At the beginning of April, I invited people to create a face of joy, using yarn in some way.
Well, you are still invited to continue doing that, and linking your pics so we can see them.
I said that I would be giving away a one of  a kind handmade crochet hook that is an homage to Jane Austen.
And I think that it is so appropriate that Jane Austen is going to be heading to England for her new home.
Caroline shared 2 of her Faces of Joy, and so she is now the companion to my Jane Austen crochet hook.  It …read more

The Face of Joy challenge is drawing to a close, although, if people still want to be part of it, they are most welcome to contribute!
Anyhow… today, I had a joyful time in my studio.
One of my dear friends, artist, poet, author and creative genius, Sylvie Nicolas, came for a visit.
Sylvie and I have been friends for more than 20 years, and even though we live a thousand miles apart, will remain friends to the ends of our days….
Sylvie is on her way to take up the position of Artist in Residence at the Banff School of the Fine Arts.
We …read more

One of the important keys to creativity is to give ourselves the permission that we so desperately need to simply play.
Play? Yes!
It’s essential to be willing to break through the rules and conventions we set up for ourselves
and to be willing to try new things.
We need to be able to take artistic risks and
to suspend judgement long enough to experiment with new approaches,
new techniques, new thoughts…
or to look again at the ways we have always worked and
to see if there is a hidden treasure waiting to be re-discovered, re-invented, re-created.
So, give yourself permission to play, play and play some more, …read more

Yesterday, it was summer.
That is, until a spring snow storm blew in and dumped feet of snow on us.
It was a wild and woolie night… I kept getting up to watch the snow  building up.
The snow storm began as thick thick fog that gave up on itself and flopped down as wet mush.
That picked up it’s spirits and so , then it really got into the swing of things.
It  started dumping hefty globs of snow and sculpting trees and wires and fences and windchimes and and and
our little corner of the world turned very white, yet again….
The geese, who had …read more

Here are 2 more wonderful contributions to the Face of Joy challenge:
Susan’s Joy Piece:
Susan wrote:

Hey Noreen,
Here is my first entry! I had a great time making this. First time all around! I chose a butterfly because they are signs of renewal and Spring is all about renewal of trees, flowers, everything! So I call this Renewal of the heart.
I made the square out of Bamboo Yarn on my Hazel Rose weaving loom 4 inch, followed by my colorful butterfly which I spool knit and the antennas are chenille stem with lil black beads. So as not to attract away from …read more

Yesterday, I began the ‘Face of Joy Challenge’. So, that has me thinking about how to show the Face of Joy in as many ways as possible.
It’s a F A C E of Joy challenge, right?
Soooooooooooo…..
that means that the face doesn’t have to belong to human being.
AND……
I did say that for this challenge,
WIRE counts as yarn, right?
So……..
my entry for ‘The Face of Joy’ challenge for today
is
A teddy bear that I crocheted from 28 gauge coppper wire.
He has a big heart and a happy disposition.
He’s got wooden beads inside his head and his tummy to keep him
from squishing flat when he’s …read more