Flippity Flop...

That is the current mind set right now. I guess you could say that is my attitude, creativity, and thought process (is that attitude?). Well anyways, my last post leaves me to believe that I just need to say NO more often. There are things in life that you must do as in pay taxes and try to have good Karma, BUT in the meantime you do not need to overachieve, and that is where I am falling into line. I love to create beautiful things for people and see the smiles on their faces BUT deep down I am not smiling while creating because of the time crunch. Don't get me wrong as I said in my profile, I was put here on Earth to create with my hands but is this time of the year correct for doing it?

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I am plugging away at last minute orders...hopefully all will be done by tomorrow. As for the other things I have to do, this weekend is going to be busy!!!

Happy Thursday all....

Who feels like this right about now???? Well I certainly do...there is so much to do and no time to do it in, especially when you have orders to fill. I have 2 children's aprons to make, package to mail out, Christmas cards to do, pj's for Graydon (I always make him a pair for Christmas), presents to wrap, pottery to make quickly, cookies to bake, house to clean amongst other things AND not to mention we don't even have a tree yet!!! What the heck!!!!!!!!!!!!

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To all of you that feel the same way...send me some love and I'll send you some back!

If I have time that is.... :)

1/2 Day Snow Day

Today started off OK. The weather was not looking too good for the afternoon so the schools let the children off 1/2 day. What to bide our time with??? A gingerbread house. The kit which I purchased at HomeGoods consisted of preformed walls and roof, royal icing that you just add water to and all different sorts of candies. Mr. Stitch had to inspect all the pieces before we started to assemble them.
Yummmmm...................

The hard part was making sure the house did not fall apart once we started "Gluing" it together.

Notice all the little decorations around the doorway and the cute little wreath.

Almost finished!!

One last piece!!

Ta-Dah!!!

Nestled on a vintage cake stand this house will sure add to our Christmas decor.

Hello all...

I just wanted to inform you that...

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Thistle Farm Art and Gift Shoppe

(located on the side of my property)

last day of business will be on

December 13th at 4:00

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due to some unfortunate circumstances

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I apologize if this causes an inconvenience.

If there is something that you would like, please

let me know and I will set is aside for you.

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Thank you very much for your patronage throughout this venture.

I do hope that in 2009 I will be able to set up residence at a permanent location.

Stay tuned for more information regarding that!

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If you know of someone that was planning on coming, please forward this on to them.

I greatly appreciate it!

Do you ever wonder if you could just get caught up with

everything that you have to do

and just enjoy the moments in life?

Well I do!

I wish I could just wave my magic wand and have everything done...

Needless to say for the next two weeks I am going to be insanely busy.

I have orders to fill, presents to buy, cookies to bake, house to decorate....

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Well, that's it for now...

Sunday Night Funnel Cake

No, it's not what you think!!! Even though it looks really like something else, this actually is funnel cake. I have not made it since I was a kid and even that I think I wasn't the one who made it...so I decided to have a go at it and stink up my house. Graydon was so thrilled that I made it, and believe me it was sure tasty! I guess there is a reason why I do not fry at home...

it really does make your house smelly!
But look at that grin...I'd do anything to see that!

Finished product!! We ate too much but once in a long while won't hurt us!
On top of the funnel cake, I tried a new shortbread recipe. Very easy and it made yummy triangular cookies using a cookie mold I never have used. It even has a thistle imprinted on it.
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Can you see it above the bite mark? :)

OK, so one year ago today I was featured on the Martha Stewart Show regarding me little chickens. I had been to the show on Halloween and gave the producers a photo of my chicken "Martha" dressed up like one and only Martha Stewart. I'll try and find that photo to post.

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Well, they just thought that was a hoot so the producer Vaia called me and we did a phone conversation with the one and only Martha Stewart. I was incredibly nervous to talk to her so I really don't sound like myself on air. It was fun and I got my 5 minutes of fame in. Now if I could only really get on her show and show her a thing or two. Wouldn't that be something!!

Who me?????

I have been nominated for an award, Kreativ Blogger!!!

My dear friend Kim (http://paperhugs.typepad.com/ ) nominated me. She is an amazing artist/rubber stamp designer.

Check out her blog and see what's up!

Now I must nominate 5 bloggers who inspire me!

Drum roll please...............

1. Nancy of http://therabbitmuse.blogspot.com/. Her creativity and knowledge inspires me everyday! I love her use of vintage items for her designs. She even has two cute bunnies!

2. Lorelei of http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/. Absolutely love her jewelry designs. A wonderful talented artist as well!

3. Lori of http://lorimarie.com/. Another talented artist and seamstress. I am in love with her blog and doggy!! I found her on my girl Martha S., and have followed her since.

4. Emily of http://theblackapple.blogspot.com/. A very talented designer/painter/sewer. Found her on my fav, Martha and continue to follow her blog weekly.

5. Vicki of http://hollyhocks.typepad.com/. A beautiful person inside and out with the most adorable twins ever! He creative sense of vintage is to die for!

Well again a warm thank you and a big hug to Kim. I miss you and wish you lived back here!!! Thanks for all the wonderful stamps you sent me and I can't wait to use them!

What have I been doing you might ask? Well a little bit of everything lately! I have become an elf so to speak. A friend is getting her daughter an American Girl Doll and has asked me to make some clothing for her. The above photo you will see a peasant dress with an apron over it, a leopard print coat with fringe and matching boots and above that is a brown corduroy jumper with set in pockets and I need to finish them all. The boots are done and so cute I might add. They look like Uggs, which I want this year! Everything else needs a little tweaking and etc!
The next thing are some Welcome Signs. It looks like they have been a big hit this year so I created three more for my shop and the pottery sale at Roberson.

Next is this adorable needle felted penguin sitting on top of an clear ice cube. The ice cube is not real, it's made out of plastic but when I picked these up at a local shop, I just knew I had to put this little guy on top.

And finally this....it is a bank for my nephew Fred. Hopefully I can get it done in the next week. It needs some more carving done to it and feet put on it, carve a whole in the bottom for the rubber stopper and carve a slit in the top for the $$$$. I hope they'll like it!

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On another note, I'm busy as always today. I don't have to "work" today but I do have to work. I have a bunch of stuff to start this morning....mugs, mugs and more mugs! Then shower, off to Roberson to set up for the sale that starts again tomorrow night, back home, pick up Graydon, off to the orthodontist, home, and more work. But this is the type of work I love to do! ART!!!

Ugh...I have eaten way too much the last two days. Turkey dinner with all the trimmings last night, along with pumpkin pie and cheesecake! Today for lunch a turkey sandwich with cranberry relish and mayo. Dinner tonight another full blown turkey and all the trimmings. I feel like a whale, but it's sooo good!! Shall I have dessert? No...no....and NO!!

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Shop is under way...black Friday wasn't so black for me but we did have some visitors. I'm dying to see how the pottery sale at Roberson is doing. I stopped by early this morning and couldn't get in to the room due to no key around. Oh well, maybe I'll stop on Sunday morning and check out how the inventory is. On another note, I ventured out this morning early to get a couple of good deals. If anyone out there loves to shop on Black Friday, let me just tell you you're NUTS!!! I was about to loose my mind in Target. The lines literally wrapped around the store. I started up to the front of the store with hopes that I would run into someone I knew but to my un-luck...nobody. Something told me to turn and head towards the jewelry counter and to my surprise...there were only about 10 people in line. Yeah me!!! Score!!

In and out, got what I wanted and outta there!

I laughed out loud for this one!! A turkey for a turkey!

I found some funny turkey photos online so I thought I would share them!

They actually took tin foil and make this design and cooked it this way.

Can you imagine serving this!

Funny!

Love this kitty...go get'm tiger!!

Wintery images from Tuesday. Graydon had an hour delay in school so he had fun throwing snowballs at Todd and Callie. The snow was so beautiful hanging on the tree limbs. I do have to say that I like winter when it is like this.

The freezing cold and slushy snow I can do without!

Graydon was exhausted by 9:00 last night he fell asleep with Callie close by. Before I took this photo, Callie was sound asleep and they looked so cute together.

A boy and his dog...what could be better!

Upcoming Show(s)

I am currently working on two separate shows in the next few weekends. First of all starting tomorrow night (Tuesday) we will be having our annual pottery show at Roberson Museum and Science Center. Directions are pretty easy for all you locals who might want to come. It is a great show with some wonderful potters including my fellow artist friend, Nancy http://therabbitmuse.blogspot.com/. I just checked out her table at the show and she had some incredible jewelry for sale. I will be setting up my table hopefully tonight. The show runs tomorrow night from 5-8PM and then the next three weekends in a row. Look above for the dates and times.

Stop by and say hi!

Next is my show that started this past weekend, and it runs every Friday and Saturday from now until December 20th. It is hard to read the direction on the above postcard. Please google my address and if your local stop on by. Lots of great gift ideas as well and another fellow artist friend Michelle of Hodge Podge Creations. We have everything from handmade soap, jewelry, pottery, fabric, cards and more! Make a wish list for your honey to buy you!! We also will be having baked goods such as biscotti, various cookies and Cinnamon rolls in the upcoming weeks.

No rest for the wicked I say!

Wow, I just realized I have not had a post in a long time! These past two weeks have been a little crazy for me. I have been creating and trying to get my little shop ready for this past Friday and Saturday opening. Also, I have been working on a wedding for our neighbor/friend, which happened to be yesterday! Do I sleep...yep, but I go like a bat out of hell when I am awake. So this photo above is what my car looked like on the way to the reception hall yesterday...full of table arrangements that I did. On top of the 20+ arrangements, I created the brides ball which is shown below, a calla lily on top of her mother of pearl bible she carried, 13 bridesmaids, 13 ushers, the grooms boutonniere, 2 nosegays for the mom and grandma, 3 wrist corsages, boutonnieres for the dads and grandpa, a throw away bouquet and some miscellaneous stuff. Plus I set up everything once I go to the reception (Todd helped as well!). Whew!!!

Here is the brides ball she carried hanging off her arm as she walked down the aisle.

I need to get a better photo of it...

Table arrangements at the end of the evening.

They look much better than what this photo reveals.

Another arrangement for the table when you enter the reception.

And yet another arrangement with the bridesmaids calla lilies....

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I do have to say it was yet another great experience

I have under my belt.

Thank you Grady/Kazmark family for

allowing me to be a part of the wedding!

Congrats!!

I don't know if any of you out there in blog land have been hooked on these Webkinz. Well let me tell you that in our household there are over 30. Graydon loves stuffed animals as well as myself. I even have 2, Graydon gave me a black cat and a chickadee! Well now the new ones are out for December and I want all of them!!! The hedgie is so cute as well as the otter. The otter reminds me of one that my sister use to have when she was little. She use to carry it al over the place with her wrapped in a mexican blanket. Sorry D'Lynn!

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Well, I'm off to work and then home to get some stuff done.

I have things in the works so I'll post them soon!

Twilight Fans only 10 more days til the movie....

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Well, if you haven't figured out yet...I am hooked, 10 days til the movie. Unfortunatly I will not be able to go to this movie the day that it airs. I have so much going on that weekend...oh well, it will be exciting when I do see it! Here is a suggestion from me...try and read the book before you see the movie. I just watched the trailer for the movie and oooooooooo it looks so good. They really did a great job matching up the characters to my ideas. Bella looks exactly how I envisioned her and Edward....huh need I say more!!! Edward for all you Harry Potter fans was Cedric in the movies and books. He is much more mature looking now and play a wonderful vampire. If you haven't had a chance, check out http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/, it is her official website. Find the video and play the song...

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The above book is the 2nd in the series and I have gotten half way through it. Not quite as good as the first but I am plugging away at it. Don't get me wrong it is still holding my attention quite well but Edward is not in it that much.

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Well...if you haven't, pick up Twilight and read it!!!

MEET LOUIE!!
He is the newest addition to our clan. He is a Panda Bear Hamster and is approx. one month old, although he is quite large. Graydon fell in love with him on Friday night before we went to the movies. He was the only one left in the cage and he was quite entertaining to watch. He collected some money from doing jobs for us and Grandma and Grandpa, went to the store on Saturday night and got him.
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He is very timid around our hands but hopefully he'll warm up so we can hold him.
I think Todd even likes Louie!
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On another note, yesterday was actually a little productive. We cleaned out the top part of our barn where the barn sale was. Put most of everything (art) down to the little house for the upcoming sale, took all the patio furniture and put it away. Then I came inside because it was pretty chilly out and made 2 Tree of Life tiles, a small platter, cut my soap I made and got somethings painted. I have to work at the studio this morning, then to the market, home, make dinner, get a couple of things done, Graydon will be home, eat, get him ready for soccer practice and then I have to work tonight as well. Busy, busy for me!!!
Have a good Monday everyone!

Soap Making

So yesterday I took my very first soap making class with Maria (pictured above). She has been the one who sells her soaps at my sales. I have always wanted to take this class and finally found the time to do it. Basically it is all chemistry given to you on paper. I have seen it on TV before and sort of got the gist from that but it is much easier to understand when it is right in front of you. The above photo shows Maria of http://www.angelicglow.com/ mixing up a batch of her red wine soap. The wine she used is from a local winery called Black Bear Winery. Note the bottle on the table...it was actually made out of clay. Very cool!!
Here is the emulsion blender working hard. I nearly cut the tip of my finger off with this thing.

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Note to self...unplug devise before cleaning!!!

This photo shows some of my supplies. A Snapple box worked great as a mold...line it with saran wrap and we are good to go.
A ruler to measure the bars after and my instructions...

Well, because of all the precautions with making soap (lye based) I could not take photos while doing it. You had to keep an eye on the temperature and make sure the lye and water do not splash...very tricky stuff! So the above photo is my creation:

Almond, Cinnamon and Oatmeal Soap

YUMMMMM!!

It smells soooo good. Today around 4:00 I can unmold it and cut it. Then it has to dry for three weeks but after one week you can start using it.

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Needless to say, I am hooked and will be making more soap in the future...

any requests for different flavor of soap?

Tonight I think will be a Mom and Son date. Todd is off "playing" with some guys from High School doing guys things...you know golf, BBQ, poker... so that leaves Graydon and I to hang out together. I think we'll go and get an early snack to eat and then hit the matinee at 5:00. He wants to see this movie and I am looking forward to it too, so off we go.

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I still feel like poo. I think it is a full blown sinus infection. I called the doctors this morning and I am waiting until they call back. More than likely they will not be giving me anything for it. They always tell me you have to have it over 7 days before an antibiotic is prescribed. Ugh....I am tired of it already! Yesterday I really did not move from the couch and this morning was the same. You can only watch so much TV before you go crazy!!! I actually just ate a little lunch and made some pottery coasters as an idea for my little shop that will be open Nov 21st - Dec. 20th...Fridays and Saturdays only from 11-4pm. I'll post the info a little later. I am still trying at this whole shop thing. January is another story but maybe I can find some place near my home that I can turn into a shop.

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Anyways...Happy Friday!!!

So I have to tell you all that I am taking a "real" soapmaking class this Saturday. I am so excited to be taking one...it has been a long time coming. If all goes well, I should be coming home with approx 30 bars of soap...Yeah! We will be the cleanest people in the county!

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On another note, I am sick. Ugh...it started on Sunday with just feeling yucky, kidneys were killing me and I was just so tired. Monday...sore throat...Tuesday more of a sore throat and now today full blown sinus infection I think. My head is so conjested, this is the first I have been off the couch all day. Hopefully it will pass soon because I hate feeling this way. My head is totally in clogged which also makes me off in the clouds. Whaaaa.... :( Yes I am feeling sorry for myself!

Change!?

I hope!!!

OK, so last week I picked up this book at a local bookstore. I have been hearing so much about it and thanks to Jean, I decided that it was finally time for me to read it. I got it on Monday afternoon and literally could not put it down. The first night I read 150 pages and then because of a busy week just finished the last 200 pages last night (500 page book).

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It is suppose to be a "teen" read but let me tell you, it completely held my interest and I can't wait to get the next one today. Based in "Forks", Washington, a girl, Bella, moves to be with her dad and discovers some incredibly beautiful people in her school, one in particular named Edward. Only to find out her love interest turns out to be a vampire ...

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Now when I think of vampires, it does not spark my interest but this book changed all that. It is sometimes scary and sometimes hold your breath type of book but if you haven't read it, go and get it...it's only $10.99 and well worth every penny!!

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Patrick and Melinda

on getting engaged!!!!

We can't wait ...

Happy Halloween to all you blogger friends!

If you can't tell, Graydon is Yoda this year!!
Last night we carved our pumpkins and ate yummy apple squares my in-laws brought up. YUMMO! Tonight we are on our way out to visit some people and then off to friends for some tricks and treats!

I thought I would try and take a self portrait today wearing my friend Nancy's beautiful bat she had given to me. I love it and you can view her work at http://roundrabbit.etsy.com. Stop by and check her out! Thanks Nancy for my bat!!!

17-1/2 hours and counting for the barn sale....

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It is all coming together nicely even though none of my pottery is priced, the check out table is not set up, change is not had for the register, cider is not bought for a free "HOT" drinks, weather is cold and sleep...what's that?

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So the 4th annual barn sale is under full swing. I will be taking photos of what the barn looks like so you all out of towners can see what I have been doing every year. This years contributors are

1. Michelle (jewelery and other)
2. Mimi (antiques and bric a brac)
3. Chris (primitive)
4. Sue (glass)
5. Pam (knitted felted pumpkins etc.)
6. Shea, Ahne and D'Lynn (earrings)
7. Maria (soap)
8. Linda (knitted and other)
9. me (pottery and etc.)

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Pretty darn good if I say so myself!

Hello all fellow blog land people...

If you are in the Upstate New York area and would like to take a little drive, stop by to my 4th annual Seasons in the Barn Art and Craft Sale starting this Thursday. Get your Christmas shopping started early this year! There will be lots of great "stuff" for you and someone you "like". Everything from pottery to jewelery to antiques and more. Stop by and say Hi!

Happy Birthday to.....

ME!!

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Yes...today is my birthday and no I won't tell you how old I am. OK, I will I guess. Basically this will be my last year in the 30's. Sniff, sniff.... I feel like I have finally come into myself in my 30's. I have grown into a person that I am reasonably happy with. I have a wonderful son and husband a person could only ask for.

My life is pretty darn good!

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So today consists of waking up early, making myself a small pot of coffee, painting some stuff that needs to be in the kiln TODAY, and at 11:00 I am going for a long deep tissue massage! As far as this afternoon goes, I will most likely head to the studio, load a kiln of green ware (unfired pottery) and then head home. I think tonight will be spent with wonderful friends with lots of food and drinks.

Sounds GREAT to me.

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Have a wonderful day everyone!