Just a short video of one of the regular visitors to our garden. This woodpecker comes daily to the bird feeder and feasts on peanuts or suet but this afternoon must have decided he wanted some ants out of the grass (we are beseiged by ants this summer!) Later he brought his baby to show us but of course my camera was nowhere near where I was sitting - isn't that always the way?
Although we live only about 3 to  4 miles just outside Wolverhampton we  get a lovely variety of birds visiting which have included jays (usually 2 of them), greenfich, nuthatch,robins, treecreeper, black cap, green woodpecker,great tits, coal tits, blue tits and of course long tailed tits who come in droves!We also had a couple of ducks and even a white peacock who we think wandered over from Wightwick Manor (National Trust House) which is just round the corner from here.The list is endless!!!

greenwoodpecker and the jay

nuthatch and robin,

a very wet baby blue tit waiting for his mum on the greenhouse and the two ducks who came and almost knocked on the kitchen door asking for bread!

That's it for now. If I can find the photos of the white peacock I'll add those later. Hope you've enjoyed a little look at the wildlife in my garden.

Less is More Card week 21 number 2

And now for card number 2. I love this week's challenge which is a sketch and I've got ideas spinning round in my head. Must be because I've had a break from card making. On my little foray into the city of Leicester yesterday (when Iwas really doing wedding shopping!) I found these lovely little charms in The Works. It's a much bigger store than the one in town here and Libbie practically had to drag me out.
I couldn't resist making this card for a very keen gardener and as his wife is a crafter I expect the charms will be 'recycled' and used again! Base card is lime green pearl card cut in a 5inch (12.5cm) square. The band and little squares on the inside are from Papermania Secret Garden paper pack and the apertures/squares cut with a Martha Stewart punch. Sentiment is a brown rub on by Pebbles Inc.that I've had for ages.
Right, the sun's come out and today is supposed to be our 'heatwave' so I'm off to sit and gaze at the result of my labours in the garden. Bye for now.

These are such lovely little garden charms

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Less is More - week 21 - sketch

At last! A chance to make a card. I've been sewing madly for the last few weeks making costumes for stage shows and finally I've finished. Not had chance to even look at anyone's blogs so I do apologise for not visiting. I did manage a few quick peeks at the http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/ challenges but that's all. I looked with envy at all the fabulous cards you'd all made and just wished I'd had the time to join in.
Right so this week it's a sketch - a lot less challenging than last week (I did manage a VERY quick card for that). I've been visiting my daughter and 'soon to be son in law' in Leicester and Libbie and I went into the city for a bit of wedding shopping and of course who can resist a bit of craft shopping at the same time - certainly not me. I picked up these borders in (would you believe it?) Poundland and when we got home saw the challenge and thought ........perfect!
Base card is black (already embossed) dotty card, a 5inch square card with the border slightly offset from the centre. 3 scallopped nestie shapes with white daisies on them and 3 tiny pearls for the centres. A white rub on for the sentiment finished it off.
I'm hoping to get the chance to make another later this week before I go off on my holidays to France.

Close up of detail

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Less is More -Week 20 - Monogram

First, a big SORRY for not taking part in the last couple of challenges. I've been snowed under with sewing costumes for the last 3 weeks. Would you believe I made 20 nuns' costumes, complete with white collar (what is that called?) and wimples!!Oh and 1 vicar's outfit!
Anyway, found 5 minutes this morning to switch on to see what the lovely LIMettes have for us and it's MONGRAMS. Bit of a toughie this one. Then - a light bulb moment - and I thought of my great nephew's first birthday in August and his name is Felix - so ..............F1 !!!!
Did the design in my favourite Publisher, edged the 5 inch square white card with dots and dashes by hand and added just 3 embellishments to reflect the 'car' theme.
If I have time I shall be back with another later in the week. Now it's back to making gold gladiator costumes!!!