Nicaeli's Secret Laboratory

Abner and Imogene Have A New Home

2012-01-23T09:47:00.001-08:00

It all started with some black plexiglass and some bark I found outside.

Then some silicone and "great stuff" foam joined the party to produce some "fake rock"

Then all the friends set and rested awhile while they cured and dried and were topped with layers and layers of waterproof glue and coco fiber.

Once all was said and done, Abner and Imogene the shelled wonders were introduced into their new stylish and private new home. I hope they like it.

That is how I spent last week. Well, that and doing taxes. Now I get to get back to the secret lab and CREATE, CREATE, CREATE!...........Well, after Ciaran's birthday anyways.

So This is What I'm Considering

2012-01-12T11:45:00.001-08:00

I have been running things back and forth in my head about my creative endeavors for some time now. With all that has happened over the last meanwhile, I'm just needing things to be a lot more simple than they are. I have been trying to keep up with far too much and can't quite seem to make my goals for many reasons. It's all been really depressing and making me worry far too much. So I am thinking that I need to consolidate, get my motivation back, and then maybe I can strive for bigger and better things. The fact is, I enjoy what I do, I don't want to hate it, or ever come close to resenting it. I want to keep enjoying making leathery/metal-y things and I want explore and do more with both mediums. So my plan is to close my Artfire shop for now, I just can't make sense of putting money into it when I can't keep it stocked and promote it as well as my Etsy shop. In the future I may open shop on another venue but maybe just for some custom items and such. I will have to see where this all takes me. Hopefully, back on track to bigger and better things.

I Have Nothing To Share Except for Cute Geckos

2012-01-08T10:47:00.001-08:00

I Know, I know, I keep going on about this darned lizard vivarium and Beazus and Lulu, but they are really cute and I get so excited when I actually get a picture of either of them out and about. Or in Beazus' case almost out and about. Beazus is quite a lovely lady and just shed last week so she's sporting brand new skin to show off for everyone. She really seems to like that I added some taller, fuller plants to the vivarium so she can curl up and hide among the leaves.

Lulu is getting bigger by the day and is now developing some yellow coloration along with more spots all over her little body. I can't get any good pictures of her right now since she spends the majority of her time curled up in the many gigantic leaves in her little gecko condo. She is also calming down quite a bit and letting me hold her without trying to jump away as far as possible. I am hoping that by spring, I can put her in with her buddy Beazus and they can enjoy the big vivarium together. Lulu has got to grow a bit more and put on a little more weight. So we wait ever patiently.

I will be re-vamping the tortoise enclosure for Abner and Imogene in the next couple of weeks. I wish I could do some planting in their enclosure but they are little eating machines and chomp on everything that they find interesting so for now it's looking like I'll be making a "fake rock" background covered with coco fiber and peat/sphagnum moss. I am excited because I think it will look great and keep the kiddos a little warmer during the day which they really do need. I just hope they enjoy it.

That's the news for now. Other than my various reptile projects, I am furiously finishing up my custom orders and getting ready for tax time! So the next couple of weeks might be slow around here while I finish up.

The Mushroom!

2012-01-06T08:19:00.001-08:00

It's a little fuzzy, sorry. I found one yesterday while I was looking for Beazus in all of the vivarium foliage. Little teeny thing, I always feel bad when I have to pull them out, just because they look so beautiful hanging out there in the little jungle. They look like little tiny jellyfish shaped ghosts.

My Obsession

2012-01-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

I keep messing with the lizard vivarium. I am thoroughly enjoying all the growing and changing that takes place inside. I just recently replaced a couple of plants that were not really thriving inside and it looks marvelous right now. The moss that I hunted down locally and put in is finally seeming to be comfortable and mossy in it's new home. We've even had a bunch of teeny tiny mushrooms sprout up! They looked so incredible, like tiny little ghosts hiding beneath the bigger plants, but, not knowing if they are toxic or not, I had to pull them out. I don't want to accidentally poison Beazus or Lulu. Beazus seems to enjoy romping around inside. I can hear her in the middle of the night jumping back and forth among the plants and vines. I can't wait until Lulu is big enough to put back in there so we can see how they both like living there together. I think other than a couple of plants to fill in empty spots, I am looking at another magnetic ledge for the girls and that should do for this project. I hope to eventually make them a much bigger home, but I think I'll wait until we have more room for a bigger enclosure.

I Slept Right Through.......

2012-01-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

I missed the end of 2011 and most of the beginning of 2012. I slept right through! It was nice though. A little bit of a break for the mind and the body. Well, 2012, I am curious to see what you have in store for us. Hopefully it's going to be a lot of happiness and fun and kind of minimal on the not so happy, fun stuff. Either way, it's going I'm going to try to make the best out of it.

A Nice Peaceful Christmas

2011-12-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

I didn't take a lot of pictures. I just wanted to enjoy the day with the kiddos. We had a really nice day. Despite an awful sinus headache, and the strangeness of not celebrating our holiday with any of our extended family, I managed to make it through the day! I made us a yummy super low fat/low carb/sugar free dinner and dessert.

The kids loved their new toys! Although, I think opening the gifts was way more exciting for them than anything else. Santa was good to us! The only regret is that the day goes by too darn fast. So now, we enjoy our new goodies and our time together and look forward to ending this year and moving on to a whole new year full of fun and excitement!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone out there has a lovely holiday season. I feel so lucky just to have my little family with me to celebrate this year. We've had quite a year and I am ready to see it out with a quiet and peaceful week of just enjoying my time with Mark and the kiddos. I send big hugs and kisses to all of you and a gooey candy covered gingerbread house too!

Another Day of Awesomeness

2011-12-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

I finished up my last craft show of the year! The "Not Too Late Craft Fair "was an awesome experience and I hope I will be able to do it again next year. It was very inspiring to be among such incredible artists all day. I met a lot of wonderful people and let in some holiday cheer too. Now I look forward to a future of last minute Christmas shopping and custom order finishing. Hopefully, with a sip of eggnog here and there:)

I Sure Do Miss The Rain

2011-12-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

It's been beautiful here during the last couple of weeks. Sunshine and blue sky with super chilly nights, and a little fog here and there. The trouble is, that when it is sunny here, I feel it is my duty to be outside with my kids, not stuck inside the house sewing and carryin' on and such. We should be out PLAYIN' IN THE SUN!!!! Fortunately/Unfortunately I am pretty busy right now with lots o' different things. I am preparing for my next fair and trying to work on some custom orders in between. I miss the rain for that reason. Work. I need to get a lot done and the rain is all I need to keep me from daydreaming about frothy coffee drinks and playing in the park. I just work, then play a little bit, then work again. I need that right now. Plus, there is nothing like hangin' out in the big chair drinking hot coffee with a little splash of eggnog while the kiddos and I cuddle and watch the rain fall outside. That is what the rainy season here is all about to me. Oh well, hopefully we'll see some soon, right now, I'll just be happy with an overcast day or two and some fog.

Some New-ness!

2011-12-05T13:14:00.001-08:00

My new-ness for this week freshly listed in my Etsy shop. I haven't listed much in my Artfire shop simply because I don't have that much left to list. I am still sewing though, so there is hope yet!

Oh My Goodness! The Mess!

2011-12-03T13:14:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe how messy this place gets when I am distracted by work! I now get to spend the day organizing and cleaning up so I can make it just as messy for our next show. These are the days that I dream of my own studio space where there is room for everything I need. I would have snapped a picture or two to share with you but it might make you cry, it made me cry and I live here!

A Good Time Was Had......

2011-11-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of new pieces that I finished up just in time for the Ink People Holiday Gift Fair. I really like the top one, out of all the pieces I made, I think that little one is my favorite!

Despite a really awful stomach ache (brought on by too much Thanksgiving foodage and WAY too much coffee) and the very sad absence of my vending partner, otherwise known as my mom( insert a HUGE frowny face here, I don't think it will get any easier any time soon), I had a great time on Saturday! It was so nice to be a part of this fair, in familiar surroundings and among super talented artists. It always inspires me when I do shows, I see so much around me that I love and appreciate the hard work each of these artists puts in to their work and everything else. I can't wait for the next one! Hopefully I won't be up until 2am nailing down all the final details this time. Although, I was quite impressed with how much I was able to get done despite the craziness and grief over the last couple months.

I look forward to doing more shows in the future. Now that the kids are getting older and I am able to find sufficient time to work and plan, I think I may be able to pull it off, we'll shall see though, we shall see:)

Up in The Middle of The Night Again

2011-11-24T03:11:00.000-08:00

Not that I want to be, but I just am. I'm pretty sure I could sleep but I'm having a really nasty allergy attack complete with wheezing and sinus headache. So, after I finish writing this, I am going to finish gluing the appliques to the last of my leathery wallets and such for my show on Saturday. It's not much, but enough to keep me busy for a couple of hours until my allergy meds start working. I still have a bit to do, but I feel like I am farther ahead than I have been in the previous years with all my stuff. I think my mom's passing has really bit me in the butt! I really feel the need to get stuff done, and not put anything that I find important off. Procrastination is deadly! Working on my leathery things has become a necessity again for coping with the loss of my mom, but I have also found that it brings me a little peace and happiness. Even if I don't sell a damn thing, I still feel good that I am making things that I love in the way I want to do them. That feeds my inspiration, which makes me want to create more. I think I lost that a bit over the last year, with all sorts of gooey details that I am not going to spill, it's been difficult to find enjoyment and inspiration in much of anything. I feel like I've found that again. Now, the trick is to keep it!

Only a Few More Days!

2011-11-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

I am working my butt off to get some nice leathery things done for my upcoming show next Saturday. I will be selling my leathery pieces along with the last of my mom's lovely ponchos and baby jackets at the Ink People Center for the Arts Holiday Gift Fair.

I am running behind though. I still have a stack of wallets to cut glue and sew. I always do this! Although this year I guess I have more of an excuse for procrastination than usual but still! Oh well. Since I seem to have caught a sewing bug maybe I can just power on through without too much trouble. It really does help to work, it kind of clears my mind of all the busy-ness for the moment and I can just focus on what is in front of me.

In other news, we are gearing up for Thanksgiving and the holidays. I am going to have the kids finish up an Autumn wreath this week and we are hosting a small Thanksgiving potluck for my family. Then...... On to lots of glittery winter fun! I am keeping up the happy not only because my heart craves it right now, but my kids need it too. They are soooooo very excited about Christmas this year, and I think it's great. It makes me excited too. It's going to be a lovely, sad, happy, teary holiday season this year.

Lizard Condos and Such

2011-11-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

We needed to switch Lulu and Beazus to different cages so we got this cool little Exo Terra terrarium for a temporary lizard condo for Lulu since she is too small to live with Beazus right now. It comes with a pre-made background for climbing and I started out by adding some pebbles, charcoal, and mesh for drainage on the bottom. Then I added some coco fiber as planting/bedding material.

We planted it with some ficus, alocosia, and pothos. I added some moss that I collected for stability and humidity control. I also put in some monkey vines for Lulu to climb and perch on.

Lulu seems to like it pretty well, she immediately climbed one of the monkey vines so she could take a peek around at her new place. The plants I used are all planted in the larger vivarium as well so it should be comfortable for her. Lately her favorite place to spend the day was curled up on one of the alocosia leaves hidden away from everyone. It was too cute!

Beazus seems pretty happy too. Her temporary tank was much to damp and stuffy. I was worried that she might become ill if she spent too much time in there. Now, she has a lot more space with better ventilation and it's a little warmer for her. She's been exploring all afternoon.

I can't wait for Lulu and Beazus to live together but I would rather wait until Lulu is big enough to hold her own if there should be any gecko battles over territory. So for now, the big girl gets the big vivarium, and the little girl is nice and snug in her little vivarium. As long as they are happy, I am happy.

More Newness!

2011-11-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

These are the newest of the new now listed and ready to find new homes in my etsy shop. I am sorta diggin' the bright yellow leather, it makes for some super fun new elements in my designs. It's always a bit of a challenge to find colors that work together well without having to be altered in some way. This yellow was super challenging, but I think I found some colors that work well with it. It should be fun to see what more comes out of the crazy bright yellow, 80's jacket with bat wing sleeves and and huge shoulder pads. Now it's off to work on some coin pouches and eyeglass cases. Yippee!

Billfolds!

2011-11-04T13:05:00.001-07:00

The whole stack is done! I finally got to listing them and the first six are now in my Etsy shop. I am listing just a few each day since I am also working on a huge stack of coin pouches as well. Man, it is such a lovely feeling to be productive! I am now gonna get my butt out of the house for a few and play:) Have a great weekend everyone!

My Plan for the Day

2011-11-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

Is to get these listed! Finally! Just got to trim up some threads and take some pictures. Then...... a whole other stack to finish up for listing tomorrow. I don't think I have had this much stuff to list in a very long while! After all the listing excitement, I get to clean up my sewing area that a little explosion called Edolie got in to the other day. She seems to have spread most of my fabric and zippers all over the living room. Should make for a lovely game of "I Spy".

We Made it Through Halloween!

2011-11-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

The blue M&M and the grouchy ladybug had a great time making cookies, carving up some jack o'lanterns, and trick or treating on the plaza. I made it through too! We had a wonderful day and were very happy to end it with a bowl of split pea soup with biscuits and a dessert of dirt and worms, along with some play time with the cousins and Auntie. Today we welcome in November with candy hangovers, roasted pumpkin seeds, and WAY too many jack o' lantern and ghost cookies.

The New Girl

2011-10-28T12:43:00.001-07:00

This is our Beazus, future BFF of Lulu. Beazus is a flame morph crested gecko. She is super awesome! She will be hangin' out in her quarantine enclosure for a couple more weeks before we put her in with Lulu. It could be a while longer since Lulu is still pretty little. We hope they will be good friends and even better roommates. Lulu is getting bigger by the day but we really want to make sure that she can hold her own if any crestie squabbles break out when they are introduced. We just discovered that Lulu is a Dalmatian morph crested gecko. I panicked the other day when I saw that she was starting to get black spots all over her body. I thought she might be getting moldy or something! Luckily, I had just looked at a bunch of pictures of different morphs and found a few that look exactly like Lulu. So here's to hopin' that the awesome twosome have great lives together:)

I Can't Decide.....

2011-10-24T13:13:00.001-07:00

If I love this or hate it. I spent the weekend working on this just to get it off of my work table once and for all. I need a new diaper bag/handbag and had cut this one out a while back to make for myself. I think I like it, but it's just, well, HUGE! and BRIGHT! I love the bright pink but the size of it freaks me out. I know it will come in handy on my day long trips here and there where I need to have lots of back up stuff for the kiddos. I guess I kind of love it in a hateful kind of way. If that even makes sense:)

In other news, I am trying to keep myself busy since my mom passed away. I feel really good when I am working and really need the distraction. I just have a hard time getting started on anything. My mind wanders naturally(ADD and all) so now it is just jumping all over the place! One thing that is helping is my upcoming show. I know I have to have some leathery things ready for that. I have piles and piles of leathery goodness to put together. So, my next few weeks will be filled with gluing, sewing, and more sewing. My mom and I were going to share a table and sell our wares but with her death, I will be the only one there. We are planning to keep my mom's space to sell her ponchos and baby jackets to hopefully make a little money for my Dad, who really needs it right now. It's going to be one weird and lonely show without her:(

Beazus is still in quarantine, and will probably be there for a couple more weeks. She is settling in nicely though. She eats well, she's active, she's curious, and eats while hanging upside down by her tail. She sleeps all day curled up like a little cat underneath her gecko cave. Lulu is just awesome as well, she also hangs upside down to eat at night. I can't wait to introduce them!

Lulu Has a Buddy!

2011-10-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture of her yet, but she is one gorgeous gecko! We've decide to call her Beazus, after Humbug Beazus. They share a similar coloration. Hopefully she doesn't have the same grouchy streak as Humbug did. I saw her and fell in love with her, and she is even more lovely in person! Cross your fingers for a good long happy life for Lulu and her new friend Beazus!

I Changed My Shop Name

2011-10-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

It is now Oh Nicaeli! I wanted to name it that from the very beginning but for some reason I never did. So now that we can change our shop names through Etsy, I gave it a go! Someday soon, I will also have a LOT of leathery things to offer. I am back to sewing and it feels good to be busy. I look forward to sharing my newest collection of leathery things to you:)

Not you too Yui!

2011-10-17T11:56:00.001-07:00

Our bestest cat Yui is fighting old age but old age is apparently winning. We think our sweet little tabby man is at the end of his days with us. All we can do now is make him as comfortable as possible. Yui has been such a trooper and the sweetest and most loving kitty we've known so far. Not only has he battled epilepsy for most of his years with us, he's also put up with the very opinionated and sometimes more than grouchy Humbug and Mac. He was twice as big as both of them but always let them have their way just to keep the peace. Such a sweet patient soul.

She's Two Now

2011-10-15T13:50:00.001-07:00

Miss Edolie Evangeline turned two on Friday. Although we are in shock and so incredibly sad about my mom's passing. We decided that it would be good for all of us to keep on with the celebration. We had quite a party! I think Ed had one rockin' time and Grammy would have wanted it that way:)

It All Started With A Headache........

2011-10-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

What started as a "neck spasm" on Thursday turned in to a massive stroke the next Monday morning. We lost my mom on Saturday October 8th, 2011. We are so lucky that we got to spend time with her before she died. We are so glad that we had the opportunity to say goodbye. We love and miss her so much.

Happy October!

2011-10-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

October is here! I love it! I also love that it came in with clouds and rain. It makes my heart happy. Today the family and I will celebrate by heading downtown for a cookie and some coffe and to look at what is left of Pastels on the Plaza, a fundraiser for Northcoast Children's Services.

I am busting through my stack of leathery things, getting lots o' appliques cut and glued! I am even working on a special project out of super bright pink leather, I won't give it away at the moment, I'll just show you when it's all done and ready to be worn:)

Have a great day all!

Lulu is Just Awesome!

2011-09-24T12:58:00.001-07:00

This little cutie is taking over our lives here. We are still not sure if Lulu is a girl or a boy, he/she is still pretty tiny and hard to catch, so we can't get a really good look at his/her "parts." All I know is that he/she is super cute and super entertaining to watch while he/she jumps and bounces around the vivarium. I finally got this picture of Lulu while he/she was spying on us yesterday. How could anyone not love those incredible eyes!

We've Been Stuck Inside for a Long, Long, Time

2011-09-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

We all had colds last week which kept us inside for almost the entire week. Lots of coughing and sneezing and feverish-ness. On Friday, our shower decided it was time to leak, but not just leak, more like run like a itty bitty waterfall. We couldn't get it to stop. So, we had a few days of waiting on a plumber to fix up our leaky/runny shower, no outside time for us there either. It turned out that there was a great big piece o' fungus growing all up in the nether regions of the shower faucet. YUCK! At least the shower works now, I would hate to see what else is growing in our walls now. As for the stuck inside part, I'm not really complaining because I got a lot of work done. I cut out LOTS of leathery coin pouches and wallets and started gluing in some of the appliques. Hopefully, some will find their way to the sewing machine soon so I can get them sewn up and ready to list! I am crossing my fingers that I can keep it going:)

The Big Pile O' Stuff!

2011-09-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is what I worked on this weekend. lots of billfolds and coin pouches were cut out, now it's time to get creative and do some appliques. The colors don't look that fantastic as they are all layered together in one big blob, but there is everything from light grey to school bus yellow, to metallic white! I am also cutting out some more emerald green, violet, purple, red, and blue coin pouches and such to add to the pile. I just had to take a break to rest my hand for a bit. Feels good to work!!!!!

Lulu

2011-09-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

Lulu the Crested Gecko

Since we lost Jonesie and the field mice, we decided that it was just too lonely here and we really needed to find a friend for the very lonely vivarium and put a little cheer into our lives.

So, last Monday we headed out to our local pet supply shop to look at their selection of little critters that would work out for our vivarium and we came home with Lulu! Ciaran named him/her on the way home from the shop. He/she is a baby crested gecko and only measures about four inches long right now. He/she makes a very lovely addition to our house of toddlers, tortoises, and tabby cats! Lulu seems to really like his/her new home, he/she has been exploring every corner of it with his/her little sticky toes!

( I am using his/her a lot because it is too early to tell if Lulu is a girl or boy, so in a few months we should know and his/her name will be Lulu or Lou.)

Other than that, I am excited about the Fall and Winter and all the fun that comes along with it. I will be doing the Ink People Center for the Arts Holiday Gift Fair this year. After a year off! I made myself a "get busy or die!" list. I sure hope I follow it! Too much procrastination and self doubt these last few months, it's time to get over myself and back to work!

Happy Friday!

2011-09-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

I wish you all a fabulous weekend of fun! I am hoping to get some work done this weekend as well as get out in the sunshine for a bit and play. I am working on a great little wristlet right now and just can't wait until it's done so I can show you all. Hopefully, I will get it all done and some other things too! Off I go to play in a big pile of leather:)

What a WEIRD Way to End The Week.

2011-08-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to receive Jonesie and did all we could to keep her comfy and help her adapt to her new home for the last week. Unfortunately, she passed away early Saturday Morning, breaking my heart and the kiddos hearts' as well. RIP Jonesie. ( Sorry for the fuzzy picture, it was her first day with us and I didn't want to stress her out by getting the camera too close to her.)

Then, Mark came home from his ride on Saturday with a pocket full of little babies he had saved from an uncertain future in the road. We started with four, two died within the first hours of being home with us, these are the two little babies that lived and are eating and thriving so far. We have no idea if they will make it or not but we are giving it our all.

So, that's been my week in a nutshell. As much as I wanted to get back to sewing, I am now spending my days caring for some these absolutely tiny critters and that is cool with me. I only wish my efforts with Jonesie were as successful :(

Onward to next week which I hope to be filled with leathery fun and thriving small furry critters. Cross your fingers for us:)

I'm Back!

2011-08-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

........and it was FUN! I love going to Oregon and so do the kiddos and Mark. We had a wonderful, adventurous time traveling all about Oregon, and now after I catch up on some much needed sleep, I have the urge to create! We'll see what happens after some resting and birthday celebrating this weekend:)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

New Made to Order Item

2011-08-08T12:09:00.001-07:00

I think I posted these pics before but I finally decided that I wanted to offer this design in my Etsy and Artfire shops as a made to order item. It's a journal cover that can be made in most colors and textures(depending on what I have available) and sizes. This one fits a 4 inch by 6 inch journal/sketchbook. It's fully lined and padded and has a roomy zipper pocket for pencils/pens/ erasers/etc.

Other than that, I am getting ready for our adventure and doing a bit of sewing and cleaning in between. I am having visions of cool scenery, train rides, donuts, zoo animals, reptiles, pastries, and the sea! I am having a hard time concentrating because I am looking forward to the journey so much. So enjoy your week everyone, I will be back soon with pics and many stories of my adventures out there somewhere:)

This Week's News

2011-08-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

There isn't much news this week. Just working on my leathery things and hoping to get a few things done and listed in my shops. I did decided to celebrate August the month of my birthday and the month of my fourth Etsyversary by offering free shipping in my Etsy shop:)

Other than that, I will be heading out to play for a few days next week so I won't be around much. I will leave my shops open though, and all items that are sold between August 11th and August 15th(my vacation time) will ship out by Wednesday August 17th when I am back in town. We are heading north to Oregon to have some fun! I hope to have a lot of stories and pictures when we return.

So off I head to my work table full of leathery wonders, to sew up a storm on this cloudy, rainy morning. Have a lovely day all!

Some New Pictures

2011-07-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

My newest wallet! Now up for grabs in my Etsy shop.

Ciaran and Edolie relaxing in the sun, Ciaran got a new hair cut!

The vivarium at 1 1/2 weeks growth. I added some baby tears and other moss and will be taking out the dead selaginella moss and adding another small plant. Should be ready for our little scaly friend soon:)

Newbie!

2011-07-27T12:07:00.001-07:00

I just finished this new envelope wallet up and listed it in my Etsy shop. I am loving this bright green leather! I will be sad when it's all used up and gone:(

The Newest and More Like it

2011-07-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

I finished this wallet up and listed it this week, I forgot I had cut a bunch of these out a while back and they are all ready to be put together. So, with any luck, I'll be working my little hiney off all weekend to get a few of these done.

Other than that, I am all finished with the critter vivarium and it should be ready to go in a couple of weeks. I just want all the plants and mosses to get a good healthy start before some little critter moves in. I am also going to have to make the tortoises a background for their enclosure. It seems that Abner and Imogene have been trying to make their way out and actually "dug" a hole right through the wire mesh on one side. So with my newly acquired "reptile habitat" skills I will be fashioning them a new background for their cage out of foam core, spray foam, wood glue, dried moss and coco fiber. Yipee! I'm crossing my fingers that they like it.

That's my week in a nutshell. Not terribly exciting, but not horrible either and that's o.k. with me!

My Newest Custom Design

2011-07-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

I finished this big ol' envelope up last week. I am really happy with how it turned out! I am in love with that bright blue leather for sure! It goes off to it's new home in Greece this week.

Vivarium!

2011-07-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

My fake rocks for our lizard vivarium made of spray foam!

Carving up the rocks to make them more "rock-like"

All carved up and ready to be sealed

Sealed and drying in the sun! I used a mixture of peat moss, sphagnum moss, coco fiber, and wood glue. ( I think that they look like huge turds)

I put in the background, added the fountain, coco fiber, planters, selaginella, and sprinkled some peat and sphagnum mosses

I added the branches and vines

Now it is all planted up and ready to go. I planted a small palm, polka dot plant and some other terrarium plants. We just need to let them get used to their new home. I will post some pictures once everyone is established and thriving.

It was a great project and now I just want to build terrariums and vivariums all day!

Happy Friday!

2011-07-08T17:28:00.001-07:00

In between nursing a sinus infection and making one very cool custom envelope/wallet thingy, I am working on this vivarium. I finally got the background for the container which means I am now free to start planting. So I put in the itty bitty fountain with the cool tiki head, filled in the other side with coco fiber and my homemade rock planters, sprinkled a bit of sphagnum/peat moss over the top, and added some seliganella moss to the cracks and crevices. It's starting to look pretty cool and it should look even better when I add the branches and other plants to the mix. It's nice to have something new to work on. I can't wait until we get our new little lizard friend to live in it:) Have a wonderful weekend! I look forward to a weekend of cool blue leather projects and hopefully feeling better!

New Little Family in the Neighborhood

2011-07-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

This little family of swallows have moved in to our garage/storage/laundry room. There are actually two nests but this one is still full with at least three babies. They have been so much fun to watch I will be sad when they decide it's time to move on.

Other than the birdies, it's been quiet around here. I have been working on a couple of custom orders and nursing a cold. I think it's gonna be a quiet week, and that is fine with me!:)

Waterfall/Fountain Fun

2011-06-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm back from my little vacation. It was super-rifically awesome and I wish we were able to be there a little bit longer, but we missed our babies and couldn't wait to see them again. I think next time, we may bring them along as well. Every thing's just easier that way. I didn't get to take any photos while I was there, I meant to, but we just had a lot to do in a short amount of time. So, no haunted hotel pics or pics from the show. Well, I have lots of pictures in my mind, where they will stay in that fluffy, happy place that I retreat too when the real world sucks too much for me to deal with.

Anyways, I spent my "Tired Tuesday" recovering at home in my pajamas with the kiddos. I started making a waterfall for my vivarium but found out after it was done, that it is way too big for the size of the cage it will be in. So "Whiny Wednesday" I dismantled the waterfall and made a much smaller and much less dramatic fountain with an old bowl that I had for the tortoises. It ended up looking pretty cool and will work perfectly for what I need it for, but I sure was looking forward to the drama of the bigger waterfall. I guess that will be my excuse for my next vivarium/terrarium project. It makes me feel good to get it done and out of the way so I can concentrate on collecting the plants for the cage. Now if only my background would show up, so I could actually put it all together and get it planted!

Going Away!

2011-06-22T14:36:00.001-07:00

I am going away for the weekend and only my second time ever being away from my kiddos for more than a couple of hours. Mark and I are going to head down to the bay area where we will stay in a haunted hotel and see Rush play. I've wanted to see them since I was twelve and now I get the chance to at almost 42!

I am dreading leaving the kiddos, but looking forward for a little time to myself and some time to find some inspiration for all my creative endeavors. I have lost a bit of my motivation and inspiration over this last meanwhile and it really hurts my heart to be at a stand still. I think this weekend will be a good, smart kick in the pants to get myself over myself and back to making funky fun stuff. I miss it, I do! Wish me luck in getting my creative spark all sparkly and shiny once again!

Ciaran's Birdhouse

2011-06-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

We finally finished! We've been working on this little birdhouse since February. It took quite a lot of time in between coats of glue and paint to dry and seal. Now it's hanging happily outside with a full bird feeder. Ciaran is very proud of it's blue and green-ness and anxiously awaits some birdies, any birdies that may come along and make it their home. We also planted some flower seeds that our good friends Katie and Lili gave us, we can't wait to see them grow and grow!

New Leathery Things and Other Ongoing Projects

2011-06-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Looks like I am a prisoner to my allergi-rific-ness right now. Meaning, the second I leave my apartment I break out in hives, have some sort of creature in my chest that gurgles, groans, and mews, and my darn nose and eyes start weeping. So I'm stuck. So along with my leathery goodness, I will be playing catch up and start up on a few little projects that need to get done. So far we have:

*finishing Ciaran's birdhouse and filling the bird feeder(something we have been trying to do for months now but finally we are done!)

*making fake rocks for my first vivarium. I am actually making planters that look like rocks out of spray foam. I have just finished carving them up into their finished forms and now I must seal them!

*New pillow covers for our tattered couch pillows. Since we aren't decided on moving so far, I am doing my best to make our little crappy apartment a little less crappy and like able.

That's about it for now. I must go make another cup of coffee and take some pics of all this stuff so you all can see what I am talking about.

I'm Almost There

2011-06-07T14:17:00.001-07:00

I finished up and listed another leathery thing in my Etsy shop today. Three more leathery things and I will have met my goal for the week. Yay for me!

Something New

2011-06-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

I finished these fine funky creations this last week. The cuff is for my lovely sister who celebrated her birthday last week. It's a little on the Halloweenie side but I really love it! I hope she does:) The wristlet is now available in my Etsy shop, I have had my eye on the color combination for a while now and finally put them all together, I think they are bee-you-tee-full all together, I'm glad I finished it, any accomplishment these days is a lot for me. I promised myself a week of leathery fun and after a week of non-stop craziness, I deserve it! Watch it be a beautiful, sunny, I-don't-wanna-be-inside kinda week. Just my luck:)

A Super Long Week

2011-06-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a long week here. I really don't have a lot to share since I have been running about like a headless chicken every day. Today is the first day I have been able to actually sit and take a breath. I have to say, I am looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully, I will have something more exciting to share next week when I can get back to my life!

Handsome Abner

2011-05-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's Thursday already! This is handsome Abner, he is now even more handsome because he got a make-over including having his beak trimmed. He and his girlfriend Imogene keep me company in the afternoon while I work on my leathery things. As you can tell, Abner is shy and doesn't like his picture taken very often. I just thought I would share him today since I really can't think of anything else to write about. Have a great day!

Things that Are Neato.

2011-05-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

1. Ed met her 18 month anniversary on Saturday, to celebrate we had frozen yogurt with lots of toppings and then went to the park and played on the climber.

2. I finished two tremendously weird and wonderful custom orders which I must say I am pretty happy with. The one above is my favorite, just can't get any better than emerald green and purple.

3. I trimmed the tortoise's beaks all by myself and it was so easy! They both seems so happy with their make-overs.

4. I have two new leathery thing ideas and I am feeling my inspiration coming back. Finally!

5. The day outside is gorgeous and I am working on a wristlet that I am in love with, this is a good day!

That is the neato-ness for now! Cheers!

Snot and other Things

2011-05-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

We have another cold. Yes, only our ba-gillionth since the beginning of the year. Once again snotty kids lead to snotty mama, with lots of crankiness and lethargy in between. It's almost gone now and I'm glad, I am itching to get out and play!

Other than that, I am trying to get my custom orders done and work on some more items for my shops. I have a beautiful wristlet that I am in the middle of working on but everything is slow going when we are down with any illness. So I am entertaining my laziness by researching reptile terrariums and lizards. I don't know why but I am. Perhaps down the line we can offer up a home to some little lizard-y soul who might need us. I would love that. Plants and lizards are all the rage in this house! Now I must get back to sniffling and my leathery busy-ness. Have a great day!

Busy Days!

2011-05-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

I have spent three days now being super busy, with endless chores and "to do" lists and today, I am just tired..........and sore..........and sunburned. We started the week with our yearly note from our landlords to clean up our overgrown "yard" and the next day, a visit from the property managers "just making sure" we were going to take care of the situation. I don't know how many times I have talked to these people about this situation and I guess they really don't care because even though it literally just stopped raining, I have severe allergies to whatever grows out there, and they have provided no equipment for us to maintain the "yard" we are still expected to mow the sucker down and keep it that way. I guess I could understand if these people actually seemed to care about the condition of the inside of their buildings (as well as their outsides) and maintained both so they were actually live-able but they really don't and it shows. Enough of my rambling though. I took care of the "yard" and now have the battle scars to prove it!

I pulled weeds, grasses, and berry brambles, and trimmed everything back. All with my own hands and a pair of blunt clippers. I spent a couple of days doing it but it got done. I have been celebrating by wheezing, dripping, and developing hives from head to toe. Not to mention that I have a sprained ankle, a stabbed thumbnail, swollen hands, sore and scratched arms and legs, and my back yowls at me every time I move! But it is done! It looks like crap, but it's done. Now if they would replace the fencing they promised us almost five years ago, our "yard" might be kind of nice to hang out in. I think I am going to take the opportunity to make it nice, and more "kid friendly" so the kiddos and I can have some nice outside time the summer without having to go anywhere.

On the bright side, I now have a place to put my outside pen for the tortoises, and the kids do have a little room now to play on sunny days. Fun for all I guess. I wish I could say I felt good about all of it, but I'm pretty sure the only reason they even bothered to ask us to take care of it was because the owners are trying to sell this place and don't want to pay someone to actually maintain and landscape the front. Fun times!(grimace!)

Other than that, I have been working on a couple of custom orders and trying to get some more of my leathery goodness done and listed. I finally got a pair of glasses so I can see what I am doing and WOW! the difference is amazing. I CAN SEE! I CAN SEE! with my polka dotted glasses.

We moved Ed into Ciaran's room finally, and they love it!..........so far:)

We also found a large bunny cage in our trash over the weekend and attempted to find it a new home. We ended up giving it to a lovely woman who has a bunny that is expecting soon. It feels good to be helpful. Welcome to the world little bunny friends! I hope it's a good, long life for you all! With that, I am off to drink more coffee and nurse my sore limbs and back:)

Newest Etsy Offerings

2011-04-27T12:38:00.001-07:00

New Large Envelope Wallet

Green and Purple Leather Eyeglass Case

Both of these lovelies are offered up in my Etsy shop. I am also offering free shipping for the next meanwhile, just enter "happyspring" at checkout. Thanks for checking out my newest stuff!

Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T12:16:00.001-07:00

Just a few pictures of our crazy weekend waiting for the Easter Bunny! I was kind of under the weather so we kept it a bit on the mellow side. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Little Steps Closer

2011-04-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

In trying to keep up with my mess making skills, I have made myself a new organizer to hold all of my projects in. My problem lately has been that a very curious, small child had discovered how to open my sewing box, and has taken to lifting patterns, pieces of wallets, etc. and hiding them all about the house. So for now, the sewing box is hidden away, and the pattern pieces and such are hanging high up in the wall in various pockets, according to how close they are to being complete. I can't wait to see what happens when she starts to climb.

Other than that, the mess is still messy, the sewing is going slowly, and everything else is status quo. Someday, hopefully not to far off in the distance, the leathery goodness will prevail!

I Feel Like........

2011-04-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

POOP!

It feels like someone has run me over with a large truck. I hate my sinuses! I wish they would behave! Oh well, a day to lounge makes up for a sucky weekend. Tomorrow will be a better day as long as my sinuses agree.

Sometimes

2011-04-17T16:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing can be done to help.

Alone is better than anything.

Far away is better than close to the heart.....WAY better!

Repeating yourself over and over is just going to cause a headache and resentment.

Confrontation is not worth the trouble, since it won't go anywhere.

Thinking of yourself first is good.

Pretty Dresses and Other Stuff

2011-04-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

I found a box of clothing that my mom had saved for me from WAY back in my baby days. Included in the box were three pretty, frilly baby dresses that are just Ed's size. Oh my goodness does she love them! She wants to wear them all the time. Luckily there is a really cute little frilly cardigan to wear with them since it's still pretty chilly around here for the most part. I have yet to get her in the last dress, it's a frilly yellow dress with little bloomers to match. Too cute!

In other news, we are doing some massive cleaning and dumping right now. The mold is taking over our bedrooms and it needs to be stopped! So I am sitting here in my living room among boxes and bags of stuff to washed, donated, dumped, etc. I can't wait to clean it all out! It has been way too long in getting rid of a lot of this stuff. I really wish I could pick up our apartment dump out it's contents, and set it back up, putting only the contents that I want back inside. That would be awesome!

I Feel So Lonely

2011-04-06T11:22:00.001-07:00

The kiddos have decided that they prefer to play in Ciaran's room. So each morning, they eat their breakfast and then toddle off to Ciaran's room to play. So here I am left alone with my coffee. It's weird, after having them glued to me for so long they just wanna hang with each other. So I guess I need to start figuring out how to spend my "coffee break" more wisely. Darn kids, changin' up the routine on me! Whatever Ciaran! Whatever Ed!

A New Thing To Share

2011-04-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Look what came out of my week of the funky flu attack! This one was floatin' around in my head for a bit and I finally just sat down and worked it out AND........... THERE YA GO! I have ideas for some more pieces, some beaded, some not, some with copper and silver, just fun and unique. It was nice to break up the depressing yuckiness of the flu with something lovely. On to getting everyone back to their healthy lil' selves and making more good leathery creations!

No Sleep

2011-03-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

While I am waiting in line to spend some time with the flu, I have been lucky enough to be stricken with insomnia once again. I've Been awake since 2am fidgeting and dreaming of the day I will be able to fall asleep at night and wake up the next morning without getting up two or three times a night because of:

A. small child in crib who lost her pacifier
B. snoring man in my bedroom
C. small boy who just wants to hang on the couch and watch trucks at 4am
D. feline who climbs everything, scratches everything, and harasses older, wiser feline out of boredom

It's all o.k. though, I get to catch up on computer time, something I don't get to do much during the day anymore, and especially when Mark is home. I also designed a couple new pieces this morning while I watched "Dawn of The Dead" for the millionth time. So now, I sit with a cup of tea and some crackers and enjoy a little peace and quiet before thing one and two and their big sick daddy are all up in my business. Have a great day all!

Again!?!

2011-03-28T12:49:00.001-07:00

Everyone in this house is sick again! That means that I'll be sick again too. What the heck man! I don't want the flu, and I can't run away and hide. I just get to sit here and face my doom. If I make it out from under this one I will be the happiest person alive!

So, this is all just getting ridiculous. I NEED to get my butt back to sewing now, and I can't! Argghhh!!!!!

Thanks so much Germy Mcgermy pants and all your friends, you have ruined my plans once again!

My Evening Walk

2011-03-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

I got a rare moment to myself the other night and sent myself out on an evening walk with just my ipod in hand. It was lovely and warmish out, in between rain storms as well. I got to see the next set of storm clouds moving in and among them I spied:

a very large and lumpy caterpillar eating a screaming baby elephant,

an evil ghost puppy,

and a swimming rabbit.

I love the images clouds can make, it was truly awesome.

I also spied a splat of bird poop on the sidewalk beneath me with a twig on top of it. Together, the poop and the twig formed the most beautiful white butterfly. Yay for Mother Nature!

I Think the Lung Monster is Gone Now

2011-03-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

It crawled into my lung and made itself at home over a week ago. Now it seems like it may have finally vacated, although it may have left some of it's belongings behind. I can finally breath without wheezing. My chest doesn't gurgle when I breath anymore. It doesn't feel like someone is constantly sitting on my chest, and the cough is finally on the way out. I think I am way over the whole illness thing. I just want to move on and have some fun!

I'm working on a few new pieces right now, nothing super fabulous but just being able to work a little bit raises my spirits. I just have to keep that in my head for the down days. If I can just do a little bit of work it makes all the difference in the world!

So the plan for this week is to get some stuff done, prepare for Mark's 40th birthday and try to get out and have some fun in between rain storms. Yay for better health!

I'm Still Waiting......

2011-03-19T11:50:00.001-07:00

For whatever crawled it's way into my lung and made itself at home, to vacate. I made sure to let it know it wasn't welcome. It did not listen. Now I sit here in the big chair once again wheezing and coughing and gurgling. This sucks!

I think this one has pushed me over the edge. I am convinced that my butt is now the shape of this chair. I am also convinced that come better weather I will have to roll out the door in order to get anywhere....... Or, maybe crawl, or slither, or scoot. That should go over well with the neighbors!

Oh well, sickness sucks, and whining doesn't do anything to make it better, but I am fed up and ready to move on now, just wish my body would be ready to.

Some New Stuff

2011-03-16T14:48:00.001-07:00

In between wheezing and coughing and chasing small children around I finished three billfolds! They are now added to my Etsy shop and there are more to come! Just got to get over this weird asthmatic weirdness first.

New Digs For The Tortoises!

2011-03-16T12:46:00.001-07:00

Abner and Imogene have needed a new habitat forever! The poor little souls were in a reptarium that had seen better days due to Abner's claws, Syd the cat's claws, and just general wear and tear. It had started to become a catch all for our mail and anything I didn't want to kiddos to get in to. I decided on a more sturdy aluminum screen cage for the shelled wonders. It's a bit smaller which is unfortunate, but roomy enough for the little critters to move around and climb as they like. I also got a table specifically to fit the cage so I can have my coffee table back!

I am also in the process of planning an outdoor enclosure for them for the summer so they can get out and get fresh air and sunshine which will be so good for them. The outdoor enclosure is much bigger and I can move it around for them which I like a lot! We will finally be able to utilize our outdoor space for something good! The torts will have a place to play and me and the kiddos will be able to get outside too!

I am crossing my fingers for a sunshine-y summer, but I'll take a little bit of fog too:)

What I Had Planned Was......

2011-03-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

To get some wallets sewn up, then clean up my sewing area so we could make room for the new tortoise cage. I feel like I'm lagging a bit in getting stuff done so far this year and I really just wanted my Friday to be all about sewing and catching up.

What I actually did was wake up at 12am on Friday morning to the news of a huge earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Luckily, I clicked on the weather channel to discover a tsunami warning for our area. So, I spent the morning glued to the TV, radio, and computer to keep track of what was happening and packing us up with emergency food and water. Once the tsunami hit Hawaii, I woke up Mark and the kids and we all headed towards town just to be on the safe side.

We aren't super close to the water, but we are just right down the way from the low lying farm lands that we call the "Arcata Bottoms" and the Mad River. So as we headed downtown on foot, We watched car after car head away from the danger area and were warned by some wonderful people of the tsunami threat. Just as we turned the corner to head towards the middle of town we heard the warning sirens in the distance and noticed planes flying overhead. We tromped on over to the donut shop for a breakfast treat and to take a breather while we decided what to do with ourselves for the rest of the morning and afternoon if need be. It was so weird to plan a day full of our regular activities for the kids knowing what had happened in Japan and what might happen here. Even so, after donuts and milk we got some fancy coffees and planted ourselves at Mark's work for updates, etc. Once there, we heard about Crescent City's harbor being thrashed and a lot of the other damage and road closures. Scary stuff for sure. I am so thankful we are safe and so very sad for everything that has happened in Japan.

I decided to take the kids to the plaza and let them just run and play and enjoy the sun before we headed home. Ed took the opportunity to roll around in the mud and Ciaran spent his time admiring the daffodils and the trucks and buses that made their way around the plaza. It seemed that there were a lot of people downtown that had done the same thing and were just waiting to hear when it would be safe to head back home. It was nice to have company for sure.

So now I am very tired and a little jumpy. Happy we're still here but sad at the same time. Hoping that I can sleep through the night without waking up in a panic over things I can't control.

Busy Weekend!

2011-03-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

..............and I'm feeling it today! Although, I did get a few pictures of my newest coin pouch! I know, I know, I am making a lot of things in violet suede these days. I just can't help it! I love the color and I just can't stop myself!

The weekend started with a "girl's" night full of yummy fry bread tacos, drinks, and lots of silliness and laughter. Then Saturday was catch-up day (because all I did Friday was clean and cook) I did my mailing, a little bit of shopping and errand running all in the pouring rain, and Sunday was movie day. It was Ed's first theater movie and she had a blast watching "Rango" with her brother, cousin, and her Auntie. Then home to do some odd chores and such. I was comatose by 10pm, and woke up to Ciaran demanding to watch Sponge Bob and "a breakfast".

So today is that day that where I wish to just sit and relax, but I am doing laundry while cleaning off my sewing table and shopping for a new tortoise cage and stand, and planning Ed's move into Ciaran's room and the cleaning and organizing of both bedrooms. A little much to do in one day, but at least I made a dent and I'm going with that for now. Happy Monday everyone!

Another New Cuff

2011-02-28T12:57:00.001-08:00

I just had a bunch of ideas for cuffs over the last couple of weeks and finished up this one and was able to get it listed today! I am enjoying the direction my collars and cuffs are taking right now, a little more free form and exciting. It gets hard to work inside a rectangle all the time. I am also diggin' the covered buttons! It's nice to be able to "make" a button that compliments the piece it goes on. It feels good to start the week with a finished product and a listing!

I'm Trying!

2011-02-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get back into the habit of not letting my behind take the shape of this chair. Now that Edolie is sleeping through the night and I am finding myself with more energy during the day, I am trying to get a bit more done during my mornings with the twosome. Our problem is that we really like to all sit and cuddle right after everyone wakes up. I think that is the hardest thing for me, I just really like that time and I don't want to give it up. It is getting easier though. Ed is way more interested in playing on her own now and Ciaran could spend all his time staring outside at the big trucks going back and forth on the road next to our apartment. So, I guess I must jump at this opportunity to get up and get moving! Imagine the potential! I could actually get more than one of my leathery things made each week! I might get a shower before noon! The tortoises and the cats may actually like me again because I would be able to feed them before noon! My house might actually get clean! I love the idea, but will it happen........hmmmmm? That is the question!

Ending The Week With Goodness

2011-02-18T12:08:00.001-08:00

It always feels good to me to finish up a project so I took extra time this week to finish up this crazy cuff and even made a button for it! I think it was a good choice! Now I have my happy back. I used the week full of bummerness to do good things for me and others and that feels good. Now on to the weekend!

The Suckage That Was Valentine's Day

2011-02-16T15:24:00.001-08:00

Well, yeah........it just sucked. It started out to be a marvelous day all full o' hope and happy. Then nothing. I had a great time hangin' with the kids watching the tortoise emerge from her egg. Then evening came and yeah......it sucked. Not much else to say. I can't really say why, it just did. Just stuff I guess........ and then the baby tortoise died. That just made the suckage that much more! The good thing about suckage is that there is always some lesson to be learned from it whether you want to learn it or not. Valentine's Day offered many lessons, and I learned a lot. I guess I am on to bigger and better things? We'll see.........we'll see..........

Well........

2011-02-15T00:57:00.001-08:00

Little tortie made it into the world this Valentine's Day. Sadly, it looks as if she passed away. I'm not sure what happened, all seemed fine when she broke out of the shell this afternoon and was roaming about the incubator later in the day. When I went to check on her around midnight, I noticed she wasn't moving at all and wouldn't even respond to a little tug to her foot. I picked her up and held her and she didn't make a move, eyes still open, limbs extended, and no sign of life. We are so sad and I don't want to be the one to tell Ciaran tomorrow, he was so excited about the little critter(although terrified at the same time!) I imagine there was something wrong with the little tort to begin with and it would not have survived no matter how much we did for it. I am so grateful for the experience of watching her come into the world and the little time we had with her. I send her off to tortie heaven with lots little tortie hugs and kisses.

We'll miss you little friend, safe journeys!

The News

2011-02-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Not much news actually. I finished up my newest collar after it sat and sat and sat at my work table waiting for me to turn it into some CRAZY. I think I may have succeeded. I am really enjoying using my antique beads and baubles to decorate these pieces. Mostly, it's just because I can justify buying more beads and baubles if I use up the ones I have on hand. I can't wait to get a start on the third collar, another one with antique Edwardian lace, large pewter nailheads, steel cut beads, and and an antique Victorian shoe buckle, should be a sparkly good time.

Other than completed collars, there really is nothing new happening around here. I'm still suffering through a nasty sinus infection which is making it hard to do anything at all, since all I want to do is sleep. The tortoise egg is still incubating. We are crossing our fingers that our new little shelled friend makes an appearance soon. I am using my quiet, " don't feel good" time to organize my workspace and cut out some new leathery things. Hopefully, I will have something more exciting to share the next time I write, but who knows, all this quiet is a good thing I think!

Egg Watch 2011

2011-02-08T14:18:00.001-08:00

So other than leathery things, I am waiting patiently, for this little guy or gal to hatch. This is the fertile tortoise egg all snug in it's homemade incubator. The paper towel next to the container is for keeping the humidity right on while the egg incubates, and the black strip on the other side is a thermometer, so I can make sure that the incubator is at the appropriate temperature for the little guy or gal. Should be any time now! Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well:)

Newbies!

2011-02-01T09:59:00.001-08:00

My newest bookmarks available now! I forgot how much fun these are to make. It feels good to have some new work to put out there since being sick over the last few weeks. So I listed some in my Etsy shop, and some in my Artfire shop. Thanks for looking!

He's Four!

2011-01-26T11:52:00.001-08:00

Yes, this little dude in the cool pink vinyl hat! I love this picture and I love this kid! Happy Birthday darling son! I hope four is good to you! Now, let's go have some ice cream!

Feeling Out of The Loop

2011-01-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

I did manage to get a little bit of work done while I was down, like this fabulous new journal cover that I made for a very special person. I think I'm gonna offer them as a custom item in both of my shops. Adjustable sizes and a zipper pocket, how could I not!?! Other than that, I haven't really done anything. I feel sluggish and snotty and my head is not cooperating with me but each day is getting better! Luckily the kiddos are feeling back to normal! I hope to be soon too. I had so many plans for January, guess I will just have to bust ass getting caught up:)

Slowly Crawling Back

2011-01-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

Back to being healthy......I think? My head still feels like someone is sitting on it, and I can't hear anything out of my left ear. Both kiddos have super nasty coughs, and runny noses to match! Honestly, they haven't seemed sick at all, still bouncing off the walls during fevers and coughing fits. I wish I had even a speck of that energy! Oh, and Ed is also teething, making her super feisty as well as cranky, mmmmm good times!

Even though we've been down and out the last few days, I have still managed to cross a few things off of my to-do list. I finally found an old bookcase to turn in to a new tortoise cage, (thanks old neighbor!) I just have to saw some pieces here and there and attach the bottom to it. I rearranged Ciaran's room and started cleaning out his closet to make room for Ed. It's gonna be soooo much fun to make a kid room for those two! I also took down Christmas I whole week early! I usually don't have the heart to take the tree down until mid January, but this year, I am just itching to get back to work and I WANT MY SPACE BACK!............. I just have to organize everything and find a box big enough to fit it all in! I feel so accomplished! In between all my organizing madness, I managed to cut out some new wallets and wristlets, and work on my sales taxes. It feels good to finally be on top of everything again. Cross your fingers for me that it just keeps going!

Other than that, we have been housebound and enjoying our froggy friends that serenade us at night. We even had one in the house this morning! Poor little guy was just seconds away from becoming Syd and Yui's breakfast! I managed to get him out on the front porch before he was eaten. Well, off to organize more paperwork for my taxes and such. Then, hopefully a nap! I know, it's all pretty boring, but sometimes boring is better.

Sick,Sick,Sick

2011-01-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, and not terribly excited about it. Some sort of bug is keeping us indoors this week. Ciaran and I are pretty snotty and stuffy, Ed seems to be doing just fine or hiding it pretty well. Either way, I am getting pretty stir crazy. I don't feel well enough to do much of anything but not sick enough to just lie around. So, I decided to do some of my organizing done here and there like I always promise myself this time of year. So far, Christmas is ready to put away, big baby stuff has found a new home, Ciaran's room has been rearranged, and my sewing area is almost clean enough to mess up again. I decided that I would spend this afternoon baking and cutting out new wallets for a little bit of change. Ciaran and I made whoopee pies this afternoon and he and Ed got to do some taste testing. I think they may be a hit. So that is this week in a nutshell. Ciaran and I are hoping for a healthier and well rested week ahead.

New Things to Share!

2011-01-05T12:45:00.001-08:00

Two new coin pouch/wallet thingys to share! Both available in my Etsy shop. I am slowly getting my messy sewing table back to organized and ready to go after the holiday rush around. Man it will be nice when I can find all my stuff again and have a little extra room to sew!

Other than that, the week after New Year's is always a little blah around here. I am trying to counteract that with giving myself plenty of new projects to keep me busy, and a little time to relax in between. I have a new/old collar on my sewing table ready to have the finishing touches put on, and a journal cover that will be offered as a custom piece in my shops. As soon as the Christmas decorations come down, then I get to start playing with metal again, since I will have my work table back! I look forward to what will happen there, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

New Year's Evil = sushi, many yummy fried doughy thingys with lots of sauces, chocolate cake martini's, and trying to stay up past midnight after being up for most of the previous night with my two little troublemakers. It was evil but damn good! All in all, 2010 has gone out with a blast and 2011 has come in with fireworks, good food, good drink, and lots of hugs and kisses. On this first day of 2011, I'm feeling a little tattered but happy. Glad your here 2011, can't wait to see what you bring us. Happiest of New Year's to you all! Smooches from my family to you and yours!

We Had A Blast 2010!

2010-12-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is how we spent the day after Christmas this year. Lots of creativity! Santa brought the kiddos some window crayons and both Edolie and Ciaran decorated our deck windows with the loveliest drawings. Ed also tasted the crayons just to make sure that they were safe to use. Her reaction was exactly what I thought it would be, she walked around the living room drooling and saying "blah, blah, blah" My girl the taste tester.

So now we are all snuggled together watching the rain and cartoons. I have visions of a big sushi dinner on New Year's Eve and a whole bunch of leathery projects to occupy my time after the big holiday let down.(It always feels a little off to me for the first few days of the new year, I love the holiday season so.) I plan to get two of my collars done this weekend and then start stocking up my shops again with leathery goodness. I can't believe the new year is just around the corner. I will miss you 2010, you were good to me, but I look forward to you 2011 for a whole new wild ride!

Happy Holidays to All!

2010-12-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

I'm just sitting here waiting for some goodies from the oven to finish baking, drinking coffee, and watching a storm come in. Ciaran and Edolie are way too excited and bouncing off the walls but it's happy bouncing for the most part, so I don't mind. Although, naptime sure is looking good right now! I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you. Big hugs from me to you!

Groovy!

2010-12-22T06:41:00.000-08:00

I'm up and working early this fine morning thanks to Ed. She woke up soaked and took FOREVER to fall back asleep. I had planned on going back to sleep myself but now I can't. My brain won't let me. It is far to excited about the day........and so is the rest of me. I finished up my secret lab work for the most part, so today is all about collecting the last few bits of Christmas-y goodness to get ready for the big day.

The "Not Too Late" craft fair was AMAZING! I was so happy to be a part of the whole thing. I met a lot of really wonderful people, saw and bought some amazing work from other artists, and made a few sales myself! So many that in fact, I will be getting back to work in the lab right after Christmas to restock my shops. I actually have a few new pieces to list but I had to put off taking pictures in order to get my gifties done, and the lighting here sucks right now, it's been stormy every day for a week at least!

Nothing else is really happening at the moment. I'm just trying to take in every minute that I can and really enjoy the holidays. It's a whole new world sharing the holidays with two little ones and it makes everything that much more cheery and festive. No stress, just love and appreciation here, that's what it's supposed to be all about right?

It's Not Too Late!

2010-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

To do a craft's fair! Yay! I got into the "Not Too Late" craft fair! My leathery goodness and I will be vending amongst other super talented peoples at the Arcata United Methodist Church this Saturday, December 18th. I am SO happy to do be doing a fair! I didn't expect to do any at all and now I get to do one! I don't have a ton of stuff but I do have a few things ready and I am sewing madly today and tomorrow to make my way through a small stack of wallets and coin pouches for the occasion. I met my goal for this year and that's a good thing. Come by and say hi! if you are in the area. AUMC is located at 1761 11th street in Arcata.

Other exciting news is that I am seeing a lot of progress with the little eggs! One is developing veins and such, and the other is just chilling, developing it's little white spot. Little tiny tortoises are awesome. Keep your fingers crossed that the little ones will develop and hatch into healthy, happy little shelled wonders.

Clogged Toilets and Other Mini Disasters

2010-12-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

Clogged toilets are uncomfortable, especially when their contents back up into your shower and your not completely sure that the "contents" that you see were made by your family. Thus is life today, waiting around for a plumber sans shower and shampoo. We'll just hope he comes sooner than later and can help us out with our little "clog" at least Ciaran will be excited since he can pee outside again.

We were also fortunate enough to have locked ourselves out of the house the other day, leaving all cash, diapers, etc. lying by the front door. It seems that our once not so secure door that if you wiggled the doorknob enough it would "click" and unlock itself has resumed it's protective nature and now locks and won't budge, even for me! The same with our back door, which used to just unlock as it pleased. No extra keys, one is with my parents( who never answer their phone, and the other is with my sister who can't answer her phone unless she is taking a break at work) Thank goodness we had rain gear and I had one way bus fare in my pocket! We ended up taking a nice long walk downtown, checking out the Christmas lights and such. We met Mark at work and rode the bus home with him. I still feel like a bonehead for leaving my bag behind, but we had a lovely evening because of it. Even got some homemade cheese pizza out of the deal!

All in all, it sucks but it doesn't suck because it's all nothing that can't be fixed. Just a lot to happen in just a couple of days. I hear that Mercury IS in retrograde again though. I think I'll be treading lightly about the next few weeks.

Surprise!

2010-12-02T12:50:00.000-08:00

I found a surprise yesterday. Imogene laid another egg. Now the little makeshift incubator has two little eggs snugly tucked inside. The first egg is just going, going, going. Lookin' good! The second one, is not quite there yet, again, it will be few days before we can tell if it's fertile or not. I'm crossing my fingers though.

So, I was thinking I would offer some free shipping in my Etsy shop this month. I decided to just get into the groove of the holidays and just do it! So all my leathery goods ship free through the end of December! Happy Holidays everyone! Y'all ROCK!

I'll post pics of the eggs in a few days after we get the thumbs up or down about it. They sure are cute little eggs, can't believe they came out of such a little tortoise.

Last Day!

2010-11-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day to get 10% off in my Etsy shop(coupon code THANKS2010) or free shipping in my Artfire studio(YEAH2010). Enjoy!

In other news, I'm still workin' away. Lots of gluing and sewing and concocting in the lab these days. I managed to get a few minutes to check out the Eureka Inn's Christmas Tree Decorating party. It was so good to see the Inn up and running again, especially with so many people out to celebrate it's return. Ciaran and his cousin Iszy brought a couple of ornaments to help decorate it's beautiful tree. I don't know about anyone else, but it sure helped to get me excited about the holidays!

The egg is also busy growing and growing. It looks like it is a fertile one! I am so happy about that! I just hope all goes well and we have a new little shelled wonder to welcome into the world. Keep your fingers crossed and let's think happy thoughts for the little egg!

Sales!

2010-11-24T10:54:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to post a little note to let you all know that I have two sales going on in my shops for the holiday weekend. Starting on Friday the 26th( my lovely sister's birthday!) I will be offering 10% off of all items in my Etsy shop and free shipping in my Artfire shop. Both sales will go through Monday the 29th at midnight. Have fun and I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

2010-11-22T12:03:00.000-08:00

The newest of the new all ready for new homes! These ones are all in my Etsy shop, I am listing a few new pieces on Artfire later today. I am moving right along. I have a few more round coin pouches to put together and I will be working on those along with my custom orders this week. My custom orders should be fun and I would tell you more but they are both Christmas gifts so I can't spill the beans quite yet!

Not much else is going on right now other than the overwhelming feeling of needing to be outside! I think all the time spent this past meanwhile of being inside so much has made me want to get out and stomp around rain or shine! Now that Ciaran has a rain coat, there is no stopping us! Well, I guess soggy, cold feet are about the only thing. So in between adventures in sewing and listing things in my shops, I will be trying to get the kidlets out as much as I possibly can. Back to the days of long, long walks, playing at the park, and stops for cookies and coffee along the way. Yay!

Eggs and Other Things

2010-11-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

Imogene the tortoise laid an egg the other day. I have been so busy making up an incubator for the little eggie-poo so it may possibly hatch. (I'll post a pic as soon as the temperature inside the incubator regulates so you all can see it.)

So now that the incubator is all set up and the egg is safely nestled inside, I can move on back to sewing and getting my shops stocked up. I should have a whole bunch of billfolds ready by the end of the day and hopefully two or three round coin pouches too. If all goes well, I'll be finished with everything that is in limbo by the end of the week!

I also have a couple of custom orders to finish and I am signing up for a craft fair in mid December so I can reach my goal of at least doing one fair this year. All in all, I am working hard and having fun at the same time. The way it should be I guess, I can't complain at all!

New Friends

2010-11-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

I've added a few new pieces to my Artfire and Etsy shops and I will have a whole bunch more to add in the coming days. The next round will be round coin pouches, billfolds, and bookmarks. Then hopefully after that, I will get to make a few wristlets and cuffs. It all depends on the lovely and wild twosome that I share my home with. They have a way of keeping me sane and driving me crazy at the same time. Anyways, thanks for looking and enjoy your weekend!

Old Friends

2010-11-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

I have been going through some of my inventory from craft fairs gone by and I found these guys hiding at the bottom of a box of my handmade copper ornaments. I forgot all about my love affair with hair sticks. I made so many of these a few years back that my hands and arms and fingertips were sore for a week straight! I think I may be listing a few of them here and there as well as some of my ornaments and pendants. I feel the need to find my old friends new homes so they aren't just sitting around waiting for the next craft show to show off their sparkly little selves.

New Additions

2010-11-03T12:43:00.001-07:00

A couple of new things here to share. Two of my newer wallets which are now listed in my Etsy shop. I am still working on getting some round coin pouches done without pulling my hair out! It's getting the zipper to fit right and look right in the little boogers which is taking so much time. So I decided to take a break from them and start this week with some bookmarks . Those are easy and fun to make. You should be seeing them soon in both my shops. Beyond that I have some billfolds, card wallets, and some fancy little wristlet/pouch dealies to put together. I hope all will be finished and listed by serious holiday shoppin' time. Wish me luck!:)

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T09:04:00.001-07:00

So Halloween was a hot crazy blast this year. Last year's super mellow day of festivities and mourning (RIP Mac) were shot to heck this year with the addition of a one year old and my six year old niece. Miss Iszabow helped to get things started on Saturday with a pre-spooky day sleep over.

Most of the day Sunday was spent with me in the kitchen making and baking. I made everyone chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast with homemade whipped cream and more chocolate chips for topping. Everyone gladly ate theirs except for Ciaran who we actually had to force to take one bite! He did try them and seemed pretty pleased that he did.( PICKY EATER!)

We ended up at the plaza for Trick or Treat time and had a blast! We had my sister and darling nephew join us for the fun. It is such a great feeling to be out in the community with so many people having fun and dressed up in some very creative costumes.

Then we headed back home for a night of pumpkin soup, homemade bread, Jack O' Lanterns, homemade hot apple cider, spooky movies and paranormal shows, and the promise of a little bit of sleep for me.( I had been up for three nights in a row with Ed, I was a little grumpy by the end of the evening to say the least!)

And that was it! A wonderful, joyful experience once again! Halloween just keeps getting better and better. I even made the promise that I would dress up next year. I just hope I can follow through!

Now back to the secret lab for some leathery goodness!