Another little bear...

who successfully found his way across the ocean...  and through a mail slot...hahahha.... what fun!  The second  of 4 Pay It Forwards that I've owed for over two years now.

Shashi is a dollmaker and artist who volunteered all that time ago to play the game.  And, now... is offering to Pay It Forward from her blog as well...so if you want to play along...please visit her to let her know.  You will receive a little gift from her and in return pay it forward yourself with another little gift. It is supposed to take place within one year from the original date... but, as you know...I'm late.  But, what fun it is ...seeing little gifts flying all over the world...connecting us all with some love and fun.

This little guy is needle felted from Canadian wool raised and carded right here in Alberta.  It is a warm, natural, white Romney wool.  His little eyes are black onyx beads and his nose embroidered.  I plucked some tufts from a natural white chunk of mohair and needled them into his head along with some softly needled bits of the longer Romney for 'hair' as well as a bit on his body for that fluffy look that I like for my little guys. .... he has a little tie of silk.

Peek a boo.  Is this my paper? I want something comfy to travel in....

Feels reeeelly soft.....

... and I love the colour....yep....it's comfy alright.... this is the one.......

Definitely...this is the one.

Pay It Forward

Finally, I can tell you!!

Well, I can tell you about something.  One thing. Because it was delivered.

Olaf was helping me guard the completion, wrapping and sending of this little gal.

She went to live in England.... with Dilly St. George ..her brother Bob The Bear, Esq....and, all the other bears ... there are lots...window-sill bears and cupboard bears and all sorts ... you must go see some day.... .. and of course, their Mom... who makes lovely cards.

Two years ago, she and Dilly... who is a green Dragon, offered to play my Pay It Forward game.  I can't believe it took me that long to get around to making and sending.  I do have excuses ...honest I do.... including surgeries and injuries to arms, hands and elbows...which did interfere....but, really!.... I feel bad.  And...I'm so happy to note that all 4 of my ladies that offered to play actually still visit my blog regularly and still are blog buddies.  Thank you ladies!  I love you all!

I was giggling away thinking how much fun it would be to see the looks on their faces when something arrived and they were not expecting any mail or hadn't ordered anything ...and then...huh?  Who the heck is this from?  ... and, what is it? ...... oh, drat...how I wish I had a transporter or blast pack or ..something...  just so I could be there on the porch when they get their mail !

On to the reason behind a pink bear.  Dilly loves pink.  Anything pink  She reeeellly loves pink.  So, I decided to try to mimic a little pink bear I had made for myself years ago.  I still have her.

She is made from tufts plucked from a chunk of rayon fabric... this fabric.  It is total silliness.

Back when I began making little wool tufts into bears ... I wondered if anything other than wool could be needle felted ...and so I plucked out some tufts with tweezers...

mixed and fluffed them between my fingers

 ...and .... started stabbing.  Yes,  It could be felted!  Now I was doing crazy things.... even tried what is known as "throwster's waste" ... I hadn't heard the term til then...but, it is the bits of thread hanging off the edges of fraying fabric..ahhaha...I'm a total nut job.  Yes...I am and I know it.  It's okay.

I made this little guy with that stuff...

Back to this bear.... ..soon I had a head almost the shape I was looking for ...then embroidered a nose... and stuck in some cute little test eyes....  awwww......
I'm a sap.  How I love a cute little face.  I didn't want to name her ..just kept referring to her as little pink girl... and telling her I knew her Mom would name her .... as soon as she got there...

Then I had to give her a little bit of something pretty for her 'hair' didn't I ? .... some ribbons and a few stamens did the trick... (she is still just pinned together here...see the pin sticking out of her arm) .... I knew Dilly would be thrilled with pink ribbons.

All done.   Now, where the heck is a photo of her little white toesies..so I can show you ....hmmmm....

Aha...there it is .... big feet....little white toesies...done from plucked tufts of white rayon.

this is the fabric I used to make my poodles.... remember those?  naaaw...the new viewers won't.... here is one of those....

What fun it's been to hear how Dilly loves her little girl bear .. and she's named her Lavender Lily Lilac.... LA-LI-LA for short...hahhah..... oh, boy.... I always have the most fun knowing people enjoy these little creatures.....

I need to get busy and make some more....

Hey Norma!!...

... Hi there Pay It Forward buddy.. ... somehow the sneaky mailman just left a package on my porch and didn't even ring the doorbell!  I brought in mail from earlier in the day and I'm sure it was not there then....

What fun it is to receive a letter in snail mail anymore... let alone a parcel !!  It's like Christmas ...  only earlier.

In February,  Norma had a Pay It Forward Challenge on her blog.... I've done one before and it was such fun I signed up for this one too.  She was a participant in Serena's Pay It Forward.  Things have been back and forth to Australia...and who knows where else now.  Little gifts are winging their way 'round the world....

There is no time limit and there is no pressure to send any particular type of gift.  The gifts need not be expensive .... they can certainly be hand made (we craftsy types love that) .... it can be anything at all really, that you think might make a person's day.  It's all just a lot of fun for everybody involved. ...

So...if you would like a little giftie from me..... please leave a comment on this post indicating that you would like to play along.... I'll eventually choose 5 participants and they in turn will send a little gift along to 5 others..... 'spreading the love' as Norma said....

let me show you who I am carrying around in my pocket today.

I've named her Norene.... because she came from Norma....and I think her face looks very serene.  It is actually difficult to get a photo that actually shows the serene-ness of it.  In real life she is very serene...and perfect for my wacky week.  Do you remember that Seinfeld episode with George's Dad screaming "serenity now!!" at the top of his lungs when he got totally irritated?  I think it was at a cashier in a food mart or something....I feel like that this week.  But...not going there today.... nope... just enjoying my day in blues, purples and greens.... relaxing colours.

Please meet Norene... she is from a sunny, warm place.....  and I imagine I hear the sea lapping softly on a sandy beach when I look at her... this one shows her lovely realistic colours...but, the serenity .. not so much.  Mr. BV was quite taken with her feathers....

There is a lot going on with this gal which you may not notice at first glance.  See under the little tile with the character on it?.... a piece of rock...an agate slice I think.   Almost clear so that her dress shows through...some little shells.... another bead near the bottom... her sunny face and a lot of fibres and texture.... I love her colours.

I think the little symbol is Japanese and it could be a specific sign...or it might mean something about a Japanese plum or apricot. I'm hoping it's not a fertility symbol seeing as she is rather near my uterus, being in my pocket and all .. .... ..just kidding... I have no idea.  Norma?

 ... and....she wasn't the only thing...I was spoiled...

This.... is perfect!  Just in time to marvel at the beautiful  recipes and there are even recipes for two different frostings that I'm definitely going to try!  And..I do have star cookies cutters.

a bag full of soft wools for felting....

just look at these little babies... so cute ... I wonder if there are bulb cookie cutters...or...perhaps I could make them from cardboard cutouts.... I love them.  Anybody seen bulb cookie cutters?

look at this photo...even if I don't make them...I love food photography.... and love to see how people set it up...

Oh.....and.... just in time for the next day of fun... Hallowe'en... and some notepaper to keep me on track.  Which.... by the way is the only time I remember to do something...'cuz, if I don't write it down.... it's out the window the second I thought about it.  I mentioned to my sister just the other day that I think I am losing the last of my marbles.

Thanks so much  Norma.   What a fun time I had unwrapping and enjoying my parcel.


Okay... who wants to play? ..... don't forget...no time limits...no budget.... just a lot of fun...... and we all get to pass along some fun and friendship......

Pay it Forward.... more fun than tag.....

Winter showed up yesterday. About 7 inches of snow... and it got colder. Today when the sun set it dropped from -14C to -22C .... A perfect time for indoor games.

In the past few weeks I have been tagged by no less than 4 bloggers...but...I don’t really like to play tag. Instead I have chosen to play this. I choose to Pay it Forward...

Several weeks ago, I left my comment on Lewis’s blog. He is going to be sending me some little thing that has to do with bread baking...because, well, that's what his blog is about. Actually he is baking all sorts of things these days.

Finally, here I am, fulfilling my promise to Pay it Forward to 3 recipients. .. these are not big things..nor expensive things...but just some fun little thing to make somebody’s day when the mailman shows up..

Here’s how it works: I will send a handmade gift to 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay It Forward exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, which is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So, if you have a blog and you like the idea of giving away stuff you’ve made, or stuff you use, or whatever interesting little thing you would like to send... to folks who read your blog, then leave me a comment and I’ll start dreaming up what to make you.

All comments received between now and Friday will be entered into the draw for this exchange. 3 of you will receive a gift from me...and then each of you will send 3 gifts to someone and so on....

Come on...it’ll be fun.....on Saturday I will draw the 3 names.