Fixing a mess - the artistic way.

I have a confession to make - I did an image transfer that went wrong - big time - it flaked off in lots of places.  It was on one of the hessian bags I have been using lately.  I spent half an hour picking off the flakes that would peel off - and sanding down/off those that wouldn't before applying another transfer on top - and the same thing happened but not quite so bad.

So I decided to rescue it - and paint over it with acrylic paints.

It was rather liberating painting with big gloops of acrylic!

I had nothing to lose as it was messed up any way

so I went all 'Monet' -ish!

Where there were renmants of writing showing through

where I had painted - I just wrote over with a Promarker

It's all gobbledegook!

There was a big chunk of the lady missing so this

was rather a challenge - but it looks fine from a

distance which is how you are supposed to view paintings

The bag is lined with sealed plastic - so its a great surface to paint

on - it doesn't soak through to the other side!

That's another fine mess I got myself out of Ollie!

Just quick chicken post - for me - then I'll be getting back to crafting again.

My first egg of this year - don't know who laid it - but it was lovely and warm

The new triplets are settling in nicely - it is still 'them and us'

but it was the first day after all!

Scrabble has taken to perching - you can tell it's her and  not

the new wheaten, as Scrabble has more black on the tip of her tail

Just up and out for the day

They are such a joy and so sweet and intelligent

This is the new bantam babe - notice that she has less

 black feathers on the top of her tail?

The partridge girls

Aren't they so cute - you can see how tiny they are;

the dish they are all eating out of is a little budgie cage container!

And this is old lady Gozzie a rare Rosecomb

looking  a bit put out at all the fuss I am making!

That's not my name - Give me a name!

I have been on a mission, to get some more pure bred rare breed bantams - and today I got some!  I was only going to get two but...............

Here is one of their fathers - I didn't buy him - he's a Champion and not for sale.

When I saw the fabulous champion birds - a song popped into my head!

Holding back, every day the same

Don't wanna be a loner

And here is the other father.

Listen to me, oh no

I never say anything at all

But with nothing to consider they forget my name

Here are my prize winning show girls - well two of them

They call me 'hell'

They call me 'Stacey'

They call me 'her'

They call me 'Jane'

That's not my name

That's not my name

That's not my name

The third darling show girl is the bird at the back - another Partridge Modern Game Bird.

Are you calling me darling?

Are you calling me bird?

Are you calling me darling?

Are you calling me bird?

That's not my name

Here they are at home this afternoon

They call me 'quiet'

But I'm a riot

Mary-Jo-Lisa

Always the same

That's not my name

That's not my name

I am a Wheaton - the colour of wheat - which is what I'm eatin'

That's not my name

You've found a worm - you must Wormy, cos you're eatin a worm
That's not my name

I'd miss the catch if they threw me the ball

I'm the last kid standing up against the wall

Keep up, falling, these heels they keep me boring

Getting glammed up and sitting on the fence now

So alone all the time at night

Lock myself away

Listen to me, I'm not

Although I'm dressed up, out and all with

Everything considered they forget my name

(ame, ame, ame)

These were all the photos that I could get of them this afternoon, the latter two taken through the window of my greenhouse/potting shed/lean to - where I had left them to just play.  They were so excited!  No way were they going to stand still and pose for me - they just flew away.  They scratched around and managed to find worms in my potted strawberry and geranium plants.  They knocked a newpaper off my pumpkins and had fun hiding underneath it and tearing it.  They acted more like puppies or kittens than posh showbirds!

So here they are - Modern Game birds - which aren't really as modern as their name suggests.  Originally they were bred and used as fighting birds - hence their tall stance, and long legs and necks, like the jungle Malay.

 Once fighting was banned the breed amost died out apparently, as they don't lay many eggs, and there is about as much meat on them as you would get in a chicken nugget - so were no use as utility birds. 

But wealthy people loved the little birds around their gardens  - they don't do any damage like chickens do.  No digging up plants, digging big holes, they are dainty and quiet too.  In 1850 they started to be bred for showing - and I am pleased that they did!

Mine might look identical when you first look at them - but when  you look closely their markings are different.  The wheaten coloured hen, does at first glance look just like Scrabble - but she is a slightly lighter colour underneath,  and has more black markings on her wings, and across her back she has darker speckles.

The two Partridge game birds, are quite different too.  Their markings are differnt - they have silver, grey and black feathers across their backs in different formations - and their heads and necks are different shades of yellow.  I have put a purple ring on one of them - to make it more obvious.

I have just been out to the lean to, to find the new bantams in the dark - without any lights - what a task that was - boy did they hide them selves well, behind pots, on a shelf hidden behind a box, and the last one was behind a sack of compost hidden inside a pot on its side!

They are now tucked up with my other banties in Peckingham Palace and they will all live together in their and the run for a week, so that the new girls aclimatise - they all get to know each other - and more importantly, the new ones get to know where they live and where they need to go back to roost.  As they are high fliers, one of their wings have been clipped, otherwise they might well fly up into the trees to roost - and I didn't want them to come down in someone else's garden as there are fields just a garden away from us.  By the time the flight feathers grow back - they will be so content that they won't even bother to escape!

So - if  you have read this far and are not yawning with boredon - how about choosing names for my new additions!  I will pick names from any you leave - will choose next Sunday.

Haven't seen this in a long time!

We have rain - oh look - some spikey green stuff that I haven't seen for such a long time!

Grass !  The blue tits are busy flying in and out of their green pottery bird house hanging on the pergola

No sign of the bantam babes in Peckingham Palace

They are off out before the heavy rain comes

No sign that they have been perching on the strawberry pots!

Couldn't find them under the hedges.

What's that up there?

Will zoom in and see!

Morning Gozzie and Scrabble - found any insects?

Oops its starting to rain heavily now - are you going back inside?

Scrabble: " Come on Gozzie, quick, Daisy's under here and its cozy and dry."

The rain is tipping it down now - so I left them too it - I am staying inside in the warm, got some cooking to get done today and cakes to bake tomorrow before I am off out on a mission - more of that Monday.  I am so excited!

A grandmother's indulgence

I just wanted to post a few photos of  snow - through a child's eye.

You can do all the things you do in the summer

Swing

Bounce

Fall over

Do a bit of building work

Look at this

That was just a practice run, now look at me building one at the front

OK  - so I had a bit of help from Dad - looks like me don't you think?

Through the keyhole!

Did you ever see that television programme which was on many years ago, when you were shown glimpses inside a house and had to guess who owned it?  Well here's your chance to do the same with not one - but two little homes!

The post lady has just been, and I have fixed my camera - and just dashed out very quickly as it is snowing yet again - to take pictures.

This was taken accidentally when I was messing about with the camera, otherwise I would have tidied the cushions, removed Patrick's remote - yes he sits there and take the surviette off the sofa arm!  But as it was on the camera you might as well have a sneak peek at our little lounge and the snow beyond.

This is what I have spent quite a few days assembling.

Peckingham Palace des res with covered playground, and their favourite roosting bar too!

It probably doesn't look much work to  you now that it is complete, but putting it all together in stages whilst it is freezing cold, and snowing was quite a feat for me.  Especially as I had to shovel several  inches of snow away each day before I could even continue.  Each piece of the frame is clipped together with plastic clips which I found so hard to snap together - a combination of cold hands, old hands, and cold clips I guess.  All around on the outside I have attached one long run of lawn edging - thanks for that tip Clare.   All of which had to be punched with holes - my Cropodile came in handy, and wire inserted top and bottom, then I was crouched on cardboard on snow, whilst it was snowing, attaching all the wires to hold it to the cage.  I did the same with some clear plastic around the sides and rear - cutting it all to size - punching holes, adding eyelets - colour co-ordinated of course - and leaving ventilation so that there is plenty of air to avoid any condensation forming on the inside of the plastic. 

The floor I have covered with almost a bale of dried hemp so that they can scratch and roll about in to their hearts' content, and it's nice and dry and warm too.   The far side is the water container on legs - so that stays clear of them scratching any hemp off the floor into it - they do scratch about rather enthusiastically.

 

There is a basket hanging on the cage with cabbage leaves for them to peck at, when they are confined to barracks - which is not often, just when they want to be and overnight of course. The feeder is hanging next to it suspended from a 'bungee' and they rather enjoy it being beak height and moving.

Ttohanks to a very kind delivery driver who had to abandon his van and walk down two roads to get our house with the 'special' glass clear tarpaulin cover to keep them snug and dry in this appalling weather

The 'steps' up to their swanky insulated penthouse will remain clean and dry, and the inside has had a 'makeover'. Out with the old wooden roosting bars and in with super, up to the minute soft and grippy plastic ones - in colour co-ordinating grey to match their interior! I am making this sound like a 'nutty' fashionista throwing money at pampered pets - but actually the reverse is true. 

In my experience the Omlet housing is the easiest to clean and maintain, the healthiest environment for the chickens, and the best of both worlds for the chickens and for me. The fact that I could choose a colour that blends in with my garden was, and is just perfect.

I have cleared all the paths of snow - so when we opened the door in the morning, were out like rockets daintily marching one after the other single file, then flying over the gravel paths that still have snow, on their daily inspection of their 'estate'!

After a few hours out and about, they marched themselves back in when the snow started coming down again heavier.  They are so funny to watch  - as there is a strick pecking order.   Gozzie, the rare Rosecomb is still Queen of the roost and goes in first - stopping for a bite to eat, then a drink, whilst Daisy, the fluffy black and white Pekin,  follows doing the same, and poor old Scrabble, the pure bred Wheaten Modern Game Bird goes in last.

They will be joined by two more bantams in the near future - weather permitting - which I am so excited about, as my three are getting old in chicken years now.

I am feeling pretty good.  In the past week or so I fixed a problem on my computer, dismantled and cleaned and rebuilt Peckingham Palace, built and attached a run, and covers, and fixed my camera!  Not bad for an old pensioner if I do say so myself.

I might take a break for a couple of days, need to re-charge my batteries - but I will be back before you've missed me, looking at your blogs, and crafting again.

Thanks for looking

Making a start on my New Year crafty resolution - to endeavour to make cards

I decided that I had been whingeing enough about not being able to make cards, and that it was about time I got serious and sorted this problem out.

My first decision was to buy some embossing folders - as I see that a lot of folks use them and it adds another dimension.

My new 'toys' arrived on Saturday - but it has not been until this morning when the snow has stopped falling that I cleared a way to my studio shed at the end of the garden - making the decision not to leave it until I have made a card that I am satisfied with.

I have had to scan it in to my computer - which has given it a 'washed out' look.   It is so much more colourful in real life. Her face and hands are a pale flesh colour; her cheeks have a warm soft pink glow; the butterfly has a purple tinge and the purple embossing is more defined and a deeper colour.

I do have heating in here - but my feet are like blocks of ice from the snow clearing exercise, so I am off indoors to heat up the saucepan of soup I made yesterday - roasted pumpkin, with leeks, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes - wish I could take a photo of it - it looks lovely and chunky and the colours would rival anything Tim Holtz has come up with.  (Joke - don't want to upset the masses).