Sassy & Sweet Notes

Welcome March!

If you're enjoying the 2013 On the Farm calendar, you know that this is the photo for March. I can think of a lot of other places I'd rather nap, but I guess Toad thought the top of the cattle chute was a pretty good spot. He caught the last of the evening sun that day.

March brings with it the promise of beautiful things for the farm. Trees are starting to bud, wildflowers are starting to grow, and cat naps in the sunshine are getting longer. Baby chickens are welcomed to the farm, cows think about calving, and the air is clean.

Of course, with Spring also comes the promise of another Texas summer, and that just about suffocates any enthusiasm one could have for the changing of these seasons. So before we start enduring 100 degree days, drought, and bug infestations, let's do our best to celebrate and enjoy Spring!

I'll do my best to share ours with you, so if you're still up to your armpits in snow, maybe you'll find a little springtime joy here with me.

PS: If you feel that you still need a copy of this year's On the Farm calendar, you'll find it in my Zazzle shop.

February Texas Sunset

I took some photos of a sunset we had earlier this week that was truly amazing. The clouds were interesting, the colors were vibrant, and I was happy to have been outside at the right time to see it.

I thought you might enjoy it as well! Click on the photos for a larger view.

And it's almost time for Happy FRIDAY!! I can't tell you how glad I will be when 5:00pm Friday rolls around. I don't know why, but this week feels like it's been soooooo long. I actually thought today was Friday until about 10:30am. Talk about a rude awakening when I realized that today was only Thursday! Ughhhhh! But I got through the day, and look forward to the weekend.

Happy Friday, happy WEEKEND!

Garden 2013 ... the beginning

Today I prepped three 4'x8' raised garden beds and the two old aluminum trough planters we moved into the garden last year, for planting. Prepping the soil included loosening and turning the soil that was in each bed, digging up and hauling many wagon-fulls of farm compost (soil and POOP!), filling up the beds w/ the additional compost, turning it all together, and leveling out the soil.

And believe it or not, I actually got seeds planted in the beds I prepped! Five rows of beets, two rows of spinach, two rows of giant peas, and and entire bed of cucumbers. I haven't planted anything in the two aluminum troughs I prepped yet though. One of them is fitted with two super-great round wire trellis, so I want to plant something in that trough that needs upright support. Maybe slicing cucumbers? Last year it did a fantastic job of supporting a couple of monster sized yellow cherry tomato plants. The second trough doesn't have any upright supports in it this year, so I might just plant spinach and chard in it.

I think this might be the earliest I've ever gotten seeds in the ground, and it sure feels like it's time. I worked extra hard today prepping the beds because we're supposed to get some rain tonight and tomorrow. And that would be GREAT after working the soil and getting those seeds in the ground!

Miss Daisy went with me when I went out to snap photos of the beds.

She really wasn't all that impressed with my work. There weren't any cookies involved, so I can understand her disappointment.

There's still loads of work to do for this years garden, but at least I've got it started!

Springtime Wool Felt Flower

Over the years I've made LOTS of felt flower brooches for the Christmas holiday, usually in pretty reds, creams, or blues. But last night I thought I'd make a nice springy yellow flower pin.

I used Sizzix framelits dies to cut the flowers and leaves out of wool felt. Once cut, the layers were sewn together with needle and thread, which also holds the vintage mother of pearl button in place.

I pinned the finished flower (I sewed a lapel pin on the backside) to a tag I cut using a Sizzix Bigz tag die. The tag is a piece of printed paper adhered to thin chipboard for added support. The sentiment banner and flowers were cut using Banners #2 Framelits by Sizzix.

I think this will be a fun gift to give to a friend!

Happy FRIDAY!

PS: The little grey "flecks" you don't actually show up as grey on the flower. They're little bitty silver glitter pieces that give the entire flower and tag a pretty shimmer and shine. If I use this glitter on projects, I usually spray them AFTER they've been photographed, because the glitter always shows up in photos as grey. But, this time I forgot to wait to spray the flower until after the photos were taken. In real life, it's just sparkly. *grin*

 

Supplies
Dies: Sizzix Framelits Banners #2, Sizzix Framelits Flower Layers & Leaf, Sizzix Bigz Tag
Stamp: tinytitles2stamp by The Stamps of Life
Ink: Stephanie Barnard Colorbox "Grape"
Other: Wool Felt, Vintage button, Coats Button thread, Silver Craft Glitter Spray
Paper: Chipboard, Pattern paper scraps (source unknown)

Sunnyside Up!

Made using my Whipper Snapper cling set, Sunnyside Up!

I do love springtime, and all the cheerfulness that comes with it. And this tag is dadgum cheerful. *grin*

 

Supplies
Stamps: Sunnyside Up cling set, Whipper Snapper Designs
Ink: Memento Black, StazOn Black, Ranger Distress Ink (brown)
Paper: October Afternoon, Neenah
Other: May Arts ribbon, button, string, foam dimensional adhesive, EK Success Edger Punch, tracing wheel

Farm Fresh Eggs

Gathered this morning, still warm from the hens that laid them. *swoon*

Spring has Sprung

It's official.... the first chicks of the year have arrived. I stopped in at the farm supply store yesterday for a few things, and would you just look who followed me home! In this photo are 6 chicks: four bantam cochin, and 2 Golden Comets (Golden Sexlink) pullets. I brought the bantam babies home because, well, I just cannot resist a bantam cochin baby. They may well be my favorite breed, which makes it near impossible for me when I see their wee little feathered feet! That little one on the right is quite the eater, wouldn't you say!? And the Golden Comets came home with me because they are GREAT egg layers, and very sweet hens. You really can't go wrong with a Golden Comet.

So while there are only 6 babies in the photo, I actually brought home 7 chicks. The 7th chick was just outside the frame of the photo. I noticed while I was at the store that there was a little red chick that wasn't doing so well. She never got up to eat, had no fight in her when I picked her up, and didn't move away from the others if they walked over the top of her. So I brought her home too, knowing that she wouldn't survive the day if left at the store. In fact, I didn't even think she'd survive the day even at the farm. But at least if she did pass away I could enjoy knowing that she lived a portion of her life on a farm, and didn't die unloved and have her lifeless body tossed into a dumpster. She actually did end up passing about two hours after I got home. But she died a farm chick, and I'm good with that!

The little cheep cheep cheep of baby chicks is hard not to love. Spring has sprung!

Happy Love Day!

To all my darling friends, I wish you love.

High Hopes Challenge: Two by Two

The current High Hopes challenge topic is Two by Two! I chose to use Skyla & Stretch and a pastel palette. I think this would be a pretty cute "twins" baby card!

I hope you'll join us for this week's challenge!

Find all the details on the High Hopes blog.

 

Supplies
Stamp: Skyla & Stretch High Hopes Rubber Stamps
Ink: Memento Black
Paper: Neenah, My Mind's Eye, Paper Accents
ShinHan Touch Twin markers: Y36, BR134, BR107, BR103, GY175, PB75, Y42, R139
Other: Baker's Twine, Button, Tracing Wheel, Spellbinders rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies

Paper Loft: February Layout Challenge

The February layout challenge has been posted on the Paper Loft blog, and while you may think that the layout challenge is only for scrapbookers, that's not so! Cardmarkers can join the fun too! I did! *grin*

I chose to use this older stamp from my collection. It's an All Night Media image, and one that I just adore. I stamped the image in Memento ink and colored it up with ShinHan Touch Twin markers.

I used a Prismacolor pencil or two to add blades of grass.

Have you started thinking about your garden yet? I've started thinking about it, but haven't done too much else. Just thinking.

 

Supplies
Stamp: All Night Media (Garden Lady)
Ink: Black Memento, Antique Linen Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, The Paper Loft
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Other: Spellbinders wonky rectangle and circle die,May Arts twine, tracing wheel, button, string

Taylored Expressions February Spotlight: Easter Doodles

It's release week for Taylored Expressions, and I have two more Easter Doodles projects to share with you. The first one features those cute little chicks again!

I stamped the chick several times on cardstock, cut them out and adhered them to my card to create this scene. Pretty darn cheerful, if you ask me! In addition to the cheerful chicks, the eggs in the basket have a healthy coating of glitter on them, to add to the cheer.

Using another image from the Easter Doodles set, I created this simple bunny card. The little flower image on either side of the bunny is from the previously released set, Green Acres.

There's more inspiration being shared today, so here is a list of designers who will give you a healthy serving of goodness!

• Carole Burrage
• Charmaine Ikach
• Jami Sibley (DT Coordinator)
• Jen Shults
• Kerri Michaud
• Lynnette Kauffman
• Sankari Wegman
• Shannon White
• Shelly Mercado
• Stephanie Kraft
• Tammie Edgerton
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess
• Anna Wight (Guest Designer)

 

Supplies (Chick Card):
Stamp: Taylored Expressions Easter Doodles
Ink: Memento Black, Ranger's Antique Linen Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Bo Bunny
ShinHan Touch Twin markers: Y36, YR31, YR32, YR21, PB144, PB183, BR107, PB185, Y35, R36
Other: Tracing Wheel

Supplies (Bunny Card):
Stamp: Taylored Expressions Easter Doodles, Green Acres
Ink: Memento Black, Ranger's Antique Linen Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Cosmo Cricket
ShinHan Touch Twin markers: WG1, WG3, R36, PB183, Y36, GY175, R3, R2
Other: Spellbinders circle and pinked circle dies, Button, May Arts twine, Tracing Wheel, Kelp Green Prismacolor Pencil

High Hopes Challenge: Flowers

The current High Hopes challenge topic is all about FLOWERS! You could add flowers to your card, use floral print papers, use a flowery image, etc. Just make sure that there are flowers somewhere on your project. Easy, right?

I hope you'll join us for this week's challenge!

Find all the details on the High Hopes blog.

 

Supplies
Stamp: Soo-eet Petunia An Audrey High Hopes Rubber Stamps
Ink: Memento Black, Antique Linen Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, October Afternoon, Paper Accents
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Other: ShinHan Touch Twin markers, String, Button, Tracing Wheel, Spellbinder Lacey Scalloped die

Taylored Expressions February Sneak Peek: Easter Doodles

Today is Sneak Peek day for the February release for Taylored Expressions, and I'm thrilled to be joining the TE design team again for this month's release. All of the new products being showcased will be available Thursday, February 7th, at the Taylored Expressions site.

Today I'm sneak peeking the new set Easter Doodles, which is a large sized set filled with you guessed it -- doodles! And very cute doodles, too! For my project I used several images along with one of the sentiments included in the set to create this treat holder. Aren't those chicks just the cutest?!

I also used the same two chick images to create this clean and simple card, which doesn't necessarily have to be an Easter card! I used Spellbinders dies to create the green and yellow shaped layers, and chose to use some pretty yellow crocheted lace as an accent.

There's lots of fun happening today, and here's a list of designers who will give you a healthy serving of goodness!

• Carole Burrage
• Charmaine Ikach
• Jen Shults
• Kerri Michaud
• Lynnette Kauffman
• Sankari Wegman
• Shannon White
• Shelly Mercado
• Stephanie Kraft
• Tammie Edgerton
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess
• Anna Wight (Guest Designer)
• Nancy McKinney (Illustrator)

 

Supplies:
Stamp: Taylored Expressions Easter Doodles
Ink: Memento Black, Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss, Ranger's Antique Linen Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Paper Accents, Stampin' Up!
ShinHan Touch Twin markers: Y36, YR31, YR32, YR21, PB144, PB183
Other: May Arts Ribbon and twine, Spellbinders circle, pinked circle and scalloped circle dies, Making Memories lace, Tracing Wheel, buttons and string

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Find me under account name: SweetMissDaisy

I post pics of farm critters, crafty snippets, and randomness. :)

The Challenge Chicks: Valentines!

If you're a stamper and you like challenges, or you're new to the idea of challenges and want to give participating a whirl, I invite you to participate with The Challenge Chicks! We're a small group of friends and stampers hosting monthly challenges. Won't you join us?!

Our challenge for February 2013 is being shared today!

This month's challenge is easy:  Valentines!

For my project, I pulled out one of my Whipper Snapper cling mount sets, Bear Hugs. Dressed up in his bowtie, he looks like he's ready for some Valentine lovin' to me!

He's stamped in Memento ink and colored with Touch Twin markers. The rose, sentiment, and speech bubble are images also found in the Bear Hugs set. It was fun to create this little scene.

And, how about a bonus project!? I wrapped a conversation candy heart treat box with card stock, added a printed paper panel, and created the tag using an image from the Stampin' Up set called Gift Givers. Pretty simple, and a whole lot cuter than the printed box!

Now get yourself a good dose of some Valentine fun and check out the rest of The Challenge Chicks projects:

Diane Zechman
Lydia Fiedler
Jeanne Streiff
Kelli Hull
Kelly Schirmer
Anna Wight (that's me!)

And, finally, you'll find this month's challenge gallery on SplitCoastStampers using keyword CHXFEB13. We invite you to play along! Upload your project to your SplitCoastStampers gallery, add the keyword above, and your project will be automatically added to the gallery. Or join us on Facebook!

We look forward to seeing your projects!

 

Supplies (Bear)
Stamps: Whipper Snapper "Bear Hugs"
Paper: Neenah, BoBunny, Bazzill
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Ink: Memento Black, Antique Linen Distress Ink
Other: Bakers Twine, Tracing Wheel, Dress-it-Up Button, string

Supplies (Box)
Stamps: Stampin' Up! "Gift Givers"
Paper: Stampin' Up!, K&Company
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Ink: Memento Black
Other: Stampin' Up! Scallop Circle Punch, EK Success Circle Punch, Bakers Twine, Tracing Wheel

Happy Groundhog's Day!