Calcifer is living up to his name

Well, I named Calcifer after a fire demon in one of my favorite movies, and he's been living up to that name! At first he was a bit shy and reserved, but his true personality has really come out now. He's definitely a cuddler (he's on my lap right now), and he loves to play, leap and jump like a ballerina. He's got long legs and a long tail, giving him incredible balance. Calcifer sleeps curled up under my chin at night, purring loudly until he falls asleep. When he wants me to hold him he'll sit at my feet and mew until I pick him up. Although he's blind in one eye, it doesn't seem to slow him down a bit. He likes to watch TV too. Calcifer is sweet and friendly- I don't think I could have found a more delightful kitten. It's amazing how quickly and completely I can bond with an animal. He and Cedric aren't exactly best friends yet, but they can sit near each other without hissing now. Calcifer feels much more comfortable if I'm holding him when he's near Cedric. I think it's just a matter of time and patience before they're friends. I'm so glad I found this little guy- he makes me so happy, especially when he looks up at me with adoration in those pretty kitten eyes.
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

I adopted a kitten today!

Today I adopted a sweet little kitten up at PetSmart. I've been looking for a new furbaby to add to the family for some time now. My cat Ozzy died December 21, and it's been pretty lonely around here with just one cat. I know Cedric wanted a new friend to play with too. I think I was meant to adopt this particular kitten. First off, his name was Ozzy, secondly, he was born December 23. Nobody can ever replace Ozzy, and that wasn't what I was looking for, but Ozzy may have had a paw in pointing me to just the right kitten. I renamed the fluffy gray kitty Calcifer, which is a fire demon (with a great personality) from the movie Howl's Moving Castle by Hiyou Miyazaki. Although he's only 3 months old, this little kitten came from a rough life. He was rescued from an apartment with 35 other cats, many that had to be put to sleep. Calcifer had an eye infection that had gone untreated for so long he's now blind in one eye. They even lowered the adoption fee because he wasn't as "adoptable" as the other kittens. He is a bit shy, and spooks if you approach him from his blind side. He's also very sweet, absolutely adorable, and very gentle when he plays. He even likes to sit on the arm of my chair, just like Ozzy used to. Maybe when Ozzy passed, a bit of soul came back in Calcifer. Ozzy had a pretty big personality- plenty to spare- LOL. Cedric is still getting used to a new creature in the house. Aside from a few hisses, they just watch each other from a distance. I don't think it will be too long before they're playing together. Neither has shown any real aggression toward the other.
Of course there will be plenty more posts about my new baby, so stay tuned!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Mothers Love Jewelry

Natasha, of Mothers Love Jewelry on ArtFire.com was born in Spain, then moved to Virginia, where she met her husband. They now live outside St. Louis.
Natasha says "I started this business out of a mother's love. After working outside the home for a year and a half after my son was born, I realized I wanted to be able to stay home and take care of my lovely little boy.
Happiness is what I seek. Both for me and those around me. Making jewelry is my hobby turned passion turned work. I love what I do, and I would love to create something for you!"
Below is a sample of some of the beautiful, and very reasonably priced work you can find in her studio. Be sure to stop in and see all she has to offer!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

OOAK lighted glow in the dark pixie oak tree house sculpture

Entry for the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild Tree Challenge

My Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild on ArtFire has inspired me to create yet another challenging sculpture.  The theme for this particular challenge was "Trees",  which meshed quite nicely with previous ideas I'd had for a lighted tree house.  I've created a few lighted miniature houses, which are available  in my studio, and all of them are quite detailed.  These are the kind of sculptures I can really get lost in as I'm creating them.  These lighted houses are also a good way to recycle glass jars and bottles.  For the Oak tree, I wrapped clay around a glass bottle to make the trunk of the tree, then cut out windows with my oak leaf shaped clay cutter.  I used a battery powered pumpkin light, which looks very pretty shining through the windows.  The oak leaves are various shades of green, and they took a long time to cut and place.  I just love the effect of all those individual leaves though.  About halfway through the sculpting process I came up with the idea of adding the pixies, and sculpting them from glow in the dark clay.  This tree is their home, and they like to frolick in the branches, and take care of the mushrooms and flowers around their home.  The entire sculpture is 9 inches tall and 5 inches wide, with the tiny pixies measuring a petite 1 1/2 inches tall.  This one of a kind fantasy sculpture was a lot of fun to create, and I thank the Smooshers for sparking my creativity yet again.



This is what it looks like in the dark, with the light in the tree turned on.  The pixies glow quite brightly, and add a truly magical touch.  Thanks for checking out my creative adventures in polymer clay!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

New Alice in Wonderland Additions at CreativeCritters

New Alice in Wonderland sculptures and dolls

I recently sold my Alice Meets Mr. Caterpillar and my Cheshire Cat sculptures so I figured I'd better get to work adding more Alice in Wonderland pieces to my shop.  I recently completed a handsewn Alice cloth doll which is about 12 inches tall and was sewn from muslin fabric and stuffed with polyester fiberfill.  She has hand painted blue eyes and is wearing a blue floral print dress under her white apron.  Her black shoes were painted with fabric paint as well.  She'd make a fun gift for a little girl, or an older Alice in Wonderland fan.
I also finished another polymer clay Cheshire Cat sculpture.  This one was sculpted in light and dark purple clay and measures about 4 inches tall.  He's got that classic goofy Cheshire grin, which glows in the dark, as do his large eyes.  I plan to sculpt more Cheshire Cats, simply because they're so darn fun!  And the glow in the dark effect is just awesome!

Right now I'm working on a plush March Hare, which is coming along nicely.  I'm in the process of deciding what to sculpt next, and have been thinking about creating some Alice in Wonderland jewelry as well.  When it comes to this story, there really are no limits on what can be created.  Be sure to check back at CreativeCritters often, since I'm constantly coming up with new creations.  Thanks for stopping by!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Wearable Art Huggable Friends- from yarn to treasures

Wearable Art Huggable Friends on ArtFire.com creates some truly adorable clothes, accessories, toys, and more, all knit or crocheted by hand.  Laura says "Knitting and crocheting help keep my spirit in balance.
There is an excitement in finding a new yarn or pattern. Then, being able to imagine how something is going to look when I add my pespective.
The movement of the hook or needles creates a rhythm that gives me joy.I like to think that I infuse good thoughts into each piece that I make.
My greatest hope is that I deliver a little bit of that positive energy to the person that receives my products".  As a fellow knitter, I completely understand the excitement of a new pattern and the calming rhythm of the needles.  And what she creates with those needles is just amazing.  Some of her customers have said "These are the so totally adorable! You are one talented gal!!! Thank you extra-much fro the lamb! She's a keeper! Beautiful, imaginative and sweet! 3 words that best decribe---YOU and your "critters" LOVE LOVE LOVE 'EM" and "Oh Laura she's BAACK!! I finally have another Ballerina Bunny and she's PERFECT! The shades of blue are just spectacular and I love the combination :) YOUR NEW PENCIL TOPPERS--SO COMPLETELY SPECIAL!!!  Love them both!!"  You can also find Laura on Facebook, Twitter, and http://lauramcgarvey.com/.

Below is just a very small sample of the many wonderful items available from this very talented fiber artist.  Be sure to stop by her studio and see everything she has to offer!

Talk about talent!  And there is SO much more to see in her shop!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Stuffed Critters from CreativeCritters

Just a sample of the handcrafted stuffed animals, teddy bears, and knit toys created by CreativeCritters on ArtFire.com. Click on any of the pictures to go directly to the listing, or if you'd like, simply view my entire Stuffed Animals category to see all the stuffed toys available. Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Grand Prairie Woodworks on ArtFire.com

Grand Prairie Woodworks on ArtFire.com is a master builder of Mission furniture and features cutting boards, kitchen utensils, clocks, lighting and other home decor.  His Artisan Biography reads: " I specialize in Mission style furniture and accessories for the Arts and Crafts, Mission and Bungalow furnished home. Inspiration for each piece I design and build draws on the rich history of Stickley, Limbert, Roycrofters, Greene & Greene and others. All these revered craftsmen had a passion for clean simple and elegant design. As a small independent furniture maker I can offer a degree of flexibility and quality not often found in larger shops.
I build, primarily in Quarter sawn white Oak and Cherry. Every piece I build is carefully constructed by hand in the original style of the Arts and Crafts movement. The boards for each piece are carefully selected to match figure, pattern and grain. The joints are precision cut and hand fitted. Machine sanding is only used for the early stages of assembly, all my projects are carefully hand sanded and inspected. I use only natural finishes that are hand applied and rubbed out to a satin sheen.
Each piece is unique and tailored to the desires of the client. Any of my lamps and other accessories can be ordered in a custom size or finish. All furniture starts from a drawing with your ideas and needs in mind. My hope is that the final product will be treasured by the client as well as their grandchildren."

You can also find Grand Prairie Woodworks at www.grandprairiewoodworks.com, Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter.  Below is just a sample of what you can find in his shop.  Be sure to stop in and see all he has to offer!

Just beautiful woodworking and craftsmanship here!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Hummingbirdtak Unique Jewelry Designs

The Studio Announcement for Hummingbirdtak on ArtFire.com reads: "Welcome to my studio! ***20% OFF SALE GOING ON NOW!*** EVERYTHING IS MARKED DOWN 20% FOR A LIMITED TIME!
I use genuine gemstones, sterling silver, glass, tierracast, copper, gold and silver plated beads and findings in my jewelry. It will always state in the item description what each piece is composed of. Each piece I make is unique - I never make exactly the same piece twice! Handmade items are unique, and that is part of the allure for me - I like things that are different!  I know you will find something that you just can't live without!  I am always happy to alter length, size or create custom designs. Just let me know! Thanks for stopping by!"

You can also check Hummingbirdtak out at http://takuniquejewelrydesigns.blogspot.com/, Facebook, and Twitter.  Below is a sample of some of the lovely items available from this very talented jewelry artist.  Be sure to stop in and see all she has to offer!

And there's a LOT more where these came from!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Alice in Wonderland sculpture- the 300th item listed at CreativeCritters!

Alice Meets Mr. Caterpillar- my 300th item listed!

My 300th item was listed at CreativeCritters on ArtFire.com yesterday!  This one of a kind handcrafted polymer clay sculpture was inspired by Alice in Wonderland.  This delightful sculpture depicts Alice meeting Mr. Caterpillar, with my own touches added, of course.  I added glow in the dark spots on the mushrooms, sculpted the flowers and Mr. Caterpillar's belly from glow in the dark clay, as well as painting the stripes on the small blue mushrooms with glow in the dark paint.  The effect in the dark is pretty impressive- the picture hardly does it justice. It does give you an idea of what this piece looks like in the dark though. This sculpture measures 5 1/2 inches tall (to the top of the caterpillar) and 5 inches at the widest point of the base, with Alice measuring 3 inches tall.  You can click on any of the pictures to go directly to the listing.  And if you'd like to see any of my other 299 items, please feel free to browse my studio.  Thanks so much for stopping by!



-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Lovely Things by Capable Hands on ArtFire.com

OK, I've been playing around with videos a bit just lately, and thought I'd try adding one to my blog. This should be Ozzy and Cedric (if it works).

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Spring Fever!

Although it's only March the temps reached near 70 today, which is unusually warm for NE Ohio. I wasn't complaining though! I've been cooped up indoors all winter, and was suffering a severe case of spring fever. So I took advantage of this beautiful day (and the fact that there were no appointments today) and went for my first walk of the season. Ahh, bliss! The sun felt so good on my skin, and there was just enough breeze to keep me from getting too hot. I felt like a caged animal being set free- LOL. I'm a very outdoorsy kind of person, and am generally happiest when I'm outside. My body wanted to run, but I have to force myself to walk. Running is just too hard on my knee. Imagine a racehorse champing at the bit and the rider having to rein him in- I was the horse- lol. That was the most refreshing hour I've had in quite a while. I need that every so often. Of course I wasn't the only one enjoying this great weather. Plenty of other people were out walking their dogs, riding bikes, and doing yard work. My yard is still too wet to do much yard work, yet another good reason to go out for a walk.
The one sad thing about my walk was all the new homes up for sale. It's only been about three months since I last took a stroll around the neighborhood, but in that short period of time quite a few homes have added For Sale signs to their yards. There's just no work in this area, and that fact is really starting to take it's toll on the residents here. I can only pray that the economy improves soon, for myself as well as my friends and neighbors.
On the positive side, I did get to see many of my canine friends. I know some of the dogs around here better than I know their owners. So far every dog I've met has been friendly. Hopefully I'll have my own dog to walk soon. I met my neighbor's new puppy yesterday (and fell instantly in love). She got a Morkie (Maltese Yorkie) around Christmas time. She's such a sweet little pup! Animals just make life so much better. How can you watch a cute puppy frolicking around and smile?
Well, now that I've had my fun, I suppose it's time I got some work done. Thanks for stopping by and sharing my day :)
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Acadienne offers a large variety of lovely needlework

Acadienne on ArtFire.com sells handknit, crochet and hardanger embroidery items such as socks and leg warmers, kitchen baskets, scarves, shawls, and items for your kitchen and bathroom.  Her studio announcement reads "Bienvenue! Are you sick of gift baskets that have mostly straw filler? Look-alike scarves and shawls? Mass-produced Christmas decorations? Then you are at the right place, since almost all my items are truly one-of-a-kind, and 100% hand knit, crocheted or embroidered, all with my personal touch. From now until Christmas, unless it's a basket, it ships free! If you don't see the color you want, just contact me for a custom order."

She says "I really am a female Acadian by heritage, on both sides, and moved to the desert from the northeast coast almost 26 years ago. Currently working night shift at a small elder care facility and have a lot of time to create my needlework. An equal number of items go to local charity each month, preemie clothes, dolls, and chemo hats. There aren't too many techniques I don't know how to do in needlework, including hardanger, and I almost never go anywhere without a project. I put my work down for church choir, work, and to drive my visually handicapped husband wherever he needs to go."

Below is just a sample of some of the great items you can find in her shop.

And there's plenty more where these come from!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Handmade Polymer Clay Cheshire Cat inspired by Alice in Wonderland

Inspired by Alice in Wonderland

I've always enjoyed Alice in Wonderland and with the new Alice movie coming out, I've been contemplating new sculptures inspired by the story.  There are so many unique and colorful characters in this story!  The first I chose to create was the Cheshire Cat.  He was one of my favorite characters.  I loved his big silly smile, and the way he'd magically disapppear, with his smile being the last part to go.  My Cheshire Cat was sculpted from polymer clay using light pink and dark pink.  He's 3 inches long and 1 1/2 inches tall.  I used glow in the dark paint on his smile and some of his stripes to simulate the way he fades out of site.  The pictures in the listing don't really do it justice.  The effect is really awesome!  I just have to smile every time I see that big Cheshire grin. This piece is just the first in a series of sculptures, and possibly dolls from Alice in Wonderland.  The ideas are coming fast and furious, now that I've immersed myself in this fantasy world.  Each of the characters and scenes is chock full of inspiration for me.  This is a fun, anything goes, magical world without limits!  Stayed tuned for future sculptures, dolls, and maybe plush characters inspired by Alice in Wonderland!

(This is his glowing smile and stripes)
-Michelle of CreativeCritters