Portraits by Aleks Colored Pencil Art

Happy New Year to you all! I hope it is starting well!

Today I share with you the work of my very talented friend, Aleks.  Aleks took our wedding photos a few years ago and most recently she has drawn a beautiful portrait of one of our cats.  She uses a photo that is given to her and then, "ta daaaa!", an amazing drawing.

Here is the photo:

And here is the finished drawing:

Amazing!

You can check out her progress of the drawing here on Facebook.

And her whole Facebook page can be found here.

Definitely check out all of her beautiful talent!

Thankful...not to be pregnant this year!

I am thankful to not be pregnant for the holidays this year.  Thanksgiving is my favorite food holiday and last year I was about 3 weeks away from having my baby, so, it didn't make stuffing myself full of delicious food very much fun! lol  Anyone who's been pregnant knows that there's not much room when you are full of baby.

Bring on the yummy, yummies! Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom!

LAST YEAR, a very pregnant momma-to-be 

(with my brother, but I cut him out of the pic):

Not Thankful - Sippy Cup

I do not recommend this Disney Baby sippy cup. Ugh. The top with the spout clicks onto the top that screws on to the cup part.  The top with the spout twists one way to open the drink flow and twists the other way to stop the flow.  Both my husband and I found it difficult to twist the top and twist the top so it didn't twist off the screw top.  And we found it to be leaky. So, today it went into the recycling bin.

We have a couple of these Playtex sippy cups, I recommend them:

Thankful - Play Group

I am so very thankful for the play group that we have started to attend.  I am also thankful that it is currently held inside so my boy is able to crawl around and play with other babies and I don't have to stop him from putting stones and sticks and who knows what else in his mouth.  By the time spring rolls around and it's back outside, he should be walking (and running) and able to run around with some of the other kids.

At this week's play group, the boy went after all the other kid's snacks! My friend Becky and her daughter Leia were nice enough to share. I warned them that he would eat it all if they let him. It was okay and he did. (apples and oranges, yum!)

The boy is going to be a future heart breaker. I am sure of this.  This week he was playing with a couple of little girls and got really close to them and rested his forehead on their foreheads. So cute!

Thankful - Insulation

I am so very thankful for my handy husband and the insulation he used to insulate the basement. What an amazing difference it has already made! Just walking down the stairs to the laundry room is so much warmer. Thank you, husband! And thank you, insulation!

Thankful - Holidays.....and Coupon Code for Etsy

I am thankful for holidays. They are a helpful push to get my family together.  Sometimes, it is just difficult to get us all together but holidays usually make that possible.  We will actually be getting together twice in one week - a few days before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Day. I am looking forward to seeing my brother and my nephews and niece, my dad and step-mom and as a surprise to my family, my aunt from Connecticut is coming to visit! But, ssshhhh, don't tell! lol  I haven't seen my aunt in a very long time. This will be her first visit to my house and to meet my boy and for my boy to meet his great aunt. So, yay for holidays!
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COUPON CODE
If you visit my Etsy shop between now and December 10th, you can save 20%, with a minimum purchase of $40.00 and using the coupon code 20APC. Place your orders soon, the gift giving season is upon us!

Thankful - Washing Machine....and a Pesto Bowl

I am thankful for washing machines. It is amazing the amount of laundry we produce as a only family of three.  The person to invent the washing machine is one of the most amazing people in the world!

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My very good friend, Jenny, a girl that I have known since the first grade, LOVES pesto. She loves it so much she has friend gatherings based around pesto. So, I made engraved this bowl for her as as a gift for hosting my baby shower last year.  She is an awesome friend. We don't see each other as much as we'd like but it's like no time has passed when we get together.

She loves the bowl. I liked how well it came out that I duplicated it and it's available on my Etsy.

Sometimes my best ideas for etching come when I have someone in mind.

Thankful #3 of ??? - Moms

Someone posted this on Facebook today. I found it to be very appropriate and it's something that I try to remember every day.


Today I am thankful for moms.

My mom, who is obviously the most wonderful mom in the world. Kind and loving and thoughtful of others.

My step-mom who is also kind and loving and thoughtful of others. 

My mother-in-law for the advice that she has given since my son was born.

All of my friend's moms that have been my extra moms since I was in school.

All of my mom friends who were moms before me and have answered and continue to answer my ridiculous questions about mommyhood.

And to all the moms out there who think they're doing everything wrong. If you think you're doing everything wrong it just means that you care so much about your children that you're doing everything right. Thanks for being a loving mom.

Thankful #2 of ???

I am so very thankful for my beautiful baby boy.  It took my husband and I a while to decide if we wanted to try for a child. Once we made the decision it didn't take long at all (which was a little scary for us).

It was obviously the correct decision and the correct time.

It's absolutely amazing watching him grow and learn.

We love you so much.

Daddy and I are so very lucky to have you, little one.

Thankful #1 of ?

I am thankful for my husband. I am thankful for all of the things that he does to take care of us and love us. He busts his butt to be sure we are provided for and safe.  For all the things you do, dear husband, I am grateful and love you and couldn't imagine our lives without you.

Cleaning up Rice

Is this the most interesting post in the world? No, definitely not. But, I thought it would be helpful.

The little one was eating cheesy rice with broccoli and all was well until he got tired of it, he became bored or he just felt like it belonged on the floor (because everything does, right?

Husband tried to sweep it up. Nope.
I didn't want to use the hand vac just so it could get all stuck inside and then I'd have to clean that.
I tried to move it into a pile with a dry paper towel. Nope.
So, I got out a spray cleaner. Sprayed it down, wiped it up with the paper towel and voilà! Success!

So, there is your helpful tip for the day.

Head Start Photos

Why, yes, it has been a loooooooong time since I've written a post. I'll admit, I'm really bad at this. Plus, last year I was busy getting ready for the arrival of my baby boy who is now 10 months old!
Anyway, I have started to officially offer family portraits and senior portraits. My friend, Terrisa, is a teacher at a local preschool and offered me the opportunity to take photos of the little ones. All I have to say is, wow! 3-5 year old kids have crazy energy. Here are some of the photos.
You can see more portraits I have done on my facebook page, Alice Page Creations or at my website.

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!

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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!!