The TP pendant has friends!

I couldn't resist...

Leaf the grass out of it!

Because I don't particularly enjoy spending my weekend mowing the lawn...we are testing a way to get rid of it. I know that many people strive for a perfect lawn and struggle over maintaining it. We prefer plants.

We will be keeping some of it, but not the entire half acre, that's just too much. The electric mower cannot compete with it's speed of growth during the spring and I would literally have to mow a section every day.

So this is our test. We have a very large mature Maple tree in the front yard that rains down several square yards of leaves each autumn. This last year we piled them in the driveway to let them decompose over the winter. Yesterday, in the 90 degree heat, we moved them over to the grassy section next to our lawn and the material was ripe with nutrients and other great things for the garden. Nature is nifty that way.

The idea is that we will be able to smother the grass while amending the soil at the same time! If this works as we expect it will not only help us remove the lawn, but also make a great start for a little garden section of the yard.

If this works as planned, we will be able to remove a portion of the lawn beneath the Maple tree and not have to worry about carting away a ton of leaves each fall. We could just rake it off the lawn that we want to keep and into the planted beds. Nature intended for her leaves to decompose on the ground where they fell anyway.

Where I work, all tidy for you to see.

So, this is where I work. One of the places anyway. I cleaned it all up so you could see it. There is a little case where I keep all the wire and packing materials that is not in the photo. The helper kitty is not in the photo either, but she likes to sit where the mouse is.

click photo to make it giant!

There you have it! My area is generally tidy so that I can find things. It is hard to start something with a mess on the desk.
*What is your workspace like?

I tend to feel most creative in the evenings... I'm not sure why...
*When do you do your best work?

A pergola and a patio!

Isn't it pretty. It is meant for work, but I think that a nice set of French doors leading onto a relaxing patio with a hammock and a little bistro table would be so wonderful! I guess that is what the courtyard is for.

I'm ready to choose the vine for the pergola. Maybe some nice grapes, or hardy kiwi, or flower vines. I'll leave it to the landscape designer. (Grapes honey! Maggie thinks so too.)

Round about creation...

Okay, I have actually completed my first little rounds beadwoven necklace. I am off work for a while so it went rather quickly. I also made myself some earrings that I like so much I am ordering some special sterling silver earwires. I am getting them from Duet who sells fantastic items on etsy. I had purchased some earrings from her and was so amazed at the quality that I will be getting my earwires from her also.

So, without further ado, this is the necklace as seen on this listing that you can buy here! Or, if you like it you can heart it and tell all your beady eyed friends.

I also have something else listed with the same little rounds, in a slightly different style for those who are less flamboyant about their beads.

This "sunshine" is a piece that I made for the latest EtsyRain challenge entitled "the Ever-Elusive Pacific NW Sun!"

Little rounds of sunshine...

I was feeling particularly creative and "invented" a new little thing. It's nothing mind blowing or exceptionally fantastic, but I like it.

I have a few ideas about what I should do with them, but what do you think they should be?


They are about the size of a quarter.

I'm featured! How cool is that!

A big thank you to local etsian GabrielsAunt who is posting my interview (up on May 5th) on her blog. Check it out! I just love all the wonderfully supportive Etsians!

Among the great things about GabrielsAunt is that she donates 10% of her monthly profits to animal charities. So, next time you need something that smells loverly in the form of a candle or perfume, check out her site and send a little gift to yourself, or someone you love.