My gosh it’s been a long winter here in Massachusetts.  I started to dream of green lawns and spring flowers and feared they would stay in my dreams forever.  But finally the snow has melted and the nights are getting longer and yaaaaaay Spring is on the way.

I  (as always)  have been busy.  First off we gave this guy a home…

We got him from the Worcester Animal Rescue League  and they were super nice and helpful through the process.  I highly recommend them if you are looking for your new baby.  We called him Murray  (after the Scottish tennis player Andy Murray)  and he is completely bonkers and lovely.  He seems  to be fitting in well with Floyd and Lewis too

I also got a brilliant commission for a giraffe,  and I loved how he turned out

He was super fun to make and I may just have to make one for myself.  I have also been productive with a few other projects which I hope to share with you soon.

So you may have noticed by the slightly shorter days, chillier nights and, oh yeah, all the leaves on the ground that fall is here.  And so begins the start of critter craft shows.

Last Saturday was my first show of the year.  It was in the rather gorgeous location of Sudbury, right outside in the center of town by the church (very New England).  I was excited to set up as I have changed up my booth display from my previous circus theme to more of a farm stand look…..what do you think?

I figured it was time for a change and the farm stand idea came into being from enjoying all the local farm stands over the summer.  I hope you can see some of my new critters in that piccie too……..you know the new critters I promised to share with you last post (whoops) and on his first outing Morris found a new mama

Laura was lovely and I am super thrilled that Morris was going to live in such a fun new home…….the other cool info about Laura is that she is crafty/arty too  so Morris should make the transition into his new home easily……..yaaaaaaay.

And I just though I’d show you some new critters that showed up just in time for Halloween………..the Jack O’Pumkins they are listed in the shop but are very limited in supply and anyone who has pumpkins on display knows that their shelf life is not that long so snag ’em while you can.

Speaking of Halloween I decorated the house

I got the pumpkin buckets from Target and used them as planters………I love ’em!!!  it will be sad to take them away the boys aren’t so sure though

 I think it’s more proof for them that mama is crazy.  Happy Halloween…….I hope you decorated.

Hello from Snowy Boston.

And of course that’s my mailbox that the wind had opened and stuffed with snow……..grrrrrrr that was lucky or not.

All this snow has me yearning for spring and all things summery and green.  I am dreaming of trips to Plum Island and walking on the beach which is why I have made beachy critters

I already added them to the shop ,  I just wish I could take them to the beach for a photo shop, but I am so not hardy enough for the chilly  bracing winds that would be awaiting us.

We are preparing for this weekends impending snowstorm………(waaaaaaaaa NO!!!!!)  So I’m off to stack some logs for the fire,  which if I’m honest is one of the things that makes me happy about snow weather warnings…….yaaaaaaay for roaring fires.  And I am currently applying for shows and new critter creating I’ll keep you posted on how that turns out.

We are hunting houses!!!  And it’s kinda tricky as they are most elusive little buggers.  We have been spending every weekend since January looking and keep your fingers crossed for us as we think we may have snagged the perfect one……….sigh we will see.

Although a lot of my days have been spent on remax and in strangers homes (which is oddly quite fun and a tad voyeuristic) I have still been working on critters.

I recently had a brilliant request for pocket critters.  Spring is currently working on a nursery in her home and wanted to match the critters on this extremely cute fabric

and here’s what I came up with

I absolutely loved how these guys turned out,  especially the fox so expect so see them as new critterboxes sometime soon.  I really hope they look cute in Spring’s nursery and add a fuzzy,  crittery touch.

So we are already into the 2nd week of 2012……..good grief time really flies doesn’t it?  It seems like only a moment ago I was stabbying away on santas and snowmen and now the cutie hearts are here

Their timing really couldn’t be any better as tomorrow is my thirteen year wedding anniversary………phew 13 years,  if that doesn’t give you any indication of how quickly time flies I don’t know what does.  Happy Anniversary Markie here’s to many more.

Speaking of lovebirds how cute are these guys?

They are flying squirrels and they love the offerings of my bird feeder……..yaaaaaaaay.  It’s funny though as I couldn’t work out how my bird feeder had lots of seed in it when the sun came down,  and then none in the morning.  Turns out these lil’ guys show up in the night and gorge themselves.  But I don’t mind,  how could I?   just look at the size of those eyes……….aaaaaawwwww.

So tomorrow I am restocking the fabulous Sarida in Roslindale with new crittery goodies,  Betsey the bunny can’t wait to get there

She is a cutie,   and I’ll list the hearts for sale in the shop a little later today.  And now it’s back to stabbying.

I love, love, love custom requests…….particularly custom requests for computer game guys.  This is what I was working on last week

I had so much fun figuring out how to make Birdo……..

I was really pleased with how she turned out.  Baby Mario was fun too

But I think Toadette was probably the most fun……..love her pink piggytails

So many thanks Genevieve……..I hope they add a little something special to your Christmas tree.  I’m working on a new big critter now that hopefully I’ll be able to share with you soon.

I always love coming up with new Christmassy goodies but I always am hesitant to show them too soon.  It’s an interesting quandary for me as there is nothing I hate more than walking into a store that has set up for Christmas and it’s not even the end of July……I mean really?  are they serious?  So yes I know it’s a little early and I don’t want to panic anyone about Christmas so keep breathing as you enjoy my new Christmas offerings

I have a few other goodies still to take piccies of  but these are my favorite.  I LOVE the  Knitting Santa’s,  something about a crafting santa makes me smile. I have of course listed them in the shop so snag ’em while they are fresh.

I have been busy over here in Critterville and I figured it was about time I showed what I’ve been up to .  I’ll have a list of shows to post soon too………I’m super excited to be doing shows in Boston it will be nice to have a change of venues and start new holiday traditions.

……hurricanes hardly happen,  but in Massachusetts!!!  Nah they hardly do here either,  but when they do!!!!  Boy oh boy.  It sure has been an interesting couple of weeks in Beantown.  The day before  hurricane Irene blew through the East Coast,  Markie took part in a crazy bike challenge in Deerfield called D2R2 .  So not only is it a crazy, hilly,  long route he of course added to the challenge by doing it on a fixed bike (no gears) ……….what a dummy………I mean guy……what a guy……yeah, yeah that’s what I meant, ahem. He blogged about it here if you care to read his side of the day.

The  hurricane was starting to approach just as he finished,  so he got a little soaked at the end,  but didn’t he do well?

I had a lovely time in Deerfield while Markie was having fun.  Deerfield has a historical neighbourhood that has preserved the colonial and Federal houses of the first settlers. So after I had wandered around the village romancing with the idea of being around in the 16oo’s,  I brought out my trusty wool bag and got to work under a giant oak tree.  It was so nice (although slightly odd)  as it was right beside a working dairy farm.   So I heard the incredibly loud bleeting of sheep with every stab.  I like to think they were bleeting their approval of my use of wool.

The weather was so absolutely perfect,  it’s hard to believe that in only a few hours it had completely changed.  So back home we battened down the hatches and prepared for Irene……..and we were actually pretty lucky as she was not as bad as we were expecting (phew).  We did lose electricity for about a day and a half……which completely killed all my romantic notions of the past as I was going out of my mind with lack of internet, tv and lights after about 30 mins.    My initial thought of needle felting,  when we lost power,  were stymied at the realization that I do need some light or my fingers will bleed……. a lot.

I did add another new guy to the fold this week though……….Meet Inka

Inka is a Sloth bear,  but he’s more of a teddy bear really as he is obsessed with all the things from the 1950’s……..I will add him to the shop soon.

And in other stabby news I am happy to report that I will be vending at the Hingham Shipyard Holiday market this winter

I have applied to a few other shows so keep your fingers crossed for me that I have a few more to add to my holiday schedule.

Well no not really,  thank god…….but I have started the Christmas craftin’  and while I don’t think it’s ever going to feel normal to make snowmen and santas when it’s close to a hundred degrees outside,  it does make me start to look forward to fall and wonderin’ how Boston is going to be in winter……….brrrrrrr I expect.

A sneak pic of santas

I’m all done with my summer sowa market gig now too (apologies to anyone who went last weekend and expected to see us,  I’m afraid the rain kept us away…….no one likes a soggy critter.)

So I also have a new critter to introduce to the menagerie…….

I love Harry,  he’s such a cutie and I’ll be listing him in the shop a little later today.  I dropped off a whole load of crittery goodies at Sarida last Sunday but of course I got talking to Tammy,  (the rather fabulous owner) and mesmerized by all the fabulous goodies inside and of course forgot to take any pics……..so I’m stealing these pics from Sarida’s facebook page  (their pictures are so much better than anything I would have taken anyway ).

It’s such a pretty store I’m thrilled to have the critters be a part of it.  And if you are in the area you should check it out,  you wont be disappointed.

So it’s been a busy couple of weeks with Christmas craftin’  and trying to stock stores (including my own) and trips to the vet Kirzstie with an overactive thyroid,  Floyd  with dental issues (2 teeth had to be removed……poorbaby,  he’s feeling a little sorry for himself today)  but I’m going to get back to it now…….stabby, stabby…….

This Summer has been awesome!!!  Lots of critter love at the Sowa Market has made me giddy with glee (and no I don’t mean the all singing teenybop kind of glee I mean the good ole’ fashioned yaaaaaaahoooo kind.)  I just love meeting all the wonderful people who kindly give a critter a new home…….like Walter’s new mum

Walter sure is one lucky ducky as he is heading of to Florida,  no more cold winters for him.  And I just love how my nut job looked on Katherine

So very cool.   I also have another motivational reason for critter making as critters have a new Boston address,  that’s right you can now find a vast array of them hanging out at Sarida

It’s such a beautiful store and I’m thrilled to have the critters there,  I’ll take a picture next time I am in there as the displays and items really are quite stunning…….I will be there dropping of some new guys on Sunday  as it’s Sowa market weekend again (my penultimate one………doesn’t time fly?) so you shouldn’t have long to wait for a pic.

On the wildlife front check out the size of the Luna moth we encountered hanging out on one of our meadowland walks

Mark put his hand in the picture to give you an idea of the size of him………can you believe it?  I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like him before he was absolutely gorgeous and all fuzzy in the middle………..awwwwwwww