Decoratethediva http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5385458 created this beautiful treasury. I was fortunate enough to be included in it. It made the Front Page this morning. All of these items are beautiful. I'm honored to be in such good company. She has a beautiful shop with some great jewelry pieces. Don't forget to visit her and check it out.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Spring has Sprung
As I was strolling down the gravel road leading back to the barn I caught a glimpse of something black and speckled on the ground. After living in Arizona for so many years I've become programmed to see small quiet things on the ground (think snakes, scorpions, tarantulas eek!) Anyway, on this day I saw something else. Right in the middle of the roadway was a little nest containing 4 black speckled eggs. They're pretty large eggs at nearly 1 1/2 inches long. Aren't they cute!
My first thought was to wonder why the mommy nested right smack dab in the middle of the road, directly on the gravel. I had never seen that before. Suddenly I heard some aggressive chirping. I looked in the grass nearby and saw what looked like an injured bird. She was flopping, flailing her wings and acting as if she had been in a cat fight. Some investigation showed that this is the normal habit of the Killdeer.
Apparently they lay their eggs on the gravel with no other nesting material so they will blend in to escape being seen by egg eating predators. The mommy birds will separate themselves from the nest when danger approaches (me) and make themselves appear to be wounded and easy pickings to distract the intruder from their young. These birds are precocial birds, meaning that they stay within the egg longer than other many birds do. The eggs are larger and contain more nutrients allowing them to stay longer and therefore develop more prior to hatching. Apparently they will be nearly self sufficient when they're hatched, with a little tutoring from Mom. How long this process will take I don't know. I'm concerned about the location of this nursery and hope that we all remember not to walk or drive over it. I'm going to keep tabs on it and get pics up once the babies arrive if I can.
My first thought was to wonder why the mommy nested right smack dab in the middle of the road, directly on the gravel. I had never seen that before. Suddenly I heard some aggressive chirping. I looked in the grass nearby and saw what looked like an injured bird. She was flopping, flailing her wings and acting as if she had been in a cat fight. Some investigation showed that this is the normal habit of the Killdeer.
Apparently they lay their eggs on the gravel with no other nesting material so they will blend in to escape being seen by egg eating predators. The mommy birds will separate themselves from the nest when danger approaches (me) and make themselves appear to be wounded and easy pickings to distract the intruder from their young. These birds are precocial birds, meaning that they stay within the egg longer than other many birds do. The eggs are larger and contain more nutrients allowing them to stay longer and therefore develop more prior to hatching. Apparently they will be nearly self sufficient when they're hatched, with a little tutoring from Mom. How long this process will take I don't know. I'm concerned about the location of this nursery and hope that we all remember not to walk or drive over it. I'm going to keep tabs on it and get pics up once the babies arrive if I can.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Amazing Photographer
While in the Etsy forums today I happened upon a new shop. I am always in awe of really amazing photos, maybe because I am so completely photography illiterate (is that a word?). Anyway, I saw some beautiful shots taken by Valentine Photography. Here are 2 of them.
Go to
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7121173 to see more beautiful photos.
Go to
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7121173 to see more beautiful photos.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Twins New additions to the Family
OK, that title grabbed you didn't it? Actually my huge excitement is over my new washer/dryer. My husband bought this set for me for Mother's Day. It was only delivered today though. I've needed a new set for a while. I put a huge workload on appliances in keeping up with my family and their various messes. I just love this set so much I had to show you all.
I've got seven kids from 5-34 years old. Trust me, this is a close to twins as I'm getting.
I've got seven kids from 5-34 years old. Trust me, this is a close to twins as I'm getting.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Featured Seller
I'm so excited to be able to introduce you to one of my new friends. I asked her to tell us about herself. I'd like you to meet Lori. After you read all about her don't forget to visit her at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6449096
You'll be glad you did.
I'm 48 years old and I was born in Sanford, Florida. When I was a year old, my parents moved to a small nine-acre farm in the rural outskirts of Tampa. I grew up the oldest of five children with a strong work ethic. My childhood was spent milking a cow, shoveling manure, and working in a large garden--not to mention changing lots of my brothers and sisters dirty diapers!
In 1979 I graduated from Jefferson High School and that fall married my husband, Alan. We have been together ever since; this year we will celebrate our 30th anniversary. We presently live in Palm Harbor with five parrots and one Maine Coon cat.
Although I was a voracious reader as a child (I read Gone With the Wind when I was ten years old, with a dictionary by my side to help me understand it!) and I had definite artistic ability, both in drawing and writing, artistic fields were discouraged by my mother, who didn't feel it was a 'real' job. Therefore, I took extensive clerical classes in high school, and became a very proficient typist. For the next five or six years after graduation, I worked in offices, but was often restless and bored. In 1981, fed up with being chained to a desk for $6.00 an hour, I started my own cleaning business. For the next 27 years I cleaned both residential and commercial, often working for millionaires due to my high standards. At last the physical labor took its toll, and I decided to retire.
I had given writing serious attention and penned my first novel, Crawford County, around 2005. I had previously written many short stories, all rejected by mainstream magazines and journals, and disgusted with the publishing industry that has a tendency to churn out cookie cutter writing, I decided to learn how to make books and market my own work. My first published book is currently available in my store, entitled Fabricated Family--A Comedy of Victorian Biographies.
The book is sharp, witty, with double wordplay and definitely NOT mainstream. Is it marketable by current publishing industry standards?
I've never submitted any of my work to an agent, so that remains to be seen. Although the reading public seems hesitant to purchase a hardcover book put together by a writer that is not only the creator, editor, and bookbinder, the books and stories I've sold have met with an unwaveringly positive response. I am presently polishing and refining my novel, with the goal of copywriting it and releasing it to the public (in my store) within the next year. I enjoy complete creative control, a rarity for mainstream, professionally published writers. Perhaps I may eventually submit my work to an agent, but for now, I'm content to enjoy my freedom and make people laugh.
While I am primarily a writer, I also love vintage and antique items, and so my store carries vintage jewelry, china, and crystal.
I am restlessly creative, with a need to learn and create new things, so making my own books may not be the only handmade items in my store. I am already exploring the idea of making dolls and I am presently working on another comic story, entitled "Angels of Assisi Asylum", based on the photograph used in my Etsy avatar.
FabricatedFamily
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6449096
You'll be glad you did.
I'm 48 years old and I was born in Sanford, Florida. When I was a year old, my parents moved to a small nine-acre farm in the rural outskirts of Tampa. I grew up the oldest of five children with a strong work ethic. My childhood was spent milking a cow, shoveling manure, and working in a large garden--not to mention changing lots of my brothers and sisters dirty diapers!
In 1979 I graduated from Jefferson High School and that fall married my husband, Alan. We have been together ever since; this year we will celebrate our 30th anniversary. We presently live in Palm Harbor with five parrots and one Maine Coon cat.Although I was a voracious reader as a child (I read Gone With the Wind when I was ten years old, with a dictionary by my side to help me understand it!) and I had definite artistic ability, both in drawing and writing, artistic fields were discouraged by my mother, who didn't feel it was a 'real' job. Therefore, I took extensive clerical classes in high school, and became a very proficient typist. For the next five or six years after graduation, I worked in offices, but was often restless and bored. In 1981, fed up with being chained to a desk for $6.00 an hour, I started my own cleaning business. For the next 27 years I cleaned both residential and commercial, often working for millionaires due to my high standards. At last the physical labor took its toll, and I decided to retire.
I had given writing serious attention and penned my first novel, Crawford County, around 2005. I had previously written many short stories, all rejected by mainstream magazines and journals, and disgusted with the publishing industry that has a tendency to churn out cookie cutter writing, I decided to learn how to make books and market my own work. My first published book is currently available in my store, entitled Fabricated Family--A Comedy of Victorian Biographies.
The book is sharp, witty, with double wordplay and definitely NOT mainstream. Is it marketable by current publishing industry standards?
I've never submitted any of my work to an agent, so that remains to be seen. Although the reading public seems hesitant to purchase a hardcover book put together by a writer that is not only the creator, editor, and bookbinder, the books and stories I've sold have met with an unwaveringly positive response. I am presently polishing and refining my novel, with the goal of copywriting it and releasing it to the public (in my store) within the next year. I enjoy complete creative control, a rarity for mainstream, professionally published writers. Perhaps I may eventually submit my work to an agent, but for now, I'm content to enjoy my freedom and make people laugh.
While I am primarily a writer, I also love vintage and antique items, and so my store carries vintage jewelry, china, and crystal.
I am restlessly creative, with a need to learn and create new things, so making my own books may not be the only handmade items in my store. I am already exploring the idea of making dolls and I am presently working on another comic story, entitled "Angels of Assisi Asylum", based on the photograph used in my Etsy avatar.FabricatedFamily
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6449096
Saturday, April 25, 2009
The Stray
You city dwellers have probably found a stray or two in your yard at one time or another. This is the kind of stray I get. About a year ago I had at least 50 of them munching grass in my yard. That time they stayed for 2 days. Isn't she cute?
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