Caterpillar Chrysalis

Last year a caterpillar did a lot of eating on our Desert Rose and I was wondering whether we'd get any more this year.  A few days later I spotted one, and then another, and this is the story so far...

                                                                Yummy Desert Rose!

                                                             First one starts the process.

Dangle Dangle.  It spent the afternoon like this.

Next day.

The second one decided there was just one good spot on the plant. I told the second one that it should not mess with the first one.  It did not listen.

Dangle dangle. 

No. 2 next to no. 1

A couple of days later. 

Pretty little things.

Devastated!  The first one came loose of the leaf and is hanging by thread and then I noticed a hole in it!  Someone ate the little butterfly.  The other one is still looking okay an I am waiting patiently for it to emerge. They are meant to be in the chrysalis for about 2 weeks...it has been almost 3.  So perhaps they are both lost?  I wonder if the recent stormy weather has been a factor. 

These are Common Crow butterfly Chrysalises and are common on Oleander.  My Nana used to have these on her Oleander.  I still scour the Oleander looking for them when I go over to her house.

I love seeing bugs on our plants.  This is why you have plants, to have these beautiful bugs.

Success?

You might already be reading Create and Thrive.  If you aren't I strongly recommend it if you have a handmade business.  This week Jess (blog owner) asked about success in this blog post. Lately I am all over the place with my handmade work, not necessasrily in creativity or creating, or what I am making, but more in how I am feeling about my business and my work in general.  Reading this blog is helping me, a little at a time, to get myself back togther.  This "success" question has really made me think and I am going to put together a little list of what success means to me.  

I Make Stuff

I really like to make things.  I spend most of my time hard at work making something.  I mostly make Anatomy-like this Skin hoop, but I also like to make cute things, quirky things, fun things, edible things and more.

Sometimes I post guides to how I have put something together.  You can find a few little instruction manuals to some of what I do over at Instructables.

Here is me http://www.instructables.com/member/organgrinder/  I even won a little prize for my Terrarium

Instructable.  Yay!

You can even find me teaching some workshops with Hands On Brisbane (in fact I coordinate this program).  But you will more than likely find me learning new crafts at Hands On Brisbane.  Learning new things is my favourite thing about this program.

Hands On Brisbane is held in Brisbane, Australia.Find info here http://www.bleedingheart.com.au/handsonbrisbane/

Our new program will launch quite soon.  We've got Screen Printing, Terrariums, Shrinky Dinks, Block Printing, Stamp Making and much much more.

Little Diorama

I whipped up this little diorama today from a Richard Scarry book and glue.  The little box is made by paper folding (origami) and the details are all cut out of the book.

It is always nice to spend a little time doing something that is not anatomy though I am now thinking about what I can do with anatomy and a little box.  I would really like to learn to work with watercolours and design some of my own little scenes.  This little box will take up home on my desk where I can see it daily and try to think about something I can do. Nature and science and anatomy inspired, of course ;)

Sticky Date Pudding

I love dates!  The fresh ones are one of the best things in life, but at about $3 for 7 or 8 of them I don't buy them much.  Packed dates often have a few dates that are not so good and can ruin the entire date experience. 

The perfect solution is to use the packed dates to make Sticky Date Pudding.  The recipe for this one was found on Pinterest, here http://pinterest.com/pin/297237644127016541/  Pinterest is a great recipe resource.

This pudding was accompanied by a Treacle sauce instead of the usual caramel.  The treacle sauce is 2 tbsp treacle in a saucepan, heating, add 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp butter and let those dissolve. Then add approx 2tbsp cream, stir through and warm.  Let everyone get their own sauce :)

THE BEST! 

What I did today.

Thursdays are my full day off work and I try to use them as effectively as I can to get work done for Your Organ Grinder.  These days I sit at my desk and watch my tiny little tv.  Today my viewing was "Cheese Slices,"  the tv series about cheese, and Escape From New York, the movie with Kurt Russel as Snake Plisskin and, of course, my regular viewing, Prisoner, the 80's aussie drama set in a womens prison.

During my work time I started adding anatomy to a HUGE bear I am working on for someone, sketched an archaeoptryx and worked on some hearts.

How do you spend your making days?

Feeding the Geese

My Partner and I have started taking chicken seed down to the pond near his place.  We have been feeding it to the geese who very quickly realised what the shaking container means.

Almost instantly a couple of them ate from our hands. The other ducks and birds in the area also come over for some seed, including my favourites, the wood ducks.

During the horrible weather last weekend, one of the geese was injured and has since disappeared.  Before that a duck (pet looking duck) was also hanging out in their group.  He has also disappeared.  So just the 3 geese now.

They are very funny when they hiss, bob their heads, and waggle their tails.  Anyone know what these displays are all about?