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