Happy Easter Weekend...

May you have a beautiful and meaningful Easter.
Celebrating with family and friends.

Enjoying what you like to do.

Making memories that last forever.

A very Happy Easter to Everyone.

Spring Chickie...

Spring?

Hellooooooooo Spring...

Spring please come back.

It is so cold and we have had snow again.

Winter has been with us since before Thanksgiving.

Please let Spring come back.

Three days of Spring was just mean!

Miss Lace Spring Chickie is waiting patiently.

She is gathering twine for a nest.

If you look closely what do you see?

She has an egg to lay in her nest.

Spring...Where are you Spring?

Please come back and stay until summer. We would be so warm and happy...

Happy Hearts...

Happy Hearts to everyone.

Aren't surprises just the most fun when they bring such creative joy and happiness? I certainly think so. In my mail was this super cute Birdie Valentine card and the little burlap package held closed with an adorable heart pin.

Surprise!

It held a beautiful charm domino necklace made by Sheila of Blessed and Distressed blog. I aplogize that my scan does not do justice to the glitter and beauty of this sweet little girl that Sheila made from a simple domino. Please visit her and see all that she does.

Thank you so very much Sheila. You are one of the wonderful and generous friends I have found here in blogland.

Heart Strings.

This scan definitely does not do justice to this lovely sewn string of hearts and butterflies and love that Miss Cory "Dogwood" handmade and sent to me. I adore it and its fluid movement as it hangs near my desk to inspire me. Thank you very much Dogwood of Pink Dogwood Blossoms blog. Cory and I actually live right near one another and have never met in person. We were matched up in last year's April Letter Writing challenge and have been corresponding ever since. Some day soon we shall meet especially since we both shop at the same Ben Franklin local craft supply store.

Creative Handmade Cards.

These are some Valentine cards I received from family and friends that are ever so cute and special as they are handmade. I must not scan so badly! I do cherish all of my Valentine goodies and the fact that they were created with love.

Chocolate...

Oh no lack of that. Just no photos or scans as I have eaten all of it. I did share a tiny bit with Mr. C since he likes chocolate also.

May you each celebrate this wonderful day and enjoy the love that surrounds us all.

Happy Hearts...

Beading in the Studio...

Here is my design board for bracelets. It is a smaller version than the large one I use for necklace designs. As you can see I got this from my favorite online source Fire Mountain Gems. I have spent time in the studio today beading some bracelets for Valentine's holiday.

I had fun digging through my bead boxes for colors and combinations that looked good together. This is proof that you do not need to purchase special beads for every design. I managed to make three bracelets with beads I had in my stash. These could have been beads I had previously purchased or in many cases beads left over from other projects.

I think you might agree that these three bracelets have heart and clearly look good for Valentine's day celebrations.

I loved being in the studio and making these bracelets. They came together quite quickly and easily. Now I am ready for Valentine's.

I hope you are able to spend time in your art room this week and make happy art.

Happy creating...

Room with a View!...

Now I have a room with a view! Thank you faithful blog followers for staying with me through my blogs with no photos. This beautiful new monitor just arrived last evening and now I can see.

Mr. C had to install it of course as I am good with crafty things but not electronic things. :o)

This new monitor is so much nicer than my old one so that is a plus benefit. It is bright and clear and thin and streamline.

Now I shall be able to post the finished projects I have accomplished while I was "in the dark".

Hmmm...which one shall I post first? Let me organize what I am doing and get back to you.

I just couldn't wait to share my good news.

Happy Wednesday and Happy Creating...

Monday Monday...

Let me see what this week holds in store for me.
I still await the arrival of my new monitor.
I continue to use Mr. C's notebook computer.
Sunday was a wonderfully rainy day with lots of water falling and filling the water table of Mother Earth.
Our pond is full to overflowing.
I made an interesting dinner...We had a friend join us...Life is good!
Progress has been made on a project and I shall share photos soon.
Saturday was a small craft fair and I was able to purchase a couple of gifts for the holidays.
I hope to have a super productive week. It is up to me and I know I can achieve my goals.
What are you working on? Do you make certain you do something just for yourself each day?
May you each have a wonderful week ahead.
Happy creating...

Tuesday's Creative Table...

This is my wonderful creative work table today. I feel so blessed to be able to play with my supplies.
I am using a recycled card front, some cotton fabric, pink and white papers and a sheer ribbon. Glue and my sewing machine will hold them all together.

Here is the finished card and bookmark. This photo is a little intense with the color as the actual card is much more subtle.

Super simple and super quick.

Now to package them and get them mailed to someone who can use some pink cheering up.

What are you working on in your creative space?

I also made a birthday card I forgot to photograph and I already have it sealed for mailing.

Do you recycle greeting cards? What is your favorite way to reuse them?

Please share your ideas.

Happy creating to all...

Mail Art by Roben-Marie...

I truly feel so very blessed to be a part of this amazing blogland with so many creative and generous people. Today as I collected my mail I was so surprised. Of course I got the expected bills and magazines and even a small package Mr. C had ordered for car parts. However at the very bottom of the stack was this beautiful mail art from Roben-Marie Smith. Please click today's title to link to her fabulous site. Roben-Marie is not only very artistic she is also extremely generous with her talents and tutorials. You will be happy you checked out her blog if you aren't already following. This is the back of the mail art folder and I especially love the heart as it is very dimensional! The colors and textures are what make this art so special.

Inside the folder was this very creative and sweet note. YES...I love my mail art!!

Roben-Marie also included two very beautiful cards in a clear protective sleeve. These are not only beautiful but they are words to live by...Believe and Love.

Thank you so very much for this very special mail art that is bringing a smile to my face and a song to my heart.

Wouldn't all of our mail be so much more pleasant to receive and open if it were so artistically created? I wonder if the mail delivery persons enjoy these pieces as they go about their daily deliveries. I know our mail lady, Cynthia, really loves to see these.

Happy creating...

My treasures...

Here is a glimpse of my treasures. Since I was a very little girl I have always been in love with tiny things and therefore mice. Anyone who knows me knows I love mice and collect them.
These few sit on top of the Mouse House curio cabinet which resides in the library of our home.
The library is one of my favorite rooms as it is cozy and serene and I am surrounded by books and my mice.

This is the bottom section of the curio with the door open so I could get a better photo. It looks rather jumbled but I can assure you each mouse is carefully arranged to my liking the day I set them. From time to time I do rearrange them and of course clean everything, but not too often lest I disturb their happy play.
I certainly won't bore you with all my stories however I can tell you where or who or how I got each and every mouse I have.
A special note is when Mr. Createology and I decided it was time to cohabitate (we are mid-life do-overs) I wondered if I could bring my Mouse House to his house. He doesn't like any clutter or "dust collectors" (I have told you how opposite we are!). It was agreed I could bring my Mouse House along and put it in a back bedroom. Now mind you his house was about three times the size of my house so there should have been no issue of space.
To his credit when we moved the Mouse House across town and it was being placed I was most surprised and pleased when he chose to place my Mouse House curio on a focal wall in the entry foyer so that it greeted all guests as they arrived. It was then and there that I knew he loved me.

This is the top section and you can see how fully packed it is just like the bottom section. Years prior to moving it to Mr. C's he surprised me with five additional glass shelves so that I would have more room for my expansive collection. The only caveat is that I needed to edit some of them and keep the truly special ones. I was able to do so and now you see my more "mature" collection.
Now days I am always very careful to select any new additions by their size and ability to fit into the Mouse House cabinet. I really do not want to edit any out.
Shhh...there are some (read many) who are living in other areas of our home however they are super quiet and Mr. C is not bothered by them at all.
I do have plans for some artistic collages some day with my paper mouse items but no rush.
I also have some fabric pieces to work with but, once again, no rush.
When I was very little and about 2 years old we lived in a tiny little house I can still picture and everyone knew I named it the Mouse House. I did tell you I have been entranced with mice for a really long time.
When I was a young wife and mother I tried having three white mice in a cage to enjoy. That was fine until in a very short amount of time there were not three but twenty-one and counting. Well that was the end of my raising and herding mice days.
Now I merely stick to the collectibles and enjoy them fully.
Thank you very much for indulging me in my mouse fantasy world.
Happy collecting...

Happy Birthday Mom...

As I sit here at my desk and take care of business details I am reminded of the date today.

This would have been the day to celebrate my mother's birthday.

However she has passed on and so no celebration. No cake. No gifts.

Merely a wonderful day to remember all that Mom meant to me.

So I wish her a Happy Birthday in memory and know that she is happy and enjoying herself.

I am grateful that I have her genes for creativity.

I am grateful I enjoy the wonder of the world.

Thank you Mom.

Cherry day to you...

Cherry day to you...or I should say cheery day to you.

A card I made and sent to someone just because.

The cherry paper inspired the button cherries with the ribbon stems.

A glitter butterfly just because they bring happiness.

Time spent happily creating.

I do hope it brought a smile to the face of the recipient.

I would like to say thank you to everyone who is reading my blog and commenting. I think I am seriously addicted to reading any comments I may get. I learn from them.

I also get to know you and appreciate your blogs and what you create.
I feel so very blessed to be able to make the things I enjoy, give them to family and friends, and share them with all of blogland.

Each day I think of what I might post and decide if it is something interesting or helpful or entertaining. I have varied tastes and follow lots of interesting blogs that have hugely differing venues and find I learn from each of them.

Focus? My focus is merely to enjoy life and be happy. I am energized by people and events. I am fulfilled by those who appreciate who I am and what I do. I am so grateful for the family and friends I have and enjoy so much.

What fuels your creative happiness?

Happy creating...

Beautiful Nature...

This is my favorite flower. A simple Johnny Jump Up is the name I like for these. I believe there more mature name is Viola. As you probably already know my favorite color is always blue. I like all colors but blue is my hearthrob. So in my blue planter I had yellow daffodils that are long since done blooming and now to my pleasant surprise I have some volunteer Johnny Jump Ups. They just make me smile. You would have thought I had won the lottery when I saw these few flowers.
Mr. Createology wanted to surprise me for Mother's Day however he couldn't find any of these at the nursery. He thinks he didn't know what flowers to look for. LOL So cute he is.
Instead he bought me all of these:

So yesterday I was up to my elbows in planting soil while I was repotting them. I was so happy! I have these two little pots sitting on the step that is at the french doors of the kitchen. What a wonderful way to greet myself as I come and go. We usually don't ever use our front door unless company is arriving.

This plant stand is now sitting near the kitchen bay window. The top planter is one my sister tole painted for me decades ago. Yes it is faded and chipped but I know how beautiful her painting is and I love to see it with beautiful flowers planted. The middle pot was given to me by one of my friends I have known forever. We used to work together and still stay in touch. Thank you Barbara. :o) The bottom planter is one that I painted in ceramics class. I love the shape of it and have had it for decades. On the deck floor is a small metal "birdbath" planter my friend Margaret gave me and I thought it would be super cute with Lobelia planted in it.

This is an old crock pot liner that I turned into a planter. I have daffodils in it along with some scruffy grassy thing. So for some color I added Lobelia and Alyssum. It sits in the corner which overlooks the back yard.

This plant stand and terra cotta tray sit in another corner which overlooks the driveway and the forrest. I am so tickled with how the flowers all look after I planted them. Once I had cleaned up my dirt mess and watered everything it was time for the big reveal to Mr. Createology.

Bless his heart. He really loves how they look. More importantly he understands how happy they make me. He actually said, "the flowers didn't go very far did they? I should have bought you more." Wow! For someone who never cared before when I whined about wanting flowers he sure has come around.

Did you ask why I don't plant them in the ground around the yard? Well, it is because after many years of doing so and always getting the same result I know better now. We have deer, racoons, huge wild rabbits (jackalopes), chipmunks, squirrels, coyotes, bear and lots of critters who literally eat my flowers overnight. It is heartbreaking so now I enjoy them only on my highest upstairs deck.

Flowers really do make me so happy. I love how beautiful nature makes them.

What are your favorite flowers?

P.S. I still have to stop and let the snapdragons sing and talk with their blossoms. You know what I mean. LOL

Happy Birthday Mr. Wonderful...

A very Happy Birthday to my Wonderful husband. Today is his birthday.
We are do-overs and since we have only been together since our forties we got a rather late start. We couldn't be more opposite - in everything and everyway. Somehow it not only works it actually enhances the togetherness of us. We seem to balance one another.

So today is all about food which he loves dearly. Yesterday in the cold rainy weather it was so nice to turn on the oven and bake this chocolate cake from scratch. Thank you to Ina Garten for her fabulous recipe. This cake is so moist and delicious. But wait...

It is all about the chocolate butter cream frosting from scratch that makes this cake To-Die-For! It is also Ina's recipe. When it came time to turn on the Kitchen Aid mixer and make this DH just had to help. He cut up and melted the chocolate which I was certain we wouldn't have enough because of his sampling so much. He mixed all the ingredients and did some more sampling. Butter is definitely his favorite yellow food. He has been known to put a dollop of butter right on top of his Oreo's that he is eating. Yes he has! I, of course, am a neat freak and about fainted to see the mess he was making but had to remind myself this is his birthday and this is his cake and let him have fun and that I, the maid, could actually clean up this mess and all would be fine. DH thinks you aren't a good cook unless you make a huge mess all over the entire kitchen. LOL He then spread the frosting on his cake and TA DA!
Happy Birthday Honey. Job well done.
P.S. We did eat a piece each after dinner last evening while it was snowing and OMG this cake is the best I/we have ever made.
Birthdays should be a joyous occasion so in the spirit we will be eating our way through the day as food is what makes him happiest.

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday dear DH...

Happy Birthday to you!

Keep those cards and letters coming...

A few more cards to send out for April Letter Writing month. I didn't realize just how much time it takes to address and write in each card. Making each card is fun and time just gets by while being creative. However when it comes to writing the notes inside each card it takes a lot more time and thought than I realized. For the past several days I have been doing not much else as I get these ready for sending.

This is the Easter card I made and sent to my special "blog pal". I had fun with this one. Darn those jelly beans on the paper always make me hungry. LOL

These are like the top one I did in purple but these are done with a copper embossing powder. I love this stamp and have owned it for many years. I believe it was made by Magenta.

The recipients of my cards might be surprised as I have tucked something inside them.

Tomorrow I shall take my armload of cards to the post office where I shall probably faint when I hear the total I owe for mailing my fun cards. Several different states and a couple of different countries are the destinations. I just know the cards will brings smiles to those opening them.

As for my FOCUS? Well, things do come along that are not in the line of what we planned. I am working on my jewelry designs. I am merely much slower than I should be. I shall have an update on what I have been doing by the end of this week.

Enjoy your days and do what makes you the happiest. For me it is puttering in my studio and sewing rooms. What makes you happy?

Special Day...

Very simply...Happy Easter.

May you celebrate this day as you like.

Enjoy the simple things.

Eat nutritious food.

Love your family and friends and spend time with them.

Make traditions and memories.

P.S. How do you devour your chocolate bunny? Ears first?

Send Some Smiles...

I am so enthralled with blogland. The most amazing people blog. I meet them by reading and following their blogs. Many of us have similar creative and artisitic ideas. Some of us have never stretched our talents and become encouraged to do so by our blog friends. We do become friends even though we have never met in person. We feel a connection. We form bonds.

These tags were inspired by a wonderful lady named Diane Knott and you can see her blog here: http://dianeknottsmusings.blogspot.com/ which I highly recommend. Diane makes the most beautiful cards, tags and other items. I have put my spin on some tags that she made using lavender and making sachets for the recipient to use in drawers or wherever. I feel so blessed to be able to make something and know exactly who I am sending it to. The tag in the middle with the word imagine on it is going to be mailed to St. Louis to a wonderful lady named Colette. Keep reading please...

I found out about Colette through a beautiful blog that Sherry (yes her name is spelled exactly the same as mine and that is very fun) has and I have been following. Please visit her blog to read about Colette:

http://countrywingsinphoenix.blogspot.com/2010/03/lets-get-colette-in-pink.html

This post of Sherry's is so heartwarming as it is requesting anyone send mail to Colette to cheer her while she is battling breast and bone cancer. Now this is the part of blogland and new friends that I truly cherish. We have such big hearts and want to help others so we come together and have a purpose bigger than just one of us could achieve on our own. I am now sending little cards and cheerful things that I think will brighten the day and bring a smile to Colette's beautiful face. I sent a butterfly because it represents 10,000 happinesses. I sent a heart shaped fabric yo-yo. I am sending this lavender sachet tag. Oh I have lot of ideas that I am preparing and will send every few days. Sherry at Country Wings is a lovely lady and so giving that now she is putting together a scrapbook for Colette. Please read about her ideas in her posts. Maybe you will want to help out and send some cheer and get Colette in the Pink.

I am truly blessed as I am able to enjoy every day and spend it doing whatever makes me happy. Truthfully making others happy is the most rewarding for me and makes me the happiest.

So please visit Diane and Sherry and send some cheer to Colette. Prayers are always excellent.

Happy Mother's Day...

I wish all mothers a very Happy Mother's day today. Mothers of children of all ages (including husbands), mothers of pets (otherwise known as fur-children), mothers of invention and mothers of creative spirit.
May you each enjoy your day and feel extra special.
Smiles ;o) and hugs ((((()))))
Saucy Chick Sherry

Remodel continues...

Well, the remodel continues...

We now have 6 gallons of very expensive paint on these cabinets you see. No doors or drawers yet. Yesterday I emptied and removed all the knobs from 24 drawers that belong in here. Plus I have 2 large pull out drawers. What a lot of cabinets, doors and drawers this kitchen has.

Interestingly enough in this one month-to-date process I find I don't even really need this kitchen in order to exist daily. Oh don't misunderstand me...I love this kitchen and will love it all the more when it is completed! Maybe I am merely in the exhausted mode of "I want this mess to be over and done with".

Hopefully the ceiling will be painted next week. Then the walls and then maybe we can uncover the paper masking that is soaked with paint, clean my beautiful granite counters that are hopefully surviving under all this and then I will feel better and see hope.

Now that the weather is so much nicer and the sun has come out and warmed us all it is also easier to think of simple meals that don't require a lot of cooking.

I do hope all of you are enjoying Spring in your areas. I even took a few hours to do some weeding and pruning. Then I enjoyed hand watering to wash pollen and dust from plants. I skimmed the pond but the pollen and oak droppings are beyond skimming at this point. The frogs seranaded me and I got to see 9 of them sitting on their lilly pads. I shall post some pics of the pond in the near future. I don't think I shall be lucky enough to photograph an actual frog as they are extremely shy and dive for cover even if I walk as quietly as I can to see them.

Happy Weekend Everyone.

Blessed with friends...

I feel so very blessed to have friends. This being Earth Day is another reason to feel blessed as I am so happy to be a part of this earth. I spent a wonderful day yesterday with my dearest and closest friend. We had to run errands and do grocery shopping but somehow it wasn't the chore it seems to be when done alone. We laughed, we shared stories, we split items that we didn't need a lifetime supply of, we were very helpful when one or the other couldn't decide whether to get something or not and we ate a leisurely lunch. All the while sharing a rare and wonderful friendship.
I am also blessed with friends whom I have never met in person. I have new friends that I have met through this amazing world of blogging and etsy shopping/selling. Each one unique and so very interesting and talented. I tend to be rather shy in person however I am not so shy online. OK I am not shy in person...I talk to anyone, anytime, anyplace. Sometimes I wonder why am I talking with this person?!! I am so like my mother was. The first time Mr. Hubby took me to San Francisco (just a decade ago) I couldn't understand why people wouldn't smile when I smiled at them. He cautioned me that, "You never make eye contact with anyone in a big city". Well, that is just not me. I had the hardest time looking everywhere but at people. I am a people person. People and especially events energize me. I come alive when I am around other people especially when they are having a good time. I am always in amazement when at Disneyland or DisneyWorld (actually any theme park) that too many people are frowning, mad or definitely not having a good time. Be happy comes to mind.
Thank you to all my friends, long time and newly found, for bringing me great joy and the feeling that I am blessed.
Happy Earth Day to all. May we take good care of our earth and our friends everyday.

More Comfort Dolls...

These little ladies of flora are the latest baker's dozen comfort dolls to be made and sent to http://comfortdolls.blogspot.com for shipment to various battered women's shelters across the United States and some other countries. This is a project that really spoke to my heart and I already have ideas for the next baker's dozen that I will make to donate. Pat Winter is the founder and does all the logistics for gathering and coordinating the dozens and then shipping them out to their new companions.

I feel great joy by contributing these little ladies to bring a smile and some comfort to those on their journey of life. They really are much cuter in person. I am so not a photographer but I did want to snapshot them for sharing.

They are a little burst of Spring and happiness to come to the recipients of them.