Hollybirdmas ...EEEEEK!

I woke up this morning all cheery and somewhat zingy in step and somewhere between my second cup of coffee and walking towards my sculpting table it hit me like a sack of yams laced with holly leaves.....THANKSGIVING IS IN A FEW DAYS AND CHRISTMAS IS RIGHT ON IT'S TAIL!!!!
EEEEEK...
I should have seen the warning signs ...  a few deranged neighbors have their Christmas lights and   Holiday Sentinels already  standing in place in their front yards.... tunes of cheer are blasting over the market intercoms ...mentioning those buzz words of turkey, cranberry, stuffing, holly, snow, presents, chestnuts and so on....all with cheery tones...up to this point I have been able to view them as 'white noise' ...but I fear no longer.!!   Not to take this is a negative direction but this will be my first Thanksgiving and Christmas without my Mom in over 60 years...and as these were the holidays where she really would shine...i.e. decorations, baking, ho ho ho'ing ...it will be a very different holiday season for me this year.  I plan to make a few of her favorite recipes (from her hand written recipe cards) , belt out a Christmas tune or two while sipping egg nog laced with brandy in her honor... make Rum Balls for friends and family (she made a mean Rum Ball)  and just reflect on wonderful childhood memories with Mom....  I think I may be channeling her actually as I remember she too had that 'panic mode' she displayed each year when she realized  that the holiday season was all of a sudden 'HERE'....

We will enjoy this Thanksgiving with good friends and family this year.....and Christmas is still up in the air as to what is going on....  I always refuse to think about Christmas until the last Kid Made paper turkey is removed from the fridge  and the last bit of left overs are digested....then and only then do I 'bring on the Nog'...

Have A Super Thanksgiving All

Hugs

Sunday Morning in the Tipi

Happy Sunday Morning from the Tipi Inhabitants of Havasu....  Today is Richard's 68th Birthday and what better way to celebrate than with a beautiful desert sunrise  (I fibbed a little and told him that I ordered this one up special for his day) ... I kid you not these are the true colors of a desert sunrise ...breathtaking is an understatement . The only thing more exciting than sitting in a tipi with this sky is to be sitting out on the glass calm lake in a kayak...which we need to get on pretty soon!  Anyway the following are some pics that I popped yesterday evening and this morning of the finished tipi inside (more to come)  ...The wood in the fire pit is for Richard's early morning Birthday Fire (which was warm and lovely by the by)  ... the other two are just random shots....as my Indian spirit guide is a Raven...Richard carved this raven Chair for me a few years ago (it is a N.W. Design which I adore) .  I need to get onto making a new bag or two for this years tipi...a tradition I started about 4 years ago.... so peaceful to sit in the tipi on a cold fall afternoon with the warmth of the sun hitting the canvas and feeling the warmth inside the tipi....beading!  I am NOT a beader...but I do enjoy the relaxing task and try my best....

It was a great morning....we are so content that the tipi is up and there and ready for us to escape to whenever we feel the need..... Richard has already taken a nap out there in that sun warmth....ahhhhhh!

Now back to work on dolls....

Have a wonderful Sunday

Hugs

Tipi Tippin

 

 

Well it is a Bright Sunshiny Day in Lake Havasu.... Birds are singing, there is a slight nip in the air and the tipi is UP!!!!  We LOVE this time each year.... always seems like a new beginning  and the start of endless possibilities....

Of course...we worked our arses off yesterday and are almost too sore to move today but we did drag ourselves out to the tipi at 5am to enjoy our first pot of coffee and a warm fire... the pains just seem to melt away... 

We rebuilt the tipi flooring a couple weeks ago ...fixing and repairing the flagstone and then adding a outer layer of pavers around the fire pit flagstone...less gravel under the reed and canvas flooring that goes in today....and it just looks cooler.  The other 'bare bones' shot of the tipi before canvas is actually taken last year....but it looked the same this year....almost!!  We have been doing this for 7 years now and each year the poles are a bit different....but this year....we set up and took them down 4 times...something was just not right.... poles to far apart at the top (cloth won't fit right) to close together...same thing!   door poles off center...not spread enough...spread to much.....LOL...I really should be taping this event as you have not lived until you see two  artists , each one extremely anal about how everything should look and be placed...setting up a tipi....!!!  I think we might be real contenders for the  $10,000 award for funnest video....  yesterday was the best..... BUT...we got them set, we put on the canvas (2 tries) and stood back and smiled....waiting a good 10 minutes to see if it all fell down.... at 11 minutes...we knew things were Hunky Dorey!!!  SHE STANDS!!!!

Now to do the 'tricking' out inside...lining, hanging up stuff, pillows, hides etc etc... I will do a short video and put in on here when complete...

OK...I am off for the day... changing direction a bit with the doll we are working on....thinking of something else.... might go for some elves...talk about different direction!!

Hugs

Facebook Free.....

Good Morning Bloggers in the Joyful Land of Bloglandia.... tis I...the woman who is getting all kinds of work done.... and "Why"? is she getting all this work done you may be asking...because...she...Me!  (OK this is getting confusing) ...I disconnected from Facebook!   I severed a tether  from the Mother Ship and struck out on my own for a bit....ZOWIE, what a feeling.  You never ever really know how ,dare I say it..'Hooked' you are until you go 'Cold Turkey' (mmmmmm Turkey)!!    .....at first the shaking was a little intense but I saw it as a form of exercise (something I had not been getting much of having been glued to F.B.)  ... next came the questions...Holy crap, what did I leave over there in little file folders  that I now cannot retrieve.... ???
Then I tell myself..."self....it's not like you left pentagon papers there, or secret formulas, just a few old pictures, a few recipes and a whole lot of words that you can never get back anyway.  What I do miss are the friends.....but...I have left long long trails of bread crumbs and I am hoping that many will find their way here.  I left rather abruptly , not even a note on the fridge....

So now...with all this extra free time I am indeed getting oodles accomplished ....and it does indeed 'Feel Good'  .  Rather like the 'Olden days'  (pre computers) ... I basically was not on the computer all day yesterday and when I got on this morning...guess what I saw...something I have not seen in a very long time...'dust' on my laptop...yes indeedy ...Dust!!!  A strange site to behold....I would have guessed radioactive fallout over dust  any other time. 

The trade off is work accomplished....a wonderful feeling. 

Yesterday we started  the long process of setting up our tipi for winter use.   She has been safely packed away all summer away from the extreme heat and sun... now she is ready to enjoy the company of friends, warm fires and  hours of relaxation....this is something we always look forward to each fall...when the temps start to cool.  We have been performing this same ritual for 6 years now and yesterday the neighbor on the back side of us  looked over the wall and said "So, are you gonna get this done or what"?  ...LOL...seems each year they look forward to this process  and have been waiting with baited breath....cool!  We want to have everything up and running by Thanksgiving with the tipi...now we need to buy a half cord of wood.

We are working on a Harry Potter Commission  at the moment...should be a really fun piece....  Ron Weasley on the back of the Horse Chess Piece   from the first story....helping harry to get past the Knights.... so far it is turning out great...will post pictures here when finished.  After that....Harry playing Quidich...chasing the Golden Snitch.  And we have to figure out what to do for a Christmas piece this year...times slipping away once again...thinking of a miniature Christmas Carol piece....

OK...time to  get back to work and let my computer gather a bit of dust for the day ... I really do promise to be here more and more...with lots of this and that's....stay tuned...

Hugs

Happy Thursday

Happy Thursday Blog Buddies.....

I have added a recent doll...BabySitting Witch....watching over 3 'Little Monsters' while their parents are off scary the Halloween Trick'O' Treaters.....  she is a 1:12th Miniature Scale....

So we are now planning the next piece....a Harry Potter Commission.... Ron Weasley riding the 'Horse' life sized chess piece from the Sorcerer's Stone, on the chess board...all in miniature...will be fun, then onto Harry and Hermine. 

Other than that we are doing lots of this and a whole bunch of that around the house.  Decided that this winter ( we have pretty mild winters here in AZ) we will do lots of Fix Up Work around the house...some very needed and others just fun cool small stuff I wanna do.... though in saying that we are right now clouding up and it is thinking strongly of rain at the moment....UGH!

Richard at the moment  is 'restringing' my large studio  window blind....it dips down on one side when I open it and I think he finally took pity on me...LOL! 

I need to have a couple garage sales this winter (again our time of the year to have them...summer way to hot)  so I need to organize stuff for that.

Man you would think with all the crap I need to get done and all the running I do...that I would weigh only 12 pounds....HA! ...not fair!

Roasted Garlic Pork Roast this cold stormy weekend (comfort food) and a few new movies we have not seen yet.....

Have a Great Weekend everyone..

Hugs
Jodi

Howdy Everyone in Bloglandia.... Here I go again with the apologies ...it has been ages since I have been here...no excuse really other than I get so darn busy I forget the enjoyable things to do...and also this has been on e WEIRD Year for me....Losing my Mom, not being able to focus as well on work, a million and one projects around the house , a brutally Hot Year here in Arizona and on top of everything else....we are discussing a Move to Oregon.....and though I am jazzed at the prospect of a move... the mere thought of packing up two shops and a big studio plus all my household stuff makes me want to run and hide and shake and quiver...a very scary thought.  Good news bad news kinda thing.  Richard and I have reached our limit with the hot summers here and lack of culture...we both crave a place where we can got to small art shows, hear local musicians while chomping on a burger and sipping  wine.... to enjoy these things we must now travel to Las Vegas or Phoenix.... each 3-4 hours....UGH!  I adore my house but, am willing to look again in an area I am truly happy.  If we could we would move at the beginning of the year but we have a few things to do to the house and then there is that pesky little task of 'selling' it.... with the market...who knows. So we are setting our sights on 1-2 years....EEEEK!  So in the meantime we sit and dream of greener pastures (literally)  and new opportunities. I look forward to a weekly growers market, great stores and Yes, even the possibility of selling small art pieces at a local art/craft fair....something we have not been able to do in years and years.... So gang, this is what we have been up to.  We have made a few dolls since August, mainly commission work and a few for EBAY... This one above is Called Princess Buttercup....a little girl dressed for Halloween  with her Fairy Godmother Ogre... We also made a miniature (1:12th miniature scale)   Witch , babysitting 3 tiny Monster Babies.
I think I am ready to get into Christmas....Santa's, Christmas Elves, Christmas Carol characters, and a few commissions of Harry Potter.....

Hope everyone is enjoy their fall time.... Thanks for hanging in here even though I am SO HORRIBLE at posting these days...I will I will try harder....

Hugs,
Jodi

I KNOW I KNOW...it has been ages since I was last here.... time just seems to slip away when you are having a weird time of it.  UGH!   It has been ages since I have posted anything and ages since we have created any doll art.... but i do have a good (although sad) excuse....my dear mom passed ...
She was a big part of my life and who I was...and you never realize how much until that part of your life is gone... having said all that (and believe me I will not make this any more sad)  though gone...I know and feel in my heart that she still stands at my side...egging me on, encouraging me, inspiring me, correcting me and making me laugh..... I miss most the hugs and the voice...although i will forever be wrapped in her warmth and hear her gentle voice in my mind and heart... Miss and Love you Mom...

OK...enough of that...I have done enough grieving for 10 people...time to push on....

We have started to create dolls again after the long absence...(the shot above is one we just had on EBAY) a miniature scale house section wall hanging shadow box with several ghosts and 2 witch ghosts.... very happy and surprised with the outcome.

Now doing another witch (1:12th scale)  that will hopefully be listed in a week....I will post pics here...
All of a sudden my mind is reeling with ideas and desires to work...this is good!  So I will seize the moment.  I am caught up in Halloween this year....yearn to see ghosts and other things that bump in the night...might have to hunt down a haunted house somewhere near....can't wait to get out my Halloween do dads from the closets.... I want to get my 'spook' on.....

Good to be back...Missed everyone here....Welcome to my new friends...

HUGS,

Jodi

I just created a new FACEBOOK Page  'Creager Studios'  where I will be posting all of our Older Work right up to the very newest...hopefully tips and small videos from time to time...I wanna make the page fun and informative...  hope you will pop over and say Howdy....

 

Our Newest Commission Piece

'The Vampire Hunter'

Can't show everything cause it is supposed to go in a magazine and I sorta promised that I not  show to much before it does....

Started another Harry Potter Piece this morning...will be a fun piece

Also have this little Cornish Tommyknocker on EBAY right now...

A tiny little chap who lives and works deep in the gold mines of Grass Valley, CA  (where we used to live)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330743226994

Bob McKinley's Great Book being Re-Released

I am thrilled beyond words this morning with Great News that I just heard.  For all you Doll makers out there ...even for those that may already have the Original first edition...hold onto your hats cause this news is gonna blow you away.

Bill Nelson (wonderful artist) ...has just released the long long awaited second edition of this fantastic Doll Sculpting Book...by American Treasure Robert McKinley. Long out of print...this book has been searched for high and low for years...and when a copy here and there have been located have commanded prices as high as 200.00.

Now everyone can have a copy of this great classic ....I have my original, but plan to get this copy to keep my original safe and packed away.... I find myself even to this day thumbing through this book for inspiration and guidance...now I don't have to worry about messing up my original.....YIPPPEEE!

So don't walk but rather run to get a copy ... Bob single handily introduced the words 'Doll Art'  to us all....he was (and still is in our hearts) the Great Master.

Thank You Bill for bringing the great talents of Bob back into our lives....

You are Both great Treasures to us all.....


http://books.billnelsonstudios.com/

Greetings from the Other Side of Norm.

Hello one and all... Well it has been one heck of a March, and to be truthful I could not be more pleased that the whole month is over...now I am keeping everything crossed for a super dooper April!! I dropped off of (or out of...which ever is best) of Facebook....for at least a while...I found I could not concentrate on other matters and still maintain an active chat life (sort of like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time sorta thing) ...so I stepped away from facebook...and decided to only chat here for a while...though I have not been very good at that either...UGH!

In a nutshell...My Mom and sister (both live in town near me) have been in limbo for the last few months ...living in apts they were moved to as their other apts were being remolded....a move within a move if you will...and for most this may not seem bad...but to understand how much crap the two of them own would give you all a very accurate idea of the HELL i have been in...helping to pack them both for the first move, than this move and yet to come...the unpacking!!!! Makes me want to set a torch to my belongings and go for the freedom of a paper sack suitcase and the road!! My Mom is 88 and very feeble of body now and my sister has many health issues...both find it hard to do a lot of things on their own...so that is where Jodi comes into play.... I love helping, and I feel the duty in it...but it always comes with such a price....in our case....our work has really suffered.... case in point, the doll listed here...and Easter Doll that won't end it's sale until the day before Easter....UGH Again!! I am off kilter and outta whack!!! Oh Well....

Then my Mom got very sick with a quick trip to the hospital...and another coming in a few days....I fear my dear sweet Momma won't be here much longer....and for that I am so sad....I will love her each second that I have left with her.... and my sis is not a whole lot better....

I had a few health things this last march...other than turning 61~~lol. Including a fall where I ratched my ankle and wrist! (move related) ... I have been in touch with so many friends and family that have also had a shitty (health wise) March.... Must be Mercury in Retrograde....

I am ready to move on...get those loud quacking Ducks in a row and raise and wave my Freak Flag at the world...

Miss you all.....

Jodi

Our Newest Mini Doll Set 'The Munsters

Howdy Do.... we just finished our latest Miniature 1:12th scale Doll Setting...Lily and Herman Munster ...from the wonderful 1960's TV Show.... I LOVED that show.

We have plans to make grandpa and Eddie at some point....

We are just having fun and feeling very nostalgic lately!

Hugs to All

A New Little Elf & Friend on EBAY

Howdy Do One and All....Hope everyone is having a beautiful February so far...Here in the desert of Arizona we are waaaay under the norm for both cold and rain...not good for our summer heat (and the lovely desert spring flowers) ...but I try not to ever complain...it is what it is....and I will be most happy with that!

Having said that...we are once again busy in the Studios (well, getting busy) behind in that as well I am afraid.... but this little guy is our first EBAY doll for the year....

'Simon and Slugo' ...http://www.ebay.com/itm/OOAK-Original-Forest-Elf-Art-Doll-Snail-Creager-NIADA-/330682125725?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6139782786682234357

His story is on the EBAY Site....

This little guy was lots of fun...dang, I really enjoy making 'critters'...I need to get back into my Bugs! I miss the bug phase I went through...LOL.

Also been thinking lately that I need to get back into stocking up my ETSY Shop with a little of this and some of that! Shadow Boxes...I think that is at the top of my list...been ages and ages!

OK...the meter is running and I need to fly....

Big Hugs to All.....

Our Newest Miniature..Bathilda Bagshot

Happy New Year everybody....hope your first week has brought joyous events and glorious things...

We are off and rolling ...tipi sitting, walking, semi sorta diet , and planning new works for the new year.

The piece above was just completed about a week ago...it was a commission from one of our collectors...she adores Harry Potter things about as much if not more than we do...which makes creating for her a dream come true...

This characters name is Bathilda Bagshot ...she is a very old witch and author of several books , she lived in the small village where Harry's parents lived...

Richard made all the furniture and the plaster walled tutor room... I made the books, rug and the doll.... she was so much fun to create ...we love a detailed piece because we both can get into it at different times and at the same time...we even photographed it together...

by the by this is a 1:12th scale miniature...she stands approx. 5 1/2 inches tall...

Not sure what is next... we are putting on thinking caps to see what pops up... I have a hankering to do another witch...didn't do enough of them this last fall...

Enjoy the new year...stay happy and healthy ...

Hugs