(at the workbench) : a new place for a blog...

a little announcement: I've moved my blog over to Wordpress. You can find it over here:   a beautiful new home for my blog here!

(glimpses) - on a wave

in a different life, we live among the palms and not canopied oaks and maples




where even stormy skies and seas come in shades of blues unimagined and beautiful...





the storms pass quickly here unlike the way they do at home ...

and kind sentinels stand watch as we play in the coming waves ...

 and inthis beautiful way (in these few short days away)  a girl turns one year older and closer to becoming who she will be ...happy summer all!

(at the workbench) - i will follow

I love unexpected discovery (especially happy ones like this) and how old unwanted, forgotten thing can find a new home in a different time...

in a nondescript box, a collection of what must have been the much loved work of an avid naturalist, I came across the tracks of many a wild animal careful cast ....

perhaps on many a quiet, still morning, their hidden travels were in this way recorded to be saved for future times. What could have been an ephemeral moment has turned into a careful study of woodland creatures native to these parts.

I imagine now, that I am following in their tracks. They are more silent than i can ever be and this tiny muskrat's paw nearly missed from my sight is no longer.

And in a rare moment, I can now see this badger's menacing claws from a safe distance and find a place in our nature corner...

 how strange to think the foot steps of a mountain lion can find its place among  all the things we find and gather on our very own walks through the years...

ps. I have made several sets available through my workshop here ... among the tracks available (many of which are available as front hind print sets) are: antelope, elk, mountain lion, muskrat, spotted skunk, weasel, badger, cottontail and jack rabbit and of course mr badger!

(at the workbench)- friendly

we are slowly settling into a summer pace and i still can't belief my child will be entering high school at summer's end...while my daughter with all the changing interests that go along with moving towards becoming a grown person and a little by little, reluctantly giving up those very, dear parts of childhood.



it has been a while since i've worked on new designs for the littlest ones, but this past week i'm so happy to have worked on these friendly teething toys. please meet a bright-eyed kitty and and a some what bashful, blushing bear... (psst: the puppy is still waiting for the wood-burned details that will bring out is sweet little nose!)

hope you all have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

(at the workbench) - the aunties come to visit

Just a picture or two of the visiting aunties and uncle. Peter and Lotte are always happy to see them  ,looking forward to all the adventures the day ahead will hold.


It was very special for me to have this extended, happy family working their way through my workbench. As a custom order,  I can't help wondering what sort of days they are having in their new home.

Ps:  I've just listed another set here just in case you have some of your own ideas how they might spend the day with you. :)

(at the workbench) - the forest forager

i've been trying to think of a good way to say thank you for all the kind words and support i've received over the years and have decided to have my first giveaway! this time around i'll be hosting it on my instagram account with this sweet little collection of forest-inspired goodies. you can find all the details on how to enter over there, but please just let me know if i can help with any questions! :) happy spring!

(at the workbench) : inside blueberry land

i am thinking of those long days of summer to come,

a quiet observer is very likely to spy the cranberry and blueberry folk at work. and there are many things you might never have known about this little folks otherwise ...

and like the forest families, they are a very busy folk. live is very good in blueberry land!

I'm so happy to have to have made their acquaintance...

 hope you have a beautiful week!

(glimpses) - day break

i can finally see in the growing warmth, a different light ... warmer and more inviting than even the week before ... I think my heart has even thawed so very happy to say goodbye to a winter that has certainly overstayed it's welcome...

right now the seasons here won't be rushed...while other parts have already past their spring and already into steamy heat, we still have the coming weeks to see spring turn the world from brown to green again



even the sweet row houses of once home to textile worker in our little historic mill village stand waiting for the warm light to come their way ...











these first sightings are still rare sights...



these are a few my own littlest of flowers just finished that emerged while the other sleeping ones wait unearth themselves ...



and  my own little stand of toadstools likewise just about done while we wait for a little mushroom hunting to begin after april showers arrive... otherwise,  i've had some little people in the works as well.these last couple of weeks... as usual they are a shy folk, but hope I can introduce them to you soon :)  

thanks so much for visiting!

(this moment) - we are here now

{this moment - Inspired by Soulemama. A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.} 

(at the workbench) - small beginnings

it's true, people do not hibernate... but in some ways, maybe they do. right now more than ever it feels  so much like waking from a dream.





the past six months have been covered in a snow blanket, that only just now is being pulled back to show the sleepy earth getting ready to wake.  strange how much lighter i feel as it all melt away...


this year more than any other spring was seeming that bit always out of reach, but now we really are nearly there ...

and the raised garden beds have surfaced and it's rain instead of snow falling softly today ...