Happy New Year One and All

Just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a very Happy New Year ....and remember ...

No matter how sticky and sharp situations in life can seem at times.... if we keep Hearts and Minds open we can always see the beauty that appears right in the middle of it all...

May you witness Beauty and Joy in the New Year... and hold on tight through the year...

Hugs and Love,

Jodi and Richard

HOLY COW is it REALLY almost Christmas????

This is the time of year that I ALWAYS find myself saying the very same thing...year after year ... "HOLY COW...is it REALLY almost Christmas" ... Funny thing is we ALL know it is coming...6 months earlier, heck...on December 26th we know it will be here again...yet that little detail seems to slip our minds until almost sitting in it's lap!!! I know I am not alone in this feeling....and no matter how hard you dig those heels in to slow the natural progression of time...still it arrives at your doorstep like a very loud, gaudy and over bearing great aunt come for a visit!!! Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays...after all, they were designed to delight all of our senses...right??? Glorious foods (that we somehow now have permission to eat) , colors and sounds,Flashing twinkling lights filling every window in your neighborhood ( ferreting out the suspected curmudgeons who refuse to partake in the glitz...)...and the children!! The glorious children...whose eyes grow twice their size with the thrill of it all.... that right there is worth the whole price of the Holiday Ticket! It is that one moment of 'wonderment' that if you look very closely you can actually see all the generations of Christmas Past...even your own! Wonderful memories full of fun and pure excitement...no matter the geographic location or the moment in time...a kid, is a kid is a kid...and for that I am grateful.....gives me hope that purity of heart and soul is lodged somewhere deep in our foundations and we will carry it with us into adulthood, drawing from it when most needed.

A funny thing also happens for me this time each year (at least for me personally) ....I plan, retool and re sculpt my direction in life...calling it my Holiday 'Gift to Myself' ...

Now I don't know if it is the lights, the music, the food, or just the thought itself of this ending year celebration ...but instead of sugarplums dancing in my head, or snowmen singing to me or a fat dude squeezing down my chimney...my thoughts wander to change!! (and not the loose stuff in your pocket kinda change) ..but rather the pathway or course kinda change. For me it is almost as if the lights, smells and sounds trigger a metamorphosis ... and I look at this as a very cool thing indeed. I plan, make notes, jot down things about myself that I like ..and don't like..(.DAMN, that list is growing) ... and then treat myself to the option of accepting or rejecting the change. After long talks with myself (I think I told you in past post that I do like to have conversation with myself, often times not listening to a word I am saying)...I digress!!...I decide what avenue to take and at what pace to travel. Over the years this has worked well for me...but this year it seems I am even more determined to 'change' ...not just me myself and I kinda change but an overall view of things kinda change...I feel the need to 'complete things' this coming year, leaving not a single thing dangling! To reach out my hand further than ever before with the offering of help and kindness ...artistically I would like to step into a realm of change, although i know realistically at my age and long time firmly planted feet may not allow this...so I plan to accept fully the circle I have drawn for myself....and be content with the graceful curves that always lead me back home.....I guess that is the true going 'full circle'...hee hee!

So bottom line, Christmas is many things to many people... to me, it is not always the gift you give others, but that special 'gift' you give yourself... and in turn...give others...Full Circle!!

Merry Bright Holidays to All

Hugs,

Jodi

Greetings from Holiday Crazy land!

Howdy Do.... I know I know.... been ages again since I have been here..well, that's not really true...I do pop in from time to time but I swear when I do my mind goes blank and what I was going to write I stop and think..."Jodi, they don't want to hear that dribble, that silly banter of what you do or don't do...just back away from the computer Jodi and no one gets hurt"!!! SEE, during the holidays I talk to myself even more than usual.... scary really!!!
So then I decided...what the heck...just dribble on... what is the worse that can happen??? (actually I have learned not to ask) So this is a mish mash of silly stuff that has been happening to me of late....
I learned to make Pancakes!!! YES, it's true...I have never ever been able to make a decent pancake to save my soul, but I had a real hankering for 'Sour Milk Pancakes' like my grandma used to make....got several recipes from Internet friends (Thanks one and all) and VIOLA!!! One morning I set out to take charge of the elusive Pancake Monster that lurked in my inner being.... found it...and beat the crap out of it and Mastered the 'Pancake' ....I am busting buttons left and right and truly feel there needs to be a medal of some kind offered to the person who tried the hardest to make a pancake.....maybe I could make a hat of some kind...hmmmmmm! Anyway, they were delicious with butter and raspberry syrup .... I even had a few left over that I wrapped up in a baggie and keep in the fridge...I think mainly just to visit them a few times a day and say to myself "I made those" ...lol!! Yes I know...I really need to get a life.....

This was our Thanksgiving table...only 4 of us this year....Mom, Sis, Richard and myself. My Mom and Sis were in the middle of a 'Move from Hell' so they didn't feel up to cooking or eating for that matter...so I thought I would make a nice dinner (thought about slipping them a few pancakes so they could OooOoo and AhhHhHHhH at my new found ability! ) But alas we ate a small bird and some of the best taters and gravy I have ever made.....(not as good as the pancakes...hummmmmm! Pancakes with gravy, interesting thought) All in all it was a fun evening (sure hope they found those baggies of pancakes in their purses by now!!!)

This is a project Richard and I worked on one day...only about 2 years in the making . Richard and I are natural born scavengers , many a time Richard has coming home all beaming over the 'object' he has found along side the road or in a field somewhere..... 9 out of 10 times it is pretty darn cool...and this was one of those times. On his way to the post office one day he looked in a vacant lot to see a small pile of flagstone pieces , well he loaded up the Bronco and returned home with his find ..and said "There is plenty more where these came from" (almost sounded like "Thar's plenty 'O' gold left in them thar hills, let's saddle up the pack mules and head out") So I threw on some work clothes, grabbed garden gloves (and a small sack of pancakes...for you never know how hungry you will get on the trail) and we got approx. 3 more car loads.... after some time of thinking on what to do with these new shards of joy.... we finally decided to do a rock relief of sorts on our back wall. The stucco was crumbling a bit and we had removed a BIG Agave and that bare spot was staring me down ...so we 'Liquid Nailed' the shards to the wall...to somewhat resemble a desert mountain range...our plan is to follow it around the side and then do hit and miss ranges throughout the backyard wall..and of course do some night time lighting effects.... needless to say, bending and sitting on our knees all day left us hobbling around (rather like old miners) .... so I heated up some pancakes and slapped them on the old knees...felt better in no time!!

Now most people in these here parts down think 'Con Trails' are very pretty....we look at them as adventures, people going places, meeting up at the end of it all with those they love, stories to tell ...basically it is movement in the sky highway. Winter time is the best time to see them as the temps are just right to keep the trails hanging and changing shape in the sky...Sky Art if you will.... I found this one really fascinating and like nothing I have ever seen before...looks like they took a sharp turn left at the last minute....I could almost hear an 'OOPS" !!

And last but never least....our baby Tess..... getting decorations out and in the box is always a Christmas toy or two from the previous year that Tess goes nuts over...like a long lost friend she is meeting up with after a years absence... she is so much fun to watch and she brings us miles of smiles each and every day (and she likes pancakes too!!)

So that's it for now....of course we are working on commissions ....and soon will be posting pics....I am thinking about listing some small tidy bits of ETSY too...have not done that in ages!!! Keep an eye peeled for those (wonder how well pancakes would do there??)

Hugs and Holiday Greetings

Our newest Halloween Piece

Greetings to all my favorite Spooky friends.... hope your holiday season has been filled with delicious delights and spooky sensations. Ours has been quiet this year...I did little to no decoration this year (believe it or not) as we have the great joy of visiting friends over Halloween who have the most spectacular Halloween house display and over 500 kids...to our 4-5! Should be a blast......

We have been using the 'decoration' time to work on house projects that are long overdo to be finished... the weather here in Havasu is simply fantastic and as they say, gotta make hay while the sun shines ....

We have been working on a few commissions in-between lifting rocks and building wall frames...

and our last Halloween piece for EBAY this year ...

"Waldo's Very Happy Halloween"!!

The story of a young 'yard ogre' who loves Halloween and was supposed to go trick'o' treating with his Monster Kid Pals the previous year but the sniffles kept him home...but this year he is going by hook or by crook.... His plan...to sneak into line with a couple of Neighborhood children in hopes of 'blending in' ...with hand scribbled 'treet' written on his rumpled grocery bag and a scarf his mom made him wear....Waldo is as happy as a clam ...of course the little boy in front is not at all sure what to think...

Hope everyone has a great Halloween....

Hugs,

Jodi

Our Newest Mini...Halloween Grows Close!

Howdy Do Everyone.... Been a very hectic long Hot Summer (for many I hear) ...but lately I have been feeling very fall'ish!! We had a few degrees drop in our local weather and I jumped right on the Hay Wagon headed for a Fall Frenzie!!!

This is our latest Miniature (1:12th scale) Halloween Ghostie offering...

'The Lady in Blue Meets Jacob" (the poem kinda explains it all...)

We will list this one Sunday on EBAY...

Now onto our next Halloween Setting.... told you I was on a Halloween Frenzie High...

Hugs to All

Newest Mini and ...HEAT!

Howdy Hot Summer Do from the Creager Studios...where cooking an egg on the sidewalk is the favorite past-time of many!

Heck it is only 119 here today...almost a slight 'chill' in the air...YEAH RIGHT!! It has been hot and very humid this summer for us... and I have found that the hotter it gets and the longer it hangs on...the More 'Cranky' I get ...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Actually I feel rather like our Newest Miniature above...'Kreacher'!

For those that may not recognize this little fellow he is from the harry Potter Series of Books and Movies...the House Elf of the Sirus Black Family....

Ever nasty and expressing his feeling about Muggles and anyone not of the Black Family!

This little guy is in 1:12th scale and he stands just at (if not a tidbit under) 2 1/2 inches tall.

Richard made the backdrop which I adore ...he is at his best when he works on things like this...

Just wanted to share our newest...

Hope everyone is having a great summer ...here's hoping much cooler than us.

Time to start thinking of fall and Halloween... the night time spooky chill of a crisp Hallows eve always serves to cool the mind and spirit!

Hugs to All

Jodi

Our Latest Mini

OK...don't look at the date I was last here....lol! Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer...ours has been fun, hectic, slow, fast and full of surprises...oh, and hot...120 so far has been the high...with more on the way...UGH!

Anyway we have been busy with work and some of the work we have completed is our newest Miniature 1:12th scale Japanese 'White Heron Dancer' . Years ago we did a large scale male version of this one and since we started the minis I have wanted to create this one again...tiny...don't ask why...OK, I will tell you...I AM NUTS!!!

This was actually harder than the large one ...dozens of hand cut paper feathers strung together, paper mache 2 1/2 inch tale Heron Head, gold leaf hand painted pants and other mind exploding details that will be a long time to get over...LOL. In truth is was a true joy to create just very time consuming and great 'fretting' material!!! It is on our website in the 'Dolls Available' section if you want to see more pictures and read about her... ( http://www.creagers.com )

I think we are now hoping onto a 12 inch Forest witch who will be lots of fun.... stay tuned...

Hugs to All

Sharing the Old to create the New

Got up this morning thinking what new thing do I have to share on my blog...I am in-between dolls , no trips planned, the weather is average, no new recipe, ...so I started going through my boxes and baskets filled with old pictures, ideas, poems and stories and these 3 photos literally 'popped' out at me...(actually I picked up a stack of stuff and these 3 pictures fell out of the lot) so one who believes in signs..I saw this as one and scanned to share.

Now the explanations as to what these pics are... first off...they are VERY old dolls of ours from many many a moon ago....(YIKES... near 20 years ago)... I had almost forgotten about these characters ...and like an old friend it is always wonderful meeting up with them again....I figure anything that makes you smile and think fondly of old times is a very good thing...right!

These were made before we had anything other than a 35mm and a 4x5 camera... ahhhh the wonderful wacky days of film photography... each shot nerve wracking until you had them developed...praying all along to the Film Gods for decent shots! (no photoshop either) lol...

So these were just a few examples of Richard's and my early polymer clay dolls.... as you can see, I was just learning but damn we had fun! Each stood approx. 12-13 inches tall then...and as with our work now...we made each and every thing that you see in the shots....

Bucket, rocks, leaves and icicles of 'Jack Frost' ...and the second one 'The Show must go on' is one of our favs of all times... Richard designed and built the stage, stools, all the accessories including the little Thermos and cup, the sandwich and even the bag of tiny pretzels and beer can. I painted the backdrop setting and made the puppets...we LOVED all of the details and kept adding and adding...had to finally stop...LOL!

Went to a great collector friend of ours.

The third was our beginning and first fascination with ventriloquists and their 'dummies' The Great Ventrillo and his Pal Barney'... ...The Great Ventrillo had a wicked sense of humor...he was reading to Barney ' Woodpeckers of North America' ...poor Barney is a tad nervous and does not appreciate the humor. Richard made all the accessories including the small oak chair and mic and bowler. Sold him at the Disneyworld Doll Show.

Those really were some fun dolls and each holds a great memory for us.

I always think it is fun to share past works and to never forget the starting places of careers...

I have always said, artists learn from each piece they create, growing and discovering new paths to walk down... and from past works to the work we all create now , if the journey has taught lessons and the creations have brought smiles... then you are a success in your chosen field..

Thanks for stopping by...

Hugs

Our Newest..warning .. may appear a little bland to many!

Happy Wednesday Everyone...thou I am writing this late in the day may already be Thursday in other places...in that case...happy Thursday!

We just finished out latest miniature doll for EBAY (listing today) 'Ikebana' ...I felt a very strong need to do a peaceful piece ...that feeling hits me once in a while ... ooooommmmmm!

She was very relaxing to create and satisfying for us both... the Japanese pieces usually are , just something about the color, and flow that makes one smile...

But as I stated in my title... warning!! may be a little too bland for many! LOL...By that I mean,

I have been looking all through Friends blog Pages today and yesterday...playing catch up to see what has been happening in bloglandia... and all I can say is ...MY GOODNESS! There are some exciting and extreme art pieces out there beyond my door... right to the edge art and a tad beyond in many cases...visually stimulating and mind boggling . I could not help but think..."WOW, the world of art (doll art in particular) as changed so so much since I started...and it's times like this when I see extreme art and art that tests the very fabrics of our souls that I can help but wonder ...are we to calm in our approach to doll art.?? Actually this is a funny statement for me and specially for those that know me well...I am anything but calm and laid back....as a matter of fact...the words 'Nuts' and 'Wacky' pop up often when I am being described to a group of people... but I guess when it comes to Art (dolls) I tend to be more grounded ...

This is neither good nor bad.... just who I am as an artist... or rather the direction I took as an artist...but as they say...inside every person there is another... dwelling, lurking and begging to get out.

I admire so the 'edge' people who hang it out there for all to see... creating from a mysterious place of uniqueness and individuality ...I have always adored art that just makes you exclaimed out loud..."Wow" !!

Oh to be 30 years younger and not so firmly entrenched in life's pathway...

But alas...I love what I do, it brings me joy , it keeps me focused and offers up a a righteous serving of soul ....

What makes Art such a splendid form of self expression is it's ability to be what each person/artist needs it to be .. total freedom.

Hugs

Happy Mothers Day to All the Moms

It is a glorious day here in Arizona...warmish winds and blue skies ... and the feeling in the air that there are many Happy Moms spread throughout the land.

I am having my Mother (picture above when she was approx. 20) who is now 88 over for a lovely breakfast of Eggs Benedict , fresh strawberries and pink grapefruit slice and Mimosas. ..this just happens to be her favorite..so I can feel her excitement as I ready myself to pick her up at 10:00am. Mom makes it clear to me all the time that she wants nothing and needs nothing...so it is hard to buy for this lady , fixing her a meal is a wonderful treat for her ...and it makes me so happy to do this.

But of course we did get her a plant , a bottle of her favorite wine, and I made her a card...

We will eat, chat, play a game or two of dominoes and reminisce ...then she will want to go home for a good nap... all in all a day well spent in comfort and love for us both...

I will then thank my lucky stars that I had he another year from last mothers day ...this is my Mothers Day Gift to 'Me'....

Hope everyone of you has a Glorious Day filled with good times and the creation of good memories for the days to come...

Hugs....

Said Bye Bye to Facebook

Well I am back to chat!!

I left Facebook 2 days ago (not sure anyone has even noticed yet...lol) and I am feeling pretty good so far. I was beginning to feel a little like the baby birdies atop .. sapped of energy...I found there is a lot of 'upkeep' on FB ...and being one to never throw anything out...I had over 3,000 emails generated by Facebook .that were stashed in my save file...no wonder my computer had the lightening speed of a banana slug. So I 'cleaned house' took a vacation from FB and have decided that anything I needed to say or if anyone wanted to chat...I could do it all right here ... I can tell you one thing for sure...I am getting about 90% less spam mail daily...FB seems to generate tons of it... and it all finds it's way into my mailbox...

There is something very freeing about being disconnected from FB... though I miss friends there...I know I have great ones here...

Also I have done so much work in the past 2 days...unbelievable!
So my plan is this... to work, accomplish what I had a hard time doing before, chatting here more often, keeping everyone up on my doings and dolls and viewing all the lovely stories of friends in Bloglandia...


She's BaaAaaAack!!!

Barkley Von Muttley...Dog about Town!

Howdy Doody Bloglandians! We just finished another doll...er, uh...Dog! and I thought I would pop him on here for a quick look see. His name is as above 'Barkley Von Muttley' and he is indeed a Dog About Town! Hope you can read his little poem that I wrote...kinda explains everything about him...it's his story and he is stickin to it!!

I love doing animals (specially in clothing) ..oh, also bugs (note to self: Need to do another one of those again soon).. anyway, back to dogs in clothing...this little fellow just sorta 'popped' out from no where (you know those dolls...lucking just under the surface and it takes the slightest thing to bring them out)...well, this is he! Actually for a very long time now (5-6 years) I have been kicking around the idea of 'Semi Deranged ' Critters...chickens, rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, birds etc... and one of these 'critters' was 'Deliriously Deranged Dog' that looked strangely enough like Barkley...only with clothing..so this is what popped out...It was quick and fun and feed the artistic soul nicely ...we all need these little morsels every so often.

So Barkley has made me laugh for the last 2 days, and Richard...even our Dog seems to be chuckling under her breath... all good signs! Anything in art that makes you laugh and enjoy...is healthy and rejuvenating.

We are about to pop onto some more serious pieces so this bit of humor i can nibble on for a while.

I am popping Barkley onto EBAY this evening ...not sure at all if he is any ones cup of tea other than my own...but again...a good thing to feed ones own inner being.

Hope you enjoy our little canine critter...and that he brings you smiles enough to nibble for a good long while...

Hugs

Hobby Lobby...pinch me, I am dreaming

Be still my heart...we are getting a Hobby Lobby in Lake Havasu!!! OK OK, I know that more than likely 98 % of you out there reading this are saying "What's the Big Deal...we have 8 of them in our town" ...But to us in this little semi sleepy desert town of Lake Havasu ,AZ...it is a Big Deal and cause for celebration of artists and craftsmen alike...we are damn near ready to take to the streets in a out of control dance of unabashed Joy! Remember anything they build here keeps us for a 2+ hour drive to the Bigger City...and I simple HATE hitchin up the buckboard ...do you know how much freakin hay those horses eat..and the price of hay is through the roof...you do realize I am kidding...right!!

Anyway...little by little our town is coming out of the retail dark ages and putting in stores that we can all enjoy...instead of Flip Flop, Bikini and fast boat retailers...ZOWIE this is great news!

The old Walmart turned into a Super Walmart in a different location and the Hobby Lobby took it over...and this sucker looks like it is going to by Gynormous!! We do have a Michaels...but...as Michaels go...this is a poor excuse for one...Michaels Light!! So I am sure they are sweating bullets just about now, and they better get with the retail pleasing program otherwise Michaels will soon be "Buy some shit at Mike's Craft Barn"...

So I offering up 'gifts' at the Great Craft/Art Alter of life in thanks for this new addition to our tiny town...

Does anyone else out there love or at least strongly like their Hobby Lobby? Hey, as my dad use to say..."Better than a Poke in the Eye with a Sharp Stick"!!??

Hugs

'WormTail'...the Rat!!

Well Peter Pettigrew (aka Wormtail) is at last finished. For those that already have seen him on Facebook, thanks kindly for all your wonderful comments...

Wormtail was another labor of love for us...from start to finish it was a blast watching this little guy come to life. Of course I tend to *sigh* a lot and drool when I see Richard kickin into full gear making settings and little things to make a room seem so real...this has truly been one of my favorite things about doll making...watching him work (a true fan here...LOL) anyway... we truly enjoyed this piece because of the setting. He was a commission piece as are all of our Harry Potter Pieces... Now we are thinking about actually working on a miniature Haunted House Setting (2 stories with an attic) ...that is one thing we have yet to do...and seems like a fun challenge. Richard did make for my father as a Christmas Present about 28 years ago a lovely Wood Working Shop in inch and a half scale. My dad had retired from music and started working on his dream of building early American furniture ..so Richard made him a small detailed shop...dad cried and I said "hmmmmm" (maybe we are onto something...LOL!

Anyway, not since then have we built another like a room box or house...so now maybe the time. Of course and speaking of time...it will take a lot of it and I am not sure that with this economy we could sell it...so that is the dilemma in art...what the artist desire to create is often times guided but if it will sell or not...the curse of a self employed artist....ahhhhhhh to be independently wealthy!!LOL... YEAH RIGHT!!!

Anyway...it is something we are kicking around...we shall see. Now onto the next piece...and that too we are kicking around...UGH! My heart says one thing but my brain and logic says another ... I am going through a real thing lately...asking waaaay to many questions before starting anything...to me, bad thing to do as an artist, tends to cramp direction and style.

So that's about it from us...always heading forward...some days one step forward and two back and other days two forward and one back... not sure what today is...

Have a Great Weekend everyone..

Hugs,

Jodi

If it's Friday I must be finishing up something!

Well here are a few of the things that I just 'finished up' ...and Yes, it's Friday!...Of course in the world of self employed...days of the week mean little to nothing...one day rolls into the next ..can be enjoyable and maddening all at the same time. All I know is ...Friday is normally the first day I take a deep breath , survey the finished landscape and 'REALLY' enjoy my glass of wine in peace and comfort.

For those that have not seen her...the little Baby child is 'Alice' from the famous 'In Wonderland' fame... this is how I imagined her in her infancy ...before the journey began...I mean, we all start out as babies...right! She is a miniature and sold on ebay to a wonderful collector.

The first photo (a face only a Rat Mom could love) is our version of 'Peter Petigrew' aka Wormtail..from Harry Potter fame. One of our dearest collectors wished to have this gent in her collection...we were thrilled as this is one we have always wanted to do... I just popped this pic on my desk ...while Richard was putting the finishing touches on the display.... of which, he is having the best time. It is rather like modeling for him again on his railroad...he is making a small section of the Shrieking Shack ...so wonderful, we are both so jazzed about working on this we are seriously considering make small 'room boxes' or settings... I think I have said it before, I am most happy when I am elbow deep in paint and glue... lol!

Now onward to something else for ebay...not sure what yet... have had a hankering to do ghostie things again (though far away from Halloween) it's always time for ghosties and witches in my book!

It is an overcast gloomy day today in the desert...rain expected, so we went from 102 to 67 in a matter of 2 days...weird on the body!

Going to see a friends band tonight and have dinner and drinks with friends...always a highlight of any weeks end.

Tipi will come down in about a month...sniff sniff! But fall time will come soon enough!

Have a Great Weekend everyone..

Hugs to All

Lost in Space and Time...again!!!

OK...OK...I know it has been ages and ages since I was last here...couple of months in fact...and I think that is actually way past the 'BAD Jodi ..no Biscuit' stage of punishment... Lets just say I was a little 'stuck' in life's syrupy sidewalk of life... No excuse really other than this and that and the other kept throwing itself at me......if I could juggle better I am sure I would have had the whole thing handled...Nope, not I!

So since we last spoke ...I turned the Gigantic '60' ...HOLY CRAP-OLEEE Batman!!! Had a Big 60's inspired Hippie Party with friends and family (see above shots) fun fun fun...wonderful band, great eats, good wine and lots of lively talk of every ones '60's experiences...I could write a book!!! So with that finished I have officially stopped celebrating 'getting older' birthdays...put a fork in it...birthdays are Done!!

We have been doing lots of 'stuff' around the house...with the weather nice and all...and enjoying as much as we can our tipi that sits there telling me daily..."FINISH painting me"...but do I listen... nope!! She will be coming down for the season I am afraid before that task is completed..but...we always have the fall time...

We have not been in the water with the kayaks yet this spring season... that is what we feel the worst about ...but it has been so cold this winter and not that fun to kayak ...the weather now is just getting bearable to us...(we are desert weenies and can't take temps much below 60!!lol)

Richard is fixing up a trailer to haul the kayaks more easily...(yet another project)

As for dolls...we have had some commissions and finished all of those...then did Edgar Allan Poe in Miniature...listing him on EBAY...if someone would like and you have not yet seen him...I would be happy to post pictures here...just let me know...

Working now on a miniature Alice ...from Wonderland fame...a bit different! Lost of fun and we hope to list by Sunday.

Not sure whats up next...maybe some miniature Portrait settings...

We go to NIADA this August (National Institute of American Doll Artists) in Denver , CO and we are very excited...get to see old friends and make new ones...if you are in the area...please stop by...

OK...I best get back to Alice...

Talk to you all soon...

Hugs,

Jodi

Beading with my Beady Eyes!!

Well, I have been literally 'Lost' in the wonderful world of Native American Beading for the last week... a place I really do not have any right to be ...talk about a stranger in a strange land!! I admit that I know little to nothing about this intricate and detailed process of art... but I have a strong passion to learn... so that obsession has propelled me forward into an unknown place.... it's scary in here at times!!

I have several girl and guy friends who are beaders Extraordinaire they blow my mind with their skills and talents to create fantastic designs and patterns ...why I have been known to drool while viewing their beautiful work... though I marvel at what they do...my love of beading is approached from another direction ... I want to learn how to Bead like the Native Americans did back in the 1800's ...

I adore the breath-taking beaded elk and deer hide bags , with the odd sized glass trade beads with the unique colors of 'greasy yellow , blue and red' muted tones of well worn beads , trade goods of brass, shells , woolen fabrics, utilized bone fragments , teeth ,antlers, dew claws of deer. Each bag has a distinct personality of it's maker and displays with breathtaking beauty the too numerous to count hours of dedicated work. There is pride in the making of each bag ..and pride in the wearing... I adore the entire process , history and art of each bag I see.

I certainly cannot afford to purchase any of this art ...but rather buy the books that contain these timeless treasures...so I have made it my own personal mission to try and recreate the best I can their beauty..I can never do them true justice ...but I am loving the learning process and with each bead I hand sew into the hide my mind takes me on a wonderful journey through history...I guess it is my own way of paying respect.

I will say again, I am no beader! I have only made 4 bags (2 bigger and 2 smaller) and have so far to go ...Silly Me! I choose this to do now at this time in my life...pushing 60 and eyesight that is not half what it use to be...what, am I Nuts!!! (don't answer that) ...

But when a passion hits...it hits...and who am I to ask questions!!

Each bag that I make is a 'gift' to our Tipi.... and with each gift a sense of pride comes over me..

I will do this for as long as I can...grow in skill and spirit with each that I make ..and feel content in this New Art form I have embraced...

By the by...this bag is a Sioux 'Strike-a-light' Bag...for keeping fire starting materials while on horse and traveling...also used to keep basic necessities , worn on belt. This bag is approx. 16 inches long by 6 inches wide.

Thanks for taking a peek...

Jodi

Monday Monday... be good to me!!

Well I trust we are all rested and raring to get our New Year Week Started?? HMMMMM!!!

Boy I had every intention of doing just that very thing... but as I look at the clock and realize it is already 11:30 AM (mountain time) I am beginning to think that this first Monday of the New Year is not as organized and rock'em sock'em as I had hoped it would be... more of a two step forward one step back kinda day...but alas the day is still fairly young so anything is possible.

This is actually my first day 'back' (didn't really go anywhere I just place 'me' in a self appointed time out from work and life for a few weeks prior to Christmas..hoping to regenerate the old batteries etc) ... and truth be told...it worked wonderfully. I feel more energetic, at least 20 minutes younger, and have a clearer view of so called artistic horizon .. but... as it always is with me... frustration and confusion smacks me along side of the head with that ever nagging questions of "Now What"??.."Jodi, what do you want to do first"??..."Where do you think you should start"?? "You didn't plan this very well did ya sista"?? "You lookin at me" ???? ...I could go on...

I have never been one to plan well..organization is not one of my stronger suits...I am more of a fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal. I had hoped that while on my 'time out' ..I would discover the deep dark secrets of organization, that I would emerge from creative hibernation into a clear vista of uncluttered mind matter and just naturally know the path to take....silly girl!!! I fear that I am as unfocused as ever and will continue to wade through the waist deep questions of life ... waiting patiently for that 'tap tap tap' on my shoulder from an idea wanting to happen... but then, maybe this is how I work best. ..and that to have all the answers laid out before me all neat and tidy may tend to freak me out a little ...possibly I thrive best on the element of artistic surprise...

I can tell you that my batteries are charged , there is a full tank, the windows are cleaned and the seat is in an upright position ready to blast into a new creative year ...I just need to find that road map....

Jodi