A late start to 2012......Get Well Dad

Oh my.....it's been a while!
Card making and all things crafty have taken a back seat unfortunately since Christmas due to work commitments, but none the less I thought it was time to at least post.... something.  Although, I've not had the time to sit and craft for endless hours, I've been making the odd creation here and there for family and friends so here goes......my first post of 2012!

Dad was admitted to hospital earlier in the year for a heart valve replacement and this is the card I made him.  Being an avid ornithologist (or bird-watcher to the rest of us) I thought it was very appropriate.

The paper and card was from a random selection purchased on Ebay a while back.  The digi-stamp was from Meljen Designs and is called Garden Bird House.  I coloured this using Promarkers and then added a decoupage effect by creating a second layer for the birds, bird house roof and two of the flowers.  The ribbon and buttons were from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by! x

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2012

This weekend saw 'A' and I taking part in the annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch as we did last year.  This year's attempt was, again, very successful probably due to the colder weather over the last few days.

Arnold was doing his best to get out in the garden to scare away any feathered visitors but we managed to keep him amused for the whole hour so they could chow down in peace.  Typically today, after the event, we had an even great number of birds and different varieties but that's just the way it goes!

For more information on the purpose of the Big Garden Birdwatch visit my post from last year.

Here's our results for 2012:

Blackbird - 3
Blue Tit - 3
Chaffinch - 2
Collared Dove - 1
Dunnock - 1
Goldfinch - 4
House Sparrow - 2
Magpie - 1
Robin - 1
Woodpigeon - 3
Wren - 1

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2011

Just finished a lovely leisurely hour sitting in the kitchen with a nice cuppa, completing the RSPB's annual 'Big Garden Birdwatch'.  'A' and I did this for the first time last year but were a little disappointed - as you might know, the second we sat down to complete our hours 'twitching' hardly any birds visited our usually busy garden!  This year, however, was a different story and it was quite nice to be able to actually record something on the RSPB survey.

The RSPB 'Big Garden Birdwatch' takes place once a year normally towards the end of January.  By visiting the RSPB website it's possible to print off a bird ID sheet to mark down your sitings.  The basis of the birdwatch is to spend one hour noting down the maximum number at any one time, of a particular kind of bird seen in your garden and then submit your results on the RSPB website.  By completing the birdwatch we are able to give the RSPB an overall view of bird numbers in the UK, and specifically from different regions.  They are then able to see which birds are in decline or species that have increased in numbers.

Here's a look at our results for this year:

Blackbird - 2

Blue Tit - 1

Goldfinch - 5

Greenfinch - 1

Robin - 2

Starling - 2

Woodpigeon - 1

Wren - 1

Tuesday's Treasures - Feathery Feeding Time!

For this week's Tuesday's Treasures I decided to post a picture of something that's very needed by our feathery friends at the moment.

On my birthday wish list this year was a bird feeding station which was kindly bought for me by my brother.  When I was growing up my Dad was a avid ornithologist (and still is!) but to be quite honest I could never see the fascination! Since getting older however I now have more of an interest in all things 'wildlife' and there's nothing I like better than sitting at the kitchen table on a Sunday morning, nice hot cup of tea in hand whilst watching a garden full of birds enjoying their Sunday brunch.

I like to put a variety of food out but the blue-tits, great-tits and goldfinches particularly love sunflower hearts.  Although, I must have got through at least 8 seed feeders in this year alone as the rather annoying squirrel (gun at the ready) keeps attacking them! I've now had to resort to a metal nut feeder but the feathery numbers seem to have dwindled recently so I really don't think they're impressed with the menu choice!