Happy New Year

This guy above is still available

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After 10 years, my collection of Sea people is complete, thanks to the kindness of Deb Taylor, the artist, who took the time to read my daughter's request and to create the Sea "Ladies" in order to surprise me at Christmas. You can see from the photo that it worked. Thank ;you so much Deb."

Well Christmas is over, we are ready for 2012, bring it on already..welcome to a new day and year.

I am pleased to say that all my hard work before Christmas paid off, I have been given some great feedback from Clients and recipients read above, Thank you all so much, you have no idea how wonderful it is to hear good things about what you make for others, it makes it all so worthwhile, while paying a few bills as well. But, to be totally honest I get more of a charge from creating that special something then so much the selling, don't get me wrong, the selling part is great, but,my heart overflows with joy at putting a smile on faces.Here is a photo of one such person who received a surprise from her daughter who tracked me down before Christmas and worked with me to make her Mom a couple of our Sea People figurines also see above which are now added to her already collection which she bought on her travels a few years back in the Maritimes. Lovely when this happens.

Most of my Needle Felted figures are sold as well, this interesting fellow above is still here, as well as a Mermaid waiting on a new home, I was surprised he didn't go, maybe he is here waiting for YOU!! Soon I will have to start preparing for Summer ,hard to be thinking about that when we have not had any snow yet but a fact none the less. I am sure we will get hit with some snow this season some time, we always do but with Global Warming our South Shore is just that, very South in climate these past few years.Before Christmas I had a lot of Dog needle felting commissions and again Happy to say that I have received great word at how well they were received as gifts, Thank you all again for your patronage.

My bike has been put away for the Winter, well I should add I had her out for a ride on Christmas Day, it was a nice sunny day and I enjoyed my regular route with only slightly frozen cheeks. These days I have to take the car to our new fittness center which is way further then the old one for me, the old one only being 2 blocks from my home ,which made taking my bike everyday last Winter long easy. The new fitness center is wonderful!!!with stat of the art equipment that is so user friendly it makes your workout I believe easier. I am enjoying it all and do believe it is best for my old tired body.

Santa brought me a Lap Top computer and as soon as I get her up and running, I will be starting my new Book, I will share more about this as I begin to write. My book"Lu Lu Belle the Happy Puppy" was very well received and I just recently had more copies published so anyone interested call or email me for a copy @$12.00.

Many plans are in mind regarding this coming Summer Season, sometimes I wonder why we go to bed so early,it might be because I never stop,I am fortunate to be able to create everyday and do what I LOVE. Thank you my Chuck for that, for he has always inspired and supported me as well as worked along with me all these years. When I think back of all the shows we did over the years ,all the wonderful people we worked with and sold to and just met and shared warm chats and hugs with,Wow!!!life is good. Thank you life!!

Happy New Year all you out there,be safe and Happy, make everyday count, let your hearts sing and rejoice with every breath you take.

Merry Christmas

Here is an up to date picture of us cleaned up and ready to hit the Town the other evening, of course evening for us these days is from 6:30 -10 PM ,then home to some mindless TV before bed to wake early the next morning as always. The other picture is of a Handmade Ceramic Santa set I am selling for $40.00 ,a great gift for that Santa collector in your life. I have a couple commission pieces to be picked up this week and have no other requests for the week. I can still do felted dogs or with in the next day or two if anyone out there wants one other then that I do have about 5 needle felted dog Pocket Pets left here,a Squirrel and two needle felted Fairy Elves and a Mermaid and my Children's Book for $12.00 as well of course paintings mostly on canvas. Anyone interested in visiting my studio/gallery can call 354-3690.We are in the last leg of this Christmas race and I am happy to say we have not been any further then this Town to shop, I dread to even think about what Bridgewater looks like these days.Soon the Jolly old Guy will be visiting all those excited Children young and old out there. And then it will be all over again until next year. Christmas should be everyday don't you think? Remember when we were young? me being just over 30 :-o a tad bit. When ribbon and hard candy in the buckets were a sight always seen, box's of Chocolate rained from the sky. Fruit cakes have been made for a couple Months and lay soaking in rum.We hung our personal socks instead of special store bought stockings, I remember when I finally graduated to an over the knee sock,hoping to receive even more inside it. Then Mom had a neighbor crochet us Christmas stockings one year and I still today have two of those socks and will always treasure them, but could never afford to fill them these days. Every Christmas it seemed we would receive a sleigh from Santa and would be able to go sledding on Christmas Day. My job yearly was to decorate the tree after Mom put the lights on it and putting the icicles on one at a time to then get tired and not really care so much but to just to get it done. I miss the old thicker icicles compared to the thin ones today.There was always one doll or a truck for the girl and boy in the family as well as a game for all to play.Another one of my jobs as a child growing up in our home was to wrap all the gifts that were being sent all over from us to Aunties and Uncles from away. Mom would buy all the tags ,Christmas stickers,ribbon that I requested .I so enjoyed wrapping these very simple gifts such as socks, underwear, slips and gloves in the finest fancy paper,when back then the paper may have cost more then the gift, can you imagine? Everyone sent out cards and I still did up to this year, it had to stop with all that is going on in the World and the paper ,paper and more paper being wasted. I only sent to a few that are not on the Internet,it is just the way it needed to be.

The sun is bright today and the air is crisp, I rode my bike to Town today to do a bit of last minute shopping and when I got home I put her,my bike in the barn for the Winter, she is parked and is now waiting for Spring ,when the Daffodil's will be blooming and the Black flies will awaken along with us after a Long Winters nap under a warm blanket. Missing our wood heat would be an understatement, I don't necessarily miss the wood splitting or lugging it in but if someone were here to do it for us, I believe I would remove some favorite furniture to make room for a wood stove. But enough of that dreaming, I don't think Santa will be bringing us a wood stove anymore. Which reminds me of the year that Chuck gave me a milk Cow for Christmas, a live Cow I might add, a big cow as well as a mild wonderful Family Cow, my Katie. She was so gentle that I could milk her one side while teaching a child to milk sitting on the other side. Going to the barn every Christmas eve to read the Christmas Story with the Animals all up and paying attention as if they were listening, and I believe they were. What a wonderful feeling to go out to the white washed warm ,clean barn on those evenings ,leaving the house in the wind and snow to then open the barn door and take your coat off to the warmth and wonderful smell of the Animals. We would joke when it was Chucks turn to cook nights I would disappear off to the barn and would rather be there then in the kitchen. Well my darling Katie and all her Farm Friend's kept our blood pressure down except when chasing them through the woods when we would have what we called fencing failures. A lot of times our fence would have spots where a deer or bear would knock down a small section of it in the woods. There was work to be done and exercise came naturally which brings me to today and the fact we here in Liverpool have a new Fitness center with a lovely Arena and gym ,walking trail etc. etc. I am signed up and looking forward to it. Staying alive or trying to at least.

So I will be off to sit and do nothing, did I say that? Me doing nothing? I am sure I could find something to do,but why not take a break and smell the roses or should I say Poinsettias.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2012 to all who read this.

The Cat is now out of the bag..

The Cat being this painting of some of my fellow Gym members with our Gym Manager in the center in red. I have had this painting on and off my easel for almost a year ,keeping it secret except for a few seeing it. She knew I was working on something but had no idea it eventually was to be given to her on her retirement.After finding out that she was retiring and not going on to the New fitness center to work but only to work out. I decided it should be hers.My plan and reason in the very beginning for doing the painting was to have it made into blank greeting cards and I may still do that. I have small 5x7 matted prints here of this painting I am selling for $5.00 but the original painting I hope will be appreciated by a very deserving Person. Thank you from us all. The new fitness center will be opening before Christmas this year. I am signed on until July 2012,I dread the longer distance from here ,right now I am maybe 2 blocks from my morning workout, I get on my bike and blink and I am there,what will I do? Maybe those days when the roads aren't the best I will attempt to walk instead of taking the car, sounds easy but isn't for me, I workout, bike as well do some easy yoga and still walking any distance is very difficult for me,bad arthritis, so wish me luck with the new walking trail at the new Queens fitness center and it's shock absorbent track I hope to conquer my little problem. So if you see a feeble old Lady walking with two walking sticks across the Bridge mornings why,that might be me:-) I am Woman ,I am strong!!!yeah!!easy to say :-)

Last night we had our gym Christmas ,goodbye /retirement party ,Liz was presented the painting and the dancing began, we left rather early.I danced twice ,two beers and then home to a good nights sleep, I know how to party.

I have been needle felting everyday since the show last week, doing up dog pocket Pets for Folks to give as gifts, I love doing these Pets, especially from a photo of the dog because when looking at the picture I see the Spirit of the Animal and enjoy capturing it in wool. Today I am doing a sweet 10 year old, can't tell you of who,he is a gift. You should see them all lined up here waiting to go to their new homes. I love it.

My house because I have been so busy looks like a bomb went off, and now I have a new toilet in my change room waiting to be installed,always something. Bucks in bucks out..so anyone out there who is still looking for that unique affordable gift, let me know, I may have it here. I only have 3 of my books left as of today but will receive my latest printing early this week.

So off I go to have a quiet day of needle felting and TV.

Spirit and goodwill in the air.

This past weekend here in Liverpool Dec. 2,3 the streets were a buzz with people, young and old. For a Small struggling Town with it's recent news of the loss of jobs with the White Point fire and lay offs with Bowater Paper Mill we were surprised to see so much Spirit, amazing how true it is about hard times bringing People together understanding what is happening with the economy and knowing we have to support our local sheriff as I like to put it . There was standing room only at a few points in the Artisans Gift Gallery those two evenings,everybody had a smile and light in and on their Hearts and faces. We couldn't have wished for better weather. Hugs were being given freely old Friend's were reuniting ,new one's being made and good feeling and cheer were in the air. Saturday evening I anticipated a slower evening so came prepared with the words to Christmas Carols thinking we could do a sing along Christmas Karaoke thing to entertain ourselves if it were slow, it could have been fun.But not the case or needed because there was a steady flow of people in and out all evening long. So to all those who worked at putting this together , you did a great service for our Town as well as those of us there selling. I for one believe the town maybe needed this and it responded by attending. Folks saw what the so many talented People in our area have to offer, I myself was so impressed with what I saw there , not doing shows anymore these days I have been out of the loop and to get all of this Local talent in one room..here in our Town ,Wow!!!we all know where to find what we are looking for without leaving home. As well being with all you fellow Artisans was so inspiring and we had a lot of great laughs. Thank you all very much Merry Christmas, best in 2012, we will survive and be stronger.


I personally had a great show, thank you all and even had a lovely lady call me the next morning to tell me how happy she was with her purchase, I have said it before many times ,it is always nice to meet the Artist who's work you buy as well it is so nice for the Artist to meet the Person who Loves the piece as much as you who created it. Again thank you .


My feltings sold well but I do still have a couple interesting characters left one being a needle felted Santa scene a Mermaid as well as paintings ,antique barnboard painted Santa's that hang on a wall inside or out. Santa Clause small hookings. Anything here in my Studio/Gallery with the exception of a few canvas paintings will be still offered under my this years Christmas Special..I decided to do this when I heard of the job losses in the area and thought I would pass along a savings ,we all can benefit and you get to give an original and unique piece of art and I get to be warm this Winter :-)


So if you saw something at the show that interested you or if you would like to see what I do have here as well as my Children's Book Lu Lu Belle the Happy Puppy email me or call 354-3690 and I would be happy to be here for you .


Now on a different note ,lets talk just plan get in the Spirit of Christmas!!! our home is quite small and compact ,and like the recently past warm weekend when Chuck banned me and my drums to play outside on the deck ,when he ,so he thought wanted to watch Star Wars Movies after the second funeral in a week we had been to and I wanted to rejoice in life and he in mindless movies. At Christmas time he often wishes we had heat in our out building because I start singing Christmas Carols out of the blue, I can't help myself , anyway not so much because of bad singing I hope ,for I am sure I must be great...:-) but that he has no where to get away and watch TV ,being the one TV in the house , well often he will change his mind and join in with me, do you think maybe it has something to do with a small house and who wins out? Speaking of that , joining in ,makes me think of years ago when I lived in Lunenburg , I lived on Pelham Street just one block up from the water front and the streets went up hill from that, I was walking home one night from work near Christmas and I could hear the most wonderful voices Caroling from the streets above, as I walked along I would look up when at the street crossings and sure enough I saw them ,it was a group of 8 -12 people dressed in Period garb ,circa 17th century,they were not only pleasant to listen to but to look at as well . For years I have wanted to do this , so anyone out there who may be interested even if not for this year , it may be a bit late but some work could be done for next year, "Joy to the World"


I found a couple what I call props today at Frenchy's our local second hand clothing outlet for my Needle feltings , I get so excited when I find these little treasures that give me ideas as to what can and will be done with them.

Above is a picture of my Mermaid I have here for sale and a photo from the day I read my book to Hillview Acres, it was a wonderful good feeling day.
So off I go to relax and let my sugar Plums out to float.