Revived!

Yes, revived by a hair-cut! That isn't me in the picture, but I normally always post with a picture, odd I know. Our taxes are finished and so glad to have that behind us. I just really do not like that time of the year.....too much paper work. You would think I would learn to do my paper work every month. Someday I will learn! *smirk* Probably not any time soon thou. I am always a glutton for punishment.

Little Miss Ninny had the flu...it started Wednesday evening and went into Thursday too. Poor little girl. I hope it is gone for good and the rest of us do not get it! She feels much better today.
Just wanted to pop in and say HI. I received my Spellbinders dies today, for the Final layout Challenge. I have been thinking of what I am going to do with my layout, but nothing really set in stone...the ol' wheels are turning in my head thou!

I hope you all have a Grand weekend! Many Blessings to each of you. ~Tonya

~I am Honored!!

Spellbinders had a Call-Out for a New Design Team for 2010, it was at the tail end of last year. I thought about it long an hard. I thought it would be neat to try-out for the design team. I made my card, my altered art project, a 12x12 layout and a 500 word essay about Me....and then submitted them. I didn't tell anyone, I just kept it to myself and told my hubby and kids. I just waited for the announcement to roll around and that day was today!

I was contacted by Spellbinders today and was told I am among the 24 Finalist! I am so Honored. I never thought that I would be chosen from so many submissions....now the REAL, STIFF Competition begins! I have to make a 12x12 layout. It is a challenge and they want to see your best work. Spellbinders will send each of the 24 finalist product to completed the challenge. They will make the announcement on Feb. 27th. This is exciting and nerve-wracking all at once! I had to let you all in on my Good News. I know this is not about doll making, but most of you know how much I love ♥ paper! Yup, me and my "Paper Pretties".

I thought I would show you the card, the altered art project and the layout that made me a finalist. I had so much fun creating them.



You will not see much of me this week....I am DEEP in paper work....TAX TIME! No fun, but it must be done. We made our tax appointment for Thursday. We did this so that I had a dead-line and no excuses for any procrastination! *smirk* A girl has to do, what a girl has to do...to get it done! I hope you all had a fabulous day. As for here, in MN... it is snowing again. Toodles for now, ~Tonya

~SWEET Bunny-Bunnies~

This is what I have been up too! Busy, busy with bunnies...and I am very pleased with the way that these ~SWEET~ Bunnies turned out. They will be making their debut on Ebay tonight. I thought I would have been finished with them a day or two ago, but it is all the little details, that take the longest...I think.

I really enjoy making bunnies, they are some of my most favorite to make. Oh, by the way, these are my smaller dollies...love the smalls! And that little bunny bunny reminds me of SPRING! She is adorable and she is pretty small, as you can see compared to the Americana one (maybe that is big sis).

I hope you enjoy your weekend. I do hope that you will stop by ebay (once the auctions start). Toodles for now, ~Tonya

I Miss....

Warmer weather, open water and the sun! I think I may be having a bit of the "winter blues". Quite a few people know exactly what I am referring too. When you deal with the frigid cold, the high winds and snow ( a lot of it) well, we are ready for Spring. It just simply can not come soon enough. This is a picture I took at the tail end of summer, when we went fishing last year. Pretty! Have a Beautiful Sunday! Peaceful Blessings to you, ~Tonya

~Sweet Gabby~

I finally finished up the dollie I have been working on for way to long! This is Gabby, she is so sweet in person. The pictures didn't turn out the best, there wasn't any sun today. We have major over-cast and just a winter mix...

Sweet Gabby and her kitty-cat will be on Ebay this evening. I am listing her for 3 days, to end on Sunday evening. Her lil kitty-cat is all needle-felted, with a painted face. My kiddies have a bit of a break today. Early out today, no school tomorrow and yesterday school was dismissed at 1 pm, due to the weather.

So in a bit, I think we are going to make some YUMMY choc. chip cookies. I love them best, when they are just a couple minutes out of the oven. Have a Grand day! Toodles for now, ~Tonya

Winters Beauty...

For the past couple of days, we have had so much moisture in the air, it has created heavy, dense fog, which creates a BEAUTIFUL Winterland. This is about the only thing I love about winter....aside from newly, gentle fallen snow that kisses Mother Earth and sparkles from the sun and moon light. I love the look of the particles that "collect" to the trees...


It is beautiful! You can click on the pictures to enlarge them. We are suppose to get rain/snow. Rain for Minnesota in January is very unusual and we do not want to mix rain, with our cold temperatures....makes for dangerous conditions. I hope it passes us by. We have quite enough snow and do not need the rain.


A pine tree out our window. I am almost done with a dollie! Can you believe it. She will hold in her hand a neat lil needle-felted kitty-cat. I love kitty-cats. I was hoping to finish her today, but won't finish in time to take pictures of her, edit the pictures and list her. That is a whole days work there practically...

And one last picture. Boy, I sure do skip around *smirk* pictures and talking about winter, to my dollie, back to pictures, etc...HA! That is me, there is no rhyme or reason to my madness really. My dollie is dress in pretty black & white print (a fairly newly released print), I really like the look of it. I will have to think of a name for her. I must get moving. Have a wonderful evening. Winter Blessings to you, ~Tonya

♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥-♥

While writing this post, I received a comment from Dear Erika of "Erika's Cupboard". Her and I have exchanged emails and smiles over the years, while both selling and creating over the past couple of years. Erika is a very sweet gal and I love what she has written on the front page of her website. You may be asking, why am I telling you this, Erika asked me to let others know....she is closing her website! Click on banner to go to Erika's Website!

Erika is having a SALE on her patterns, $2.00 a piece -- that is it! Snatch them up while you can. She is also having a big sale on some fabric and also on her doll hair/wool. Be sure to go to Erika's Website to check it out.

Ramblings....

Obviously I do not have any NEW handmades done....so you get to listen to my "mindless dribble"! *smirk* Most of you (that follow my blog), know that I have a son in 9th grade. Jordan comes home with a lot of homework (too much in my opinion, but who am I to say), at any rate he asks me for help. I was a pretty "smart cookie" in my day (or so I thought)! Have you ever heard of "Prepositional Phrases"? Google it and see if you can really find a straight answer!

They make Jordan depict practically every single thing you , was bad enough...in the late 80's and now they gave found more. Sadly to say, I could not really help him properly and he is going back to school tomorrow with unfinished homework. How very sad is that?

A few months back I started waking up with major jaw/teeth pain. I woke up clenching my teeth! What was up with that? I also noticed I started clenching my teeth in the day, during heavy thoughts....could I be stressed out? Most likely! So, I took it upon myself to purchase a Night Guard for my teeth....not exactly like the one above, but close to it. I molded it to my upper teeth and wore it for the first time last night. We shall see in a couple of days if it is worth the almost 20 bucks I spent on it. Takes me back to the days when I had to wear one at night, after braces!

Today was a nice day. We went to church, out to Perkin's for lunch and then to FAMILY BOWLING! It was fun. We have not done a FUN family outing together for a long time....it was LONG overdue. Lots of SMILES, Lots of Strikes/Spares and yummy eats! Of course the day could not go without some whining at the bowling alley, what else can children do. HA! We are use to it by now. Now, maybe I can get some work done this week, since last week was a total bomb-out. I hope you all had a good Sunday. Peaceful Blessings, ~Tonya

AWAKE...

Have you ever seen this movie? The movie "Awake" is from 2007. I think I had heard about it then, but forgot about it. Well, I watched this movie last night (instead of working) and I must say, there was a lot of emotion is this movie. I will just say it has a "twist", that I would have never seen coming. Here is a little "blurb" on what the movie is about...

A psychological thriller about a common occurrence called "anesthetic awareness," a horrifying phenomenon wherein a patient's (Hayden Christenson) failed anesthesia leaves him fully conscious but physically paralyzed during surgery. The patient's charming new wife (Jessica Alba) is forced to struggle with her own demons as a terrifying drama unfolds around the couple.

I enjoyed the movie and thought it was pretty good. However, the subject (anesthetic awareness), is all too real! My Mom has had a total of 3 hip replacements and the last one did not go so well. My Mom was actually awake during surgery, but could not move. It had traumatized her for quite some time after. I am not going to wreck the movie....I'm just saying it was a good movie.

Other things going on, ummmm nothing really. I have been un-focused and can't concentrate...and hoping to get that back today! I plan on trying to work the whole day and maybe accomplish something in my studio! It is pretty mild here (26 degrees above zero), no wind and just "picture perfect". I hope these more mild temps stay for a while. After all, it is about 60 degrees warmer, then what it had been just a bit over a week ago. Now all we need today is for the SUN TO SHINE! The sun shining, somehow seems to always make everything better. Have a GRAND FRIDAY. Toodles, ~Tonya

~NEW Pattern~

Finally a NEW Pattern/E pattern! It has been quite a while since my last pattern, I think almost a year. I had every intention on making "Bits" into a pattern, from the moment I sketched her. I have the epattern/pattern on Patternmart, you can click here, for all of my patterns on Patternmart.

I am also posting the lil snippet, that you can click on and purchase her epattern/pattern immediately. I was sketching in my studio last night....not your traditional dollies and such...but things that are a little bit different for me. Maybe an art doll or two will be coming, we shall see. You just never how things will turn out. I hope you all have a beautiful Sunday. I am just trying to keep warm here in the ARCTIC (Minnesota). It has been SOOoooo unbelievably cold, I for one am ready for SPRING! Toodles for now kiddies, ~Tonya

NEW 2010 Folk Art Primitive Valentine Heart Key Love Doll Pattern BPP33

Price: US$10.00

~Lil bit of LOVE~

Amazing right? I have finally finished a dollie...the first dollie for 2010! She is just a wee-lil thing. Measures in at not quite 12 inches tall. Her size is what makes her so stinkin adorable. I call her "Bits", because she is just a lil bitty thing...

She is all scheduled to start on ebay this evening. She is listed for 5 days and will end on Wed. evening. Once the Auction starts, here is the link for Bits.

I have all of my kiddies home today...NO SCHOOL! We have been BLASTED with cold weather, blizzard like conditions, high winds and now the light fluffy wind is just blowing...that was last night. We still have the cold temps, but it looks like a beautiful, still-life picture out right now. School was two hours late yesterday, when they should have canceled it. Today, looks nice, but then there is no school today --- go figure! I-90 was closed from right near here all the way to South Dakota. WOW, that does not happen that often...

Back to Bits, she is so sweet. I had lots of fun making her. I do hope you will take a peek at her Auction (once it begins). She is at a low starting price, with NO RESERVE! Have a great day and enjoy your weekend. Toddles, ~Tonya

I wish...

I wish.... It were not so cold out. We have been dealt with quite cold weather lately! It was 30 below zero lastnight. I don't even think it made it above zero today. Tomorrow, more of the same and throw some wind in there and you have some wonderful WINDCHILL ADVISORIES out. I wish I could be like our kitty-cat "King" and just sleep....all warm & toasty! He is such a sweet cat. I have not been getting much sleep, due to being sick...

I did "bite the bullet" and went to the Doctor. I went on the 1st ---- what a way to bring in the New Year! I got to spend about 4 hours in urgent care, waiting for an X-ray, waiting for my blood to be drawn and then waiting for my medicine. Not a great way to spend the first day of the new year. The Doc thought I had pneumonia, but it was bronchitis. Better to be safe then sorry I guess. He said in another day or two and it would have been pneumonia. So, I got my meds and I am on the mend...slowly, but surely.

Back to NORMALITY tomorrow? Maybe, if they do not call school off, because of the frigid cold temps. I have not done a thing in my studio. I miss creating, but am really lost as to what to create this time of year anyways. I hope your New Year has started out a lil better then mine...as for me, I must get my kiddies ready for tomorrow and for bed. All I can say is tomorrow is a New day, maybe it will be a better day. Ta-ta for now, ~Tonya

To New BEGINNINGS...

It sure has been a YEAR! So many things have happened and time sure has flown by. It seems as the years go on, the time goes faster. Tonight, it will be just me and the kiddies. It has been that way for the past 3 or 4 years. Hubby always seems to have to work...which is fine, I guess. At least I know that we are safe...at night this time of the year there can be a lot of careless people out there.

Bringing in 2010, I am very HOPEFUL!! New beginnings, NEW adventures, New memories. Let's not forget what we have gone through, to become who were are today, but let's move forward and become better beings. Wishing you the BEST in 2010, because after all...THE BEST IS YET TO COME! Be safe & Happy New Year! Cheers, ~Tonya

Lotza Nothin'

Ya like that language? Nothing like not having proper grammer eh? *smirk* I thought I would show ya'all a picture of my crazy Lulu! This picture was actually taken laying down on the floor and aiming up. Lulu is the most curious cat and is always trying to lay in the strangest places. We were going through the drawer, to this hutch and Lu just thought he had to jump up in the empty drawer, to see what was in there.....or not in there, in this case...I only use the hutch for receipts and pretties. Nope, no fancy dishes. LOL

Well, Christmas is over and soon the year will be over. We did have Christmas at my Mom's, but it was two days late. The weather here in Minnesota was just awful around Christmas, but it all worked out just fine. It is cold here, but at least it isn't snowing....God only knows we have had quite enough of that to last for the whole winter!

I am trying to kick a NASTY cold, that I feel is going to get must worse, before it gets better. It is starting to go into my lungs and sooooo much coughing. I even slept (tried to sleep, but didn't get much sleeping done) on the couch last night, so that I would not keep hubby up all night. I have not been getting much done...in the creating department.

We have been playing lots of BOGGLE! I love BOGGLE and so does Courtney. She is my little brainiac! When she gets older, her and I will have to play lots and lots of Scrabble. That is my FAVORITE! I have been trying to get a little something done for the Mercantile update....but it isn't looking too good. The kids are keeping me busy, along with this nasty cold. So, I may just not even try to win a losing battle. We shall see.

Other then ~Lotza Nothin' getting done...we are just hanging around the olde homestead and trying to keep warm. I did however manage to get my computer cleaned out! I had a ton of pictures of my dolls and such from as far back at 2006!! Sheer craziness. It runs much better now and I did purchase a bit more memory...so she should be running like a top dog, once that gets here and we install it. Toodles for now kiddies! ~Tonya

~Merry Wishes...

I purchased tickets for ~Circque Dreams Holidaze~ for my Mom and I, (I surprised her with the tickets and it was part of her Christmas present). I must say, it was FANTASTIC! Not a dull moment, so much sparkle, so much talent and you did not want the show to be over. Here is a link on YouTube for Circque Dreams Holidaze, if you want to view a sample of it.

We had a fun filled day with the show and then a bit of shopping...just roaming around really. I stayed the night and then drove back before another storm hit. There was really bad weather on Monday and I was worried that I would not be able to make it to Mom's and then from there, get to the show. I took it slow and made it fine. Along the way, there were so many cars in the ditch and accidents. Some from the night before and others that had just gone in. It did not look like the roads were slippery, but they were. Most of the vehicles that I seen in ditch were SUV's and trucks. For some reason they think they are invincible on ice, with 4-wheel drive. I will never understand that.

I got home around 3 pm yesterday, just in time for another storm to hit! Lots of snow, blowing and then last night rain. Hubby got called into work....and worked his 12 hour shift, until 6 this morning and now at 9:45, he is out there moving snow, so that we can all go to my Mom's. I feel so bad for him. He must be so very tired. We are suppose to get up to 20 inches of snow (or more) by Saturday...Oh Happy Day!!

I just wanted to WISH each of you a Wonderful Holiday. Merry Wishes to each of you. May you feel the JOY of the SEASON in your HEARTS. Peaceful Blessings to you, ~Tonya

Glitter & Glisten....

I ♥love♥ all things that glitter and in the winter, I can honestly say the older I get, the less I like winter. A postitive thing that I can say about winter is, I love the snow when it glisten's in the moonlight. It is beautiful. Or when there is a new blanket of snow on Mother Earth. When the snow has been un-touched and the sunlight or moonlight hit it...Oh MY!!

So why am I talking about glitter and snow? Well, I have been playing with paper again and well glitter. Two of some of my very favoite things. I should be working on something to list...but this time of the year, I consider it to be "down-time". People are busy doing the hustling and the bustling around. Me, I am on top of things this year! YES, can you BELIEVE IT? I think this is a first for me, since I have had kids.

Tomorrow, the kids and I are going to my Mom's to bake Christmas goodies and stay over night. We have never gone to Mom's for Christmas baking before...and well, we thought we could make some new memories, spend some quality time together, listen to Christmas music and stay far away from the hustle & bustle of it all. I am taking up a bunch of ingredients....we each have a couple of things we want to make and for the rest, we will just wing it! Something we make every year is the yummy Sugar cookies with icing. We all love to decorate the cookies with the colored frosting and tips....so MUCH FUN! My kids especially look forward to decorating the sugar cookies.

I hope each of you have a wonderful weekend. Try to do something relaxing this weekend, rather then being stressed about Christmas. Peaceful Blessings to each of you, ~Tonya