My New Friend

I had to fight with this guy to get to the last of the ripe blackberries.  I love the markings!  What a lovely creature!  We have tons of these spiders and woolly bears this time of the year.  I think that is why I love autumn here so much.


I have been trying to get sewing done in between costume making and birthday dress making.  It is hard!  I need a time manager or just a manager to kick my butt and get me focused!  I decided to cut down on the amount of designs I am making for the holidays this year so that has been easier but just finding the time to do anything with my leather has been pretty hard this last year.  It's getting better but I just can't seem to push from better to best.  Makes me frustrated!  I did make a pretty cool witch costume for Ed and Ciaran's Sponge bob costume seems to be coming along so that is all good!  Just need a few extra hours every day to work on my stuff........not gonna happen though unfortunately:(  I just keep chanting "some day, some day, some day"..............................

Newness

 A new pendant in copper and brass.  This one is for a friend but I will be adding some similar pieces to my shop soon!  Oh metal I've missed you sooooo!!!!!!

New billfold!

Last but not least, this is actually one of my favorites, it's so soft and purty!...Oh!  I mean handsome:)

A New Design

This one and many more like it will be happy hangin' out in my Etsy shop and hopefully going off to new homes over the next few weeks.  I made one for myself and I really like it!  It's pretty much everything that I wanted in a wallet for myself.  So, I am offering them up after taking mine for a nice long test drive:)  Enjoy! and thanks for looking!

Turning Negatives into Positives

 First of my newly finished pouch thingys all set and ready to go to a new home

The second pouch thingy hangin' out and ready to be someone's new best friend.

So, I woke up today to some criticism of my work.  Not in a good way either.  This someone was not pleased with the quality of my work.  It kind of sucked to read what was said, but what exactly can you do.  Not everyone is going to happy with what you do 100% of the time.  Part of me wanted to write this person back with all sorts of explanations of my work and pleas for understanding my process, and, another part wanted me to meet her face to face and say something like " It's handmade lady!  If you don't like how I do my work, make it yourself!"   BUT, and it's a big but, I wrote back to apologize and offer a refund,  again, not everyone is going to like what you do and get the whole handmade thing.  It's just the way it is.  I do the best with what I have.  I make things that will last for a long, long while, in my design and style.  I think most people that create things do.  I thought what I had made turned out pretty awesome, but someone else did not.  I guess I just have to shrug it out and move on to the next adventure. 

In other news,  I am on to making pouch wallets this week.  Just like the one I made for myself.  I really like it and I am hoping it will make a little more sense with the new design I came up with.  We shall see though.  The first one is turning out pretty nice in all of it's dusty plum-ness, turquoise-ness, and such.  I can't wait to share it!

 *  I am crossing my fingers for being finished by the end of the week:)*

Playing with Copper and Other Nonsense

 So, this last weekend after trying to come up with a good idea for a custom item for a good friend, I opened up my box of copper and brass scraps and started playing around and came up with the piece above.  I like how it turned out and I'm thinking that I want to utilize this type of work in some of my collars and cuffs as well as make a few pendants and such for my shop.  I forgot how much fun it is to play with copper and brass, I miss it so much!

While I was playing in my studio, lucky Abner got to go for a ride in the Tonka dump truck with Ciaran and Edolie.  I'm not sure if he had fun or not.  I thought it was great that Ciaran put a small piece of wood over the opening in the back of the truck so Abner didn't have an accident and fall out.  It's nice to see the kiddos getting over their fear of the tortoises and wanting to spend time with them.  I'm not sure how anyone could be afraid of, or creeped out by a tortoise, they are to damn cute!

So that's it for now, I have to go organize the lab so I can make it messy all over again!

First Day of School

 Ciaran ready to go in his new school outfit that he picked out himself.

 On the way to school

 Stopping to watch the traffic

 Ed at the top of the hill

 Mr. Kindergartner, all ready to get to learning!

Edolie playing in the grass on the way home.

A very easy transition with no tears!  He has been ready for such a long time.  I'm not sure if I'm ready though.  I sure hope he loves his new school. 

I'm Still Here

I have been preoccupied with the pretty little being in the pictures above.  Her name is Nutella, and she's LOVELY!  She just came to us on Thursday so she is making herself comfortable in her quarantine enclosure(which I made myself!)  and getting used to the noise and craziness that comes with living with us.

Life has been a little nuts this summer with my two children who seem to have more energy than they know what to do with.  There is lots of wrestling, screaming, getting into things, and laughter.  I am also trying to keep my dad company, since he is completely alone now and is really feeling the absence of my mom.  So, my work in the laboratory has been in little teeny spurts here and there.  I am hoping that once my oldest starts school in a week, I will have a little extra time just to create.

I have been creating some new designs and playing a little bit with copper and brass too so that's been really nice.  I hope to keep it going and show you all something other than cute geckos in the near future!