I am preparing today for an event tomorrow for International Women's Day. It is also International Craft Month. It is also a month with my Mom's birthday, yesterday March 6th and a year since she passed peacefully March 30th. All of these events have been swirling around in my mind and heart. I also have been coaching several people lately and have had conversations about creativity that confirm the importance of creative outlets for our health and well being. I have also realized often I am busy writing articles, instructions, designing specific projects that I do not make time for creative play for myself.

I have been inspired lately by my very talented designer friends Rebekah Meier and Marie Browning. I am having fun trying new techniques and putting together a workshop on Creative Collage Journalling. I began with a journal of my own, much of our past explains our present and so I begin a journal with the strong women in my childhood. This journal's cover is distressed, layered with stenciling and stamping. I used fabric transfer sheets to apply the images. The young woman on the cover my great aunt Anna, she never married as she carried the haemophilia gene and did not want to pass it on. She worked fifty years as a book keeper at Ganong's candy factory and always had a beautiful candy dish filled on her table. It is with her I began my journal.

This second journal is totally different. I used Rebekah's technique of embossing and painting fun foam. I used a stencil brush to apply glitter stickles. As women we often put ourselves last, this journal "it is all about ME, ME, ME!!!"

This month I celebrate the creative, strong, amazing women I know past and present who have impacted, shaped and delighted my life! Follow the JOY! Debra

It is Fowl Friday! Fran here & Freda who as usual is dancing around while I do the writing! Yesterday Debra revealed her addiction to making Bunnies but we know for a fact that is not the only "B" fondness shall we say in her creative life! In the latest issue of Crafts 'n Things magazine she has two Bird projects, she has designed Bird fabric. Just because we are not soft and fluffy with long ears and have ticklish feathers and scrawny legs instead is no reason to ignore a whole fine flock of feathery friends!

Designed for Dow featured in Crafts 'n Things

 
Here I am early morning, no makeup, no topknot consoling Oliver as his twin sister Olive left to seek fame and fortune in the latest issue of Crafts 'n Things!

So there you have it, the unvarnished truth, there are more "B" in Debra's life than she care to admit to! Lucky she has us around, her friendly fowl to keep her on the feathery straight and narrow! Follow the Fowl! Fran & Freda!

I confess to an addiction which has now become very public and since it has been a trying week in some ways even for me a proclaimed CEO! I am confessing all and indulging in some silliness. I love making bunnies, their sweet little faces, floppy ears, fluffy tails and giving them personalities with accessories and varying expressions. My belief is there can never be enough of something that makes you smile and touches your heart. One of my favourite bunnies "Cute as Button" is in the current issue of Creative Homearts magazine. She is easily created with wool, bamboo Xotic felt from National Nonwovens and STYROFOAM TM brand foam by Dow  (another bunny "itsy bitsy bunny" pops up there on the home page!) 

 

In the current issue of Crafts 'n Things is another needle felted duo of bunnies. I especially like their swirl design.

Online at Creative Homearts is the pattern and instructions for the Jester Spring Bunny


just in case anyone is in a bunny mood! I think bunny fever is in the air especially with the release of Alice in Wonderland. Hmm the silliness continues I am off to make a White Rabbit...my goodness what is the time?! Follow the rabbit, Always follow the JOY! Debra, CEO! 

In November I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Mrs. Grossman's Sticker Company and Paragon Label in picturesque Petaluma, California. The company is featured in my latest "Make it Green' column for Creative Homearts magazine. I met both Andrea Grossman the founder and her son Jason, President. They could not have been more welcoming. In fact the moment you enter the building for a tour you are greeted by friendly employees and their dogs, life sized fun sticker characters on display and an atmosphere that is very special and inspiring. When I asked Andrea for a quote for my article she replied as she has for more than thirty years and her favorite quote will always be ???I love my job.???  I will be showing projects made with their gorgeous classy silhouette stickers later this week. The stickers were released at the CHA show in January.

The company that began with a single red heart sticker continues its tradition of always operating from the heart with care for the environment, its employees and its loyal customers. If you are in the area of the company make sure to go for a tour. They are the only sticker company in the country that offers a tour of their manufacturing facility plus they have a sticker museum and shop on site.

With Andrea Grossman & the Heart Sticker that began it all!

Decisions, decisions! Choosing stickers to design with.

Part of the busy design center at Mrs. Grossman's!

I am so very fortunate to work in an industry of incredibly wonderful creative and generous people. It is a true joy! Follow the JOY! Debra

I have had fun working with the most adorable line of appliques, BaZooples by licensed artist Vicki Schreiner and manufactured by Expo International. I designed three booklets of projects for them earlier this year and am designing more projects for an upcoming magazine layout. The baby animals are darling. While at winter CHA (Craft & Hobby Show) in Anaheim When Creativity Knocks filmed a new episode featuring the BaZooples applique line. Cindi Bisson created a cute diaper cupcake using the monkey appliques. See how easy this baby gift is to make in their new Diaper Cupcake webisode!  More news from WCK! Winner of WCK Great Crafter???s Tool Hunt 2 -Craftwell eCraft. Winners of tool packages are being confirmed and will be announced shortly. The focus this week is All About Color ??" Check out WCK's new improved home page for the latest product review, techniques and Ana's blog article.

Baby times, the softness, the scent of snuggled wee ones. Creating baby things brings back many special memories! Follow the JOY! Debra

Fowl Friday got off to a late start due to some technical difficulties and Freda's love of bubble bath. She spends waaay too long in that soaker tub plus singing at the top of her lungs! Anyway I digress from the vital and disturbing issue of today. We are in the midst of a snowstorm, the snow is falling in big heavy wet clumps and Debra decides we need some exercise. The kind of exercise that requires going outside in the snow! We chickens have short legs, I am thinking Debra is aware of this by now after our being in residence for almost a year. Freda is fine she always rides on my back but moi! my short but so shapely legs will be buried along with the rest of me. I do not want to smother in snow, I have so much life ahead of me! The snow attire consists of a very fluffy scarf which might smother us even before we get outside!

Our protests are being ignored, Debra thinks there is a little too much fluff happening in our belly area so it is a walk outside apparently! Does she not think being chased around by two ragdoll kittens almost every day is a workout?! Sigh. If we are not around for next Fowl Friday you will know there are a couple pair of chicken legs sticking out of a snowbank in eastern Canada! We also do not want to miss any of the Olympics, the Canadian Women's Team took gold!!! Sigh, Debra has the door open, we have to go. Think of us in the cold blinding blizzard! Follow the Fowl, Fran & Freda!

March is just around the corner and now for some spring time fun! The March April issue of Creative Homearts magazine is now out with some great spring projects on their website as well including full patterns and instructions. I love creating bunnies and needle felting so this whimsical Jester Bunny (listed under web extras) is easy to create with STYROFOAM* brand foam from Dow and wool wisps from National Nonwovens.

                             (photo courtesy of Creative Homearts)

I have hung out my egg wreath, pastel birds and pillows adorn the bench and tables. I feel spring in the air, the earth beneath the snow is uncovered in patches which grow larger everyday. Soon the hardy crocus will emerge along the house often with snowy crystal sparkle outlining the flowers. Spring comes and our thoughts turn outwards to the innocence, the lively fragility of new growth, nature's bounty bursts forth and blooms! May we all bloom this spring! Always Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

Just back from our local Women in Business luncheon on Social Networking. Great presentation by expert Lynne Conrad and I followed up with my experience using sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. I was the proof for Lynne that it works! She is a young woman, "a social butterfly" with lots of passion for her social networking business. The event was well attended and with Lynne's busy schedule of speaking on the subject, a hot topic here for sure!

Dreams do come true! Last night the Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir ice dancing team made history winning the first gold for North America here at home. It was a beautiful performance and they are such a lovely young couple. Best friend team the Americans got the silver. The medal ceremony was so touching, such talent and JOY! Always Follow the JOY! Debra

Yesterday Kate and I had fun participating in a Bowl-a-Thon event for six local animal groups. It was hugely successful and everyone had the best time. We were bowling for the Cat Club, our two teams were the Kat Nappers and the Fancy Felines. Kate and I were the Fancy Felines! Neither one of us hadn't bowled in a long time but Kate had overall high score for the two strings and I managed to have high score for the first string! The event was enthusiastically supported and everyone went home with prizes. We had a great time especially in our costumes of bling cat ears, rosettes and feather boas! The feathers kept falling out, not sure if affected the bowling style or not! Celebrity cats showed up to support the event, here I am with Sylvester, he is quite the bowler and our two ragdolls Milla and Bella have a huge crush on him!

Kate made all of our ears from wool felt, needle felting the center hair fur and added bling with glitter and sequins. They were attached to metal headbands and very comfortable to wear as well as super stylish! The pictures say it all, it was an afternoon with lots of laughter and team spirit for such a worthy cause. Thanks to everyone who helped organize the event, great job! Follow the JOY! Debra