Elise Creations & Passions

Friday, February 14, 2025

Happy Valentine's Day!

Bleeding Hearts

Alpaca Love

Bozet and Allie at Moon Acre Farm

You can see more of my creations at:

linktr.ee/elisecreations

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Friday, February 7, 2025

Birds Dining

Chickadee In Flight

The sun came out today, so I fed the birds and did some birdwatching.

NutHatch and a Chickadee Dining Together

Robins Feasting on dried fruit.

Some Robins do migrate in winter and many remain in the same place year-round. During the winter months robins gather together into huge flocks, sometimes numbering hundreds or even thousands of birds, flying around in these flocks in search of fruit. When they find it, the whole flock will descend and strip every berry from the trees and shrubs that they find, often in a single afternoon.

Hens

Nuthatch & Finch

Titmice

Robin Eating Crab Apples

Gold Finches

Worms For Lunch

My photographs are available for purchase

You can see more of my creations at:

linktr.ee/elisecreations

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Bird Houses & Sculptures

South Hero Bird House Forest

Champ Hanging Out With The Birds

Champ & T Rex In The South Hero Bird House Forest.

Located in the swamps just north of Whites Beach, near the roadside, are hundreds of brilliantly colored Bird Houses that hang from the many hardwood trees in the thick marshland. According to the owners of the birdhouses, "Well, as you can see, we’re surrounded by swamp” he said, gesturing to the swamps surrounding his house. “So there are a lot of mosquitoes here, Or at least there were before we put these up.” The bird houses are home to tree swallows, and tree swallows eat mosquitoes. “They make it so me and my wife can sit outside on the lawn in the evening and enjoy ourselves. We don’t get eaten alive.” He started this project 25 years ago, with only 20 bird houses. His wife was the one who convinced him to paint them the striking bold colors. After a year, he went to check on them and found that each one was occupied. So he built more. Now he has over 400 of them. Asked if he was planning on building more. “We’ll see” he said chuckling.

As of 2019 I hear there are now over 800 of them.

Bird House Fence

Clever Birdhouse idea.

How to repurpose a damaged tree.

"Embrace and Belonging"

was designed by sculptor Ai Qiu Hopen, and features two vertical steel sheets, intricately cut with images of birds, symbolizing the Sankofa bird. The Sankofa is a popular symbol in Ghana, representing a need to reflect on the past to build a successful future. This sculpture celebrating equity and inclusion stands in Dewey Park in the Old North End.

My photographs are available for purchase

You can see more of my creations at:

linktr.ee/elisecreations

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!
© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

My Cozy Shawls & Shrugs

Here's a shawl I made that is wonderful, warm, soft, and cozy, especially this time of year. This shawl is Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise). Yes, that is me holding the Shawl on one of our few sunny, warmer, winter days.

by @elisecreations The yarn is Lion Brand Scarfie acrylic & wool. The pattern was adapted from the Pop-Up Shawl by @wilmawestenberg : https://wilmade.com/pop-up-shawl

I made this one(in these first 2 photos)m for myself and wear it often.

To purchase this shawl go to:

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/black-white-gray-triangular-crocheted-shawl

Here's a Rectangular Open Weave Shawl, made with the same yarn that can also be warn as a scarf.

This Rectangular Open Weave, hand crocheted Shawl, made with the same yarn that can also be warn as a scarf.

$75.

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/rectangular-shawl-in-black-white-gray-crocheted-shawl

Blue And Teal Anna Lucia Shawl

Blue And Teal Ana Lucia Shawl

The yarn I used for these Ana Lucia Shawls is, Lion Brand Heartland acrylic yarn.

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/crocheted-triangular-shawl-blue-with-tealThe pattern was adapted from the Anna Lucia Shawl by @wilmawestenberg

Teal Ana Lucia Shawl With Black Tassels

Sold

Teal And Blue Ana Lucia Shawl

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/teal-with-blue-crocheted-triangular-shawl

Teal With Blue Crocheted Ana Lucia Shawl

This thick, wonderful, warm, soft, and cozy, hand crocheted, Triangular, Teal And Blue Ana Lucia Shawl is made with Lion Brand Heartland acrylic yarn. This shawl is Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise). Yes, that is me holding and modeling the Shawl. The pattern was adapted from the Anna Lucia Shawl by @wilmawestenberg

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/teal-with-blue-crocheted-triangular-shawl

Shrugs are like a cross between a sweater and a shawl and these are Bolero style.

Tilda Shrug in Black & White

is wonderful, warm, soft, and cozy, especially this time of year.

This shawl is Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise).

by @elisecreations The yarn is Lion Brand Scarfie acrylic & wool.

The pattern was adapted from the Tilda Shrug by rachel misner of https://www.eandpcrochet.com/the-tilda-shrug-crochet-pattern/

Tilda Shrug in Taupe & Cream

is wonderful, warm, soft, and cozy, especially this time of year.

This shawl is Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise).

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/taupe-white-cream-triangular-shrug-crocheted-shawl

by @elisecreations The yarn is Lion Brand Scarfie acrylic & wool.

The pattern was adapted from the Tilda Shrug by rachel misner of https://www.eandpcrochet.com/the-tilda-shrug-crochet-pattern/

For proper care, Wash by hand and lay flat to dry to protect the shape and lifespan of your handmade item. Avoid harsh cleaners. Do Not machine wash.

Please note that these are handmade, so it is normal and expected to notice some slight variation in the color of the yarn. This adds charm and character to your handmade item.

Created in a smoke-free and scent free environment.

My Site is a work in progress, so check for updates soon.

Here's the link to where you can purchase my creations:

My photographs are available for purchase
You can see more of my creations at:

linktr.ee/elisecreations
or
https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite
Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!
© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks.
Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Western Monarch Day

Monarch Butterfly On Bee Balm in honor of Western Monarch Day, February 5.

Monarch butterfly alert: There are concerns about the alarming decline of the western monarch population, which has plummeted by 95%, from more than 10 million in the 1980s to less than 30,000 in 2018. Insects can bounce back quickly when conditions improve, but unfortunately the numbers were not any better in 2019. A recent census of the wintering sites along the California coast revealed mostly empty trees once festooned with monarchs. The decline is due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and drought triggered by climate change. None of us can turn around those big trends individually, but what each of us can do is make our backyards and public spaces more attractive to monarchs by planting the right milkweed plants. Plant, and they will come! Monarchs can’t survive without milkweed. They need it to lay their eggs on and their caterpillars only eat milkweed plants. The monarch butterfly population is in danger because milkweed plants are disappearing, due to loss of habitat stemming from land development and the widespread spraying of weed killer on the fields where they live. We can help monarchs by growing milkweed in our yards, fields, and gardens.

Monarch On Young Crabapples 
Danaus plexippus

Monarch Butterfly On Echinacea

Monarch Butterfly On Purple Loostrife

Monarch Butterfly On Purple Loosetrife

Whatever they say about it being invasive, I still think it's pretty. It is not nearly as destructive to habitats as it is often made out to be and it has a bunch of medicinal uses. There is a fascinating article about it at: http://www.herbcraft.org/loosestrife.html

Monarch On White Zinnia

They say that the name Butterfly is of unknown origin, but I believe that they were originally called Flutterbys, as I like to call them, and that someone (perhaps a child), probably mispronounced it, and it stuck. They are fascinating creatures who take to the air on gossamer wings. They've come to symbolize metamorphosis. These remarkable pollinators display a diversity of colors and patterns.