~Looking Ahead ~

I love this time of year for so many reasons....THE SNOW....A house filled with loved ones......Thanksgiving...... Christmas.....The New Year...and ....looking ahead! One of the reasons I take vacation every year at this time is to give myself time to plan for the year ahead. I look back at what worked best...and what didn't.....what items sold the quickest...and what didn't...changes I need to make in my schedule to enable things to run more smoothly & help me to be more efficient....schedule shows..decide on my online plans for sites and selling venues and to make plans for new things to try...classes to take and perhaps go back to an olde favorite that just keeps whispering in my ear and tapping on my shoulder. :)This last one...the olde favorite is ....Bears....I started making Bears 10 years ago...the bear in the picture above was the 3rd bear I ever made... I did very well with them for several years.... but when the world of primitives came along... I started to make bears less and less until eventually...I just stopped making them altogether...the bear in the banner at the top of this post was actually the last bear I made...4 years agoAnd for 4 years now..they remain...ever present in the back of my mind.....a little voice often whispers "make a bear please"...and so...I am going to listen to that little voice..and start making bears again...Oh, I shall still continue to make all my other things..I'm always mixing things up...adding things in..taking things out...as an artist...you need to go where your muse wishes you to go. :) I have a bear pinned and ready to sew...which I plan on doing this afternoon. OH....This is so very exciting :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In other news....................

I'm also going to be taking a wonderful class that I am SO very excited about;

The Izannah Walker Workshop by Dixie Redmond. I have always wanted to make these dolls! Thank goodness for Dixie...if she were not offering this class..I'm not sure I would have ever been brave enough to try them on my own! The class starts January 18th & I can hardly wait..some dear friends are also taking the class too...so that makes it all the more exciting and fun.

I have lots of other new and exciting things in the works & lot's of creations sketched out....and I'll share them all as they come to life :)

I'll leave you with some snowy photo's from this morning.....feel free to click on them to enlarge them...the 3rd photo down is hysterical.....

~Just Before Dawn~

~Jacob's Favorite Spot These Days~

~ LOOK at the little bird at the top of the basket on the hook.....I laughed for 5 minutes when I saw this..I didn't even notice him when I was taking the picture..but apparently he noticed me!!! :)~

~Snowy tracks~

~Winter Wonderland~

Wishing you all a pleasant Saturday,
Doreen