Three Little Devils

For all the fans of three wise little monkeys ...now there's another side to the "no evil" proverb...

The Devil's Canvas

It isn't the false colors he chooses from his palette...nor the gnarled brush in his hand...

The painter himself weaves deception with each stroke of the brush as he studies the subject.

On a canvas of lies, he paints a double life ... beneath the bold azure colors of the landscape lies the rotton fabric.
Take care, lest you become part of his masterpiece.

The Artfulife Shop

As previously reported, The Artfulife Blog has now launched the Artfulife Shop on Etsy! Soon-to-be full of the beautiful children's art you've seen on her blog, Summer's shop has now posted its first item and is open for business (complete with an adorable owl-book banner). The current painting featured is the adorable "We Are Family".

Please click on the Magic Curious Kitten Button below to visit Summer's new shop!

Reggie the Crow And A Scary Halloween

Reggie wants a costume for Halloween. He's been begging me to make him something. Preferably, something scary.

So I let him have an old square of muslin for a sheet, and added a little glaring eye. "How's that?" I asked.

"Not nearly frightening enough" he answered. "Besides, I want a real costume."

So I let him try on Peg's faded old witch hat. "Witches are extremely scary," I assured him, but he wasn't impressed.

"I look like Gandalf", he complained. "When I say 'scary' I mean 'really scary'."

So I got out my sewing supplies and cut a little mask out of burlap. I appliqued a pair of scary eyes on, and a grey nose. I rolled little fabric "bolts" for the side.

"How's that?" I asked, as he tried it on. I think it looks like a cross between Scarecrow and the Elephant Man, but he didn't seem to care.

"It's perfect!" he said. "How did you know I've always wanted to be a monster?" He practiced his best monster grimaces (but the monster walk is a little hard for skinny wire legs).

"Now that's scary."

Don't Miss This!!

Dreaming of the perfect picture ...

Summer's little girl is having a hard time choosing which cutie gets its picture painted....

Our good friend Summer Swanson is hosting a fantastic giveaway on her Artfulife blog! A creative painter/all around artist whose work is filled with whimsy and color, Summer is offering the winner the opportunity to choose what subject they want painted (animal subject, that is).

Pick your pet kitty, your frisbee-fetching pooch, or maybe your favorite imaginary pet (let's say the giraffe you envision in your back yard). The finished piece will be similiar to what you see in this post, in the style of beautiful children's whimsy.

Summer's three adorable owls

Definitely a giveaway worth giving a hoot about....or in some cases, maybe a mew or a woof... so click the magic curious kitten button below to visit Summer's Artfulife Giveaway. Artfulife has hosted a series of giveaways this summer, in addition to featuring Summer's beautiful artwork.

(The Magic Curious Kitten Button)

The grand opening of Summer's Artfulife Etsy shop will also be taking place shortly, as she joins the Etsy family of artists...we'll be adding a link to her shop on our links list or as a button.

P.S. -- 'Tis the season to change the featured item in our own little shop...you'll see the ever-popular mini muslin cuckoo-clock just waiting to perch on the edge of a shelf.

Advice from Mouse

Never leave a mouse hole unwatched. Or a mole hole unattended...


If you must leave for a saucer of milk, take care to keep your eyes trained on that particular spot in the lawn. Small legs run very fast when they are unobserved.

Your Grandmother's Halloween

Isn't this a perfect Halloween card? It sent vintage-thrill-chills up my spine when someone in the workshop stumbled upon the site the other day. As a lover of old postcards, I couldn't resist saving a few for future use...

The website is http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/category/free-greeting-cards/ Please drop by and enjoy their public domain vintage finds, and check out their web magazine for holiday crafts (but please stick to the rules; don't compile and sell their free images as cd-rom or printable collections). There's a little something for everyone, so browse through their long list of subjects!

A Little More Alice

Any Alice fans will appreciate this garden statue we came across in a park. I wish I could have one just like it in my own flower beds. Doesn't she look like she's bending over, searching for white rabbits amidst the plants?

A Little Slice of...Pumpkin?

Forget cereal killers. This guy's a much bigger menace to the melon population.




The knife is only "sewn" in Jack's side, since I didn't want to cut the fabric between folds. I think his expression is somewhere between horrified and indignant.




At least he doesn't have to worry about getting sliced up over a bowl of breakfast goodness ... his assailant likes it on the rind. Macabre, I know, but hey -- it's Halloween!