Lavender

I am one of those persons whose body speaks to me loud and clear...and yes, sometimes I ignore those times when my body is telling me- to say- rest! I find my mind is about a week in front of what I can physically do...but at least I will never be bored!

Over the last month or so I have had quite the craving for lavender...more than just lotion or an aromatherapy bath- to actually ingest it...who knows...maybe my mind knows that I have to crank out some dolls and it is just preparing my body to stay focused but relaxed. I have tried to hunt around online to find out what lavender cravings are all about- can't really find anything.

So I am choosing to just go with it and eat and drink lavender. My first thing I found was this delicious Lavender Milk Tea- I had it while out to tea with my friend Carol. Now, you have to have a taste for the earthy, to like it. Carol wasn't really sure about it- and she has quite an extended palette. But I luxuriated in it...too good!
...this tea had a Chinese label- off I went in search of this delicious-soul-soothing tea. The only thing I could find online- Lavender Milk Tea. I haven't tried this one....yet!

I went to Wholefoods and did find a chamomile with lavender tea- not bad but I need more lavender! I bought it anyway and am actually sitting here drinking it while I am writing to you.

Next up was off to the Apothecary Tinctura to purchase lavender in bulk and whatever other little lavender item would fit into my craving...I got the bulk dried lavender, an aromatherapy spray, and some lavender infused water.

photo credit: By PoPkO! link here

With the dried lavender I made scones- next time I need to add more lavender!!

So with this next month in front of me and all the things I am committed to create and all the things I would like to create- I am going to be a busy busy girl...

...but relaxed...just me and my lavender!

dreaming about all those creative things!

New Loves

"The best and most beautiful things in the world

cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart."

--Helen Keller

This past month, two new loves have become a part of our large family.

My nephew Jeremy, is now married to Liz. We love them both and it is so wonderful to see them together and how they balance each other. It is a funny thing as we grow into life, how after many years of marriage myself to my adored husband Mark, how balance of each other plays such an important part of your marriage. I find that it is not so important that you have to do everything the same, have the same likes and dislikes, but how you communicate and understand each others likes and dislikes that creates a wonderful marriage- ok...well most days- we are all human. But all in all we are so happy that Liz and Jeremy are together and we know they will have a long and growing marriage- mazel tov!!

The Bride and Groom

Parents-
Julie (Mark's sister) and Mike
with Liz and Jeremy

Just a Nice Photo
Honeymooned in Costa Rica

Our next precious addition, is a new little girl Kayla Lane.
My niece Sarah and her husband, Mike F, are the proud parents. Kayla took some effort to join us in this world. Sarah and Mike had some obstacles to over come and then Kayla decided that she wanted out into this world at 28 weeks.

She is remarkable and will be in the hospital for a bit to finish developing. But we are so happy she is here!

Little Kayla Lane

three days old
notice she is holding Daddy's ring

A foot in Mama's Hand

Finally off the respirator
and Mama Sarah can hold little Kayla

Daddy Mike holding
little Kayla

All in all we are so blessed with our New Loves
...and our Loves that have been with us all along!

What you didn't see...

Sometimes a new concept takes time to work out...to discover...

Here is what you didn't see if this process of discovery!

Dress #1

I hand-dyed the top edge of the skirt area to depict the center of a rose- in a golden yellow tone.
Then added the sewn petals (backed in velvet) and dip-dyed them, also added in the laces...nice but not what was rolling around in my head.

Dress #2

I thought that the dress needed more color...and so- sewed all those pleats into the skirt with the petals attached. The silk did work nicely at the bottom billowing out into little "blossoms" with the tulle slip it added a nice softness...but where was I going to put my quote...hummm.

In the end I decided that contrast is what I needed, so I incorporated the black with a slight accent of the color..that was the look I was going for.

The words now are a strong feature and the black simply frames it. Sometimes just simplifying the design is all that needs to be done to communicate your vision.

And now..."Live" and from Russia-
it's The Doll Show from St Petersburg!

It is a marvelous world we live in...technology has brought us all closer. On my facebook from Larisa Medvedeva, I was sent a link of photos from a Russian the show.

Wow! Imagine my surprise to see this- my doll I had just sent off last week and now displayed with her fellow NIADA friends...what a nice world we live in!

Larisa's Link

To Russia with Love

"...that which we call a rose

by any other name would smell as sweet."

I was asked to show a doll through NIADA in the upcoming Doll Show in St. Petersburg, Russia. I thought about what I wanted to create for some time and came up with a new series called "Le Fleur" or The Flower. With summer coming and flowers blooming so beautifully this year, I found my inspiration to be all around me. Rose...roses are in full bloom right now and as I walk down the street from my studio they are blooming in their full glory...Rose.

I sometimes turn to words for my inspiration and came upon the above quote from Romeo and Juliet. Although, it is a bittersweet story of star-crossed lovers, it is about love. I thought about my love of doll making and my love of nature and designed a French Doll named Rose.

Designing can sometimes be challenging, especially when creating a new concept- in a limited amount of time. So I translated the quote into French and printed it along the dress hemline...

I knew I wanted her dress to be in rose colored silks and to have the essence of roses on her hat...

I used vintage lace that
I made in to leaf shapes.

Needless to say I made three dresses, my first dress. I dyed the top to depict the golden center of the flower, it turned out too muddy. My second was too fussy with many many seams and petal hemline- good concept...wrong application.

I needed the dress to be soft and full- like a petal of a rose. I also wanted the doll not to be too sweet and so incorporated the color black into my palette.

For some reason I feel that creme and black check is very French..who knows where that came from but I think it works.

After a few 12 hour days, I made my deadline and now...

May I present to you... Le Fleur- Rose.

A final note-Many thanks go out to my dear friends, Deborah Pope and Shelley Thornton for carrying my doll to Russia for this show. I know that she will be in good hands!