July 2024 Blog Train and Fan Freebie

The color palette this month was so much fun to work with.  I went totally whimsical with this one and really had a lot of fun creating it.  If bugs actually looked as pleasant as these guys, I don't think I'd mind them so much when I'm gardening :)  

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Fan Freebie --

I left these stamps a little bigger so that you would have more options in how to use them.  You can always make them smaller for your projects.  Much harder to make them larger and maintain their visual integrity.

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The Boo Update --

I wanted to show you Boo's collar that has grown back again in all its glory.  It is a frill of light grey, tans and reddish browns against his long black fur.  After we cleared up his allergy problems and dermatitis, the collar hair grew back within just a few weeks.  It really was amazing.  I wasn't sure it would ever come back after what that poor boy went through.  He is a sight when he goes running through the house.  Sort of reminds you of a lion in the wild.  And oh how soft and thick that collar fur is!

See you next month!

June 2024 Blog Train and Fan Freebie

Well, hello summer!  I really love having more daylight hours again.  I can work with my animals, do a little gardening and still have time to spend in my studio without all the lights on.  You'll find lots of fun stuff in this kit.  I have a tendency to doodle when I'm on the phone, waiting for someone or just happen to come across a blank sheet of paper :)  

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Fan Freebie --

 Everyone should have a pet.  Some of us just need more than a few to make our life complete.  I can't even imagine what life would be like without all of my animals.  It's a lot of work, but the rewards are far greater.  Because of our short winter, we were able to get through roundup in May instead of June this year.  So, I put this kit together in the evenings so that you could share in the fun, too!  Looking at this cover photo as I write this... Yup!  This is pretty much my life in a nutshell and I love every minute of it. 

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The Boo Update --

Boo's "happy place" is on the windowsill in my husband's office where he can watch all the hummingbirds and butterflies that congregate around my delphiniums, coneflowers and lilies, and dream of catching birds and bugs while he sleeps in the heat of the sun.  Good thing we have wide windowsills throughout the house, or he would have a tough time being in such a relaxed position :) Since Boo's dermatitis is gone, he's starting to grow his Maine Coon collar back again, probably because he's not scratching himself anymore.  

See you next month!

May 2024 Blog Train and Fan Freebie

My happy place is in my stable, but also all of my gardens.  I get more thinking done, decisions made and problems solved when I'm digging in the dirt, even if all I'm digging out are weeds.  It has taken me years to figure it all out, but now there's always something blooming from spring thru fall.  When I pick out perennials, I pay as much attention to the leaves as I do the flower.  That way, when the blooms die off, you still have the wonderful leafy foliage to backdrop all the mid and late summer blooming plants.  Annuals in pots work pretty well too so that I can just move them to empty spots if need be.

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Fan Freebie --

I stopped vegetable gardening quite some time ago, more because of lack of time than anything else.  I do have a strawberry patch and a raspberry patch, however.  This year, I will also be planting a carrot crop for my horses.  With a carrot in my pocket, I can get them to do just about anything I want.  Granted, carrots aren't all that expensive, but fresh carrots out of the garden are like candy to them and are the perfect reward for a job well done. 

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The Boo Update --

First of all, Boo is now Dermatitis free and much happier because of it.  The Royal Canin cat food has made all the difference.  It just took a bit of time.  Why he's allergic to just about everything is beyond me.  I've never had to deal with something like this before, and I've had a LOT of cats in my lifetime.  Thank you Country View Vet.

As for the picture -- This is not an unusual position for Boo.  It's just kind of mind-boggling when you walk into a room and find him this way.  He's sort of sitting with both hind legs, tail and right front leg in front of him.  His left front leg is positioned back farther on his left side to give him balance while he's cleaning himself.  Kitty Yoga! I keep saying he's so unusual, and he is, but another term that comes to mind is "weird"!  I'm used to him though. so I just shake my head and keep on walking.

Boo will be back here next month and so will I.  See you then!!

April 2024 Blog Train and Fan Freebie

Just when I thought we were in for a really early spring . . . it snowed.   We had not had snow for months!  It's going to be short lived though.  We're supposed to have warmer weather again in just a couple days.  Works for me!  The colors this month are so soft and dreamy.  As I was working on the birds, I kind of wished our birds around here looked like that.  Wouldn't that be fun?!!

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Fan Freebie --

I usually like to create both kits using the same colors, BUT I started thinking "April Showers" and definitely needed some blue mixed in.   

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The Boo Update --

Using the prescription cat food from the Vet, Boo's Dermatitis has cleared up pretty good now.  I have noticed that there are times he'll have a bit of a breakout again.  So, I'm making notes when this happens to see if we can figure it out. My big question though is HOW can cats, big and wild or small and domestic, sleep as many hours a day as they do?  I thought it was just lazy old house cats, but apparently lions and tigers in the jungle sleep almost as much.  It's a boggle.

See ya next month!

March 2024 Blog Train and Fan Freebie

Hopping right along . . . an early Happy Easter to all of you!  The bunnies were so excited to be part of this month's blog train.  I originally designed the sitting bunny below as a "shelf-sitter" made from wood.  Sitting on a shelf with his leg hanging down, he's real cute.  For scrapbooking purposes, however, you can set him on top of a frame or a note card, for example.  He'll be pretty happy wherever to sit him :)

Click  HERE  to download

Fan Freebie --

Oh, yes, this is another of my designs for woodcrafting.  The original train was 5 cars long and stretched a good 4 feet and was about 10 inches tall.  It will make a good border on the bottom of your scrapbooking pages.

Click  HERE  to download

The Boo Update --

I couldn't find Boo one afternoon.  He was sleeping in the guest room quiet and cozy.  He pretty much spent the entire afternoon in there.  The next time we have overnight guests, I hope they don't mind sharing the bed with him.  He has pretty much claimed that room as his.

February 2024 Blog Train and Fan Freebie

Wisconsin is a state of extremes.  While I was working with these beautiful spring colors just a few weeks ago, it was snowing and blowing outside.  We ended up with about 24 inches of snow in two days, the snow drifts were much taller.  And then the temperature dropped well below zero for another week.  With the wind chill, it felt even colder.  Because of my horses, I had to be out in it.  My arctic gear helped, but I didn't spend any more time out there than I had to. And now, just two weeks later, it's in the high 30's and everything is melting. In Wisconsin, we call that a "Heat Wave"!!  It feels more like spring than it does winter.  Works for me!  But, it is February 1st.  All this can change like the flick of a light switch.  As I'm writing this, I think I should have called this kit "Cold Fingers, Warm Hearts" !    

Click  HERE  to Download

Fan Freebie --

I used the same colors as the blog train, but added two of my little ducks into the mix.  Easter is just around the corner afterall.  We won't see Daffodils and Hyacinthe for quite some time yet, but they look so pretty with the ducks :) 

Click  HERE  to Download

The Boo Update --

This picture was taken last month.  I think Boo was bored so he just plopped himself on my recipe book and watched me press cookies on the baking sheet.  My grandson told me that his Mom would never let their cat on the kitchen counter.  I turned around and said to him "he's not on the counter, he's holding my recipe book open for me.  That's how smart he is."  

Meet me back here in March!