yoborobo

These are a few of my favorite things...

2012-02-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

Remember that song in The Sound of Music? Right before Julie Andrews takes down the curtains, cuts them to pieces and somehow makes clothes for all the kids?

I wonder how my kids would have felt about that. I'm thinking they would have refused to wear them. They would have preferred to live in their tidy whities, me thinks.

But I digress! I decided to make a list of a few of my favorite things (no particular order of preference), interspersed with some new dolls and such.

1. Dogs and cats.

2. Friends and family (I have to include them otherwise I will seem shallow and ungrateful, which I am not - most of the time). I do notice that I listed dogs and cats first. Hmm.

3. Apple fritters.

4. A healthy salad someone else makes for me. Perhaps followed by an apple fritter.

5. A warm bed on a cold night.

6.The first sip of a beer, or a glass of champagne.

7. Pasta (Actually, I'll cut to the chase: all carbohydrates.)

8. A day that hovers in the 70s and is sunny.

9. Snow falling. I do love it. I just want it to go away quickly.

10. New socks.

11. New anything.

12. Creating stuff. Especially spooky cute stuff.

13. Writing. Nothing like getting lost in a story.

14. Gardening. Flowers, flowers, flowers.

15. Birdfeeders.

16. A clean house. I've never had one, but I hear they are lovely.

17. Eating out. I think this is because if I take my kids with me, they are forced to actually communicate at some point during the meal. It's heartwarming.

Hope you are all enjoying some of your favorite things, and that you haven't resorted to pulling down the curtains and making clothes out of them, just for something to do. If you have, consider my number 12, or even number 6.

Weird weather and a couple of spooky dolls

2012-01-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

I expect the Wicked Witch to pop by any minute. It is a'blowin out there. I walked to the mailbox and my hair flew out in all directions, scaring a frog that was sitting in the driveway.

Yes, a frog. A FROG. In January. And I saw a wasp. Pretty strange goings on here, nature-wise. We are usually covered with the white stuff right around now.

Maybe that is why I am sewing weird little dolls. Here is my latest batch.

On another topic, anyone else out there feeling like a sandwich? I don't mean eating one, I mean feeling like you are one. Like you're being squeezed by opposing forces? Like you need to be cloned big time?

I was talking to a friend about this. She said she is a bologna on white bread.

Maybe I am a cheese panini, since they get squished and grilled.

Now I am hungry. I will go make tea and sandwiches. The Wicked Witch should be here any minute now. I wonder what kind of sandwich she is? I bet it has anchovies on it. Or squid. Or whale blubber and bugs. Possibly a frog. We'll see.

What I've been doing...

2012-01-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

So here we are, fully entrenched in 2012. What have you all been up to? I have been writing, writing, writing. We have two more college tuitions staring at us, and the DH and I would like to have enough Mac n' Cheese to live off of in the future. Such is life today, no? Hurry scurry.

I did sneak in some painting before I started my writing project. I have been on a 'critters wearing crowns' bender. Now I am on a 'Wednesday Addams' bender, and I'm going to make a doll or two. I love Charles Addams, and I will admit to watching the TV show faithfully. What I truly, dearly love are the cartoons he did for The New Yorker. (That's him above, sitting the chair with the helmet on.)

And you gotta love that when he died, he was cremated, and his ashes were sprinkled in the pet cemetery he had at his home, called The Swamp.

I do so love oddballs. I wonder why.

Here are my paintings:

This last one is a little Wednesday.

Yes, I am a little odd myself. Thank you for noticing.

Huzzah!

2012-01-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

It's a brand-spanking-new year! Let's hear it for fresh starts!

I've been taking a personal 'inventory' (I refuse to make resolutions). Here's what I have come up with:

I need to learn how to say 'no'.

There needs to be more play time in life.

I hate diets.

I love being a creative person.

So I guess you can surmise that I will be answering 'no' to non-play requests while I eat apple fritters and paint and write at the same time!

I wanted to share a couple of presents I made for my kids. This year I made sculpey critters. I made a cat for Lucas, but I haven't taken a pic of it yet. Alex has to wait for his (I am holding it hostage until he comes home from Spain).

And here is a kitty I sewed. These are slightly addicting to make.

Life is busy here. I am going to try and earn some money writing (keyword = try). I am making friends with my new Mac. And I actually organized a section of my work area! Weee!

I hope you are all busy doing things you love, and sneaking in a donut now and then. I will be by to visit you soon. Hopefully you're up to no good, but not the kind that lands you in the slammer.

Christmas excuses, feel free to borrow!

2011-12-21T06:16:00.001-08:00

It feels like I haven't blogged in ten years. But I have many, many excuses. I was thinking that some of you might need excuses right around now, so help yourself. Consider this an excuse buffet!

While you are reading my excuses, here are some pictures of my anniversary trip to Gettysburg with my long-suffering DH.

Married for a big old 24! High five to my honey!

Historic Gettysburg is an amazing place, and it was really cool to be there during the Christmas season.

On to my excuses...

1. I was sick. I WAS. I had this cold where you walk around saying things to yourself like "Come on, you aren't that sick! Go wrap some presents!" but then you find yourself drifting over to the couch with a nice warm blanket.

2. Technical difficulties. I did get my new Mac, and it is sweet. However, I have the technical proficiency of a gnat. Very small learning curves are like the Himalayas to me.

3. Shopping. Next year I am starting in June. And I will start wrapping in July. Decorations will go up in August.

4. Family. Oh, here lies a plethora of excuses! Just think of your own relatives. I'm sure they are the reason you are still in your pajamas at dinner time and can't remember your name. Not that I don't love each and every one of you (just in case you are reading my blog, which I am pretty sure you are not)!!

5. Pre-holiday-stress-disorder (PHSD). It needs no explanation. Rabbit in the headlights time.

6. Paper cuts. Free DNA with every gift I have wrapped.

7. Holiday movies. They take time to watch, after all.

(our Christmas tree)

8. Sugar overdose. I have started a new holiday tradition. I have a bag of M&Ms next to me while I wrap presents. Every time I wrap a gift, I pop 3 M&Ms into my mouth.

I'm sure there are more excuses than these. But I have to run to the store to buy more gifts so I can eat more M&Ms.

(our Christmas village)

All excuses and whining aside, I know I am a lucky duck. I'm wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas. Happy Chanukah, too! A safe and healthy 2012 all around!

Laptop=croaked=awol

2011-12-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

Well, it had to happen sometime. My beloved Mac laptop kicked the bucket. I am working on Caity's old HP which has Unix. GAK! I am too old to learn new things! Can you see me kicking and screaming from where you are? No? Well, trust me, I am.

On to holiday cheer!I live in a lovely part of the world. It's near a little town called Mt. Airy. In the historic district is a little shop called Ben Gue's. It's hard to explain this shop except to say that when you walk in, it is packed to the brim with gifts, leaning toward country and folk art. You can hardly move through it without touching something (or maybe that's just me needing a DIET...ahem).

The store has a basement dedicated to Christmas. You walk down narrow stairs into a space crammed with Santas, angels, and snowmen. It is very easy to get lost down there.

Here are a couple of pictures the DH took with his phone. That's my blurry head back there, trying to pick out this year's snowman. What? You don't buy a snowman every year? Huh.
The new snowmen are living in the Snowman Village in the dining room.

Now you are telling me that you don't have a Snowman Village in your dining room?
What is the world coming to?

I am going to post this before I accidentally hit the wrong key and delete it. Good news: a Mac is on the way from Santa!

HO HO HO!!

I'm having a sale!

2011-11-28T05:43:00.000-08:00

Are you still full? I am.
And is it STILL snowing here on my blog. My, my. The weather in BlogWorld has been something else.

This is just a quick post (between leftovers) to let you know I am having a little etsy sale. Everything in my shop is 15% off. Just enter the code MERRY2011 upon checkout (good through December 1st).

Here are a few new things:

Gerald, a jester from the Enchanted Forest

Frida
Josephine

And I couldn't break up Nanette and Roger.

I think I ate an entire pecan pie over the weekend. I mean, there is only one little slice left, and I didn't see anyone else eating it. How did this happen? Is there such a thing as somnambulism pie-eating? I think I slivered it to death. You know, a sliver here, a sliver there. Now if I could only sliver into my jeans.

HO HO HO!

Thankful

2011-11-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year! We get to eat like crazy (stuffing, cranberries, pie!) and think about our lives for an entire day. How cool is this?

There are no gifts to worry over, or wrap - just hanging out. That's my favorite part. I get up early and spend the day in the kitchen. People wander in and out. We eat. We talk. We sip coffee. We switch to wine.

I LOVE this holiday!So, about that thankful part...

I am very thankful to have 'met' so many of you fabulous people here in Blog World. Maybe I haven't seen your mugs in person (yet!), but I feel like I know many of you. I am very thankful for your visits. You make me like human beings more.
I'm thankful for the friends who put up with me year in and year out. Furry friends included.

And for my family (who I suppose COULD act like they don't know me, but they haven't so far).

For income, health insurance, and a safe and beautiful place to live.
And while I am being thankful, I'd like to thank Lorna for my lovely blog prize.
You know I like skellys, and this one is really beautiful. I was very lucky to win it on her blog giveaway. Look at this!Where would I be without art, or writing, or story, which always inspire me?

On Thanksgiving, I hope that you are with people that you love, and that there will be food aplenty. I hope that laughter and memories will be passed around the table with the mashed potatoes and gravy.

Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you!

Play time...

2011-11-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

This is the view out my bathroom window. I think it's the best view in the entire house, which is kind of funny. Now, all the leaves are gone, but last week it was stunning.
I'm going to take a couple of days to catch up on stuff. I have stuff piling up all around me. Writing stuff, art stuff, library books, laundry, life stuff. And there is stuff piling up in my head (mine is currently chanting CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Make gifts NOW!).

I know this time last year I was threatening to give Kraft mac n' cheese in a box as gifts to save money - but this year I am going to make some little gifties for my family. What they are, I have no idea. Maybe I will use Kraft mac n' cheese in a new and artistic way!

So I'm taking a little play time, I will come visit you all, and I will be back with some WIPS in a few days. Be good and slothful.

Strange new paintings..and a strange new doll

2011-11-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

When I was little, my mom used to doodle doll faces when she talked on the phone (she also drew bunches of grapes, but those weren't nearly as interesting). I remember grabbing them after she got off. Her drawings always had ringlets and bee-sting lips. I loved them. So, of course I suppose it makes sense that now I scribble dolls on bits of paper.Sometimes they become dolls or plushies. Sometimes they become grocery shopping lists. But since I have been on a painting kick, I thought I should try painting a couple of them.

Inspiration-wise (for art and for writing), I bought a book called "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern . I haven't read it yet, I'm saving it for my DH to give to me for my birthday. Do you do that? Buy things for your DH (or significant other) to give to you? I am doing it more and more. Pretty soon, he'll be out of the loop completely! But I digress. The book flap (I allowed myself to read that much) got me to thinking about circuses, and mysterious carnivals, and so these little images popped up.

Anne Marie, from a French traveling circus.

Paisley, wandering through a strange garden (perhaps on her way to the circus!).

Lydia with a tree in her hair.

I'm not sure where Reynard, the Fox Prince came from.

Charlotte, with her circus tent skirt.

And of course, Frida made an appearance or two. What can I say? It just happens.
So there are my strange circus-inspired pieces with some added Frida love as well!
Happy November to everyone - I hope you are having a productive month, or at the very least least buying presents for yourself that other people can give to you.

Remembering my furry family members..

2011-10-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

El Dia de Los Muertos is a time to remember and honor loved ones who have passed. Among my loved ones are my furry family members. So when I thought about doing a shrine, St. Francis popped into my head.

Because, frankly, it wouldn't be Heaven without the animals that have given me such unfailing friendship and comfort over the years.So here is St. Francis. He is welcoming some beloved pets into Heaven.And here are pictures of some of the best friends my family has ever had:

We've had dogs who raised our kids, and who I could always count on to keep an eye on them. I always knew where the kids were in the yard. I'd call the dogs, and they would come from the kids' general direction. Over the years they put up with costuming, and being laid upon, and at times, the tears that come with growing up.We've had kitties that have put up with hugs, have happily slept with napping children, and who comforted us through life's bumpy bits. They purred their affection. They played with us. One even learned how to fetch.

Each and every one of our pets had a pure heart and loved us. They are missed.

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men."

- St. Francis of Assisi

My Dolls are in ADQ!

2011-10-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

I just had to share that my 'Peculiar Poppet' dolls are in the November issue of Art Doll Quarterly! I love this magazine, and I am so happy to be included in this beautiful issue.

The Art of Remembering...

2011-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

I've been busily working on my Day of the Dead pieces, and thinking about friends (including many furry and feathered ones) that I have lost over the years.
This painting is called "The Love We Take."
While I was painting, I thought of these lyrics from the Beatles song, Golden Slumbers:

"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make."

I have always loved that line. I think this little skelly is taking a lot of love with him, by the looks of him.I painted this the way I mentioned in my last post. First, I painted the canvas black (about three coats), then drew the design with white paint (a couple of coats), then went back in with the colors. It takes a long time (and many coats!) to get the strength of color I like, but it is a very meditative process, and I love it. I seal the surface with acrylic matte varnish.

I wanted to share a little Day of the Dead card that I made. I got this cardboard form (on the right) from Michael's (in their dollar bin) several weeks ago, but you could use just about any piece of thick cardboard for this. It's a fun way to use up bits and pieces of paper and trim.

Start by painting the background a very bright color. Then take some colored glitter glue and run it around the edges, smearing it with your finger (and get as much on you as you can - so you will look festive!). Spray paint a doily black and cut a piece for the 'gate' background. Glue it down to the card. I just smear glue on the back of the doily, because I am lazy, but you could use spray adhesive and be tidier. Then have fun cutting out Day of the Dead images. I used a digital collage sheet I got on etsy. You can make little houses in front of the gate, or you could make it a scene inside the graveyard, and show flowers and candles.
One thing I have been doing is saving all my Christmas cards for craft fodder. If the cards have foil, or bright colors, they go into a drawer with all my odds and ends (origami paper, felt bits, etc.). I also save foil candy wrappers, and the foil from sealed cans (like the ones that come with canned nuts!). After all, SOMEONE has to eat all that candy and nuts!
After everything is glued on, and before the sequins and felt, spray with varnish. Then add your sequins and felt and you are done!

One last picture: this is the beginning of a small shrine I am making.

So here's to remembering the people and animals that have made our journey on this blue ball worthwhile.

A winner, a WIP and Halloween hodgepodge

2011-10-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings Earthlings!

Gloria! You won my little ornie. If you'll send me your address I will pop it in the mail to you asap.

I wanted to share a few pictures with you on this fine fall day. (Caity took the picture of the little red flowering plant and the heart-hole in the tree. The DH took the one of our road.)Outside it is chilly and cloudy, and the leaves have turned all goldeney-gorgeous. I am sipping a cup of coffee with soy vanilla creamer. Life, she is good!
Here is a picture of our Halloween tree:It is a dead tree, dragged in from the woods, sans wildlife, but full of dead leaves that drop on the carpet. Still, I love it, because here is the thing: the uglier the results, the better! None of that 'the ornaments have to be spaced on the tree perfectly' thing that we will all be doing in a few short weeks. Just slap them up there and sprinkle on some bats. Voila!

I wanted to share two pictures of our dogs.

Sophie the Upstart

Gizmo the Elder

Aren't they cute? Of course they are. Until they aren't. Which usually involves one throwing up on the rug and the other one eating my socks.

Lately, I have been doing a lot of painting, and not very much sewing. That's how it goes with me. Soon I will be doing very little painting and a lot of sewing.

Life balances out.

In case you've been wondering how I paint my skelly paintings, first I paint the canvas black, then I draw the images with white paint, then I go in with all the colors, multiple coats. I have finished a couple of pieces that I will share tomorrow for my Day of the Dead post.
Be good and do something fallish. Which does not include falling.Unless it is into a pile of leaves.

Do not burn the roof of your mouth and other wisdoms plus one last little itsy bitsy Halloween giveaway!

2011-10-18T05:03:00.001-07:00

When attempting to enjoy a lovely cup of tea on a chilly fall morning, wake up first. Otherwise, you could accidentally gulp some down and fry your poor, poor little mouth, who never did anything to you, now did she?

And once you have fried the roof of your mouth, do not:
Suck on a hard candy.
Eat pasta with tomato sauce.
Add insult to injury by stabbing yourself with your toothbrush.

On the bright side, I may have stumbled upon a new (but painful) diet. Ah, well. Lesson learned until the next time!

The daughter came home last weekend and we went for a walk in a park about a mile from our house. We could have just walked into our back yard and into the woods, but I wasn't thinking properly. The roof of my mouth, etc.
It was a glorious day. One of those days that makes putting up with all the other weather we get here completely worth it.

Caity pretended to be a tree.
We found tree barnacles. Who knew?

And we took lots of pictures.
A good time was had by both.
And now, I thought I would squeeze in another little Halloween giveaway.
This is an ornament I made. I think it needs a title like "OH NO THAT TEA WAS TOO HOT TO DRINK!". I will let you think of something brilliant.
If you would like a chance to win this little screaming ghostie ornament, just leave me a comment. I'll pick a winner on Friday, October 21st after 6 pm EST. That way I can hopefully get it in the mail to the winner before Halloween!

Winners and a Field Trip!

2011-10-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

First of all, let's get to those winners! Lori, the Halloween-kitty-powers-that-be chose your number to win Pierre! And Birgit, you've won Ed! He's so excited to be going to live in Germany! So if you send me your addresses, I will pop them in the mail to you. And I will be having another giveaway soon...hopefully in a couple of days, so stay tuned.

Now, on to the field trip! I took my DH on a date. I decided to take him somewhere he would like to go for once (haha), and I picked the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. We've been there before, kids in tow, but it occurred to me that it had great date potential. It's only about a 30-40 minute drive from where we live, and the George Washington Parkway is gorgeous this time of year. If you've never been to D.C., you've missed out on one of our nation's true treasures. The Smithsonian Museums are all free (yes!), and every one of them is fascinating. My personal favorite is the American History Museum. Just drop me off there and let me wander around inside for a few days.We watched the IMAX 3-D movie about the Hubble. It was mind-blowing. The images captured from the telescope coupled with the vastness and stark beauty of space was breathtaking. Add 3-D, and well, it's the closest I will ever get to being an astronaut.

It filled me with all sorts of affection for our little blue planet. I have to say, it was so much fun going without the kids. We got to wander around with no pressure to teach anyone a solitary thing. No worries about anyone being bored. And for once, I actually got to read the info cards on the displays!

Wishing you a lovely fall weekend, full of pumpkins and star-gazing!

A new Day of the Dead Painting

2011-10-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

I finished the painting that I started last week. I hope you see the same things in it that I do: the celebration of life, renewal, and joyful reunion. I am always surprised when I finish a painting at what I see. I think that's because while I'm painting, I'm lost in my own little world, and I only really 'look' at it when I'm done.

'The Reunion'

I just noticed that in the painting the flowering foliage overhead doesn't come from the tree. I am sure this is full of symbolism, because that seems to be how my mind works.
The weather has been so mind-blowingly beautiful lately, that it has been very easy to daydream and remember good times and good people.
I hope you are having lovely wanders of all kinds, too.

Be sure and visit all the other creative folk participating in El Dia de Bloglandia!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my little Halloween giveaway. Just leave a comment here or on my prior post. Pierre and Ed await!

A Halloween giveaway!

2011-10-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Isn't this shadow on the wall amazing? It's because we hung a big old plastic skelly in the entry, and it's back lit from the sunset in the woods. Ooooooeeeeeeeaaaaah! If you are wondering what the round thing next to his head is, it's a disco ball. I am not even kidding. Caity hung a disco ball in our living room last year (or the year before, who knows, it gets plenty crazy here) and there it has stayed. It blends perfectly with the Georgian style of our home. Not. ;)

But you aren't interested in THAT! I'm having a giveaway. I was in the Halloween spirit (maybe it was the disco ball, who knows), and found these two fellas that need a good home.

This is Pierre, the kitty. He wears his love of Halloween on his chest.
And this is Ed. He would love to hang from your Halloween tree, or dangle next to the fuzzy dice in your car. He's not picky.

Just leave any old comment, and I will enter your name in the magic hat. I'll pick a winner next Thursday, October 13th after 6pm EST. I'm hoping to have one more Halloween giveaway to get us in the mood for Fall.

Okay, now I think I'll switch on the disco ball and see what happens.

Sharing my DOTD shelves

2011-10-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

There is a pine hutch in our dining room. The DH and I bought it long ago, as an unfinished (cheap!) furniture piece. A billion years later, we finally varnished it. Before that though, we hammered nails into its sides, and hung Christmas lights, birthday banners, and Halloween ghosts from its shelves, depending on the season. It's not fancy, or proper, and it lives by the rule "More is more!" We pack many beloved ornaments and prints on top of its shelves, along with things that my own kids have made over the years. In the last few years, Day of the Dead art has begun to have its due and make an appearance there.
No matter what we display, I love the amber hues the pine gives. It's quickly becoming my very favorite thing to decorate. Every time I look at this hutch, I remember my family and the times we have shared together.

Here are a few of my Day of the Dead pieces. Some are mine, and some you might recognize from other artists here in Blog Land.
Happy Autumn! It's a season for remembrance, I think. Here's hoping yours are all good memories.

New work, WIPs and fungi...

2011-09-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm popping in to share a few things, and to remind you all that it's time to get those Halloween trees up! We've decorated our dead tree from the woods, and I'll take some pics to share soon.

I finished one little Halloween skelly dude that is headed to my etsy shop.

I discovered Triple Thick (like I needed a new art supply). It's perfect for making small areas really glossy (lips, eyes, etc.).

I also finished my Haunted House. It used to look like this:

Now it looks like this:

(One side is more Halloween-like, and the other is DOTD-ish. I think this one is staying here because Caity likes it.)
I've started working on two Day of the Dead projects to share.

One painting:
And one that will be more of a shrine (I hope!). Can you see who this is on the right?
No? Well, I don't know what is wrong with you.
I guess it will have to be a surprise.

On to the fungus among us!

This is growing on our garage.

And this is in our front yard.(pics by DH)

I do love them. I'm going to try and get out to the woods and take some more pictures to share.
Happy Fall, all!

And it has three rings...

2011-09-19T03:49:00.000-07:00

I think I've joined a circus. The Smallcomb Circus.
I just wish I had a pet elephant to prove it.
We've been busy selling my mom's condo and moving stuff out.
We've been shuffling sons into new bedrooms, now that Alex's is empty for awhile (sob).
We've been purging and staging stuff to donate.
We've been decorating for Halloween, which is no small task at this circus, lemme tell you.
It involves finding a dead tree in the woods (thank you DH!) and dragging it into the house (hopefully without wildlife), and decorating it (thank you, Caity!).
I haven't been blogging, or making art nearly as much as I would like to.
I have been writing every day. Which is a different kind of work. Pleasant work, except when I can't figure out something, or I write a sucky bit. Then it's not as pleasant.
Overall, life is swell, the weather is wonderful, and we can Skype with our son in Madrid when we get homesick for him. ;)

And although I didn't start anything new, I did finish some pieces that have been asking nicely.

I used the one-step crackle at Michael's on this last little guy, and it seems to be working. Just remember to put it on thick, and let it completely dry.
Okay, the circus is calling! I wish these ringmaster pants weren't so darn tight.

Meet Roger

2011-09-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

This is Roger. He has been waiting very patiently for me to post his picture.
Wait! What's this? Roger has spotted someone!
Why, it is the lovely Nanette from a billion blog posts ago (she has been waiting patiently for Roger).

After pretending not to notice each other...

I do believe love has finally bloomed.

Life has been full of changes lately, some good, some not-so-good, which is life in a nutshell.
We said good-bye to Alex at the airport last week, and he is now living in Madrid. That's a happy change, even though we will all miss him very much. But he is off on an amazing adventure!

It has been an eventful week, and I for one, intend to sit back, put my feet up and do nothing in particular. I am currently watching my dogs nap, and that's as much excitement as I want.
Roger and Nanette on the other hand, may need some supervision.

Backyard critters...

2011-09-02T05:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it was the rain, or the hurricane, or what, but Casa Smallcomb has been crawling with critters lately. First, the other night, I opened the front door to let the dogs out, and a big toad jumped inside. Like he had wanted to ring the doorbell, but couldn't quite reach. I would have gotten a picture (he was big and fat!), but I was trying to keep 2 dogs and 3 cats from doing him harm.

Then, the other morning, I reached down to pick up what I thought was black yarn (I really need to clean my glasses, evidently), and it was one of these little guys:Northern ringneck? Southern ringneck? Anyway, he has a ringed neck. I found this pic on the internet.

And guess what? He brought a friend! Two snakes! How fun! Not. Thankfully, the DH was home and he wrangled them on to the deck.

The insects are invading. Stinkbugs are looking for places to hide for the winter. These guys are serious pests, and are giving the farmers headaches. Two different kinds, right? Yikes. And we have these gigantic European hornets that are girdling my poor lilac bush. They aren't completely horrible (rather passive for hornets), and they eat garden pests. Unfortunately they eat the poor bees, too.
Last, but not least, deer. These are pics from my back yard.
Life at the edge of the woods is never dull. One last pic. I have decided not to eat beef (or try not to, anyway - working my way down the food chain to vegetarianism!), but I must have forgotten this a couple of weeks ago when the DH and I went out to lunch.

(all pics taken by the DH. I was too busy screaming, running or eating.)

Chiliburger and iced tea. This just harkens back to my early childhood in Texas. Is there anything better? And I think the knife through the bun is a lovely touch.

El Dia de Bloglandia!

2011-08-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

Last week was pretty wacky here in the Mid-Atlantic. Thankfully, all my chicks are safe and sound, the ground has settled, and the winds have died down. Bonus: the power is on!

I wanted to tell you all about a blog event coming up. It's El Dia de Bloglandia! Rebecca (from Recuerda mi Corazon) and Stephanie (Mango Studio) are hosting a blog event, where you can visit blogs on November 1st and 2nd and see how other people are celebrating the Day of the Dead. Rebecca has a lovely post up now introducing the event called "The Art of Remembering". They'll be posting every Sunday in October as well, so we can all get a glimpse of what people are making, and how and who they are remembering.

I'll be making a piece of art, in remembrance of all the people I have loved and lost, and in celebration of everyone who is still here with me.

Here is a piece I did a year ago called "Alone With My Thoughts." I used a small wooden box that a men's wallet came in (how come women's wallets don't come in cool wooden boxes, heh?), and odds and ends from the Never-Ending-Craft-Supply-Vault (a.k.a., my bedroom).

I hope you'll join in! I believe there is a lot to be gained in taking time to remember the people (and animals) that have enriched our lives. El Dia de Los Muertos gives us a chance to join together in our remembrances of loved ones and, at the same time, to celebrate life. Perhaps, at this special time, the veil between our worlds is lifted, and our souls visit.

I would love to think so.

Two new dolls and a Pencil Tips blog book giveaway!

2011-08-23T05:12:00.000-07:00

It's the last week of summer vacation. I guess I can fold up that do-list and put it away until June! That's okay, because I am thrilled to report there is a hint of FALL in the air. I am downright giddy. It's time to put my Halloween counter back at the top of my blog!

It was a busy summer, and I had lots of those 'family things' that took front and center like they sometimes do. I squeaked in a couple of new dolls. I am going to list them on etsy in this decade.

This is Rosalind.
Lola and her pet ghostie.

Now for the book giveaway! As you may or may not know, I am a children's author. I write on another blog called "Pencil Tips". We write about the craft of writing, and also about our experiences helping kids to write. Our blog is having a giveaway each month for sixth months. There will be a signed book from each one of the contributing authors/illustrators. A signed children's book would make a really special gift for the holidays, and my fellow bloggers are awesome and amazing!

I'm first up to bat in September, I am giving away a signed copy of I'M NOT. If you are a writer, teacher, home-schooler, book lover, parent (or know one) and would like to enter, just hop over here and leave a comment. Your comment could be, "Hi Pam!". Any old comment will do. We're trying to get the word out about the blog. Thank you so much in advance!

I am organizing my work area here, and I'll have my own giveaway soon. I am finding all sorts of things I had forgotten about. Why am I organizing my bedroom, you ask? Because I can't find my wedding ring.

It's in there somewhere.

The winner and a couple of summer pics...

2011-08-14T07:09:00.001-07:00

First of all, I swear I let the random number picker pick. And the random number picker decided that Anne needed a Frida ornie. I will get it in the mail to you next week, Anne!

And before I forget, some of you were asking about crackle finishes. I have been using Anita's two-step fine crackle (that I used to get at Michael's) and I just found out it has been discontinued. Kaput. Grrrrrrrr.

So, I am on the hunt for a new product. I visited the Cloth & Clay Doll site and read the chat there on crackle. Several people recommend Jo Sonja crackle, so I am going to order some on-line and I'll let you know if it works. Others said they had success with Deco Art one step crackle finish.

Another tip I have read is that if you are going to crackle something porous, like a canvas (or a paper clay doll), you might want to seal the surface before you try and crackle it. This makes sense to me, since otherwise the crackle could just seep into the surface.

More than you needed to know about crackling, I am sure.

Onward! Here are some summer pics!

A visitor to our deck. The DH took these pictures, and I love this first one. Scary dude. I think this would make an awesome Halloween card.

And here is Alex with the grandhedge, my pretend grandchild. He's visiting while Caity gallivants around in a summer-like fashion.
Okay, I'm off to read a story to the grandhedge, and give him a meal worm treat. We'll have another giveaway soon. I have discovered I like giving things away! Weeeee!

Catching up and a little giveaway

2011-08-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does the world seem to be extra wonky these days? When I go to my Yahoo page for the news, I squint (just like I do in scary movies). I'm not sure it helps.

Anyhoo, because these are such tough days for folks, I thought a teensy little giveaway was in order. This little Frida ornament might perk you up when you feel like hiding under the covers (with the a/c on full blast). The front has Frida, and the back has a vintage cactus image. Just leave a comment, and I will draw a winner on Saturday, August 13 after 6pm EST.

As for me, summer is swooshing by. The DH and I escaped to Annapolis for an overnight adventure. I had never been there before. It's the state capitol! (I need to get out more.)They had an art fair in the street which we happened upon.

I loved the historic part of the city. It slopes gently down to the City Dock, and is chock full of history (including pirates!). It was so flipping hot and humid the day we were there, that it took the edge off of the fun factor, but luckily Annapolis is full of quaint restaurants and pubs that you can duck into for refreshments.

A pub called the Sly Fox.

Dinner at O'Brien's Pub (rockfish with crab and mushrooms).

Chick and Ruth's - you might have seen it on Man vs. Food.

Tempting, tempting.

I hope everyone is enjoying summer! It's hard with no money, hot weather and a crummy economy, I know. Maybe we should share some life strategies. Here are some of mine:

I will keep our beige car even though I don't like it.
The kitchen counters will stay put. Sigh.
Pasta will be served more often (and I thought I was serving it plenty often before!).
I will donate more of the stuff I have (and I have plenty). People need it.
I am going to try and smile more. It's free.

How hot is it...?

2011-07-29T14:54:00.001-07:00

Hot enough to be inside all day with the a/c on, thinking about fall and Halloween.
So hot that a Baltimore radio station is streaming Christmas carols on its website.
And even Sophie doesn't want to go outside.

To cool off, I made some ornaments featuring Halloween royalty.

This is the other side of the Skelly Princess.

The faces are made from sculpey, and I've collaged the front and back. I've done a crackle finish on their faces (I think I have finally gotten the hang of it).

Here's a Pumpkin Princess.

Here is the back side of the Pumpkin Princess.

Next I am going to try a witch and some ghosties. They will all head over to my etsy shop.
And I found this chunk of wood at the thrift store and snapped it up for a quarter. It's going to be a haunted house, I think.It need lots and lots of layers.

If it is still hot next week, I am moving on to Christmas ornaments. Lots of snowmen. Maybe a Christmas Yeti. I might eat ice cream while I work. Strap a ziplock full of ice cubes to my head.
Ho ho ho.

Scary Barbie revealed...

2011-07-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Since it is as hot as Hades outside, I thought I should try and take your mind off of the weather.
Scary Barbie should do the trick.
Remember when she looked like this?

Aw, so sweet and innocent.
Ever cheerful, in spite of being hair-challenged.

Well, she looks a little different now.

Barbie doll from a thrift store - $1.00
Barbie dress from China - $4.00 (including shipping! How is that possible?)
----------------------------------------------
Total investment $5.00

Transforming Barbie into a scary lady? Priceless.

Technically, she still isn't finished. I have to varnish her and do some touch-up. I was going to paint all sorts of skelly stuff on her, but when I saw her face with all that white, I was scared enough. She's a very spooky girl!

Summer collages

2011-07-14T05:58:00.001-07:00

Summer Pros:

Warmth.
Butterflies.
Fireflies.

Summer Cons:

Warmth.
Mosquitoes.
Wasps.

I've been busily trying to put a dent in the weed population (and losing), but I slipped in some time to make a couple of collages, because I had an overwhelming desire to use paper, scissors and glue.

This one is titled "Unrequited Love". Theirs is a difficult relationship. For one thing, they move in completely different social circles.

This one is titled "Loves Me, Loves Me Not". I had a vision of a flower that had hearts and thorns for petals.

Good news! Barbie's dress came from China in record time! I was gobsmacked. I think it got here more quickly than if it had been mailed from somewhere within the USA.

On my do-list:
Finish scary Barbie.
Plant the perennials before they kick the bucket.
See Harry Potter.

I hope you are all having some fun in the sun. If not, please play hooky and have some.

Frida dolls for Frida's birthday!

2011-07-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday, Frida!

To me, Frida is a symbol of resilience. She endured a lot of pain in life, but she kept her shoulders squared, and kept on living. Not just living, but creating art and mentoring other artists. (Not to mention, she was feisty as all get out.)

I've had some pain in my own life. We all have. When I start to get a case of the boo-hoos, I think of Frida, and the other people I have known that have faced down personal demons (physical and mental) and tried hard to keep enjoying life.

So I have made these little Frida dolls. I might keep one (I really have to stop doing that!), but I will definitely be listing 2 in my etsy shop.
My hope is that whoever buys one will keep her nearby as a reminder: life is good. Keep creating. Keep your chin up. And by all means, stay feisty.

Summertime...

2011-07-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

And the living is easy.
The beach was wonderful. I loved the pelicans the best, I think. Watching them ride the air above the waves was very relaxing.
It was uncrowded and really beautiful.

I would show you lots of pictures of us in swimsuits, but that is against Smallcomb Family law.

But I can't resist showing you this one...an unknown (hee hee) teen exiting the water.
All photos are from the DH's talented self.

Meanwhile, Barbie is waiting for her new dress to arrive from China. Yes, China. I bid on an Ebay dress that seemed perfect for her scary little self, and AFTER I won the bid on Ebay, I saw it was being shipped from China.

Lesson learned: always check the seller's location before bidding.

I expect to see it before Christmas.
I am taking a few days to get caught up on...blech...housework.
Trust me, it needs it.

The Time Fairy...

2011-06-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

You might not remember but I started this little piece months ago, when I made a paper doll head. I do that kind of thing when I can't think of what to make, or what to write.

She's been sitting on my table, waiting for me to finish her, but I couldn't think of her story. Why DID she have that skull in her hair?

Because she's a Time Fairy, that's why. The skull is a reminder. Tick, tock.
I finished the edges with gold tissue paper and then added a crackle finish.
We're getting ready to go on vacation. Chaos prevails. I can't find anything, and yet I am sure I will pack everything but the kitchen sink (I'd pack that, too, but it's attached!). When I get back, I am going to finish Barbie's makover and have her reveal. I need to think about how to dress her. Maybe something will pop up alongside the road. Kidding.

Have a wonderful weekend all, and I will see you all in a week or so.

A new doll and a Barbie update...

2011-06-13T04:58:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a new kind of skelly doll. This is Lurline.
Lurline is made from sculpey. I made all her bones separately and then tied them together with embroidery thread and a little glass bead. I have to say, I have fallen in love with her, so I'm going to keep this one. Besides, I need to have her around to help me tweak the design some.
I had this great black fabric from the 'after Halloween' sale at JoAnns. Igor and I rediscovered it while tidying the lab.
I shaded her face with colored pencils and then gave all her little bones a crackle finish. Before I tied them together, I gave each bone (and her head) several coats of matte varnish (except for her teeth, I used gloss on those so they would shine!). She has glass bead eyes for sparkle. I decided she needed some kind of hat, so I hand-stitched one from felt and black glass beads. Of course, she needed a necklace. I'm going to be making some of these for my etsy shop. I think they would look great sitting next to a Halloween pumpkin, or maybe I should put a loop on her back so she can hang from a Halloween tree?

Speaking of hanging around, here's Barbie lounging in a teacup. She's wearing her special 'beauty mask'. (Shhhh, don't tell her it's really gesso!) I'm telling you, Barbie is VERY different from this picture now. She is scaring me. I can't wait to scare you, too.

Have a fabulous week! (And remember, gesso is NOT a beauty mask! Unless you are a Barbie...)

When it's hot outside...

2011-06-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

...it can get a little spooky inside Casa Smallcomb. While Barbie is off at the 'spa' getting her new look, I decided to play with textures on canvas. I decided what these little canvases needed was some skelliness.

This one is called "Home, Sweet Home". I used all sorts of gel mediums, and tissue paper and crackle on the canvas before I added the sweet little skelly girl.

"Best Friends"

These are small canvases, about 3 x 5. They are the perfect size for spooky little experiments.

"Lou Anne"
You can see the paper doily I used in the background. One thing I am learning, if I want the background to have any color left after I crackle-finish it, I have to start with really bright colors. The background colors for Lou Anne were bright red and yellow.

Okay, that's enough weirdness for now. I'll go call the spa and see how Barbie is doing.

Igor and I were cleaning the laboratory...

2011-06-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

...and I discovered some new victims...er...I mean dolls I bought at the thrift store a while ago.

This Barbie cost me an entire dollar. Why did I buy her? (Yes, I can hear you asking.) Well, because she bends at the knees and elbows, of course.

And some one has already cut off all her hair, so I know she would have been in the thrift store doll box a long, long, time. When I bought her, the lady at the counter gave me a weird look and said (to the doll), "Poor thing."

I have issues with Barbie. It's because of her that I had unrealistic expectations concerning my body. Let me tell you, it was a shock to grow up and not have a 9 inch waist and a 40 inch bust.
For that matter, Ken sure took his sweet time. So the least I can do is give Barbie a slight makeover, right? He he.

Now some would argue that these 3 little dolls are cute. I don't happen to agree. I think they are already pretty creepy. I paid 75 cents for the 3 of them. They aren't good toys for kids, so I think I am doing the world a favor by giving them a holiday makeover (Come on, guess which holiday!).

Igor agrees.

So things are a little busy down here in the lab. I have lots of new work to post, but tomorrow is high school graduation for Pat, where we will sit in the sun and bake like clams. Actually, we will steam like clams.

I wanted to end this post on a happy note, so here are some flowers from my DH.
Now I've got to go. Igor is putting seasoning salt on the dolls. That's never a good sign.

Before and after and a new doll...

2011-05-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

I had a great time at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. The best thing, of course, were the kids. We made paper aliens. :)

I am very behind on posting new work, but I wanted to share a 'before and after 'skelly, and a new doll I made.

This is the before:
Here is the after:

Adalina

And here is a new doll I stitched up. She has a friend, and I will post him soon.

Nanette

Every now and then I have to make a rag doll. I love them. I remember Caity collected them when she was little. She didn't like plastic dolls, just the cloth ones. The little desk is a thrift store find that I use in a lot of pics.

And now I will put on my cape and whip up a fantastic, well-balanced dinner while simultaneously washing the dishes AND the laundry! Ta da da daaaaaaaa!

Happy evening all!

Graduation and National Collapse Day

2011-05-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

Graduation was bittersweet. Another chick grown and ready to leave the nest. We are so proud of him. Watching him walk across the stage (as a tiny dot) at the Comcast Center was amazing.

Here is Alex then.

Here is Alex now.

Congratulations, to our Biology AND Foreign Language major (he got a second bachelor's in Spanish). How he did this I have no idea. I barely made it to my B.A. Alex will be moving to Madrid to teach English for a year before deciding on the next phase of his life.

Since it is National Collapse Day, I will be signing off for the day to enjoy being a proud mama hen. I plan on puttering around. Perhaps I will pull a weed or two. Write a sentence. Draw a skelly. I might try and go to a movie today, if I can muster the energy. Happy Sunday, all!

A winner and a graduation!

2011-05-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for such lovely comments about EARTH TO CLUNK. I have been so crazy busy I haven't had a chance to reply to each of you, but just hug yourselves good and hard from me, and ignore the looks you get when you do.

The winner of the book and MOOKIE is Bella! Bella, send me your address (my email is in my profile) and I will pop them in the mail to you next Monday.

Tomorrow, I am going to go see my oldest graduate from college. I cannot believe it. I think it was the day before yesterday that he was in diapers. Hahaha - oh, he would love to read THAT sentence. I will be sure to bring Kleenex. I'm one of those types. And I will try and remember the camera.

On Saturday I am going to be speaking at the Gaithersburg Book Festival (drop by if you are in Maryland!).
Sunday I plan on collapsing. Big time.
Monday I will be back on my game. Not sure what that game is exactly. Maybe ping-pong.
Or Tiddly-winks.Never fear! We'll have another giveaway soon!

EARTH TO CLUNK and a Giveaway!

2011-05-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

NEWS FLASH: I've been visited by an alien!

A cute one named Clunk.

And right in the nick of time! I think we can all agree that life can be stressful as all get-out, tedious even, and that some weeks, it really does feel like you are trapped in a hamster cage busily wearing out your sneakers.

But every now and then, the trough becomes a crest, and we get a chance to celebrate. I'm having one of those moments!

This week my new book, EARTH TO CLUNK, came out. Yippee! I love the artwork by Joe Berger! His style is what I think of as "fresh retro". I adore my editor and my agent (shout-outs to Jessica Garrison and Jim Proimos!). They have all worked so hard to make my story into a real live book. So thank you, Joe, Jessica, Jim and all the good folks at Dial for making it happen.

Of course, to properly celebrate, I have to have a giveaway. So I am giving away a signed EARTH TO CLUNK and a buddy to go with it!

Here is Mookie. She's a great book buddy. I'm not sure what planet she is from, but she tells me they are all vegans.She likes to read books about ice cream. Vegan ice cream. Which are hard books to find. Maybe you have one at home?

She's a good listener. She will never interrupt you while you read.Best news of all: Mookie is always happy.

Just leave me a comment, and I will put your name in the hat. I'll pick the winner next Wednesday, May 18th after 6pm. To all of my friends who visit me here/there, FB and Flickr, and who have so generously encouraged me, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Hugs all around!

Whew...so it's May now?

2011-05-10T05:13:00.000-07:00

Just for the record, I have been jamming down on the Time Accelerator's brake hard, and now smoke is billowing out from under the casing. If it seems like time is whizzing by at an alarming rate, well, that's because it is!

I had a lovely Mother's Day. I got to talk to all of my kids (we have 6 between the two of us) and I saw 3 in person. Them are good odds.

This is a busy month. We have one graduating from college. One graduating from high school. Kids moving home for the summer. Cars to get fixed. A middle school band concert to attend. I am supposed to give a presentation (gulp!). I have a book coming out this week! Ah, chaos! Don't you love it?

Here are some new pieces I have finished. I work on them at the same time I push the brake on the Time Accelerator. I can multi-task like the dickens.

Poppy

The Birdwatcher

Mr. Raven
Wanda
Harvey

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I apologize for missing your blog posts. I am going to be having a giveaway VERY soon, along with a copy of my new book, EARTH TO CLUNK. And after the 21st of May I will become a normal person. Well, normal for me, anyway.

Finished dolls...

2011-04-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy last few days. Patrick had his surgery (thank you all for your well wishes!). He's fine, and getting lots of gaming time in. Not to mention he has his mother waiting on him.

I wanted to post the rest of the WIPs and also the finished dolls (before I forget).

When we last left our dolls in the laboratory, they were patiently waiting for body parts.
Little Frida needed arms.

To attach the arms I use copper wire and glass beads.

Make a little loop with the needle-nose pliers, thread a bead and then thread the other end through the doll.

Snip the wire, leaving just enough to thread another bead and turn a loop.
I decided this little Frida needed some flowers. I cut small circles with my pinking shears and stacked them up. I used a little glass bead for the center.
I attached them using Fabric Tac (you can use any old glue, I imagine, but Fabric Tac is quick to set, and very sticky).
It's hard to tell from my fabulous photo, but I put a little 'bun' of black yarn under the flowers.
Last time we saw Pansy (the pink doll with the window on her chest), she was waiting for her head to be attached. I decided to put her hair on first, in a weak attempt not to get Fabric Tac all over her. I used soft pink yarn.
I attached her head to her body with copper wire (about the thickness of a toothpick) and E6000.

I attached her arms (and legs) the same way I did little Frida's. I forgot to mention that I seal each piece of the doll with several coats of varnish, and then let them sit around and 'cure' for a few days before I assemble them.And now for their close-ups!

Frida

Pansy
I decided that she needed a little friend to hold.And if you've stuck with me this far, here are some pictures of springtime in jolly old Maryland!

The wind blew the blossoms on to the driveway. It looks like snow, but thankfully, isn't!
This was our view from our deck last night.

Pretty soon we will be looking at a wall of green. I love the branches against the sunset. I saw my first bat last night, and so summer must be right around the corner. Have a wonderful holiday weekend, all!

Spring break and some WIPS

2011-04-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

Since Patrick fell on his skateboard and broke his foot, our Spring Break will be here at home this year. Poor Pat had plans to go with friends to a beach house, but instead he will be having foot surgery and hanging out on our couch. I told him this was not what Spring Break meant (insert rim shot and laugh track here).

Here are some pics of a few new pieces I am working on. (I'm sorry about the crummy photos, I am not a photographer. 'Nuff said.) When I say I work in a 12 inch square, I am not kidding. Actually, I think it's 8x10. :)

Anyhoo, first I made the parts (ultra light sculpey), baked, sanded, then gessoed them.

I checked to make sure the head, arms and legs all fit together. There is my little zombie friend in the background. He watches me work.

I painted the arms and legs with a couple of coats of acrylic. You can see my Halloween guy patiently waiting for his arms. He's been waiting for a couple of weeks now.

This doll's head has been shaded with colored pencils. I decided to use two beads for her eyes (they are cheaper than doll's eyes).

This is another little doll in this 'batch'.

I am using the same color pink on both dolls. No particular reason, I just like it.
I collaged a little heart to Frida, and a gothic window to the other doll (who is nameless still, poor thing!). The legs are shiny because of the crackle I use. Once I paint over it with another color, it dulls down.

Frida finally got some eyes.

I'll wire her arms on after I am finished drawing on her, and sealing her with varnish.Next, I'll paint on any details, or add flowers and hair. Hopefully, I'll get these done in the next couple of days and post them so you can see the 'afters'. Even more hopefully, I hope they turn out well. Even more hopefully than that, I hope you are all having a great weekend.

Thank yous and Spring a mish mash

2011-04-12T05:13:00.001-07:00

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments about the Frida collage. I am happy to say that she sold (thank you, Wendy!) and the money has been donated. I would love to do this again, but somehow I'd like YOU to get credit for the donation, so I will have to think on that.

Baked Skelly head says "Thank you!"

I got a lovely gift in the mail from the equally lovely Lori. I won this on her blog! I have been secretly desiring one for months, and now that I see it in person, I know why. Her 'green sleeves' are beautiful (and green!). I will be the envy of everyone at Starbuck's. Thank you, Lori!

On another topic all together (it's me, after all), my DH got a "late Christmas, Anniversary, early birthday and Father's Day" gift from me. He got an iPad. The thing is amazing. Now I want one.
Here are Caity and Patrick playing Angry Birds. Which is addicting, I have to say.

Over the weekend, I got started on buying flowers for the garden and deck. Let's hope this year I actually DO something with them, and not just set them out by the back door and water them in their nursery containers. We can only hope.

This one was a center piece at a Children's Book Guild luncheon. I happily adopted it.
I splurged and bought tomato plants. Weeee!

And speaking of hope and Spring, here is what I see when I look over the edge of my deck these days. I love flowering cherry trees!
If you haven't had enough of me (ha!), pop over to my friend Jim's blog. He's posted an interview of moi. Check out his amazing books, too. SWIM, SWIM is one of my favorites.Thank you, Jim!

Happy Spring, and thank you all again for the good words and good deeds.

A small Frida for the Japanese Red Cross

2011-04-09T06:08:00.001-07:00

I know many of us are heavy-hearted about the Japanese quake and tsunami, as am I. I grew up in Southern California, and experienced more than one quake. I can't even begin to imagine what the Japanese people are going through. The tsunami is nightmare material, and now radiation is affecting every aspect of their lives, including planting their rice crops.

The need for help is going to go on for a very long time. I have notice many blogger and etsy friends are offering artwork for sale, and then donating the sale amount to aid organizations. I'd like to add a small drop to that wonderful creative bucket!
The proceeds of this small Frida collage ($27 plus $3 shipping), will be donated to the Red Cross and earmarked to be used to assist the Japanese Red Cross in their relief efforts. I will email you a copy of the receipt from Red Cross when I make the $30 donation.

Frida will be listed in my etsy shop tomorrow. She measures 5" square, and is ready to hang!
For years and years I have made collages. I love cutting and pasting. It's great therapy. Do you want me to be happy? Leave me in a room with paper, glue and scissors. Add a cup of hot tea, and I will be in there for days. The colors in this are very vibrant, but for some weird reason I have trouble getting red to come out in my pics.
While you are blog-hopping this weekend, visit Bella's blog to see her lovely offering with Ces. So much talent in BlogWorld!

I am ready to plant some flowers and start my garden. I need to see something grow, don't you?

Frida skelly with marigolds

2011-04-05T05:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have not finished one single piece that I showed you in the last post.

Instead I made a completely different piece!
This is a skelly Frida. I collaged a small picture of Frida and Diego to her chest. I like this photo. I think they both look happy, and I like to imagine that this was a good day for both of them.

Some people are afraid of skulls, but skulls are often used as a symbol of death and rebirth (especially if depicted with wings). Perfect for Spring!
I made some felt marigolds for her head. Marigolds are an interesting flower. In Mexico they are known as "flores del muerto" or "flowers of the dead." Their scent is believed to attract the spirits of the dead during The Day of the Dead, so they are laid on altars and around graves.

Their history in Mexico goes back to Aztec times. Of course, the Spanish showed up and forbade their magical and religious use, but see how they have stayed in the culture? It's a nod to those Aztec roots. I love that.

The Spanish explorers loved the flowers and took the seeds back to Spain. They were grown in monastery gardens, made their way to the rest of Europe and Africa, and finally back to us in the USA (after the Revolutionary War).

Marigolds are also used as offerings in many Hindu ceremonies. They've been used as an herb for medicinal purposes by many cultures.

One little flower that has such a well-traveled history, and continued use in our world.
I will have to try and plant some this year.

And now you can see how getting off on a tangent is one of my specialties.

April showers and works in process...

2011-04-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

We've had rain and drizzle, and even some snow (north of me, thankfully!). The grass is getting greener, and my daffodils are blooming, in spite of the chill. Meanwhile, I'm cooking up a new batch of things.

Do you work like this? I am all over the place. These are only some of what I've started. I couldn't bring myself to show you ALL the unfinished things I have scattered everywhere. And for those of you who are writers, I do the same thing with my writing!

Eventually, I do finish things. Mostly.
Here are three Fridas (I think they are Fridas) and a Pumpkin doll I've started.
In this mixed batch I see a partially painted robot (it's like I SPY!), a bird doll, two doll heads, some skelly...not sure...maybe buttons? Oh, and I discovered some vintage candy molds hidden in my cupboard, and made some polyclay ones just to see what would happen.
Here is a doll, patiently waiting for me to paint her. I kind of like the way she looks now, but I'll paint her anyway. She wants me to, and one must listen to one's dolls (just don't have conversations with them in public).Okay, back to the trenches. Let's see what else I can start!
I hope you are all having a lovely first day of April, and getting lots of creating time.

Happy birthday, Vincent

2011-03-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I really got to know Vincent. I was about thirteen years old, and having a year that wasn't so wonderful. On hot summer Mojave days, I would get dropped off at the library, just to have something to do, and in a place that was peaceful and delightfully air-conditioned.

I remember taking out a stack of art books. I have always loved to draw, and to read about artists. Looking at Vincent's work, really looking at it, I fell in love with his passion. You could see it in his brush strokes, his colors, and the amazing amount of art he produced in his life.

These were reasons enough to be friends with Vincent, but then I read about his life. For me, struggling as I was to fit in, to find myself, and to make sense of the things going on around me, it was as if Vincent reached through time and put a finger on my heart. I felt his pain, and a connection was made. This has only happened to me one other time, and that was later, in college, with Frida Kahlo.

I am grateful to Vincent. He was my first teacher of color. He taught me to break the rules with art. Most of all, he was a friend when I needed one. I wish I could have returned the favor.

Happy birthday, Vincent, and thank you.

Anvil reinforcement and some new work

2011-03-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

You'll be happy to know that I have applied a second fishing line to help support the weight of the dangling anvil. I used E6000, which I think is just the ticket.

I've been busily working in the laboratory. What? I am having a bad hair day.
Turns out that Sweet Charlotte has a big sister.Meet Enchanting Ettie.

Smile Ettie!

Aw, little pumpkin girls and their ghosties. Ettie's ghostie is a little cold, and some of his ectoplasm has crystalized.

This is Geneve, a panda girl.

And these two are called Luther and Silas. They are teeny Halloweenies.

Luther

Silas

Is it my imagination, or does Geneve look nervous?

Yes, definitely nervous.

I think I might have a slight Sculpey Ultra Light addiction. I find it's the perfect thing to play with while waiting for dinner to finish cooking (just don't drop it in the pasta water!), or when you are really supposed to be doing unpleasant things like paying bills. Or working. I think about it when I'm not using it (isn't that a sign of addiction!?!). If only I could take it grocery shopping with me.

Anvils and new work

2011-03-23T03:49:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been feeling like there is an anvil hanging over my head, attached above by one scrawny fishing line.
Attached to what, I wonder.
But I supposed we all have anvils dangling over our heads.
Maybe the trick is not to look up!

Life is keeping me hopping lately, and so I want to apologize for not visiting all my friends here.
Hopefully life will settle down, and the anvil will have a second (stronger) fishing line attached to it soon.

Here are two new pieces from my laboratory.Frida

Annabella Annabella, Frida and Nestor

Keep moving forward, and try to ignore the anvil.

What do I want to be when I grow up?

2011-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Like there is any chance I will grow up.

Old and saggy, oh yeah. I'm growing there at warp speed.

Mature? Not so much.

I have come to the conclusion that I stink at being an adult. Good news is - I am getting too old to even try! At this point, why bother?

But here is my list, anyway. Let's call it my Adult-Challenged Wish List (ACWL, for short):

I want to be a writer when I grow up.
But I only want to write what I want to write and nothing else. Except the occasional grocery list.
I want to write picture books. Chapter books. Maybe some weirdly strange novel that I get to illustrate myself. I could print it out and stand on a street corner.
"Weirdly strange books! Get your weirdly strange books while they're hot!"
I want to be an artist when I grow up.
Folk art, and art dolls. Fridas and skellys, supplemented with whatever catches my fancy.
Assemblage art. Robots. Aliens. Chickens. Stuff like that.
Maybe I could join a group on Etsy. The Alien Chicken Frida Skelly Team.

I want to be a better human when I grow up.
Help people. I want to remember those manners I had drilled into my head back in Benbrook, Texas. Go the extra mile now and then. Stop sniveling ('sniveling' is one of the best words, ever, btw). Stop obsessing over 'me' and put some energy back into the world.

It's helpful, I think, to look at your life every now and then and make sure you haven't taken a detour that will have you catapulting off a creative cliff. Or any cliff, for that matter.

ACWL completed. Now all I have to do is act on it. Ay, Scotty, there's the rub.

Some more skellys...

2011-03-11T04:27:00.000-08:00

I've been making some dolls with poly clay. I'm adding some collage elements to these dolls, which I am very happy about. I discovered Sculpey Ultra Light, which is much nicer to work with than regular sculpey (which is like concrete, in my humble opinion). I like Creative Paperclay, too, but the advantage of the sculpey is no drying time. Just finish your piece and pop it in the oven! Viola! Skellys that you can sand and paint!
I guess I am always in a hurry, or pressed for time. I should work on relaxing. I'll get right on that, right after I finish my do-list. This weekend's list is a doosie. A super doosie, even.

I hope you don't have a doosie weekend before you. Maybe a nice cozy weekend with no do-list at all, other than to hang out and have fun. That's my kind of do-list. I'll even come over and help you work on it. :)

Remembering Renee

2011-03-09T04:36:00.000-08:00

An entire year has past since we lost our dear friend, Renee.

How wide was her heart?
Wide enough to take us all in and care for each of us.
She wrote so brilliantly, and with such feeling, that you felt like you were sitting across the table from her.
Renee took us by the hand, and showed us her life.

Words fail when you try to encapsulate a person like Renee into a paragraph.
But I won't forget what you've taught me, my friend.
What an honor to have known you.

A blog shout out, some thank yous, and some new WIPS!

2011-03-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report I have NOT stabbed myself with a fork lately! YAY ME! However, the other day I went to the movies with my hubby and left the theater without my purse. We had gone to see the King's Speech.

So I blame Colin Firth. And Geoffrey Rush (Oh, dear wonderful Lionel, pitter-patter, swoon.)

Luckily, honesty prevailed, and it was waiting for me at the ticket counter. Whew. Someone almost got my $11 plus change. Not to mention my Trident gum, my lip gloss, and 5 million receipts.

But enough about me and my dehydrating brain cells. My dear pal, Janie, has started a blog. She writes great essays on getting older (baby boomer-ing), life, and family. Go say hi to her at The Boomer Rants. Janie shoots straight from the hip, is very funny, and she is not shy about talking about ANYTHING. Don't say I didn't warn you! Oh, and tell her I sent you...he he.

I won two wonderful gifts from OWOH! The first is from Anne at El Milagro Studio. She sent me this lovely little painting, with the most luscious hearts on it. I swear you cannot look at this painting without touching the hearts. Plus! A skelly necklace (how did she know I liked skellys?) and a beautiful Frida pin. Everything Anne makes is just spectacular, and she has wonderful tutorials on her blog. Thank you, Anne!

I also got this magical doll, little blue Moopsie, from Hoopie. I think he looks like a baby elf wrapped up in his cocoon. There is a sweet little metal tag that says "Believe". And I can hang him up! He has a beautiful glass beaded dangly that catches the sun. My pictures don't do him justice. She makes wonderful art dolls, go take a look! Thank you, Hoopie!

I have been busily using up my Michael's coupons on Sculpey. I made these three little Halloween creatures. I am going to list them on etsy.

Lelia and her cat, Sparky

Dudley, the skelly dude

Wallace, the pumpkin boy

I hope all is well with each of you. Are you ready for Spring? Today it was sunny and warm and I felt deliriously happy. Which, btw, beats depressed and cold, just for the record.

Happy beginning of March! The month that contains Spring!

Some new work...

2011-02-18T05:14:00.000-08:00

It feels like I haven't blogged in months. Part of that was touring with OWOH, which was amazing, and a big thank you to Lisa for organizing it. There are a ton of really creative people out there! I am so happy to have met you, and to make new blog friends. I will post soon about my wins (yes, plural!).

Life has been, well, complicated, and I am feeling that 'sandwiched' thing you read about. I'm thinking I am a pastrami sandwich. With coleslaw. But maybe that's because I am on a diet and all I think about is food.

Being a sandwich can make you distracted. You know how it is, you have so many things to think about, and so many things on your 'do list', that you tend not to focus on the task at hand.

For instance, I was making dinner the other night, and poking holes in the potatoes with a fork before I microwaved them (nothing is too good for my family!), and I stuck the fork into my THUMB. Honestly, I had to laugh. It reminded me of the time I was trying to use a pair of scissors to poke a hole in a piece of cardboard, and it did go through the cardboard, and straight into my hand.

However, personal stabbings aside, I have been squeezing in art (and writing!) time, here and there, and I wanted to share some new stuff with you. Some of these pieces are headed to etsy, but the scary pumpkin doll, Sweet Charlotte, is staying here, because my oldest son loves it and thinks we should keep it here at Casa Smallcomb. Who knew that a bio-chem college grad would take a shine to a scary pumpkin girl? It just goes to show, life is full of little surprises.

(Love Song - mixed media with sculpey heart, inspired by Anne!)

(Raven Girl Rising - paperclay and a spool)

(Hope - paperclay on a little wooden cube)

(Sweet Charlotte - I will be making another scary pumpkin girl since this one was so much fun!)

(Lottie and Mad Dog - it's wabbit season!)

I hope you are not feeling like a sandwich, that you are not on a diet, and that you look before you stab your potato. Maybe potatoes should come with warnings. "Please don't stab this potato without looking, genius."

The OWOH Winners are....

2011-02-17T14:59:00.001-08:00

Angie from meriscrapper13! She won Joyce!
Joyce is so excited! Can you tell from her smile?

Waxela from Spirit Mama! She won Felicity!
Felicity is shocked at her good fortune!

Thank you all for coming to visit me, and for entering. I have had so much fun getting to know new people (and getting cramps in my hands from typing! haha). It has been a lovely blog tour!

I will be back tomorrow to share some WIPS!

OWOH Giveaway - Welcome to my blog!

2011-01-30T14:37:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome! Thank you for visiting my blog. I am so happy to be a part of One World, One Heart this year. This event is a great way to meet other bloggers, and if you want to find out more, just click on the OWOH badge. Thank you, Lisa, for organizing this fun event!

So kick your shoes off and pour yourself a cup of tea. I'll give you a quick tour.

My name is Pam Smallcomb. I am a children's author and crafty-arty person (you can see more about my books and my art on the sidebar). I love children's literature, and will read it over adult lit any day. When I make things, I tend toward the spooky sweet. I love gardening, even though I am not very successful at it.

I am married to a great guy who puts up with me. These are all of our kids. They got really big somehow, even though I distinctly remember telling them not to grow up. Sneaky little devils.

We live in rural Maryland. It's beautiful here. Lots of trees and rolling hills.
Here we are at a local winery (no, we had not been tasting...yet). That's me, making the lovely face on the left. Because I am mature.

We have furkids, too. Here is a picture of our two dogs, Gizmo (the pug) and Sophie (the big part husky-and-other-things). We have three cats, but I can't find a picture of all of them, and I know you'd like me to get to the giveaway part.

One thing I love to do is to make Halloween art, and so I am giving away two spooky dolls.

The first door prize is Joyce.

The second door prize is Felicity.

If you'd like to enter to win one of these spooky girls, just leave me a comment here. I might add a third prize, if I can sneak in some time.

Thank you so much for visiting me! I hope you come back and see me again. :)
Happy blog hopping!
Pam

I'll be joining in the OWOH fun, and here is our winner!

2011-01-30T06:19:00.000-08:00

Hello, my fellow partiers. Well, you can officially take off your dancing shoes. I myself am feeling just a little frazzled (here is a post-party pic of me and my DH). That Twister marathon generated a lot of static.

Without further ado, the winner of Carmen and her copy of I'M NOT is Georgina! Carmen is still dancing at the thought of going to live in such a fun household.

Are you sad about not having a party to go to? Check out One World, One Heart (OWOH)! It starts tonight, after midnight PST, and runs through Feb. 17th (good thing I have trained you all for long parties, eh?).

I AM participating (and giving away a doll, maybe two!), so please come back and visit me here tomorrow, when I will post my prize. If you don't know about OWOH, click here, to find out about it. It is a really fun way to meet other bloggers, and have a chance to win really fabulous stuff. And all you have to do is visit them and leave a comment. There are hundreds of blogs participating, so you might get carpal tunnel from all that clicking, but it is worth it.

I hope to see you here tomorrow! Thank you all for coming here and attending my Blog Book and a Buddy Party. I heart you all. I smiley face you to pieces. I AM lucky to know you. I AM grateful. I'M NOT going to keep saying I AM. If you buy my book, and you need a signed bookplate, just email me. I AM happy to send you one. hee hee.

We have a WINNER and ANOTHER GIVEAWAY - OY!

2011-01-25T05:03:00.000-08:00

Hold on, just a minute. I have to refill the onion dip in a parting gesture to Rupert. Rupert is leaving to go live with Cindi from Oldblackcatboo. He will be bringing along a copy of I'M NOT, and he expects you to read it to him every night, Cindi.

So is the Book and a Buddy Blog Party( BBBP) over? Heck, no! Because we are having another giveaway! I know what you're thinking: "Seriously? Let's just stick a fork in this party and call it done!". None of you get off that easy. We are going to party to the end of the month. We can't back out now! But we will have FUN! I will give away a prize! And to increase the fun factor, I have just the ticket!

Party Games!I expect you all to play nicely, and wear appropriate clothing.

Dibs on keyboard.While you are playing this, I will be cutting out skelly paper doll party favors in the kitchen.

So who is our new book buddy?
Meet Carmen.I thought we all needed a reminder of Spring.
Carmen will come with her own copy of

I'll pick the new winner on Saturday, January 29th. I'll close the draw at 6pm that day (and the One World, One Heart Giveaway will begin on the 30th). I hope you are holding up well from all this partying. Remember to drink lots of water to stay hydrated, but please, not at the same time you are playing Twister.

It's time for another winner and yes, a giveaway!

2011-01-19T15:54:00.000-08:00

Well, this is some party! It feels like it has been going on for days! I know some of you are getting a little worn out. I know many of you are experiencing hat head. You may take your hats off now. I appreciate the effort.

So who is the winner? It is Tam! Who says number one never wins? No one told the Random Number Generator! Tam, email me your address and I will get Gilbert and your copy of I'M NOT in the mail to you.

Hmm. Looking around the room, I can tell we've lost our original pep.

Some of us are looking a little bleary-eyed.What we need is to pick up the pace! Get the blood flowing! Everyone stand up! Before we announce the next giveaway, we're going to do a few exercises.

Dwayne here, will lead the first round. Notice his lovely posture. Please don't slouch while using the exercise equipment. I really can't be held responsible.
I thought it would be nice if I demonstrated how to use the Hip Master 5000. You can see it has worked wonders on me!
Now that we have fully oxygenated our systems, it is time to announce the next Book and a Buddy giveaway!

Meet Rupert

Yes, he looks a little shocked, but that's because someone ate all of the french onion dip.
I will announce the winner of Rupert and a copy of I'M NOT on Monday, January 24. The giveaway will close at 6pm that day.

Rupert, do not despair! I'm sure your new home will be filled with onion dip, and possibly have a Hip Master 5000 as well.

A winner and another giveaway!

2011-01-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

You've all laid waste to the poor bakery image I posted. There is nothing but virtual crumbs left.

On a happier note, I have a winner for the first Book and a Buddy!

The winner is Tumbleweed Trails! Tumbleweed, if you will email me, I will send Marv and your copy of I'M NOT to you (my email is in my profile).

But our party is not over, oh no, it has just begun! Let me introduce our new buddy, Gilbert! Gilbert will come with his own copy of I'M NOT. All you have to do is leave me a comment. I will count the comments that you leave to congratulate Tumbleweed Trails. Even if you don't sincerely mean it, I will still count it.

Here is Gilbert...

He is trying to charm you.

And since this IS a party (even though SOME people ate all the bakery goods), I thought we needed party hats.

So ladies, how about one of these:

And gentlemen, how about one of the following:Let the good times roll! Lurkers are most welcome. Just leave me a comment and I will pick a winner on Wednesday, the 19th after 6 pm. Please wear your virtual hats until that time. Thank you.

Book and a Buddy - it's a giveaway! And you're invited!

2011-01-10T04:24:00.000-08:00

I'M NOT. is out!

I hope you will understand if I do a little cartwheel and celebrate this fact. I love this book, and before you check the little box next to my name that says "conceited author", just let me explain why. It's because I love these illustrations. Love them. Robert Weinstock has created two adorable dino-gators to tell the story. He has added so much warmth and humor through his amazing artwork. Please visit him, and see his art and other books (especially if you need a smile). Thank you, Robert!

Many authors have 'launch parties', where they invite people to a bookstore, serve treats, and have a signing. But I have decided to have my book party on my blog! Perhaps I am just cheap (I prefer the word frugal). Thank goodness frugal is cool. So without further ado, welcome to my party! For the rest of the month, every five days, I am going to give away a copy of our book (which I will happily sign) and a book buddy to go with it.

The first Book and a Buddy is:Meet Marv. He is full of anticipation.

All you have to do is leave me a comment. If you feel like posting about this giveaway on FB, or twittering, writing an ode, or telling a random stranger about the book, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. But you don't need to do it to enter. This is a party, and you are invited, and I am so happy to see you here!And since this is a party, I would like to offer you some refreshments! Please have a cup of hot chocolate...

and a tasty bakery treat!They are virtual, so you can have as many as you would like! Weight Watchers will approve, I promise. Dibs on a fruit tart.

I'll pick the winner this Friday at 6pm (or soon after). If you don't win, don't worry - I'm starting a new giveaway after that. I'm having a giveaway every 5 days for the month of January!

That's a lot of pretend fruit tarts. Please wear loose pretend clothing.

A new year...

2011-01-03T07:20:00.001-08:00

I am ready for a new year. I won't say the last one completely stunk, but it definitely gave me a run for my money.

In the spirit of fresh beginnings, I am joining One World, One Heart. I missed participating in this amazing blog party last year, and even though I have no idea what I will be giving away, I will be giving away something! So on January 30, come visit me.

Life has presented some challenges to me lately that have reminded me (once again!) to take time and enjoy what I have. Go on a date with my DH. Talk to my kids. Linger. Dally even. Pet my dog more often.

Did you make any resolutions? I am keeping mine short and sweet:

Take time.
Lose weight.
Have more fun.

Speaking of fun, I will be having a giveaway later this week to celebrate my new book!
As soon as I finish dallying and petting my dog. :)

Taking a break and catching up...

2010-12-28T05:54:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely Christmas, and I hope you all did, too.

Now that I've had a minute to look around me, I realize how far behind I am in everything.
And when I say everything, just trust me, I mean everything.
(Just for an example, we are officially out of clean dishes, and we have a LOT of dishes.)
So I am going to take a few days to catch up!

I leave you with two paintings from one of my favorite artists, Vincent Van Gogh. I think these capture the feeling of winter perfectly. This one is shaping up to be a doozie!

Edge of a WoodAvenue of Poplars at Sunset

Stay warm and cozy and I will see you in a few!

Come inside and have cuppa cocoa...

2010-12-20T16:05:00.001-08:00

Or a cup of mulled wine, if you prefer (I do!).

Here is the little tree where we hang the German glass ornaments. We learned long ago to keep it up high and away from our kitties.

This is the snowman village. I have a small love affair with snowmen.I bought this couple a few years ago to celebrate my anniversary, which is in December (it's been 23 years!).

Here is the Advent calendar, and a cool retro tree from Target (I got it for my birthday, does that tell you something?).
My favorite, besides the Christmas tree, is my pine hutch.
The angels hang over the creche.

And of course, there is the tree. I dearly love Christmas trees! I hope you have found time to sit and let the season soak in. I finally have had a minute to catch my breath, and it has been lovely!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Time to get cozy and bake stuff...

2010-12-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

I had a miserable chest cold for a week. The kind where you really don't like your nose very much. But thankfully, I am on the mend!

The winds have stopped and it is gently snowing outside.
I was going to run around today and do the shopping I was supposed to do last week when I was coughing up a lung, but instead I am going to make cookie dough.

I figure I can freeze it until next week.
Or I can bake them all and eat them while I watch it snow! Bwa hahaha!

Here is an adorable owl that I won from Sassy Pack Rat. I think his name is Henry. Isn't he cute? I have him sitting next to our Advent Calendar house, but he will be staying out all year. Thank you, Jen!
And here is a sometimes adorable 17-year-old trying to get warm with the help of Gizmo, the furry foot warmer.

Stay warm, stay sane and remember to make merry!

Freezing my tutu off, oh, and having an etsy sale!

2010-12-14T06:46:00.001-08:00

The weather outside is frightful, and inside, it's still really flippin' cold!

I have discovered that it is hard to type with frozen hands.
And if I smile, it will crack, and think of what THAT will cost me.

I have made a decision that in spite of what my DH has told me, I do not live in the South.
He came up with this "Maryland is a southern state" ruse when he lured me into moving here from Southern California, where, if my memory serves me well, they do not have horizontal snow and 50 mph winds.This map is from Wikimedia Commons, and you can see that Maryland just squeaked in. South, my big toe. I really do need to look at maps more often.

And the poor Midwest! Brrrrrrrrrr!
But wait, wasn't I just complaining about summer? The sweltering heat and humidity?

Okay. I will try and look at the glass as half full. I suppose it could be worse. A glacier could be inching its way across my backyard and it isn't!

GOOD NEWS! NO GLACIER YET!

And to celebrate No Glacier Day (YAY!), I am having an etsy sale this week (ending on Friday). Everything in my shop is 15% off. Violet, the little fairy painting above, will be listed later today.
This weekend, I will close my shop until after the holidays.

After all, I need time to find a good recipe for a hot toddy. Santa is going to need one.
Happy Holidays!

It's time for a quick holiday stress test...

2010-12-10T04:37:00.000-08:00

Have you been feeling like this lately?

Do even your cookies turn out grumpy?

Maybe it's time to pop some corn, and watch a Harry Potter movie. Obviously, this owl is a huge Hedwig fan.

If all else fails, find a warm blanket and take a nice nap.

It seems to be working well for Gizmo and Sophie.

Ho ho ho!

I will use the craft supplies I have...repeat after me...

2010-12-02T13:53:00.000-08:00

I just noticed that it is DECEMBER. Yep, the fat man is coming. Like many of you, I have a lot of people I would like to give gifts to, and well, not so much money.

My first inexpensive gift idea was this:

Or this:
But instead I went to Mt. Craft Supplies (a.k.a. my bedroom), and when I got to the summit, I grabbed some things and started crafting.

Here are some practice gifties. The only thing I allowed myself to buy were some digital collage sheets from Land of Enchantment.

I have been collecting little tins for a long time. This is an Altoid tin. I took it apart and made 2 little shadow box-things.
I had some paper doll heads I had drawn and cut out. I took one and gave her wings.

Here are my next victims...I mean projects. The little frames and the box I found at Goodwill. None of them cost very much, so when I destroy them with my wicked artistry, I will have no guilt.
I hope you are having a jolly time, and not pulling your hair out at the mall. Remember, when all else fails, wrap up one of these:It's a useful gift.
Happy holidays!

Giveaway winners and an etsy coupon code!

2010-11-27T13:02:00.000-08:00

Before I announce the winners, I wanted to tell you all that I am having a Cyber Monday sale in my etsy shop. Just enter HOLIDAYS2010 at checkout to get a 10% discount off the price of any item you purchase. The sale is on now through Tues, Nov. 30th at 6pm EST.

I have used my highly technical random number generator (named Rick) to pick the winners of my giveaway. Yes, winners, because while I was cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, I discovered some little plushies that need new homes.

So here we go:

Bernard goes to Deb

Roscoe goes to Diana

Archie goes to Pattee(he has little wings on his back)

Ellen goes to Lorna

(Ellen is the pink one)

If you didn't win, cheer up! Go eat the last piece of pumpkin pie!
Speaking of Thanksgiving, here are some things I loved about it:

Guilt-free eating for an entire day
Playing Monopoly (even though I hate Monopoly and always lose) with my family
Lighting the candles on the dining table
The yummy smells
It was my birthday
Best of all: seeing all six kids at the same time

We had fun. I hope you all did, too.

My blog giveaway, and a magical video to watch...

2010-11-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I have taken forever to post this giveaway. I have been gathering up cobwebs the size of Buicks (some of which are disguised as sculptures in my living room). I have been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. I have blistas on my fingas. Today, it occurred to me that I should be buying a turkey. So I am going to join all the other people at the grocery store for some good old-fashioned turkey wrestling.

But get to the point, Pam. Okay, I will. Here is Bernard.He is a bear, I believe.
And nine inches tall.

He has been sewn from up-cycled wool, bits of an old sweater, a piece of striped cotton and love.

All teddies are sewn with love.

To be entered in the giveaway, just leave me a comment. I will pick the winner on Black Friday, in the evening. I will close the giveaway at 6pm that day. I will send Bernard to where you live, as long as it is on Earth. I cannot afford postage to distant planets.

I found this video on YouTube. Yuyi Morales is one of my favorite children's illustrators, and she has just joined Cloth and Clay dolls! This makes me very happy.

Sometimes, people wonder why I like skellys so much. I think this video says it all.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! I am thankful for each and every one of you.

The Sassy Pack Rat is having a giveaway!

2010-11-17T05:01:00.000-08:00

This year I am trying to give as many hand-made gifts as possible. The Sassy Pack Rat has adorable things in her etsy shop, and as a bonus she is having a blog giveaway! Hop over there and enter (just click on the owl, which I want to win by the way)! My giveaway will start in a couple of days. As soon as I finish stitching someone. :)
I know the holidays are coming because I find myself walking into rooms and saying, "Why did I come in here?". I am making more lists and losing them. I am wondering what it is I should be remembering to do (like ordering on-line gifts for Christmas before it is too late!).

Yesterday I took a time-out. And a nap. It was wonderful. I highly recommend it. The house is slowly getting into shape for next week. I donated several bags of clothes yesterday, and I now have room in a closet, just in case I need to shove things in there before Thanksgiving.

And if I am not answering your comments here, please forgive me! I will visit you at your blogs, I promise, and be back in full blogging form soon.

I hope everyone get a chance to take a break, and just enjoy the season. I love Thanksgiving, and I can't wait for everyone to get here! Mmmmm...stuffing.

Poor Marion...

2010-11-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

She just realized there is no more Halloween candy.

She's headed to etsy.

Jingle jingle...spooky time!

2010-11-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

Is everyone in the Christmas spirit? I am. Yes, I know I am a little early, but that's what happens when you make holiday art. You have to stay ahead of the curve. So I hummed Christmas carols while I made Ettie, the gingerbread girl and Aurelia, the elf, for Spooky Time Jingles.

Ettie

Aurelia

Of course, like everyone else, I am very far behind in all things. I thought I was going to have my entire house cleaned by this week. I want to have the house cleaned for Thanksgiving, since ALL the kids are coming home. I am so excited!

Alas, I have only cleaned the basement. Partially. Oh, and I dusted in the dining room. Perhaps I should clean off the dining room table, since it is piled high with Halloween decorations. A little hard to eat turkey around.And even though I am in the Christmas spirit, I still sewed some skellys for this month on STJ. Arrrgh! Pirate skelly girls! Avast, ye landlubbers! There's rum in Davie Jones' locker, lassies!
(I have no idea what I am talking about, and no, I have not been nipping at the rum.)

Teadora
Camelia
Skelly pirate gal pals

More craziness to come, of this I am certain. I am going to have a pre-Thanksgiving giveaway. What should I giveaway? Any ideas? Any wishes? Would you rather I give away a plushie doll, an ornament, or a little painting? Lemme know so I can get cranking.

I hope you are all getting sugar plum tingly, and if not, visit Spooky Time Jingles on Friday night around midnight. Put on some carols and look at all the lovelies. Fa la la la laaaaa!

An amazing robot...

2010-11-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

You should take a look at this, just so you'll know that the person sitting next to you on the subway might not be human. :)

Winnie the Pooh Wise Words Wednesday

2010-11-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day."

"Nobody can be un-cheered with a balloon."

"A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise."

- A.A. Milne

Oh, Pooh Bear. Thou art wise. I do so love you.

I would love to include an image of Winnie the Pooh, as drawn by the amazing illustrator E.H. Shepard, but since Disney owns the copyright, and there is a fairly ominous warning on Wikipedia, I won't. Besides, I will only go to jail if it has wi-fi and chocolate.

So instead, here are two cat plushies that will be in my etsy shop. They share Winnie's philosophy completely. As a matter of fact, I think I will name one Winifred (after Winnie), and the other one Pygmalia (after Piglet, but don't tell Disney).

Pygmalia

Winifred

Now, off to find a balloon!

The haunted living room...and sweet surprises!

2010-10-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

OH! It is getting SO spooky here, I can hardly stand it. And tonight is scary movie night! Shiver, shiver. :)

I received the nicest surprise in the mail today. But first, the haunted living room!

The haunted Halloween tree!

The haunted fountain! The Oogie Boogie man is there. I got him at Disneyworld this summer - eeek!

Here is the haunted village (LuLu - see why I want your skelly ferris wheel?)!

The haunted fireplace! ooooooooh!

and to make Halloween perfect what do you really need?
Sweet friends.

I got a package in the mail today from Sally. It was marked "Perishable". Was it a pickled bat? A rotting skull?
Oh, no. It was much better than that.
First, there was a lovely hand-made card.
And then there was See's chocolate.
To a Californian, this is like, well, nirvana.
I might share. I might not!

And on the same day, I got a beautiful card from Robin, complete with a Halloween poem! I put them on each side of the haunted Cinderella coach (see your Halloween shredded paper, Sally?).
I am a happy girl.

I wish each of you one truly spooky moment. Just enough to get your attention.
And then I wish you See's chocolate.
Happy Halloween!

The haunted dining room...

2010-10-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

It's almost Halloween!

I thought I would share some pics of my decorations. I'll try and get some photos of the Halloween tree, and the village tomorrow. It's getting very spooky here!Happy Almost Halloween!

Come take a drive with me....

2010-10-27T04:38:00.000-07:00

Got coffee, tea, or your favorite soda?
Good tunes on the radio?

Then let's go for a drive up to the Catoctin Mountain Park, near Camp David.
It's a gorgeous day.
Don't worry about snapping pictures. The DH and I have it covered. Just sit back and look out the windows.
I do love me some trees. These were just spectacular. Now brush the dog hair off before you get back into your cars to go home. There are tape rollers located by the exit doors. Have a nice day!