Art Challenge..and more..

I'll be joining the fun again over at "Mind Wide Open".

For the monthly art challenge there.

We are given an image to create anything with that we come up with...but given a 1 week timeline to do so.

My item is already completed and I'll be sharing that with you all soon.

Voting begins on August 8th for your favorite creation.

It will then be posted on the "Mind Wide Open" website..(see left side bar for link)

This month's challenge is titled "Secret"..using the image above.

Isn't it very pretty? Anyhow..we were to use the image and create something with it.

I like the item that I created, and will probably keep it for the new home..but I sure could stand to start creating some more items for my etsy shop though..but I like how this particular creation turned out.

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Speaking of etsy shops...

I have a couple of items that I have added to the shop(and will be adding more items soon)..one of which is a darling set of Art Noveau note cards.

Available at: http://www.gardengoosegifts.etsy.com/

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I found a few more wee items for the new house..even though I don't have my new house yet..but I have been on the look out for retro chicken themed items..they have to meet a certain look though..have to be from about the 50's/60's to fit the look I am going for.

Like this...I just found these 1960's candle holders on etsy..love them.

And...I'm still "Going Dutch"...

I have been looking for Dutch themed items still... a farm girl friend (Ronna) sent me a pair of wooden shoes with..get this...my name woodburned in the side...ha..she joked that sometimes she finds things that seem to have folks names on them..but this time it literally did!..how funny.

So she sent them to me along with another wooden shoe and a darling tulip print apron.

And I also found a 1960's set of Dutch children chalkware plaques with hooks.(shown here)

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I must admit..I have had fun finding these little treasures, and the nice thing about it..is it isn't cutting into the family budget at all to acquire my "new to me finds"

I simply use the funds from my etsy shop sales to fund my "treasure hunting".

I am looking forward to being able to decorate a new home with these nice older/vintagey type items.

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My cottage garden in the backyard has been mowed down now... waiting to see if it will spring back up with anything in the next few months..if not it probably will come Spring time.

Most all of my roses have been placed into pots along the fence that is the courtyard area.

The yard is now starting to look like "plain lawn" again.

In October I probably will hoe out the courtyard areas..they currently have been treated for any weeds and mowed down.

So the area is a "blank canvas"...but I'll probably hoe everything out of there and sprinkle a canister of wildflower seeds in those areas.

And come January and into spring....there will be pretty flowers in that area..which will be helpful for selling.

The vegetable garden is done now..we just have 2 rows of sweet potatoes to harvest in the next week or so...and the pear tree is literally straining under the weight of some very heavily fruited branches this year. We'll be collecting lots of pears soon also.

Then having to do some major tree pruning , so that the tree does not begin to split.

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Our backyard flock is thriving...the duck has become best friends with the youngest Ameracuana chicken named "Cinnamon" and they house together in a seperate pen ..the other chickens(Henny Penny and Goldie) haven't taken too keenly to the newest chicken..she is definitely the lowest on the pecking order..but the duck is her "guardian" and the duck will follow her everywhere and vice versa..they are quite the pair.

Always within a few feet of each other.

Anyhow..Cinnamon hasn't started laying eggs yet... she should begin around October.....

but the other two hens give us an egg a day.

We haven't had to buy eggs in quite a while..and we hope that this stays that way for quite some time.

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Have a great day!

~The Garden Goose~