Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary

My Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Anniversary on Dec. 30th, 2012.
Can you imagine, 50 years together?  Wow!
I hope they have many more happy (and argumentative, lol) years together (My Mom and Dad are like Marie and Frank on "Everybody Loves Raymond").

Mom and Dad didn't want to go out to dinner and they wouldn't let anyone help them; they wanted to do their own 50th party.  My Mom was (and is) thankful to be here, and thankful that her appointments for her throat and bladder were good, and clear, with no sign of the dreaded C word.  She said that was her best gift.  They don't let anyone help in the kitchen (except for clean up after, lol).  

My uncle brought over some pizzas to add to all the food my parents put out.  Everything was delicious, and dessert was to die for.

Left to right, Linda, Pam, Judy, Carlo, and Buck

Cobie, Karen, and Lyle

Dad serving munchies.

Time to eat!

Johnnie's girlfriend (can't remember her name), Johnnie, Tony, and Pam.

My handsome baby brother, Steve, drove in from Arnprior (outside of Ottawa) as a surprise.  It's a 9 or 10 hour drive, so he doesn't come often.  My parents were thrilled.

Mom and her childhood friend, Karen.

Cobie and Lyle.

Dad and Steve

Cousin Andie.

Tony and Carlo

First Schopp family photo in ages; me, Mom, Dad, and Steve.  I still have a slight fever here,  but it's much lower than it was at Christmas and I was starting to feel better.  Thank goodness my face wasn't beet red, like at Christmas, lol.

Mom, Judy, and Cobie

Carlo and Judy

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and that the new year will bring you joy.

I was sick since the month before Christmas, and I had a high fever on Christmas Day but went out anyway (and got sick all over again, lol).  I'm starting to feel better now, thank God.

I made lots of plastic canvas gifts for Christmas, but can only find photos of one set of ornaments.  I thought I took photos of the others; but maybe I forgot.

Plastic canvas elves with needle felted kitties and bunny

I did get some photos of these little elves; I really loved making this pattern; they were so much fun to make.  I put some of my felties in the photo.  I gave these elves, but I'm going to make another set for myself.

Mac

My Mac had a wonderful Christmas; he was sooo happy to go to Grandma and Grampa's house.  He and Ben were thrilled to get stockings at my house and gifts at my Mom and Dad's house, plus they each had a plate of turkey dinner.  Mac was smiling for days, lol.  He deserves it; he had such a rough time last spring, with that big surgery, then months confined to a crate.  I pray he'll stay healthy and happy like this.

Mac and Ben opening their gifts under the tree.

Dad laughing about his plastic canvas stocking stuffer, lol.

My Dad rarely smiles, but I always get good photos of him laughing because I give him some silly gifts to laugh at, lol.  He's holding a Rudolph cup, with candy canes.

Here's Mom and Dad and Mac, with Linda in the chair.  

This is a photo of my Mom and Dad in front of the tree. That's my Dad's normal expression.

Dad forcing a smile, with Mom laughing at him

I made Dad smile in this photo, and my Mom is laughing at him because he's putting it on, lol.  My cousin Linda is watching from the chair, probably wondering why we're laughing because she can't see their faces.

Here's Mom, Me, Linda, and Mac

Mom, Me, Linda, and Mac are in this photo. Mac tries to get in all photos, and he poses, the funny guy!  I was really sick here, with a high fever.  My face was redder than my shirt.

Me, Dad, and Mac

Here I am with my favorite guys, my dog, Mac, and my Dad.  My little guy, Ben, didn't want to join in the photo.  I was so hot I had to go stand outside in the snow several times (which probably wasn't a good idea given the fever was high, but I really thought I'd melt if I didn't cool down, lol).

Dad carved the turkey and served it on this plate

Mom and Dad getting dinner ready; Mom won't let anyone else in HER kitchen

Niclole and Kenny, engaged

Me, boiling to death while I open gifts (with Mac supervising)

Mom, opening her gifts

Mom by the fireplace 

We had a wonderful time, me included, even though I was sick.  My Dad had a fire going and I could only stay down the basement long enough to take this photo before I had to go stand outside in the snow to cool off. He likes it hot.  Then later I got home and got the chills and couldn't get warm.  Fevers suck, lol.

I hope you all had a nice time, and that the new year will bring lots of happiness.

Hugs,

Kathy, Mac, and Benji

Needle felted kittens

I've been busy organizing and packing things up to sell or give away before I move, but I was having crafting withdrawals so I made this needle felted black and white kitten to go with my yellow kitten.  The new kitten isn't quite finished but I wanted to share.

needle felted kittens

needle felted kittens and dog

Kitty in tree

kitten s playing in crocheted tree

needle felted kittens

needle felted kittens

Needle felted pets

needle felted pets

needle felted pets

needle felted kittens with 8 inch Paulinette doll

Tuxedo kitten in progress

I love needle felting; it's so cool to watch a clump of wool turn into a critter.  I want to order some eyes in a variety of sizes.  I have some pretty cat eyes here, but they're way too big . These ones are too small.

I was up early, at 6:30 AM because my body aches from packing and moving heavy items, plus painting the shed.  It was fun, painting, but I'm not used to having to bend down to floor level then reach up over my head, repeatedly.  I have fibromyalgia and my whole body is complaining.

My almost 73 year old father rebuilt one wall of the shed, so I can only imagine how he must feel today...sore, I imagine.  He's a hard worker, always building things, but I felt guilty when he came over yesterday with wood to fix my shed.  The people who built the shed built it right on the ground, with no concrete foundation, so the wood was really rotten.  

My Dad's birthday is on the 23rd of this month; we're taking him out to dinner. He doesn't want a gift.  I'm not sure what to get him....he's hard to buy for.  I'll ask my Mom what he needs.

Well, I'm going to go pour a nice cup of coffee now. I have to list more items for sale.  

Take care!

Needle felting a kitty

I am so happy with my first needle felted kitty!  I've always wanted a little yellow cat but my allergies prevent it...now I can have all of the cat's I want, lol.

Needle felted kitten

I made the kitty without any armature, but she can still do a few poses.  She can sit down, or sit up, with her paws up.

Needle felted kitten

I hope one day I'll be able to make realistic animals, but for now I'm happy to be able to make these little guys.

Needle felted kitten

Here's the kitty looking at the ebook that I used for inspiration... mine is not modeled after any of the cat's in the book, but I did use the pictures for inspiration regarding shapes needed for ears and paws and tails, etc.  I also looked at pictures of real cats to get the slope of the back right.

Needle felted kitten looking at other felted kittens

From behind the kitty doesn't look kitty like but I think she's cute anyway.

Needle felted kitty looking at computer screeen

Needle felted kitty

She's tiny, only 2.5 inches long, but too big to be dollhouse miniature size.  She's the perfect size for my 8 inch dolls though.  I'll have to get a picture later.

I'm really enjoying needle felting and love that I can do it while watching TV!  It's so much fun to watch a lump of wool turn into a little critter.

I still have to glue the kitty's eyes in, and I may add whiskers; I'm not sure.  

Now, what should I name this kitty?  Any suggestions.

Needle felted kitty and catching up

Hi!  I've been really lazy about blogging but I'm going to make an effort to start up again.

I've been working on a new book, which takes up a lot of my time, but I love it.  When I'm not writing I'm crafting...I just love needle crafts and painting.

Here's the little kitty I've been working on today.  She's not done yet...I had to stop after poking my finger badly enough to bleed, lol.  I'll add more details tomorrow.  I should be organizing my house and packing for my move...I have to move home soon...unless I win the lottery, or unless my book starts selling.

Needle felted kitty in progress

Needle felted kitty by Haunted dollhouse

I wish I had a friend who needle felts too, because i'd love some tips.  It's really hard to add details without changing the shape of the critters.  I have an especially hard time doing the noses without squishing the faces.  I enjoy it anyway, and they don't have to be perfect.  Maybe one day I'll be able to do those super realistic felties, but for now I'll stick with my cartoony animals and people, lol.

Here's the feltie gang, so far. 

All of my needle felted critters so far, with plastic canvas houses and a crocheted tree.

 The purple bear was my first try; I had a kit with nice instructions. Then I did the white bear, on my own, based on a photo I found online.  He's supposed to be lying down.  I did the dog, baby, and bunny next, and have been wanting to try a cat for quite some time. I finally started the cat today. 

The felties.

 I bought the coolest books for needle felting, from Crafterica at Etsy.  I bought needle felted cats, and dogs.  I already had the wild animal book, but I lost it when my computer crashed.  The seller was wonderful; she sent it for me again, so now I can try some wild animals. The book has everything, from zebras to chipmunks.  I want to do a chipmunk, lol.

Here's the link to the cat book that I used to work on my kitty:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79697032/needle-felt-cute-cats-pdf-patterns


My Mom made an amazing meal for Thanksgiving.  Here are a few photos of us.  My Mom is the one with the towel over her shoulder.  

Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's...pie and icecream!

My Dad is at the head of the table.  He and my cousin Lyle were holding their forks (or a spatula) here, waiting for desert, lol.

Mom serving desert.

 Here's my little dog Ben.  He's been staying with my parents for most of the summer. I had him for a week but then my parents took him back again.
I forgot to take a picture of Mac, and it was his first outing since the spring.  He was so happy to go see Grandma and Grampa.  He was so good about being lifted into the back of the Blazer, and he lay down in his pop up crate all the way there.  I was worried he might stand up and fall, and hurt himself, but he was really good, thank God.  He's heavy to lift, but it's worth it. I don't want the other disc in his neck to blow.

Benji relaxing after dinner.

I finally got around to working on furniture for the Haunted dollhouse I stitched up last Fall.

Furniture for haunted dollhouse.

I think this is my favorite out of all 3 of the dollhouses I made so far.The crocheted tree is perfect for it.

Haunted dollhouse in plastic canvas, with crocheted spooky hollow tree.

Kitchen cabinets.

Living room chairs.

WEll, that's about it.  I'll try to be better about blogging from now on.  Take care!