Rainbow Storms

Redirection- UNEXPECTED BLOG IS UNEXPECTED!

2010-01-10T06:51:00.001-08:00

"I don't consider myself a book collector. I just have books, the way one has air to breathe." N. Hilyard

While adding some books I purchased/received for Christmas to my bookshelf (and by adding, I mean, stacking them on the top because I've run out of room), I took a minute to count how many I really had. I stopped at around 450. To be fair, that includes children's books, travel books, and duplicate copies (example: I have three copies of Pride and Prejudice. One is in my Jane Austen "bible", one is a beautiful hardback that my parents gave me around 5 years ago, and the last is a fifty cent paper back that I usually use to read.), but it is my collection and I regard it dearly. I read many books that I love, but there are plenty that I do not.

I have a goal this year to read at least 52 books in no less than 52 weeks, and share my thoughts as I read them. It felt untidy to have those mixed in with my more "personal" posts (which are so frequent lately, haha), so I have created a blog specifically for writing about books. Here you can read about what book I'm reading this week and how it's going so far.

Two warnings: first, major spoilers are sure to abound in anything I am writing. If you don't want to know about any of the books I read, I strongly suggest you skip that week.
Secondly, my taste in literature could be best described as "uncontained". It is highly possible that what I am reading is an extremely popular book, or perhaps a never heard of title I dug out of the bottom of a bin because I liked the cover (it's happened before, and the results while at times pleasing, are not always so).
Children's books are another strong favorite, and Matilda is just as likely to appear as Rosemary's Baby.
The final note, all books are from my personal collection unless otherwise stated. I own many books I have never read, and I intend to rectify that in this upcoming year.

Thank you for your reading, and I look forward to seeing you all at my newest location- The Instatiable Reader.

Let me die in peace.

2009-11-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

So far today:

* Did not get trash bag with poopy cat litter outside in time for trash men to pick it up. Said litter will now sit in our trash can for a week, threatening to asphyxiate me every time I take out our garbage.

* Crushed knee cap against pointy corner of bedpost whilst putting on pants, thus leaving me prostrate on the floor and gasping out unintelligable noises until the pain subsided to a level where I could start using actual words. And choice words they were.

* Went to fill up dog's water bowl and found that some idiot had left the sprayer feature turned on, and instead of the faucet working like any normal person would expect, was promptly blasted with an evil stream of wet. NO LIKE.

Also managed to squash a whole loaf of bread so that now we must eat tiny sandwhiches and seem to be fighting some sort of vile cold thing which refuses to let my brain function properly.

It is 8:30. In the morning.

WORLD I HATE YOU.

Halloween- the disappointment never ends.

2009-11-02T06:16:00.000-08:00

I have been looking forward to Halloween for at least a couple weeks now. This was my first year to ever hand out candy to trick-or-treaters, and I was pretty excited about it.

Up until now, I have never lived on a street that was in a "neighborhood"; so no children ever stopped by. This year that all changed. We live in a decent sized neighborhood, and I had high expectations that we would be bombarded by swarms of costumed children. Jessie even insisted we had not purchased enough candy and would run out.

As 5 o'clock rang out, we frantically scurried about, making sure everything was ready, and when our doorbell rang at 5:15, we flung the front door open wide with eager anticipation, and were met with..... teenagers. Grown, 15 plus year old teenagers with the beginnings of nasty-staches and poorly attempts at last minute costumes(Overalls and a tacky denim cap, while definitely covering the requirements for "hick" does not a costume make).

I think my favorite, however, may have been the man (and when I say man, he was at least 25) who had dressed as a vampire *insert HEADDESK* and was packing his pretty much newborn infant around swaddled in a pink blanket and stroller. I hope he felt like an idiot when Thomas answered the door and he saw that people his age were giving candy, not collecting it for children who don't even have teeth yet. Verrrry convincing, Monsieur Vampyre.
Besides these examples of less than idyllic trick or treaters, we were greeted by two teenage girls who didn't even bother with costumes (unless white trash counts), one little buzz lightyear, a couple tiny demons, a ballerina, and about one more kid I can't even remember.

Now, instead of being really good, and only eating the scant leftovers, I am left with nearly an entire bag (and it was a big bag) of tiny candy bars and M&M packs. I am sick and bloated. For breakfast yesterday I ate a Twix, Three Musketeers, Snickers, M&M's and I don't even remember the rest.

So thank you, over age trick-or-treating douche bags. Thanks for completely ruining Halloween for me. It already kind of sucked, but you really took it to the next level. All I can say is, next year, the front light is OFF.

What else? Books and projects

2009-10-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

*Has just discovered that after finishing The Vampire Diaries- The Return: Nightfall (which is the fifth book in the series and yes, that is a mouthful) she will have to wait till March for the next book, and who knows how long for the one after that*

NOOOOOO..... I thought that the next book was already out??! This is ridiculous! These were started in '91 for pete's sake! WHY has it taken so long? I want to finish these dang books and move on to something else! *pant pant* I am soo annoyed right now.

And I know you all are staring right now, and going, "Vampires? Really? You loser/nerd/dweeb (choose epithet of choice)", but let me just say this- some vampire books are good. And interesting. Just because Twilight took an entire genre of fantasy and decided to buttrape it until it lost it's fragile grip on credibility is no reason to mock some of the other series. The Vampire Diaries-OMG- actually has a plot most of the time, managing to completely avoid pages of "No, you're prettier!" and "I can't stay with you because I'd kill you! You don't know how strong and godlike I really am!"
*disclaimer- I have also watched the CW's tv spinoff of Vamp Diaries, and have to say, while amusing, is pretty much nothing like the book. And I think that for the book's sake, it's a good thing. If the books were like it, I probably would not have read them. Well, I would have, but I wouldn't have liked. it. /end disclaimer*

In craftsterland, I am pleased to say that two of my three projects turned out very well. The first, which was making marble jewelry did not turn out so well. Actually, epic fail would be pretty acurate. I think I need to try a different type of marble. This project has been filed away under "Back burner- possibly impossible".
Project #2 went much more smoothly, although I'm sure the fact that I've done it before was a contributing factor. I have a great homemade wheat bread recipe, but it makes two loaves, and instead of halving the recipe (that's too easy!!) I decided to mix some cinnamon, brown sugar and butter into the dough of the second loaf. After kneading it all in, and putting it in the pan, I loaded the top up with more brown sugar and cinnamon, and it turned out... delicious. I caught Thomas eating two slices of it, and that's kind of a big deal. So yay for DIY bread. It's good stuff.
My third and final experiment was upcycled crayons. Which basically means I took all the old nubbins of crayons I could find (this is when babysitting is a very handy job to have, lol) and divided them into color piles and cooked them in a muffin pan to make new crayons. They turned out beautifully, and here are some pictures! I love how they turned out nice and swirly. I'm taking them to the kiddos later today, so hopefully they pass the test!
It's a set of six, the first two pictures are from the top, the third is them turned upside down, and fourth shows them stacked from the side. They sort of remind me of giant reeces cups, except prettier. I wanted to take a giant knife, heat it up, and slice them down the middle, so that you would have semi-circles, which would keep one side rounded (perfect for little hands to hold), but leave the other side with points on either end, to give a little more precision to the coloring. I suppose I will leave that for the next batch!

My next project? Stamp making! I'll need to gather some supplies, but hopefully will be able to get started on that sometime this weekend. Tomorrow I have the day off, and will stay at home to get a lot of stuff done *coughcleaningourpigstyecough*

Back from the Beyond

2009-10-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been playing my Wii obsessively. I bought Animal Crossing this past week, and have been keeping that and Super Smash Bros. Brawl on pretty constant rotation. I recognize that I should probably be utilizing my time in more efficient ways, but I figure that I've paid for my Wii; I might as well get some use out of it. The only thing I really wish were different about it is that it doesn't have the ability to store music for you to listen to during game play like the XBox does. If it did, I would absolutely save this song to listen to on repeat.
My re-discovery of this strange little tune was more than a little exciting for me- and I love all the different videos for it. This one is especially funny to me, since I'm playing SSBB so much right now. I WILL unlock you, zero-suit samus!!! Just you wait!

In more productive news, here are some earrings/necklaces I've been working on-

I've hand-shaped these out of clay, and then painted them after baking them in the oven. I've been working on a bunch of different designs, but these are some of my favourites (especially the avocado earrings!)

*Pear Pendant

*Avacado Earrings *Jack-o-lantern Earrings

*M&M Cookie Earrings

*PB&J Earrings

I have several more projects planned for this afternoon, so hopefully I will finish them and be able to show them off sometime this week.

Right now I am enjoying the perks of being Jessie's BFF, and am sitting at WKU's computer lab, pretending to be an intelligent student, hard at work for an important project. In reality, I am listening to celtic music on pandora and trying to decide if the 29 bucks in my wallet is better suited toward new shoes or another video game. Oooh, decisions. The past couple weeks have been pretty hectic, and it's nice to have a couple hours to sit quietly and not have anyone calling for me to fetch things, or really do anything that I don't feel like doing.

Today I flipped through my book journal to see how I have been doing so far (I like to try to read 100 books or more each year), and in the past three months (my rotation begins around the end of July- don't ask why, it's just when I started keeping dates), I have read 41 books! Which breaks down to a little more than three books a week. Not too shabby! I'm trying to get as many books in as possible before the beginning of the new year. I'm starting school in January, and I have a feeling I might not have quite as much time to sit around and read silly books(or even not-so-silly ones. You could never call dear C. S. Lewis silly.)

I'm off to enjoy some more computer time before I have to leave, but definitely keep checking back, and I'll try to not fall off the face of the earth again. It was kind of scary, really.

Home again!

2009-07-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

I am finally back! We arrived home mid-evening on Sunday, and I was innunadated with laundry for the next day and a half. I was very glad to have Monday and Tuesday at home to get back into the swing of regular home-ness before going back to work, although Monday was not really a happy day, as we attended the funeral of a very close family member of DH's. A solemn start to the week, but I am glad that he is not suffering anymore.

Florida was beautiful, and also very busy. Considering it was the 4th of July, it was to be expected. The crowds really didn't affect much besides the wait to be seated at restaurants, and even then, wasn't too bad.
We did tend to eat early dinners- around 3pm- so that may have had something to do with it. The water was lovely- lots of nice, thundering waves. I love being deep enough to ride the waves right before they break. At night, I almost couldn't sleep because I still felt like I was being tousled about.
The boys went snorkeling, and found a plethora of sand dollars. We all came away with a pretty nice haul; I can't wait to find a nice way to use ours.
The most exciting thing that happened was probably when we went to the pool, and DH had decided to wear nothing but his speedo(he swam in high school...he loves his speedo *sigh*). We stepped through the gate, and as we passed the shallow end, a chorus of hysterical children's laughter burst from the water. I turned to look as at least six children of ages from ten to five splashed, shrieked, and pointed at DH with no discretion or shame. Apparently he was too much to handle.

Some pictures of the trip-

Little Brother and myself at the beach (and I do realize I look like the little one, haha)
The absolutely adorable alligator living in the pond next to where we stayed

DH looking for shells and fish

This was the best sunset we saw (which isn't saying too much, but the clouds are still so pretty)

Taking an evening walk on the beach w/ DH.

It took me forever to get them to be good and take a picture...

In the stocks with DH at Pirate's Putt Putt. We both came in last in our group.

By the pool- my bathing suit has little cupcakes all over, and I adore it!

I also took a lot of video, but I'm not remotely sure what is on there.... Perhaps tomorrow I will have a couple clips up to check out! Hope everyone's 4th was as nice as ours!

Quickie Favorites

2009-06-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't have time today to do anything very detailed, but here are some completely random items that I found this week, and thought were absolutely lovely. Apparently, I got on a bit of a sailor kick, but it's definitely not an exclusive theme. I leave for Florida on MONDAY! And it's pretty much all I'm thinking about right now. This will be all until I get back, so be sure to check back sometime around the 7th or 8th for some footage of our adventures! (I hereby do solemnly swear that it will not be "other person's vacation overload" where all you want to do is rip the pictures from their hands, burn them up, and shout "STFU!")

1. Carved Bone Ring by Beth1818

2. Skull Journal by Strong Arm Bindery

3. Small Sailor Postcard by Tutti Studio

4. Camper Van Cushion by Helena Carrington

5. Whale Plaque by Brooklyn Rehab

6. Red Panda Scarf by Bobbin 4 Apples

7. Banjo Squirrel Print by boygirlparty

8. Bird Nest Ring by CHR Designs

9. Skeleton Key Windchime by How Does Your Garden Gro

10. Lotus Faeries Poster by Spalenka

11. Faded Blooms Art Print by Angie Muldowney

12. Puffed Hearts Plushes by Ferragamo Studio

Have a lovely weekend, everyone, and enjoy your summers!!

Neil Diamond turns me on. At least, this one does.

2009-06-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

The miraculous story of a boy who was hit by a car and lived!

2009-06-22T09:32:00.001-07:00

This is a typical Monday morning for me- searching the interwebz for interesting news, trying to stay updated about anything and everything. I'm pretty stoked, because there's word about the Harry Potter theme park opening in January (!!!) although it will be at least a year after that before I go, just because I don't want to wait an hour per ride, haha. I think the best news is Robert Pattinson getting hit by a taxi, though. Here you can read all about it- apparently the poor boy just couldn't take all the girls mobbing him, and ran into the street, only to get wacked by a cab. It was pretty minor, but still insane. Thanks to these retarded girls, it's pretty much completely embarrassing to admit that I even know what Twilight's about, let alone own it! I don't understand why people get so obsessed with famous guys; even if you do get to stand on the street and scream, cry and get some fuzzy picture of him, what does it matter? It's a twisted sort of idol worship that bothers me a lot. It's a totally one-sided thing, with the fans being completely over the top, and ultimately being unsastisfied with RobbyP for one reason or another. He, on the other hand, gets nothing but stress and difficulties with these girls. Sure, they pay the bills, but still, it's a pain. I just don't understand why these girls can't just be satisfied with appreciating and admiring his (or any other celebrity) talent and looks, and leave the kid alone. As a wise man once said- "Don't be an idiot." And by wise man, I mean Michael Scott.

Oh, if anyone needs any ideas for me for Christmas, you can most definitely buy this. And give it to me right now. Or sooner. Whatever works for you works for me.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE POP UP BOOK, BABY!
A little preview...
(for some reason, there's these annoying white borders on Tom's picture. And I am wayyy too cool (read: lazy) to fix it.
I need these spectrespecs sooo badly. This is basically why I want the book. No, that's not true. But it's the main factor.

This is the last week before we head to Florida! And I am unnaturally excited, too. The only downer is Little Brother isn't getting to come with us, like I really wanted. I'll try to get him to come when we go to Harry Potter House of Destiny, although he'll probably cry the whole way. But I am really looking forward to playing in the ocean, and putt putting, and SHUFFLE BOARDING! Which the BFF and her husband have never played before. This will be more than exciting.

Speaking of exciting, I think our washer will be fixed on Wednesday! It's only been 3+ weeks since it broke, but the repair people are finally getting it done. I hope. Word to the wise- if you're buying something, anything, that has the potential to leak all over your floor- buy the 5 year extended warrenty. That is probably the best 100 bucks I have ever spent in my life.

That's all for today- I've got like 3 books I need to read that are due soon at the library, and I'm kind of addicted to Harvest Moon on my DS right now, soooo...... watch these fantastic clips, kay?

wait for it.......

If you're not an "Office" fan...well, 1) you're a loser, haha, and 2) you might not think this is funny. But it is hysterical!

Favorite Friday- VAY-CAY!

2009-06-12T10:04:00.001-07:00

I finished it after all! Yay!

This is in anticipation of my upcoming Florida trip! (Which, by the way, OMGimsoexcitedicantwaitonemoresecondletsgoletsletsgoooo!)
So the theme is vacation/beach. And how I love both!!

1. Air Mail Travel Journal by Paperama

I know it's difficult for everyone to believe, but I have a lot of thoughts and opinions that I can't keep to myself. When you're on vacation, you see and do a lot of things that you want to remember, and for that, this journal is perfect! It captures the feeling of the travels you've taken, and is just what you need to properly document a holiday to any destination. With plenty of pages to write in, it looks great without being overly cutesy.

2. Bamboo Sleep Mask by DoodleBug's Fun Fabrics

Absolutely ideal for a plane or car trip, this bamboo (oooooh!) sleep mask is functional and beautiful, decorated with my favorite type of bird- the cute, silent type. This is great for road trips, when you want to sleep but not be bothered by all those road lights. Other great patterns are easy to find, and the quality really is amazing!

3. Emerald Green Retro Bathing Suit by Bettie B's

Look great with full coverage in this retro-styled bathing suit. The color is fantastic, sure to look great on anybody. I would be sorely tempted to put blue jeans on with this and wear it out to dinner, so that afterwards I would be ready for some night swimming (in the pool, not the ocean, haha.) At $45 (plus S&H), this is a great chance to have something beautiful and handcrafted all to yourself.
4. Sea of Imagination Painting by Plastic Pumpkin

This beautiful print is a fabulous way to have a picture to remind you of the ocean without making your living room look like a Florida retiree's(which some people like, and are perfectly entitled to). Done on rice paper in Chinese brush strokes, and the Japanese Gyotaku fish printing technique, this is a gorgeous original painting. The artist has many more paintings, some available as prints, and all at a fantastic price.
5. Peace of the Sea Collage by Flying Dream Post

Such a cute collaged card; I wouldn't be able to mail this, I would have to frame it! I love the mixed media style of images, trinkets and the printed word all combined together to make art in even such a small size. You can find plenty more, and even some journals (even the paper's handmade!) at this shop, all beautiful, and at a wonderful price!
6. Surf Shack Album by Gongy And Squish

The perfect kitsch album to showcase that trip to Mexico (or anywhere tropical), this photo album is an original way to memorialize your vacation. With 10 pages for pictures, it's just the right size to show to friends and co-workers, and great to set out on a table or shelf for all to see.
7. Penguin Luggage Tags by Wei's Open Secret

I remember on a trip to Mexico, we realized the people in front of us had the exact same type of luggage. Apparently, cheap and blue are pretty popular choices in travel gear. Anyway, we didn't want to spend an hour at baggage pick-up finding the right suitcases. We grabbed some duct tape (I'm still not sure how or why we had it) and put big silver "X"s across our bags. It worked, but these cute luggage tags would have been much easier, and quite a bit more fashionable! I love this little sassy penguin, and he has plenty of pals which are available as well. There are also other quippy phrases, in case your sentiments aren't quite described here.
8. Vintage Mermaid Earrings by Kimari Jewelry

A sweet pair of earrings made from an image of a vintage mermaid figurine (and yes, I want one); great for any occasion. Done in a cameo style that I love, these are too cute, and would match one of my other faves- the retro bathing suit, so well! This seller has a multitude of beautiful pieces, including rings and bracelets, with great vintage feel.

9. Bonnet Shores Pendant by Land by the Lake
The perfect accessory to a swim suit while you're soaking up the sun, or great to throw on over a t-shirt and jeans to check out the street market goods! With a pearl and bit of chalcedony glass accenting the sand dollar, it makes a lovely piece to wear just about any time!

A little carried away

2009-06-12T06:52:00.001-07:00

So....I'm working on a Favorite Things post, but I'm tired, and cranky, and it's not ready yet. I'd like to think that it'll be done today, but it really probably won't. I'll have it finished by Monday, though! I'm just afraid I don't have enough time/energy to finish it today.

Rant for the day- I'm sure everyone else has been rocking out to The Jonas Brothers (on GMA) all morning, but I am about ready to shoot myself. If other people (and by other people, I mean, my husband....) weren't in the room, I'd have turned them off by now. I just don't get it. Their music is annoying, they aren't cute, and, and, they just suck, OK? Plus, Disney owns their souls. That means they are in the same category as Hannah Montana and High School Musical, everybody. Parents want to ban things like The Golden Compass(which is incredible), but are OK with their kids watching and listening to this crap? It may be "a wholesome alternative" but it is banal, un-original, and doesn't begin to contribute to the imagination or stimulation of the mind. Some people may think I shouldn't compare Philip Pullman's books to HSM, because The Golden Compass is "inappropriate" for children, but in my opinion, these Disney-controlled pawns are no more appropriate and really are nothing but a crash course for our children to an obsession with big label clothes, sex appeal, and singing really badly, and they're teaching it to younger and younger children. When I was a kid, we watched classic cartoons, like Looney Tunes, The Smurfs, and The Carebears instead of these poor attempts of sitcoms. We listened to the same music our parents listened to, which was usually pretty good(I grew up to Elvis, myself), instead of the adults being subjected to idiotic jibberish. The day the child controls the shopping list, the remote control, the car radio, and ultimately the adults, is a black day OF DOOM.

*and end rant*

On a lighter note- I got Pippi Longstocking from the library yesterday. I tried to watch it with the DH and Jessie, but DH couldn't handle how the english was dubbed over the swedish and the words didn't match with the mouths and Jessie couldn't handle the weirdness. So I pretty much just got to listen to the opening song. It is really the best part of it, haha. I guess this will be yet another "night to myself" movie. *Sigh* It seems like there is a lot of those. And I have such good taste, too. :)
Concerning the indoctrination front- I found Star Trek the Motion Picture at the library also, and this is one that everyone will have to sit through!!! Muahaha. I am already excited about seeing my favorite vulcan. It's probably been about 6 years since I've seen it, and I'm pretty pumped. Everyone else....not so much. We'll have to see how this turns out.

*Listen to the Pippi song here! And yes, you will sing it all day.*

...And now I will slave away furiously on the blog that was actually supposed to be posted today. Since I've already been scolded once that it isn't up yet (it's not even 10a. yet!!!!)

My Japanese obsession has not abated....

2009-06-10T06:25:00.001-07:00

I had a fantastic blog completely written in my head last night as I went to sleep, and of course, this morning, it has completely vanished. :) Oh well.

Last night I got to watch My Neighbor Totoro for the first time- and I loved it! Not quite as much as Howl's Moving Castle, although I think that was mainly due to the awesome voice-over job of Christian Bale (whom I like as long as I don't actually have to look at him).
Both movies were great; absolutely classic stories that I would definitely let my (future) children watch over and over. The music of Totoro was so sweet and catchy; I'm wishing I could find a soundtrack or something. I still have plenty of Studio Ghibli movies left- like Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service, which is good, because I just can't get enough of them! I'm also voraciously reading the FullMetal Alchemist manga series right now, and I love it! One nice thing is I have been able to get all of the volumes from our local library (you know how much I love it!), as opposed to my two favorite series, Fruits Basket (they only have the first seven out of twenty-three. And it's taken them forever to get this many!) and Ouran High School Host Club, (it only has about 12-13 published volumes) of which I've already read the first ten and can't find the last two books. So FullMetal is my current big read. I've got numbers eight though seventeen right now (and yes, I was the big loser/nerd picking them up after putting them on hold just so some other dork wouldn't beat me to them :D) I'm looking forward to reading them in the next couple of weeks, although now I don't know what I'll take on the ride to *ahem* FLORIDA (!!!) in less than three weeks. And yes, I'm ridiculously excited. I'm going to play pirate putt-putt, eat at Margaritaville, and basically live at the beach.

As a parting gift, here is Peter Griffin from Family Guy singing a siren song (I will never stop laughing at this)

Fave Fridays- Favorite Books

2009-06-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is up so late today! I have been chilling at the pool with my lovelies all day and so it's taken me a little longer! This week I am featuring items based on books/authors that I love. These are fantastic companions and accessories to demonstrate your affections, or to add some beauty to your home. Enjoy!

1. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Custom Painted Shoes by Stabby Von Killerstein
These shoes are not only the coolest ones in town, but this artist's talent is clearly reflected in her remarkable accuracy of the original illustrations. I love the pictures she's chosen to use, and think that these are absolutely fantastic. Another awesome thing? She'll do just about any custom request! So if you're not the biggest fan of Max and his wild rumpusing, there is plenty more to choose from!

2. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie
Miss Marple Charm Bracelet by Jezebel Charms

Using miniature reproductions of Miss Marple novel covers, this bracelet, in its colors and style, embodies the vintage feel of Agatha Christie novels in general Additional charms in the way of tiny axes & pistols give the macabre a kind of flair. Anyone looking for some great steampunk jewelry should definitely check this seller out, regardless of literary tastes!

3. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Eye of Smaug Locket by BillyBlue22
Easily the coolest locket I've seen, this piece reminds me of the dragon Smaug from The Hobbit. The glass eye is eerily realistic; ready to guard the pictures you tuck inside with the ferocity as befitting a dragon. Be prepared to receive a plethora of compliments when where this out! Plenty of other fascinating pieces are available from this seller, including a pipe which with I am also completely in love!

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Johnny Depp Mosaic by Final Score
Although more related to the movie than the book, this rendering of Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka is still an amazing piece of art. This artist has painstakenly taken hundreds of tiny photos of Johnny and collaged them into this 8.5x11 mosaic, re-creating a fantastic likeness of the strangest, most magical of men, Willy Wonka himself. Also available are a mulitude of other pop culture icons turned to mosaic, such as fast cars, movie stars, and even a few video games!

5. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
Caterpiller Cigarette Case by To Funky Town

Now, I don't smoke, but I would love to carry this around, perhaps as a money clip, or a compact. With a beautiful copy of the original illustrations, I think that the Caterpiller and his hookah are more than appropriate for this cigarette case! With hundreds of different old school covers to choose from, you can feel uniquely vintage when carrying one of these!

6. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Jadis, Empress of the Lone Islands by Charmed by Skye

Named for the less commonly known title of The White Witch of Narnia, this jeweled collar is more than befitting a wild and wicked queen. This is a heavy, luxurious piece that will guarantee you to be treated like royalty wherever you go. For more fantastic jewelry befitting a princess, check this shop out as soon as you can!

7. Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
Yuki & Kyo Magnet by Happy Dance Designs

An adorable glass marble magnet featuring two of my all-time favorite manga characters, this piece brings all of my favorite moments from the series to mind. This is something I would definitely put on my fridge and display proudly. This shop has lots of other great anime and manga pieces for sale, and they are all great!

8. Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
Vintage Style Tags by Seasonal Delights

These tags are absolutely adorable. They are perfect for adding to a baby gift; although I probably would have a hard time parting with them! Using the drawings from the original publishing, these are classic Pooh. Filled with many other beautiful and old-fashioned looking tags and papercrafts, I am constantly checking her shop to look at all the fantastic things!

9. The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde button set by Mrs Gibson's Atelier

Poor Oscar Wilde- one man against the world! Here you can immortalize him by sporting his portrait and an infamous quote all at once. I think the idea of being attached to a ladies' handbag would suit this dandy quite well! This shop is filled with plenty of other lovely and eclectic pieces of jewelry and accessories, and is well worth browsing through.

10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
"The Letter" Regency Print by Tara Fly Photos

Inspired by Miss Bennett herself, this is a lovely print depicting a regency era lady reading a letter- perhaps from dashing Mr. Darcy! With beautiful scenery, and striking colors, this makes a beautiful picture. A great talent in customized photography, this seller has a myriad of great prints to choose from, but this homage to Jane Austen is my favorite.

11. Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Scrabble Tile Necklace by The Gilded Lily

A lovely picture from Peter Rabbit makes an absolutely charming pendant. Beatrix Potter's amazing eye for accuracy while remaining sweetly artistic is what makes her books unceasingly popular, and items with her illustrations so highly desirable. Right now this seller is running a great deal, where you can buy 3 pendants, and receive a fourth one for free, which, with over 400 images to choose from, is a fantastic offer!

Ramblings of A Delinquent Blogger

2009-06-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Just got finished watching clips from the MTV awards. Loved the New Moon & Harry Potter trailers, and even though Daniel, Emma and Rupert's lines were a really obvious script-read, they were still hysterical, and all three of them are just too cute! RPattz & Co. were not nearly as cute. Just kind of awkward. And the fact that Rob won Best Actor, Male is kind of embarrassing.

My favorite though was definitely Zachary Quinto's reaction to Sasha Baron Cohen teabagging Eminem. I'm still laughing about that. All of it. Personally, I think Eminem deserves it more often. I think Zachary's absolutely frozen in shock.

And just because I can, and there's no better way to start your week, gratuitous red carpet shot.
(And don't worry, that spontaneous accidental squealing is perfectly normal.)
(Go here to check out a pretty fantastic 360 degree freeze frame. Just trust me on this one)

On a less fangirl-obsessed note, life is settling down nicely around here. LolaCat has stopped climbing on top of my head in the middle of the night, and I'm starting to get used to other people's dogs barking at about 4:30a.

We picked up a couple of bookshelves from Target this weekend, because it was getting difficult to navigate the tottering piles of books in the middle bedroom, and I was ready to give them a proper display. Surprisingly, the ones that cost $20 & $30 are absolute crap! I know, I know, I couldn't believe it either! I got a three-shelf, and a five-shelf, and they are possibly the shoddiest things I've ever owned. DH put them together during which frustrated mutterings and wall punchings abounded. In the small amount of time during which I "helped", I managed, while attaching the cardboard back(yessssss), to punch the nails/screws/plastic attachers straight through the particle board and pretty much jack the thing up. The good news is that I have way too many books, and have to lay them flat so that they'll all fit. This insures that all damages are covered. Lesson learned- if you're too cheap to buy the $120 shelves (and I am) then maybe you should just let DH find an antique something so at least you'll know it's not going to fall apart.

Well, as a wise woman once told me, Que sera, sera.

Old Lady Grumps

2009-05-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Getting
Really tired of
Unbeliveably annoying
Muggles who will
Probably drive me insane.
Yes, you.

I know, I've been a crappy blogger lately. I promise I will start doing better.

Starting Monday.

I'm tired, I'm grumpy, I have to go to work in 2 minutes. Super quick update that is in no way acceptable or sufficient for my regression in posting the past couple of weeks:

We're finally moved in to our beautiful new home! Well, duplex. But it's still all ours, and it's still beautiful. The furniture all fit, which is a miracle. DH is addicted to these massive antique pieces, and I really didn't think it was all going to go in. All the boxes are unpacked, and there's only one room left to sort out. Little brother is coming over tomorrow for some fierce Super Smash Bros. on the Wii, and I can't wait.

I promise to continue my crotchity and somewhat irrelevent ramblings another day, but I just wanted to make sure everyone knew I was still alive, and to keep checking back!!

J

Fave Friday Baby Week!

2009-05-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

The DH wondered why I didn't do a Mother's theme this week, since Sunday is Mother's Day, but I just really was feeling more like babies.

1) Because without babies, you wouldn't have mothers, and

2) Because my dearest friend's older sister just had a beautiful baby boy Wednesday night, and babies are all I can think about right now.

1. Wooden Animal Set by BB Crafts

Starting this week off is a beautiful wooden toy set featuring a quintet of delicately hued animals. My personal favorite is probably either the bunny or the dinosaur. The distress-style finish of the paint gives them a vintage feel that perfectly suits their materials and simple designs. With smooth-riding wheels, these are sure to suit your constantly moving kiddo!

2. Don't Be Owly Plush Blocks by Owl People

A great set of soft blocks for baby to cuddle and learn her letters, numbers and shapes on. With tags sewn on, and jingle bells inside, these are all around great for your child to play and learn with. These are super snuggly, and the owl design is just too cute!

3. British Words Book by Ex Libris Handmade

I am a fan of all children's books, and I think it's great to start them reading and looking right off. This is a great soft book, that marries my love of literature with all things British. Other words included are "pram", "telly" and more. The illustrations are too cute, and the colors match wonderfully. A great way to introduce reading and other cultures (unless you're British, of course!) immediately, this is an adorable cloth book for anyone.

4. Apples and Pears Baby Sling by Josie Michelle

This sling is a fantastic idea. I know how tiring it can be to pack around a bag of books all day, and can only imagine what another 10 pounds and constant squirming must be like. This is a great way to evenly distribute the baby's weight and keep your hands free. The pattern is an apple and pear motif, which is extremely trendy this year, and a great light color that will match most outfits.

5. Three Little Owls Quilt by Kate Blocher
What a sweet decorative quilt! Perfect for hanging on a nursery wall, or against the crib rails, this is a lovely patchwork motif that is great for boys or girls(ok, maybe a little dainty for boys, but I would have it, either way). Worked in Amy Butler fabrics, the patchwork is exquisitely done, with a beautiful harmonizing of different patterns. It also has owls on it, which you might notice is somewhat of a recurring highlight in my tastes!

6. Dandelion Hat by UpRoar

What a cute, cute hat! (and baby!!) I love the colors, and the pattern. It is such a pretty little cap- perfect for any baby. A great way to show your love of the outdoors and all the beauty from it, this hat is a must for hip kids everywhere.

7. Silhouette Pillow by Le Papier Studio

I love this pillow's subtle humor and classic silhouettes. A great pattern for parents, expectant or not, it shows your sense of style, and acknowledges your little one all at once. In simple colors, it would look great on your love seat or centered on a guest bed. The silhouettes are even available to customize to silhouettes of your own family, if you prefer an exact reproduction!

8. Snuggly Beet Cap by My Market Stall

I would probably make my kid wear this everyday. Not only is it funny and adorable, it reminds me of Dwight Schrute from The Office. Beets, bears, Battlestar Galatica! Made from 100% wool, it is super cozy, and perfect for any time you feel like letting your child stand out from the crowd!

9. Designer Quilted Bluebelle Baby Blanket by BlueBelle Design

Something that is becoming increasingly popular is gender neutral tones in nurseries and baby items. This blanket suits that theme wonderfully. Its plush fabrics and tasteful patterns are one of kind, as with each item this seller creates, making this a must for any trendsetting baby.

10. The Stork Brings Baby Home by Bunny With a Toolbelt

A super sweet figure to decorate a nursery, this stork is whimsical, and sure to fit in with nearly any color scheme. He'd look great on a bookshelf or end table, ready to welcome your newborn into the world, and his perfectly decorated nursery.

Checking In

2009-05-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

It seems that the weeks just keep getting more and more hectic as it gets closer to our moving date. About three more weeks to go! Some of the stuff I've been up to:
1) Watching X-Men Origins: Wolverine in the theatre last week. It was so good! Well, for an X-Man movie. It was definitely better than X-3. Although it doesn't take much to beat that one.
2) Hanging out with my awesome brother. We didn't do a lot, but it was nice just to see him and visit. And kick his butt in wii bowling. But not Mario Kart. I never beat anyone in that. The CPU's cheat so badly that it almost isn't fun anymore.
3) Babysitting. My little boys have been keeping me hopping lately. :) They're such great kids!
4) Frantically reading my library books. Apparently it is a bad idea to check books out three different times in a week and a half, because there is no way to remember when which books are due! I get online today, and there are books I haven't even started yet due Saturday, and I'm reading ones that aren't due for 10 days. Thank goodness for online renewals. I would be lost, otherwise.
I read a really awesome book called "The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections" by Amanda Blake Soule which is phenomenal. It's technically for someone with children, but even if you don't have kids, you should read this. It's fascinating, and has so many great ideas and suggestions that you can take away, just for yourself. Or for future children. I think everyone should have a copy of this for their personal collection. Thanks to the resource guide in the back, my amazon wish list has grown by about 20 books. But that's nothing new. I think I have about 200 books on there, not including my children's materials, and movies. I think I might have an Amazon addiction, though.

One of the books I read this week was called 100 Greatest Poems of all Time which is, of course, based on the author's opinion, and there were some really boring choices, plenty of poems I'd already read/memorized/been tested on in high school (yay for A Beka curriculum, haha), but one really good one was Funeral Blues by W. H. Auden. I'll finish off today by letting you read it. I realize it's pretty morbid, but it's so pretty.

Funeral Blues

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

W.H. Auden

Fave Friday- GEEK WEEK

2009-05-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

In honor of all the great movies for us nerds coming out this summer, this week's fave friday is dedicated to geekery and all the awesomeness that comes with it! (I know there's no Star Wars movies, but you cannot do a Geek week without including SW. It is sacrosanct!)

1. Captain's Log Tee by Peanut Butter & Yelly
From one of the greatest lines of all time, this shirt is guaranteed to be in style whether the star date be 2250, or 2009. An affectionate poking of fun, surely even Capt. Kirk would find this amusing. The design is very attractive, and is a great style for guys or girls. This seller has a unique sense of humor, and has plenty other great images and things to choose from.

2. Live Long and Prosper Necklace by NB's Closet

I remember practicing this gesture constantly as a kid. Everything about the Vulcans was fascinating to me, most especially the super sexy Spock (yes, I was 13 and I loved Spock.) This necklace is wonderfully detailed, and makes a perfect statement, while still remaining subtly nerdy. Second glances are guaranteed with this necklace. Laser cut from wood, it is a fantastisc piece that should only be sported by a true Trekkie. If you prefer a different design, you could easily pick a machine gun, a portrait of good ole Abe Lincoln, or even some fetching deer antlers!

3. Star Trek Klingon Stamp by The Nerd Nook

The perfect embellishment to your next RPG invitations (or any type of cards!) is this hand carved Klingon Logo stamp. This simple design is enough to inspire fear in even the most courageous of captains. Great for decorating journals, or just letting people know where your loyalties truly lie, this is a great accessory to keep nearby. Also available are some amazing vintage-y nintendo stamps (my faves include Princess Peach and Bullet Bill).

4. Spock Necklace by Sweet Heart Sinner Creations

Easily the funniest thing I've ever seen. The glimmer of a smile that is so rarely seen makes this an unusual pendant. It is the perfect size, and exactly what any Spock groupie needs to show their pride! This is a one of a kind piece that has been well crafted. This seller has a great variety of vintage, unique images available in pendants, brooches, rings, and even pill boxes!

5. Potions Handbook by Celeste Frittata

Potions is a class I wouldn't mind having to take notes in, and this would be the perfect note book to write them down! With a gorgeous cover illustration, and beautiful binding, this is a fantastic journal that would be perfect for anyone. Plenty of pages, hand torn and distressed, give one the feeling that they might find these in a elegant castle, or ancient trunk. With covers featuring nearly every class mentioned in Harry Potter, there is a style for every wizard, no matter their educational preferences. My dream would be to have an entire shelf full of these journals to write and sketch in!
6. Ron Weasley Figurine by Trophies

Not only is this guy too cute for words, he is also a finger puppet! Perfect for miniature re-enactments of "Potter Puppet Pals"! Made from sculpey clay, he carries a chess piece, ideal for a spur of the moment round of wizard chess, and a wand that glows in the dark! Lumos! He would be too cute sitting on a book shelf, guarding your HP books, and practicing his chess strategies.
Also available are Dumbledore, Hermione, and Harry!

7. Lord Voldemouse by The House of Mouse

Nothing strikes terror into the wizarding world like the thought of "You-Know-....Mouse?" Ok, so not the most terrifying, but definitely the most adorable, Lord Voldemouse cuts an impressive figure that will definitely send all the muggle mice fleeing! Which there are plenty of in this talented artist's shop. Ranging from an enormous cast of Star Wars characters, to The Joker, Edward Scissorpaws, and Elvis, there really is a mouse for everyone!

8.Rogue Silhouette by The Pink Samurai

A beautiful silhouette of X-Men's most emo girl, this is a lovely piece of art for any true comic book fan. A collaboration of elegance and punk, the colors and design work perfectly together. Also available are Wolverine, and that most powerful mutant, Phoenix!

9. Wolverine Pendant by akaCINDERS

A pendant of the always sexy Logan (aka Wolverine), this is a great way to show your support at the XMen release this weekend (and yes, I will be there, soaking it all up)! Hung from a pleather grommet choker, this is a hardcore piece. Go serious, or go home, say I. A ton of other lovely jewelry can be found at this shop, including a plethora of kawaii goodies, which is always a good thing, if you ask me.

10. Magneto Necklace by Love Your Bling

I have a friend who is a little obsessed with Magneto. And by that, I mean, she calls me out of the blue and says "Do you know who I wish I was? I wish I were Magneto and then I could flatten all these cars in front of me!" Which I guess is better than actually being infatuated with him, because, let's face it, that hat is not cool. But it is really funny, which is why I like this necklace so much!

11. Crocheted Leia Hair Buns by BZ Crochet Designs

This is an absolute must have if you have someone in your family going trick-or-treating as Leia this year (and if no one is, someone needs to be). Strikingly accurate, this is a great piece, perfect for dress up any time!

12. Boba Fett Silk Pillow Covers by WeBothWin

These pillow covers with Boba Fett's Mandalorian emblem are a great way to be subtle and elegant while still being a proud geek. A beautiful design and color, these pillows easily match nearly any color scheme. They are perfect for accenting a chair or a bed in your spare room. I confess to be a lover of anything to do with the Fett family, but these are definitely some of the coolest things I've seen in a while.

13. Original Fabric Messenger Bag by Whimsie Dots

Best bag ever. Made from vintage drapes, this is the real deal! Only for the most hard core fans, this is a great size, ideal for toting whatever you need around. Nothing is sexier than Han Solo surrounded by Ewoks, so be prepared for the onslaught of compliments when you sport this bag!
This is something that I would proudly carry wherever I went. Also available are some incredible DS cozies made from original sheets! What a great way to make such cool material into a usable product.

2009-04-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

It has been over 80 degrees since Friday, and I am in love. I have been rocking shorts the whole time, there have been gorgeous breezes, and I got to spend the entire weekend out and about.
Saturday I got to spend time with some of my favourite people! Firstly, my darling Jessie and Jeremiah (we got to eat at Red Lobster for lunch, and now all I want is to go to the beach!!!) and later the super cool Lindsey and Danny! We played putt putt around 6pm and it was a blast. I hadn't played for about a year and a half, and it showed! There was a mom and her young son playing behind us, and sometimes it took forever for all of us to play through. I kind of felt bad, but it's not any fun just rushing through putt putt. It completely defeats the purpose. Especially at our putt putt green, which has absolutely no exciting theme, or interestingly difficult holes (just ridiculously annoying ones, such as having to hit up a steep slope to the hole at the top. This is listed as a par 2 for some reason, even though you're guaranteed to smack it up that hill about 7 times before throwing your putter on the ground and squalling. I took a lot of "Just call it 6!"'s this time around). It was nice to spend time with people, though. The weather was great, and we had a lovely time.

Thanks to a miraculous find at the library this week, I am voraciously reading Fruits Basket. After having nothing but the first two volumes since FOREVER (which I already own) the library had 3-6 stocked! I snatched them up, and was also pleased to find Vol. 10 of Ouran High School Host Club; a new book by a favourite author, Donna Jo Napoli; the movie Howl's Moving Castle; and some other interesting books and cds. I'm on about book 73-74 of my "100 books in a year" goal, and I have till late July to get the rest in. I think I can pull it off. I've probably got that many sitting around waiting to be read (combining in my personal collection and my big shiny library pile), so it's just a matter of getting crackin'!

Fave Fridays Week 4

2009-04-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

1. Stoat Brooch by Kate Broughton
This little stoat brooch is a great way to start off this week's collection of nature-inspired pieces. I love the intricate details and the natural tones of this wee fellow. He has such an inquisitive expression as he glances over his shoulder- perhaps he's making sure no hawks or wolves are about! Completely handstitched, he is a miniature work of art, and if your tastes happen to differ, this seller offers many other lovely animals, including many birds and other woodland creatures.

2. Flopsy Chooses to Fly by Bad Bird

This print of an airborne bunny is perfect for a nursery, although I would be perfectly content to frame it and sneak it into a little corner that could use a bit of cheer. This artist is very talented and has a myriad of other lovely prints and designs. A set of them, separately framed and hung on the wall would be a great way to decorate for a fair price and have a really unique look.

3. Tree Tee by AngelDamico

Ok, I know I'm obsessed with wood grain, but this is really a fantastic design to incorporate into this shirt. The color is perfect, and it's absolutely a work of art while remaining comfortable and casual. This artist's shop has plenty more styles to choose from, in a wide range of designs and sizes, even including some great shopping totes and scarves!
4. Prasiolite, Tourmaline, and Labradorite Bracelet by LuminaJewelry

This is an absolutely gorgeous bracelet. It is delicate, and feminine without being cloying or overly "girly". Everything about this screams "elegant". It is wrapped in sterling silver wire, and the stones are simply beautiful. This is a quality piece, and if pink isn't your thing, there are many other styles, including gold wire, earrings and necklaces, and another one of my favourites, a stunning moonstone and pearl bracelet.

5. Freshly Caught Faerie by Fairy Garden

This little faerie has been caught in a stunning miniature glass bottle, with a lovely blue stopper and delicate glass leaves. She perches on some silken flowers, and would be perfect hung in a window. Just don't forget to set her out a saucer of milk! This shop is perfect for all fae needs and is definitely worth stopping by.

6. The Future is Bright by Crimson Peachy Art

Another fantastic print for this week, I love the bright, cheery color in this! This would be marvelous in a kitchen or bathroom, especially for a single girl who can still cover her place in pink and not have to worry about any male testosterone being afflicted. I had a hard time choosing which print I wanted to feature from Crimson Peachy because there are so many other fabulous ones, including some lovely flower illustrations, that are artistic and yet so realistic looking.

7. Ice Cream Cone Wristlet Pattern by CandyPopCreations

Too cute for words, these little ice creams are pretty awesome just sitting like they are. But get ready to squeal- these are actually little wristlets! Yes, just give that beaded loop a tug, and the ice cream scoop opens to reveal a tiny purse to hold your cell phone, lip gloss and change! Then close it up, sling it on your wrist, and hit downtown in some serious kawaii style. These are funny, creative, and just plain perfect for summertime.

8. Birdie Blankie by WhyNott Sewn

This baby blanket is adorable. The pattern is so cheerful, it's guaranteed to keep your baby giggling whenever she's snuggled up with it. If, however, you are looking for a bit more masculine blankie, never fear, she has plenty of styles to choose from, including owls, jungle animals and even cars.

9. Swallow Ring by Stellanova Jewelry

Another quality piece of jewelry, this a gorgeous ring with a victorian steampunk style. The illustration is done by the seller herself, and is amazingly done. She also has several illustrations available, the style remniscent of the antique botanical and natural journals that are becoming increasingly popular. She also has fantastic necklace pendants with a myriad of images to choose from, including mushrooms, a raven, and several aquatic creatures.

10. Ginkgo Leaf Mug by Dahlhaus

These ginkgo mugs are a great example of the work available from this talented potteress. The colors of the yellow contrasting with the black is striking, and the loose, abstract design perfectly captures the style of the ginkgo leaf. The ginkgo leaf is used medicinally, to treat things such as asthma, and people may also use it in hopes of preventing Alzheimer's. These probably won't help much with either, but you can always use them to drink some herbal tea!

11. Fairy Ear Wings by Ooak Works09

These fairy "Ear Wings" are downright cute. Perfect for geeky people like myself, they loop over the back of your ear to look as if you've sprouted some little wings. They would be great to wear to a renaissance faire! One of a kind, each set is unique, so be sure to check out her other styles for a pair to suit you!

12. Everyday Housewife Apron by MomMadeIt

A great flirty apron to wear around the house, whether you are cooking or not! I would probably wear this when I had dinner guests over, just for the kitsch effect. This fabric has a beautiful pattern; I love the little flowers and vintage-style ric-rac. Great for any well dressed housewife, there are plenty of different styles and fabrics to choose from. There is even a selection of maternity aprons for expectant housewives!

13. Bird Pillow Cover by Nuka

You've got to love this sweet pillow cover from Nuka. The light colors and fresh feel make it a great throw pillow for your living room couch. Perfect for a neutral colored room, its simplicity makes you appreciate the details in the screen printing (all done by hand!) and the intense expression of the bird. Also available are some wonderful White Rabbit covers, and some other pretty patterns.

14. Under My Umbrella Inchies by Brendee2006

After participating in a swap requiring me to make 50 inchies, I have really come to wish I had found these sooner. A full hardcopy sheet of 48 1x1 inch images is a great find in our world of digitalization. My lack of a printer makes these the perfect find for future inchies or any type of collaging. This umbrella themed sheet is a perfect collection of vintage-y designs and precocious children. She has a huge collection of different designs, ranging from circled (perfect for bottle caps!) to a hilarious 88 image sheet of cats!

15. Elfin Hood by Muir Hughes

Also perfect for the ren faire, this elfin hood is great for the winter, a bad hair day, or just for those days when you're feeling fey. Painstakenly handcrafted, this is a affordable piece for someone needing a bit of originality in their wardroble.

And that is all for this week! Be sure to check in on Monday for any ramblings or thoughts I might have, and remember to support your local handmade!

A Faery Song

2009-04-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,

For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,

And dance upon the mountains like a flame.

~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894

Soft moss a downy pillow makes, and green leaves spread a tent,

Where Faerie fold may rest and sleep until their night is spent.

The bluebird sings a lullaby, the firefly gives a light,

The twinkling stars are candles bright,

Sleep, Faeries all, Good Night.

~Elizabeth T. Dillingham, "A Faery Song"

The wall is silence, the grass is sleep,

Tall trees of peace their vigil keep,

And the Fairy of Dreams with moth-wings furled

Plays soft on her flute to the drowsy world.

~Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

We the Fairies, blithe and antic,
Of dimensions not gigantic,

Though the moonshine mostly keep us,

Oft in orchards frisk and peep us.

~Thomas Randolph

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

~William Butler Yeats, "The Stolen Child"

BONSAI!

2009-04-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately (or not, depending on how you look at it), my plans for sharing the books I've been reading have come to an abrupt end. This week I've been reading Ironside: A Modern Faerie's Tale by Holly Black and Craft Inc: Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco. Apparently Ironside is the third book in a trilogy (how do I do this? I do it all the freaking time!), and I didn't even figure it out until page 173. I am a fool. I mean, I saw the reviews for the other two books on the back cover, but I just thought they were other individual novels. It didn't say anything about this being a sequal's sequal! If you're going to have more than one related book, it needs to state that. For example, it should say (preferably in large letters, and most definitely be on the front cover) "Book Three of the Modern Faerie Trilogy", or "the follow up novel to the brilliant Tithe, a Modern Faerie's Tale." or even something like "the final installment in the epic Modern Faerie series." I don't care how you say it, just put it where those of us less observantly blessed, yet voracious book readers will be able to find it, and not have to spend 170+ pages and a good bit of our waning sanity trying to figure out what is going on! Ok, so end rant. Basically, I'm not even going to bother finishing this right now. It was interesting, but I don't know if our library has the first two books, and I'm just too annoyed to delve any further into this for a little while. Also a big fat waste of time so far is Craft Inc. To be fair, I'm only on page 37 and I'll keep going for a while, but it just hasn't been very useful. I guess if you were starting from scratch it would be good, though. I personally would like something a bit more in depth than "make sure you have an organized craft area" & "good lighting is key", or something like "make sure you have time during the week for crafting..." "...use your vacation days to have a full day to devote every now and then..."

Maybe it will improve. At any rate, I'm going to keep going at it, especially now that I don't have to finish Ironside, haha.

In other news, I've been working away on some brooches to put into my etsy store. I've got a few made, but I'd like to get a few more finished before I show them off here/list them on etsy.

Here is one that I made for myself; I pretty much copied it from one of Sick For Cute's sellers, Em and Sprout (also a previous Friday Fave!) She did a great job, it was actually cuter than mine is- with a button eye and a real ribbon hair bow. But I did what all of us craftsters do- I said "I can make that" and I did. It probably would have been nicer of me to have bought it and support handmade, but my budget's pretty tight to buy things I can make myself. Anyway, here is my little deer brooch. It's pretty funny, I know. The reason it's right on top of my boob is because I'm addicted to Trix yogurt, and for some reason, every single time I peel back the foil, it explodes out, and today it was triple cherry and it exploded all over la breastage. *sigh* Such is my life.

I know, it's not nearly as cute. But it's cute enough for me, and that's satisfactory. I try to avoid copying other people's things, 1) because copying is usually a not nice thing to do (I only do it with things to keep for myself) & 2) mine is never as cute. Which is fair. It would be a really sucky thing for me to snake her idea and do even better. If someone did that to me, I would be very frustrated. Anyway, she is a really cool crafter, and you should swing by her shop and buy something!

On a really exciting note, I had a delightful message on etsy this morning from a seller that I featured in last week's Fave Fridays blog. Robbiejenkins was absolutely the sweetest and not only complimented my writing, but offered to send me a complimentary pendant! WOW! She is one awesome lady! Talk about making my week! So what you need to do- check her shop out, because she has gorgeous necklaces, and everyone needs one!

Well that's all I have for today- mainly because I am being shipped home early by the DH so that I can eat dinner before we head into town to shop for potting soil and containers for *ahem* his new bonsai collection/fascination/obsession. It's a new thing. As in, he just started yesterday. But he's got a bunch of different little trees already, and I think by the time we move, we will have a miniature jungle ready to take over our new front porch. Which is actually pretty awesome, now that I think about it.

If at first you don't succeed.....

2009-04-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

So this weekend marked my first attempt at making my own paper. After shredding the entire country peddler, and letting it, some pink tissue paper & a few drops of red food coloring soak in water for a couple hours, we loaded up the blender and turned it into a huge vat of paper pulp.

Then I used my homemade strainer (a plastic embroidery hoop and some very thin fabric) to scoop out the pulp and drain/towel off the water. After laying the pulp into a flat, paper-like shape, this is what I got...

Why, yes, it does look like blue corn tortilla chips! That would be because I was too impatient and tried to pick it up before it dried completely. This piece I made a day later, and set it outside to dry. It turned out better, but is also a different color (not that this was the color I was going for...)

I think the paper turned such a dingy purple because of all the ink on the newspaper. When I try this again, I'm either going to use all the envelopes from our junk mail, or the newsprint rolls you can get from the daily news office. And maybe blue or red tissue. Of course, I'm going to have to figure out how to get my paper to be a little more flexible. I haven't even tried to bend that sheet because I'm afraid it will just snap like a chip or something. Any suggestions here would be great.

And I don't have any pictures of this, but just as a funny story- I thought it would be really cool to make a bowl by heaping the pulp over the upturned form of a regular bowl. After getting it all covered, I thought- hey, I want to make sure this sucker is sturdy! So I mod podged the exterior before setting it outside in the sun to dry. The end result was pretty much epic fail. I was just so sure that if I oh so slowly peeled the paper away, it would pop off, and look awesome, and then I could brag to you all about my mad upcycling/DIY skillz. What really happened was I completely lost all patience (I think I sensed the futility of it) and started yanking at it, and it just came off in pitiful, nasty strips. By then, I was just mad, and threw it all in the trash.

So lesson of the day- if you're going to mod podge something, do it when it's freestanding, not while it's still attached to the model. And if you're going to make paper, be sure you do it while no one else is around, because they will either mock you the whole time, or flip out about the destruction you wreaked on their kitchen. (Thankfully, I didn't have to learn the second one the hard way. I just assumed it, and as usual, I assumed correctly. FYI: This is a MESSY project)

Good news for the week- I will NOT be getting excommunicated from the library. Last night I found the book I lost over a week ago, and it's not even due for another 3 days! Looks like I'll get to read it after all. So I'm pretty relieved, because, I have to say, the librarians scare me. I always thought that librarians would be sweet ladies who loved books, and loved to give other people the opportunity to read them. NOT SO! I think they are just women who thought "I love to sit quietly by myself and read, and not have anyone bother me." And then when people bother them (because, hello, it's a library, and sometimes, a lot of us need help, and they work there, so um....they should probably help us?) they get all hateful and snotty. Now, I'm sure that it can be frustrating when people don't actually bother looking for something, or kids run around screeching, but *ahem* what did they really expect?? I mean, I'd like to get paid to sit quietly, eat some pringles, and read all the time, too, but it's just not going to happen. Not all the librarians are like this, but there are a few, and it seems like they are the ones I always have to deal with. I'm just glad they've started the "self checkout" because 1) It's faster, 2) I don't have to be scared by the devilibrarians and 3) no one has to see the nerdy/weird-o books that I like to read. (and trust me, that one happens alot.)

Later this week, I'll show you the inchies I made for a swap, some felt brooches I've been working on (that will probably make their way to my {currently empty} etsy shop for any interested persons) and possibly a weird-o book review or two.

Thanks for stopping by!

Fave Things Friday Week 3

2009-04-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

1. Horus Hamster by Danielleorama
This sweet fellow is as cute as they come. And he has mushrooms on his belly, which pretty much locks in his coolness. His orange color is especially cheery, and brings a bit of brightness to your bookshelf or bed. This seller has tons of adorable little plushes and brooches, including a whole section of bunnies!

2. XBox Soap By Digital Soaps

This is probably one of my absolute favourite geeky things. It looks so realistic, and reminds me of the great times I had playing Halo with my brother. I was pretty good, but he is a skilled sniper and would always take me out. This soap is also made to smell like Mountain Dew, which is the best scent ever for gamer stuff! The seller has other great gaming soaps, for the playstation, wii or even SNES fan. Perfect for PWNing noobies of any genre.
3. Matryoshka Mini Wallet by florspace

I think Matryoshkas are about the cutest thing right now. Anytime I see something with them, I have to squee a little. These little pouches combine my addiction of them along with my obsession of purse organizing. In pink or white, you might just have to buy them both! This seller has a lot of other patterns to choose from, but no matter what, you are guaranteed to find some kawaii awesomeness!

4. Dictionary Pendant by Robbie Jenkins

I love the style of these pendants. There's something so artistic, yet intellectual about having the definition of "improper" or "yak" proudly displayed around your neck. The seller also has beautiful altered art pendants that are incredibly unqiue and beautiful.

5. Gnome Woods Playscape by whimsicalMom

What a quality piece of needlefelting! I am in love with the pieces that come from this talented seller, but this is one of my favourites. A folksy playscape complete with gnomes, mushrooms and a campfire is a perfect landscape for adventure and magic. Check this shop out for other great things like faerie eggs and play foods.
6. Miss Henriette Owl by Chet and Dot

Miss Henriette is the daintiest plush I've seen in awhile, but this shop is chock-full of other little lovelies just as sweet as she. The pattern of her wings adds a wonderful splash of colors onto her delicate neutral hue. She would be a lovely gift to a little niece or anyone who likes shabby chic style things. This shop has many other sweet plushes, handbags, and artwork. Their main intent is for children, but there is something about the simplicity and elegance that is attractive to all ages.

7. Poppy Messenger Bag by wenifnotnow

This is the cutest messenger bag ever- in fact, I liked it so much, I bought it, haha. I've been really wanting one, and this one was it. I love the flowers and the colors. It was also a great size! This seller has lots of other cute screenprinted shirts, skirts and bags, though, so check them out!

8. Little Wooden Bunnies by urastarhouse

Awww! These little guys are so cute! Their little expressions crack me up, and the colors are fantastic. Wouldn't you love to see this little guys peeking around books on shelves, or tucked up on a mantle near a giant mirror or picture frame. This talented seller has many little wooden creatures to choose from, including some cute little hen & chicks, and a little fox family.

9. Sea Glass Knobs by BeachyRustica

I love these sea glass knobs. I think sea glass is absolutely beautiful, and the idea to turn the pieces into knobs or drawer pulls is a great one! The colors are amazing! If you had white cabinets, this would be the only way to go. For a modern look with a splash of color, you can't go wrong with these.

10. Feathered Hair Clip by FeatherWitch

Feather decorations in your hair is so popular right now- I even have a little headband(someone told me the other day that mine were guinea feathers. Blech! I hate guineas!) that I love. But there is something so cool, so hippy-chic about this feather clip, that it has to be my favourite one that I've seen yet. I would have to wear tank tops and moccasins with this everyday. This seller has a few other ones to choose from, and also some really cool stone pendant necklaces. If you're feeling bohemian, this is the place you need to go.

11. White Monster Mug by wildcardpottery

This mug makes such a statement! I would probably never put it in the cabinent- I'd have to either leave it sitting out, or use it every single day. The texture makes it look as if a tentacled creature came right out of the clay to devour the mug. The seller also has sweet miniature vases, and fascinating ceramic buttons.
12. Blue Feathered Beaker by Jezze

This little beaker is so tiny and cute! I love the clean whiteness contrasted with the bright blue and brown feathers. It can also come in yellow and green, if you prefer. The seller also has beautiful mugs and little pouches.

That's all for this week- sorry for the lack of updates! We're closing on our house today, so hopefully some of the craziness will start to die down soon. My project for this week was papermaking, which has not turned out well so far. I'm going to try some different things over the weekend, and Monday, sucessful or not, you can see some pictures of this experiment! If you have any advice or suggestions, feel free to drop them my way! I'm always open to a different method. Have a great weekend, and hopefully the weather will be nice!

Baking Bread & Breaking Backs

2009-04-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend I undertook my first ever attempt at baking bread. I found this recipe for honey-wheat bread from the blog Joyful Abode earlier this week, and now, I realize that this probably isn't the most complicated recipe out there, but I saw it, and her pictures, and I thought, I have to have some of that stuff! It looks amazing! So I wrote the recipe down, and Saturday headed into town with my beloved pal Jessie to gather my ingredients. While we were out, I decided to swing by Hobby Lobby for some supplies, and the farmer's market was set up in the parking lot! It was really exciting, because I've been dying to stop there for pretty much forever. I got a beautiful block of fresh mild cheddar cheese, and a jar of homemade grape jelly

Later that afternoon, I set out my supplies and got to work. All of the dough rising took a total of 2 hours, and then about 35 minutes in the oven, but it was totally worth it! The first loaf wasn't the prettiest, but we started eating on it that night, and it's almost gone now. I set that second loaf back in case we didn't need it for a few days, but that was a pretty silly assumption. I figure we'll probably be slicing into it tonight. And let me tell you, that jelly is freaking amazing on it. I could eat that every day until I die.

So that was my crafty project for this weekend. I have a few more swap projects I'm working on from craftster, that I will hopefully be able to mail out and show off in a week or two. On the personal crafting front, it's been pretty quiet. It's too difficult to do very much when half my supplies are packed, and I don't know where anything is.

Yesterday, the DH and I started P90X- which is that crazy 13 DVD work out that you see on infomercials around 10pm. (We didn't order it, we got it off of ebay). And let me tell you- it is INSANE! We only did 40 minutes out of the 60 minute work out and I thought (and still do) that I was going to die. I am seriously not in shape. I did about 30 pushups and was about to cry like a 5 year old.
Today I'm gimping around everywhere, and whenever I try to move, I whimper more than a kicked puppy.

Fave Things Friday! Week 2

2009-04-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

1. Revolver Necklace by Hello Drama
This lucite pendant is just too cool. I love the sleek style and the neat details. This shop also has other cool, rock & roll style jewelry that are perfect for making a statement.

2. Google Eyed Monster Mary Janes by Em&Sprout

These monster mary janes keep me smiling. What a great way to jazz up a tee-shirt and blue jeans! I probably would never be able to take them off! If monsters aren't to your taste, you can also choose from tangerines, zombie kitties, chihuahua pups, bunnies and a myriad of other styles.

3. Hare Pillow by Talk of the Town

What a sweet linen pillow! It's scented with lavender buds, and perfect for anywhere that needs a little bit of cheer.

4. Napping Fox Print by DrKennedyJones

What a pretty miniature print! It measures 4.5x4.75 and would look great tucked into a little frame. I'm a sucker for foxes, and I think this is one of the cutest prints I've found in a while. The artist has several other prints available, as well as some original paintings, which are always a great investment.

5. Hoot Owl Dish by The Brick Kiln

I love this little guy! This is a little ceramic ring holder, created and painted by hand. This shop is run by a mother/daughter duo that make some amazing pieces. These little dishes are my favourites. I love the design, and if you aren't an owl fan, then there are many other images to choose from, including birds and I think I saw a cute squirrel as well.

6. Circles and Dots Casserole Dish by FlyingPigNC
This casserole dish is absolutely gorgeous! I think if I had one, I would want to cook everyday. I'm kind of obsessed with pottery lately. I think I would like to replace all my dishware with ceramics of all sorts of different styles. Variety is definitely an option at this shop- there are many different glazes and designs to choose from!

7. Out on a Limb- Acorn Necklace by blockpartypress

Really, I love pretty much everything in this shop. It was tough deciding which piece to single out, but I picked this branch necklace because it combined my addiction to acorns, and my fascination with the overall width of the pendant. I think that this would look amazing against a bare neck and a solid colored shirt.

8. Nested No. 2 by Wunderlust
I think that this is the sweetest little bit of whimsy. It would look amazing on a white mantled fireplace. There's also Nested No. 1 which has slightly different colored eggs- including a very rustic brown egg in place of the robins blue.

9. Felt Food Pattern- Toaster and Treats by Gulf Coast Cottage PDF

I know that this listing is for the pattern not the actual plushies, but I just think that toaster is fantastic. The poptart and poppyseed bagel are probably my two favourite food pieces. The talent that not only makes these, but has a well written pattern as well is so impressive to me. There are many other patterns to choose from, including a tea set, taco time, backyard BBQ (including a grill!!) and some non-food designs, like a tool box, and doctor set.

10. The Owyn Toy Box by ModMomFurniture
What a gorgeous toy box! The fact that this is all handcrafted blows my mind. I love the neutral colors, and the scaled down embellishments. There are some other styles, including a ridiculously cute owl storage cube.

11. Short Nesting Bowls- Shades of Green by papaververt
I love these felted nesting bowls. I would set these around everywhere in my house. They're so sophisticated and I would just fill them up with all sorts of nic-nacs. They are such unique and beautiful pieces, they could really add some personality to a coffee table or entrance-way.

12. Twig Picture Holders by KindlingShop

I love these birch twig picture holders. What a great way to incorporate a real bit of the outdoors in your house. They have such a delicate, natural feel to them, and I think they would look incredible on a mantle or foyer.

13. Invincible by ArtMind

This little guy is just too cute, and too funny. He's part of a series of "mini art feelings" where the artist has created a theme of 99 different feelings and miniature sculptures to represent them. They are all so interesting and unique, but this little fellow is probably my favourite.

14. Mini Easter Cupcakes by The Cupcake Mint

These cupcakes look absolutely decadent. I haven't actually tasted any of them, but I have to say that I think they are the best looking cupcakes I have ever seen, and each time I look at them, I absolutely start to drool. They are vanilla with buttercream icing, and are vegan, to boot! The bakeress has many other flavors, including chocolate, lemon, and I even found some raspberry flavored cupcakes that look fantastic.

15. Denture Soaps by A Breath of French Air
These are possibly the funniest soaps I have seen in awhile. They are peppermint scented & would look hysterical in a glass in the guest bathroom. This seller has a great variety of regular bath soaps, scrubs, and other body products as well.

The Village Green Preservation Society

2009-04-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

We are the village green preservation society-
God save donald duck, vaudeville and variety.
We are the desperate dan appreciation society-
God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties.
Preserving the old ways from being abused,
Protecting the new ways for me and for you,
What more can we do?

We are the draught beer preservation society-
God save mrs. mopp and good old mother riley.
We are the custard pie appreciation consortium-
God save the george cross and all those who were awarded them.

We are the sherlock holmes english speaking vernacular-
Help save fu manchu, moriarty and dracula.

We are the office block persecution affinity-
God save little shops, china cups and virginity.

We are the skyscraper condemnation affiliate-
God save tudor houses, antique tables and billiards.
Preserving the old ways from being abused,
Protecting the new ways for me and for you,
What more can we do?

God save the village green!

The Village Green Preservation Society by Kate Rusby; one of my all-time favourites.

Weekend Report

2009-04-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

So I found a couple great canvas bags at TJ Maxx (I'm kind of becoming addicted to this store) this weekend. The first one is a fossil bag, and was only $10! It is great for books; I already tested it with a trip to the library. I know I still have about 20 books sitting around from the January book sale that I haven't read yet... but I was just really needing a trip to the YA section (it was so warm and pretty, I really felt like sitting by a pool and reading girly books) so I came away with a new book by Ann Brashares, Ironside by Holly Black, Coraline by Neil Gaiman (I was so excited about this, and upon inspecting it in the car realized that it is the graphic novel adaptation by some other guy. Annnd *sigh*), and another book called Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.
I've kind of been hung up on vampires this past week or two. First it was Twilight (books and DVD... second time around *ashamed*), followed by the first half of Van Helsing, then Underworld (which was really, really good), and then I got VH the DVD @ the library so I could finish it. Thomas watched it with me yesterday. It's silly, but I liked it. And Hugh Jackman is in it, so you're guaranteed that at least he'll be good. We also got Girl with the Pearl Earring, which looks so interesting. If I like it, I'll probably pick up a biography or something on my next library escapade.

On other news fronts, I've started doing those "Walk Away the Pounds" exercise videos (mainly because I went on an Easter candy spree and it really wasn't pretty). They are probably the funniest things I've ever watched. The girls are always like, "I can feel the burn! That feels great on my glutes! Don't you just love that?!" And I always have to answer them. "Yes, Beth, it feels GREAT!" Plus, it turns out I am not co-ordinated enough to swing my left arm in time to kicking my right leg backwards. Or whatever arm exercises are supposed to be done as you are kicking and sidestepping, etc. I usually ended up falling over and then looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was around.

Gratuitous Tote Flaunting:

First tote-

This is actually my favourite of the two, but it's also the less usable- it's very wide, almost like a duffel bag. I still think it's soo cute, though! It has birds, mushrooms, and acorns. It might as well have had my initials sewn on, too. It practically screamed at me to grab it. And I did. And then I sighed because I knew that this cute, useless tote was going to be 20 bucks and I would have to set it down... and I looked... and it was FIVE dollars. Yes. 5. So now I'm lugging it around and grunting constantly.
Well, at least I look cute.

Bigger pictures here.

That's all for today, due to all the catching up I have to do from the weekend.
Have a lovely day!
Jo

Fave Things Friday

2009-04-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Starting off my official blogging with a "favourite things" post. I intend to do this each Friday, and share with you some of the random, beautiful, unique, or amusing things I run across in my continual perusing of the internet. I also am hoping to have a weekly "interesting blogs" article, and of course, updates and pictures of my own happenings, craftings, and possibly (most likely) raintings. Enjoy, and definitely check out these amazing artists.

#1. Mythical Creatures Recycled Pendant By Polarity
This is a great find- these are lockets salvaged from steel car parts. They each have three interchangeable images- in the mythical creatures, there is also a dragon, and faerie, but I thought the unicorn was the most appropriate for myself. (Shout out- Hi Jack!). Other styles included Marie Antoinette, flappers, pirates and banned books (another personal favourite).

#2 "Blue Bird Wedding Topper by Middleburg
So sweet, and elegant. I wouldn't use this as a cake topper, but I'd set it out in my kitchen all spring long (probably longer...)- maybe as a center piece to our kitchen table.

#3 Reusable Snack Baggies by RickRackQueen
I've been dying to try these, and I'll probably end up making my own out of my fabric stash. What a great idea instead of just continuing to toss plastic ziplocks right in the trash. These are a great little trio- ideal for crackers, grapes, or even a sandwhich.

#4 Cherry Lemonaide Soap (it's vegan!) By AnitaCraftyCreations
I am addicted to homemade soap. There are no words for how nice it is. Every day I find new scents, new colors, and I want to buy them all. This is one I'm not going to be able to say no to for very long. A hot process soap, it is a guaranteed quality product. This soapstress has a multitude of other delectible styles, including candy apple, fruit loops and lemon cheesecake. You really should try it. But don't put it in your mouth. Trust me on this one.

#5 Mad Hatter Field Bag by TheBoldBanana
There are not too many words that are even necessary for this. It is a first class bag with non other than the late great Mad Hatter himself (who terrifies and seduces me all at once). I think he's singing "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Bat" in this image. This is a great bag, and for the price, it is pretty spacious. They also offer a White Rabbit screenprint, and it's really awesome, as well.

#6 Samuel Whiskers by MamaKopp (one of my favourites!)
*sigh* I love everything Mamakopp, but this is one of my favourites, because it also ties in Beatrix Potter, and let me just say, I can never get enough BP. Her talent in wooden crafts is breath taking, and this is one place I will be spending my weekly allowance (haha) at soon.

#7 Sushi Pillow by Homegrowngirl408
This is possibly the coolest pillow ever. I don't eat sushi, but I love looking at it. It's so neat!
Homegrowngirl408 did a great job- I could totally see this on fred flare... or my couch, teehee.

#8 Inchies by PhizzyChick (She rocks!)
Inchies are little 1x1 inch pieces of artwork, and phizzychick is amazing at how she can pack so much color and imagery into such tiny dimensions. These inchies are absolutely beautiful and would make a great collage to frame and hang!

#9 Wire Tree by beadedbyamy
This tree is made from wire and beads and is a beautiful work of art. The mirror provides a striking effect by it's reflection.

#10 Scrap Wood Bunnies by GrammaBiskit
These sweet little bunnies were handcarved (with no pattern!) using sandpaper and a file. What talent! They are so cute and a perfect decoration for spring or Easter.