Cynipid

I also like the idea of making angry cries and moans as I search through my clean laundry to find them...

The inside of a clothes dryer with 3 wool dryer balls each with a anguished/angry face.

I've been modifying wool dryer balls and it has been extremely therapeutic given everything. I wanted to share these in case others think this coping method might help them. FYI felting involves stabbing the piece repeatedly with serrated needles that make a very satisfying crunch sound.

Ah! There's the beautiful desert that tried to kill me 😍🥲

The top right photo is amazing and exactly what I remember the morning after I almost died. My photo from that morning does not do that desert justice so I'm hoping I could purchase a copy. I didn't see it in your shop though.

Her name was technically Saraneth but we always just called her Kitten.

A tiny, brown, spotted tiger shorthair kitten. She has white toes and is looking innocently up at the camera while sitting next to the toy she destroyed. The remains of the toy are some scattered feathers, and a long furry rope attached to a stick. There is a large black and gray backpack in the lower left corner of the photo.

She will forever be Kitten.

2010-2026
Sleep sweet baby, my dearest Kitten.

A view of the entire habitat. This cubby has black oak leaves, Spanish moss, and mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Around the bottom of the cubby there are gnarled branches with leathery, dry leaves that are embroidered with copper thread in various patterns. The back wall had a chalkboard with a deer skull hanging above it and the corners have shelves with specimens and books about Biology/Morphology. In the center there is a table with specimens fire examination. There are two thin dolls next to the table with mushroom heads, tattered wings, and human-like teeth. They are enjoying a book together.

This view gives a better view of the things on the back wall and on the table.

This view shows the beautiful smiles of the tooth fairies (you may be thankful if you can't see the details.... Their toothy-grins will haunt the dreams of many who can - remember, they are standing underneath mistletoe.)

I ended up further modifying my tooth fairy habitat. I have plans for a few more improvements but I think they are pretty happy for now.

This is why I avoid doing odonates in stained glass. ⬆️ complexity = more solder, more copper, more grinding, and the piece would have to be huge to capture all the veins. To avoid the insanity I only do small ones so that the texture of the glass can provide enough of an impression of wing venation.

Ugh... The memories of shaking on the hospital floor humming random sounds because I had to make noise as an outlet for the pain. It was an unrelenting, constant, deep pain that I'll always remember.

... getting worse by the minute. The rash didn't show up for another 18 hrs but l was in the hospital by this point because the pain was so bad. I still have permanent nerve damage in that shoulder and to this day if I let myself get too stressed the nerve pain returns to haunt me.

You do not want shingles!! To add to the shingles experience stories: I had it during my PhD and when it first hit (I was in a meeting with my advisor) my body went into fight or flight mode because the pain was so bad. I'm talking heart racing, can't hold still, pure panic because the pain was...

That's my best guess as well.

Dying to know which nudi will get the centerfold. However I do like the idea of a "Coffee Table Book of Perfectly Decent Nudis"

They generally look confused and disappointed when I actually have an answer but its name is 9 syllables long and they didn't recognize any of the words that just came out of my mouth.

This would make a spectacular coffee table book. I'm so in love 😍

An adorable gray and white cat face poking out between some fake leaves inside of a basket.

Look at this stupid face! Stupidest face ever. So cute, it hurts...

I hope this shared pain has improved your day.

4 photos of a gray and white cat looking at bugs on the ceiling. The cat has a lowercase "i" on its chest and matching spots on his inner front ankles.

Inigo: 💭 bugs...👀

Three sets of wooden earrings carved from oak. The top set are hoop-shaped with the bottom outer edge with projecting teeth like a serrated knife. The middle set has extensions hanging downwards that give it a comb-like appearance. The bottom has overlapping rounded plates hanging downwards.

I have a new addition to my collection of earrings based on the forms of insect antennae. I started with serrate; then I did pectinate. The latter were my favorite and recently broke so I am recarving them and also did this lamellate set (bottom pair). Loving them!

I'll talk to Chuck Harp... He might be able to find a source for more leaves and if it's for the Lep Soc I know he'll be persistent. He could probably also bring them to the meeting since he's generally involved with the planning/set-up

I'm always up for people sending pressed leaves for their own bookmark.

If you have a source/supplier then I can definitely do my part to create the bookmarks. I'm thinking that this type of bookmark might be more of a limited quantity type of thing unless I happen to find a lab that regularly discards leaves with serpentine mines that is willing to partner with me.

The wasp paper bookmarks are easier for higher volumes. Anything with leaf mines is completely dependent on suppliers (1) existing, (2) being willing/able to collect the leaves, and (3) the insects need to exist on properties where we can obtain permission to collect.

Thank you! The other side has more mines. I tend to get distracted from reading and end up staring at the leafmines instead.

The label said red creek.

I'm interested in acquiring zigzag feeding damage on leaves for similar projects so let me know if anyone knows of a good source!

A hand holding a bookmark. The bookmark is mostly green since it is made using leaves that have leaf mines from insects. There is a thin leather cord attached to the top of the bookmark and it holds a teardrop-shaped piece of jasper.

Trying out an alternative to the usual black tassel that I attach to my bookmarks. I love the color contrast compared to my leafminer bookmark. I absolutely adore this bookmark and I hope to eventually make more. Good, serpentine leaf mines are sometimes hard to find in high concentrations.

Two small embroidery hoops with colorful embroidered beetles on black fabric. The left one is gold with yellow, orange, and red. The one on the right is silver with three shades of teal.

Finished a gold version of the chrysomelid beetle. I need to make the back covers but otherwise I'm done with these two. Tortoise beetles will be next.

A collage of 4 photos with a buff-colored cat sitting in a basket with pink pumpkins in the foreground and fake oak leaves in the background. The cat is looking at the photographer in the top left and bottom right photos. The to right shows the cat chewing on the background. Bottom left shows the cat looking anywhere except at the camera.

Much better! Kept the leaves, got rid of distracting ribbons and twigs.

A buff-colored kitty crouched behind a wreath that is surrounded by pink pumpkins. The background is a work wall and trim with wood floors. The wreath is made of oak leaves in autumn colors and is adorned with things like brass-colored acorns, pine cones, and ribbons. The naughty little kitty is chewing on one of the ribbons and is therefore making an odd face.

He despises the pumpkins that we grew in his honor so I need the wreath to keep him sitting amongst them. However, he refuses to NOT chew on the wreath so I give up for now on trying to get a cute photo for the vet clinic's annual calendar. We will do this every year for the rest of his life.

Another of my cats realizes the TV is a source of distraction and likes to scratch at the surface when he wants to get our attention. The others have not cared for TVs.

One is very sensitive to when the music in shows builds in intensity. Another has a boyfriend (the squirrel thing from the movie "Ice Age") that she adores and kisses on the screen. She also has a favorite series intro (Versailles) that she is consistently mesmerized by.