The Mice Will Play

This week I got the very exciting news that I was chosen as one of 5 participants (+1 guest) to be a part of Truly Nolen's Mouse Car Parade!

If you live in South Florida and you see the parade this Saturday (July 24th) wave to us (and if you're on Twitter follow the event at #MousecarParade.

In honor of this event, I am dedicating the rest of my week's posts to pests - creepy, crawly, scurrying and yet somehow kinda cute pests.  And since I get to ride around in a life size mouse this weekend - today is all about Mice.

See - mice can be cute...at least in "The Pest" Series Etchings by Achiozza. 

The chicest mouse I have ever seen.  The Cosmic Mouse Ring by RFXStudios on Etsy.

 

The House of Mouse makes absolutely irresistible felt mice. I am especially taken with Anakin Skywalker Mouse (above) and Hannibal Lecter Mouse (below). 

Getting married?

Straight from the U.K., you can even have mice as your wedding cake topper:

However, if we're talking edible mice (who would ever think I would be saying that...), I think this cupcake by Martha Stewart (tutorial on Bunny Cakes) is perfect. Though almost too adorable to eat. 

And finally...

Have Your Ever Seen Such A Sight In Your Life?

Three Blind Mice caught and mounted just for you by Craft Sleuth.

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The Good Old Summertime

June 1st is officially noted as being "Children's Day" or "Stand Up for Children Day" both in the United Stated as well as internationally and yet this is the first year that I even knew about it.  Believe me I would have exploited it for gifts somehow back when I was a kid. For me, June 1st marks the start of summer and so today I have for you a variety of summer themed items for children:

Paola Lakimi captures all the best parts of summer in this sweet print.

You can't go wrong with this monkey in a teeny weeny pink bikini from Twinkle Kids 2.

 

Ensure your baby's cool factor with this felt Surfs Up Mobile by Pink Perch. 

For hippie kid chic, no one does it better than Art & Soul. I don't have kids yet, but I buy gifts here all the time. Everything is unique and absolutely precious.

What is better than spending a summer day relaxing in a hammock? Robyna's ZaZa Recycled Baby and Children's Hammocks are upcycled using vintage fabrics are a calming summer treat.

And finally, while I normally try to promote small businesses and handcrafted items, I am in love with Pottery Barn Kid's Beach Ball Sprinkler Toy and I just have to share it with you. 

I kind of want one....or three....in the corner of my yard for my BBQ party...

 

It's Treasury Thursday Tax Day!

Did you ever notice that when you put the words "The" and "IRS" together, it spells "THEIRS?" ~Author Unknown

Happy April 15th everyone. Last year Playboy model turned crafter Britt Savage created this dress out of shredded tax forms:

Today's Etsy Treasury Thursday features some of this year's awesome tax inspired pieces:

Calculator Wrist Pincushion by Chrissypootwo $22

Glass Pendant Necklace by Ruth Miko $36

Party Paying Taxes Collage by Justabrenda $16

Felt Plush Burning Dollar and Wooden Dollar by Felted Chicken $60 each

Tax Time Folded Greeting Card by up up creative $3

Vintage 1950 Tax Reminder Glass Altered Art Necklace by Kimari Jewelry $18.98

Money Cufflinks by Little Angels Jewelry $11.99

The Accountant Illustrated Moleskin Notebook by noulu illustrations $25

Good luck on your taxes and take advantage of some of the great Tax Day Deals going on today.

 (list courtesy of Yahoo! Money). 

NOM, NOM, NOM

My parents gave us a crock pot this past weekend. In the time it took me to look up healthy slow cooker recipes, my husband had settled on a dinner of bbq pork with apples, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts and biscuits.  Healthy went out the window, but damn was it tasty. 

Of course now all I can think about is food. To curb my cravings I decided to forgo calories all together and instead binge on some diet friendly, stylish food fun. 

 Get stuffed without eating a bite. 

Go Buggy on Etsy.com (http://www.gobuggy.etsy.com/) makes charming felted and stuffed food. I am torn between the bucket of fish and the double skewers as my favorite, but I think the mushroom on the skewer is darling enough to take it to the top. 

2 Skwers by Go Buggy

People have said to use chopsticks to eat slower and therefore and help manage portion control. The problem is that I am not the most skilled at using chopsticks, and while I would love to eat sushi for lunch, I feel bad subjecting my coworkers to my eel roll flying across the table. Yes, I could do the Macgyver and tie a rubber band around some paper to anchor the sticks together - but World Wide Fred's CHIMPSTICKS are a much cuter way to go (http://www.worldwidefred.com/).

World Wide Fred's CHIMPSTICKS

Need a sugar fix but I don't want to undo the hard work at the gym? 

urn to some taste bud tantalizing food art.

Fresh99's Food Art:  http://www.fresh99.com/zoomed-in-food.htm

Art by Edith Zimmerman http://www.edithzimmerman.com/blog/

As seen on Damn Cool Pics http://damncoolpics.blogspot.com/2009/03/awesome-food-art.html

And just in time for my first cup of coffee - one of my all-time favorite blogs "A Beautiful Mess" (http://www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com/) showcased these yummy coffee cozies by my other favorite Twinkie Chan (http://www.twinkiechan.etsy.com/).

Coffee Cozies by Twinkie Chan

Have any of your own food crafts? I'd love to see them! Send a comment or email me at Prettyusefulstuff@yahoo.com.

 Follow Emily on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Emilyontheave