The Secretive Gray Fox
First introduced in my book Downeast Thunder Farm Animals of the Northeast here is my Secretive Gray Fox pattern. I've only spied red fox on the farm here but the gray is abundant in southern and mid-coast Maine - and throughout much of the United...
A Weekend Window into the Woods
In the winter, my favorite spot for morning coffee is by the northern-facing facing window in the living room. I typically have my camera at the ready and take more photos than I ever share. I love capturing the birds in the trees waiting for their...
Oven Woes
Wednesday is a work-from-home day, so I got up early this morning and mixed up a batch of pineapple carrot muffins with pecans. I didn't think anything of it when the oven came up to temperature unusually quick. I popped the muffins in and then...
Wrapping Up Christmas
One month into official winter, it looks more like Christmas than ever. Ice and sleet last weekend and five inches of snow this weekend. The snow makes a beautiful landscape with the soft winter light. The pond pictured above is frozen over once...
Minimalist Chickadee
For Christmas, I received the book "Beguiled By The Wild" by Charley Harper from Hannah. About his style of painting, Charley Harper coined it "minimal realism." He said, "Instead of trying to put everything in when I paint, I try to leave...
First Winter Walk in the Woods
I've felt oddly disconnected from nature lately - likely due to the colder weather and my schedule keeping me indoors. With the storm debris blocking our road gone, and the electricity finally back on, Hannah and I headed out for a rare walk in the...
Christmas Morning Without Power
Christmas morning 2022 is our second morning without power. Our generator operates one outlet in the kitchen, so it's a constant rotation of plugging in what's most important. The coffee maker. The internet. The toaster. The instapot. And this...
Merry Christmas!
It's a bit of an adventure this Christmas Eve. The house is clean. Presents are wrapped. I've got a plan for the holiday menu. All is on track for a happy Christmas. There's just one little bump in the road. We lost power around 11 pm last evening,...
Early Morning Snow
early morning snowfalling softly on the pondbrings wonder to me
Joyful Owl Tree Topper
It's been a stressful year with mom's health challenges, feeling overwhelmed with work, job changes, and Hannah moving home (exciting things on that front coming), to name a few. I've felt less spunky, less resilient than normal. For the first time...
Christmas Cats and Dogs
These little cats and dogs have kept me busy in the evenings - the perfect project to help keep me awake during TV-time. I plan to use these as little extras tied to Christmas packages. The cat design was inspired by a Pinterest picture from this...
Downeast Thunder Farm Wreaths
A couple of times a year, I create wreaths with my owls. I've added seven wreaths - many in this round have a minimalist, natural look without bows. Paul crafted the square frame wreath for me from reclaimed wood. Another square frame is crafted...
Downeast Thunder Farm Polar Bear Christmas Stocking
Christmas stockings need to hang in pairs (at least). The companion for my Adele Penguin Christmas Stocking is this Polar Bear stocking. He's sitting rather than standing like my Polar Bear ornament but is still dressed for the holiday season in a...
Thanksgiving
I find myself in a cranky mood lately, a bit of a funk that's hard to shake. There are lots of things in my world that have frustrated me. A new heat pump installed on October 21st has yet to be connected to the electricity by the company, so it's...
Downeast Thunder Farm Penguin Christmas Stocking
The design bug hit yesterday, and I started dabbling with a new set of Christmas Stockings. Here's the first; an all-felt stocking that uses my Adele Proper Penguin pattern (enlarged to 6 inches) in a wintery landscape. I think she's sweet. Thanks...
A Joyful Owl in the Square
This Joyful Owl in the Square is my latest submission for WHRL's Winter Tree Festival. The felt owl (download the free pattern here) resides in a wood frame embellished with artificial pine, berries, and a lotus seed pod. Paul made the simple 12'...
Countdown to the Winter Tree Festival
It's less than three weeks to WHRL's Winter Tree Festival & Auction on December 2-3. That means that the ribbon, baubles, and crafting supplies have exploded throughout the house. My first entry, which started this summer, is complete! A few...
Our Other Selves
Writing class assignment #2. From her house by the pond, Doodle duck complains loudly when I open the French doors to let out the dog. “Let me out too!” she seems to be saying. When the sun rises, chasing away night’s shadows, I visit Doodle and...
Downeast Thunder Farm Animals of the Northeast Felt Ornament Designs
My fourth pattern book - Animals of the Northeast is off to the printer! I am now accepting pre-orders for the Animals of the Northeast book and the companion felt pack. Items should ship out by the end of November. Here's the cast of characters in...
November Sunrise
The river this morning was smooth as glass framed by low-lying fog. And, just down the road, autumn barrens in the mist. There's a perk to getting up with the sun.
Holy Grackle!
Holy Grackle! There must have been 100 or more in the yard shortly after I filled the feeder. I now understand why they call a flock of grackles "a plague!"
Retro Beaded Christmas Ornament
I played with this little ornament a while back but never shared it. It's inspired by some of the glass ornament of the 1950s and 60. Mix and match your colors or create your own beading patterns. For this one I used Baby Blue felt and Strawberry...
Birds on Branches Christmas Ornaments – Round 2
I had so much fun with my Birds on Branches last week that I had to make more. Last week I experimented with a lightly stuffed felt Blue Jay ornament and mixed media collage ornaments. This mourning dove, my favorite of the new designs, is finished...
Birds on Branches Mixed Media Ornaments and Gift Tags
Yesterday I shared my Birds on Branches Christmas Ornament Patterns with Blue Jay, Cardinal, Chickadee, Titmouse, Goldfinch, and Nuthatch patterns. Today I experimented with making the ornaments out of paper. I started by tracking the circle on a...
Birds on Branches Christmas Ornaments
This week, I've spent my evenings in front of the television playing with these Birds on Branches Christmas Ornaments. They are four-inch circle bird scenes. Because the birds are so small to fit in this space, I slightly simplified the designs...
