Thursday, June 02, 2016

Thursday 10:45am

Good Morning!
Can't believe it's already been a week since we chatted.  The tornado sirens went off one day.  We've had rain off and on--even thunderstorms!  And some gorgeous sunny spring days, too.
Let's see--basically been working on making cards and writing letters.  (I do love getting snail mail, you guys!)  
I finished stamping 100 of these Christmas card fronts. 
We still will probably stamp the backs with our new made-by stamp.  And we have yet to decide if we want anything stamped inside the cards but the hardest part of the two scenery Christmas sets is done.  :)
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I got as far as I could coloring 70 of the crazy cat stamps.
I just have not figured out yet how I want to color the cat and I want to do something embellish-y for the cake frosting, too.
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Karma loved the flower box and packing paper for the couple days I left it for her to lounge upon. 
Oh, and this was actually a first sighting of a new visitor--exactly what I saw from the kitchen table.  Looks like a dove.  Maybe a mourning dove?  
It's been around since and definitely doesn't like to share the sunflower seeds any more than the bigger black birds do--LOL!  The poor little sparrows.  
No wonder they have become so adept at darting in and escaping quickly.  She turns around and poof--LOL!
Chillier days Karma keeps her post in her warm round bed. 
Most all the critter family out there have seemed to learn that Karma can't really get to them.  They will be right out there--sometimes inches away--even when her face is practically pressed against the screen.  So she usually just sits and watches them now.  Miss Karma has never had better CatTV!!  Goodness sakes!  Smell-o-vision and everything--LOL!
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Me--I continued on with the cards.  Next it was printing Christmas card fronts with an ornaments stamp. 
Three of them--that I would also color. 
Was a quiet week for Karma and I.  No visitors.  I wasn't feeling that hot on Monday so I passed on Craft Night with Leah.  Might be up to it tonight and will let her know.  Wait and see how the day goes.  
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Been cooler and damper. 
Karma can hardly wait for me to get up and open the patio door. 
 But we've had a couple days where it got too chilly in here and a couple days where it got too hot.  Typical spring rollercoaster weather. 
Oh--some bad news.  :(  
Sadly, these roses were collapsing after about five days, too. 
Well, it was a new company, cheaper, and they started out last year actually fulfilling all the expectations they put out there--fresher, longer lasting, healthier, more fragrant flowers. 
But maybe they got too big too fast and couldn't keep up the quality?  Granted, these looked better to begin with and are dying more gracefully but pretty much just as quickly.  At a week they are not as crispy dead, but definitely have one thorny foot in the grave.  A whole flower even fell right off the stem.  
Regardless, I asked Leah to go back to buying me a live potted plant if she wants to get me something for Mother's Day next year.  ;)  I think I agree with her stand now.  No more cut flowers.
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 Meanwhile...back at the ranch...
Letter and cards and Netflix.
I started coloring the ornaments. 
Yup--assembly line method.  One color at a time. 
Got this far!  
Now we just have to decide how to shimmer them up.  They need a little bling--but almost done.  
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I saw a cable TV truck across the way at the other apartment complex and it made me wonder why they put orange cones in front of the parked trucks? 
I think electric repair trucks might do that, too.  Why?  They are just parked there?  They're not in a no parking or a handicapped spot?  I have never understood why they do that.  Anyone know?  (I think of you, Iggy, every time I see an orange cone!)
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And, speaking of puzzling actions...why would Karma think she needed to claim the electric cord to my laptop?  Silly girl!
Anyways, this morning it was sunny and cool.  I put a big pile of sunflower seeds out because I hadn't seen Little Buddy for a couple of days and the birds come and gobble down the sunflower seeds in no time anymore.  Especially the black birds.  I thought if I put out more maybe there might be some left if Little Buddy came this morning. 
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And he was almost the first one there! 
If you click to enlarge this you can see those fat pouches! 
He filled them up full, scooted away, and quickly came back in a flash until the entire pile was gone!  No seeds for the birds today--LOL!  Lots of entertainment for Miss Karma, though.  And for me.  ;)   
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But right now, Karma's softly snoring in the chair next to me.  Even the birds are pretty quiet today.  It's 68 degrees right now and supposed to get up to the mid-70s with a blue and white sky and only 48% humidity--ahhh!  Windows open day!!  Love it!  :)
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I hope you've been having a good week and good weather.  I'll be writing letters owed and watching new seasons on Netflix of Hell On Wheels and Pinky Blinders (already watched Bloodline).  Caroline will grocery shop for me tomorrow and I can put in my Amazon order--with some goodies for Ian (his birthday's in June and Gramma's not going to be spacy-late this time) and a few crafty pens for some shimmer and bling on the cards--whoohoo!  Maybe even do some crafts with Leah tonight.  Life is good!! 
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Happy weekend!  :):)
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"Gratitude makes us feel bursting with delight, just to remember the gifts we have received. Thus we are doubly blessed when we receive something: for the gift itself and later, in recall, for the miracle of having been given it."
MJ Ryan

21 comments:

Divers and Sundry said...

Spring weather can be so unpredictable. No tornadoes here, t least, and I hope none there! We have a lot of mourning doves. They aren't too aggressive, but they do tend to just camp out in the feeder lol

Sherry Ellis said...

Those storm clouds looked ominous! Your Christmas coloring is coming along. They look so cute!

andi filante said...

Your cards are so, so cute!! I'm getting a hand cramp just thinking about all that coloring. :) And seeing Miss Karma makes me think of the picture my daughter just posted on FB. She took a t-shirt and wrapped it around a box and her kitty gets in and out of the box through the neck-hole of the shirt. She didn't come up with the idea, but her cat loves it!!

-andi

Far Side of Fifty said...

Love your cards, they look like Shiny Brites! Hot and cold and rain...never can tell what the weather will do. Do you have a storm shelter there? The weather was wild one night this week. Chance hid in the bathroom all night long!
Good to see you are keeping busy! :)

TexWisGirl said...

love karma watching little buddy. pretty card coloring. :)

Halle said...

Holy cow you have been busy! Lots of stamping...you do it so well.

DJan said...

I am glad that Little Buddy got his fill of the sunflower seeds. I know how aggressive those birds can be. And your cards look great! Sending you and Karma lots of hugs for the delight you brought me today. :-)

~*~Patty S said...

You are a card making machine Rita!
Well done and so nice they are.
I don't think I'd want to be in the flower business.
There are so many variables from growing to delivery.
Fun for Karma to have a window on all that wildlife
for you too.
Happy June! oxo

Lady Fi said...

Lovely cards! And I like that first shot - so stormy.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I am in AWE of your stamping and card making abilities. Wish I could send you a card, but right now my monthly stamp allowance goes to my six person swap. Just remember I am thinking about you and hoping you get snail mail from people who don't have a budget like mine (sigh).

Karma looks like she is having fun with the visitors. Too bad about the roses, but I have never cared for fresh flowers unless they were ones I grew myself. Like you, I much prefer a healthy plant.

Hope you feel better soon and can enjoy a craft night.

Intense Guy said...

The cards look wonderful - the roses not so much.

Karma probably thinks she has gotten an upgrade on her KatTV channel!

Jenny Woolf said...

Those roses are a disappointment. I guess they were expensive too. I think a potplant is a nice idea, you can keep it going for a long time. I just got a wonderful amayllis flower which came 18 months after I repotted the bulb of a Christmas amaryllis. I thought it wasn't going to do anything but suddenly... there it was! and in midsummer instead of Christmas, outside instead of inside. I'm thrilled. Have a lovely week ahead, Rita.

ChicagoLady said...

That was definitely a Mourning Dove. And don't worry if some of the sparrows don't get any seed, the ones in this week's picture are House Sparrows, an introduced species from Europe. They are more annoying than the doves.

Desiree said...

The Christmas cards are looking great!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I love the Christmas cards :) I am already in the Christmas spirit!

Victoria said...

Gorgeous cards, awesome my friend, all so lovely! Beautiful pictures of Karma, the birds, the dove and sweet visitor! So fun to see!Wishing you a fantastic week..happy creating..looks like you are super busy creating away and it is all gorgeous!
Victoria

Neesie said...

It's wonderful to see you having such a great creative time with all of your critters. I love the photos of Karma keeping an eye on Little Buddy. I feed the birds in three places around my house and adore watching all the antics.
Great Christmas cards although I can't contemplate Christmassy things as we haven't really started summer here. We may not get summer, but I'm hopeful!

Feral Turtle said...

You are just so creative Rita! A talented card creator! Karma-vision is pretty exciting these days. Hope your internet gets straightened out today!

Serena Lewis said...

I'm glad the tornado warning was nothing to worry about.

We get the same here with the birds...there are always those ones who don't like to share.

So happy to see Karma has much better variety on her Cat TV now. hehe

Bummer about the second lot of roses wilting so quickly too. :(
I must admit I like the idea of potted plants better too.

The cards are coming along very well. They're looking lovely!

I hope all is well with you and Karma.

Love and hugs xo

Darla said...

Oh dear, I'm woefully late getting around to commenting these days. Thank you for not giving up on me :-) I'm impressed that you are so far along on your beautiful Christmas cards. You'll be all ready next Dec.1 and I'll still be in the thinking about it stage.

Looks like you and Karma are sure enjoying your new digs.

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

Karma must be having the time of her life! Look at all the birds and critters she gets to see up close. That's neat, too, that they aren't afraid of her even though she's right there (albeit through the screen). Your cards look lovely, Rita!