WELCOME SPRING!!!!!

So Ive been busy, busy, busy. Im so excited to share also that Ive signed up for a show in May. One that Ill be able to sell a few of my dolls, but also my small end furniture that Ive rescued, repainted and tried to add a flair embracing life in the "Simpler" times.

Ive been pretty busy healing from the horrible and near fatal pneumonia I suffered thru for 11 weeks, then the depression from being so sick, and trying to show up and sew when I was soooo not in the sewing frame of mind, to complete and keep my commitment for this doll order Im sure your all 'as' sick of hearing about as I am taking about. (Their all off and Kentucky bound this coming Friday afternoon. Bye bye kids!)

As grateful as I am for that size of an order, (my first as well) and I learned so much about myself and future orders, packaging etc. & such, I did feel pressured, sometimes a little bored with the repetition of making 2 or 3 of each pattern which wasnt mine, so I felt held back unable to color outside the lines!

So to prepare for the freedom of creating and designing for myself again, makes me feel excited. I cant wait to get back out there with the excitement of being at a combined "Craft fair and Flea Market". I love the friendly people, obedient husbands in tow slurping down their promised reward of handburgers, hot dogs and " country fair food" the impish kids running around with all that energy I envy.

I so look forward in setting up my booth area and doing the best I can to create an inviting and fun place to find treasures, antiques, and dolls made from my heart. Ive got my pip berries, rose hips, pot pourrie, and garlands of dried slices of apples, oranges, and limes, homespun rag balls, all set to be displayed in old canning jars embellished with a strip of fabric around the lid....ohh I get so excited thinking about my new patriotic designs and projects I hope to excite people with.

This year Im confident in my work, myself, and my ability to take and then share pictures of my "Primitive Marketing Journey" with you. Ive done so much growing & learned so many valueable lessons that some of you generously taught me, it wouldnt be fair to keep all of my blessings, and experiences to myself.

I am so grateful to be healing so well, trying to remain commited to my authentic self, & the radical changes Ive been making lately such as being a smoke free woman, & part of a smokeless couple in addition to remaining on weight watchers so not to allow any potential weight gain become an excuse to pick up smoking again. (it wouldnt take much at this point)

Ive got to admit, some days Im so proud of myself, so energetic, just humbled to tears knowing this is a personal miracle from God, because I do NOT have the strength to attempt this without His devine intervention. He is doing for me what Im unable to do for myself.

Then there are those LOOOONNNGGGGGG days where I wake up singing "I AM WOMAN...

I AM INVINCIBLE...

I am really tired ...

I am hungry...

AND I WANNA SMOKE!!!!!

SOOOOO BAD.

but I dont. not today...maybe tomorrow... but not today, not right now.

Thank you all for your appreciated encouragement, prayers, and support for both Ronnie and I.

It is so delicious to be back in the land of the living.

Big smoke free hugs for all of you!

Ive been busy buttoning & tightening up my last minute details to ship out my doll order out this Friday afternoon. But to keep me from feeling limited, I took some free time and made a couple of my own dolls, and painted a couple of tote bags, the larger bag is painted celebrating one of my favorite painters, Terrye French, and sadly, I cant remember the artist I used when I painted the African Women.( shown on top of this blog) I found them on a fun calendar, years ago and never jotted down the name, didnt have a clue about giving honor to anyones work back then. I wasnt ever serious about making work to sell. I do apologize and am very aware of giving honorable mention whenever I sew or paint someones designs. I appreciate your understanding & not thinking of me of as a copy Kat, just an uninformed neophyte & up and commer. "When you know better, you do better" Thank you Maya Angelou!

The little lady sitting in my spider plant is probably an angel protecting the gardens,(shes teeny tiny, only about 7 inches tall, or small) and then the other black folk art doll was inspired from an ole dolly I found at a flea market while driving around New England Flea Markets last year.

MMMMMM...Yummy grilled BBQ chicken with lots of "Sweet Baby Rays" sauce & a little red hot, brown sugar, onion powder, balsalmic vinigar, and diced shallots, we had a lishy tuna pasta salad to go with this hot stuff....SA-MOKIN...the sauce, NOT US! Still smokefree... 5 days for Ronnie and 13 for me. FRIKIN MIRACLE!!!! (poor baby, was suckin on his "Red Hots" jaw breakers so hard to work thru his cravings, he irritated and burned his tongue & taste buds!!! Now he cant even enjoy over eatting as promised when you experience nicotene withdrawl)

Check out my A-D-O-R-E-A-B-L-E angel sent to me from my very talented, rediculously demented, but delightful friend Jennifer Jones from" Buttuglee.com" Please do yourself a favor and check out her awesome website, and hysterical blog... (Chasing the Pestiside Truck")

Im convinced Jennifer has escaped from some bizarre creative pennitentary, camp, or institution, cuz shes just oozing with unbelievable talent gone BUCK WILD. Her gifts of vibrant colors, incorporated fabrics, and little "this n thats" she uses in her dolls just keep me blazing with inspiration with all of her fire and passion. I just love her new "Old Batz" series. I was lead to her site one day and HAD to reach out to her & email her to thank her for inspiring me,and Im so grateful I did, she has become one of my dearest & precious friends on my long list of online phenomenal women I HAVE to meet before I ....well not to be morbid, but die.

OK...Heres the thing....This bouquet maybe the reason for the big ole barespot on a bush in my neighbors yard...and the arrangement in my bedroom, and a small floral celebration in my sons room, which by the way hes not really "feelin" said Im girlin up the joint! & Mr.O'Malley is constantly being shooed away from grazing on them. No one can resist smelling the changing of the seasons. Im not a thieving neighbor and blockwatch isnt handing out my mug shot...if I had one....Im just sayin...if I did, but Nancy generously invites me to give her bush a haircut every spring...It was the neighborly thing for me to do!