Well, here it is, the month of Thanksgiving!! I am thankful for so much! For my success at the Quinlan ArtDoll and Artist Teddy Bear show in May of this year. I so enjoy that show, just for the eye candy; also for the creative challenges that I find while preparing for this show. I'm intending to participate again this coming (2015) year. Already my 'lil ole brain is a-workin' away.....

I also did the Teddy Bear Artists International show in Binghamton, NY in August 2014. Shown below is my Art Gallery piece depicting my 20 years of memories from TBAI.

Several small bears in an antique cart showing various gallery pieces created over the years by Maggie's Creations. One-Of-A-Kind piece, which is what i so enjoy doing.

Part 2 of April's Theme.....

I finished the photo shoot this am. I need more "how-to-photo-the work" instruction; IPhoto does not seem to work too well in clarifying details of the bear creations, etc. If the bears are dark, the details do not show well at all, even when I "adjust" the software. Something I need to work on for sure. Anyway, here's some more creations for the Philadelphia, PA show....MUCH BETTER when seen in person!!

This is the "2014 Artist Bear" created from vintage wool carriage robe... variegated brown tones....large bear 26 inches decorated with glittery jewels and crystals. I used the needle felting machine to add various colors of roving, mohairs, then used hand needles to finish it off. I am very pleased, though this photo does not do this bear justice!

This is "Harry L and the Barber 2014" created from LONG mohair fur to create eyebrows, mustache, and goatee. The little guy (the barber?? You decide who's who) is sitting on an antique mustache cup with his own shaving brush.

This is "Rufus" a self-standing bear created from 2 different mohair furs. An original pattern....Love this guy!
















I managed to create ten new pieces for the May show!! So passed the winter, having fun and soothing the "savage beast" of frustration. I really wanted to be in Florida! Laughing....

Time Flies, But Winter Does Not!!

Well, here we are in April. I spent most of the winter gnashing my teeth over various troubles here....brought about by someone who is getting older and finding out that there are now some limitations??? Maybe for him, but my mantra "Just Gotta Keep Going" is still on my tongue. I tried to spend time in the Creative Room getting ready for my "eye candy" artist bear/artist doll show that is soon to be the first weekend in May @ Philadelphia, PA. I admit to not having any new artsy flashes coming before my eyes, so I decided to re-visit some of the work I had done previously that no one would remember seeing, since it was definitely One-Of-A-Kind. I'm showing some of the finished pieces here, even though I need to have another photo shoot soon in order to show the rest. I tightened up the joints on the bears, using larger joint discs to fill out the arms/legs sockets. Much better looking bears! I also bought a couple of new sewing machines...Janome brand...one is a needle felting machine which I've used to create the 2014 Artist Bear...not pictured yet.

"Hal E. Peno" of Hispanic Ethnic Heritage complete with serape, beads
and jalapeno peppers

 "La Siesta" of Hispanic Ethnic Heritage with
antique "Mexican" rug serape, beaded necklace, beaded stick pin, sleeping against his own beaded
cactus

"The Motorcycle Song" (inspired by Arlo Guthrie's
song, of course
This is for the male gallery...wooden motorcycle found
at a "flea market"...many different kinds of wood found in this cycle
Bear wears leather vest

This is "Olive Jade" from the Gemstone Collection
wearing vintage glass beads, vintage corsage headpiece,
and vintage silk "handbag"











So, if there are any readers able, please attend Quinlan's Art Doll/Art Teddy Bear Show @ the Clarion Hotel (near the airport) in Philadelphia,PA May 1 through May 3, 2014.

October's almost finished! As I run this course of life, I wonder where the time goes! October is the big birthday month around here; I turned 69....a fortuitous age perhaps? I'm like  Grandma
  Walton in the episode I witnessed on TV so long ago--she's older, but doesn't FEEL any older! I do believe we need to keep our passions with us in order to remain "young". Since I was quite a bit younger when I viewed this particular TV lesson, it made an impression on me: would I feel the same as Grandma, or would I know I was considered "old" by most of society who believes that one's usefulness diminishes upon age-ing?? My mantra has been, "Ya gotta keep going!"

I've not done much new creative stuff lately; I've been cleaning out the "Creative Room', and organizing it so that I'd have more "room" to walk about and less clutter. A rather large project, to be sure.I bought one of those fancy drawer-ed plastic (lucite?) units from JoAnn Fabrics and managed to fill every drawer with jewelry creating items! And....today I did create some jewelry!

Of course, the date is now November 2nd. Sister and I had a lovely trip to Dunbar, WV to visit our brother/wife down there during the last week of October. I'm trying to make a list of items to complete next; I have also been searching out new teddy/doll shows to travel to. I'd like some new venues!

These are all the current artist bear pincushions that have been created for under $70. These may be viewed more closely--more pictures--at bagsbeadsbears/shop/.etsy.com. Each is a One-Of-A-Kind item.

I love creating lapel pins using various face and semi-precious stone cabochons. Here's a selection of these.

I have more of these to create for the upcoming Christmas season!

August Blues.....

I was never too fond of August; especially when I was teaching school. It was the last month before the major push to go back to the school teaching job......the job I grew to dislike as the years went on. The job changed: kids were not so respectful, parents weren't either; lack of support from any administration. But I'm done with this august problem and in the next phase of living my life. I have one creative show coming up this month at the 1000 Islands Arts Center in Clayton, NY. The dates are August 24 and 25th, 2013. Clayton is a lovely town! It's on the St. Lawrence River....quiet, beautiful...and refreshing to this soul.

I'm taking items that I usually take: handmade jewelry, artsy pin cushions, and artist handbags. I decided I better check for any inventory today, so I'd have a bit of time to create new stuff! My "Creative Room" is a mess; I'm in the throes of cleaning out and moving stuff around....taking inventory of what props, fabrics, etc., that I have for my various projects......checking to see what I can let go of by selling on my Etsy.com sites. (At my age, I'm afraid I'll never get to use it all)!
So, I have nothing new yet to show, but please "bear" with me; there will be more new stuff to come.

If you visit these pages and enjoy them, please become a "follower". Otherwise, this exercise in writing is just another journalling attempt.

Thanks! Maggie Newman

June "Is Bustin' Out All Over!"

I sit here at the computer and see rhododendron blossoms, iris flowering, and soon to be peonies. Love the new green that comes this time of year. Early in the morning, all the many birds are singing...geese are honking....I do so love the country! We had a lovely show at the Philadelphia Art Doll and Art Bear show in May. A busy month, May was. I hope to get time this month to do a photo shoot of projects completed, and books to sell on Etsy.com. The Crawl Space in Little York, NY is now open with some new handbags and Maggie-jewelry available there. Here's the artist bear project that I completed for Philadelphia. It is a vintage potato chip can, with an opening cut out for displaying many dolls and bears. I used small items from my own collection, and many bear/doll artists are represented. There are lights on the inside of the tin lid to illuminate the critters. Mohair head, arms and legs were jointed onto the tin top and sides to create an illusion of a large bear "hugging" the contents. I LOVE doing multi-faceted projects like this; I feel that I am "stretching" my creativity.

Not sure what I'm up to next....I do have some new ideas for "Ladies With a Past" or "Vintage Vixens" combining vintage VASES with upper body dolls and unique faces. We'll see how these work out!

STILL Snowing!! Sigh....

Typical weather for Central New York....cold, too. But I finished my "Looking at the World Through Rose Colored Glasses" piece for the May show in PA. I want to document it here...a sweet and happy piece.

Hmmm....smaller pictures here, I see, but here it s for all to see.
Enjoy your life!! Especially if you do look at the world through rose colored glasses. Maggie....