Ugly Cat Rug

Thought I would show you some photos of the hooked rug that I designed while attending the Prairie Harvest Rug Hooking School which took place in September...I just pulled the last loop this week & have to say that I am pleased with how it turned out. It is a 24 inch by 19 inch mat & was hooked with hand-cut strips of as is wool & hand-dyed wool. I prefer hand-cutting my strips as it gives my rugs that old worn look. Last but not least, I bound the rug with rusty red wool strips...

 

The design of the cat changed a bit...in the beginning he didn't have a back leg, just a tail & his paws looked more like fingers...I pulled out quite a few strips & redid these areas so that I could give him a back leg & larger less finger-like front paws.

 

Over all I am happy with how this rug turned out but I would really welcome your thoughts & critiques.

I have been nursing a cold & rug hooking is such a warm cozy activity to do when you are feeling out of sorts...I find the repetition & the feel of the wool very comforting...just perfect for those down & out days.

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During the summer my husband & I booked a cruise & tomorrow we are leaving to fly down to Miami to meet up with my brother & his family...from there we are all boarding a biggg boat which will make its way down to Jamaica with stops in Mexico & Belize. My husband especially needs this trip as it will give him some time to recover from his dad's passing...a chance to unwind & get his smile back. I will have lots of pics & adventures to share with you upon our return.

Till then...

Susan

Feeling Blue

 

Feeling Blue

I have to say that life has overwhelmed me of late...I just feel the need to share...& maybe airing my thoughts will lighten the load that I feel.

My Father in-law passed away last week...he was a real character & his family will miss him terribly. He was married to Mary for 52 years & I can only imagine what it must be like to have someone disappear from your life after spending that much time together...

I love you Luigi...I will think of you often...& don't worry...we will look after Mary...promise!!!

A Note to my friends...thats you

I want thank everyone for all the kind words you have sent my way! 

It warms my heart to hear from you & I am truly blessed to have you all in my life!

I am also in the process of listing our home & am coming to grips that I will be moving again. My husband & I...after visiting Jasper National Park decided that we just can't live without the mountains we love...so we are relocating to the coastal town of Gibsons British Columbia...you might recall this name as it is the place where the old TV series the "Beach Combers was filmed. It is a bittersweet move as my parents live close by & I have made some very dear friends here in Saskatoon! 

Gibson's B.C. was recently voted as the best place to live in the world with a population under 20 000 people, it has a large artist's community with numerous festivals & art related businesses.

As for my current work...I am taking some time to myself & will be withdrawing from listing on the TDIPT Mercantile for a while. If I do have new pieces available for purchase they will be listed here on my blog, Etsy or EBay. I feel a real need to play a bit...explore some new mediums...time to spread my creative wings & grow a little bit.
Take care...I shall be back soon!
Warmly, Susan

Going away for a while

... just a short note ...

I will be away & won't be posting or creating any wee furries for the next while. My much loved father in-law has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer...

I am flying away to join my husband & his family...

to give them all the support they need...

I will return to creating & posting when my life & spirit feel it is time..

Till then...

Susan

Rug Hooking Camp

Prairie Harvest Rug Hooking School was so much fun...it seems that when like minded people get together you can literally  feel all that positive energy swirling about. There were all ages and abilities & everyone was more then happy to share their expertise. I met so many wonderful people & learned so much from all of them...it was truly an experience that I will never forget. This was my first year at rug camp & I believe it will not be my last...I will definitely be coming back next year.

Susan(ME) & my instructor Beatrice Grant, she taught us techniques in Traditional Primitive Rug Hooking. Bea was the best instructor, warm,inviting with years of experience to share with us.

 Below is my my friend Heather who took the beginners class. As you can see from that smile...I think she is in rug hooking heaven...

The two photos above are pictures of our Traditional Primitives class, everyone is busy hooking, cutting & color planning. Lots of chin wagging & laughter was had by all.

Above is a photo of the dining hall...we were given fresh veggies from the monk's gardens, as well as the best made from scratch cookies at coffee time & to top it all off ...who could ask for more...but a little Abby school shop with an espresso machine...lattes & rug hooking, what could be more perfect.

Prairie Harvest Rug Hooking School
St. Peter's Abbey, Muenster, SK
Dates: September 20 - Sept 25, 2009

Classes:

• Beginners/Find it Finish It - Lynne Howard
• Pictorials - Carolyn Clemens
• Wm Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement - Tanya Graham
• Fine Shading of Flowers - Ann Taylor
• Traditional Primitive - Beatrice Grant
  

Prairie Harvest Rug Hooking School 

A few examples of the hooked rugs that were on display.

 A wide array of hooking styles from fine shading, landscapes, primitives to pictorials. The amount of work & craftsmanship was readily apparent when I studied these rugs, a true inspiration to me.
Photos below.

 

New & Views & Our Trip to Jasper

Maligne Canyon above

It has been a very busy week for me since Dino & I arrived home from our trip to Jasper. It turned out to be the break we both needed; the weather cooperated & most of our days were filled with blue skies and sunshine. Needless to say we didn't want to come home & we kept asking ourselves, why did we ever move away from the mountains...when could we move back....& why, oh why, did we move to the prairies since we are both mountain people at heart? I guess you do things in life to get ahead & moving out of the mountains to the prairies was one of them.
Below is a photo of the Jasper town-site from the top of Whistler Mountain. You can take the tram up to the top & then hike to the summit...B E A U T I F U L...

We packed a lot into our little holiday...filling our time by hiking Maligne Canyon, taking in the hot springs & visiting the numerous waterfalls that are located through out this park. To be honest though it was the smell of the air in this wild place that will be my most treasured memory. You see, there was a freak windstorm a few days before we arrived and there were literally thousands of downed trees all over...which is sad, but Jasper has millions of trees so you didn't really notice them. But the smell of the air from all those broken trees was intoxicating...imagine the scent of your Christmas tree times a hundred combined with Sweet Birch and Juniper Berries & you will know what I am talking about. If only I could bottle that scent & bring it home....D E L E C T I B L E...

Every day we had a cozy fire while we sipped our morning coffee or had a of glass wine after a long day of hiking...pooped out & tired we hit our pillows each night with heavy heads and contented sighs...Z Z Z Z...
From the summit of Mount Whistler you can view alpine valleys & cloud shrouded peaks.

With our little holiday behind us I have been busy doing the write ups that will accompany the pieces I created for Stampington magazine for their publishing consideration. Now I have to sit back & wait...with positive thoughts & hopes that they will be well received. With shaky hands & heart pounding I sent my wee creations to California.
Home for a bit...& packing up again...going to attend my first Traditional Rug Hooking Camp which is taking place at the Abbey in Muenster, Saskatchewan...will take lots of photos to share with you later.
Last but not least, I am hoping to have a couple of new pieces for the TDIPT October 1st update but am not sure I will have enough time to complete them. I will post photos of them here should I get them done.
Till then, have a mice day!!!

Beautiful Blue Juniper Berries

Happy Fall Ya All Mouse

Adopted
My "Happy Fall" Mouse is a new design for me...first time I have made a mouse that has his head looking up at you, instead of being shy & looking down.. A simple change...but never the less it took a few tries & a few mice later until I was happy with this look. I have another design similar to this one but with a tilted head & a longer nose...but that is for another day.

This wool felt mouse is hand-painted with chenille stem feet, glass bead eyes & a suede tail. He is holding a metal wand that reads Happy Fall. I have perched him on a comfy hand-dyed wool cushion which is attached to a paper-mache box...I have covered the box with vintage fabric look scrapbook paper.

I have placed inside the box a small collection of old buttons, a rusty star, sewing bobbin, pins & needles.
To complete the look I have lovingly aged the box & given it a nice old patina with the use of crackled paint & a good dose of walnut stain.

This piece is 7" inches tall from the top of the wand to the bottom of the box & is all done up in wonderful fall colors that will warm your heart.

The price for this wee fall mouse is $85.00 US plus $12.00 US for shipping to anywhere in the US or Canada.
All my wee critters are shipped by airmail with insurance.
This is not a toy & is for adult use only.
If you should have any questions regarding this piece please feel free to email me as I would love to hear from you.
This item will be listed on the TDIPT Mercantile site the evening of August 31st.
Please come by the Tdipt Mercantile for a visit as there will be a lot of wonderful art created by a very talented group of women.
Thanks for popping by & have a wee wonderful day!!!
Warmly
Susan

Tdipt Marketplace Goody - Gooseberry Gus

Adopted

Hello & happy Saturday. Thought I would introduce you to Gooseberry Gus...one of my new fall creations which will be available for purchase on the TDIPT Mercantile website on Sept. 1st.
Download to take place on the evening of Aug. 31st for all you early bird looky Lous.

Gus is a hand-painted wool felt bunny with glass bead eyes & chenille stem feet, he has a needle-felted sheep's wool tail. This wee bunny is 5.5 inches long & 3 inches tall. He is sitting on two cushions made from quilters cotton & hand dyed wool. Both cushions have been embellished with lots of decorative stitching in a rather rustic style. LOL...rustic being about the only style I can manage! Around his wee bunny feet are blanket stitched wool leaves & a few glass beads which I chose because they looked so much like Gooseberries....

I have sewn a couple of wool felt pieces to the underside of the bottom cushion & finished off the piece with an old black button. The bottom cushion measures 5 inches in diameter...the entire piece is 6.5 inches tall from the tips of his wee bunny ears to the bottom of the lower cushion. Over all I think this piece would make a nice addition to your fall decorating scheme or you could place him in your sewing room as a pin-keep... I am sure Gus would love to keep you company.
Little Gus will be priced at $85.00 Us plus $12.00 Us for shipping to anywhere in the US or Canada.
Shipping price includes insurance.
This is not a toy & is for adult use only.
I am hoping to post photos of a couple of other pieces shortly.
Please feel free to email me if you should have any questions.
Thanks for popping by & have a great day!
Warmly
Susan

Delights & Disasters

Delights first...the other day a girlfriend & I traveled to Perdue, a very small Saskatchewan town about an hour outside of Saskatoon...there we found a real old gem of a bookstore...you know the ones you dream about, the ones where, as you walk up to the front door you spy stacks & stacks of books haphazardly & should I say precariously piled one upon the other...I am not exaggerating. I was in pure bliss the moment I walked in. Was it the dusty old book smell...the tantalizing colors of faded book covers that lined row upon row of shelves...the Piece De Resistance(pardon my French...it isn't so great)...the store owner could have walked out of a book himself...rather short...coke bottle glasses...mussy hair, baggy pants & a general air of quirkiness about him. He was a real character who's most endearing trait was the habit of having to push his coke bottle glasses back up his nose...as they promptly fell down every time he bent over to look for a book. He was a most knowledgeable host who knew exactly where to find what. My only regret is that I forgot my camera at home that day, next time I will take some photos.

I could have spent a fortune as there were rows of antique books...the farthest corners had little cob webs & places where some small creature had nibbled on a leather cover...a real museum of forgotten books. I did however come home with a few treasures. Directly above is a photo of a small grouping of antique miniature hymnals & well worn bibles...you can even feel & see where the owners thumb & fingers have worn the edges of the books from being held in church...that's what really got to me & why I had to have them...to me these well worn spots brought life to these books...gave them character & meaning...
I also found a few books from the early 1800's that are beautiful inside & out...the one with the Sunshine cover, as well as the little red one sitting on the other books is chalk full of beautiful prints & decorative fonts. Are they cutters or a keepers...I haven't decided yet...I am soooo bad at hoarding books that I promised myself I would use in my artwork...for now I am happy just to hold & look at them...
The photo sitting on the book is my grandma.

One last tidbit...
I am very pleased to say that I have completed the set of critters that I want to send in to be considered for publication...it has been a real whirlwind of creative activity around here & it feels so good to get them done & be satisfied with the way they turned out.
Now for the write ups...thank god my hubby can be my editor...he is so good at these things. Unfortunately this whirlwind of activity has resulted in a very messy studio...so this morning is clean up time & then back to work for me.

Antique Canadian Painted Pine Dresser...I Couldn't Resist

Noooo, I haven't been ignoring you...been very busy of late with more then a few projects on the go. First I have to tell you about this wonderful antique dresser that I purchased...I can't believe I found one of these in Saskatoon as it is not often that you find painted pine furniture in these parts. I kept going back to the antique store where it sat all dusty & forlorn...couldn't believe it was still there after my third visit.
Well that third visit did it to me...I contacted hubby saying, "But we need the extra storage honey...really we do....we live in an apartment....there's not enough places to put things". Well, soon after the phone call I had it paid for & had made arrangements for it to be delivered to our home. Did I mention that the store just happened to have a 40% off sale that week....ohhhh I am a lucky ducky!!!

And as as it so often happens when you bring a piece of furniture home...you have to find a spot for it...a spot that is just perfect. Well I decided to put it in our master bedroom...but of course...I sat pondering...it would look ever so much better in our bedroom if the walls were a darker color. Soooo, guess what I am doing this week-end...its not like I don't already have enough to do. I AM PAINTING THE DERN BEDROOM CHOCOLATE BROWN...I have one coat on & have a 2nd coat to paint today. I have to say that it is looking great & the dresser will look stunning against this color. But now I to have move this & have to move that, put that do-dad here & move that do- dad there...trying to make everything look just so...knowing me this will be a month long project before everything is just the way I want it. Why O why do I do this to myself...oh well....I am sure it will all be worth it in the end.

As for the rest of my life as of late...I have been working up a storm in my studio trying to fulfill one of my life's goals...& that is to have some of my critter pin-keeps published in an art magazine. I have three pieces so far that I am satisfied with, I want to make a few more & then choose the best of these to send to the magazine. Wish me luck...
I have also been busy creating for the TDIPT Mercantile website update which will take place September 1st. I will be posting photos of them on my blog in the next little while.
Wishing you all a happy happy week-end!
Susan

My swap with Margaret of "The French Bear"

Well...I received my swap goodies from Margaret Bouwmeester Of "The French Bear" & I have to say I squealed like a little kid when I unwrapped the wee rabbit below. Margaret, the love & attention you put into our swap overwhelmed me...as I mentioned to you earlier, I really did get tears in my eyes when I saw how much work you put into our swap. I love my wee rabbit...he is perfect in every way. I also want to Thank-you for all the other goodies...the little blue mouse needle-punch cushion, the antique photos, buttons...everything.
I really had a lot of fun taking part in this swap with you...but most of all I really enjoyed getting to know you through our chats back & forth, commiserating about life...& finding that we have so much in common.
I hope one day we can meet in person...
Thanks again Margaret...for making this so special for me!
Warmly, Susan

Margaret is an avid blogger & a wonderful artist...please take the time to give her a
visit at "The French Bear" She has great posts & lots of interesting things to peruse.
"The French Bear"

Below are a few of things I put together for my swap to Margaret. I made a little notebook for her which I covered with a wonderful flowered paper...I then added a vintage style label & stamped her name on it. I antiqued the booklet by sanding all the edges...I then buffed it with Walnut Briwax to give it an aged look . Most of the pages in the booklet have been stamped & inbetween the pages is a collection of ephemera. Last but not least a little wee bow to hold the ephemera in place.

When I began this swap for Margaret I recalled her mentioning that she would love a rabbit with a cream colored jacket...well that is what I created for her.
When I finished the rabbit I decided to put him on a couple of small tuffets. I then attached the whole piece to a paper-mache box onto which I pasted the same flowered paper. I then finished the piece by placing a small collection of buttons into the box.
I really enjoyed this swap & I truly believe that this is one of the best things we artists can do to enjoy & explore each others work.

Intuitive Character Design Continued

Good Morning...been busy with that intuitive doll designing I mentioned in my previous post. I love when synchronicity happens...I have been wanting to make a Badger doll for ages...but I didn't have a pattern for it...well...when I do my Intuitive Doll designing I never know what I am going to end up with...I just fool around with pattern shapes...sew them up...then see what they remind me of. One of the heads that happened to come into existence was exactly what I have been wanting to create...a badger. This wasn't planned...it just happened & I love that!!! So I looked up some British Badger pics, ( I love the look of British Badgers...think "Beatrix Potter", "Wind in the Willow's" & "Brambly Hedge") I printed them out...got some great reference photos & was on my way to designing a brand new character doll.

Now I just want to think up a body for him...thinking pot belly with little feet & biggish arms...I just ordered some glass eyes...I made him some little Badger ears & now I need to think up a paint job for him...thinking mixed media painting with an aged look & patina...maybe some black funny fur for the stripes on his face...stitch on the fur...don't hide the stitches want him to look real folksy, hand made...not perfect...couldn't do perfect if I wanted too. He's gotta have an outfit...hobo looking...a little rough around the edges with patches & a few sewn up tears here & there. A little dirt too..badgers are dirty anyways. Will post my progress with the wee guy...he's not so wee though...the head is quite big...can't wait to see how he will turn out.

Made this Rabbit as well...the head is an intuitive process head...designed the body out of mix & match pattern pieces...had a lot of arms & legs...bodies floating around....tried this & that until I came up with what you see below...his character is already coming out even though he isn't painted yet. Going to live with him in his naked state for awhile...ponder the possibilities...that's half the fun when making these critters up.
Until then...go visit your imagination station & have some fun.
Susan

Play Time at the OK Corral

My name is Pea's

I am a figment of Susan's Imagination

Well....been back from the cabin for a few days now...not much to report on that front as the weather was the &^%%#$% ...only got to the beach one evening for a swim...was the only person there...which was kinda weird but exhilarating at the same time. Swimming by yourself is very peaceful, but I wasn't alone for long cause as soon as I got out I was swarmed by those hateful horsefly's. I spent my entire walk back to the cabin. whipping my towel around like some wild possessed banshee trying to swat the flys away...anyways, I am at home again & have been in my studio playing around with round head doll shapes. I call it my....aww crap...whats the word for it....intuitive doll making....not having a plan, but letting the shape come out naturally with out any preconceived ideas about what it will end up as. I like doing this as it frees up my creativity...I don't have to follow any kind of pattern. I needle-sculpt away & then step back to see what I have...maybe a badger, a bear, rabbit, who knows...some kinda Frankenstein doll concoction...I like to paint them, but not in a realistic way...I like the naive look to dolls...want to have fun with color, shapes, texture & patina. They end up being a figment of my imagination...some kinda imaginary thing made up of bits & pieces. I have to do this every once in a while as I get a trapped feeling if I work to long on the same thing...like wee mousies & such. I have some photos for you of some heads I have been working on & also an older finished piece that I couldn't part with....the weird rabbit looking thingy with pinkish spots & green skin...he keeps me company in my bedroom...I named him Peas & want to create a few companion pieces for him called Sweet Potato & Corn. Three pieces in all. After I am done my mandatory playing I will get down to more serious business...
till then...have a good day...play....smile...& be a kid once in awhile....
Susan

Lost Touch With Reality

I watched a program yesterday called Penny Revolution that really touched my heart...it made me realize that I have lost touch with how a vast majority of the people on this Earth live...I feel ashamed of how I take my way of living for granted...sometimes we just need a wake up call. One women in particular really touched me, she got a micro-loan of about $25.00 to start up a 2nd hand clothing business...she did really well, so well in fact that she was able to rebuild her old kitchen into the kitchen of her dreams...(this is what really got to me)...her dream kitchen consisted of moving her old kitchen, which happened to sit on top of a swamp, to the other side of her house which was on higher ground. The new kitchen was nothing but a 2X4 shack...she was sooo proud of her new kitchen...she pointed to the right & said with a huge smile...this is my new kitchen counter...a board attached to the wall with a round cut out to place a plastic basin in to wash dishes. She then walked over & proclaimed...I am so happy, this is my new cooking area....another small board with a 2 burner plug in portable stove...& last of all, we have space to sit & eat at our new kitchen table...a small plastic deck table...I didn't see any chairs but I did notice the dirt floor. My God... we are so spoiled. I truly felt humbled as I looked around at my new apartment...my kitchen consists of a granite counter top, stainless steal appliances, a gas stove, custom cupboards & a tile floor...& yet it still isn't perfect...I want a tile back splash too...I have to do something...I told my husband..this is pathetic I exclaimed!!!
I live in the lap of luxury & it still isn't enough!!! I vowed then & there that Iwould do something about it...I want to give back...for all the things I am blessed enough to have in my life. I want to research working holidays...& I want to find some volunteer programs...but most of all I want to be more aware of my environment, & think more before I complain about anything...be more thankful, be more giving & compassionate.

Wee Mouse - Primitive Pete

Wee Pete is Sold
My TDIPT Mercantile page
Happy Monday...thought I would introduce you to Primitive Pete...he is going to be available for adoption July 1st on the TDIPT Mercantile website along with the Wee Woolly Rabbit pictured below. Pete is a tiny fella at only 31/2 " inches tall...in total this piece is 7" inches tall. He is a hand-painted wool felt spotted mouse with glass bead eyes & chenille stem feet. He is sitting on a linen pin cushion that is attached to a wooden spool threaded with hemp cording...I have accented the pin cushion with two circles of wool felt that have black embroidered details...I think this whimsical mouse would feel right at home keeping you company in your sewing room or perhaps sitting amongst your other folk art collectibles. Wee Pete will be priced at $65.00 US plus $12.00 US for shipping to anywhere in the US or Canada. Price includes insurance. Please email me if you should have any questions. Thanks for popping by & have a Mice Day!
Susan

Cottage Style Wee Woolly Rabbit

Wee Woolly Rabbit with Vintage Donut Cutter Pin~Cushion

Wee Woolly Rabbit is Sold
My TDIPT Mercantile page
Hi all...thought I would give you a gander at one of the items that will be available for purchase July 1st on TDIPT Mercantile. This Cottage/Primitive Style Wee Woolly Rabbit is all done up with a Cream & Dusty Pink striped coat with collar & cuffs...don't forget the wee row of bead buttons down the front. The cushion he is sitting on is made from quilter's cotton & I have placed it in a vintage Donut Cutter...love how this turned out...you just can't beat that tarnished tin look...On the bottom of the tin I have placed a cardboard cut~out to which I have collaged a piece of Vintage sheet music which has been aged to perfection. This One of A Kind piece is 8" inches tall & will be priced at $65.00 US plus $12.00 US for shipping to anywhere in the US or Canada. Shipping price includes insurance. If you should have any questions please feel fee to contact me anytime...I would love to hear from you!

I will be posting more photos of available finished pieces in the next couple of days.

Its Christmas in July on the TDIPT Marketplace starting July 1st.
Stop by for some Christmas cheer & take a lookey lou at all the wonderful offerings our TDIPT artists will have available for purchase.
. HO . HO . HO .

Sacred Space - Bedstead Photos

I took these pictures last weekend at the Western Development Museum in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. My brother, an avid photographer was visiting from Vancouver...thought I would take him to the museum as there are multiple places to take great photos. Needless to say...I too was snapping away at a furious pace.
The museum is made up of old buildings that they have been saved & moved. You can go inside them & see the way in which different classes lived & the belongings they would have used. There are little vignettes in every room...& I was particularly taken with the bedrooms....the mood in them was perfect...quiet, soft, peaceful.

http://www.wdm.ca/nb.html

Bedstead Photos

. Rock A Bye Baby .

Bedstead Photos

. Rest .

. Peace .

. Quiet .

Bedstead Photos

. Sweet Dreams .

Saskatchewan Ghost Town of Arelee

Made a friend along the way

My Husband & I went out exploring on Sunday...took a little road trip down some big old empty highways. Saskatchewan is a sparsely populated province of Canada...the trend these days...is to shut down the little town schools because of dwindling populations & the cost of keeping these schools going. This has resulted in an exodus of families with children moving to the bigger cities in order to have access to education & other services...as a result, Saskatchewan has a huge number of abandoned towns, ghost towns...loosely populated by eccentric folks looking for peace & quiet & inexpensive living.
If you are looking for a unique holiday full of history, great photo opportunities & the chance to learn a little about Saskatchewan...then I suggest you get an atlas & start planning your trip...cause you will have loads of fun exploring these dusty little places. There are abandoned towns & farms around every corner...the photos here & below are from a town called Arelee about 1 hour west of Saskatoon...I had a blast wandering around here snapping photos...could of stayed a lot longer but my stomach was growling & a prairie pic-nic awaited me...

Arelee Photos

Coming to say hello

Arelee Photos

Beauty in Chains

Art In Artifacts

Open Your Eyes to Pattern Color Repetition Balance

Arelee Photos

Home Sweet Home

Arlee Photos

Forlorn & Forsaken...

I sit empty & lost

Where are my people...

Possum Post Update

I fuzzied up little Nervous Ned... a good grooming with the old toothbrush & he is is all fluffed up, & I am hoping...looking a little more possum like. Oh yah, gave him a bit of a wee shower with the old spray bottle & then scrubbed his back...under his arms...no soap though...he's new... so he's not to stinky yet. {do possums smell...I wouldn't know} The weee shower & scrub lightened his coat up just right... I then went back in with some white paint here... a little pink there and last but not least, gave him a wee tuffet for his little fuzzy behind. He is a custom piece for a gal who has been called possum since she was a little girl... a sweet endearment for sure.

I hope this little guy finds a warm place in her heart & home...

Susan

Opossum or Rat...what do you think?

Nervous Ned

http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/cuteopossums.html

Good morning....Need your help...I just finished making this wee guy last night... I
think he looks like an Opossum...or does he look like a rat? I have posted a link for you to check out...it's a gallery of possum photos that I used as my reference pics for creating this guy. You won't hurt my feelings if you say he looks more like a rat. Thought it would be fun to hear your thoughts & it would help me next time I want to make one of these critters. One last thing...do you think I should put him on a tuffet/cushion some type of stand or should I leave him as is? Thanks for your help & have a great day! Susan

MerMouse Magic ~ Under the Sea Swap

Below you will see a sequence of photos showing the steps I took to make Mermouse Magic.

Fabric choices, hmmmmm

Seashells by the seashore

Slowly coming to life...

The final details...adding the sparkle

"MerMouse Magic"

Well...I finally mailed my Mermouse out today...Carisa should receive her in a couple of weeks or so...I had a heck of time deciding what to make for this project... but in the long run I decided to do what I do best...make mice...LOL! I could of made a rabbit/mermaid but it just didn't jive for me. Merrabbit....aahhh,maybe next time. I had a lot of fun creating this new pattern & I spent a good few hours trying to figure out how to give my mouse a mermaid tail. I decided to needle felt blue wool roving onto the tail extension, I then took a leaf shaped cookie cutter & proceeded to use that as a mold to needle felt the two fins, which I later attached to the mouse tail by needle felting them on with additional lengths of wool roving. Shhhh, clear as mud I am sure. I now know how hard it is to needle felt...it can take hours to finish a piece this way & your wrist sure takes a beating...I like how it looks & it has given me an additional way to add details to my finished pieces.

I am pretty happy with how this project turned out & I am looking forward to taking part in more swaps...a great way to connect with other artists & make new friends.

"Under the Sea Swap" Project Update

A Tantilizing Tidbit

Thought I would share a wee smidgen of my "Under the Sea Swap" project. It is coming along swimmingly...pun intended! I do believe, if all goes well & no disaster ensues...that it will be ready to go to it's new home by the end of next week.

My original plan was to create a wool~felt seahorse with needle felted details sitting on a ocean inspired paper-mache box. Well, I did make the seahorse, it's not yet finished... but it is turning out to be a much more elaborate project then I thought it would be. Something I want to take my time with & work on now & then. Instead... I came up with a similar design, but one which can be completed in the time frame given for this swap. I love how it has turned out...quaint, whimsical, funny & a little odd...exactly how I like my dolly's!

It is a brand new design & one I think will be well liked by its recipient! All I have to do now is make a wee something for it to rest it's wee fuzzy behind on.

I will be posting photos of the completed piece in the near future. For now have a great week-end & thanks for popping by.

Warmly, Susan

Giddy~up Little Sea Horse...Under the Sea Swap

Work-up sketches for Sea~Horse project

Thought I would share another work-up sketch for the "Under the Sea" doll swap project. Think I can actually start work on it now that I have an idea of what I want to create. This is the part I like best...I get so excited at this stage because the possibilities are endless... even though you have thought the design, drawn the design...it still could turn out completely different from what your originally planned. That's why I like these doll challenges...you can use your imagination & from one idea can spring a multitude of new projects for months to come. My hope is that I will end up with a doll design that will be marketable & one that is not so complicated that it will be hard to replicate. I still see some changes to my plan in my head so who knows what will happen....stay tuned for more & have a Super~Duper Deluxe Day!
Susan

Under the Sea Art Doll Swap Link - http://wildatheartart.blogspot.com/20

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day

"For the hand that rocks the cradle ~ rules the world"

Under the Sea Art Doll Swap

Wild at Heart ART

UnDeR tHe SeA sWAp

http://wildatheartart.blogspot.com/2009/04/under-sea-swap.html

Hello & good morning...yesterday I decided to take part in the Under the Sea Swap being held by "Wild at Heart Art"

http://wildatheartart.blogspot.com/

I'm really looking forward to it & am excited at the opportunity to meet more art doll enthusiasts. I love these swaps...they stretch my creative muscle & give you the chance to think outside the box...which is something I need when I hit those artistic slumps. I took the time this morning to sketch up a few new designs for this swap...will be tweeking them in the next few days & hopefully one of them will end up as a successful piece...

Off to their new homes

I have been busy, busy working on custom orders, packing, shipping & really enjoying my studio time. Been thinking about the art process... the act of creating something from nothing. Where once there was just an idea...there now sits an object that has a life of it's own. It's strange for me to think about the art process. How is it that you can infuse an inanimate object with life? Why is it that some art seems dead, while other types of art seem alive?

Sorry I've been Adopted

Strawberry Fields Forever Bunny

Still available for adoption on the TDIPT Mercantile website

http://tdipt-crowsnest.blogspot.com/

This wee little guy is feeling a little lonely as his friends have been adopted.

Do you think you could find a space in your heart for him? He needs a forever home.

Price requests for TDIPT Trio

I have received a few emails asking me what the individual prices are for my TDIPT Trio, as well as shipping costs.

Below is the price list for these three items.

Above are more detailed photos of the small rabbit which will be

available for adoption.

- Americana Mouse ~ $65.00 US plus $10.00 US for shipping.

- Black & white spotted rabbit holding a strawberry ~ $65.00 US plus $10.00

US for shipping.

- Small rabbit with blue & cream striped coat ~ $65.00 US plus $10.00

US for shipping.

I will ship to anywhere in the US or Canada.

Photos of the three items available for purchase are pictured below.

Remember that it is first come, first serve... If the item you like has sold I would be happy to create a custom order for you.

Thanks again. Susan

My TDIPT Trio - 3 New Critters Up For Adoption

http://tdipt-crowsnest.blogspot.com/

I just completed my last addition for this months TDIPT Mercantile update. The photo above shows the three items that will be available for purchase come May 1st. Starting from the far left is my Americana Mouse then a spotted rabbit with strawberry pin~keep & last but not least, another wee rabbit dressed up in his wooley striped coat...complete with wee pockets & yellow bead buttons. I am very pleased at how they turned out & am excited to see them go to their new homes. Soooo.... if you are interested in adopting one of them, please feel free to pop by my TDIPT Mercantile page... I will have a more detailed description of all three of them.

I welcome all & any questions you may have...

drop me a line...I would love to hear from you!

Warmly, Susan

TDIPT mercantile month of May theme

http://www.tdiptmercantile.com/

TDIPT Mercantile will be chock full of your favorite Patriotic subjects...whether it's Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty or anything in between.....we'll have Red White and Blue galore, and just in time for all of the fun summer American Holidays!

Make sure you pop by for a visit!

TDIPT is updated with new items on 1st of each month.

Check out the wee mouse below...he is one of my May TDIPT Mercantile offerings.

Americana Mouse

For the month of May, TDIPT is having an Americana theme & this is the little guy I will have available for adoption. He is all dressed up with red needle~felted sheep's wool trousers... this is the fist time I have added needle~felted details... I like how it turned out & am pretty excited about applying this technique to future creations. His trousers also have teeny tiny pockets as well as hand stitched details. The round tuffet he is sitting on is sewn from wool & the star tuffet below it is made of of tea~stained red striped flannel. This little guy is hand painted...I have given him black glass bead eyes & he is holding a wee American paper flag attached to a metal stem. This piece is 5 1/2 inches tall from the bottom star tuffet to the top of his wee ears. The price for this piece is $65.00 US. I charge a flat rate fee of $10.00 for shipping to anywhere in the US or Canada, this price includes insurance. If you should have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me, I would love to hear from you!

Have a sunshiny day! Warmly, Susan

A bike that makes you feel good - in a lot of ways!

Yesterday I got my new bike...& one I feel pretty good about buying!Its the Africa Kona bike as pictured above.

http://www.konabiketown.com/
Everytime two of these bikes are sold a third one gets donated to a community in Africa where they give the bikes to health care workers so that they can get out more & travel further to help those in need.

SO NEXT TIME YOU ARE THINKING OF BUYING A NEW BIKE....... http://www.konabiketown.com/

"BikeTown Africa began in 2006 with the delivery of 200 bicycles to health care workers in Botswana. A partnership between Bicycling Magazine, Rodale Press, Kona Bicycle Company and Bristol Myers Squibb, BikeTown Africa donates bicycles to health care workers, focusing on HIV/Aids, and then documents the way the bicycle changes their lives. The program grew in 2007 to include a donation of 150 bicycles in Katimo Mulilo on the Caprivi Strip in Namibia and 169 bicycles in Tambacounda, Senegal. The BikeTown Africa team assembles the bicycles in each location and does maintenance and repair workshops, providing tools and spares for mechanics in the area."

2009 Update On BikeTown

http://www.konabiketown.com/

http://www.konabiketown.com/

Global recession, un-employment rising, tightening of the belt.Those sorts of headlines don't usually foster up huge investment from companies into philanthropic activities, like bicycles for health care workers in rural Africa. Maybe there is different news up there in Canada-land, or it's so cold the global recession has stayed away. Actually after meeting the owner of Kona this year in Mozambique, I can assure you it's because Kona is a company that actually gives a damn. Kona's stand to support BikeTown Africa hasn't waivered this year. They have committed that by the end of 2009, instead of walking, another thousand health care workers will be cruising around on the Kona Africabikes.The second verse is going to be the same as the first. That is, we are going to do things pretty similar to last year. The partners are the same: Bicycling Magazine, Bristol Myers Squibb and Kona Bicycles. The bicycles will have slight modifications after the lessons we learned but are still the specially designed Kona Africabike. The health care workers will be part of Bristol Myers Squibb's - Secure the Future Foundation network.A large focus this year will be on formalizing the process of getting people involved in the builds. It's truly the best way to see the impact BikeTown Africa has on the ground. Working hand in hand with the recipient gives one a great sense of where the bicycle will end up and the effect it will have on the lives of the recipient. Those who participated last year are in constant contact with the project because, like all of us, it's gotten inside of them and it scratches at their hearts.Dates and locations are still being finalized but a bit of inside scoop is that we'll be heading to West (calling all French-speakers) and East (jambo rafiki) Africa, to countries that are quite rural and a bit more off the beaten track. The South African handover is going to take on a beast of its own but we are still working on exactly what that may be and are staying tight lipped.Are you keeping up to date?

A Nostalgic Day...ramblings of the middle aged.

Hello & good morning...Just sipping on my morning coffee...thought I would share some more photos of the stuff I have collected over the years. This is the spare bedroom in our new apartment...we moved in here during the month of November...I think...my mind is rather rusty! I picked up this cabinet over the summer...I am told by my husband & father that I paid way to much for it...it was a real wreck when I brought it home...but I could see a jewel in the making. Needless to say my hubby & my father ate their words when they saw what I did with it. Its a pie safe cuboard from an old home in Saskatchewan & I just love it! I have filled it with my vintage collectibles & yes....more of the books I was going to cut up & use in my artwork...but, as time passes I am becoming more & more attached to them...These books bring me such joy! I look in them & see the scibbles & notations of children long grown up. I am such a nostalgic fool! I miss those days...I can remember roaming the back fields of home...thickets that look small today...but were giant forests back then. We built forts & ran dusty trails, chased by boys who tormented us with dead gophers caught in their traps. I was a bit of a tomboy...stealing puppies from neighbors & disappearing for hours on end till my parents sent out a search party. I remember so many things...summers at the lake, poison Ivy. My dad teaching me to ride my new bike in the vacant lot next door. Sunburns & roasted marshmellows...my how time flys....

Have a nostaslgic day! warmly, Susan

Strawberry Fields Forever

Hello & good morning...been busy in my studio creating a small series of pin~keeps that are based around a strawberry theme...I will post photos of them as they are completed. This wee fella is the first...& I do believe he has a bit of a mischievous smile...maybe he knows he isn't supposed to be in my strawberry patch...He is a hand~painted wool felt rabbit that is 6 1/2 inches tall with glass bead eyes & chenille stem feet. His wee tuffet is sewn from cotton & wool felt with hand~stitched details.

I have a number of rabbits in various stages of completion...they are all staring at me from my shelf calling.....I have no arm....I need an ear....I can't see...Sooo... I better get back to work...Below are a few more photos for you to peruse.

Cheerio & have a great day!

Warmly, Susan

Hello...just got home from my vacation in Tucson... am feeling a little out of sorts....I sooo hate long flights. I made it into my studio today & actually managed to get some work done...I will be posting pics of my new pieces as I finish them. Short but sweet....I am poopied & off to hit the hay! Have a nice evening. Warmly, Susan

Happy Easter From Tucson

Just thought I would check in & wish you all a Happy Easter. I am still vacationing in Tucson & am going home this Monday. It has been a nice holiday for myself & my hubby....Hubs attended a conference & I spent the majority of my time touring around all the antique/thrift stores. It is a mixed media artist's paradise down here; some of the antique stores had booths loaded with every type of paper ephemera you could wish for. Stacks & stacks of old cabinet cards, vintage photos, maps, antique books, you name it they had it. Wish I would have brought another suitcase.

Today we are going downtown to do a walking tour of all these old mansions/houses which have been turned into art galleries...hoping for some fresh inspiration to take home & apply to my own artwork. Well I shall sign off for now & I will be back with lots of great Tucson photos to share with you.
Cheerio & Happy Easter!
Warmly, Susan