more doll making with charlotte . . .

This afternoon we worked some more on the doll that Charlotte is helping me make.  Once again I let her pick out the pieces that she wanted to use.  She would say that she liked some fabric or lace and then she would change her mind.  After I stitched on the lace that she finally picked out, she told me that it looked . .. "Oh so beautiful!" . . . so that was that.  Watching her pick up lace and fabric and hold it up to the doll body was priceless.  She is so interested and involved with helping me . . . 

. . . and adds her own kind of silliness to doll making.  

good things today . . .

GOOD THINGS TODAY . . . 

1. paper cranes

2. painted bears

3. pink Adidas shoes (I told him he should have worn his pink socks)

4. hot tea

5. fresh asparagus for dinner

6. coming home and getting warm

7. flash back photo of cousins . . . this made my day!

8. rain stopping long enough for tennis.

9. more rain on the way . . . 

10. seeing some friends we haven't seen in awhile

this makes me laugh . . .

This one makes me laugh because I tend to follow my heart and not my head.  I guess that isn't necessarily a bad thing . . . yet there have been times when I should have told my brain to take over . . . not to let my sentimental, idealistic, romantic heart take care of things.  Then again - I have also learned to be true to myself and "letting my heart be my guide" -  is just sort of who I am. When I look at the big picture . . . maybe my head knew that my heart had everything figured out all along. 

Can I help?

Charlotte's doll is coming along . . . she wanted it to have pink hair.  I pulled out a basket of yarn and let her pick what colors she wanted to use.  She of course wanted to help with the hair . . . which meant it took a little longer to put on than it normally would have.  She would hand me some strands of yarn . . . and then would have to help pull the needle through.   She genuinely seems interested in the whole process of this little Shabby Charlotte doll. 

 I added some buttons to the eyes . . . I think this little doll is just wonderful.  I told Charlotte that the next step was making her some clothes  - Her response . . . . "Can I help?"

paper cranes in green . . .

good things this week . . .

"Find out where the joy resides, and give

it a voice far beyond singing.  

For to miss the joy is to miss all."

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

GOOD THINGS THIS WEEK . . . 

1.  Plenty of rain

2. Plenty of sunshine

3. Making dolls with Charlotte

4. Making turmeric tea (I used the recipe here)

5. Eating healthy!

6. Talking to my brother

7. Mornings with Lily

8. Dinner and cribbage with my man . . . (I won!)

9. Looking out my window at work and seeing the mountains

10. Green!

It's been a long week . . . a simple week . . . an "I can't wait for the weekend" type of week.  I guess every week is an "I can't wait for the weekend" type of week, but I think I am feeling that a little more than usual . . . Spring Fever!

something to hold onto I think . . .

Luke has been going through boxes that he has had stored in our garage.  He found this the other day.  It was stitched by an old  girlfriend of his.  This friend showed up at our house a few years ago (about three years after they broke up) . . . she was pregnant, homeless, and in trouble with the law.  She lived with us for 6 months until the baby was born . . . she gave the baby up for adoption and I have seen her only one time since then.  To be honest - it was not the easiest 6 months of my life . . . but I do believe it was what was best for that unborn baby. 

 I remember her working on this that winter.  She also did a lot of scrap booking.  I remember watching her stitch one evening and being reminded of the song -  "One of These Things Doesn't Belong" from Sesame Street . . . 

cross-stitch, scrap booking, drugs (one of these things just doesn't belong . . . )

She left our house the week before the baby was born.  I am sad to say that her choices have not improved her life at all.  It is heartbreaking what drugs can do to an otherwise smart, talented, creative young woman, who if had made other choices . . . would have a very different life.  I am thankful she made the right choice regarding her baby.  I have heard that he has wonderful adoptive parents and is happy and healthy.  

So I look at this with mixed feelings.  It is beautifully done, It makes me smile . . . it makes me think of her and her quirky personality . . . and her wild, dyed hair . . . and her intelligence and creativity - and then I get mad.  I get mad at her for not fighting harder . . . for not realizing that there were people who loved her and supported her and wanted to help her - yet she still made the wrong choices.

Then I feel sad . . . for what addiction does to people.  Not just the addict, but also to the people that love them.  I think I will hang onto this . . . frame it and hang it up somewhere where I can see it and be reminded . . . not only of her and what her life could have been, but that it is OK to care and help and reach out even when things . . . and people seem hopeless.  

"No matter how hard the past, 

you can always begin again."

~ Buddha

Charlotte's Shabby Charlotte . . .

"Children are so creative

an imaginative that they just bring

you to life all over again."

~ Moira Kelly

I let Charlotte draw the face on one of the dolls I am making. 

I love how it turned out . . . especially those eyelashes.

She may have to start helping me more often.  

I love the idea of her creating the faces on some dolls.  

fun with charlotte . . .

Charlotte wanted to help me stain doll bodies last night.  As usual everything is much more fun when Charlotte is involved . . . and much more of a mess.  She had coffee splashed all over the counter before we were finished, but the mess was worth it.  Children bring wonder and enthusiasm to everything they do. 

 I wish I had a picture of her face when I told her we had to bake the dolls in the oven.  

She is very interested in this batch of dolls . . . 

I have a feeling she may be helping me with hair and faces next . . .

Her enthusiasm is contagious.  

We have a lot to share with each other . . . her and me.  

"Enthusiasm is is excitement with inspiration,

 motivation, and a pinch of creativity."

~ Bo Bennett

Shabby Charlotte zombie doll . . . Finn

Finn is a high spirited little zombie who loves people way too much to ever think about hurting them.  She tends to get excited very easily and loves to try new things.  She loves sushi and hot coffee with whipped cream and red sprinkles.  She loves to dance . . . pick flowers . . . and simply wander around town seeing what kind of shenanigans she can get into.  Her favorite color is green, but she loves dressing in red just because it puts her in a good mood. 

You can’t go wrong having this little zombie around . . . she is loyal to the end and loves to include her friends whenever she is out having a good time.

I finally found a name for this little zombie and got her story finished.

She will be for sale in my ETSY shop later this week.   

doll bodies and sebastion . . .

What a wonderful weekend, but then weekends are always wonderful

. . . .just because they are weekends.

I wrote doll stories . . . made doll bodies . . . had "rainy day" pizza with Charlotte . . . and champagne with Sarah.  We went to lunch and played cribbage . . . went to dinner with friends . . . worked on projects . . . and watched The Walking Dead.

We made the most of our time and wasted time . . . 

"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."

~ Bertrand Russell

good things this week . . .

"Finding joy is probably tantamount

to finding yourself and being

comfortable in your own skin."

~ Morgan Freeman

PEACE ~ LOVE ~ LILY

GOOD THINGS THIS WEEK . . . 

1. Coffee, tea, and cute cookies at work . . . 

2. Being disciplined and not eating the cookies

3. Quotes

4. Shopping with Lily . . . popcorn and root beer!

5. My brother sending me pictures of Mom and Oscar

6. Walking and taking pictures

7. Flowers

8. Getting plenty of sleep

9. Eating healthy . . . and feeling great

10. Getting reacquainted with my Shabby Charlotte dolls . . . 

Peace ~ Love ~ Joy