I just had to share this awesome song by Natalie Grant (who happens to have an awesome voice). It might have been nice if I'd thought to share it at Easter, but no matter, there's never a bad time to remember that Jesus is alive!! Enjoy :)

Spring Flowers and New News

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day that I spent most of it out in the yard getting a nice headstart on my spring clean up. It always amazes me how fast everything grows this time of year. It's as though you can actually see things growing right before your eyes. Here are a few pictures of my blooming trees and plants-

I also had some very amazing news this weekend. Jane DesRosier (aka grittyjane) chose my Wise and Wacky Owl as one of the dolls to be featured on the main page of Cloth and Clay Dolls (I'm sooo excited). You can see him here http://clothclaydolls.ning.com/ 

and... as if that weren't enough, I've been featured in 3 Etsy treasuries over the last 3 days. Here are the links if you care to take a look:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/ODA1OTY2NHwyNzIyNjgyNjAw/just-take-a-breath

www.etsy.com/treasury/MTY5NDA4OTN8MjcyMjY4NjQzNA/casual-summer-days

www.etsy.com/treasury/NTUxNDE4OHwyNzIyNjg5MDQ2/can-you-hear-them

What an amazingly great weekend and lots of exciting news to go with it. Hope yours was a great one too :)

By the way- my carrot doll is coming right along and I'll have pictures to post real soon.

Carrot Top Disaster

Well it's going to be a gorgeous day today with temps in the 80's- I'm lovin it!! I've been working on a couple different projects this week and nothing is coming easily. I really hate getting in spells like this.  I had a fun idea for a painting - a bunny in a garden of giant carrots. I got off to a good start but then it came time to add greenery to the tops of my carrots, and the results were ... well... YUK! I tried them one way, I didn't like them so I tried to paint over them and ended up  making a complete mess.  For some reason I seem incapable of painting greenery of any kind. I can paint great trees as long as they're bare, and flowers without stems and leaves, and apparently carrots as long as I leave the tops off. You know, I suspected this would happen even before I started painting. Oh well... all is not lost. I'll finish the bunny and cut him out for some future use. The good thing that came from all this is that I've been inspired to create a carrot doll- I've already started and with any luck I'll be able to give you a preview soon. Have a wonderful weekend! 

Another Treasury....Yay!

How very nice to wake up again this morning and find that one of my dolls has been included in a beautiful Etsy treasury that is curated by TheDolls Uniqe, who has put together a wonderful collection - take a look...


www.etsy.com/treasury/MjA0ODk2MTh8MjcyMjY3MTMxNA/alice-in-wonderland

Paper Dolls

Check out this great set of paper dolls I found it in my local thrift shop. Still good as new. Looks like it's from 1978 and in perfect condition. I'm soo tempted to start cutting and playing! I used to love paper dolls...

hmmm... maybe I should start a collection...  

New Look

I just love, love, love my new header banner. It was designed by my very talented daughter and she also made me new business cards and item tags. I think she did a fantastic job. What do you think?

Bright Spot in My Day...

I woke up this morning to find that this little doll of mine has been included in an wonderful spring themed, Etsy treasury curated by Gwen from dancingintherains. Thanks Gwen for adding a bright spot to my day....

Lots of nice things were featured in her treasury, why not take a look? http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NzE4NzkxNnwyNjYwMTE2NTU2/spring-spring

So... Where Have I Been?

Well... long story as short as possible... ecomony dictated that take a full-time job. I got a great job in a dental lab. Loved working there, but after some time, I developed an allergy to 2 of the chemicals I was working with, which was causing extremely severe dermatitis. I very reluctantly had to give up my job.

Within days my very dear friend who also happened to be my mother-in-law, came to stay with us. She had been battling metastatic breast cancer for a very long time and chose to decline further treatment. With the help of her husband and hospice, I cared for her until sadly, she left us on January 11, 2012.

I was left with no job, and my mother-in-law was gone. I didn't quite know what to do with myself. I started to think about trying to do something with my art work. About mid-February I got a message through my Etsy shop from a local woman who said she loved my work and wondered if I would be a vendor at local craft/artisan fair. That kinda got the spark going again.

Within 4 days of receiving that message another woman contacted me out of the blue and asked if I'd have any interest in teaching a workshop at a convention next spring. WOW!! I was floored, to say that least. I've never even attended a workshop, much less thought about teaching one! After hearing all the details and checking things out, I thought, "why not?". So I went ahead and submitted my proposals and in a few weeks we'll see if they've been accepted.

...So that's where I've been, right up to where I'm at now. Working hard to get my Etsy shop moving and maybe do something with my art aside from letting sit around collecting dust. I have lots of work to show you, but tonight I'll just post the pictures of the dolls that I submitted for the convention workshop...