OMGOSH...It's WHAT month???

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving that was spent with family and friends. Of course, if it was spent in perfect quiet times then that can be good too. No matter who is with us I know that we all have things to be thankful for and that's what that time of year is for. I'm thankful every day and tell the good LORD every day too.

We went to the big easy, New Orleans, to be with my little sister and her family. We had plenty of food to eat and man oh man by the third day of turkey I think we were ALL very happy that it had all been eaten. Of course, what did we eat for dinner the first night it was gone........fried chicken...hehe!!

I do believe that I'm falling in love with this old city and all of it's charm and characters that already call it home. Even the Chazman is falling hard and fast. Might be a place to consider in the future as both Chaz and I are definitely characters ourselves and would fit in perfectly. My sister had to work every day except for Thursday and on Saturday everyone was happy staying inside and chillin.....well....everyone but me. I drug the mister out and about and walked the city and walked and walked and walked. Yeppers, we kinda got lost a few times but at least it's an interesting place to get lost in, yes?

We went to Jackson Square in the French quarter where the local artist have their paintings hanging all around and some of the local musicians play and the street performers entertain. ^_^  I think I could have sat on the curb and watched all the peoples for hours and did sit and watch for a spell. A spell I do believe might have been cast as for a small bit of time I was taken back in time to see just what the square might have looked like back in the beginning. (I LOVE history) If you're not familiar with Jackson Square you really should read about it some more...very interesting.

The main focal point of the square is the beautiful St Louis Cathedral. It was closed the first time we went to visit but this time it was open and oh my....what an amazing piece of art all in itself.

It was so peaceful inside and even though there was no mass going on everyone was being very respectful. Well, almost everyone that is. One person's cell phone started playing a VERY loud song and I have to admit it was quite comical watching that person try to get it to turn off and saying "Oh my Lord, please forgive". I had to walk out to keep from giggling to loud. Like I said....very entertaining place indeed!!

Now that we are home I have been working on some commissioned glass ornaments and have them all finished with the exception of just three more that I will be painting as soon as I leave from under the old Southern ooak tree this morning. ^_^ The first ones are of some strong personalities that I so hope that I captured for their human. Bullies...no no not those bad guys but the breed. Take a look.......

I think I did a good job of capturing these two boys. I have to admit that their humans sure are brave souls. Having two male bullies in one home that aren't related by blood. I'm told they are happy, happy boys so that's good. They haven't seen these yet and I'm hoping they like them. (fingers crossed)

Now my next piece took me several tries and I'm not sure I'm really happy with the end results but the friend I painted it for loved it and that's the most important thing. Black cats are VERY difficult to paint peoples!!

I could NOT get  Smith's eyes closed to look right so I painted them open which I should have done to begin with and it would have saved me from muttering several words that I really shouldn't have been muttering......even to myself. (blushing)  Like I said though, she was very happy with it and that makes me happy.

As I said earlier I have the peacocks to paint and then one more cat and I'm going to have to say NO (I hate to say NO...I really do) to any other request for a bit so that I can get my family gifts made. Two nieces have requested certain gifts and I like to make things I know they want. One is the steampunk piece and the other is for clothes to fit her Monster High dolls. Those are just two....there are still MORE I have to make as well. YIKES....what month is this? I have got to get me hiney in gear.

Mermaid kisses and starfish wishes peoples,
Regi

And HE thought dog was MANS best friend!!!

In a place filled with mist and the smell of the sea a very old, grumpy and cold hearted man awoke to a horrible realization. He sat up scratching his noggin and felt a terrible dread. Oh my....how could he even begin to understand what had happened to him. The last thing he remembered was being out walking with his faithful companion, Beau, his very large and handsome mastiff. Beau had been chasing the neighborhood cats. One of his dog's favorite pastimes and one he always allowed. They both really hated those cats. Nothing but smelly, lazy, independent creatures that cared for nothing but themselves. He really didn't like those nasty little powder puffs. No....not al all!!!

Godfrey sat for a minute more and stood and started calling out to his Beau. No response from the large mastiff was heard but in the distance he swore he heard several hisses and meows. He followed the sounds because he just knew there he would find his dog chasing those darn cats again. To his surprise though, once he walked out of the mist and closer to the sound he was surprised to be surrounded by thousands upon thousands of cats. Some stalking, some preening, some play fighting and some just looking at him as though they knew he was THE man that owned that obnoxious beast that plagued them for so long. Godfrey was in shock at the sight and slowly started to panic. He dropped to his knees and called out for anyone....ohhh anyone....to come and tell him what was happening and just where in the world he was.

After some time passed and no one answered his pleas, Godfrey got up and sat on a small stool he found and with his hands on his head knowing that he had somehow been doomed he felt a warm caress and then another and yet another until he was feeling warmer inside than he ever had in his life. He raised up and to his surprise there were several cats all which were giving him warmth to soothe him and calm his nerves. He was shocked...totally and completely shocked. How could these creatures whom he had help torment for so long be giving him all this love.

Out of no where an Archangel appeared. A beautiful being who walked directly over to Godfrey and touched his shoulder. Pain immediately began in his chest, shoulders and back. He just knew this was truly the end. To his surprise a warmth began to fill him. His heart became light and filled with strength and might. She spoke to him as she began ruffling feathers that had appeared on his back. Feathers....was she being cruel...was he to be a giant playtoy for these cats. He so wouldn't say he didn't deserve it after all his mean years but why give him such warm, strong feelings to only take them away and replace them with of all things....feathers!! She smiled at him and spoke "Godfrey, I am Ariel, the protector of the environment and animals, you fell and into the ocean you went along with Beau as your walk took you on to a bad part of the pier. Beau is where he should be now and you, I cradled in my arms as you sank further to the bottom. Once the bottom was reached I realized that inside a once grumpy, hateful old man was really just a man who had been hurt beyond reason and had simply closed his heart to all around him except for his dog. Now there is nothing wrong with loving a dog, as he is truly man's best friend as everyone knows. God made sure that each soul knew that....hence his name spelled backwards for the creature. That showed me that there was still love in that heart and I wanted you to become one of my guardians". Godfrey was aghast at what this angel was saying and trying hard not to sputter and stutter as he asked, What is to become of me now then....as a guardian and a guardian of what? The angel said that since dog was protected by his maker that she had to do a little extra protection of her some of her beloved creatures so when the right person passed from this world and showed her that they still had some love in their hearts she made them one of her guardians....to protect in his case....her cats. The feathers she explained were not a curse but strong wings to aide him in his flight when he was needed to return to earth to protect or even to return one of her cats that had spent their nine lives out in that realm. As she turned to leave him she whispered "Cats ARE very independent creatures but they are filled with unconditional love, so treat them with such and go and protect my sweet, hearted guardian".

Godfrey is one of my one of a kind sculpts. (ooaks)  He has a strong wire armature that was wrapped in tape and plushed out with fabric and stuffing. His head, hands and feet were sculpted by hand then detailed using acrylic paints. His feet are covered in handmade felt boots. His clothes are handsewn  His sweater and hat were made from a baby's booties. (I love repurposing once loved items) his vest from felt and his pants from...well...an old pair of khaki pants. His wings are made from natural feathers that have been sprinkled with gold angel dust. (that's glitter peoples..hehe) He is sitting on a covered wooden thread spool (well the cats have to have something to scratch on) that is sitting inside a ceramic cat bowl. He and his charges (four cats) are permanently attached to the bowl. The cats were hand sculpted and detailed using acrylic paints as well. One is giving Godfrey some loving, one is laying in his lap playing with a ball of yarn, one is climbing on his pants leg to grab the end of that yarn and one is purring and preening) This piece sits right at 9 inches from the base to the tip of his wings.

Before anyone ask....yes...I plan on doing a dog guardian as well....in the future. Until then...............

Hugs,
Regi

Happy Happy...ummm..what day is it?

Ohhhh....I'm just kidding. I know what day it is cause I marked off my calendar this morning. (scratching head hoping I haven't missed marking one off cause then I REALLY don't have a clue what day it is..hehe)
Happy Happy Wednesday peoples!!

I have been working on a few things at once to get them finished so that I can devote all my time on my newest witchie sculpt....Glenda. (plus my muse is buzzing around and about to get swatted with the fly swatter if I don't) Don't ya just hate when yours does that? OK OK humor me and say "Of course it does Regi". Thank you.

One of the things I can check off my finished project list are some macrame ooak tree medallions. I had fun making them and will probably put them in my Etsy shop here in the next few days. Perfect jewelry piece for fall, yes?

 This is one has a hemp rope necklace that measures 24 inches. The medallion itself measures 5 inches, that's from top of medallion down to roots hanging down. Wooden beads along with bone beads are on the hemp rope with tiny bronze beads and caps (to look like acorns) are on the medallion.The next image is just so you can see the tree a bit better.

This one is on a hemp rope that measures 24 inches as well with the medallion being 5 inches from top to roots. The hemp rope has wooden beads and two large Tibetan beads. The medallion has wooden beads.

 This one has a hemp rope that measures at 18 1/2 inches with the medallion being 4 inches from top to roots. The hemp rope on this one has bone beads, wooden beads and Tibetan spacer beads. On the medallion there are bone beads and wooden beads.

This one has hemp rope measuring at 24 inches and the medallion is 4 inches from top to roots. The hemp rope has bone beads, wooden beads along with Tibetan spacers. On the roots are two bone beads and a tree of life charm. 

Now my second project that I can mark off my list is my ooaks "Godfrey the cat guardian". I think he and his little charges turned out just purrrrfect. Don't you? ^_^   I will do a separate post about him in a few days that will tell his story. I love writing my little ooaks stories. 

Now, I can get started on the newest witchie and make this muse shhhhhhush for awhile...hehe or should that be Bahahaha? I hope that you will come back to visit and follow along with this one as I'm working on it. Ya know I luv when ya visit!!!

Until next time..........Hugs,

Regi

Beads Beads...everywhere...dang it!!!!

Hope your Tuesday morn has been a good one so far. Mine has been and hopefully will continue to be if I can keep Callie and Boo away from the sea stars. Oh yes, I took them out this morning and have them sitting on the railing outside to dry out. The sea stars that is....not the cats...hehe

I was so happy to see that they kept their pretty tan and brown color. 

I know I said yesterday that I was going to work on a necklace and I did pull out everything needed to make it but I had this wild bug bite me (ya know it.....the sort and clean bug) when I opened up my bead drawer. WOW...had no clue it was so messy. Sat there scratching my head wondering what in the world happen to get it that way. I try to be neat and organized when I put things back. When did I just toss and throw things in? I soon found out that it wasn't me that did it but Callie. She came and sat beside the drawer and when she THOUGHT I wasn't looking she would raise up and start batting at everything. With her felt needle sharp claws that would definitely toss everything about. I guess she was looking for the hemp....she loves to play with it and all the other things were just in her way. Soooooo....I decided to clean out and straighten up. BOY...did that turn into a whole bloomin day project. 

 After sitting and sorting and filling up my little containers and boxes I finally decided enough was enough. These are the ones that I didn't sort. Perhaps another day project? No time soon, I can guarantee that. 

Nice organized drawer. (put hemp in a box so that it won't be tempting Callie)

Now......I should have put my two mischievous creatures outside while I was doing this but I didn't but I should have...really really should have!!! Callie jumped up on the desk and knocked over one of my big boxes that I keep all of my natural stones and beads in and they went everywhere. I got them all picked up with some help.

Boo looking for any left over beads. Callie looking at Boo to "pounce" on....hehe...and she did

and it continued aside.

Until next time.............Hugs,

Regi

Whew...so happy that Mother Nature finally remembered!!!!

Happy Happy Thursday and thank you so much for stopping by to visit. I have a fresh pot of coffee on and am more than willing to share a cup or two. The more you help me drink means the less I will drink. I get a bit wacky...ummmm...ok ok...wackyER the more I drink..hehe!!

Please excuse me for there not being any post for a bit. I think it's been almost a week...YIKES  My only reason for not is that we have been dealing with some VERY uncommon weather in our part of the woods or should I say beach. My studio area is in the back of the house and which use to be the back porch that ran the length of the house so it's a fairly large room and that makes it hard to heat. Well....I could keep it warm but then I would be roasting the Chazman and the mister in the front part of the house. Can't be a doing that now can I?

As you can see in my first photo we have SUN and you won't be able to see the icicles hanging off the branches for much longer I imagine. Whew...so happy that Mother Nature finally remembered where we live. I know to most this is just how winter is but not here. Some of my friends that have grown up in the area said they can't ever remember it getting like this so ya can just imagine how things worked (or didn't) here. I will say that I'm so thankful that we do live in this area because when times get hard the community acts as a whole and does what it needs to do to help one another out. There were some places that opened up with volunteer employees that came in to fix hot meals for the emergency teams having to stay out in the weather and work. Others brought hot chocolate or coffee out to them. I'm so proud of our police, firemen, city emergency workers, utility workers and everyone involved in keeping us safe for doing their job without any complaints. It's a good place to live.

I do NOT like the cold but I have to admit that the ice made some beautiful designs that sure sent my muse into overdrive!! The trees looked like they were covered in diamonds. Ohhhh how I wish!!! Hehe

 Callie and Boo did not want to stay inside just because of the ice either. Of course I made them until they both started howling so loudly that I finally gave in and let them see for themselves.

See...these silly cats enjoyed playing in the ice...such goofs. Callie was really cute because every time they would step in a place that would crunch she would hiss and jump straight up and then back up and stalk it. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't take a photo...sorry!! They only stayed out for about 5 minutes and then wanted back in and did not ask to go back outside for the rest of the day. Imagine that!!!!

I did bundle up and came back here to work some yesterday afternoon. I mean ya'll know that my art is my therapy and a girl can only go without her therapy for so long. I mean really!! I couldn't work on jewelry or sculpt because my fingers just didn't want to work right...dang fingers...so I worked on making some cards to put on the pieces I'm making to place in the shop "Beach Reflections". I'm so excited about that...so so excited. I'm planning on making the sales tags somthing that can be kept as a souvenir too. Still in the planning phase.

I hope that YOU have had a great week without to many mishaps or temper tantrums by Mother Nature. I hope that you will stop by again soon too. I love when you come to visit!!!!

Until next time.....keep a shell in your pocket and some sand between your toes,
Regi

Santa looks like a biker dude!!!

WOW...another chilly morning here on the suppose to be warm southern coast.  I'm not complaining AT ALL about it either. I do love chilly weather....in small doses. hehe

I have been waking up rather early in the mornings and this morning was no exception. The house was quiet and that's a great time to work on my projects. Ya know right now it's Santa. Yesterday I put part of his coat together, got the pearl buttons sewn on and trimmed around the bottom in fur (faux fur)  This morning I cut out his hat, sewed it up and trimmed it in fur. After I took a WIP photo for my post I thought to myself, "Santa looks kinda like a biker dude".  LOL  Hmmmm....that might be a future ooaks!!

I plan on getting  him completed this morning. Since the Mister is at work now and the Chazman has been taken to school...the house is again....quiet!! Well, as quiet as it can be with my two furbabies sitting here either snoring or dreaming of a caught mouse and licking their lips...ROFL  I was actually able to get a good one of Boo this morning. She normally turns away from me or hides when she sees the camera but not this morning. Gotcha ya!!!  Well not ya as in you but ya as in her. Ohhh ya'll know what I meant!!

Her fur is soooo black that it's hard to see her. Sooo black in some areas that it actually looks red. She is a love though and I'm so happy that she and her companion Callie adopted us.

Now....time for more coffee and work, work, work. I hope that your day will be a great one. Do something FUN today!!

Until next time...........Hugs,
Regi

Tooth Faerie Brigade!!

Quietly coming into a room without making a sound and then darting under their pillow and perhaps even their covers and almost getting squished by the sweet, sweet child laying in the bed doesn't sound like a very good experience, does it? It is though and one that bestows great honor on the one that holds the job title of Tooth Faerie!!! She loves collecting the baby teeth of all the wee ones and exchanging them for silver coins and she has been doing it for centuries. She is however a bit tired of all the hunting for teeth that have slipped out from under the pillows and rolled onto the floor and under the bed. This can be very dangerous as cats can SEE faeries and I'm sure you know what might happen if she is seen by the family cat. Not to mention how many times she has had to spend time whispering in the child's ear to open it's little hand that is gripping the tooth with all he or she has.

After a very long and tiring night of having to hunt, search or persuade her little charges to let go of their baby tooth, she came up with a plan. A very good plan and one that would help make sure she collected all the baby teeth being offered to her each and every night. She was going to recruit some assistants!!

Meet Pumpkin and Squeak....a great little team if ever there was. 

Meet Fernando who can't leave the pond without his lily pad.

Meet George who loves wearing his Banana tie.

Meet Rascal who again has pulled up one of farmer Joe's carrots.

Meet Cupcake..the sweetest of the team. (Warning: Never, EVER try

and take her cupcake)

Didn't the Tooth Faerie pick out the cutest little whimsical characters? She discovered them living near the old Southern ooaks tree and made them an offer to help that they just couldn't resist. Are you still scratching your head wondering just what a tooth faerie assistant is? Let me explain. Being a mom and wanting to keep up the magic of the Tooth Faerie and having dealt with the lost tooth not under the pillow, lost tooth under the covers, lost tooth under the bed or finally realizing the lost tooth was in the hand, I designed these characters to help me out AND keep the magic going. It's important to let magic flow in a child's imagination especially one that has a very quirky artistic mom. HEHE  Each one of these were hand sewn using a cotton fabric from one of my own patterns. They were lovingly stuffed with just the right amount of batting so that they are still very huggable. Each has been hand painted using acrylic paints and detailed using a black fabric pen. The mouse, lily pad, banana, carrot and cupcake are pouches made from felt. These are the things that will help the parents Tooth Faerie out the most. Each has an open top so that the very special baby tooth can be placed inside. I have placed two little plastic bags inside for now.....one for the tooth and one for the silver coins. (or dollar bill or even a IOU that promises a future fun adventure) The pouches have twine so that on that special night they can be tied around the fabric characters neck and the character sat on the bed or nightstand. You can even take this a tad bit further and make it fun by making up a small bedtime story to go with their character and make this a truly magical and special time for your child. The best part is that you won't have to be taking a chance waking them up by feeling under the pillow or the covers to locate that tooth anymore. ^_^

These whimsies are being donated to the Baldwin County Christmas Angel program and I do hope that the child that receives them will love them as much as I loved making them....just for them!!!

Until next time..........Hugs,

Regi

Happy Happy Monday!! (it is Monday, ri iight??)

Happy Monday to all. I hope that it's going to be an outstanding week full of adventures or at least filled with projects that you are so wanting to start OR finish.  I know that I have several projects I hope to finish this week and some I want to get started on. I will have to squeeze them in between some beach house cleanings this week but I CAN DO IT....oh yes I can. (telling myself that I can get those houses cleaned...peep talk ya know!!)

Saturday as I stated in my last post had no cleanings being done. YEA!! It was raining, of course, but we still had some fun places to go. We have a great flea market here and well...with it raining it seemed like the perfect time to go back and visit. Soooo HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY that we did too!! I found some treasures that had my muse not just singing but YELLING at the top of her wee lil lungs that I just had to purchase. Sooo, being the good artist that always (mostly) listens to her muse, I did!!

I love what I found....don't you? The vintage wooden carousel horse is going to have one of my Santa ooaks sitting on him. The bigger trunk I do believe is going to be holding toys that the elves have been busy making and maybe even an elf digging through them..hehe Can't ya just see little elf legs poking out and...ok ok enough for now. The small chest looks like it would belong to a witch in training and the "Kisses" clay pot would be perfect for a lil witch kissing booth ummm pot. The other two wooden boxes are going to become bases. The glass cats were a purrrrrfect find. I'm thinking of a lil witch that didn't quite perform her spell just right and ended up making her cat invisible. OMGOSH...I can only imagine the trouble ummmmm I mean I can only imagine how much more trouble Gabie and Pumpkin could get in being invisible. (trembling) Owwww!!

Now....I'm off to paint some of the pieces I have baked already and then work on a few more pieces that need to be baked and then sculpt a witch or two and then do some sewing on the little tooth faerie helpers and then...ok that might be enough for today, eh?

Until next time..........Hugs,
Regi

Psssstt....I also found two round wooden bases at another one of our local flea markets plus an added bonus. When we walked outside and I was getting back in the car I looked down and there was a giant dragonfly. Poor baby wasn't alive and the ants were all over him. I poured water on him to wash him off and his two biggest wings came off....in perfect condition. I'm thinking they would look sweet on one of my lil witches.

It's a THIS and THAT kinda day!!

OMGOSH.....I have two cats that are going C R A Z Y!!!!  Running and bouncing all over the place....ducking under furniture and then just freezing in place, huffing and then looking to see if I'm watching them. They are doing their best to make me smile or laugh because they KNOW they are in the dog house. OR would that be cat house?? The reason they are trying to get back into my good graces is because it seems they thought they were cat burglars last night and snuck into one of my desk drawers where I keep some of my string. Yes...these dang cats can open desk drawers and it seems pull the tape off that I have on them that I THOUGHT was keeping them OUT!! They found my brand new big ball of string that I make my Whodoo's with and BOY did they have some fun. That is until they got caught this morning!!!

Just LOOK at my ball of string. OMGOSH...stop laughing would ya...it's not funny. Ok well perhaps it is just a bit. HEHE  I have been working on getting all the tangles out and man oh man what a job. As soon as I do get it untangled then I'm going to be working on some of my Whodoo characters. Don't know what those are? Click HERE to find out!! I made one for the Chazman's best buddy for Christmas this past year (see that one HERE) and Chaz wants me to make him another one. He is suppose to be coming to spend the night either tonight or tomorrow night so I have to get BUSY!!!

In between trying to untangle the string. (HEY..it's still not THAT funny) I decided to make some cookies so the boys would have something to snack on. I made several batches yesterday and it seems that we have a cookie monster in the house. I really suspect that we have more than one actually..hehe!! NOOO, I don't mean me...I'm being very good watching what I eat, although I will confess that I did eat one. Just so I could make sure they tasted good. Yeah yeah...that's why I ate it. ^_^   They are peanut butter cookies and so so good and so so easy to make. YOU should make some....you will like them...I promise. You do like peanut butter, ri iight??  Then you will like them. Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 beaten egg

1 cup peanut butter

Mix sugar and egg together until smooth.

Add peanut butter and stir until blended.

Roll dough into balls (about 1 inch)

Place on cookie sheet, press with fork

(dip fork in sugar and criss cross over cookie)

Bake in 350 oven for 12 minutes

Take out..let cool. EAT

Don't those look YUMMY!! Oh and I did NOT forget to mention any flour because you don't use any flour. Use only the three ingredients above...that's all....easy peasy!!

I'm tackling another monster today as well as a cookie monster.....the dreaded laundry monster. Ewww...I so hate that one...well..not really hate. I just wish someone would invent a drier that after it finishes drying the clothes it would automatically fold them too...hehe...wouldn't that be grand!! So as you can see, I am having one of those THIS and THAT kinda days. How's yours going so far?

Until next time...........Hugs,

Regi