now this is the holiday spirit...

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/nypd-boots-homeless-man-photo-145219581.html

I don't do alot of "links" or "rants" here in this blog space but here is a story worth reading and passing on, the kind there should be more of in the news, the type of story that can help restore our faith in humanity. Kudos to the fine officer in this picture and best wishes to the man he was helping. How many people do you think noticed this mans situation but just kept walking... Too many is my guess. (click on the link above to have your "heart strings" tugged on a bit)

Jaxon in black & white

Michelle really captured Jaxon's silliness in these. He is very expressive and artistic in so many ways... Thanx Michelle, these will be treasured photos in our family! Crow's View Photography is located right here in Talkeetna but she will travel to the Valley, Anchorage and Girdwood to do photos shoots indoors or out and her specialty is pregnant mamas and new baby photos as well as family photos shoots. Leave a comment here if you want her info. or contact me with an email mountntopdesigns@yahoo.com
*a funny side note; Jax was the first Talkeetna resident Michelle met here. He was talking to her and her little boy thru a fence at the local brewery one day. I met her a few weeks later at the playground and she recognized Jax from her lunch that day at the brewery. Pretty funny, that was like 3 years ago now. Our boys are good buddies, Hawken refers to her older son by his full name, "my best friend Porter"  Love it!

Hawken in black & white

                                                                          

                                                                       

                                                                          

These are the photos my friend Michelle Crow took of the boys last winter when we went to her house for a playdate. She is an awesome photographer and also has 2 boys. I really love these black and white versions of the photo shoot. What a couple of handsome little boys huh?!  :0) Ok I made them so I'm bias but I know a few Grandmas that will agree with me for sure...

Fairy House

I did a craft show called "Enchanted Village" at a Waldorf inspired charter school in Anchorage last month. It was great, lots of cool stuff and nice families. I was also placed right next to a friend of mine who makes lovely pottery and awesome sundries. Well this little fairy house was just for fun and made with stuff I had around the house. The door, windows and acorn lamp are a set I bought for my shop that was built around a tree. I had them at the base of it, a huge Cottonwood. Anyway I guess I'm kind of a dork but alot of the kids, and adults, liked it. I just had it on display with my little fairy finger puppet propped up on a chop stick behind the door. Well here it is...

                                                                  

                                                                           

I created the log on watercolor paper, attached it to a base and glued moss around the bottom. I got tricky with strategically placed holes, string and tape to get the door, windows and acorn hanging in their spots. The top is covered with brown tissue paper and at the event a couple little boys picked up the chopstick with the little fairy on it and poked holes in the top. I kind of saw that coming and wasn't surprised but watching it happen was pretty amusing. I can add some more tissue over the top and patch it up if I so choose. It's fun but I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. May just have it out in my booth as a prop next summer, we'll see. More crafts in the works, so there's more to come...

Our Halloween

We braved some pretty strong chilly winds to go out trick-or-treating this year after an hour and a  half at the PTA's Harvest Carnival. Jax was a "Clone Trooper" and Hawk was "Super Man" I mean "Super Hawken" as he was calling himself that day.

There are two sides to every pumpkin...

so why leave one blank?

                                                                  

Happy Halloween!                                 

Tigger Lake Walk

I took Koda for a walk this morning at Tigger Lake. The sun was working on coming up, both the boys were at school and except for the chilly wind it was a peaceful morning walk. The water was high when the lake started to freeze so the dock and stairs are encased in ice for the duration of the winter. Here we go...