Memories and Joy...

Sweet "Dolly" at the Birdbath
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

I've been finishing up a few needle felts
this afternoon...somewhere in between
Jr./Sr. All-County Chorus concerts...
(Our son had a percussion solo!)
and dropping our daughter off for a high school
field trip into the city to enjoy an evening
concert...Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra~

:) Can you bottle joy?
I'm so thankful they have "art" in them...
Musical, artistic, patriotic and
most importantly...they believe in Christ,
they hold Him in their hearts!

Cup of Strawberry
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Could just eat this one up!

"Flower for Momma"
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Remember when they were little...
Sweet kissable hands...tiny little fingers...
Wee rings around their chubby wrists...
Handing you a blossom top!
"Momma...a flower for you~"
We tried our best to keep their flower gifts alive
by floating them in a bowl of water...

Tonight is a journal night...
Must remember sweet concert moments~

Wishing you joy, dear friends!

Bird Nest Tutorial by Barb...

Treasure from the Heart Gifts
Barb makes the sweetest bird nests...
You'll have to stop by & see!
Click on the birds or HERE...

Feathered & Treasured Needle Felts...

All Cooped Up!
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Is it possible to have too much fun
when you're working?
:)

All Cooped Up!
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

This is my latest original...one-of-a-kind
needle felting piece on Etsy.
All five fowl and the coop are included!

All Cooped Up!
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Not sure what type of feathered friend
the extra feathers came from...
These were purchased from a local craft store.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks so much for stopping by...
Michelle

Needle Felted Bear-Mouse?

Toby found an Acorn
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Can't decide what critter I had in mind when I
made this dear little friend~
But Toby is a sweet little one with a big heart!
He's available at my Etsy store...

Topiary Needle Felt Original...

Bunny & Blue Bird Topiary
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

A new needle felt available from
my Etsy shop...
Just click on a picture to see more!

Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Diane Knott Tagged me!
You must stop by her blog & see all the fun
this amazing artist has~
Seven things to list...
Hmmmmm these will be about our winter!

1. I've had a shovel in my hand for 2 months.
2. The only time I put my shovel down is
to paint, felt, cook or sleep!
3. The doors on the SUV were frozen
shut this morning...we had to body
slam the truck to get in & get the
kids to school on time!
4. The kitchen broom works as a
GREAT snowbrush for us short people.
(yes, that much snow)
5. We have snowmobile trails throughout
our back yard so I can walk our pup!
6. The cats love walking on the window sills
trying to catch snowflakes...
7. I determine my exercise routine
based on the weather report!
:)
Not sure who to tag...if you would like to
leave 7 funny, quirky things~
Let me know! Would love to visit & read them~

Thanks Diane!
Hope you all have a warm, cozy...snow-free day!

Favorite Things...

For a few months I've been searching antique
and thrift shops for needle felting bases.
I like salvaging bits n' pieces of old, to give my
needle felts a uniqueness~

I saw this sweet set of four bird saucers...
Thought of how I might make nests
for the center...and add a tiny felted bird!

They somehow ended up with plate holders
strapped to them...

And hang in a sweet line over one
of my favorite desk areas...

They make me smile when I look at them~
Wanted to share a few favorite things
on this snowy, storm day...

Three More Needle Felts...

"Bear-ez n' Cream"
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

This little pal has the best seat in the house!

I've listed these three new needle felts
at our Etsy shop.

Strawberry n' Cream
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

It's not too far away...strawberry season, that is!
I LOVE to take the kids n' pick our own.
Teach them how to hold the vine...
and to not eat toooo many of them!
Mom always told me you have to eat
a bushel of dirt before you die~~~
I wonder,
If you happen to be a kid like me...
Could that extend to 3 or 4 bushels?
:)

Vintage Strawberry Pin Cushion
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

This one was so much fun to make!
I had the base.
Then I had the felt idea!
I love to find my base...either at a thrift shop
or one of our many local antique favorites~~
And brainstorm as to what it could become!

Thank you soooo much for stopping by!
Hope you have a fantastic week!

Needle Felted Christopher Owl...

Christopher Owl
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

He's finally finished & listed at our Etsy shop!

Seems like we're selling a family pet~
He's been around here for so long!
This fella took me longer than usual,
he stands 4 1/2" tall.
But we think he's a treasure!

The nest is all-bird-made...about 3 years old.
Fits this little guy perfect~
Doesn't he look cozy n' all tucked in?

Wishing you wonderful!

My Etsy Shop is Open!

Martha Chick
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer
In her pretty Spring hat~

These are the first three pieces up for sale!

Starfish pin cushion...

Vintage blue dish pin cushion...

Hope each of you are having a fantastic weekend!

Country Roads...

Walking outdoors today...
It was 33 degrees~ felt like 60!

Could take deep breaths without flash-freezing
every body tissue & nerve from the tip of
your nose to your toes!

For a couple seconds it even smelled like spring!
Well...at least near the farmyards~
:)

Sweet breaks in the cold pick up my spirits~

"We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand...
and melting like a snowflake.
Let us use it before it is too late."
Marie Beyon Ray

Seaside Friend...

Seahorse
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Painted this little friend last year...
Part of a large collection~

Made me smile & remember our
vacation near the ocean.
WARM ocean breezes...
WARM sunshine...
WARM sand...

Finished my tea...must go shovel!
:)

Needle Felted Winter Bloom...

Wee tiny Lily of the Valley cup brimming with color!

Mauve Flower
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer
100% wool

I love living up north...
Each season is beautiful & treasured...

By the end of January the cold begins to intensify
and it isn't as easy for me to LIKE winter.

So I just have to make a little SPRING!

Photo Reference...

The best start in any drawing/painting/sculpting medium
is to have excellent reference material.

SKETCHBOOK
Always bring a sketch book along...
or a few napkins...
or a receipt...
or a ticket stub!
You hear me...you've done it before!

Take your own pictures...or draw to record.
Most images are protected under artist copyright.
It is important to respect those laws...
You can look at TONS of pictures for inspiration,
details you may have missed...background ideas.
But don't design your art from them.
Your photos~
1st~ Your perspective is unique to YOU.
Keeps the design fresh.
2nd~ Seeing the actual subject helps you capture
the neat little details you can't discover
from 1,000 images...sheen, texture...
sometimes SMELL! (Whooo-wee!)
3rd~ It's safe. If your design is selected for
production on cards, mugs, fabric etc.
You know it is your property!
Copyright infringements are serious.

I take my camera where ever I go...and
SKETCHBOOK!
I've asked antique shops if I could take pictures...
(After I put my handful of FINDS on the counter!)
ponds, front porches...window boxes...flags!
Apple orchards...flower nurseries...the fair, zoo...etc.

Needle Felted Nest...

Think Spring!
Copyright Michelle L. Palmer

Needle Felted Original
100% wool, bird feathers, seeds & branches.

Today's Your Day...

There are people who put their dreams in a little box
and say, "Yes, I've got dreams, of course, I've got dreams."
Then they put the box away and bring it out once
in a while to look in it, and yep, they're still there.
These are great dreams, but they never even get out
of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts
to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say,
"How good or how bad am I?"
That's where the courage comes in.
Erma Bombeck

Have courage, friends...it's a fantastic journey
you will never regret taking!

Sunrise...

It began soft, warm...beautiful...

Then...it was as if someone was pumping up
the saturation levels...

My eyes are now watering!
So magnificent~ filling our house
with a vibrant amber glow...

Sunglasses as I brought the kidos to school!

Cold, cold morning...the chimney smoke
rising straight up...in the valley a soft blanket
of glitter-like crystals cover every surface.

Creative Refill...

Through the holidays my studio space
had become a collect-all.
I have spent the better part of this week tossing,
organizing and finding things I thought were lost!
Now it is clean.
I'm ready to begin new collections.
But first...
I'm going to take time to visit a favorite friend.
Beatrix Potter

These are three of my favorite books...
I'm not much of a reader~
I prefer to design, sketch & garden...craft, movies...

But Beatrix is a treasure...

Miss Potter is a FANTASTIC movie...
Cozy pj's, warm tea...cookies to nibble~
Keep a few tissues nearby.

DK Series books are full of visuals...
We must have 20 or more by now in different subjects.

Such a fun peek into her life & work.

Such creative costumes!
Another of my favorite movies...Finding Neverland.
Again...keep the tissues handy.

In the movie, I love how her little friends
come to life from time to time...

An artist's joy~
To bring the ordinary to life in a different way...

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!