Sweet River Studios

I have completely forgotten the name of this little frog. Golden Mantra is sticking in my head but I guess it doesn't matter. I worked on the background first and then the frog.  I had some slight bleeding into the background but I'm not sure I care. This little frog was pretty easy to do and its a decent painting but I just don't think this one is doing anything for me. I was going for some diversity in my quilt but I may have to find another animal to paint.

River and I took a barn hunting class last August and did well. She's participates in scent work trials already and barn hunt is similar. She has to find a rat in a tube vs. scent. Barn hunting is an off shoot of Earth dog. Earth dog classes are where small dogs, usually terriers, go "underground" or go under a faux ground and hunt rats hidden in PVC piping. Big dogs can't go through little tunnels so barn hunting was developed for bigger dogs. Terriers can still participate but now your bigger dogs such as Dobermans and mixes like River who is a Shepard/Husky mix can join in the fun too. In barn hunting, a search area is roped off and a course is built with bales of straw. PVC pipping is hidden on the course which can contain a rat, litter or nothing. The pipping can be on the floor or up on bales and are covered with loose straw. The dog must go through the tunnel, climb on bales (all 4 feet off the ground) and of course locate the rat. And of course, you are time...

My dog River, participates in C-WAGS scent trials and has won or qualified (Q'd) in several levels. You need 4 Q's to get a title in each level 1-4. She has her title in Level 1 and 3 and 3 Q's at level 2 so we have quite a few ribbons. I thought I'd organize them on a piece of black foam core that I had laying around. So I got out my Cameo Silhouette and got cutting. I had some paper left over from my in-laws 50th anniversary party and then I found some paw print paper and stickers in the scrapbooking section at Joanns. The board isn't really all that big so I started with the Level 1 ribbons at the top left of the board then I dropped down a little and went to the right side of the board for Level 2 and so forth. I was trying to maximize the board space and I think this way worked out well. The Title rosettes are large and colorful and I didn't think it would work hanging at the end of each level. They are a lot longer then the purple ribbons, so I f...

I was doing a lot of planning for a 50th wedding anniversary party that was held on September 12. I started planning this in June since my in-law's 50WA is September 11, which as you all know is now a perfectly depressing day here the U.S. Location? Done. Caterer? Done. Save the Date postcards? Done and done.  I don't work so I've got a lot of time on my hands to kill, so I decided I would do some things myself. Honestly, after the caterer/location rental the budget has dwindled anyway so it's a good thing I'm crafty. I decided to stay away from the large bakeries for the cake so, I went to Giant Eagle Market District in Upper Arlington, since the caterer recommended them for the cake. I spoke to one of the cake decorators and found out a small 3-tiered wedding cake that will feed roughly 60 people will cost just over $300. Normally, I would say "great!" but after thinking about it, I can't image paying $300 for cake and buttercream is simple. I...