fun stuff for kids!

Lots of people are making really wonderful things for kids that don't involve recall lists, and fear of lead paint or weird feeling plastics!

These lovely little tops are fun, made of wood and very inexpensive!

 European Spinning Top - $16

 Quartersawn Lacewood Spinning Top - $16

By GarageWoodShop in Renton, WA

BlueBassinet in Richland, WA makes these fantastic tutus! These are so fun they make everyone happy!

Little Lyla Infant Tutu - $26

And so many THINGS in herflyinghorses is very, very inexpensive and super fun!!

Girl Power Superhero Cuffs - $10

Incognito - child's beard - $6.50

Child Pirate Eye Patch - $3.25

And this wonderful artist is in Holland, which may be expensive shipping to where you live and it isn't cheap itself, but I couldn't resist! This mobile is SOOOO fantastic!!

Castles in the Air - $125 EUR

Hope your castles are as lofty today!

cheers, t

xx

Gratitude

I know that it seems like everyone is talking about just being thankful for what you have and it may just seem like empty promises.

I just wanted to say...

THAT

You never know when a VERY wonderful

Person

will
give you

 a surprising, and funny gift!

It may already be on it's way!!

xx

PERFECT PURPLE INSPIRATION!!!

Today I have PURPLE on the brain!

The Campanula Get Mee plant in my window sill, calling out it's glory!

It's not wholly purple, but it has purple tones and it definitely made it's way to my neck this morning.

I have always enjoyed the Llewellyn Witch Calendars for many reasons, but chief among them is that everyday was assigned a color. So for the indecisive, like me, I could check on the calendar to see if the color was what I wanted to wear.

Hey.

It was a place to start!

So this year, no Witch Calender. 

I've been left on my own. sniff sniff ...

But this morning purple is really catching my eye.

The March picture on my Shakti Gawain Calendar (very beautiful art)

This Mary Gilliatt book that I'm currently loving!

********

Some superstitious mumbo jumbo about Purple:

It signifies: Power, sentimentality, tension, wisdom, spiritual protection, psychic ability. The astrological sign most closely associated with it, is Sagittarius.

I always go to superstitious mumbo jumbo for inspiration; there's lots there! Anything that gets stuck in my brain and I can't walk away from, I google the 'meaning' of! The words or images that resonate the most with me, I follow. I can usually find several different directions to go in. I think about them while I rummage through my bead stash and see what comes.

My new beads and a collection of earrings that I made over the last year.

A great way to over come a little creative block!

Where do you find your inspiration?
xx

Friday Etsy Meanderings

so.

I've decided.

:D

I'm going to start a weekly column.

Sort of a "Fun Etsy Finds on Fridays."

Well...

really, 

knowing my eclectic tastes.... they won't always be fun.

So.

maybe...

Let's just call them

meanderings!

Because really isn't that Friday afternoons are FOR!

NO?
I think so.

Sure, they could be for meeting deadlines; wrapping things up so you can enjoy the weekend, or as Wayne Campbell said,

(go on. reach back, reach WAAAAY back. I know you can remember!)

"Do your homework on Friday, so you can party all weekend!"

One of my all time FAVORITE quotes, of ALL time.

...but seriously, who does that. 

Don't we just find ourselves, gazing out the window, whiling away the hours til the weekend comes. 

So I thought I'd lend a hand. 

Meander in advance. 
Give you themed guided tour through the hallowed halls of Etsy.

Today's Theme:

Fantastic Finds for Little Guys!

(just cause I have one, and he's so darned adorable, 

Suspicious.
:D
But ADORABLE!


I'd love him to have all these things)

Grey Moccasins - $38   natalya1905
Whales tshirt - $20   bittybambu
Personalized Pillow - $49   TheCleverBobbin
Mini Crayon Wallet PDF   emmigracekids

 

Vintage Camera longsleeved t - $24   WrenWillow

Bubbles - $36  urbanwalls

Yoki the Fat Dragon PDF - $9   DIYFluffies

Upcycled Jello Mold Chandelier - $65   BootsNGus

And just cause he's a little rocker....

Fear the Beard - $10   gearedclothing

ABCD toddler tshirt - $14.99   foryourlittlemonkey

Customized Rock Star Hat - $23   justbehappy

Happy Friday!

Party All Weekend.

;D

xx

Big Weiser and Little Weiser put up a fence...

With limited success, I must say!

As I explained to my man, 'we are learning.'

This is, after all, the first fence we have ever put up without satisfactory supervision. We had only our two arguing alpha selves to rely upon. And, really...ahem, in the light of day, it's an alright fence.

(well, half light is better... and squint. Squinting makes it seem MUCH straighter)

But alright.

And if we hadn't done it we would never have these...

And those are awesome!

<3

I hope that you have a happy and productive weekend!

That reminds me of a proverb that my mom quotes to make us do work:
"Before enlightenment: chop wood & carry water.
After enlightenment: chop wood & carry water."

:D

Cheers!

xox

The muse is erupting... if they do that??

So I always say that I make jewelry because I have a toddler and making jewelry is quick and easy - and painting is, well, ... messy.

But these days I see faces and art everywhere... in the way snow falls,
the sunset on a cold day, the loneliness of a snow-covered lawn chair ...

the light hitting the plaster on the ceiling above my bed.. it's getting really hard to refuse

this muse...

what if we could combine elements of all these photos? I ask myself...

and then carry on my way.

(ahem, can you say that? refuse the muse...)

I have reams of landscape photos, reams and reams of them, that I could/should be using for painting inspiration, but alas... this is as far as I've gotten.

anyway...

I even have an artsy friend who calls and emails me to see when I want to get together to draw,

or paint.

REALLY.

Could it BE any easier?

But do I do anything? ...no... I say in a very little voice.

One of these days, when the fence is finished (it blew down last week) and my toddler's been quelled, by toys and cookies, then maybe,

just maybe...

I'll pick up my sketchbook & one of those pencils I have stashed everywhere around the house

(seriously, I have them in a tin on the shelf above the toilet! I mean everywhere)

and answer this muse's call...


..before she's forced to hit me with a shovel or something!

what's on my mind

So I've been a little all over the map this morning and it's only 8:00am!!

One thing that's really on my mind is creating things. When I'm all over the map, I'm usually in the midst of creating a LOT of things! So creating is this morning's theme.

One thing in particular that just gets stuck in my craw is how really nice people look sad when they talk about creating things!

A lot of people attribute making things and crafting to talent. This big scary remote notion that has to do with something outside themselves that they cannot control. Are you one of those people? Do you feel left out of something potentially fun and fulfilling.

Well, if you ARE one of those people, listen to me very carefully.

Let that silly ole notion go!
It has nothing to do with you.

There are so many things happening out there that are fun and wonderful and feed your soul and have nothing to do with some intangible inborn notion like 'talent.' I say if you have fun, great ideas will pour from your finger tips and give your heart a happy dance! So why not, try?

:D

A wonderful art supply business based out of the Seattle area, Daniel Smith is having a sale to commemorate Van Gogh's birthday on the 30th of March! And really is there any more inspiring artist than Vincent Van Gogh!

You've seen this image a thousand, million cajillion times and it still inspires people to create all sorts of new things!

But have you seen THESE THINGS :D They're FANTASTIC!!

Van Gogh Pony - Handcrafted Gourd - $40 TheWillies.esty.com

Hand embroidered Starry Night Brooch - $140 waterrose.etsy.com



Hand painted Messenger Bag - 65 angiediazconcept.etsy.com

Hand Print Mold Wall Art (baby & child) - $95 audreylaynecombs.etsy.com

Starry Night Felt Merino Wool Cuffs - $20 - a pair elsjeboer.etsy.com

What can you create?

I bet you can think of wonderful things! Grab your morning beverage, your idea list and start flipping through the Daniel Smith online catalogue to see what would supply your creativity!

Have fun :D

Whiskey Creek, BC

Woke up this morning with a hankerin.
A hankerin for home.

For spring sunshine on mossy Douglas Firs, snow glistening off Mt Arrowsmith and to visit a happy goat family on their roof top home.



So many fantastic shops and sights to see.
I love it there! You can peruse all sorts of curio shops and hike the water falls at Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g181779-d597002-Reviews-Little_Qualicum_Falls_Provincial_Park-Parksville_Vancouver_Island_British_Columbia.html

or drive out and see the gentle giants in MacMillian Park

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=macmillan+park+vancouver+island&fb=1&gl=us&hq=macmillan+park&hnear=Vancouver+Island&hl=en&view=map&cid=8727054595011631680&iwloc=A&ved=0CDAQpQY&sa=X&ei=NiJ1TbzQIpeqigOBl42YAQ

previously known by it's more apt name Cathedral Grove. A real Cathedral!



you can go too!

http://www.vancouverisland.travel/

Superstition... true or false??

Today, it feels TRUE.

The Queen of Wands
This is from the Shadowscapes Tarot. Isn't it lovely?

An intelligent and savvy businesswoman who commands loyalty and intelligence in those around her. A woman who will not be fooled. Female enterprise. Confident and generous woman. Sensual and passionate female energy. Lover of life and those willing to explore it with her. A feminine leader able to lead the masses. A woman able to see big picture and delegate accordingly.

So I got this reading today. I have gotten this card before in my life, of course, but today was the first day that it felt true.

And my eyes glisten with wonder... warmth grows in my breast, I was feeling this way before I got this card and the 'confirmation' if that's what it is makes me feel...as if I'm at home in my life.
Is that over-stating it?

Perhaps.


But I am just that kind of superstitious woman...