Is My Dog Spoiled?

This is Leo




This is Leo's lunch. He had $8 a lb. sirloin cooked on the BBQ (only way he'll eat it) and steamed organic broccolini with shaved Parmesan cheese. I had leftover spaghetti sauce and macaroni.





So, I'm thinking, maybe I've spoiled him to much? He won't eat reheated food, he will only eat top quality beef. He will eat chicken if it's fresh cooked. He loves cabbage and steamed broccoli (with Parmesan) but only the heads. He loves peas, pea pods and sweet potatoes. Some days I just can't please him though and he gets mad and refuses to eat anything. That's when I have to break out the hot dogs. If he doesn't eat he gets shaky and if he doesn't like what I have to offer he won't eat period. Everyone says "oh he'll eat when he's hungry enough". No he won't he would just assume lapse into a hypoglycemic coma.
So yes, my dog is spoiled. I love him and I will do anything for him. He came from a kill shelter and he got a second chance. He deserves to have a spoiled life. My cats are also spoiled. They love expensive cheese. They're another story :)

Free shipping in the Etsy shop plus buy 2 get 1 free earrings until the 4th! :)

Plus I am marking everything down to $1 in my supplies shop and lowered the shipping. After everything ends I'm going to start listing any supplies I have in my regular shop. The supplies shop just isn't worth the bother. I'd rather focus on making things.

The bathroom is finished!

Well, the bathroom is finished, but that's it. I did it almost all myself, had a little help from my father. Only took me 1/2 hour to figure out how to put the molding in. Notice how my lovely water stained my new white bathtub already? Guess we'll have to spend a lot of $$ on a fancy water filtration system. Oh and the walls are supposed to look like old plaster and the wall with the window is crooked because the house it round.

I need a picture or photo though. I was going to put up a small oil painting I did a few years ago, but it's a little too small I think. I do have a painting I hate that I may gesso over and figure something out that would go well in the bathroom.

Next up is what I call my hallway or as close to a hallway as you can get in a dome. I bought orangey yellow paint for the walls and orangey cream paint for the ceiling. Sounds hideous, but it'll work. No one thought my ideas for the bathroom would work, but it all came together. Then comes the kitchen. I'm thinking red cupboards, but I don't know what other colors yet. I'm using recycled cupboards so they require a lot of sanding, patching and painting. Being more makes you creative!

Hopefully this link will work-
Bathroom Video

Promos in the shop!

Earring Promo
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

Promos are now in the Etsy shop. In it are a few business cards to share and a free shipping coupon good on both of our Etsy shops. They're only $1 and free shipping. I'll be adding more later.

Also new stuff! We will be adding new jewelry, belts, clothes, bags and more every week!

Free shipping, get it while it lasts!

Proud To Be An American

I have been pretty disappointed in America and humans in general for quite a while. Today I have hope in human kind. I was proud as I watched President elect Obama's speech last night. I have never been interested enough to watch an acceptance speech before. I watched as people cheered and cried. People of every race, every religion and every sexual preference together. It was America as it should be. To listen to a man that doesn't trip on his own words unlike what we have now. Bush was amusing but it saddened me to see such an ignorant man in such a high power.

I was shocked and scared by the amount of McCain/Palin supporters. I was scared that we would get McCain because of people's prejudiced to an African American president, with a Muslim name. This is a victory for the underdog, the unsung. I grew up in a, thankfully, gender and race neutral household, but the rest of my family was very racist and fairly sexist. I grew up naive and colorblind as a child should. I grew up thinking I was a person, not a white woman. I was shocked when I grew up and faced the prejudices people still have against women and people of other races. I thought we had come a long way, I guess I was wrong. I now feel we have made progress. I can only imagine how much hope people of color have today.

Congratulations Mr. President! I know you and your family will do America proud! I look forward to change we need it now more than ever.

Leo as Romeo

Leo
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

This is Leo as Romeo. Leo is quite the Renaissance man.
It took me 5 hours to make that horrid fully lined coat. The shirt wasn't as bad, but was way to big around the neck, so was the coat. Leo has to wear a big size because he's long, but he's very skinny.

Have to make him some more t-shirts for winter and a few sweatshirts. Took me a while to perfect a pattern for him.

He didn't feel so good on Halloween though on account of having a rabies shot in the morning. No more shots for 3 years though, yay! He's happy I've decided on no vaccines except rabies, but doesn't think it's fair the cats don't get any shots at all.

FREE EARRINGS

FREE EARRINGS
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

Win these earrings!

All you have to do is leave your email address. On October 11th I will randomly select a winner. While your here I hope you'll take a look around and check out my Etsy shop.

These are also available for sale in the shop!

new goodies coming

new goodies coming
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

Lots of new goodies coming I promise. I'm trying to get back into the swing of crafting. I hope I can get sewing again too. My summer gardening job is slowing down, it was a busy summer. I've also been working hard on my house. I have to say I will miss summer, but it will be good to make stuff again and concentrate more on my house.

I will be having some contests to win goodies too so check back :)

Etsy Shop iadornu

I should have posted this a long time ago, but I've been slacking a lot lately.

Quite a few months ago I traded some supplies from my supply shop with idornu (aka Mary Beth).

She sent me this necklace and one with a robin in it, which I don't have a picture of and another pretty pendant. Her stuff is so gorgeous and creative. I use the same findings I sell and I always find it so interesting to see what others do with the same findings.

So check out her shop, here's a sampling.

Bathroom

Bathroom
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

Work in progress. I know the pictures aren't too exciting. I'm about finished now with the bathtub. I was 3 tiles short on the outside. Right now I'm painting, then I'll grout.

Never buy Lowe's Velspar paint! It's crap! It doesn't cover, it's streaky and the eggshell is very shiny. Not to mention the paint guy has no idea what he's talking about. He tried to tell me eggshell was shiny and satin wasn't. What? I have painted and bought paint before. I painted one coat of paint, which ended up being way to dark for the room (that was my bad). I think it would take about 5 coats to truly cover the wall though. The paint is shiny and still tacky! I painted it at 4pm yesterday. So if and when it ever dries I have some Sherwin Williams paint in a light blue to go over it with. 2x as much $$, but far less of a headache. I just hope it covers it and sticks to that crap. I am a little annoyed.

I will post pics when I do more. I have a lot more to do, but it's getting there.

Featured on Spotted On Etsy!

The Smiling Frog is being featured on Spotted On Etsy and if you leave a comment you will be entered to win a pair of my earrings! :)

Pouches & More! :)

pouches
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

Matryoshka Pouch

This was my first attempt at this style pouch and it came out perfect. My first attempt at this machine embroidered applique too. I will change the colors next time. I running pretty low on rayon thread colors though, so that doesn't help.


This one is made from a curtain weight fabric that I think I got from Goodwill. It's so vintage looking, not sure if it is though. I lined this one with a floral print and added a bunch of vintage buttons to one side.


I added awesome vintage embroidered ribbon to this one and a birdie applique. I love the background fabric. I've had it for years and haven't wanted to cut into it. I think the birds a little dark, but I still like it.


This is more fabric that I think I got from Goodwill. I will cry when this is gone. It has birds on it. I added some vintage twill tape. I think this is my fave.


Here's the inside. I'll be nice and share where I found the instructions to make these. It's such an easy method and looks so professional.

http://www.splityarn.com/split_yarn/2007/06/sew_a_zippered_.html

I have a bizilion 8" zippers so mine are sized a little different. Just adjust it to whatever size zipper you have.

Oh, and here is a hat with some super awesome vintage, printed, Goodwill corduroy.



And Leo sporting some too big leg warmers :)


The pouches will eventually be in the shop. Putting everything on sale now to clean out :)

Trade from paperwaits

Trade from paperwaits
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

I traded some earrings for these goodies from paperwaits (aka Too Many Trinkets)



Two beautiful pendants and two gorgeous pairs of earrings. I have been admiring her shrink plastic work for a while and her artwork of course. Check her out!







Here's what I traded

Some Lovelies From Etsy and More

Well, I've been working for the past few days. Working my gardening job that is. I made a few new things for the shop. I hope it rains at some point so I can have a craft day and the plants really need it.

Anyway I'm back off to work this afternoon. Still having BOGO earrings in the shop so don't miss out.

Here are some lovelies that I wish I could purchase!

My House Update

My creation
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

Well, I haven't posted any pics of my house in a long time. Mainly because it's been 5 years working on it and I'm a little ashamed I don't live in it yet. Everyone is discouraged and no one has been working on it. It doesn't help that we never seem to agree on things. So if anyone wants to provide me with some encouragement, please do so. I need a kick in the butt! Obviously Adam isn't going to work on it anymore so I'll have to finish it.

Anyway here are some pictures. I need to find pictures of the radiant heat in the cellar floor before the cement was re-poured. It's really amazing to see.

Summer :)

Summer :)
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

I got a new camera!! I asked for money for my B-day so I could get one. I so wanted a DSLR, but they are so expensive. Eventually I'll get a Canon Rebel XT, for now I settled with a Sony Cyber-shot. It takes beautiful pictures though even inside with no flash. So I can blog more now since I don't have to borrow a camera to take pictures.

Here's some garden pics and a few of plants in my greenhouse :)

The Key To The Secret Garden

The Key To The Secret Garden
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

We're adding a whole lot more to the shop this week. Check out some of the vintage goodies we found!

There's more than you see here too.

I found some sweet vintage fabric I plan to make at least 1 hat out of too and hopefully some grocery bags. :)







The Smiling Frog

Been making rings like mad~ take a look!

Anastasia Ring
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

The first one has a lot of faux pearls and vintage looking beads. My mother said it looks like old clip on earrings her great grandmother had.



This one has some vintages looking coin charms and flower beads.
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This one has a lot of wooden beads, some glass beads and charms. I had to add filigree bead caps to most of the wooden beads because the holes were so big headping slid right through.

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Lots of glass flowers, leaves and some charms.

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This one ended up looking like a little mini wedding bouquet. Silver charms glass flowers and leaves and a few faux pearls with pretty silver bead caps.

I'll post more as a make them. I loaded up on the ring bases. I'll take a picture of the ring base so you can see what it looks like.

All in the Etsy shop!

New Stuff Coming! :)

vintage black posie earrings
Originally uploaded by the_smiling_frog

We have new jewelry coming made from vintage parts! Here's a preview!






and a new hat!