Beautiful Cards – Stampin’ Up Class

I really enjoy going to Jan Farring’s  Stampin” Up! demonstration classes.  Here projects are always wonderful and I usually like them so much that I have a hard time sending them out. 

This time around it was a Valentine’s card class and I was participating in a card swap so it worked perfectly!

This class was really special because I got there and she had everything cut out, embossed and ready to rumble!  We just moved from station to station making 2 cards at every stop.  Check them out…

 

I had 5 cards to send for my swap and I made 10.  It worked out perfect because I get to keep a set for next year!

Thanks so much for the class Jan!  I can’t wait for the next class…

Puzzle Swap April 2010

Here is the latest swap  that just went in the mail today.  I really like doing the ATCs so I thought I would give this a try.  This puzzle has 12 pieces so you need to have 12 people sign up for the swap. 

The hostess purchases the puzzles, collects the puzzle money and shipping costs from each participant.  She makes a list of each person's theme and which number they are.  She then goes through all 12 puzzles and numbers the backs of the pieces so we know which piece to decorate for which theme.   Then they are mailed out to be decorated and we put our information on the backs of each piece.

  Once decorated they are mailed back to the hostess and she will swap the pieces so each person has a complete puzzle that has pieces built upon their theme.  Of course my theme was purple and my piece is on the top left of this puzzle.

The other ladies asked for movie stars, a movie, a play, something scrappy, something outdoors, flowers, Paris, something to match a kitchen.  My picture is on the top right piece because that swapper asked us to put a small picture of ourselves on the piece.  I wish I would have thought of that!

This was fun but a little more time consuming than ATCs.  I think I might do another one if I see another swap come up over the summer.

I should get this one back by mid May so I will post an “after” picture later.

Hunter's Safety Certification Class

This is Carl Shaver.  Carl, along with his wife Sharon, hosted a Hunter's Safety Class in January and February of this year.  This is a picture of Carl reading instructions on the Hunter's Safety Class Field Day.

Our son, Hunter, took the class this year in conjunction with Y.H.E.C. (Youth Hunter Education Challenge) that the Shavers also host.

Shooting with a rest and shooting with out a rest.

Casing\Hull identification.

Carrying a gun in the field with hunting partners.

Carl and Sharon discussing results.

And he passes!  Watch out world!  He is ready to live up to his name.

A big THANK YOU goes out to Carl & Sharon Shaver for training these kids to be safe in the field!

Great Job Hunter!

The Mailbox Incident

I don't know how many people drive by our house every day but it has to be a lot.  We have a real bad corner before our driveway if you are headed to town.  People need to SLOW down but every once in a while someone loses control.   Thank goodness the house is at the back of the property!

This time last year someone rolled their jeep through our fence a little before midnight.  Warren was able to scab the fence together enough to keep the animals in until morning.  The next day he and Hunter spent the majority of the day fixing fence in the pouring rain.

This year someone came around the corner too fast on a late afternoon.  They missed our fence but took out the mailbox by shearing it off at the ground and got the neighbor's fence.  As if that was not bad enough, he got out to survey the damage, got back in his truck and took off!  We were looking right at him and were just heading down there when he left.

Kind of ticked me off so I called the sheriff and they happened to be in the right place at the right time.  They caught him at the bottom of the canyon and took him to jail.

Probably goes without saying but we needed to get a new mailbox; we have been dragging that one around for at least 10 years.  I got a real shocker when I saw the replacement price for our old box was $80!  So, we ended up with this jumbo model and I know this gal that does vinyl graphics.....

So, that gal being me...I designed, cut and applied the vinyl for the mailbox.

I wanted the business name out there anyhow and I guess this was a great opportunity to get that done.  It also solved the problem of the mail lady having to drive up to the house all the time to leave stuff that would not fit in the box.

The box is almost big enough to accept a miniature horse (definitely a few baby goats) now and I kinda like it.  I needed a change and I guess I wished loud enough... 

Probably better watch out for what I wish!  Wouldn't want that pile of money I've been thinkin' about just laying around on the porch when is it delivered since the mailbox isn't big enough. :-)

Hunter makes it to his next birthday...

We had a birthday at the beginning of March and Hunter turned 11.  Here he is lighting the candles on his cake.

It is flat amazing how quickly they learn and grow up!

Of course then there were presents...

There are lots of shotgun shells in this bag from a special Aunt Sheree & Uncle Ron.

Coins & flashlights from Grandma & Grandpa

Some of the guests...

And finally, the Baking Queen, my niece Jenn!

This is the one who makes all of the beautiful cakes in this family like this one....

Thank you so much!  It turned out just awesome and it tasted great!

Beginning to look like Rescue Heros

A picture of Boone and Maddie babysitting while Brandy is getting a bite to eat.

Martha and Millie began to start walking\wobbling after 3 days of us physically exercising their legs.  They reminded me of the little Power Rangers toys Hunter to used to play with - their feet were way to big for their bodies.

At this point I had to drag out the old puppy fencing that was long fogotten.  Fencing, a painter's drop cloth and all those old towels that I save just in case I need them some day.

The bottle feeding moved to every 3 hours and they began to take on more milk at each feeding.  Unfortunately, what goes in must come out.

Washing 2 loads of towels a day and having their little voices bang off the walls began to get old.

They graduated to outside, in the stall where they were born, when they started knocking over the puppy fencing.

Back on the radar...

It is hard to believe that I have been off the blog radar for so many weeks.  It is like I bumped my head and woke up in a new month.

The main reason I fell off is because we gained 2 new kids on February 27th and we lost their mom, my favorite goat, Nelly on the 28th.  The good doctor Schultz tried to save her but it was just too late.  While we were trying to get Nelly stabilized we were also battling the problems of her 2 premature doelings named Martha and Millie.

Warren put Sugar and Tessy on the milking stand but neither wanted to have anything to do with the foreign babies getting milk from them.  Thankfully we had milk replacer in the pantry for a day just like this one.

Martha could suckle a little and she could stand up but not really walk.  Millie didn't know how to suck at all and her legs were jello.  All of the days of swearing that I would never have a hoofed animal in my house came to an end.  They couldn't move much so they resided in a box with our Jack Russell Brandy keeping an eye out and becoming their foster mommy.

Feedings every 2 hours and a lot of worrying about Millie staying with us for a couple of days - it was like watering a wilting plant - they got better.

Photographing Triplets

It is pretty hard to keep track of twins let alone get the triplets all in one photo.  This is Rancher in the front ceter, Sweet Pea in the middle and Little Bit in the back.

Sugar is talking to them...

They are getting HUGE!  The two wethers will be ready to go on March 15th - any takers?

D.A.R.E. Graduation

On Friday, February 19th we attended a graduation ceremony in the Crook County High School gym.  All the 5th graders who completed a 9 week training program with Officer Coffman were asked to attend the graduation. 

From left to right: Officer "Dawn" Jordan, Officer Coffman and Officer Boyd.

5th graders in attendance from Crooked River Elementary with teachers Jody Fletcher and Jim Hite.

Hunter walking through shaking hands with the officers and receiving his graduation materials.

Here he is receiving materials from Officer "Dawn".  She was the original coodinator for the D.A.R.E. program in Prineville and many of the kids really miss her and wer glad to see her on this evening.

To Hunter and all of the kids who completed the course - AWESOME WORK!

New Window Graphics

I think I am just giddy over my new window graphics on the Suburban.  It took a lot of hard work since it has been so cold but I am finally done and here is the final product.

This is a close up of a side window.

This is the close up view of the rear window.

The windows look far better than the dirt all over the rig!  What can I say, I'm not a big fan of car washes when I live on a muddy road :-)

I think the graphics really jump off the rig and catch your eye.The vinyl cutter is my new friend and I have all sorts of plans.  I am waiting for the weather to warm a bit before I install on a customer vehicle but meanwhile I am working on some pretty cool graphics that are more bumper sticker size.

Big, Furry, Wild Horse is Tamed

It is spring and that means that it is time to clean up & clean out and reassess what we have & what we don't need any longer.

This horse named Token came to mind since he was purchased for Hunter to ride with us and he has not really been ridden but twice.

Hunter was very reluctant to ride up until yesterday when I started listing things on Craigslist.org and Token's name came up... 

 So, here is Hunter on Token.  He actually got on and off by himself and thinks he is ready for the bridle instead of the lead rope.

 Here he is manning this big wild horse all by himself.

 First lesson: What do you do when the horse wants to eat and you don't want him to?

 You show him that you are the boss!

We are both very proud of Hunter for taking this huge step.  I know that I am really looking forward to horn hunting on the mules and I am happy that Hunter will be joining us!

Good job Hunter!

Frozen Fog & Spider Webs

We had very thick fog again this morning.  Although it was not the frozen variety today it did remind me of a picture I took a couple weeks back.

I took this photo outside of our front door.  This web was hanging up inside of our patio overhang.  Didn't see it until that day :-)  Thanks for pointing this out crappy weather!