Fabulous Friends

I have to say, this year started off full of challenges.  One unexpected event after another, mixed with funky weather and no sunshine does little for your creative spirit.

Enter a Spring weekend.  We were lucky enough to be blessed with beautiful sunshine and warm weather.  The spouse spent the day outside with our oldest building a chicken coop.  Yep, we've decided to get chickens.  There are several reasons for doing so, besides for fresh eggs (obviously), but as a learning experience for the kids.

I've always believed it important to give children various experiences to stimulate their senses.  It allows them to grow and learn.  Enter, da chickens.  Everyone is excited about getting them, even the spouse.

Here are a few photos of our progress:

Here's a photo of an old cast iron tub I purchased in the French Quarter (prior to being wed).  It was a steal of a deal; not so much when it was time to move it.  The idea behind purchasing it was to use it for a working water garden.  It used to be where the bricks are lying now for the coop.   We'll just move it for a few more months until we get things settled.  Maybe, after 15 years of toting it from new house to new house I'll finally transform it.

While the family worked on the coop, I remained bound to the bed due to yet another surgery.  It was AGONY!  Not the pain, but the fact I had to stay off my feet.  There are so many things that need to be done during the day; sitting in a bed is not going to get them accomplished.

So, whilst I was laid up I decide to make the most of it.  Broke out a few of my older stamp sets, some Prisma color pencils and my SU! watercolor pencils and just started coloring.  Yesterday I decided to mount it to a full card.  I LOVE these colors! 

Here's a close-up.

Now, I'm off to finish preparing projects for the April edition of the Paper Crafters Sampler.  It's already 11am.  Only 4 more hours before the kids are home and my creative time stops.  Four hours is not a lot of time knowing the things I'd like to accomplish today.

For now, I'll take a short 30 minute lunch outside on the swing in the brilliant sunshine.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I need to enjoy it while it last.