2012 celebrates Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, 60 years she has reigned as Queen. In 1784 New Brunswick, our province became an independent British colony and our ties to the monarchy remain. A Queen's representative the Lieutenant Govenor is appointed every five years and resides in historic Government House along the river.

I have grown up with the Queen, she has reigned more than my entire life. When I was in high school her husband the dashing Prince of Wales came to our school and I had a chance to meet him. I remember I chose a dress very carefully, black and white with matching shoes. I had a slight accident and the heel of one shoe broke off! I stood in line to meet the Prince of Wales with one foot raised and the heel behind my back in my opposite hand!

This week marking the Jubilee the Queen's son Prince Charles has been visiting NB. He along with wife Camilla have participated in many events. The Prince trained at our local base CFB Gagetown and remarked fondly of his time there on his visit.

In Saint John they visited a school, the Prince some impromptu road hockey with some kids. The Royals have a much more personal friendly approach to their tours and the crowds still gather as always to celebrate.

Our College of Craft and Design presented the Prince with an Aboriginal hand carved paddle, one of the instructors at the school maintains this historic art technique. The Prince's great great grandfather Edward while touring here was fascinated by the canoe and paddles taking an impromptu ride in the Saint John River. He was presented with a paddle later and so both descendants replay history today.

History, we live history every day, we are part of history, it is a state I am more keenly aware of with each passing day. There is much to be learned from our past as we create our today, our future becomes the past.

It is a holiday Monday in Canada, Victoria Day in honor of Queen Victoria, the longest reigning monarch who reigned from 1837 to 1899. The Victorian era had a huge influence on on every aspect of life. Our quaint city has many examples of Victorian Gothic architecture, Christ Church Cathedral being the most famous one.

Today is also the last day to enter the ImpressArt fabulous giveaway! Go to their FB page https://www.facebook.com/pages/ImpressArt/155664424487844 for all the details to enter by midnight EST tonight! The stamps will imprint on a variety of materials besides metal, like wood, clay and mat board.

This week I get to play with Rit Dye and t-shirts creating some fun fashion. I love the liquid dyes and the website has extensive tips and color charts to create endless vibrant colors!

Looking for a fun crafty site to hang out and get inspired, connect and share, check out Westcott Brand's new community site CraftingRocks!

It is Monday, a creative week ahead, get inspired, get creative, it is all about the Joy! Inspiring the JOY of Creativity!

Spring is here in NB, Canada. The trees are a fresh green and spring flowers pop with color everywhere. I walk everyday and find both inspiration and mindfulness in nature and the history of this lovely city.

The old train bridge over the river has been converted into a walking bridge connecting to trails along the water on both sides. I walked it the other day and took some photos from the bridge. This summer I am so very grateful to be moving to a beautiful heritage home along the river where I can walk the bridge every day.

This is my town, my home where my heart resides. Enjoy!

Yesterday was the unofficial opening of our new Art & Craft Co-operative, Artful Persuasion in downtown Fredericton, 79 York Street. We have 26 local artists and craftsmen who have come together in a year round store front. You can find us on facebook and like us too! https://www.facebook.com/#!/artfulpersuasion Our Grand Opening is June 1st!!!

The benefits of such a co-operative are numerous beginning with it requiring only a day a month from each member to work in the store. Led by three experienced artisans who have organized large groups before we have everyone pooling strengths and resources. I am doing window display and will help out with the blog when we get it up and running.

I am enjoying working more locally, I love my city and connecting with the artistic community here. Our creative setting is filled with hand crafted items plus yummy chocolates and cupcakes.

It has a special energy one which draws you in to wander the displays and savor color, texture and craftsmanship. Inspired artistry beckons from the original art pieces on the walls, jewelry sparkles beneath the lights, natural is celebrated, soaps, candles drawn from nature's herbs and bees. Here is my display in the shop! If you are local please come by and enjoy!

Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/ImpressArt/155664424487844 and like them, their products are awesome to work with and they are having a contest!

Thank you to the talented Theresa Cifali for organizing the challenge!

Here at home, Tuesday May 15th, Artful Persuasion opens downtown Fredericton, we are a collaborative of twenty five talemted artists and craftspeople. I am doing the window displays so today is a busy day!

We have everything in the shop from original art to dolls to wood and yummy chocolates and cupcakes! Come by and visit!

We are hopping with ImpressArt! The DCC Blog Connection designs with ImpressArt Metal Stamps. They are running a contest with a great giveaway from now until midnight May 21st. Details to enter on Monday! Be inspired over the weekend by the talented designers and their use of ImpressArt Metal Stamps.

I have never designed with ImpressArt Metal Stamps but found the tutorial on their website very easy to follow and it shows how exactly to use the stamps.

I was inspired by the oval discs which reminded me of eggs, thoughts of spring, my love of birds and my piece came together Bird Song. A new felt collection had also just arrived from National Nonwovens called Daydream Inspirations. The Havanna Gold was the perfect compliment for ImpressArt's discs.

You will need:
ImpressArt Alphabet Stamp Set, Newsprint, lowercase 
ImpressArt Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt Stamping Blanks, 3 ovals, I large oval
ImpressArt Steel Stamping Block
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape

Following the directions stamp the word "create" on the larger oval, "dream, fly, soar" on the smaller ovals. Choose words which speak to you. My stamping is not in a straight line, I wanted a freer expression but I still used the guide for spacing my letters evenly. 

Here the discs are stamped and the letters antiqued with a Sharpie.

To create the pillow you will need.
6" x 12" Havanna Gold WoolFelt by National Nonwovens
4" square of unbleached cotton
3" x 6" burlap scrap
For the Birds Stamp by Fiskars
Brown Stamp Pad
12" covered wire
Paper flower
4 Brown buttons
Small Bird diecut or sticker
Brown floss, embroidery needle
1/2 yard of jute
Aleene's Turbo Tacky Glue by  ILovetoCreate
Polyester fiberfill
Westcott Brand mat and scissors

Stamp cotton with chosen bird design. Heat set. Stitch cotton to wool felt. Stitch pillow together, stuff and close opening. 
Bend one wire end andi insert through small hole in top of pillow, repeat for opposite side.

Tie loops of jute through discs. Tie burlap piece in center. Fray jute pieces and tie into bow. Glue burlap bow, jute bow to upper corner. Glue jute ends of discs to bow. Glue flower to center. Insert bird diecut and glue.

Tie small dream disc to large create disc with jute. Glue to center bottom of pillow.
Use stamp pad to antique flower and pillow front.

The Grand Prize! Enjoy the hop! Happy weekend and Mother's Day to all the great moms! 

I had the enjoyable opportunity to teach a workshop during the provincial teacher's NBTA Council Days. Creating silly softies from the Lost and Found where many stray mittens, socks and gloves end up, softies that the elementary age kids could make.

It is all about the process, the act of creating with globs of glue, mismatched socks, wiggly eyes and scrap bits of felt, cotton balls and even dryer lint for stuffing!

Each of the teachers got a bag full of supplies tied with a Tootsie Pop and ribbons. Here are the gang ready to go, their bags are packed!

The teachers at play!

The bunnies did not turn off their phone! They were all ears!

It was late when the gang got home, they were happy but so tired, the shark wasn't even tempted to nibble at Mr. Spud Head!

It was a fun day, the teachers were a great group! Happy Crafting!

The Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop is all about jewelry this month! I wasn't sure what I was going to come up with as jewelry is not my area of expertise. I had a couple wood bracelets in my craft stash and I have been wanting to make a few dyed projects. I decided on a vintage kind of feel for my bracelet, gathered some other supplies and chose a color from the ColorRit Color Formula.

Materials:
Rit Liquid Dye Petal Pink and Taupe
9" x 12" Pina Colada  XoticFelt by National Nonwovens
Favorite Findings Buttons by Blumenthal Lansing
Wood Bracelet by Diy Bangles
Sizzix Big Shot
Flower Die, 3-D Wrapped by Eileen Hull for Sizzix
KaiserCraft Paper Blooms
Pearls
1/2 yd Lace, 2 yd Ribbon, Aleene's Tacky Glue, Westcott Brand scissors, paper towel, plastic drop cloth, gloves, measuring utensils and container.

I wanted to create a tone on tone, an ombre effect by dyeing different materials in the same color family of whites and creams. The pearls did not dye  so I substituted some colored ones I had on hand. I followed the directions and dyed all of my materials. I did not read my color formula directions carefully and added equal amounts of the Petal Pink and Taupe dyes instead of double the Pink to Taupe. However I like the color I created.

Use the Big Shot and Flower Dye to cut out several flowers from the lace and felt.



Begin assembling the flowers mixing the lace and felt. Insert a paper flower through the center of each flower.

Cut a thin strip of lace and wrap bracelet gluing ends. Glue three larger flowers side by side to bracelet. Fill in with remaining paper flowers. Tie ribbon into half dozen bows, glue in between flowers. Glue on pearls and buttons. Wear and Enjoy!

Happy Hopping, be inspired to create! Upcoming this Saturday the 12th twenty of us hop again with designs created from the fabulous ImpressArts metal stamps!

Like spring bursting into bloom so is creavtivity blossoming daily!

Monday, the Designer Craft Connection hops with Jewelry designs.
Saturday the 12th twenty of us from the DCC hop again with designs using the ImpressArt Metal Stamps. These very cool stamps imprint into metals and clay to create stunning jewelry pieces.

Wednesday, highights from the NBTA Council Days, I taught a fun workshop using stray socks, mittens and gloves from the Lost and Found to create silly creatures. The teachers were a great group and it was fun to have my cousin an elementary kindergarten teacher in my group! We went to Elementary School together.

The countdown is on to the opening of our Artist Cooperative, Artful Persuasion in downtown Fredericton on May 15th.

I am working with the gorgeous range of Rit Dye colors this week on a couple of projects for the company.

It is an inspired spring, May is bursting with creative goodiness!

Today I am off to teach a workshop during the Provincial Teacher Council Days. My group are elementary teachers so I am raiding their lost and found to craft with stray socks, mitts and gloves.

I will post photos from today and tutorials for the silly softies on the weekend. Look for Sam Shark, the Tweet Nest, Darwin Dawg, Penny Pony, Mr. Spud Head and the Bunnies, they are multiplying already!

It was fun to prepare, each teacher receives a goody bag with a Tootsie Pop tied in ribbons to enjoy while they craft.

Tomorrow I visit the local Kid's Fair, we have many creative opportunities and wonderful programs for children. I enjoy my kids workshops and am looking forward to upcoming summer ones.

Have a fabulous Friday everyone!