INKY FINGERS

I'm sure he looked tattier when he was feeding young, but he's a real mess at the moment, with only two or three tail feathers and what appears to be a VERY painful leg! I noticed today that he slips in the wet and he's really struggling to stay on this branch - really sad.
Today's the 13 March and sadly, I think we've lost our little friend. It's over 3 weeks since I've seen him, now and the last time I saw him, his claw was withered. He hadn't been using his 'bad leg' for a couple of weeks, but was as feisty as ever, so I didn't suspect anything. The last time I saw him, he was at my feet, eating sultanas and fighting off anything that came within a foot or so. Unfortunately, we had a couple of nights of bad frost and I can only guess at what happened to him. I really miss him.

Been doing the Fat (Chunky) book swap I should have done at the end of May - shame on me - but doesn't life get in the way of things, at times? Anyway, I finally stamped and enjoyed it.
Now to think of something for the covers..... only 27 to do, then punching and binding!! Whose idea was this???

Lynne and I took a rare day out on Monday. We took the train to Liverpool and went to see the Klimt exhibition - wow! It's fab and I'd recommend it to anyone :) Such attention to detail and so much variation. I'm sure that most of you will recognise Nuda Veritas - much, MUCH more striking in real life, when you see the gold work, etc.

It's taken me a long time to get round to it but last month I was really taken by surprise by a lovely group of stampers. I'd been chatting to one of them and had shared how I was feeling when Mum and Dad left for New Zealand. To my surprise, a few weeks later an envelope popped through my door containing a load of fat book pages, complete with O rings and covers (left blank for me to decorate) to cheer me up!! I've just had a good look at it for the first time, really, with Stamp Camp and lots of other things which have been going on and I've put it together. Duh! Should have scanned or photographed it first :( It's really lovely and has a variety of artwork in it, but the best thing of all is that it was sent with so much kindness and thoughfulness. I'll do my best to get some piccies in the next week or so and upload it. Thank you, ladies. It really did (and does) mean a lot to me! You can see the girls' work here, at Lots to do Challenge Blog.

Just stamped some ATCs - phew! Thought I was never going to be able to do that again, even if they are very simple :)

Used Adirondack pigment inks (Lemonade and Watermelon) and Versafine, with stamped Krylon Gold pen over the top (on right). The darker one is embossed.

This is my favourite baby blackbird and she (I think it's a 'she' cos her tail's not darker than her body as some of them are) has NO fear! I worry for her for that reason, but I do enjoy it when she comes to visit. We were feeding the birds meal worms, saving them for our old friend, Scruff, but one day she found them and ever since then has come back to the back door, coming into the house or into the garage when the door's open. She's so entertaining. I'll post my favourite piccies of Scruff in a moment.