My strange little hobby
Meet my little friends.
Riding The Drama Llama!
No one touches my dollies!
It gets stranger still.........
Two things I love in life are playing with my collection of miniatures and playing with the little toads which take over my garden every summer. Last year I realized that the toadies were just about the right size to enjoy playing in my dollhouse. So, put 2 and 2 together, and you can come up with some really wild and wonderful photo ops.
A bumper crop
.......or how to have fun while removing dozens of toads from windowells
Last summer we had a bumper crop of biblical proportions around here. At least twice a day we'd need to clear them out of our window wells. Dozens and dozens of tiny babies. I can't complain too much - it was a lot of fun to see them everywhere!
Most of them were so tiny! I couldn't resist a quick shot of one with my wedding band!
The little ones reminded me of the focal stone on one of my pendants - a perfect match, don't you think?
Be Careful
Some toads have glands on their backs or necks which contain toxin. Be careful handling any toad until you know if they could harm you or not!
Candygram..........
Tricks Of The Trade
Handy Tips If You'd Like To Make Your Own Pix.
- Have your "scene" set up before hand
- Have a helper to place the toad in the scene
- Rule of thumb - medium sized ones are the calmest and easiest to work with. The teenie ones are kind of spazzy and the bigger ones loose patience quick.
- Toads are easiest to catch just after sunset. Look under the porch, around the house foundation, and in areas where there may be slugs (yummy toad treats).
- If you want to attract toads to areas where you can find them. Leave the porch light on - the light attracts insects, and the insects attract toads.
- Be sure to handle them gently. They won't be very cooperative if they're scared of you or angry.
- Release them back to the spot where you found them.
TINKLES
Common Garden Toads will reflexively urinate shortly after being picked up. When you pick one up, hold it gently away from your body until it empties its bladder.
Build A Toad Abode
Attract little friends to your garden this summer
Toads do not care for the heat of the sun and will often snooze during the day under stepping stones, bushy plants, or anywhere else shady and cool. To make them feel welcome in your garden you can scatter around houses for them. The cheapest and easiest way to make a toad house is to use a plain terracotta pot with a door broken out of the side. Then just set it upside-down in a heavily vegetated area for them. I usually scatter plain shallow dishes around under my plants too. The dishes collect water so they can find a refreshing drink.
Abodes for Toads
Attract toads to your yard
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Frog and Toad Watching with Grandma
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Learn how to choose the best site for frogwatching and other ways to make the most of your frogwatching time. Frog watching is a great way to teach your grandchildren about conservation. Join frogwatch and learm the basics and you can help scien...
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Dark and Noble Ravens
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....while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "'Tis some visitor," I muttered,...
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Cane Toads
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102 Cane Toads were brought to Australia in 1935 to help control cane beetles. The toads did not reduce the number of beetles at all. But they did take over most of the areas that they were introduced to and have developed into a major and deadly p...
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Frogs Or Toads?
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A frog usually has smooth, moist, skin, is slimy and jumps, and spends most of their lives in or near water. A toad tends to be dry, warty-looking and walks, and spends more time living on land. A group of frogs is called an army, while a...
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DJD Designs Miniature Magic
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A World of miniature magic. I've set up this lens to showcase the items of eBay seller jamnatmat, *DJD* Designs, and her work in one of a kind miniatures for dollhouses and displays. These handmade, unique items are truly special and this seller has...
These toadies are available on Cafe Press!
Women's Tank Top
Price: 20.00 
Infant Bodysuit
Price: 12.99
Keepsake Box
Price: 24.99
Note Cards (Pk of 10)
Price: 12.49
Dog T-Shirt
Price: 18.99
IMPORTANT!!
No toads were harmed! I only use each toad for 20 minutes max and then they are set free back where I found them. They are not EVER forced into any positions, restrained, or mistreaded in any way. I love and respect these beautiful little ones and feel blessed that they live in my garden!!
Stories To Share
All About Toads
From Wikipedia
__NOTOC__
Category: Image - :Fowler's toad Bufo fowleri.jpg|thumb|left|One example of a "toad", Bufo fowleri.
Category: File - :Male and Female Frog in Amplexus.JPG|thumb|right|A male and female common toad in amplexus. The black strands are eggs.
Category: Image - :Camouflaged_toad.jpg|thumb|left|A camouflaged toad
Category: Image - :Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0423-019, Erdkröte.jpg|thumb|A toad attempts amplexus with the nearest object.
A toad can refer to a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura. A distinction is often made between frogs and toads by their appearance, prompted by the convergent adaptation among so-called "toads" to dry habitats. Many "toads" have leathery skin for better water retention, and brown coloration for camouflage. They also tend to burrow. However, these adaptations are not reliable indicators of its ancestry. Because taxonomy reflects only evolutionary relationships, any distinction between frogs and toads is irrelevant to their classification.
For instance, many members of the frog families Bombinatoridae, Discoglossidae, Pelobatidae, Rhinophrynidae, Scaphiopodidae, and some species from the Microhylidae family are commonly called "toads". However, the only family exclusively given the common name "toad" is Bufonidae, or the "true toads". Some "true frogs" of the genus Rana have also adapted to burrowing habitats, while a bufonid species in the genus Atelopus are conversely known by the common name "harlequin frogs". Similarly to frogs, toads also display metamorphosis from tadpole to sexually mature adult.
Be careful of toads launching themselves at your jewelry!
What's The Difference
Toad or Frog??
Surprisingly enough, toads are actually just a type of frog. Generally, toads spend more time out of the water than other frogs, and toads may have drier and bumpier skin, whereas "frogs" are usually noted for their smooth, wet skin.
Even toads get the munchies..........
My wife has some explaining to do
Out-takes
Looking behind the curtain........
Here's my favorite link:
The Banker Always Wins
Places to check out
- Homeopathic Consultations
- My job. Otherwise known as "what I'm doing when I'm not playing around with dollhouses and toads".
I do online holistic constultations and flower essence blends. - Wyrding Studios
- If you like my pendants as much as the toads did, check out my favorite jewelry artisans on the web. Wyrding Studios does gorgeous work and I'm quite addicted to it!
- The Frog Lover's Catalog
- Everything under the sun, from jewelry to housewares. All featuring frog and toad designs.
- Frogs and Toads
- What's the difference? From AllAboutFrogs.org
- Lush Cosmetics
- Lush makes wonderful bath and body products. They are famous for their huge "bath bombs". Since I always have Lush on hand, I've used many of their products as props.
Don't Try To Blend In
I Love Animals
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The Tawny Frogmouth
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A weird and wonderful bird from Down Under, the Tawny Frogmouth is so fun to watch. With it's owl-like body and frog-like mouth, this bird is like no other. A native to Australia, the rest of us need to be content with viewing this amazing creature i...
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Bull Snakes - Gentle Helpers
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Many people may be terrified of snakes, but there's really no need to fear these guys. Bull Snakes (also called Gopher snakes) are docile and do our habitats a great service by keeping down vermin populations. They eat mice, rats, rabbits, and prairi...
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The Western Meadowlark
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The Western Meadowlark has one of the most beautiful and melodious mating calls of all North American birds. They also happen to possess uncomparably beautiful breast plumage in shades of sunshine that only nature could create. I look forward to the...
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Prairie Dogs of the Plains
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They may be pests in some places, and the prairie dog towns stretching for miles in every direction have just about disappeared from the west, but these furry little critters still entertain and enchant us. Prairie Dogs are part of our heritage in th...
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Holistic Health for Pets
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Help your furry or feathered or scaled companions in times of stress or ill health with homeopathic remedies and flower essences. Many people have successfully used flower essences to help deal with fearful pets, dogs who have problems being home alo...
Tell me what you think!
JaguarJulie wrote...
Wow! What an interesting lens -- yes, please design me something with horns and a tail and a pitchfork. ;) Maybe fallen angel would be an interesting lens idea? Hope it is just a glitch--hate to be unceremoniously dumped ya know. My Catholic upbringing and all. Oh, feel free to delete this. Ta ta.
Posted October 27, 2008
twoofakindphotography wrote...
This was such a cute lens. I couldn't stop smiling.
Posted October 19, 2008
AndyPo wrote...
Great fun lens. I do like toads. I found a very cute one sitting on my parent's door-step last weekend in rainy northern England.
Posted October 16, 2008
beeobrien wrote...
Great photos and text. We have a ton of toads here too. The dogs nudge them with their noses, but get scared when the toad jumps. Amazingly, the dogs never hurt the toads.
Posted October 02, 2008
Wyzard wrote...
This is great work. I don't have dollhouses, but I've always wondered what a non artist could do for cafe press products. I think I'll let the wildlife help me too. Oh and I have lots and lots of toads that visit me at work in the cabinet shop.
Posted September 17, 2008
Raise Your Own Froggies
Planet Frog - $ 21.99
Create an amazing live frog habitat. Watch as tadpoles turn into frogs then swim in the pond and explore the surrounding rain forest. Includes order form to receive tadpoles by mail. Ages 6+.
