First peeks of Robyn with hair

Here is that sweet little Labor of Love!

I was really hoping to finish her rooting last night but I still have a section the size of my hand (minus fingers) to root on the back of her head. But I have to put her up again as Nicky Jack is waiting for hair. I was going to start him Sunday night but realized that I want the Precious Little Baby Dust DVD running while I root him and that night DH was home and yesterday, my house cleaning gal was here so I worked on Robyn instead.

She is quite a ham!

Peek-a-boo!

It is a lovely, snowy, winter day here today...a perfect day for rooting!

XXOO

Art Gallery window/Christmas and art in general

From this......

To a more festive appeal:

Yesterday found me at the Short Term Art Gallery in my little city. I have the privileged of showing in one of the window displays for the months of November and December so I decided to make the display a bit more festive.
I was not able to do all that I wanted to do as there was an issue getting a key to get in and I ran out of time, but I do think the new display adds a bit of holiday cheer to the setting.

Logan is waiting to find his new family. His twin, Leah, has gone home to Canada and he is all alone. Poor baby.

I only made a few changes to the back side of the window display~by adding some stockings and a few "gifts":

During my gallery-sitting time yesterday, my eyes gazed across the gallery that is filled with wonderful and creative artwork....so many gifts/treasures...and so few customers. My heart was saddened and caused me to think about the future of art. Upon my arrival back home, I opened up my email to find the Gallery Newsletter in my inbox. Below is an interesting article, in part, that I thought would be perfect on today's blog:

Buying Art? What about value?

Economic instability of the last couple of years has led to more questions about the lasting value of art. Though some collectors still think about the investment value of art in dollars, most experienced collectors know the true value is in the lasting enjoyment art brings to their lives. As a symbol of their personal identity, spiritual values, or view of the world, a collection of art gathered over the years comes to have a meaning that can't be measured in monetary value.


Very well said.

Have a glorious Monday!

Brain is blogged out...

I really desired to have something interesting to blog about today but I'm afraid my brain is on holiday overload!

There are other contributing factors besides the holidays (shopping, cleaning, decorating), such as changing the window display at the gallery, mohair orders, prototypes, custom orders, the need for a new website and social media networking.

I'll be at the gallery today changing the window display and combing out mohair. That might relieve some stress.

Hopefully my brain won't explode!

Tonight I'll start rooting little Mr. Nicky Jack.

Have a beautiful Sunday!

One sweet baby ready for Christmas!

I did it! I was able to get one baby from my collection ready for Christmas! This was after we spent the day putting lights up on the house and I also made an elf costume for my husband for a run he is going to be in next weekend. Whew!

Sweet Molly is all dressed...with a smile on her face! Enjoy!

XXOO from Debbie and Molly

Turkey Trot and Black Friday hide out

Does it look cold out there??? Well it WAS!

Here I am shortly after I came across the finish line....it was 15 degrees F when I crossed that line, but I was good and warmed up by then. I had just completed a 5K walk called the Turkey Trot, in Baker City Oregon. I think I placed 3rd, but they did not have official placings for the walkers. I was cruising along for 3/4 of the race in first place when a couple came up behind and whizzed by me! They had said "it was hard work but they were determined to pass up the "Jingle Lady!" (I was wearing bells on my shoes and coat) I could not catch up to them after that. The bells were a bit of a detriment as they could hear me gaining on them and picked up their pace. It was great fun and we had hugs to share after we crossed the finish line. They made me work REALLY hard there at the end trying to pass them!

The picture below is my husband warming up, getting ready for his run...he was running the 5K. He sortof looks like he is strutting like a turkey, doesn't he?? Giggle, giggle, snort! LOL What a cutie!

We spent the rest of Thanksgiving day inside. I made a lovely, low fat dinner that started out with this beautiful salad:

And we are spending most of today inside too! Well, at least we are not going "out there" where all the crazy shoppers are! We will probably be hanging lights out on our house this afternoon.

OH my! It's Friday isn't it?!?!? I'm supposed to share my collection with you today! Hmmm...okay well I'll share on picture that I took a long time ago. I'll share it because we have some snow on the ground and it's cold outside. You've seen both of these babies before~Giovanni and Carrie Lynn. And maybe tomorrow I'll share another picture or two. I might be getting some babies changed for the festive season tonight :)

Happy Friday!!!

Jenna by Angela Harris

Upon my return home from EXPO, I reported that Angela Harris had asked me to do a prototype of her sleeping smiling kit that she thought would be coming out. She had the OOAK displayed on her show table. Well, that adorable sleeping smiler OOAK was sold to someone who just HAD to have her so Angela set out sculpting another baby that she would turn into a kit...and here she is! Baby Jenna!

One, I love her name as that is my grandaughter's name (spelled differently) and two, she has some resemblance to my new OOAK, Olivia Grace, that Angela sculpted.

Click on this picture to see the detail of her hands! WOW!

She is going to be delightful to reborn!

Jenna is a limited edition vinyl kit and can be ordered from Angela's Originals.

Her prototype is due into Angela any day now! Whooo! Looks like she will be my Christmas baby.

Today will find me doing some nail glossing in the nursery then I'll be planted in front of the satellite heater rooting on Robyn (Nicky Gwin). It's COLD here! Right now, it's just above zero. When I arose this morning it was minus 4. Brrrrrrr.....

Not sure if I'll blog tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day here in the States. We will be braving the cold for the annual Turkey Trot 5K run/walk. This is our first year participating and we are really excited. The event is a fundraiser for the Northeast Oregon Compassion Center, an organization that is near and dear to my heart.

We'll see how the race goes and how much time I have. DH and I will be enjoying a quiet dinner at home and then be joined by our daughter and her fiance' for desert. Desert....huh, guess I better get that pie baked!

Happy Thanksgiving!

First peeks of Nicky Jack prototype!

I am so delighted to show off little Nicky Jack! His paint is not finished yet~I'll finish that today.

I forgot to measure him when I had him on his body to see how long he is but I am guessing 16"~such a sweet little preemie!

Nikki Britt has done and exceptional job on her first produced reborn kit!
Nicky Jack is a limited edition and is available for pre-order here.

I think he is just a little angel and I can't wait to finish him and show him to the world.

Hugs!

I AM working!

I'm sorry the blog has been so boring lately! I AM working on two babies....Robyn (Nicky Gwin) as a custom order and the new prototype Nicky Jack by Nikki Britt. Wow...just full of Nicky/Nikki's! LOL

With Robyn, I don't know WHAT made me decide to use a 42 Ultra needle from Bountiful Baby but I am. (Edited to correct an error I posted yesterday that this needle is a forked needle. After phone conversation with a reborn friend, I realized that this is a needle with barbs, not a forked needle) This is NOT NOT NOT my favorite needle and it is taking absolutely forever to get anywhere on her hair. And she's got a big head! I have about 14 hours into her now and am not even 1/4 of the way done. I'll just keep working at it though. She is looking very cute but the way I am doing the pattern does not justify pictures just yet.

And tonight I should be able to take some sneak peak pictures of little Nicky Jack. He is a preemie but I am making him as a healthy preemie~meaning no tubes or anything. He is very sweet and I might fall in love. Am waiting for part of his layette to arrive, a custom knit set.

I've been working off and on with the Social Networking stuff~trying to get my business out in front of people more. Whew. It is time consuming but once I get it all up and running smoothly the time matter will be less. However, it is time to start looking for a new website home for TNGUN. The website that TNGUN is running on now was created BY HAND back in 2005 and has been the victim of multiple hacking attacks over the years. The biggest one shut my website store down completely and it can't be repaired. So some time has been spent researching website hosts. This time, I will be building the website myself and relieving my webmaster, a dear friend of mine, from his duty. He will just have to hold my hand through the process as I still have so much to learn, but I need to learn it.

So there you have it. And you thought I was laying on the sofa, eating chocolate Bon Bon's and watching Soap Opera's, didn't you???

Smiles for the day!
(ps...we have snow!)

Orlando in January? YES!

For the 5th year in a row, I have the blessing of spending a week in Orlando Florida...in January!

I'd like to say that the weather is just delightful there in January, but it's not proven to be so the last 2 yrs; it rained and stormed a lot! It is still warmer than Oregon in January though. :) The first year I went to Orlando, I left home in MINUS 20 degree weather and landed in Orlando in 76 degree, humid weather. I enjoyed many moments of naked toes by the pool that year!

Since I just bought my flight last night, I'm going to be optimistic about this year!

Anyone else want to go to Orlando in January for IDEX??

~IDEX information~

IDEX here I come!

I'll be back to work on Nicky Jack today. It's snowing now and I am very anxious to get painting! Such a sweet, sweet sculpt!

((((HUGS))))

Is it still Friday? Sharing collection

Wow! I nearly missed Friday!
The Social Media class was excellent yesterday, so after sleeping in just a little bit today, I got right on doing some social networking work and completely passed right over the blog! Then the day was just super busy with chores (it's my "day off" yeah, right!) and tonight, I finally got some little treasures unpacked from my trip last weekend.

So this "collection sharing" is just a TEENY bit different.....

As in TEENY nursery furniture!

I bought the little crib and dresser a couple of years ago. I wanted the crib for a business card holder and also both to use as props when I made 5" reborns. To my delight, I was in a treasure shop in Tuscon and found all of these other pieces!

I was thrilled to find the little push stroller, rocking horse, high chair (with lifting tray!) and playpen:

And the round walker, the ducky rocking seat and the "mothers" rocking chair! Oh...I also found the sweet rug too!

I am GaGa over the round walker and duck rocking seat!

Now to find tiny little jointed dolls to go in all of them! Oh boy!

XXOO

Social Media "Boot Camp"

Tomorrow will find me at an all day class on learning how to use social media avenues to promote and advertise my business.

I am very excited about this class as I am a little bit technologically challenged and have been desiring a class like this. I am blessed to have it right in my own town and double blessed to be attending it alongside my husband!

Hopefully Friday I will be sharing someone from my collection.

Happy Wednesday and Thursday!

XXOO Debbie

BACK from vacation!

Oh wow! What an amazing time I/we had in Tuscon!

Our group of 7 who planned to join ended up being just 4 of us due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. Next time my friends, next time :)

So here we are from L-R:
Sandy, Sharon, Me and Debra.

I had met Sandy at IDEX (knew her from online before that) where she took my LDC painting class. Let me tell you~this lady, who is very new to reborning, does not need much help from me! Her babies are wonderful!

Sharon has been a long time customer-turned-friend and we first met in person at my home in the fall of 2007.

Debra used to make doll bodies under the name of Debra's Doll Designs. I began ordering bodies from her back in 2005 and let me tell you, they are the BEST bodies! I love them and miss them! It was a thrill getting to finally meet her. We've tried to meet in the past but just had things always come up.

Debra could not wait to meet Giovanni!

Sandy holding my Jason and sweet miss Kaitlyn who I made for Sharon. Next to Sandy is one of her reborns, Noelle who I just love! Oh and btw, Sandy is an award winning artist! She won several awards at Tiny Treasures/IDEX in 2010....and she's only just begun reborning! Excellent!

Sandy's Mika sculpt:

And here you have it! 21 TNGUN reborns all in one collection! These babies all belong to Sharon. We pulled them from all over the room to group them together for this picture and for what I came here for in the first place....

Signing 21 TNGUN reborns! (Okay, so there were a few that were signed but I had to check them all just to be sure)

We enjoyed Sharon's home and dolly room so much! I took a bunch of pictures, as did the other ladies but I'll just post a few to give you a feel for her room.
Here is a group of bigger girls:

And the wall where the crib is: (Just GORGEOUS!)

A corner shelf made up as a small doll "house":

Her gorgeous vintage chandelier:

We enjoyed a fabulous meal together supplied by all of us and then we had a "baby shower" gift exchange, white elephant style. We all came home with a wonderful gift that suited each just perfectly.

And of course we all shared the dolls we brought. Here is my Lousia by Selena Saxton all dressed up in the new dress Auntie Sharon gave her:

My gorgeous Alexia reborn by Mandy Gernand of "Babies of Chrysalis Meadows". I LOVE this gorgeous baby!

Alexis and Olivia Grace, my new Angela Harris OOAK:

And of course the major Ham, Giovanni:

One of the most exciting things we did was to join up via video chat with our friend Sally in Seattle. She was hosting another dolly day so both dolly groups got to see each other live and share what we were all doing and what babies we had to show off. THAT was AWESOME!!


Besides having babies at my 24 hour disposal, hanging out with wonderful dolly friends,

I also immensely enjoyed a tour of Sharon's husbands train room....look how real this shot looks!

I was taken to see the sights of Tuscon and well, girls can't get together without shopping! So we did a good measure of that too. My box is on the way home via the USPS system! LOL I'll share when it arrives as I'm so excited with what I bought!

One of the sights that impressed me a lot was the Air Force base! There were HUGE planes and jets for what seemed like miles!
I really enjoyed my visit with my friends Bob and Sharon. Tuscon is a wonderful HUGE city and the terrain is just intriguing. And the dolly day just topped it all off. What a pleasant and relaxing mini-vacation!

Back to work now! Prototype Nicky Jack was here when I arrived home and also the Precious Little Baby Dust DVD which I watched some of last night...oh my gosh, Rachel and Cassie are amazing! Go order it!! Okay, you MUST order it?? Will you PLEASE order it? Oh heck..just order the thing! LOL

Hugs!