Good Bye 2006

This is the last doll I will post. I will

continue to post my daily artwork here, 2 or 3 times a week, as time allows.

Last year I set some goals for myself. Some I reached, some I did not. I did get in a magazine (3, to be exact, but who's counting?), but I did not read a book every month. I read a few great ones, though. Saving Fish From Drowning, Valley of the Dolls, Night, March. I have Jan 07 and Feb 07 books ready to read. White Oleander and The Memory Keepers Daughter. Trying to work up the courage to read Lovely Bones. I got a good recommendation on something I can't quite remember the title of..it's something like Up Close and Really Loud - do you know what I mean?

Here are my goals for 2007

1. Get in a magazine

2. Write a book

3. Finish the mini marathon with dignity

4. Read a book every month

5. Add to my new, big art journal every day.

6. Turn 40 with style.

7. Get in shape.

8. No fussin - no fightin - no tears

9. Only happiness. I choose to be happy.

10. Be nicer.

This is SO doable. I'm beating UP on these goals in 2007!

Peace, Love and Paper,

Debbi

I worked on this today...

It's the cover for my 2007 art journal. My husband thinks it looks like some kind of quilting explosion. I pieced it over a couple of days and machine scribble quilted it this morning early - done before 9:00am. I put the chipboard pieces in it and made the

lining this aftern00n. Sat and Sun I will finish the edges by hand and then, the easy part, bind the book.

I did not fall down today. I did, however, make a fuss every time I had to bend my knees - SO sore today. I will heal.

Here is yesterday's doll - only 3 more to go. Wow. Time flies. We are doing inventory at the shop this week - yuck. Sunday after church we are going shopping. There's a Tanger outlet a little over an hour away and we get over there 2 or 3 times a year. We're not really shopping for anything special. They have a good adidas outlet and one of the girls always need soccer cleats. We got whit's kangaroos there for 50 instead of 200. I usually hit the gap and banana republic. The holiday break has seemed like a bunch of Saturdays in a row. The big difference for me over this break is that I have been working out instead of sitting around and watching tv. It's good to see my priorities shifting a little. One step at a time.

Wind it up

That song is so stuck in my head. Let the beat wind you up and don't stop til your time is up. Haven't made a doll yet today, but I will tell youwhat I did do today - I fell down, hard, on the sidewalk, out in public, and I hurt myself, both knees, my right hand and my pride. I have done a crazy thing. I have signed up with a group here in town to train for the Indy 500 mini marathon. Our official first group workout is Monday, but I have been hitting the pavement - literally, today - this week a little extra since I am out of school. I was trotting along and tripped over an uneven bit in the sidewalk. I thought I was going to catch myself. I did not stop to look at the damage and I had Whit's pod in my ears so I couldn't hear if anybody hooted at me. My girls are doing the mini too, but they are natural athletes, like their Dad. I am not. I am a natural maker of things, not runner of races. I just needed a good kick in the seat to get back in shape. The guy leading the group is a marathoner/triathlete/machine and our eye doctor. I think he will be encouraging and nice and not make fun of the clumsy art lady. We shall see. I am thinking of keeping a workout and diet log in this blog or starting a new one to document my success - I am not even entertaining the thought of failure. I did decide something, though. I don't have to be a superstar at this. I am thinking about this like when I teach an adult art class. I really just want people to embrace their OWN creativity and take ownership of their process and have independent art thoughts - I don't care what their stuff looks like. I don't expect my students to all be artists. I am not going to expect to turn myself into a champion runner. Good enough is good enough in this case.

my best gift

My husband, J.R., had these made for me for xmas. It's my cover and the little pink house from CPS printed onto metal plates and mounted on wooden plaques to hang on the wall, trophy style.

The year of paper dolls is almost over - whew! I spent about an hour in the studio today working on my art journal for next year. It's 11" x 14", about 3" thick. I'm doing a crazy patch fabric cover with clear vinyl pockets for ATC's, maybe.

I have fininshed 3 more Kendrick dolls, 3 more are stuffed and ready to decorate. I am thinking about hanging them on my stairway wall.

It's always a surprise where blogger will put a picture for me. The first picture is the purse I made my mom. It has pink faux fur lining. She gave me a big, juicy Kathy van Zeeland bag. It's red and has lots of bang-danglies and dodads. I think it will also double as a door stop.

christmas

this doll is made from a gift box, shreds from a set of purdy-smellin' lotions and the fortune I got at lunch yesterday

Merry

It's about an hour before christmas eve and I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off - what's wrong? I have baked my last 12 or so dozen cookies for the year and iced and decorated with Courtney's help. I will take some to our friends, the Wongs tomorrow at lunch. We have church at 10:00, lunch reservations at the Wong's restaurant at 11:30 with my husbands clan to celebrate his mom and dad's anny - 45 years. Our Colts kick off at 1:00 or so, but I think the girls and I are going to do some rubbernecking at the last minute shoppers at the supercenter - entertainment in a small town. We have to be at my mom and dad's at 5:00 for dinner and gifts. I will post a pic of my mom's gift - which I made and I want to keep - later. Mom reads this sometimes. Christmas morning we have presents at home with the girls, then to my husband's granny in Martin County at mid day, his mom and dad's at night. I sewed up 6 dolls today that I can turn and stuff and embellish over the next couple of days while sitting and visiting with the kin.

I already got a set of bright pink luggage becasue my husband didn't want to wrap it. I'm probably getting the new Gwen Stefani CD, but I don't know what else.

Whatever it is that you want, I hope you get it!

those dolls!

I made 2 in fabric yesterday and one in paper. I hope you have seen this pattern in the Winter Cloth Paper Scissors. Did you see the ones on Teesha's blog? I don't what it is about these dolls that is so vexing! I want 100 of them! Thank you, Katie Kendrick, for giving me a reason to buy more fabric!

why oh why

the words and pics in the previous post were in a totally different arrangement when I typed the post. I hit "publish" and the whole order changed and the words are in the WRONG place!

My kids and my pink tree

This the bookcase you see when you walk into my front door. The pink tree was 50%off at Hobby Lobby back in October. It's one of 3 three trees we have up this year. In the foreground you can see a couple of Katie Kendrick style dolls I made today. There are a few of my cushier books in the mix, as well as a poppet doll from Claudine's second book and some ceramic mice I have owned since I was a baby.

These are my daughters last nite, ready for their dress up dance. I know they're mine and it's not polite to say so, but I think they are so cute!

What a difference 19 years make...

nineteen years ago tonight, my husband and I went on our first date. He gave me a pair of Thomas Mann earrings this morning before I went to school. tonight, i chaperoned a dress up dance at our daughters' middle school. Courtney screamed like a banshee when I tried to put eyeliner on her.

IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess the blogger gnome has smiled upon me and let my blog work again! I made 28 xmas card/books today while my girls had soccer training at Wabash College. We ate lunch at Little Mexico, this homey, kitchsy little place in Crawfordsville. I am watching Mean Girls on TBS so the bad words are taken out. Not too good. I don't really like LL. I am suew you have seen the new "tag" about 5 wierd things about yourself. Hate that.
Check out www.shannaleino.com for cool books and tools.

slow and contrary

Both me and my computer!
I am so busy right now with basketball games - something like 12 games in 10 days, making my xmas cards, making candy and cookies, shopping, trying to exercise regularly - and I feel guilty about being tired.

off to the gym...