Clare Davis Etheridge

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Let’s spray stuff gold!

Remember the frame I got at the yard sale a couple of weeks ago? Well, I got some spray paint today and made it all fancy.

I also painted a sheet of cardboard with chalkboard paint so that I could use the frame as a snazzy chalkboard too.

Once I got that paint though, I wanted to spray everything, I managed to stop at the cow, but I can’t promise I won’t start spraying again soon.

Here is the frame spraying in pictures.

Of course I couldn’t stop at a golden frame, so the cow got golden too! I think he likes it.

Ta Da!

Do you have the urge to spray paint stuff? Bet you do now!!

Wraptastic! New wrap bracelets on Etsy.

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I must thank auto spell for wanting to make ‘wraptastic’ into ‘wrap toast’! I quite like the idea of wrap toast, but not to wear around your wrist.

These freshly made bracelets are all in my Etsy shop and love to be worn together and on their own.

This purple wrap has a glorious lucite owl as a focal, it is the first time I have used a bold focal on these bracelets and I like the owly friend.

All of the bracelets can be worn as necklaces too either short (wrap twice) or as a single strand long necklace.

This beachy wrap has pink shells, mother of pearl shells and some pretty czech glass drop beads to add some texture. I fell in love with the colour of the pink shell (the spiney beads) and I am so happy they work in this bracelet.

This last wrap just wants to be worn day and night, striking turquoise trade beads with wood and shell contrast beads. The perfect mix of casual and stylish.

All of the bracelets are made with linen thread and fasten with a vintage mother of pearl button.

What is your jewelry style? A bit of everything like me, or do you like what you like? I love to pile on the bracelets in the summer. Maybe a cool statement ring for evening cocktails in the cooler air. Leave me a comment, you know you want to!

Weekend Adventures

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

On Friday I spotted a little tiny ‘Moving Sale’ sign for Saturday morning. I made a mental note which are frankly not to be relied on, I work better with a note written on my hand! I can’t remember anything, it all has to be written down somewhere…

On Saturday, I left a bit earlier so that I could pop into the sale on the way to bootcamp class. I carry my weights in my backpack, so I grabbed my mat and off I went to class, via the moving sale.

I saw some little glass and ceramic bowls which I like to use to sort beads into when I am choosing colours, the whole box was the deal, so I snagged that. Then I saw some massive, clear, crystal cut, acrylic beads in the bottom of a plant saucer, I asked if they were for sale and they were mine!

Off I went with my box of bowls and beads, yoga mat and 16lbs of weights! Thankfully I only got a few awkward steps and my friend gathered me into her car and whisked me off to class.

When I got them home and washed them up, I made a ring from one of the smaller beads! It is a gigantic ‘rock’! A statement piece shall we say! Super fun to wear though.

Another activity we did this weekend was snake hunting….yikes, I don’t think so, this one hunted us!!

We were walking through the woods minding our own business (see below for a pre-snake picture) and one of the boys stopped and pointed at the floor wildly. I thought he had seen a turtle which is usually the most excitement we get out of the woods.

Not today, today we met this big dude. The photo isn’t so clear because I was not getting any nearer thank you very much. We actually turned around and went another way home to avoid actually having to walk past the snake!

I looked him up when we got home and I think he is a Black Rat Snake and non-venemous. We were ignorant of this knowledge when we came across him, but even knowing he wasn’t going to sink killer venom into me, I am fairly sure we would have made the detour anyway!

This is the biggest snake I have seen without a pane of glass between us, impressive compared to the garden snakes I see almost every day.

I hope you had a fab weekend with lots of adventures, but maybe less snakes than mine…

A Beautiful Mess iPhone app is here!

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

This week saw the very exciting launch of the A Beautiful Mess iPhone app. Emma and Elsie at ABM had been talking up the app for a few weeks, would it live up to the hype? Yes, yes it does.

It is available internationally and costs 99c here in the US.

There is a great base of doodles and frames, texts and filters. Not many filters, but there are so many filter apps available, I wasn’t too bothered about that.

I loved the doodles and borders options. They have a ton of colour options too and if you layer them up, you can get some fab effects!

My Sindy doll helped me experiment with the A Beautiful Mess app!

In the top photo, she is sporting a vintage 1970’s original crocheted dress which I think my Mum made, the ukulele/guitar is also vintage (from way back when I was a little girl).

I added various borders, adding layers and colours. I love the effect of lots of the same layers, just moved slightly.

In the second photo she is in full summer mode in a strapless dress styled from a silk scarf discovered at a yard sale I treasure hunted at last week. Read all about that here.

For the effects here, I used the flower doodles which you can just keep adding and changing colours. For this photo, I added ‘Spotlight’ filter after I had finished with the doodles.

That scarf looks gorgeous as a dress, I want to wear it as a long long dress too.

This last photo is actually the one I started with, and I added lots of the flower doodles, changed the sizes and postitions. When I had added the doodles, I put on the ‘Poppy’ filter.

Do you have this app? Do you love it? Any phone app recommendations? You know I am addicted, please share!!

Iced coffee

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

Today and yesterday have been hot ones here in St Louis, up into the 90’s – phew!

So I decided to make some iced coffee and add in some flavour.

I bought some cinnamon nibs from Penzey’s Spices in Maplewood and I mixed them into the ground coffee before brewing. I didn’t grind up the nibs, just left them whole.

To make the orange coffee, I added fresh zest to the ground coffee. I brewed both coffees and left them to cool.

To ensure coffee all the way to the bottom of the glass rather than watery ice cubes, I make coffee ice cubes.

Add milk and sugar if you like. I do. If you like black coffee, I would pour over a splash of fresh coffee to get the ice cubes melted a little bit, so you at least have something to drink!

Do you like iced coffee? Iced tea? Do you add any extras?

What did you get up to this weekend?

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I went out early (ish) on Saturday to trawl yard sales. There was one at a local church and I had high hopes for treasure. I wasn’t disappointed!

I got four scarves in all, but these two are the prettiest. I think the blue one is silk, the flowers on it are so delicate, they might even be hand painted.

The pink one might be a head scarf and it was ‘Made in France’ for a St Louis department store of the olden days called ‘Stix, Baer and Fuller’. The department store was open from 1892 until 1984. This scarf looks very 1960’s, but I am not sure as I can’t find any images of it.

Do you know any St Louis ‘Stix, Baer and Fuller’ history? Do share. You know where the comments are, get to it!

I missed this pan when I did my initial sale walk through. I spotted it when I had already gathered what I thought was my final choices. I have been looking for a tube/bundt/angel cake tin for ages and this vintage ‘Comet’ aluminium one is great, nice and tall and with a loose base which is always a plus point to a cake tin. It cost a grand 25c so I was a happy camper!

Now, I am not interested in playing cards as an item usually, I don’t even play cards, mainly because I can never remember any games. ‘Snap’ anyone?! These nearly jumped out of the box at me, they are so striking. The colours of the painted flowers are so beautiful, I snapped them up (ha ha, see what I did there…).

I found these bowls and thought they would be ideal for sorting beads when I am making and designing my jewelry pieces. When I got them home, I looked them up and they are called Bubble bowls and are made from milk glass.

Do you know about old glassware? Do you collect it? I wonder how old these bowls are?

I am hoping this 25c frame will scrub up for me. I want to spray it and maybe put a chalk board in it. When I do, I will be sure to share.

These lovely vintage spools were true treasure! Especially the black one, it is so cool, I just want to use it in all of my photos! The french knitting spool looks like an old cotton reel which someone has knocked some tacks into to make a french knitter. I remember doing this when I was little (not on spools this old though..). Maybe I should find instructions to remind myself how to do it and have a go. I do remember just making really long tubes of french knitting and then wondering what to do with them! Maybe I can be a bit more imaginative now?

Can you remember how to do stuff from childhood like French Knitting? Did you have a proper ‘Knitting Nancy’ or did you bash some tacks into a cotton spool?

The boys moved the tire swing to the end of the garden this weekend and had a great time climbing and swinging.

How was your weekend? Find any treasure? I hope so!

Ten on the 10th

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I am so happy it isn’t raining today for ten on the 10th photos. I was beginning to think it was going to be rainy on the 10th of every month! So in the monthly tradition of taking ten photos on the 10th day, here are ten photos. All taken on the iPhone 4.

I literally stopped and turned around to get a photo of this dew soaked leaf.

A flower spotted on the way into the Y this morning.

Bags all ready for the Mother’s Day Plant sale at school. The kids all get a plant to give to their Mama and the opportunity to buy plants and hanging baskets.

We pass this Lilac bush every day and it smells divine! Look at all those teeny tiny flowers. Beautiful.

I was taking a photo for my daily prompt and accidently got my feet and quite liked it! The effects are provided by Hipstamatic. New Saltwater sandals! Love ’em, super comfy.

‘Stars’ was the ‘photo of the day’. These are some new earrings I made.

I popped into Eye Candy Boutique for a chat and a visit and came out with a fab new skirt. It is super long and there are ties on the inside to pull the hem up slightly. It is a perfect summer skirt.

Pulling the hanging baskets and flowers home in the wagon.

Oliver the cat checking out the plants on the walk home.

Flowers in the wagon.

Now I need some potting compost to plant out my new flowers! It did try to rain today, but we managed to dodge the raindrops.

What did you do today? Hope you had fun!

Cute pom pom Caterpillar!

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I love a pom pom and even more, I love a pile of pom poms, a gaggle, a gathering of the fluffy little critters.

So, I made some little pom poms with some random balls of wool from The Upcycle Exchange. Go here to see how to make cutesy pie pom poms. I ended up with a little pile of successful ones, some wool doesn’t lend itself to a good fluffy pom pom, so a few fails are to be expected.

What to do with my mini pom poms I hear you cry?

How can I use some of these teeny tiny buttons, maybe for eyes? If my little creature has eyes, well then it needs a heart.

A caterpillar of course!

I threaded the pom poms together and pulled the wool so that they all smushed together in a friendly manner. At the head end I attached two button eyes and in the middle of two pom poms went the heart button.

When he is all fastened together, you may need to take him to the caterpillar salon for a trim. Use nice sharp scissors to trim any unnecessary fluffy bits.

If you want a key chain, thread some wool through the end pom pom and attach a ball chain.

Cool stuff on Etsy

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I made a lovely treasury on Etsy today.

It is such fun finding all of the wonderful things, I have to be careful not to buy it all. In fact, I am coveting an elSage poncho, I have a Second Surf buddha pendant (and I love it) and I absolutely need some Mason jar tumblers for my iced coffee.

Maybe I should stop browsing Etsy!

Here is the Treasury.

”May’ all your days be bright!’ by catseatdogs

A collection of lovely, lively vibrant ideas for Springtime in May.

Tulip Hooded Eco Poncho

elSage

$43

Handmade Clay Buddha Pendant…

secondsurfstud…

$12

16 oz. Mason Jar Tumbler – T…

TheMasonBarCom…

$13.95

Charm Necklace, Green Bird, …

tamirodrig

$45

mahogany wood and vintage fa…

modflowers

$16

Poppy, White Cloud Poppy See…

thegardenstudi…

Things I’m Thankful For …

laurageorge

Set of 48 Camera Mini Cards,…

penandpaint

$20

Pinback Button Set B (with f…

hine

Honey Bee Necklace – gaea pe…

CraftyHope

$43.75

Linen cord bracelet / moder…

dekkoline

$20

I Hear Summer Rustle

lirio

$20

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

MoBot on the iPhone.

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

It has rained nearly all weekend with gaps of grey, so it is a joy to post these photos I took of the Missouri Botanical Gardens from a 6th grade field trip I went on last week.

Wouldn’t you like a bee hive or three in your back garden?

I like the metal deer in the Home Gardening Centre. At least he won’t eat all of your veggies!

These wind chimes are very impressive, I think there should be a field full of them!

The sun was out and it was a pretty hot day and the flowers were all blooming and looking gorgeous.

We had a good explore and discovered herbs, Chinese inscriptions and lizards!

I took all of the photos on my iPhone4 and added some filters and cropping using Camera+, Laminar Express and Afterlight apps.

Let me know what apps you use in the comments department. Do you use the same ones or are you an experimenter?

In the Climatron we found this very cool green lizard and of course some Chihuly glass installations nestled in with the exotic plants.

I take a photo of the Chihuly yellow sunray glass over the gates every time I visit the gardens. I just can’t help myself, it is so beautiful. This time I jazzed it up with a touch of Bokeh, which I rarely use, but I like it with the yellow and the sky in this shot.