~Frolicing In The Midst Of Mud Season~

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. ~Nelson Mandela

It's mud season in Vermont..that time of year when the temperatures rise......the temperatures fall... IT SNOWS......the temperatures rise again..said snow melts.....and our lovely rolling hills and valleys turn to MUD!

Whilst Mud season takes over, outside our door, I am inside preparing for "A Spring Frolic" Web Show which takes place this Sunday, April 3rd at 4pm on My Website.(Don't you just love my spiral stamp? It has the "F' in the center & says; Handcrafted in Vermont by Doreen Frost www.vermontharvestfolkart.com)...I LOVE IT!)


These last couple of weeks have been crazy and are literally flying by.... I have so many different deadlines..projects and creations going at once that I'm amazed I'm keeping it all straight......writing class, cards for the Gallery, moppets awaiting life...and OUR regular day to day life..which, of course, for me...always comes first...it's busy, busy, busy..but I LOVE it. Admittedly..sometimes I just have to stop working, step away from the studio....take a few minutes and head into the kitchen to bake..it's the equivalent of a walk for me ....it slows me down..relaxes me and allows my head to re-organize itself.


I'm quite happy with how things are progressing and as long as I keep myself on schedule...I should finish all that I have planned ..and then I will be quite pleased with myself!

In the photo's above you will find little sneak peek's of what will be available during "A Spring Frolic" AND a couple shot's of the cards I'm making. It's all so very exciting :)
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*On the home front..the kids are back from their trip to China to see their Dad..they had an amazing time...I hope to find a bit of time to share photo's with you soon.

Sugaring Season is still going strong & the guys have already made more than double what they made all of last year..they are so happy...exhausted..but happy. :)*

Wishing you a lovely day and thank you all for stopping by.
Doreen

~Inspiration~

Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing.

The days pass quickly when I am sewing.

~Author Unknown~

Tis cold here in Vermont with a bitter north wind blustering about....ahhhh, March you are so very fickle! I've a nice cozy fire going, chicken catetori simmering in the crock pot and a pot of coffee freshly brewed as I stitch away on a new set for my upcoming web show "A Spring Frolic." The weather suits what I am working on this afternoon as it is Winter in theme. When I was making notes and sketches.....trying to decide what to make for April's Web Show & in particular my Bear for the "Winter" Series ...I was starting to regret committing myself to such a thing every other month. Thankfully, as I was relaxing in bed later that evening, enjoying a good book, an idea started to form.... I jumped out of bed, ran to my desk and jotted down the idea, lest I forget it by morning :)

Finally today..I am finding the time to work on it...It will be a set & I've got one of the pieces stitched, turned, dyed & currently drying while I write this post. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will come together as I envision it..or at least somewhere in the vicinity..these moppets of mine tend to develop a mind of their own at a certain point and I just have to follow along and hope the two of us are somewhere close with our thoughts. :)

SO...ANYWAY...(good gracious I tend to veer off track a lot lately)..the reason for this post...

I wanted to share with you a little bit of what inspires me..If I were asked..I really think most of what inspires me is color..of course...the seasons, holidays and certain animals always inspire me..but all in all..I really feel the bottom line for me is color. I will see a color..or have a certain color on my mind continually until I go in search of a piece of fabric, a bit of ribbon, etc to match that color & then I build upon it. The ribbons in the above picture are an example of my recent color "loves" AND..I have found the most perfect shop to indulge my love of antique & vintage ribbons, lace and fabric! Vintage Tidbits..Oh how I love Patsy's wonderful items and a bonus..she's a bear maker and such a lovely lady! :) If you click on the photo above it will take you to Patsy's wonderful shop..you will not be disappointed..just please..leave something for me!

Okay I must be getting back to work...I just heard the dryer go off....but first before I go...tell me...what inspires you?

Enjoy the day
Hugs & smiles, Doreen

~Of Spring....and growth~

Happy Spring :)

It is a delightfully sunny, somewhat Spring like day ....a bit chilly but with a brilliant warm sun shining down upon us...SO LOVELY! The house is quiet, (Mark is at the Sugar House) I've a pot of baked beans baking in the oven which is filling the house with it's scrumptious aroma and I've actually been relaxing in my favorite chair & reading a book, very much enjoying, doing....... nothing! Something I rarely do but after a week of going in ten different directions, I need a bit of down time to recharge & organize the week ahead.

Even though last week was extremely busy, it was a wonderful week! I had a most delightful request. I had posted a picture on Face Book (the photo below actually) of some thank you cards I had made..................

You may recall, I had mentioned a little while ago that I had decided to make my own thank you cards as I had not been unable to find any, to purchase, that I felt were "me"...well...a Vermont Art House saw the photo and wrote and asked if they could carry them in their shop!!! I was so shocked...truly..I never...EVER imagined having this happen with these simple little stamped cards..it's rather flattering and delightful. At first I did not think I was going to do it as ...well, I really didn't think they were worthy and....my schedule is crazy now...and I could not imagine adding something else to it...BUT..after careful consideration and knowing, without a doubt. that everything happens for a reason..I've decided to go for it and..it's actually turned into more of an opportunity as once they visited my website..they were interested in carrying my other creations as well as having a showing of my work in the Fall!!!! They also asked if I would think about giving a lecture (this last part.....the lecture....I shall have to think about for a while..a public speaker..I am not... :)

Now that I've actually said yes..I've a hundred different ideas flowing forth of different designs and such to make...I've put in an order for supplies and when everything arrives I'll get to work. I'm even going to do a few sketches & see about having my own stamps made!!! How fun would that be!!!....OH & perhaps I could even write simple little short (very short) stories to accompany the sketch.....now I'm just thinking out loud (sort of ;).......can you tell I'm excited???

.....who knows where this small and simple thing may lead!!!
AFTER ALL.......

"If you only do what you know you can do....you never do very much" ~ Tom Krause
A time for new beginnings....new growth and a small seedling turning into a beautiful flower.

Wishing you a wonderful first day of Spring :)
Doreen

~TWW Blooming Bear Show~

Good morning. We've a beautiful & typical March morning here in Vermont. The temperature is in the low 30's....snow is gently falling & the sap is running, like wildfire!!! The boys said "it's let loose now....look out..we'll be in deep for another month" Let's hope that is the case..after last years poor sugaring season..Vermonters need a good one!

Okay..so on to a bit of business...The Teddies Worldwide Blooming Bear show has officially begun.

You may click on the banner to pop on over & visit the show..there are so many wonderful bears & other animals created from mohair ~ it's simply amazing.

I made three pieces specifically for this show...

~Young W.P. Pawlet~
~Sold...Thank you :)~

(I am soooo proud of this set....more on him and how he came about later)

&

~Young Warren~
~Sold, Thank you~
(I think he is just SO precious....and actually resembles my sweet son's Kitten ...Larry..most likely due to the fact that he is my shadow, day & night since he came to live with us :)

& lastly..but certainly not least....

~Young Wilder~
~Sold, Thank you~


There's a funny story behind Young Wilder here as well...suffice it to say..He IS a mouse..however..in some of the photo's..he looks a piglet.......more on that later :)

Thank you all so very much for taking the time to stop by today.
Wishing you a wonderful day.

:)Doreen

~Negativity, Nastiness & Mean People~

People come & go throughout our lives, most leave soft delicate imprints which we remember fondly and others stomp on us leaving ruts. What you do with the "ruts" is up to you...you can leave them ...letting them get deeper and darker as time goes by or you can get out your tools and smooth out the surface.

We've all had experiences in our lives that leave us dismayed, sad, disillusioned & angry... bad situations, hardships and mean people we later wished we had never met......One of the very, very wonderful things I've learned in writing class is we can let ourselves be disappointed, disillusioned and defeated by these bad experiences or we can see them as fantastic writing material...a lump of raw clay to which you shape into one of your many characters.


In my own personal experience, I've dealt with one particular situation for several years now...A nasty & clearly "off balance" person that (in a nut shell) refused to accept the fact that I did not wish to associate with her. It turned into a very odd situation ~ Kinda like when you are set up on a blind date...you go out... realize this person is not for you and politely refuse a second date...AND.....they decide to stalk you!!! That's what this turned into! NOW..I'm a firm believer in "Everything Happens For A Reason" and this situation really threw me for quite a while and I've questioned myself and asked over and over...WHY? What possible reason could there be for this happening .... I wondered what I could have done to deserve such Karma coming back on me. What did I do to deserve this mean nasty person ....and on occasion person's (now & then she would find a partner in crime) in my life. I'm able to joke about it now...but in truth, for the first year, it bothered me greatly and it hurt..but as time passed and it went on and on...AND ON...the same old nonsense again and again...AND AGAIN..I finally realized...it's not me...it's her(and on occasion them) and the hurt and anger finally went away...

.....but I still questioned why...why does it continue...why is this still part of my life...

Until yesterday..when it finally hit me.......it was like a light bulb being turned on...I swear, it was as if someone tapped me on the shoulder and said "Um, excuse me doreen...this is why.... Now use it!!!!...USE IT!!! Build from it...create characters from it!!!

........after the excitement of finally realizing WHY this has been given to me...(notice I didn't' say "happened" to me)...I hesitated..thinking "there is NO way I'm going to give them this much credit as to include them in my precious story"...but through class, I've realized that's the wrong way to look at it...it's not giving them credit...it's taking back my power..to no longer let it get to me....to welcome it..because it's something I can us!!!

Now I see it with all new eyes with a whole new perspective..it's a good thing..a really good thing...kinda like a constant free delivery of beautiful soft clay just waiting for me to mold into something wonderful!



Thanks for listening :)
Doreen

~The Coziness Of Home, Solitude & A Creative Routine~

These words go hand in hand for me......A cozy & tidy home... with something baking in the oven or simmering on the stove.. the quiet solitude that comes from working at home ...a bit of classical music playing softly ..candles lit....a nice hot shower....something cozy to wear ...and then..... my creativity comes alive.

Do you have a creative routine? Something or things....that you usually do..or perhaps MUST do each day, in a particular way..at a particular time.......... that set's your creativity in motion? In college we were taught to do just this to enable our brains to kick into "homework" mode and I guess it just stuck with me. I have a routine that I follow every day. Some days life steps in and changes the schedule a bit but for the most part it runs rather smoothly.

Solitude & the coziness of our home have much to do with this creative routine of mine....I have certain "needs" that must come together in order for my creativity to kick in. I won't go into my whole routine but needless to say... keeping a cozy and tidy home, caring for my family, baking and cooking are all part of who I am as a creative person. I can not create in the midst of a mess..chaos is not my friend. I not only believe that your home should be something you are proud of....something you take pride in by keeping it clean and cozy.... but I also need to have it this way in order for my mind to relax & settle down so that I can be creative.

I'm sure there are people out there who can create in the midst of disorder, mess and clutter ..some folks may even need it to be that way..for their creativity to kick in.. the creative process is different for everyone.....to each his own I say...

*So I ask you...do you have a creative routine....what works best for you....order..or disorder?*

....whatever it may be....recognize what works for you & go with it...as it is what will bring you the most joy.

I'm off now to mix up a batch of homemade bread..the house is tidy, my candles are lit & today rather than music, I am opting to listen to one of my favorite movies as I work; "You've Got Mail"... my creativity is ready to get to work. :)

"True Happiness & Joy Come From Recognizing Who You Truly Are And Embracing It With Everything You Have." ~ doreen frost



Wishing you a wonderful day. :)Doreen