Friday, February 22, 2008

Life Intrudes With Loss


Life intrudes again on my blog. This time with the loss of my baby girl, Spice. She had just turned 16 on the 6th of Feb and though she had been ill since last Sept. ,when she had a stroke, I thought she'd be with me longer. She was a sweet huggy dog child who will be missed beyond measure.



A friend sent this poem:


Tribute To A Best Friend

Sunlight streams through window pane unto a spot on the floor....

Then I remember, it's where you used to lie, but now you are no more. Our feet walk down a hall of carpet, and muted echoes sound....

Then I remember, It's where your paws would joyously abound. A voice is heard along the road, and up beyond the hill, then I remember it can't be yours....

Your golden voice is still. But I'll take that vacant spot of floor and empty muted hall and lay them with the absent voice and unused dish along the wall.

I'll wrap these treasured memorials in a blanket of my love and keep them for my best friend until we meet above.

Author Unknown

Friday, February 8, 2008

Newest Valentine Dolls!

Finished 2 more dolls for Valentines! These are both at my eBay store, too. I used a pattern by Back Porch Pickins and made some changes to it. First I reduced the pattern, then I made a ladybug lady into a flower fairy. Both have leaf wings on their backs. I used felt to make the leafy hats. The wings, petals, felt hat, and clothing are my designs. The body is the Back Porch Pickins pattern. Still working on a valentine witch. Also have started to redesign the pattern I've been (not)working on since last year. Finally realized that the black and pink fabric I was using was wrong for the bag doll but perfect for a Valentine witch!



WoW! EBay has certainly upset everyone by changing the feedback and fees we pay. Never could understand why they treat their sellers so badly when they depend on us for money. Last year it was store owners and this year it's everyone. We can only hope another auction site will finally become bigger and better than ebay. Here's a link to story over at cnn about auction sites and how mad sellers are.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/06/smbusiness/ebay_alternatives.fsb/index.htm

I thought about opening an Etsy store but no one seems to sell much over there. Besides then I'd need some place for the tatting supplies too. Like most of us, I'll be at eBay until they finally drive me away with too high of fees.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Thinking of Valentine's day



I'm slowly working my way thru my old web site and updating the handmade dolls and bears pages. It's taking longer than I had hoped but little by little I'll get it done. I have pictures of the things I made for Halloween up, even though most are sold. At least now customers will be able to see some of my work. When I get all these pages done I plan on starting a new gallery site for the things that are sold.
Finally got 2 little Valentine fairies up for sale at the eBay store. See the pics below and above! I'm almost done with the 2 flower ladies. I hope to finish them tonight and get pics taken this weekend. I like to take them outside but right now there's an ice storm going on out there. BRRRRRRRR ! I have taken pics when it's really cold and even windy but it's not something I really want to do.

I used leaves for the wings of the fairy with the brown hair. I really like how the skeletonized leaves look but I am worried about shipping the doll.
The blonde's wings are made from a sheet of angelina fiber. I bought some and ironed a sheet 2 years ago. Never could get around to using it until now.

This past year I gathered up all kinds of info on making wings and hope to try some out. It's always been easier to buy than make them but I'm going to try some different types as I make spring fairies.

I've also got Spring rabbits on my mind. They're the next things I plan on making for the store.

If you read any of my past posts you may be wondering what ever happened to the new pattern I was working on. Well it's under gone 4 transformations. From there being 2 dolls to now only one, clothing changes from the original drawing, a valentine doll, to now being a witch. Never know what she'll eventually end up being.

Look for my patterns being sold as e-patterns sometime this spring!