One New Piece, Another Progressing, a Caffeine Dilemma and Some New Tunes...

...not necessarily in that order. ;)

I should start by saying I don't "do" caffeine - haven't for years. Having hypertension, and a job that requires the steadiest of hands, it's just not a good idea. But mornings such as this, I'm soooooooo tempted to re-think!

Meet Cheetah.

Cheetah (also known as Cheetie, Cheetie-Sweetie, and Buttons) is our sixteen year old former feral rescue baby. She's very frail, weighs less than five pounds and has a heart condition. She also has the loudest wail you've ever heard. Seriously. When it comes to yowling, Cheetah could put the biggest, baddest Siamese to shame. Which was fine when she limited her vocalization to the waking hours. But lately she's taken to wailing whenever she wants to be picked up and petted, which usually occurs somewhere between 2 and 4 AM.

I'm remembering all too well what it was like to waken to the sound of an infant crying every night. The thing is, at 22 I had the energy for it. At 49, not so much. ;)

So.....caffeine? earplugs? (Can't lock her out - don't have the heart, and she's loud enough to waken the dead anyway, even through a closed door)...If anyone has any suggestions, please do share - we're turning into zombies here! :)

Okay, onto new work. I was feeling in a bit of a gypsy mood the other day, so painted this fortune telling sign on a vintage cabinet door. Varnish seemed too glossy a look, so I finished it with a beeswax cabinet maker's polish.

I think it gives it a nice finish without taking away from the distressed, antique look. It's listed now on eBay.

Next up is this HUGE platter (it's something like 18" in diameter). This is about halfway through the process, so stay tuned. I think something this large would look amazing on a wall or mantle, to be taken down occasionally for serving up a big batch of Halloween cupcakes!

Lots of other pieces waiting in the wings, including a few commissions and a truly wonderful storage bench, hand made from birch, with a hinged lid.

Oh! and I'm down to just three commissions now, which should be finished in the next couple of weeks, so if there's a special piece you have in mind, shoot me an email. I can't promise I'll have it in stock, or even that I can order it (have to place most orders in quantity) but I can let you know. Tavern/Innpeeper's signs and certain boxes are usually in stock, and I have a couple of large box type tables coming later this month (see the checkers game on my banner above)....I don't like to get to the point where I feel overwhelmed, so I'll accept about three more commissions, then the window will close again until later in the year.

I'm off to paint now, but before I go, I have to share this fabulous giveaway Johanna Parker is hosting on her blog! Not only is Johanna an incredible artist, but she's truly just the nicest person, and her blog is soooooo whimsical and fun! Here's what she's giving away - isn't it amazing?!

So run right over there and check it out (then cross your fingers along with the rest of us, hehe!)

Finally, there are some new tunes on the playlist (scroll down on the right)....I'm showing my age with some of these, but I like to think they're timeless. ;)

Back again soon!
♥ Carolee