After pigs....

comes cows of course!



so soft and furry, when they are tiny. I love to scratch their tiny little heads!



just look deep into those liquid eyes. aren't they gorgeous?



there is nothing better than cow noses. I know they tend to be really wet and kinda messy but I can't resist. The cow tongue is also quite an experience. Super strong, alas no photo.

Today, I will be busy in my studio trying to finish up a few things to add to the shop this week. Look for a shop update on Monday!

Happy Saturday

my piggy addiction

by now you may have figured out that i really love pigs! what do i love about them...



well, how about the cute little noses,


if that doesn't do it for you, how about the tiny little pig butts?


or the fabulous piggy sleeping piles?



To get my piglet fix, thing one and I went on down to a local demonstration farm to view the newest litter of piglets. Oh man if i didn't know how big they would get i would have tucked at least one (maybe even two) into my pockets!

with a pig at home it is hard to believe that i still need to go out in search of pig love, but there you go. true addiction!

The only thing that comes close to my pig love is maybe cows!

can you define shenanigans?

Shenanigan (noun)

Pronunciation: [shê-'næn-ê-gên]

Definition: (Colloquial) A playful or mischievous act; a prank; a
secret scheme or machination.

Usage: Today's word is more usually used in the plural: "Keep an eye
on Chastity; she is always up to some kind of shenanigans." It is an
orphaned oddity in the language with no other words that would admit
to kinship.

Suggested Usage: This is not a word used in formal English but is
common in colloquial English. Shenanigans are usually something people
are up to, "Will we ever know what sort of shenanigans the financial
officers of Enron were really up to?" When anything of value is at
stake, shenanigans are something you would want to cut out: "Cut out
the shenanigans with the cards up your sleeve, Sharkey, and let's play
poker."

Etymology: Although the word sounds a lot like "she-nanny-goat" and
even though goats are associated with prankishness, there is no
evidence of any association between these words and today's.
"Shenanigan" was first recorded in 1855 in California, which has led
to speculation that it is related to Spanish chanada "trick" or the
German schinaglen "to trick." In all probability, though, it was
another word brought over by our Irish brethren: Gaelic sionnachuighim
"I play the fox," which is to say, "I play tricks."

crafty night!

last night was the weekly meeting of the dragonfly artisans! A lovely collective of mama crafters, we get together to eat, drink and make stuff. The food is always good and the company divine! sadly no photos of our group last night but I can show you what I was working on. This is going to be a sweet little lavender pillow for my swap partner on swap bot.



Almost done now that the french knots are complete. They are a bit messy, I wish they turned out better but practice, practice, practice. I have another one in the works for the shop as well as a few wall hangings. I plan on finishing the butterfly and the dragon with some edging and bamboo hanging rods. I am very excited to see how they turn out!



stay tuned for the completed pieces and a shop update. and go check out all my crafty pals. they are listed in the sidebar under dragonfly artisans!

I love mushroom toast!

oh how I love mushroom toast. It was recently posted by angry chicken as an easy supper and was it ever. We had a vegan friend of ours over for dinner so I tweaked it a bit to have it be non-dairy but still so tasty. We paired it with a salad and the most luxurious cream of cauliflower soup from the book How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. I have to say if you haven't checked this book yet, you need too! It is amazing. I am tempted to take on one of those crazy challenges and try everything in the book. We will have to see about that but I highly recommend the book.

Too Hot!

it has been so warm here that all of the garden is out of sorts. none of the plants can tell what season it is.

all of my summer and spring plants are flowering.

The ladybugs are hatching way early and the bees are freaking out on our giant tree in the yard.

It is covered in flowers and it sounds like a jet plane is over your head, the bees are so loud. Not sure what will happen now. the rain is back and colder temps seem to be on their way. who knows what the garden will do next.

new addition to the family

oh how i love my new washer! sad really when you think of how happy it makes me, but what can I say? I love appliances! Unlike many of my friends, the new washer will not be named. But I will sing its praises nightly as it toils away, silently cleaning away the dirty evidence of our life!

everybody is getting in on the act.
Thing One is obsessed with all the new buttons to push.
Thank goodness it has a control lock!

shenanigans shop update

mmmmmnnnn strawberries, yum! these have just been added to the shop. they are sold in sets of three in a cute little cotton bag, but if you need more just ask!

piggy rodeo take 2

well miss piggy finally got her feet trimmed. not that she was happy about it! nor would you be if you were flipped over like a bug and held there for an hour. It is the first time in a year that her eyes have been all the way open. Usually, due to extremely poor eyesight, she keeps them closed and follows her nose about! I am sure people far and near could hear her complaining about the horrible treatment she was the victim of. She is quite pleased with the end result though.
Like a brand new pair of fancy high heels!

boy is she fast with her new feet!

moving forward...

what an incredible morning.

for those of you who know me, you know that I don't really like to talk politics or religion. I see little point in discussing things that could ruin a friendship. I have a huge distrust of politicians and of the political system in general. I don't really think it works. Too much corruption, too many special interests and too many power hunger people.

For the last eight years at least, my opinion of our leadership has been,
NOT IN MY NAME!

Why then was I so inspired to vote this go round. SO excited to be part of electing this unique man to office. So thrilled to watch him speak. Looking forward to all the possibilities he represents. May they all come true!

I find myself full of hope, full of dreams, proud to be American.

laying low

we have just been laying low and recuperating from the pox that has been place upon our house! We seem to be on the mend but i am loath to say anything for fear we may offend the gods again! We shall be trying some of our regularly scheduled activities this week and see how we hold up.

Let's see shall we!

i give in

this mandala is property of Shiva Lotus

ok universe, I hear you and bow to your wishes.
I am canceling all planned activity and the rest of my life until i regain my health.

Body, mind and spirit.

after a long list of aliments, my back is now out.
we have been sick since september

i will be here being quiet and resting, with my kids.
we will color and sew, build blocks and eat outside in the sun.
I will surrender to the slow down and embrace it.
I will really listen to what is going on around me
I will pay attention to how well the enforce solitude is suiting my family.
I will schedule some regular playdates for the children (separately) so their needs and mine are met.

for those of you who have offered help I will be taking you up on it.
For most of my life I have been the strong loner.
Life's lesson is obviously to graciously accept help where it is offered.


and to think i didn't know what i was going to post about today!

see alaster...

what is alaster up to now!

where is alaster?


go away, i am hidding from dad

surprise!

gotta have one of these

alaster aboard the U.S.S. Midway operating serious equipment

well, the young master's third birthday is rapidly approaching and I have a few ideas up my sleeve as far as present to present himself with! Some made by me, some made by others but happily all are handmade. A serious thing in these times when handmade children's toys are under attack. So today I want to share this amazing toymaker with you all!

Isn't it gorgeous???? Oh how I covet this horse. I was all set to make a hobbyhorse myself when I stumbled across this genius of a man! Here is his etsy shop as well, Hobby Horse Toys . Please go and support an amzing artisan and keep hand made childrens toys alive!

piggy reprive

well piggys date with the manicurist had to be post-poned. tune in next week for more piggy fun!

stay tunned .....

for another episode of piggy rodeo!

pig has to get her feet trimmed today!

poor sad pig

top 100 tutorial list

Isn't this Kitty just the cutest thing ever? Oh I am in love.

photo property of Cherryskin

Wow, I found her over at this really cool list of 100 tutorials posted by The Long Thread blog . There is enough stuff on this list to keep me busy for a whole year! high on my list to make are the black apple doll and the calico kitty as well as some of the mushroom stuff.

photo property of A Little House By The Sea

If you have anyone expecting a baby in the next year, your struggle with what to make them has been solved. There are a ton of great ideas on this list from all over the web. go check it out!

nothing but blue skys....

photo taken by desi, age 10

but dang, is it cold! brrrrrrrrr. The forecast keeps saying things like 72 but I am not feeling it. My poor neglected garden, the weeds are taking over and the dirt is still really wet and cold from those storms we had. But my snows peas have poked up their little heads and the shelling peas are a few feet tall. i also have beets, cabbage and onions in the ground as well.

snow peas

Some would say we are so lucky here in Sunny California to be able to garden all year round. Personally I find it tireing, never a break, always something to be done. And yet being able to pick the best tasting tangerines off my tree in January is pretty darn rewarding.

satsuma tangerine

new scrabble tiles

here are the two tiles I managed to get decent(not great) photos of for etsy.

I still need flesh out the auctions but they are up!
I am really trying to get and keep some creative momentum around here.

Swap Bot Rules My Life

sadly this is a true statement. I love to troll the swap list looking for some new and exciting challenge. The dragon above is for the "Something Red for Chinese New Year" swap, I joined. I have found it to be the perfect vehicle for keeping me working in my studio! For those of you who are blissfully ignorant or just plain resisting the swap bot pull, check out the projects I have on my list right now. See the brilliant thing about swap bot is is all the cool packages you receive in the mail. It is like christmas everyday! And if you are really lucky, you will receive a package that just makes your toes curl.

Go peruse Swap Bot and join the fun!

The View from down here

apparently this is the view from three feet or 2 3/4 years old.

interesting to give the kids the camera and see what comes out!

Shenanigans Shop Update

a new year means new goodies in the shop! I discovered the joy of scrabble tile pendants over the holiday season. I tested them out at one of my crafts shows and the were a smashing success, so I have decided to put them up in the shop. There is a wide variety of images to choose from and I am always happy to entertain a custom order if there is something your heart desires!They will be up in the shop later today.

Go take a peak and tell me what you think.

Enjoying one last cuppa......

Caffeine!
How I love you. how you hate me. why must you treat me so badly?
And you, dairy! what do you have against me.
You among all foods are my favorite.

Beloved Cheese, Cherished half and half
I have put you on a pedestal
And you here you leave me, broken and yeasty on the floor.

Is this my payment in full for years of unwavering loyalty
Steadfast devotion
Blind denial to your wicked ways

Oh what I wouldn't do for my metabolism of old
Iron stomach, blissfully heartburn free
Able to eat an entire cow and not gain an ounce

So farewell to you
Oh my fickle friends
And if by chance out paths should cross
Know that I should love you still
But must turn away

take a breath...

alaster with our new solstice spinner

oh my the flurry of christmas is over and the new year is finally here. Here in the hollow, we are taking a big breath and easing into it. I am spending a lot of my time in my new studio space and pondering where I want to go in the next year. You know putting things just so and staring about at all the crazy craft supplies I own. I often talk about the intense creativity of limitation. Of really having to make do with what you have in front of you.

Quite inspiring really.

Happy New Years!

here in the Hollow, new years is a quiet affair. We hang as a family with an especially junk foody dinner and watch movies. I can't tell you how funny it was to be in the grocery store with everyone buying caviar and champagne, while I was buying corn dogs and taquitos! New years day is My beloved husbands birthday and the rose parade. Both very special to me!

I have watched the Rose parade for 36 years now religiously. I can remember those early years when I lived in Illinois and Minneapolis, buried under tons of snow and watching sunny california and a mass of flowers. I never dreamed that I would end up living the dream!

as for Greg's Birthday, we used to go to Chinatown every year, but he has been working so much lately that all he wanted was a day at home to putter. The kids and I made him a cake during the commercials and gifted him with a sake set and the gummy coke bottles he has been craving since he was a kid.

A new years birthday is always tough, either you have the crazy new years eve party or it tends to get pushed aside. This year I fell like I got the balance right.

happy new year to you all

I hope it is filled with loads of good things for you and yours