A Fairytale Bedroom

Who wouldn't enjoy this bedroom?

Visit Kidtropolis to see all their Fantastical rooms! Click here!

And for even more Enchanting furniture (like this lovely coach bed) visit Posh Tots. Click here!

A Little Confusion...Bat? Rabbit? Cat?

I think my last post was a bit confusing.

 2011-2012 is The Year of the Bat - a proclamation made by several world agencies in an effort to further educate people worldwide about how beneficial bats are.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit.

According to the Vietnamese/Korean calendar 2011 is the Year of the Cat.


So pick your poison. Personally, I think I'll celebrate them all!!!

The Year of the Bat

"Together with Bats"

2011-2012 was been deemed The Year of the Bat. The United Nations Environment Programme has joined with various other world agencies to help celebrate the Bat. The only flying mammal in the world. 

Bats are mysterious and maligned but they are essential to the environment. They assist with night-time pollination, distribute seeds, and are aggressive in the area of insect control. 

Please join with us and help celebrate this denizen of the night. 

Click here to read more about the Year of the Bat!

Click here to read the Year of the Bat Blog!

(This is a cross-post from The Haunted Gardens - a community garden blog I belong to.)

January's Full Moon

We had clouds last week when the moon was full so I went outside the following night to get some pictures of it. The moon has risen quite orange and was very striking against the night sky. I got some interesting results that I would like to share with you....

This photo was taken when I was standing in the middle of our gravel driveway. The night was clear and cold - the temperature was probably just below freezing. We had rain turning to snow earlier in the day. And the mist is???? And the orbs in the picture???

Another orb picture...... the bright orange dot you see in the center of both pics is the moon while the other two bright dots are lights from the school we live next to.

Finally the Moon.

A Fairytale Village

There is a whole town of Fairytale buildings in Carmel, California. Hugh Comstock built his wife, a dollmaker, the very first fairytale cottage in 1924. By 1928, there were a total of 27 storybook buildings in Carmel. Some had been built by Comstock while others had been constructed by other local residents. While most of the buildings are homes, a few are stores or other businesses. None of the enchanted buildings have numbers only names. (wouldn't that be fun to live in a house that is known only by its name not the street number?)
To see more photos of these enchanting homes, Click Here!

Can't get enough.......

Of my writing?  Then you might want to check out the Halloween Artists website.
I compile the monthly newsletter and am a contributing writer for the Gothic Garden section along with the occasional Featured Article. Click here to visit! (there is also a marketplace filled with all sorts of wonderful art!)

This month's featured article is about Today's Art ... An Investment for Future Generations

RING! RING! Is this the Exorcist?

Hubby and I recently were having dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant. It was a slow night and not many people were there.  Across the room from us were a dozen men.  It became evident by their discussion that they were all members of a church prayer/study group. (Church groups can often be found meeting at the local restaurants.)


About half-way through dinner, another couple was seated at the table next to us.  Not long after being seated, the couple's cell phone rang.  Quite loudly I might add.  The ring was the theme to the EXORCIST.


The significance was lost on those in the room.......

Dust Furniture

Delightfully, Delirious Designs!

Click here to go to Dust Furniture to view the entire collection!

The Zodiac and an Award

In case you hadn't heard yet, we are not who we thought we were. At least where the Zodiac is concerned. A new sign has been added to the Zodiac - making a total of 13 signs. All because the Earth wobbles on its axis. For the full story, CLICK HERE!

The 13 Signs of the Zodiac

Capricorn - Jan 20 to Feb 16

Aquarius - Feb 16 to Mar 11

Pisces - Mar 11 to Apr 18

Aries - Apr 18 to May 13

Taurus - May 13 to Jun 21

Gemini - Jun 21 to Jul 20

Cancer - Jul 20 to Aug 10

Leo - Aug 10 to Sep 16

Virgo - Sep 16 to Oct 30

Libra - Oct 30 to Nov 23

Scorpius - Nov 23 to Nov 29

Ophiuchus - Nov 29 to Dec 17

Sagittarius - Dec 17 to Jan 20

*************

Jennifer of Confessions of a Kitchen Witch has bestowed this Blog Award on me. Thank You Jennifer! This is a wonderful surprise! And please do stop by her blog - she blogs about herbs, kitchen basics and Life. It's always a fun read. 


Here's the rules of the Award:
1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Now I am supposed to share 7 things about myself - this may be kinda hard. I've shared so many of my deep, dark secrets with you that I'm not sure I have any left to tell! But here goes......
1. I can't seem to keep a working watch on me. They always quit working after about a day.
2. I prefer to eat my spinach raw.
3. I have an extreme fondness for green chili.
4. My astrological sign is now 

Ophiuchus. (not sure I like this!)

5. I don't like touching reptiles or amphibians. (oohhhh, creepy!)

6. I love iced animal cookies!

7. I have recently discovered that I have a fondness for hats.

I'm supposed to pick 15 bloggers to give this award to but that is a very hard task! I follow so many truly wonderful blogs that I really can't narrow it down to 15. So, I am leaving this award for all you classy, stylish bloggers out there. Just leave me a comment if you pick up the award. That way we can all come for a visit. (Nothing like inviting ourselves over!) 

Calories Defined

Calories are the little bastards that get into your wardrobe at night and sew your clothes tighter!

MY CLOSET IS INFESTED WITH THE LITTLE SHITS!

Thank You Becky for the insight!

* S* N * O * W

Someone must've been listening when I said I missed the snow. Big, thick, lovely snowflakes started falling on Sunday and continued for several hours. Blanketing everything with a thick layer of fluffiness.

The Puppies were enjoying every moment of it. It's not too often that they get to romp in their element!

The Kitties spent most of the day huddled in front of their TV (birdfeeder).

But Valentino had to go out into the snow to see .....

I went out and enjoyed the sight, smell, and sound of Winter.

Fairytale Houses

Wouldn't these be fun to live in?

The Crooked House in Sopot, Poland

Seashell House in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Boulder House in Joshua Tree, California

Mushroom House in Charlevoix, Michigan

Flintstone House in Hillsborough, California

Of Paint, Pixies and Epiphanies ~ Part 3

 Hubby is heading back to school this Spring for his final semester at the local community college even though he has already received his degree in Computer Geekery. Hubby will be taking courses to complete his certification in several Computer Specialties, one of which is Computer Forensics. His graduation ceremony will be in May and then he will be heading back to Colorado for work (our sons live there). If I am able to locate a rental property by that time, then I will be heading back with him. We're planning on putting our house up For Sale in March. Anyone interested??

So many things to hope for....that Hubby finds a good job. That I'm able to find a place to rent that is pet friendly. And that our house sells quickly (and we get a decent price for it). Once our house sells then we can begin looking for a house to buy.

The last two years have been a test in patience and perseverance. We have learned to be frugal and appreciate the everyday joys that have come our way. We've also learned to have Faith in the Universe that everything would work out.
 Optimism has not always been our friend. And there have been times when the dark clouds loomed and threatened to overwhelm. But a kind word, an email or a phone call from someone dear would always happen along at the right time to push the clouds away and bring back the sun.

And speaking of sun.... I am looking forward to getting back to Colorado where the Winter's are sunny. I have missed the sunshine that the state of Colorado basks in. Winter's here in the South have a tendency to be cloudy. Too cloudy for my tastes! And I have to admit that I do miss seeing the snow. And there is snow in them thar hills of Colorado in the winter! I miss the silence that can be heard in a snowfall. I miss the beauty of a landscape draped in white.

So, I am warning you now. I may get a bit introspective over the next few months - pondering this strange journey we've had living in the South.

And sometime in the not so distant future, I will be having a giveaway. I see that I am approaching the number 300. That's 300 people who have chosen to join me in this strange and wonderful corner of Blogland. And I have enjoyed getting to know you all!

300 Friendly Folks stopping by for visits ..... Boy, that's sure a lot of muffins (and crumbs!) and tea!

Of Paint, Pixies and Epiphanies ~ Part 2

As I rambled on about in the last post, prepping the house for sale and mundane daily chores have been consuming most of my time and I have been away from my creative corner
for far too long .......

In fact my corner has become overwhelmed with plants and things that need to be organized and integrated into my studio supplies - which happen to all be packed!  You see, my studio used to be upstairs, but I relocated it downstairs several winters ago because it was easier to keep tabs on the dogs, the cats, Hubby.....  I left the majority of my supplies upstairs and would just 'run up' and get whatever I needed. When I started packing, I figured I would go ahead and pack up everything that was still upstairs to get ahead of the curve (so to speak...).
Well, now I am wanting to get back into the creative mode and need some of those supplies. {So much for planning ahead!} So I guess I will carry the boxes downstairs and reorganize my creative corner.

And I am doing this because there are some Faeries that are screaming to be let out! They have been trapped in my sketchbook for quite some time now and they are threatening a revolt if I don't let them come into existence! Oh My!! 
What Persistent Pixies they are!

And because I have had Faery (and houses) on the brain of late, our weekly Sunday Art visits this month will be to Fairytale Houses, Furniture for those houses, and even some cool Garden adornments for those Fairytale Gardens.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I have a mouse in my kitchen! In a household with 6 cats, I have a mouse!
I sat the gang down (okay, half the gang - you know how hard it is to get employees to attend those company meetings! I shoulda promised 'em some tuna!)

and had a talk with them about responsibilities, job descriptions, and such. Unfortunately the meeting kinda dragged on and some of the attendees fell asleep!

Epiphany #2

I just realized that this guy, who has been hanging on my kitchen wall for the last 4 years, is Krampus! DUH!

Stay tuned for the next post. I really will talk about Winter this time and pass on our plans for the future.