A friend for Mouse, crazy weather, and they grow up so fast don't they

A sort of mishmashed post today.

I think I could easily become addicted to needle felting. I've made a little friend for Mouse.

I think I might try a white hare next.

The weather here has been terribly strange. Warm, rainy, frigid, freezing, snow, all within the span of a week. Last weekend there was plenty of white stuff on the ground and D and I took the shovels out and spent a few hours clearing a rather large skating area.

Today I look out and see that once again there is very little snow on the ground. I'm dreading the next dump of snow and having to shovel off that ice again... though D loves it and it's good healthy fun.

Lastly our dear Padfoot is growing big and strong and happy. He's a big dope but we love him. If we can just get him to not pee when he gets excited (ie. every single time someone walks in the door).

A fresh batch

I know things have been quiet around here lately but I assure you that only a tiny little bit of my time has been spent watching terribly romantic movies and pining for a Mr. Darcy. Truth be told I'm much more of a

Col. Brandon gal... or even Vicomte de Valmont (which I know is awful but John Malcovich's swagger in Dangerous Liaisons makes my knees a bit wobbly). But back on track eh?

I have been making things but it's been one of those periods where I have 16 things on the go and nothing is quite ready to show off. I have managed to finish up a batch of new thimble gardens and I dare say that they improve with each round. Here's the latest.... they sort of make me wish for spring.

These'll be posted slowly over the next week or so in the etsy shop if you're interested.

I've also managed to clean up my upstairs studio which is where I usually work in the wee hours of the night. It was pretty damned disgraceful but I've managed to tidy up and am happy to report that the floor is now mostly visible.

I do have a few ideas thunking around in my noggin', itching to get out, as well as several large blank canvas' that mock me every time I walk past. Funny how even with all the time in the world there isn't enough time ;)

A needle felted mouse

Today was grand. Coffee and chit chat with a fellow adult, interrupted only by my dim doggy piddling, puking and being a general nuisance (but I love him despite of his mentality and neediness). I don't normally miss socializing, I rather like my isolation actually, but today was lovely and made me realize that perhaps I like good company a little more than I realize.

Anywho, after my visit I finished up this fellow...

He's around 2.5" tall and made from a batch of poopy free wool I cleaned and brushed in the summer. I tea dyed the wool, used seed beads for eyes and those little whiskers are bristles of fur.

I think I'll be including this fellow in a large moon shrine that keeps turning over in my wee brain. Until then he's sitting on my shelf looking rather innocent (which you know means he's up to something naughty).

A Night Garden

And another drawer shrine is complete. This fellow really is my favourite moon face. He's just perfect with his wobbles :) He's looking over a faerie night garden of real dried flowers *sigh*.

A better look inside...

Now available in the etsy shop.

And another happy moon...

My husband is pretty great. He knows that I'd much prefer junk to flowers and brings home some pretty fab treats for my making. A while ago he brought home a set of ikea drawers similar to those pictured below and asked if there was something I could do with them... ummm YEAH!

And so I've been busy making happy moon shrines from those drawers and have finally completed one...

It's actually quite a bit bigger than the ones I've been working on. It's just over 5" x 7" x 3" which is the smallest drawer size in the set I have. A couple of others will go towards other happy moon shrines and the left overs will become other things entirely... probably. Though there is one that is really rather large that would make a fabulous fairy city. Hmmm.

Anywho, this shine is now available on etsy here

xoxox

Happy 2012!

It's been sort of quiet around here. I took an unexpected break for a couple of weeks thanks to a few germs that showed up unannounced. Little buggers.

Though I'm not big on celebrating New Year, or making resolutions, I am excited about 2012. I've got loads of ideas floating around in my noggin' and I hope I can push myself and create a boatload of stuff. I have a bazillion canvas' hanging around and I'm looking forward to jumping into some painting soon (when I can settle on what exactly it is I'd like to paint)

So far I've made a slew of little houses which are still unfinished but will eventually make their way into some larger box/shrines along with a few new smiling moons...

That fellow on the bottom right is slightly squished but I rather like him like that. While waiting for all of these little bits dry I did manage to put a few leftovers from last year into a little vintage spice rack drawer for 2012's first completed project!

You're probably pretty tired of these glittery nights and faerie villages but they do make me incredibly happy to make :)

Yuletide Blessings!

I've been a busy elf, trying to get everything ready for the big days ahead. I'm not nearly done everything I'd like to do, but I'm not too worried about it. No matter how much I do (or don't) the holidays are coming.

We celebrate both Yule and Christmas in our house. It's rather nice. Yule is marked with a lovely feast and is fabulous in it's giftlessness. We'll drink and eat until we're merry as can be, feed the birds and leave some treats for the faerie folk, then head back inside to nosh on the Yule Log.

We see the Yule Log as a symbol of luck and prosperity... plus it looks jolly lovely and festive. In the book I swiped my cake recipe from, there were ridiculously complicated instructions for making a log cake. Pffft! Here's how to make one easy peasy...

First of all, there's nothing wrong with buying a store bought jelly roll to make your log, but if you are making one from scratch, roll the warm cake in a towel and let it cool. This will help prevent cracking when you roll it up.

Looky at how nice and rolly that cake is!

Now fill your cake with cream, icing or jam.

Now, make a diagonal cut at one end of the roll.

Plonk that bit you just chopped off where you'd like your 'limb' to poke out.

Now cover it in chocolate icing. Some people ice the ends but it's supposed to be a chopped log and I like the look of the 'rings' so I don't bother.

When it's covered, drag the tines of a fork across the surface.

Hey look! It's just like bark!

Add some powdered sugar for snow, meringue mushrooms, berries, shaved chocolate and decorate the heck out of that log!

How easy was that?!?!

Take it easy, breath, and enjoy the holidays... no matter which ones you celebrate :)

xoxox