A Special Holiday Gift


Happy New Year's Eve! 

Today I have something very special to share with you... A Fairy House! This amazing wee fairy home was made by Carol Yamada of Mossy Brae Fairies. It was given to me at Christmas as a gift from my beloved Birdita, my cockatiel who was my special friend and companion for nearly 30 years. Even though this gift was given from beyond the grave... (my husband really rolled his eyes over this tale), it came filled with love and even some fairy dust. It was an amazing moment when I opened the box on Christmas morning, and discovered all the delicacy and care in the world, shining from this amazing house!


Carol makes her fairy houses from treasures found in nature. When I came across her shop, I knew we were kindred spirits indeed, for her beautiful houses called to me like nothing else. So, I simply must be guided by spirits and fairies. This is all there is to it! 

Here is Carol talking about her creative process:
I know that there is a different and kinder energy in Fae worlds than in ours. Each house I make is a portal that invites you to come and gently experience this magical and non-human reality. 
About 5 years ago I started using a wonderfully flexible sand-cast sculpture process that uses a big box of sand as the mold. I can scoop and scrape shapes, imbed all the wall elements into the sand and cast the shape with a porcelain based resin that quickly hardens without any toxic residue. I can create nearly unlimited shapes. I cast the walls individually and assemble them into the house shape which I then fit with a fine cedar roof (usually cedar, sometimes shells or pinecones). 
Each house is totally unique and created with inspiration from the materials used which I gather throughout Washington and Oregon states. I find treasures (ok, sticks and stones and shells, but since I'm part Raven they truly seem like treasures!) from the deep woods, volcanic slopes, rain forests and frigid beaches which bless my home. Each stick and stone is respectfully taken from the environment and approved by my fairy assistants. 




Each side of the house is filled with the most incredible details. Don't you just love that special heart shaped window?! I loved this house in particular because it was made with pine cones and acorn caps, sticks, stones and shells - all the items I love picking up on my own dog walk adventures, and incorporate into my own art. :o) 

You can visit Carol's Etsy shop here and see some amazing fairy houses. She also makes some Fairy Godmother houses, and they take my breath away!

Hope you ring in the New Year with those you love... and a wee bit of fairy dust too!

xx
Val

Happy New Year, Happy New News!

Wow, another winter holiday season come and gone... they do fly by so very fast, don't they? I hope your holiday was sweet and memorable. :o)

I'm reeling with excitement over being selected as a "2016 Star of San Diego" by San Diego Home and Garden Lifestyles magazine. What an honor! And the article, written by Eva Ditler, is so complimentary and spot on, I might add! I've uploaded the pages extra large in hopes you can read it. If you have trouble, click on the page and it should show up larger for you to read.


 

I still promise those custom order photos in a future post... Soon, very soon :o)

In the meantime, I hope you have a very safe, happy, festive and healthy start to the New Year... 2016, here we come!

xx
Val


Woodland Holiday

Hi there! I know I promised you pictures of some of my custom orders, but first we simply must enjoy a bit of "Woodland Holiday". Please indulge me as I share some of my favorite needle felts of the season. Surely there's lots more where these came from :o)


I do so love needle felts under a dome, don't you? I had an amazing owl perched on a branch under a dome, but he sold before I could pose him properly. 


This one is a wee gnome home under a dome. Need I say more?...


The woodland needle felts have made a recurrence in my shop, with the addition of Mr. Hedgehog. Half this set has sold, which means I will be making more!


If my boys were still babies, I would certainly be dressing them in sweaters such as this one... love!


Mr. Fox is a cheeky friend who has also made a comeback. Well, certainly...why not?


And, finally, a recap of this stately handsome buck. He has the right idea of how to enjoy the season... right?!

I hope yours is filled to the brim with Merry!

xx
Val


Are we Holly and Jolly yet?






I don't know about you, but all this needle felting has me as holly jolly holiday as I will ever be! Here I am smack dab in the middle of the show season, teaching needle felting classes, home crafting parties, custom orders and more. But I am jolly, jolly, jolly about all of it! It is all good, and I am 

So Thankful :o)

that you all love my craft, and wish to give what I make to your loved ones. 

I wrap up this holiday season with a 4 day handmade holiday pop-up stint at the UTC Mall. I know... The mall, right? Well, I am in business after all. And I am working very hard to get my product out there. So, yes, the mall it is. If you're in the San Diego area, I do hope you will stop by and see me. I will be located in the children's area near Geppetto's. 

And, lastly, I think it would be nice to finish out the year with a parade of some of my custom orders. So, get ready for that coming your way soon.

Happy Holly Jolly to you and yours!
xx
Val