiff of my sent here!

Have a good one!

Spring is Around the Corner

Spring isn't far away and there are many hints to that fact. Like the blossoms on a plum tree I see on my way to feed Clyde.

Then there's my bulb plants in my flower bed. Yes, you see horse poop! Don't knock it. It makes great fertilizer!

Although it was only in the upper 50's Tuesday, with a light jacket it was pleasant. I decided to take Kaidence for a walk. One of my goals this year is to walk more with her. We both could use it! We went to a place I used to frequent when I still had Mercy & Kajen. It's a place that I can let Kaidence off the leash to run and explore without worrying about her. Not that I do as she generally stays pretty close.

We went down in a creek for her to play in the water. When the creek is dry I like to walk the creek bed. We had enough moisture lately that it was too wet to do that.

Lots of cacti on part of the walk.

There's a little love among all those thorns!

I found these little blooms. They are very pretty against the start brownness of dead foliage.

Kaidence exploring. Look at all that green!

On the way back home we came upon these beautiful blossoms.

And we saw this very unusual tree.

Kashton has yet to make his appearance. Doyle & I thought for sure Vanessa wouldn't go past February but unless she goes into labor the next few hours he's going to be a March baby! She has an appointment with her doctor tomorrow so we'll she if she has had any changes. Keannon will be home tomorrow too. Maybe Kashton is just waiting for Daddy to get home!

That's all for now. Have a good one!

Ride!

I had a great time at the scrapbooking retreat this past weekend. I completed 21 pages and altered a card box. As always I would have liked to accomplished more but overall I'm pleased. I scrapbooked pics of the girls birthday  party making separate layouts for both girls scrapbooks. I must say I was most pleased with this accomplishment.

I made this layout using new paper from Moxie that Cathy brought to the retreat. I'm sure you recognize the pics from a previous blog that you can see here. I need to tell you how I created it because I altered the paper to get the flourishes to go the way I wanted. The right side I cut the paper in thirds and taped it back together.

I also made this one page from the same collection.

On this one I popped the hat and rope by cutting it out of the paper and layering it on the other. I then used glossy accents on the rope and bling for the hat. You can click on the picture for a closer look or better yet, head on down to Cat's Creations where you will find these on display in the store. Speaking of Cat's its WOW Wednesday over at Cat's Creations Blog. Leave me a comment then head on over to Cat's Blog and check out others who have linked up. Cat's will give away blog candy to a random commenter!

Have a good one!

VCMP Challenges 1 and 2

It seems like every time Operation Write Home (OWH) has a Virtual Card Making Party (VCMP) I'm busy and can't participate until its over! Thankfully they have people like me in mind and leave their submissions open for a few more days. I have until February 25th but I also have a retreat! I do plan to make some cards but my main goal is to get some scrapbook pages done!

The first challenge of OWH VCMP is to make cards using Zig Zag elements (or more properly known as Chevrons). You can use stamps, scissors, rulers, or even paper. I chose to use paper.

The chevron or zigzag paper is Carta Bella "Paris Girl" I had left from a couple of page layouts I made to display at the store (Cat's Creations). The stamp is from Unity. For some interest and dimension I used liquid pearls on the sheep for the wool.

I hadn't done it intentionally but I realized that this card also meets the criteria for the second challenge which is  is to make a card that features a critter of some sort. Puppies, birds, turtles etc. The theme is All Creatures Great and Small; Cards for Kids. I also needed a card to send to Remi so I made more than one. Although a bit plain I was pleased with how it turned out.

I also managed to get a layout done last Saturday during the crop after things settled down at the store!

This is the left side of a 2 page layout. I used papers from the new Teresa Collins Collection "He Said She Said" for pictures from Vanessa's baby shower. The little banner across the invitation was a photo of an actual banner that was made for the shower with Kashton's name. I cut it out and hung it like a banner on the invitation. The baby shower theme was "mustache bash".

I thought it was really cool how there was a 12x12 paper of all different styles of mustaches! It worked perfectly! Vanessa had a mustache painted on a single nail and mustache earrings! Pretty cute. I plan to use some more of this paper for the shower pics I have. If you want a closer look just click on the photo. Or better yet go to the store and see the layout for yourself!


It's WOW Wednesday at Cat's Creations Blog. Be sure to check out the blogs linked at Cat's to see all the creativity of our customers! Leave a comment if you visit. We all liked to be encouraged. For a little incentive Cat's is offering blog candy to a random commenter so the more comments you leave the greater your change to win!

Before you go...I thought I would also take time to tell you about Valentine's Day. Thursday is my day to work at the store and Doyle was on duty at the fire station so I wasn't expecting anything. I was however going to my daughter's to spend the night as it was her first in the new house alone. Hubby had to go back on rotation to his job in Ok.

I went to her house that morning to drop off Kaidence. I gave Kennedy and Vanessa their Valentine's I had got for them. This is what I gave to Kennedy and also sent to Remi.

Kennedy's favorite thing was the lip gloss! I was in such a hurry that I didn't take time to get pictures! I was rather agitated with myself over that!

My first surprise of the day was Kennedy coming to see me at the store after "Mother's Day Out".

Then I got an even bigger surprise!

Hubby came to see me AND brought me something! I was so surprised that when Cathy asked for my phone to take a picture I was in a daze! She asked me 3 times before it registered what she wanted to do! This is what was inside.

Can you say YUMMY?!


Well, that wraps it up for me. I still have LOTS to do to get ready to leave Thursday for the retreat! I can hardly believe I got this done!

Have a good one!

Love and WOW Wednesday

It's WOW Wednesday over at Cat's Creations Blog and it's Valentine's Eve. I had hoped to have some page layouts for you this time but I had some very special people I wanted to make Valentine's Cards for.

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I made this card for my Lil' Peanut "Miss Kennedy". I bought her and Remi kaleidoscopes and slinkys I found at VF Factory outlet on sale after Christmas. I put them in the closet to give to them for Valentine's. I already mailed Remi's package and card on Monday. Do you remember how much fun those toys were?! When I saw them I just had to get them!

I also had to get the lip gloss. Kennedy LOVES lips gloss and chapstick!

Ok, back to the card. Once again I used an image from Sliekje Digi Stamps: De eerste. The DP is Bo Bunny's Valentine Collection "A Gift of Love". I think it's last year collection. The sentiment was a $1 stamp I found at Michaels.

I used Operation Write Home sketch 157 to make this card.

I made this card for my daughter.

This is the same paper collection. I stamped the large heart with Versamark ink on red paper and heat embossed with white powder. I then cut out the heart shape and put foam tape behind it for dimension. I was thinking I would have to make my own sentiment. I was thinking about saying "I don't say it enough". I looked through my stamps and found this one that said "For all the time I've let it go unsaid..." Perfect! On the inside it says "I love you". I put foam tape behind the sentiment on each end as the part across the heart was already popped from the tape behind the heart. I then added a touch of ribbon.

For this card I used another OWH sketch 159.

The deadline for Valentine's cards has come and gone but I will use these sketches to make some cards for OWH very soon! Next deadline is March 31st for Mother's Day. I'll be working on those soon.

Now if you've made it this far, leave me a little luv ("comment" in layman's terms) and you have a chance to win a prize (we call that "blog candy"). Cat's Creations randomly picks someone who has commented on blogs that have linked their handiwork to Cat's Creations Blog blog. Go to Cat's Creations for all the "scoop" (details).

I'm at the store tomorrow. Wonder what "Cat" has for us to do?! It's always fun! Then I'll be celebrating the "day of LOVE" with my girls! Looking forward to that!

Have a good one! Oh and Happy Valentine's Day!

Do Over

My last blog post I showed you a card that I entered in Digi Haven: Love/Valentine Challenge. One of the design team members after complimenting my card graciously pointed out that it didn't meet the criteria for the challenge in that I didn't use a digital image.  Now mind you I have done Digi Haven challenges before and I KNEW that! I guess in my creative frenzy I was concentrating more on the "theme" of the challenge! Silly me. So...I created another card with a digital image this time!

For this card I used sketch 32 from the sketch challenge over at Seems A Little Sketchy. Here's the sketch.

Here's my card

The papers are from Echo Park's "Yours Truly" Valentine collection from last year. My image is from Sliekje Digi Stamps. I just love her images and have used several to make cards with. She is very generous to offer them for free which is an added bonus.

I colored the kitten with my Copic markers. I used my twinkling H2O's "poppy" to color the hearts. I wrote "Be Mine" with a white Signo uni-ball pen. The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon Club. I think I may send this card to my granddaughter Remi for Valentine's Day.

That's it for me. It's moving day for my kids tomorrow. I think my part will be to watch the kids while everyone else does the hard work.

Have a good one!

Is Winter Over?

Don't we wish?! The last several days have lulled me into thinking so plus seeing my daffodils and tulips pushing up through the dirt!

But this I know from experience. Winter isn't over until after Easter which is the last Sunday in March this year (March 31st). I remember a couple of times when Easter fell around the 1st week of April and we actually had SNOW! I even have a picture with snow on Blue Bonnets (our state flower)! Of course it only lasted one day but still!

l After several days of  upper 60's and lower 70's another front is on the way to bring temps back to what is normal this time of year.

I got something new!

Hubby installed it yesterday! I didn't even know I was getting one until the day it showed up! Now that's a surprise! I can actually use an oven again! I have gotten by with a toaster oven for hmmm...several years! And when the toaster oven wasn't big enough I would borrow the stove in the Peanut Palace. Before that I just had to make do! One time I remember needing to make a cake and took it to church to bake in the oven there! I started thinking about it and I have NEVER had a new oven in my entire adult life! Even when we bought our first home the appliances were original to when it was built and that was 20 years ago then! Remember Coppertone?!

I'm not much of a cook but I'm one happy camper to finally have a stove where the oven works and the knobs don't fall off :) Of course now my hubby is in a dilemma.He asked me last night "where do you stop?" I said "What do you mean?" He said "well, the next project is to replace the dishwasher, the countertops need replacing, cabinets either need to be refinished or painted, flooring replace." (I like the way he thinks!)

Have a good one!

On a Roll!

I do a lot of my crafting at night after supper is over and dishes are done. Once I am through in the kitchen I walk down the end of the hall to my little crafting haven. Even though my room isn't finished and isn't organized it is functional and I enjoy just being in it! I've even made a little space for my granddaughters to craft. I love my room!

Although a small amount, I managed to get a small box of cards sent to Operation Write Home before the February 7th deadline. It was a mixture of general and Easter. This is a sampling of the Easter cards.

These are pretty simple. I used stickers and paper left from a layout I made for the store. It's "Happy Easter" from Reminisce. Hmmm...I just realized I never got a picture of the layout! Guess I'll get one when I go to the store Thursday.

This card I made for Our Daily Bread Designs February Challenge. The challenge for February is fruit. I got this stamp set from Unity and was itching to use it. You may remember that watermelon is my most favorite fruit! Using Tim Holtz Distress "peeled paint" I inked the card base. I stamp the background with black archival ink and used distress ink "festive berries". I stamped the watermelon image one more time on a piece of water color paper using distress "peeled paint" then colored the watermelon using a blender pen and distress "festive berries". I cut it out and put foam tape behind it for dimension. The sentiment I stamped with archival black ink and matted with paper inked with distress "peeled paint". The twine is from My Mind's Eye.

This card I used a sketch from a new sketch/card challenge at Cards in Envy. The design idea is for the challenge at Digi Haven. Their challenge theme is Love or Valentines.
Here is the sketch.

The design papers are a Valentine collection from Bo Bunny last year I believe. The strip that says "happy in {love}" came from a paper. I used a circle punch & heart punch and dew drops down in the right hand corner.

This card I made for Christmas Cards All Year 'Round.

The theme for February is Hearts & Flowers Red & White. The white paper has a shimmery surface. I put it in an embossing folder and decided to glitter one heart below my sentiment. The sentiment is from Stampin Up. The poinsettias are "Dazzlers by Petaloo.


It's WOW Wednesday at Cat's Creations. Be sure to leave me a comment then go over to Cat's Creations Blog. There will be others linking their creations so check them out too! You can't help but get inspired! And for your effort you have a chance to win some blog candy. Cat's Creations will pick one random commenter. Last week a commenter was chosen from my blog!

Have a good one!

Adventure Day

Kaidence and I were long overdue for an "adventure day". The weather today was as perfect as it can get. Sunny, 73 degrees with just a hint of breeze.

Clouds decoratively dotted the bright blue sky like a canvas painting. Just fabulous!

I follow our State Park's Facebook page and they have reported a bald eagle sighting. In fact, the eagle comes and goes. When it has been seen I wasn't able to go. I thought today would be perfect. The last report was that it had been seen a few days ago. I asked again at the gate and I was told it was still in the park. I was pumped!

I didn't bring Clyde this time. Thought that would be too much of a distraction plus the eagle was spotted on the other side of the lake which is not for equestrians.

I saw some Canadian Geese. I did use my zoom but I was surprised at how close they let me get especially since I had a dog in tow!

This group were in the designated swimming area. Out of the photo just beyond the beach is the parking lot!

Not sure what kind of birds these are but I am always looking for birds to photograph as I have a couple of friends who are avid bird watchers. Every year at Christmas I make them a calendar with photos I have taken.

Some Killdeers.

Some vultures....but no eagle :(

I decided to go on a hike and maybe I would see the eagle. I took Kaidence to the Equestrian side of the park.

We had this side of the park to ourselves. Not a vehicle or person in sight so I left Kaidence off the lease. She stays with me really good and comes the moment I call her. 

The sun was getting lower in the sky. I wanted to try one more time to see if the eagle was in the area that had been reported. We loaded up and drove back to the other side of the lake. Still no eagle :(

I decide to take Kaidence on the hiking trails that are on that side of the lake. They lead into what is known as Penitentiary Hollow. This place is well frequented by rock climbers. It's a really neat place. Today there was only one person there and we met them leaving as we were coming.

 

 

 

This is the view at the top before going down in the Hollow.

Down at lake level. I wanted to stay here for a while but we were losing daylight.

Here we are at the bottom. If you look close you can see the railing at the top were we started.

Kaidence leading the way back up.

I never did see the eagle but I had an awesome time. I'll go back and try again. I would love to not only see one but get a photo of one! On our way home I stop to feed Clyde. As I pull up to the barn I see a large hawk sitting in the top of a tree. I had already put my camera away so I was scrambling. I put my zoom leans on and was trying to focus when.....

This picture is blurry because the lighting was so dim and he was moving! I was bummed I didn't get a better shot. I seem to be loosing my touch of being ready for "the moment"! After feeding Clyde, we head home and driving down the drive way I spot him again. I tried one more time to get his portrait but he's one shy bird. Just as I got out of my truck, he took flight again! Oh well...maybe next time!

Have a good one...I sure did!