Things you find when looking for something else!

I'm a packrat. I'm not sure when exactly it started, but it's for sure gotten worse as I get older. I've seen shows on Oprah and Dr. Phil recently about "hoarders" and quite honestly, I'm not sure what the difference is between that and being a packrat ... but it's for sure I'm probably both. hahaha

Anyway, I was looking through the stack of small notebooks I've kept for the last about 10 yrs and actually came across my first attempt at a blog. I didn't even remember starting this one. I'll probably try to combine it with this one but until that day, here's a link with several of my dolls.
http://www.angelfire.com/blog/cassiopea/

I've rediscovered the joy of doll making and will try to keep updates with my finished projects. I might even try to do an "in progress" as I attempt to learn the art of reborning. Here's a link that explains what it means to create a reborn doll. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reborn_doll I have two kits sitting in my craft room, waiting for me to get brave enough to dive in and learn this new skill. I'll still be working with porcelain dolls but these vinyl dolls really appeal to me also.

But, the start of this post was about being a pack rat and in order to start this new direction in creativity ... I must excavate my craft room yet again. Seems that it's still in a shambles from all the card making and sewing I did before my knee surgery. Which translates into the fact that every surface is about 2' deep in the left overs from summer time. lol I should make that my first "in progress" project, with pictures and everything. Maybe I'll start that tomorrow.

In the mean time, before I fall into bed, here's a few more pictures of our Oregon trip in October. These were on Lesley's camera so it took a while to remember to get them from her. :)

Here's the four of us out at the ocean. I've never in my life seen so much sand. I think the dunes there are about 7 miles long and at least a mile wide. It was incredible!

Here's dare devil me leaping hills like I knew what I was doing. At the time it felt like I was flying through the air ... lol ... it's sort of a let down to see I was barely leaving the ground. :)

Here's a great picture of Howard with his toy. He's a lot braver than I am ... which also got him in a few spots he had to have help getting out of. Seems he liked falling into deep spots. lol

Christmas is coming?

Rumor has it that Christmas is on the way ... and our family has made the move from store bought gifts to those needing more thought and creativity ... ie, hand made or home baked. I have a ton of sewing projects slated for all the grand kids and kids, etc ... and yet I've spent the last week in a frantic rush to finish a doll.

This is a doll I started probably well over a year ago and just never stuck around long enough to finish. It's hard to progress when you go to class for 2-3 weeks in a row then drop out of sight for 6+ months. The mystery to me is why there was such a driving need to finish her, when there's so many other things that need to get done. (Like excavating my craft room from the last crafting blitz, which was prior to August and the knee surgery. lol)

This last week I spent 2-3 days just shopping for the *right* shoes for her. Thursday I spent the day fighting with her body. I'd gotten the pattern but no instructions and I figured I could wing it ... I just didn't realize how truly frustrating it would be. However, all obstacles overcome, aside from missing eye lashes, she is done. And here's her photo.