Well the unthinkable is about to happen in this Fowl's world! Another feline is about to enter the premises. Freda was doing the happy dance when one cat just left with the oldest daughter moving out but another one arrives Monday! Bella Blue, another one of those hairy floppy ragdoll cats. What these people see in the feline species we do not know. Freda is so upset she is roosting on top of the bookcase in the office and of course her being in the family way, is there no consideration for her!

Freda & I were thinking of a hunger strike in protest but that seems a bit drastic, low blood sugar and all can't risk it. Any strike in general won't work as apparently it is a done deal and apparently our contribution to household life is next to nil according to Debra. Luckily she needs our very witty input for Friday's Fowl Friday blog, our words not hers exactly. (sigh) Well nothing left to do but accept the new feline and hang onto our tail feathers for dear life. Felines have a very strange affectation for feathers, I suggest much needed therapy for the condition! Till next Friday when we will be back hopefully with all our feathers intact! Fowl Friday with Fran & Freda! (Debra insisted so below is the feline who is arriving, yuch!)

"The only Journey is the Journey within", I am putting together a new studio upstairs and this is the line I have put above the window. It speaks to me in its simplicity and honesty. For who we are and who we become is because of our Journey. We stop along the way to linger in the land of cracker crumbs and juice or hold the hand of one who used to swing us in their arms. Each stop in the journey unfolds more of our strengths, our wisdom, our courage and our compassion. This journey too is filled with those who make a difference in our lives, the paths we choose. Let someone know today how they have made a difference in your life, let this be "thoughtful Thursday".

Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

The CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) tradeshow is held in Anaheim the end of January. It is where the crafting world truly comes together. There are members from more than thirty countries. I belong to the Designer section of the membership and yesterday was announced the new Designer Display for the show. Along with the show's marketing staff, another fellow designer Candice Windham we are organizing the display. The show's theme is International and the response to the CHA Designer Global Display has been overwhelming. Thirty designers will create a design based on thirty countries, all who are members of CHA. Each designer will take their inspiration from the crafts of their individually chosen country. These will be showcased in a glass case on the show floor.

Last year the same format with an Eco Friendly theme resulted in designers acquiring, magazine articles, book deals and other opportunities from their one design in the Gallery. Quality prevails always, one great design says it all!

Quality in all things especially life, take a breath and reflect on the day ahead. Is there quality in it or has quantity, too much to do overshadowed the quality of your work, your time, your well being. Value yourself today, take time to relax and return to work rejuvenated. You are so worth it! Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

All life is about creating, we arrive as miracles of creation, we create our lives everyday. Life is a living being, our actions are ones of creation, these acts result too in emotions. As beings we hold within us a wide range and expanse of emotion and feelings. Each day can bring us moments of pure joy, deep sadness and everything in between. Mostly I choose JOY, I choose JOY because I have lived many other moments that have been filled with the whole human experience. Yet because of those moments I can find great JOY. I define JOY as a feeling in my heart like the most glorious sunburst, rays radiatiing throughout my body, my mind, my eyes. My body responds by dancing (when at home I crank up the music and just dance around the whole house) Being able to move, kick, twirl is just more JOY!

My life in the past year and a half has been one of many changes, I moved my Mom and took care of her, I moved to be even closer to her, my oldest moved back in to finish her second degree. My Mom passed away peacefully, my youngest graduated high school, in University now, my oldest is now done her degree and finishing moving out today for the final time. I now have someone else new in my life after a long time. JOY often trails through our life mixed with bittersweet feelings of past moments now gone and replaced with the adventure of the present and the unknown yet to be.

Yet what I do know is I will always create JOY, I will always find moments that make my heart sing. Life is full, life is busy but it also must have a reason, a space for creating, for creating JOY. If you are looking for JOY, grab some crayons and paper, put on your favorite music, draw, dance and just open your heart, there is JOY! Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

Fran here! Debra is off to a big Halloween partay tonight so Freda and I are holding down the coop big time! Our first Halloween woo hoo! Costumes are in the works but we had to decorate the nest before anything else! Our monetary situation is somewhat limited but the dollar store has great stuff so we found what we needed. Debra has lots of scraps, glue so we raided the craft room. A big foam block, some sparkly fabric and we were all set. Note for next year, Fabri-tac by Beacon great glue but wicked on tail feathers, Freda kind of glued herself to the counter resulting in a missing feather or two! It was pull them out or leave her squawking with feet in the air! All in all we sparkled , glued and conjured up a frightfully fabulous nest for the big night! Boo to you all fowlicious friends!

This year I am going to a Halloween party for the first time in many years. Anyone who knows me I like pretty and pink so my costume put together by my daughters partly and a shirt from TobeaPirate.com is kind of a gypsy pirate look. While at the Nurturing Ourselves Conference I met the most delightful woman Larissa of Dragon Designs Henna who does the most beautiful henna tattoos. Considering my blouse is off the shoulder I thought a tattoo would be the ideal finish to my costume. Henna is all natural, stains the skin and gradually fades away. Larissa came to my home, we enjoyed chatting while she applied the design. After it dried she covered it with tape and I left it on overnight. This morning when I peeled it off carefully I had a subtle delicate flower scroll across my shoulder, very fun.

Henna is probably the oldest art form known to man. The intricate and subtle designs, the adornment has a spiritual significance being used to adorn brides, mothers to be and for many celebrations in life. Having been practised for thousands of years in many cultures, there has been a surge of interest in the last few years in the western world. For those wishing to celebrate and connect with the spiritual significance of memorable life events the gentleness of Henna, the color of the earth and nature worked in beautiful designs is an ideal way to celebrate! Thank you Larissa!

On the weekend I took part in a conference for women, Nurturing Ourselves. A large group of women came together to relax and laugh, learn about themselves and to connect with other women. I met some incredible, strong, smart funny women all of whom lead full lives and for the most part recognize caring for themselves is vital to their future. Many women were in the sandwich generation and then there were the younger women, bright, articulate and self assured. We were entertained by the NB Rebelles Gumboot Troop, young women who performed a rhythmic drum dance with gumboots. The dance began in Africa when men were shackled to work in the water filled mines, they were given gumboots and were not allowed to speak. They developed a whole voice for themselves by drumming on their boots. The young women who developed their own gumboot drum group based their performance on speaking out against oppression, aggression and capitalism. A very moving and striking performance.

In the evening I attended my daughter's Nursing graduating class pin dinner. It was a very special evening and the class of approximately forty students, four young men and the rest smart, beautiful radiant young women. Their smiles and pride in their huge accomplishment of finishing the first two year accelerated degree program was a joy to be part of that special evening.

All the young women of the weekend were a reminder of what the future will be in their capable and caring hands committed to a bright future and to making a real difference. As I watched my daughter with her friends celebrating raising their voices in a rousing cheer my heart was filled with JOY for this is the future, our daughters.

Follow the JOY!  Debra Quartermain, CEO!

My oldest daughter is just finishing her second degree and graduating from Nursing. The important pin dinner is this weekend in the evening for the students, approximately 35 and their families. They receive their nursing pins, a very proud moment and accomplishment! An evening event, special but the students had no funds for decorating. A couple trips to the dollar store procured wood baskets and an abundance of fall foliage. I still have another 8 arrangements to make for the tables. The tables will also be sprinkled with glittered silk fall leaves. The dining room table is covered with the arrangements and I woke this morning to a thank you note from my daughter. "Wow, Wow, Wow, how fantastic the centerpieces were!" Being able to create something wonderful from a pile of possibilities is so gratifying, to do it for someone you love ever more so.

To my Darling Daughter with Love!!! I am so proud of you!!! Mum

This upcoming weekend I am exhibiting at a conference for women titled Nurturing Ourselves. It is a day and a half of workshops, speakers and exhibits to explore areas of interest to women. They range from simple home repair to dealing with personal relationships and finding time for creative play. It also comes at a time when I realize from the women I have been meeting that I want to do more. I want to continue my coaching training I began a few years ago and add Creativity Coaching to my business. Often because of the busyness of our lives women often feel all the little pieces have chipped away and they are not sure who or where they are. Creativity is the ability to tap into that inner playful spirit and take time to explore who we are, where we really want to be going. It is possible to create the life we dream of, a life that has many moments of JOY, that is lit by an energy that makes us feel we are living with true purpose and meaning.

This year for myself personally has been a year that has changed my life. My creative outlets, my work has always been a constant seeing me through many of life's events. This year one of loss of my Mom, of friends leaving my life, my youngest onto the next chapter in her life and my oldest heading out on her own, a full fledged adult with a career, new amazing friends have entered and new relationships which have transformed my life. I am purposely adding more time to play and create, it is powerful, a little scary but ever so exciting and my sense of wanting to share never stronger than now. We have but one life to live and to live it joyfully is all we can ask for! 
Follow the JOY! Debra CEO!

Fran here! We just got back from Quilt Market in Houston! It was fabulous! Hot enough to fry a feather or two! We had a blast at the show! Fabric, fun & frolic and big news for us but we can't say, even if you try to pry our beaks apart. These chicken lips are sealed! Freda well she might be a different story, you know her and wine so keeping the bottles corked tight till the reveal!

We enjoyed the Hilton rooming with Phyllis Dobbs and of course Debra. Phyllis designs all kinds of fun fabrics with dogs and cats on them. We don't hold it against her she is a cool chick herself! Debra allowed us to look at the Room Service menu and drool how ever no such luck in having some cute server deliver it. It was a quick smoothie on the way to the show!

Even though we worked our pretty little tail feathers off in the Homearts booth at the show we still didn't get room service. Thinking next time we get our own room!

All in all it was a great trip! Follow the fowl! Fran & Freda!