Julie Nutting Paper Dolls

I'm obsessed.  Seriously.  I've got it bad.   And like all my obsessions I make sure others get obsessed too.  It's usually one of my sisters.  This time it's Carolynne.  I don't remember how I discovered Julie Nutting dolls. I think it was because my friend Caron is obsessed ( are you seeing a theme here?) and she showed them to me.   I really don't remember.  Carolynne doesn't have her own dolls so of course I stamped out dozens for her and outfits and shoes and leggings and skirts and tops and... and ... and... well, you get the idea.

Last year, about this time, we decided to challenge each other to make a doll tag and stay within some given parameters.  We chose the colors red, white and black and newspaper.  We also had to use the same doll stamp. Then we took pictures of our finished tags and sent them to each other.  Here's the result.

This is Carolynne's doll.  Isn't she gorgeous?  Of course, Carolynne had to alter her from the original.  It's how she rolls.

The layering and detail is just exquisite.  And the shoes!  Are you kidding me??  And the coat!!!

I love the tulle behind the snowflake, don't you?

Here's my doll.

Carolynne was restrained in her use of newspaer.  Not me!  I went hog wild.  The background, the banner, her dress and the flowers are all made from newspaper. I used Lindy's Stamp Gang spray on the background and it has a bit of a shimmer to it.  

I have made seasonal dolls that I put out on my hutch.  I'll post more pictures soon.
 In the meantime, see my post here for some dolls I made for Broadway. 

This Old Girl

I love her so much.  She has served me faithfully for over 37 years!  I have had her longer than I've had my children!  She has been with me through thick and thin.  She has let me down occasionally but I never held it against her for long.  Most of the time it was my fault because I neglected her something fierce.  Norm bought her for me in the summer of 1980 in Chino, California.  She was $100.  We had to make payments because we were so poor.

Every time we moved, and we've moved a lot, I carried her in the trunk of my car along with several other precious things I never allowed to go onto a moving truck.

As her name implies she created a lot of Magic.  She helped me de-stress, relax and be creative.  I made leather chaps, prom dresses, little boys overalls, pajama pants, dresses, skirts and tops, buckaroo shirts and more craft items and stuffed lambs than you could ever imagine. Both of my kids learned to sew on her.  She helped Ty make a pair of pajama pants for his girlfriend who is now his wife.  She instilled in him a love for sewing and now he has his own sewing machine.

I made my first 10 or 15 quilts on her and even quilted a few of them.  Quilting is what drove me to purchase a new machine because this old gal doesn't have some of the features I wanted.  I will never get rid of her permanently.  She is always there, waiting and hoping that I'll use her again.  And I will.  I promise.  Thanks, Magic. I will always love you.

Huckleberry Pie revived again

January 4, 2017

Here I am once more attempting to revive my poor neglected blog.  My life has seen some changes and perhaps now I will have the time and inclination to keep it up better.  It snowed most of the night and rained most of the day so it is a wet, sloppy mess out there.  How grateful I am that I didn't have to go out in it.  

I spent time today reflecting back on 2016.  It was an eventful year for sure.  As 2017 begins I thought I would pick a word for the year.  I know others who have done this and they have found it to be a rewarding, experience.  I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to that for a year but after some soul conviction and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others I decided that I would choose a word for my life in 2017. 

 That word is GENEROUS.  This year I will be attempt to be GENEROUS. 

GENEROUS with my time with others.  

GENEROUS with my love for others.

GENEROUS with my forgiveness of others.

GENEROUS with my grace toward others.

GENEROUS with my acceptance of others.

GENEROUS with my laughter with others.

GENEROUS with my love and kindness and caring for others.

GENEROUS with my prayers for others.

And GENEROUS to myself.

GENEROUS with permission to be the best me I can be.

It may not be easy.  NO.  It WON'T be easy but the I'm going to attemp to do it anyway.  

May your New Year be filled with lots of love, life and GENEROSITY!