Saturday, January 29, 2011

Where's the Cat Drain?



Stinky we hardly ever see, but then he'll come inside and get a couple of days of loving and spoiling, and then take off again. And there is a tom we haven't even named. He just sneaks in the cat door to scarf down kibble when he thinks no humans are around, and if he hears a sound he's gone like a shot. The last kitty we took in is a real sweetie. He was sick last week and had us wondering if there was such a thing as feline polio. We feared he would never chase a laser dot again. But antibiotics have pulled him through.

I love them all, but sometimes i think longingly of this handy gauge we saw labeled on an aircraft carrier, and how much simpler (and less hairy) things would be... if i could just find the "cat drain" lever or button.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Oodles of Soft Glow Beads

I sent a nice big custom order out yesterday. It was a pleasure to have a couple of hands full of these lovely beads, even if for just a little while. :-D

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Peanut Butter of the Month, Pt. 2


Saratoga Peanut Butter Company's Blizzard Butter, a 100% natural (but with cocoa butter, milk, and vanilla--and soy lecithin as an emulsifier) Creamy White Chocolate Peanut Butter out of Saratoga, NY. And St. Laurent Brothers Peanut Butter, smooth and 100% natural (just peanuts and salt), from Bay City, Michigan.

These two offerings from my Peanut Butter Of The Month Club xmas gift couldn't differ more packaging-wise: Saratoga has a really modern, funky label design with several fun fonts on a paper that looks distinctly recycled and uses low key natural ink colors that give it that granola belt, health food look. St. Laurent Brothers uses a glass jar and a label that looks like it might not have changed since the 1960's. Maybe they were going for retro?

It was probably a mistake to taste the Saratoga one first-- with the extra ingredients it is sweet and rich and creamy. The St. Laurent Brothers peanut butter tastes very peanutty, but even though the consistency seems strangely runny (and it hasn't separated) the texture of it coats your mouth in a exagerated legendary peanut butter way.

I have a feeling the Seratoga jar will be empty in a week. The St. Laurent Brothers will likely be the one my husband has permission to make cookies with.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

How May I Serve You Better?


If you are a bead shopper, please take a moment to vote in the poll in the top right sidebar. The results will help me offer beads in the most useful way for you, the beader! Thank you so much for your input.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Relic



Looks like an old bone, right? One of those fossils that have the nice iridescence on them? Or a bone made out of iron or something, with a fabulous patina? Naw. It's just a glass bead. This is Effetre's Plum Silver, and it makes awesome heart beads, too. I've got the bone in the etsy shop, but cool as my hearts are, i haven't listed any yet.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Jar O Bones Destashed


A jar of bones is a pretty cool thing. It has been sitting in my kitchen for a couple of years. Today i dumped it out and separated it into destash piles and listed the piles in my etsy shop. I kept the little mound of lilac and opal bones to make a bracelet or something for myself. Hmmm, i wonder how many other people like bone beads to this degree...

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Wrapped Pair


I used 20 gauge wire so these nice beads got a bit of a "Flintstones" treatment, but i think it looks pretty cool, in a bold kind of way. Too big for earrings, but maybe the beginning of an artsy necklace or a chunky bracelet.