What's happenin'...

Well hello 2018!

Back in the studio now that the hoopla has died down and the creative juices are flowing again.

I love this time of year...full of promise, new hopes and ideas kick in.

I'm trying this year to introduce a few more new kits so 

those who've never tried needle felting can give it a go.

I've had 3 in my shop for a while now, Owl, Fox and Man in the Moon

and I'll be introducing a Fawn and a Raccoon in the very near future.

Here's some sample photos of whats to be coming soon...

It's a very time consuming process to take step by step photos, load them onto the printing website,
write up the instructions for each step, lay it all out appropriately, check all the spelling, grammar etc.
and then wait for two weeks for things to come back from the printer and get the samples ready to take to the shops. By the way, the kits are currently available at Knotty by Nature and Amelia Lee Boutique in Victoria, BC (as well as on my website here).
As always, I like to think ahead to other projects so I'll keep y'all posted on that later.
I've been on some lovely walks lately...early morning down on the flats with the geese...

Jed looking quite sporty!

 Went up Island to ramble with my buddy and her pup...
Jed ever hopeful for a scrap of sausage roll to drop!

Ended up at the Tea Farm where I was smitten with the colours on this building!

 Lots of pretty frost around these days...

 Busy beavers down by the marsh...

One of my precious finds in the bush was this raven head.
Now waiting in the freezer to be cleaned up!

Also found in the bush, this gorgeous door handle and plate...

 Georgia...well...she's just grand!!

Hope everyone is happy and healthy and that the fresh, New year is taking you off
on wonderful journey's! 

Always a good cause...

Just wanted to share with you a collage of the process of a piece

I have donated to the Habitat Acquisition Trust for their upcoming

20th anniversary bash and fundraiser.

It is a life sized Western Screech Owl, needle felted

and adhered to a base.

On the base is a verse from an Emily Dickinson poem...

“Hope” is the thing with feathers - 

That perches in the soul - 

And sings the tune without the words - 

And never stops - at all - 

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - 

And sore must be the storm - 

That could abash the little Bird 

That kept so many warm - 

I’ve heard it in the chillest land - 

And on the strangest Sea - 

Yet - never - in Extremity, 

It asked a crumb - of me.

HAT does an amazing job of working hard with an incredible staff of volunteers to conserve nature

and give a voice to things that can't speak.

One of their projects is to help this little owl who's population has decreased 90% in the 

last 10 years in the Victoria area due to development and predatory

Barred owls who feed on the Screech owl.

(this, from their website...)

'Unfortunately, there is considerable evidence that Barred Owls predate heavily on Western Screech Owls. When Screech Owl calls are played, Barred Owls quickly respond by flying in silently – in “stealth hunting mode”. Barred Owls are also known to predate heavily on bird nests, and may be predating on Screech Owl nestlings. The older, more complex forest where the few remaining Screech Owls live probably offer some protection from Barred Owl predation.'

For more information you can go to their website here.

Because Hope IS the thing with feathers.

The more we can protect our creatures and their habitat the better off

we will become as a species.

Upcoming workshops....'cause a hard rains a gonna fall...

Not that I'm predicting us all to be inside for the next 8 months 

but you all know what's coming....autumn, rain, winter, rain,

maybe a bit of snow to put us all in a Canadian state of mind, more rain....

(did I mention there's going to be rain?)

Therefore you may be looking to try your hand at some felting classes

at the local wool shop...something to keep your fingers busy on those

cold dark nights.

Seaside Yarn and Button here in Sooke will be offering quite a few of these 

fun, short intro classes to this highly addictive art form and 

yours truly will be hosting several.

So what's on hand?

An owl perhaps...

...a sleeping fox?

 ...maybe an orca?

...little fuzzy acorns for the tree?

 ...for a little more challenge, you could make a wee gnome (or gnomett if you're so inclined)

Here's the link for you with all the info...hope to see you there!