The Needle Felters Workshop

Happy Halloween from the amazing and creative needle felters at The Needle Felters Workshop

2011-10-31T20:33:00.001-08:00

Emily of Shrewsbury by Terry S.

Marlene - the finger puppet witch by Marina G.

Jack by Monica L.

Witch by Kay Petal

Winny and Winkie by Karen J.

Winnie and Ned by Karen Jones

Halloween Pumpkins by Carrol S. and her daughter Haley

Orangine by Angela B.

Frankenstein by Michelle M.

Ichabod Crane, Daredevil & The Headless Horseman by Michelle M.

Vampire by Michelle M.

Vampire Pumpkin by Amy B.

Witch by Lee Anne W.

Jack O'Lantern by Carolyn J.

Ladybug by Lee Anne W.

Karen Halloween 1955 by Karen Jones

Vampire Girl by Lee Anne W.

by Karen Jones

Join the FUN at The Needle Felters Workshop!!

Video Workshops, Needle Felting Challenges, Support Forums and a Whole Lot of Fun only $79.95 per year!

Or Contact Kay for more information

Finger Puppets from The Needle Felters Workshop

2011-10-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

I challenged my students to test their mad needle felting skill and make finger puppets. We are all finding that making these little characters that come to life on our fingertips is nearly addictive. Once you make one finger puppet you just have to make more for your other fingers.

Our needle felting challenges are for fun and learning and with no deadlines, new members can join the fun too.

Discover the Needle Felter in you at The Needle Felters Workshop

Needle Felting Projects by Members of The Needle Felters Workshop

2011-10-05T12:30:00.001-08:00

I encourage all of my students to look beyond the workshops while using the skills they learned to bring their own ideas to life. The members of The Needle Felters Workshop astonish and amaze me daily with their creative projects!

Here is just a glimpse of the amazing projects by the members of The Needle Felters Workshop

Learn More on Facebook!

A New Beginning at The End of the Road

2011-08-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

My rv travels have come to an end but not my love of teaching needle felting!

We've had a fun couple of years on the road in the rv but it's looking like Oregon may become our second home - Alaska will always be home, home. In my travels I discovered just how very much I love teaching needle felting and the connections with other creative people. I have also realized that my dream is to open a needle felting studio where I can host live workshops and offer a place where students can can drop in with their own needle felting projects to work alongside me and other students. I see it all in my head - complete with guest quarters for travelers and a sheep or two, of course!

But in the meantime, I have built the next best thing! It's called The Needle Felters Workshop - it's the virtual studio of my dreams! (minus the guest quarters and the sheep) It's already bustling with activity with students from all over the world. They have access to all of my video workshops - 7 titles (over 25 hours of lessons) and counting - and they bring their own projects too. If they need extra help, I can flip on my video camera and show them how to proceed. We have fun needle felting challenges and activities and we all learn from each other.

Annual membership is only $79.95

Visit us on Facebook to learn more or sign-up!

Still Having Fun in Montana

2010-06-19T17:31:00.019-08:00

Well, it's quite possible that I LOVE Montana.

Eureka, Montana

Hungry Horse Dam & Reservoir

OK, OK - we won't park there!

The following pictures were taken at a trip to Going to the Sun Fiber Mill in Kalispell, Montana. I got a lovely tour of the mill, met some funny critters, bought some nice wool and let one of my little felted guys out to play. Fun was had by all!

Lots of woolly goodness!

What's his name likes this place. (no I haven't named him yet!)

Processing Machinery

Sweet Face

Funny Faces

Guarding the homestead

Besides playing with wool and critters at a mill, I attended a dye party at Ruth's house.

What messy fun we had!

And I have been teaching more workshops at Camas Creek Yarn
The Man in the Moon was a great workshop!

These make me smile! I got so busy at the end of a workshop that I missed the group photo op but at least I captured some of the fun!

And did I mention I love Montana?? We love to go for drives in the country - which there seems to be no shortage of here. I love the old farms everywhere.

Yes, it's pretty here.

My boys love to graze in Montana's lush pastures.

I expect them to say Moo any minute now!

Dinner at Natalie's (workshop student) included this Giant Puffball.

It was beyond delicious sliced and fried.

And even with all of this fun I'm having, I'm still finding time for the most fun thing of all!

Needle Felting!! This is Li'l Lyle Lovett coming to life by the campfire.

And to end this post, I have to share this wonderful doll.

This is big Kay with Li'l Kay. Li'l Kay was made by a 12 year old boy. He followed my instructions in my online video workshop for making needle felted dolls and his mom mailed me Li'l Kay.

She is in a white bikini and is looking mighty fine. Good job, Saige!!

On The Front Page of the Newspaper!

2010-06-09T07:38:00.007-08:00

Yep, that's where I was on Monday. I had been interviewed and photographed by the local newspaper here in Kalispell, Montana but I never expected to get the front page story.

It's not only been great exposure for me, but also for the yarn shop that is hosting my workshops - Camas Creek Yarn. I've gotten some really great feedback from the article and have been asked to stick around the area for even more workshops.

If you want to read the article- Click Here!

Spreading the Love of Needle Felting in Montana

2010-05-31T20:15:00.004-08:00

We've been having so much fun in Montana. We were invited here by the wonderful folks at Camas Creek Yarn, in Kalispell where are I've taught several needle felting workshops with two more scheduled. I'll be teaching another PUPS workshop on June 7th and then a brand new workshop - The Man in the Moon on June 12th. Contact Camas Creek Yarn for more info (406) 755-9276

Open the little photo album below for more photos of Camas Creek Yarn.

Needle Felting workshops at Camas Creek Yarn. (open the album below for more!)

We were invited to a knitting retreat (I don't knit) at Camp Tuffit - Ethan fished all weekend on the lake and I relaxed and caught up with some needle felting and some sleep while my new friends learned knitting techniques from world-renowned knitter, Nancy Bush. Camp Tuffit is a 100 year old fishing lodge on the shores of Lake Mary Ronan. So gorgeous!

Open the album below to see more fun in Montana!

Somewhere in Oregon

2010-04-23T14:05:00.004-08:00

It's been months since I updated my travel blog?????? The best excuse I have is that we haven't been traveling! Living in an rv and not traveling, go figure!

We settled in for the last couple of months in a quiet rv park in southern Oregon and have been working diligently on my new website. www.learnneedlefelting.com is now live and hosting my new online video workshops.

And since I have an online video workshop website, I needed to make more video workshops. So, in our little rv, we produced Felt Alive Needle Felted Pups!

It's available both for online viewing and on DVD. I designed the cover too!

These pups are a whole bunch of fun to make and I have much fun, as I usually do, taking their pictures.

So, there is that. Let's see, what else have I been doing. Oh yes!!!! How could I forget! I brought Li'l Ellen DeGeneres, Li'l Jay Leno & Li'l Bono from U2 to life in wool.

And I'm working on another Li'l Rock Star now. But that is still a secret.

And this little Green Droit was a special commission. I had a very hard time saying goodbye!

On the LIVE Felt Alive Workshop front things have been a little slow. Scheduling workshops is a logistic challenge for me. But, I am getting ready to head north to Montana for a 3 day Needle Felted Doll Workshop in Kalispell on May 14, 15 & 16. We are trying to squeeze in a 1 day Needle Felted Pups Workshop arond these dates as well. There are a couple of seats left in the Doll Workshop and the Pups is still wide open so spread the word!

And to close this post - here are some fun shots that I took in the tiny hamlet of Kirby, Oregon at a place called It's a Burl. It's an incredible place and a mecca for woodcarvers in the Pacific Northwest to come and work at the studio. My dolls fit right in!

I love this building - the roof line is great!

Cyrus really had a great time.

Li'l Janice had to pose with this Groovy sign.

yes, the signs say, Sweet - Blissed Out - Peace

Felt Alive Pups Workshop - Oregon Coast

2010-02-03T09:39:00.003-09:00

Wild Women Felt Alive!

2010-01-28T22:55:00.004-09:00

Felt Alive Needle Felted Doll Workshop
Rosie's Wild Woman Studio Depoe Bay, Oregon
January 2010

I had the privilege of sharing the magic of needle felting dolls with a fabulous group of creative women in Depoe Bay, Oregon. None of the group had ever needle felted before but everyone managed to bring the wool to life, creating a zany lineup of characters in various stages of completion.

I was so proud of everyone for shedding their preconceived notions of "what" or "who" they wanted to create and allowing the wool to lead the way! We shared many laughs and some very serious moments of silent poking.

These two Lovebirds came to life side by side - created by two best friends - Linda and Rosie.

And to celebrate Rosie's birthday on the last day of the workshop, we enjoyed a lovely dinner out. Sharing a night with new friends and their families was a special treat for Ethan and me - being strangers in town and all! We got the inside scoop of the fun to be had in this area. And because none of us got enough fun, I'll be back near the end of February for a one day Felt Alive Mutts workshop! I can't wait!!

Thanks Wild Women!

Felt Alive Needle Felting Workshop - Central Oregon Coast!

2009-12-29T16:25:00.004-09:00

OK, folks! This is it! This is my first official Felt Alive needle felting workshop since departing Alaska. I am SO THRILLED to have the opportunity to work with THE Wildwoman herself - Rosie of Wildwoman Creations Art and Craft Gallery in Depoe Bay, Oregon. The workshop will take place in a special space known as "My Art Locker" where I will lead 12 brave participants on a 3 day journey into the magic of sculptural needle felting a soft and lifelike needle felted doll.

Felt Alive Needle Felted Doll Workshop Flyer

The workshop will be comprehensive and intense but a whole lot of fun. I will employ my DVD workshop as a visual aid so everyone is sure to be able to see bigger than life every step along the way. And of course, my Felt Alive cast of characters will accompany me.

The dates are January 25th, 26th & 27th.

And to make this collaboration even better, Patti, at DreamFelt is providing the kits so everyone will be sure to have plenty of my favorite wool and supplies for needle felting!

The cost per person for three full days of needle felting fun is $150 + $20 materials fee. Contact Rosie for more information or to register. And for anyone who may not know, the Oregon coast is breathtakingly gorgeous - even in January!

Felt Yourself! Li'l Celebreties Celebrate

2009-12-22T22:06:00.006-09:00

Well,it's really Elf Yourself but I couldn't resist the cheesy play on words and the urge to see my Li'l celebrities getting elfed. I especially enjoy Li'l Will Ferrell ELF elfed. Confused? Watch and you will see.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Holidays Friends!

No, really, where is Felt Alive??

2009-12-13T23:51:00.001-09:00

On the Beach in Southern Oregon

I can't believe HOW FAST the time is flying. We left Alaska almost 8 weeks ago already and have been making so many adjustments to life on the road. I think we are doing quite well living in small quarters. My home has always been like a tossed salad anyway, my bowl is just smaller now.

I have made many observations while adjusting to this new lifestyle. One is that RV parks are very unusual places. There are full-time residents, people who pull in for just a few hours to sleep and those that stay a few days – like that crazy lady from Alaska we met on our first day here – go figure. The parks we love tend to be nearly abandoned. I think it is our Alaskan roots that drive our need for privacy and solitude. So spending time on the southern Oregon coast in the off-season has been perfect. In our RV park on the beach we never had more than three neighbors. But we know it won't be off-season for long as summer nears so we have some hard decisions to make regarding where and what to do next. When I imagine our little RV park filled to capacity, I shudder. I do have an exciting prospect for a teaching gig for the whole summer at a popular resort - which would keep us far from the crowded parks in a lovely part of rural Oregon. I will post more on that later.

As for my needle felting journey – I am very slowly starting to work out some live Felt Alive teaching gigs. These things take some time and planning. I have been busy giving my website some MUCH needed improvements. I designed a new banner and I love the new look and feel of the site. My visitor counter passed the 50,000 mark recently so that is exciting. www.feltalive.com We are working on getting my DVD workshops online so we can offer them in streaming video format as well as on DVD. So much to learn at every turn!

Although I haven't been needle felting as much as I would like, I do have a new Li’l Star in the works. Li’l Hendrix is proving to be quite fun!

To make up for lost felting time, we have been having so much fun taking pictures of my dolls in the beautiful Oregon scenery.

View Full Album

We take off in the Jeep and go exploring the beaches and mountains around here, finding amazing places to photograph the dolls. Our goal with these photo shoots is to illustrate a children's book. We haven't even dented the places we want to explore. We have been novice agate hunters and tide pool explorers on the beaches and we love taking off on unmarked logging roads in the mountains.

We haven't met much wildlife but we did meet some cows on the mountaintops on one of these roads. The other encounters with wildlife were pretty terrifying for these lifelong Alaskans who are accustomed to wildlife that is a bit larger.

We have captured some magical shots in the Redwood forests of Northern California, remote trails along the logging roads of southern Oregon, the beaches and tide pools on the southern Oregon Coast. This part of the country is known as Oregon's banana belt. It is remote, beautiful and evergreen. I love that part the most.

View Full Album

Bushes abloom year round, green grass and ferns in the forests, warm, sandy beaches; the smells are all intoxicating to me. After our monthly rental ran out, we drifted around for a week but found ourselves back here at the beach for another month.

But, of course, it's not all fun and games. The Felting Forum has been giving us all troubles and that has been more than frustrating. Our server lost three weeks worth of data and then tell me not to use my back-ups because the data is corrupt. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon.

This is a cat sanctuary built on the jetty at Gold Beach, Oregon. It became quickly apparent to us that it was a sanctuary for more than cats. I missed the shot of the raccoons but the skunks were none too shy. (Did I mention that there are no skunks or raccoons where I am from?)

And I have been busy upgrading myself with the latest devices to keep me in touch while on the road. I must admit, the learning curve for my new Blackberry handheld PDA device has been much tougher than I anticipated. But soon I will be a pro at twittering, facebooking and even forum posting from some of the cool places we are visiting via my mini computer/cell phone. When we moved into the RV, we made a spot for my desktop computer because the last thing I wanted to do was switch computers during a move. But I just got a new laptop so I will be able to free myself from the confines of my desktop. But I haven't even started transferring files and getting my laptop set up yet. It's times like these that I really miss my nephew, Ben - sigh...I left my computer guru back in Alaska - Hi Ben!! But, I will muddle through! This blog post was created through the Windows Live system on my new laptop. I can see how nice the upgrades will be but again, I have much to learn!

Happy Trails!!

Exploring Strange New Worlds

2009-11-03T06:43:00.012-09:00

We had a great time in our old stomping grounds but decided to push south. When we lived in Oregon we used to visit the Pacific coast as often as we could - the beauty of the rugged coast -where the forest meets the sea is truly amazing. We never took the time to stay and explore though.

The drive to the coast was crazy fun in the big coach. The road, as you can see, is not wide. It is a well traveled highway and quite scenic. I'm suggesting to anyone who may get the chance to make this drive - Highway 199 from Grants Pass OR to Crescent City, California straight through the giant Redwoods of Jedediah Smith Park. The air is still and pungent in this ancient rain forest - massive groves of massive trees. I'm talking beyond incredible. Our big coach and Toad made stopping here difficult but we are still in the area and plan to drive back for a day of photographing the dolls in the forest. The light that filters through the towering canopy is nearly magical. But that's another day and another blog!

After passing through the Redwood groves, we dropped into Crescent City California to a warm, sunny day.

The Felt Alive Boys loved checking out the view.

And the Petal boys traveled a very long way to get finally get a chance to romp on a beach. There is something about beaches and dogs.

Of course we had to stop in our favorite seafood restaurant in Crescent City. It's too bad we had to drive over 3000 miles to enjoy the best Alaskan cod ever. The fish and chips at the Chart Room are just about to die for.

Situated right on the Crescent City Harbor, watching the local sea lions sunning themselves
makes for a very authentic seafood dining experience. I don't often order seafood unless I can actually see the sea!

From Crescent City we drove north along Highway 101 into Oregon's Banana Belt on the Gold Coast. I have read that this drive is one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world. I wouldn't argue that. It is breathtaking where the lush coastal evergreen forests meet the vast Pacific Ocean.

Ethan has had his heart set on spending some time on the Oregon Coast since we started this whole adventure so we decided to find a great spot to settle down for a month or so. We have so much work to do to get workshops scheduled and moving every few days is not easy, even when your home is on wheels. So, we found a beautiful spot right on the beach complete with it's own lighthouse!

We are in a cool little coastal community - our home is prime beachfront property. The beach is just out our front door; literally, out the front door - there is short trail through the sea grass to the open Pacific. We walked and played on the beach the first two days we were here - The sun felt so amazing on my pale, Alaskan skin. I braved the cold water's edge and the surf and sand felt like heaven swirling around my feet. Wasilla Lake, back home in Alaska, is now frozen. I like ice skating ok but I LOVE the surf in my toes!

Gazing at the sea from the lighthouse tower is mesmerizing.

And the view from the tower looking down at our temporary home site.

It is hard to get any work done with the beach beckoning but it will be our home for a while so the novelty may wear off. Part of the thrill of our adventure is to find amazing spots and take the time to explore the area. This part of Oregon is really amazing. The weather here is quite diverse. But it rarely freezes and that I love. It can be sunny and 70 degrees one minute and then horizontal sheets of rain soaking you the next. It seems to stay at least 50 F and I am not chilled all the time like I was in Alaska.

We have been here about four days now. Even though we stopped moving, I still haven't gotten much work done- we've just been having so much fun in the sun and taking long walks on the miles of expansive beaches just out our front door. It's was a vacation that was very much needed.

Beach Shanty

Pelicans

Surfer Dude

But then some wild winter coastal storms hit that chased even the bravest surfers out of the water. The Dolphin (the brand of our RV) weathered the storms so well. We were cozy and comfortable as the wind and rain hammered the coastline. The next day the sun was out again but the ocean turned from a gentle creature into an angry beast. A huge storm in the Gulf of Alaska created some large swell conditions that made their way here - the beautiful beach shanties made by visitors during the long days of summer were destroyed as giant waves battered the shoreline. Ethan and I have discovered the thrill of watching the high surf. It is dangerous to be close to the shoreline as a sneaker wave can overcome you at any moment. The high waves tossed logs all the way down the winding beach trail leading to our rv park. I would not want to get caught up in that yet the ocean beckons us to watch the immense power of the 25 foot breakers relentlessly slamming the shoreline. I prefer watching the show from the safety of the little lighthouse, far above the tumultuous surf. I will post pictures of the storm in my next post.

And my Li'l Donald Trump is finally finished but still hasn't posed for his official portrait in the lightbox.

The Giant Oregon Outhouse Fly

2009-11-02T18:39:00.004-09:00

I thought we grew things big in Alaska! This funny landmark is in the tiny little community of O'Brien, Oregon. Very near to our old hometown of Cave Junction, staying in O'Brien felt like being home. There is a casual, laid-back spirit in these parts.

We were fueling up and it took me a few minutes to figure out what the people willing to brave the giant fly were carrying - they were GIANT fly swatters! So funny! I guess they hand them out when you get the key for the restroom! I must admit, it was very nice to have my own private john in my traveling home that does not require a giant fly swatter!

We did so much work to set out on this great journey; we totally upturned our lives and uprooted ourselves and our dogs in order to make this happen. Now that the monumental task of getting out of Alaska is behind us, Ethan and I were talking the other night about how we are both finding comfort in our old familiar territory here in Oregon. We lived here for several years and have already explored this area but we found ourselves reluctant to push down the highway - even though the weather is getting cool and rainy. We set up camp in a nice RV park just behind the giant fly.

They boys are both really doing so well adjusting to RV park life. Very well mannered! The Giant Fly RV Park had a nice trail leading to a creek - the dogs love rv parks with places for them to romp free. But Spikey got the first tick! They visited their old vet just the other day to get all set up for life outside of Alaska - the tick was dead but GROSSSSSS!! We don't have ticks, fleas or heartworm in Alaska.

And we finally put my vinyl graphics on the sides of the RV - it is just my business name and website - pretty low key - but I have a funny story to tell about those graphics. I was at the Alaska State Fair with my friend, Mindy, and we spotted this booth doing vinyl graphics - I guessed at the dimensions and had the guy make a pair - one for each side. Fast forward to somewhere in the Yukon - Ethan and I spotted this fresh cinnamon bun place - it was a roadside lodge on a long, lonely stretch of road and hot, sweet bread sounded SO good - we learned that they were sold out because somebody bought 70 of them (mutters under breath - 70???? - damnnnnn!!!) There was another disappointed couple there too - they were also traveling out of Alaska with their howling husky mutts - we started chatting because all of our dogs were howling while waiting for us. It turns out the guy remembered me from the fair - he had made my graphics. Small world!

And here is a picture of the Toad - RV'er lingo for a towed vehicle.

View Through the Pacific Northwest in a larger map

Toad, Trout and Spilled Milk.

2009-10-24T20:03:00.004-08:00

Our stay in Anacortes was short - we boogied south down I-5 towards our old stomping grounds in southern Oregon.

We found a vehicle just across the border in California. It was all set up to tow behind and RV - the RV crowd calls towed vehicles Toads. So, we have a green Jeep Toad. It is nothing fancy but we will be able to drive around now after we get the RV all set up. It will get us to many beaches and hiking areas and today I learned about geocaching so we may just have to try that. I really had never heard of it but all it takes is a google search! Wow!!

Cool Vintage Motel Sign in Yreka, California

Mt. Shasta at 65 mph

It's great to be back in southern Oregon - we lived here back in 2001-2003 when we bought a great place out in the country near Cave Junction where I learned to garden and preserve. Work and life called us back to Alaska but it was a great escape while it lasted! It felt so inviting driving into this area after our long drive.

Some friends generously offered us refuge on their vacant property and it felt like being home again. I didn't' realize how much I missed the night sky here. The stars can make me dizzy! We really do love this area and may very well wind up settling down here after a year or two of traveling. It will be our home base, that's for sure.

But while it is great fun out in the country, getting reliable internet is tough! I have been out of touch for a few days because of it. So, we moved closer to town are parked in a friend's yard in Grants Pass. And now that we have our Toad, we plan to rent a space for a week or two in an RV park close by. It's nice to stay with friends but having the proper power plug-ins, wi-fi, cable tv, water and sewer makes life much easier. RV Parks are so very convenient. There is a lot to learn about full time RV'ing and we are totally green. But we already know we usually learn things the hard way so we are prepared for some trying moments on occasion as we learn the ins and outs of life on the road. The folks we bought the Toad from were full-timer's and I had more questions about that than about the vehicle we were buying. It's certainly a much different lifestyle than what either of us know. But so far, we are meeting some really fun people and are enjoying the freedom of what we are doing.

So while we are here, regrouping in familiar territory, I'm trying to put together a few workshops. With only short notice they will be small but that's a great way to start out. There is definitely interest wherever we go - I met a puppet maker named Trout who was quite intrigued with my needle felting - he had never seen the medium. It is so thrilling to be able to open a new world of possibilities to creative people like Trout.

So there we have the Toad and the Trout but hold your tears for the spilled milk. Never cry is what I have been told but sometimes that is tough. We made it 3000 miles without any problems but as we were rounding the corner to our friends' house the refrigerator popped open and out spilled a 1/2 gallon of milk -and not on the wood floor, but it bounced into the bathroom and spilled all over the carpet. It ran under the walls and soaked everything. We had to pull carpet because I cannot live in a small space shared with the smell of rotting milk in the carpet. We are still letting the floors dry out and will be replacing the carpet soon. The joy of living in a moving house!

We Made It!!!!

2009-10-20T20:40:00.006-08:00

We made it safely and happily through Canada and arrived in the US early this afternoon.

Our day started with a bit of a chuckle as we pulled out of the RV Park we stayed in. The other name had been removed from the sign. I guess that relationship didn't work out. Personally, I would have removed both names but perhaps Micheal is holding out hope for a new name to put in the slot.

The trip through the Frasier River canyon was stunningly gorgeous. The road is narrow and winding so I had to take all of the pictures while moving. Finding a place to pull over at a moments notice is tough.

(what in the heck is Crackers up to?)

We stopped in Hope, BC for a little breather before crossing the border back into the US. Hope is such an quaint town in one of the most dramatic settings imaginable with towering mountains on all sides. So beautiful!!

Bald eagles certainly reminded me of home.

We are settled in for the evening in an RV park in Anacortes, Washington. It is so nice here we just might stay a few days. I just can't seem to take in enough of the amazing Pacific Northwest smells. I step outside and breathe deeply - it is just so lush and green here. I realized that I have spent nearly every winter of my life deprived of the smell of the great outdoors. When everything goes into a deep freeze, nothing smells; except for car exhaust and smoke from wood stoves.

We are having fun watching people's reactions to my dolls in the windows. They are bringing smiles to many faces and are quite a conversation starter when we pull into an RV Park. We are really going to have fun!

More tomorrow!

Still somewhere in Canada

2009-10-19T22:18:00.005-08:00

I'm not even sure of the name of the town we are in. But today we had a very pleasant day of easy travel. The roads get MUCH better the further south we go.

And I discovered that I really love driving into Autumn, leaving old man winter far behind.

We started out our day with a scenic drive out of Fort St. John along the Peace River into the idyllic town of Hudson's Hope.

We stopped at a most glorious lookout to see the farmland far below us with the Peace River far below that. The fog was lying thick down there but the sun was shining on us.

The Peace River valley is one of my favorite stretches of this trip. (This is my 5th time down the Alaska Highway.)

From there we pushed into Chetwynd and were delighted to find the first fruit stand of our trip. We purchased our breakfast of delicious BC apples, plums and pickled asparagus. I know that sounds like a strange breakfast but it was sure yummy. We ate the whole jar of asparagus!

We continued into Prince George following the Frasier River. We had dinner in the town of 100 Mile House and found an RV Park wherever it is we are now.

View Larger Map

And I don't have any wildlife shots to share - I had my camera at the ready all day but only saw a few deer.

Tomorrow we will arrive in Seattle. We hope to purchase a car to tow behind us once we get there. I am starting to adjust to the fact that we have our home with us wherever we go. Ethan is sprawled out on the couch watching a movie, unwinding from his long day of driving. The dogs are cozy in their beds and I am busy on the computer. And house cleaning only takes a few minutes! And besides a couple of meals at restaurants, we have eaten in for every meal. That is saving us so much money. I'm getting pretty good at this RV cooking in a tiny kitchen. I love to cook and I was worried I wouldn't be able to function. But it's not too bad at all.

The coolest thing is that I am finding it very easy to needle felt while going down road. I didn't even break a needle or stab myself! I have table that pulls out in front of my seat. What a great studio with an ever changing view. I completed my Li'l Donald Trump doll with pics to come tomorrow. He is genuinely creepy!

And now, I do believe it is bedtime - Goodnight friends!!

Fort St. John, BC, Canada

2009-10-18T18:10:00.006-08:00

Well, it's been fun, rough, scary, gorgeous, tiring and exciting! Since Friday, we wound our way through Yukon territory and across the Northern Rockies. I spent most of Friday crying my eyes out. Pathetic, I know, but what a well of emotions came out about our big adventure as I faced anxiety from the trials and tribulations of driving the Alaska Highway in the cold, snow and ice. By Saturday, the sun was out and the roads were much better. By Sunday, as we crossed the northern Rockies, the weather was incredible and my excitement about what we are doing is back.

Entering Canada at Beaver Creek in the Yukon.

Frost Heaves - you can see them - they are much worse than they look, the motor home handled them well, thankfully.

Wood Bison near Liard Hot Springs. These things were everywhere!

Oh-oh!! They spotted the Wood Bison.

The Sign Post Forest, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada

The best sign ever! The black symbol means frost heaves. These Polish tourists had a great outlook!!

Little tourists in The Signpost Forest.

Stone sheep in the northern Rockies.

Licking the salt from the road.

So many new things to sniff!!! The dogs are great travelers.

Here I am soaking away the day's worries at Liard Hot Springs. This pool was 9 ft deep and way out in the snowy woods. The water was about 100 degrees F and I loved every minute of it.

A freezing river. In another week or two, this will be frozen solid

Caribou in the Rockies.

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Tomorrow we push south. We hope to make it into Washington!!!

Holy Frost Heaves, we're in Tok, Alaska!!

2009-10-15T21:23:00.006-08:00

We had a beautiful drive north out of the Matanuska Valley today. We made it safely to our planned destination of Tok, Alaska: about 100 miles from the Canadian border. Today we drove past the mighty Matanuska Glacier, the awesome Wrangell St. Elias mountains, we spotted a coyote, a couple of bull moose, had a near miss with a small herd of caribou and encountered many dreaded frost heaves. For those of you in more temperate climates, the ground heaves when it freezes and plays havoc on asphalt. But, our motorhome seemed to handle it splendidly!!!

Wrangell St. Elias Mts

Crazy Felt Alive dolls watching the world go by!

Look out for Caribou!

Are we there yet?

Tomorrow we head into Canada with a plan to make it to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory by nightfall. But tonight, it is cold outside, 10 degrees F so we are bundling up and cranking the furnace up to comfy! Good night friends!

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We are on the road!!

2009-10-15T07:11:00.002-08:00

Well sort of! One of the things we needed to do before leaving was to sell our truck. We were pretty disappointed that we were all set to go but had not found a buyer and still had this truck. A truck we are making payments on that is too big to tow behind. We had made arrangements to leave it with a used car dealer and were going to drop it off on our way out of the state. Minutes before we got on the road, someone called that wanted to look at the truck. The good news is that he is buying it. The less than good news is that it delayed our departure for two days. We are meeting him at the bank in a few hours and leaving town from there. Minus one truck payment!! Yay!!!!!!!! It feels like good Karma.

And we are experiencing an unusual warm spell for October that reaches up into Canada where we will be traveling. So, we should be on the road this morning and nearing the Canadian border this evening.

I will update with pictures soon!!

The Adventure Begins!

2009-09-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

Many of my felting friends have asked where I have been hiding. Well, so much has happened in my life over the last 5 years - it all seemed to come to a frothy head this past year and I just sort of crashed and checked out of my online world. My needle felting has been a lifeline - the characters that want to come out of the wool seem to call to me and no matter how blue I get, I find the motivation to bring another one to life!

Besides my own life-changing cancer journey and my life-changing discovery of needle felting, the last 5 years have brought the loss of my dad from cancer, the loss of a dear friend from cancer, the loss of a beloved pet from cancer and the difficulties of living half of my life away from my husband (he works away from home for two weeks at a time.) Did I mention how I struggle to get through each long, dark, cold Alaskan winter with my sanity intact? Ethan and I have been married 24 years. One of our secrets to longevity is knowing when it's time to make a change. We both agreed it's time, once again, to rearrange our lives!

Are you ready?? Drum roll please...

We are leaving Alaska and taking my Felt Alive show on the road. We purchased a new-to-us home on wheels and are packing up the two dogs, a bunch of wool and felting needles, our computers and a few bare necessities. We are heading for destinations unknown! We plan to be on the road by early-mid October. Thanks to modern wireless technology I will continue to operate my online business from the road. We hope to visit all 48 states and tour Canada as well. I plan to blog about our adventures, hopefully write a book and meet many of my online felting friends along the way - and meet many new ones too! We have already began to schedule workshops - the first is in Kalispell, Montana in May of 2010. I am hoping for leads from my online friends for contacts for shops and events that may be willing to host Felt Alive needle felting classes.

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This is the first leg of our journey. Nearly 3000 miles from Wasilla to Washington. We need all the well wishes we can get for a safe journey. The weather is getting cold in the northernmost parts of our journey.

Here is our new home - we have lived and worked in tight quarters before and we actually make a pretty good team!

35' Class "A" Dolphin by National RV

We call her "Flipper"

She is quite roomy inside with a 12' slide-out.

Lucky thinks this is going to work out fine!

Yes, my dogs are huge but they seem to love being in their new home. I get a real sense of peace in there and if Dad were alive, we would likely not be able to get out of the driveway without him. He would be so happy we are being so adventurous!

And my dolls love hangin' out!

It's their new Felt Alive mobile!

Hal, the Tourist is ready to lead the way!!

And a few pics from our first outing in a campground near Willow, Alaska.

Spike is always the lead dog when it comes
to staking his claim.
Lucky will cover his claim momentarily.

Moose Poop on the trail.

Gorgeous but deadly mushroom!

Felt Alive Needle Felted Dolls
4 Disc DVD Needle Felting Workshop

And here is my new DVD set that will help fund our travels. It was a long project and truly a family effort. I filmed myself using two high-def video cameras on tripods - I literally had to hug the tripods while filming - it's a good thing I have long arms or it may not have worked out so well. Ethan and my nephew, Ben, did the hard work of editing and producing it. It turned out better than I could have hoped for. 10 hours of unscripted, narrated instructions as I demonstrate bringing a needle felted doll to life.

So this is my first official post on my brand new Felt Alive Travel Blog! We don't know yet where the roads will take us or how long we will be traveling before we decide to settle down. I will keep my schedule posted on the sidebar updated with dates and events. Please follow my blog to follow our adventures!