You Will Not Win Cesar Milan

I've had enough of your tight leash, your sits and your stays.
No longer will you keep me from chewing the walls and the furniture legs.
Uh Oh! Busted
Till next time Cesar Milan.

Ahhh Fall.

Fall makes me want to redecorate, paint, get things in order, and start new projects. I get so inspired this time of the year that it is hard to keep up with myself. I barely want to leave the house because there are so many fun crafty things I have in my head that I would like to execute. I also get nostalgic for things that I used to do. Like going to estate sales. I used to have a booth at an antique mall with my friend Nicole, but she has moved twice since then. It's absolutely necessary to have someone else relying on you to get up at 6 a.m. And you have to get there early if not first in order to get the goodies. There is nothing like the feeling of walking into an estate sale and knowing that the person who used to live there had appreciation for beautiful things. Color and anything old makes me want to ravage through the house. The folks who estate sale are serious. No one looks at one another and they literally don't care if you are in their way. It is a totally different culture. And I find myself so engrossed sometimes in the beautiful sheets, material, or handmade quilted dogs like this one that I don't realize I'm rudely blocking someone ability to get through.

I couldn't resist that little dog. It was a little more than what I thought it should have been marked, but it kept staring at me. It must have known that I rescue dogs.

Steve is outside being a workin' man. My niece is one and a half and she calls any man who is outside, no matter what they're doing a workin' man. He's finishing our five tiered retaining wall and patio. He and our friend Pat have been working on it all summer. I bet they wish the trees looked like this all summer. Steve's the cutest. He's such a trooper. He doesn't really enjoy all of the outdoor labor, but keeps pushing on. I love him!

Not to mention the weather. He was out there some weekends when it was a sweltering 100 degrees. I usually was inside watching HGTV on how to build retaining walls. And also how to landscape retaining walls. I am going to try to do mostly native plants out there. I have been researching and cannot wait until next spring when I get to dig into the ground. I look forward to the days when I pull up to the house (we don't have a driveway, because we live in the city) and think, ahhw, what a cute house, that's my hizzy, I'm so proud that that is my hizzy.

Steve's band Strawfoot had a show last night. They all dressed like the freaky circus people. Steve was the insane clown.

He looked pretty insane.

The Chicago show is fast approaching and I have been downstairs in my dungeon soldering, sawing and filing away. I made five pieces this week. My goal is to average 7.5 pieces, but it was a really crazy week with the fosters. I don't want to talk about it though. I have already complained and talked everyone's ear off that I know. And I will spare you.

This is my first try at making something pretty in the kitchen and actually being careful while doing so. So, I took a picture, because usually the only thing that I pay excruciating detail to is my jewelry. It actually tasted good too. It is vegetarian chili, which I am usually not that fond of when I follow a recipe, but changed this one up a little, adding a little more spice and different beans. The little corn cups are to die for. I meant to journal what I changed, but in the tiredness of it all, I forgot, or didn't have the energy. I don't remember. But, I am planning on making for our annual chili cookoff and hope it turns out as good. Half the time I am unable to do the same thing twice. That is why I am going to start journaling when I cook.

Poor little Devil

I took Andy to the vet today because I had a feeling that he had an ear infection. My intuition was right. And, we're thinking that the big gash in his ear is not from another dog, but from him shaking his poor little head so much that he caught his ear on something and ripped it. uhg! So he threw the biggest fit at the vet. I almost cried, the poor stubborn dog would not sit still for anything and cried like a hyena. If only we could talk to them and they could understand that it's for their own good. Every experience with each dog is different and so interesting. Never a dull moment. In the mean while he ripped is ear open again after all of the nights I have spent sleeping next to him, waking up every time he moves to make sure he's not shaking and scratching. Now look at the poor little devil. Isn't he adorable?

Chunky Monkey

I have been working on this new idea for a couple of weeks. I wanted to hand cut the top to the encasement, creating my designs on the top piece of silver. The problem is trying to get the tin to stay in its spot. I figured it out! And here is the result. Keep checking back for more designs like this. They are a lot of fun to think up. I especially like the contrast between the delicateness (if that's a word) of the surround contrasted with the words "sweet chunk". The whole time a made this piece, I couldn't help but to think of my dog Floyd, because he is chunky and sweet.

All of the dogs and turtles.

This is Andy. He is a sweet terrier mix, new foster. I have never had a small dog before, and I love him. He is my little lovey lap/foot dog. If he doesn't look all that together in the picture, it's because he has a humorngous slice out of his ear that he can't quite figure out, and can't seem to stop attacking his head, right now. He has quite a hole in his neck and head from trying to get rid of the demon on his ear. Dogs aren't really that bright. They tend to attack wounds because they don't understand that nobody is causing the pain, they just want it gone. Andy is going to be a brilliant dog for someone, besides his species unbrilliant attack of his own sores. What are ya gonna do? We're working on it. Sores heal. As you can see by the pics, Andy and I have bonded tremendously, in just a day and a half.

Turner's tentative adoption didn't work out. The woman who was planning on taking her is also having her 90 year old mother moving in with her and was understandably a little overwhelmed. Here are a few words about the Turner monkey.

Turner, a 3 yr. old 56 lb. Greyhound mix was found as a stray in Iowa. She was very timid upon her arrival into our home. After being shown that we were not going to hurt her, she has turned into a loving and loyal dog. She plays very well with our other two dogs in the house, and is a joy to take on walks. She is the best dog I have ever walked on a lead. Turner needs a gentle, loving home that will treat her with the love and affection that she deserves and is able to give in return. She is playful in the yard, but like a lazy kitten in the house. When she runs outside she looks like a deer. She throws her toys in the air and does 360-degree turns to try to catch them. Whoever ends up with Turner will be very lucky. We would keep her if we didn’t already have two of our own.

This is my latest commission necklace called Slow and Steady. It was purchased by Nancy, one of the three lovely women who own and operate ROOTS one of the BEST antique stores in St. Louis, located on Sutton in Maplewood. These ladies really rock, so you should go visit their beatiful antiques. They have great taste. I called this necklace slow and steady, because I try to remind myself to enjoy not only the means to an end, but also the process. I always have to remind myself of that. Slow down, right?

Rahrrrrrrr!

Animal Abuse!! Ringling Brothers and Carson / Barnes Circus

The Ringling Brother's Circus is coming to St. Louis. If anyone is interested in passing out literature on the abuses of the circus, please contact me. I will be there. I'm also going to be making t-shirts to boycott the circus. They will be available on cafepress. All of the proceeds will be used to print literature. Any leftover proceeds will be donated to PETA's campaign against the circus.

I totally understand if you're not up for chillin' in front of the Circus when they come to town, but at the very least please do not play a part in supporting the abuses that come along with animals in the circus. Ringling Bros. denies any abuses, but even without the electrical prods and bull hooks, these animals spend 11 months of the year traveling. They are left to stand in their own feces. And when they are not traveling they are chained. They lose their minds. Elephants are social family oriented animals when they are in the wild. Obviously they are highly intelligent with all of the tricks they pull off for these money grubbing animal abusers who put on this show. Please pass this on to everyone you know. Especially those who have children.

Columbia Festival of the Arts

Not so much my crowd, I suppose. The first day, Saturday was horrible. People weren't even taking my cards. And they were turning their noses up at $35 for a necklace. I mean, I'm not Walmart. The crowd just wasn't there to buy art. Half the people didn't even look into the booth. And there were so many pregnant women. More than I've ever seen in my life. I started counting at 2:47 and stopped at 4:15 and counted 14 pregnant women. And that was less dense than most of the day. Jam packed with pregos. Don't get me wrong, I love procreation, but those ladies with the babies in their bellies aren't going to drop money on a unique body adornment, when they have a unique body adornment growing inside of themselves. Luckily Sunday was a little better and I made a bit of a profit. People were much more receptive and bought a few things. No more shows until December. It's going to be a fun couple of months in the basement. I do have to say about this show though, that the volunteers and staff were some of the most helpful I have ever encountered. They helped unload and setup. It was wonderful. It's too bad they don't draw a better crowd.