Hopeful!

I finally got confirmation that I will have surgery to relieve some of the pain in my hands and hopefully get back to sculpting.  First is my right hand, the worst one, in three weeks, then three weeks later my left hand.  I know it won't rid me of pain completely, but if I can regain some use I will be thrilled.  In the meantime, my little Etsy adventure continues to keep me busy.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July everyone.  We will continue our tradition of a hometown Fourth, sitting on the grass of the football field, enjoying all the yummy food that goes with this sort of get together and topping it off with a spectacular fireworks display.

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE FOURTH OF JULY!!

My Etsy Shop

A few of the vintage items I've listed.  I truly enjoy this, it gives me something to do while I wait for my hands to co operate while I hopefully can get back to sculpting a little.  I've always collected and loved vintage anything, so now I can still collect and not be a hoarder.

Something different for me..

I think the day may have come that I've been dreading for quite some time.  I'm having such a difficult time with the Rheumatoid Arthritis that has plagued me for more than 20 yrs, that my doll making has almost come to a standstill.  It came on fairly suddenly and isn't subsiding like in the past.  My fingers and hands have become so painful that I've been unable to sculpt successfully. According to my Rheumatologist I'm already on the maximum dosage of the medication I can safely take. It's worked for over 20 yrs, for that I am thankful. I'm hoping that resting a while, I will be able to resume sculpting for a little longer.  In the mean time, my love of treasure hunting is seeing me through and giving me something less painful to do, and may in the long run give me an alternative to sculpting.  I hope it's someting that I can do more part time and in addition to my sculpting than instead of. I'm slowly listing some of my vintage treasures in my Etsy shop.  Even that is slow going.  Wish me luck and keep me in your thoughts please.
Thank you all for all of your inspiration and kindness.
My Etsy Shop
Judy

Lamby Pooh

My latest offering on ebay is a little princess with an attitude.  She was quite a bit of fun for me and I hope you all enjoy her too.Lamby-Pooh on ebay

Alice and Alegra Fairy Sisters

 My latest for ebay.  A set I adored but am happy to say that they are going to a lovely lady in Australia.  Thank you Helen, I hope you enjoy these two precious sister fairys. They wear dresses hand made from vintage fabric and have really pretty pastel moth like wings.

Mama 'Possum and babies

This is my latest offering for ebay, she's a sweet little Mama Opossum and three tiny babies hanging from her tail.  While I'm not sure how accurate that might be, it's a common conception that they hang from Mamas tail.  A friend told me that Opossums are immune to rattlesnake venom and do NOT contract/carry rabies and are really quite shy. Their life spans are very short in the wild...1-2 years.  (Thank you Tammy) =>).....But, little Posey and her babies will be around for a lifetime of enjoyment.

 Ebay link to Poseys auction

Awesome and Enlightening

I came across this on Face Book and it just reinforces what I've always believed. Please take the time to watch this.  It will change the way you look at Autism and the people who are locked in a world we can't even begin to imagine.
Carly, an amazing young girl!

Merry Christmas

Thank you all, my really great blog friends.  You've enriched me with your blogs, some funny, some sad, some so very creative that I envy your talents, but in a good way. You've made me a better person, I hope a more interesting one and one that is grateful for what I have.
May your Christmas, your Kwanzaa or your Hanukkah be blessed, after all, we are all one people, all with the same beating heart and I hope, love and respect for our fellow man. May your New Year bring you happiness, success and peace.
Love to you all,

Judy

My Last Fairy of 2011

This is my last sculpt for 2011.  It's been a mixed bag this past year and I'm ready for the New Year with hopes for more creativity. Thank you all for visiting me, you've been a bright spot in my day each time you drop by.

Add caption

 I wanted this little fairys body to show but not be voluptuous.  I wanted her to have a childlike, innocent and tender look, kind of waif like.  I sculpted her little ribs to show, and gave her a slight tummy like a child might have. Her large eyes and long white eyelashes add to the fantasy. Over all, I'm pleased with her.

Fairy pond

This is one of my newest commissioned pieces.  My camera has been out of whack for a while, so I borrowed one to take pics until mine gets back.  Its a request for a fairy resting in sleep with a frog and some butterflies in the scene.  I added a pond for the froggy, and made him a prince waiting for a kiss that will transform him. ;>)

Lazy Bones

I brag on my dogs too much...I know that, but they are so darned cute and smart, can't help it.
I looked the house over for Rusty the other morning, he was nowhere to be found.  Went upstairs to my bedroom, called and called, started to panic, had he gotten out the front door somehow?  I called again and listened...all I heard was a muted snoring coming from my bed. I noticed one of the pillows was moving ever so slightly up and down in a rythmic motion.  I hurried downstairs for my camera to record for posterity and to show Larry.  I removed layer by layer very carefully and this is what I found.  Just had to share this. 

The Red Lamp

My sweetheart of more than 47 years has surprised me more than once in giving me my hearts desire.
I'm guessing 20 some odd years ago, Larry and I were driving down a busy street, he, paying attention to traffic, me, enjoying his company and 45 mile per hour window shopping. Suddenly something caught my eye!  Ohhhh did you see that red lamp in the window of that shop I asked...of course he couldn't have, it was four lanes across the street in a small shop and the traffic light was green!  I described it to him, a small tiffany style lamp glowing bright red through its glass shade.  I didn't give it another thought....at least I don't remember thinking of it again.  We lived about 35 miles from town at that time so our trips to the 'big city' of Fresno weren't an every day thing.  About two weeks passed and for some reason, Larry had to make a quick trip to town, I stayed home.  When he returned, he had the lamp, not one similar to it, but the lamp.  It was not an inexpensive lamp, least not to me, at least not then, so I treasured it and treasured him even more for knowing which lamp had caught my eye. His quick trip was just for that lamp.
Sometime in the past two years, it got broken.  I was sad to say the least. I looked at the beautiful broken red shade.  Two panels were shattered and in so many pieces that I could never put it back together.  Not being able to put it in the trash, I carefully picked up even the tiniest pieces and deposited them in a bowl. 
It was then that I fully realized that 'things' even special things that carry a precious and loving memory can be broken, but the memory behind it stays intact, just as beautiful as the item itself was.
I wonder how I would have reacted with my own children had one of them been the one that broke it while rough housing?  As it was, it was then three year old Matthew, and he wasn't even touching the lamp, but trying to open a drawer to look inside. My heart jumped when I heard the crash, not for the lamp, but for the little boy I loved way more than the lamp.  After seeing to him, I was relieved that he was ok.
With age comes a softer heart and I hope, wisdom to know whats really important. 
After Matthew left, I got out the bowl of broken glass and the shade.  I bent the framework back as best I could and got out the epoxy, clear tape and the tiny pieces of ruby red glass .  I managed to put it back together haphazardly, filling in the holes with epoxy.  After it dried, I set it up high on top of a bookcase with the broken panels to the back, no one would be the wiser.  It shines just as brightly as it did then. Now when I look at the lamp, I remember how I got it, not that it was broken.  An added bonus, is that I think of Matthew and how lucky I am to have him in my life.

Seeing things differently

I just read a post about Christmas by my son Chris at Autism Spoke.  and wanted to share it.

Belle and Mouse newest creation

This is Belle and Mouse, a compassionate little fairy who has befriended a little blind mouse.  This set was inspired by a friend of mine.  I had sculpted the little mouse months ago and  he's been providing me  company with his cute little self long enough.  With a change of clothing, dark glasses and a little cane, he became who he was meant to be from the beginning.  Personally, I think he's faking his blindness......=>)
Ebay Belle and Mouse

Side effects of cataract surgery...beware

When I was told I needed cataract surgery, I thought....Yippee!....I can look forward to sculpting without having to take 30 minute breaks every 15 minutes...that yet remains to be proven, I'm still recovering.  I was however, shocked to find out that two of the side effects of cataract surgery were, more wrinkles and more gray hairs.  I liked the old younger me better.


Judy

Off to the races

My middle son Gary is an avid bicyclist.  He's also a middle school Special Ed. teacher, and a great one at that.  He took up bicyling after he had major back surgery a few years ago.  It turned into a driving force for him and he now competes at the age of 44 with much younger men and he does very well. In this particular race the age range was up to age 45.  And at 44 he took third!  He rides and or races almost every weekend, and for the next couple of Sundays he'll be racing here in Fresno, and, his Dad and I plan on being there to cheer him on.

Wish I had taken a picture!

Yesterday, something happend that has never happend to me before.  It was such a nice day, instead of turning on the air conditoner, I left the sliding door to the patio open for a breeze. 
Mid morning I took a break from sculpting and was headed outside to water plants when I heard an unmistakable sound.  The frantic whirring of either a huge moth or a hummingbird.  I couldn't see it, but knew where it was coming from. Following the sound,  I caught a glimpse of a tiny hummer trying frantically to get through the glass and back outside.  It had apparently followed the light upwards to a window in the staircase landing about 14 ft from the floor. Fetching a ladder and hoping the poor little bird wouldn't fly out into the open room where I would never be able to rescue it, I climbed up.  When I got to where I could see it, it had collapsed into the corner of the window with its little beak pointed up wings spread and completely still.  It was just a baby.  I thought it had fatally injured itself.  I reached over the bookcase and gently picked it up, still motionless.  I told Larry it was dead and climbed down thinking I would bury it.  I walked outside and noticed its tiny little feet were stuck together with ....poo.  I tried to release its legs and clean them before burying it.  To my surprise, it suddenly just zipped out of my hand and flew away into the nearby tree.  This in iself was a surprise considering the amount of tiny irredescent feathers it had lost in its battle with the window.  Had I known it was still alive, I would have taken a picture, but taking a picture of the poor little (dead) bird was the last thing on my mind at the time.  I went from sad to happy to worried, praying that the little creature would make it.

My guess is that the little fellow was attracted to the red glassware clearly visible from the patio door.  Realizing they weren't a source of yummy, he flew upward to the bright light from the window in the stairwell.

A FEEL GOOD VIDEO

The Beth Ramacher Educational Complex is my youngest grandson Matthews new school. The Beth Ramacher staff has realized a dream of establishing a Sensory Room that has become a model for other schools. Many of the students are functioning at the sensory level of development and require sensory input to meet their educational needs. The Sensory Room offers a multitude of activities that require students to become active participants for building skills and in turn, motivates their desire to learn.

They're doing a phenomenal job!

Romance 46 yrs later

Tomorrow will be mine and Larrys 46th anniversary.  It will forever be tarnished by the date it shares with the tragedy of 9-11.  The one on that date was a difficult one to begin with.  Larry was recovering from an accident that made it impossible for him to sleep anywhere but on the sofa in the living room....and me on a blanket and pillow on the floor as close to him as I could get should he need me.  The phone rang early, but I was already awake, just lying there hoping to catch a little sleep before the day began.  It was our son Gary telling us to turn on the television....and thats how we spent that anniversary.  (more about Gary later)
This one was intended to be a little better.  As a pet lover....I'm sure there are many more out there who will understand....we haven't been away for an overnight trip since we adopted Rusty....our first little Chihuahua.  We made arrangements for our son Chris to come over and, lets call it house sit. LOL We love our little pets and just couldn't board them.
 Step back a little over a week ago.  I got the urge to clean......bathtubs......and clean I did, they sparkled!  But, shortly after I finished, I realized that I should have been a little less enthusiastic.  I hurt!  And the pain is still here today, so, this little froggy won't be hopping off the the coast with her froggy prince.  Our oldest son Mike invited us up the his home in the foothills for a barbecue, but, I honestly don't think the long ride would do myself any good.  He's a great cook and I regret missing it.
We will instead spend the day at home, watch the ballgame.....we're die hard Giants fans.  Perhaps go to dinner or maybe even a movie...we'll play it by ear. 

Candlelight Fairy

Fall, my favorite season of all, is just around the corner and I can hardly wait. It seems the shadows fall differently almost over night, and the air is heavy with the scent of grapes ripening, followed by the intoxicating scent of those same grapes laid out on paper trays in the sun to magically turn into raisins, almost wine like, I love it!  I'll be bringing out the lap quilts soon and lighting spicy pear and vanilla candles.
I'm sure there's a Fall Fairy looking over my shoulder patiently waiting her turn to appear.
In the mean time, here's Candlelight.

She was done in tiny increments of time that I managed to steal these past few weeks.
When inspiration fails me, and it has more and more lately, I turn to my favorite theme, fairies and candle light.  This one is different from any I've done, she's larger and leans into the candle as if carressing it lovingly. She's a rather romantic fairy who loves candlelight...I can understand that. 
Her Ebay Link

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