No question there is a diagnosis for this affliction. But I probably can't afford the meds.

I so often boast about my craftiness. Okay, boasting is the wrong word.  I "suggest," "flirt with the idea of,"  "insinuate" my craftiness.  I have a label for my posts "Crafty Ms. Jen, very crafty."  Yet I rarely show it to you.  Being crafty/creative and then documenting it are two very different things.  I get caught up in the creative process and rarely stop to grab my camera mid-steps to show where I am and where I am headed.

Halloween costumes are one of my most favorite creative outlets.  I love to conceive the ideas, figure out how to make them work and then construct them.  This year we had some doozies.  A gypsy with a full on corset (made by me.)  A voodoo doll with pins and all (made by me.)  A mad scientist with a custom lab coat (made by me.)  Plus, a voodoo priest and priestess (made by me.)  And, this year, I documented it, took pictures of the thrifted skirts I used to upcycle into a gypsy skirt.  Pictures of the drinking straws and styrofoam balls being spray painted by the 10 year who would be wearing them in his voodoo doll costume.  I did it.  Then, my camera died.  All of the pictures stuck on my memory card.  Mocking me.

So today, while creating a birthday present for my friend, I decided to try again.  This time with my phone.  A before and an after.  A peek into the lunacy that is me.  A hint at how I can't leave well enough alone.  A notion of how I think, "I can make this even more interesting."

Ladies and Gentleman,  my attempt at a craft blog.

Today is LeeAnne's birthday.  She has an amazing collection of crosses that she has artfully displayed in her home.  LeeAnne has incredible taste and creates a beautiful, ever-evolving home.  I went to a local store, The Paisley Pomegranate, that I know she likes and began the hunt.  Something perfect for a friend (and in my price range.)  I found this wonderful metal cross and knew right away this was what I needed.  But it needed more.  See, can't leave well enough alone.


I purchased, pondered and puttered.  Went to my local craft store, Michael's  and searched the jewelry making section.  This is not a section I normally hang out in, however I like ALL sections of a craft store.  Just cuz it says "jewelry" doesn't mean you gotta make jewelry!  Wire clippers, glue and a little imagination later and I am thrilled with the result.

It's bedazzled beyond belief.  Not really.  It is embellished in a beautiful way. (I am creative, however not a photographer.)  It really is striking and I am very proud and pleased to give it to LeeAnne.  She appreciates my creativity, that's why I love making things for her.


Okay, maybe not quite a craft blog yet.  But I think I like the documenting.  Now if I can slow myself down long enough to take a pic, I could be onto something.


happy gluing.

If Fifth Grade accepted 41 year olds, I'd fit right it.

I love Fall.  It's a beautiful time of year.  The weather is ideal.  Temperatures are nice, the grass doesn't grow as fast so there is less mowing.  The snow hasn't started to fly yet so there's no shoveling.  The leaves are just changing and haven't begun to drop from the trees so there is no raking.  Perhaps I love Fall because I'm lazy.

I think NOT.

I've been working on getting the family to try new things.  Fall brought the opportunity for us to go apple picking.  My inner-farmer was ALL over this.  We could go and pick apples in the changing Fall sunlight.  Sunlight that makes us all look prettier.  The wind could whisper through the trees while the honeybees buzzed sweet songs of encouragement in our ears.  I could wear a bonnet and an apron and carry a bushel basket I had woven earlier in the summer.  We should TOTALLY go apple picking!

The apple picking was great.  It poured down rain.  There was lightning flashing all around us while we wielded picking sticks high into the trees.  In all honesty, the rain added an extra level of "adventure."    The trees are 130 year old heirloom apple trees.  Not sure what kind of apples they are but we figured we needed 5 bags of them.  5 bags.

So we picked and picked and picked.

We came home with a shitload of apples.


Well, it's been 5 days since we picked apples I decided it was time to do something with them before they all began to rot on my counter.

So I made applesauce.  How clever.

This is 2 bags worth of apples.  First I peeled the apples.

I peeled and peeled and peeled.  Now my inner-homesteader was totally excited about the outcome of my peeling.  My fictious chickens are going to love this special apple peel treat.  I am sure they will all scurry into the coop and lay dozens upon dozens of eggs for me.  As a thank you for my generous offering of heirloom apple peels.  They really do love me so.

Step 3 requires quartering and coring.  And quartering and coring.  And quartering and coring.  Again, Henney, Penney, Lenney, Jenney, Benney, and Zenney (my fictitious chickens)  will love the results of Step 3.  But oh girls, you won't get all of the cores for some must go into my compost pile.  Not fictitious by the way.

Finally, some sugar.  A little more sugar.  A pinch of salt.  Some water.  How about just a tad more sugar?  And several "glug glugs" of Applejack and we are off.  Apples boiling, breaking down, making the house smell nice.

I DID IT!  I made applesauce.  It looks pretty.  It smells great.  The kids are going to LOVE it.

Well, it turns out Ladycakes is "kind of picky about applesauce.  You know it's not bad but it's not the best applesauce I've ever had."  WTF?  Q and Elvis have decided they are "too full" after 2 pieces of cinnamon toast to even try it.  I thought kids were supposed to be STARVING after school?

Well, there is a happy ending.  A silver lining.  A reason for spending  2 1/2 hours of our day working on a task.  A reward.

Look what I found while I was peeling the apples.

An apple bottom!  I am in love with it.  As you can imagine I sang Flo Rida's" Low".  THE.  ENTIRE. TIME. I made applesauce.  Me, alone in my kitchen, singing about Shawty and her boots with the fur.  God, I love making applesauce.





Add Flo Rida's "Low" to my Lifesoundtrack.  Careful, there are some explicit lyrics here.  So use your best judgement if you are sharing with kiddos.  Just sayin'.

PUMP. Please Understand My Pituation.

I mentioned that I wanted to discuss "stuff."  The accumulation of goods,  from clothing to toys to lamps to craft supplies.  Just stuff.  Here at the hive, we have a lot of stuff.  It seems to grow.  Stuffed animals are procreating in closets.  The sock draw is a hot bed of sock love.  A virtual swingers club for socks where I am noticing most couples end up single.

When I had the realization that a lot of my stuff is bringing me down, we had a sign.  A sign from the heavens.  Actually a sign from our gutters.  As Mr. Handsome headed down into our crawlspace to store just a little more "stuff,"  he stepped into 3 inches of water.  3 inches of water that is sitting atop plastic sheeting and then good old fashioned mud.  It's ugly.  It's messy.  It's not life threatening, but it's super annoying.




So this minor inconvenience got me thinking even more about stuff.  As I am pulling up pillows that I have been saving (why?)  frames that I've been saving (why?)  gift boxes I've been saving (why?)  I wonder why is it so hard to let go of stuff and why do we accumulate it?  I know there are reality shows out there that look into this.  I am not a hoarder.  But I am an average American.  There are 3 families (ours included) on our street that have a garage sale EVERY summer.  That is not okay.

I  have decided to work on what I purchase.  I am sick of buying junk.  I am going more high brow.  I want to buy things that I plan on having for a long time.  If I can't afford it now, I will wait until I can.  No longer substituting with something crappy just to fill a void, in other words stop hanging out at TJ Maxx or Walmart.   I think it will make my body feel lighter.  It will make my brain feel clearer.  It will make my house feel happier.  It will make my world feel healthier.



Now, off to use the pump I just bought from Home Depot.  Luckily this purchase is something we will have for a long time, hopefully we will only have to store it in the crawlspace with only a little  other stuff and it will be one of those purchases we never use but are so glad we made it.





Add "Pump up the Jam" by Technotronics to my Life Soundtrack because according to my friend Cal  "That's so you!"  Wow. and I know.

It's not my fault so please don't trip.

I listen to XM Radio for a good portion of my day.  I'm in the car a lot and I tend to listen to the "20 on 20" more than I should.  It's a bit addictive and I end up singing along to songs that aren't really age appropriate.  I went through some old CD's today and I really should be listening to those.  LL Cool J, Luscious Jackson, R.E.M.  Instead I'm karyoke-ing to Miranda Cosgrove, Ready Set Woe, and yes, the occasional Lil' Wayne.

While driving with the family yesterday,  a song came on and I announced that it was my new "theme song."  Everybody shut up and listened to the lyrics.  Then all of a sudden, there was a huge burst of belly laughter from the back seats.  All three offspring were laughing hilariously.

I am so proud of my ability to make my children and myself laugh.  There is nothing funnier than making fun of yourself.  I happen to be really good at it.

Below is my new "Theme Song."  It's catchy.  Just try to not sing it to yourself, or do....... it will make feel silly and happy.  and maybe beautiful.






Add "Pretty Girl Rock" by Keri Hilson to my Life Soundtrack.

"I know it's 11:30 at night but I only have one more question" (and it's a doozy) says 10 year old son with more charm than whoever is the "most charming man" according to US weekly.

So we have been encountering questions.  With 3 children, questions come at us a mile a minute but lately I've actually been paying attention.  Not that I don't usually pay attention.  But "Mom, do we have any juice?" or "Mom, where are my underwear?"  are just not real questions anymore.  It's background music.


So a few questions Mr. Handsome and I have fielded in the last few days:

1.  "Mom, when are you going to get paid?"

2.  "How do boats catch on fire? They are on water."

3.  "Hey Mom?  When do you think you might have some money?"

4.  "Don't you think a fast skin swim suit might hurt my crotch?"

5.  " Mom. What's a condom?"

Uh, I don't know?  Might be the answer to ALL of the questions.  However, I do know what a condom is.  Mr. Handsome busted one out to answer this question ( and if you have been following for a year or so, we don't need these so yes, a new question is in the arena.)

6. "Mr. Handsome, why do you have condoms?"

Kidding, I was thrilled he had one and we did show it to Q and then made Ladycakes look at it, actually I threw it at her and she freaked out.  Then, we talked about it.  This is where I am....this is where I am.  Luckily, I kept my maturity in check and didn't make a dirty balloon animal out of the condom.  Mr.  Handsome and I need to talk......... :)

It's like baby, baby, baby whoa...... and then I buyed some stuff.

While driving to pick up the big kids from swimming, Elvis asked me to turn off the radio.  No more Radio Disney, as much as we love Ernie D, enough already.  He had some stuff to talk about.  He's become quite the talker, although not at school according to the information we got at yesterday's parent/teacher conference.  But, I digress.

The Scholastic Book Fair coincides with Parent/Teacher Conferences at our school.  At your school too, I imagine.  The same people that put toys in the grocery store and candy at the check-out, schedule the Scholastic Book Fair during Parent/Teacher conferences.  Yes, we use it as a bribe.  We are no better than the other parents at our school.    Elvis is super in to the Book Fair, first experience with retail shopping while being educated.  It's like Heaven for Elvis, he's a shopper.

A lot of the kids bring "their own money" to shop the Book Fair during recess, yea right "their own money!"  Elvis got to experience two of his classmates acting as consumers.  Both girls, shoppin' away.  Buyin' shit.

So Elvis says to me while we are driving in the car, " Itzel and Jessica buyed stuff at the Book Fair today.  They buyed posters with their own money.  We got to see what they buyed in class."

I say to Elvis, "What did they buy?"

Elvis says, "Well Jessica buyed a poster of a horse.  But Itzel, she buyed a poster of Justin Beaver."

I responded, "Wow, She BOUGHT a poster of Justin BEIBER?"

Elvis quickly replied in a very judgemental tone, " Yea!  Can you believe she buyed Justin Beaver?  I mean really?"

Whoa.  Justin Beaver has a contract with Scholastic.  That kid is rich.  I just wish the poster was actually a beaver with Justin's stupid ass hair.  I would have totally buyed that too.

Guess my date night with Elvis to see Justin Beiber's new movie IN 3D!  is a bust.  He is so not boughting that.

It's almost 2011!

For the holidays, we have been fostering two 6 week old labrador puppies.  It's been our holiday "community service."  I swear everytime I say that I feel like I am admitting my children are criminals.  Hhhhmmmm.    And, yes, I made dog toys for them, personalized and everything. I am the mother of criminals, I have to have a creative release!    Delilah is up there cuddling her toy.


Please meet Delilah, the chocolate lab and her sister Lola, the black beauty.

Miss Emma, our 9 1/2 year old English Mastiff has been a most gracious host.  We are calling her "Gramma Emma,"  She tolerates snuggling (see above) tail tugging, whimpering, wrestling and toy stealing.  She is incredibly kind and plays like the gentle giant she is, soft nibbling, quiet nudging all with such kindness.  We love her dearly and are reminded of how special she is to our family.

The puppies go back to Furburbia on January 5th.  We will miss them.  They snuggle and play and pee and poop.  It's been a great experience for all of us.  We love you Lola and Delilah and we hope you find great homes.

I Hope This Gets To You

I love this. I makes me feel like I have fallen in love all over again.

Another piece of commissioned art. Does this make me a "real" artist?

I mentioned before that I would be making 150 bottles for a wedding in July.  I feel very flattered when someone likes my art.


I had another commission this week.  Again, someone who really respects my work as an artist asked me to work my magic.



When you ask, I will deliver.  I love to create.  No matter how crappy the request may be.


I present to you "Ugly Christmas Sweaters."  Oh Good Lord, I totally enjoyed doing this.  Ladycakes helped and suggested we open an "Ugly Sweater Store."  Oh silly girl, no one will fall for that.  But wait, I checked on-line and people REALLY DO FALL FOR THAT!

Here they are...

 The trees light up, it's fantastic.

This is Frosty and his balls.  It's terribly tasteless and AWESOME!

This is me.  Showing off my terribly awful, hilarious, totally fun to wear creations.

Maybe I am a real artist.  Maybe not.  Whatever, I love being creative!

So Mom, I woke up with a great idea....

uh, ya yu did.  She (Ladycakes) signed up to make a gingerbread house for a local charity.  The Children's Justice Center helps kids who have been abused or witnessed abuse.  They are questioned, comforted and appropriately placed. Last year she made fabulous fleece blankets for kids that come to the Center.  This year, she chose to participate in their gingerbread house auction.

She woke up the other morning with a brilliant idea.  "Mom, I'm making Snoopy on his dog house!"  All I could think is "damn, this girl is good, she's kicking my garden gnome ass."  It turned out better than better.  Ladycakes will be the best pastry chef in the nation in what 15 years.   I need to start saving so I can fund  Ladycakes and Company.  I love this girl, she's brilliant and she's all mine.

Great job Ladycakes!
Love,
Mom
(tomorrow I'll show you mine.  It looks silly compared to this one!)

When the mother is the least mature person in the group.....

We attempted to take a family picture at Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.  I have had a request from my dear friend, Geri for a family photo.  She's got some plan for it.  Whatever she comes up with will be totally cool, that is if I could grow up for like what 2 seconds.  Not likely.

Every year I think I should send out Christmas cards with a family photo.  I love receiving cards from all of my friends.  Seeing pictures of the whole family is fun.  I like to compare myself to all of them and really critique whether or not I look older than any of my peers.  Not really, well kind of.  So, since Geri requested the family photo I was thinkin'  "two birds with one stone."  Let's knock this bad boy out and get to Wal-mart, STAT!  I'll get some photo cards printed and out before the mad rush.  My mailing list will be super impressed with how on top of it I am.  They'll open those envelopes and be all, "That Jen, she's so organized and look at how cute her kids are and DAMN, that girl looks good.  Not a day over 28!"

Well, that's all fine and dandy if once again, I would grow up for like what 2 seconds.  The proof is in the pudding......

and, then

 oh, wait and this

There are others but whoa, they don't get any better.  We are going to have to give this another go I'm afraid.  Yes, the mailing list would definitely say, "Wow, that Jen, she sure doesn't look any younger but she still acts like a 12 year old."

Oh well.

It's what's for dinner.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
Marinade includes allspice, coriander, cloves, brown sugar, salt, garlic, ginger, lime and Meyers Rum.  (It's gonna be good.)

Pineapple and Mint Chutney (oh yea.)
fresh pineapple
allspice
coriander
cloves
salt
jalapeno
garlic
ginger
brown sugar
lime

Wild Rice (instead of Quinoa, interesting?!)

Salad

Mojito.
Cuz, if you are making 2 parts of a meal that involve sugar, mint, water, rum and lime by golly you should be drinking a mojito.

A perfectly good way to waste a minute and a half.

 
Okay my lovely blogging friend, Carol, over at Songberries gave me a couple of awards.  If I could print these out and tatoo them to my forehead I would, it's the gold star I needed this week.  Thank you Carol!  You're a keeper.  The rules on this are that for The Versatile Blogger award you must tell 7 things about yourself and for The Beautiful Blogger award you must tell 10 things about yourself.  So how about I just list 17 random things and you can un-follow immediately.  Just kidding.  You're gonna like what I share.




Ready?




Really, ready?





Here goes.



1.  My nickname as a child was "Hotdog."  I was a bit of a hotdog and totally shaped like one, plump.
2.  My favorite household chore is organizing a drawer.  It gives me a sense of control.
3.  I have beautiful feet.  Like foot model feet.  Gorgeous.
4.  Baking soda really does eliminate odors, it's my new favorite household cleaner.
5.  I wish I had a huge white board wall.  Like 18 feet by 20 feet.  I would draw on it all day.
6.  I once pierced my ears using nothing but a needle and an ice cube.  It was before a Howard Jones concert.
7.  I love The Tower of Terror at California Adventure.  It's terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.
8.  I own a sewing machine, an embroidery machine and a heat press.  I strive to use them daily.
9.  I want to be my mom when I grow up.
10.  I am currently loving "Airplanes"  by B.OB. featuring Haley Williams as music of choice.  The Eminem version is great too.
11.  Body and Soul told me that according to Ayurveda, I am a Kapha which just means I am a chubby "Earth Mother."  And I like it.  I'm only slightly chubby.
12.   I remember my very first phone number like it's etched in my brain.  Scary but fun to say, to myself.
13.  I recently had dinner with Scott Wolf (hello, Party of Five) and his lovely wife.  I have a picture to prove it!
14.  I fear growing old.
15.  I would like to have a "signature" perfume.  Something my children will remember.
16.  I have never been to Europe but I'd like to go.
17.  I don't make my bed every day.

It feels good to get that off my chest.  Thanks for listening.

Last Day of School! But wait, I'm not ready!

So.... sorry for my absence.  I have been busy with musical performances, totally lame preschool graduations, last minute assignments, a Renaissance Faire, a new job, allergies, felt making, "what the hell are we having for dinner"ing.  And, a random orthodontist appointment.  So nothing really.  Just kidding!

Tomorrow is the last day of school. Happily, we do not have any snow in the forecast.  You laugh.  I cry.  It's been a long "sprinter"  and no, that's not a mis-spelling.  It's been Spring and Winter here.  It's LAME!

I love teachers.  They amaze me.  I was a teacher.  But, I didn't understand the power, the influence.  I knew it but didn't appreciate it from a parent's perspective.  NOW, I understand.  You people are amazing.

I am that parent that makes shit.  I make a present.  I like to make presents for people.  I think about them the entire time I am making their gift.  I also like to receive handmade gifts.  Okay, I'm a weirdo?  NO!

Hopefully, next year, the teachers aren't saying "Do you have that Q kid and his brother Elvis, cuz their mom is a handmade gift giver!  Sorry for you.  No Starbucks gift certificate.  No $10.00 Visa card.  It's all handmade.  Oh good luck with that!."

Here's this year's.  I like them.   I am proud of them.  I hope the teachers agree and appreciate how much time and love I understand that they put into every day.  I get them.

The bottles are an entire different post.  It, unfortunately, dives heavy into my psyche. We'll do that later. 

I have painted them  Added a tag.  Will then add flowers.  I love these people, they deserve paint, flowers and felt. 

Here are some more photos....

Close up of gold heart.

A message to each teacher.   With flowers. Such cute flowers.

Thank you teachers. Thank you moms.  Thank you dads.   Thank you for incredible public education.  Thank you Spring.  We are ready.

Hold on to your seats, it's SUMMER!

Hope your day doesn't involve breakfast in bed....it's just messy!

This is my Mother's Day loveliness.  Mr. Handsome and I found these shelves at our local Recycle Center.  For $2.00 a piece, I couldn't pass them up.  After a little sanding and painting, I have just what I wanted and needed.  This is my honey pot collection.  It's something I have been working on for a few years.  It's something I will continue to work on.  Some are old (I love these the most) some are new (It's fun to find ceramic artists that make honey pots.)  

My honeypots have been hiding in the pantry.  Now they are out for all to see and for me to dust.  Along with the shelves, the black amethyst pot on the top shelf is new (to me.)  It's beautiful and unusual.

Tomorrow we hope to be outside, hiking and just enjoying each other's company.  It is such a privilege to celebrate this holiday.  And, have it be about me.  I feel so lucky and loved.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there.  Enjoy your day, it's all about you!

It's weird, like I am totally forgetting something. Should I be worried?

Hi kids.  Sorry I've been "post-lacking" or "pslacking" as they are calling it.  Just kidding, I made that up!  And, I have registered it.  Totally mine now.  Right.  So anyhoo.....

I have a ton to do because I am heading off on a little adventure with my Mother tomorrow.  Heading to North Carolina for a felt-making class.  This is where we will be introduced to the felt loom that will be arriving in Utah in May.  SO EXCITED.

On my list today, make a card for the daughter of a friend who has been diagnosed with an extremely rare auto-immune disease (Behcet's disease)  She's young and sweet and should not have to deal with this and a card is nothing but it's what I can do for her.  She's lovely and I hope my little card will make her smile.

Oh yea, fairy and umbrella and little bird.  It's quite cute and totally for her and I hope she knows that we are thinking about her.   But weird, there's something hanging over me.  It's heavy and on my mind.

I should be doing real chores, not spending WAY too much time on handmade cards.   But I love making things for people I care about and really, what matters more? Not ironing, God Lord, not ironing.  It's so low on my list it's ridiculous.  However, there is something.  Nagging.  Itchy-like.  Ugh, what could it be?

I've decided what I am taking wardrobe-wise to N. Carolina.  It's hot there, I've got to dig out my "hot" clothes and I am not talking my little black dress.  Work clothes and work shoes.  But in the meantime, I had to fry (sorry cute organic friends who follow an awesome diet that some day I might join in on) some eggrolls for Ladycake's World Language Class.  They are studying Mandarin Chinese ( uh huh!) and this is her joint project.   But still, that crazy feeling that there is a deadline.  A looming deadline, that I may have missed.

But in the meantime, I am wasting tons of time blogging about all of it.  As if you care.  But I know you can help me.  


What am I missing?  Honestly, it's driving me nuts!  It's there, I feel it right there in the background.  It's teasing me.  What the hell, should I have done something today?   I just can't get my head around it!


Hope today wasn't too taxing for any of you.  I'm off to North Carolina.  I'm gonna learn how to make some felt ladies and gentleman.  Watch out, here I come!

I've lost that lovin' feelin' (over Spring Break)

Because it did this for most of our Spring Break....

We decided to rise above it and do this....

Get it she's a "gardening snowgirl."  Whatever.  Now the dogs are afraid to go outside because of the big scary snowman.  I believe that I have mentioned both of the dogs weigh well over 100 lbs.  EACH!

After having just about enough outdoor time we headed off and did this.....

Nothin' better than cheap bowling and a beer to solve the Spring Break blues.

An alpaca steps into a mill, goes through the picker and comes out a batt.

So a few days back I mentioned something cool was coming.....and then life took over and 3 days went by and I was all "oh no, I left them hanging and again, I have failed. I've let THEM down!"  Now I know you are a forgiving group and actually weren't hanging on the edge of you seat, or maybe you were?  I tend to hold people to stuff and am easily disappointed, so now I'm just projecting.  But back to the cool stuff.  Ready?


Last week, my Mother and I ventured out on a little field trip.  Off to the edges of a county I rarely explore.  We were off to see a mill.  A what?  A mill.  A what?  Okay, let me explain.  A mill is a place where raw fiber (in this case, alpaca) is processed.  This mill processes the raw fiber into yarn.  Lovely yarn.  We are not here for the yarn.

This was the first machine we met, it spins the processed fiber into strands that are then woven with another strand to make yarn.  It is one of the last steps in the process however it was an interesting place to start.

The operator of this mill was making a "chunky and funky" yarn on this pass and you can see it here.  Not particularly even and quite lovely.

Here we are seeing one of the first processes, once the fiber has been washed.  This is "The Picker."  I know what you are all saying, "Oh there's a kid in my kid's preschool that is called The Picker."  This takes this gnarly mess of fiber and removes dirt, vegetation, you name it that didn't come out in the wash.       

It is shocking how the fiber comes out.

Can you believe how fluffy it's become?!  Now through the comb.  This prepares the fiber to head to the carder.

Meet the carder.  This one is is awesome and big. 

Here you are seeing "a web."  This web is rolled onto itself to make a batt.  The batt is what we came to see.  We are here for batts.

Here are the finished product batts.  They are soft and fluffy and scrumptious.  These are alpaca batts.  They will become alpaca felt.  What?  Alpaca felt.  Did you say alpaca felt?  Oh yes I did.  

Stay tuned for more info.  I told you it was exciting.  Told ya.  Told ya!

Okay, I was having United States Postal Service anxiety.  I am a bit of a control freak with the need for immediate gratification.  Born in 1969, there has to be something to that.    I was sure that the bad attitude of the Postal worker who handled this precious package a week ago, who had an attitude that you would not believe, was a serious problem.  Shocking!  A customer, because sorry, if you show up at the post office you are actually a "customer"  asked to use a pen.  A pen, the post office doesn't supply them, "because people steal them."  REALLY?  The postal worker offered a pen, begrudgingly, and said "As long as you give it back."

Fer reals, this is how we talk to customers?  It is SO ANNOYING.  And of course, I commented, because I cannot let that kind of behavior go, it should be called out and recognized for it's LAMENESS!

Well, after commenting to the awful postal worker,I made fun of what he said, because you don't talk to people like that and handing over my precious creation  I began to worry.(He was terribly nice to me and check the link for why I think this is the case.  ;})     Long story, short.  It arrived.  She liked it.  I am so happy.  She's terribly creative and I am excited to follow her blog, cuz she does cool stuff.  Check tifandtheboys.blogspot.com

Thank you so much Urban Craft for making this happen.  This was a great first time craft swap experience.  I'll do it again.  I loved it!

Tired of waiting? Well wait no more!

The big reveal.  I made you wait a full 24 hours.  I can't believe I had the self-control to wait.  I have been coveting my swap item.  So here you go.... check this out!

Isn't he AMAZING!  He is a Cloud Seeder tree from this Meomi inspiration.  The craftsmanship is remarkable.  Not only is he super cute but he is quite mischievous.  Look where he's been in the last 24 hours.

Here, he is reading an Octonauts book.  He was thrilled to see we have them in our collection.

Studying the globe.  Turns out he's a geography nut.  Who knew?!

Climbing out of my purse.  He had been going through my wallet looking for some spending money.  Fool!

I found him in the refrigerator this afternoon.  He was hoping for an afternoon, caffeine pick me up but he doesn't drink "diet."  He claims the Nutra-sweet leaves a funny taste in his mouth.

He decided to check the pantry.  I think he might have eaten a whole box of Chicken in a Biscuits!

He feels very at home here.  And, The Cat said she doesn't mind giving him a ride every once in awhile.  I think they are going to be good friends.

In all seriousness, I love this.  Karen, you rocked it.  He will live a long and happy life Here at the Hive. Where he will reside is yet to be determined.  Maybe my studio, maybe on the mantel above the fireplace.  Maybe on our bookshelf.  Or maybe all over the place.

I love him!