Sweet Saturday: At Work in Style

Spring is approaching and many of us (myself included!) are looking for a way to brighten things up at home and work. Here is a great way to stay in style while keeping your work happy with its own protocol. Many employees have to wear ID badges of some kind, so why not make yours stand out from the crowd with a beaded ID Badge Holder, such as this one? long enough to easily slip over your head, yet short enough to not get in the way, this is done with some beautiful pink rhodonite beads, spaced with Czech glass firepolish beads (that means a little bit of stylish sparkle without being inappropriate for work) and Czech glass clear, silver-lined seed beads for neutrality. There is a simple nickel clip at the bottom to hold your badge or ID.

This is a great way to bring a little individuality to your workday! On sale now in my Etsy shop.

Sweet Saturday: A Barn Painting

Okay, so I'm no Da Vinci, but this is the first painting I've done in years and I might just be a little bit proud of it, even though I know it kind of stinks! I am a little shy showing everyone this painting as I know there are a few painters who visit this blog. Stop laughing, all of you, lol. I'm sorry it isn't a better image of the painting, but my scanner is currently buried.

My mom has been going around our countryside and photographing the many historic, interesting or just plain old barns that are in danger of disappearing due to age, neglect, weather, or development. This was the first photo I decided to paint, and yes, I know you aren't supposed to paint from photos, and yes, I know, the perspective on the photo may not lend itself particularly well to being painted, but I fell in love with this little place when I saw the photo. There is something so quaint, peaceful and serene about it. So tiny, in the middle of a HUGE field. What was it used for? Was it a house for people? Chickens? I don't know, but I loved it so much I had to paint it and then expose you to my rusty painting skills :)

This was done on 190 gsm acid free watercolor paper with Faber Castell Goldfaber Aquarelle watercolor pencils, lovingly painted over with water. Whew! That was a mouthful!

Have a great day, until next time,

Sweet Saturday: Happy Birthday Ray!

Today is my little brother's birthday! Okay, so "little" isn't a very good term: he's 22 and waayyyy taller than I am. Still, he is younger, and though I can't seem to find any embarrassing photos of him as a baby right now, I'm sure I will eventually. For now, here is a fairly recent photo of my handsome brother.

Happy birthday bro, love you.

Sweet Saturday: I'm Dreaming Of...

Marie Antoinette Pink Daisy Lace Necklace by LittleStudioJewels

...A PINK Christmas! Inspired by my Marie Antoinette Pink Daisy Lace Necklace, here are a few more of my favorite items...maybe they'll inspire your gifts for a special lady as well??

Almond Mocha Mate Tea by LiberTeas

For most women, happiness is curling up under a favorite blanket with a good book, some tasty nibbles, and a warm cup of comforting tea, like the Almond Mocha Mate from LiberTeas.

Small Round Hand Built Porcelain Damask Dish by Raquel Masri

Tasty nibbles are always tastier (and less fattening!) when on a pretty, no, make that beautiful, dish. This is a hand built porcelain dish by Raquel Masri, and it fits the bill perfectly.

Lidded Teacup on Leaf Saucer in Vanilla Bean by DBabcock

A good cup of tea is always made better by a fancy mug, and this is a graceful version (complete with lid and saucer to keep everything hot and tidy) by DBabcock.

Shopping Basket (English Style) by JohnToftBasketry

Finally, no shopping trip would be complete without a beautiful shopping basket to carry your favorite goodies. Alternatively, use this beautiful basket to store and show your magazines or yarns while you are sitting curled up by your fire. In cream and rose, this is feminine without being too girly - the perfect compromise for those with manly men in the house, lol!

I hope you enjoy these beautiful items as much as I do. Have a great weekend!

Sweet Saturday: Playing in the Snow

As the Official Doggy Blogger for this blog, I am taking over today as mommy writes the grocery list...hey mommy?? Don't forget the treats for my pawesome self! Now, as part Husky, and all Wonder Dog, you should know that I love the snow...come on mommy! Play in the snow with me!
Here I am, trying to chase the snow under mommy's feet. She always laughs really hard at this, because I try to dig at the snow under her shoes and boots quite furiously. I do, however, like it best when people throw snowballs up into the air for me to run after and catch with my teeth. Too bad this snow wasn't warm enough...when mommy tried to make snowballs, it just stayed as powder.
I love the snow so much I get covered in it as much as possible before coming back inside! Mommy stayed at the back door to take most of these photos, as we were having a big snow storm and it was very cold and windy (to her at least, I felt nothing in my thick, beautiful, shining furs!).
Another thing I like to do is stick my head in the snow. I like to stick it right down to try and sniff any moles, voles, mice, squirrels, or anything else that might be hidden under there. I sometimes bury my head right down until it is covered by the snow! Then I jerk my head up and stand on three legs. Here you can see I was eating some snow, as is evidenced by my snowy beard. Never fear! I'm still a girl! I just like getting covered in snow, rah rooh!
Here mommy caught me with a face full of snow. Sometimes, if the snow is warm enough, I get a little snow ball stuck on the tip of my nose, which never fails to put mommy into hysterics. I don't see what the big deal is, I'm just playing!

I hope you have a fun Saturday, but as for me, I am off to run around some more in the snow!
and Arwen

Sweet Saturday: Some Amazing Treasuries!

Hey Arwen, what are you looking at? Oh! Look at that! I'm in not one, not two, but FOUR treasuries on Etsy right now! Scroll down and be sure to click on the links under each one to go and see these amazing artists :)

Handmade Holidays

Look at This Stuff

Fall Finds

Be Aware Awareness Items

What a good dog you are Arwen, to keep an eye out for these! I think you need another handmade biscuit :)

Have a wonderfully SWEET Saturday,
and Arwen

Sweet Saturday: Happy Halloween!

Since Arwen doesn't have a Halloween costume *yet*, I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite blogs and their dressed up animals. Please be sure to click on the links here to go and see more of these great blogs.

Here is Sadie from BeadedTail. She is dressed up as the KC Wolf mascot.
Always the proper kitty, here is Daisy from Daisy the Curly Cat, dressed up as a devil cat. I think she is too pretty to be a scary devil, but she sure is a fabulous model!
And here is Ellie from Sniffie and the Florida Furkids. She is dressed up as a lady with a skull and crossbones.

Well, I have certainly learned my lesson! Next year I will have Arwen dressed up in something. I have even purchased a pattern to make something for her...but what will it be? You'll have to visit next Halloween to find out!

Happy Halloween!!

Sweet Saturday: A Few New Things

Copper Snowball Ring

I have been trying to redo my jewelry photos and lo and behold! I've found some things that weren't listed! They should be up and on the Etsy site soon...be sure to keep checking back to see the new goodies...

Lindsay's Caribbean Blue Ring

Mostly I have just found rings, like the one of a kind Lindsay's Caribbean Blue ring, made with a beautiful lamp work glass bead, inlaid with gold foil.

However, I do have some new earrings that I want to show you as well...

Carnelian Arrow Leaf Earrings

And here they are! Carnelian stones are hung from graceful Arrow Leaf shaped ear wires, hand forged from 14karat gold filled wire. Gold plate daisy beads hug the carnelian for a pair of beautiful earrings, perfect to go from day to night! I'll also have these available in sterling silver.

Copper Persuasion Pearl Ring

And back to rings! The Copper Persuasion ring is one of a kind. It is amazing how many rings you can have in a little bag and not realize it!

Copper Midnight Ring

The piece de resistance! The ring above is made with a gem grade cubic zirconium in midnight black to contrast nicely with the copper wire. It is one of a kind.

Have a great Saturday, I'm waiting for my camera battery to recharge so I can take more photos :-)

Sweet Saturday: A Few of My Favorites

Coffee Bean Lip Balm - Vegan, with Hemp oil and Vitamin E

We were thinking of Christmas shopping last night (or seasonal shopping if you want to be politically correct) and, or course, we thought of Etsy! Here are a few of our favorites from some of our favorite Etsy Sellers. Click on the image to go to their stores.

The top is luscious lip balm from Lathers by Linds. She makes beautiful soaps and lip balms that I can actually use! Some of her products don't contain soy, and many are vegan as well. Good for you and the environment!

Getcha Tail . . . Getcha Tail

The second item is a beautiful sculpture by Endless Whimsy. She does the most adorable cat and dog sculptures from polymer clay. I've ordered from her a few times and I am always very impressed with her service and the quality.

Kissing Dogs - Original Acrylic on Canvas

Arwen and I both love the painting, above, of kissing dogs by Cat Be Nimbus on Etsy. Bright, cheerful, and friendly, this is what being with dogs should be all about!

Dog Jacket waterproof medium size insulated

With winter comes colder weather (at least here anyway!), and sometimes even the furriest dogs need a little help against winter's chill. This dog jacket is from Akyramoto on Etsy. I think Arwen would make this look fabulous (she agrees). It would also keep her warm, and protect her fur against any salt on the roads.

We hope you enjoyed our favorites, have a great Saturday!
and Arwen

Sweet Saturday: New Gift Wrapping For Packages

~Your Package Will Look Similar to This!~

Making people happy is, in my humble opinion, one of my favorite things to do, especially if it is unexpected. When people order from my shop, I give them extras, little trinkets to go along with their gift, as a thank you, and to make them feel special. Because they are. Ask any one of my family members how my face looks when I get a sale, no matter how small, and they'll tell you I look like a little kid on Christmas morning facing a stack of beautifully wrapped presents.

I LOVE when people trust me enough to order from me. It makes me feel so special that I WANT to thank people. So I give little extras. I make handmade origami gift boxes that have my flower and landscape photos printed on them. I give them care and handling instructions to keep their purchases looking fabulous for years. I give little thank you notes with offers for discounts the next time they purchase. I give them little trinkets, like key chains, buttons, etc. to add to their order.

Imagine my chagrin when I realized that many of my sales are destined to be gifts, and that the purchaser then has to go out and get a card for it! Here I am, wrapping everything so they don't have to go to that trouble, but I am making them get a card! A generic card, no less, to go with a unique, handmade gift, YUCK!

So I have decided that, although I also sell my cards, each order will now have a handmade blank card to go along with the handmade box and treasure inside it. It will look similar to the package above, except the card will be blank, and the photos on the card and box may vary. I can even personalize the card with a greeting done in calligraphy if you wold like, just let me know. It will be FREE, just like my other extras to you when you order.

A big, heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who has ordered from me in the past, and to those who will order from me in the future. I love serving each and every one of you, and I hope to be able to do so for many years to come.

Have a great day!

Sweet Saturday: I Can See My Desk!

For those of you that wanted to see my work space, you're in for a shock, not a treat. This is the first time I've seen my desk in about 4 months. No Joke. I have had so many papers, projects, and miscellaneous junk on it that I just about had a meltdown the other day and decided to clean it. It's not that I'm a messy or disorganized person, it's just that I have so much stuff and so little storage. Not for long: I have decided how I am going to redo my office, and when the store restocks the shelving that I want, I am taking the plunge. No more waiting, I can't stand to be so crammed that I can't fit a jewelry project and my laptop on my desk. I don't even have a large laptop, or large projects, it's just that I have, as I said, so much stuff to store on my desk that I can't do much more than pick out my materials and get out of there as fast as I can!

I will admit to one cardinal sin, though: I LOVE bookkeeping. I love it so much that I will let it pile up so that I have at least a few solid hours of sitting in front of my laptop, entering numbers into spreadsheets and doing calculations. That, for me at least, is like a yogi sitting and meditating to relax. It clears my mind and lets me have some fun with numbers (I know, I know, but I never said I wasn't a nerd, quite the opposite really!).
Now that the papers are cleared away, I have found that, not only am I caught up on all my bookkeeping for the year, but I have some space that might need filling on my desk! This is the start of a new project that I will keep you up to date on. It is similar to the Victoria's Bangle Bracelet that is currently for sale in my Etsy store, but will be done in dark, lapis lazuli-colored blue and amber-colored seed beads, inspired by Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. It will take the better part of a week (my hands cramp up so that slows me down a bit), so I'll try to update you often without boring you. It is using a bead weaving or stitching technique that is very fun and relaxing.

Arwen, meanwhile, is fast asleep, her paws making little twitching, running movements - I think she is dreaming of the deer we saw on our last walk!

Have a great Saturday,
and Arwen

Sweet Saturday: Endless Whimsy Feature!

I am sorry for my absence yesterday and the accompanying absence of the "Fabulous Friday Feature" I normally do each week. Brennan had an appointment at a hospital in the city (nothing serious, don't worry), but it was at 7:50AM, which meant we had to be up at 5:30 and out the door by 6:30 AM (insert collective shudder here). By the time we got back I was so sore I couldn't do much more than sleep.
However, today is a new day and without further adieu, I present the belated Friday Feature, on Saturday.

~I Had to Include Her Dog Sculpture!~

Endless Whimsy is a fantastic artist whom I found when I joined the Etsy for Animals Street Team last year. Renovia makes beautiful sculptures and when my cat Gandalf died in November, I knew that her tribute sculptures would be perfect to honor and memorialize my special little guy. Sure enough, they turned out fabulously well (I got one for my mom too). When my parents' cat, Sheeeba, went over the rainbow bridge a week or so ago, I knew that I should call upon Renovia once more to make us some tribute sculptures in memory of her. Read on to find out more about this great artist.

~One of Her Gorgeous Tribute Sculptures~

1. How you got started doing your art:
A couple of years ago at the school where I teach the administration was on a 'wellness' kick. So the teachers got roped into taking classes taught by other teachers in the district. I signed up for a clay class with one of the art teachers. I was so incredibly excited about it - I took notes at night before bed about what I wanted to use my precious class time for. I knew I wanted to make a cat sculpture that was modern. So after a couple of sketches, I came up with a pose, the stretch pose. After class I went out and got some polymer clay because I just kept thinking about poses. I made about 20 cats in a couple different poses and loved all of them. Then I just figured the next step was to see if anyone else would like them. The polymer sculptures really took off and after a while I decided to make the jump into porcelain.

~Sitting....Scheming: A Pomegranate Kitty~

Porcelain offers detail that you just can't get in polymer. Sure you can get detail in polymer, but the way I pull the sculptures into shape, it eventually distorts some of the details. Plus I love having different price ranges and different mediums because everyone likes different things.

~One of the Beautiful Porcelain Sculptures Available~

2. Your inspirations:

My inspirations are my cats; Stoli (a Russian Blue) and Luxor (an Egyptian Mau). They both have crazy personalities and antics - and photographing them was just not enough. So when I see a new sleeping position or a playful pounce, I try to capture it in clay.

~Left: Stoli, Right: Luxor - Available in the Stationary, Cat Art section~

3. Your favorite pieces:
If we're talking about my favorite pieces I make, I have a love/hate relationship with tributes. Next to solid black cats, they are the most popular thing I make. It's difficult to begin because I know some one's heart is hurting from the loss of a pet and it makes me sad every time I have to make one of these sculptures. But I love doing it because I know that this special sculpture is going to mean so much to someone and hopefully it will make them smile and bring back many good memories.

~Small Porcelain Feeder Dish~

4. Are you involved with any animal or other charitable organizations and, if so, how that came about:
My husband and I volunteer for the Homeless Animal Rescue Team in Cumberland, Maine, a no-kill feline shelter. We decided one day after we got Stoli and Luxor that because we had not taken in shelter cats (and we were limited by our living conditions to only 2 cats) we would do what we could to help cats still living in shelters.

~A Ring Holder~

I feel very thankful that I have been able to pursue my passion for cats and art in a way that is satisfying and rewarding to more than just myself.

~Cat Ornaments~

Thank you so much Renovia, your art is simply sublime! Please do visit her shop to see some of her fabulous works.

Also, don't forget about my contest, see HERE for details.