Cobblestone Creations Blogspot

Hansel and Gretel

2012-01-31T14:28:00.000-06:00

Inspired yet again by the Grimm Brothers,
I bring you my version of
Hansel and Gretel.

They come with a darling candy house!

There are many photos on their sale page
and I hope you have a moment
to enjoy a peek at them.

It doesn't happen often,
but these two stole my heart.

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/tailssales/hansgret.htm

How much smaller can they get?

2012-01-25T16:26:00.000-06:00

I was contacted recently by a woman who wants to use my mice to populate a half scale dollhouse.

For those of you unfamiliar with dollhouse scales, a normal dollhouse is 1:12 where 1 inch represents 1 foot (12 inches.) A half scale dollhouse is then 1:24 where 1 inch representing 24 inches!

That is mighty tiny by anyone's standards.

Although my regular mice are roughly 3 inches tall, you would think that would make them look approximately 6 feet tall and should be ok. But truthfully, they are a bit large for the 1:24 houses.

So I have made an even smaller mouse who stands just over 2 inches tall. It is amazing how much difference that makes.

In this picture, from right to left is

a 1:12 door,

a 1:12 dollhouse doll,

my regular mouse (Rumplestiltkins is posing for the picture),

a 1:24 door

and finally my new 1:24 mouse.

You can see the proportions between the 1:12 door and the doll are about the same as the proportions between the 1:24 door and the new mouse.

And here she is dressed:

Although I am encouraged by having accomplished this, I was still trying to go smaller as I also want to try making children to fit this scale. Oh dear . . .

Penelope Randall of Cobblestone Circle

2012-01-23T16:45:00.001-06:00

~ Penny Randall of Cobblestone Circle ~

Penny hasn't always been thrilled about Valentine's Day.
Now she's checking her mailbox ~ will she
find the one card she has been waiting for?

You can read Penny's story here.

She is available for sale on my website.
(Penny has been sold!)

It is hard to believe Penny is the 91st citizen of Cobblestone Circle. Number 100 is not far off and I certainly must make it something special. Do you have any thougths about what (who) you'd like to see for number 100?
I'd love to hear from you.

Alice's Dormouse

2012-01-20T18:29:00.002-06:00

Wanted to share a commissioned piece I did in conjunction with

Carolee Clark of

King of Mice Studios.

Carolee painted the teapot and

I created the mouse for a very special collector.

This is the first mouse I've made of this type

and I do believe I have fallen in love with this cuddly guy

enough to make more like him.

Stay tuned!

Tillie Cobb of Cobblestone Circle

2012-01-19T15:09:00.000-06:00

Tillie received a very peculiar gift from her husband for Christmas this year ~ and now she's got to give it a try.

What did Jack do now!

You can read Tillie's story here: http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/circle/stories/tilliecobb2.htm

She is available for sale on my website: http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

On my work table . . .

2012-01-18T11:15:00.001-06:00

Just popping in to share what’s currently on my work table. Lately there has been a LOT on there, but I think I’ve finally got one thing completed so I am anxious to show you.

This is the house I’ve been constructing for what seems like forever. And perhaps constructing isn’t an accurate way to put it. The basic structure itself is a purchased item. It was a plain wooden house that I’ve painted and decorated to accompany the next mice from the Cobblestone Tails series ~ Hansel and Gretel.

Those two haven’t even been started yet so I’ve pictured the house here with Rumplestiltskin ~ who btw is still available on my website.

But before I even think about choosing fur and fabric for Hansel and Gretel I need to finish the other wee ones who are in various stages:

* two new Cobblestone Circle Citizens (These are almost done and will hopefully debut this week! Tillie Cobb is in her new snowsuit and Penny Randall is getting Valentine cards in her mailbox.)

* a Potbelly mouse for Valentine’s Day

* another tea party set of mice

*two commissions (very close to done!!!)

*a new size mouse that will fit into a 1/2 scale dollhouse (1:24)

* the two darling bears who have been in pieces waiting patiently for about three months for me to complete them!

Oh, who am I trying to kid ~ there’s no way I can wait that long to finish the mice for this adorable house.

Best get back to sewing right now!!!

ps. Not sure if I should be proud of this fact or not ~ but I was able to completely decorate this candy house without buying a single thing! It all came from my stashes baubles, paints and trims. Oh dear . . .

Rumplestiltskin

2012-01-12T10:12:00.000-06:00

My first mouse for 2012 is part of the
Cobblestone Tails Collection.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers' famous tale,
I bring to you my version of
Rumplestiltskin!

He is now available on my website:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/tailssales/rumple.htm

He is just over 3 inches tall and comes with

this 1:12 scale spinning wheel.
Layaway is always available!

Have I been watching too much
Once Upon a Time and Grimm on TV?

Holy Moses! Wholly Moses!

2012-01-09T15:54:00.000-06:00

Thought I'd share some pics of a mouse I made for one of my favorite collectors.

It's a Moses mouse to go with her

Egyptian mice Mousiris and his Queen.

Complete with leather sandals.

Even Chuck would like this one, I bet.

I've got to change my evil ways . . .

2012-01-07T13:49:00.000-06:00

Ok, I'll admit it. I was a bad girl in 2011. Instead of entering my business data into my financial software package, I just threw every receipt, sales record, bank statement, etc into a pile. This is very unlike me ~ or unlike the old me, I should say. Let's chalk it up to a mellowing on my part. Yeah, that sounds good.

But the day of reckoning came this week. Mr. Cobblestone had a business dinner one evening, so it seemed a good time to occupy our very large dining table with my very large mess. Never mind that the mess was there for 3 days ~ he's a very accommodating fellow, my Mr. Cobblestone.

As I stared at the stacks, I knew I'd have to employ a bit of motivation ~ something to get that energy flowing. I turned to the Music Choice 70's channel through our cable provider and pumped it through all the speakers.

You must agree that there is simply no music like the music you first discovered in your teen and preteen years (go ahead, I'll wait while you do the math.) Soon I was dancing around the table sorting all those receipts, bills of sale, etc and had a few flashes of a young girl doing The Hustle in front her of mirror in that tiny bedroom in Mon City all those years ago.

But the really frightening thing was how many of those lyrics came pouring out of my mouth like it was only yesterday that they populated the top 10 charts. We're talking pretty obscure tunes here: "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Brook Benton, "I'd Love You to Want Me" by Lobo, "My Best Friend's Girlfriend" by The Cars, "In the Rain" by The Dramatics, "Low Rider" by War, "Falling" by Leblanc and Carr, "Evil Ways" by Santana (duh) and *gasp* "Ariel" by Dean Friedman!

You'll be relieved to know the table has been returned to its usual state now and the books have been put away, all tax forms filed and paid.

Whew!

Now it is time to SEW!!!

Thank-you all for your patience with me throughout the holidays and tax time. More than once I needed to walk away from all the paperwork and found myself puttering in my studio ~ resulting in many little piles
of half finished mice and bears.

I promise there will be new little friends available soon!

Just a few loose ends to tie up for 2011

2012-01-03T16:26:00.000-06:00

So, how was everyone's holiday?

It was busy, busy, busy for me so I'd like to take a moment now to wish each and every one of you a most joyous New Year full of happiness, good health and prosperity!

During the past few weeks I had wanted to share a few things with you, but well, somehow never found the time.

First, let me thank all of you who took the time to send holiday greetings ~ they were indeed appreciated. I had to laugh that more than one of you found this gem of a card from JacquieLawson e-cards featuring a particularly fitting storefront near the end.

Some of you have very sharp eyes indeed to spot the little Cafe Cobblestone.

I loved it!

I also wanted to let you know that Mr. Cobblestone and I once again found a few days for an overnight getaway to Chicago for some Christmas shopping. We took the train down and had such a lovely time discovering Chicago's Old Town district, lunching at O'Brien's which was decked out in the most charming Christmas decor I've seen in quite a long time. A chilly (ok, downright cold) walk down Lake Shore Drive through the Gold Coast region brought us to Michigan Ave. We dined at Frontera that evening and were lucky enough to see Rick Bayless himself. It is an exceptional meal any time and I strongly urge everyone to get there at least once.

Our hotel was one of the Kimpton properties, specifically The Monaco Hotel. Now, this was way more fun that it should have been ~ they have large window seats in some of the rooms, with memory foam cushions, where you can snuggle up with the wool blanket and pillows watching the Chicago River.

Someone in our room even managed to fall asleep there.

I was also extremely thrilled to have been published in the UK

Teddy Bear Times Magazine!

Yep ~ there are my mice and bears on page 36 of the Dec/Jan issue.

Thank for including my work, Faye!!

The decorations have all been packed away over the past few days and now I am ready to start on some new bears and mice. Two bears have been cut out today, and 3 new mice have been started as well. Hard to say what exactly they will end up being ~ you know they have a curious way of exerting their own personalities. I can tell you that Hansel and Gretel are in the planning stages ~ I've found the perfect house to cover in faux candy! What fun!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like . . . Hogwarts?

2011-12-14T10:44:00.000-06:00

As you can imagine, all the mice in Cobblestone Circle are busy with their Christmas preparations. As am I.

Every year seems to bring a combination of tradition and newness to my decorating. Some of the newness is by choice, or I simply don't remember where I placed certain items in previous years ~ but some is forced. Although the concept empty-nest is firmly rooted in my and Mr. Cobblestone's brains, downsizing has not yet hit our psyche. Due to some rather large new furniture purchases, I find that some of my Christmas collection has had to find new locations. This takes me waaaaaaaaay longer than you'd think it should.

Aside: It was Mr. Cobblestone who pointed out years ago that it is indeed Christmas 'Collection' that I possess ~ much like a museum in that you don't showcase it all at once, but rather choose which items to display in any given year. Yes, I'm a Christmas junkie on some level. *gasp*

Anyway, the first change this year was in our dining room. We used to have two light fixtures above the table, but changed to one large one this year ~ and added the architectural detailing on the ceiling. I had only just begun to create my Hogwarts effect (for lack of a better term) last year and here already I had to come up with a new plan. But fear not ~ armed with my invisible sewing thread, and a few well placed pins, I managed to hang all my crystal snowflakes and golden ornaments from the ceiling once again. The effect is really stunning when we dine in the evenings with the candles lit. I'm toying with the idea of getting some of those battery operated votives and hanging them as well ~ you know, kinda like the floating candles in Hogwarts dining hall. The falling snow is definitley out of the question. Hmmm . . . .

Today I will decorate the large tree in the living room, which once again will be a change for me. We no longer have room for the largest tree from the Christmas Tree Farm (I told ya ~ junkie) so I will definitely have to do some editing of what actually makes it onto the tree this year.

I hope each of you are enjoying your holiday preparations ~ and that you and yours have a peaceful and joyous season!

I was only trying to finish my Christmas shopping . . honest!

2011-12-09T15:18:00.000-06:00

So there I was in the mall, doing my best to find the perfect gifts for those on my Christmas list when I spotted this:

The store thought it was a ring holder, but you and I know

it is really a mouse sized fainting couch!

Now how could I pass that up?

And maybe just one more mouse accessory followed me home . . .

Just perfect for another

potbelly mouse in his cheese head!

SALE at Cobblestone Creations!

2011-12-07T14:39:00.000-06:00

Now through Monday Dec 12th get
25% off everything at
Cobblestone Creations
by using the coupon code sparkle.

Save even more by joining the
mailing list and receive a code good for
40% off!

Free shipping included.

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

Dressing the part

2011-12-04T11:25:00.001-06:00

It's been so long since I've posted here. It seems Mr. Cobblestone and I have had very little time at home lately as we've been criss-crossing the country, mostly visiting with the little pebbles. They really aren't so little anymore and it does the heart good to see them out in the world creating their lives. We are indeed proud.

I wanted to share with you an experience we had during one of these trips. For years now we have approached air travel with a rather unconventional slant. As opposed to the masses who arrive at the airport in apparently their comfiest sweatshirts, well broken in sneakers and elastic-waisted polyester pants, we choose instead to outfit ourselves in business casual or better. (Wouldn't Stacy and Clinton be proud!) It has been our experience that doing so results in much more pleasant interactions with everyone from airport wait staff, TSA, flight attendants, etc. Although the adage is to not judge a book by its cover, I do believe it is simple human nature to do so.

Case in point ~ as I was recombobulating myself after passing through airport security, I found I was missing one of my earrings. Keep in mind that this was during one of those high traffic days before Thanksgiving ~ yep, that day. I hesitated to go back to look for it, but reasoned that I could perhaps quietly peek around without causing too much trouble. To my surprise, the TSA guy not only helped me look through ALL the empty bins at the end of his security line, but he also asked his colleagues if they had seen a lost earring. We eventually found it in their office. And it is worth noting that he was actually friendly and smiling during the entire exchange. Just sayin' . . . .

It was a good start to a wonderful trip. We spent Thanksgiving morning on 6th Ave in NYC across from Bryant Park ~ and that's where I saw HIM!

I hope each of you are enjoying your own holiday preparations. Don't forget to join my mailing list to receive your 40% off coupon! These will be going out on Tuesday Dec 6th and will be good for everything on the SHOP Page of my website!

Makin' a list and checkin' it twice . . .

2011-11-21T21:42:00.001-06:00

Are you on the Cobblestone Creations mailing list yet?

St. Nick thinks you may want to consider joining,

because as an extra special thank-you

to all the nice people who follow my work that way,

I will be emailing an exciting Christmas surprise on

Tuesday Dec 6th!

Sign up HERE!
http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/list.htm

Two more Christmas Mice

2011-11-18T13:44:00.000-06:00

I had two new mice for the holidays available this morning.

I say had, because they were both

sold with 6 minutes of my announcing them to my email list!

~ Mrs. Dorcas Silk ~

You can read her story,

and see more pics of her lovely tree

on my website by clicking here.

I was very happy to find some twinkle lights that

are the right size for a mouse-sized tree.

I think next year there may need to be a

city mouse/country mouse set for the holidays.

What do you think?

And ~ the other that sold this morning ~

The Little Match Girl

inspired by the Hans Christian Anderson tale

Cassandra Hailey ~ and a secret revealed!

2011-11-12T17:09:00.001-06:00

~ Cassandra Hailey of Cobblestone Circle ~

You can enjoy her story on my website.

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/circle/stories/cassandrahailey.htm

~ sold ~

And as for the secret, remember this from a few posts ago?

Well, now you can see the tiny bit from

the hardware store turned into the

donation kettle for Cassandra's scene.

And the stand, well, it's amazing what

you can do with a drapery pleater pin!

There are still a few more

Christmas creations on my work table yet for this year.

Christmas Creations

2011-11-09T08:07:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the new

Christmas Mice and Bears

available now on the SHOP page of my website.

The Gallaghers of Cobblestone Circle

read their story here

Santa Mouse 2011

Demitasse Santa Mouse and Teacup

The Ivershams of Cobblestone Circle

read their story here

Bess Littleton and her dolly

of Cobblestone Court

Remember that layaway is always available ~ we can find a payment plan that will work for you.

There are still a few new
Christmas items coming,
so stay tuned!

Going to their new home . . .

2011-11-08T15:22:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share with you that some of my bears

will be going to their new homes very soon.

Helene Winston ~ The Ice Skating Bear

and

The Porters ~ The Caroling Bears

Anyone for a Party?

2011-11-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

We are back from our travels in New England and I just had to share this scene we stumbled across on the streets of Gloucester, MA outside the toy shop.

They even had a seat saved for me!

In Auburn, ME we found this treasure:

But overal, the result of our journey is that

Camden, ME stole our hearts!

Don't forget ~ the

Who is Who in Bear Making

Teddy Bear Online Show is this weekend!

Nov 5th and 6th

http://www.whoiswho-in-bearmaking.com/

Sneak peeks at Nov 5th - 6th Holiday Show

2011-10-25T15:53:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for a special Christmas gift,

or simply enjoy shopping from home,

please join us for the

Who is Who in Bear Making Online Show - Christmas Bazaar

on Nov 5th and 6th

and shop for Teddy Bears, Animals, Dolls

and other Art from artist around the world.

There are many show exclusives.

Here is my little sneak peek:

http://www.whoiswho-in-bearmaking.com/

On the show site you will find a slideshow featuring the peeks from all the other artists as well as the timetable so you can see when it begins in your corner of the world.

You don't want to miss this one!

Pilgrim Mice Now Available ~ and a tease of what's next . . .

2011-10-21T17:24:00.000-05:00

I am so pleased to tell you that I have new mice available!

Just in time for your Autumn décor.

This Pilgrim Mice set includes both mice,
a tiny harvest basket, an itsy-bitsy pumpkin

and this vintage turkey.

As always, layaway is available!

Here's a tease of what I'm using as an

accessory for my next Christmas Mouse.
It's amazing what you can find to re-purpose
for mice in the hardware store.

Any guesses?

Mouse on a Hog?

2011-10-20T11:19:00.001-05:00

It seems like ages since I’ve had anything new for sale ~ but believe me I’ve been busy! And some of that busy has been shopping. Mr. Cobblestone and I were at our local home improvement store over the weekend shopping for new doors (finally). As luck would have it, this particular store had just set up their special holiday section.

Ah yes, the return of The Enchanted Forest.

You must understand that The Enchanted Forest has been a part of our holiday tradition going back to when our children were young. So much so, that I felt obligated to snap a pic to tease our daughter who now lives out of town.

And of course I had to stop and look for any ornaments that would be perfect mouse sized accessories. And what did I find?

I found this motorcycle!

Now ~ how could I pass that up! And look how well it fits!

This mouse is destined to be one of my Pilgrims, but he does give you the idea of how another mouse will look seated there.

Oooooo now I have to go through my fabric stash and find some black leather.

I've been trick-or-treating. Have you?

2011-10-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that the

Halloween Artists' Online Tour and Show

is going on now through Oct 31st.

Here's the treat I nabbed for myself from

Artist Adrianne Kinsella of kissinglass.

I just fell in love with this tiny votive ~ and especially the teeny tiny ladybug hiding on the back.

You can find more from Adrianne and many other artists at www.halloweenstudiotour.com.

Stitch, stitch, stitch . . . poke, poke, poke . . . pedal, pedal, pedal . . .

2011-10-10T19:30:00.002-05:00

Hello friends! I apologize for being away from my blog for so long, but as stated in the title, I’ve been quite busy sewing, needle felting and yes, taking an occasional break for a bike ride with Mr. Cobblestone ~ and enjoying our Autumn landscapes.

Our yard is showing signs of white!

No, not my beloved snow, no yet, but we do have a white clematis blooming now

and my irises too!

I must mention the lovely ride we took earlier this week. The longest one so far, for me. We went from our home all the way down to the Lake Michigan lake front ~ a distance of 30 miles. And it was a delightful day ~ all the trees were in their brilliant Autumn splendor.

As for sewing, I’m afraid I have nothing to show you today. All the items I am currently working on are destined for the Holiday Bazaar Online show Nov 5 and 6 ~ and you know how it goes with shows ~ no previews before the show begins. Though I do believe I will be able to give you a tease starting Saturday Oct 15th. I’ll post it here if permitted. I can tell you there will be caroling bears and mice, an ice skating bear, a bear with a baby doll and a few potbelly Santa mice.

Before I go I do have two more photos to share with you which I received from one of my collectors. It is always such fun to see what my mice have been up to since they’ve left my home.

Ann Willcox is indeed at the Pelican’s Post

and

Wendell Finkelworth is busy cleaning up in his toy shop.

Aren’t they darling!

This fine work is by artist Gerald Lusk.

It's time to go Trick-or-Treating!

2011-10-01T07:23:00.000-05:00

The Halloween Artists' Studio Trick-or-Treat Show has begun!

I've just taken a peek at some of the great art being offered in this show and it is amazing! Not only can you find cool decorating ideas, recipes, ghost stories, etc, you can 'meet' some new artists and grab up some wonderful Halloween/Autumn art for your collection. There are faery houses, jewelry, magic wands, dolls, art glass, bears and even a couple of mice you may recognize.

The show is in support of Bat Conservation International ~ and you know if we help the bats, they in turn will help us by consuming those nasty mosquitoes!

Hope you take a moment to enjoy the show ~ and there's even a door prize! You can find me along the path near the bottom left hand side of the village hanging out with the skull candlestick. :)

Here are the items I have available in conjunction with this show:

Dolores Hogswallow

A new Candy Corn Witch

A little pumpkin mouse

and another Vampire with his coffin.

~ * ~

I also wanted to let you know that Cobblestone Creations is now offering
Gift Certificates ~ just in time for the holidays!

~ * ~

My studio is filled with Holiday items destined for the Who's Who in Bearmaking Show coming up Nov 5th and 6th.

Hopefully I will have new things to offer on my website very soon as well.

Work in progress

2011-09-28T11:59:00.001-05:00

Thought I'd let you peek at a few things on my work table today.

I have another new bear waiting to be dressed.

She is such a lovely color.
We're off now to explore my embarrassingly large fabric stash so she can tell me what she likes. I doubt she'll listen to my opinion though ~ she hasn't got an ears yet! Oh dear, I fear I'm feeling rather whimsical today ~ this could get interesting.

Oh ~ and look what I found for another
of my Holiday Bears to wear!

She is still only a pile of body parts
resting in a basket next to my sewing chair,

but I'm thinking she'll be in a fur trimmed coat
and perhaps a muff too.

She will be in the upcoming
Holiday Show on Nov 5th and 6th.

We can all take a page from Dolores' Book

2011-09-23T16:58:00.001-05:00

Just a quick reminder that the

Halloween Artists' Studio Tour

begins in one week.

You'll have to wait until Saturday October 1st

to enter the site for the

3rd year of Halloween Trick or Treating

with international artists displaying their incredible seasonal art!

And here's a peek at the Spell Book

that will come with my witch bear,

Dolores Hogswallow.

Sixteen pages of fun little spells and potion recipes

sure to bring a smile to your face.

I do hope you all will stop by and see what

other Halloween treats I and

the other artists have to offer.

There will even be a door prize for one lucky winner!

If you just can't wait, you can visit the blog for this event

for more sneak peeks right now!

Someone else is ready for Halloween

2011-09-17T20:02:00.000-05:00

This Mouse in her Jack-o-Lantern costume is one of the
trick-or-treating mice available on my website right now.

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

An Early Treat ~ Trick-or-Treating Mice Available NOW!

2011-09-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

As I have informed you earlier, I am taking part in the October 1st
Halloween Artists' Studio Trick-or-Treat Tour and Show.

But it seems I have over produced on the mice, as the show only permits an artist to display up to 4 items.

That means I have some Trick-or-Treating Mice available now!

The Candy Corn Witch

The Scarecrow

The Hobo Clown

and

The Vampire with his Coffin

There will be more mice available in the show ~ including

another vampire and coffin.

These were too much fun to make to stop at one.

Anticipation

2011-09-11T19:39:00.000-05:00

While talking with my daughter a few days ago, the conversation included a reminiscence of how at the age of 2, she watched the video of The Wizard of Oz every single night. This went on for 18 months (really) and believe it or not, was actually somewhat of a welcomed relief for her father and I, since her previous obsession had been with The Nutcracker Ballet – the Mikhail Baryshnikov version no less (really). Mr. Cobblestone and I know every blooper in the Oz video ~ and I bet you never noticed how many birds are in that movie!

Anyway, this led to a discussion about how perhaps her generation has missed out on the excitement of anticipation. I mean, they practically had loads of entertainment at their fingertips ~ and now information as well, thanks to the www.

Let's take The Wizard of Oz for example. I distinctly remember the frenzied excitement we experienced all week waiting for that night. We played Oz games at recess. We walked linked arm in arm a la Dorothy, Tin man, Scarecrow and Lion. We sang the songs from morning to night, much to our parents' delight, I'm sure. But I think part of the fun was the buildup to that magical night when finally those cute little munchkins were on your very own TV screen.

Oh, how you savored every minute!

(Well, except for those flying monkeys, but we aren't going into that now. Let's just say it necessitated a well-timed bathroom break.)

Well, I kind of feel like I'm doing that to you now, dear followers. It is true that I have not had anything new to show you for quite some time. My work table has been quite busy ~ overflowing in fact with all sorts of holiday goodies. I have just completed my Halloween offerings ~ but I cannot show all of them now because they are to be part of the

Halloween Artists' Studio Trick-or-Treat Tour.

But I will share little one preview with you.

Meet Dolores Hogswallow, my witch bear with her

book of Magic Potions and Spells and her Batty friend,

who sometimes hitches a ride on Dolores' back.

I hope you will all be able to attend the event.

It is in support of Bat Conservation International

and promises to be loads of fun.

There is even a door prize!

Only 19 more days until the tour begins on October 1st!

I know it's hard to wait ~ but, hey ~ you can always pop in a video while you're waiting.

Just had to share this!

2011-08-28T19:12:00.000-05:00

I know it is rushing the season, but I just had to share

my latest bears with you ~ The Carolers.

They will be featured in my ad in the December issue of

Teddy Bear Review,

so they had to be done now.

The lamppost was made by Mr. Cobblestone ~ what a guy!

Oh yes I did!

2011-08-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

Come on, how could I pass this up when I saw it in the store?

A mouse sized coffin!

Of course it needs some creature comforts added.

Perhaps silk lining and a nice pillow ~ and a vampire mouse!

I'm in the Halloween mood now ~ saw the first leaves turned red in our yard yesterday.

Hooray for Autumn!!

Wait a minute ~ what month is this?

2011-08-22T14:51:00.000-05:00

One of the more peculiar aspects of the collectibles business is having to think one season ahead. Here we are in the month of August and as you can see from my posts last week, I'm already working on Halloween items. Throw in the lead time for publications and this week I'm actually putting the finishing touches on a pair of Christmas bears that will appear in my ad in the December issue of

Teddy Bear Review Magazine.

These two bears have been a learning experience for me ~ with the emphasis being that I've learned it's not all that scary to experiment. As most of you know, I'm rather new to the larger mohair bears ~ most of my work has been on a much smaller scale and with very different materials. Although I really like the heads with the trimmed snouts that I've created for The Gentry, I was put off by the stubble this leaves behind, especially for the ladies. *gasp*

Before I go any further, you have to understand that doing anything to a head at this stage of construction is daunting because of how much time has already been invested in it. Not only does it require the most exact stitching and meticulous stuffing, especially the nose area, but placement of the features must be done carefully to bring out the charming expression of each bear. Heck, it can take me 20 minutes just to choose glass eyes that match precisely enough for my standards ~ I have a large box of eyes.

Determined to find a solution and heeding the mantra of 'the interweb knows', I found some bear artists who shared the techniques they use when creating faces.

Trimming I cannot tell you how many hours I spent trimming closer and closer, trying many types of really sharp scissors as this was suggested by more than a few artists. Eh ~ still couldn't get what I'd call a smooth finish. But I do now have a rather large collection of scissors.

Plucking More tedious hours were spent actually plucking out each individual strand of mohair (yes, really) which did give a smoother surface, but what's left is the rather coarse weave of the fabric backing showing. Nope ~ not what my ladies deserve.

Needle felting I was intrigued by the smoothness and shaping you can get using wool roving, but for my taste, the problem is the color differences between the mohair fibers and the wool. I suppose if you took the time to dye them together you'd be able to get a good match ~ but that kinda time I don't have.

Then I remembered something I read on Joanne Livingston's blog about how she needle felts individual strands of mohair to shade her bears' faces. (If you aren't familiar with Joanne's work, do yourself a BIG favor and visit her blog and newly upgraded website. She makes the most fabulous realistic bears!!! Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see her work in a museum someday. And she is truly one of the most gentle, generous souls I've met online.)

Now, I must say I'm nowhere near ready to attempt the intricacy of Joanne's work, but when I thought about the structure of mohair and wool, it seemed reasonable that both of these hair shafts should behave in a similar manner when subjected to a felting needle. After unraveling the mohair fibers from the scraps left from cutting out my bear pieces (using Joanne's technique), I carded the resulting pile of fluff with two wire brushes until I had what resembled wool roving ~ in the exact color that I needed! My small practice patch turned out well enough to spur me on and I plunged in ~ literally plunged my felting needle into the bear's face. And I'm glad I did.

Here's the result:

So the lessons learned are to not be afraid to ask for help, carefully think through the process you are about to attempt and remember that meticulous, detailed work is usually worth it in the end.

I am so excited to start my next bears!!!

Christmas music anyone?

Going Batty!

2011-08-20T09:53:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that I've been waiting impatiently for Autumn ~ well, Winter actually, but I'll settle for Fall. So when I heard about

Karen Waschinski's

Hallowe'en Artists' Trick-or-Treat Studio Tour

I jumped at the chance to participate.

"The purpose of this event is three-fold:

to have a great time celebrating a wonderfully

spooky holiday sharing Hallowe'en images, ideas and memories,

to share your art, and

to help bat conservation!

The event will go "live" October 1st, 2011

and run for the month!"

Once the tour goes live you will be able to go trick-or-treating in this online neighborhood ~ happily clicking away, enjoying Halloween stories, recipes, decorating ideas and visiting many fine artists.

Click Here to see the Artists who are Participating thie year.

Each artist is to create a welcome to their home/studio, greeting the visitors in costume ~ ahem, I'll have to do a bit of digging for that.
And you will be able to browse their Halloween art offerings ~ perhaps finding the perfect creation for your own collection. I plan to have a few mouse trick-or-treaters and a witch bear or two available.

Until then, you can follow along on the group's blog or join the mailing list by emailing Karen at woosel[at]total.net.

My pictures are due to Karen by September 15th ~YIKES!!!! ~ but I've got a pair of Christmas bears to finish first ~ more about that tomorrow.

Time to get sewing!

So much news to share!

2011-08-19T16:26:00.001-05:00

It's been busy busy busy for me lately and I'm afraid I've neglected my blog for a while. Over the next few days I promise to get you all caught up on what I've been doing, but for today I wanted to let you know I am very pleased to have joined an extremely talented group of bear artists.

Who is Who is Bearmaking

If you want to feast you eyes on some fabulous creations,

take a peek at what this group has to offer.

Who is Who in Bearmaking Artists

~ and ~

We are having an online Holiday Show!

So mark your calendars now to do some

holiday shopping right on your computer

(in your jammies if you want to)

November 5th & 6th.

I've got some really cute things for this show.

I also wanted to mention that you can now follow my blog by email.

Yep, you can get all my new blog posts,

with all the pictures and links,

delivered right to your inbox.

No more checking for updates!

You can find the sign-up on the upper right hand side of this page.

More tomorrow . . . .

A bit of this, a bit of that . . .

2011-08-03T17:07:00.003-05:00

This week I've dabbled in the occupations of stone mason and cobbler ~ as in shoes, not peach. These endeavors have resulted in three mice and two bears that are now available on my website.

The first set is Jack and Jill for my Cobblestone Tails series.

SOLD!

Their well started out as a wooden hexagon box ~ but after a few hours with stones and gorilla glue it is now a lovely well for them. As the gorilla glue cures, it foams and expands and looks exactly like mortar between the stones. I used epoxy for the water in the bucket.

The second item was inspired by a fairy slipper exchange that has been going on on a few of the blogs I follow. I didn't partake in the swap (this time) but can see this easily becoming a seasonal item for me ~ I am especially exited to try one for Winter!

Here is Autumn Fairy Slipper Mouse.

~ SOLD ~

Lastly ~ YES! I have finally completed the bear with the baby carriage. She was quite the challenge and looks completely different from what I had originally in mind.
I'll save that design for another bear.

SOLD!

I also received more pictures of the Cobblestone Mice shelves one of my buyers is creating. Here's the scene for Madam Mousica ~ the gypsy fortune teller.

Isn't it just grand!!!

I want to remind you to remember to not forget . . .

2011-07-29T09:46:00.000-05:00

Hello friends!

There are so many things to talk about today. First, I need to remind you that this oppressive Summer heat and humidity will not last forever. On our bike ride the other night, Mr. Cobblestone and I saw them! We saw leaves that are starting to change color! I watch for these as most people watch for the first signs of Spring ~ and I can tell you now ~ Fall is a comin'!
As soon as I get my fresh corn from the farmer down the way, Jack Frost has my permission to get to work.

Secondly, the sale at Cobblestone Creations is ending Sunday night, July 31st.
All the remaining items are now on eBay.
The Buy-It-Now prices are the same as are on the Shop page of my website, but the starting bids are much lower ~ up to 55% off the original prices ~ and there's no reserve on any of them.

Click Pic to Visit the Ebay Auctions

The voting for the URSA awards also ends Sunday July 31st so hop on over there to cast your votes! I know you will enjoy seeing some very enchanting pieces in that competition.
My Virgina Hamilton is in category 6.

Click Pic to go to voting pages

A friend of mine, very talented artist, Patrick Gill, has started a new Halloween Site called EVERY WITCH WAY LANE. It is in its early stages, but is a fantastic place to find all sorts of Halloween Art from well known artists. There is a link in my sidebar and when I have some little witch mice and trick-or-treaters, they will be available there.
Oh yes ~ Fall is a comin'!

Click Pic to Visit the site

Lastly, I have some pics of the new scene from my buyer's mice display.
This one is Fergus Peabody, the train engineer from Cobblestone Circle ~ and now he's got a steam engine!
Gerald Lusk, the artist, is really blowing my mind with these creations.
I'm looking forward to seeing who's next!

~ Ann Willcox of Cobblestone Circle ~

2011-07-26T13:00:00.001-05:00

Ann is the 77th mouse in this series ~ and

we finally learn what is being built at the beach!

Her story and sale page are now on my website.

~ sold ~

I am gobsmacked! But don't worry ~ that's a good thing.

2011-07-22T10:02:00.000-05:00

Gobsmacked? Yeah, it was a new word for me too ~ guess the good Sisters at Mon Valley Catholic didn't do such a good job on my vocabulary after all. But thanks to the international flair that enters our lives via online friends, I can say in true British slang that I am completely astounded and amazed by what I found in my inbox yesterday afternoon.

Those of you who follow the activates in Cobblestone Circle will no doubt remember Rolf Silke, the bartender at The Burgundy Turtle Pub.

Rolf Silke

He quickly found a new home and prompted a commission

for a bar customer, namely one Alastair Smythe.

Alastair Smythe

One of the requirements was for Alastair to be able to place his foot on a bar rail . . . because . . . there is now an actual bar!

The detail is amazing! Look at those tiny beer taps!!!

The gal who has Rolf and Alastair (and quite a few other citizens) has commissioned artist Gerald Lusk to create a shadow box of sorts that will feature changeable setting for various mice from Cobblestone Circle!

I cannot tell you how much this touches my heart to see my little friends in 'homes' of their own. I hope I continue to get updates of this project and will share them here as I do.

Well done, Gee!!!!

Delia Lounsberry of Cobblestone Circle

2011-07-15T09:10:00.001-05:00

Delia Lounsberry is now available on my website.

You can read Delia's story here.

Delia has been sold!!!!!

Bed of roses?

2011-07-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

As those of you who read here regularly may remember, last year we had a front row seat when a family of robins hatched on our kitchen window sill. Despite my fears about the squirrels being a problem for them, all turned out well and the three little birds departed safely.

Earlier this year, Mr. Cobblestone deftly dissuaded another pair of birds from nesting atop of one of our patio light fixtures. He's a very handy sort of fellow and twisted some wires on top of the light. Not the kind of decorating Martha would approve of, but it did the trick. And it saved the entire neighborhood from the predictable shrieking I would have inflicted upon them every time I would go out onto said patio. I am very easily startled ~ especially when birds fly at my head to protect their babies.

Last night we discovered yet another oddly placed nest in our yard. Here's my gardening shed, built by Mr. Cobblestone ~ isn't he handy!

Even screened in the porch for me as I am one of those folks that mosquitoes find irresistible. And yes those are lace curtains in on the windows of the shed. The Martha influence still pops up from time to time.

Anyway ~ inside the hanging basket of impatiens, we found another nest! Our first clue was when Mama bird had flown away as we entered the porch to watch the fireflies. As long as she was away, I took the opportunity to snap a pic.

Not sure about that speckled egg.

But I guess it may be a good spot for them ~ at least there will be more room in the planter when the young ones get a bit too large for the actual nest.

Will keep you posted . . .

SALE and Awards

2011-07-11T13:29:00.000-05:00

I have two exciting things to share with you today.

I started working on two new bears that I am planning to use for my ad in the December issue of Teddy Bear Review. These darling Bear Carolers have really put me in the mood for Winter. Thoughts of lovely cold weather with snowflakes dancing merrily in the air have helped get me through this latest round of oppressive summer weather, and so I thought I'd pass along this refreshment with you by having a SALE on the wintry items on my website. But as I was revamping that page, I decided to include ALL the items in the sale. Prices are in effect until July 31st ~ and include Free Shipping!!

Shop the Sale now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Secondly, I want to let you know that I have entered the URSA awards this year. Voting is taking place now through July 31st ~ and anyone can vote!

There are so many lovely creations to see ~ I do hope you will visit the site and vote for your favorites in the 13 categories ~ you will find my entry in Category 6. But please vote only once ~ here's an excerpt from what they sent to the entrants:

We monitor the voting daily and any entry with multiple votes from the same computer will be given a warning and if it continues, will be disqualified. The voting software has certain safeguards built in to allow only one vote in each category, but there are some bright people who have figured out how to by-pass the software and vote multiple times for the same entry. We track the voting and can follow a computer's signature, we then can tell when a discrepancy happens. Some 'friends' or collectors reallllllly want you to win by voting multiple times but they are really putting you in jeopardy of being disqualified.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again I find my work table is very crowded ~ aside from the caroling bears, I've got a potbelly mouse, the newest Cobblestone Circle citizen and two commissions all waiting to be completed ~ oh, and that poor dear with the baby carriage too ~ must not forget her!

Time for me to get back to work!!!

Lucky me!

2011-07-09T13:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the mailman left a wonderful package for me. I had been chosen the winner in the Halloween Fanatic's recent giveaway and am now the proud owner of this darling little owl by Robert Brawley, aka The Halloween Fanatic.

I have had the peasure of knowing Robert for a few years now through the Because We Believe Art (BWBA) group on eBay. I have admired his work for quite some time ~ and I have to say he is just one of those artist's who you can tell REALLY enjoys his work. His energy and playfulness are evident in each and every one of his pieces.

I encourage you to check out his blog and website and see his creations for yourself ~ I bet they make you smile too. And you will find links there to his Etsy store, eBay, etc.

Thank-you again, Robert. I will treasure my new little friend!

Oh ~ and Robert was kind enough to remind me to protect my mice ~ well, because you know how owls feel about mice.

So far, so good . . .

Tallulah Lemondrop of Cobblestone Circle . . . and where is that next bear?

2011-07-05T13:49:00.001-05:00

Tallulah Lemondrop is spending the day

at the beach with her daughters.

Read Tallulah's story on my website:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/circle/stories/tallulahlemondrop.htm

She is currently available on my website:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/circlesales/tallulahlemondrop.htm

~ SOLD ~

~*~*~*~*~*~

I mentioned a while back that the next Gentry of Cobblestone Court would be coming soon ~ pushing this adorable baby carriage:

Well ~ she will be coming soon.

It's been a matter of creating something that meets my strict standards of design and construction ~ and at just over 6 inches tall, she has proven to be quite the challenge for me.

Here is a peek at the tiny bear who will be riding inside the carriage.

Patience ~ she is coming soon!

New rule . . .

2011-06-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

We have a new rule at our house:

Drive it before you bike it!

Those of you who follow my blog know that Mr. Cobblestone and I routinely enjoy our biking, with most excursions being along our local bike trails. These trails follow old railroad beds, thus having both enjoyably not-too-steep inclines and no car traffic. But every once in a while, usually at the urging of Mr. Cobblestone, we venture onto real roads.

Today was one of those days. The community just north of us on the bike trail was having their annual Fun Before the Fourth celebration and we thought it best to avoid the understandably congested area. We had seen a route that met with my approval in a book titled Short Bike Rides. It was a 12.3 mile loop touted as, and I quote "Slightly rolling" with "Light to moderate traffic."

Ahem . . . .

Perhaps it's just me, but the part where we were boxed in between cars that were entering the interstate qualified as a tad more than "moderate traffic" in my book. And there was actually one hill near the end where, I'm sorry to say, I had to walk my bike.

Oh, the shame of it . . .

But the most humorous part of the adventure was that the town in the midst of this route was having their annual Strawberry Festival today.

image copyright of American Greeting

Streets were blocked off and thousands of people were milling about eating, drinking and wearing their strawberries proudly. We did not stop to partake, since it would have been quite unpleasant to try to navigate the crowds with our bicycles in tow, and we were plenty hot, sweaty and a bit ripe ourselves from our "slightly rolling" exertion. I hope the crowds appreciated my thoughtfulness.

Thanks to living in this age when one can find out about anything at any time, I googled the Festival this evening (had to see what we missed, didn't I?) laughing as I did so, thinking they probably even had Strawberry Brats! (For those of you outside of Wisconsin you'll need to google BRATS to see what all the fuss is about.)

Anyway ~ I was right! Not only did they serve Strawberry Brats ~ they were the first item on the food list! No big surprise I suppose when you consider that they serve Krispy Kreme Cheeseburgers at the State Fair ~ really.

Ah yes ~ a feeling of righteousness surged through my veins as we sat down to our dinner of grilled tuna and sautéed brussel sprouts.

I think I deserve a brownie . . .

Judith Chamberlain of Cobblestone Court

2011-06-19T08:34:00.000-05:00

This 13 inch self-standing bear is made of stone colored mohair and coordinating tan cashmere paw pads on her feet. Her eyes are German glass and she has am embroidered mouth and a glass nose. I made Judith's ooak outfit with an ultra-feminine embroidered lace blouse that has a filled sweetheart neckline trimmed in scalloped braid. The sleeves are puffed above the elbows and fitted to the wrist, with green piping between the two sections. A pencil skirt of green dupioni silk has an insert of peach printed cotton and a darling cream silk flower in the back. Her hat was entirely made by hand as well. Its base was fashioned out of cream coarse woven cotton. Beige organza was sewn around the brim. Green and ivory wired ribbons were used for figure eight rosettes and further trimmed with purchased beaded rosebuds. The hat is permanently attached.

Other details to note:

* tiny peach shank buttons on her sleeves and blouse

* the regency tassels at the tips of hankie hemline

* beige dupioni silk lace-trimmed pantaloons

* beaded lace on the waistband and the hat

She is now available on my website.

Rolf Silke of Cobblestone Circle

2011-06-14T09:42:00.001-05:00

Rolf is the bartender at The Burgundy Turtle Pub ~ a job he loves because guessing at and listening to people's stories is his favorite thing to do!

Read Rolf's story on my website:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/circle/stories/rolfsilke.htm

He is currently available on my website:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/circlesales/rolfsilke.htm

~ SOLD ~

2011-06-01T09:48:00.000-05:00

What is it about scent that triggers such strong memories?

I've got my windows open today and the breezes are filling

my home with the perfume of lilacs

and my mind with vivid childhood memories.

Wishing all of you pleasant memories today!

Works in Progress

2011-05-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd share what's on my work table now. The next two Gentry of Cobblestone Court are well underway.

You can see the first bear is complete (she's about 12 inches tall) and is ready to be dressed in this collection of fabrics. I'm envisioning a hat with oodles of satin ribbon roses for her too.

And the other, well, she's cut out and sewn but not quite assembled ~ maybe later today. This one will be smaller ~ about 6 or 7 inches tall and she'll be pushing this darling little carriage.

Yellow Roses Tea for Two

2011-05-25T20:40:00.000-05:00

The newest mice from Cobblestone Creations are now available on my website.

The baby is not even 2 inches tall making her the tiniest mouse I've made yet!

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/potbellysales/yellowteaset.htm

Such a loooooooong way to go . . .

2011-05-24T10:01:00.000-05:00

The winner of the Choose Your Mouse giveaway has chosen

The Vampire Mouse

for her prize.

He was indeed one of my all time favorites. And he will be travelling all the way to South Africa!

Do they have trick-or-treat there?

Congratualtions Corinne!!

And the winner is . . .

2011-05-23T12:57:00.001-05:00

First let me thank each and every one of you that joined the fun in this giveaway by signing up for my mailing list. I am touched that so many are interested in my little friends ~ and promise to continue to have more fun things to share with you.

Although there is only one winner today, I encourage all of you to join or remain on the list as that is the best way to be notified of future giveaways ~ and there will be more giveaways!! I really enjoy having them. :)

Todays' winner, chosen by random number generator, is number 69: corinne@s****.c*.za*. If I do not hear from Corinne with 3 days I will randomly select another winner.

It's almost time . . .

2011-05-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

I'll be drawing the Choose Your Mouse giveaway winner in less than 48 hours.

Are you on the mailing list?

Beatrice Davenport ~ The Gentry of Cobblestone Court

2011-05-18T20:33:00.002-05:00

Beatrice is the second of the Fashion Bears in my new line.

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/gentrysales/beatrice.htm

I am having such fun with these new bears ~ and am having trouble deciding which period of fashion history to do next! Let's just say there will be a lot of these coming soon.

Virginia Hamilton ~ the first of the Gentry of Cobblestone Court

2011-05-15T21:32:00.008-05:00

After many months of planning and designing, I am happy to be launching a new line of Fashion Bears under the label of
The Gentry of Cobblestone Court.
You can look forward to seeing many periods of fashion history represented on these 10-14 inch tall exquisitely appointed bears.

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/gentrysales/virginia.htm

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/gentrysales/virginia.htm

And don't forget ~ there's only one week left to become eligible for this mouse giveaway! Drawing is Sunday May 22nd.

http://cobblestone-creations.blogspot.com/2011/04/choose-your-mouse-giveaway.html

Sneak peeks at The Gentry of Cobblestone Court

2011-05-11T13:45:00.000-05:00

After many months of planning and designing, I am happy to be launching a new line of Fashion Bears called

The Gentry of Cobblestone Court.

You can look forward to seing many periods of fashion history represented on these 10-14 inch tall bears.

The first, Virginia Hamilton, will be on

eBay starting Sunday May 15th.

She will be followed by Beatrice Davenport

on Wednesday, May 18th.

Two more weeks . . .

2011-05-04T17:26:00.001-05:00

My new line,

The Gentry of Cobblestone Court

will be unveiled two weeks from today.

I am very pleased with how they are turning out and am having such fun working on this scale.

They are larger than anything you've seen from me so far.

The boxes for these new friends arrived today ~ a whooping 14x7x4 inches!

You can look forward to a few peeks coming soon.

But don't worry ~ there will always be new mice too.

And remember ~ there's still time to sign up for my

May 22nd giveaway!
I'm absolutely blown away by the interest shown so far.
Thank-you!!!!

Fergus Peabody of Cobblestone Circle

2011-04-28T13:36:00.001-05:00

Fergus is dismayed ~ there is something going on in Cobblestone Circle and he doesn't know all the details!

Read his story to see how he is coping:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/circle/stories/ferguspeabody.htm

Fergus is now available on my website:

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/shop/circlesales/ferguspeabody.htm

SOLD!

Choose Your Mouse Giveaway

2011-04-23T12:40:00.001-05:00

Exciting news from Cobblestone Creations!

To show my appreciation to all my mailing list subscribers, on Sunday May 22nd one winner will be randomly selected to claim any mouse on the SHOP page of my website for their very own.

Yep, you read that correctly ~ ANY mouse on the SHOP page!

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

You're not on my mailing list yet?

Here's where you sign up:
http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/list.htm

By joining the list, you will be among the very first to know when I have something new available, as I always send out an email before I announce my new items anywhere else.

For additional chances to win, I will throw your name in the hat once more for each way you help to spread the word about this giveaway ~ blog, twitter, facebook, etc. You can find a button and code to link to the giveaway in the sidebar of this blog. Please let me know you've done these things either by contacting me or by leaving a comment here or on my facebook wall.

Remember ~ this giveaway is

exclusively for my mailling list subscribers,

so join today!

Edit: No need to leave a comment here ~ all you have to do is join the mailing list to be entered in the drawing!

Two New Demitasse Mice

2011-04-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

These itsy-bitsies stand a mere 2 and 1/2 inches tall and

are each perched in their own delicate demitasse teacup.

They are now available on my website.

Too cute to miss!

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

Coming Soon!

2011-04-18T14:25:00.000-05:00

Two tiny mice to inhabit these darling demitasse cups.

I also have a new Cobblestone Cricle citizen mouse in progress.

Do you hear train whistles?

First of the season

2011-04-13T20:16:00.000-05:00

We've had our first really nice Spring day here today so Mr. Cobblestone and I had our first biking picnic dinner of the year this evening.

It is something we try to do as often as we can ~ filling the basket on my bicycle with veggies and hummus, a few pieces of cold chicken, some grapes and a nice bottle of wine. We are fortunate to have a lovely bike trail that runs past a quaint little park by the river about 5 miles north of our home.

Once home, we strolled around our yard ~ finding some of the daffodils had opened tody. Tomorrow I shall bring in a nice bouquet for the kitchen window.

Remember to enjoy the small things in life.

Flowerpot Mice

2011-04-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

~ Flowerpot Mice ~

Just in time for Spring Planting, I am happy to present these little ladies dressed in farm fresh gingham, each perched in her own rustic flowerpot.

A limited edition of four ~ one each in orange, pink, purple and yellow.

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

My latest commissioned piece ~ Miss Scarlett

2011-03-23T10:53:00.000-05:00

Had to share my latest commissioned piece ~ everyone's favorite southern bell, Miss Scarlett, is dressed for the BBQ.

I have been working on her literally for the past 3 months ~ greatly expanded my sewing technique repertoire.

And I kinda like that she will be residing just outside of Rhett's hometown of Charleston, SC.

Tea for Two

2011-03-18T15:10:00.001-05:00

A finely dressed lady
(who would fit right into a group of Cobblestone Circle Citizens)
with her Royal Albert Peppermint Damask tea pot

and

A tiny potbellied friend sitting in the matching teacup
are now available on my website ~
either singly or at a discounted price if the pair are purchased together.

Sold in under an hour!

How far are you willing to go for Fresh Eggs?

2011-03-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

Each year as a Christmas gift, my sister-in-law (well, I suppose she's actually my ex-sister-in-law now) sends me a subscription to a different magazine. This year it's Mary Janes Farm, an organic lifestyle magazine.

The most recent issue contains an article by MaryJane Butters on urban chicken farming. Yep, Urban chicken farming. There's apparently even a website where you can check whether backyard chicken keeping is legal in your neighborhood. In the article, MaryJane goes on to suggest that you don't even need a yard to keep the little cluckers ~ that all you really need is a patio of even just a balcony. Now doesn't that conjure up some amusing images. For those of you who are perhaps having trouble imagining it, I will share the photo from the article of chickens in a retro-fitted baby crib ~ in the bedroom!!!!

Now you must understand, I do like fresh eggs, and Mr. Cobblestone get ours from a friend who raises chickens on her property ~ her non-urban property that is.

And although the article provided detailed instructions, including a pattern, for making chicken diapers, I'm afraid I don't see this particular brand of freshness in my future.

Reprieve

2011-03-09T09:27:00.000-06:00

It will be gone in a few hours with the rains coming by noon,

but for a few more precious hours

we've been granted a reprieve

from the muds sure to follow.

Pleater pins . . .

2011-03-08T11:37:00.000-06:00

So where are all the new mice, you ask?

Oh, they're around.

Trouble is they're around in bits and pieces waiting to be finished.

Yes, the planetary journey has brought us round again to Spring, which in my neck of the woods typically means Season of Gray Skies, Mud and . . . sigh . . . Spring Cleaning.

Mr Cobblestone and I started on the living room over the weekend ~ he washes the walls and steams the carpeting while I basically clean everything else. I'll admit I got the better deal, well, except for the draperies.

I've made all the window treatments in our house (a genetic flaw I fear), and the ones in this room consist of a triple layer of ceiling to floor pieces that are heavily pleated. So after the washing and ironing and adjusting the hems, each one is threaded onto its pleater pins and rehung.

It took me an entire afternoon to finish the smaller window in the room ~ and tomorrow . . . . I tackle the grand daddy of the house. . . .

But this afternoon I may just have to work on

the mice ~ they're starting to look a bit lonely.

Inspiration from OWOH win

2011-03-08T11:09:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love getting packages in the mail! Yesterday the postman delivered my other OWOH win ~ a set of 4 gorgeous cards from

Jo-Ann Dziubek-MacDonald.

Her work is so rich and detailed ~ you must go check it out here.

I had been looking for an inspiration piece for decorating a

guest room ~ and now I've found it!

Off to buy some frames today. :)

Thank-you Jo-Ann!!!

Such a lovely gift

2011-03-02T15:21:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I was participating in the OWOH blog event and was lucky enough to be the recipient of two of the door prizes.

Yesterday the postman delivered this darling baby blanket along with a nice note from The Gingerbread Lady.

I encourage you all to visit her very entertaining blog ~ she routinely has me giggling at the start of my days ~ and you can see some of her lovely crochet work.

The second prize ~ well, you'll just have to wait until it arrives and I can post some pics for you then.

Holidays

2011-02-22T11:23:00.001-06:00

As our outside Christmas lights were coming down over the weekend (oh, don't give me that look ~ they've been encased in two feet of snow and ice for the past few weeks) I kept thinking about holidays. More accurately, the amount of blog posts I'd recently seen shunning Valentine's Day.

What you have to understand about me is that I love holidays ~ love to decorate our home for as many as I can. There are bins and bins of decorations neatly labeled in our basement that I make my way through during the course of the year. My dear hubby has commented more than once that I'm rather like a museum's curator ~ not having the room to bring out everything from a bin at once, therefore choosing which items to display in any particular year for that season. Yes, hubby is very indulgent and understands the joy it gives me.

Now I'm not suggesting that everyone embrace holidays with the same fervor I do ~ there are surely reasons to not personally celebrate them all ~ but what struck me about these Valentine blog posts was the number of people who felt it necessary to take the time to write about how this one in particular was a "made up" holiday ~ a devilish plan on the part of evil business conglomerates to brainwash us into purchasing cards and flowers and chocolates. One gal was talking about how her hubby went on annual rants about the day ~ but that she was off to check the cupboards for chocolates, just in case. I sincerely hope she finds her coveted pralines one year ~ and that he can see the happiness on her face when she does. But more than that, I think it was the brainwashing concept that bothered me so much ~ thinking of myself, as I do, as an independent thinker.

The truth of the matter is that our day and age can be described as living in an exponential world, so while we're all busy trying to keep up with the non-stop information flowing toward us, what's the harm of someone, even the evil business conglomerates, reminding us to have a holiday ~ to take the time to tell those we love that we love them ~ or on other occasions to have a little fun, to add a touch of whimsy to our days? Who can't use a little more of that in their life?

Of course, this is only my humble opinion ~ and, yes, I am struck by the irony that today is National Be Humble Day.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to tuck away my cupids

and release the leprechauns from their bin . . .

Edit: Yes, yes, I'm on my way for the leprechauns shortly, bu first I had to share the lovely peacefulness of the view outside my window today.

The Tiniest Cheesehead

2011-02-20T20:32:00.001-06:00

I just couldn't help myself with all the football excitement in my neck of the woods, so I am happy to present

~ The Tiniest Cheesehead ~

A potbelly mouse wearing her cheesehead hat,

carrying a Go Pack Go pennant

and her very own bratwurst!

She is on eBay now through Sunday Feb 27th

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110651408302

OWOH Winner!

2011-02-17T14:25:00.000-06:00

It is a happy day!

Not only do I have the pleasure of announcing the winner of my OWOH giveaway, but I have discovered that this is not the end of this marvelous experience!

For those of you who may not be familiar with OWOH,

it is a blogging event hosted by Lisa ~ the Whimsical Bohemian.

"One World One Heart is a worldwide event for bloggers only. It gives all those who blog a chance to meet and mingle and form connections with those they may not have otherwise met from all over the world. In the past 4 years this event has grown to over 1,000 participants with lasting friendships (and even one love connection) formed along the way. Think of it as a GIGANTIC open house allowing you to travel without ever leaving your home........going from blog to blog(in various countries) seeing the wonder each one has created and meeting all the fabulous people behind those blogs."

And although there are some changes underway, the good news is that this is not the end ~ the good news is that we will again have the opportunity to meet other artist bloggers and make these great connections.

You can find the details here.

I am pleased to say that this year again I have added to my own list of blogs that I follow. Some bring me incredible images and words of inspiration, others will add a softness to my days, and a few are sure to bring a smile to my face or perhaps even a good belly laugh along the way.

I am also pleased that so many stopped by my blog on their journey this year ~ I loved reading each and every comment left for me ~ your kind words about my work are treasured and I thank you for them.

Unfortunately, there can be only one winner of my door prize and the powers that be at the random number generator have chosen

Cameron of Paint Myself Pretty.

Rosebud

2011-02-12T12:07:00.001-06:00

Rosebud is now available on my website:

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

~ SOLD ~

Chester Adams

2011-02-06T09:53:00.000-06:00

Chester has purchased new skis for himself and Beverly ~ read his story to see how it all turned out.

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/circle/stories/chesteradams2.htm

Chester is now available on my website.

http://cobblestonecreations.net/shop/shop.htm

~ Chester Adams of Cobblestone Circle ~

2011-02-04T14:22:00.000-06:00

Chester has bought himself a new pair of cross country skis.

But where will he go skiing?

Watch for his story to appear shortly.

He will be available for sale on my website beginning

Sunday Evening ~ February 6th.

So whaddya say ~ can we let the little fella sleep this year?

2011-01-31T19:16:00.000-06:00

Yep ~ it's almost Groundhog Day again.

That sad, sad day that lets us know Winter is already half over.

But I can't help but smile since we're expecting over a foot of snow

over the next few days ~ a sure sign that

Spring is still a far way off.

Perhaps we can spare the little guy from having to pop out

to check the weather first thing in the morning ~ perhaps it

would be kind to let him just sleep in on Feb 2nd this year.

He'll probably appreciate the extra zzzzz's ~ he'll

need his energy for skiing in the moonlight!

One World One Heart ~ 2011 ~

2011-01-31T03:48:00.002-06:00

I am so glad that you have landed here for a bit
as you are fluttering around the world.

My name is Laura and I live in the Upper Midwest of the United States. It’s been an interesting journey that has taken me from spending my days with calculators, test results and film samples to being surrounded with collectible bears and dolls and MICE! I invite you to read the article about me in Small Town Living Magazine if you care to learn more ~ you can find the link in the sidebar of this blog.

I came to the blogging world comparatively late, and I must admit at the beginning my posts were mainly about the mice, but thanks in no small part to my OWOH experience (thanks Lisa!), I have come to know so many wonderful friends and now use my blog as a journal too ~ recording those bits of beauty and humor that cross my path. Those entries can be easily found by clicking pebbles in the label cloud at the top of my blog. You just never know who may stumble upon a post and feel a connection ~ and it's those connections all over the world that make blogging such a joy.

ღஐƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஐღ

Ok, enough about me ~ let's talk about YOU!

One thing I've learned about bloggers is that we all share a deep appreciation and value for preserving those things that make up a life ~ be they pictures, stories, memories ~ or the trinkets that capture that essence. With that thought in mind as I was shopping for OWOH, I have accumulated the following as my gift for one lucky winner:

A 40 piece set of romantic die cut
tags and labels from K&Company

For a bit of sparkle, some sea green rhinestone accents by Treasures by

Shabby Chic ~ or for times when you require a bit more

sophisticated elegance, a set of creamy pearl embellishments.

24 light green felt butterflies and

3 spools of ribbon in delicate shades of yellow, aqua and lilac

And I just couldn't pass up this Inkadinkado stamp of butterflies

and swirls ~ what a great reminder of your voyage today!

Pastel dimensional stickers by Jolee's Boutique and

Quilled butterflies from the Martha Stewart Collection.

And finally a Punch Studio faux book with gold accented butterflies on it~

~the perfect thing to hold all these goodies.

ღஐƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஐღ

This giveaway is open to all active bloggers worldwide.

To enter my drawing just comment on this post.

Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you should you be the winner ~ and

I'd LOVE if you'd also leave me a way to visit your blog too!

The winner, to be determined by random number generator,

will be contacted by me be on February 17th and announced here as well.

Enjoy your time with OWOH!

And I hope you'll find time to

settle in with a cup of tea and visit here often!

ღஐƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஐღ

Really?????

2011-01-28T18:38:00.000-06:00

One can only imagine the calls and/or emails that prompted the WI Department of Financial Institutions to add the following to their website:

Whew!

2011-01-26T19:58:00.000-06:00

You'd think I'd learn my lesson ~ that I'd keep up on the paperwork associated with this fun little business of mine. But, oh no ~ once again this week I had to deal with a year's worth of receipts, sales sheets, tax returns, report filings, bank statements, etc, etc.

A friend suggested I employ an accounting troll to help me. How silly is that! Everyone knows that those trolls have a unquenchable appetite for paper and would just chew right through those precious bits ~ and then have the nerve to pretend they don't know what you're talking about when you catch them.

No, I just need to keep on top of things in 2011.

Feel free to remind me throughout the year, dear friends.

Red Riding Hood and Sweetheart Slippers on eBay

2011-01-23T20:36:00.000-06:00

On eBay now through Sunday Jan 30th:

From the Cobblestone Tails Series:

~ Red Riding Hood ~

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110639089717

and

Pink Sweetheart Slippers

for Riley and friends

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110639140530

Moving Day!

2011-01-20T16:31:00.001-06:00

No, we're not actualy moving ~ but I've spent the day moving into my new "sewing box."

Some new furniture is coming soon for our home and it meant the loss of the cabinet that used to sit next to my favorite sewing chiar. I knew I needed something to replace it and purchased this jewelry armoire.

It's perfect!

I must admit it ~ I love organizing everything. That I credit (or is it blame?) on the fact that Martha Stewart was coming into her heyday during my early housewife years.

There are lots of tiny drawers ~

~ some even divided into smaller sections ~

~ so there's room enough for all my threads, pins,

needles, cotter pins and disks, tools, glass eyes,

stuffing, beads, tail cording, etc, etc.

Certainly not its originally intended use,

but it sure does work for me!

And it will always remind me of the very snowy night my husband and I went shopping for it ~ and how he carried the floor model all around the store so I could see how it would look next to our other furnituire. What a guy!

~ Meet Trixie Porterfield of Cobblestone Circle ~

2011-01-16T20:33:00.000-06:00

Visit her auction

The problem with Trixie Porterfield is that she can't say 'No' to anyone ~ and that's how she caught little Katie Iversham's cold. You see, Miss Kittiebittle had called Trixie Monday morning, asking if she could please come to school right away to help chaperone the field trip to the zoo, and true to her nature, Trixie was out the door in five minutes flat. When the class approached the reptile house with the larger than life drawings of snakes on the doors, Katie had flung herself in panic at Trixie, jumping up and locking her trembling arms around Trixie's neck.

Sitting on the bench outside the building while they waited for the others to emerge suited Trixie just fine (she actually shared the little girl's feelings about reptiles) but poor Katie ~ well, let's just say there was a lot of trembling and sobbing and yes, quite a few sneezes as well.

Predictably, on Wednesday, Trixie woke up with a nasty cold. Her darling husband, Jasper, made sure she had everything at hand to sooth her symptoms before he left for the day to cover his appointed rounds. He filled the hot water bottle for her, brought a fresh box of soft tissues, wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and even gave her a nice cup of her favorite lemon tea ~ with strict instructions that she was drink plenty of it all day.

Trixie truly appreciates what a very doting husband she has, but at the same time resents him for his remarkably strong immune system. She has literally never known him to be ill for more than a few hours ~ and here she sat, knowing there were at least 5 more days of this misery ahead of her.

She was actually feeling much better this morning ~ perhaps due to the picture postcard views outside her bedroom window of the fresh snow~ and she briefly thought of getting dressed and tackling some light household chores, but when Jasper came home for lunch with a new novel for her . . . well . . . it would be a shame to waste such a good book reading day.

Trixie will be on eBay through Sunday Jan 23rd.

A bit of unplanned exposure for fellow bear makers

2011-01-16T17:19:00.000-06:00

You just never know who might stumble upon your website.

This week I received a lovely email from an elementary teacher who has been using a page from my website in her classroom. It seems Ms. Golding's class is doing a unit on Teddy Bears and she found the Links page of my site quite useful.

I must admit it made me smile to think of the students visiting all my bear maker friends around the globe. I know they were seeing some incredible works of art and exploring a slice of life they might not otherwise discover. How many new arctophiles were being born?

During their studies, one of her students, Ashleigh, had found a nice site on the History of Teddy Bears which she forwarded to me. The link is now also on my site. Thank-you Ashleigh!

For me?

2011-01-07T13:25:00.000-06:00

Ya gotta love a guy who brings you

flowers for no particular reason at all. :)

I am one lucky lady.

Adieu

2011-01-02T19:40:00.000-06:00

The first days of a new year usually hold a sadness for me. Although I enjoy the freshness of the new beginning (hopefully with a fresh coat of snow on the ground), putting away all the holiday trimmings always tugs at my heart.

This year is particularly hard. You see, for the past few years I have decorated our large tree in the living room in a rather elegant sophistication using only gold and crystal. But this year I used every ornament that has made it way into my collection. It was a very sentimental experience rediscovering them again ~ helping me remember the many gentle souls who have touched my life.

There are those very special ones that were made for me by my children ~ and those I made with my children. I am lucky to have a few that hung on the trees from my own childhood ~ happy to have them still traveling with me. I even have the Mr. and Mrs. Santa I bought as a child with my own money at

Hill's Department Store.

Some were constructed by my parents and a couple of them even hung on my grandparents' trees long ago. Others were gifts to commemorate milestones or adventures in my life ~ and of course those picked up at various art fairs over the years. Each one holds a tender memory for me.

And one in particular even strikes me today as

an interesting piece of foreshadowing.

They will all be packed away in a few days,

waiting for me to rediscover them again next year.

Nostalgia is definitely winning over

sophistication in my home these days.