I'm so sorry I stepped on your cat...

I'm awkward right now. I'm so sorry. I just had a baby you see... I'll be back to normal soon. it will happen.

This seems to be my mantra these days, as January comes to a close.

There's been cool work for me this year already. Helping a local artist in her fantastic downtown Lancaster studio. A dream come true. Mimi is able to come along with me. and that's wonderful. WONDERFUL. but kind of awkward. (That's when I stepped on my new bosses cat.) (Within my first half hour there!)
with my awkwardness in tow, i've been enjoying baby moments.



and of course, I've been working in my studio...

So. After lots of felting and sewing this month I am pleased to announce that twenty shimmering Wensleydale brooches were delivered to the My Aunt Debbie Shop at 310 North Queen Street today. They are not only for sale for Valentine's Day, they'll be part of the February window display- being installed right now! on robins egg blue trees!

Then there's the box of flowers headed to York by post today, for the grand opening of Hollie Chantiles' new Lotus Moon Yoga Studio at 237 North George Street downtown. (with finishing touches being done right now in York!) Here's Mimi sporting some from their stash...they reminded me of the moon:-)

And there's also a brand new stash of Wensleydale flowers in the Mandarin Rose Spa at the Marriott Convention Center in Lancaster- sitting in their newly upgraded facilities.

Meanwhile this month, Mimi has gotten even gentler, more wide eyed, and more dear. And Max is growing up and up. and talking like a big boy. (full sentences and interesting conversations are coming at me from the back seat)



Tonight we await another winter storm. But all the flowers have been delivered or mailed, and I can take a moment (or a couple of days) and breathe a little sigh. Clean my house. Vacuum up angelina fibers and bits of wool on my carpets. Play with the kids. Be calm. and enjoy a bit of winter. and maybe play in the snow.
in my big coat.

and to Mrs. Bossman, I'm so sorry I stepped on Mr. Muff.

Grieving with Queen Street

Last night at midnight, Matt told me that Zap and Co. was ablaze downtown.

Here is a photo by Daniel Klotz of the aftermath.

My heart aches for Steve, the 300 block of Queen Street, and the vintage institution he created and maintained for nearly 40 years.
Today, in honor of Zap and Co. Mimi was dressed in vintage. Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve who suffered third degree burns and is in critical but stable condition today, his family, friends, and Queen Street.
(dress, my own. from 1973- the same year that Zap & Co. opened it's doors. and hat. with felt heart brooch from local artist Hollie Chantiles).

New clips in my etsy shop....

Snow and ice arrived late last night here in Pennsylvania. We've stayed home today, warm and snug in our little home. We can't wait to get out and about tomorrow. My to-do list is starting to add up!
Meanwhile, I listed Mimi's Valentine hair clips in my etsy shop...
If you're in Lancaster, you can pop into the My Aunt Debbie Shop at 310 North Queen to get your fix.
but if you're from far and away I have a secret stash of them here at home just waiting to be posted...to you.
XO

Mimi and her Valentine flowers....

kind of nice having a bunch of flowers in my house AND a little girl!

it's never too early for a little pre-Valentine sweetness...

Thinking about love...and Valentine's Day...

Oh what a busy week I've had felting and working, and taking care of the little ones. Max started Occupational Therapy this week, and while Mimi played on the floor, Max got to swing across the therapy room in a giant inner tube. That place is terrific, with children riding strange and fantastical vehicles down the long hallways. Makes me want to turn my house into a recreational center too. So far Max is using his scooter in the house. but what else can I do? I've gotta think about this. To me, there'd be nothing better than to turn our 50's rec room basement into a romper room of sorts.

I was hard at work this past week creating flowers for Valentines day- for both the My Aunt Debbie Shop, and the Mandarin Rose Spa at the Lancaster Marriott. I am so excited how they turned out, with their clear Valentine colors, and shimmering sequin and beaded centers. And right when I was in the market for a three-tiered vintage plate server, one came to me, for the amazing price of $9 at a local downtown shop. Love love love! I love how my display turned out at My Aunt Debbie. Of course, I wish I could sprinkle my flowers everywhere and hang them from the ceiling! Watching "Celine Dion Through The Eyes of the World" on the OWNetwork tonight, I was thinking about bringing British Wensleydale wool to every continent...hee hee. but Yes, I really WAS thinking that!


I had a small batch of moo cards made to use as tags on my pieces. They arrived last weekend, and I love how they turned out, and have some ideas of how I can change them up to match the seasons. I think they give my customers a better idea of how the pieces can be worn, and collected!

New things are coming into the newly rearranged My Aunt Debbie Shop from artists. The store is more fun to shop in than ever, with the coolest things, including these killer winter message mittens by Cori Haughery of Fybster. Happy New Year!

This morning our Indie Arts group had our annual holiday Indie gift exchange. As I sit here I am wearing my new Socklady socks from Maggie Mowery. Cool, eh? We met at Chestnut Hill Cafe. It was a lovely end to my busy week.
Mimi accompanied me, and was a precious good girl. taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of her first coffee shop experience. it felt like a community, as I showed her off for the first time to several friends, and I could see the preschool she'll attend through the window from my seat.

I gave an MFA headband and this lovely little notebook from the artist Norma Kooi.

and even little Clay got a gift. what a lucky boy! from our infamous quilter Vicky Gertenbach~!

The week ended on an upswing tonight. We went thrift store shopping and to Target. (well the boys went to Target and the girls went to Goodwill.) There amongst the heaping bins, now 85 cents an item (and a crazy crowd. hello recession!...who ARE these folks?!), I pulled out a familiar dark purple shirt. I looked at the tag. Marks and Spencer. I looked at the size. I looked it over. And my goodness. It was the very shirt I bought in Ireland years ago.
the cutest shirt in M&S at the time. I had bought it on a chilly afternoon, alone in M&S. I wore it out with friends, and had treasured it.
but I had given it away to charity 2 years ago. I spoke out loud to a random guy. "This was the shirt I bought in Ireland! The very shirt! I gave it away like Two years ago!"
For 85 cents, it was mine again. (How could I not buy it back?!)

I have no idea where it's been or who it's been with these last two years but amazingly, it's back with me. and now it's got quite a story.

First Friday January 2011

We're seven days into January...

and already it feels like real winter, but so much is going on anyway. I'm felting and sewing away while minding my sweet baby and son.
I think the combination of new motherhood and lots of handiwork has given me a little pea size bump in my hand, that's made my hand go numb. I have an appointment with a hand surgeon, but since I want to avoid any drama, I am using acupuncture.
I am very lucky that my good friend Jo Ellen- often pictured in my blog (mom of Opal and Kai), is an acupuncturist and runs Blossoms and Roots Wellness.
Here's my hand today during a session. She came to my house. Nice, eh? Jo Ellen is very skilled and caring- having trained at the University of Westminster in London, and I highly recommend her. Find her at the Mandarin Rose Spa at the Lancaster Marriott and Convention Center (and my flowers are there too!)

We had a busy day this Friday (after a busy and exciting week- more on that later), but could not miss Lancaster's January First Friday. With Mimi having had shots today, and it being rather cold, we decided to head downtown, but indoors to the new
Lancaster Creative ReUse shop in the basement of the Armory on Queen Street.
Here, you can find lots of inexpensive things for your crafty pleasure...all donated by local individuals and businesses. It makes me realize that Lancaster city is becoming quite the labyrinth of artistic destinations.

As you can guess...I bought one of these gorgeous little boxes of vintage threads...

and we all enjoyed checking out the bins and piles of goodies that you can use in your art. from fabric, to wood, to old computer keys. I also picked up random beads, and embroidery floss, stretchy banded elastic, and a few other bits and pieces.

then, when I was nearly done I spotted a bag of sweater felt. I was bent over like a little maniac pulling out all the reds/peaches/oranges/blues. (which can be hard to find if you are ever on a mission for lovely old sweaters at the Goodwill).

It's nights like this in the winter that I long for summer a bit- I miss Max being able to roam around enjoying street music, running into dozens of friends, and eating ice cream in the heat...but I'm SO glad that Max and Mimi have the chance to be in an artistic environment, whatever the weather, anytime of year!

Happy New Year 2011!

I am so excited for this new year! I've made my Resolutions List (#1 is to be happy!)

I also can't wait to bring my new ideas for flowers into fruition, and into the hands of my customers, through my retailers. My super soft Wensleydale flowers are better than ever now, and I've come up with some hand sewn centers that really make them shimmer even more!

I absolutely LOVE all my retailers. Each place is dear to me and I often create special things just for a particular shop. (for example, find my french barrettes only at felt in London.)

Each flower I make is wet felted and sewn by hand by me in my little studio, in my little house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Look for my sparkling British Wensleydale flowers at the following:


The My Aunt Debbie Boutique. 310 North Queen Street, Lancaster, PA

Hello Bluebird. 609 Penn Avenue West, Reading, PA

felt, 13, Cale Street, London SW3 3QS

The Mandarin Rose Spa at the Lancaster Marriott and Convention Center, 25 South Queen Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

and at Flying Fibers, 329C Main Street Landisville, PA

and as always, on Etsy:

Have a beautiful new year! I wish you all the very best!