Pretty Birds All in a Row

This winter, I have been visited by several Pine Siskins. Last week's flock was about 25 birds. I count birds for Project Feederwatch, and this has made me so much more aware of who's at my feeder. The siskins are some of my favorites. They have an understated appearance until they spread their wings, and then they show their glorious yellow underfeathers. They are also scrappy little things and have frequent dust-ups with their friends and the other birds over who can have the best seed. The best part about the siskins is that they are not afraid of me at all. My siskins and chickadees always sit right there and look me in the eye curiously while I fill their feeders, and sometimes even will land on them (or my hands) before I have put them up again. If the feeders are empty, you can bet someone will tell me next time I go out the door! And they (siskins and chickadees) can tell me from the other two people who live here. They fly away when the others go out, but never for me.


Aren't they just the cutest things?

Etsy Shop Update and Newest Sewing

Well, it's been a great weekend! I finally had time to update my Etsy Shop. I also had time to make Alice Cherry Blossom an outfit. She's DARLING! I love her and I thank Biscuitbear so much for giving her up. I had wanted her for a long time, but had a terrible time finding one. I think she'll be happy here! She has Mushroom Nursery Re-Ment to play with and I'm planning to either get her a Re-Ment roombox to live in or else make up the dollhouse scale roombox that I have had sitting around here forever into a nice room for her.

These Helen Kish dolls photograph so beautifully. Tompkin's pajamas are on etsy. His fabulous dog is by Barlee Rumburg of Fog City Designs. He's a portrait of my dear Toby, who incidentally (the real Toby, that is!) smells lovely like lavender now because giving him a bath also happened this weekend! I realized on Friday night that this was the first weekend I had had to just rest and do what I wanted to do since before Christmas. Ahhh...so pleasant!

Bunnies and Dollies

A brave and hungry bunny was out most of the day under the feeder right under our kitchen window, eating the hulls from the sunflower seeds that the birds dropped. He's pretty cute. I wonder if he's the same guy who was a baby last spring?

I think this Dianna Effner little girl (Mei Ling) is just adorable and I had to make her a new outfit. She's about 10" tall, all vinyl, and made by Boneka. I renamed mine Olivia. Her dress is a pattern by Claudia Ionker, and her pinafore is an original design by me, with an embroidery from Floresita's site.

Happy 2009

It's the New Year again. It's hard to believe a whole year has gone by. I just reread last year's New Year post. I wonder how I did with my resolutions? Here they are:

1. Be sure to remember my seven habits, especially BE PROACTIVE!

I think I did OK with this one.

2. Spend more time traveling this year and visiting family, especially.

I visited family at least quarterly, and also went to Georgia for CE in September.

3. Always make time for crafting something, anything, at least once a week.

4. Play my dulcimer at least twice a week.

Hmm...could have done better with both of these; only so much time in a week. I am, however, much better overall at playing my dulcimer. Last year I could play NONE of the Christmas songs in my song book and this year I can play all of them, even though I'm slow at some of them.

5. Draw, watercolor or pastel something at least quarterly.

I didn't manage to make a fall artwork, but I did do something in all of the other quarters.

6. Cut down on the number of grocery bags we use this year. Try this instead.

I did manage to cut down on the grocery bags and have the handmade bag made out of Plarn MOSTLY done, but not 100%. I have been saving and collecting bags all year to make it out of. It's time-consuming.

7. Buy handmade or make most gifts this year.

I did pretty well with most gifts for my nieces' birthdays this year, but ran out of time on the Christmas ones. Again, only so much time in a week.

So, on to this year's resolutions. I may add to this over the next few days.

1. Work on time management. I never feel like I have enough time to do any of the things that I want to do, and my life is suffering for it. I seem to spend most of my life chronically stressed. My free time always feels like it's consumed with chores and errands and I rarely get to do the things I REALLY want to do, which are generally craft projects. In my ideal world, I'd love to add lots of things to my etsy shop and become a successful craft entrepreneur.

2. Keep trying to craft something at least once a week. See resolution 1.

3. Finish some of my unfinished projects. Again, see resolution 1.

4. Clean and organize my cabinets in the kitchen.

5. Paint the craft room! I'm so tired of looking at the icky painted kid hand prints on the wall from the last family that lived here!

6. Spend more quality time with Aaron.

We'll see what this next year brings. I intend also to keep working on my dulcimer playing and my artwork.