Is it Summer???

Yeppers, it is HOT. I mean turn the air conditioner on hot! But we are NOT letting AEP get a bite out of our wallets yet. So I've been spending alot of time down in the Art Cave playing. I spent all day yesterday working on the ATCs for a swap I'm in. All I got left to do is to put the rivets in them & sent them off to Tracie. I'm also working on my NIADA challenge piece. NIADA is going to be in Detroit this year. Only a three hour drive, so I'm going with my friends Linda Apple & Cyndy Sieving. Also a couple other Columbus doll makers will be there, Judy Skeel & Inez Bausch. Hope to run into them & have a few laughs. I've heard that this is the most drool worthy thing there is when it comes to doll making. I'm looking forward to getting to see the best of the best in person & get my Muse sparked with ideas. I'm not taking any classes, as I've got to get back to work, but I'm always open for some inspiration. Linda talked me into doing the Challenge for NIADA. The theme is Over the Moon. Naturally, I'm making a beaded doll. I'm doing a Moon Man, so we'll see if I can get it done in time. Between NIADA in July & now is our vacation. We'll be going to South Dakota for 10 days.

Guess I should mention my dogs. I love Scottish Terriers. I guess I should say that is how I got into beading. I met Cynthia through a Scottish Terrier e-list & be became friends. She is the main culprit in my beading obsession. I blame her every single day! I know her ears are BURNING! But if I wouldn't have fallen in love back in 1989 with a sweet little Scottie dog I named FalaPink, who knows what I would be doing now. So my FalaPink is the one who got me on this course in my life & made me realize I'm an artist. Thank you my sweet puppy boy who is waiting at the steps of the Rainbow Bridge with our sweetie wheatie SkyeBlue. Love you guys every single day.

5/27/07

I got up very early this morning, even before the dogs & decided to work on a few ATCs for a swap due June 1st. Yes, I'm always one of those last minute kind of people. I know what I want to do, but just can't seem to get the gumption up to finish on time. I used some of the Hoffman Fabric for this year's challenge which has beautiful flowers and butterflies on it. I did a bit of sewing on it, but I must admit this is something for me as I'm not very good at using a sewing machine. I only bought one last year for a conference in Ky. I'm learning to use it, but am always amazed at what other artist can do with fabric and thread. I really wish I didn't have to work full time so I could just sit downstairs in my Art Cave & play. But alas, gotta work to feed my addiction and the poochies. I joined a new group on Yahoo called CrazyArtDollz. Sounds like fun. Great excuse for me to explore using different techniques & media. Don't get me wrong...I still am in love with beads. They obsesses my soul, but I want to venture into some other territory & see if I can get into more trouble! LOL! Well, enough for today. I've got a picnic to go to & the weather man is calling for thunderstorms. GREAT! Think I better leave my beads at home. Don't want to be like Dorothy & get caught up in a funnel cloud blasted with all those sparklies. Wait, maybe I do. It'd be one heck of a rainbow, wouldn't it?

First off 5/25/07

Just got off work & decided to work on my blog page for awhile before I scoot over to Judy Skeel's house for a doll maker's tea party. I'll be tired since I worked all night long, but I still gotta spend some time with my Guilded Lily pals. Judy taught me alot about doll making. I actually called her one evening & questioned her about what a "dart" was. Okay, so I flunked home economics back in the dark ages when in high school. I really didn't know what a dart was & when she laughed...so did I. I'm working on a pattern of my own right now. It is for the NIADA challenge (over the moon). I'm making a moon man eating the Moon which you know is made of cheese. Naturally he WILL BE BEADED! I'm sharing this picture of my last beaded doll. He was for the AFIC (Artistic Figures in Cloth challenge called "Object in my Obsession". Since I have Asthma & breathing is definitely my obsession, I did Gustave Breathe. He is a troll pattern called Mopsey by Ute Vasnia. I loved working on him & learned alot about needle sculpturing. He's not totally beaded, but I still love him. Unfortunately since the doll pattern is not my original design, I can't enter him in any juried bead shows. So poor Gus will stay here with me & make his "professional" coming out at the Ohio State Fair. Enough...I must drink my coffee, wake up, change clothes, get my stuff together & get over to join the girls in a fun morning