This coming weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving, a time for giving thanks, for gratitude. Life is a gift and filled with gratitude from the moment we open our eyes to a new day. Yesterday I walked to my bank, the local Credit Union, after only two months I feel like it has been my bank forever, the staff are so friendly, service superb. In fact last time I didn't sign something needed the teller hopped in her car, knew I was walking home and parked along the way to meet me. I signed on the hood of her car, that is more than service.

I am grateful for the amazing group of creative women I connected with last night in my continuing creativity coach training. Thank you to Jill (the Muse is In) and Janet for the Renegade Muses!

Thank you to Meredith Diatchum for sending the photo of the sledding penguins she made from a design I created for Homearts in 2006. She won Runner Up with her version in the Holiday Decor Contest.

I am thankful that a new specialty craft store has just opened up down the hill. Beautiful yarns and scrapbooking supplies, a Mom and her daughter, their first day! Maybe I will conquer my awkward lefty knitting pieces of the past and take a class!

I am most grateful for all the love in my life. My two darling daughters are both following their dreams. I miss them not being around every day but they are off making their own lives as they should be. I am creating a new life for myself and enjoying the lovely adventure of it all!  So much to be grateful for, may your life be filled with JOy & Gratitude! Debra, CEO!

While at Spring Quilt Market I met a delightful young woman Cynthia Mann, the founder and CEO of Birch Fabrics with delightful fresh organic cotton fabric lines. The design and colors are clean, bright with fun fresh designs. In the latest issue of Homearts Magazine I feature Birch fabrics. I combine her organic cottons with National Nonwovens bamboo Xotic Felt and Fairfield's bamboo batt Nature-fil to create a fun "12 days of" advent calendar. The ornaments just button on and can hang from the bottom when not used. Two birds adorn the top inspired by the birds in the fabric. (photo courtesy of Homeart)

Follow the JOY! Debra Quartermain, CEO!

It's our favourite day! Fowl Friday with Fran & Freda! Next week is our Thanksgiving and today Debra finally got out some fall decor sprinkling silk leaves everywhere. Last Thanksgiving at the house filled with daughters, the dreaded felines and of course us, we had some fun with the decor. Debra bought these blocks which spelled out "Give Thanks" which true it is always good to be grateful for what we have. However we thought "Gave Thinks" sounded good. Who wouldn't be grateful for some extra thought?! (We know Freda is looking for some) So then the fun really began between us and the girls. Everytime Debra was out we would switch the letters and spell something else, "vegan shtink" was frowned upon although our turkey peeps would be thankful for that one we are sure! Now that the blocks are out once again we have a whole week to have fun with them! Follow the Fowl! Fran & Freda

I have a confession which if you read Fowl Friday posts with Fran & Freda is no surprise! I do love Fall and decorate for our Canadian Thanksgiving in early October but Halloween is not my favourite Holiday to decorate for. I usually go for pretty and elegant, so other holidays are much higher on my list. I always decorated and dressed up for my girls and now I have a special person in my life who loves Halloween so that is very fun. Costumes are in the planning stages already!

I was asked to create a Halloween design for Creative Homearts using STYROFOAM brand foam. I decided every ghost has to start somewhere and that would be as a baby! I am big on the cuteness factor and what is cuter than a baby with a blankie. I used Fairfield's bamboo batt over the foam egg to create this Baby Boo! Full instructions on the Creative Homearts website. (photo courtesy of Homearts)

Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

I like Mondays! Sunday evenings I like to get organized and do my schedule for the week ahead. I am feeling more and more at home in my new place. Entertained friends on the weekend which was fun. I even provided some excitement by almost setting the oven mitts on fire, one of them has a very cool burn mark design now, a very distressed look!

This week I am getting to design with some great fabrics from the Art of Possibility Studio. The fabrics are dynamic in design with vibrant color. Ketra Oberlander the founder is an artist who is blind. All of the artists she works with are very talented and have a physical disability. The name reflects Ketra's belief in anything is possible when you do what you love and follow the passion. I have had the pleasure of spending time with her at several shows. She is so inspiring and funny, I come away with a feeling everytime that anything is indeed possible!

I have a big project on the go, a new book proposal which at times seems daunting but I have found breaking it down into steps is very helpful. I have to set my own deadlines so this month it is to be finished and off to my publisher. It is a fashion book so the drawing class I just took at the Saint John Arts Centre was very helpful for my sketching. I am also volunteering there and look forward to an interesting Fall!

Wishing a you a great week ahead one that is rewarding, fulfilling and always take time for some creativity & fun! Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

IT IS FOWL FRIDAY & IT IS FALL PEOPLE!!! 

Fran & Freda here! Well with all the excitement around here this week you would think there was six feet of snow in the yard! It is still September and the leaves are just turning however Debra has a thing about snowy creatures. She was in 7th heaven when FloraCraft asked her to create an entire snowy Cottage Scene which is now splashed all over the website home page! (OK a slight exaggeration but there is a photo and video) Pointing out our page is STILL not finished! Our fans are so disappointed!

In support of Fall and the festivities still to come, (we are hoping Debra does become a Halloween fan at some point, she does have a Halloween devotee in her life now!) So here we are creating our own Fall fun! Did we also mention there is a Dollar Store within walking distance, two aisles of Halloween delights, glitz and ghouls, skulls and swashbuckles. We whipped up a nest, Freda's toes are still glued together but hey we got the job done. We will be relaxing in Scary Style from now till the big night! Then the treats will fill our nest! (Hmm not sure if that is hygenic, a little cleaner and rinse we will be good to go! Follow the Fowl! Fran & Freda!

Life has been in major change mode this past summer with moving to a new city and becoming an empty nester after twenty seven years of kids, pets, a house and all that goes with it. I love my new life, wish my girls were right around the corner but it was such a good decision to move and they are both so very happy in their new lives.

With change comes reflection and more time to read. :) I picked up a beautiful book the other day STYLE STATEMENT Live by your own design by Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte. It is a wonderful workbook, a guide or in their words "a compass for creating a life that reflects what's true to you in every way. From your wisdom to your wardrobe, from your longing to your livingroom--your Style Statement is where your essence meets your expression." There are lovely vignettes of "stylish"  strong personalities and their style philosophy. The photography is sophisticated and gorgeous. The questions posed "I express my reverence for nature, animals and ecology by..." are varied and wide ranging.

I think we all have a very strong sense of our own style but sometimes it does not always come together like we want it in all aspects of our lives. I am finding the book useful in defining those areas and the changes I want to make. I do know everytime I pick up this beautful book it gives me a feeling of a quiet joy, an appreciation of my serene surroundings and all the love which fills my life. Each day dawns with beauty and grace for each one of us to STYLE in our own unique way! Always Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

The fall issue of Crafts n' Things is on the newstands now! The cover features the cutest owl and right up by the S is my wee button snowman! It is a great issue and wonderful magazine filled with all kinds of holiday projects to inspire you to create! The editor is a sweetheart Abby Foster. It has been a pleasure being part of the magazine for the past ten years and now to be part of the official design team! The button even matches my site perfectly! Over those years several of my designs have been featured on the cover and I am so very grateful. Read more about this fall extravaganza issue below! Follow the JOY! Get crafting! Debra CEO!

Fowl Friday! Fran & Freda here, still without our page YET!  but been a busy week in the loft! Debra made her first video, we are hanging out in the background. Thought she was going to introduce us but no she forgot that important step! I guess if we were needle felted like the two little pastel peeps in the video we would have been at least mentioned.

It turned into a very long day as Debra had to make several attempts making the video. Apparently cue cards would have been very helpful as hard as it is to believe she forgot what to say several times. We tried not to laugh and remain professional at all times although Freda did lose her balance once or twice. Not a big deal although one fall caused her to kick Debra's hand and she almost punctured her finger with the needle tool.

More videos will be made and perhaps we will be mentioned. We are going to be on our best behaviour to make that happen. Youtube here we come! Lights, Action, Camera for this feathery fowl! We will sign autographs! Follow the Fowl!

I replaced my laptop this week for several reasons, it needs a new battery, my daughter's ragdoll kittens decided to pry off a few keys a while back, slightly annoying missing the o, l and the period. I decided to try an HP after being a Dell gal for many years. So far I like it! I wanted to make some videos so today I made my first one.

Today also was the day I had no hot water for the entire day and there was ongoing work in the house. My curls got a splash of cold water. I spent yesterday making the stepouts and checking out the best location for light. The sunroom foyer worked best so I set up there. After getting over the shock of how I looked and how many times I say "and, um and so I was ready. Six takes later beginning with fourteen minutes and ending up with nine I was finished.

Along the way I dropped the bunny twice, his ear stuck to my shirt and I forgot what step I was doing three times. I learned not to wear dangly earrings as I came off looking slightly like a demented bobble head doll and that I do indeed have a round chin. Now I can really appreciate professional make up and lighting, someone holding up cuecards would have been nice. Instead a clipboard balanced against the wall was my only reference.

I learned ALOT!!! I did it and got it loaded on my site. I am not quite ready for YouTube yet but plan to make more videos. Follow the JOY! Try something new! Debra, CEO!