fun stuff

Creative Writing Experiment

I was in quite the mood today for writing so I asked my Facebook friends to post some words or phrases and I would in turn reply with a poem for them using their words.

Here’s how it all turned out:

– We are out of toilet paper.

When one readies for a squat
and sits down upon the pot
Make sure there are toiletries at hand
For when your duty has come to an end
And that lump has finally reached its taper
You don’t want to have to shout
We’re Out of Toilet Paper!
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-Because our love is……

Because our love is every lasting and true
My heart will always belong to no one but you

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-Alone doesn’t mean lonely

Alone doesn’t mean lonely at all
It just means I may be available when you call

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-Time has no meaning when there is love………

Time has no meaning when there is love to share
The clock may tick away but I don’t care
Time has no meaning when there is love to share

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-Love has no meaning when it is not returned.

Love has no meaning when it’s not returned
Said the bitter one just after a burn
Love has meaning returned or not
Said the heart, even tho it was twisted in a knot
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-when life gets you down

When life gets you down
And your face takes on that sad old frown
Look beyond that gaping hole where you stand
And take hold a friend by the hand
They’ll help pull you from where you fell
And lift you up for the wind to fill your sail.
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– nothing gold can stay

Nothing gold can stay?
What the hell is that you say?
Gold is merely a mineral from the ground
Worth only what one would pay by the pound

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-behold a new dawn

Yesterday is no more
Just a memory from before
Let there be no regrets from the days gone by
For morning shall bring a brand new sky
Forget all the pain, hurt & sadness from the past
Time ticks away far too fast
Take with you all the joyful thoughts and release the sorrow
Behold a New Dawn every tomorrow!
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-The moon was shining a lovely hue of purple tonight as the lone raven perched high in the….

The moon was shining a lovely hue of purple tonight as the lone raven perched high in the trees along the river bank. For miles you could hear its caw carried by the winds. The sound brought a feeling of something quite familiar. It was as if our souls were speaking to each other. Old friends we were, although we’d surly never met. T’was strange and yet comforting, that connection from the raven down by the river bank.

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This was a great writing experiment .. what fun.. can’t wait til I try it again!

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

How do you see it?

OMG!!! I was just looking back at the photos I took this morning of the crows and the hawk… and along with those pics I took one of our office building as the sun was coming up …. and just look at what I captured!

A trick of the camera?
Reflections in the lense?
or something else?

… it all depends on how you want to see it… have a lookie 🙂

Click the photo to enlarge (hint… it’s on the right side of the building)

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Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Day Dream Journal

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Here’s a new twist on the old fashioned journal. We have our every day journals… and then we have dream journals… how about a Day Dream Journal??

This is a journal that would log in all thoughts random thoughts and visions that come to you throughout your day. This isn’t a standard log of your daily activities.. this is more of a log to keep track and look back on previous messages, thoughts, visions, etc that seem to randomly come into mind through your day.

Why do this? This is a great tool for those who often doubt their instincts and those first thoughts about this or that. Use this journal to write down those gut feelings, those random messages that sneak into our minds, those visions of something unexpected. Later, you will be able to look back and see what came true, what didn’t…. you’ll see when you were spot on and when maybe you were on the right track but slightly off.

This journal is meant to help you begin trusting yourself and the inner knowing that you are always second guessing 🙂 It’s also a great way to become more aware of your thoughts and processes.

If you start keeping a Day Dream Journal.. let me know how it works for you .. I’d love to hear your stories!

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Toast Wins and a Thank You

I am beyond honored to have won again this year for Best Blog and Best Visual Artist in The Toast of Music City. I had convinced myself that I may have won for blog but was certain that I didn’t win for Artist this year. I was sitting there at the awards ceremony waiting for my categories to come up and first came Best Blog, which since I had been interviewed by the Tennessean for it I was certain I had won and I did 🙂 …. and then the Artist category came up and I waited to hear my name called .. 3rd place .. wasn’t me.. I thought “Oh I made it for 2nd” … 2nd place was called .. it wasn’t me.. OMG OMG OMG.. The I heard my name called out fir first place .. I almost cried I was so happy and what a wonderful surprise!

You guys encourage me and keep me creating and keep me writing. You all are the absolute Best! I love you all!

Thank you everyone.. I really could not have done it without all of you .. this win isn’t just for me.. I share it with each and everyone one of you … it was a group effort and I am truly honored that you all took the time to vote and make this happen 🙂

This award will hang on my wall and every time I look at it I will think about all of you out there who participated and made this happen for me. It brings me great honor and great joy to know that so many of you took the time to cast your votes. I really don’t know what else to say but Thank You Thank You Thank You!

Many Blessings,
Raventalker (doin my happy Raven dance!)

Here’s the article they wrote about me in today’s paper 🙂

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Time to Vote

We want this sign to say 2012! 🙂

Please please don’t forget to cast your votes for me this year in Toast of Music City

I’m running for Best Blog and Best Visual Artist …. just click each link below to cast your votes.. Thank you in advance to everyone that takes the time to vote this year.. I appreciate you guys far more than you know! Voting is daily through the whole month of June.

Thank you all!

Vote Now! Make sure you register with the site and click the blue circle next to my name to cast your votes 🙂

Best Blog

Best Local Artist (Visual)

How to Find a 4 Leaf Clover

The art of finding four leaf clovers is far more simple than one might think… It’s seeing beyond the sea of ordinary to find a small glimpse of extraordinary!|

How quickly can you find the one with 4 leaves?

Adjust your view, clear your mind of all else and there it is… right in front of you.

Once you find it .. it’s yours… it only needs to be found… not also picked.

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Many Blessings, Raventalker

7 Wishes For Valentine’s Day

My wish for all of you! ENJOY!

The Box of Love

Valentine’s Day is coming up and so I wanted to take a moment to share with you something I have done for friends in previous years to spread the love A few years ago I got the idea to give a whole years worth of love on Valentine’s Day …. So I thought how on Earth will I pull that off!

So it dawned on me … I started collecting motivational and inspirational quotes along with a few funny and odd bits of wisdom, jokes or whatever it was I liked…

I collected 365 sayings … I printed off 20 sets of these 365 sayings and began the process of cutting them all up in strips to place them inside a decorative box … with a tag that says … A Year of Warm Hugs and Wishes

I found the boxes at the Dollar Tree for $1 each …. Not a ton of money invested.. just loads of time!

If you would like a copy of the quotes and phrases I’ve collected.. message me and I’ll be happy to share.

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Weekend Projects – Dreamcatchers

This weekend I spent my time creating a few new dreamcatchers .. Have a look at these 🙂

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The first is a Wolf Power Dreamcatcher and let me tell you the amount of wolf energy in this fella is hefty to say the least! This fella is no tame wolf.. he’s as wild as the wind that blows through the very top of the trees… across the mountains and beyond the seas.
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The second is an Angelic Dreams Dreamcatcher – embellished with yellow glass beads and metal signs reading Hope, Love, Believe and Faith… also adorned with a small silver angel pendant and feathers.
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My third dreamcatcher of the weekend is titled: Magical Journies Dreamcacher – with a small silver witch pendant hanging from the center and a large leather wrapped broom that stretches across the dreamcatcher. 13 glass stars encircle the witch on her journey through the night.. this one is filled with the purest of sweet slumber magic.

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Many Blessings,
Raventalker

If you would like your own custom made dreamcatcher .. give me a shout … I’d love to craft some magic just for you!

The Lore Behind it All

Happy Friday the 13th!

For centuries Friday 13th has been recognized as a day filled with bad omens and superstitions. I thought I’d give you a bit of background information on where some of these superstitions came from. ENJOY!

Friday the 13th itself has many superstitions related to it making it what it is believed to be today. From Adam and Eve to the Knights of Templar there are more superstitions relating to Friday the 13th than any other superstition. I’ll let you choose which you prefer to believe and move on to some of the other most common superstitions of today.

Spilling Salt – Spilling salt is believed to be bad luck. But you are supposed to be able to reverse the bad luck by throwing salt over your left shoulder. The reason that people throw salt over their left shoulder after spilling it is because it was believed that an evil spirit stood behind you to your left. If you threw it over your left shoulder, it would get in his eyes and hopefully scare him off!

Knock on Wood – Knocking on wood is said to ward off the punishment for bragging. People once believed that evil spirits would become jealous if their good fortune was pointed out to them, and would relieve the bragger of that good fortune. Evil spirits were said to be scared away by the noise of knocking on wood three times, and would not hear of the good fortune.

Bless You – During Roman times when people believed that a sneeze could release your soul to the world.

Watch out for that ladder! – This came from the early Christian belief that a leaning ladder formed a triangle with the wall and ground. You must never violate the Holy Trinity by walking through a triangle, lest you be considered in league with the devil.

Breaking Mirrors – Everyone knows that if you break a mirror … you’ll have 7 years bad luck. Some time ago people believed that reflections were actually glimpses of the viewers soul, so breaking that reflection would bring bad luck to that person.

Umbrellas – When umbrellas first began using the spring mechanism that we take for granted today, they were very unpredictable. The person opening the umbrella never knew if the spring would work properly, and a lot of fingers were squished between the spring and the top of the umbrella frame. On top of this, people were never sure how big the umbrella would be once unfurled. As a result, there were a lot of accidents within the house when the user opened the umbrella, only to realize too late that the umbrella was too big for the room. When such a mishap occurred, people used to exclaim that the umbrella user was unlucky. (found on squidoo)

Cracks -Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back! The legend behind the saying stems from the fear that the crack is the entry point to the grave.

Enjoy your day and remember that each day is what YOU make it to be. Make today and every day a great one!

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

My Christmas Wish

My wishes don’t cost money .. only a little of your consideration and time
Please bear with me while I turn my wishes into a Christmas rhyme

I wish for everyone to know what it’s like to feel loved and blessed
and I wish for for you to have less worries and a whole lot less stress

I wish for you to know the magic that surrounds us every day
and I wish for fewer obstacles to get in your way

I wish for you that the years be kind
and I wish for many happy moments to fill your heart and mind

I wish for you to know a love that is everlasting and true
and I wish for angel blessings to always follow you

I wish for you to know a kiss and a hug can cure all things
and I wish you happy smiles every time you see butterfly wings

I wish for all your dreams become reality
and I wish you to know that within you is the ability

May the spirit fill you.. not only now but every day
These are my Christmas wishes for you and they are on their way

I placed them carefully upon butterfly wings
So that they’ll be carried to the heavens as the bluebird sings

Merry Christmas
Raventalker

An Angel Just For You

An Angel Just For You

I have spent my entire weekend working on these little stained glass angel ornaments to give to friends and family this year for Christmas. As I was standing for hours at my work bench, my back aching with pain, my fingers all cut up and burn marks every few minutes from the hot solder… I began to think about the people I was making the ornaments for.

I wondered who would appreciate this small token of a gift that I was creating and then those who I knew in fact would not really appreciate all the time, care, effort and pain that went into this years gift. Now that, that is said…. let me clear something up. I make gifts because it’s what I love to do. I don’t expect anything in return and it’s not about them knowing how much time and effort went into the gift. But having said that.. I have to say that this is exactly why I choose to make gifts instead of buying gifts. Let me explain.

In my mind… taking the time to dream up a new creation, the planning of that creation, then the physical act of creating and the long hours and even the pain that may come along with it … are all the reasons why I do it. If you are one of the few that receive a hand made gift from me.. then you know that I care about you enough to go through all of the above.

Let me tell you… there were many times this weekend that I wanted to just quit. I wanted to put the glass away and do something less painful (oh my poor cut up and burnt hands!). I have tons of other crafty ideas that I could do much quicker and with a whole lot more ease. But this years gift is suppose to be angels.. I dreamed it and gosh darn it .. I’m gonna make it happen! Yeah so the next time I get a bright idea like this… someone please stop me!

Then there is the fun and excitment that comes along with making gifts for others. As I was making these angels today I couldn’t help but wonder which of my friends or family members would get one of the angels whos halo was a tad bit bent or crooked.. I giggled to myself as I wandered through my list.. thinking of who was going to get one of those SPECIAL angels. I imagined the happiness that would come to some that would open their gift and fall in love with their own personal angel. I thought about the smiles and the hugs that would follow and so I endured the urge to sit down and stop. I worked through the pain running up and down my back.. a shrugged off the many burns that followed and I finished the angels with pride and happiness.

If you find yourself this year with one of my angels… know that you are loved and know that I thought you were well worth the effort!

If you do not find yourself with one of my angels.. know that most likely I ran out of time, glass, or even skin on my fingers..LOL. I am one person and I can only do so much. I would love to be able to make every person I know a special gift.. but hey.. I’m not Santa Claus ya know! I am me and I do the best that I can.

Happy Christmas everyone.. and if you can’t make something yourself for your friends and family .. please think about purchasing gifts from someone that does. Handmade gifts are filled with love and care.

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

P.S. www.etsy.com is a great place to find one of a kind, hand made gifts!

Funny Holiday Eating Tips

While I was searching the internet for some useful tips this holiday season to post on our company blog that I manage.. I found this VERY USEFUL list of Holiday Eating Tips! This is a MUST READ!

Written by Craig Wilson, USA TODAY

Holiday Eating Tips

I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it’s the season when the food police come out with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining 10 pounds. You can’t pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday eating do’s and don’ts. Eliminate second helpings, high-calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, they say. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say. Good grief. Is your favorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I didn’t think so. Isn’t mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph.

I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if you follow them, you’ll be fat and happy. So what if you don’t make it to New Year’s? Your pants won’t fit anymore, anyway.

1. About those carrot sticks. Avoid them. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it’s rare. In fact, it’s even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnogaholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy.Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello? Remember college?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the centre of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. You can’t leave them behind. You’re not going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards, mate.

10. And one final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention.

Reread tips. Start over. But hurry! Cookieless January is just around the corner …
Many Blessings and Happy Holidays!
Raventalker

All Hallows

All Hallows

All Hallows is drawing ever so near
Shhhhhhhhh, what’s that creepy sound I hear?

That’s the wind now blowing a cooler breeze
Creaks and moans radiating from the branches of the trees

They say the veil between worlds is growing really thin
Spirits are said to cross over and glide across the land with the wind

Vampires, werewolves, monsters and witches too
I have heard that they would like to meet with you

The vampires looking for a bit of a snack
You better watch out for that shadow lingering over your back

The werewolves ready their voices now
For when the sky darkens they will begin to holler and howl

Monsters of every shape, size and kind are said to come out
Scaring the children making them scream and shout

The witches cackle and ready their brew
On the hunt for a lizard, a toad and a rat or two

Don’t worry, there’s nothing really to fear
It’s just that time of the year

When all things spooky and unknown come out to play
Causing chaos and fright all night and day!

I love this time of the year when the breeze turns cold
When candy is free and spooky stories are told.

All Hallows its coming soon….
What was that, that just flew past the moon!

All Hallows

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Today’s Wise Words

Well as I made my way into work this morning I was listening to the radio an Pink’s song “F’ ing Perfect” came on and it got me thinking about how we all, at some point and time in our lives do exactly what she says in her song. We allow ourselves to feel inferior and we allow those feelings to get us down.

We allow ourselves to feel this way. It’s not something others make us do.. the decision to feel “less than” is ours. It’s those little voices in our head .. nothing at all to do with the other person. We allow it. For whatever reason.. we do this to ourselves. Sure there are those that don’t help matters.. they see that we do this to ourselves and they take advantage and behave in a way that makes us continue doing it even more. Still… at the end of the day it is we, that do it to ourselves.

I was going to write a long blog about this and explain how I have done it as well and at times still struggle with those voices…. I was going to tell you all about my experiences in abusive relationships and how I managed to get out of that seemingly never-ending loop of abuse.

But then….. I was browsing my Facebook wall and came upon this video and thought … you know what… let’s get out of our heads today and have some fun instead. These guys are sure entertaining.. lol.. I know it started my day with a smile .. I hope it will yours as well.

ENJOY!

New Blog Addition

For those of you who don’t know… I’ve created another blog that is geared toward Halloween only. Check it out at http://simplyhalloween.wordpress.com/

It will contain how-to’s for Halloween props and decorations along with some Halloween poems, stories and other fun stuff and ideas!

Halloween is my favorite day of the year and has been since I was a kid. It’s that one day a year where you can be as crazy as you want and let your imgination soar, so of course it’s my all time favorite!

I hope you take a moment to stop by and have a look around. There isn’t much there at the moment but over the next few weeks it will be growing.

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Wind Dancer – Stained Glass Panel

Wind Dancer

Last weekend I started a new stained glass piece titled : Wind Dancer

She is so near being finished now.. This weekend I was able to get her all pieced togather … now all she needs is some putty.. some patina, polish and framing.

Here’s a short video of my progress 🙂 ENJOY!

The Blue Jay’s Surprise!

hee hee.. I just couldn’t help myself.. photos taken this morning in my back yard after filling the bird feeders.

The thrill of a good scare!

Well.. I just can’t help myself.. I have to tell you all about one of my secret loves… ok well to some it’s not a secret .. hahahahaha

I absolutely LOVE scaring the crap out of people. I know .. crazy right??? LOL

I use to design and create and work in haunted houses.. this began when I was a teenager .. I have always loved Halloween and would always go all out decorating and getting into character and ok so I still do …

Halloween is the one day of the year that you can become whatever in the world you wish to be and it’s ok! The weird looks and tilted heads are all part of it.

So now that you have a bit of the history I have to tell you about what just happened.. hee hee

I was standing on my back deck really quiet and still trying to capture some bird photographs. I had taken a few earlier this morning … and still had not gotten rid of the bug.. so I grabbed my camera and went back out to try and capture the humming birds playing in the back yard.

Suddenly this little girl comes riding through my yard on her bike.. completely unaware that I was standing there just a few feet from her on my deck. She gets near the edge of my property when she suddenly spots me. She does a double take.. stops and with a confused look on her face does a little wave. I’m still trying to be very still and quiet to capture the birds and so I slowly raise my hand to wave back without speaking a word. This really freaks her out and she nails it in high gear and takes off! hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa

You guys really should have seen her face… giggles…

I bet she thinks twice about taking the short-cut through our yard again! hahahahahaha

Not only did I get some great pics of the humming birds.. I scared the crap out of some kid.. can it get much better?? LOL

Happy Haunting!!
Raventalker

Toast of Music City

For the Past 3 years I have been in a local contest that’s held each year called The Toast of Music City

Last year I came in 2nd place for Best Local Artist in the Visual Arts Category … I would be honored if you would take a moment to sign up to the site this year and vote for me… just click the button below to enter the site and vote. You can vote every day for the next few weeks. I’ll also be in teh Best Blog category as well and will post the lin as soon as it shows up on the site. Thank you all for your help 🙂 … Fingers crossed this year we get a win!

A Facebook Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the land of Facebook
Not a creature was stirring, not even a spammer or a crook;

The statuses were posted on the wall for all to see,
In hopes that a friend or two would reply… ok maybe three;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of “what presents will I get” danced in their heads;

Me in my pj’s just about ready to call it a night
Not a Facebook friend in sight,

When out of the blue a notice appeared before my eyes,
I sprang to attention to see what and who has replied.

I opened a new window like a flash,
So the game I was playing wouldn’t crash.

The moon through the window casting a magical glow
Gave the lustre of gold to this addiction we all know,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Friends popping up online everywhere!,

With a little click of the mouse, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment this Facebook addiction was sick.

More rapid than eagles it courses through my veins,
It beckons and calls out my name;

“Now, Bear! now, WolfDancer! now, Christy, Ruth and Pattie!
Ahhhhh, without my online friends I’d be even more batty!

To the top of the page! to the top of the wall!
Here’s a brand new status for you all

I’m waving hello .. can’t you see
Ok then, here’s a new profile picture of me

So to all my friends, I send a message or two,
Sending love and blessings for a Year brand new.

And then, in a twinkling, I send out a little rhyme
Thank you all for being my friends here at Christmas time!

As I sat in my chair and was turning around,
The hubby stood there shaking his head and making not a sound

He was dressed in his pjs and ready for bed,
And stood there just shaking his head;

He said let’s go – its time to hit the sack,
I said ok love, and to my friends on Facebook I left a brb (be right back)

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
I followed him quickly to bed

To all my friends I finish this rhyme I write
With a “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Fall Leaf Roses – Craft of the Day

>The how-to in the link below isn’t in english but is shows step by step instructions so easy to follow… and what a great idea!!!! Love these!

http://www.lobzik.pri.ee/modules/news/article.php?storyid=244

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Craft of the Day – Critter Nuts!

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Hahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa found these online and they are so cute I just had to share this as my craft of the day … checkout the photo.

Now I gotta go fight the squirrels over some nuts!!!

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Corn Husk Dolls – Craft of the Day

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Corn Husk Dolls are a great holiday craft that you can incorporate into just about any holiday … they can become an angel, a pilgrim or indian, they can be a patriot, a loving couple for valentines, etc .. whatever you can imagine you can create ..

You can get as simple or complax as you wish with your corn husk dolls…
add wings and they become angels and fairies… go dark and give them a pointy hat and a broom and they become a witch .. like I said let your imagination take you away and create something beautiful today!

here is a link below for a simple how-to … Google some photo samples of different dolls to help you with ideas.

http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-make-corn-husk-dolls.html

Many Blessings,