yes, I am here...

asperger's...

yes, I am here.... but I had to get away.

Not only did I have two very active boys home for a week of winter break, but also a mum (me) who needed time to re-focus and understand the direction her work was starting to take. There has always been a back and forth motion when it comes to my work, with various mediums taking their own moments to have center stage. From painting to ceramics, and woodworking to sewing, transitions from one medium to another still take place since I started working over 15 years ago.

And now I find such a transition taking place again, although this time the change is not about materials, but rather the subject matter itself. It is a subject that I keep returning to, because the therapy that comes about from addressing such a topic has been so crucial in my ability to mother the best way I can. It is a subject that I live with everyday, and one that has often brought about more heartache and stress than I ever thought possible. Yes, it can be a very sensitive topic, and of course I get quite nervous about the response from putting those feelings out there...but it is something that I have to do.

yes, I had to get away. But now I am back and ready to embrace this new transition that has clearly been taking place for a quite some time...and oh how relieved I feel to have finally figured out where I needed to go...

The artful bird stops here...

:: welcome to the next stop in Abigail Glassenberg's blog tour as she promotes her lovely new book, the artful bird. I was thrilled to be asked to take part, and today is my turn to share with you what makes this book so utterly delightful.

:: I first met Abby through her blog, and when both of us realized our lives were somewhat parallel (we were both writing our books at the same time), a lovely phone connection was made and a great conversation ensued. I felt such amazing support from her as I opened up about my journey as a new writer, and knew seconds into the chat that she was in the process of making something wonderful. The ideas she conveyed sounded just so good, and when her book arrived at my door, I couldn't wait to dive in and see how those thoughts had materialized.



:: It is perfect. The artful bird is one of those books that instantly gets promoted to one of those few sources you find crucial to have in your reference library. Aside from all of the lovely projects (and there are many of them!), I have to say my favourite part lies in the techniques section at the front of the book. It's brilliant,and has opened my eyes to a completely new way of construction. The initial draw to find out how she makes those amazing legs (the first thing I hurried to find when opening the book), was soon taken over by the many pulls to learn everything else I could learn about making birds.

:: Abby, if you find yourself in this neck of the woods today, I hope you truly hear how beautiful this book is. The amount of time you must have spent breaking down the parts of constructing each bird is nothing short of amazing, and the overall collection contains something for everyone. It's perfect for those new to bird construction, and equally satisfying for those more comfortable with soft sculpture. The beautifully written introductions to each project draw you in, and make you eager to finish every single project in the book...

:: Thanks again Abby for asking me to be a part of this tour, and thanks to all of her fans who have come to pay a visit. Now, stop reading this post and go buy yourself a copy!

special shop sale today and tomorrow!

...my mum is here for just a few more days, but the time we have had so far has been filled with a lot of quality time together and plenty of cups of tea. With the weather bringing a much needed sanity break ,warmth-wise (it has reached past 50 today!), I thought it would be fun to offer a little special out there to all of my followers.

...enter the code MUMMYSAM15 in my shop Monday and Tuesday, and receive 15% off your entire order.
(you must enter the code, otherwise discount doesn't apply...)
That should put a little "spring" in your step, no? Offer ends Tuesday...have fun!
(psst....tell your friends too....)

mum's the word...

I would enclose a great picture here, but am afraid I have been quite poor at taking any pictures whatsoever as of late. Not only am I lacking in the photography department, but my absence has also drudged on for a bit. My mum is here for a visit, and being that it has been over a year since her last trip, I will be taking to the hermit life for a bit to spend quality time catching up. ("catching up" often requires the accompaniment of daily glasses of red wine) .

I will see you all in a week, hopefully with a new studio space to share with all of you. And please join me on Feb 17th, as I host a day in Abigail Glassenberg's blog tour. I will be reviewing her new book, The Artful Bird.....see you then!