I Was Included in a Treasury!

I have been included in other treasuries and for whatever reason didn't post a link to them. This is the newest treasury and a very cute one, to boot! So, this will be another new feature (whenever I'm featured and made aware of it!) I will start posting the links. There are some really great treasuries out there and some very talented Etsy artists!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=42666

Poop and Other Rectal Delights

There is something drastically wrong with dogs. Don't misunderstand me, I love dogs. They are fine animals but I'm much more inclined to relate to my cat.
As I sat here working, my dog passed gas, yup, she farted, audibly farted! No it wasn't an elephant under her bed, it was she, the beast, the Dharma dog. If I would have been looking at her at the time, I'm sure I would have witnessed her lifting up her right butt cheek to let it escape a little easier.
VILE!
I have had a heck of a day. The little boy filled his diaper this morning and I was sure I was going to lose my mini wheats . Then Dharma needed to go out twice in about 3 hours. Now this dog is lucky if she goes out 4 times in an entire day, so going out twice in that short period of time is unheard of. She left large packages for us each time. Then I had to take my husband to work after his meeting with the dietician. The beast was acting like she had to go out but Jeff had just brought her back in and told me how much she actually excreted(Lovely topic, isn't it?) So we both thought she must be upset about the squirrels outside.
NOPE!! She had to pooh AGAIN! Another fine sized pile greeted me when I walked in the door. Or should I clarify the stench greeted me when I walked in the door, the pile resided in the dining room where she spends most of her time.
Just peachy!
How did I end up the poop patrol?
So as I sat here and heard her tooting in her little piece of heaven, I had to just shake my head and wonder what I did to deserve this lush life.
(Thank God for my crazy, yet gas-free, cat)

I Can't Wait for Spring!!

My mom just brought these over for me yesterday. I was already itching to get out into the garden but now I can't even tell you how much I'm looking forward to getting out there!

This year, blooming for the first time in my garden : bearded iris, astilbe, foxglove, moss pinks, sweet williams, daffodils

I have seeds for the flower pots that line my front steps and the hanging baskets on the porch and by the side door: four o'clocks, nasturtium, calendula, spanish flag

I'm starting an antique flower cutting garden from seed which includes: sweet peas, apricot sunflowers, zinnias, cleome, chinese forget me nots, tobacco, more columbine(I have suddenly become infatuated with these pretty little flowers!),canterbury bells



And my mom is going to help me move the hosta's from the back to the front under the apple tree and is bringing some of her overabbundance of small Rose of Sharon bushes to plant along the south side of the house.

I cannot wait to get out there and start gardening, now that the boy is a little older he can either play in the back yard or help me while we work. My guess is he'll want to help play in the dirt since he likes to help me do pretty much everything I will let him.

Like I said, I can't wait!! I'll share the garden's progress (and flowers) as time permits!

New Item - Brag Book Meets Scrapbook

Here is my latest work in progress. I'm working out the details. Basically it is the classic brag book with fabric cover. The photo pages will have scrapbooking paper to highlight the photos within(that way if you are like me and have a bunch of wallet size photos, you aren't looking at the ugly white page!) I was inspired by the cute designs on the paper so I hope to translate one of the figures into a fabric applique to coordinate with the patterned paper within. When I work out all the details I will post the new photos and finished product!

Berry Suet Bird Treats - the finished product

Here is the finished product! Now the only thing left is pricing and packaging. I'm thinking of selling them in groups of three and packaging them in simple biodegradable packaging(possibly a paper lunch bag with simple label)
Not bad for the first try!

More Projects!

It's been an especially bad year for our feathered friends so I am starting to make bird treats for them. Made with suet and good quality bird seed, these will suspend from natural biodegradable twine and are formed in recycled applesauce containers. I'm still working on getting the proper mix but when they are perfected, these will be the first entries in my new (THIRD!!) etsy shop, busylittleecoelf.etsy.com (or as I fondly call it, garden elf!). I hope to have home made seedling pots in the coming days as well as other bird, cat and dog treats.

New Items and Further Proof that my Son is Odd Like his Mama!

Like I mentioned before, for some inexplicable reason my son sleeps with his bottom up in the air. I can't help but share, it still makes me smile!

I had a customer request a smaller version of my Fairy Dust Play Dough.
I liked it so much I am including it my shop.


Another new project is Gingerbread Cookie Wreaths. I started making the Snowflake Gingerbread Cookie ornaments for my Christmas shop. I was playing around with the snowflakes one day and designed this wreath. It's my prototype(and finished before I had perfected my ornament technique, I now dip my cookies in scented wax before I decorate them to make sure they are sealed). I have my snowflake wreath hanging in my kitchen.

I like these so much I'm expanding the cookie designs and making them for use throughout the year. I also hope to have single decorations and garlands. The scented wax smells fabulous but isn't so heavy it makes you sick! I use a scent called pumpkin spice for the fall and winter designs and have a cookie scent and vanilla scent I will use for the spring and summer motifs.New shapes include: hearts, butterflies, bees and dragonflies,stars, leaves, four-leaf clovers and Easter eggs.

I love this project because it bridges my loves of baking and creating (plus I can't eat the product!!)
I'll post them here as they start to take shape!

Movie Review: "What Dreams May Come"

"What Dreams May Come" is a visually stunning as well as thought provoking film. The screenplay is adapted from a book and the basic story takes place in the afterlife. Story goes a little like this: Christy and Anna meet in Europe and fall in love. They marry have 2 kids. One day the nanny is driving the kids to school and tragically they are in a collision with a truck and both children die. Christy and Anna try to recover, they have each other and Anna leans on Christy for support. One night, Anna, an artist, needs Christy to bring paintings to the Gallery where she's having a showing of her work. On his way to the gallery he comes upon a series of accidents in a tunnel, being a doctor he gets out of the car to see if he can help some of the injured. Again, tragically, a car careens down the road into the tunnel, goes airborn and hits Christy, killing him. The next few minutes of the movie are Christy meeting his spirit guide and learning that he is dead. He doesn't want to leave his beloved Anna but when he realizes his staying around her seems to be hurting her more than comforting her, he decides it is time to go. When he decides to enter his afterlife he realizes it is one of Anna's paintings. Christy is adjusting to his life in the afterlife when Anna kills herself in her grief over losing her entire family, and especially Christy, in such a short amount of time. When Christy finds out that she is dead he gets excited thinking they will be reunited. He then learns because she is a suicide he will not be reunited with her. He has a new purpose and vows to go get her and bring her back. The rest of the movie is Christy going to find his wife and bringing her back to him.

The subject matter is rather heady and may be a bit much for some people. I know my own mother, being a widow, can't watch this movie because it affects her too much emotionally. It is pretty heavy but there are moments of light and humor and the special effects are absolutely incredible. The sequence where Christy enters his afterworld and it is one of Anna's paintings is unbelievably vivid and beautiful. Actually the visual cues throughout the film help to move the story. The color red is woven throughout the film as is the color blue. When you enter Anna's world after the death of her family, you truly can feel the depths of her grief and despair. Christy's world by contrast is unbelievably striking and full of life. It was this visual contrast that drew me to the movie and that subsequently inspired my art. Shortly after watching this movie(also, Monkeybone and Amelie) my color palette started reflecting more vibrancy and life. The colors reflect more of my inner lightness of being and optimism. Until these films, I really was stuck in a rather straight-laced, buttoned down, conservative color palette. These movies helped me to revisit the freshness and joy that reside in my heart and that I now try to share with the world through my own art.

Goofs for "What Dreams May Come"

New Blog Feature!!

Some people know that I managed a music/movie store for many, many years. Music and movies are my passion and often my inspiration. That said, since I need to brush up on my writing skills, I'm going to start posting movie and music reviews. At first I'll probably start with movies and as I get bored with those I'll shake it up with some music reviews. Now since we don't go to the theaters, I will be reviewing my favorite movies and the ones that have inspired me most. There are quite a few and you may start seeing a pattern emerge (I know there is one so it will be interesting to see if others can see it!) I would love to hear your opinions and observations.

If it goes well I may even start sharing my most inspiring pieces of art and artists oooh, and books!!

Interesting Article on the CPSIA

Congress's war on toys

A new US law threatens to handcuff local indie artisans — and could render certain kids' products contraband

Snow Fort Brick Molds Packaging Art

Snow Fort!

Taking pictures of snow forts is not the easiest of tasks!! Here are some better pictures that I have adjusted the contrast on. If I had a tripod I could probably get even better pics but these will work just fine for now! Coming next: the packaging preview!

preview of new play item!

Not the greatest picture but I will try to take more. I am working on the packaging of our snow fort/sand castle brick forms. Keep your eyes open!