Emma has clothes...

...They are kinda tatty...supposed to be.  But, they do the job.  There was choosing....then cutting...then... hesitating...then.... finally after watching the tutorial a few more times because I had to make sure which side I put the waist band on for about the third time.. (Maggi ...stop laughing over there !!) ..  I had plenty of fabric.  What difference would it really make if I screwed it up? ...but, that's me with sewing...I hesitated still.

Finally ..got a skirt made.  Coffee dyed it.   I don't think you can really tell..but, there is plenty of colour and some crease stains..etc.  Smells great too...I added some vanilla. She smells good enough to eat. 

Ta Da !!

At first I was afraid to do any distressing or put on any staining colours...but, I left off the finishing varnish...because somehow I knew I might have to make it a bit darker still.  She is in dim light here to show how it looks...but, in the real light daytime..it might not be enough colour yet.  Funny how it goes....

So, little lady.... been through some rough times 'av ya?

Never mind....yer among friends now....

Thanks boys....  it's good to find new friends....

Emma ? ....

I'm sure that's what she has been whispering whilst we've been working together..... well, somebody is whispering... maybe it's me ... but, usually I'm whispering other things.  Sometimes very rude things.

Paperclay and me.... well, I've only used it a time or two in the past...and we just don't really understand each other yet.  But, it can't fool me forever.  I wasn't thrilled with her first eye area.... so out came the sandpaper.  We had a "face-off".  Then, off I went to the craft store and got new Paperclay.  The other stuff didn't seem exceptionally dry...but, it didn't seem to be co-operating at all... I'm sure it was past its prime.  The new stuff was lovely. .. ...very soft and manageable.  Of course, I was still not really managing to get exactly what I wanted .. but it was a lot more fun.

 I was waaaay too slow to keep up with Jane on the tutorial...so had to keep pausing it and rewinding etc... all while trying to keep my fingers damp and smooth here and tweak there and...  ...well, needless to say...I had clay stuck to a lot of things.  Good thing Mr. BV didn't come home early and see the office and desk !  Gotta figure out a better way.  I should have been in the craft room...but, for some reason I seem to end up in the kitchen or the office......

Oh, look....she has hair  .....

Then, we wrestled on some arms and legs.  OH EM GEE !! I didn't use muslin as Jane instructed.... and ... brother......was this stuff tough to get a needle through!  Never again.  Tomorrow I look for muslin for the second dolly.  Yes, indeed... an easy little make and I should do a second for sure.

The other thing at this stage?  Don't stuff this high on the thigh... leave some flat area so that she sits properly....she keeps falling backwards due to her puffy thighs.... on those spindly legs?...yep.....

hahahahah.... steps to looking good indeed ! that's just silly.....
the dark undercoat helps make things look weathered once the top coat of paint is on.  The idea is not to paint it too thoroughly so that some bits of it show through the flesh colours here and there.

Mixed up a green that I liked to go with the fabric I chose for her skirt.... painted her face... making more mess.... what fun!

Tidied up a bit...but, not too much.  I was having a hard time not making it too neat ...  I so wanted to put in a white highlight on the pupil....I love doing eyes on all my other dolls.  But... in the tutorial... there isn't one...and I do want to make it just like Jane's.

Hello....

My name is Veronica... and I am a procrastinator.   I feel like I'm at my weekly meeting of a 12 step program.  Is there one for Procrastinators Anonymous?  If there is, then I better sign up...  maybe next week...... hahahah.....

I wasted hours thinking about doing something with my current doll making project.  I do it all the time... just thinking...not much doing.  Why can't I just go for the gusto!  Just pick up something and stick some clay on.... or slap on a coat of paint...or stitch some fabric?  But, no...  I have to think it to death first.  Wander around putzing... wondering what happens if I do such and such?  Wasting more time making tea and thinking..."What if it doesn't work out the way I think it should".  What if... sheeesh.  ..
... don't worry about what ifs and whys... just do it!!

Today was much more productive.  I did just do.  And... things worked out pretty well.  I sanded off her eyelids...which looked more like prominent orbital bones and re-arranged her face.  Got some hair done...and added more clay to her body.  Stitched on arms and legs.... woohoooo
Tomorrow... darn it I have to run a few errands..but.... then, ...first coat of paint.

She is in a most unlady-like position at the moment... head down in her cup... must get a shot of that tomorrow too... oh, and...hey..I even sewed up a skirt and coffee dyed it!  Today was a good day.  Why they can't all be like this I don't have a clue.

No pics of her today...so I leave you with supper.  How I love a baked potato with a wonderful, leathery skin!  Haven't had one for ages... chick pea salad with a little crumble of Feta.. meat loaf... and carrots and peas.... pretty darn yummy if I do say so... and I do.

First doll of the new year...

I finally began a new doll.  This one I signed up for months ago on the Cloth and Clay dolls site,  but, couldn't really make a start on her because of the wrist problems.  I'm trying to take it easy and trying my darndest not to have a death grip on her...... seems I do it with everything.... oh, well, I ain't waiting any longer.  Resting it, using anti-inflammatories, splints, etc..   hasn't accomplished much.  Time to move on regardless ....

So far she doesn't look like much.... and I am not having an easy time with the paperclay...but...it is fun just to be doing something again....

hopefully once I get the face more to my liking.... I'll feel a bit happier with her....

check out the web site if you'd like to see some of the other dolls... lots of amazing dollies there!

like I said... not much to look at yet.... and those are supposed to be her upper eyelids....oh, groan...... we'll see what happens once I get some eyeballs..some cheeks, jawline, etc.... and if I don't like it...out comes the sandpaper and I try again.  I have to keep reminding myself...she is supposed to be a primitive doll...

her limbs....yeh... strange, I know.  This is a totally different type of dolly for me.

Photo a Week...

Today's photo is our favourite coffee mug....

Mine is one I've had for years.  It actually only holds 3/4 of a cup and that's the perfect amount for me.  I really enjoy one small cup of coffee, but I don't think I can say I love it.  One cup is usually all I have in a day.

I love the way coffee smells.. !!   Why does it never taste quite as wonderful as it smells?

I took this cup from a restaurant/bar mannnnyyy years ago.  I'm surprised it is still intact.  They used it to serve hot rum or special coffee ... you know the one.  With whipped cream and a cherry on top.  The coffee, not the rum.   Perfect in place of dessert...or... as dessert.

Here is a page from a little journal ...  this pic is from a few years ago... something about our coffee cups again, if you can believe it.  We all had to come up with a page.. I added to it with some words of inspiration from an advertisement....looks like it would be a perfect choice for Valentine's Day.... 'specially the chocolate bit....and... the recipe for those little babies is on my Tea and Scones blog if you'd like to try them some day.  Simple and very tasty.

Failing that... how 'bout this?

Yep...I know....the photo is reversed.... can't remember why... but, just to convey adding a little something tasty and sweet instead of sugar some days.....

Chocolate and Chili Peppers

The weather has taken a nose dive.... snowy and blowy; winter is back.  Of course, we here in the foothills of the Rockies knew we were just being lulled...it's waaaay too soon to have the balmy days we've had the last while.  They'll come and go for months yet.  But, it's a perfect time to hunker down and enjoy the fireplace, popcorn and a movie.  Oh, and... chocolate cake.... there were a couple of birthdays around here in the last few weeks....

Mmmmmmm ..... Chocolate Mocha with chocolate mocha icing ... . and I'm so rude and selfish I only invited one person, knowing how far away she is.... sorry Maria...  ...  even licked my plate after the last slice.  But, I could always bake another if she shows..... lol...

okay... that was the chocolate part...now for those fiery little %^&* peppers!  I love 'em, but, people !! take it from me... don't cut one up and then stick a finger in your eye.  Oh, I know, ...we hear about it all the time.  Wash your hands after handling peppers.. yada yada...and, honestly, I did.  How hard do we have to scrub and how many times do I have to be in and out of soapy water to make sure?  It was long enough after I touched the pepper that I forgot all about it...but, then rubbed the corner of my eye cuz it was itchy...and WOWWWW !!  I ki. yi. yipee. yi. eeed all around the kitchen like a cat with it's tail on fire!  I tried to rinse it with water...but, couldn't even open the eye.  It was squinting itself totally shut.  I couldn't even think properly.  I finally remembered hearing that somebody said not to bother with water.. eat a bit of yogurt with the reeeellly hot stuff...so I figured maybe milk might work.  One eye open; one tightly shut ... hopping around in circles cursing my own idiocy, I managed to pour some into a bowl and dipped the corner of a towel in it  ... bathed the fiery eye.  It worked.  After about a minute I could finally open it and get more milk onto it.... then rinsed it with some eye drops.  It was still plenty hot for about half an hour and totally bloodshot, but at least it didn't feel like somebody was sticking me with a red hot poker anymore.  Mister BV was no help at all.  He said, "wow... did we grow some hot little peppers last summer or what?"  Hmmmmm..

So,  Christmas goodies, then birthday cakes, ...   before you know it... Valentine's Day.... ack ! .... and I wonder why my workout is not enough to "maintain" ?? ..hhhahhahahahh !  oh, boy,   .... roll on spring and more activity or I'll be rolling around like a Pillsbury dough girl.

she doesn't sell her seashells....

...by the seashore.....she gives them away on her blog.  Well, she did a few weeks ago anyway.  And, I was one of the lucky recipients.  Decorator lights and container too.... the perfect size for a curio cabinet. The bears approve.

"Ooooooo ..... lookit "!!

'what is it' ?.....

"Pretties".......

The way they were all hanging out so close to it I think they thought perhaps it was a campfire or
something.... thanks Linda....we all (the bears and me) love our shells in their mini hurricane lamp.  Well, that's what it reminds me of anyway..

A little bit of Florida now resides with each of us winners ... shells gathered on her favourite beaches.

Maybe we can't all go to the beach ... ...but, the beach can come to us.

I really like this white one near the top... it looks like fabric or something... not a shell at all... and the curlicue one that looks kind of like the centre of a flower...and the one down below that looks like a delicate snowflake .. and the burgundy stripes in the one above that and... hahahha... I love 'em all don't I? .. thanks again Linda.

photo a Week....

Is it a bit cheeky to say that I love my shot this week?  I do.  As soon as I saw it I whipped out my camera....

I'm not behind the 8 ball but I'm definitely behind the 8.












This year the group came up with a new idea .... a theme for each of the weeks.  Our fearless leader jumped right in with January and has come up with her ideas... listed them on a calendar.  Each week we get advance notice of the new theme.  Somebody else does February, and so on.

It's great fun looking around for, and finally finding, just the right shot to use for the Monday photo of the week.  It's not willy nilly any more on Monday..(or Tuesday, or even Wednesday if life gets in the way because we don't actually police things).  Nosiree, .... now, we are looking at everything with a new eye..we have a plan... I love it.

This week's theme.... "shadows".

Well, I'm happy with my photo...but, can't figure out how to link on this "new" bloody blogger... arrrgghh.... and I wanted to tell you about contacting Linda if you want to play along.  One out of two ain't bad.  I guess.  Sigh.

rolling right along...

...with "having more funs"... and seeing as I can't really grip anything small right now...I am playing with more toys" instead.

The weather has been amazing... a lovely, spring-like, warm week...almost feels like we could be golfing if there wasn't a foot of snow on the courses.  I was out in just a shirt and vest. The roads are all melty and messy ... and the driving is horrible on the sidestreets and alleyways.  As a matter of fact...after I finally got the van out of the driveway yesterday to run some errands...I didn't even try to mush through it to get back in.  I wouldn't have made it anyway..and may have ended up stranded sideways in a foot of slush... so I parked it in front of the neighbours and left it there.  This morning the slush was semi frozen seeing as it goes down to freezing overnight... but, I figured I could get over things even it is was a bumpy ride. Seatbelts would hold me down.

I went out early and drove around the block hoping the other end of the alley was a bit better... NOT!  I almost got stuck just getting into it...luckily I had enough speed up that I made it over the big puddle and the ice and slush even if I was going sideways. ....or I would have been hopping out into a foot of frigid water over at that end... .. anyway... long story somewhat shorter...I managed to manoever through the maze of huge slushy mounds, gaining and losing speed and realizing I was gripping the wheel like a vice ... then had to slow down to pull a wide arc with a neighbour's truck parked in the way and a telephone pole that I didn't remember had to be navigated...and somehow managed to swerve it wildly in more or less the correct direction. When the wheels hit the lovely dry pavement of driveway.. did some hard braking... and fortunately... stopped the vehicle a mere 8 inches from the doors.... whew.... did it!  Jumped out laughing and the neighbour gave me a two thumbs up from in front of his truck.

I'll be staying home for a few days... happy to do so.  And if it keeps up like this... the alley and roads will be great in just a few more days... it should be going up to about +10C again today from the feel of it.  The little sparrows and chickadees are chirping away ... I turned down the heat and opened the kitchen window so I can hear their happy little songs....

The snow is workable now too... no longer the dry, fluffy, fly away, feathery stuff...I can roll balls of it.  I stuck with tiny balls... because I have some bread to bake and stuff to move around today.  I might even play at making a new doll tomorrow... maybe...

Ted decided to venture out to see what I was up to ...

"Say buddy .... I notice you have an extra sweater there... "

"Well, yes... I've decided on the cardigan...easier to get on... what do you say we make ourselves a snowman for the other one?"...

"Good idea...think you could help me with the head?"

"What? You're making soup? ... okay... just be another minute or two..."

"Oh, erm....think I better pass"...

.."not me...

.. I'm not passing...I'm ready to go in now ... my bum's getting cold anyway....  "What kind of soup?"

Turkey meatball... ooooh...............YUM!

Photo a Week....

A bit different for the new year...we've decided to set themes for each week's photo.  This week... "something new"

We don't bother with Christmas gifts anymore.... instead we get ourselves something for the house that we want.  This year it was a chair to go with the new office furniture and we chose a fabric that went wonderfully with the new carpeting.  See?  too much new stuff to bother with Christmas as well....

Olde is new again..... well at least the old, Olde Worlde, or vintage look, is in again.  Like everything else... just save something long enough and it will roll back around to being "in style"....

I wish polyester had not rolled around again ... I refuse to buy any of the "new" polyester blouses  ... been there, done that....ick....  polyester for hot days?  Forget it....

But, this........ this I like.

We chose the fabric to go with the new deep burgundy carpeting.  It's a beautiful textured tapestry ....

no resolutions... but....

I don't do resolutions.  But, sometimes at this time of year it is good to re-assess things, and, especially if I hear some good ones...I might take note.  Or...I might even hop a bandwagon and go along for a little ride.

Some blogs are just plain fun to visit.... Daisy the Curly Cat is one I enjoy daily.  She is a fashion princess.. is pretty clever, lots of fun, and she and her "little" brother Harley are always up to something....

I reeeely like her list.  Especially the last one... I already play with lots of toys... I eat more treats than I should.. but, hey, we only live once... I take naps almost daily... I do give occasional biteys...hmmm... maybe that one too needs a bit more use... lol ... and then..just have more FUNS>>> yep... that's the main one.   I'm already adding more of it to my days....

• Play with more toys
• Eat more treats
• Take more naps
• Give more Biteys
• Have more FUNS !

This is for Bob... he will recognize it from last year.... I haven't been able to build anything with the dry, blow away snow up 'til now...but, today..it is "Chinooking".  Temps have climbed from -21C to +6C.  By tomorrow I bet the snow will be soft and wet enough to roll... I'm making a snowman, .. or... a bear...

Honing my tracking skills.....

It snowed an inch the other day..... and was light enough to shovel without worrying about my wrist.. which is not much better..... so, out I waddled...dressed for warmth not for fashion.  We love to dress up funny around here... nobody would recognize us AT all.

Lovely, ...new pretty snow.... the sun was shining... sky blue... and even if it was -21C... I was too warm in my Michelin man outfit... til I rounded the corner and headed into the teeth of the breeze.  Then it had a bite... 'n' I was glad of my big, puffy, down coat and sheep skin lined mitts.

I take my camera out in a pocket... always..   you just never know what you might see.  My friend got a shot of a moose wandering through her yard.  Mind you, she does live out of town... but, I have wildlife too, even inside the city limits.  We see coyotes, pretty white bunnies racing the cars along the street ... well, it seems to me that's what they are up to anyway... man, can they go !  Cheeky little fluffy squirrels... scolding from the bare branches or hidden in the spruce so you only hear them... can't see a thing.  The beautiful huge Canadas flying around in twos or fours...or huge Vs ..... honking and chuncking.... why didn't they go south?  Probably because people feed them...

What's your best guess? .... let's hone our tracking skills....

Squirrel.

Bunny  .... making trails... long before Easter.  They have some regular runways diagonally across the back yard... an occasional coyote trailing them into the hodgepodge of footprints... run, bunny run!!

Big Foot... Sasquatch....  no wait.... oh.... just the postman..... but, at the very least..he did bring two overdue Christmas cards.... which I happily displayed immediately and which will sit for a week or two on the dining room table.

new "editor" ..

almost sound like I know what I am talking about don't I ? ...  I don't.

I just went to the settings and changed it ... after somebody was talking about settings for comments on our group.  So.. then I began looking around and saw something else and, of course, had to press the button...

I'd make a perfect Alice.  Drink this... okay.   Eat this...okay....

...no, not really.  Usually I'm a tad overly cautious ... but, if it does a few things better, I'm all for trying that.  I think it will be different and easier with loading photos.... and you can choose different sizes... guess I'll know in a day or two if I find it easier or better.

let me test it....

oh, hey... that's good....

now... for a weather update...

 snow.......

hahahahha....

 well, it is Canada...and, it is winter......

You want me to do what?

Why do I haff to do it?

...just because you don't knit and I'm the only bear in the place with a sweater... ?? what kind of reason is that? C'mon...they've all got fur.....

Alright, alright!! If I look so cute in my store bought sweater...I'll do it. Look.... I'm doing it.... makin' snow angels..... good grief ...what will she think up next?...

There.... done.... good enuff? ..... it better be... look how deep it's gettin' ... and..I'm covered in it.

awww... now, lookit this.... I can't even shake it off... and oh..help.... ..it's all over me bum as well!

That does it..... I'm not leaving here til I dry out and my nuggets are nice and toasty !

photo a Week....

New day, new week, new year....

out with the old ...in with the new....

Well, out with some of the old... and in with the new logo for our Photo of the Week fun. Maybe you'd like to participate this year ??... check out Linda's blog here.

It's a lighthearted group ... no pressure... but, somehow in the back of my mind.. it almost forces me to be "out there" a bit more... gives me something to look forward to ... makes me want to use my camera.... all good.

one last look at my pretty blue Christmas lights... on my five foot wall surrounding the patio. Can't see over it for snow now... and how I love the look of the snow in late afternoon.... everything turns blues and purples....

And.... just have to show you one more card.... this one handmade. Definitely won't be cutting this one up to make any boxes ! I'll save it to display... either on the mantle...or...in next year's tree. Thanks Helena...it's lovely...

ps.... I have no idea what happened...but, I got tired of dealing with the black printing that showed up for no apparent reason. Not to be seen on the dark blue of course... where it is now pink...and I did manage to make it white..but, then..I couldn't find the highlighted word to give the link...arrggghh..so.. I got ticked and made it all pink... which made it easy to find the word..which I then made yellow....ahhahah.... and if you can follow all of that nonsense.. ... good on ya !!

more cards...

I refuse to be done with Christmas already... I'm still playing with photos and cards...and little mice and... oh, origami ornies made from salvaged wrapping papers.....

Save the fronts of the cards... or even parts of them .......

They look great placed in various spots in your tree....

this Victorian montage from a great one my sister sent me years ago... hmmm... almost sounds like she sent it to me in Victorian times...hahahha.....yeh, I'm old...but not that ancient...

I cut just the center out of this one... leaving on the gold trim...

this one is silvered.... and looks amazing in front of a little light... almost like a little lit painting...

Oops... where'd this come from? ...oh.... I know...it's a bit of summer colour for a wintery day.....