Celebrate!...Happy Birthday!!..Doraline and News!!

I have a few birthdays to catch up on....and this card is for a very special gal who just loves squirrels and chipmunks. This Doraline from Motivet rubber stamps is just the Cutest and so perfect for this card. The sentiments are gelatin stamps.

Be sure to check out the Motivet site....as they have new stamps...a Handsome young fella named Dexter...and some fabulous new Christmas stamps!! Visit their fabulous Inspiration Blog to see the Gorgeous DT cards...and comment for a chance to win some Fabulous stamps!! Motivet stamps are also available from Phebe at The Town Scrapper ....you can email Phebe right here.

I used one of Bea's Wonderful sketches for this card. Bea not only has a Fabulous blog "Megastamper"....she has a sketch challenge going on with a great prize!!

The patterned paper on this card is Digital....I downloaded it from "Sweet Shoppe Designs" and printed out what I wanted. The Gorgeous kit I downloaded and used here is called Happiness by Zoe Pearn. Zoe has many beautiful kits at Sweet Shoppe Designs and has a fabulous blog called Sweet Nothings.

Onto the card.....The images are colored with copics, prismacolor pencils...and twinkling h20's.

After coloring..I cut out Doraline and the balloon. I stamped celebrate on the balloon, used diamond glaze on the white highlight ovals and went over the remaining part with a stardust pen for a bit of sparkle. I then added a string.

Doraline, the balloon, sentiment and scalloped oval are all popped up on foamy's. I made these cute Lollipop Flowers using a tutorial from the new challenge blog called The Next Level. What a great place.....Lots of neat things going on there!!

The leaves I just cut out by eyeballing and distressed.....The lovely heart pin is from my sweet friend Tina....at Yummy Scrummy Create.

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Big News!!!

A New Store.....Nikki (Bunny-Zoe's Blog) has just opened her Fabulous Online Store called....

"Bunny Zoe Crafts".......be sure to check it out and spread the news!!.... Nikki is going to be carrying some Fabulous stamps and items!!.....You can also click on her Bunny Zoe Crafts Banner on my sidebar....at any time!!

More Great News......

There is a New Whiff of Joy Release coming up....June 14th ....and it is Fabulous!!....You can check out the new stamps right here

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I'm just adding in here that I won't be around for a week ...we are on holidays!! Yay!!...and the weather is Beautiful!!.........Have a Great Week Everyone!!....and Thank you for all your Lovely comments!!

We're Empty Nesters!!...more Robin pics and a video!!

The little robins flew away on June 3rd. I took a few photos and videos just before I went out to work in the garden. When I came back in I just caught the last robin flying out of the nest. I managed to get a few photos of one of them sitting on our trellis by itself...and with the parent robin.

It is a little sad to see the empty nest....but it sure was a wonderful experience to watch this little family. I wonder if they will come back next year...... they would certainly be welcome!!

I have one last video to share.......I've combined 3 little video clips together...so it may seem a little long. Enjoy......

If you can't view it click..."here" Thanks so much for looking everyone .....and for your lovely comments!!.....I'll be back with a card tomorrow!!

Robin family update and Video!!

Thank you so much for all your Wonderful comments Everyone!!..... Quite a few of you have ask for updates on this little family...and of course I am so happy to share!!
I have two more videos for you to enjoy...... one is a little graphic......so I'd like to share a little info about what you are seeing in the first video.
Just about every time a baby robin eats ....he poops. That makes for a pretty dirty nest!!...so the parents have to keep it clean in a very unique way. The baby robins poop is contained in a strong mucus bag...so the mother can carry it away in her beak with out it breaking....LOL...disposable diapers for birdies!!....Within seconds of feeding the baby robin poops...whichever parent robin has fed them also takes the waste away immediately ...keeping the clean nest.
When the baby robins are young...there is hardly any bacteria in the waste...it is mostly food....the worms and such that the parent robin feeds....so it is okay for the parent to injest it. Once the babies are a little older though.....it contains more bacteria.....so the parent carries it 20-50 yrds away and drops it in flight!! (more info about about all of this right here).
** This information was shared from the "Journey North Website". Be sure to check this very interesting and informative site out!!**
One of the most Amazing things I've noticed about all this....is that the Mother and Father share the work load. They take turns doing everything....Wow!! talk about modern day families...right?!! Today they were both flying around in the back yard.....it looked like they almost collided at one point and were talking like crazy....LOL...it almost looked like they were having an argument....Could it be????..............
Enough of my babble ....onto the video...double click to see the videos even larger.
Can't view it?.. click here This 2nd video is just of the Robin babies.....It's really Cute...cause the baby on the right will give the baby on the left a little lick......When I first saw this I was Amazed....to be sure the robin actually licked the other...I watched it on my camera in slow motion...Unfortunately I don't know how to show it to you all in slow motion....So just Watch carefully!.........This so reminds me of my son's little dog Chewbacca .....He's such a little licker and whenever he first comes over....he gives our dog Buddy a lick hello on his face....Which irritates the heck out of Buddy.....Haa haa ha!! Thanks for looking Everyone!!....Enjoy!!
Can't view it?...click here

More RAKs and Goodies!!

More Beautiful cards and Prezzies!!......How lucky can a gal get?!!......This card is from my daughter Crystal.....She has been making Lovely scrap type cards for a few years....just recently though she has taken up coloring with prismacolor pencils....and gave me this card for my Birthday....Thank You Crystal!! Not only did I receive Fabulous Blog candy from Marcea.....(you can see it in this post)...She also made me this Beautiful Tag!!!! ....Thank You Marcea!!

A Lovely Mother's Day card from Crystal...............

This Beautiful card and the Lovely gifts to follow are from my Dear friend Tina - "Yummy Scrummy Create"

Tina created this lovely bouquet of flowers.....not only is it Gorgeous...the flowers are loose...so I can use these lovely goodies.......This is the front view....

This is the top view ...so you can see what's inside...Thank you so much Tina!!!!....

But that's not all......Tina also created this Beautiful Altered Canvas using one of my favorite photos of Buddy!.....It is totally Amazing ....and I simply can't do it justice in the photos to follow. There are so many Beautiful elements on it....big and small snowflakes, rhinestones, hearts, charms, netting, brads, stitching, flowers, lots of Gorgeous glitter......it's just unbelievable how much it Sparkles and how Lovely it is. It is so inspiring and a total show stopper on the wall!! Thank you so much Tina for this Beautiful work of Art and Heart!!

Here is a front View...

Here is a bit of an offset view.......

Mama Robin and her babies are doing well.....I am hoping to have another video for you all in the near future. I am so glad so many of you enjoyed the photos and video...Thank you all for visiting and for your Lovely comments!!.

Have a Great Day Everyone!!!..........Hugs, Ila

Mama Robin Has Babies!!

We've been glued to the back door .....watching and waiting for the eggs to hatch. What fun!!...They feel like part of the family.....(smile)...
Mama Robin kind of looks like she's rejoicing here! Maybe she is calling someone here.....
Awww....Look at the little baby Robins! "Give it all to me Mama!!"......Think...maybe....he's standing on the other birdies head??
I also managed to capture them on video....through the window. I'm not very good at taking videos....and it's pretty shaky......but it's very clear.......Enjoy!! .....
"Mama Feeds her Babies"

Thank you so much for looking Everyone!!.....and for your Lovely coments!!

Temporary Residents!

We've always enjoyed the birds that grace our backyard....This year we have a Robins nest just outside our back door......In fact I can take photos right through the glass in the door. This Robin does not spook easily either....when I or Buddy go outside .....she will stay in her nest. She does fly away if someone she doesn't know too well goes out. She also gets a little camera shy....lol..

But sometimes .......she likes to pose

But lets me know she sees me........ Thinks if she ignores me .......I'll go away.... Then ...she acts a little irritated and looks like she saying, "That's it lady.....no more pics today"

Before the year 2000 we lived in a different house. In that yard we had a family of tree swallows take up residence every year for about 4 yrs. When we decided to move....we really thought about them and how much we would miss them.....

Well... they seemed to just..simply follow us to our new home. They appeared the very first spring we were here...and have raised a family here each year since. They arrive around or in between my birthday (May 6)and Mother's Day. I can work in my garden right under the bird house and they won't spook. Although usually one of them will be watching me from the above cable wire. Here is a photo this year of them taking up residence.......

I will keep you updated on the Robins progress......hopefully with some nice photos. I will also dig up some baby tree swallow photos from before......Hey...I might even share some pics of my gardens. Don't worry!! ....I'll still be showing some cards.....

But for today!!....it's Mother Nature.....

Have a Wonderful Weekend Everyone...filled with Warm Spring Blessings!!

RAK Request!!..For a Lovely Lady!!

A Sister blogger is very ill...... Many of us all know Deb - "Stampin' on the Mountain"... She has shared her Gorgeous creations and graced many of our blogs with her lovely cheerful comments. I Sadly understand from Nancy ..."Nancy's Creative Mess" that Deb is now Terminally ill.

How Wonderful it would be to shower this Lovely lady with cards to brighten her day! I have already mailed her this card in hopes to make her smile.

If you are able and would like to join in please feel free to email me ...Here or Nancy Here for Deb's mailing address.

Thank you So Much Everyone!!...Have a Great Day!!