Angels

Sometimes when I am thrift shopping, I come across odd wooden shapes that catch my imagination.  There's a nearby shop with a nice craft section--constantly updated with new stuff because we live in a geriatric demographic, and there are, to be frank, a lot of estate sales from crafty old ladies.

Consequently, I have way too much craft wood, and need to just go make all the things I imagined!  In this one instance, the little wooden cone suggested a skirt--no real challenge there--but I felt compelled to make an angel doll for the upcoming PFATT Marketplace in early December.  Too late for holiday things when they sell Christmas stuff before Halloween, but here she is, never the less.

She looks a little like my granddaughter, Jennifer.  Her wings are cardboard, w/ paste and clay.  Her hair is wool yarn.  Along with old sheet music, an illustration of Mary and Jesus, and some old lace, she turned out all right.  I still have to attach her sparkly halo, but didn't do that before I took pictures.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and much to be grateful for.

The Schultz got a haircut.

Our mini-schnauzer, Schultz, has been the not-so-enthusiastic beneficiary of a professional groomer this year.  I only take him once every three months, so he gets pretty shaggy in between haircuts.  I bathe him in the work sink in the garage, and he's no happier about that than he is about the groomer.

But when I go pick him up, I can see his eyes again!  He's so expressive when I can actually SEE his face.  :~)

He's ten years old now...and like the husband, he's getting more "salt" than "pepper".  Hard to believe he was almost black when he was a puppy.  Our buddy.

This was a photo from late last year, and doesn't show his new hair cut...but it's one of my favorite photos--ever.

Snow!

We futzed around this morning, (okay, I futzed, he worked) and since AZ doesn't do the daylight savings time, we don't open the blinds to sunlight until almost 7 these days.  And look what I found when I did open them! 

It must have happened really fast, because we got up at 5:30 and let the dog out, no snow then.  I know it's not exactly a call for the snow plows, but I haven't seen snow in years!  At least not since we lived in New Mexico.  I'll have to go out and play in it a little...or take the dog out and pretend it's for him.  :~)

Hope your week is fabulous, my friends. 

(P.S. We live with our back to the golf course, and these were taken off the back deck.)

Molly and Clarise

I finished two new dolls.  Okay, I finished two old dolls who have patiently waited for me to sew them something besides the underwear they've sat around in for a year.  (Tell the truth and shame the devil.) 

So here they are.  I call the first one Molly because she's a type that I make--the first Molly being one I sold at UFDC last year, and got so many orders for.  So I call her type a Molly Doll...meaning a black lady of middle income from around the late 1800's era.  She has a linen apron and wool felt boots that are laced up permanently with cotton thread.

The second doll is Clarise, who is different than Molly because of her lighter skin, blue-gray eyes and fancier clothing.  Her shoes and hose are painted, and she wears a hardened corset w/ antique lace.  I imagined a story for her as I made her, one of those neither-nor stories that can be sweet or tragic, depending on the fortitude of the heroine. 

Anyway, here they are in their cotton dresses.  I still haven't learned to make button holes on my machine (someday!) so they have handmade button holes instead of hooks because I felt like it.  Their gown skirts are very fully gathered, and their unders are suited to the economics of their day.  They are each made from a Greiner doll body pattern, with big ol' butts, skinny middles, and broad shoulders.

I hope you like them.  I do.  :~) 

November is calling.

I had to go out and cut the rest of the iris that were blooming last night, because the forecast called for temps below freezing in our area.  The iris will be fine--they grow up in colder climates than this, but so many of them have blooms and I wanted to enjoy them a little longer.  Usually I enjoy them outside, but right now the heavy scent of them has filled our main living area and it's heavenly.  I'd forgotten how much they can perfume the air indoors.

Here is one I'd never met before, so I have to research and figure out who she is.  It's not terribly important in the grand scheme of things, but the search is like a puzzle and I enjoy it.

Most yards in our part of the country have rock landscaping...it's a desert, so we can't waste water on grass.

I am happy to report that I've managed to get my thyroid medicine levels up to where I'm functioning again!  Had to resort to an OTC "supplement" until I found a doctor who would listen to a patient instead of old useless tests, but I actually woke up this morning, jumped out of bed, and didn't even think of a cup of coffee (I've been decaffeinating myself over the last weeks).  Between the return of my energy, and the corrective "touch up" I had on the lasik surgery last Friday, I am a happy and hopeful lady.  I can see to clean my house now, and I have the energy too!  (I guess the hubs will be happy as well.)

The dog is gratified by the change: I take him for walks again.  Couldn't do that before, and we both missed it.  It's amazing how much I used to take for granted.  Just having the energy to clean house and walk the dog.  I don't take that for granted any longer.  I feel like Scrooge on Christmas morning.

Not much in doll news, except that I'm working on past dolls, finishing some, dressing others.  I hope to get some dolls listed in my Etsy shop--but I keep saying that and never doing it.
Maybe it's time to quit farting around in the studio and make time to just DO IT.   (If you haven't guessed, writing listings for the online store is not the funnest part of this job.  :~)

Hope your November brings you wonderful weather and good memories with those you love.