Rejuvenated and Inspired

Lake side
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

Finally back to this blog after such a long time away.
I found our vacation in Florida very relaxing and inspiring. I did not realize I needed a time away, but found it gave me a new view of my little piece of the world.

I've lots of plans for working with textiles again. I find myself tiring of working with glass. I need to expand my glass work or move on. I'll see which way it evolves.

Tagged. Twice.

Both Christie of The Blooming Wildflowers Project and Tricia of Carried Away have tagged me in a blog photo game.


The rules of the tag are this:
1. Go to your first photo file.
2. Scroll to the 10th photo.
3. Post the photo and story behind it.
4. Tag 5 or more people.


Since I had two tags at the same time, I decided to post the 10th & 11th photos. Above is the 10th photo. It was taken about 3 years ago, maybe 4. It is a trailing african violet which I purchased from The Violet Barn, the first year they exhibited at the Hartford, Connecticut Spring Garden Expo. The variety is named Chantaspring. I really love trailers, especially the miniature varieties. Those who grow them for show, will prune and trim them, keeping all leaves at the same height, dense without showing any soil, and training them to grow in a circle. I let them ramble and trail any which way. If you want to learn more about them or just enjoy photos of amazingly grown trailers click this link.


















The 11th photo was taken at the same time. It is another more traditional african violet in full bloom.
















I'm adding this 3rd photo to show how my little trailer looks today. It just had a few blossoms, and is getting ready to bloom a bit more. It is always blooming. Check out the new crown that has begun growing left of the cat figurine.


I'm tagging:
Scrivener's Retreat
***Island Dream Life***
Howlin Hounds
Magenta Rivers
Dream Dog Paintings-On the Easel

The Pet Boutique blog featured this Frums Glass Menagerie necklace today. I love this blog. It is a super, one stop shopping, source for finding unique pet and animal themed items. Thanks Angela for featuring my necklace. An extra bonus is the exposure the Etsy Beagles team will get from the link in my necklace description.

The Etsy Beagles Team invites everyone to check out our Hearts and Hounds team challenge and blog giveaway:
http://etsybeagles.blogspot.com/2010/02/etsy-beagles-hearts-and-hounds-team.html

Ferret Lovers Jewelry

I've been inspired to create a few items that a ferret lover might like.

I found myself wondering how long ferrets have been pets in the United States. I did a little internet searching and discovered they were pretty rare in the U.S. until the '80s.

It was the mid to late eighties when I was visiting my parents, probably home from college, and I helped reunite a ferret to it's owner. I was in the garage with the door wide open, when in strolled a ferret. It was obviously someone's pet. It came up to me and had no fear. The closest neighbor was about 5 acres away and a busy 3 lane road bordered one side of the property. Long story short, the little guy belonged to a neighbor, who was very happy to have it's safe return.

An Italian Cat

What a life this kitty has. To think it may have 9 lives. I wonder if it would spend them all here in this corner of the world.


I recently finished this pendant and was happy with the way it came together. My glass fusing process is either well thought out or a mishmash of various glass pieces. I prefer not thinking about it, as it is fun to be surprised when opening the kiln. This combination of glass was thrown together without any thought. I did not like it much when it came out of the kiln. That dislike changed, once I fused on the gold cat.

It reminded me of my trip to visit my husband's family in Northern Italy. With a bit more thought, I realized it was the rich red color, the orange, the gold that reminded me of tile roofs, buildings, and the traditional venetian colors used in textiles, on walls, etc. The blues and grays are like the sky and stone. The photo above was taken in the city of Bassano del Grappa, in the veneto providence. We were on the street just east of the meandering river that runs through the city.

You can easily learn about the city's long history and beauty with just a few clicks, so I will not ramble on and on about that. You might want to click this link to see one photo taken from the landmark wooden bridge of the city. The cat in the photo above lives along that river.

I wonder if it appreciates how fortunate it is.

Welcoming the New Year...

Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

...with legumes?

My father, now 82, was raised in New York State, to parents of Dutch/German/Swedish descent. As a child, his Mom would wake he and his sister at the stroke of midnight, to usher in the New Year by eating lentil soup. Can you imagine? While I like most legumes, in moderation, I am grateful my parents did not perpetuate this tradition.

Discussing family traditions among online friends tweaked my interest. I spent some time looking up what is found on the New Year's Day table and the origins of these foods. To name a few; legumes resemble money or coins, thus eating them brings good luck and fortune. Likewise for greens. Pigs forage for their food by moving forward, so eating pork moves one forward in the New Year. Cows stand still and birds move backward and forward, so stay away from beef and poultry.

Breaking personal traditions, I made red lentil soup for New Year's Day. I saved a few lentils to photograph my first pendant of 2010. The white sighthound is taking time to smell a flower. I'm hoping everyone enjoys a healthy and happy new year.

Featured in a Treasury

I love Etsy's Treasury feature. I enjoy curating them and love to search through the collections others have put together. Fair warning: Treasuries can be very addictive!

Frums Glass Menagerie was featured in a pet themed treasury. Natalie of Shriever's Retreat included my cat necklace. Natalie titled the treasury Your Best Friend, with the subtitle, Show the world your love for your pet with these great gifts for you. I love how so many people can use the same theme and find a totally unique collection. I wish I needed a baby gift. I would buy the cute parakeet shoes. The hamsters created using peanuts as a mold are just too much. The artist also makes tiny pink babies. I might have to buy those little hamsters for my niece and nephews. Many thanks to Natalie. As I've said before, with all the tons of stuff flooding the internet, being featured is always an honor.

For those that do not know, treasuries are lists of 16 items each that Etsy members pick out. These lists last for three days each and may have a common theme, color, or may just be items the curator admires. The curator can change the items often in those 3 days or not. The front page of Etsy is picked from the various treasuries curated by the members.

Bobcat on Christmas Eve

Bobcat
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

It was on the far corner of the property, contrasting so nicely against the white snow, sniffing an evergreen tree. For an instant, the flicker of white under it's tail made me think I was seeing a deer. No, couldn't be. Wrong body shape and size. Was it a coyote? No. It was heavier than the coyotes I've seen recently, and again, the wrong body shape.
It was a large bobcat. It was out for a relaxing walk, smelling trees and bushes on the way, enjoying the sunset of Christmas Eve. It walked closer and closer, coming about 15 feet from the patio. I thought it would see our mad scramble for binoculars and cameras. If it did, it certainly wasn't fearful.

It was so cool to watch this big guy for a few minutes. We're all still talking about how huge it was compared to others we have seen through the years.

Our Annual Holiday Photo Card

holiday card 2009 photo shoot9
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

Hoping everyone has an awesome holiday with family, friends, and furkids!

eat, laugh, snuggle, and be merry...

Ferret Love

Tropical Ferret Pendant
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

Today Frums Glass Menagerie was featured on Scrivener's Retreat blog. We are so grateful to be featured. With all the stuff to be found on the internet, having something of mine featured is really an honor. Thank you.

I will be making more ferret pendants soon. I'm hoping to finish a full body ferret design too. Love the idea of painted Oscars and guppies too. Click here to visit Scrivener's Retreat Etsy Shop.
This ferret stuffie is available at Scrivener's Ferret. In this talented ferret lover's shop, you find some fun pet toys. They'd also make great human collectibles. I love the ratties. My dogs would love the drumstick, chicken wings, and the T-bone steak. As someone who has fed my dogs a BARF diet (i.e. raw chicken wings), it would pretty fun to see them running around the house with stuffie wings.
Check out Scrivener's Retreat by visiting her shop and her blog (links above).

A recent story of ferret love and the joy animals bring to our lives:

I met a man in the waiting room of our veterinarian's office. He was an elderly man who has a small, cream colored ferret in his arms. They were there to have it's nails trimmed. Sweet Pea and this little ferret enjoyed getting close and sniffing one another.

The man shared with me, that his wife had recently passed on. He told me of the many ways the little ferret showed how much it really missed the woman. It was a heartbreaking conversation learning the details of his years with his wife, and how he and the ferret missed her. It was also very heartwarming that the
ferret gave him so much joy, love, and comfort, helping with his grief.

Snowman and Corgi

Snowman Corgi
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

This snowman and corgi was created for my Etsy Beagle Team challenge. The theme was Happy Howl-i-Days. http://etsybeagles.blogspot.com/

Mary of Misobel on Etsy.com featured my snowman on her blog:
http://misobelstudio.blogspot.com/2009/12/cute-snowman-edition.html

It was fun to find my necklace featured among so many other wonderful handcrafted snowman.

Woodland Dachshund

Woodland Dachshund
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

This is the third finished pendant of my Woodland Pets Series. This little dog got tired of playing with it's red ball and is catching a few Zzzz's beneath a couple a birch trees.

I wonder what dreams are dancing in that little head?

Sleeps With Iggies

Sleeps With Iggies
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

I have been playing with a new fused glass technique. I've been having fun thinking of various sayings that could go on a pendant, personalized dog tags, and a lot of non dog related items too. My mind always has lots of ideas...little time to actually sit down and make them happen.

Any words or sayings you'd like to see?


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a r t 4 m i l k b o n e s - a girl & her dogs: Custom Needle Felted Dog Giveaway!

I found a great give way that is easy to sign up for and perfect for pet lovers like myself.
Imagine winning a custom felted sculpture of your dog.

I just love the felting that is currently being done by talented artists, such as You Call The Dog. I really have to resist spending money on roving and needle felting tools. The wool loving, fiber artist in me so wants to give it a try.

a r t 4 m i l k b o n e s - a girl & her dogs: Custom Needle Felted Dog Giveaway!

Glass Donations to Italian Greyhound Rescue

Glass Donations to Italian Greyhound Rescue
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

We had a great time shopping for glass this weekend. I found lots of fun stuff at our community's annual tag sale. I really like the size and color of the blue wine glasses. After I decorate them, I may never part with them.

Our weather was gorgeous. Perfect for some apple picking and hiking with the dogs.

New Designs from Frums Glass

New Designs from FGM August 20, 2009
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

Also in the design process:
1. Yorkie
2. Wire hair Dachshund
3. Short hair Doxie
4. A pair of sitting Italian Greyhounds
5. Persian Cat
6. Some fun sayings

Welcome Guests

Fawn among birch trees Pendant
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

Turn up the volume on your speakers and join this Texas breakfast. It is a cool video that I must admit, reminds me of breakfast, lunch, and dinners with my pack of four sighthounds. I'm not sure why? The long slender necks? The willingness to join us for some of our food?
Click here and pull up a chair.

Banana Blossom

Banana Flower
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

We have been growing this banana plant for two years. We plant it in our Connecticut garden each summer, then drag it inside to winter in a pot. It has been so exciting to watch it flower.
I wonder if we'll ever see a banana.

What's in the kiln today?

What's in the kiln today?
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

A quick photo before closing the kiln for firing my paintings. Some are in final kiln processing, others are in the early stages, and face many more firings. Dachshunds, a Burmese and Sphinx cat, a Llama, Great Danes, and Corgi too. I will be another 12 hours before I can peek and see if all worked as I had planned.

Greyhound Lighthouse Necklace

Greyhound Lighthouse Necklace
Originally uploaded by Frums Glass Menagerie

This necklace will be auctioned on Ebay, beginning Friday, August 7th, with 100% proceeds going to East Coast Italian Greyhound Rescue. They will be helping to transport four 10 year old italian greyhounds, who were in a kill shelter in one of the southern states.

The four dogs had been with the same elderly man since puppy hood. When he lost his home and had to live in his car, the dogs went to a friend, who ultimately got tired of them, and sent them to the shelter.

God bless the rescuers who have helped them and the loving people who will ultimately adopt them. Thoughts and prayers to the elderly man who had to give them up.

Sure wish we could squeeze another senior hound into our home.