Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower Note Card.  Blank inside.  You can check out all of my handmade note cards in my new shop Pressing Dandelions

3's a Charm

Oh how I love the color of green pears.  So yummie :).  These were really fun to paint too.

I was bit by a Vampire...

Thanks to my dear friend Linda Cullen she has bitten me bad, very very bad with the handmade custom "stamping" fun note cards.

"Seems only fitting...to wish you a happy birthday"

So long my pretty boy Ashbii...1992-March 1, 2010

It's been a very long and hard day. My pretty boy Ashbii passed away at 12:45 am. I sort of felt that the end was coming 2 days ago. My heart is heavy right now. I had no idea that saying goodnight to him last would be the last time. At 12:30am we were all woken up by a sound like no other, a very strange meow, as if he was saying ...goodbye to all of us for the very last time, 3 deep breaths and he was gone. When I heard him I just knew it, Ashbii was on the floor of "his" room(Trini's bedroom)very still and peaceful. We all said our goodbyes to him and then wrapped him up in a blanket. at 2am I tried to go back to bed but I just couldn't sleep. Tucker(Nantucket is her name) has yet to leave me alone. I truely believes she missed Ashbii just as much I do. They have been best friends since the day Ashbii walked into our lives. He was a stray who just so happened to adopted us back in the fall of 1992. He was a very strange kitty, pretty much spent alot his life under my bed or hanging with Tucker. He was scared of everyone and everything. He was a very sweet loving cat to me. Ashbii was such a pretty Maine coon cat and would strut his stuff like a drag queen, we often said that if he was human he would have been the greatest drag queen on the planet. I so hope that he has found his was to a grand place where he can come out of the closet(or in his case out from under the bed) and just be happy and at peace and not scared of anything. Ashbii my friend you were loved and gave so much love to me, you are missed deeply and I want to thank you for what you brought in to my life...Rest in Peace my friend I look forward to seeing you in heaven one day. 

 

Tucker & Ashbii (Ashbii 1992-March 1,2010

Way cool Recycling idea...

 Don't throw away those old candles...



Here is what you need:

wax (you can use candles and melt them), metal cookie lid, cookie cutters, newspaper, nylon thread, ribbon, wooden sticks, needle, plier, crimp beads, beads & findings.



Make sure that you work safe when working with hot wax. Cover the area that you are working on with newspaper. Put the cookie lid on top of it & heat the wax.



Fill the metal cookie lid with wax.



Let the wax set for a while until it is stiff but still feels warm. That allows you to press cookie cutters into it without the wax cracking. You have to work quick now as the wax cools down fast. Press as many cutters as possible in the lid.



You can then remove the wax around the cutted shapes.



When you push lightly, the shape will come loose.



If it's still warm, you can easily put a needle through the wax figure. Or you can heat the needle in the flame of a candle.



Or put the wooden stick in the cut out wax figure but only halfway.



Or you can push a hole from front to back.



All the left over wax can go back into the pan and you can re-heat it again if you need more figures.



Then the figures are ready to make decorations from. Add a little ribbon to the wax decorations. They will look super in flower pots.




Or make some ornaments to hang in a branch or on a gift. Cut a piece of metal wire.



Fold it double and place a ribbon in between.



Then pull it through the hole you made in the wax decoration.



Pull the double pieces of ribbon through the loop and make a knot at the end.

Tada! :)


Or make a nice garland with beads and findings. First make a loop and close it with a crimpbead.



Press the crimpbead with the plier.



Then start threading beads & findings according to your taste and add the wax decorations in between.



End the vertical garland again with a crimpbead.



Here is another garland with the flowers. First add a loop and then knots, wooden beads and wax flowers.



Here are the results:

UPS...

Oh how I love it when the UPS dude brings packages to my studio door. I got my new WAY cool WAY awesome button for my Greek Leather Bracelet.

 

 

Aren't they YUMMIE!!!

Snow Day

I adore spinach and lentils! A perfect soup for a snowy winter day. Not only is it easy, but also it is healthy.  It’s the ultimate comfort food in my book!

1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils (brown can be used as well)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 litres vegetable stock
1 bunch baby spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
1 lemon juiced
finely grated lemon zest to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add carrots and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add lentils and stock. Bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from heat. Add spinach, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Ladle into bowls. Top with lemon zest.  Serves 6