HEre I am.. did ya miss me? I had that darn flu sooo bad! I'm still not really over it.. but I did go back to work today.. oh well.. I wish I could just stay home and create! though I do have to say, I had all those days home sick. and up til yesterday really didnt have the energy to create anything!! However yesterday I got an idea.. and these pictures are the first part of that idea! stay tuned for the rest this weekend... I think I'll be able to finish it then.

Its been a busy week at the post office! I mailed out a lot of packages, finished up all my swaps except the easter basket swap and got everything mailed!! YAY!!! Still plenty of time to finish up that easter basket one though.
The post office was busy in both directions! Because I recieved quite a few packages myself. Today I recieved this adorable easter ornament from the Beautiful Jenn at sweet eye candy creations! We did a little one to one swap! Lucky me! thank you so much Jenn!!
Then yesterday I recieved this adorable nest in the mail from the fabulous Gina of lilys of london! double luck for me.. isnt it adorable? I stuck in in this great little glass house! (I cant spell terrarium.... oh my!!!) anyways.. sweet huh? the precious results of another little one to one easter swap! thank you so much Gina !
So If that wasnt enough, heres one I didnt bargain for! These precious precious little girls came to me from a PRecious friend Barbara at 123 lavender lollipop lane! I have to tell you that Barb is one of the first girls I got to know in blog land.. through a halloween swap! And you need to know that she is a real DOLL!!! She emailed me to tell me she had gotten like 8 of these little dolls at a flea market for an unbelievable amount.. I told her what a great deal she got and how lucky she was, and next thing I know these two little girls arrived in the mail!!! I'm naming them barb and viv! Any ways !!! thank you BArb! Your awesome!OK ! now onto business! first of all. I need to give that sparkle award to a few more girls!! I want to give this to Julie at sassafras and lulu Julie is an uplifting and sweet spirit! You can tell that she cares a lot about others!
I also send this off to Lori at faeriewindow Lori is another of the first girls I got to know a little here in blogland. she is also very encouraging and is faithful to check in often! she is also on my idol list!! she is sooo artistic! I have a goal to purchase something this year from a bunch of my idols!!!


Ok next order of business.. (hey, I was PTA president for 3 years.. can you hear is in my tone? "OK next order of business"?) Ha!!
The Doll Swap!!! Wow girls this is it.. the last night... tomorrow they should be going into the mail. If they arent for some reason just let your partner know. It really isnt a big deal if they get held up for the weekend.. I mailed mine out this week! nervous here!! so many people told me they were nervous and hoped there partner liked what they made. I dont know why we're like that.. we're just silly I guess.. but I have felt the same way!!! I have recieved a bunch of pictures.. but there are 27 of us, and I think I've only seen 7 or 8 dolls! so there are lots more to be seen!! Thank you all so much for being part of this swap! dont disappear on me yet ok? I want to follow this through all the way to the end and need to hear from each of you when you recieve your dolls!
I want to post pictures towards the end of the week. Gosh I hope I can control myself that long! Thank you again girls! I love doing these swaps!

well, I guess I should get this posted.. need to get some pjs and some ice cream! toodles for now!!

Even with being sick all week, I did manage to put away valentines, and snowmen and get out all my easter friends.. I'm not really done decorating yet.. but I did get a start on it!

Wow, we're down to the last week before the dolls should be mailed out. I know some of you have already completed your swaps! I have not mailed mine out yet and am waiting for special boxes that I ordered! If for some reason you will be late mailing just let your partner know.. I love what I've seen so far! I recieved a doll from Kecia this past week.. OMG ! I love her (the doll and kecia!). There were a couple of us that had side swaps going at the same time. I just cant begin to tell you how tickled I was by Kecias doll! Not only did I love the doll, but the way whe packaged it!!

toooo darn cute!! she knew I loved this kitty picture!

lookie... her underwear smells like lavender!!!!

The dolls I made are way over the size limit that I set... OOps.. my rules. my perogative to break them right? Actually I didnt mean to make them so tall.. they just happened that way!! I just cant wait to see all the dolls.

want a tiny sneak peek???

I have been really sick this past week. I guess its the flu.. I have to say I feel like crap... havent been this ill in eons! fevers, chills, sore throat, headache.... body aches.. to sick to even try to create anything!!! My ribs are soooo sore from coughing and sneezing! I have used (no exageration) a whole large box of kleenex with lotion since yesterday am. where does all that stuff come from!! I missed 2 and a half days of work last week.. and I know unless I recieve a miracle healing , I m not going to be better enough to go to work tomorrow! I do think a trip to the doctor is in order at this point. Oh Joy.. hate hate hate going to the doctor.

awww.. a get well present! someone loves me!!
(Ha! I luvs me!!)

I went out yesterday morning for a bit, I needed a perscription filled, and some lotion kleenex.. While out I stopped by one of my favorite stores.. and bought myself a get well present.. naughty me! now I just dont feel well enough to play house and find a good spot to decorate with him! maybe later today! I hope!!
Heres a few more pictures of easter stuff I have out!

OK.. I'm tired out again! and have nothing interesting to say.. accept that I'm hungry!! I want someone to make me a big breakfast! not likely to happen though, hubbys away for the weekend in Ohio at a antique Harley davidson swap meet! I think I'll be having orange juice and a bruggers bagel! really anythings else would be too much anyways!!

OK now all you wonderful awesome dolly makers..
when you finish your dolls please send me pictures!! I want to post them all!! I'm off till later....................
hugs! (but not too close,, dont want to spread my nasty germs!!)

Hi All.. I'm home from work today. I really have not been feeling very well this week. this morning I seem to have lost most of my voice.. well its wavering in and out. perfectly out when I called in to work!
so doll swap girls ... how are we doing? I've heard from a few of you that have finished.. I just ordered boxes so I could send mine out. did you know you can order boxes for free at usps.com ? the lady at the post office told me yesterday.. so I went right home and checked it out and ordered some! so I will be mailing mine out as soon as my boxes come in the mail (you have to order at least 10 boxes, I'm sure I'll use them for something !) Dying to post pictures of mine.. but holding off!

I recieved a little award from two sweeties! Barbara and Catie ann! that I must share with some others... both of these girls are fun! you should check out their blogs!Now.. who shall I pass this off too? There are sooo many of you that I appreciate and get inspiration from everyday! where do I begin!? first I would pass it back to both of them!! then to Dolly who is another sweet and encouraging girl! This is hard, because I have to say that out here in blog land everyone is like that. so on that note.. and because I'm sick and just cant think about this.. I'm going to pick 2 ladies everytime I post for the next 5 posts! (now I just have to remember to do this!)

Ok, I was tagged by a couple girls and need to answer some questions that I promised I would do! but I have to warn, my brain is not at full function level..(not that it ever is~)
first: Debb tagged me a while back! I'm supposed to write a little paragraph about the strangest doll I've ever made.
hmmmm... I'm having some trouble with this... I dont really think I've ever made anything strange! Ha! OK.. I thought of a couple things. When I used to do craft shows with my sculpted dolls.. I made a few pig and cow angels! they were a little different I guess. but I always sold them, so people liked them! (they must have been strange people!) I think the problem I'm having here is with the word "strange" , maybe we could change it to unique or unusual! Actually those dolls were really cute! I wonder if I have any old pictures of them! ok debb, so theres my answer for ya!
then I was tagged by altered route
1. What If I could meet anyone in the world to chat with:
Denzel Washington! he is sooo hot! I know thats not a very good answer is it? but I just cant think of anyone else right now!

2. What If I could travel anywhere in the world:
there really arent too many places I want to go.. I love where I live and dont have any desire to travel.. but if I could wiggle my nose and be somewhere, I would like to see Australia, hawaii, and alaska! Well, and if I could just wiggle my nose to pop in and out.. Id visit lots of other places.. japan.. spain... italy... germany....

3. What If I could have one wish granted to benefit all of mankind:
I would wish that no children would be born to idiot people who cant or wont be able to provide then with loving, caring , stable environments.

4. What If I could live in a period other than the present for just 24 hours:
Id visit the victorian days.. but I dont want to stay longer then 24 hours.. those woman had to work to hard to do the chores we do so easily every day!

5. What If I had to become an animal for 24 hours:
Id be a kitty with an adoring owner! or a dog with an adoring owner... or a monkey hanging around up in the tree tops! Or maybe a beautiful parrot!

6. What If I could make-over three areas of my body:
Ha! we just arent going there!!

7. What If I could bring anyone back to life for 24 hours:
hmmm.... my father in law?? or my girlfriends daughter..

Ok, thats that.. I've completed my two tags.. I'm not going to tag anyone else back this time.. but beware friends.. I might the next time!

Hello blogger girls! I think I'm getting the flu! Isnt that wonderful!? I'm pretending that I feel ok right now.. I managed to stay at work all day.. well, I left half an hour early, but I started half an hour early so it doesnt count!
anyhow.. we're ignoring the flu symptoms for a few minutes here.. How do you like the crown I made? Its for the faeriezine bunny crown swap! I made two the same. I'm so glad I did, because I wouldnt want to part with this! God only knows what the heck I'm going to do with it.. but anyways.. I have a bunny crown one for me and one for my swap partner.. whoever that will be! here are a couple more pictures of it from the other sides and also a picture of both crowns together.. I was surprised, I had no idea what I was doing, as I've never made one before, It really was fun and not difficult at all!

And then there is this sweet sweet sweet little mint box that my daughter Jennifer made into my valentine present! The little tag and heart fit into the tin! Is that tooooo cute or what! She is such a thoughtful girlie! I think I'll keep her! then theres the little bunny. i do have to admit that I was inspired by the little bunnies made by Nicole bowen (earth angels awesome artist!!!) I thought I wanted to try making one. Mine did come out cute, but hers are really to die for!!!!! I love all those earth angel girls. that includes my littl friend Debra! from hophopjingleboo!

Ok then theres these two pictures.. I baked alot on sunday.. made homemade soup, choc pie, homemade bread, lemon pie adn this dense choc loaf.. You have to try this recipe from Nigella Lawsons cookbook.. (forgot name of book!)

One more thing.. before I post the recipe! I've heard from a few of you that youve completed your doll swaps! pictures girls!! gotta have pictures!! Please email them to me and I will post them all!!
Ok, I now have to take my germs and go to a longaberger party just to make a quick appearance and to order something I cant afford!!

This is sooo awesome! REcipe from Nigella lawson..
1 cup (2 sticks) soft unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted.. (i used ghirardelli choc)
1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup plus 2 tbsp boiling water.
preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan. line with parchment.. (I used wax paper.. which worked great)Cream butter and sugar either with a wooden spoon or with an electric beater, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Next fold in the melted and slightly cooled chocolate, blending well but not overbeating. then gently add the flour, to which you've added the baking soda alternately spoon by spoon, with the boiling water until you have a smooth, fairly liquid batter. Pour into the lined loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes at 375 then turn the oven down to 325 F and cook for another 15 or 20 minutes. the cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake tester or skewer wont come out completely clean. ( I baked mine for about 55 minutes total). Place loaf pan on a rack and leave to completely cool before turning it out of the pan..SOOOO GOOD!!

This is my project for today! The pictures arent very good.. unfortunetly my camera decided to have a problem today! the lens doesnt want to go back in and the camera wont stay on. thought it might be the battery, but its not. I bought it in July and thankfully saved the reciept, so it is still under warranty and will be getting mailed out monday! so.. I have to use Jens camera, and her batteries died right after I uploaded the pics, which really didnt come out to well! OH well.. I MISS MY CAMERA!!!
I made this little needle punch bunny piece two years ago I think! I had it framed, but decided it would be cuter this way. I like it better here.
NO, I did not make this little bunny. I've had him for years too. I bought him at some little store. I love that bunny though!

So girls, How is everyone doing on their dolls? I'm done!! cant wait to post pictures.. do you think I should wait? Mine came out much bigger then my guide lines! I had set a 9 to 15 inch size limit.. sorry.. I went about 18 inches.. I think... I dont know what happen.. When I designed the pattern, I guess I was thinking tall! did I say I'm dying to post pictures!!! I'm also dying to see what everyone else is making.. just cant wait I tell ya!!! EVeryone is so talented and creative!! We still actually have 2 more weeks. Remember the mailing deadline is Feb 29th. But you can certainly mail sooner if you want too.. I might!!!!

OK.. My pajamas are calling me!! oh! and can you hear that? I can hear faint sounds coming from the freezer... I think its the choc chip ice cream.. yup.. thats it, it wants to spend some time with its friends choc syrup and peanuts!!! I guess I will have to help it out.. and as long as I'll be in there anyways, ummmm... I think I'll have some myself! ha!

OH.. one more thing! did you notice the new banner? My daughter Jennifer just made it for me tonight. Shes working on an EAster one right now.. so there will most likely be a different one next time you check in !!

have a happy sunday girls!

Valentines day!

AWWWW Look at the love birds!! This cutie pie is my VALENTINE!!!

And he was my valentine in 1976!!
and still my valentine in 1981!

and hes still the one!

When your car's a lemon.. make cookies!!!

Eiy yie yie~ A little long folks...
not a great start to my day..

First I go out the door onto the enclosed porch and am greeted with the smell of cat spray!! Nothing offends me more I think!!! Apparently another cat must have been on our porch and someone did some marking.. My cats dont do that, unless in a fight ! it ticks me off I tell you , as now that is the smell people shall be greeted with upon entering my porch!

Secondly, I didnt know that it had iced outside last night or that we had gotten so much snow! When I came out this morning in little clogs, my feet immediately got wet.. so back in to change into real shoes.. then back to the car, I went to brush the snow off and found a thick layer of ice underneath the snow that took a tremendous amount of scrapping.. and I have to admit, swearing.. yes, swearing and carrying on.. like a spoiled child... You know I'm supposed to be a princess and there should be someone that cleans my car off, heats it up and then chauffeurs me around!!!!

Ok,, so I couldnt get all the ice off, and my heater isnt working real great either... but I really needed to get going, so I hop in and immediately realize that my drivers seat has somehow broken and is NOT totally attached to the floor! OK, I could die driving like this! so now I really have a little temper tantrum and call tony and tell him I'm going to die and that I'm sick of this stupid car and I hate my life.. you know.. typical melt down! He tells me he will fix it for me tonight..

cell phone rings, foster parent is waiting for me to pick up one of the boys who is suspended and take him to do some community service.. .. yeah .yeah yeah.. I'll be there.. . then she calls right back, one of the other boys puked at school, since I'm on my way anyways, could I pick him up for her.. yeah yeah yeah.. of course.. Let me fill my car with kids who can die with me when someone hits me.......

so, are you ready.... I now cant get out of the drive way.. tires spinning in the snow!!!! pull forward, backward, forward, backward.. finally out. hit the brakes, what brakes!!! hit them again and they started to work.. I think they were frozen!! Anyways, when I would hit the gas.. my seat would want to tip over backwords.. (Im not kidding about any of this people!!!!)

I picked the kid up from school, dropped him off at the foster home, told her I wasnt driving anywhere and she would have to take the kid to the animal shelter.. called into work, had to talk to the director cause my boss wasnt there,( the director is the one who asked me once if I had a sec? and I told him I had lots of secs!!! yeah, I sure he thinks i'm a lunatic to tell you the truth..)

anyways, I told him about my car.. he suggested I buy a new one, I told him he doesnt pay me enough! He then told me that I should load the back seat up with stuff to hold my seat up!!! then he told me to put one of the boys in the back and tell him to brace my seat with his feet and legs!! yeah.. I told him I wasnt coming in today.. forget it. YOu know the saddest part.. I seriously considered the idea of filling the back seat up with crap to support the damn seat!!!! So I called Tony and told him to come take the car and either fix it or blow it up but that I was going home for the day!

so.. here I am!!!!! I came home and tried to clean up the porch sprayed a ton of febreeze and opened the windows.. also took the shoe out of the door. I keep a flipflop in the door so MY cats can get in and out.. now we'll have to open it for them, I cant have strays out there. so, I'm home for the day.. gonna make soup and a cake or something ... work on progects.. thats all folks.. have a good day!
update... no cake.. cookies!

well heres my finished little bear. definitely not one of my favorites. but shes cute enough. I think its the color of her eyes Im not fond of. oh well I had fun making her with my girlfriends!!

My kids are driving me a bit nuts tonight! one has money issues, one has college internship issues.. thank god the other two are having no issues at the moment. eiy yie yie!!! I think I have a head ache!

I'm on call for CPS this week. Praying it stays quiet!! I want to finish up my doll swap dolls . I also want to finish up my chicks for the 11 days of easter swap. I have several other swaps I'm working on also. Then the focus will be on easter! I have so many ideas for easter! and a few easter swaps, a basket swap, and an individual swap with gina from lillys of london. And... I want to make something special for the easter parade on flickr.. (cant tell you who set that up.. I just cant remember right now!!)

good grief.. I must be a swap crazy fool.. time to slow down a bit! but it is soo much fun. Looking forward to recieving from all my partners for valentines day and for everything else I'm doing!!!

speaking of swaps, I've had the opportunity to view some of your dolls for our doll swap! Awesome work girlies!! just cant wait to see everything!!!

I think Hophopjingleboo comes home today! yay! it hasnt been the same with out her out here in blogland.

Want to see my squirrel friend from this week.. peeking in my kitchen window? actually he wasnt peeking in, but I sure was peeking out. so was Jasper! isnt he cute! My husband isnt happy that I have bird seed so close to the house.. he says it will draw squirrels close to the house! OOPSIE!! oh well.. we just wont tell about our little visiter! ;) Ok, so i guess I better end here and find some dinner. My tummy is growling.. Im thinking some peanut butter toast and tea.. and some rosa marina salad.. No one else is home right now, so why not!! Have a lovely weekend!!

making bears with friends!

Hello! been busy tonight! I went to a friends house to make little bears! didnt they do a great job!? We had fun! My bear is not finished yet though. I'll finish it tomorrow.

Have you noticed the music here on my site? I spent a ton of time collecting all these old 70's songs!! I loved the 70s!!! Those were the good old days! unfortunetly I have a terrible memory and couldnt think of all the songs I wanted and they dont have a list you can chose from, then I remembered this site.. http://www.tropicalglen.com/index.html its a JUke box! I hit the years I was interested in and it gave a list of songs from that year! then I went back and searched for the songs I wanted on my playlist for the blog! anyways, you may want to check out that jukebox! lots of good old stuff on it! It also has a whole section of swing.. I love swing music! Its sooo HAPPY!

Well On that note.. I should sign off.. I need to watch the news, we're supposed to get another storm tonight! Blaah! winter Schminter! hate it! I really just hate it when I have to drive in it!

Hope everyone is having fun making their dolls!! cant wait to see them. I do think there still are a couple of you I havent heard from! If its "you" please be sure to touch base with me soon!

nightie night!

76th post, 7 more facts...

helloo out there!

can you believe this is my 76th post here!? It seems like just yesterday I was emailing Debra Schoch back and forth trying to figure out how to do this bloggy stuff.. I had/have a live journal for over a year prior, but it is different! Anyways.. wow..here I still am.. I must post a lot! Im amazed that anyone really reads what I write, as I really dont find myself all that interesting.. but I'm so glad that people do read as what would the sense be in being here if no one did!!!

So anyways.. I got tagged again by cathy at countrychintz..

so here are 7 little known facts about me....

1) I get the hic-burps almost daily! they are loud and embarrassing!

2) I listen to mostly 70's music and big band music...

3) I took piano lessons for ALOT of years and also took violin lessons for a short time.. cant play either and can barely read music now!!

4) I have over 174 (mostly miniature) teddy bears and their friends just in my living room alone! though you would never know there were that many if you were here.

5) I love brussel sprots!!

6) I hate talking on the phone!

7) I love having company.. I love having little tea partys.. and just sitting around with friends gabbing and EATING! or crafting!

So there you have it, 7 more facts about me..

well my hubby is scrounging around in the kitchen looking for food... There are left overs from ham dinner last night.. I suppose I should go help him!

after that I have to work on a miniature bear. I have two little friends coming over tomorrow night after work to learn how to make a miniature bear. I gave them home work tonight to get them started!

have a lovely evening!

list of doll swappers and Ive been tagged

Hello blog friends!
This is a doll I made a couple years ago after seeing something similiar (though much much better then mine!!) in a magazine. I call her my snow faerie girl.
I'm home today. I've had a funky little headache all day. the weather is rotten and I had a sore throat this morning too.. so I called in. I dont think my supervisor believed me, because she knows how much I hate to drive in crappy weather, but the weather had very little to do with my decision to stay home! I've probably about overdosed on tylenol, but my head still feels like its underwater and my eyes are bugging me. Oh well.. cant spend too much time thinking about feeling crappy.. I've been trying to make the most of my day home and have been working on my dolls!

I was thinking that I should post the names of the girls in the doll swap. I was going to do that last week and never did, but maybe you would like to see who all has joined in the doll making fun!

There are a few who either dont have a blog or I dont have their blog address, but I'll give you what I've got. We really just have the best group of doll makers!

Jennifer

Michelle

Barbara

Fran

Sherrie

Cheryl

Kecia

Carla

Catie

Elaine

Mica

Lucy

Jillian

Marie

Melissa

Donna

Sammy

Kate

Kai

Annie

Lori

Angie

Cindy R

Debra

Cindy O. (no blog )

Sheilia (no blog)

and me of course!

so there you have it .. now hopefully all these links work!!

I'm going to go make a cup of tea and get back to work on my dolls now!!

oops... wait a minute..

I forgot I was tagged by Catie of I think I have to tell you a bunch of things about myself and then tag some others to do the same!

Ok.. 5 things your dying to know about me...

1) Im really a princess and was switched at birth! I know this because I can feel it in my soul.. in my bones.. in my... oh never mind!.. I just know it, because I can sense that I'm supposed be living in a castle or mansion, with a maid, a cook, a driver, a gardener and a handsome pool boy!

2) I'm obsessed with tiny things! mostly bears and dolls and teasets! and magazines.. but not tiny magazines! well, and I am also obsessed with making things!

3) If I am around a litter of kittens, I NEED to hold them all at once and breath them and I love them so much they make me cry! (I dont know why!)

4) I can not talk on the phone with out doodling all over something.. I waste a lot of paper at work!

5) My favorite place to be ever, is on the beach! I crave it all summer long.. another princess thing.. I'm supposed to have a beautiful beach house!

OK.... thats that.. now I have to tag some of you.. I choose...

lucy Jillian Lori Angie Donna

Have a lovely afternoon all you lovely ladies!!