to good eggs,  you get the lil rotters……

The coming of Spring (fingers crossed) has encouraged me to finally start cleaning.  I had noticed the giggles and whispers and constant shushing coming from the crisper in the fridge for quite a while……and wouldn’t you just know it the eggs had gone bad……..well maybe not bad but definately a little rotten.   Oh well maybe they will get less stinky if I let them socialise a bit.

But I doubt it.

Meet Stu the bunny,  Stu is a rather manic little critter he’s an ex magician’s assistant and I think he has been affected by the many hours spent hiding in the lining of a very dark top hat…….poor Stu.

He’s very happy to be retired now and is determined to enjoy his free time………in fact only yesterday his friend  was talking about personally training him in the ways of the kitchen he just needs to bring his own pot………..Glen has always been a good friend to Stu.

So did you all have a nice weekend?   have a romantic valentine’s day?  We were pretty low key about it (as usual) I did make my valentine’s present for Mark and I think he appreciated it (at least he’s not stoopid enough to say he didn’t).

This past week has been so nice just being lazy………It would have been perfect if it weren’t for this little guy

I am sure you guys must recognize him….. he is of course the snot monster and he has been staying very close to me all this week…..schnifffffff is his name,  at least that is what he responds when I ask him his name.

I’m still not going to open the Etsy shop……I have been enjoying the break waaaaaay to much and I also want to concentrate on  making my large critters right now.  I love making the big guys and I never feel like I ever have enough time to make them (this is because I’m nutty I know).   So hopefully schniffffff won’t be so attached to me next week  (I have definately seen him making plans and calling friends……..yippppppeeeee to not still be sick)

So I hope things are going well in your world that’s how things are in critterville.

groan I am sick,  and in the full on feeling sorry for myself mode that only being really sick can trully inspire.  I am not sure how I caught it but I would really like it to go away now.    I have even closed the Etsy shop for now as the last thing I want to do is make anything or have to go out to the post office to send it on it’s way.

Bleurgh I really am the worst sick person,  I instantly revert to being a whiny 5 year old……..sniff, sniff and feel sorry for myself.   Hopefully I’ll be better soon and then I’ll reopen the shop……. but for now it’s nice to have the break.

booooo hooooooo the vacation is over,  and my god the frigid mid west air hurts 3 times as bad after you’ve been sunning yourself on the beaches of California.   It really was a great vacation though even if it did start a little scary

This is our plane being sprayed with copious amounts of de-icer (I had no idea) I have to admit this freaked me out a little……..they do what?!!? Why?  to stop the engines seizing up in the cold……..oh…….are we sure this is safe? Oh our plane is going to be a little delayed……..why?  because the giant fleet of snow plows have to clear the runway…………hmmmmm ok.   Very, very odd stuff but it made leaving Chicago extra happy.

San Diego was of course brilliant we did the whale watching schooner trip.  Every year between December and March the gray whale migrates to warmer waters (smart whales)  and so you can see them on their trek  I got a few pics

It’s not so easy to get pics so I hope you are suitably impressed.  I love the 2nd pic as I think it looks like a comedy mustache.  But it’s not just whales you can spot,  dolphins swam with our boat for miles (I think I prefered them to the whales)  and sealions swam around trying to have a nosey at us.

We also went to Disneyland this trip I did all the scary rides (except space mountain, something about a rollercoaster in the dark freaks me out) I also was extremely excited about checking out the Tim Burton store

That store was cool, absolutely stuffed to the brim with Tim Burton related Disney crap……I had to get the Jack Skellington mickey mouse ears……so cool.  And I got some pics of my Disney idol

And discovered that Mickey’s closets look just like mine

We also went somewhere I’ve wanted to go for as long as I can remember

Recognise it?   I’ll give you a hint it’s located in…

Horray for Hollywood it’s the Graumann’s chinese theatre and I have always wanted to see the concrete hands and feet of the stars in it’s forecourt…..well one set more than any others (if i’m honest)

Sigh I love Marilyn,  and it was so great to put my hand in her handprint (we have the same size hand) It was also exciting to see that she had dotted her eye with one of her earings……I could have stayed there all day but it was easy to get distracted by the other greats…..I think I took a picture of every concrete slab I added some holiday pics to my flickr if you want to check them out.

So now we are back in the freezing Mid West (it snowed yesterday brrrrrrrr) and I guess it’s a good thing as we are broke and exhausted,  and I have lots of new critter ideas to get started on ……as well as a long overdue artomat update.  Better get to it.

on such a winter’s day…..I sure am.   Aaaaaah I can’t wait to be somewhere a little warmer,  with skies that are a little bluer,  and where I can have a relaxing couple of weeks hanging out on the beach……..sweeeet and while I am out there it’s our 10 year wedding anniversary…….anyone know what the 10 year gift is?  I am keeping my fingers crossed it’s diamonds……teeeheeee just kidding Markie.

I figuered I’d leave you with a new critter to enjoy (told you I’ve stuck to my resolution)  while I am gone,

his name is Blair and he is a very ambitious little critter.  He dreams of fame and fortune and believes he could make for a great spokesperson……..he actually got a toothpaste company’s endorsement but unfortunately he ate his manager……..it’s not Blair’s fault,  he was starving and the onsite catering at the shoot was not to Blair’s liking…….far too many vegetarian choices.   So while he looks for a new manager and campaign (he has his eye on being the Credit Lyonnais lion for the Tour de France)  care too look after him? 

I’m going to add Blair to the shop of course, but I won’t be shipping anything out till after I get back from San Diego……….not that I want to even think about coming back yet……….eeeeeek I can’t wait to be on holiday.

are crap!!!  I mean just in the time space of the 1st to now I’ve already broken most of mine,  so why bother?One that I didn’t break though was to make more critters and here is Bebe the little bear cub, officially the first critter of 09.  

He’s a real sweetheart although probably a little too soft for his own good.  He has one friend Goldie who constantly takes advantage of his gentle disposition,  you know the type….eats his porridge sleeps in his bed that kind of thing…….poor Bebe.

So I hope your new year is going well,  I can’t wait for my vacation although I do hope the critters will behave while I am gone.

write a Christmas post a little earlier but I’ve been far too busy stuffing my face with choccies and working my way through watching our Christmas Amazon order (lots of British dvd box sets).

However I had a lovely Christmas did you?   I took a picture of our first course yummy prawn cocktail………mmmmmm

and of course my dining companion

just kidding,  and besides it turns out that Lewis isn’t a big fan of prawns……how weird is that?   I got a pretty good haul of goodies this year (Markie did well)

Lots of kid robot goodies (a whole bag full)  and this is the pine cone necklace from Charmaine Anthony

I love it and these are the items he picked from Steve Tomashek’s Miniature Menagerie booth also from the Bucktown Bazaar

I love the little cat,  it’s as if he had seen Floyd and made him just for me……and who couldn’t love a raccoon on skis?

Oh and do you see that green rectangle in the background?  well that’s my new iphone….I wasn’t that fussed about getting one before but it’s brilliant!!!!  no more printing out directions to shows cos I have the whole internet at hand…….yaaaaaaay

Anyway I shall especially love  the convenience of my iphone next month, as we are off to San Diego again.  I can’t wait to be somewhere warm and mega excited that we will be staying at the Del Coronado,  or as I call it… Marilyn’s hotel as it was the hotel used in the movie Some like it hot.  

Well hope you had a fantastic Christmas and got everything you wanted (I did) and that you have a wonderful Happy and Healthy New Year.

I love going to Chicago anytime of the year,  but Christmas time is especially brilliant.  Something about the sparkly lights and the crowded streets  bustling with shoppers laden with bags and towing excited children,  all vying to catch a glimpse of the holiday windows and the numerous trees dotted around the city.  It all makes me feel particularly Christmassy.

I also love going to the christkindlmarket.  It is fast becoming a holiday staple for us to wander around the little German themed market and enjoy a puff dog (yummy sausage roll) and a chocolate covered fruit skewer (heaven on a stick)

Above is a picture of one of the booths and I think you get the idea of how festive and wonderful it is here in Daley Plaza…..plus the whole place has the aroma of mulling spices and hot chocolate..mmmmmmm.  Even the horses are festive in Chicago,  or is that a reindeer?

Another of my favourite Christmassy essentials in Chicago has to be going to Marshall Fields (I am loathe to say Macy’s – I shall never forgive them for destroying the arcade area) I adore their Christmas windows and interior holiday displays,  and I particularly love the giant trumpets outside the store….you know the ones right?

And of course it snowed all day on Saturday,  it really was the most perfect holiday atmosphere……..I can’t believe Christmas is only 4 days away!!!  but I am certainly feeling much more festive now……..

Merry Christmas everyone.

We certainly can today as we had so much snow last night…..

It certainly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas round here,  oh and talking about looking a lot like Christmas check out my holiday decorations

I love my fireplace……..I got these excellent star stung lights  from Ikea in their sale last year (I think they cost a whole dollar)  and they are so cool

I may have to leave them up all year………we will see.  Oh and the tree of course

Geeesh I completely underestimated the size of the tree……..it’s huge!!!!!  I have a huge collection of ornaments but on this tree……you wouldn’t know it,  it has been suggested by a few people that I should make some more to fill in the gaps,  but no!!! I refuse it’s the holidays dammit and I don’t wanna!!!!! Although I did have to break my no stabby rule and  make myself a  little deer,  Oh how I wished I had kept one for myself which meant I had to suck it up and get on with it……Hope you guys are hitting the nog!!! hohoho