The Mighty Oak

The weather is cool and rainy today and very much like Autumn.  After walking the dogs in the rain and smelling the crisp air my mind turned to changing leaves and Oak trees in particular.  So I was inspired to put together this collection of awesome Oak trees and Oak leaves.  I found lots of great Oak themed items, everything from Tree of Life pendants, to vinyl wall decor, to paintings, photos, and sculptural wall decor.

The Mighty Oak

   Curated By: CreativeCritt...

ArtFire.com

Craft Supplies

I hope you enjoyed this little taste of Autumn- I know I enjoyed putting it together! :-)

~Michelle of CreativeCritters

Become a fan of CreativeCritters on Facebook

Follow CreativeCrittersBlog

Join CreativeCritters Google+ circles

Check out CreativeCritters on YouTube

Join me for a walk in the woods

I love trekking through the woods in the Fall.  The leaves are starting to change color, the mosquitoes have stopped eating me alive, and the mushrooms are starting to sprout all over.  I've gotten into the habit of always taking my camera with me when I go wandering.  I love taking pictures of all the different mushrooms, interesting plants, flowers, and trees, and any animals I come across.  So I thought I'd share some of the cool things I found while wandering through the woods the other day.
These are a few of the more interesting mushrooms I came across.  This is a great time of year to spot mushrooms growing under trees and in damp shady spots throughout the woods.  I found more mushrooms this year than ever before, and even discovered a few varieties I've never seen before!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And while I was moving some branches aside to get a picture of this funky mushroom I discovered this handsome fellow curled up in a small tree about 3 feet off the ground.

 

 

How awesome is this?!  I'm fairly certain it's a garter snake, and I'd say it was at least 1 1/2 to 2 feet long- a pretty good size for snakes in this area.  It's actually kind of rare to see any snakes around here any more, unfortunately.  Too much destruction of habitat along with pollution, added to the sad fact that many people feel they have to kill every snake they come across.  I think these creatures are beautiful, and serve the very important role of keeping the rodent population in check.  It was pretty cool outside when I discovered the snake, and he was pretty sluggish, so I was able to get some good pictures.  Although I wanted to, and I probably could have, I didn't touch the snake or disturb him in any way.  As the saying goes: "Take nothing but pictures, and leave nothing behind but footprints".  Don't disturb the natural balance.  I did take the time to thank him for posing so nicely for me though ;-)

I hope you enjoyed sharing my walk in the woods!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters 

Become a fan of CreativeCritters on Facebook

Follow CreativeCrittersBlog

Join CreativeCritters Google+ circles

Get CreativeCritters e-books from Smashwords and Amazon

 

 

Autumn Rain

The theme for this week's Blog Roll, created by Polymer Clay Smooshers guild member Art Asylum, is Autumn Rain.  And that theme is very appropriate!  I'm sitting here listening to the Autumn rain patter on the roof right now ;-)   This is what I think of as "Halloween-y weather".  The leaves are starting to fall and crunch underfoot, the air has that crisp smell and is starting to become cooler.  My favorite smell of Fall is the smell of woodsmoke: it takes me back to when I was a kid and we would have fires in the fire pit.  My brothers and I would help gather fallen sticks from the woods surrounding our house, then we'd roast marshmallows over the fire.  The dogs and sometimes the cats would hang out with us, and it was just such a happy and peaceful time.  Sometimes on rainy Autumn nights when I was cozy and dry in my bedroom I'd be lucky enough to see the owl that hunted the woods around my house.  He'd sit up in the big Oak tree next to my window.  Fall was the best time to spot him, because the tree had lost most of it's leaves and he stood out clearly.  This Owl Pendant from Art Fairly Aware reminds me of him ;-)

 

And I can't think of Fall without thinking of pumpkins.  These pumpkin earrings from Blue Morning Expressions are probably the prettiest pumpkins I've seen!

 

One of my favorite things used to be sitting out on the dock in the lake and watching the rain fall in the water.  Looking across the lake the trees that lined the opposite shore were wearing their beautiful Autumn colors. This Raku pendant from Danas Jewelry Etc. reminds me of the patterns the rain made on the water, which reflected the colors of the trees.

 

Yes, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year!  So enjoy these rainy Autumn evenings and spend some time browsing the shops of these talented artists!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters 

Become a fan on Facebook

Polymer Clay Smooshers Fall Challenge

Because of the hot weather last month I was unable to sculpt an entry for the Polymer Clay Smoosher's Beach themed Challenge.  I love participating in the Smoosher's Challenges and really regretted being unable to sculpt for about a month.  Polymer clay can get very sticky and difficult to sculpt when it gets too warm, plus I didn't want to add the heat of the oven to the already hot house.  The weather has cooled off a bit in the last week or so, though, so I have been able to get back to sculpting.  I had plenty of ideas for items I could create for the Fall themed Challenge, but eventually settled on a Fall Fairy Maple Leaf wall hanging.  I've had an idea like this for quite some time, and this seemed like the perfect time to sculpt it.

 

The red, green, and gold Maple leaf measures 9" tall and 11" wide.  I drew a template for the leaf on cardboard, then traced around the leaf on the clay using an exacto knife.  I made the leaf even stronger by using wire for the leaf veins and covering them in clay.  The fairy was sculpted from the same clay as the leaf and is meant to look like part of the leaf.  The really fun part came when I started adding red, green, and gold Pearl Ex powders to the unbaked clay, then covered the entire leaf in Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel.  This is the first time I've used the embossing enamel, although I do frequently use embossing powders in my work.  Because the embossing enamel is crystal clear I was able to add a thick layer, adding to the depth of the piece.  I baked the piece once, and liked the look so much I wanted to add another layer of color.  So I dusted on more Pearl Ex powders, and another layer of embossing enamel, and baked the plaque again.  This is definitely a one of a kind creation!  And I think it's perfect for the Polymer Clay Smoosher's Fall Challenge.  Autumn always seems to bring on a burst of creativity for me, and I have quite a few Fall themed items available in my shop.  Over the next month or so I'll be adding a variety of new items inspired by the upcoming Fall season!                                                                                                  

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Autumn Inspired Handmade Items from CreativeCritters

These items were all inspired by Autumn, which is one of my favorite seasons. As the weather cools, my creativity seems to heat up.  I've been adding new Fall items regularly.

Autumn Inspirations from CreativeCritters

   Curated By: CreativeCritt...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

Thanks for stopping by to check out my creations!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Fall is in the air

 
It's starting to feel like Fall already.  In some ways I really love Fall: I love the way air smells, and the beautiful Autumn colors, the way the bees are grabbing all the pollen they can get.  And in other ways Fall makes me sad.  I know it means winter isn't far off, and winters in NE Ohio can be downright depressing- cold, gray, and bleak for months on end.  Fall now makes me think of my brother Jeff, who died in October.  It's been a few years now, but I still miss him.  Usually my creativity ramps up a few notches as Fall approaches as well.  I end up spending more time indoors as the weather cools (and I finish my garden chores for another season).  This year I'll be moving my craft area upstairs, and will actually have a room dedicated to my crafts.  Things are certainly very different this year.  Gramma passed away in May, and I'm still cleaning and sorting through her things.  It's not an easy job, but it needs to be done.  Yes, change is certainly in the air.  I saw a sign at a nearby church that read "Life is change, growth is choice".  Very true.  Sometimes I find it hard to believe just how much my own life has changed in the last few years.  I choose to grow with those changes though, and try to become a better person.  For me, Autumn is also a time to look back.  For the garden, I look back over the season and try to see where I made mistakes, and where I made good choices that resulted in healthier plants and a better harvest.  I tend to do the same for other areas of my life as well.  I know a lot of people make their big changes and resolutions in January.  For me, Fall seems to be when I start making changes, and do some serious thinking about what needs to change.  Yeah, a lot of deep thoughts going on over here.
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

HarmonArt- Delightful Handcrafted Gourds, Ceramic, and Jewelry

Wonderful creations can be found at HarmonArt on ArtFire.com, which offers some very beautiful ceramic pieces, jewelry, and absolutely amazing gourds.  Their biography reads: "HarmonArt is the work of husband/wife team, Brian and Emily Harmon.
Brian is an art teacher and enjoys creating art in his spare time from school. Brian has a BA in studio art education and an MA in studio art photography. Besides his earthenware works, Brian also creates and shows photographs, emulsion transfers, jewelry and drawings.
Emily grew up on a farm with a father who enjoyed growing a variety of gourds. As a result, her family was often left with an abundance of dried gourds with which nothing to do. That's when inspiration struck. Emily began painting gourds as a child and has since developed her own style fluently combining organic forms and geometric motifs. Currently, Emily grows and works on all sizes and shapes of gourds creating unique and beautiful works of art."

I really love all the work in this shop.  It's beautiful, unique, and really just amazing.  Their pieces are just perfect for Fall.  I love the rich colors, intricate designs, and glossy glazes.  If you like Fall, you really need to stop by this shop!  Some of their customers have said "Fabulous seller! The gourdaments are gorgeous! Thank you so much. It was a pleasure buying from you!", "Thank you, HarmonArt! I am a completely satisfied customer. Your creation, so stunning on my computer screen, is ever more enchanting and lovely in my life. I love it!", "My Golden Gourd arrived safe and sound so thank you for the care you took with packing it. It is just beautiful. I admire your studio and think your items are all outstanding. Thank you again for sharing your talents.", "I am so thrilled with these 2 pieces! Your ceramic basket with a handle AND your LEAVES!!!! You've made my day! Thank you so much for the gordament!! It too is lovely!", and "WOW! I opened the box and all I could say was WOW! You guys are super talented, and I am SO glad I finally got to buy from your shop. I WILL be back for more! Your art is exquisite!"  Obviously they know how to create high quality pieces that make people say "WOW!"  HarmonArt can also be found at http://harmonart.home.insightbb.com/..., and http://www.facebook.com/HarmonArt....

Below is only a very small sample of what can be found in this shop.  Stop by to see all they have to offer!

So many beautiful pieces!!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters