Merry Christmas!

Scooter says "Merry Christmas to All!!" and "Get me out of this outfit!"
Ha ha, no, I actually think she enjoys being dressed up.  So many people commented on this photo at the craft fair this past weekend, that I decided to put it directly on a card using shutterfly.com.

Isn't she adorable?

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

I'm thinking about making a calendar with our kitties and dressing them for each month - we'll see how that goes!

Pin It

Thanksgiving

This year's Thanksgiving was full of much yummy food and family and friends.  I would have loved for it to include more family than it did but the company I had was quite enjoyable.

The past few years Thanksgiving was held at our house but this year my mother-in-law wanted to move it back to her house.  In all honesty, it was quite the relief for my husband who is the cook in our family.  Even with help and other people bringing dishes of food, it is quite the work to get a big meal together.

What are your favorite foods for Thanksgiving dinner?  My favorites include turkey, rolls, breads, sweet potatoes with or without marshmallows on top and cranberry sauce.  You may not agree but the cranberry sauce has to be the smooth kind from the can - it's the only way to go with cranberry sauce.

Anyway, moving on to Christmas!  It will be here soon...I have created some handmade items and have a few more to go.  Unfortunately, I can't post any photos here until after Christmas, they might be seen!  I really like what I've done though and am looking forward to giving them!

In case, you are looking to give some handmade items for gifts this year and are looking for others to do the handmaking - the 32nd Annual Beyond the Unicorn Craft Fair will be held this coming Saturday, December 3rd.  It is held at Riverside Middle School in Springfield, VT and there will be sooo many crafters!  Free admission and there will be foods available for purchase as well as a 50/50 raffle and prize raffle!  The prize raffle is made of donations from the crafters that are at the fair.  So, feel free to come by and check everything out!!

Outdoor Cat Condo

A very handsome black and white cat arrived at our house several months ago.  He was obviously trapped and dropped near us because he won't let us anywhere near him and we are located in the middle of nowhere.  This isn't a really great photo of him but, you get the idea.  He has been named 'Mystery', as in, it's a mystery where he came from.

I started feeding him as soon as I saw him because I wanted to try to earn his trust.  Well, if any trust had accumulated at all, then it was erased as soon as I trapped him and got him fixed last month. Oh, well, what can I do? Getting him fixed was very necessary.

He has been coming around and eating since early summer.  I have no idea where he spends most of his time nor where he sleeps.  With the current chilly nights and even colder weather coming, I wanted to create a shelter for him as an option.  So, I designed a kitty condo that my father-in-law built, I painted and my husband shingled the roof.

Here is the front:

The right side:

The back:

The left side:

The inside:

The walls and the floor are all insulated to help with cat heat retention.

And painted:

 The front side is tucked under our porch so that if there's a bunch of snow and he's sleeping in it, he won't be trapped in it.

And opposite the front, under the porch, we have bales of hay acting as a wind blocker.

I have no idea if the cat is actually using it but hopefully he is or will soon!!

Red Fox Photo Creation

Captured this photo at a Wildlife Reserve in Maine.

It just came out great. Not sure if it really was sniffing the flowers, but isn't it a great reminder to us all?

This photo is for sale in my Etsy shop in three sizes: 8x10", 5x7" and 4x6"

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75518616/red-fox-8-x-10-print-original-fine-art

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75518554/red-fox-5-x-7-print-original-fine-art?ref=v1_other_2

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75518498/red-fox-4-x-6-print-original-fine-art?ref=v1_other_2

Halloween Creations

I have three new glass creations with Halloween themes:

BATS!

=================================================================

WITCH!

======================================================================

And, my favorite, WITCH's FEET!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/82394644/witchs-brew-beer-mug-hand-etchedengraved

Spreading the Love - Bear Stitches

Have you heard of Bear Stitches?

=================================================================

Here is their description,

"Everything we create makes travel easier! Our products are handmade in Vermont. 

We sell handbags for iPad, Kindles and Nook. 

We also plan to have bags for Apple laptops, cellphone, and yoga bags."

=================================================================

Find them at their website:  www.bearstitches.com

On etsy: http://www.etsy.com/people/BearStitches

and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bear-Stitches/176264929073152?sk=info

And here are a few of their items that I think are super cute!!

Laptop /Sleeve Bag for 15 MacBook Laptop Case 

Messenger Bag Laptop Sleeve Bag

==============================================================

      Cell Phone, iPod Touch, Blackberry, Android, Smartphone, Camera, Gadget Case 

Wristlet with padding

=================================================================

                   Eco-Friendly Sandwich, Snack, Bag, Pencil Case, Gadget Case with Zipper

Surf Play

Rose Play

~Natural~

~Saturated Color~

~Cross Process~

Senior Photo Shoot

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of shooting my very first Senior Portraits.  

She was a complete natural in front of the camera. 

Here are some photos from the shoot:

 I love the 'cross process' effect of the photo above!!

Dark Hunter Series

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking through my bookshelf and low and behold I found a Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dark Hunter Series book that I have not yet read! I had thought that I was all caught up and waiting for her next book to be released, but no, I found "No Mercy" on my shelf!

I discovered Sherrilyn Kenyon last year. I came across a CD of her book "Dark Side of the Moon" and thought 'this looks interesting and my kind of story, let's give it a try'. I have been itching for her books ever since! Before then it had been a long, long time since I read something that wasn't a magazine or short story. So, I guess I could say that Sherrilyn Kenyon got me reading books again.

Her Dark-Hunter Series goes along with my love and interest in the supernatural and werewolves and vampires and zombies.  Some of my favorite shows and movies include: Supernatural (c'mon it also stars two hotties, what's not to love!?), The Ghost Whisperer, Night of the Living Dead, The Vampire Diaries, Zombieland, Haven, and The Walking Dead (just to name a few)


So, if you're interested in that sort of thing, go check her out! 


Oh and if anyone from the CW Network actually reads this - would you please bring your channel to DishNetwork? I would love to see your shows as they are on instead of being a year behind and watching them on DVD. Thank you very much!

Mod Podge Switch Plate

I recently discovered the blog, Mod Podge Rocks! I am familiar with Mod Podge but hadn't done any type of crafting or anything with it, until now...
The blog is great, I have so many ideas floating around in my head!

Here is my first Mod Podge project, super easy and I love the little accent it's giving my wall!

(You can even catch a small glimpse of my craft space in the above photo)

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

I do! I do!

 This button bracelet was a little tedious but I think it came out super cute!!

Buttons are from a collection from my mom and between the buttons are pink cat's eye beads, finished off with a toggle clasp.

Beading

One of my most recent crafts is beading, which I have mentioned before. 

I had a necklace that belonged to my grandmother that needed re-stringing because literally the beads were on a broken string. 

Here is the end piece: (sorry, no before)

This is actually the second time re-stringing this set of beads. I didn't like how it turned out the first time so I tried again.

It's a pretty simple process, the thing that takes the longest is gathering the beads to go together and look good.

The original necklace consisted of the large blue beads with the color chips in them.

 And the small blue beads with color specks in them.

There was also one extra large blue bead with color chips in it, but that went into the matching necklace I gave to my mom.

The metallic blue beads, limey green beads and copper colored beads are pearls from the greatest bead store, Gemstar Gemstone. This place is amazing so much to see (and buy)!

The center stone bead is wire wrapped with two of the metallic blue pearls and the necklace comes together with a toggle clasp.