AND HERE'S JOE ! Hypoallergenic.curly haired horse!

I'm having one of those days, I can't focus, not getting anything done, so while I was into my pictures, this jogged me to post about the horse that daughter Sherri purchased while we were away in Arizona.

You can read about Sherri and her riding and the rescue horses she visits HERE

This is an American Curly Horse (lots of information and interesting notes on this site). I'm sure most people don't know that there is actually a horse that people with allergies can deal with!

Kiera has a major peanut allergy and some other allergies, horses being one of them. She had to be very brief in her visits over to see the horses and Sherri had to change clothes, wash up good before coming into their own home after horseback riding or being around the horses.

Sherri was browsing the web and horse sale ads and found Joe. She made a trip to Regina, Saskatchewan, about a 5 hour drive and decided to have Joe brought here, on trial, (yeah, right! I know my daughter!)

Anyway, he has this really soft long curly hair and Kiera can bury her nose in his hair and no allergic reaction at all! She is not as horse crazy as her mom, but does like to visit them and is learning to ride.

The whole idea of a hypoallergenic horse is great! If you know someone with allergies that would love to own a horse, pass on the information.

This is Joe without his winter curly hair. Picture was sent to Sherri when she was enquiring.  They shed in the spring and although he looks off white through the winter, underneath all that hair he's completely different!

Sunday Postcard Art Weekly Challenge

I have been waiting for the opportunity to use this image of the "sew sweet" little girl......she is advertising the thread, but she's not exactly sewing....she is making a "cat cradle".....I remember how to do the very basic one! Anyway, here she is, hope you like her!

Sewing was the theme this week for Sunday Postcard Art , my first challenge for this site.

6 RoBiN'S NESTS IN A ROW!!! Under my deck!

 

Amazing! Last week (Sunday) I noticed the scant beginnings of 2 nests on the beam under our deck. We are usually host to one family of robins each year.

Yesterday, Saturday, after the rain ended I took a walk around the yard and was shocked to see six nests, almost completed, lined up on the beam!

Row housing for robins? !!!

 

I have never seen the robins make nests with the long grasses hanging. They are usually nice and neat and made more of tiny twigs and bits of skinny straw type grass. Peeking through the deck boards I can see they still need some lining and have seen a pair of robins going back and forth with bits of nesting material in their beaks. I thought at first I might be hosting some very strange bird families, not robins!

The above are last year's robin family...........I'll keep you posted on what goes on in the nests this year!

I was still looking at the nests when this little guy came scooting around the corner, spotted me, and went for the nearest hiding place. I kept still and got a few great shots.

I was so still, he pranced right past me within a foot of my foot, across the yard to the neighbor's.

so guess what I see ?

Hop Hop Hop........

I had the camera in hand so got this shot!

I figured luck was with me, so ventured to the back of the yard to see if the geese were close by........

Yep....! Those two have been nesting in the field just behind our yard.

I wonder how long before I will see them leading their family on a walk!

Have a great week!

Back Home for ACF Challenge 70

Such a beautiful image of this lovely young lady we were given for this challenge from Art Creations Friday. I have called this piece "Innocence".

I'm now back home in Canada after almost 3 months in beautiful Arizona! What a surprise to come home to an early spring, NO SNOW left at all, dry, yards being cleaned up, grass raked, golf courses open!
That hasn't happened for at least 10 years!

Catching up at home and hope to catch up on my blogging real soon!

Art Creations Friday #67

 

My entry for Art Creations Friday. A beautiful background was given for inspiration.I just added the fairy and brushes. I was going to go further but decided I liked it just like this!

Hope you like it!
I barely have time to do a challenge! Panic has set in! We have been in Arizona since mid-January and now I only have about 10 days left and I have alot to get done before then.

The time has flown by!  The desert wild flowers are starting to bloom, I must get out there and take pictures before we leave! Only 2 Saturdays left to garage sale! Want to try the rapid transit and go to downtown Phoenix.......haven't been to one of my favorite shoe stores.....I could go on and on....

AAAACK..........I need at least another month!

Weekend Finds Vintage Baby Gowns!

A thrilling  find at the estate sale that I went to on Friday and back again on Saturday for the half price day!I got the long gown and little dress on Friday, then found the matching slip for the gown on Saturday!....

They were wrinkly and yellowed, but as you can see I have lovingly restored them and they look so sweet! Teensy embroidered flowers, a butterfly, and FEATHER STITCHING! ....which I just love, and you don't see it too often!

The bottom of the dress, the feather stitching goes right down and the embroidery pattern is repeated.

Pintucks and more teensy embroidery!

The scallops have almost got me drooling.....! only a vintage linens lover would understand!

I had my days of keeping these special items that I love and would display them with all of my other vintage things.

Now, I own them only temporarily, ......touch and admire them while they are in my possession, then pass them on by selling them.  Sometimes I just break even on them, but I really enjoy making them pretty and being able to have something nice to put on Ebay or into a sale.

Now that I'm blogging, I get to share with my blogging friends too!

Anyway, they will be listed on Ebay this week in case you are interested. There's a link on the right hand side for my auctions.

I'd wait a little longer but we'll be leaving for home (Canada) in 2 weeks....!! I can't believe it! The time has flown by! I miss home, but also will miss Arizona as well when we leave.

A BIG collar, these look neat displayed on a hanger on  a hook in a bedroom.

This dragon embroidered teacloth was a real find! There is such delicate threadwork as well as that fabulous embroidery.

How about these big glass storage jars! they are the same jar but love the one with the green lid! I'll take them back with me and they will go in our Red Barn Sale displayed in a shabby cupboard very nicely.

 

PURSES!! How can you go wrong for $1.00 each and they are like new?!?!

I got all of these Saturday at 2 separate garage sales for a buck each!!

The black and white one I didn't even like that much but it's a Liz Claiborne and has a matching wallet. I've got 3 daughters at home so wasn't about to leave it for that price!!

Well? did I do good? 

Out to tea and estate sale too!

Diane, Lucy, Millie (that is a life size figure of a butler, he sure looks real!)

What a fun day! Millie and I were meeting up with a good friend of mine from home in Canada, Diane.  She and her hubby are also snowbirds and we always meet up a couple of times to go and have lunch and maybe browse an antique mall.

Today we just had lunch at our favorite tearoom in Mesa. .....Yummy, yummy lunch and we must have drank 6 pots of tea! We caught up with each other and had a great time.

On the way, Millie and I went to an estate sale.....one of those "professional" ones. The prices were sky high as per usual the first day, but I'm going back for some linens tomorrow as they usually put everything on at half price the second or last day. A few things caught my eye and  I was happy to see any vintage linens at all! I did pay the price for 3 sweet items today and will post pictures when they are washed and ironed.

Garage sales tomorrow.........hoping for some goodies, if not we'll have a fun time anyways!

Flea Market Finds Vintage Linens

Wanted to share a few of my finds from the last couple of weeks.....a couple of flea markets I went to I was lucky to find some yummy vintage linens! I sell them on Ebay, have been since 1998, and hard to break the habit! LOL! I can't resist them when I see them!

I LOVE this big round pink lace tablecloth! For a bedroom I guess, it came with a matching dresser scarf! Found scrunched up in a plastic bag in a basket under a table........you gotta always check under the tables! Especially if it's a MAN at the table......(when you want linens!) 3 bucks!!

I got the cute chair doily set and a sweet embroidered spoon holder on a clearance $1.00 each

Got this for a mere $10.00!! Couldn't believe it was perfect when I opened it up! Then a few days later I found another one almost the same! Sold them both on Ebay.......This one I made a huge profit on, the other, just got my money back.......oh well!

Souvenir little tablecloth......too cute!

My Ebay link is on the sidebar in case you want to look at my linens!

A beautiful Arizona Day Pictures

I was home most of the day and what a beautiful day! Warm, sunny, blue sky! I kept going outside on the patio and it seems every bird around was singing! This one, a quail, has a really weird little song! I took this picture of him/her up on a tree branch........they aren't usually sitting up on a branch, I see them mostly on the ground, sometimes with a brood of babies following behind....they're beautiful!

My first shot of the quail, I didn't want to get too close and scare it off!

Doves.......I hear them all the time, cooing just outside sitting on the block wall.......

A huge raven/crow?......My friend Millie and I often go and pick up a coffee around 4 in the afternoon at the Circle K at the corner and go for a little scenic ride, or just park up the road to look at the mountain while we yak!

\

Today we went up toward the Superstition Mountains, rode around in the foothills, stopping to take pictures.

This picture was taken just up the hill on my street where we parked for the lovely view.

The desert floor is filling in with GREEN......soon the wildflowers will bloom....thanks to all the rain we've had during this Arizona winter, more than usual!

Cholla cactus........Beautiful to look at, but don't get to close.......very painful !!

We pulled off the road at one of the higher points on one of the roads we were on...what a view...!

Looking down from where we were parked ....just another angle of the view.....So GREEN....the mountains around the valley are all turning green as well........some will turn yellow with blooming wild flowers, I can't wait! There should be a really spectacular blooming of wild flowers on the desert and roadsides this year!

I should have taken pictures of some of the beautiful homes that we saw .....will do that next time

More desert and cactus.

More to come, I just can't get enough of the desert and the Superstition Mountains.

Soartful Challenge.........OOPS!!

Here's my entry for this weeks' challenge over at Soartful Challenges.

Thanks for stopping by!

Art Creations Friday Challenge

Is she primping for the frog prince? Do you like her water lily hat? LOL!

I had fun with this beautiful image that was provided for the challenge. The is the first time I have entered the ART CREATIONS FRIDAY challenge.

The added elements are from Itkupilli, Frame is from Lisa's Altered Art

Have a great weekend!

Soartful Challenge and a catch up

I can't believe my last post was 2 weeks ago! I've been busy, also down with flu/cold, but I'm feeling better now and hopefully won't neglect my blogging!

The theme at Soartful Challenges  this week is International Women's Week and like Jeanette I'm honoring motherhood.

We get some really interesting swirly clouds in our sunsets! I was just able to catch the end of what had been some really great formations..........

I MADE THIS!!!!!!!!

One of the fun things I did over this last couple of weeks was to take a class in making soldered glass pendants!! It was so much fun and I can't wait to make more! I have my supplies, but then got sick and so no energy! Maybe this week, if it doesn't shrink in front of me!

 The pendant above was my second attempt. The choice of images was very limited so I picked the only one that looked "vintage"......I have TONS of images back home in Canada.....who knew I'd be doing this! Don't you love the use of scalloped foil (you solder over it) rather than the straight edge type?

This was my first attempt and rather rough and gobby!