Monday, April 30, 2012

Busy Bee

This week at Sweetsassydiva we were given a wild card week. I chose to do a layout. I really need to work on my scrapbooking and this gives me a reason to do so. My inspiration was my 2 little girls who have been non stop all day everyday since they were born. My busy little bees....

As always I have one idea in mind, and then end up with something completely different. I started with using George and Basic shapes cutting out 3 in octogons. I cut them in a tannish and white cardstock. I really don't like such stark colors so I used my Ranger Ink (antique ivory) and distressed them just a bit.

I then used Create-a-Critter to make the cutest little bumblebees and bee hive. I cut them at 2.5 in.

Again I decided to distress a bit on the beehive.

I cut out the title using Plantin schoolhouse at 1.75 in. Then it was assembly time. I think it took me longer to play with how I wanted it to come together then it did to cut out all of the pieces. The one that stayed the same is the part that says "BEE"


I cut out 4 (4.5x6.5) mats for photographs. Or can be divided for a smaller picture and a journaling box. This will be cute filled with pictures of my busy bees. It was really simple to make and turned out better than my first thoughts. I hope you enjoy.

*recipe*
cardstock...black, white, tan, black, yellow, blues
cricut cartridges....george, create a critter, plantin schoolbook
markers, ink
(a napping baby is good as well)

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Feeling Beachy

This week for the Sweetsassydiva design team we were given a sketch to follow for our design. I'm usually not very good following sketches but this one I really liked and had an idea right away....and then it changed.


I chose colors that reminded me of the beach. (I'm homesick for warmth.) I made the base a 4 1/2 x 6 1/4 card out of a light green cardstock. I then cut another rectangle out of "sandy" beige that was 4 1/4 x 6. On top of that I layered a "sky" blue strip. A small yellowish strip, and a green strip that can be my beach towel.

I inked all of the edges in a blue to make them stand out just a bit.

Using the cricut and my gypsy I cut out a scallop cicle at 3 1/4 in (gypsy wanderings) a 3 in circle (also gypsy wanderings) 2 rounded rectangles to form the tag one at 3 in the other at 2 3/4 (from george and basic shapes) a 1 1/2 in flower (paisley) and "leaves" which were paisleys at 1 in (also from paisley)

I inked the edges of the "sun" in orange and the flower in orange as well. I stamped the happy birthday and beach ball on the tag. I colored in the beach ball using le plume markers. I then stamped the umbrellas on the beach towel/ribbon strip and colored them in. I affixed them all into place and added a center self stick dot to the flower...and called it beachy!!


I hope that this finds you with a warm and sunny week ahead.

*recipe*
green, yellows, beige, and blues...misc. cardstock
cricut cartridges: gypsy wanderings, paisely, george and basic shapes
blue ink pad
le plume markers
self stick gem
stamps: beach ball, umbrellas, happy birthday

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Kissin' Kate

We have yet another new addition. We have the cutest little girl here now. Kissin' Kate has come to live with us. She is a 2 day old Shetland ewe lamb. Her mama had never had twins and refused to have anything to do with her. I haven't had a bottle fed baby in a few months....my youngest is 16 months already.


Today we get to spend the day making a better home for our little goat. He has been living in what is our normal brooder house, but we have chickens and turkeys coming in this week. So he gets a room of his own...as soon as we can figure out where to put it. He is the sweetest animal. I've been very blessed with the tempermant of the livestock I've acquired the past few months. We get a lot of funny looks walking the goat down the road on a lead rope for him to get his exercise.

We've also had the "neighbors" visiting us more often now. (Neighbors being a mama moose with her baby) They like to come to eat and usually run afterwards. This morning I woke up to them bedded down under the trees in the backyard. The kids went out to tend to the animals and they never budged. I'm wondering if they were waiting to be served as well. Living in the area that I do you never know what is going to be visiting. We have more wildlife visit our farm then we do people.

I can definitely say that living in Alaska is a very different experience. It is one of the most beautiful states I've lived in...if not the most beautiful. The wildlife is everywhere. I love never knowing what you are going to see. I love having my farm in the middle of it. I need to learn more about how to really garden here. If I can master that I would have my complete farm....well maybe not complete, but a lot closer. I still plan on bees, pigs, and possibly a dairy cow. I would love to have a meat cow and a few more goats as well. After this season I only need 2 more ewes to have my complete flock. Oh and my 11 year old has informed us she wants a pony...since the other 2 girls have horses.

It's crazy how time flies and plans change. We had just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. When we were first married I never would have dreamed we would be in Alaska, have 6 children, or have a farm. I'm a very different lady then I was. I hope that I'm a better person than I was then as well. This year has really started on bumpy ground and spring is bringing hope that we haven't had in a while. We have definitely learned to be grateful for all that we have, because things can change so quickly. We were very blessed to have had an aneurysm found before it burst. Having to go through the surgery...not me but hubby....and the recovery has been very difficult. We are definitely thankful for all that we have, always have been, but now more aware.

I've learned that I'm one that tries to run from problems. I try to run from difficult times. I've got the flight instead of fight tendancy. I've been forced to stop and stand ground which has been something very new to me. I have high hopes that there will be great things in our future for sticking it out....and with the blessings that have already started to roll in...I believe it to be so.

This is one season I'm looking forward to....spring is just part of it.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Long Break

It's been a long beginning of the year. Things are finally starting to become normal again....or at least my sense of normal. There has been so much happening.

We've added 3 mini rex rabbits to our farm family...hopefully 2 of them are pregnant. Our doe Bonnie had a litter unexpectedly...I'm hoping that they survive. We are also trying to get our Jersey Wooly bred. Hopefully by May we will be having a lot of baby bunnies around here.

We've also added a baby goat...his name is Casper..the friendly goat. I would love to find him a friend.

We have turkeys and chickens coming in at the beginning of next week...so spring has definitely sprung here at the farm.

Speaking of spring there is nothing like a ton of snow melting and pooling all around the house. We spent the evening digging trenches to send it away from the house. Hopefully we will stop it from making it in.

My girls and I have started seedlings in 20 oz drink bottles and lined the windows with them. We have our own mini greenhouses all around the dining room. I'm looking forward to the snow melting off and being able to be outside.