Orion the Beautiful - Black and White Cat Love

*Blows dust off blog*  Whew!  *Cough cough*  Where HAVE I been?  I've nearly updated a hundred times and utterly failed.  I'm thinking of switching over to a Facebook page instead since they are so much easier to update and more connected. 

So, enough with lame excuses.  I'm going to post a few updates since I have a backlog of ideas, pictures and items to show off.  I just wanted to crack the ice and maybe show a few pictures of my cat.  I know, a terrible stereotype to show cat pictures, but I wanted to show just a few very pretty pictures of Orion to show how he's grown - he's a year and a half old now.

 

I named him Orion because he was such a good little hunter and played fetch with a sock as a little kitten and most of all as he had dark gray hair that made a little belt at his middle before turning to black.  Now it is all black and white fur - no belt at all.  And all that fuzzy kitten hair turned sleek and super soft fine fur.

 

 

Orion and the Giant Lobster:

 

 

 

I bought this big stuffed lobster from the Boston Aquarium ages ago and I put it on my bed in the summers sometimes - Orion took an instant liking to it - he cuddles with it all the time.  Guess it isn't going anywhere.

This is Orion's kitten - a little black and white stuffed animal my Aunt sent last Christmas - he luvs it.
  He kicks it and bites it and then licks it all over like a real kitten  It's hilarious and sweet to watch.  But sometimes he just cuddles with it.  Aww.



And because Halloween will be soon - apparently he's going as a Vampire this year...

 

I love this pic, just happened to catch him mid yawn and it's amazing.

 

Next post will be un-cat related.  Promise. 

 

 

Just in...New Houses in my shop!! Sheet Music and French Papered Fairy Houses Available Again!

It's been nearly two years since I had some Fairy Houses available in my shop, so I wanted to be sure to let you guys know as soon as they were available, which they now are!

I am currently making just a few more, but after this crop I don't know how long it will be before they are available again.  They are quite a bit of work.  I currently have one medium Chopin Sheet Music house with a black roof available...

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I usually make the music houses with a red roof, but I decided I liked this Chopin house with a black roof for a change.  So pretty!  It has all original (no photocopies or scrap book paper) pages from a turn of the century sheet music book - this particular book had Chopin music and I used 'Valse Brillante' for this house.  Check out the details!

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As always, the houses are made of paper mache and you can open the roof and store items inside, the smaller houses fit perfectly inside - or you can cut put a fake candle inside to light it up in a display.  Alternatively, you can cut a whole and put a small string of Christmas lights inside.  You can display miniatures or figurines around or inside it.



Truly a beautiful piece - so much nicer in person - pictures can't do it justice!

Available HERE.

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And also available is this pair of medium and small vintage French book papered houses...

 

 

 

They are so adorable together I would keep them together...  ;)

But these are available seperately.  They are made from the same vintage French book.

 

 

Available in my shop HERE.

 

 

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Check out the listing in my shop for more details.

Available HERE.

 

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I will be adding just a few more houses soon.  I have a few red roof ones coming up.  I hope to get them all up for Fall/Christmas season as they are so beautiful to display then, but really all year round.  Be sure to grab one while you can!!

Edited to Add:  Both Medium sized houses are SOLD - to the same customer!  Thank you for your business!!  Only the small house is up for now, but I'm working on more now - gotta get a few more up before Christmas - I know there are plenty of others interested in a house so have no fear I will have a few more up soon, but like I said - they go FAST!  And they take quite a bit of work and time to make and each one is unique.

Decorating for Fall and Halloween - Orange, Black and White with Gold Accents

Fall is finally here - Let the Decorating Begin!

Normally at this time I'm all excited for Halloween, but I'm feeling a bit low key about it.  I've only really decorated my mantle with Halloween decorations and kept the rest of the rooms simply Fall.  This corner table is an example:

I love this mercury glass lamp I found at TJ Maxx last year.  I decided to pair it with some gold accents - the picture frame (of my parents and I dressed up for the SCA) as well as a little pumpkin I found at Michaels a few months ago.  So cute!  I added some Antique books in gold and blue hues, tying the picture and pumpkin together - as well as some of our eclectic collection of pine cones/seeds from rare trees we've collected over the years.  And a few fake leaves, because...well, just because.  I'll put real leaves down when I find some good ones.

And then there is the Halloween mantle.  Last year I went all black and white, but this year I wanted a touch of color so I used shades of orange, too.  The skull is mercury glass (fake) from Target this year.  Cool find!

 Also, a crystal ball, mask, and some ravens.  Can't have Halloween without ravens!!

This mask is another cool find at Target this year - so Antique cool looking, but great bargain!  On top of black books, of course...

My 'Boo' and palm reading knick knacks...

And finally, another crow/raven on top of some more Antique black books.

Just a few tidbits from around my house.  I love Fall decorating, but Christmas is coming soon - can't wait for the real decorating to begin!!

Have a Great Weekend!!

Halloween Decor - Black and White

I was digging through my Halloween decorations and putting out the usual decor (jack o lantern candle holders, handmade banner, etc.) when I realized I didn't want the same old look. I really love the black and white look - it's cleaner and some how more spooky, isn't it?



And it goes so well with my train sign I bought months ago...

I placed a few antique white candles, an apothecary jar of white balls with black letters, a black crow, a black pedestal bowl (with candy corn, of course), and I used one of the frames I use in my shop to make a simple image of a phrenology chart in it on one side of the fireplace...oh and don't forget the vintage black cat head (I think that was a dollar store find, but I can't remember)

And on the other side is the handmade Haunted House I made years ago (Edgar Allan Poe picture is inside on black and white wallpaper) along with a very cool Victorian style birdhouse I bought at Big Lots a decade or so ago, a tree, a white pumpkin, another crow. And of course on each side are spider candle holders.

Very cute, no? I love my simple, but beautiful mantle this year. No need for orange. ;)

How are you decorating this year? Comment/post a link to your own pics, I'd love to see them. One more week to Halloween, Ghouls and Gals...

Happy Monday!

Etsy Update - Magic, Jewelry and French Houses

Fellow Etsy shop owners (or any kind of shop owner, really) - are you ever secretly glad when a listing or two don't sell right away? Meaning you can enjoy looking at them in your home just a little bit longer?? That's how I feel about my two recent French Lit houses...they are so cute together on my bookshelf. They don't want to leave, really...

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Every time I sit on my bed and work on my laptop or watch TV, read, etc. I glance over and think - aren't they sweet on that shelf? Do I really want to sell them? And they look so good together - shouldn't they be sold together instead of separate like you listed them? Oh well. I will enjoy them while they stay here anyway. :)

And some new type of pages for those who like Magic and/or Halloween...


These pages feature the ever popular Phrenology Chart and the really spooky prim style Raven or Crow, but also a Ghostly face and a really cool vintage style Magician pulling a rabbit out of his top hat.

Just random geekery, I guess. I love Halloween and I'm feeling like making Halloweenish things right now.

Bigger/better pics on the listing here.

The vintage French pages with various images (Alice in Wonderland, Parisian, etc.) have proved very popular. I'm having a hard time keeping up with demand at times. Thank you to all of you who have purchased them so far. They are really fun to look at - I keep promising myself I'll make my own to keep, but I haven't yet. I better do so soon before I run out of that book paper. lol

And I have some new jewelry up in the shop, too.

I made a new Round Filigree pendant necklace - this time I chose 'D' - it's so pretty. I ran out of N's, I think, which saddens me as I didn't make myself one yet. Darn. I'm going to keep hunting and hope I find one for myself.

As always - there are bigger pics on Etsy so you can see the jewelry better.

But this pic shows it pretty well.

And the back is just as pretty as the front, almost.

I love the chain I have for this necklace. I better see if I can get more this weekend.

And last, but not least...

I had to cannibalize a necklace to make a custom listing a few weeks ago so I made a new chain, etc. for the Art Deco style B pendant. I took some new (better) pics of it so I thought I'd share them here.

The back as an extra piece added so it isn't ugly to look at - I love the filigree style, don't you? This looks even prettier in person!

And it is definitely Fall now - cold wet rain and all. My achy bones aren't really happy with the change, but my kitty likes to cuddle more now so I'm not complaining. I just have to be careful to make sure he isn't under the covers before I sit down on the bed - he keeps burrowing for warmth. :)

Have a great weekend! I'm hoping to get down to the Soulard Market and get lots of fresh produce (and maybe a pumpkin or two).

Edited to Add: Both French Houses SOLD for Christmas. I miss them already. LOL

More Etsy Items PLUS Halloween Decor Idea!!

Hello, all - I'm reporting to you live from my bed where I am confined flat out with some of the worst back pain ever (and that's saying something) for the foreseeable future. So, what better time to update both my shop and blog?

First up, I made a little Fairy house - this time with vintage French book paper and a red roof. Oddly enough, in the past I made text houses with a black roof and music houses always had a red roof so that's a minor change here...

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It's just too cute!

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I didn't antique it, either - left it clean and simple. I think they look good both ways, but if someone did want to buy it and wanted it antiqued I could do that - just convo me at etsy or comment here.

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Bigger and better pictures are on Etsy, of course.

Next up is a set of vintage French book papers with some pretty Naturalist images.

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These were inspired by Naturalist collections that people often collected in the 1800's and early 1900's. They would collect butterflies and pin them up to display, collect birds' nests and sea shells, feathers, etc. I put a little selection of my own on the french paper and as you can see it takes up much less room than a real Naturalist collection would. LOL SOLD

You could frame and display them all together or seperate them into groups - the pair of sea shell pages and the butterflies with the other insects, etc. It's all up to you. I wish I had one of those display coffee tables with a clear glass window to a collection below. I'd lay these out on the bottom and then add my own shells and curiosities with it. You could decoupage a cabinet or table with these, too. Lots of possibilities.

I just love nature and collecting things so this was a natural decision. LOL

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And last, but certainly not least - summer is nearly over and soon we will be facing the Fall again and my very favorite holiday - Halloween!! I decided to make a spooky little series for my own vintage Halloween theme and then I put it up in the shop so I guess I better make another set for myself. :)

I just love the prim crow, the haunted house, Phrenology chart and that spooky little eye staring at you. I'm going to frame mine and display them in the hall or the living room, I think. They'd look good all year round, really.

Doesn't this get you in the mood for Halloween?? I'm feeling it!

Just thought I'd share a few things that are in the shop. I'm getting antsy and a bit bored laying here in bed staring at the ceiling. I hope my back gets better soon as I'm feeling rather useless and the pain is pretty bad. If anyone has a link to a fun site or a shop or something they think I'd like please feel free to comment here. ;)

ETA: After a cat scan and resting my slipped disc is healing and I'm back on my feet. Yay. Just gotta take it easy and be careful.

A Bootiful Party...

Since it is still two weeks away this is a very small scale of my coming Halloween party, but I did make a few treats for all to enjoy, I hope...

First off - you absolutely HAVE to wear a costume to my party - sorry, it is the rules...here's my gown:

I love this gown, so flattering and with a crinkly black heavy petticoat underneath! Bloody Mary and her father, King Henry VIII look on. Jealous, no doubt. ;)

It looks even better on - the skirt is much fuller. I added a mask for a hint of mystery...

Hungry? Have a deviled egg - or are they eyeballs? I can't tell...

And if you are thirsty, be sure to try the dragon's blood punch. Yum...

Would you like an eyeball to go with that??

And lest you think the fare is not healthy, have a veggie stick, too. See, I do have normal food.

And I know this is a dreadfully small post, but then I have been rather busy the last few weeks, not to mention sick. I have also posted several Halloween related posts lately so feel free to skim down and see - or click on the subject link of Halloween to see past Halloween posts and parties.

Also - while I do not have a giveaway this time, I AM coming up on my 200th post - just five more posts and I will do a giveaway then - hooray! So be sure to stop on back and visit around Halloween to see my RL party and also to check in for a chance to win something.

For extra chances to win you can -

1: Comment here or at any other one of my previous posts

2: Add yourself to my followers on the right (If you are already a friend of this blog you will also get the extra chance).

Then be sure to comment on the 200th post. You get can get three chances to win this way.

Now on to the other parties!! Point me to yours if you'd like me to make sure and visit. Happy Halloween!!