Old Dover Days

Just a quick note today about my first show of the season. I was just accepted into the crafts portion of Old Dover Days, a celebration of the city of Dover on May 3rd (next Saturday). Hope you can come out for all the festivities (and to shop at my booth, of course!).

I will have my Smileville Bears, some summery wreaths & door decor, jewelry by Dawn (my sister), soft and comfy blankets, fabric book covers, and more! Also will be debuting my smiley/frowny coasters.

I've been up to...

finishing several projects. Yippee. You know how much I like finishing (NOT!). But... the closer I get to my first show of the year (right now the one at the VA Hospital on June 6th), the more I have been thinking "I need to finish some of the items I have started."

So here are some pics (as most are still works in progress):

several fabric and knitted blankets

a slew of paperback book covers in various fabrics

a herd (??) of bears --- Smileville Bears, that is --- preparing to be stuffed and assembled

Well-traveled bears living in Smileville....

Well, the rumors are true. There are bears from far and wide traveling to live in Smileville!

Mac and Lani hail from distant places in the western US. These two adorable bears have become fast friends as they share their exotic experiences, and their nostalgia for friends back home.

Mac, a deep blue bear, sports a winter white scarf all year round. It reminds him of the cold Alaskan days, living in a land covered in snow year-round. Until he moved to Smileville, he never jumped in the ocean without feeling very very cold! Now he swims as much as his Momma and Poppa bear will let him, in the lake at Smileville.



Lani, whose "fur" is a turquoise blue with hints of yellow, misses the warm sunny days in Hawaii. Her lei of white flowers was given to her by friends before she left the oceanic island paradise. She misses Hawaii, but is a very adventurous bear and is enjoying all her new experiences in Smileville. She was very excited when a few weeks ago she got to see (and taste) her first snow!

Both these bears would love to go home with a new forever-friend. If you'd like Mac, Lani, or one of their new-found friends at Bear Bash to come home with you or someone special, visit the Smileville Bear section of my website, or send me a bear request via email.

Easter is coming ... sooner than you think!

Easter this year is just about as early as it can be... March 23rd. It's practically right around the corner! With Ash Wednesday the first week of February, now seems to be the perfect time to start planning your Easter decor and gifts. And a great place to start is with Smile Creations Crafts.

How about an adorable macrame duckling for your front door? The ducks are carefully knotted of strong yellow cord by Dennis and then adorned with feathers and flowers for a festive, unique look.

Not into ducks? What about bears? Our Smileville Bears are soft and cuddly, sure to bring a smile to anyone's face! And the best news about the bears? There is one just perfect for that special person in your life... musician (Rupert Bear plays the drums), aspiring lawyer (Bradford Bear wants to be one, too!), carefree baby (Sally Bear is still in diapers, and the twins Tootsie and Toby wear bibs so they don't spill all over themselves), just to name a few!

Thinking you'd like a more practical gift for a new baby this Easter season? What about the baby wash mitt and burp towel set cross-stitched with butterflies and bunnies by Maryann? Made of soft terry cloth and edged in yellow gingham, this will bring a smile to mother and baby at bath time!

And there's more! A sunflower pillow, cheerful sunflower napkin rings, crochet halter tops, bright & fresh flower pins.... visit my web site today and see all that Smile Creations Crafts can add to your Easter celebration!

Heeeeeere's Rupert!

Say hello to Rupert Bear, the musically inclined toddler in Smileville. When he was just a tiny cub, he loved to find sticks and rocks and use them to "play music" on his momma bear's pots and pans. She tried to find another toy that he liked that was quieter, but nothing seemed to keep him as happy as making noise.

Just last Christmas, she gave in and got Rupert his very own drum! He is so happy! It's the perfect size to carry with him to Bear Bash (the daycamp for baby bears in Smileville), so he doesn't have to hunt for sticks and rocks anymore. The best days are when the teacher bear at Bear Bash lets him play music for all his friends after lunch!

If you'd like Rupert (or one of his other friends at Bear Bash) to come home with you or someone special, visit the Smileville Bear section of my website, or send me a bear request via email.

I'm in Stitches

Stitches with Style, that is! Beginning this week, some of my handcrafted items will be on display (and available for purchase, of course!) at Stitches with Style, my LYS (Local Yarn Shop) in Newark, DE.

Right now there are knit stuffed snowpeople and a few of the Smileville Bears ready for adoption. Soon I will be adding some fabric book covers (They are sooo convenient: just slip your paperback into the cover, use the integrated bookmark to keep your place, grab the handles and go!). And custom-made wooden yarn swifts will be available for special order (more on these a little later).

Stop by Stitches, say hello to Linda and crew, fondle the pretty yarns, and check out my stuff!!

Hi, I'm Sally Bear

Actually, the title was translated from "ah-goooo, goo-goo-grrrrr." You see, Sally is a baby bear, and really hasn't learned how to talk yet.


She's adorable, though, waddling around in her little white diaper. She's in the process of "potty" training (so that she learns to go do her business under a designated tree), but she hasn't quite got the hang of it yet.

Sally spends every day at the Smileville Bear Bash, a daycamp for the cubs of the working bears in Smileville. Her favorite friends, Tootise and Toby, are twin baby bears, born just a few months earlier than Sally.

Sally makes a great playmate, loves sweets (like honey!), and is a warm cuddly companion. If you'd like Sally to come home to you (or someone special in your life), click here to purchase her on my website.

Returning to the Curiosity Shoppe

Yes, I have had the honor of being asked into the Curiosity Shoppe's new current showing, beginning Friday (last Friday, that is) and lasting through the end of November. For now, they are displaying and selling some of my jewelery. It was hot off the jeweler's table, so I don't even have pics to upload; you'll just have to make a road trip out to South Street and see for yourself.

Curiosity Shoppe is located at 527 South 4th Street (which means they're just off South, on 4th).

And.... as far as I know now, they will be carrying some of my knit bears, the Smileville Bears, and some shrugs/wraps for the Nov/Dec 2-month rotation. It'll be a great chance to do some last minute holiday shopping!!

I'm ba-a-ack!

I'm back in two ways, actually:

One, quite literal, as I've been in Key West for the past 5 days. It was WONDERFUL, and I'll post more about it later this week when my pics are uploaded and can accompany the short narrative.


The second way I'm back is that my work is back in the Curiosity Shoppe for display and sale. This two-month rotation (beginning Friday Sept 29) the South St. Phila store asked me to focus on jewelry items. So I did (duh). All signs point to my items being in the store for the next four months, though, as my knit bears have already been requested at the Nov/Dec cycle. Yay!

So while I go do things like sort laundry from a week of extreme heat and fun in Key West, you should grab your calendar and jot down Curiosity Shoppe's address (529 South 4th St) and plan to stop by next time you're in Philadelphia. :)

Smile Creations Crafts's work for sale in Chesapeake City, MD

Yup, it's very exciting. My work is being displayed/sold at a shop called Vulcan's Rest in Chesapeake City, MD. My husband and I were wandering around in Chesapeake City a few weeks ago, and Dan found it (hooray for wonderful husbands!).

In addition to a huge selection of fiber, the owner likes to feature completed projects by local artists, and has thus turned her shop into a fiber and gifts store. If you happen to be there, look for my work. Some items she currently has for sale are:


Knit purses in several styles (pictured is one of them)

Crochet shawls (one in black/multi; one in shades of blue)
Knit jack-o-lanterns (just in time for the spooky season!)
Crochet flower pins - perfect to dress up a shawl, or to embellish a project of your own
Smileville Bears -- Molly (pictured) and Mac

Look -- it's Tootsie and Toby, the twins!

The babies of the Smileville Bear Bash play club, Tootsie and Toby can't really talk yet. But they are great fun! They coo and giggle, and drool a little on their matching yellow bibs.


Tootsie, the lavender bear, is the girl of the twins. She has learned to say "honey" and asks for the sweet treat all the time!


Toby, the mint green bear, is the boy. He recently discovered his toes, and think they taste pretty good. He also loves to give his twin sister big bear hugs.


Tootsie and Toby aren't the only baby bears who spend the day playing at Bear Bash.... Sally, their closest friend, is also a very young cub. Stay tuned... she'll be introduced this fall!

Hi, I'm Tiffany Bear...

I live in Smileville. You've heard of it, right? It's like the prettiest place in all of bear world. Or it sure feels like it! My daddy is a lawyer bear, and ...

Oh, wait. I'm getting ahead of myself again, aren't I? We haven't even really met yet. Sorry; I'll start again.



Hi. I'm Tiffany Bear. Bradford Bear (you've already met him) is my big brother. He's not so bad as far as big brothers go. We live in Smileville, which is deep in a forest, with our mom and dad bear. Every day we walk from our den to the Bear Bash Play Club. It's really fun; we play games and learn to find berries and eat honey without making a mess.

Like I said earlier, our daddy is a lawyer bear. He calls me his little princess. Sometimes for fun I wear a crown at home, like a princess. But usually it gets in the way when I play. Mommy made this headband for me instead, and every morning I put a pretty flower in the top, see?

Say, you look like a lot of fun! Maybe we can play together sometime? Or you could adopt me, an we can play all the time! If you want to take me home with you, please click here to visit the Smile Creations Crafts store online.

Smileville Bear

Hi! It's been awhile that the Smileville Bears have spoken here on my blog, and I apologize for that. I have been trying (with no luck) to figure out how to make the Smileville Bears have their own subsection of my blog -- a place to tell their stories, and for me to post all their pictures together. Please don't give up; we WILL find a way to give them a spot all their own.

The bears have wonderful adventures, you see. These bears are terrific listeners, great at pretend, are quiet, and don't eat much. :)

I am fortunate enough to know the family with whom the first Bradford Bear now lives. He happily sleeps every night with the little boy, Johnny, and eats breakfast with him every morning. He sports, in addition to his bowtie, a miniature Flyers sweater, knitted by a close relative. I have heard he LOVES to watch hockey with Johnny.

Bradford is obviously living the good life! He loves it! Don't you want to let another Smileville Bear live happily ever after in YOUR home? Click here to see all our bears on my website. Adopt one today!

Next show.... Kids Day America

Kid's Day America is a national day set aside to celebrate our children.

This year, on May 19th, Delaware Chiropractic will, for the third year in a row, sponsor a large fair to commemorate the day. In their own words: "Kids Day America is dedicated to help educate children on health, safety, and environmental awareness in a family and community fun setting!"

The event, which will take place from noon to 3pm at The Shoppes at Louviers in Newark, DE will have free health screenings for the kids, games, food, prizes, and sellers of great kid-friendly items (toys, books, and more!).

Why am I sharing this? Well, I do think it's a great cause (oh, I nearly forgot, all proceeds will be donated this year to the Make a Wish Foundation). Which is why Smile Creations Crafts will be there! I will be selling paperback book covers, purses, jewelry, stuffed knit balls and fabric blocks, and of course, my line of Smileville Bears.

Smileville Bears make their public debut

Today was the first day of the Handcraft Unlimited Craft Show at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, DE. The weather outside was frightful (rainy and generally gross), but inside was so delightful. There were lots of people, and fellow vendors were friendly. It was a long day, though, and I'm ready to retire for the night.

Before I do so, however, I wanted to give the newest of the Smileville Bears their "coming out," so to speak. Seven bears joined Bradford Bear in Smileville: Tiffany, Da-lee, Tootsie, Toby, Moe, and Gramps. Next week I'll be creating a special section here on my blog just for pictures and stories of the little bears. For now, I hope you'll accept my apology for simply posting a picture of each, and a brief bio statement.

Tiffany is Bradford Bear's little sister. She likes to play dress-up, and always wears cute headbands and flowers.








Da-lee is an artist. She loves to paint, and comes with her own paint palette.








Tootsie and Toby are the littlest bears in the day camp. They are fraternal twins; Tootsie, the lavender bear, is a girl and Toby, the green bear, is a boy.








Moe is a bit of a clown. He loves to make other bears laugh. He knows lots of jokes and magic tricks.









Gramps is a great story-teller. The baby bears favorite part of the day is when Gramps comes to visit. They love his stories about growing up in the forest.

Introducing... Bradford Bear!!

Hi everyone! I'm Bradford Bear.

I live in Smileville, a little town in the middle of the forest. My daddy is a lawyer bear. He wears a bowtie to work everyday; that's why I wear one, too. When I grow up, I want to be a lawyer bear just like my daddy, and work for the Big Bear Law Firm.

I don't go to school yet, but I spend every day at the Bear Bash Play Club. My little sister, Tiffany, comes with me. We play all day with our friends -- it's a lot of fun!

It was nice meeting you. I hope we can play together soon. If you want me to come home with you, click here to go to the Smile Creations Crafts store online.

A day to finish projects-in-process

Today my husband stayed at home with a strained back. No fun. But while he laid in bed and tried to relax, I sat in my "office" and worked on completing some projects-in-process. Nothing is as satisfying as looking over your area several hours later, and seeing finished products where bits and pieces had so recently been scattered.

What did I finish, you ask? Well, many things requiring my sewing machine, which had to be dug out from under the bags of yarn I have purchased this past few weeks (yes, I've been going yarn crazy again!).

I worked on:
A blanket that features a cross-stitch sampler in the middle
A set of four reversible placemats
A knitted snow woman
Several fabric blocks (like this one already in my store)
A pillow made from sunflower fabric
A teeny-tiny bowtie (this means the first of the Smileville Bears is nearly ready!!)

Playing Hooky

Well, I have certainly been playing hooky the last two days from most things involving work. Having lunch with old friends, shopping ..... Everyone needs a break SOMETIMES. :)

Although... yesterday I did begin to assemble the first in a collection of knitted stuffed bears. The bears come from SmileVille, a small place hidden deep in the forest..... They will be ready for adoption on my website at smilecreationscrafts.etsy.com within the next two weeks. Their story will be told in parts right here as they are released, so come back to learn more about the SmileVille bears!

Aside from the bears, my main activity yesterday had nothing to do with crafts, and everything to do with a nearly decade-old dream. You see, in the late 1990s I saw a talk show whose guest was a twenty-something with pink hair. Yes, pink. ALL pink. And she was adorable! It looked so good, that I wanted to try it. However, pink hair isn't really a good idea when you have to report to work in corporate America. So I've been biding my time... and the time finally came yesterday. Now I have pink hair! And I love it! My sister took pics... I'll post some as soon as I get them from her.