Happy Monday! Look what I found today. Yes, it might be considered gruesome but I find it fascinating. The little creature died last fall and decomposed over the winter next to the house. This morning I happened to be attaching the garden hose and found it. Quite a nifty decomposition! One front leg is missing along with a few other bits but its almost a complete articulation. In it’s previous life it must have been either a mouse or shrew. Right now it’s bound for some quality freezer time to kill off any little unseen critters. I should probably place the bat I found last fall in there too. The bat was totally desiccated, having spent 8 months on a heat vent. Poor thing. One of my dear friends, Carol Chapel, creates amazing drawings using dead animals & birds. No, she doesn’t kill any of the critters herself! Currently there is a show featuring her work at the Arts Center or you can check her website for other images. I highly recommend catching the exhibit before it leaves. The Structure of Nature also features Leah Wilson. Go see it if you’re in the area!
Lamp update and more: The bases have been produced and almost completed. I’ve modified my design in a couple of ways to make it easier to clip the lamp part into place from below. Several new forstner bits were required (they give a flat bottom to the drill shaft). Black walnut stain, a couple of coats of polyurethane and sanding, and it’s about done. I’m ready to move on to something else. I wasn’t expecting to be dealing with house offers, but that seems to be on the plate for this week too. I’ll also be signing a contract for a new job. Not anything earth shattering, but a little extra income will be appreciated. I’ll be working for my favorite people at The Arts Center (from my home computer).
Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog 
What a find! I love skeletons, bones etc, and have a large collection of skulls, seven of them on my desk at the moment! They offer such opportunities for really explorative drawing. Recently I found a bird’s skull with some spine still attached, so am planning a large drawing of it, but will put it in the garden for the ants to clean up for me first. Sounds like your life is very busy at the moment!