My gorgeous grand daughter has just mastered the "E-I-E-I-O" part of "Old MacDonald had a Farm". Imagine how cute that sounds on speaker phone when her Mama calls and she clamors to talk to her Nanajan. Imagine how mushy-gushy Nanajan is going to lose it when she gets to hear it in person in a few days when I fly up to visit! There she is below with her Dada on Father's day,..suitably "chapeau-ed" for a trip to the farm, sippy cup in hand and an adoring smile on her face.
With Mac Donald's farm in mind, I must master the felting of things that burst forth with a "meow-meow" here and a "cluck-cluck there". I have another order to fill that will put me on track. I mentioned Memory Lane Heritage Village in my last blog.
I am honored to be asked to contribute several pieces to their gift shop. It's a hands-on working village. with interesting vignette's of life on the Eastern Shore in the '40s and '50s. Special programs and events fill the summer and fall months. Among so many other things there are lovely sheep and chickens and very happy barn cats and kittens on site. Lucky me to be able to pay tribute to these furry favorites.
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May Ogden Nash forgive my paraphrase...Spring hit the ground running, the grass is growing so fast that we can't keep up and the birdies are emptying my feeders daily. For the last few days there have been purple and goldfinches and a beautiful male evening grosbeak added to the myriad jays, sparrows, chickadees and greedy grackles and starlings. The robins wake me and the mourning doves coo all day. A raucous pair of pheasants squawk at each other and the laughter of a northern flicker makes me smile infectiously through out my day. Inside I am perched at my work table surrounded by colored groupings of fluff designated to replicate the feathered fancies I see just outside my open window.
I am filling an order for an amazing store on South Park Street in Halifax. "P'lovers, the Environmental Store." ( www.plovers.net ) I had filled orders for this amazing store over a decade ago with very satisfying retail success. Life at that time became very busy with the fun of a growing family of four children taking precedence over my time to focus on my artwork. The youngest is twenty now so here I am..filling an order for this wonderful store.
At the expense of my garden full of weeds and my house knee-deep in dog hair and dust. I have been rooted to my work table. The orders are coming fast and furious as there have been calls from other venues as well. Last week there were a number of pieces added to the Crafter's Room inventory. I had made nests with chickadees and their tiny eggs and they are so coveted that they are heading to five different venues. Cute, they are so cute, so guess I understand!
The little mermaid from a previous blog is on her way to Santa Barbara, CA. The lovely gal who will receive her has placed an order earmarked for a Sunday school lesson on the "Creation" story from the Bible,..Imagine the possibilities there, so of course I can't wait to get started. She is getting me started on an initial four pieces but with myriad "birds of the air",.. "creatures of the sea" and .."animals large and small who will dwell in the dry land" the possibilities are mind boggling! My excitement at this time goes beyond words, you can be certain..
Another two orders have come from very different venues. The first is an historical village set in the '40s in Lake Charlotte N.S. It is a growing, hands-on, amazing site called Memory Lane ( www.heritagevillage.ca ). There is also a focus on local genealogy there and attendance and attention to this nostalgic rural treasure is on the upswing. Have a look at their site and visit while you are in the area. I will soon have sheep and chickens and cats and kittens in their gift shop and gallery. It's a great spot and I will be thrilled to have inventory there.
The second is the spot near and dear to me as I created signage, displayed and sold artwork at the Tourist Trap and worked there as a cook for several years. I love the young proprietress, Holly, as though she were one of my own.
You know the saying, "It never rains but it pours." Well that's how its been, literally and figuratively. We've had our first tropical storm of the season and buckets full of rain and fog. I have had a torrential downpour of exciting orders, all at once. Needless to say, the pace is dizzying. I have a few private commissions to fill as well so forgive me if cyberspace is quiet for a bit, as I will need to catch up to my orders. I'll take lots of pictures and post anything new and exciting when I have some breathing room......
