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Twenty-Five Years of Pufferbellies

4/17/2016

18 Comments

 
Somehow it hit me last week ... Pufferbellies is 25 years old!! I've spent a lot of the last week working on a new website, and that involved looking through so many old photos and newspaper and magazine articles. So hard to believe I've been carving and painting up a storm for 25 years already! 

Pufferbellies started out with my sister Bonnie Petersen and I talking back and forth from Nova Scotia to England (where Bonnie lived at the time.)  We had fun right from the beginning! We started out with just 3-4 different items and now I can't even tell you how many different items I've made over the years, but it has to be in the thousands! We started out sharing a booth with my friend, Cynthia Walker, at Christmas at the Forum, & went on from there to be in many shows and stores, mostly in Atlantic Canada but also in Ontario, BC & New England.
Picture
Bonnie and I posing with "Walter's World," a clock I made. The scenery goes around all four sides of the clock. When you open the door, on a shelf in the middle is a little carved man, Walter, sitting in a wooden armchair watching Gilligan's Island on Television.
All of this started out way more than 25 years ago really ... with our Dad teaching us how to carve as little kids. I still have some of the early pieces that I carved in Dad's workshop in the house on Kline Street. This year, my mother is working on downsizing and has given me a few things from Dad's workshop ... She came down to Bridgewater this past week with a set of his chisels for me, and his brace and bit, and a handmade crooked knife ... I feel like the carving tasks have been officially passed down to the next generation. 

Bonnie isn't involved in Pufferbellies anymore, except as moral support and occasionally lending a hand; she's gone on to other things. But I appreciate having Pufferbellies every day. I feel so lucky having a job that I love so much! I feel very grateful to my Dad for starting me off in this adventure, and to Bonnie for helping me start Pufferbellies, which has become such a wonderful part of my life. And to all of the huge number of customers who have made it possible to keep things going over 25 long-and-fun years, and to the wonderful stores who sell my work. Seems so appropriate to be launching a new website right now to celebrate 25 years of carving and painting and enjoying my life.
18 Comments
Anne Shupe
4/17/2016 03:08:20 pm

So happy for you Kathi. Without Pufferbellies we probably would have never met. So good to being doing what you love! Wishing you many more years of "Pufferbellies".

Reply
Kathi Petersen
4/21/2016 05:11:21 pm

So glad we did meet Anne!

Reply
Isabel R. Petersen
4/17/2016 05:47:51 pm

I am the very proud Pufferbellies Mother and have enjoyed watching the very positive progress of these full of fun creatures and furniture items developing by the dozens. Hurrah and Congratulations on your Silver Anniversary.

Reply
Kathi Petersen
4/21/2016 05:12:07 pm

Thanks Mom! : )

Reply
Nikki
4/17/2016 07:39:09 pm

Kathi, the new website looks so beautiful! And congratulations on 25 years of Pufferbellies!

Reply
Kathi Petersen
4/21/2016 05:12:37 pm

Thanks Nikki! Hard to believe 25 years have gone by!

Reply
Karen
4/18/2016 12:23:25 am

Fantastic website, Kathi! So fun to look through the photos!

Reply
Kathi Petersen
4/21/2016 05:13:17 pm

Thanks Karen ... I've had so much fun going through the photos too. Haven't thought of some of this stuff in a long time! :)

Reply
Cynthia
4/18/2016 09:09:35 am

I am so happy and proud of you! I love the photos and the site.
Good Job!

Reply
Cynthia
4/18/2016 10:55:24 am

Congratulations, love your work. especially the mermaids!

Reply
Kathi Petersen
4/21/2016 05:10:42 pm

Thanks Cynthia!

Reply
Mary Saver
4/18/2016 08:30:18 pm

I went to that sale at the Forum with Carol and remember it quite well. Congratulations on 25 years of successful and fulfilling work.

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Kathi Petersen
4/21/2016 05:10:08 pm

Wow Mary, that is cool that you were at that first show! Thanks!

Reply
Christa Upton link
6/17/2016 12:45:12 pm

Beautiful!!!! I LOVE all the bright colors. My favorites are the owls and cats. :)

Reply
Karen Conter
3/6/2017 03:13:15 pm

I just noticed "Walter's World" on your blog page!! I own it!! AND LOVE IT!!! So many wonderful compliments from guest to our home over all these years!!! Please connect with me as I have a request!! (902)456-4247

Reply
Armida link
3/5/2018 02:27:22 pm

Your PUFFERBELLIES bring me joy each time I see them manifesting!

Reply
Elaine Ferguson
2/3/2019 09:57:40 am

Congratulations Kathi! I continue to enjoy my Pufferbellies pieces.My first Pufferbellies piece was at a show in the Chester Train Station that Cynthia had invited us to.

Reply
Ivan D link
1/3/2021 12:01:28 pm

Thanks for wrriting this

Reply



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    Kathi Petersen is a whittler, woodworker, artist and avid cook who lives in the beautiful south shore of Nova Scotia with her husband James, Marley the Wonder Dog, and three beautiful kitties.

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