In the Immortal Words of Sir Elton John...Saturday...Saturday...Saturday..

Feeling ever so much more cheery this fine Saturday... it is so true... shutting the door on one room and opening the door too another can make a World of difference ...
I could tell right off the bat this morning when when waking up and 'Toe Touchdown' took place ...that it was gonna be a mighty fine day...and so far so good!

Back to work on Dumbledore...I am soooooooo close to being finished on my part...and then will jump in to help Richard with the Owl...actually I begged of him to let me try my hand at sculpting the owls body whilst he works on carving the wings...and we can meet up somewhere in the middle... Houston , we have lift off!! I really dig sculpting animals...really they are just little humans with a bit more hair or feathers...

OMG...I cannot believe I did this...but I jumped onto the FACEBOOK craze... Our Doll Organization NIADA just got onto FACEBOOK ...and asked members to upload pics... found out I had to be a member to do so...so I joined, not think twice about it I put Jodi Creager in the FB title...when it is really Richard and Me!! Drat, can't change now...but then there are several out there that think we 'melded' together and became one years ago... I have found several friends out there in FACEBOOK Land ...kinda fun. Really, isn't it just another form of Blogging?? Only here in Blogland I get to just ramble on and on , not sure I can do that over on FB...I think there I will just be posting all kinds of fun funky old pictures I can dig up of Richard and me over the years...seems like the place to do that... I have not a clue...
Is this another one of those 'TIME SUCKING' functions I hear so much about??? DON'T EVEN talk to me about TWITTERING.... sounds too Bizarre for words anyway... I will settle for my Blog and FB ... I figure in there somewhere I am going to have to actually 'work' on art...

OK...cramming one more thing into this post...I am sooo impressed with how everyone is using that 'Face in a Hole' program to make really cool pics of themselves... I tried BELIEVE ME I tried... but for some reason my computer does not like the program I must download to try it... so alas I am minus a 'Hole in the Face' Portrait....boo hoo! BUT...I am posting a picture I did of Richard 'Wizard that he is' and Me ''Witch that I am' ...I kind of did it the old fashion way with photoshop... by the by for those that may recognize my outfit....it is Professor McGonagall' (or is that Mac?) ...

Happy Happy Saturday One and All..

I am off to see a Wizard....

Jodi

Drat the Luck!!!

Ever have one of those days that you just really should have stayed in bed!!! And once your foot hits the floor...you realize this fact...well that is how the day has been going so far... UGH...and DOUBLE UGH!!!

No pictures yesterday of the continuing Dumbledore Project... because there were several direction changes...and it just seemed fruitless to post pics of something that was not to be. Oh, he is going fine...it is just that we both 'slammed on the breaks and headed in different directions . It started with the 'Blue Glass Ball' on the Lectern...you all remember that one...well it went from blue ...to clear crystal ...but we both we unhappy with it...so Richard went in search of a 'New' One..as I have stated before...very very limited choices in this town for unique miniature blue mystical balls! But I'll be damned...he came home with no less than '3' ...each wonderful...now he will never admit to it...but I fear he might have met a 'strange cloaked man' standing on the corner selling magical 'stuff' FOR A PRICE!!!!! GULP!!! I say this because there is no way I have ever seen anything like this in THIS town... he also came home with a leather pouch filled with magic beans...should I be worried???

Anyway...we now have the perfect blue orb for the lectern...one problem...the hole is to small to insert the holding wire on the base...now this blue orb is very thin glass...next thing I know Richard is filling the tiny ball with water (did I mention it was 'hollow') and with dremel...he is enlarging the hole ...OMG!!! I guess the water kept it cool when drilling and also kept the glass from flying around....OK...was pretty cool I admit... then came the Owl...great armature...everything going well (I thought) but he HATES the wings...so listen for the slamming breaks at this point and the sharp turn to the left....he is going to carve them in wood...the wings that is...and sculpt the owl body...and piece together...Richard does this from time to time...change tactics! He is now a happy camper...carving away...pics to follow.

I am almost finished with the robe for AD ...well still have stuff to figure out. As I think I mentioned...I HATE bulky clothing on dolls...specially miniatures....so fabric is key..but when you have few choices you have to 're-figure' the pattern. I normally make the tiny pattern to suit each body and create as I would a big person pattern...front, back, sleeves etc... but because I am working in Burgundy velvet..and it is lined with silk....I had to revamp how I sew and dress the doll... basically what I am saying is... instead of making a little outfit...I am having to make separate pieces and sew onto the doll individually to get a better flow.... so far so good.... but I have learned to never ever count any chickens before they hatch...

Now to the fun part...and this is really the should have stayed in bed part comes into play...

Our Bathtubs and showers have backed up....OMG!!! Freaked me out.. this has never happened to us before... even Tess LaRue is a bit shaky! Plumber on his way...then our neighbor said her Freezer quit this morning...and the other neighbor down the street electrical outlets went belly up... MAN, this neighborhood seems marked...is Mercury in Retrograde or WHAT!!

I am going to stand very quiet and not move an inch in my 'Homemade Protecto Man Disguise'...until the boogies move to another neighborhood... hopefully out of town all together...

Jodi (the one in the box)

Been One Heck of a Day...

And now...it is almost over...or at least, it is for me...YAWN!!!! Ready to hit the sack and slip off to dreamy bye land... where all the creepy monsters and boogies await to attack...yes, I am one that often has fitful dreams filled with weird creatures and things waiting to pounce...but that is another blog for another day...

Both Richard and I worked on many things today including the bits you see below...but also house stuff....a real mixed bag you might say.
Richard finished his wooden base part...the basic part...now all the little detailed work can begin...like the Owl, snake and tiny dragons...and painting of course....I think I get to do that part...I LOVE that part.
The third pic down is Richard is...oh how did Richard say it..."Turning a circle into an octagon " with tiny files and rasps... COO COO...COO COO!!! Then he put parts together that were from yesterdays pics... milled Plexiglas on bottom and glass bead on top...but as you can see we had differing opinions on which bead should be used on top... Blue or clear...the jury is still out on that one...we have time to decide....yes...Richard and I can spends days on details like this, I know..sick!

The other shot is the starting of the brass stand that will be on the backside of the carved/ sculpted owl ...and from that will be the two stands that hold all the candles.
Richard has started working on the owl late today.... the whole thing will be made to come apart in stages...to paint, bake etc... then reassembled.

The last shot is Dumbledore with his first layer of clothing on..... this one threw me for a loop...I hate bulky clothing and the fabrics I had seemed to stiff...so I spent a few hours...washing out sizing and lightly sanding the backside of the fabric. I liked this fabric as it was a nice Burgundy with a gold gilt to the fabric... it has six size 22 gold beads up each sleeve and a whole lot of under trim down the front...sorry it didn't show well in this photo... Now tomorrow I will begin his Wizard robe...the hat over the weekend..plus glasses (Richard makes those)..but I won't push those yet as he is up to eyeballs in Owl right now...

OK...fading fast.... see you in the morning...

Jodi

May I have the Envelope Please....

Happy April 1st all ...instead of an April Fools Joke...I received a very nice AWARD from Debbie at TINY TREASURES... Thank You Thank You. These Awards are a very nice way to pay tribute to those you admire in Blog Land and passing along to others is part of the Award Ceremony ...but this is always the Hard Part... I personally admire each and everyone that I come in contact with here in Blog Land... Each is Unique and Original, Some are Funny, some are poignant, some are thought provoking, some teach, some demonstrate, some share their love of family...and each that I meet here.. makes me wish I could meet you in person. Blogging is a rich experience, satisfying emotions and filling empty gaps in ones daily grind. I value all here.... all that 'Following' and those that choose not to.

Saying all of this... I am going to step ever so slightly this one time out of norm and not pick '0nly 7' receivers of this Award... but rather to say that you ALL should receive this award...

So I give to you all ... and any who wish to claim this Award...I would be Delighted...

And for those reading this... please take a few minutes to pop over to ALL of the Followers Blogs

Fix a cup of tea and give yourself the treat of visual and spiritual delight...

Thanks to you ALL.....

GROUP HUG!!!!!!!

Jodi

P.S. I ALMOST FORGOT....I had to come back to add this.... with this award you must list 7 Things that you Love.. here goes...

1.) My husband Richard

2.) My doggie Miss Tess LaRue

3.) My friends and Family

4.) Good Music and Good Wine.... together!

5.) Cake and Cookies...let's be honest here...I LOVE SWEET STUFF!!!

6.) Creating...anything!

7.) Writing....anything!!!

And the Dumbledore Saga Continues....

OK...day two...not much to show really ...all the cool fun stuff has not really started yet . Here are a few misc. shots.... The first is Richard's drawing of the lectern ...and shows the changes that he is already making...(BAD JODI...BAD) ...I wanted him to make the wings bigger/wider ...so I think he reluctantly did a simple mark to show where I would like them to expand to ...I am surprised that he did not make a little
&*%$#! after the word 'Owl Bigger' ....hee hee!! I made marks on the photo to show the parts he is working on in the pictures below.
Next pic he is working on the Lectern post on his lathe (that was one of 'sneak up and shoot' pics)... One the next picture I was not so lucky with the sneaking...busted!!! So I snapped him milling the Plexiglas block into a shape like in his drawing at the bottom of the post.
Next shot is the post finished and lacquered...ready to be gold gilded. And last is AD in his skives ...I always put undies on our dolls even though they are seldom seen...and on Dumbledore I even monogrammed with an 'AD'... never to bee seen...but I know it is there... By the by his head is just 'sitting' on the body and not yet attached...it will be much easier for me to dress him and them add his head last...there will be much beard and hair straightening up in the end. His shoes are painted now.

So today I am beginning the clothing and robes and Richard will start the Owl I believe...

Happy Tuesday All

Jodi and Richard

The Dumbledore Project!!

Well Sunday yet again slipped right past me.... as I think I mentioned before, Sundays tend to be my 'cram days'...where I cram every project that I have lingering into this one day....running here and there around the house..in a frantic crazed haze. I really should tie a piece of yarn onto my leg...I'll bet at days end I would have a VERY interesting Afghan !!


Mainly we worked on our Dumbledore Miniature for our collector. And what I have decided to do is post pictures here of his progress ...basically birth to fini! Which means I will be doing a lot of sneaking up on Richard and getting 'peering over the shoulder' shots... I will also take some shots of his body and dressing shots...(Dumbledore's...NOT Richards!!!)


Richard has the biggest task of all...as a truly dedicated anal perfectionist ...he is determined to get Dumbledores Lectern 'JUST RIGHT' ...which means tons of extra planning out and work ...don't ya just LOVE a challenge!!! Can you say ..."CRAZY ALREADY"...we can!!!! But it will be fun and indeed we do love a challenge and this one will be unique. Now we are taking artistic licence here as I have decided to create the Richard Harris Dumbledore (the first one) ...which means his clothing is different than the second...there are a lot less detailed photos to find than the second dude... and we are taking artistic licence with combining the second Dumbledore's Lectern with the RH one... but it just seemed the thing to do and we are nuts about that lectern...all the melty candles, gigantic golden owl...glass balls with dragon carvings...etc etc etc... and away we go!!!

So I will from time to time post pics of this piece in progress here on my blog...something that I rarely do ...as I seldom stop work to pop a pic... wish us luck!!!

I have posted a few pics to get the ball rolling ... these were just quick snaps on my worktable...head , legs and hands....

Head is without hat and glasses, hands are not yet painted and legs are just starting to be painted......I will begin putting all together today while Richard will be sawing and doing shop stuff today.......let's see if I can 'sneak' up and snap snap without causing any accidents..... I promise to be VERY careful and quiet!!



Let the Project Begin!!!

Jodi and Richard