My treasures...

Here is a glimpse of my treasures. Since I was a very little girl I have always been in love with tiny things and therefore mice. Anyone who knows me knows I love mice and collect them.
These few sit on top of the Mouse House curio cabinet which resides in the library of our home.
The library is one of my favorite rooms as it is cozy and serene and I am surrounded by books and my mice.

This is the bottom section of the curio with the door open so I could get a better photo. It looks rather jumbled but I can assure you each mouse is carefully arranged to my liking the day I set them. From time to time I do rearrange them and of course clean everything, but not too often lest I disturb their happy play.
I certainly won't bore you with all my stories however I can tell you where or who or how I got each and every mouse I have.
A special note is when Mr. Createology and I decided it was time to cohabitate (we are mid-life do-overs) I wondered if I could bring my Mouse House to his house. He doesn't like any clutter or "dust collectors" (I have told you how opposite we are!). It was agreed I could bring my Mouse House along and put it in a back bedroom. Now mind you his house was about three times the size of my house so there should have been no issue of space.
To his credit when we moved the Mouse House across town and it was being placed I was most surprised and pleased when he chose to place my Mouse House curio on a focal wall in the entry foyer so that it greeted all guests as they arrived. It was then and there that I knew he loved me.

This is the top section and you can see how fully packed it is just like the bottom section. Years prior to moving it to Mr. C's he surprised me with five additional glass shelves so that I would have more room for my expansive collection. The only caveat is that I needed to edit some of them and keep the truly special ones. I was able to do so and now you see my more "mature" collection.
Now days I am always very careful to select any new additions by their size and ability to fit into the Mouse House cabinet. I really do not want to edit any out.
Shhh...there are some (read many) who are living in other areas of our home however they are super quiet and Mr. C is not bothered by them at all.
I do have plans for some artistic collages some day with my paper mouse items but no rush.
I also have some fabric pieces to work with but, once again, no rush.
When I was very little and about 2 years old we lived in a tiny little house I can still picture and everyone knew I named it the Mouse House. I did tell you I have been entranced with mice for a really long time.
When I was a young wife and mother I tried having three white mice in a cage to enjoy. That was fine until in a very short amount of time there were not three but twenty-one and counting. Well that was the end of my raising and herding mice days.
Now I merely stick to the collectibles and enjoy them fully.
Thank you very much for indulging me in my mouse fantasy world.
Happy collecting...

Happy Birthday Mom...

As I sit here at my desk and take care of business details I am reminded of the date today.

This would have been the day to celebrate my mother's birthday.

However she has passed on and so no celebration. No cake. No gifts.

Merely a wonderful day to remember all that Mom meant to me.

So I wish her a Happy Birthday in memory and know that she is happy and enjoying herself.

I am grateful that I have her genes for creativity.

I am grateful I enjoy the wonder of the world.

Thank you Mom.

Cherry day to you...

Cherry day to you...or I should say cheery day to you.

A card I made and sent to someone just because.

The cherry paper inspired the button cherries with the ribbon stems.

A glitter butterfly just because they bring happiness.

Time spent happily creating.

I do hope it brought a smile to the face of the recipient.

I would like to say thank you to everyone who is reading my blog and commenting. I think I am seriously addicted to reading any comments I may get. I learn from them.

I also get to know you and appreciate your blogs and what you create.
I feel so very blessed to be able to make the things I enjoy, give them to family and friends, and share them with all of blogland.

Each day I think of what I might post and decide if it is something interesting or helpful or entertaining. I have varied tastes and follow lots of interesting blogs that have hugely differing venues and find I learn from each of them.

Focus? My focus is merely to enjoy life and be happy. I am energized by people and events. I am fulfilled by those who appreciate who I am and what I do. I am so grateful for the family and friends I have and enjoy so much.

What fuels your creative happiness?

Happy creating...

Great day for accomplishing...

Good Morning Studio! Wait...who made this mess? Did I leave my workspace in this condition yesterday? I know I didn't finish all my projects but did I leave this mess? Let me check it out from the other end to be certain how it looks...

Oh my! It looks even worse from this view. What was I thinking? Oh well let's just begin and see what we get done today muse. What will we be making today?

Do you ever have something you know you need and can make for yourself but you never do it. You think you can always make it another day. Hmmm...

Let's see we need some wool felt.

No pattern? Okay we can just eyeball it.

Small piece of velcro and ribbon.
Sewing machine and away we go.

It's not very big as it doesn't need to be. Scraps will make it just fine.

This is the finished project. It is sort of rough. Not my best finishing job. Oh yes, it is for me and it is merely for practicality.

What is it for?

Here it is. It is for my Walkman and earbuds. I used to keep them in a small coin purse but this will be much softer for keeping it nice. It is durable and light weight.

I am just so thrilled that I finally accomplished making it. I will be using this and see how I like it.

I also completed another item that I am very pleased with but shall wait to show it another day.

Oh, the worktable in the studio? I did clean it off and it is ready for another day of being creative.

Does being productive give you energy? Does it make you feel more confident?

Happy creating...

Good shopping visit...

In our small little town we have a wonderful Hospice Gift and Thrift shop. I like to visit it as I know I will usually find something I need for creating and that my purchases will help a very worthy cause.
This is an extremely popular place and lots of people shop it. If you see something you might want do not pass it up as it will certainly be gone by the next day. I have learned this by missing some key items.
I usually go with nothing in mind as that is when I find something I wasn't looking for. If I am looking for something specific then I seem to never find it and am disappointed.

The other day I was pretty much empty handed except for the little hanky and the brass Eiffel Tower and small book. I would have been very happy with these.
However I turned the corner and look at the bushel basket of vintage sewing trims I found. Seam bindings and hem laces. Each package was merely 25 cents. Being vintage some of the packages were marked 29 cents originally. Am I paying too much now? Not at all. I could not pass these up. I felt greedy trying to hold all of this in my hands. I did leave a few for others.
Now I am well stocked for some new projects. It will be fun to see what I make with these.
What do you like to find at the gift and thrift?