Thank you around the world

Fiddlesticks Hill

This was going to be a shameless plug post to punt a couple of my needle felt creations, but rather wonderfully they were snapped up almost as soon as they were listed in my Etsy shop, and since then I've been cracking on with breaking deadlines; non-stop studio work all day every day. This little landscape I named 'Fiddlesticks Hill' as it was so fiddly to make. The tree trunks were smaller than your wee finger nail and needle felting them was a *bit* of a challenge. However, I do like making alternative worlds and am very pleased that someone else is now enjoying it.

Instead, I will attempt to be more polite and say thank yous to kind bloggers who have tagged me or given me awards over the last few months. I simply don't have the time to respond to these as they come and I am taking the lazy way out, hoping they will forgive me. So in no particular order, thank yous and virtual cake to my blog friends from around the globe -

Dedicated Anglophile Elizabeth in California of Elizabeth Rhiannon is Visiting, (crumbs, that was back in July 2009, sorry Elizabeth!)

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Claire in the UK of Created and Felted (lovely felted pod bags)

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Coinsguylady, of the Hogscald Holler (rug hooking and banjo picking in the Ozark mountains, USA, a wonderful blog)

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Twiglet of Twiglet who makes all kinds of sweet craft treasures

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Rossichka from Bulgaria, of Out of the Shell, who is a professional puppeteer and has a wonderful imagination

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Kari in America who weaves exceptional art basketry, of Karibaskets

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And finally to Yarrow in the UK of Retreat (which was back in November, so more apologies)

If I have left anyone out, then you may have two slices of virtual cake and blame my faulty memory.

So while I am catching up with my P's and Q's, many chocolately thanks to my witty and funny friend Soozcat in the USA of Laundry Fairy, who (not for the first time) sent us a box rammed with Dove chocolates which Andy has become partial to - there were many and now there are few - and only because they have been hidden.

They have been moved to my nice new purse (emergency supplies) which, as you can see, was much needed; such kindness from Mlle Miracle of 'A Perfect Day', thank you for such a soft, lovely gift in my favourite red and not only that...

...but a new needle holder, which is already in use, I can never have enough needles (or holders).

Lastly but absolutely not leastly, big warm fluffy thank yous to my dear friend Janet in Virgina USA,,of The Empty Nest. Not content with making me a warm pumpkin scarf last year, she made me some mittens for my ever cold hands, in some of my favourite colours; not modelled by me as my fingernails are not fit to be seen. I really can't express how touched I am -

- especially as she has also adopted Oscar, who, alas, had to be sold. Groceries can't be bought with felt animals, unfortunately. I was so sad to put him up for sale, and so happy when I found he would be going to live with Janet. He spent Christmas with us, and has been mauled by a cat, so he's already had some adventures.

Farewell and safe journey Oscar - don't forget everything you've learned.