Retail Thearpy...

I know, I'm suppose to be working, but I couldn't help it....I had to go to the bank. And since I was already over in that direction.... I figured I'd pop in to the thrift store to see what I could find.... Don't worry, I only spent $2!! The tin on the right reminds me of a picture of my mother when she was little. She was probably 5, and she was hanging up her doll clothes on the line.... The paper mache' box with the squirrels was also too cute to pass up. Both were $.45!! Then in front is a pillow case! That was $1!! I love girlie pillows!! And I could not pass up those pink flowers!


Oh, and I forgot to add this one in earlier! I was trying to take a picture of the pandas last night.... and as you can see......Cleo is helping... too cute!

OK...ok

Back to work I go
Until Next Time...

Never feed a stray Cat!!

They Multiple!
In case you don't know the story.....This is Rufus- Not to be confused with Otis, who will get his own post later....... Rufus was a stray... I started feeding him, we buried what we thought was him here, and then one day he brought the family. It has taken me a long time to befriend all of them...But Now....There's only One outside kitty, and he's fixed!

So.....Rufus

....had a daughter named Maggie (Not to be confused with Ginger, the kitten that needed the blood transfusion).... Maggie was the last cat I brought in...... Took me months to make friends with her- she wouldn't even come up on the porch if we were out there. So I'd sit quietly next to her food bowl, and eventually she started to come up to eat... Then one I caught her. She didn't even freak out! I think she knew it was coming.... She's under my trailer in the picture....this is No place for a cat....or her kittens....

After her first litter of kittens (the litter that Wilbur came in)..... She had another litter. And at this point, I had had Enough! I love my cats, Each and everyone of them.... But this is nonsense!!! So everyone got caught!

This is her second litter of kittens..... With some of the most prettiest coats I've ever seen.... Gray bodies with black and white feet?!?

When they were brand new, the mother brought them up on the porch.... So I've been handling them from the beginning... It was almost as if she wanted my help taking care of them?! She'd bring them up, let us play with them.... Then come back when we were gone and feed them.

This is Teddy..... the bf has totally falling in love with this guy!

He's really such a sweet kitty.....

And this is his brother Bear- he stands up like a Bear, He growls like a bear...... And he's my shadow! Follows me where ever I go, wants to be right next to someone, But doesn't want you touching him, lol.

And here's Cleo again! Cleo- short for Cleopatra...... Cleo thinks she's got to be in my lap all the time..... She's so lovable, and she plays hard! When the babies are wrestling....she normally has the upper hand.


And did you notice that my once gray kittens are now black? They're the same kittens, they just changed colors on me.

The cat tree seems to be the hot commodity around here..... From back to front, there's Wilbur, Teddy, Fred and Cleo's up front in the corner......

And today we have Fred again.... And then from left to right is Bear, Wilbur and Teddy.

So now that I have way too many cats...... I'm exhausted! Someone is always getting into trouble...unless they're all sleeping. Don't get me wrong, If I could find homes for them, I would.... I've asked everyone I know, and I've managed to find homes for some, but I'm running out of friends. Maggie is in the bedroom, until we can get her fixed.... and she still won't let us touch her..... And the older males walk up and down the hall, churpping all day~ Very annoying!! And then there's Otis...... Who's keeps me busier than all of them put together. We'll discuss him later! So if I can find them homes, I will. And until then, I'm going to keep praying that I don't ship one outta here in one of the Etsy orders... They LOVE the boxes I bring home, and the tape... and the bubble wrap. I have to hide from them when I'm packing orders! LOL.... One day... One day I'll find homes for these guys and my life will go back to normal, LMAO.... Yeah Right?! What is normal anyways?? Ha haha

Ok...One more pic before I go..... This is Emma, Cora's kitty that lives at her Dad's house. I took it on Halloween, Cora had dressed her up for Cameron's birthday party.... Here she is sitting in the window watching the kids play outside..... So cute!

Well, Alright then..... I'm off to try and get some 'work' done today. The kitties are napping, the kids are at school..... and It's Mommy time:)

Until Next Time.....

Getting sidetracked...

Yeah, I know....I'm suppose to be finishing the churches and the birdhouses...But I couldn't help it. Kat is working on a nursery project for a friend, and some of us are helping her out. She's doing a nursery with a Panda theme... So I thought I'd break out the clay.... You can also see the bases for some new signs on the left. I made a couple for Kat's project, and made a few that will get listed later this week.


And here are my panda's. The kids have been teasing me about my 3-D eyes, but I like them like that:) Gives them more personality! Either way...they'll be fine sitting on a shelf with other pandas!


And here are my rejects. It's been awhile since I played with the clay, so my fingers are a little rusty. I went ahead and added tongues to these, and my kids have since claimed them.

Don't think I'll be doing much more tonight. I've got a bit of a headache from being on the computer too long. I get hung up in Etsy every time! There's just so much to see! I did manage to order a few more jam jars... Here soon I'll have enough to start playing with~ I need lots and lots of Jam for Marshmallow Manor:) I've also ordered some toys to add to some of my collections. When they come in, I'll share them with you! LOL.... I know, I know; I have all these posts to get to:) Gives me something to do this week.

So

Until Next Time..........

If you liked the benches..

Then you might like this set.
......To tell you the truth..... I LOVE, LOVE this set!

The table came from a Thrift Store.... It had this really, really thick layer of varnish on it that took me days to sand off! I swear it had been doubled dipped or something.

After I stripped the table I gave it a base coat of dark brown paint.... I like using the dark brown as a base..... Makes the top coat pop... I built the 2 benches, and painted them along with the table. And then I went back and sanded everything down again. I like watching how the aging process goes....From when it looks all pretty to the time and work it takes to making it look old!

However! This little table is driving me crazy! It's wobbly and I've tried sanding it down, but don't think it really got me anywhere..... Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix it before I find myself gluing a bead to the bottom of one of the legs?! Once I get it fixed, it will be listed on Etsy.

And before I go...

Meet Cleo......Isn't she beautiful?! One day soon, I'll catch you up on the cat drama.....

Until Next Time

New Garden Benches in Etsy

So..... A long time ago, I realized my love for magazine pictures meant I had to have space to store them. And generally it was only one or two pictures in the whole magazine that I wanted to be able to go back and look at. So..... I started cutting out the pictures and throwing the magazines away. Then, through the years I stared gluing them in a book. Then it became 2 books, then 3... and so on. Now I have a book for house ideas, recipes, clothing, art, gardening...... Yes! I have a lot of 'books'/binders now~ And could actually use a new one, but that's neither here nor there. Anyways..... I've been spending some time looking through them to get ideas on what else I wanted to build.... And these little benches keep popping up....

I've seen them in the garden....

I've seen them at the foot of a bed....

I've seen them in kitchens....

And I see them in real life. One of our neighbors has a bright yellow one on her front porch.

So, now I've made some in mini.......... I used dollhouse molding for the sides......... and as usual, it's been crackled and aged! ....and sealed with an acrylic sealer.

LOL- You believe I'm almost out of crackle medium- and I'm not over it yet, WOo-who!!

Until Next Time....

*Ohh wait.......Made some green signs last night that read Organic..... hopefully I can get them listed over the weekend....

See what I mean...

I have run out of room in here! As much as I love this little house, It is just too small!! It's OK though...gives me an excuse to buy/find another house. One day..... when I find a bigger 'shop' this little glass house will house the wicker furniture Casey made for me....Until then, Casey's stuff is staying in the box- don't want the kitties to even see it....And I'll just keep dreaming of a bigger glass house.

I have so much stuff on the floor in here...I don't know how customers would even be able to walk around. Terrible!

The little birdhouses need to make it up on the wall..... so do all the signs I've made.

The big birdhouse (the one with the green roof) was a gift from Mercedes..... And so was the little nest to the left of the picture- on the candle stick. They are 2 of my favorite things:)


See the big K in the lower right corner of the pic? I just love that! The leafy stuff came from Ira, it's in a vase I bought at the dollhouse show.

The blue chair, and pillow and flowers were a gift from Jody (one day will someone please teach me how to make it so when you click on Jody's name it will take you to her site....please! It would make things so much easier:)!!

Also thought I'd show you the pic I made for my Etsy site..... I've gotten several requests for personal signs, and needed a pic to show that it was a custom order. I went with my blackberries as a back drop~ So me:) ......and speaking of the blackberries- It's crazy how many vines I have this year, that stuff has really settled in well. Wonder if I can try and make Jam this year...sounds fun?!

OK.... that's it for today. If you get a chance, stop by my store.... I just listed some benches that you might like:)

Until Next Time.....

The Church

One of the things that I saw repeatedly this trip, was churches! I'm not a church person myself, But I Love buildings....and there's something about a church that really makes me smile.

As with most of my bigger birdhouses, this one is hollow, too!

The windows and doors were stamped using a carved pencil eraser.... I use these a lot! And leave the pencil attached~ it will give you something to hold on to.

I have 2 more of these to finish before I can list them..... and I'm definitely keeping one for myself:)

I can't say the idea was totally mine.... I used this picture as a guide. But isn't that what minis are all about....recreating in miniature what you love in the real world?! And I love this Church!! I love how it's sitting on an end table with the flowers and those little jugs! It's going to be perfect in The Painted Lady! (I'll have to get pics of the glass house so you can see what a mess it is...I have way to much in it, but love everything too much to take anything out. lol.....sounds like my real house:)

Oh, and the title of the book that it came out of is Better Homes and Gardens~ Cottage Style.

Until Next Time..........