a few favorite things

Hi!
I'm very tired today, so let's just have a little eclectic fun, okay?

http://www.afinedistraction.etsy.com/

Cicely Mary Barker 'snowdrop fairy' and poem
found at http://www.suziebeezie.typepad.com/

Cicely Mary Barker's Snowdrop Fairy, necklace by
http://www.artyscape.etsy.com/

vintage Valentine  found at http://www.collectibles.about.com/

a 13 month old Great Dane puppy from Melbourne, Australia.
They expect him/her to break the world record in height.

a puppy paper doll for your to color.

TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS:

Michael and Tanner relaxing on the couch.

a Hans Hoffmann painting, 1530 - 1591, Prague

Ballerinas in white.

c.1919  Blue Bird Inspiration vintage song sheet graphics

whip coral, Red Ocean Reef by prilfish

iris folding pattern for a whale

'Mermaids Preening' original collage painting by inkspired
http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

'Forest Fairy Pink' original Collage Art Doll by inkspired
http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

a Japanese scroll painting

Well, that's it for today.

I hope you found something beautiful today in my blog.

Treasure beauty.

Be calm

(and drink a cup of tea!)

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

A Day on the computer

Welcome!
I have been up since 8am, and those of you that know me, know that is almost an impossible thing for me!
I really don't function well until around 10am. Even if I am, well, standing up. Beware! The Sleep Fuzzies are mostly in control!

painting by Kay Chorao

Those early college classes? Not good for me; yet every semester except one, all the way through college, I had one of those 7:30am classes.

And wouldn't you know it, it always seemed to be a 'core' class:

Sociology 101

Psychology 101

Bible Hermeneutics

Basic Science 101

I wonder what my poor teachers thought?!



"a crescent moon for breakfast"

photography by Laurent Laveder

Any-Who-How, I have had a day at the computer.

First up, editing and size adjustments for some of my new Collage Paintings.

Yep, I think I have come up with a name:

Collage Paintings by inkspired

Do you like it?  Here are a couple of my newer ones:

"Gypsy Camp"

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

"Mermaid Preening"

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

"M'lady's canter"

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

Right now I seem to be enjoying either Camelot era knights and ladies, or mermaids.  I am pleased with how my "Gypsy Camp" turned out, as that is my original design. The others I have borrowed ideas from different pattern sources, although no entire scene is all from a pattern. You know me, I have to do that creative thing and twiddle here, and smooch a bit there....

Here a couple of Collage Art Dolls that are entirely original to me, and made of recycled junk mail, catalogs, those irritating flyers on your door, etc.
I have just listed these today:

"Mermaid Pearls"

original Collage Art Doll by inkspired

"Vintage Snowflake with Pearl Chains"

original Collage Art Doll by inkspired

So, that was time on the computer.

I also edited and re-listed several items.

Then of course I had to edit some already listed items.

Sigh.

Then I did some Treasury Upkeep.

You can make Treasuries on etsy.com by picking out 16 items from 16 different shops (and you can't include your own) with a theme.

(refer to a previous blog on how to put etsy treasuries together)

Well, the good thing about it is items sell!!! I always hope I had something to do with it. A few people have dropped me a note and said they purchased something that was in one of my treasuries. It makes it fun. However, that leaves a blank spot in the treasury.

Today I went back through several of my treasuries and added in new items to fill the empty (sold) slots.

I worked on:

"A Parliament of Owls"

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTc2MTA5M3wxNzk5MTU3ODc1/a-parliament-of-owls?index=0

and added a few, including:

Original 9x7 watercolour Eyes of Owl

http://www.happyapplebumblee.etsy.com/

and a needle felted handmade green owl:

http://www.thingsbyv.etsy.com/

"Hazelnut, please" treasury:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTc2MTA5M3w5MTY5ODAzNDQ/hazelnut-please?index=3

Hand Carved from Hazelnut Clay, Potter

http://www.kittingercarvedclay.etsy.com/

Actual Hazelnut earrings! way cool....

http://www.teresapollini.etsy.com/

I thought this picture was such a great advertising shot!

The listing is for 6 Vanilla/Hazelnut Scented Wax Tarts:

http://www.ambersaromas4u.etsy.com/

Next, "Forest Wings" treasury:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTc2MTA5M3wxNzEwMzM3MjUx/forest-wings?index=1

Spotted Owl art print from original watercolor

http://www.amberalexander.etsy.com/

Gold Sugar Owl Screen Print

http://www.liwbanks.etsy.com/

Owl Tree Branch and flower&leaf Mold for Resin, Fondant +more

http://www.whysperfairy.etsy.com/

Oh, and many more, in a few more treasuries.

Then I worked on a few more Collage Art Dolls,

resizing and trying to get the actual color more realistic to what it is.

I also listed a new necklace I've finished:

hand beaded necklace with inkspired's original pattern

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

It is so much prettier than the picture shows. It is extremely difficult to photograph shiny and iridescent beads!

Then I worked on photos of my altered paper dolls, getting ready to list them for the first time...

"Clockface Tropics"

original altered paper doll by inkspired

Do you like it?

I have so many darn ideas, it gets hard to settle on just a few things to do,

at once of course!!

Oh, and there was the nice coffee and chat with a good friend this am

(the reason I was up so early!)

and letting the dog out

and letting the dog in

and doing 3 loads of laundry

and plunging the toilet (oh hooray, love to do that....)

put dirty dishes away

sort laundry

smear peanut butter on the pills that Tanner needs to take every day

let Tanner out

let Tanner in

feed Tanner

let Tanner out

let Tanner in

hang up laundry

spend time in the basement organizing

sigh....

think it's time to go sit in my chair

and watch one of my 'new' movies -

"Honey I Shrunk the Kids"

or

"The Help" (loaned to me by a friend)

or finish

"Monty Python's Holy Grail"

( a present for Michael, but he fell asleep half way thru it last night!)

or...

oh well. I'll just close!

It is time to finish my

Day at the Computer.

:0)

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

dominoes@myinkspired

Dog Devotion

Well how-do-you-do?

Can I sniff your (butt)?

Koda, the sweetest Great Dane we have ever adopted

adoption through Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, Inc.

Well, I have been feeling a little 'ruff' around the edges for the last few days,

 as all you know who read my blog regularly.

(and a big THANKS! to those of you who do!!)

:0)

Tanner, our current Great Dane, has just been such a nice

cuddle-boy. He loves to nap with me on the bed, and he always finagles his way around so his head is on me somewhere - usually my legs or feet.

He would prefer sharing my pillow if I let him, which is not very often.

I mean, hey! it's my pillow!!!
...and he snores!

Tanner, taking advantage of the bed

Yeah, that IS a picture of Tanner on my bed, with his

hind end almost on my pillow.

Sigh.

We change pillowcases alot here.

a vintage Jack and Jill magazine cover, with added dogs

courtesy of OrigamiBears

"You can say any foolish thing to a dog,

and the dog will give you a look that says

'My goodness, your'e right!

I never would have thought of that!'"

- Dave Barry, humor author

Tanner, trying to be a small dog and fit on half of our loveseat.

Pun of the day:

'Where do you find a dog with no legs?'

(answer below)

This is a lab puppy by www.Color-Your-Own.com
but you could color her to be lots of other kinds of dogs too!

I love these cute little finger puppets by

http://www.cherylasmith.etsy.com/

Makes me want to sing:

10 little puppies on the bed,

Me Oh My Oh No!

One falls off - and goes a scamperin'

Me Oh My Oh No!

9 little puppies on the bed,

Me Oh My Oh No!

One falls off - and goes a scamperin'

Me Oh My Oh No!

8 little puppies on the bed,

Me Oh My Oh No!

One falls off - and goes a scamperin'

Me Oh My Oh No!

7 little puppies on the bed,

Me Oh My Oh No!

One falls off - and goes a scamperin'

Me Oh My Oh No!

...6, 5, 4, 3, 2.....

1 little puppy on the bed,

Me Oh My Oh No!

sleeping on the pillow with his head,

M Oh My Oh.....snore.

Yes, you're right, you have never heard that one before,

because I just made it up!

10 little puppy finger puppets could be awfully cute...

vintage clip of little dog,

NOT my Tanner!

Tanner seems to know when I don't feel well.

I'm not sure if he is sympathising with me,

or just knows he can get more sleep-on-the-bed time!

Yes, this is Tanner on the bed, slowly sneaking his way up to the pillows...

Here is a page of vintage dogs, plus some bears and more, drawings

courtesy of Dover Books:

This next photo is from a contest held for an auction for breast-cancer charity in 2008.

I just love the creativity that these artists put into their bras!!!

I'm sorry, I don't know the artist/creator of this one.

Answer to pun question:

'Right where you left him!'

yeah, I know, I know...but it IS a pun....

a recycled CD clock, www.thegolfingdolphin.etsy.com

My good friend Julie adopted 2 dogs from the animal shelter.

She was only going to adopt one, but the dog she wanted

had come in with another dog, and she just couldn't split them up.

Good for her.

They don't really play or anything together,

but definitely are each others' security blankie.

One is a Chinese Crested Julie named 'Ellie'.

I looked for pictures of a Chinese Crested, and this coloring page came up:

Thanks to www.Color-Your-Own.com for their great drawing.

Now Ellie doesn't look that that drawing.

She looks kind of like a small poodle with a pointy nose 

with a really bad hair day.

But perhaps in her doggy-dreams she looks like the above dog!

Pun #2

'Why don't blind people like to sky dive?'

The next couple of pictures are taken from

http://www.littlepinkhouse.etsy.com/

I would encourage you to check out her shop!

She makes custom felt drawings of your home, and includes personal things like dogs and cats, flowers, etc.

These are 2 pix of 2 different dogs she has done for clients:

Aren't they just adorable?

I got in the mood for all things dog today because I read an article posted on Yahoo News! It was all about homes that were designed

with people's pet dogs in mind.

About time! I say, as a firm doggy-lover.

These pictures are all courtesy of

http://www.faunaplusdesign.com/

which is a Japanese architecture design company, I believe.

An award-winning Papillon Dogs Home in Kakogawa, Japan.

a Basset Hound House with smaller home designs in mind

Here they are catering to a low-to-the-ground sight line.

This next photo shows a lower entrance to an outside area, that includes an outdoor shower! You can see it in the upper Left corner.

It is designed by Kouichi Kimura Architects, Japan.

The last photo in this series is designed by

FaunaPlusDesign, Japan.

I just think this idea is absolutely super!

It was created for 3 beagles that are also watch dogs,

so now they can watch from above too!

Kinda' like from the castle walls....

What a great idea for doggy-at-home exercise!!!

Of course, Tanner's main exercise is to decide which bed/nap place he would prefer to move to....

Note the DOG NECESSITIES:

*a fire to warm him

*a blanket with extra cush to lay on

*a favorite toy nearby (the fox!)

*in the middle of things, so he can observe

Such decisions, such decisions.

What Napping Spot next?

In the office

TWO custom beds made for Tanner by

www.wirehab.etsy.com

In the living room (note big basket of toys to the Right)

and sometimes you just have to plop down where you are...

but of course,

make sure you are in the middle of everything so people have to step over you-

Here is a photo of a foster Great Dane we had:

'Drake'

from the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, Inc.

We so wanted to adopt him. I just fell in love with him.

Talk about a cuddle-boy!

But Drake was very young, and very energetic and really not house trained...

so he just didn't fit in with us.

This was before my back surgery, so I was in pain a lot, and couldn't take him for walks, or throw the Frisbee or play tug-of-war with him.

Did I mention he had lots of energy??!!

But what an absolute sweetie...

His adoptive parents had him for about 3 months, and then adopted another Great Dane for companionship for him. She was 6 months old at the time!

I was so happy for him. I cried when we let him go...

Dog bones, paws and houses hand painted marbles by

http://www.glassgemsbychristine.etsy.com/

Answer to Pun #2:

Because it scares the dog too much!!

(snark, snark, snark)

Gotta close, I'm getting too sentimental and wayyy too silly here!

Besides,

no Michael, I will not write a book,

I will not write a book,

I will not write a book.

And for those interested, my headache is all gone and I fell

MUCH BETTER!

thanks for your prayers.

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com