White Christmas

This is the first time in the 8 years that I have lived here that we finaly got a White Christmas. At 4am there was no snow...all the snow from the previous storm having melted away....by 8am there was about a foot of snow on the ground and it was still snowing. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Fun in the December Winter Snow

Jackson and Andi love to go to the dog park and play in the snow. Jackson just finished making a doggie angel in the snow.

First winter snow

these are colorized versions of last nights snow fall

Winter Grass

This is a photo I took just before the winter snow started falling. I photographed it this morning and played with the color this evening.

Hibiscus

This is a plate size hibiscus from my August yard.

epb dolls

I bought a ebp Sophie and Abe pattern ( http://shop.epbdolls.net/product.sc?categoryId=4&productId=11 ) a couple of months ago and have been working on them a little at a time ever since. They are jointed and their bodies are finally finished. So far they are wearing only their under garments. I enlarged the pattern 50% and gave them 5 fingered hands. I have to say I am liking them. I usually make dolls of my own design but find it fun to do other doll artist's patterns from time to time.

Hoffman Challenge

Haven't posted for a while but I was busy making my Hoffman Challenge doll . It is called "SHE LOST HER SHOES BUT FOUND A FISH" This is the 13th (year)doll entry I have made. Over the years I have won first place twice, 3rd place once, honorable mention once and the curator's choice once. I won't know if I won anything for this doll for a few weeks yet I think. PS....did not win any of the prizes. Time to start planning for Hoffman Challenge 2009.

Snow Ball Flower

Cover Doll

If you will refer to my March 8, 2008 post you will see that the doll I was talking about then made the cover of Soft Dolls & Animals...the July 2008 issue. I named her Summer LeRay (after my brothers daughter). She won the So Cute, Silly & Sassy catagory. She was also featured on page 7. VERY COOL!!!

Apple Blossom

Quakes Map

It is 10:48 PM and we just had another one. I am going to guess 4.0 They are predicting a 6 point or larger. I hope they are wrong. It is now 11:02 PM and we had yet another one. They seem to come at night for some reason. I am so ready for them to stop. You can almost hear them rumbling before you feel the shaking.

4.7 quake

Scarry stuff. At 11:45 pm Friday night the house started to shake again only this time every thing all around me started falling. In 24 hours we have had over 200 quakes. Thank goodness we didn't feel all them. Any ways every room in the house had stuff on the floor. But very little broke. Still it was a lot of mess to clean up. And thank goodness Jackson wasn't laying on his pillow that everything from the book shelf fell on. My six year old neighbor asked me if all my dolls fell to the floor. I told her yes but that they didn't break. She said and I quote "God must have been at your house!" I think that God was at all of our houses because nobody got hurt. It was 4.7 so I hope we never get a 6.

April showers

Daffy Dill

Sophie (the softie)

I finished the softie doll. I made a few changes from my drawing (see my previous posting). The little doll is now a mouse and she is holding it instead of it being in a crocheted pocket. I think she is cute but I am wondering if maybe she is to cute and simple to be a softie of notice. It seems like most softies I have seen are animals or creatures. I am a doll maker so I made my softie like a doll. I am thinking maybe I need to do an animal or creature that is not so familiar to me. Do something I am not used to doing to stretch my skills and creative thinking. Something to think about.

Softie idea

So where have I been? I can't believe I havn't heard of softies before. I got an e-mail about a magizine doing an special issue on Softies and I was clueless as to what they were so I went on line and found out what I had been missing. Now of course I want to make one. I have drawn a sketch of an idea of a doll like softie to try. I may have to change it a bit because as a doll maker maybe I should really go in a differnt direction to challenge myself. Something to think about!!!

Sam

BJA had to put her beloved Sam down today. Rest in Peace sweet Sam.

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...

Flower Face

Look at the faces of the flowers...because you might be surprised to see them looking back!!!

Empty Thoughts

Calin

House Hunting

Sister--BJA--is planning on moving here some time this summer so she flew here so we could spent the week end looking for a new home for her. EXHAUSTING!!!! We did finally find a new home that she really liked and a lot to build it on. All she needs to do now is sell her house in Washington. Since I live in Nevada we had to go play at our favorite casino. We only played penny slots but I still came home $45 ahead. It is way better then going home pennyless. BJA was not so lucky.

Almost here......Spring!!!

As I write this it is 32 degrees out side and there are still patches of snow in my yard. But the first sign that spring is just around the corner is now visible in my back yard. DAFFODILS!!! Yes...there are little blooming daffodils under my bare lilac bush soaking up the last of winter's sunshine.

Summer LeRay

Summer LeRay is a cloth doll that I made for a Magazine Challenge. If she gets picked ... she will be featured in the May issue. I would imagine that there were hundreds of entries. I don't know what the odds of getting picked are. Time will tell.