Birds, Babies, Birthdays

Do you think she knows that we're watching her?  Sure looks like it here.

Surprise, surprise!  Friday morning the eggs began hatching.  That little one wore the shell on it's head for quite a while.  I had to leave for work so I didn't see the rest of them hatch.  But they all did.

HWNSNBP was prepared.  He had already ordered 5000 mealworms - LIVE mealworms.  They come in a muslin bag,

In wads of newspaper that he carefully takes out of the bag OUTSIDE.

And dumps them into a plastic shoe box with a layer of oatmeal and maybe one or two slices of potato to keep them fed.  They cannot climb up the sides. THANK GOODNESS.

And actually, they're not slimy.  They are smooth and harmless and I have no problem myself picking them up. Just don't put a spider in front of me!  He'll take a couple dozen of them up to the garden to the mealworm feeder each evening (and morning when he's not working).  The mealworm feeder is a wooden box with plexiglass on the front and entry holes on each of the sides. The lid lifts up for you to drop the worms in.  The side is plexiglass so the birds can see them. They can fly into the hole on the side, gather up several worms and fly out again.

Here are the babies at four days old.

And here is another baby at two weeks!

His mommy had a birthday this weekend.  Moving around my stuff during our renovation I came across some of the leftovers from the centerpieces for the rehearsal dinner so now was a good time to put them to use.

But darned if I couldn't put my hands on the sequins I wanted to add to this.  Oh well.  I'm sure they'll show up some time.

Creativity on Hold

Well, it's finally happening.  It's finally coming together.  This is what it looked like about 3 weeks ago after shelves and another table and much "stuff" were taken out.  That which you see is my work table, a ribbon cart, and a punch cart.  There's a dresser in there somewhere and my ink storage.  No peaking under the table (for there is more stuff there).  The walls were patched and the colors were tested.  And just for reference the color chosen is just left of the corner that's in the center of the picture.  

Time to sand and then paint the ceiling meant covering everything with plastic.  (Did it keep the dust out?  Not completely. But it did keep the paint off.)  Four coats of ceiling paint later (don't ask) - HWNSNBP was ready to do the walls.

Did I mention there was patching.  (And I still found tack and staple holes after he painted.)

Some of the shelves were relocated to the stair landing.  Up and down the stairs moving all those stamps.  Please don't judge me - I know there are way too many. Next project is to unmount those on wood blocks to free up more space.  I already have the cases and mounting foam waiting.

Other shelves were relocated to the hallway - paper, embellishments and a lot of miscellaneous. And more was put in the other bedroom - I could open my own craft store I think.  

What was left in the room is rotating around while the new floor is being installed.

The paint is like a chameleon - it changes color in different light - at least it seems that way.  I'm sure you're thinking it looks a lot like the original color, but trust me, it is not.  Is it the "right" color? Almost.  I was aiming for a more Tiffany Blue.  I just could not seem to find what I had in mind but this is close enough.  I'm not as bad as Mrs. Blandings.

And the floor is laminate.  HWNSNBP has been a good sport about this.  I know he's itching to get outside to play in the yard but this had to get done.  I know I am itching to get back in to get creating again.  Right now I've commandeered the dining room table and it's not pretty.  

There will not be a lot of wall space visible when this is done.  There will be shelves galore and a counter top in the far corner (where you saw the paint samples earlier).  I'll be able to bring up my laptop and the tv will be mounted above that.  

I found some ideas online for a work island too made from some of the same shelves that we are going to put on the wall which will be yet more storage.  

Am I excited?  Yes.  But I also wear myself out just thinking of all the work that still lies ahead. Those shelves aren't going to move back in with all the materials on them.  I'll have to empty them again and reshelve everything and try to organize it in a coherent manner at the same time.  Sheesh! Like I said, I'm tired just thinking about it.  But I know it will all be worth it in the end.

Now tomorrow I have to try to remember where I put some things to make a birthday card for this weekend.  Fingers crossed.

Keeping Up - Birds and Breakfast

Mr. & Mrs. Blue have become regulars at the suet feeder.  In fact, HWNSNBP is feeling the pressure of keeping it filled up.  Not only are the birds interested, but there is a local raccoon that will have at it in the night.  So, every evening he takes it down, puts it in a plastic bag, and stores it in his truck. Then every morning before he goes to work he takes it out and rehangs it for the birds.  And should he forget and leave for work with it still in the truck, well, when I go out to my car, the birds are there in the trees and are very vocal about not having their breakfast at their ready.

We made a quick trip to the condo this weekend before visiting with the grandbaby and new parents. The swans in the refuge behind us were all over the place.  I counted 14 that I could see, but there were more white birds in the distance which were either more swans or herons and egrets.

These two were standing in the shallow water and their shapes and necks are just so pretty.

We did venture out to the island and up the north end to the lighthouse, picking up pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwiches (it's a Jersey thing) for breakfast on the way at the Inlet Deli.  Our intention was to eat outside, but it was much to windy and a tad bit too cold.  The wind at the lighthouse was even more ferocious and there were no birds to photograph so we turned around and headed back.

And speaking of breakfast - Last week it was our office's turn to host what we call Fat Friday.  (It's what our school does each Friday which amounts to a breakfast/brunch spread for those that participate.  When you participate you choose a Friday that you and your group supply the treats and you can partake of the treats each Friday if you have signed up for a turn.)  So we had chosen this past Friday - Tax Day here in the US - and used a money theme for our table.  This did make for a busy week after work preparing all this stuff, but it was all delicious and well received.

There was lots of "dough" in the bagels.  "Greens" in the quiches.  I made some "bringing home the bacon" puffs and my new favorite cookie - browned butter brown sugar cookie$ in the cookie jar. The custodian baked a "rich" chocolate cake, and I made a "millionaire" pie.  The table was strewn with mini $100,000 bars and Hershey "treasures".  We also had cheese and crackers, grapes, juices, popcorn, pretzel rods, and some sticky cinnamon rolls.  It was a good feast.

Here is the link to the cookie recipe - Brown Sugar Cookies

Here is the link to the puffs - Brown Sugar and Bacon Puff Twists

Here is the link to the pie - Millionaire Pie

The New Love in My Life

Well, he's just a little early but here he is......... Ryan Joseph........ our first grandchild!

Congratulations Michelle and Chris!  Welcome little one.  We're overjoyed.

Sharing Their Creativity

I love getting mail!  Don't you love getting mail?  As long as it's not a bill, or a negative medical report, I look forward to getting real mail.   And I'm privileged to have some very creative souls who graced me with some of their creativity during the month of March.  

Sabrina sent me this beautiful birthday card.  I love the colors and of course, the bird.  The little bit of lace and that die cut flower are extra special.  

And she made me this beautiful initial "L" decorated with again, some of my favorite things.  I absolutely love it and can't wait to showcase in my new craft room, but first it will spend some time out where everyone can enjoy it.  Thank you so much Sabrina for sharing your creativity with me.

Sunshine in New Zealand sent me this card for Flying Pig Day.  The pig wobbles (or is attempting to fly).  Thank you Sunshine for remembering me on National Pig Day.  This is so stinking cute!

Then there were several BRAK's from Splitcoast stampers.

This card from Beverly McGuire - love those calla lillies

This flowery wonder from Debbie (dbeckler) - aren't those flowers beautiful

A monochromatic masterpiece from Cathy Alstott (lexant)

And some candles to blow out from Dyna Jones (DPJ)

Thank you all for sharing and thank you for making my birthday month so special.

March Tangles and One of My Own

I think this is the first month that I finished on time yet look how far into the next month I'm posting.  One of these days I'll get it right.  

March 1 - Y Chain/Damy

March 2 - Fraccing/Rhiannon McKinstry

March 3 - Plower/Helen Williams

March 4 - Kiasom/Annette Playa-Lodde

March 4 - Festoon TOO/Ina Sonnenmoser

March 5 - Char/Willow Bree

March 7 - 3 Loops 6/Mina Hsiao

March 8 - Braces/Sandra Strait

March 9 - bullnose/molossus

March 10 - Soluna/Pegi Shargel

March 11 - D'RUA/Damy

March 12 - Ping/Yu Ru Chen

March 13 - Flip Flap/Ellen Wolters

March 14 - Whimriph/Linda Underdonk

March 15 - Andante/Lily Moon

March 16 - Citrus/Adele Bruno

March 17 & 18 - Frames and Frames Too/there were two ways to achieve this thus taking 2 days

March 19 - Tire Prof/Bunte Galerie

March 20 - XIN/Damy

March 21 - Strata/Jane Monk

March 22 - Sprigs/Michele Beauchamp

March 23 - 2-trik/Yamit Fridman

March 24 - Zazzy/Sue Clark

March 25 - Lamar/Margaret Bremner

March 26 - Sinchun/Yu Ru Chen

March 27 - Steampunk Flower/Ina Sonnenmoser

March 28 - Petal Pusher/Barbara Finwall

March 29 - African Artist/Tina Akua Honziker

March 30 - Chloe/Barbara Finwall

March 31 - ELEM/Me

The tangle on the 31st is one of mine - inspired by my initials on my birthday - so I can show the step-outs.  The sixth/last step shows a variation adding the half circles.

Jingle Belles - Look Who's Coming to Town

Those papers that I had to have from Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago also had this nice Santa graphic on it which was just what I needed for this week's Jingle Belle Challenge. If the edges of that circle look a little wonky it's because it was drawn that way on the paper.  All's I did was follow the line. 

And since I had those other coordinating papers (see there is a method to my shopping madness), I put them all together using the sketch from the Paper Players challenge 288 which I've missed the deadline on but that's okay, I really like the sketch anyway, 'cept I took a little creative license with it and turned it on it's side.

One would think that without any actual stamping or coloring on this that it would have been a quicky - ah, but did you notice all the die cut greenery.  Surely I must be nuts or having fun.  Or maybe both!

Okey, dokey, let's go visit the rest of the Jingle Belles to see all their Santa's and friends.  

Don't forget to check out my Pay It Forward Post.  

Paying It Forward Because..........

I had a wonderful, relaxing week last week off from work despite the mess you see below. This has been in the making for a llllllllooooooooonnnnnnggggg time.  This is the room I fondly call my "Stamp Cave" sans the shelves and another large table.  It was my son's room and after he moved out I slowly took ownership of it, removing the bed and unsystematically adding more furniture for storage of my ever-growing craft stash.  There were dings and dents in the walls, not to mention staples galore from posters and pictures that once decorated the walls.  So after we removed the shelves, table and an embarrassingly large amount of stuff, HWNSNBP had a lot of patching to do. And I had to pick out a color.  And I have to be sure that it's what I want to live with for a very long time according to the painter (aka HWNSNBP) because given our age and stage of life, once the stuff goes back in, it ain't comin' out.

For the time being my worktable was left standing in the middle so I could possibly use it in an emergency if need be.  But it had to be shrouded in plastic from the dust and paint splatter (from the ceiling being painted too).

Of course, while I was packing things up and moving them out I was coming across all kinds of things like these birds and the die cut tree.  So, while he was out playing in the yard (waiting for me to finish up) I dug out a blank white card and some inks to make a background and then assembled this quick card.  A little bit of procraftinating!

And speaking of finding things, the following are a few of the things that I found that I had doubles (an in one case triples) of.  So, I've decided to Pay It Forward.  I would be glad to share these items (all of them unused) with the first person who requests them in the comments below.  Just make sure to tell me which item it is that you would like and I will get back to you for your mailing address.  

The stamps below are 1" x 3"

The stamp below is 1" x 3"

The leaf stamp below is 2 1/4" x 3"

The Jingle stamp is 3 1/2" x 5"

I will get them out as soon as possible, I promise.  

And another reason I am sharing is because I had a bit of luck this weekend.  My godmother sent me some lottery tickets in my birthday card and I won $20 AND I was the winner chosen in Darnell's April Fool's Big Boo Boo Card Blog Hop and I am using my prize to get some new markers.  Thank you to all the blog hoppers who visited and commented on my card. I certainly had some giggles visiting each and every one of you!  And thank you Darnell for sponsoring such a fun event!

April Fool's Day - My Big Fat Card Boo Boo Blog Hop

Darnell at djkardkreations is hosting a blog hop today featuring cards that might have made you feel like an April Fool because of a boo boo you made creating it.  Goodness knows that mistakes have been made and cards have been discarded, but there was this one...............

It wasn't an ugly card.  I like the colors.  The problem was that this was intended to be used as a sympathy card.  And I was going to use it that way until I started fixating on those three punched shapes......... lined up in a row........... side-by-side............. just like..................... headstones!  Looking back on my blog post, my daughter agreed with me (and so did one of my commenters).  Yeah - who would send something that looked like a cemetery as a sympathy card!  I think it's still in my box of cards - just can't get past those headstones..... for any occasion.

Don't forget to check out the other Boo Boo's at

djkardkreations