Here are some new dolls ready to go on the shelves of The Paper Sparrow for Troy Night Out This is Rudy The Rectangle and my first attempt at amigurumi. I got this little free pattern at Michael's and decided to try him. He came out so cute! This is Kaylee the kitty and she is a glove doll. She actually has a belly "button" too!
she has a sweet face....
And this is Ruthie. She is also a glove doll, and the first of her kind that i have made. She was a lot of fun, and will be having friends join her at the store!
I have been taking knitting classes at The Paper Sparrow and have been working hard on this new skill every day. But what i have been noticing is that when i work with the smaller sized needles, my hands and wrists hurt, especially my right hand and wrist. I have been doing some reading on this issue and have read that knitting Continental style is not only a faster way to knit, but that it seems to put less stress on your hands and wrists and is more comfortable for folks with arthritis. So, after searching in YouTube, i found this short video on how to do the garter or knit stitch using the Continental method. At first it was awkward as all get out, but isn't everything awkward at first? So after working on it for a few hours, i'm getting the hang of it! Here's the video:
After a little more practice, it's on to learn how to purl Continental style!
It's my sister's birthday today. Since we decided not to exchange gifts for Christmas any more, (there are WAY too many of us, so instead we decided to focus on the kids in the family) we make a bit of a fuss over birthdays. And that's just fine with me! This is a necklace and earring set i made of cut crystal that will be part of my sister's birthday gift....
along with this frosty bottle of "Mare's Moonshine". It's not actually moonshine, but a coffee liqueur i enjoy making and storing in the basement. This particular batch was made in 2005, and should be nice and smooth, sweet, and have quite a kick to it as well! So...
Lola has a new table and chair set her Aunt Kate gave her. Whenever she comes to visit we bring her table out into the middle of the room and we get her crayons and a nice fresh sheet of drawing paper out Lola gets right to work. She draws mostly with her left hand...
but when that one gets tired she draws with her right hand... Her favorite things to draw are circles and "shahdies" which is her word for flowers...
The young artist sits back and reviews her work...
Time for a snack break. Lola shares her fish crackers with her adoring fans, Zinnie and Polly
and then sits down to read a good book... Now, if only her Grandma can be more disciplined and sit at her art table to work every day....
This is my new glove doll. His name is Arlo, and he is a donkey...
He has a very nice tail and a full black mane
And WHO could resist that face! Hopefully he will find his Soul mate once he gets to The Paper Sparrow and is seen by the passers by....
And this is Clementine! She wears her Valentine!
She has bright orange painted hair and a very nice smile. She has a skirt on now...
but under that skirt she has a very pretty pair of shorts on... She will be looking for someone to love at The Paper Sparrow too, but it will have to be someone who understands her true nature, as she comes off as being a little "stiff" at times.... We'll see....
Lola has never really payed much attention to stuffed animals or dolls. She hugs them and then drops them.(I'm the one who LOVES them!) She spends all her time here reading books and making beautiful pictures with her new crayons. But lately she has really liked playing with little wooden animals i have found for her at the local craft stores. While shopping there i found these little peg doll shapes and decided to make her some dollies to go with her block set. I think she will like these two little sisters...
And this is Lenny, an old fashioned clothespin doll i made for her...
Lenny and his buddy Sam are already well played with, and live in Lola's crayon box..
This is Clarice, a little kitty glove doll i made for a customer at The Paper Sparrow. When i finished her i wasn't sure if i liked the way she came out but her new owner loved her and took her home for her little girl...
She loved her fancy tail! I love making dolls. I am so glad we can continue to offer them at The Paper Sparrow. More to come!
This is my first hat knitted in the round on circular needles. I have found that if i can avoid seams, i'm very happy! We put this hat on the shelf at The Paper Sparrow and it sold right away!
My Mom really liked it but it was a little too big for her and the color wasn't right so i made her this one over the weekend.
And this is the first "bunting" style hat i have made. Since i no longer have a real live newborn baby to model for me, my pillow doll Prudence stepped up to the task... She looks pretty happy!
Ok, so it is hard to get a good idea what this hat looks like from the side when the model has no neck or chin, but you get the idea, right?
And i finished another necklace this weekend for the shop. This one is made of carnelian beads, hand chained together and fastened with a silver toggle. It's a pretty substantial piece, but hopefully it will appeal to someone for Valentine's Day! Now, on to making more dolls! I am so happy they will not be banned from being sold. Thank Goodness they are reworking the CPSIA law...
Here i am holding my birthday painting. Seeing it perched on the couch just didn't give you any idea how LARGE this painting is. I am standing straight up behind it, with the bottom of the painting resting on the top of my feet. I still have yet to get out and get the proper "hangers" for this sweet bovine, but i have decided she is going to go in the kitchen. I think she will be happier out there...
My daughter came for a visit yesterday and brought me these beautiful flowers..for no reason...just because... That is the best kind of present to get...just because...Thank you Katie!
For The Paper Sparrow that is! New jewelry just in time for Valentine's Day... Brass lockets embellished with fresh water pearls, a natural shell bead bracelet, and lots of coral and silver...
This chunky piece is mine tho. I made it to wear for the opening of our show. One of my favorite bead vendors pointed these coral beads out to me last Summer. He said they were "real good quality and very old, from an old private collection" Then he gave me a deal i couldn't refuse , so they came home with me...
The smaller beaded piece is also made from coral from that same vendor and has a pendant with a little carved bat sipping nectar from a flower...
Everything looks so pretty resting on my Grandmother's cake plate in the late Winter morning sun.... Ok! Back to work!
I know it is just a tea bag folks...But i do believe that messages can come to you in all sorts of ways...Could there be an Angel in my tea cup, reminding me of the real reason i am here? There's no doubt in my mind.... It is also the mantra of our new President. This little message in a tea cup reminds me that we have a chance to start fresh and make a real difference in the world, right here, right now, in our own little ways. And it feels so good....
I cannot believe it has been 6 years since this movie was released. Truly time flies...If you haven't seen this one yet, what are you waiting for? It is one of my all time favorites, and Bill likes it too! It has everything~ action, sex, love, betrayal, politics, great art, great music, great visuals, great acting done by great actors. Frida is one of my most favorite artists. Her work isn't always easy to look at but it really makes you think. And she wasn't afraid to show you what was going on inside of her or how she felt. Actually she had a very hard life, but she never let it pull her down. She always fought to rise above her hardships...Check out the trailer.
Here are some new dolls ready to go on the shelves of The Paper Sparrow for Troy Night Out 
This is Rudy The Rectangle and my first attempt at amigurumi. I got this little free pattern at Michael's and decided to try him. He came out so cute!
This is Kaylee the kitty and she is a glove doll. She actually has a belly "button" too!
she has a sweet face....
And this is Ruthie. She is also a glove doll, and the first of her kind that i have made. She was a lot of fun, and will be having friends join her at the store!
I hope some little girl takes her home soon. 
A favorite self portrait done in pencil...1946
