Tim's Tag 2014 - March: Friday 28th March 2014

Hello Again,

It's not often that I post twice in a day, but I had this scheduled for earlier this week...

I finished my Tim's tag for this month at the weekend, but this is my first chance to post. I didn't have the stamps etc the he used, but I was able to follow the techniques and improvise and I enjoyed making it.

This is Tim's version:full details here...

And this is mine...

I won't go into any details as they are all on Tim's blog. The nest stamp I used is from Tim's  Easter Blueprint from last year and the words are from the same stamp set. Instead of using the metal word tag, as none I had seemed to fit, I just added a tiny wooden bird and egg, which I had previously painted.

Thank you so much for stopping by, I'll be back tomorrow with workshop photos,

Love and Hugs,
Carole X

Thank You Everyone!- Friday 28th March 2014

Hello my Friends,

First of all a massive thank you to those of you who left a comment on my last post, I was overwhelmed by all the love - it is so wonderful having all of you as such caring and supportive friends on here. Sometimes, people have dismissed the fact that you can get emotional over a pet(and I still get people looking at me very oddly when I explain the hens are pets!), but to me a pet is a pet - no matter what kind of animal, we still regard them as part of our families. I grew up with dogs, cats, budgies, my gran's parrot, rabbits and taking care of horses (for local stables); I'm nuts about animals, but I can truthfully say that since we started keeping hens 7 years  ago, I have never got so much enjoyment from a pet! I know some of you also keep hens and will know what I'm talking about.

I'm so pleased that Penny, in her short life introduced us to the Buff Orpington breed and I am sure that in the future at sometime, our garden will once again be home to this beautiful and gentle breed of hen, but that's a long way off...we still have our three other ladies to love, hopefully for a long time yet. My friend has a hen that is 10 years old and still laying the occasional egg, so we can hope.

Sunday Stampers - Week 300: Dream

This is the 300th Sunday Stampers and I wanted to create something special.. then of course, the week took a down turn and other things got in the way of crafting, so to lift my spirits, I quickly made this little fun card. I liked the idea of the little hedgehog dreaming of getting on the 'big' pony!

 The theme this week is 'Dream' and I really like this Sam Poole 'Dream Big' stamp: I've used it a lot on inspirational type cards, so thought it deserved a 'fun' outing!

The pony stamp is by Penny Black, as soon as I saw it I had to own it - the pony reminds me of the Thelwell books I used to read as a pony mad child. I coloured the image with my Inktense pencils and die cut using Spellbinders Labels 17. I also added glossy accents to the mane and tail to give them a gloss! 

I heat embossed the sentiment using Ranger Copper embossing powder - on the actual card it really shows up, very shimmery. I also added faux stitching to the pennant.

So that's my little card for this week - congrats Hels on running this fab challenge every week. I love that it's a no prize, just for fun challenge - there's no pressure to enter as it's not a competition and yet, it's the one challenge I try not to miss! Deets are here

I have a few posts backed up now that need to be posted by the end of the month, plus photos from last night's workshop, so I will be back soon!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

A Post for Penny - Wednesday 26th March 2014

Good Morning Friends,

Today's post is written with a heavy heart, because yesterday we lost our beautiful Buff Orpington hen, Penny...

Many of you were already my blog friends when we brought her home for the first time, along with our Speckledy, Lacey - to join our girls Bella and Cara. All four hens are looked on as quite robust breeds, expected to live a good number of years (our lovely Bluebelle, Buffy was 5), but it was soon clear that Penny, had major problems in the egg producing area and we only ever had about five normal eggs from her and somehow, I knew that we wouldn't have her for as long as we would expect.

Baby Penny on her first day in the garden, August 2012 aged 12 weeks

She had her little operation last year and had been fine ever since; Tom and I keep the hens as pets, we aren't bothered by how many eggs we get and to be honest, I was happy as long as Penny wasn't laying, because whenever she did it stressed her. She showed signs of being poorly at the weekend, but she was still eating and looking good - there was just something not right. I was home on Monday and she seemed better again: I checked her for obvious signs such as being egg bound, but all seemed ok. Yesterday morning she didn't want to come out of the nest box, so I took her out whilst I did my daily clean, gave her a nice long cuddle and put her back, leaving water and the lamp on. I can tell you that yesterday at work was hard, because I just knew what I was going to come home to...

I've never shared this on here before, but I do get times when I feel very low. I have lived with it since I was a teenager and never let it overcome me; it has occurred a bit more often since we lost my Mum in 2007, but having the hens with their funny little characters and antics in the garden is a massive boost to your wellbeing. Of all our hens, Penny, our big bundle of honey coloured feathers was the biggest 'therapy' of all.

If I sat on the bench in the garden, she would come up alongside, look up, jiggle up and down and I would pick her up and cuddle her - she would happily sit on my lap for as long as we both wanted. Any of the others could have just jumped up, but Penny was too big for jumping.

helping me choose a blog candi winner last summer

Just last week, on my birthday I was playing about with 'selfies'..

She was bottom of the pecking order, with Lacey next..Bella and Cara will peck Lacey if she annoys them, but she doesn't care and just comes bouncing back. I noticed quite early on that they didn't bother to peck Penny much, she just stayed out of trouble and minded her own business.

So, Penny, I want to thank you for all those cuddles and the immense pleasure you gave us in your short life. I hope you are now at the Rainbow Bridge, scratching away happily with our other girls, Buffy, Willow and Martha..sleep peacefully Babygirl

Penny, June 2012 - March 2014

Sorry for such a sad post today, but I know that you have all followed my hens and their garden antics with me, thank you for stopping by,

Love and hugs,
Carole X

Quack! Quack! - Monday 24th March 2014

Hello Friends,

I'm pleased you liked my little tour around the Cotswold Farm Park at the weekend! If you get the chance, do visit...it's great for children of all ages and adults too! I've always been nuts about animals, so thoroughly soak it up! The animals seem so well cared for, it's clean and bright and happy! This was the first time in a number of years we haven't actually see Adam Henson himself, but he was up in Scotland for the new series of 'Lambing Live', which started last night.

I thought I would stay on the theme of animals today...well birds really and share some little ducks that I made recently.

 The ducks are inspired by a pattern in a Tilda book and was great fun to make. The above ones were made to sit in baskets or on shelves, but the ones below are on sticks - fun Easter decs or to place in a plant pot.

 Looking at my list of makes to blog in the coming days, I have quite a few animal or bird themed posts!

Thank you so much for stopping by, I really do appreciate your visits!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Spring is in the air! - Saturday 22nd March 2014

Hello Friends,

A very quick post today as we have been into Bristol all day and are now back home a short time before popping out again (so will catch up with you all later)...

I thought you might like to see some photos from Adam's Farm yesterday...for my friends from abroad, Adam Henson is a farmer and presenter on a BBC TV programme that aims to bring the Countryside into our homes every week - Countryfile. His farm is a working farm, but also a rare breeds centre in the Cotswolds. In fact, the Centre, run by his Dad, was open (on a much smaller scale), when I was a child.

We try and get there on or around my birthday every year (it's just over an hour's drive for us). It coincides with lambing, so is a special time to visit.

This young pig was enjoying a contented nap

These are pullets (hens before they come into lay for the firs time) These are between 12-16 weeks old. The Buff Orpington below is just like Penny when we got her

This is a close up of the kid in the photo below. They were having a lovely snooze under the lamp! There;s another close up of the one right in the middle, below

This little lamp is just a few days old

Above and below, my British friends may recall the TV series "Lambing Live' and the lamb that presenter Kate Humble delivered on the first series in 2010. The lamb, named Humble, was pretty weak to begin with, but survived and was presented to Kate. She is homed at the Centre and we see her every year. This is her four years on, looking very contented. She isn't in lamb herself, because of a weakness they don't risk it, but she keeps the other ewes company in the lambing shed - by the way, Lambing Live is back next week, this time from Scotland

Here we are being given a lesson in lambing with the help of a one day old lamb- he couldn't hold her for long because Mum in the stall next to him wanted her back

This is a Cotswold Sheep, I just love their fleece

A little Gloucestershire Old Spot piglet with his mum

An Exmoor pony

and here I am feeding the goats

Hope you enjoyed this quick trip around the farm, there was so much more obviously...must fly now, be back with craft tomorrow!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Craft Group Photos - Friday 21st March 2014

Good Morning Friends!

The sun is shining, so we are going to go ahead with our plans for a day at Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm, really looking forward to it as well!

Today, a quick post to share photos from last night's Out of the Blue craft workshop. I think all my ladies enjoyed making the triple layered card, especially creating their own backgrounds and here are some photos with their finished cards..unfortunately the lighting in the room doesn't do justice to all the lovely colours they created!

 This is Sharon (above and below with close up of card): Sharon also has a blog,  Saffrons Crafty Creations - do pop over and have a look at her gorgeous designs..not just paper craft, but also stunning jewellery - click here

Many thanks for stopping by! Have a great Friday,

Love and Hugs,
Carole X

Thank you! Thursday 20th March 2014

Hello Friends,

I want to say a big thank you for all your Birthday messages yesterday...it was so kind of you and made me so happy! I didn't get any crafting done yesterday, after packing everything up for tonight's workshop (which took a good few hours!) and having long phone conversations with friends who live far away, the day just flew by! There were lots of things I had planned to do, such as catch up with emails, plan my blogs ahead and update Pinterest...that will all have to wait for another day!

I did have some lovely crafty presents (my family and friends know me well!), so new goodies to think about using!

It's in to work today, so I will catch up with all your posts later today, meanwhile a fun Easter card for today...

 I covered a shaped card with paper from stash and inked the edges with mustard seed. The image is a stamp by Penny Black, coloured with Promarkers and the sentiment is from a digital sheet by Pink Petticoat. I die cut the image using Spellbinders Classic Circles Small.

I die cut some flowers using Spellbinders dies and simply matted and layered, framing with the flowers.

Will be back tomorrow, hopefully with some more workshop photos,

Thank you all again and have a lovely day, whatever you are doing!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X