Oh Deer Take Two.

I'm posting deer progress. I didn't know what she was going to be for sure at first, but now I know.
If you have any ideas please feel free to go ahead and use her to create something of your own..... but please, please send me a message or a link to what happened along the way.
I'm thinking of how to go about sharing some things with you all. This bloggie thing is about sharing and other bloggies out there seem to have things called giveaways. Giving away finished pieces (like an eye pendant) didn't feel right to me. So I'm going to try to publish some more printable projects for you to try this year. That way I'm sharing with more than just one. I need you to let me know how things go on your end once and a while. You know..... for encouragement.

I'll post the full project soon.
Here are the pieces.

She looks kind of funny just lying there all in pieces like this. I'd better hurry up and pull her back together.

It's not really a hurry up kind of day. George is demonstrating the days speed for us.
And yes, that is a catnip ball.

White Lace Stiletto Nails.

I missed having stiletto nails.

So I removed my green and blue spring nails.

Contrary to popular belief, wearing acrylic nails does not ruin your natural nails. Ripping the acrylics off ruins your natural nails. So if you get acrylics have the patients to remove them properly. My nails look pretty good for almost two years of acrylic wear (give or take a week here and there). I filed off the spring acrylics and gave myself a manicure and some primer.

Here are the steps I took to make the stiletto nails:

I used a semi opaque pinkish powder and liquid to build up and extend my natural nail beds. Stiletto nails look best on long nail beds I think.

I made a smile line with white opaque powder and liquid.

I made what I'm gonna call horns of white coming from the smile line to the tip of the extension.

Here is the second little horn coming from the smile line and heading up to the tip.

I filled all the open space on the free edge with clear sparkle mix.

I capped the whole thing in clear acrylic powder and liquid.

I used a fine paintbrush and some white watercolour to make some jittery lines that end in a part swirl on the nail bed. I also made some dots. I couldn't help myself.

I coated the whole thing with clear UV gel and set a rhinestone on each nail.
I do like me some bling.

Here is a shot with flash so you can see them a bit better. It's hard to get a good shot of monotone nails, especially on shadowy days like this.

Oh Deer!

I got some new pencil crayons from Stewart Books. I love them!
Mr. Jimmy came in and saw what I was doing and said
"Oh Dear!"

:)

Hope?

It's coming..............

I can feel it in my bones.

Not long until the porch looks like this again.

Snowy Night Supper

Here's Supper!

Mom made Lena's spaghetti sauce. Mom and Dad used to live with Lena and Roger when they were first married and this is the sauce Lena taught Mom how to make. It's a real family favorite perfect for a snowy storm night.

Mom let the sauce cook all day. It smelled so good!

She stewed some Italian sausages right in the sauce and took them out before serving to be divided up.

Here is Mr. Jimmy's fabulous whole wheat bread, ready to sop up all that red saucy goodness.

Warm and cozy. I ate so much spaghetti I didn't have room for the salad.

Keep warm.

Another Snow Storm.

We are having another snow storm today. This one is a soft and gentle storm. Loads of big fluffy flakes floating gently to the already snow covered ground.

Here's the view from the front porch.

and the dining room window.

Sebastian loves the snow and chases the big flakes. He tries to get them all in his mouth at the same time.

We're trying to keep toasty. Mr. Jimmy is making some fabulous whole wheat and seed bread. He's getting so much better at it. Mom is making Spaghetti and Sausages. Sooooo good!

and I am making Mr. Jimmy in a bunny suit!

:D

Brussel Sprout, Potato and Bacon Bake.

We decided to make one of our favorites for dinner.
We LOVE brussel sprouts.

We call this

Brussel Sprout Bake

and here is the recipe.

(By the way..... spell check is telling me it's spelled Brussels Sprouts. Do you say it that way? We call them Brussel Sprouts so I'm going to spell it the way we say it. Sorry if I offend anyone.)

Wash up a bag of brussel sprouts. Trim the ends off and cut the big ones in half. Put them in a large baking dish.

Add a small bag of washed and halved baby red potatoes.

and one yellow onion sliced into largish slices.

Get five or six extra thick cut bacon slices

and chop them into half inch chunks.

Drizzle on some balsamic vinegar

and some olive oil. The regular kind not extra virgin. That will burn.

Mix them up well and make sure everything is coated in oil and vinegar.

Then bake it at 450 until it's all golden brown. It took about 35 minutes, but watch it closely it burns fast.

This is Sebastian.

He is demonstrating the best way to get the cold wet snow off of your fur.
Apparently, you just rub it off on our bed.

:/

Lime Green and Turquoise Nail Art.

We're waiting for a HUGE winter storm.
So I've gone into rebellious mode and decided to make spring nails in almost neon colours.

I can feel the sun already.

The lime green and turquoise sparkles are Martha Stewart sparkles mixed in with the clear acrylic powder. The red flowers are UV gel an the top coat is UV gel.

To The Pool!!!!

Spring has to come soon........... Right?

Let the Redecorating Begin...... and meatloaf man.

Yesterday I bought the PERFECT retro piece for our dining room. Mom and Auntie J found it at the local Sally Anne (Salvation Army Thrift Shop for those not in the know). I am completely in love with it. They delivered the piece for twenty dollars..... unfortunately they broke the glass and smashed the front lip of the credenza. I'm going to have to find someone local who cuts glass and finishes it so I can have new doors made. I'm not sure what I'll do about the front lip of the bottom piece. They have refunded the shipping cost and offered to take some money off the purchase price but it's a charity shop so I'll deal with the loss. I will also remember in the future that the delivery people from thrift shops may not consider their cargo as precious as I do. It may be smart to find my own means of transporting large pieces in future.

Here is the piece in it's natural environment.

I really do love it. I hope I can get the blemishes fixed. Anyone out there know how to replace the melamine trim? Or where to find melamine trim from the fifties?


Here,
for your viewing pleasure
is Maggie's

MEATLOAF MAN!!!!

Before the sauna.

and after.
He was delicious!

Knitted DMC Floss Bracelet with Beads. From the Archives.

Quite a while back I made this tutorial for HA Kidd and co here in Canada. They are the folks responsible for beads and findings for sewing and DMC floss. A fabulous company all around.

We have company this week, Auntie J is visiting, so I'm using this as an opportunity to sift through the project archives and put up some things you may not have tried before.

Enjoy!

1. Wind one skein of
DMC color variations floss
onto a floss holder. Feed
the loose end of the floss
into the beading needle and
load on 60 beads.

2. Make a slip knot 12cm from loose end
of floss. This slip knot will be your first
cast on stitch. Cast on four more
stitches to have five in total.

3. Slide five beads up closer to knitting,
placing first bead right up against needle.

4. Start knitting row, pushing a new bead up
to the needles before every stitch. Knit 6
rows in this pattern. You will use half of
the 60 beads for these 6 rows.

5. Continue to straight
knit without beads for
55 rows (or when
unbeaded section measures
15cm). Finish piece
by adding 6 more rows
of bead knitting. Cast
off on the seventh row,
without beads.

6. Finished piece should
measure 19cm for an
average wrist width.
Add or take away knitting
rows to increase or
decrease length as
desired. Use a big eye
beading needle to sew
the raw thread ends
back into piece before
trimming.