Happy 90th Birthday, Aunt Mildred!
A friend of mine asked a group of us if we would make a birthday card for her auntie. She's turning 90 years young. Imagine what her aunt has seen in her 90 years; all the changes our world has seen, the good, the not so good, and everything in between. Boggles the mind.
So, still on on Cosmo Cricket, layering colored images ala Kim, and layout kick, I created this card for her this morning.
I used Kim's stamps again; Bloomin' Beautiful (now retired), Flower Vases (now retired), Ocean Friends (for the vase pebbles) and Scripty Words. Memento inks were still out, so you see Dandelion, Rose Bud, Lady Bug, Tangelo, Grape Jelly and Pear Tart. The vase is stamped in SU!'s Buckeroo Blue. I added a bit of sparkle by outlining the raised flowers, the vase, the pebbles and the sentiment with a Spica Clear Glitter pen. Orange mini brads, Striped Grosgrain, and a tiny rhinestone finish out her card. SU!'s Soft Sky is the base and Buckeroo Blue the skewed layer. Finished size is 6.25" x 4.5". I think hitting 90 deserves a bigger card!
After taking this picture, one of my OTT lights fizzled out, I tried to take close-ups of the glitter that you can't see in this picture, but they are just too dark. So I'm off momentarily to purchase a replacement bulb. But the glitter is such a perfect, subtle touch!
So, some of you who read my blog know that we have a smallgarden in the backyard. Nothing big as we live on a city lot that isn't all that huge; nonetheless, I plant tomatoes, lettuce, snap peas, etc., depending on the season. Last Friday I planted 24 seedlings; chard, bibb lettuce and 2 types of romaine. Saturday I went out to have a looksie, and 1 plant was missing, knawed down to the nub....hmmm. Sunday, I go out, several more are gone. By Monday, even more are gone....all that remains is 5 green romaine and 5 red romaine. See those blank spaces in between the soaker hose? They were full of delicious seedlings! Looks like the midnight buffet is open. So frustrating! I'm sure they'll all be gone when the weekend is over. We haven't had stealers for years, but they are loving our grapefruits as well, leaving just the rind for us. We are guessing it's ..... ick ...rats...ick...coming from a neighbors yard. Could be opossums, too.
Anyway, makes me leary to plant our tomato plants next month! We might be building a wire cage to enclose the raised bed. But if it is rats, they are tricky and know how to get inside just about anything. Anyone have any advice?
V.~
13 comments:
I had the same problem. I tried planting tomatoes, pepper plants etc and everything was eaten down to the stem. I quit trying because short of putting a wire mesh around everything (which could be pricey) I can't think of anything either. I thought maybe container planting and then you could move them in at night but that's high maintenance. I've resorted to growing cactus that is the only thing I've been able to grow in So. Cali. but it's not very edible. hehe. Lemmeno if anyone gives any good advice.
Val, it seems like you need my Eric to come out to Cal-E-forn-I-A. Although you know he does his best hunting from a back porch with only his underwear and boots on, right? It's all or nuthin' babe!
Oh my! this is so cute!!!! :) (and thanks for the card I got yesterday. You know how to put a smile on someone's face)
WOW WOW WOW on the card, Val! It is fantastic!!! Sorry that you have stealers. Stinkers!!!
The card is lovely! You know how to hit high spots.
As for the lettuce rustlin' varmints, I still swear by Leg Up Enterprises.
I have use this repellent in my SoCal garden. You make little "ornaments" from pantyhose feet and the powder and hang them in the garden near your plants. This has worked great for us! It keeps the opossums away from our citrus, the rats away from the tomatoes, the skunks away from my dog ~ and nobody has to die...
http://www.critter-repellent.com/
Oh! and the card is simply gorgeous too!
Great card! I love all the popped up blossoms! Sorry about the critter taking all your goodies!
This is so cute!! I'm going to try some more of this colored ink pad stamping... I think I remember how to do that. Can't help you with the lettuce stealers. Probably the same little punks who got all my beets last year. I'm jealous that you're already planting a garden.... thanks for the little treat that showed up at my house yesterday. HUGS!
Hey Val, Love your card, it is so springy and colorful. Sorry about the little buggers in your garden. There is this think called a Topsy Turvy for planting veggies. You can check it out at:
https://www.hangingtomato.com/?cid=486257
I am going to try this as we have lots of deer around here that like to eat the veggies!
Get some big rat snap traps. Of course then you have to deal with the catch. That's the man's job, JMHO!! :) The grapefruits are diffently rats, but the greens makes me wonder. They gotta be pretty desperate for chard. You might be able to get some humane release traps from the county trapper for the possum. Good Luck!!
Jennik
PS Love the card!!
Oh how awful; I hate rodents, except the cute ones found on rubber stamps!
So sad to hear this set of Kim's is retired bc I love this bouquet and I'm sure the recipient will as well. What a cheerful card for a milestone birthday...you are rockin' that KH style!
Val, we had rats getting into some storage bins in the garage (emergency dog and cat food) a friend told me to line the boxes with aluminum foil. Guess they hate the metallic taste. What if you used that around the base where they would climb up the lifted bed? Just a thought and no chemicals! Good Luck!
Janet Pantaleon
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