And Now Introducing...

MAGGIE








THE MAGNIFICENT!








I mentioned in a previous post that my youngest daughter had adopted Maggie from a local PetSmart/Shelter partnership. They have developed quite a relationship. It's remarkable to me because my baby girl has never been a real animal person. Other then fish, and an occasional hermit crab (things you don't really touch or interact with) she has never really had a "pet". She has also never been one to talk to inanimate objects or anything that didn't talk back. This was a child who was HORRIFIED of the Wizard of Oz, for God's sake. Monkey's flying... and talking scarecrows and lions - NO WAY!! And Mr. Ed (the talking horse)- even in reruns these things were not cute. And believe me when I tell you, there could not possibly have been a large man (white or black) in a red suit coming to our house WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP, even if he was depositing presents. If he was really a friend he'd come to the front door and ring the bell like people do! No pictures sitting on Santa's lap or hanging out with the Easter Bunny. It was NOT HAPPENING! Fenix ALWAYS wanted to know what was REAL. (Like I knew!). I'm not sure how much that has changed either. Anyway, I've been thinking about all of those things since she adopted Maggie. How in the world was she going to relate to a dog? Let's not even talk about the fact that dogs can BITE YOU and "Rule of the Pack" and all. (We do watch Discovery Channel and read the newspaper - get the picture? Now I'm not sure how much of my own stuff played into this because I have my own healthy respect for animals, but for now I've decided not to go on that particular guilt trip. I'm already committed to another one anyway and haven't quite returned to normalcy. What I have found out is that I really don't have to worry about it at all. (Well, not too much.) She and Maggie are just fine. They're working it out. They may even be in love.
GO MAGGIE!! GO FENIX!!!

I got the following quote awhile ago and thought it was great. I took the liberty of changing the words a bit. I substituted the word adopt for buy. There are a lot of wonderful animals languishing in shelters and rescue sites across the country. So, before you buy that pet, check them out. You might find your own Maggie, or one for your kids.

If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies then adopt a dog.







If you want someone who is content to get up on your bed just to warm your feet and whom you can push off if he snores ..... then adopt a dog !








If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves you unconditionally, perpetually then adopt a dog.




But, on the other hand, if you want someone who will never respond to you when you speak, ignores you when you come home, walks all over you, runs around all night, comes home only to eat and sleep, and acts as if you exist solely to ensure his happiness then buy a cat!



This is a photo of Maggie and one of my daughters friends. I think Maggie's in love! (My daughter calls him the dog whisperer.)

Resources for adoptions: PetSmart, A Place to Bark (This is a dog rescue that also has an extensive list of sites. It's worth a visit just to see what this artist is doing for at risk animals.)

Alexander the Great...One Year Old

As I mentioned in a previous post, Alexander turned 1 on August 15th. He had three, count them THREE celebrations. It was a treat for us all. Two were held in Virginia before the Bat Mitzvah. When we got back to Jersey, we had another with some of his play date fellows and the Northern Alexander fan club!! I decided to weed through all of my photos from this year and document his growth over the year. Boy was that a challenge and a great deal of fun. I think it's pretty cool. Have a look see... go ahead, treat yourself. You won't regret it. He is absolutely WONDERFUL.

See I told You...

What a Week!!

Last week was a pretty special one for me and the wonderful one (my husband David). Alexander, grandchild #3 turned 1, Imani, grandchild #1 had her Bat Mitzvah and Fenix, daughter #3 adopted a wonderful puppy through PetSmart's Adoption Program named Maggie. I am exhausted! AND, I am still feeling an overwhelming sense of joy (in spite of the fact that Fenix is now having car problems (Yet another test of her resolve...and mine). We now have 2 PetSmart adoptees in the family. That's another story for another time. Anyway, I'm posting pictures of Imani's Bat Mitzvah tonight so that I can post Alexander's Birthday tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get some of Maggie so that you can see her also. I had fun editing the pics of the Bat Mitzvah. It took me most of the day and I was able to relive the experience. What fun we all had. I did not caption any of the pictures. I will do that later, but for now you will have to just enjoy their beauty. I stand in awe of the unique way each one of our children has found their spiritual path, their way to God. I am so very fortunate to be able to experience him/her through each of them.

One of the gifts that Imani received was an incredible work of art that she can wear around her neck. I was moved by the thoughtfulness and incredible talent of this incredible artist, Josh Edelsteine. See for yourself. Here is a picture of the artist and the pendant.

This is how Josh Edelstein describes this piece of art.
For the occasion of the bat mitzvah of my friend Laura's daughter Imani, I thought "I'd design something special. Imani and I are pretty good friends as well, by which I mean that we tease each other mercilessly. Her Hebrew name is אמונה (Emunah) which means "faith"--exactly the same thing that her given name means in Swahili. I decided that I'd combine the two cultures whence come her names into one piece of jewelry.

Swahili has no written language; it’s represented today by the same Latin letters we use in English--so I wasn't going to be using two languages in the design. However, among the Adinkra symbols of West Africa (where Swahili is spoken) is a symbol called the "Nyame Nti" that represents faith. I've shown that symbol here with the negative space of the two sterling silver halves of this star. The tree-like design is also appropriate to the occasion because our synagogue's name, Etz Hayim, means "Tree of Life." Her name in Hebrew, done in 18K yellow gold, is the only thing holding the two halves of the star together, showing how faith can be what keeps us together in trying times as well as how important her presence can be to the growth of Etz Hayim."

You really should follow this link to Josh's Web Site, there you will find some of his other wonderful work. I would call it eye candy but it is so much more. It is both food for the heart and soul because it comes from such a strong deep place within him.

After the wonderful service at the Synagogue we all shared in a wonderful and festive feast. Traditional folk dancing, and some very non-traditional games. As you can see from the photos, WE HAD A BLAST! And, Imani, well she was beautiful and charming and we all got to be warmed by her glow.

It Really is Nice to be Nice

"This award will be awarded to those that are just nice people, good blog friends; and to those that inspire good feelings and are an inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support, or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!" I just was nominated for this award from by friend and fellow blogger Venus at Handmade by Venus. Venus is a very talented artist. She creates the most fantastic dolls. What I LOVE about Venus's dolls is that they are not only unique and beautiful, but her craftsmanship is perfection. What I LLOVE about Venus is her big heart. When you visit her blog make sure you read Here comes the Bride and She started as a Fairy. Anyway, Venus nominated me and I get to nominate 5 other bloggers. Thank You, Venus for thinking of me.



I have run across a many very kind and generous people here in the blogging world. People who share their time and talents to support and connect our very large communities. This makes nominating fun and easy The hard part is limiting it to 5 people. But here goes:

Sprite at "Sprite"

Belinda Spiwak at "Crazy Art Girl's Musings"

Marva Plummer-Brun at "Purple Thoughts-Purple Paint"

Sherre Hulbert at "Sherre's Art Zone"

Judi Wellnitz at "Art Dolls:A Journey in Fiber"

Jackie Jolles... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Documenting the Negro Leagues in Portraits

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending time with an incredibly talented portrait artist. She asked me to sit for her. Geez. Anyway, it provided me with the opportunity to share a morning with her just talking and sitting. The portrait process is fascinating to me in that way.

Jackie Jolles is her name. She asked me to sit because she is actually documenting the Negro Leagues in portrait. If you read my previous postings, then you know my father played in the Negro Leagues. And guess what... I have my father's face!

This portrait is of Geraldine Day, wife of Hall of Fame, pitcher Leon Day. What I like most about this portrait, is that it truly captures her. Not just her image, but her essence. It is so incredibly strong. The other portraits are equally as powerful. Jackie has done some incredible work here and I hope that some of you will be fortunate enough to see it. Maybe she will share some of HERstory with you. I was fortunate enough to hear some of it. I hope one day that you will be as fortunate.

Paper Dolls & PhotoShop

I have continued making paper dolls. I really enjoy the and I'm feeling more comfortable working with the thicker board. Cutting through the board with an utility knife can be pretty scary sometimes. Trying to get the shape you want makes it even more difficult. I've added another tool to help make it easier. It's an heated knife! It moves through the board nice and easy!


And, I've finished up some PhotoShop Projects. I don't quite know what I'm going to do with them, but I like them.

These are my nephews. Aren't they gorgeous. The images of them are from a trip to Jamaica. I think that children make the best subjects. Especially when they aren't aware that they are. I printed and framed this one for my daughter. The room that this went in is a chocolate color.


This is called "Lucy in the Sky". My grandmother's name is/was Lucy. That's here up there. As I looked at this in the preview, it looks like it needs more work. We'll see how it prints. What do you think? It's amazing how long these things take. Maybe this isn't finished.




These are two more pieces that I did with my gorgeous nephews. I have to pull out the original photos. All these wew from our trip to Jamaica. The Doctor Bird would perch in the tree outside our porch every morning. By the way the trip was for my sister's wedding.

Slightly New Look

I have changed a few things around here. Most importantly for me is that I removed the dates. It makes me feel less guilty about not posting more frequently. I've joined 3(count them), THREE new yahoo groups. I'm really enjoying them, and as soon as I get more organized, I'll be more present in them. I've been working on a mermaid. It all began with Jean Bernard's Mermaid Tail class. If you take the opportunity to follow this link you'll get to see some of Jean's fantastic work. You'll have to scroll down to see the fish tail but you'll also get a chance to look at Jean's incredible art. Well back to the mermaid. I was taking this class with Jean and decided that before I made the tail, I should make a body. HA!! As I was creating the body, this particular mermaid decided that she wanted quite a different tail. She's not your classic mermaid, but rather an ice maid. A creature of the cold Arctic waters I really had to think about materials to use so that you could see the impact that the cold water has on her body. Using modeling past and various glitters really helped. She's not quite finished, but I thought I would share my progress with you. I'm really growing quite fond of her.


One day I'll get a light box. But for now my back yard work table will do. My sweetheart built it for me. It's really great, but that's another story.










I really like the effect of the modeling paste corset, as well as the depth that it gives her skin. By the way the body is polymer over a wire armature.
























And this is her tail. Fabric, angelina fiber, fine glitter and a heat gun! It was like using the heat gun like a paint brush. Oh there is a wire armature underneath all that.

Challenging Week - Wonderful Week

Well, I suppose that says it all. But maybe a bit of an explanation might be in order. On Monday, I went with my husband (David) to have surgery on his hand. He has had this surgery before on his right hand, this time he had it on his left. For those of you who don't know David there are a few things that you need to know about him. First of all, he is a catcher (I'm the flyer.); and second he has a very, very, very high tolerance for pain (unlike me). We left the surgery center with a RX for pain medication, which he insisted he would not need (and didn't), so we threw that away!! Imagine a catcher with a hand like this

Add that to the fact that he is a cyclist and you got a caged cat!! I was really hoping to be able to practice my catching skills. But, other then slicing Lebanon Bologna for his sandwiches (not even making the sandwich), and not tightening the toothpaste tube, I wasn't able to do much. Oh well. Luckily the Tour de France is on. It suffices to fill some of the void. If you haven't been watching it is quite a sport. Try in catch it while they are in the mountains. Right now they are in the Alps. Next the Pyrenees Today, at one point, they were traveling at speeds in excess of 40mph on a bicycle. Can you imagine tooling through the Alps at 40 mph on a bicycle? Check out some of the photos. Or try to catch at least one stage of the race which began July 7 in London and will not end until July 29, in Paris. It is being carried live on Versus


I did get to finish my Roxanne doll from Sherry Goshon's class. She was quite a challenge. I ended up having to sculpt a head for her, rather then use Sherry's Luna mold. There were quite a few other little changes that I had to make in order for her to become. So, here she is. I really like her. I also like the technique of wrapping rather then stuffing dolls. It's easier on the hands.





Next week, I'll finish up daughter's collage. I'm waiting for some supplies that I ordered from Lisa's Heaven They are pigments, which provide more intensity of color when mixed with other mediums then things like Pearl Ex. Because I intend to use it with Paverpol and Apoxie, I think they will render a more rich color. I'm also going to try it mixed with Adirondack blending solution. I think that it will provide some interesting effects. I used that solution with some pearlescent chalk on Roxie's face today. I'll post a close up tomorrow. Forgot to take one today

Anyway my garden is becoming more plush. Butterflies have returned to the butterfly bushes and the goldfinch are perching and eating from the cone flowers(a new phenomenon). It's an absolutely beautiful time of the year. I'll also post some garden shots for you tomorrow.

Sherry Goshon's Roxanne... My Roxy

Back of Roxy's Boots


Front of Roxy's Boot


Well today I worked on my doll for Sherry Goshon's Roxanne Class. What a struggle. I had selected several colors and textures of ribbon for her legs and arms, however, she was having none of it. So I decided that I would rip up some muslim and scrim. Then I decided to dye it and use it to wrap, rather then the ribbon. I worked and felt right for my Roxy. If you remember the boots that I was working on, they are now painted and partially laced. I'm really liking them. Unfortunately, you can't see the way the Pearl Ex shimmers. i used the patina green and the pink. Although I painted the corset and torso with a gold metallic and added some of the pink pearl ex, I'm not sure that it still doesn't need some work. We'll see tomorrow, with new eyes. I still have quite a way to go. The fabric that I selected will not work now and so I will either have to dye something or find something else.

The heat from the mid west is supposed to be heading this way and so I may not get much done tomorrow. I am planning on starting early so the clay will cooperate. I'm really looking forward to her being. It has really be a joy watching her become. I also need to get back to my daughter's collage. Well, we can't rush these things. Hope you are all enjoying your summer and aren't to terribly uncomfortable.

Thinking About Dad...

This past week has been pretty difficult for me. It marks the 4 year anniversary of my father's passing. It hardly seems like it has been that long, it feels like it was yesterday... no today. Much of my time has been spent distracting myself and pushing away sadness. What I still haven't learned yet is that there is really no way around your emotions, you have got to let in each experience, each emotion and only then are you free to move on. So, I decided to post this tribute to him. And then, I will show all of the things that I have done to distract myself over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I thought that I had more pictures on my computer of him then these. My scanner isn't working so I can't scan any, but I think these will do. The first is one that was taken at my daughter's graduation from law school. As you can see from the picture, he adored her. He had that same adoration for all of us. Amazing how someone could have that much love in them. Enough so that each of us felt we were the "favorite" one. Three of his five grandchildren received post secondary degrees that year, and he stayed with us long enough to see each one of them receive them. And believe me, physically, that was not easy for him. By the end of my daughter's ceremony he was sitting in his wheelchair at the back of the auditorium wrapped in a blanket. But he was determined to see it. It rained for all three of the graduations. Two of them were held outdoors. He sat through them all. Brutal!
The other picture is from when he played baseball in Cuba. He played for both the Cienfuegos and the Havanas. They were some of the happiest days that he and my mother spent together. If you get a chance check out one or more of the web sites listed in my links. They will provide you with a wealth of information about the men who played in the Negro Leagues during the years of segregated baseball in America. One of the things that always amazed me, and that remains curious to me yet, is that baseball was not segregated during that time in Cuba. And that men who found themselves playing together as team mates during the winter months in Cuba, would once again separate when they reached US soil.
The other photo was taken on he beach at Trinidad in Cuba. Not very far from where my parents lived at one point.
My mother passed 6 months prior to my father joining her. I believe that she had something to do with him remaining with us as long as he did. She knew we needed him and probably spent a great deal of energy negotiating with him to stay awhile. I can imagine their conversations. For me, it was still not long enough! I guess I'm selfish that way. I miss him horribly, and I will probably miss him for as long as I live.



Creative Distractions...
or MY ARTFUL SPIRIT AS A TREASURED RESOURCE??


Artist Trading Dolls (ATD)

Camera and clay were used as distractions this week. And, by weeks end had put me in a really good place as you can see from my previous posts. i can't help but think that maybe I was able to accomplish so much was because I had so much in me to work with!! So, here are some pictures.





This is a swap for my Artist Trading Doll Group. This months paper doll swap was to focus on complimentary colors. The head of this doll is polymer clay. I used Paverpol to give the paper dress and her arms dimension and to help in the sculpting of her hair. Pearl Ex, Embossing Powder and Acrylics also helped me complete this little cutie. I really was pleased with how she turned out.





I love when the Iris bloom. Even though they are spectacular on their on, in their natural state. They provide so many interesting opportunities for photographic alteration and exploration.



ROXANNE (A Sherry Goshon Class)

I'm taking an online class with Sherry Goshon. The doll is Roxanne, and she is made using a dress form,and a felt body which is skinned. You can have a look see at Sherry's site. I am really behind but will work my way through. I decided to sculpt hands rather do cloth ones, and used apoxie for her boots in case I want her to stand. These are her boots unpainted. I decorated them with vines and calla lilies. Can't wait to paint them! Today I felted the body which I will "Skin" tomorrow. Really neat techniques!!


Mom's Refrigerator Art




And finally, I'm also working on this collage for my wonderfully talented, and absolutely gorgeous daughter's home. She recently purchased a home and I'm helping to cover the walls. This is for her bedroom. I suppose some might look at this as reverse refrigerator art or adult fridge art. She seems to lap it up though. I hope she isn't pulling my leg! I can't wait until it's finished. I just found her retainer from her braces and a few other goodies to include!!

Would love to get some feedback on some of this stuff. Tomorrow I'm going to see grandkids so you may be in for a treat!

Today was a PhotoShop Kinda Day!

Remember the photos of my garden beauties from the other day? Well today I did some playing around in PhotoShop Elements. And this is what I got. I think that I am going to make some cards from them. Or something. Maybe with some of my dolls...


I couldn't afford Photoshop, but found that I could still have fun with Elements. Layers still works as well as many other features, and it's less then half the price!

My Dolls- Another Side of Me - June 5, 2007

Today I decided to post some pictures of my dolls. These are some of the first dolls. They are clay and cloth, and made after being a part of Barbara Kobe's Healing Doll Project and reading Susan Oroyan's three books on constructing and costuming dolls. Doll making has become real release for me. It's a real peaceful time. It's just me and the doll that is trying to come into being. When I don't struggle with it, it comes easily. But, when I question the outcome (which I often do), and my ability to translate what it is that I am feeling into form (something else I often do), then it is a struggle. These came easily. i like to photograph them in my garden, among my garden beauties.


On another note, I spent a great deal of time last night reading through the most amazing blog, by the most amazing artist. The artist is Forest Rogers and the web site is www.forestrogers.typepad.com. It's worth a go see. So go see.

Garden Beauties