***Commercial Break***

My friend Andromeda makes amazing things out of high polymer clay.  Things in the shape of octopuses, flowers, jellyfish, squids, clover - and whatever else your heart desires.  She does custom orders.  She has reasonable prices.  And I suspect she undercharges for shipping.

These treasures can be purchased at her Etsy shop "Octopus Stew". You can see a gallery of one-of-a-kind and sold items on her Facebook page. And "like" it while your there, why don't you.

Now, enjoy these pictures of things she's made for me!
(All images belong to Andromeda)

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/47281130

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/47281131

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/45609436/

Wheelbarrow

Last weekend we decided that it was time to get started on our 2011 garden.  So we went to Fred Meyer to get the necessary supplies: a heavy metal rake and a wheelbarrow.  Our chickens have been busily making nutritious composty soil for us all winter, so we planned to muck out their coop and move it to our raised beds in the front yard (where the sun likes to hang out).  We quickly found a decent cast-iron rake for $10.  But when we found the wheelbarrows the miser in me just about fainted.  Nearly $70 for a bucket with wheels?!!

So we built one.  Well, Boyfriend built one.  We had to buy a wheel - $2 from the Rebuilding Center.

Pretty sweet, right?  We're gonna paint it bright red with silver accents.

The fruits of our labor.  And yes, our raised beds are made from wine bottles.  And no, I didn't drink all that wine by myself.