Welcome to my blog

If you enjoy finding a lot of different outlets for your creativity, then we may just be kindred spirits.
This blog is an outlet for my interest in miniatures, crochet, plastic canvas, and many other various arts and crafts.

I also love walking, taking digital photos, and most recently, have rediscovered an old love...bike riding! I purchased an amazing new bike, a comfy Townie by Electra this summer, and have been having a grand time exploring the area as though for the first time. It's like being a kid again!

If you enjoy any of these things too, pour a cup of coffee and tea, sit down, and join me.


Take care!
Kat

Friday, December 18, 2015

Crocheted Baby Mandake

Crocheted baby Mandrake



































I confess, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. When I saw this pattern for a a baby mandrake on Ravelry, I had to buy it.  


I didn't use a strong enough yarn to do the facial features and they lost some of their definition, but I"m happy with the results nonetheless.

He looks angry, but they do get angry and scream when they're being repotted.  Guess I'd better get some earmuffs ;-0.


Thursday, December 17, 2015

Home made dog treats...for birds, tooo!


Baking peanut butter dog cookies

 My Mom has been baking Christmas cookies all week long, and my dogs have been pestering her every chance they get.  She gave them cookies, but we were concerned about the amount of fat and sugar the dogs were eating. 

I found a cool recipe on food.com, for peanut butter cookies for dogs . It's a simple recipe, with only 4 ingredients: peanut butter, flour, baking powder, and milk.  There is no sugar, but I did add 1 tbsp of honey.  The dogs patiently waited while the cookies baked. Even though the cookies smelled great in the oven, the dogs were patient.

Mac and Ben waiting for their cookies

Still waiting

Dog cookies cooling down
 Then they waited more while they cooled down. 

I used a fork to indent the cookies, like real peanut butter cookies, but the baking powder made them rise into little balls rather than the flat cookies I was going for.  The animals didn't seem to mind.
Smokey enjoying her peanut butter cookie
 Smokey, my African Grey, loved her cookie.  She loves peanuts so I thought she might enjoy a cookie.  She grabbed it out of my hand.  Next time I'll use a different recipe; one that calls for water instead of milk, so they'll be healthier for her. 

Mac
 Mac gulped down his cookies so fast I couldn't get a photo of him eating.  You can't really tell but he does  have one in his mouth in the photo above, lol.
Benji
 Benji loved them too, and I loved that they were soft enough for his little teeth to chew.  He's 15 years old, and chewing is hard for him.  He can't eat milkbone treats anymore.
Mac
Here's Mac looking depressed because I told him 3 cookies were enough.  I folded shortly after this photo and gave each dog one more cookie.

The recipe made 60 nice sized cookies.  They're healthy treats, filled with protein, and now the dogs can have their own Christmas cookies when we have ours.