Tuesday Randomness

It started about two weeks ago, the kids got a nasty cold one by one, as they often do.  I could feel my energy draining, my batteries wearing out, during that time and then this weekend I got hit with it too.  My creative juices haven't been flowing and I think it's partly because of being sick and partly because of the cold yucky weather.  I can deal with a sore throat but when my creativity takes a break I begin to feel a little lost.  Do you feel that way?

Today I've pulled a sweater from one of my bins and am determined to sit down and make something of it today.  I don't even know what yet, but I'm hoping this exercise will give me a little jolt in the creative arena.

The incubator is in my office right now, warming up some potential babies.  I'll be candling these in a few days and hope to see some viable embryos in there.

We had to start doing something with all the eggs because after all, nobody can eat 50 eggs. 

I started cutting and transplanting some of my succulents yesterday.  I am overrun and think I'll put out a little stand at the end of my driveway when it warms up. 

I'm enjoying seeing some of the lovelies that are being made with buttons that I destashed.  I'm so glad they're being used and enjoyed and in such spectacular ways.  Stop by these links and have a look:

Claudia has made a gorgeous baby sweater.

Motherculture created these adorable longies with little bunny feet.

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

The Heckler

Someone was yelling at me from a very tall poplar tree yesterday.  Yelling and yelling, noisy thing.  I couldn't see who it was so I got the camera and took some photos so I could have a look.  (and then I thought, omg, is this my version of getting a longer arm so I can read the newspaper?)

It's a Northern Flicker, with her nest in the hollowed out poplar.  I watched as his/her mate came flying over and then they switched places.  Perhaps they're still excavating the nest?

If you click on the photos you can see them a little better.

Wordless Wednesday

Again with the not really wordless bit...

What to do when your oven breaks?  Bake bread in the grill of course. (it worked!)

Great Balls Of Moss

We had a beautiful spring day yesterday.  It was warm, windy, and sunny, perfect for drying clothes on the line and for doing a little potting project.  Or un-potting maybe.  I had just seen this project on Design Sponge and knew I had to try it.  Balls of moss?  What's not to love? 

I've had a layer of moss on a table outside that I had gathered last fall and I have an assortment of "volunteer" plants in my houseplants.  This guy, and I don't know what he is exactly, drops a leaf and re-plants himself everywhere so I figured he wouldn't be too picky about his new home.

His roots are wrapped in dried moss, potting soil, and finally the gathered moss, and wrapped in twine.  I'm thinking I will make several of these, perhaps with different plants, or just moss, and hang them all from one of the trees out front sort of like those beaded dangly door covers from the 70s. (remember those?)

The best part?  Sporophytes.

How cool is that?  I can't wait to make more.

What spring projects have you been undertaking?

Oh, and I am so flattered to have been interviewed on Elizabeth Abernathy's very lovely blog yesterday.  I'd love it if you would stop by and have a look.

Elizabeth Abernathy - interview with Lisa of lil fish studios

Monday's Mudpuddles

After a rainy weekend the sun has emerged, making a fine start to Monday.  The rain provided plenty of puddles to jump in which made the kids happy.  You can see that my daughter is extra prepared and wearing her life jacket.  (she dresses herself, it's not my fault)  So far we've kept the flooding at bay in the basement which makes me happy. (giant piles of wool and buttons and whatnot are NOT fun to move around when wet) 

Three new auctions are up on our EcoEtsy Team blog this morning with more fabulous eco-friendly goodies.  The proceeds from the auction this year are going to Habitat For Humanity's work in Japan.  So let's recap...great handmade goodies that are easy on the environment AND they benefit charity?  Perfect!  Please check them out if you get a chance. 

I made a special wearable vessel out of Osage Orange wood and it's in the following auction:

Mother's Day auction

and don't forget these beauties:

Girl's Night Out auction

Jump Into Spring auction

Today will find me climbing Mount Washmore and engaging in other fun household duties, taking some photos of a few wearable vessels and (hopefully) putting them in my Etsy shop, then I'm hoping for some time at the saw.  I found something spectacular this weekend...but I can't share quite yet.

I hope your Monday is off to a good start.

The Book On Mushrooms (or mushrooms on a book perhaps)

I finished my latest needle-felting project yesterday.  You caught a glimpse of it in this week's Wordless Wednesday, but here it is in full.  I was too excited to wait for good indoor light so I hauled it outside for a few shots.

It's a pair of yellow amanitas growing out of a vintage textbook, Physiology Of The Fungi, circa 1951.  The whole scene is made of wool and while it's glued inside the book, there is no other glue used.  Just lots of poke poke poking with the felting needle.

There are of course some sporophytes in the moss.

And gills.

You'll be seeing more in this series soon I think.

What are you working on these days?

Wordless Wednesday

A Particularly Nice Day

Yesterday was just as I hoped it would be.  I chilled out, played at my workbench, and took a walk in the woods.  It was lovely and long overdue.

I even made myself a little treat, a ring made of giraffe wood.

Here are some shots I took on my walk that I am finding particularly inspiring.  For those that can't get out for a walk in the woods, these are for you.  Enjoy.

I was suprised to see a patch of deflated puffballs peeking out from under the snow.  I poked one to see if it would puff, but alas, it was puffless.

I love how this rotted pine has begun to fall off in cubes.  Isn't the structure amazing?

And life starts anew, a pinecone in the middle of a rotted out stump.

This is the birch I de-barked last year.  It's now completely engulfed in mushrooms.  Isn't it fantastic?

Check out how the wood in this pine has split at the growth rings.  You can pull them out in pieces like shims.

Chick chick was waiting for me when I returned home.  She likes to sleep in the sun on the porch.

Then she and her friends did some synchronized dance moves for me.  The pics are a little blurry because I was giggling.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Slow Saturday

It's a slow Saturday.  I've been sanding things while watching Julia Child on PBS.  I've been sipping a second cup of coffee.  Today I think I'll play out in the barn for a while.  Maybe bake something that will be applied directly to my hips.  Slow down for a bit.  The kids have a bad case of cabin fever and need to get outside so maybe a walk in the woods is in order.  We still have lots of snow so momma will probably get to be sled dog, which is okay because she needs the exercise.

I'd really like to make one of these if I can figure out how to make a box braid.

I'm looking forward to this book reaching my mailbox.

I finally set up a facebook page but I'm not sure facebook is my thing.

One of my wearable vessels is in this soft and lovely treasury.

What are you doing today?