Glass work update.

i'm still progressing on my glass work. i've taken a break from hearts and spirals to make a few goddesses pendants. i am really, really enjoying these. i've always been drawn to the image of the goddess/female form and over the years it has always been a focus in my art. So it only makes sense for me to bring it into my glass work.

These are a few of the first ones. i am not trying for any kind of consistently with these. i want them to be all shapes and sizes. Some have arms, some do not. Some have a line to separate the legs, some do not. Some have spirals on their bellies, or belly buttons and some do not. i think they are all beautiful in their uniqueness.  

i've been playing around with a few other styles. Like leaf bottoms, and spirals.

 Yesterday i started making a few with pregnant bellies, and i'm loving the way they are coming out. These have a loop in the back. the pendants that have the raised arms, do not. The arms act as the loop. i'm eager to see these progress and i continue on my lampworking journey.

i currently have these available for sale on my personal FB page, and am working to get them listed on my Enchanted Tree page and website.

More Chalk Marker fun with #vellostarchalkmarkers

We has some fun with chalk markers again today. i bought some chalkboard spray paint, and we've turning everything into chalkboards. :)  When you use the chalkboard markers on something that has been sprayed with the chalkboard it doesn't wipe away as easily as it does on a real chalkboard. Which is what we wanted!  They'll fade over time if you don't seal it, but they will awesome for a good while.

We have a ton of gourds that we dried last year, so i sprayed this one with the chalkboard paint and then we decorated it with the chalkboard markers. the are so bright and vibrant. i plan to put a birdhouse hole in the back of this one and seal it so the chalkboard marker doesn't wash away.

We also revamped all of our chicken signs. A few months ago, my girl made some signs for all of the chicken coops using chalk marker and my husband hung them up.  They lasted a good while, but eventually start to fade. So we redecorated them all.

Because the chalk markers are being used on a rough raw wood, they do not wipe away like they wood on a smooth chalk board. So they work great for the signs.  They are semi permanent. We'll probably be able to change them up again next spring.

We also redid the sign at the kids play fort.  My boy worked on the menu while Sookie waited to take orders. :) 

My girl has been drawing all over the fridge chalkboard. It's a large piece of chalkboard contact paper. i use it as memo board, but the chalk markers are too fun to resist. So she's adds to the drawing every time she gets near it.  The chalkboard markers do wipe of of this chalkboard easily. Just a damp cloth and they clean right up. Occasionally chalk markers will leave a little residue behind, but magic  eraser works wonders to clean it up. 

All of these projects were done using #vellostarchalkmarkers.  These were a little more watery than some of the other chalk markers we've used. If your not paying attention, they drip a little and end up on your finders. They clean up very easily though.  You can find these for sale on amazon. It's a nice price for 10 big chalk markers!



i received this product for free to test out and provide my honest review. i was not compensated.

Crafty Rolls Washi Tape Crafts

i've never used Washi tape before this, but i have a friend that loves it. She uses it to decorate the cigar boxes that she paints. They always come out looking fabulous, Since we love all kinds of crafts,  i wanted to try it out.

i received some #craftyrolls washi tape to review. So i looked up some different craft projects to do with it. Pinterest is full of ideas!!   My kids and i did a few simple ones, just to try it out.  i need to make a run to the craft store to get the supplies i need for some of the other washi tape projects i want to try.

The first project we did was to decorate my girl's switchplate cover. 

The tapes we picked are pink and green. They look like xmas colors in the picture, but it really is pink not red.   The washi rolls come in lots of fun colors and prints. It adheres really well to our projects, but isn't so sticky that it sticks to itself (like ducktape). It easy to lift up, straighten and reapply to get your lines perfect.

My girl loves the way her light switch cover came out. We attached the clothes pins to a ribbon and have them hanging in front of her mirror so she can hang pictures from them.

She also used the Crafty rolls  washi tape to frame in a few pictures in her scrap book. There are tons of different crafts on pinterest to make with it. We're going to have to try and find a few more projects to try out this weekend. 

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i received the washi tape in exchange for my review. i was not compensated.

Jewelescent Gel Pens by US Art Supply- product review

  My kids and i both love gel pens. i use them in many of the crafts that i do, and we both like them for coloring. There are so many great colors in this set! It has 72 pens!! i don't think i've ever seen so many pens in a set before.

These will work great for adult coloring, scrap-booking and writing. i like to use them on chalkboards, when i have something that i want written/drawn permanently. They really pop on a black background. They are non-toxic and acid-free. All of the US Art Supply product line is really good and inexpensive. i've been very pleased with every product we've tried from them. i'll be review a set of 100 double tipped markers next!

 This set has 3 classic, 12 glitter, 10 metallic, 6 neon, 9 pastel, 12 glitter neon, 12 dye, 2 black and 6 swirl pens in it. They are smooth rolling pens, although some of the stuck just a little when i first tried to use them. They rolled perfectly after that though. They do not write quite as smooth as gelly rolls (my absolute favorite brand), but for the price and the amount of pens it's still a great deal.  The pen barrels are clear so you can easily tell when you are running low on ink. The caps click on the pen securely, so you don't have to worry about your pens drying out because the cap didn't click. . 

 The color choices are amazing, although i couldn't tell exactly what was what with some of them. i love all the glitter and metallic pens the best. The neon and pastel pens are easy to identify, but i wasn't sure what the difference was between the classic and the dye. i also really like the swirl pens. The pens come in a clear plastic box and they snap into a try, making them easy to store. My daughter has been busy drawing with these. This is really a great set for anyone that loves gel pens!


 i received this item for free or discounted in exchange for my honest review. i was not compensated. All opinions are my own. #usartsupply

Back to Dolls Again.

Making dolls is one of those things i seem to always come back to. i started making rag dolls several years before i had children. Then was my daughter was born i fell in love with Waldorf style dolls, but they weren't affordable and so i decided to learn to make them.

i made her a new doll every year for her birthday. In this photo all of the dolls are made by me except the one on the far right. The first two on the left i made for her before she was even born.  The second one from the right is the first waldorf style doll i ever made. 

This one was made in 2012 for her 6th birthday, but was lost a year later in our house fire along with all of her other dolls.

These are the dolls i made for her 2013, 2014 and 2015.  As ,much as i loved the Waldorf look i really struggled with them.  i had thought about making them to sell, but just never felt that confident with the pattern and really struggled with them.

This year i decided to try again, but instead of following the Waldorf patterns i had been using before i went back to my old rag doll pattern.  i used what i had learned from the Waldorf technique of sculpting heads and combined it with a pattern i was more comfortable with.   Just like that- it all seemed to come together.  The areas i struggled with before are no longer a problem and i'm very happy with how the dolls are turning out.

The last few weeks i've been working on them non-stop. i have 7 almost completed and 3 more started. i'm really enjoying the process of seeing them come together. i'm still just trying to find and perfect shoe and sweater patterns, details like bags and hats etc.  The dolls typically go through several outfit changes before i figured out their personality. Then i begin to add the extras.

These girls are waiting on shoes and bags. The doll on the left will probably have another outfit change, as i'm not really loving the pastels on her.  

This one was my least favorite of the bunch until i figured out her personality, and then she just came together perfectly. 

Every year i start off making dolls, then abandon them once gardening season starts. This year i'm really trying to stick with it.  i feel like this is the year, this is what i am meant to be doing right now. i truly do love the process of seeing them come together, now i just need to work on the finishing process and actually listing them for sale. :) Everything in it's own time.

October Garden and New Projects.

October garden is still going strong.  Although most of my summer crops are done i replanted many back in July/August and i'm finally beginning to get a good harvest from them. The peppers and tomatillos that were planted in the spring and are just now ripening and ready for harvest.  We have had two frosts so far but i've had most things covered and so they are still doing well.  My fall carrots are still a bit small but i'm getting lots of snow peas and swiss chard.  Zucchini and yellow squash are still hanging in there despite the cold temps. 

i have lots of new lettuce, kale and spinach planted in the tiered garden.  Kenan bought a tiller so two of my four gardens have now been tilled!  Nasturtium and marigolds are finally in full bloom.   Seems like every year they wait until right before it freezes/frosts to finally come into bloom. Hoping they stay pretty another week or two. 

With the cooler weather i am spending more time inside, which means i'm attempting to focus on my business again.  Although i keep saying i'm done making bendy dolls, i always go back to making them. :)   i'm really hoping to focus more on Waldorf dolls this winter, but until them i have lots of these bendy dolls available.

i've mainly been focusing on Halloween themed dolls, trying to sell a few so i can buy the supplies needed for other projects.  The two witches and wizard above are sold, but the pumpkin girls and ones below are still available. 

i've mainly been working on Halloween themed dolls, trying to sell a few so i can buy the supplies needed for other projects.  :)

i've also been working on organizing and creating a craft space.  i'm setting it up inside the tiny little laundry room. The space is really just a place to store my supplies and keep them organized, as i tend to take my projects into what ever room i am in at the time.  i'm hoping to eventually put cabinets and a counter top in here  so i can set up my sewing machine.  

Just for fun, i made my boy a Doctor Who Tardis hat. 

i've been thinking about stocking my etsy shop again, but until them i'm still just selling on my FB page.  i have bendy dolls, jewelry and a few hats for sale.  i rarely take custom orders, but if it sounds interesting and i have the materials i may consider.

i'm still spending a good amount of time in the garden.  i have quite a few fall crops in and i won't give up on it until it's buried in at least a foot of snow. :)   

#Creativeeveryday Weekly Roundup #4

i haven't been doing a very good job of documenting my daily creativity. i've been working on a lot different projects that are time consuming and despite putting in a couple hours a day, there isn't always a lot daily of progress to show.

One of my biggest struggle right now is having visions for the pieces, and not having the right materials to finish them. So i end up putting things aside until i can get the items needed to finish the pieces.  This morning i ordered Amethyst rounds, so i'll be able to finish this necklace once they come in.

i had been waiting for these fresh water pearls to arrive so i could embellish this pendant. This necklace is going to be gorgeous, but i still have a lot of beading to do on the actual necklace portion. The beading technique that i use takes about an hour an inch, and i still have another 12 inches or so to go before it is finished. 

i lost all of my hand drawn beaded patterns in the fire, and the lost most of my archived work images that were stored on the computer.  i was recently able to retrieve some large images of my past work from a myspace business page that i had completely forgotten about.  From those images i was able to recreate my mermaid pattern. It was a long process of coloring dots on a grid paper, but i was able to do it and actually improve my original pattern. 

i had so much fun working on the mermaid, that i decided to make more.  These little mermaids are only about 1 1/2" long, but they take 2-3 hours to complete.

i've slowly started making them into necklaces, but i'm already finding myself lacking the correct color pearls, glass beads, clasps etc.  i need to put in another bead order, but i need to sell something before i can do that..ah..it's a catch 22. ;)  Trying to support my bead habit is truly a problem. tee hee.

This my newest doll. She isn't quite finished yet, or maybe i just don't want to sell her. i'm not sure, but i do seem to hold on to these dolls a while and make very little effort to actually put them for sale. i keep having to remind myself that i can more. She just really turned out lovely, don't you think?

This is my batch of dolls that i need to finish up. i'm hoping to post them for sale this week..probably Friday. We'll see though. ;)   So that's what i've been up to the last couple weeks.  

i'm already starting to feel overwhelmed by all the things i have to finish and new projects to start. i spent the weekend trying to organize my craft supplies, after finding a bakers rack to use as a craft station. i'm behind on posts again, but will have a new giveaway posted soon and a tutorial for making Elsa's door (Frozen).  

i have the kids home again today, because of the weather. So we'll see how much actually gets accomplished. We have plans to make rainbow cake or cupcakes for St. Patty's day. 

Any of my readers participating in #creativeeveryday?  What have you have you been working on?

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.

-Greg Anderson

#Creativeeveryday Weekly Round up 3

i have been doing a lot of creative work the last couple of weeks, although i don't feel like i have a whole lot to show for it.  Kids were home from school because of snow days and sick days, so i haven't had a regular work week in quite a while. 

i've started beading again which i love, but honestly each project i get into takes so long that i'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it. i really should be putting this energy into other things. That said, here is what i've been working on.

i finished the Agate wrap, with peyote tubes and beaded braids. The picture isn't the best, but it turned out really nice. 

i originally beaded a piece of Amethyst for this necklace, then decided i'd rather use Abalone shell. The project sat in limbo for a while until i was able to find what i was looking for. It's been so long since i've bought beads that i can't even remember where i use to find them now. i purchased this shell pendant from Michael's. The necklace still isn't finished, i have about 2" of tubing that still needs beaded, and then i'll finish it in beaded braiding. i'd like to find fresh water pearls to embellish it, but i'm having a hard time finding those too. 

i like the first Abalone wrap necklace so much i decided to make another This time in green. i really like this style of necklace. The beading is in herringbone stitch, but i like to do it over plastic tubing so it keeps it's shape. It ends up very similar to a peyote tube, but takes about half the time. i found some pearls online to embellish this one, just waiting for them to arrive.

i use up the left over red boucle to finish up this little dolly. She's a mini only around 7-8 " tall.   i'd like to make her more clothes, maybe a sweater and some pants. i have 3 other dolls this size that i need to finish. 

i love the way this girl turned out. She is mostly done, i still have to finish her feet and i'm working on a different sweater as the one she is wearing is just a hair too tight. i'm pretty sure the reason i have a hard time finishing these dolls i because i'm not ready to let them go. There is a lot of time, energy and love put into each one and so it's not always easy for me to just shove them in a box and send them on there way. i'll get them for sale eventually, but i'm not in an rush.

My daughter asked me to paint her door to look like Elsa's in Frozen.  i really didn't want to paint it, since she'll probably be over the movie in another week or two and thought i could easily recreate it out of construction paper.

It ended up being way more work than i intended.   i ran out of the dark blue paper, so i can't finish it until i pick up some more.  It isn't proportional, Elsa's went from the top of her door to the bottom, but i think it still turned out pretty well. My daughter loves it, and that's all that really matters.

 After all the work i put into it (hand drawing the designs) i was thinking about posting a tutorial with the design images that you can download and print on your construction paper, and then all you'd have to do it cut out the pieces and assemble them.  Any interest in that or am i the only one crazy enough to do this?

This week started with a sick kid home on Monday, and now i've caught his cold and plan to spend most of the day in bed too. Thankfully i can still work on my jewelry, and dolls from the comfort of my bed.


An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it.  ~Paul Valéry