"It's in the box"

What an amazing day we've had! In spite of NOT having the box of supplies, we have had a great teaching and laughing day. We talked about "thinking outside the box" when it comes to painting dolls and we've talked about what is "in the box" (that is not here with us).

I am beyond blessed...that really is all I can say. My 7 students have been more than understanding of the lost box.

Between what I brought in my luggage, what my room-mate friends brought, what some of the students brought, what Dianna Effner brought and the cups we got from the cafeteria, I was able to teach a really good class on multi-dimensional skin tones. I will continue the class in the morning.

We set up the show table tonight. Some of the things for the table are...."in the box". But we made do there too. My table is simple as I packed the show in my luggage, but I am happy with it. The show starts at 11 am tomorrow. :)

It really was a fun and exhausting day. And...I am blessed.

XO

Loving North Carolina!

Hello Everyone!
I am having a wonderful time in NC! The people here are so nice. I was told about Southern Hospitality but WOW! I love it!

It is raining though! A tropical storm decided to move in on us. I don't mind the rain, really, as I don't see very much of it where I live and the hotel/convention center complex that I am at really is lovely and fun.

Pat Moulton (sculpting artist) and her husband were on our last flight into NC. They are very fun people and I enjoy seeing them at these events.

We chatted with Paulette Goodreau and family at the Modern Doll Convention. What a lovely group of people!

Dianna Effner arrived this evening and we visited with her a little bit too. We will get together more this weekend.

I've met up with 5 of my students and talked with a 6th on the phone. We are all very excited about the class in the morning. And, well, no the box of supplies has not arrived YET but I have a plan and we will still have an amazing journey together! My receipt says the box should have arrived on the 27th (Tuesday) and I've had the hotel staff search BOTH hotels for the box. But it's okay...we will make do and I'll still do what I do real well~teach. :)

So it's late and I must get to sleep. Oh wait! THE FOOD! It's amazing and I'll have to do some major diet changing and exercise when I return because it's all deep fried and full of sugar and salt! Today I had fried okra, fried green tomatoes, sweet potato pie and sweet tea all at one meal! IKES! Mmmmmm.

It's charming here. Just charming.
Hugs,
Debbie

Headed further West to go East!

The day is here! Well at least the day that I leave home. I'll travel nearly to the West Coast/Pacific Ocean in order to travel East to the Atlantic Ocean! Funny travel system~LOL

I am really ready. I am relaxed. I am excited!

Giovanni is ready to travel too. He will fly on the plane with me tomorrow. I love people's reactions when I bring a doll on the plane, and the conversations are endless.

I'll be "talking" with you from hot and humid North Carolina!

Hugs!

ALL babies are ready for EXPO!

A few pictures of the newest and final baby for EXPO~Dalton.

I thought it best that he have painted hair. It really turned out nice for him :)

And the rest of the line-up:

My bags are ALL packed for my departure in the morning. I only go as far as the airport tomorrow~I'll land in North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon.

I'll blog as often as I can while I'm there!

XXOO
Debbie

Alaytheea ready for EXPO!

One of my favorite little one's I've created~Alaytheea! She is 10 inches long and weights just a mere 15 1/2 ounces. She has an adorable ballerina multi-outfit custom made by Piccolissimo Baby Boutique. Thanks Tiina!

This little ham, Dalton, is ready for his photo shoot now too! The rest of the babies are packed and most of my clothes are packed too. I'm getting excited!

Enjoy Saturday!

XXOO

Sharing Sweet Pickles!

I think this one is appropriate to share with only a few days before landing in the "South".

Please meet Sweet Pickles. She is a Bonnie Chyle reborn doll that I purchased. She tickles me pink!

Little Chyle group:

She and Micheal are inseparable:

Happy Friday!

I did it!

It took me until midnight last night and I had to skip out on a social event last evening but I did it~all artwork is done!

The final two babies need assembled and a few pictures taken for my website but the most time consuming part is complete. Whew.

Today we are going to the "City" for shopping. I am on the hunt for new jeans. Wish me luck!

XXOO

Finishing all artwork today???

We'll see about that. My massage appointment was NOT yesterday, it's today, so that means I don't have as much time today as I thought I did. I did make use of the time that I would have been at the appointment (I did go there only to find out that I had the wrong day...too much on my mind maybe??)

I went ahead and did Lil' Duckee's photo shoot.





Although I was not able to completely finish the other little one I am working on, I did get her hair done:


So this morning I'll put her limbs on her body and give her sweet eye lashes and natural gloss.

And I hope to finish all the painting on the final show baby, Dalton.

If all that happens, then my weekend (Thursday-Saturday) of shopping, laundry, packing and cooking for DH will go very well.

Have a great day!

"Easy" day in store here at TNGUN

After yesterday, almost any day would be easy!

My day started with the fact that I needed to ship Miss Kristaleta to Australia as her layaway is now completed. I had her all boxed up on Sunday night so this should be an easy venture, right??

Well as I contemplated going to the Post Office and since I love to kill many birds with one stone, I decided to check the prices to ship the EXPO class supplies. On line I realized that if I shipped the box "Parcel Post" I could save a lot of money. I don't know about you, but I sortof like money and having a little extra at EXPO would be wonderful. However, when shipping Parcel Post, one must ship a week in advance. So I thought, "well, I only have to revise my color guides for the class, print them and pack them in the box. Easy. Until the printer ran out of ink. This is not a good thing as I usually buy my ink in the "City" two hours away. In the meantime, I also knew that I had a pot of mohair that HAD to be washed, rinsed, conditioned and combed. It had to be done that day. HAD to. I did not want to risk ruining it.

Typically we cannot find the things that we MUST have in our little city but I got myself together and headed out to what stores we have with the ink number in hand. Lo and behold, I was able to get the correct cartridge at the FIRST store I went to. (Thank you Bi-Mart!)

Back to killing birds, since I was out and about, I did a few other various errands that helped me be more ready for my trip. It was my delight to come home and check those off the list so that was a very good thing.

But now, the mid morning was gone and the mohair still sat. After getting the color guides finished, printed and organized, I finished stuffing the box for shipping. I was able to add a few things that would have gone in my luggage so this will allow more room for the things I must still get to EXPO. I decided to wait to ship both boxes until today.

I finished the mohair at around 2 pm, ate some lunch and headed to the nursery to work on the final baby boy for EXPO. I HAD to work on him or I would not be able to get him finished in time. And I am really loving this adorable face! (the color in the photo is lousy...I know...I ALWAYS say that but until you have taken pictures of dolls in Baker City Oregon before, you simply have NO idea how difficult it is! LOL) This is Mika Donnelly (Phil Donnelly sculpt) now named Dalton. I will be able to get much done on him today, right after I go to the post office!

After a wonderful dinner of vegetable soup, sourdough roll, pear and walnut salad and an all-veggie custard pie, I sat down to work on the little Bi-Racial babys hair. She is looking very adorable. I'm using some hair from my trip to the mohair farm a few weeks ago. It's perfect AA/Bi-racial hair!

Oh~during the break between painting on Dalton and fixing dinner, I managed to put this little girl together~she is now ready for EXPO! (I'll do her photo shoot sometime before I go)

Please welcome Lil' Duckee!


So today is just this:

Post Office
Paint (Dalton)
Massage at 4~YES!
Prepare pepper and onion fajita's for dinner
Root little Bi-racial baby, now named Alaytheea. I will be able to finish her tonight before a late bed time.

Easy Peasy.

Colliii awards voters prizes!

I recalled something about prizes from last year Colliii awards and found the link on Colliii.com as to who those prizes were for~the VOTERS! :)

So, if you vote you are eligible for any of these prizes:

~Voter Prizes~

I am done voting. It was fun looking at all of the different babies! I especially enjoyed the OOAK entries. Oh my...I would not want to be one of the jurors in that category! It would be too hard!

******************************

7 days until I leave, 3 days left of my "work week"~EEK! LOL I think I'll make it alright though.

Started painting the last full size baby who will have painted hair and started rooting the last little 10".

Have a good day!

T-minus 8 days until liftoff!

It's just now 8 days until I leave home here. The class supplies are nearly packed and ready for shipping...now if I can just carry that box into the Post Office! LOL It is not as heavy as it is big.

All but the unfinished babies are packed into luggage.

The little 10" centerpiece/door prize baby is rooted but needs final details.

My little bi-racial show baby will start getting her hair tonight. And I've got one more full size baby to paint and finish. He will have painted hair though as has been my plan from the start.

And there's a about a million other little details but it's all starting to come together.

So all is well in the nursery!

Hugs!

The 2010 Colliii awards voting is open NOW!

What an exciting time of the year!

Colliii is an online doll site featuring a forum, up to date doll news and Colliii TV. Colliii holds an international, worldwide contest each year called the Colliii awards.

The voting for 2010 began yesterday and runs only through September 30th. The reason I say "only" is because there are a LOT of entries and one needs a good bit of time to get through the voting of each category.

The categories are:

OOAK dolls
Reborn dolls
Play, collector and doll kits

I learned that when voting in a category, you MUST click on that category and then click "change category" otherwise the system will default to OOAK. You only have to click that when you change a category as once you change it and click "change category" it will stay there until you switch to a new category. What I mean is, when I first started voting, I only clicked on the category button and not the "change category" button. The system defaulted back to OOAK and had me totally confused! I admit, this is not always a hard thing to do....confuse me! LOL

So here is the link to Colliii.com One must register as a user (no charge) in order to vote.

~Vote for Colliiii 2010 Awards~

So if you have the time, please vote. I'd like to see the Colliii awards around for a very long time!

Toodles!

Sharing my collection~Joylynne!

Meet Joylynne!

(EWE! I was heavy back then! Thank God for a new lifestyle diet!)

She is a manufactured prototype "Huti" baby produced by Ashton Drake. Her legs have been changed to Lee Middleton legs and are just perfect for her. I have so much fun with this baby. I purchased her in Florida in 2008. The first three shots show her enjoying DownTown Disney with me. She is such a hoot and was a perfect baby to take into all of the shops with all of the fun props.

Oh goodness I want to go play now, but I cannot. Laundry and dishes are calling me. ~sigh~

Winter hay in and a peek at new babies

Blogging just a little bit late today...but wait! It's Thursday anyway...my "day off"~LOL

This morning our winter hay was delivered. Ahhh....I love it when the hay is delivered. It means slower days and hot soups are in the near future. It just feels "right".

Speaking of days off....with only 10 days before I pack my car and head to the airport, I will be working today on my "day off".

Last night, tonight and tomorrow night will find me rooting this itty bitty 10" baby for EXPO. She won't be on my table though. She is a donation centerpiece for the "Gala Awards Breakfast" to be held on Saturday morning of EXPO. It is my understanding that these donations will become door prizes for the guests at the breakfast. This will be fun to participate in.

And since I think this little sculpt is so cute, I decide to make a Bi-Racial of the same one for my EXPO table. I am loving how she is turning out. I will finish her paint this afternoon:

I am so proud of my self....I needed a little "Boppy" for each of these babies and a friend suggested making some. With her advice, I made both of the little posing pillows for these babies. :)

Have a great day today!

Now I am happy with Noo Noo, now Kamry

I am happy with HER but not so much her pictures. I had to take them last night as I am so limited on time now. They will just have to do. If she does not find a mommy at EXPO, then I will retake her pictures for eBay.

She really is adorable!

New baby in the nursery~almost!

Please welcome Noo Noo by Romie Strydom.
I've wanted this kit for a very long time and finally bought one this last spring just to make up for EXPO.

I'm not quite done with her...I want to do a bit more on her color but I could not wait to show you.

Noo Noo says "See you at EXPO!"
(I will probably rename her)

Happy Tuesday!

Not much to blog about today

I've been working on Noo Noo by Romie Strydom and finally finished rooting her head last night. I'll apply her lashes, gloss and put her together later today. She is for EXPO.

While I wait for her glosses to dry, I'll start painting a 10" mini for EXPO.

I've much to do in the next 14 days. The kits and paints are here for my class so I need to wash all those kits and open the nostrils. I have 6 ladies taking my class :)

Once I get all the kits washed and dry, I can box up all the class items and send them to my hotel in North Carolina. That will be a relief. Then I can focus more on finishing the babies and packing my suitcases. I'll be taking the babies on the plane with me....eeek! Always a little bit insecure about that but with only one stop and a short layover, it should be okay.

I combed out some mohair yesterday and will get the colored before I pack it all up too. I won't have much available which is sad but I've just run out of time. Speaking of time, I won't be able to make one baby that I really wanted to take to EXPO...I simply have run out of time.

Hugs for Monday!

Fall mohair purchase

What a lovely trip to the Angora Goat Farm we had on Friday evening.
I didn't take any pictures though! We did mingle with the goats in the barn yard, I just didn't get my camera out of the car before we headed out there.

I purchased just 16 pounds of hair (yearling and the adult hair from Lucy), however, the baby kids are not shorn yet and I've selected the kids that I want the hair from. Hopefully I will be able to get 8 pounds of kid hair after that sheering but it depends on how many kids come back from the Flock and Fleece show later this month.

Those baby kids are just so funny! They romped and frolicked with each other in the barn yard. I got to pat Lucy~the old goat who has the most amazing hair! She's thrown good hair all of her life and many of the kid and yearling clips that I buy are from her offspring. Lucy's mother is Lil who started the whole amazing hair thing. Lil will be retired this year...she is 14 now and getting to old to breed. Her kids are always amazing too, of course! In fact, I am currently rooting with kid hair from one of Lil's offspring and will be combing some out today that I'll process and take to EXPO to sell from my table. The doll I am rooting will be on the show table so customers can see and feel how that hair roots first hand.

15 days until I leave for EXPO!

Precious Little Baby Dust DVD's

Have you heard of these??? AWESOME!

Cassie Peek and Rachel Maynard, both from the UK, have taken much of their time to record both a painting and a rooting DVD, sharing both of their talents together. What a sacrifice and a gift to us!

~Precious Little Baby Dust~

I just went to the site above and ordered the rooting DVD and I can't wait! A while back Rachel told me about the needles she uses and I set out right away to order them. They are amazing and I've used them ever since. They are from the UK and a bit more $$ but the results are wonderful. So my rooting has been better since then, but one can always learn more, right? Several days ago I watched the preview of the rooting DVD and already improved my rooting just from that small clip so today, I have ordered the rooting DVD! I can't wait for it to arrive and view the whole thing.

Thank you Cassie and Rachel for sharing your time and talents with us!

Hugs for Saturday!

Sharing my collection~Giovanni is HOME!

Oh happy day! Givoanni is home from Laura Tuzio Ross' studio repainted and looking adorable!

Of course I did some shopping for him while he was gone~all baseball attire :)
I won't be handling him very much for the next month while his paint fully cures so for now, he will just wear this one new outfit.

I was gifted recently with some new treasures. The sweet bear in the photo below was given to me by a new wonderful friend. This is the first of this type of bear in my collection of babies. I love these bears and would collect them if I had the room. She is a great keeper of the little ones in my nursery:

The same new friend blessed me with this adorable manufactured Lee Middleton/Reva Schick baby. I have named him Buddy. He came dressed in a wonderful sleeper and hat set accented by a hand knit sweater and blanket. My friend made them and they are gorgeous!

Buddy is enjoying his new home and I love him a lot.

Meet miss Kewpie. I've wanted one of these classic babies for some time now and I found this one at the Portland show, dressed just perfectly for my nursery.

My other little one is delighted to have her join the nursery kids:

That sweet and flirting face just cracks me up!

And while I was snapping pictures this morning, I could not resist this one of Fawn. She was just hanging out in the nursery waiting for her auction to end tomorrow morning. TOOO cute!

Today is an exciting day as I get to go to the goat farm! I'll report on that visit as soon as I can.

Happy Friday!