A Pretty Project and Potter Puppy

I saw a beat up frame on the reduced shelf ages ago and knew I could spiffy it up. Sure there were a few dents and scratches but the mat was good and glass intact, so how could I pass up a $2 deal?!? I basically podged, collaged and grunged the outside using pattern paper and I'm really pleased with how it came out.

Here's the finished frame and four collaged ladies inside...

I've felt really leary about posting about this it because of the whole ordeal with the pup we had to give up. We're giving the puppy thing one last chance. Part of me still feels incredibly guilty about finding that poor fellow a new home. Truly, sometimes things just don't work out no matter how hard you try to make them fit.

We discussed fostering dogs instead but when D said "Yeah! And if one stays with us that we like we can keep him!" and I knew that he'd love every dog that walked in our door and there'd be a bucket of tears every time one left. *sigh*

Anyway, I figured since it's basically Harry Potter Day that today would be an ideal time to share our new bundle of joy. He's the sweetest mixed up mutt and everyone who has met him can't believe what a good pup he is. Meet Padfoot (aka Paddy).

We discussed calling this guy Padfoot from the get go because we knew he had black fur and we're big Potter fans. The deal was sealed when we drove up to the house to get him and the name on the mailbox was Pettigrew. If that isn't a sign I don't know what is :)

More small books... no, really.

So I decided that my new wee house needs some wee books. I have these wooden bits that look like books but I figured I'd try my hand at making some. Here's the results...

The books have leather, faux suede, and fabric covers.

They have real pages inside and can each be opened up.

Though they can't exactly be read :P

(Psst... don't worry, although the pages do have bible passages on them but the books were unfit for reading)

Although these books are teeny when I put them in the house I realized they were too big!

So I made another batch....

... and they are even smaller.

More Progress

A while ago I shared the progress I'd been making on my next wee house. I've spent a little more time on my Gothic mansion and it's ready to be embellished and filled with goodies.

The roof isn't what I wanted at all but I'll save that idea for another time. From here I'll continue to work on the exterior by adding moss, dirt, dust and that sort of old outdoorsy stuff.

To be perfectly honest I'm not 100 % certain what will direction the interior will take. I've got a couple of ideas bounding around in my skull and it'll just be a matter of what fits where I suppose. The inside is much smaller than the other houses I've worked on so it's going to be a challenge. Thank goodness filling it up is the best part!

P.S. Here's what the base kit looks like if you're interested... http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/fantasy-villa--woodcraft-construction-kit I bought mine at Michael's when they were on sale dirt cheap.

Apologies and art

I don't know about the rest of you but I'm having a hell of a time leaving comments on some blogs. If you've left a comment here chances are I visit your blog. I try to comment when I stop by because so many of you make me laugh, make me think, and inspire the heck out of me but lately, whenever I try to leave a little message, I get caught in this vicious loop and where I'm continually returned to the google log-in. If anyone knows how to fix this let me know because it's annoying me to no end. In the meantime accept my apologies for not leaving bits of love on your bloggy doorsteps, I'll be blowing silent kisses your way until I can find a way to fix this blasted problem.

Last week I cleaned up my craft space (a gigantic task that needs to be done far too often because I am horribly messy) and came across some canvas' from a failed Dr. Who Tardis experiment. Rather than pitch the ugly things in the bin I decided to make some large scale waxed collage portraits.

Each of the canvas' measures 8x10 and is created using layers of paper, paint, lace, fabric, bark, twigs, matches, stamps, petals, flowers and lots of beeswax.

Garden Update

Just a quick update today. Life's hectic again, cleaning for visitors due this weekend, weeding the veggie patch, taking care of the cluckers and entertaining the Big D so we don't lose our minds a mere week into summer vacation.

Big D took a few of these photos of our gardening efforts... she's coming along quite nicely :)

Beet tops 

 Raspberries

 Bergamot

Foxglove

Mugwort

Tomatoes

Brussel Sprouts

I'll be pleased as punch when we can stop buying veggies from the shops for a while. Come on Mother Nature! Do your stuff baby!

A Place to Bark

Ok, I don't ask for much from my interweb buddies but I think this is important so...

http://aplacetobark.blogspot.com/2011/06/30-days-small-miracle-needed-20k.html

This lady is truly amazing, a real live inspiration, and she helps a crap load of animals in need. If you can donate $10 (or paypal even $2 to [email protected]), or just spread the word that her rescue needs help, I'd love you forever.











P.S. I'll love you forever anyway

Houdini

This is Houdini.

We acquired this wee fella the other day. He's been living in the garage until he gets a bit bigger and can slowly be introduced to the rest of our chicken-y gang. The other night my husband woke up in the wee hours and went into the garage. He did not hear the usual "peep, peep, peep" and, dreading the worst, looked inside the caged box expecting to find a small dead pile of feathers... the chick had disappeared!

He heard a little "chirp" and found the chick inside a small green house ```````````````````````````````````` (excuse that small interruption... that was Houdini saying hello). Anyway, we really aren't sure how the tiny chick managed to make his way to a shelf five and a half feet up from the ground. The next night he did it again. And so he has been dubbed with an appropriate name.

Anyway our newest feathered friend is lots of fun and I'm pretty sure he thinks he's actually a kitten. The wee thing is most content when cleaning himself, being given a good pet or having a little cuddle. Who would have ever thought that chickens like to cuddle?! I've decided to move the little guy out of the garage and into my office so he can sit beside me as I work. Right at this moment he's snuggled in a blanket on my lap watching me type away.