Fun With Photography and Micky Mouse Jazz Hands

I got up, well, not terribly early this morning.

I made these earrings.

Then, of course, 

I needed to photograph these earrings.

Since I don't yet own a light box

and I was relying on the

not-so-great Chicago Morning Grey light

and I needed props to pop the color

I improvised.

First I tried

this Alice card I made.

ummm.....

This became like a surreal version of

Where's Waldo.

Not good.

Right.

Nothing says cool and funky like a

 CHEESE GRATER!~

perhaps, not.

Then I found

my

Mickey Mouse

Jazz Hands !

(Technically it's only one hand)

I popped it into an empty wine bottle.

Which, I'd like to point out,

was not my breakfast this morning.

Back to the MM Jazz hand

It cracked me up!

This is too darn funny!

I took MM Jazz Hand outside

and unceremoniously plopped it in the snow.

This just makes me smile.

Next, I thought I'd add some class.

Yes.

Class.

To a plastic rubberized Mickey Mouse Jazz Hand.

I popped it into a crystal candlestick holder.

See!

This screams

famous la-te-da store

where they sell things in a 

pretty blue box

don't you think?

Maybe not.

This kind of looks like

a trailer pic

from a cheezy horror film

Attack of the 50 Foot Earring Wearing

JAZZ HAND!!!

bwahahahahahaha................

THE END (ear shattering applause)

Help Me Rhonda

All Summer In A Day is the title of a Ray Bradbury short story.  

Stealing from my daughter's blog who stole this line from The Princess Bride, 

Let me explain

(pause)

No.

There is too much.

Let me sum up!

A short story that takes place on another planet 

where it rains all the time and is grey and gloomy.

The sun comes out for two hours

every seven years.

Last Saturday.

The sun came out.

And I made earrings.

My husband said,

"Kathy, do you want to..."

Before he could finish

I said,

"NO"

"I must go outside in the sun

to photograph these!

Before it's too late.

Before it gets away from me.

Please.

I don't have much time."

Why does everything look better

in a rustic setting?

And before you knew it.

The sun starting slowly fading away.

I got a few last shots off.

Loaded up my old horse, Tex.

Saddled up

and headed off into the sunset.

Truth is-

I just walked in the back door.

It was a sad memory by the next morning.

I stood in the rain the following day

and took these pictures.

And now?

It's threatening snow.

More snow.

Help me Rhonda...

***Blatant advertising to follow***

All of these earrings

are available

in my Etsy shop.

Waiting For Spring

It's been warm here.  Two weeks ago you might remember was the

 "End of the World As We Know It - Snowstorm." 

 Then it turned warm.  Seemingly, overnight the snow melted.  

The sun came out and Lordy, Lordy,

 I can actually SEE to craft!!

I don't  remember this being an issue

 when I was younger.

Here's what I've been making.

This is sort of blah.

I started it when it was grey and dreary out.

I think I was feeling the same

judging by the total lack of color.

This may be a "work in progress."

These came out pretty well.

I went ahead and listed them in my Etsy shop.

Trying to get the sun to cooperate.

Those teal blue glass Czech beads

are absolutely gorgeous.

I just impress myself all to bits.

I love this photo.

Good thing the neighbors didn't see me

in the backyard in my jammies 

taking this shot.

I guess, in retrospect I should've raked up the leaves last fall...

And this is my favorite thing:

Do you know what it is?

It's a genuine Leprechaun nest!

Also in my Etsy shop.

I'm hoping to catch a Leprechaun.

You get 3 wishes you know, if you do.

What would you wish for?

If I Had A Hammer

I'd hammer in the morning.

I'd hammer in the evening.

All over this la-and.

I wanted to hammer words

into metal for jewelry.

This is my first attempt.

It says Hop

You can't really tell.

It sort of looks

like it says Mop.

But trust me.

It does indeed

say Hop.

But, Kathy.  Why does it say Hop? you ask.

Because instead of purchasing this:

A steel bench block for hammering.

I jury rigged this:

And used this:

Which caused that band-aid

on my finger in picture #2 above.

Yup.

Nailed myself.

It hurt.

I'm not gonna lie.

That's why it says

Hop

instead of

Hope.

When everything heals

I HOPE to try again.

Now, on to more pleasant news.

My dear friend and neighbor

Susan

went to Tucson

to the Tucson Gem Show.

OH YEAH!!!

She brought me back these:

and these

And these

Oh, and these.

These are called Labradorite.

Not much to look at.

Kind of dull and grey.

But look at them when the light hits

just right.

See that blue flash?!

Cool, huh?!

I love it!

I am so amazed by these.

Something so plain and drab looking.

But has a gorgeous flash 

of fleeting blue

if you're lucky enough to catch it 

just right

in the sun.

Amazing.

It's almost mystical.

I looked up the stones mystical meaning:

Labradorite is a power stone, allowing you to see through illusions and determine the actual form of your dreams and goals. It is excellent for strengthening intuitions.

Apparently my stones are broken

because

my intuition was not strengthened at all.

I sure didn't see that hammer coming!

If you are in the market for a lovely necklace

with a charm that reads 

"Hop"

I'll make it for you.

Really, really cheap.

Winter Wool and Happy Sheep

(Digital art by Lorie Davison at Scrapbookgraphics.com)

The home of happy sheep!

The lady who comes to our library to teach us needle felting

raises the sheep from which the wool comes.

I envision them living like this.

I know they are happy sheep 

because she is the sweetest person

and tells us all about her sheep's

goings ons.

Needle felting is simply stretching out the wool

over the foam block

and jabbing it up and down with

those L shaped hooked needles

that you see above.

It's relatively easy.

Unless you stab yourself.

But if you don't injure yourself

you can end up with some pretty things.

I made this the other night.

I just sort of "winged" it.

No pattern.

Just keep shaping and stabbing the wool.

This is the back side.

I just formed the leaves

all the while jabbing the needle up and down.

To attach it to the flower you do the same

jabbing/stabbing motion.

It appears to be a menacing hobby

considering the wool comes from

such docile creatures.

But

YOU know I like sharp objects 

with my crafts.

And, the outcome is worth it.

Be sure you have your band-aids handy.

By the way

there was no blood-letting with this project.

I knew you were wondering about that.

I Hate - NO - I HEART Winter!

Borrowing from Jimmy Buffett's song 

Breathe In Breathe Out, Move On

And it snowed

It was nothing really new.

And it blew...

We'd seen all that before

But we had never seen anything like this!

We had an all out blizzard.

We had 50 mile an hour winds.

We had thunder snow.

We had it all,  baby!

And we woke up to see this sight:

There's a truck behind that snow.

And it's a BIG truck!

Things to be thankful for:

I have a friend and co-worker

whose husband owns a truck

with

a snow plow.

I am extremely thankful

for them!

I am thankful that he showed up.

I am thankful that my husband

 made it home from work

all safe and sound.

I am thankful that the storm is over.

I just LOVE winter.

And if you believe that

let me just say

It's a good thing

you can't read my lips.