The birds are singing about a great giveaway for the DCC Designer's Blog Hop. Hop on over to Julie McGuffee's blog to get the details and have some fun! Happy Friday!

Happy Spring! The birds do sing from the treetops with JOY! This one of my favorite pieces, the technique needle felting is fun, easy and relaxing.

Delicious vibrant wools from National Nonwovens, pen needle tool from Clover, a sheet of STYROFOAM Brand foam, Wrights ricrac and buttons from Blumenthal Lansing.

Creating with JOY, never forget to just create for the sheer pleasure, the relaxation of hand, heart and mind engaged in creating! Follow the JOY always!

I began this year with three words, love, joy & gratitude to live by. This past week has left me filled with gratitude. Waking each morning in good health and having meaningful purpose I am grateful for. The people in each day have reminded me of how generous the human spirit is.

When we encounter someone or a situation which is made memorable or special, it is always made so by the people involved. A local shop I go to regularly has the friendliest upbeat woman. I commented on her delightful service and she replied, of course I get to serve customers like you! That is how she makes every customer feel. These are the people who make an everyday ordinary moment one to remember throughout the day with a smile. 

Each day is a reason to celebrate this life. Each birthday a reminder of the day we arrived and the world was changed forever. Each of us is here with a purpose and to make a difference in this life. Live it well & with gratitude. Debra

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Gratitude is the bounty to celebrate, the gift found in the swirling crimson leaves and crisp autumn sunsets. I have always believed that "life is simply a love story" and to live a life filled with love I wake up grateful for each day.

When you surround yourself with people you love, work and activities you are passionate about, live in a place that so resonates with who you are and welcomes you each time you return. These are life's blessings.

With this Thanksgiving, I give thanks for the gifts that fill my life, my special someone, my darling daughters, my dear brother, caring family, wonderful talented friends, life in this lovely loft among the treetops and the creativity that fills my life. How blessed I am.

We do not know what the future holds but we do know today is the gift before us. Cherish this day with gratitude, live it fully, love & laugh create moments to remember. It is all about the journey and may you travel it well! Follow the JOY! Debra Quartermain, CEO!

This coming weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving, a time for giving thanks, for gratitude. Life is a gift and filled with gratitude from the moment we open our eyes to a new day. Yesterday I walked to my bank, the local Credit Union, after only two months I feel like it has been my bank forever, the staff are so friendly, service superb. In fact last time I didn't sign something needed the teller hopped in her car, knew I was walking home and parked along the way to meet me. I signed on the hood of her car, that is more than service.

I am grateful for the amazing group of creative women I connected with last night in my continuing creativity coach training. Thank you to Jill (the Muse is In) and Janet for the Renegade Muses!

Thank you to Meredith Diatchum for sending the photo of the sledding penguins she made from a design I created for Homearts in 2006. She won Runner Up with her version in the Holiday Decor Contest.

I am thankful that a new specialty craft store has just opened up down the hill. Beautiful yarns and scrapbooking supplies, a Mom and her daughter, their first day! Maybe I will conquer my awkward lefty knitting pieces of the past and take a class!

I am most grateful for all the love in my life. My two darling daughters are both following their dreams. I miss them not being around every day but they are off making their own lives as they should be. I am creating a new life for myself and enjoying the lovely adventure of it all!  So much to be grateful for, may your life be filled with JOy & Gratitude! Debra, CEO!

Time passes so quickly! Who doesn't admit to saying at some point where did the summer go with August now half over. I look back over the last year and marvel the same thing, where did the last year go and how my life has changed. A year ago in August was the Memorial service for my parents, my Mom finally with my Dad after thirty years. A chapter closed and right around the corner in September another one opened. My year has been filled with good byes and hellos, tears and laughter, and so much love I cannot even express. So I look to the fall with anticipation, what will this year bring and how will I make a difference in my place in this world.

It has been a year since I launched my new site and blog. I am grateful each day for those who visit, thank you! Time now for a slight "redecorating" of my site so over the next couple weeks I will be editing and adding. My new physical home is settled so time for the virtual one to have some sprucing up!

Have a great week everyone! Embrace creativity! Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

I am back on the island visiting my daughter, returning home today. Was a month since I had seen her so it was wonderful to be here. Has gone by too fast but I have to get back to finish my last unpacking and back to work seriously this week.

All three of us are now living in new places, making and finding home. The spaces are new, for my youngest and myself new cities. It is an adventure and one that makes you realize home is not really a place. It is a feeling inside that is present when you are with those you love dearly. My heart finds home in several places at present, it is different and yet also a blessing for life is all about love, living deeply and meaningfully.

So I journey home leaving love here and returning to love at the end of my travel. Follow the JOY always! Debra, CEO!

Been two weeks since my last post. I spent an entire week without any service, cable, wireless and living out of boxes for two weeks. I am looking forward to getting back to work full time and cooking again. Hope I remember how!

I am organized, love labels and had a floor plan for the movers, yet I am also open to the adventure and possibilities life throws in. I also learned many practical things too like even though I downsized a 16 cubic foot truck is not big enough. My daughter's move used an 18 and what I need as well. However it worked out because the mover brought the second small load of storage totes, two days later and in that two days life had changed again. My very nice landlord came by a few hours after I was in the lower apartment of this beautiful heritage home. Already I had unpacked my living room and my porch was filled with my plants. Apparently the upper loft apartment with the washer/dryer in bathroom had just come available and would I like to see it. (Pictures to follow when my camera is unpacked) Anyway the sunroom foyer and up the stairs to a wall of windows with the most spectacular view of water, mountains and sunset. How could I not say yes! So it meant another week of living in the lower apartment out of boxes and when the totes arrived moving those only once into a different area for storage.

I now sit at my desk in a dormer window with a view of the city from this side. Each room has a dormer window large enough for a comfy chair and table. I loved my home and the apartment downstairs was really nice but I now live in a space that is just beautiful. I feel so grateful and blessed, I followed my heart and it has led me to a life rich with love and beauty. (plus fifteen stairs to keep my legs in shape!)

By next week I will be back to regular posting and of course Fran & Freda's opinion of the whole move, Freda has visions of flying off with the seagulls overhead, Fran will give the full details next week of their moving adventures. Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

These days I am reminded of a scene from the movie "Parenthood" where Steve Martin's character is always looking for order and plan amid the lively chaos of his life. Grandmother chimes in with how she never liked the merry-go-round as it just went round and round, kind of boring. Rather she liked the roller coaster with the ups and downs, the excitement, the fear, the adventure of it all! Although I am not good on actual roller coasters I am riding one everyday lately.

I find myself as moving day is only a few days away feeling excited one moment, scared the next, missing my daughters who both have moved in the last couple weeks too and feeling sad to leave a place I love. Mix that in with a mover who didn't show up for my daughter's big move out of province, the car breaking down in rush hour traffic, cats being sick, big personal and work commitments and it definitely is a roller coaster life these days!

We never know what each day will bring and that is the adventure of it all, that is life. We can plan our day which should include planning for two hours of chaos in there somewhere. What we also have control over is how we approach each day, greeting the day with gratitude and a sense of adventure, with a playfulness and purpose makes life really worth living.

Life changes abound these days and it is a little scary but the constant through it all is love. My daughters though not under my roof anymore are still in the same place in my heart. I move forward to a new life filled with love and laughter. Life is what we make it. Life is simply a love story. Embrace life and love, hold it always with an open hand and it will remain close to your heart forever! Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

Happy Memorial Day to all my American friends and followers. May you share with those you love all that today means to you.

My youngest daughter leaves home this week. I am glad I am going with her to help her settle in. I knew this day would come but am I ready, no. Are we ever ready when each child leaves? I have been a Mom with children at home for twenty seven years in total and now that is ending. I feel excited for her and so sad to see her go. She will be several hours away and I will miss the daily hugs, her sweet smiling face. We wil skype and connect often but a new chapter begins for us both. I move soon myself into a new and exciting time in my life. New beginnings mean endings, life is a mix of events and emotions. I am so very grateful to have been a Mom to two amazing young women who go forward in life contributing to the world in wonderful ways and are a delight to know and love. I have always believed that life is simply a love story. Who we love and how we live with love tells our story. My story has been defined by the most precious of gifts. To my darling daughters Amanda & Kate! Love always xoxo Mum

Last night I gave a presentation at the Keswick Ridge Quilt Guild. They were such a wonderful enthusiastic group, even laughed at my jokes! Several of the members I have known for years and it was so nice to see them again. Thank you Mary for inviting me! My youngest daughter Kate went with me, took some pictures, sold my books and fabrics. They had asked for a 30-40 minute presentation, it ended up being longer and then there were questions. Everyone said how much they enjoyed it which was so good to hear. When you speak before a group the goal is always to make it interesting. Honestly I was not feeling at my best last night but once I started talking about my journey in the industry and all the funny "behind the scenes" things that happened along the way, I remembered how much I love what I do. How much I love sharing my passion for creativity and being able to design and teach others with my work. Thanks again ladies!

Thank you also to Meredith, a Creative Homearts Club member for sending me photos of the cute puppy she made for a shower gift from my Sleepy Time Puppy design  featured in the magazine. She made a dalmation puppy, just adorable and gave me permission to post her picture.

Today working on my design for the Sizzix blog hop tomorrow! This week's die is the teacup, should be fun! Have a creative day! Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

Sometimes words come easily and often not. I try always to be authentic and write from the heart. This week work is not where my heart is, it is with a dear friend, one who has been important part of my entire adult life. She has battled long and hard supported by the most loving and wonderful family. She is a woman who has walked always with love in her heart and everyone who knows her has been touched by her deep generous spirit.

We have laughed and cried together, shared many journeys and she has been one of my biggest cheerleaders, always believing in me. She and her husband are my favorite love story, having met at fourteen knowing their future was to be together. She is talented, creative with the most amazing smile making every holiday, special occasion both spectacular and meaningful.

I love her dearly as do many, many others. I am a better person because of her presence in my life. I will miss her and always carry her in my heart. Life is simply a love story. Just live & love. Debra

Only just over a week till CHA! I am busy creating for deadlines, another box out the door today and then onto final show prep. The cold winter days find me enjoying my bright warm upstairs studio with my office conveniently next door. After twenty some years I have the space to work in I really love. I will post pics later, right now in preshow chaos I think not!

I love my home, almost two years here and still everyday I wake up grateful to be living here. I especially love when friends enter my home they enjoy it as much as I do. The front entry is large enough for my Mom's fireplace and antique chair. The mantel is decorated with winter snowmen, greenery and mini lights. It brings me JOY everyday. Follow the JOY! Debra, CEO!

Another year comes to an end and 2010 is almost here, a new year, a new decade. Every year is filled with events, constant change, many minor, some major and with people we share some part of our lives with. Those we love, those we know and connect with all shape our lives. Some leave us and it is always too soon, we grieve and remember them with love forever in our hearts. 2009 held several major life events for me personally, my Mom's passing and both daughters graduating one from high school and one from university. I enjoyed the gifts of a couple of new very dear friends and a wonderful man has come into my life. I danced in the waves of the Pacific Ocean and swam in the warm Atlantic off Haiti. It has been a year of many blessings for which I am truly grateful.

(California at the ocean, photo by dear friend Michelle Zimmerman)

The waves of the ocean are constant yet everchanging. As far as the eye can see the blueness stretches, crystal shimmers from the sun dance across the surface. Such a timeless and infinite beauty with magical motion in each wave that frolic across the sand.

Like the constant wondrous waves of the ocean the past year has been filled with wonderful women who I am very grateful to know and who are my friends. They have taught me much about life, about commitment and caring, creativity and character, listening and loving, showing up and sharing. THANK YOU to the women who are part of my life, thank you for being there, thank you for being magnificent, marvellous, awesome YOU! Thank you for the JOY! With gratitude & love, Debra