Life Layered

My Zentangles

2009-11-07T23:12:00.000-08:00

I just discovered ZENTANGLES when I got the new issue of cloth.paper.scissors (Nov/Dec 2009). I can't believe I never heard of them before. I am now hooked on them. I have been doing at least one a day now. Here are 2 of them.

Hoffman Challenge (2009) Finished

2009-07-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

My Hoffman Challenge doll is finally finished and on the way to Ft Collins CO. Her name is "QUEEN YO-YO- MOMMY" and as you can see she holds her princess baby in her arms. She is covered with about 80 Yo-Yo's.

Above the earth

2009-06-24T21:50:00.001-07:00

I left Southern California to fly home to Nevada and as we got about the June Gloom of the southern coast all you could see below was clouds with mountain tops peaking through. It was a beautiful sight. And since I had my camera out I took some pics of the approach to land in Las Vegas.

Class of 2009

2009-06-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

My oldest grandson just graduated from high school. It feels like only yesterday he was a baby. But he is a tall young man now. He wants to be a Veterinarian. My grandson the Doctor! He is 18 and his little brother is 2. Love those boys!

Queen Yo-Yo Mommie

2009-05-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

She is going to carrie a baby...her baby.. so I named her Queen Yo-Yo Mommie. She going to be embelished with all kinds of yo-yo's.

Starting Hoffman 2009

2009-04-22T20:41:00.001-07:00

I am not sure what I am going to do but I am thinking of using fabric yoyo's so she may be names Queen YOYO Mama. But that could change. She does look like she wants to wear a crown even though she doesn't have any arms or legs yet.

April Fools

2009-04-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

I painted these flower pictures. Arn't I great? April Fools. They are actually more photoshop play with pictures I took over the summer.

Photo Play

2009-03-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

Just a little fun playing around with Photoshop and and some pics I took last summer.

Happy 1st day of Spring

2009-03-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the past

2009-03-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of dolls I have made over the years.

I love Rodeo Cowboys

2009-02-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Every year there is a benefit to make money for the rodeo. It is called Crabfest (all you can eat crabs and a silent auction). Usually my husband and I donate items related to our business for the silent auction but this year I decided to donate an original doll to be auctioned off. I named her "I love Rodeo Cowboys". Her skirt is of a rodeo design and she wears cowboy boots. Other then the fact that her nose is too short I think she turned out ok. Crabfest is February 18th. I will put in a PS to report what she was sold for.

PS (dated 2/18/09) It was a bit of a disapointment that she only sold for $25. But I met the lady who bought her and she seemed very nice and happy to have her.

A baby's Doll

2009-01-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

A few months ago a friend asked me to make a doll for his new great granddaughter. Because she was a baby I couldn't use paint and buttons or anything harmful to a baby. You would think that would be easy but for me it wasn't. However, I finally made her face and hands from soft flannel, her clothes were held on by hook and loop. Her face was appliqued felt. After she was finished I gave her to my friend and the next time I saw him he happily reported that his great granddaughter is never without her handmade one of a kind Dollie. A happy ending!

White Christmas

2008-12-25T19:56:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-15T22:38:00.000-08:00

these are colorized versions of last nights snow fall

Winter Grass

2008-12-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

This is a plate size hibiscus from my August yard.

epb dolls

2008-10-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T23:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

Cover Doll

2008-05-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-04T22:41:00.001-07:00

Quakes Map

2008-04-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

Daffy Dill

2008-04-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

Sophie (the softie)

2008-04-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-06T21:03:00.001-07:00

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

2008-03-29T17:55:00.001-07:00

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

2008-03-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

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

Empty Thoughts

2008-03-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Calin

2008-03-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

House Hunting

2008-03-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2008-03-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-03T22:21:00.000-08:00

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.