Warm Woolen Mittens...

Check out this WOOL!
It is gorgeous...clean, soft...oh the possibilities!

Wednesday was a snow day from school
for our kido's~ but I had an appointment!
ONLY NUTS were out there driving around~
:)
No....it was icy early & then turned to rain.
I called the woman who sells wool &
I was able to wait til the roads cleared off.
Nuts.
But not that nuts!

A sweet blogging friend had given me two names
of places that I could purchase wool.
Both looked fantastic...but I always try to buy locally.
I got the courage up to call a person from one of
the MANY packages of wool I already have.
The town is 20 minutes from our home.
Such a sweet gal! I'm so happy I called her~
She was more than happy to sell privately!
24oz. of wool for $30. that's what you see pictured!
WOW!
Stone Edge Fibers
315/548-2032
The family own & raise 20 beautiful sheep.
I should have taken notes...
They have rare breeds, two Alpacas...
I was blown away! They LOVE their animals
and that was equally important for me to know.

A cat-proof way to store my small amounts...
Recycled take-home containers from Olive Garden!

Our sweet, innocent, dear CATS! love to find my
needle felted critters and destroy them!
Birds have beaks ripped out, wings plucked off...
bunny ears scattered about!
***sigh***
Jealousy!
:)

This is a new needle felted friend peeking out of my
felting tool bag...it's about half way finished.

Hope you give the wool gal a call!

Scrapbook Dinner...

Have you ever gone to dinner at
someone's house and NOTHING matches?
The silver is mismatched.
The fine china is a toss of patterns.

That's me!

We have matching everyday silverware & dinnerware.
I love the light, easy care Corning...& Oneida.
But when it comes to holiday china~ I don't have a set.

LOVE my mother-in-laws beautiful set...
LOVE my sister's beautiful set...
I appreciate & treasure the ones I see at antique malls.

I have never wanted that~ because if I break/chip one...
I would be crushed that a set was missing...
How to replace something irreplaceable?

It would bother me to where I wouldn't use it.
Thank heavens everyone doesn't act like me!!!
:)

I have been finding pieces here n' there...
These are some of my latest "finds"
White with silver...white with gold...white on white.
Simple...works for every holiday.

The strawberry plate & little egg shaped cup
are two of my newest needle felting bases.
They just had to jump into the frame!

Morning Glitter...

Not one storm cloud...

The most delicate of grass...
Still standing through ice, feet of snow~

The morning sun beginning to rise out of the valley~
catching the tips of the field...

Seuss tree with snowballs has now become
vintage covered in glitter...

Little feeding tray with jewels~

The ordinary becomes beautiful.

Creative Kids...

We see boats & bunnies in the clouds...
We draw in the condensation on the windows...
Mashed potato mounds look like volcanoes...
Pancakes are yummier when shaped like stars...

Why not plop a carrot in this cool snow mound
that looks like an Easter peep candy?
:)

Christmas Treasure...

A sweet Christmas treasure from my daughter...

Two of our flower beds have Sweet Peas
that are from my grandmothers garden.

The pattern reminds me of a Patience Brewster's design~

So tender.

It will look perfect in my studio
where I can enjoy it everyday~

Something from Seuss...

The sunshine is soooo beautiful!
Feel a bit like a mole~
Went out for a walk today & it was so bright my
eyes were constantly tearing & I'm sure my facial
expressions resembled a little mole coming into the light!

Doesn't this tree look like it caught
several snowballs?

Some of the 20' tall ones look like illustrations
from a Dr. Seuss book~

See my new birdhouse?
Love the natural knot for the entrance!

Christmas decor beginning to be put away.
EXCEPT trees...
I keep plain trees out~ sometimes add a snowman.

Pretty patinas always catch my eye.
Mercury glass...aged silver...worn & used metal pails,
weathered & chipped paint are favorites~
I try to be careful...lead paint chipping isn't good.

These trees look sweet next to my new birdhouse!
Hubby found this ADORABLE A-frame style birdhouse
for me...one of my favorite Christmas gifts.

Sorry sweet feathered friends...
This one is going to stay indoors for us to enjoy!

New Year Recovery...

Sound asleep...where ever her head falls...she stays!
We could hear her purring~
So we knew she was breathing!

We, the people, do not look as tattered as our cats!
Some wild New Year celebration
they must have gone to~
Perhaps a bit too much cat nip...

Too cool for the kitty beds on New Years day...

Miss Maddie sunning herself~
We have very few sunny days this time of year...
She takes what she can get.
She puts her head right up into the lamp!
Going to burn those precious whiskers! tee hee...

Hope 2009 is off to a great start for you!

You Know What This Means...

Tucked in one of my Christmas bags...
...in my mother-in-law's handwriting!

More kitty whiskers!

You know what this means?

Mounds of felted critters with real whiskers!

Look at the two wee black ones...
There's a momma & baby in the making~

She's such a dear for saving them!

We've been kitty-sitting for a friend...
THREE WEEKS worth of collecting whiskers
from her forest green kitchen floor mats!
They've shared 3 so far!!

Happy New Year friends!
I know you're true friends if after reading a
3rd blog about whiskers you keep coming back!
:D

Artist to Artist Interview by Diane Knott...

My dear friend & FANTASTIC artist...
Diane Knott
Interviewed me on her blog!
Please click on her name to read the interview.
If you peek in her older posts she has
interviewed several wonderful artists~

I'm sure her blog will become
one of your favorites!

Pampered Puppy...

Dashing in for a treat!
Wags n' bum wiggles for Grandma & Grandpa!

Something cozy for kitty paws & check out
this FANTASTIC elevated feeder for my pup!

She won't look at me here
because I put her in a stay position!
pout. pout.
Mum and her #$%&@#$ camera!!!

"I've had it...got my treat...want a nap."

This is going to help her eat.
The meds that they have her on for
her hips & back are working fantastic.
We knew when we adopted her that she had
some physical issues brewing~
She will be 7 in March!

Such a sweetie~

Spoiled Kitties...

I've shared before that our kitties
own this place...
Notice the tree skirt has been put away~
That was a wrestling mat for them!

Grandma has gone and spoiled them again!

Last Christmas she made them two beds
that they LOVE...LOVE...LOVE!
Sweet scents of catnip tucked inside...

This fall~
The bench was relocated to "the bird windows!"
They had their perch taken away because
Miss Maddie would not
keep her nails out of the curtains.

The bench has become a favorite rest spot
for the three of them...

Look at their sweet new bed!

Sorry to be blurry...the cats will not hold still
long enough for a story to be kept!

Gifts Given...

Needle Felted
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Copyright Michelle Palmer

Now that we have shared our gifts~
I can share a peek with you!

My father-in-law dearly loves these sweet pups...
So after several hours of pushing, pulling, adding~
This was one of his Christmas gifts from us.

Little leather collar...tag reads, "Made with Love"

Bunny Pin Cushion
Copyright Michelle Palmer

For my sister-in-law...
She loves fairies~ maybe next year I'll try one!

Wool n' Roses
Pincushion
Copyright Michelle Palmer

For my mother-in-law...
this is the pattern on her fine china.

We have been thinking about an Etsy store...
Little felted friends, art prints...oh the possibilities!

Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing Sunday~

Like Any Nut...

Like a nut...I went out today!
I had forgotten ONE ingredient...

BUT!
I stopped at my favorite junk place~

Or did I forget the ingredient so I could
go to my favorite junk place~ one more time?

Found these vintage greens...
They're plastic, which I usually don't care for~
These are from the inside of old ornaments.
$.35 for all!
We had a set like these when I was a kid.

I'll save the ornament shell for a fun project...
I have been searching for a little something
to put in my windowsill glasses~
These look sweet!

Wonder how long it will take the
three DARLING kittens to find them?
I say that with LOVE in my voice...tee hee!!!!!

Portrait Traditions...

My 1st Christmas portrait...

I LOVE to receive Christmas cards with
portraits & snapshots tucked inside...
Our refrigerator looks like a scrapbook!

We haven't put photos of our children
in our cards the past few years...
Sometimes we design a letter that has
a few snapshots of them~

Hubby, Kids & I started a new tradition
four or five years ago~
We send Valentine cards to elderly
friends and family...or those who are
alone for one reason or another,
with a snapshot of the kids inside~
(Sometimes we get daring & share a pic
with the kids, hubby & I...tee hee)

Our Valentine list is 90-100 people
shorter than our Christmas list.
So we try to make home made cards...
We all sign them & write a favorite memory.

Never really heard from folks if they
liked the Christmas photos that were so costly...
We almost ALWAYS get a
phone call, hug or sweet note after
Valentine's Day~
The cards make their day!
For many of them,
it's the only Valentine they receive.

This Christmas season seemed to
come up fast on a lot of us this year!
If you didn't get cards out...
Send one on Valentine's Day~
It will be a VERY SWEET surprise!

Something's There!

This is how we spend most of our winter walks.
How does she not get snow up her nose?

I'll make a path Momma!
You just keep up~

Something's in there, too!

Something...something! Awwh! Lost it!

Shaking the snow off...

Begging for a treat!
:)

We're enjoying these winter blasts!
Up to 14" now...another 8-10" expected today...

We can do more than dream of a white Christmas~

Enjoy!