Our First Halloween Witch for the Season

Happy 'Mid' September to one and all.... again the time keeps on slippin slippin slippin into the future!! can it be only a couple weeks till October??!!! The Bewitching'est and Most magical month of the year!!!
I am getting very inspired with all these thoughts of haints, spookies, witches and anything else that Bumps in the night... I am sure that I do not need to explains these energetic and electric feelings to most of you who already know all too well the

Excitement that is Halloween Season!!! Oh to live in Halloween town 365 days a year...ahhhhhh!

Anyway, started to get out a few decorations and even have bought a few new things for the New Halloween Year and that all got me excited about doing a doll. So we started work on this little lady above...'Madda Gnatwick Gribblegob' ...and of course her familiar 'Sir Scribe' . I remember well from my childhood when teachers (or visiting grandmas) would come in and read to the class...either in school or the library... that was a great time of my life... I myself was not a big reader...to fidgety, but when someone read to me...I was very still and alll ears!! I have heard that today this is a more rare occurrence...and though they do have library reading hours in a few libraries here and there...they are still few and far between...so sad. I know the school system of today is bogged down with many children and reading hour is more difficult... So I thought...A Retired Witch...who loves to read and write , she has nothing but time on her hands what with all the spells etc being put aside in retirement... how about she joins the volunteer force that grows daily and starts reading stories to the kids... bingo!!

I like this lady...she represents everything positive in life... time spent worthwhile ... a positive force , a guiding figure that teaches the mind to grow and use imagination....

So up popped Madda!!! I am very pleased with this doll...she is one of those dolls that came out exactly how I envisioned her and did not stray one bit from my mental and heart design on who she should be... I can even smell the candy corn and candy apples...lol.

So I figure this is a great way to get the Halloween Season off to a good start for myself...

Hope you enjoy this little lady.... I have put her on EBAY

there you can read more of her story and see more pictures... Thanks for taking a peek

Happy Pre-Haunting Everyone...

Hugs,

Jodi

Can it be September Already???

Where the heck did August go???? Where did Summer go???? and I fear it will not be to long and I will be saying the same for September ...YIKES!!!!
I love the fall...pretty colors, nice smells in the air, Halloween, Candy Corn.... you get the picture...but as I get a-hem!! OLDER time keeps on slippin slippin slippin into the future...at an alarming rate.

Our mornings here in Havasu are getting nice and cool...great to sit outside in the morning and have coffee and watch our pup swim. Soon we will be dipping the kayaks into our beautiful lake and heading out for glorious mornings of adventure and excitement ...can not wait!!
Soon we will once again be setting up the Old Tipi for the winter months...really looking forward to that...get some of my best ideas in there ...it is safe and secure...like a canvas womb!

Last couple of week I have been jotting down possible dolls to make this season through winter and I am pretty excited...now I secretly know that I will never get them all done...so now the process of elimination starts , this year I do not look forward to it.
Working on a witch right now...she is not mini...but rather approx. 11" tall ..I like to really shaking it up in sizes...keeps ya artistically frosty. Miniature to 9 inch to 11 back to 5 1/2 ...smoke is coming from my left ear...is that a good sign or bad...lol!!

Anyway I like this little lady...reminds me a lot of one of our favorite characters from several years back... 'Matilda Thistlewise' ...the witch who roamed the forest selling her wares to the fairies and other magical creatures...
This is similar in size...colors are different and my little lady is a retired witch...filling up her newly found free time with interesting projects... you'll see.... she is fun and I am enjoying costuming her.
No name firm yet...but I have several good ones jotted down...but will have to wait till the lace bit of lace is added and her Hat placed firmly onto her head before she will pick her name...hopefully it is one of the ones I have chosen.

OK...just wanted to pop in and say howdy do and wish everyone a safe Holiday weekend.... may the hurricane pass way out to sea and pass you by completely...

Hugs To All

Jodi

Stormy Weather Weekend...somewhere else!!!

TSK TSK...yet another weekend filled with Promising Down Pours , threatening light shows and booms from the sky that make your hair stand on end... but nary a drop fell on the old Creager Homestead!! Now there were rumors floating around that my Mom and Sis got a nice little pouring at there place...less than 1/2 miles away and another on the northside..even closer... but if we wanted to feel any moisture here we would have to tie the hose to the fence and run back and forth under it till satisfaction was achieved!! I told Richard...we need to become 'Storm Chasers' only in this case 'Rain Chasers' listen to weather radio and then hop in the car and drive like a bat out of hell towards the moisture if we want to enjoy any summer rain this year. We have tried washing the car as the clouds were mounting, we have set out wooden ware on the pool deck, hung up laundry on the line, planned outdoor event...and purposely did not patch a small hole we have in our patio roof...just in hopes that all of these 'PLEASE DEAR GOD DON'T RAIN' signs would send a signal...to Rain!! But alas..it was all for not!! The clouds Billow and poof....explode and erupt from inside with a light show to rival any fireworks display, we get that Red Sky in Morning Sailor take warning view out our window almost every day...nutin!! The air is so heavy with humidity you can achieve a fairly decent 'facial' just heading to the market...'Nada a Droppa' .... I even suggested to a local artist friend that we gather as a group of disgruntled individuals down at the edge of the lake and actually hold a 'Rain Dance' ...I mean, what could it hurt...right!!

I know many this summer have realized an over abundance of rain across the country...and I should not complain and wish for anything 'big' ...but when you live in a place that is dry and hot as Western AZ ...rain is like a blessing during these almost unbearable months ...like little individual wet gifts from on high... we love it, the plants love it the air loves it... this has been our driest summer since we have moved here close to 10 years ago...

All I ask for is a few kind drops...is that to much to ask??

So in-between waiting...I catch snaps of the storms all around us...very close... I swear in that one cloud shot....I see 'a laughing face'!!!!! UGH

Dry as a Bone in my Havasu Home Jodi

Just Back and a New Award Awaits

Well I am back from the hinterland called Facebook.... got lost for a bit and ended up eating all the bread crumbs I left to find my way out ...but somehow I found my way back to Bloglandia... now to balance between the two...
In returning I found that Dear Moriah presented me with a Fun Award... 'Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits'..... seems this is an award that is given to the strangest of individuals... as I take this as a very High Compliment...I eagerly and happily accept your award Moriah ...and will continue to wear my 'Pinstripe Suit' with Pride and continued panache!

Off now to add to my Mantel of Friendship 'Gifts'

Hugs

Reached my 300th Post and Other Strange Tales!

Naughty Naughty Naughty Jodi for letting one complete Month go by without posting a single word here on what is truly my favorite place to jot down thoughts!!! Those of you who read me on Facebook will probably say "well Jodi, you seem to do a fair amount of Chatting over on Facebook don't you, THAT appears to be your favorite place to hang out...explain yourself!!!!!"

Well true be told ...and I am pretty sure I may have mentioned this already once of twice here...My Blog is my 'Freedom Spot'... it's ALLLL Mine and I can say and do as I please ...from designing the layout to jotting down thoughts... this space is my sanctuary and truly is my favorite place to just chill and enjoy Your Company!! Facebook (in analyzing it) is a 'drug' that you get and give in small doses to and with so many...they seem easier to find and to find you! But though many spill their inner most thoughts there ...it always seems to be in smaller more condensed form...where as a Blog ...you can go on and on and on and on ...BREATH...and on and on and on and on...BREATH...on and on and on...you get the picture!! Here I feel like I am really talking with friends in a very friendly format , like sitting down with a cup of coffee, a few cookies and the latest happenings in all of our lives... I don't get that same feeling over there. Though I will admit it is easy to get 'hooked' on that particular drug called 'Facebooktesy'... between old friends from High School or past life acquaintances, Old boyfriends , New friends, causes, organizations, Liking this and that, all that 'poking' and prodding ... Fanning this and grouping with that ...Facebook is a very hard drug to kick... it's easy, widespread and keeps you unbelievably curious to find out more...

I really have decided that I need to chill more ... and ...Work More!! (believe it or not I can easily chill when wrapped in work) ...and I am actually having a hard time with the 'socializing' aspect of my life and also getting the work done that I want...no...Need to get done!! So I always say, somethings got to give... so keeping fingers crossed and if the Art Gods are Willing... I will 'peel' myself slowly from the clutches of FB and devote more of that time to my beloved Blog and Art that I am craving to create.

So how's that for a 300th Post... I have so much more to yammer about but my new doll is calling ... she has a touch of Halloween to her...which is making the old Halloween Juices Flow Again after a long hot summer of being dormant ... this is the Best Time of the year...the coming of Autumn...

Hugs To All 'Blog On'

Jodi

Trelawney and Neville

At Last.... we have finished our commission of Professor Trelawney and Neville Longbottom...and just about now the collector should be receiving the set...I always hate to publish before I know they get to see it first!

This was a fun set to work on.... I have always loved making dolls that 'interact' with one another...tells the story so well.

This is all in 1:12th miniature scale...with Trelawney standing at just a breath over 5 1/2 inches tall. Richard made a little wooden table for under the cloth cover...I told him "you don't have to put to much detail in this table as it will be totally covered...he didn't listen to me and carved it and stained it....saying "I KNOW what's under there"!! lol...

On the table is a little brass Incense Burner complete with little incense sticks. A silver holder for her crystal ball when not in use.... Tea Cups (thank You Jayne) ...one with hand painted tea leaves in the shape of 'The Grimm' ... Neville sits on a red velvet hassock ..following along in his book ' Unfogging the Future' by Cassandra Vablatsky...he wears his house colors of 'Gryffindor' even his sweater has the colors sewn in. Trelawney Glasses were the most fun... Richard fashioned the frames from brass, hand painting them with a special finish, he then turned the curvature into each lens and polished them much like a Optician would..they magnify her eyes perfectly...no, I didn't make her eyes bigger...this is all from the lenses.

Her fabrics are hand dyed and printed... boots are sculpted.

As I said...we had a blast with this one.

Now we are onto little Japanese Elves again....to go onto EBAY soon... keeping fingers crossed that I can also make a few smaller items for ETSY ...like things I made in the past... miniature with Hat's, Witch and 'creature' Busts, Ghosties....and other odd ball goodies...

Thanks for taking a Peek...

Hugs to All,

Jodi

A Summer of 'HAIR' ..and I don't mean the Musical...

OK...so this has been a totally odd and emotionally revealing summer for me (so far) ... it seems to be a summer of ' I HAVE to Get Dones' and a age old bugaboo that has been haunting me since early childhood.... 'HAIR'....

Since before I can remember Hair has played some sort of role in my life... I have a real Love Hate relationship with it ...it taunts me and challenges me...it turns it's back on me and then out of the blue is on it's very best behavior ... it makes me want to cut it all off (and I have..many times)...I have dyed it to change it's appearance hoping to gain favor with the new look .... I have curled it , permed it, knotted it ...and as stated in the wonderful musical Hair...Twisted, Beaded and braided it...and YES, it has gotten 'caught' in trees. I have ironed it, set it on orange juice cans overnight, Hot curled...Hot Oiled.... Streaked and Highlighted. I have Bobbed it, page boyed it, flipped it, French rolled it, french Braided it, Chignoned it, pony tailed it ,added every manor of hair ornament under the sun to it , wear a wide assortment of hats.... all for sake of the Almighty thing called Hair!!! It screws with us when we are going out and will NOT cooperate ...it actually has a 'Day' named after it 'Bad Hair Days' ..it many times looks FANTASTIC moments before we lay our head on the pillow for a great nights sleep...only to look like something the cat dragged in the next morning. It taunts us in Hair commercials and Movies where the Gal wakes up looking like she just stepped out of a Salon 'YEAH RIGHT"!!!

It has days where it shines so bright and vividly displays the ancestry of your redheaded grandfather or molasses hued strands of distant relatives you have never met... It is one of those things you wear that are remembered or easily forgotten depending on how your 'treat it' it can be your shining badge of glory or your Helmet of disaster !!!

And ultimately in the end...it changes colors all on it's own ...strand by strand it announces to the world " Yeah that's right...I am an Older Woman!!!" I really actually like the gray and in a weird way I am anxious to see where this New Hair Journey Takes Me...

So to add to my 'Summer of Hair Issues" ...I have been making myself ' Cloth Turbans' or Hair Wraps (to make it sound a little less 'Gloria Swanson'ish' ) and something I have ALWAYS wanted for my own but didn't have the right type of hair for it.... Dreadlocks! I am fascinated with this look and the free attitude to carry it all off and make that unique statement... religiously or otherwise. SooOOoOOo in my continuing search for "where will my Hair Take me This Week and will it be kind"? I have Made myself 'Felted Wool Dreadlocks' ...Thanks Nikki for inspiring me with your wonderful Felted Wool Designs you have been sharing with us all.

Just another avenue to travel... just another way to mask the 'BHD's" ... they are Fun! Wacky, Colorful and for now make me happy.... let's just hope the Hair God looks favorably upon this Newest Offering....

Happy Trails

Jodi