Max's first job

Some months ago, I got a call from a friend that works at Lark Books, asking if Max would be available to model some clothes for an up coming book called 'Sew Tina'. We drove downtown to their headquarters and proceeded to try on various outfits. The photo above features a really cute Moses basket to carry little infants in. I might make one of these to tote dolls around!

Isn't he sweet wearing this cute little girl outfit? I think he was about a month old in this picture and very accommodating to all the folks surrounding him, adjusting and fussing.

Here's a pic of the book, 'Sew Tina' that just arrived. I just flipped through it, looking for Max, so I'm not going to do a thorough review at the moment. I noticed the projects were interesting and relatively simple for a novice seamstress. There's also a pocket with a bunch of patterns tucked into it, along with some in the back of the book. It also has a few projects for boys, along with a cool fabric book for babies. That one seems the most fun and least time consuming project. Max might get one for his birthday! The other nice thing is that the projects range in age, so its not all baby stuff. Azalea asked me to make her the quilted coat, which would definitly suit her!

giveaway!

Hi! This post is arriving a bit late....but only because we've been so busy enjoying the season, by attending festivals and staring at all the gorgeous leaves! So, this time I'd like your thoughts on an idea for a bi-monthly competition using GGS goods or projects from our book, Enchanted Adornments. Several folks have sent photos of jewelry they've made using techniques from the book and of pieces made with our beads. Its always exciting to see how creative people can be! To enter this giveaway, leave a comment in this post - if its something you'd participate in, or ideas you might have about how we should go about it. Thanks for your input!

winner!

Hi! Sorry this is getting posted a day late, I went around all day yesterday thinking it was Thursday! I only realized it was Friday when Project Runway wasn't on! Alright, the name drawn from the basket is..........Tesori Travati! Email me with your info and I'll send your prize. Well, I think its a toss up between a doll, painting or necklace with a ooak bezel. I guess I better get started sketching! Thanks for your input!

blue skies

Lately, my brother Andrew and his illness have been on my mind. It got me thinking about what we've learned from each other and how we've managed to become close after so many years of being strangers. It's a true story-before Azalea was born, we didn't really know each other and would hear about the others activities through our parents. Now, here we are, me texting him funny pics or asking his advice about what to do about an aggravating situation. He has such a wide streak of optimism, of finding good in the most bleak of circumstances.

I've been sad a lot lately... it seems the world is full anger and ugliness and sometimes I wish I could isolate my favorite things on a far away island. It's easy to burrow down and wait for things to get better, but the problem with that is, there is always something to darken blue skies. I'm feeling fortunate and grateful- Andrew is better and seems to have angels looking out for him. I want to take a moment to thank everyone that has helped him, with the auctions and donations. It means so much to our family.

autumn outing

Can you believe Azalea took this picture? I think she has an eye for design. We went to the park to enjoy the weather and take some pictures of our dolls (I know, weird hobby, but I have so many, this one just ties together painting, sewing and other odd skills).

Here's Max 'helping' to set up the shot. We were going with a Halloween theme, so we dressed the girls in their most goth outfits and started shooting.

The final shot of our Fairyland Dolls. I thought they looked like they were waiting for someone to arrive. It felt nice to go out and be silly. It makes me happy that Azalea is so into this with me (for now!) and loves to craft. Greg is easily embarrassed, so he doesn't enjoy going out in public and taking pictures of dolls. I can't imagine why! Azalea and I will bust them out anywhere (unless we think people will touch them, then we won't) since we put so much effort in painting, wigging, costuming and jewelry. Anyway, Greg is in Minneapolis right now, setting up the show for Saturday and Sunday, so if your in the area, stop by and say 'hi!' he will have signed copies of our book Enchanted Adornments and also some texture tools for sale. If you're interested in the hollow glass bead capsules featured in the project 'Time and Memory' take a look at our latest selection.

Fall giveaway!

Okay, here's the prize for this week's giveaway. One 'love never dies' heart pendant/link, a bronze bee coin, a cute dragon bead and a botanical link. To enter for this prize, suggest something I could make to auction off to help Andrew with his hospital bills. I saw that Paula Best has made an art piece and is auctioning it on ebay and I thought I'd do the same. Leave the suggestions (like a painting, a necklace, a one of a kind bezel, etc.) in the comments section to enter this giveaway. Thanks for playing!

winner!

Hi! The winner for the third October giveaway is.......Taralinda! Drop me an email with your address to claim your prize. Thanks everyone, for your input! Greg has already started using some of the great suggestions (like more categories so finding a particular thing is easier) and we are currently building the area for the customer gallery. So, if you have a piece you'd like to see in that section, send us some pics. I'm working on the background still and we will be uploading the info as it is finished. Anyway, thanks again, for helping us improve!

fall festivities

Hello! It is so beautiful here in the mountains of Asheville! Fall is the best season to see this town. It seems like the leaves linger in vibrant color longer than anyplace else. We started our month long festivities with a picnic in the park, followed by evening walks through our downtown (to get liquid truffles at The Chocolate Lounge!). I took Azalea and Max to a fall festival held at the local nature center and they had fun mining rocks, petting donkeys, goats and rabbits. I've had fun making this month special for our little ones and it would be nice to try and make every month special, since every day is a blessing.

October giveaway 3

Hello! Time for the next giveaway! This weeks prize is a bronze bee pendant, a faery realm pendant (with 'come away oh human child to the waters and the wild' on the back), a rose blossom bead and a 'sweet honey' bee pendant. To enter, leave a comment about what you'd like to see happen with our website: improvements, customer galleries, more links, sample pieces, meaning of beads, etc. Greg and I have been talking about freshening up the site for awhile now, and have started taking new pictures with a ruler under each bead and I've been working on the text, where the symbols came from, their meanings or how the piece came about. Its slow going since there are so many pieces, but it shouldn't take much longer. We ask this question to find out what folks are most interested in seeing change on the site. We'd really appreaciate the input! I'll draw a random winner from the comments section on Friday, around noon. Thanks!

winner!

Ok! This weeks winner is.....Kiki! Yay! Send me an email with your info to claim your prize. That was fun to see what folks picked. My list is always changing, but I tend to love the weirder ones most, like the baby bird girl , tiny head dangle and baby owl drop. They are simpler designs, which are the hardest for me to make. I tend to love detail and its so hard to stop noodling and carving every little bit, barely leaving a place to sprue. Anyway, thanks for playing!

fresh new work

I love Azalea's new batch of shrink plastic pendants! She's covered a whole menagerie of creatures, plants, potions and witches. I think she's inspired by Halloween. I'm not going to show my pieces- they seemed so overwrought and contrived next to her spontaneous little explosions of cute. I have a hard time not planning a thing till its exactly what I'm imagining. So I think it was a good creative exercise for me. It was fun watching her make these, she'd say 'what do you want to be?' then I'd say 'an owl!' or 'a monster!'. Most of the time I'd ask her to surprise me. The best part is watching her stare in amazement as I'd shrink them with a heat gun. Little things make me happy!

*On another note, don't forget the drawing for the giveaway is on Friday and that we're celebrating our favorite month with a surprise bead in every order!

the fun begins!

After a lot of hemming and hawing about what to do and what to make, I finally just went upstairs, opened all the windows, burned some incence (a good suggestion, thank you Lisa G), then gazed at my collection of beads. Which is vast. Even for a collector. So, I took my time, which was refreshingly different, especially since I never get to do that (Greg offered to watch Max). Within that brief interlude, I picked out a handful of beads and started working. I was drawn to a monochromatic pallette of tigers eye (talisman associates), light smoked topaz swarovski crystals (from fusion beads) a flower toggle and a bronze luna moth fairy from our collection. I thought the liver of sulphur patina color was perfect for fall and the delicate wire work put me in mind of vintage necklaces I'd seen at an antique show. I was pleased to have something new to wear to the doll show I attended the next day.

Lucky me, I got to attend a doll show in Winston-Salem on Saturday! I was very excited, especially since I got to take a wig making workshop with reknowned doll artist Diane Keeler. I had the best time learning new techniques, meeting new people and best of all, knowing I could make all the wigs I could dream up. Of course, styling them may be an issue, as I am pretty unskilled with my own hair. Ah well, these things take time. I thought my first attempt came out pretty nice, a tad large, as I was bit over enthusiastic with applying the mohair! This past weekend's excursions proved extremely useful in helping me shake the slump that's hounded me. Ok, back to the studio! ;)

October giveaway 2

Hello! Here's the prize for this week's October giveaway: 1 bronze bee coin, 1 'kitty comfort' pebble, 1 'love never dies' heart pendant/link and one of Greg's super dang cute hugging dragons. Just leave a comment naming your favorite Green Girl piece and we'll draw a winner on Friday, around noon. Thanks for playing!

winner!

Hello! I just finished drawing a name out the basket and today's winner is......Sabine! Thanks for your input! This little game was pretty exciting and also an interesting way to get some fun ideas for a celebration. I'm thinking since I received so many good ideas, it'll just be a month long good time. It already seems so festive! Thanks everyone, for playing along. The next giveaway post will be on Sunday.