Bird Sanctuary

Source: flickr.com via Jacqueline on Pinterest

Moms can do anything

Source: images.google.com via Jacqueline on Pinterest

Valentine's Day idea

Happy Valentine's Day!
Found this very sweet way to say "I love you" for no cost, hardly any time, and it's personalized.
Check out the Real Simple website for all the details.  I just made my husband a word search that I can fold up and put in his card tomorrow.  http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/shortcuts-to-a-romantic-valentines-day-10000001152732/page6.html

My very own Alpaca!

My first attempt at making a needle felted alpaca.  I'm happy with how it turned out, being my first and all.  I fell in love with alpacas a while back and discovered an alpaca farm within 10 miles of my home.  The wonderful lady who owns the farm sold us handmade items like gloves and hats as well as a generous bag of alpaca roving.  As soon as I got home I started working on this project.  It took some time but within a day or two, this is the end product.  Hope you like it.

Download a FREE copy of the Artella eBook, Artella's Step-by-Step Vintage Holiday Cards, an eBook featuring 10 beautiful handmade cards, complete with photos and descriptive "how-to" instructions, showcasing a variety of techniques such as rubber stamping, collage, and innovative paper and mixed media arts.Download your copy here!

Halloween is almost here!

This is one of my three driveway lights all dressed up for Halloween.  The garland and bow were easy.  The ghost face took a little time to figure out.  At first I just wanted to take a permanent marker and draw the face on the globe.  Knowing I was not going to be able to replace all three lights after the fun was over and Halloween was past, I had to come up with a better idea.  I settled on using black fabric with an adhesive backing to cut out the eyes and howling mouth.  So far so good.  Hopefully it will peel off easily.  My sister had the idea to leave the faces on and just dress them up as singing choir boys for Christmas.  That's actually not a bad idea.  What do you think? 

Source: flickr.com via Jacqueline on Pinterest

Wigwam maker, Primitive tool expert



While building the wigwam during the past week, Barry Keegan has discovered evidence of Native American presence in the Arboretum! (Croton, New York)
This photo shows Barry holding chert flakes (the technical term is "debitage") which are the waste product of making arrowheads and other tools. Barry found these in the soil around the area where he's working.

 A close up of the skillful hand of one Barry Keegan.  He has crafted many a wigwam, primitive tools, thatched roof, and countless other gems.   He has sat with his nieces and nephews to teach a lesson on arrow head making and goes so far as to fashion the rope to tie the arrow head into a necklace that would later be presented to the awe-struck teachers at school the next day.

While building the wigwam during the past week, Barry Keegan has discovered evidence of Native American presence in the Arboretum!
This photo shows Barry holding chert flakes (the technical term is "debitage") which are the waste product of making arrowheads and other tools. Barry found these in the soil around the area where he's working.

This is what life is like with a brother -in- law extraordinaire.  We  take a stroll around the museum where his wife had once worked (the lovely, Sara) and he bends down to a well-worn area in the dirt.  I notice something pushing up through the soil.  We unearth a beautiful glass bottle top that was discarded centuries ago by the colonist that lived in the area.  I do a jig of glee, totally amazed with the treasure, Barry walks on, looking down to find the next moment of discovery!  I will never look at the ground in the same take for granted way.  Barry has the eye, the hands, and the skill, of a curator ready to teach our next history lesson.