Wednesday, May 30, 2012

It simply makes your Heart Sing!!

 And what this title says is so true when working and sharing energy with young and old. Very rewarding and uplifting with what one gets back from enjoying such wonderful  spirit from these great People. Last week Chuck and I went to Hillsview Acres Seniors home with drums and rhythm instruments to share some good music and  fun with the residents. We have been there before reading my book above photo and introducing the dogs from the book with them. This time we went with music in mind and we were very happy with the response we received from all who joined in which come second set ,we had all but two playing and singing. It's so special to see many who I remember as a child growing up here in Liverpool. People who remember my Mom and family , and so cute to hear some of them refer to me as Little Debbie..maybe not so Little anymore.But still Debbie. At first there were a few who said"No I don't drum ,I will just watch and listen" ,well that didn't last for long, we reeled them in and we all had a blast!!! as you can see in these photos.
I lost my Mom when she was only 53, and whenever I do something like this I feel her approval and know I am doing what and living the life she would want me to live. She was a wonderful Woman who was friend's with all and she always shared a smile and a laugh and joke with all she met. I am Happy to carry her torch!! Maybe someday someone will share their time energy and hearts with me when I need it, as I am receiving now from all my new and old friend's.
Art lessons with my young Students and drumming with Seniors has made my time busy lately, but I did get another Needle Felted Beach Babe done. May I introduce you to "Summerville Beach Bum" I love needle felting and capturing the Character I am looking for. Whether it be one of my NF dogs or a person.
Today we will be working on the set for a fund raiser at the Astor Theatre this Sat. June 2nd. There will be readings from various Local Authors with Children in attendance and Music and song from our young Girl's Choir from here in town. It should be a wonderful evening again this weekend at our busy local Theatre here in our not so sleepy little Town.
And to top everything off, Summer will begin this Sunday for us when our Dear Summer resident friend's arrive back home here for the Summer. So much to catch up on and so many fun times ahead. Flowers are blooming and so are hearts and minds in prep for a great Summer Season. Feel the warmth and Love of days to come.Life is short and priceless. "seize the day!!" "Carpe Diam" Have a super day and days ahead.And...don't forget to LAUGH!!!all the time!!!!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Mother's Day and Art



Happy Mothers Day all you busy ,wonderful Mom's out there. The weather promises to be good and so do all your Children by giving you all the Love and Hugs any Mom can hope for.
 I have been very busy getting ready for our upcoming show this Friday and Saturday May 18,19 on Main Street here in Liverpool. Above is a picture of  four of my dogs just recently finished and I hope to get a chance to complete a few more before the show as well I will have with me at the show my book,paintings, needle felted Characters and something new for me"Funk Funk Jewelry".
Now having mentioned Mother's Day ,above you can see my enthusiastic young art Student's hard at work creating their first painting with me and then below with another young friend joining us the other day to make necklaces for their Mom's for Mother's Day. I had to wait to write about these wonderful creations because as the old sayings go..."Mom's the word" and we couldn't "let the Cat out of the bag" before Mom's big day.
There is nothing better then seeing the smiles on these young faces ,so pleased with what they made and very deserving because of all their focused dedication and hard work on every project they do. The Smiles say it all. Not once have I heard from these bright Children the words" I can't do that" they have no fear of failing in their artistic abilities because there is no failing in anything to do with making and creating,everything we make ourselves is a piece of art even a beautiful yummy birthday cake or delicious meal of any kind. It's all art, everything around us is art ,art is in everything we see and do. Life gives us the ability to create and build whether with a tool or thought to be written on paper. Life is art, we only need to open our hearts, minds and eyes to see it. Good job Ladies I hope your Mom's are as happy with their treats as I was working with you making them.
Monday is the last day  for the volenteer reading program at Wickwire School and I will be taking my Book "Lu Lu Belle The Happy puppy " and will have my group of Children read it to me. I thought they would appriciate and may be inspired with the fact that I wrote and illistrated the book myself. When I read it to the Mill Village School I was thrilled to hear all the stories from the Children ,about their pets and how they wanted to write a special book about the wonderful things in their lives. I can only hope to inspire, for I was inspired by some wonderful People in my past and am so Thankful for their energy and talent.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Another felting done

Yes I am busy,very busy and still plenty of work to be done and soon. For the upcoming show and season. Yes this is all I talk about of late. So here is a shot of my again latest needle felting ,Good Ole Girl, Knitter.I decided not to do my fisherman until I find him a better boat or a lobster trap. I will be working on finding something soon for sure . But in the meantime I will be making another beach Babe" Floridian" to replace the one who just left for Ottawa.All of my Needle Felted Dogs that I had in stock are in Mill village for sale at the River Bank store along with about 6 of my paintings. So ,I must start dogs as well.
Today I have my Girl's come for their art lesson and we have a third young Lady joining us for the first time. We will finish up our Mother's Day gift for their Mom's and then next week we will start again doing drawing and painting. But today is felt jewelry. The boy's on Wednesday are painting a lighthouse and they should be finishing up this weekend if I can get them to focus. Cute how they feel more comfortable with me now and like to get up and look about the Gallery with excitement at the thought of their next painting. but,we need to finish what we start first. Yesterday I was at the school for the reading program and saw a few of my young Friend's there. I love it when they spot me, I am always received with the brightest of smiles and when they see me for the first time there, they come running up to me,my eager young friend's. Today before the Girl's arrive I will be starting another felting,stay tuned for an update. Now for less writing and more work with a barbed needle.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Latest needle feltings

Spring is here and I have been so incredibly busy of late and honestly feel my head is spinning. As the old saying goes ,too many irons in the fire....but!!!why not as I sometimes have said before in the past..as long as I get my sleep I can push on  having fun doing what I Love. So, I have been poking up a storm these past Months needle felting and happily most if not all were commissions or sold right away.Just today I had paintings leave to their Summer locations in hopes of selling, so all is good , but sadly I need to make stock ahead and ready for the Summer Season and upcoming Artisans Show during the Liverpool International Theatre Festival May 16 -20 , we actually have things in the works but as always those finishing touches  ..the Artisan's show will be on Main Street in the old Value Plus store  Fri. 2-7 May 18 and Sat. May 19 10-7. So a bitter sweet moment indeed as I sell these fun pieces and happy to see them appreciated and loved as I feel making them,  putting my all into them. I so enjoy watching them come to life  and like knowing they have gone on to good loving homes and that they are putting a smile on someones face. Also my hopes are to weather permitting sell in the Liverpool water front park, and if not sell ....for sure have a few laughs with fellow vendors and folks coming by. Not like years ago us doing all the Craft markets throughout the Maritimes ,the Craft Circuit we would call it. Sleeping in tents or someones attics. Oh the stories and the times, we were like Gypsies  back then. and I believe our Son is better off for it.
Here are my two latest  needle feltings  . In the bathing suit is another one of my series Beach Babe's "SOLD". Then sometime ago I found this wonderful handmade wheelbarrow, not knowing at the time what I would use it for but knowing I would,low and behold meet my Amish Gentleman.  I watched a Hoarders show a while back and I laughed and was scared at the same time saying "I think I am a Hoarder!!" then I said"But we always make stuff out of what we bring home." and then I answered myself within seconds of saying that "But they all say that!!" :-( well I do hope to use all I collect, I am having fun trying to.
My plan next is to do my Fisherman I spoke of earlier , I had the request for a Beach Babe when I was to start him and the Beach Babe won out.
My art lessons with the Kids are going great, cute how they are getting to know me and are a bit more comfortable  wanting to talk and take time to look around the gallery and ask me questions...which is all fine and dandy , but if we want to get any work done ,we need to focus, I caught myself today sounding like a school teacher ,"now focus boy's."..I laughed and said "well now you have been hearing that all day at shool haven't you?.." so we always take a half way snack break and go over what we did so far and chat a bit. No one can tell me the children of today are missing out on anything, no way was I or anyone I know as smart as these young people are when we were  their age. Then again they do have the Internet at their finger tips, when I think about it I 'm smarter today because of this thing I sit at. LOL who knew??..



Well enough for today, I must tidy up from a creative ,busy week and get ready to take a wall out here in this tiny house..OK anyone who knows us will wonder ? what wall? you will see..nothing big. Just another thing. Oh, on one last note...we are puppy sitting for a couple of weeks the Border Collie ..picture above..who I wrote my Childrens book about "Lu Lu Belle the Happy Puppy", it has been a little bit since I have spent any time with her ,guess what? she is as Happy today as she was when  I first wrote the book about her. I will have  copies of my book available this Summer here at home 902-354-3690 ,at the artisans show as well as a couple other locations I will post here at a later date.