Me and My Space - And the Bride wore... Converse

Howdy -

Well I am scheduling this post - working on it before we go to the wedding Saturday evening. Not sure how late the wedding will be, and wanted to show you what I have been working on recently.

I told you that my niece wanted to wear her Converse high tops for her wedding. Actually the entire wedding party will be wearing Converse. Groom - and 10 bridesmaids and groomsmen. (5 on each side) Well if she wants her tennis shoes to be her shoes of choice I thought at least I could make them just a little more formal  -

So I got her a new pair of Converse - bought a bag full of lace, bling, pearls and beads at Michaels and sat down to work on them. I asked Hubby's advise before I started gluing things down. And that was it. Now he was doing all the gluing while I lined things up and we decided what fit and looked best.

Here was the finished joint effort project.

I think they turned out really cute. I didn't want "too" much - but enough to not look like they just played a game of hoops in the park. LOL 

On one shoe we covered the "logo" with the bride and groom's names and the date of the wedding. 

On the other shoes we covered it with something a little different -

Now did you know the tradition is "Something Old, Something New, Something borrowed, Something blue. And she had a Six pence in her shoe"  Now the formal poem sounds a little better than that. But that is the jist of the poem. The six pence is a English dime - I found two traditions with this part of the poem. One said it was so she went into the marriage with money of her own. The other said it was a good luck piece to ensure that the new couple never will worry about money in their future. So now I know ... no one put a six pence in my shoe when Hubby and I married!

 Hubby found six pence from 1758 - I think it adds something special don't you? We think Laura will get a kick out of it, she has always loved historical facts and grew up reading books from authors like Jane Austin.

We gave her the shoes Friday night - she seemed to really like them. Can't wait to see her in them with the wedding dress.

I also thought about it and decided that some frilly socks were needed too right? So I bought some socks, and a few rolls of lace and frilled them up!

This way all the girls in the wedding in their Converse Shoes will have a bit of lace poking out the top of their shoes.

Should be a beautiful wedding. But actually by the time you are reading this they will be Mr. & Mrs.! Hubby and I were talking about the happy couple on the way home from the rehearsal dinner. Isn't it wonderful when you see a young couple being married and you just know that they were meant to be. Perfectly matched, so much in common and look so happy when they are together? You know lots that are good looking couples and those that work well together and all.. but once in a while there is that one couple that just seems to be destine to have found each other. Looking at these two... they are one of those couples.

Hope you have a blessed wonderful Sunday -
HUGS and-

Animal Crackers - A quiet week

Howdy -

It has been a very quiet week around here. We are all still trying to deal with the loss of Tuco. The dogs keep looking for him. Heck I have too. So everyone here has gotten more hugs and loving than even normal. We have lost animals before, but this one is different. Hubby says some of that could be my hormones. But I don't know - he was my baby. We are all missing him so much as he was the middle of everything and the heart -

But I need to show off animals for today and stop talking about our loss.

Do some focusing on some of the smiles here - This photo has to make you grin -

My chickens this week have really been changing. The Wyandotts are really loving the outside pen. Other than the Guineas.. or should I say one Guinea... I think he is a male and is really a pain in the...

But back to the chicks... they are really friendly. Much more than the Rhode Island Reds. I go out at least twice a day to check food and water and have a little talk with them. They like it when they can eat out of my hand and I keep the Guinea from coming over to run them around the pen. Once in a while one will decide to do as the goats and step up into my hand and cover all the food from the rest .. silly chicks.

One day they will be all grown up and big, those Guineas will think twice about chasing them I bet. Then again the Guineas are probably going to be moving out of the pen in the near future. If we can get brave and let them out.

The Reds have started to go into the coop during the day and scratch around in and on the nesting boxes. That could be a good thing coming soon I think!! Scrambled or Fried?

I stuck my arm into the air vent at the top of the coop to get this photo... they are very private about being in the coop. Or maybe this was just all a gossip gathering to talk about that one Guinea?

Spent a little time in with the girls yesterday - until my skin started to look like the Rhode Island Red chickens...  All the girls have slicked off their winter fur or at least most of it off - there are a few though that I think we are going to have to help...

Sonia is one of those. She is still totally furry -

She hasn't minded too much yet, but it got to the mid 90's here yesterday and that coat is warm here in Texas. Might see if she will let me do some brushing out first before we do any shearing. She is such a petite little thing - and so sweet. Of course here she had found a little pile of good hay that had blown away from the group, so that was her priority.

Chachi on the other hand has learned from a few of the other goats.. protect the hay by laying right in the middle of it!

The boys are so cute. Need to all go but they are cute. We have loaned out Luke for awhile to a neighbor. She wanted to bring one of her girls here to get her bred. I thought about it and since her goat is more like a dog, and very special to her children I didn't want to have to keep her here and away from them. So I just loaned her one of the boys, Luke. Heck maybe they will fall in love with him and need to keep him too? LOL 

Only one more photo this week. Last week I showed you how Gato keeps stealing my chair. Well we got a second chair for the craft room/ office. Now their are two - and now Gato has found my photo table instead - 

 There is no more heat lamp from the chicks... so the photo lamps were a runner up. She is so funny - She messed up my blue back ground while making things comfortable - but you can't get upset with her. Even if I had cat hair all over the table to get off.

Well - we have a wedding today. Niece's big day. Out door wedding and so far the weather looks like it is going to be wonderful. Tomorrow I can show you her shoes we did for her to wear. Wanted to before but couldn't spoil the surprise you know.

Have a blessed wonderful day - and please hug your furry children ok?
HUGS and -

Whimsy Stamps - Full Bloom

First I have to thank all of you for your sweet comments and emails. They have meant a lot to Hubby and I - Loosing Tuco has been really hard for us this week. Still doesn't seem real.

I took a quiet day yesterday and just puttered around the house, did a little cleaning, little laundry, sat and watched a movie, and finally finished the card I was working on when everything went insane. It was one of those odd days were the house was quiet most of the day, Hubby was gone helping a friend. I realized at 3pm I hadn't even brushed my hair and was still in my pj's. Didn't accomplish a whole lot but did. You know what I mean?

But it did feel good to sit and craft for a while. I have been working the past couple of weeks on a project for my nieces wedding this weekend. But just coloring and making a card was nice.

My mojo wasn't around but still kept on and I love the new image from Whimsy "Full Bloom 2"by StampArt Design - Great image and so fun to color.

Great for a card for a friend that you need just something sweet and special. I went for a purple with a touch of green for my colors. Found papers in the Papermania Lucy Cromwell collection that worked well. Kept it simple. I didn't do any sewing on this one. My machine has been all set up working on wedding project, and if I change it probably would never get it back...

Added some ribbon - and sentiment that is also Whimsy -

Inside my card -

And my Copic colors -

Thank you again for all the wonderful comments -

HUGS and

Our baby Tuco

We said goodbye to Tuco Monday evening. And coming on and posting it here has been very difficult for me.

He wasn't sick, didn't act even like he didn't feel well. Normal playful and happy. Asked to go out - Hubby took all of them out, they were running and playing and in less than 60 seconds he started crying. Took Hubby just a few seconds to get back to the yard, and he was already gone. He had a aneurism is what the Vet thinks. Probably caused from his stomach flipping - rare in dogs small young dogs. But does happen. It was so fast and such a horrible shock. Can't stop crying -

The house seems so empty - he was the heart of our family.  Thought I would share my 4 favorite photos of him with you.

He was only 16 months old.

And we miss him already so much.

We were blessed to have him the 16 months that we did,  but still can't believe he is gone.

High Hopes Challenge - Clean and Simple

Howdy -

today the challenge over at High Hopes blog is Clean and Simple. For me that isn't so simple. I have such a hard time leaving it - and not adding ribbon, buttons, flowers anything - But I did it and walked away. I think I am going to call this the Clean and Hard challenge.

This is "April and Mr. Waddles"

I hadn't gotten a chance to ink this one up and this was a great chance. I colored with my Copics ( colors below ) 

My papers are First Edition Blank Canvas. Nice cool colors. I just chose two patterns. A peach card stock for the base. 

The sentiment is also High Hopes - A fun sentiment "When life gives you a rainy day... Remember to play in the puddles!!"

I then added some sparkles to the "rain" - still clean right? But man I wanted to add a a ribbon and I had these great buttons... but I stopped as much as I wanted to add them. 

The inside is simple with left over papers.

And here are the Copic colors.

Hope you will join us over at the High Hopes challenge - Pop over and see the other DT Simple work, and then join us.

Sorry it is short today - was a really rough night last night. Having a hard time focusing today -

Hope you are having a good day - a blessed day -
HUGS and

Animal Cracker - Stormy Weather

Howdy -

More rain the past few day! In fact some really creepy storm clouds yesterday! We went "green" more than once the last 48 hours. Not too far from home there was some really nasty hail. Don't like that. We took the day off yesterday and drove about an hour to one of the towns we have stuff in an Antique mall, then went to IKEA, Lunch and a little antiquing in another mall. I really needed the day away. So did Hubby.  I know this week the blog was kind of empty wasn't it? Sorry...  Was an odd week... I just haven't felt 100%. Not sick, not well. Just off - sounds weird I know. But feel like my levels are off maybe. Hot and Cold, insomnia and worn out tired. I just can't get going or getting anything done. I am hoping after the day off I can start fresh this weekend and shake it off. We have been kidding that it is hormonal and a little "pre" taste of things coming. We laugh - but I am thinking it may be a little too close to reality. Sigh...

Alright how about some animals? With the weather yesterday and being gone I didn't get many photos. I was going out to hurry and snap some before it got dark. But as I was gathering up my camera and running out there was a huge bolt of lightning and very very loud thunder. I decided that it was best to not go walking around outside. Besides I could see out the back window that the donkeys, goats and chickens were all thinking the same thing and were all heading into their barns, sheds and coop. I have very smart animals.

So I will show off a few photos that I snapped during the week.

We finally did something that I have talked about forever and would chicken out. We shaved Autie...

Now don't freak - I wouldn't shave him bald. I love his silky gorgeous long hair. But I couldn't stand the matting on his back half any more. I tried and tried to brush it out and his hair was so long and with the loss of the winter fur it was just too much and I hated to hurt my boy with forcing the brushing. So I put a grooming comb on the shaver and shaved his entire rear section about one inch long. In case you don't remember his Aussie skirt almost dragged the ground and when clean for the 3 minutes after a bath was gorgeous. But I have to admit... he is pretty darn cute looking like a little he has a Teddy bear hiney too.

He got restless, it took about 45 minutes to do the back section. But I am going to do the front half too. I would love to do Tuco and Chica as well. I just don't know. Tuco is still so young and is a total wiggle mess when bathing him, and he really doesn't have the matting too bad at all. A little brushing and bath and he is good. Chica isn't too bad either, and she is a total freak when doing anything to her. Trimming her nails is like torture. She screams, cries and gets insane. Has since she was a tiny puppy. You just have to let her see nail trimmers, a brush anything that she doesn't like or think she may not like and it is total drama with out even touching her. Autie.. he loves the attention and just sat and enjoys it. I got a few kisses in the face while working on him in fact. Sweet boy.

This has been another issue this week. We have two chairs in my craft room. One at my craft desk and then a second at the computer desk. Well that chair decided to flip with me sitting in it. Always had issues with it being top heavy, leaning and sometime falling over. I think they put the wrong base on it. Well it flipped, I landed on the ground, it landed on top of me and then when trying to flip it back over I broke one of the roller legs. So now we are down to just one chair. And the other day when I was working like crazy to list on eBay I was up and down taking photos, measuring, weighing and moving things around the room. EVERY time I would get up out of the chair -

One minute - Five minutes - 10 seconds... didn't matter. Gato would steal my chair. But how can you get upset at that sweet face. Finally about the 20th time I hauled her to the other end of the house and fed her some cat treats... bought me about 30 minutes of seated work. Then she was back. :0)

Found a great photo of Gracie - Love the little trot and all the green grass.

They sure have been loving the green and the great weather. Well until the storms. They are in their huts when there is a threat of rain. Did you know Goats will melt in the rain? They think they will anyway -

This photo came across my phone the other day - no message, just the photo.

It was from Hubby, he was out working in the young boys pen. This is a fence post that is in their pen. Well it use to be a fence post.  Hubby is going to cut it down and take out the base. I guess the boys were bored.... Or trying to be artist?

 Now one more from this week - I just have to show you the one item from the Antique Show last weekend that I HAD to bring home with me. I couldn't not buy it. Even with my no shopping at this show promise to myself. (You could loose all your profit shopping at some of these antique shows.. LOL)

I had to have it right? It is really old. Canvas is square nailed, and the frame is pegged and square nailed. I just melted when I saw it. Good thing the dealer likes me... she gave me a really good discount, whew. It is a little folk art-sy - painted really well. I love that little foal. And the look on Mom's face - I HAD TO HAVE IT. And now it is hanging above my computer desk. Makes me happy :0)

Hope you are having nice weather where you are. The storms and rain should make things really grow this week. The sun is suppose to be shining for a while this week, hopefully thru the weekend, as next weekend is my nieces outdoor wedding - Never ever wish for it to not rain in Texas. But next Saturday it can hold off til Sunday if it is thinking about raining.

Have a blessed wonderful weekend.
HUGS and

High Hopes - One for the Boys!

Howdy -

Hope the weather is pretty where you are - Yesterday was just gorgeous here - just wish I could have spent more time outside. All the animals were really enjoying it - goats a little more than they should have cuz they found a tiny little hole in the fence and worked their way through it, and with each goat it would get a little bigger and bigger and then larger and larger goats would get out... good thing the hole was into the dogs back yard and not our acres to chase them. LOL So with a little feed they followed us right back into their pen. Most all of my "children" can be bribed with food - :0)

Today is the High Hopes Challenge - and it is time for one for the boys - I had some fun and played with a bunch of stamps!!

Told you - LOL For this card I used Farmer Clem - one of my first batch of High Hopes Stamps years ago - I LOVE this guy. Then I colored up the Tractor - again one of my first. I think my first order with High Hopes years ago was a group of all farm related stamps... with the donkeys of course :0) Then my Background Farm stamp. I got this one later - love the scene it creates. Then the sentiment - Yee Haw! - is a must for a country girl to have in her collection!

I made a little different shaped card - (make sure to keep an watch on the tutorial at High Hopes, its my turn soon) I created a little scene - Colored up all my images. I forgot to take a photo of my colors sorry. But have a list of them for you below. I cut out the tractor and the farmer loosely leaving some white around them. Then I colored the background farm scene, I trimmed it so it was at the top of the square leaving the bottom for a message. Found some cute country papers from Simple Stories Summer Fresh collection. I ADORE this collection. It is just... just... so ME! I used kraft card stock for the base, and then red card stock for the mat. Zig Zag stitched the papers together and then layered and created the card. Again I'll share the details a little later in the month on that :0)  -

The front openings sort of interlock, but when opened up you see the "inside" and where the message goes.

I had so much fun making this card - was more like playing than "work".

Here are my Copic Colors -

Skin:E000; E00; R20

Hair: N0; N02; T03

Clothing: B41; B93; B97; B24; R29; R89; Y21; Y23; E31; E44; E84; E55; E43

Other: B28; B60; B000; E47; E09; E33; T06; T05; W07; W05; C05; N08; G28; G99; G94; G24; G85; N08; C03; C05; R27; BG10; YG93; YG99; YG61; YG17: YG63

Make sure to visit the High Hopes Blog and see all the GUY cards - really great ones! Then join us and make up a card for a dude - you could win more High Hopes! Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Ok, today is errand day. Long list, including a wedding gift for my niece getting married in a couple of weeks. We are at a loss... want it to be special, but just can't come up with the right thing. Hopefully something will jump out at us. And we also need to go to the speciality Lumber yard - Hubby is going to build me a display cabinet for my dolls. :0) So we are going to see what kind of wood we want to use. Can't wait!

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday - A blessed Day -
Hugs and-