busylittleelf

A Last Minute Craft for Little Ones: Gingerbread Boys

2011-12-18T20:29:00.000-05:00

Every year I give the little guy a craft project so he can make some gifts to give to his loved ones. Last year we made Snowmen; this year we are making Gingerbread Boys(or Girls if you add eyelashes). It is an easy peasy idea. I've included a template to use as the body shape. We used left over cardboard inserts as the body since they are nice and sturdy but you could just as easily use brown construction paper if you have it on hand. As a matter of fact, every thing we used was what we had on hand. I'll give some possible substitutions.

What you'll need:

Cardboard

All purpose shears (we used our kitchen shears)

Construction paper (we used black, red and green glitter paper)

Large paper punch

Ric-Rac ribbon( I had some that is felt-like but any kind would do. If you have pinking shears, you could even cut out strips of plain white paper)

Small glitter pompoms (you could use construction paper punches instead)

Body template

All purpose school glue

Black Sharpie marker

Satin ribbon(for hanger)

Any other additions you'd like; crayons, glitter, markers, paint


body template

Step 1: Cut out body template and trace onto cardboard or brown construction paper (I traced it onto the back with the sharpie marker) Cut out body. Depending on your child's cutting ability and strength they may need help with this step.

Step 2: Punch out some black and red circles. Glue in place for eyes and cheeks. Your little one can also paint or draw on the face.

Step 3: Add some buttons. We glued on glitter poms but feel free to use real buttons, punched paper, drawn or painted buttons, whatever you have available.

Step 4: Add "piping". We used our ric-rac, you could also 'pipe' on some glitter glue, dimensional paint, pinked paper strips, yarn, painted or drawn zigzags.

Step 5: Draw on smile and other features. This one has eyelashes so we consider it a girl. You could add a nose of some sort; we didn't like the ones we came up with no we skipped it. Add hair, clothing, etc. If you want to use the finished Gingerbread boy as an ornament punch a hole in the top center and run a ribbon (or yarn) through it. They are fairly large but very light weight and would look adorable hanging on the bottom half of the tree.

Hope you enjoy this little craft tutorial. I hope to add some more in the upcoming months.

From Our Family To Your Family, We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas!

Decking the Halls, Part 1

2011-12-03T22:10:00.001-05:00

Finally, we are getting our decorations up. With school and the craziness, we haven't had a chance to get them up as early as I usually do but after spending the better part of the day cleaning and decking, we are finally getting somewhere. I'm really loving the kitchen this year. Since we are in a house built in the Sixties, I really am playing up the Mid Century inspired decorations and featuring some of my collectibles.(one of which I decimated when I was cleaning it to put out. I glued him back together but killed whatever value he would have had. Oh well! He's still cute)

I love when you take pictures of your home and you realize that there are certain things you should find a new home for. Case in point, my mass quantity of gallon sized Ziplocs. I use them when I make batches of play dough. Needless to say I've been making many batches lately but I really need to find a better place to stash them during the holidays.

Haven't found my mistletoe that I hang above my kitchen window and I think I need to make ribbon tie backs again, The windows look so much cuter when the curtains are pulled back. I'll have to get a better picture of the window. It looks fabulous with the new wall color (my favorite shade of red)

Here's a picture of the little train I decimated (not the sponge holder, the cutie to the right). Can't really tell he's broken but I ripped Santa right out of the cabin! You can see the wall color, and I can see where I need to do a few touch ups.

A little helper elf helping me hang the garland. (he really can't help too much since he's a bit vertically challenged, but he tries)Tomorrow, we get the tree that will sit in front of this window. The screen to the left will be gone. I thought I could hide my bookshelf but I'm not sure I like how it looks.

The beginning of the hutch decorations. Much cuter now since I added glittered glass ornaments, pine cones and little gold star bursts. Just need an extension cord or power strip to light it. Also, all my cutie Holt Howard Santas are all pulled out. They bring me so much joy to look at. Of course the truck won't stay there but it was a good parking place at the time.

So that's about it for now. More has been accomplished but I don't have the photos yet. (The bathroom is super cute with a silver tree and pink, blue and purple ornaments) Those and the Christmas tree I will share in a few days.

A New Look for a Retro Christmas Kitchen

2011-11-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

I blame my decorating obsession on being a frustrated window dresser.

I have been working for a couple years to get our house decorated just right for the holiday season. I do it primarily to create memories for the little one but, let's face it, my stint as a visual merchandiser made me rather particular (read:obsessed) about decking the halls!

It's always a long process of trial and error and, since we've moved around a bit, readjustment to different era homes and different architectural features. We currently live in a super cute early 60's ranch. It is small but I think it lends itself well to Christmas decor; Since I LOVE Mid-Century Christmas, I had to go a bit kitschy in my kitchen. This year it really seems to be coming together. Luckily, my son has declared himself a helper elf. Every decorator can use one and, even though he's 4, he is nice to have around and actually quite helpful. Recently, we made a new wreath for our kitchen. It's not completely finished, I hope to add an elf or two, clinging desperately to a branch. But for the most part it is finished. I chose a candy theme because one of the memories I have of my mother's decorations when I was a child was her glittered plastic candy garland that she hung on the door frame in the kitchen (that's right, I'm not that original in my theme, just sentimental)

SO here's an 'almost' tutorial. If you ever need info please ask and I can answer and amend the post. Wasn't able to take photos of the wreath in progress because, well, I was a bit obsessed about finishing it and I wouldn't pull myself away long enough to take them :o(

It all started with a 24 inch white pine style wreath.

Then different bulbs were gathered. Most we found (pretty inexpensive) at our local craft store; the others came from Target and coordinate with other decor in the kitchen(to be shared later:O). I used all shatterproof bulbs since it is located in a high traffic area and we have a wee one in the house. My theme is candy in the kitchen so I picked focal ornaments that were giant candies in our kitchen Christmas color scheme(Lime, red and white)

Then the little one and I placed the ornaments around the bare wreath to see how we would like to do it. We started with the placement of the focal ornaments and added the largest ornaments down to the smallest. It's easier to fit everything in this way and you can tuck the tiny ones in to fill any spaces. I then wired every ornament to the base with white wire.

Originally, we had picked out a red velvet ribbon with glitter stars to finish it off but decided it looked pretty nice without so we're trying it out for a little while sans bow. I do reserve the right to amend this decision at any time :O)

[there is a nice little spot for it in the upper right quadrant]

All that is left for the wreath is to make an elf and hang him precariously from a branch or candy cane so he dangles in the center. Hope to make him look surprised and in desperate need of assistance.

In the meantime, the helper elf and I will continue to decorate the kitchen and the rest of the house.

Can't wait to share the little pass thru window treatment! It was inspired by a Home Depot commercial and I'm very happy with the look. Uber Mid Century feel!

Well that's it for now, still have ornaments to finish painting! Until next time,

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving with your loved ones and, most importantly, enjoy!

Oh! How I have neglected you.

2011-10-07T16:13:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since my last post. Lots of stuff happening here on the North Coast. Started classes this fall and have been inundated with trying to balance that with being creative and trying to keep the house up. Add to that, I have been taking my wee tot to preschool 3 days a week and, needless to say, I'm failing miserably on all fronts except school and the wee tot. At least I have my priorities straight(although I want to create more than take classes so it's a struggle)

But I have been creating in my random free moments. Here is a photo update of some new pieces soon to be listed in my Etsy shop.

Mini elves are all the rage this year. And their tiny size makes them ultra fun to make.

The Eskimo are so darn cute. I'm obsessed with them (they may be my new favorites:o)

My first Angel boy. The tiny size makes them so cute but the girl's hair makes it hard to see her little halo.

The autism puzzle piece wreath is back this year with some new styles. This one is inspired a bit by the Grinch. A portion of the price of these wreaths go to an Autism Charity. This year I am supporting a Cleveland center, The Monarch Center for Autism.

Paper clay cuties.

I also have a slew of started projects that I wanted to photograph but have had some problems with them since they are bright white. (Motivation for another post, sooner than the last time :o)

Hope you have been having a fabulous fall! Here's to a great Halloween!

Made in the USA or Why I Buy Vintage.

2011-08-25T12:55:00.001-04:00

My 'new' butter dish

I won't get all political but it seems to me that lately the US corporations and politicians don't care much about what happens to our economy. That said, I realized that you can't buy a damn thing in the states that is actually made here and not imported. At least new products. I'm sure that's not completely true but, far and away, a product made in the States is the exception and not the rule. Is it any wonder why our economy is in the crapper?

So what is a girl to do?

Buy vintage of course! I don't need many things but every now and again I find I'm in need of something. Recently, I found I could really use a butter dish. It would have been so easy to hop into the car and drive up to Target or Bed Bath and Beyond but instead I perused ebay and etsy. And low and behold found a super cute butter dish from the late 60's early 70's in mint condition for (most likely) less than what I would have found at the local stores. The nicest things about it is that our money went directly to another American citizen for a well made in the USA, albeit vintage, product.

Doesn't always work, try finding a toaster, TV or computer made in the USA of US parts, but when it does it is a very good thing :o)

Are you a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

2011-08-24T09:37:00.000-04:00

Halloween is quickly approaching. I've already missed my opportunity to add Halloween or fall pieces to my shop but do need to make a costume for the small boy.

My son is obsessed with the Wizard of Oz and for the past few weeks he told me he wanted to be the Tin Man. Since he is 4 and rather fickle, I ask him about every third day as I ponder a plan for how to construct his costume. Today, when I do my 'verification of Halloween costume', he informs me he wants to be the scarecrow...... alrighty then, change of plan, now I start to develop a plan for the scarecrow.

In reality, I will devise a costume for both characters and wait until I have just enough time to finish them before I even start construction. He's allowed to be fickle, he's 4 (yes, I continue to remind myself of this fact as I write), but now I realize why the past couple of years I just broke down and bought his costume. Ah, the joy of motherhood! :o)

In the Garden - A Few Firsts.

2011-08-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

First Chrysanthemum

First ears of popcorn setting


First tomato plant to produce ripe fruit

First peppers added to homemade chili (Marconi, Serrano and Gypsy peppers)


First Yellow swallowtail captured on our butterfly bush. She visits daily. We also have a black swallowtail, monarch and hummingbird that visit daily.

Sadly, the neighborhood deer took a couple bites out of the Cherokee purple tomato that I was watching out my kitchen window so I had to wrap everything up. They also ate all the tomatoes off my container tomato plant (grrrr, they were almost ripe) and knocked off all the peppers, didn't eat them just knocked them off.

Luckily, the grape tomatoes are very prolific, I've been making a tomato salad with balsamic dressing nearly daily. YUM!

The chrysanthemum plants are looking amazing this year. They are fuller than I can believe and just loaded with buds. So excited to see them start exploding with color!

In the Garden - July Highlights

2011-07-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

July is a time for all the lilies and daylilies to bloom in my garden. I just love my daylilies. Unfortunately, so do the neighborhood deer. The Liquid Fence works to a certain extent but I found that I would have to be diligent with it, needing a weekly application to keep them away. Not only do I not have the time to be that diligent, I don't have the stomach. The pungent smell leaves a little something in the back of my throat and I can only handle a monthly application. Needless to say, I resorted to my fail proof netting.

Finally, I figured out what type of lily made it in our move a couple years ago. Remember I had a lily bulb that made the move and transplant but last year the deer ate the buds before I could see which type it was? Well, it was the 'Black Beauty' lily like I had thought. I haven't uploaded my photos yet but will share it on my next garden post.

'Christmas Carol'

'Raspberry Pixie'

'Siloam Doodlebug'

The Japanese beetles found our hollyhocks so those have been decimated. Oh well, they were pretty while they lasted. It has given my husband a new hobby (killing Japanese beetles in soapy water every night).

the phlox are only safe behind netting

A short variety of Monarda (bee balm)

Verbascum (that my little Bug picked out)

My little vegetable garden is starting to turn out tomatoes and strawberries. The strawberries were a little delayed due to the deers eating the first batch but I covered them in netting and they are producing fruit again. The popcorn is getting tall and I hope it will be pollinated so we get some ears. The peppers have been nibbled on by the deer but I think it may have been a mistake since they nibbled the Serrano peppers and I don't think they have a taste for hot peppers. I'm monitoring the situation but there are fruit forming so I am not too concerned. The carrots look good, at least from the top, I can't wait to try one in a few weeks. My tomatoes are going wild and I am so extremely excited.

I LOVE homegrown tomatoes.

Nothing compares to the taste of a homegrown, vine ripened, heirloom variety tomato. Sadly, my husband doesn't like tomatoes so I will be eating many, many tomatoes over the next few weeks. I know, poor me :o)

first grape tomatoes of the year. they were my breakfast and very yummy!

Cherokee Purple tomato (can't wait!)

more grape tomatoes. this plant is loaded with them. Yum!


Our very first ripe strawberry. according to the Bug it was very tasty.

Where Did July Go?

2011-07-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

The Bug helping me paint his room. He took the low road and I took the high road.

Now I know why I haven't done a Christmas in July celebration for my shop. This year was going to be the year and then reality set in.

Happy 4th: my patriotic boy

July is probably the busiest month of the year for us (well maybe next to December). It starts with the Fourth of July, then our wedding anniversary on the 9th, our peanut's birthday a few days after that and projects and gardens to be tended to all the while. Before I know it the month has passed.

My husband, the Bug, my niece and nephew at the beach on the Bug's birthday.


Full of P&V. He left with mommy shortly after.

There were so many things I wanted to do this month, like attend a reunion with fellow NRM Music alum. Some of the best folks I ever had the pleasure of working with but, unfortunately, after taking care of the obligations, I missed the weekend (it was this weekend and I had a hair appointment Saturday)

My niece Olivia's Hamster sculpture

My nephew, AJ's angry m&m (which his mother and I re-dubbed the 'killer tomato' since he decided not to paint the 'm' on it)

My niece Iris's painted pig.

I spent the last two weeks watching my nieces and nephew while my sister worked so Monday through Friday I was unplugged and madly trying to keep up with the house! The beginning of the first week we made paper clay sculptures and my nephew made a model car, we celebrated my Bug's birthday and later in the week, the younger two made wood puzzles while my older niece worked on a needlepoint project. The girls spent much of both weeks learning to sew. Just the basic whip stitch and blanket stitch but they got very good at it over the time they were at my house. We watched many movies because of the heat wave, would have liked to take them to more places but my car doesn't have AC right now and I don't tolerate the heat well. Can I just say, I am so happy we only have one little boy in the house. Always wanted a houseful but after the past couple of weeks I decided that God always knows best :o)

I also managed to register for classes, register the Bug for preschool, get outgrown clothes ready for a yard sale and list a bunch of new ornaments in my etsy shop. All in all a very productive, albeit exhausting, month.

Up next: a Garden update.

Aj's skelton puzzle

Olivia's butterfly puzzle

Iris and her pig. Really Aunt Kelly? you have to take my picture? Yep! That's what I do :o)


Yes, our home is a pretty fun place much of the time


Bug creating a masterpiece

In the Garden - Catching Up

2011-07-03T21:15:00.001-04:00

our dog, Dharma

I've been away from the computer for the most part these last few weeks. Our dog, a nearly 8 year old Shar Pei, was under the weather since shortly after our trip to Frankenmuth. She has had problems with her hindquarters(hip dysplasia) since we adopted her about 4 years ago. About three weeks ago, I noticed she wasn't eating much. Since she has always been underweight and was looking very thin, my mom started making her liver and rice, which she happily scarfed down. Then, just when I thought she was getting better, her back end started failing her and she was slowly losing the ability to stand, squat and sit without pain. Last Saturday, after laying down next to my husband for a petting session she managed to stand back up but something went seriously wrong and she yelped as she ran around the house trying to escape her pain. We had monitored Dharma and her hip dysplasia since we had adopted her and we knew when it reached a certain level of pain that she would have to be put to sleep. Sadly, that moment came last Saturday night. It's only been a week and yet it feels like a lifetime since Dharma graced our presence. Don't get me wrong, she drove me mad. She belched, tooted (audibly as well as silent but deadly), snorted, snored and drooled on my clean laundry as well as anything else she could get her snout near. And yet I can't get her sweet soulful face out of my mind. Many days she would wake me up for her morning constitutional simply by staring at me, if that didn't work, it often did, she would gently push her prickly muzzle against my hand or leg. She was a slightly neurotic pooch, constantly on patrol, checking on all her people to make sure we were safe but she was a sweetheart who truly loved us, her adoptive family, and she will be missed. May her sweet doggy soul rest in peace.
:o(

In the Garden - A Hollyhock, Iris and Various Buds

2011-06-22T21:06:00.000-04:00

Our first hollyhock

foxglove

Iris - A lovely surprise

'White Swan' coneflower

daylily

bee balm

yarrow

verbascum

daylily

'black knight' butterfly bush

more photos of the lovely iris

crazy shasta daisy

still unknown lily (but the buds haven't been eaten yet!)

coreopsis

daylily

strawberry

Holden Arboretum's Gnome and Garden Gnome Reception - All 20 Gnomes

2011-06-17T10:50:00.001-04:00

Here are the photos from the Gnome and Garden reception party. I'll start off with my own and go from there, in no particular order. :o)

The work on the back of this gnome was gorgeous.

Unfortunately, I had no access to take photos. :o(

The wee tot's favorite

Hmmmm, two of his favorite berries. Shocking? I think not :o)

The painting on this was beautiful.

This gnome was gorgeous.

Unfortunately, an unobstructed view of the bottom detail was difficult so I hope these photos do it justice. I'll try to get better photos of this at a later date.

One of my personal favorites.

How could you not love an Oompa Loompa?

^One of the husband's favorites.^
This guy was very well done.

How I felt after our internet connection went down this morning.

Still have a twitch

Love this one!
What you can't see is the flower he holds behind his back.

Since it is right next to a water feature, I didn't want to encourage the wee one to explore between the gnome and the water feature. Had visions of a small one(or myself) in the murky water of the lily pond.
Billy dedicated this to his Grandma.

This guy was from recycled stuff.
Another person there actually saw finger nail clippings (ew!)
I didn't look that close because I wanted to like it :o)

Wise words from a fellow artist:

At least ours aren't in the middle of a swamp!

The best photo I could get of the Grizzly

Elf Ornaments in Progress - Part One

2011-06-13T15:53:00.000-04:00

Well, I have regained my focus and creative motivation. It is June already and in a short few months we will be into the thick of things so I am making as many elves as possible this year. In the past, I drew the faces on the elves. After working on the gnome this year, I decided to paint them. There is a sweetness to their faces that gets lost when just drawn so I think it was a good decision, albeit time intensive.

The elf heads start out as unfinished hardwood beads. The tiny elf heads measure 1/2 inch and the regular sized elf heads measure an inch. I coat them with gesso and then base coat them in 'Santa's flesh'. Believe it or not, this step alone takes a great deal of time.

I then lay in the whites of the eyes to give me some sense of feature placement. Since the mini elf heads are so small they have black eyes where the regular sized elves have blue, green, violet or brown eyes. I also made a number of 'Eskimo' faces. I know that term is archaic and unflattering to the Inuit people but since I am inspired by the designs of the 50's and 60's, it is a rather appropriate image. I do hope that the finished 'Eskimos' will be so darling that no offense is taken.

mini elf heads (closeup)

more mini elf heads

I finished 53 mini elf heads and 20 regular sized elf heads. It took me most of the weekend and Monday to complete them.

Regular sized elf heads.

Regular sized elf heads (closeup)


Mini elf heads.

All that remains is to finish all 73 heads with Lascaux Acrylic Varnish with UV filter. Then on to creating bodies and attire for each one. That will be another post. I think it is probably the part I love most about creating the little elves. It is in this step that their personality really comes out.

The clincher is the wool roving hair.

This year I added 3 colors to my repertoire: Lavender, Iceberg Blue and Natural.

I expect there to be some super cute elves in the near future so stop by my facebook page for the most up to the minute updates! :o)

In the Garden

2011-06-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

For someone who isn't all that fond of pink, I sure do have a lot of pink flowers. Thing is, they are beautiful. Soon my yellow daylilies and coreopsis will start blooming and my white coneflowers and shasta daisies. The hollyhocks are getting very tall and buds are nice and plump. If I remember correctly they are shades of soft pinks and yellows. The butterfly bush is filling out and when it starts blooming we will have a pop of deep purple. But I will miss my poppies and peonies. The scent of the peonies is absolutely heavenly but the intense heat is making them fade fast. Alas, I guess I'll just have to wait a year to see my flower friends again.

A Little Inspiration - Part 2: Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

2011-06-08T13:56:00.010-04:00

As promised here is Part 2 of our trip to Frankenmuth, MI.

This is a very image intensive post because it is our trip to Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland, the main objective of our trip to Frankenmuth. Now keep in mind, I am a Visual Merchandiser at heart. Of all my jobs, by far my favorite was visual merchandising. I especially love the big dramatic Christmas displays we used to see in all the big department stores. That said imagine how ecstatic I was when I walked into Bronner's for the first time!

My favorite tree display
(probably because it is so close to my own!;o)

Spending the day in Bronner's really helped me get re-inspired to organize a community event centered on Christmas Windows. It also put me in just the right frame of mind to come home and start working on my ornaments. The little elf above was one of my favorites, so joyful!

The sugar cookie star was my son's favorite!

How clever is this train?
Loved how it was designed with the chocolate sandwich cookies
and ice cream cone as the smoke stack.

This was the display that really got me charged about creating big Christmas props again. I even love how the large red and gold ornament is placed.

I adored these lamps. If only I could figure out a place to use them.
Another moment in time when I wished I had my own storefront!

If being in Bronner's doesn't get you excited for Christmas,
you really don't like Christmas.

Not only do they merchandise the inside of their store, they fully decorate the outside, too!

Loved these elves in the outside window.
Similar to my favorite guy inside and just as sweet!

Oops!

The sign I wish I would have seen sooner. Luckily, I noticed after a couple photos and the wee tot was good about staying out of the rocks.

Oh, and not only do they decorate outside, they light it up at night, every night. It looked gorgeous and my little one loved driving under the lit archways.

Well, that's it for our trip to Bronner's. We bought a bunch of ornaments. My favorite was a big Santa hot air balloon made in Poland. Oh, and my Polish eagle ornament. My husband made sure he got a Scottish ornament, the little one picked out a dinosaur ornament and, of course, we bought a personalized family ornament for 2011.There were more but I may have to do another post of all our goodies just to entice you a little bit more into visiting Bronner's and Frankenmuth. :o)
It's definitely a worthwhile destination. Allow yourself a full day to explore Bronner's and at least a day and a half to explore Frankenmuth (more if possible).

A Little Inspiration - Part 1 : Frankenmuth, MI

2011-06-07T17:57:00.009-04:00

Our little family went on a little weekend excursion to Frankenmuth, Michigan.(Michigan's Little Bavaria) Usually, the trip would take us about 4 hours but for reasons unbeknown to us, we spent an additional 4 hrs sitting in a hot car on the turnpike or freeway. After dinner at the Frankenmuth Brewery we turned in early to rest for a busy weekend exploring.

These are some of the pictures from the town of Frankenmuth. I felt very inspired to make my little wooden bead and felt elves while there (which is a good thing since that happens to be my next project:o) Besides being a little bit warm for my taste, I truly enjoyed our trip and our family plans on visiting again. (hopefully sooner than later:o)

Next up: A Little Inspiration - Part 2 : Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

4 Days In the Garden...

2011-06-01T09:53:00.011-04:00

Foxglove

Salvia

"Coral Reef" Oriental Poppy

Siloam Doodlebug Daylily(3rd year)

Threadleaf Coreopsis (2nd year)

"Raspberry Pixie" Daylily (2nd year)

Meadowsweet (1st year)

Garden Phlox

Heuchera (coral bells)

Hollyhocks (2nd year)

"Coral Reef" poppy

"Coral Reef" poppy (front) standard orange poppy (back)

I lied. I thought the next update would be thrilling but between the rain and then steamy hot weather, I finished very little of my outdoor projects over the holiday weekend. Today and tomorrow the wee tot and I will be going outside to get our raised bed up, filled and planted. Maybe the next garden entry will have the fruits of our labor until then, these photos are of the latest blooms and growth over the last four days(and, with the exception of the very first photo,are in chronological order). :o)

In the Garden

2011-05-27T17:13:00.003-04:00

Not a lot going on in the garden. Most of the plants are getting bigger and bigger (as are the weeds!) from all the rain we have had over the past two months. When they finally bloom it will be spectacular for now I wait (rather impatiently). This weekend we are going to work on multiple small projects around the home. I need to finish painting the shutters, mulch and weed the flower beds, put up the raised bed for veggies and get that planted ASAP. All of those projects promise a pretty interesting garden post next week!

Have a very fun and safe Memorial Day weekend and
God Bless all the brave men and women in our armed forces that have given their lives in order for us to enjoy our freedoms.

In the Garden - First Poppy Edition

2011-05-23T08:05:00.006-04:00

Oriental Poppy
This plant may have been from a seed planting as it was suppose to be a 'Princess Louise' which is a pinkish color. Obviously, this is not pink but it sure is pretty. Poppies might well be the only flower I would take in any hue :o)

I am enthralled by these flowers.
They only last for a couple weeks each year, so temporary,
but they make my heart sing whenever I see them.

Note: new shutter color highlights the lush green of the plants. It also makes the yellow of the house read more of a cream color.

Another seed planting. What color will this poppy be?

So many buds. Bear with me.
I will surely take many photos and at least a couple of the entire flower bed when in full bloom.

Now this poppy from seed(above) may well end up having the 'Princess Louise' coloring. Note the hairs on the bud are a different color on this particular poppy.

Lest we not forget the other flowers in my garden that are budding.
Heuchera(Coral Bells) (above)

Armeria

Digitalis (Foxglove)

Salvia

Unknown Lily (no bud yet, will we ever know what this is?)

Dianthus(Fire Witch)

Magic Sculpt and Magic Smooth

2011-05-22T17:19:00.007-04:00

So I promised to show and discuss the two materials I sculpted with on my Garden Gnome so here we go.

Magic sculpt is a two part epoxy resin clay. It comes in a bunch of different colors. I worked with white since the gnome was white(figured there wouldn't be problems with paint application that way). You order by weight. I ordered 5 pounds (you get 2 1/2 pounds of each the resin and the hardener) and I only have a very small amount left over so it went pretty far.

To use you take equal amounts of each the resin(white) and the hardener(gray) and roll it together until the color is uniform. When it is uniform you let it sit for a few minutes and it's ready to sculpt.

Magic Sculpt is harder than paperclay but since it is an epoxy resin, it is weather resistant. Like paperclay, you can smooth it with water to get a fine finish however you cannot add water to the clay to make it softer. Also, once the clay is mixed you have a small window of time when it is pliable and able to be used so you want to mix only as much as you can use in a short amount of time (maybe an hour or so)

I found it relatively easy to use and would use it again if I had an outdoor sculpture to complete. Because of its firm texture, I did find that it was very difficult on my arthritic hands over the course of time that I sculpted the gnome so I would probably work on a much smaller scale or allow myself much more time.

That said I would definitely use this product again.

Magic Smooth is quite evil to me. Don't get me wrong it was useful in a few applications but extremely difficult and messy to work with. I don't like oil paints because they are too messy so you could imagine my dismay. Again Magic Smooth is a two part epoxy resin but this has a thick sticky texture that the company likens to thick honey. I've never seen honey with this consistency.

Again you order by weight and to use you add equal parts of resin to hardener

I found it easiest to use an old piece of silverware (tried both spoon and knife and decided knife was the best utensil as it cleans up better than the spoon).
Because it is so sticky it is difficult to do anything with it but once it is evenly mixed it is ready to use.

Use an old piece of cardboard or something else you can throw away to mix it in/on. I found the best use for this product is to attach things securely as once it dries it is very hard to remove. You can also use plenty of water to smooth it. Water gives it a very smooth and satiny finish but I would recommend using this in conjunction with something else and to use it sparingly.

Garden Gnome Reveal (extremely image heavy)

2011-05-19T19:03:00.010-04:00

Here are the final images of the Garden Gnome.
I got to see 4 other gnomes when we took him to the arboretum. A couple of them blew my socks off but they were also very simple and very well done.
As soon as I can get photos of the other gnomes I will post them.

Garden Gnome Update - The Painting Continues

2011-05-16T16:11:00.005-04:00

SO close! Here are the photos of what has been finished since last time. He is due in a couple days and will be finished on time, as a matter of fact, I think I will be finished with him tomorrow with maybe a few minor details to complete. Now I just need to figure out how I will get him to his new home. Oh, and I am feeling the same sad twinge I felt right before my baby boy was born. This too shall pass :o)

Garden Gnome Update - The Painting Continues

2011-05-14T08:44:00.005-04:00

The card spray is finished except for the 3 - D cards.
SO happy to be done painting itty bitty cards. Love the result but I think I need to add a couple more shadows.

The 3-D cards and potion bottle are missing but, for the most part,
this scene is finished.

Wasn't happy with a white shirt and not happy with a red shirt. This guy may or may not change his shirt before the end. Needs a little work on his face and the roses being painted red but finished other than that. By the way, the gnomes jacket looks like it's burgundy velvet at a distance. His pants are black.

Thought this scene was complete except for the grass but then I looked closely and noticed a few areas that need some work. Not far from finished.

As I went through these photos I realized areas I thought were finished really weren't. Oh well, at least what is left is minor in comparison to what I've done. On today's agenda: finishing the base of Sir Gnome. As soon as the details are done I can attach the caterpillar. If I finish this up early, I'll work on the "smoke". I am hoping to finish up the entire body of the gnome by the end of tonight. Tomorrow will be spent working on the hat (hopefully!)

In the Garden

2011-05-11T11:15:00.005-04:00

My little one picked out Ranunculus for Mother's Day for my mom and myself.
I got the red (my favorite color) and grandma got the orange.

Boy, I can't wait to see what type of lily this is.

The little one's Japanese Maple tree is leafing out.
So cute!

This peony is growing like gangbusters and
at least three buds are set.

The poppy has a couple huge buds.

My 'Firewitch' Dianthus took last year off but will be in full bloom this year!

I've been applying Liquid Fence to my garden (Boy! Does it stink when it's wet but it seems to be doing its job so I think I can handle it.) I bought it directly from the company but it is also sold at Home Depot if you need something to keep the deer and rabbits out of your flower beds. The other nice thing about it is it is all natural(rotten eggs and such) so you can actually use it on food crops just not close to harvest. :o)

Garden Gnome Update - The Painting Continues

2011-05-10T20:55:00.005-04:00

Sir Gnome is getting there. The white rabbit is mostly finished.
Needs some detail work as does the Queen.

Just started working on the Mad Hatter scene. It's a little flat right now but I'm excited with how it is progressing. It may end up being one of my favorites and NO PLAYING CARDS involved!

Speaking of, I am so over painting playing cards! They are not perfect replicas and they are not going to be. I am anal and detail oriented but if you want them to be perfect take a picture (that's for my mother who informed me the spacing was off. I made the comment that I didn't see her working on such a complex project while going to school and taking care of a 3 year old and when she did she could voice her criticism and I would listen. Me, testy? what would give you that idea?I can't be that upset with my mom though she has been a Godsend watching my little one when I go to class but, boy, does the criticism get old)

I had to take a break on the card scene. They have all been painted once, painted white and are waiting for their final color. Can't wait to be done!

These are the cards that will get "tucked" into the beard.
Really loving how these came out!

That's it for now! Hopefully the next update will be the big reveal. I'm hoping to finish before next Monday but I have until Friday, May 20, to get him finished. Fingers crossed that it will go quickly. I don't have anymore classes. My last final was tonight (yay!) Now it's all gnome! :o)

And the Winners are.....

2011-05-05T07:42:00.005-04:00

Debbie Luttrell

Cornerstoregoddess

Stephanie Brannock

Congratulations!

Please send me your addresses so I can get your little birds to you.
(all comments are moderated so your address won't be publicly posted :o)

Thanks to everyone that participated.

Keep your eyes peeled, I'll have a "Christmas in July"
giveaway in, of all months, July.
:o)

Last Day to Enter the Birdy Giveaway!

2011-05-04T12:31:00.004-04:00

Today is the last day to enter to win one of three little bird sculptures.

Here is the link to the original post:
http://busylittleelf.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-time-for-giveaway.html

Winners will be selected tomorrow by random using Random.Org and posted in another blog post as well as on the Busy Little Elf Facebook page.

Good Luck! :o)

Garden Gnome Progress - The Painting Continues

2011-05-03T10:31:00.006-04:00

The Queen of Hearts
All the colors and details are laid in. Obviously, I have to keep reapplying the gold and red paint, paint the hedgehog and add details to the flamingo but she isn't too far from being finished. I love the way she is coming along.

White Rabbit
This guy shouldn't take too long to finish. I went a little crazy on the red queen's dress so I didn't have good enough light last night to get further on this. No part is even close to complete but I can't wait to get back to him, especially his eyes, that's when they really come to life!

The Playing Cards
WOW! This is a project in itself. Note: I'm just laying in the cards. They will be painted over in white and then repainted. Long process but looking pretty good so far. I'm so glad I bought a bunch of tiny brushes!

Sorry I'm a day late on my Gnome update. I was madly painting all day and night yesterday and, by the time I had anything to share, it was too dark to take any photos. It's raining today so the photos aren't the greatest (I actually had to use a flash) but they give you some idea of where I'm at. Last week was a bust for making progress on the gnome since I was writing papers, reading textbooks and studying for tests but I started working on the back of the gnome and headway is being made.(On the school front, one class is finished and two regular classes and a final remain for the other class.)

I have plenty of time to finish the gnome and still hope to finish him well before the deadline. I'm budgeting about a full day for each scene, most won't take that long but it gives me time to nitpick. The Mad Hatter scene and playing card spray are very detailed so those will probably take about two days each if not a little longer. Plenty of time though. Most of the scenes are relatively close to complete, I just want to go back in after the background is put in and add more details. By the next update, Sir Gnome should be pretty close to complete. Back to work I go! :o)

In the Garden

2011-04-30T19:07:00.024-04:00

The hyacinth are done for the year but the violas are sending up buds again.
These look prettier this year than they did last year.

My poppy is getting a little out of control. Must be very happy near the house!

Unfortunately, the primrose are starting to fade.

The wee tot's Japanese maple tree (year 4)

Dianthus/fire witch
(year 3 but it didn't bloom last year after being transplanted the previous fall. Hopefully it will bloom this year. It does have good growth so I think it is setting buds. Fingers are crossed)

monarda/bee balm (year 1)

Bearded Iris (year 2)

Meadowsweet (year 1)

My jealous Oscar. He doesn't like me leaving him inside and then taunting him by playing in the flower bed :o)

The foxglove planted itself here as did the Labrador violets. Since the deer ate the lilies last year I'm not going to worry about it too much but I will be making sure the foxglove doesn't creep forward any further. And yes, there is a daylily in there also. This poor little bed needs some serious work in the fall!

I'm not sure which one is doing the crowding, the poppy or the phlox.
I have a feeling I will be relocating the phlox soon(since poppies aren't too fond of being moved).

The return of the salvia (year 4, I believe)

SURPRISE! A small rose bush growing in the side yard.

Another surprise, this peony is in our little side yard also. The neighbor had mowed over it and the rose most of last year so I never saw what color they could be. This year, we have no neighbors on that side so I will be putting a support around the peony, after I weed the entire side yard that is. I will let the little rose take shape as well and transplant some of the large daylilies I have in the front garden bed to make more room for the other flowers that are crowded.

Speaking of peonies, remember this one?
The above photo was taken on April 24th

Three days later, on the 27th

The very next day, the 28th

and today!
It blew my mind that this thing was growing so fast.
I swear the one day I could see it growing from one potty break for the dog to the next.
Crazy!

It's Time for a Giveaway!

2011-04-27T10:21:00.005-04:00

I finally made it to 200 Facebook Page followers (up to 203 now) so I am having a giveaway. Originally, I planned to giveaway a sculpture of Pooh and Piglet I was making especially for the giveaway but with classes and the garden gnome, I don't have enough time to dedicate to it being the cutest little sculpture that I know it can be.

So, I went through my treasure trove and decided to giveaway these three little birds. (It's pretty appropriate since yesterday was Audubon's birthday.) Plus, I've been mesmerized by the birds visiting my feeders lately.

So here are the rules.

Receive one entry for each of these actions:

Like Busy Little Elf on Facebook
Follow this blog (2 entries if you also follow on networked blogs) You can find both on the sidebar.
Follow Busy Little Elf on Twitter
Make bzlittlechristmaself a favorite etsy shop
Make busylittleelf a favorite etsy shop
Tweet about this contest (use #busylittleelf so it is easy to find)
Share this blog entry(Facebook, blog,etc.)
Like this blog post on the Facebook page
Leave a comment on this blog entry of every above action you've taken. (please leave links in the comment where appropriate, ie. a blog post) If you leave each action as a new comment, I'll give you an additional entry for each additional comment. If you already follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger,etc. just remind me as a comment, they absolutely count as an entry!!

Depending on what venues you share this on you can get quite a few entries (a minimum of 19 entries if you share only on Twitter and Facebook and do all the actions outlined above.)

The contest will run from today, April 27, until next Wednesday, May 4.
The entries will be tallied up for each person, entered into a list randomizer and three winners will be chosen at random.org.

I'll announce winners names as a blog post and on the Busy Little Elf Facebook page. It will be the responsibility of each winner to contact me with their shipping addresses via a comment on the winner's blog post (all will be kept strictly confidential and not posted)

If I missed anything, please let me know and I'll address it ASAP.

Also, if you are reading this on the Hive, please visit my Blogger blog to post your actions so I don't miss any of your entries! Thank You!

And as for that Pooh and Piglet sculpture, we'll have a 'Christmas in July' giveaway! Details will be posted as we get closer to July :o)

Good Luck!

In the Garden

2011-04-25T17:21:00.004-04:00

Missed this post on Friday so I went out on Easter Sunday and took a few current photos of the garden. It is very wet out there but I do have daffodils blooming at long last!

Garden Gnome Progress - The Painting Continues

2011-04-25T16:02:00.006-04:00

His face is virtually done, although I have to touch up a few spots here and there. His beard will be done when I get all the cards finished and applied. They were giving me some issues. You can see below how they will be inserted into his beard. They are finished on both sides and then I cut out a piece in his beard to slide them into. Once I have them all painted, I'll go back and use Magic Smooth to attach them permanently, painting over anything that needs touched up.

If you look closely you can see where his nose needs a touch up(got a little beard paint on the underneath) and the slot cut out for the playing card. There will be four total on the front and a number(exact number still undetermined:O) on the back.

An even better photo of the card in the beard.

The Cheshire cat. His face will be the only thing fully painted. His body will appear to be vanishing. The whole front of the hat will be a tree with dark green black leaves that wrap around to the Mad Hatter scene on the back.

Above, all the little leaves are painted.
Below, the darker grass is almost finished.

Need to finish the card player's face, shoes and the white roses being painted red. The background will go in soon. It will be a dark burgundy black that wraps all around the gnome's body.

The bottom black background being painstakingly put in while the details get finished. It really does make everything pop.

Would have had more finished but I had a heavy week at school and Easter so I didn't get as much done as I would have liked to. Good news is I only have one class left on Saturday and a couple weeks of the other class (that doesn't take as much time) so I should be able to make great headway. :o)

Garden Gnome Update - The Painting Begins

2011-04-18T08:11:00.007-04:00

Painting is underway! I'm basically working on the front first and then will progress to the back. The dark background will be put in last so that the color is consistent from front to back. He looks a bit like Santa Claus right now but he will have some gray in his beard and eyebrows and his hat won't be white so that will help. There are also playing cards that will be tucked into his beard. Those will probably be applied this week.

His eyes ended up being a little more brown than green but I like how they are looking so I'm leaving them a green-brown hazel. They also have gold flecks in them now. Quite pretty and his eyes really give him life. His face needs more paint. I started with a light shade of flesh, added a darker shade and will now even it out, adding highlights and shadows. (oh! and some color to his cheeks :O)

He is going to be so heartbroken when the gnome goes to his new home :o(

Most of the colors you see are just where I've laid in basic colors. There will be more depth and texture I just haven't started to add it yet.

The caterpillar's 'shroom will have bright white spots. I added another layer of red to the cap and decided to paint over the spots instead of trying to paint around them.

The smoke will hopefully be even more pale. I will be covering all three colors with a layer of transparent silver so that it looks a little more mystical. (or should I say *mist*ical) It'll be against a dark background and the edges will be softened.

Note: the base of the gnome has become a parking lot for toy cars!

The caterpillar isn't finished yet but he is looking mighty dapper dressed in blue

That's all the progress from the past week. Now I must buckle down so that I can finish up the front this week and move to the back.

Oh! And I've neglected my Easter decorations this year so I must make up to the young one by making sure I don't neglect my easter cooking traditions. We have a lemon poppyseed pound cake lamb to make and decorate, eggs to dye and (hopefully, if I can pull it off) homemade poppyseed and nut rolls to make.

Oy! At least I did all my Easter grocery shopping yesterday
so all I have to pick up is asparagus for Easter Sunday dinner.

Have a great and productive week!

In the Garden

2011-04-17T18:13:00.009-04:00

The primrose are really popping this week as are the hyacinth.
Just in time for Easter!

This photo really shows how well the poppy is doing!

Aesthetically speaking, the above photo isn't the prettiest but you can at least see the different shades of pink. They actually look much different in person, not all are actually pink, they just photograph that way. (In the big space was another smaller primrose but a rabbit came along and ate it before I took this photo.)

This primrose is a pretty pale pink

This primrose is a red violet color. Much more purple than it looks.

And this primrose is more of a fuchsia. It is much brighter than it photographs.

Yellow. The only color that photographs correctly.

These are so pretty. A lovely shade of blue violet, looks great with the primrose!

I was surprised to see my Labrador violets blooming. They are easy to overlook since they are so small but they are so sweet. I just love violets. I am also planting some sweet violets this year from seed.

My peony is not only coming back for its second year but it is thriving. It is planted in a large pot so I always get anxious that it will freeze out and fail to come back but it has sent up 3 shoots so far so I guess it's pretty happy. It should have stunning blossoms this year. It is called Buddha's Lotus Seat and it is suppose to have pink outer petals with pale golden center petals. So excited to see it in all it's glory!

In this messy clump of green, I have lilies sneaking up through a foxglove. I believe it is a black beauty lily but I'm not sure. Last year, the deer ate my lily before it was able to bloom(right after it set its buds). I'm hoping since it is now nestled in the foxglove it may have a better chance. I also ordered some Liquid Fence on the advice of an artist friend. I look forward to seeing how well it works. It would be a Godsend if I don't have to build a fence around my little garden bed. It is also suppose to keep rabbits out (yay!) I will keep you posted on results, it should be here this week so I should be able to see how effective it is pretty quickly.

This post is a little later than I planned it to be but I was having some issues with the laptop I upload all of my photos to. It refused to boot up. I found out that it was having issues because it was attached to the printer but since I had that scare, the thought that I wouldn't have my database of photos (art, family and other), made my husband back it up before we shut it down. Hopefully, it will continue to serve it's purpose until I can get a new one. Until then, at least I know I'll have all my photos saved to a safe place.

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting is Finished, Let the Painting Begin! (Photo Heavy)

2011-04-11T10:47:00.007-04:00

Finally the sculpting is finished! Here are the final photos of the entire gnome. There are some elements that can't be applied until the gnome is fully painted so you won't see those yet but for the most part this is it. I'm happy with how he has turned out and am currently covering the entire gnome in gesso so I can start painting.

Also, a development I shared on my Facebook page, I'm putting together a self-published book so that I can chronicle the entire process for my son. I know he is going to be traumatized when we have to say goodbye to Sir Gnome. I also bought him his own little plaster gnome that he can paint and put in his room (he thinks he has to sculpt on it so I think I broke the boy :o)

(in the gnome's beard will be tucked playing cards)

There will be three dimensional cards surrounding this scene with the playing cards. I can't even begin to show you how it will look because
I have to paint it then attach the cards.
Also, his bottle will be attached to his hand after the cards are all in place.

I decided to give the last remaining rose a little face. She will be very subtle.
but I do hope to give her long lashes.:o)

I shared the photos of my hands on the Hive but here they are after the final day of sculpting. Most of the clay has finally washed off and my thumbs don't hurt nearly as bad as they did but they still are dry. Ah! it's so hard being an artist :o)

Next week's update: the painting begins :o)

In the Garden

2011-04-09T19:27:00.005-04:00

Not a ton of photos today but I do have a blossom and others just itching to bloom. We are going outside tomorrow(it will be near 80!) to plant some new fleurs and put up some deer netting around the beds before they do any further damage. It won't be pretty but it will preserve my pretty beds :o) (BTW, the sunny photos are from today, the shady ones from yesterday)

Garden Gnome Update - Mad Hatter's Tea Party

2011-04-07T13:30:00.004-04:00

I have a mini gnome update. I've been drawing and re-drawing the Mad Hatter scene. I think I have it, just need to tweak it here and there and work on the perspective in a few areas. Even if I can't get it perfect, I think it will still be okay, it is the mad hatter's tea party after all! I have also added some lady bugs that aren't in these photos.

Also, I have decided that one card person painting the roses red will work better than multiple cards.

Finally, I fixed the gnome's fingers.

Before : deformed.

Now : just ugly :o)

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting Continues, Gesso Begins and a Little Garden Update, too!

2011-04-04T11:58:00.003-04:00

The caterpillar and his hookah are complete (except for the pipe which will be one of the last things done) I think he is going to look spectacular when he is painted.

I'm wavering on how I'm sculpting the playing card painting the roses red.
I'm now leaning towards one and making him larger
(originally, I had two card people but the beard is really throwing me off so...)
There is still a little sculpting I want to do on the bottom of the rose bush also.

I've started sanding and painting those finished areas with gesso. He really is getting to a point of completion and since some of the finished sculpting is taking me longer as far as preparation goes, I thought I would get ahead of the game in other areas.

Here's my son helping me. He's a very good helper! Here he holds the gnome's bottle in place. It will be affixed after I finish the spray of playing cards which is right above this area. And speaking of playing cards...

Here they are drying. Magic Smooth is a very odd material to work with. It is thicker than I thought it would be and super sticky. I would only use this again if I have a very specific use for it. The Magic Sculpt, however, is fabulous and I will be using it again. As a matter of fact, I want to make a white rabbit sculpture out of it for my garden. That will have to be put on the back burner for now :o)

I missed my garden update on Saturday, took the pictures but didn't get a chance to post them, so here is a little added bonus to my gnome update. We had a bit of a cold snap last week so the primrose didn't bloom like I thought they might.
They are trying though!

Here's to a productive week!
Enjoy!

The Caterpillar and a Bunny - WIP

2011-04-01T10:01:00.003-04:00

Since I missed WIP Wednesday, I thought I would do a mini update today. I am finished sculpting the caterpillar. His Hookah and mushroom need a little more attention but that won't take long.

I also finished up Pinky, the bunny. Yeah, I stuck with Pinky because no other name really struck me (I'm sure it's just because Pinky got stuck in my head :o) I like how she came out. I wasn't originally going to have contrasting ears, and patterned at that, but she seemed so plain so I went 'wild' :oD

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting Continues

2011-03-28T18:51:00.005-04:00

Not a lot of progress this week. I have been prepping for the rest of the sculpting(primarily, the caterpillar and spray of cards), inking all my drawings and drawing the Mad Hatter scene. Hope to be finished, or darn close, by next Monday's update.

Alice's right leg needs a little more shape in her calf but I had to wait for this application to dry.

Caterpillar armature. The styrofoam will be covered by clay and sculpted.

Closeup of Alice At the Mad Hatter's tea party.

In the Garden

2011-03-26T16:33:00.008-04:00

Violas are blooming in the garden. A pesky squirrel dug up the ones that were in the planter with the peony. Speaking of, the peony is coming back to life. I was a bit nervous because it lives in a planter and this winter was so cold that there was that outside chance it may freeze. As you can see below by the little pink nub, it did not.

Daylilies are popping up in every garden bed. I haven't located some of the newer ones but I also haven't had a chance to weed and remove dead leaves. I'm sure as soon as I clear the beds, they will reappear. I love daylilies because they are so resilient.

I have iris scattered here and there. They aren't doing as well would have liked or expected. We will see when spring really kicks in how they are going to do. In the one flower bed, the squirrels appear to have had some fun digging them up.

Besides dead matter and sprouts, if you look closely you can find quite a bit of bunny and deer droppings. Free fertilizer I guess.

Labrador violets are popping up all over my main garden bed. Since I'm a huge violet fan, I don't mind. I consider it a pretty ground cover.

These are the two strongest poppy plants but there are more interspersed throughout the beds. These are closer to the house and therefore warmer. That's my guess for why they are looking so great :o)

My mom buys me primrose every year so I keep them alive until spring and plant them by the front door. I'm not sure how many I have now but they love their little home. They also bloom throughout most of the winter!

I have four hyacinth coming up. Can't wait to see these guys in all their splendor.

Both my lavender and pink phlox are coming up. Phlox isn't my favorite flower but for some reason, I get really excited when these guys come back. I've had the pink since I lived in Columbus (about 5 years) and the lavender since we lived in Cleveland (3 years). Every time we move, I dig them up and bring them with us.

Garden Mums.

Another mum below in the jungle of weeds that exists in my small, front garden bed. I had my bird feeder over there so I could watch my birds while doing the dishes. Needless to say, the weeds are very hardy.

Finally, some plants that need to be planted ASAP. They just arrived this week but with a cold snap they have to wait a bit before they can be introduced to their new home. Temps are due to go up next week so I'll try to get them in then. In the meantime, I will keep them in the cool mudroom and water them occasionally.

WIP Wednesday

2011-03-23T17:47:00.005-04:00

Since I am doing a Monday Gnome update I am going to show you my "other" projects on Wednesday.

Two reasons for this:
1) I don't make that much progress on the gnome between Monday and Wednesday.
2) It forces me to work on the other things I have been neglecting.

So this week I have update photos on Patches the bunny rabbit. He is slowly transforming. I still need to put another coat of paint on his backside, repaint his plaid patch, seal and antique him(oh, and add a little chenille tail) Then he will be finished and I will list him in my Etsy shop. Hopefully all of this will happen before the weekend.

On the gnome front, was suppose to go do a promo event for Gnome and Garden on Sunday but will be working from home instead. (I think I may be coming down with something, could be the weather change but just in case, it's better I'm not around little ones anyway)

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting Continues

2011-03-21T11:37:00.005-04:00

The sculpting continues and, for the most part, the bulk of the surface sculpting is complete. I have one more rose to sculpt and some books and book shelves, a clock and Alice's ankles, feet and underskirt.

And then there is the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, I am redrawing it today and hope to have it sculpted quickly.

I am still waiting for my Magic Smooth to arrive so I can work on the spray of playing cards on the back and the cards that are tucked into Sir Gnome's beard. I also will be working on the caterpillar and playing card rose painter in the next few days. As always, more photos of the ongoing progress will be available on my Facebook page.

In the Garden

2011-03-19T22:18:00.005-04:00

It's that time of the year!

The weather has been very good to my garden over the past couple of weeks and I was able to spend some time out there. I actually have my first blooms of the year, violas that survived from last year.

hollyhocks (year 2) will have terracotta shades of flowers.

My hyacinth that I don't remember planting.
I think they are purple but I guess we'll find out soon enough :o)

My poppies!(year 2) There will be blossoms this year and I am totally stoked. If I remember correctly they are all salmon or coral pink
(I am planting red poppies this year.How can I not have at least a few red poppies?)

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting Begins

2011-03-14T14:10:00.004-04:00

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Here are some photos of the sculpting taking place on the garden gnome. It's been a pretty steep learning curve for me with the new materials but as soon as I get something, I get it. I'll be trying Magic Smooth for my playing cards, fingers crossed on how that will go, and debating on if I can get the Magic Sculpt detailed enough. So far so good but I still need to build a caterpillar and card person which will be more entailed than the surface sculpts. (More photos are posted on my Facebook page)

Train Wrecks and Natural Disasters

2011-03-11T09:17:00.004-05:00

"Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message." ~Malcolm Muggeridge

I have a friend who is a rubbernecker. You know the one that enjoys watching televised surgical procedures on cable TV and drives slowly past car accidents hoping to see the devastation up close and in person. I've always found it rather odd since I am the opposite. Seeing people in pain affects me deeply to the core. I literally feel other people's pain, physical or emotional. It is very difficult for me to go to hospitals and funerals because I am so sensitive.

And yet, I am drawn to natural disasters. They scare the hell out of me. Tsunamis and tornadoes in particular scare me the most (the later due to the Wizard of Oz, I'm sure).I hate to see the devastation and yet I can't stop watching the coverage. I feel helpless, because I am. Let's face it, we all are, I don't care who you are and how much money or power you have, you can't win against Mother Nature. You can mitigate the damage perhaps and overcome the setbacks but you can't beat her.

The sheer power behind these disasters fascinate me. How the earth can just suddenly heave up without notice and destroy lives and communities is mind blowing. Perhaps the only reason I can watch the footage of the devastation is because we are detached, you don't directly see the lives of the people impacted. But I know they are there. As soon as I hear of something like the earthquake in Japan, I immediately start sending prayers and healing energy to the areas affected. ( and I usually shed a few tears because I can feel the intense pain of the people) Of course, I also send a prayer when I pass an ambulance or police car en route to a call. I wouldn't follow them to see what happened though and rarely follow up to see what happened.

I am fascinated with the science behind natural disasters. How the earth causes earthquakes or tsunamis is fascinating, even the immense devastation of it's power and yet the devastation it leaves behind is heartbreaking.There is no way you can prevent being involved in a natural disaster, it occurs where it occurs and God bless you if that happens to be where you are. I often wish you could harness Mother Earth's power and direct it to the political and corporate powers that cause so much havoc and unrest instead of the residents of earth that are just living their lives the best they can. It seems rather unfair sometimes.

I must have a superhero complex. I guess Mother Nature is the ultimate power, more powerful than any politician or corporate mogul could ever be.

I woke up this morning and heard the news of the catastrophic earthquake that hit Japan. It was 4 am and I haven't slept much since. I was glued to the news and now to the internet. I wish there was something more I could do but, alas, I am half a world away. The most I can do is say that my prayers and healing thoughts are with the people of Japan and any others that have been or will be affected by the earthquake and ensuing tsunamis. May God Bless and hold them in his hands through this difficult time.

"I believe in the sun even if it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent." ~Author Unknown

Holden Arboretum's Gnome and Garden Gnome Progress

2011-03-07T16:54:00.007-05:00

Finally! The planets have aligned and I am able give an update on the gnome's progress. The surface drawings are, for all intensive purposes, done. (except the back of the hat with the Mad Hatter's tea party, issues with the placement) I will start sculpting, or at least preparing the armatures for sculpting, tonight. SO EXCITED! Here is a little tour of the gnome's surface drawings:

The above two and one immediately below are Alice chasing the white rabbit down the rabbit hole. This drawing will be mostly 2 dimensional except for the rabbit and Alice's leg. I'm hoping to fully sculpt the rabbit and his pocket watch. This should really give this scene depth. I messed up Alice's lips when I was picking at this scene so I will fix them before I start painting.

Above is the foot of the gnome that will have the Caterpillar and his hookah. The caterpillar will be constructed, sculpted and then attached to the mushroom. The hookah will be sculpted onto the surface of the gnome.

Above and below is the scene where Alice falls down the rabbit hole. By far this is my favorite drawing. The bookshelf, falling books and clock will be sculpted onto the surface as will Alice's petticoat and feet.

Above and below are the card people painting the roses red. This drawing is being kept loose because the card person who is painting on the ladder will be sculpted and I may need to adjust some. This has proven to be the most difficult scene to engineer. The depth of the gnome's beard is much greater than I anticipated. I will conquer it though :o)

Above drink me, eat me and key. All will be sculpted onto the surface.

Above is the White Rabbit in Wonderland. This guy is my second favorite scene. He has a trumpet in his left hand which will have some dimension. Also, his head, neck ruff and collars will be sculpted.

Above and below, the queen of hearts. Her head and left arm will be sculpted as will her ruff. This is a very loose sketch since so much of it is being sculpted. Love the flamingo!

The hedgehog at the Queen's feet.

Alice being attacked by playing cards. The cards will be painted on the surface and will also be three dimensionally sculpted coming off the surface. This scene should be very cool when finished.

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I'll try to take photos as I sculpt and give an update when I get further along. I'm debating which features I will sculpt first so it may take me a while to get somewhere further. Common sense tells me to do the more intricate details because it is time consuming but I could get further along if I do the three dimensional cards, roses and smoke that covers large areas of the gnome. We'll see which I decide on next time. :o)