Do you have a Blog?

You've been reading my blog for awhile. You've been seeing more and more folks starting their own blogs. Have you been bite by the urge to write? As that little voice.... maybe voices.... in your head been telling you that you have lots to share and that it would really be fun?
Have you caught yourself thinking you had something you wish you could share with folks?
Do you write about crafting?
Do you have a shop and write about that?
Have a love for primitives and you share thru your blog?

If you have a blog....... contact me and I'll get your blog added to my links!


PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"
ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Brand new website OPENING!!!!!!!

June 1 is the launch date and we are SO EXCITED!!!!!

The Ebay group "Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)" is ready to expand and I think its going to be such a wonderful adventure for us all. We opted to host thru Primmarts DIYeStores and I really could not be happier! I few times that I stumbled along the way, the staff was beyond QUICK and dusted me off and got me back on the right track.

The website will launch on JUNE 1 so please mark that on your calendar!
We will have artists showcased on the 1st of the month as well as the 15th of the month.
I think this will turn out to be a fantastic way to gather further interest in our Ebay group.

I have already started to hear a slight buzz about us! heehee

http://www.beneaththeatticeaves.com

LOOK FOR US OPENING SOON!

Puppy Breath

Ok so they most likely don't REALLY have puppy breath...but aren't they the most adorable things you've ever seen?????

My good friend Shawnette( Or NUTT as we close enough like to call her!) made them! she had made a boy dog first and then these little gals came next and they stole my heart. I had to tell you all about them!

Check out Nutt's website! You'll find so many wonderful things that make ya smile!

http://www.imseeinraggedies.com/

Love them Nutt! Keep up the awesome work. Your creations always inspire me!

PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"
ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

My first BOLT!!!

I can just see your faces when you read this post but I can't help myself....I am now the proud owner of my first BOLT of fabric and I'm excited!

While I was in Kansas City MO at the 2ndAnnual Primmart Convention.... I had the chance to stop at a Joanne Fabric.

I walked thru the doors and it was like I heard angels!LOL I have NEVER seen so much fabric and misc other crafting stuff all under one roof like that before.We don't have them here and in the area where I am.....my access to any sort of decent fabric shop is beyond limited. If I do find fabric I want...it costs me an arm and leg.

Eric very bravely took Sherry of http://www.anniescupboards and I there that day.We grabbed a cart and just started tossing stuff in it! LOL

Those that "know" Sherry....her energy level is thru the roof and she makes you laugh so hard! I was walking around with my mouth open and she'd point something else out to me and then giggle!We raided the fat quarter section first! OHHHHHHHHHH That was almost intense! I haven't had the chance to cut any of it yet....but I have the dolls all ready to go.....so its just a matter of days now.

I finally floated down off my "crafting cloud" long enough to think....I have a doll making guru right here with me.....ask her some questions! LOL So I poked that crazy little mind of hers....asking questions about buttons..... threads....ric rac....and then I finally had her by the bolts of different muslin.

I had to ask about it. Generally I make most of my actual dolls out of 100% cotton bedding that I find at second hand shops. Its been a fantastic and cheap way to get alot of fabric. I'd never actually bought muslin before for my dolls so had no idea what I'd even look for.She starts pointing at the different ones there. Pulling and tugging it in different directions. Talking about how stain reacts to different ones. How machines sew differently etc.She was a fountain of great info!She shows me this bolt and says that this stuff is really good and I flip it over to look at the price.

Heck....I can swing a good few yards of that I say so we place it in the cart.

Little Miss SNEAKY Sherry has other plans! LOL

We finish looking all over and filling our cart. Over we go to get the fabrics all cut that we had picked out. She scoops the bolt and with this HUGE SMILE on her face....tells me she is BUYING ME THE WHOLE BOLT!!!!!!!! OMG!

I could barely hold the tears back! I swear....they welled all up in my eyes. She was all laughing and giggling. I did my best to tell her NO WAY but well...... she is a mighty stubborn little spitfire!

So...... I packed that bolt carefully in the car and brought it back home like it was gold! I won't say how much she paid for it(We got an incredible deal!)......but I will say this...... I came home and figured it out at the cost of it up here...........and it would have cost me $228CAD!!!!!!!!!

I look forward to creating some wonderful new dolls from that very special bolt! Look for them real soon on my website!

XO

Tracy(Cedara)Dunn

New FAVORITE Doll Pattern

I got this little sweetheart from my doll guru Sherry of http://www.anniescupboards.com and I am madly in love with her.

Her hands are just the right shape and its so easy to make her. I think at last count, I'd drawn out and sewn 8 of this little lady so far.

I know that that seems like quite a few of the same gal.....but only a few are for my website and the others are going to be for the Craft Festival in July. I have to get crackin on that......I want dolls everywhere! LOL

Forecast gives SUNSHINE!

You all know what that means........... PRIM DOLLS ARE BEING STAINED!!!!!!!

Yup.....I have a bunch of new dolls that have just been waiting for a good full day of sunshine! Lots of bodies and misc doll parts to toss around my yard. When you dry them in the sun....it helps give them that perfect "prim" effect we all love so much.

Wonder if Dad can string a clothesline for me to the small garage by Monday?????
Hmmmm.... might have to call him in the morning and see what he can do

ASB School Photo...... 1983???

Webcam Magic

ok first.....that title sounds way naughtier then it was!!!!!!! LOL

I came online yesterday and was all ready to get cracking on the website. Had poured my glass of cold pepsi and was bracing myself to wrap my head around html codes all day.
A notice pops on screen that says someone has added me to their MSN Messenger. I didn't know the name so didn't click anything right away.

My email is again coming in and I spot the same addy in there. I open it and its a message from another friend from the past. He is now living in Paris. I clicked the Messenger icon right away!LOL

Soon as we are linked, he tags me and we start talking. Questions are flying back and forth. Comments are happening and then he says he has a surprise for me.
I'm thinking.....I don't know how things can be better then this....... and his webcam turns on!

OMG! I so could not believe that I was able to talk to him and SEE him after so many years. I'd say something and see him smile when he'd read it. He'd have a question about someone and I'd be able to give him the answer and I'd get a thumbs up.

Then I surprised him and sent him a school class photo from back then.
His reaction was perfect! There were faces in that picture that he hadn't seen in years.
He had a meeting to go to that he was already a bit late for and I really needed to get some work done on the website design.

I look forward to when we talk again.

Do you remember your first kiss????

Do you remember your first kiss? Is it a faint memory or as clear as if it happened yesterday?
My first kiss happened in Bucharest.
It was with a guy that didn't go to ASB. He was anItalian that went to the French School.
I'd seen him and his friends at a few dances.

He asked me to dance. We'd danced before but you can tell when something is a bit different.
It was a slow song and the next thing I knew..... I got my first kiss.

*blush*

Once I left Romania, had no contact ever again with him.

TILL NOW!!!!!!!!! LOL

Yup! One of the folks that I've reconnected with is my first kiss!!!!
How freaky is that????
We have already talked on Messenger and sent pictures back and forth.
(He told me he was going to send more from home....but hasn't yet! HINT HINT!)

I catch myself smiling and laughing and thinking about different pictures that have to be found and scanned. Stories that I have to remember to talk about. People I have to ask about.

Surreal! I swear.....someone pinch me! LOL

Dreaming?.......nope its for real!

I heard back!!!!!!!!!

My nieces woke me up the next morning and we went downstairs for breakfast. (It was a long weekend here in Canada and my sis and family were home for a visit) We gobbled back a bunch of homemade pancakes and then I raced upstairs and online.

Brought my email in and was scanning thru it quickly. I get quite a bit cause it was my work address that I had sent the email out with. Tossing the junk and then I spotted the address!
It was almost like time stopped!LOL I was so nervous cause i was thinking this guy wasn't even going to remember me.

ROFL
Oh he remembered me alright!!!!!!!

I thought my level of excitement was high.....but Leo had me beat on that.
So I have spent the last 5 days checking my email like a foolish woman. Reading notes....writing things back. Questions.....OMGoodness there are alot of questions that come up after 20 years!LOL

We were going to try a fancy special way to tell the others that we were back in touch but I have no patience for that stuff....it'd been too long already. So he sent out an email to the others and .....its been wild ever since!

...off into Cyberspace it goes!

Ok so I brought up my email on my computer.
I had placed his address in.

and now I was staring at a blank email page.
What do you say? LOL
Its been 23 years..... how do you start a note?

Ya know what....... its already been too long so ya just WRITE! LOL

Told him that I'd found his email address while doing my own research for old friends from Bucharest. I'd seen his comment and was thrilled to see it was from someone I had known.
Told him who I was and that I'd love to hear back from him if he remembered me.

Signed my name
Hit Send
and off into cyberspace it went.

I shut my computer off.
I changed into my pjs and laid in bed.
Buttons came over and snuggled and purred.
I stroked her chin and then kissed her little nose and asked her.....what she thought was going to happen next?

I looked down at her and she was sleeping.
I can take a hint.
Off to sleep I went!

Regrets

I have over my life had enough REGRETS to last a lifetime.
There was no room for me to have more "oh I wish I'd done.......".

This was not going to be something I'd wished I'd done.

Always read "comments"!!!!!!

I had found a link to a page of different pictures of my friend.
I had already looked at about a dozen different pictures of her and her sister.

Then......... below the picture.
Below the information about who was who standing in the picture.
The website had since made it not possible to leave comments (Spammers had wrecked havoc in the past and you could only look....not send anything to them. hence my dead end!)

There was a comment!
OMGoodness! The comment was from someone I had KNOWN back then as well!
One of the friends that I knew a first name only.
A friend that I thought would be forever in my mind as he was back then.
I knew it was him because in his comment he mentioned his friends that I'd known as well.

I WAS NOW FULLY AWAKE! LOL

He had been looking for them as well and come across the same pictures and dead end.
He was asking if they read the message or if someone that knew them read it....to please send him an email.

OMGoodness! A contact for him!
Ok....wait..... when was this all happening? Was I getting all excited for no reason?
The date on his comment was 2005.
ok....that wasn't that long ago. The email addy might actually still work and be his.

Would he remember me???
He was asking about them....not asking about anyone else?

What should I do????

When your Past moves to embrace your Future

My past in Romania. It has been about 23 years since I have seen this country.
I love to read about Bucharest. I love to look at websites devoted to this beautiful country so rich in history. Its always tugged at me.
I have had the odd contact once in awhile from friends back then over the years.
Some friends that I could recall....... I had brought myself to understand that forever in my past they would be. Its so very hard to find someone when you only know a first name. You never learned the names of their family. You knew what Embassy they belonged to but not what their parents did there. So many questions and never any answers.

When I joined Facebook..... I started looking for friends from ASB.
There was a group on Facebook but it was more geared for grads of the late 90's.
I was home on my dial up connection so knew it could take awhile though so poured myself a tall glass of Pepsi and braced myself for some research.

I took out a tablet of paper and wrote names down.
First names. Last names.
Countries they were from.
Anything I could recall of their family.

I had in mind to find one gal in particular. We had stayed in touch for almost the whole time since leaving Bucharest. Only in the last few years had life taken over and we'd let too much time slip by. I'd moved and lost her information.

I searched for her first.
I had her name. I knew the area she'd been living last.
I could not recall her husbands name.
OH WAIT!! Remembered her husbands name!

I still struck a dead end.
CRUD!
I found a website from another International School she'd attended. I found pictures of her and her sister at a reunion. I was so close and yet so far away still. It was like giving me a taste of a cookie but only a crumb.

I wanted the whole cookie! LOL

My eyes were near crossed from reading thru so many posts and following link after link.
I was ready to give up.
It was late.....almost 2am!
I stood up to stretch.
Buttons was laying asleep on the computer desk next to me started to purr. I scratched her under the chin. She wasn't heading to bed. She was fine just where he was.

Fine.....then I could keep searching for a little longer.

The stars lined up.
The moon beams kissed me thru the window and

I FOUND SOMETHING!!!!
Something that would turn out to be larger then I could have even grasped at first glance

Castle Bran, Brasov, Romania

Castle Bran in Brasov Romania.

One of the castle that Vlad Tepes had during his reign.

Vlad Tepes who supposedly DRACULA is based upon.

They call this Dracula's castle!

I had of course read the book. You've seen my Halloween collection!LOL

Maybe deep down in my memories....going to this castle and seeing it in person as a young child

is what started my collection?????

An old building amongst new Bucharest, Romania

Carpathian Mountian Hillside, Romania

The Lipscani area of Bucharest

Your Past

For most folks, you live your life trying to get away from your past. You focus on the future and don't want to spare the energy or time to look back. There is enough crazy things in my past that for the most part that is how I live. Looking forward.

BUT

There are also aspects of my past that I do like to reflect upon once in awhile. Things that when I'm having a bad day, I can bring up and those memories never fail to make me smile.

My father was in the Canadian Armed Forces. We moved all over the place and one of those postings that will forever stand out in my thoughts is the one to Bucharest Romania.

We lived in Bucharest from 1982 thru 1984. Living there during that time was like nothing I had ever experienced before and would never go thru again. Romania was under a horrid leader and the conditions for the local people there were mind blowing. It really was like going back in time.

Because we were a Diplomatic family, things were much different for us. We saw glimpses of it but didn't have to deal with all aspects.

During the time that I was there, I went to the American School of Bucharest. ASB as we all knew it as. I was there for grade 6 and 7. The school had children from all different countries around the world going to it. Some spoke English as their native tongue. Some knew English from learning it elsewhere. Some spoke not a word of English and learned while going to ASB.

There was also other schools in the city that we had contact with for different reasons. Two that come to mind right away are the Italian School and the French School. DAnces were held. They'd be invited to see plays that we'd put on etc.

When I left in 1984..... I stayed in touch with a few friends. Sometimes we lost touch and it was hard to find others. Romania went thru a revolution a few years later and the old school was destroyed. No way to find out where someone may have moved onto next.

When I found computers and the Internet, I started doing searches. Looking up names that I could recall from back then. I kept a journal with as much information as I could remember on everyone.

With time........ everything faded and packed away in my thoughts.

High School Memories

Now granted its been awhile since I was in High School but its never too far from my mind. Well not the school but the friends I had back then LOL
A few months ago I had a friend send me an email. She wanted me to join this website called FACEBOOK. It was where folks could get in touch with each and see whats been going on in their lives.
http://www.facebook.com

So it took me awhile to decide to join. I had other things happening in my life and I thought I'm already in touch with her...she sent me the email! LOL Well my goodness.....what changes have happened since I joined.

So many old friends from highschool were already on Facebook. Once I joined and a few folks found out....it was like an avalanche! I have been able to reconnect and share laughter again at the stuff we used to do. Looking at the pictures from back then....oh you have to love the 80's!

I am so happy that I joined! I love being in touch with old friends!

Time for bed!

Think I have caught you all up on almost everything...... a few more stories to add in the morning but for now.....

SWEET DREAMS!

PunchNeedle...... My New Addiction!!!!

This is first brought to my attention at the 1st Primmart convention but I was busy doing something else and couldn't focus on it as much as I would have liked. Over the course of the next year, I was seeing mention of it in magazines as well as on the forums I belonged to.

I bit the bullet and ordered myself one so I could learn. Oh and haven't I been having a blast! I have now wrote two different tutorials on the subject for Primmarts Online newsletter. At this years Primmart convention, Cindy and I actually taught a small course on the basics. This year.....lots of the gals became hooked on the idea and we are going to be seeing some AMAZING creations soon from these ladies.

If you are interested in learning this simple and yet rewarding craft...... you can find all the supplies you will need at the following website. It was recommended to me and its where I keep ordering from.

http://www.punchneedlemarketplace.com

Once you have your punch needle, threader, weavers cloth, and hoop..... now you need to have a pattern to follow and try out.

There is no site better then my friend Sue's website! She is so sweet and will answer ANY question that you might have on this subject. Her patterns are simple to follow and fantastic for the beginner puncher.

http://www.thepunchinfool.com

Then when you have the feeling that you are ready to try something more......oh this is a treasure of a website! Sue and my friend Cindy have partnered to form this fantastic website

http://www.thepunchinfool.com/TwoStitchinFools.htm

I am going to be spending alot of time and money there!!!!!!!! LOL

The Bond of Sistas!!!!!!!

Thank you Shelly

A framed picture of the "2007 group" was given to Shelly on the last night of convention. It had a mat around it that we all had secretly signed at some point over the weekend. She was going to hang it in her office she said when she opened it.

Rumor has it that there was a pirate and even a Yeti sighting!!! LOL

Thanks Shelly for yet another wonderful Convention! XOXOXO

Goodie Bag pt 2

More "ohhhhh's" happening as we all are sitting around the tables and on the floor pulling treasures from the bags

Primmart Goodie Bag

One of the wonderful things that you get when you go to the Primmart convention is a goodie bag that was JAMMED FULL of the most awesome array of prim treasures! So many wonderful folks donated to fill our bags and all you could hear around the room was "ohhhhhhhh".... "ahhhhhhh"......"omg!OMg!Omg!"

Thank you to ALL that donated:)

(Jeni and Marnie sorting thru their bags!)

Like a beehive! LOL

The room sounded like a bee hive with all the conversations happening at once from us all. We all kept flitting from table to table and talking to everyone.

Many good times were had this year! and so many wonderful memories!

Rumor has it that a "naughty squirrel" attacked all of our cars and we spent the rest of the weekend driving around in this sort of thing!

LOL

2nd Annual Primmart Convention

YUP! The 2nd annual Primmart Convention was held in Kansas City MO again. It was the first weekend of May and once again, Eric drove me all the way there!


More gals signed up this year and many of us actually went a day early so we could spend some more time together ;)





Eric and I made it there in record time..... both of us suffering from slight colds and taking NyQuil every chance we got. We opted to stay at the hotel across the street from the "convention" hotel for the day early crew. It was really nice and we all had a blast! Room to room hopping so as to get to hang out with everyone heehee

In this picture...some of the "early crew"....left to right....Shelly, Sue,Sherry, Mari, me and Megan

Fou Kitty

I am always being asked how Fou Kitty is doing so thought I'd post a new pic of him. he sure isn't my tiny little kitten that I had my web graphics created from anymore. My "baby boy" has grown into a HUGE cat! LOL I think that the last time we took him to the vet...he weighed in at 16lbs.

He still loves to snuggle and give me kisses on the tip of my nose!

Love my boy!

Upward Facing Dog ?????

Feeling the need to find my inner Zen again so am going to be rolling out the yoga mat and pulling on my stretchy pants! LOL I miss doing yoga and pilates and can actually feel the difference in my body since stopping.

Om

PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"
ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Green Thumb????

Not sure why but I am thinking that I might plant a small herb garden this year. Nothing big and fancy but a few plants that I can pick and use in my cooking. I don't want to dig a spot up in the yard....I think I want to get one of the really large terra cotta planter and use that.

Basil

Oregano

Thyme

Yup.....I can close my eyes and smell their wonderful frangrance already!

PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"

ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Lunenburg Craft Festival 2007

Picture was taken at last years show.

We got invited back again this summer to the Lunenburg Craft Festival. Its being held in July and I'm really looking forward to trying it out again.

Last year was out first year ever doing a craft show and we managed to hold our head up and get quite alot of feedback and comments. My sister and I will take what we learned and put it to good use this time round. Both of us are very busy creating a bunch of new goodies for all to see. I will make sure that lots of pictures are taken and that you get to see everything.

PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/
FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"

ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Our good friend SUE

Had quite the scare from our good friend Sue. (Her son is one of Eric's best friends). Eric called me to say he was going to have to be staying at Sue and Sean's place for awhile to look after their pets cause ...... Sue had suffered an aneurysm!!!!

She had collapsed and been rushed by helicopter to Halifax. She had surgury and came thru everything just fine. They stayed in the city for quite awhile till she got the green light to come back home.

When she walked thru her door and I was able to hug her....oh my goodness that felt so good. She is an amazing woman and I'm blessed to have her be a part of my life!

Continued healing my dear friend!






PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
Tracy(Cedara)Dunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"

ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Bear River Nova Scotia

Found this old postcard image of Bear River Nova Scotia. This is from 1910 and its amazing to see how much still actually looks like that.

I love this postcard!

PRIM BLESSINGS!

OXOX

Tracy Dunn

http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT

http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"

ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing

Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Two Months Worth of Blogging in one Night!

Get yourself good and comfy in your chair cause you are in for quite the ride! LOL
I haven't been blogging in two months and I'm going to try my best to catch you up on everything that has been going on.....tonight!

I have full access to the computer and can pull an allnighter if need be.

Are you comfy? did you already fill your glass up with something tasty?
I just got a fresh Pepsi so we are good to go

PRIM BLESSINGS!
OXOX
TracyDunn
http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com
http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT
http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"

ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing
Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)

Been gone way too long!

Ever just have life take over and before you even know how it happened....time has slipped right by in the blink of an eye????

I swear that is what this feels like. I had no idea that so much time had actually slipped by without me writing and updating the blog.

Will be doing my best NOT to let so much time slip from now on!

PRIM BLESSINGS!

OXOX

Tracy Dunn

http://www.thrutheatticdoor.com

http://thrutheatticdoor2.blogspot.com/

FIND MY PRIMITIVE ePATTERNS AT

http://www.patternmart.com UNDER "Thru the Attic Door"

ON EBAY as thrutheatticdoor........ look for my creations by typing Beneath the Attic Eaves(BTAE)