February Signs of Spring

Today I went out and snapped a few pictures of some budding greens of spring. The sun shone beautifully against the blue sky and the air was 53 degrees comfortable. I love the Creeping Jenny that covers our stone wall through summer. My neighbor actually used to rip it off! Our first year here I told her that I was horrified that some culprit had done this. She said she did it, because previous neighbors and she do not care for the stone walls being covered in growth out of fear that the greenery will eventually destroy the wall. I told her that I can handle it, and so she respects my love of my Creeping Jenny.

Creeping Jenny

Budding Daffodils

Tiny Iris

Candy Tuft

Rosemary that belongs to a Neighbor's Yard

Same Huge Rosemary Plant

Again, Same Rosemary Plant

Hens

More Hens

Tiny Laurel Blossoms, or so I think they are, but I don't really know.

More Blossoms of Laurel? Just don't know. Judging by the leaves only.

Narcissus? Daffodils?

White bells?

Budding Daffodils

Beatrix Potter's World via a Wonderful Book

I bought this book years ago. I have never stopped enjoying it. Like Tasha Tudor, who admired Beatrix Potter immensely, I too am inspired by this great soul. I hope you will enjoy some of the tidbits I've scanned to share with you on this beautiful day in January.

Her little doll house is so sweet. I wonder if Tasha's doll house wasn't inspired because of Beatrix's doll house. My scanner could not get the entire picture.

What a lovely staircase landing. I enjoy how she incorporated it into her stories.

There it is with the Mother cat standing regally in this lovely spot.

And again, with that old mouse striving to get the rolling pin to his destination.

The three little kittens and mother cat are certainly enjoying this lovely garden.

This is a picture of the actual garden depicted in the above scene.

Moss and Ivy

I just took these pictures from my balcony that is off of my "art room". It's the moss that intrigues me. Living in a rain forested area certainly is richly green all winter, unless we get a sprinkling of snow, of which we have had precious little this year. I've seen one small spray of snowflakes that didn't even stick.

I feed birds and squirrels in my basalt based yard. There is one little squirrel in a feeder right now. Normally there are at least a half dozen of them out and about.

The hummingbirds get fed close to the kitchen window. There is a family with a baby wherein I saw the mother coaxing it along as it cried. Have you ever heard a hummer cry? So cute! It makes a popping sound rather like when you do that thing with your tongue to the roof of your mouth, and then the little darling hummingbird winces a sad little cry. The mother was hovering about 10 feet into the sky. Baby is so happy in this yard, and it has its own feeder, because it alone uses the one in the middle.

The ivy takes over the yard, and now in the state of Oregon we're being implored to remove it as it is dangerous to our forests, but as my yard is not part of the forest, I allow for some of it to remain.

Incidentally, all of those bird houses were made long ago by the wonderful Ludmil Marcov of Willow Nest Farm.

A Poem About The Law of Attraction

I hold it true that thoughts are things;

They’re endowed with bodies and breath and wings;

And that we send them forth to fill

The world with good results or ill.

That which we call our secret thought

Speeds forth to earth’s remotest spot,

Leaving its blessings or its woes,

Like tracks behind it as it goes.

We build our future, thought by thought,

For good or ill, yet know it not,

Yet so the universe was wrought..

Thought is another name for fate;

Choose, then, the destiny and wait,

For love brings love and hate brings hate.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

1850-1919

Imagination is Key

The following is something I just read in my copy of Law of Success by Napolean Hill, the 21^st century edition, revised and updated.

“The most inspiring poem in all literature was written by Leigh Hunt (1784-1859 while he was a poverty-stricken inmate in an English prison, where he had been unjustly confined because of his advanced views on politics. This poem is entitled “Abou Ben Adhem,“ and it is here reprinted as a reminder that one of the great things each of us may do, in our own imaginations, is to forgive those who have dealt unjustly with us:”

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace

And saw within the moonlight of his room,

Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold,

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the presence in the room he said:

“What writest thou?” –the vision raised its head,

And, with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, “The names of those who love the Lord.”

“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

But cheerily still; and said, “I pray thee, then,

Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night

It came again, with a great wakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had blessed.

And, lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest!

"Civilization itself owes its existence to such poets as Leigh Hunt, in whose fertile Imaginations have been pictured the higher and nobler standards of human relationship. “Abou Ben Adhem” is a poem that will never die, thanks to this poet who pictured in his Imagination the hope of an ideal that is constructive.”

I quite agree with Mr. Hill.

Had to share.

Christine

MAIDA TODAY and Happy New Year!

I am a member of MAIDA TODAY and enjoy it so very much. This is a remarkable group of doll makers who primarily engage in Making Antique Inspired Dolls and Accessories.

I am honored to be among seven of us who has been interviewed. To see the interview, click to MAIDA and scroll down to see me!

I wish you all a very happy New Year! 2011, I'm ready!

I'm through with my Sabbatical, and am introducing Elizabeth, and sharing Christmas 2010 with you.

Elizabeth 1, 2010, my newest reproduction doll has just appeared on my website for the first time, today, without any real fanfare other than this blog post. Visit her here.

Otherwise, having taken a small sabbatical from posting, I am eager to get back with sharing my world with all of you dear and wonderful people who visit me.

Our Christmas Day was lovely, spent with some of our family members. We had a delicious prime rib dinner, and we enjoyed much Christmas cheer.

I have already taken down all of my Christmas decorations, but I do have pictures of what I had out this year.

Above is my wonderful milliner's model (1820''s - 30's) where she always sits in the entry hall on my Danish end table, ca 1840's. I made the little paper tree on a stand replete with paper quilled ornaments.
Above is a shot of our living room and my darling, Victorian, "pencil tree" that I've taken out of storage for years on end. Yes, I do love real trees, but it is so much easier for me to set up this slender beauty, and so, I allow the rest of you real tree aficionados to have your fresh scented pine, which I can enjoy when I visit you!

What would Christmas be without a Nativity Scene?

My mantel made room for my Santa's and angels and my darling little feather tree that I made many years ago. I so enjoy it.

There sits one of my very favorite dolls, created by the great Pam Haber of Ghost Island Primitives. This raggedy beauty is Beth Ann, and she enjoys sitting next to a very old bottle brush tree and an old bank Santa.

Another little Nativity Scene that is missing a few pieces.

And another, also missing a piece or two.

In my entry hall, the old-fashioned Christmas Carolers always welcome my guests at Christmas.

There sits the head of the household, my dear, Gregory, and next to him is 4 year old granddaughter, Grace, and our daughter Brigitte and her husband, father to Grace, James.

On the other side of Gregory is Brigitte's dear and wonderful friend, Amanda.

There sit James' parents, Jack and Diane!

The young man on the very end is our wonderful grandson, Alexander, sitting next to his close friend, Colin, and whom do you suppose took the picture? I, of course, hence, no picture of me this year. I'm terribly camera shy anyway.

I'm so happy that it was all so lovely and that it is now a memory. There is much to be done.

I'm wishing you all a very happy New Year!

Christine

Sabbatical

I'm going on a sabbatical from posting on this blog. I almost closed it down, but decided just to retire from it for a while. If enough time goes by, and I'm still no longer interested in posting on it, I will very likely close it down.

Perhaps I will be back, and perhaps not, but in any event, I wish everyone pure joy, always.

Christine

Sylvia Browne to Peterson's Magazine ~ 1857

It's been a long time since I've posted on my blog, for I've been so very busy, and we also just returned from a few days in Lincoln City, Oregon at the coast where the ocean was hauntingly beautiful. Beautiful this time for me is inclement and stormy! This morning I saw many seals frolicking in the water. Our room was way up high, and it looked as though the surf were almost touching the bottom of the cliff from where we viewed it.

Our primary purpose for going to Lincoln City was to see Sylvia Browne at the Chinook Winds Casino. Sylvia is totally fabulous and I have admired her for years. It was a levitating experience being in the same room as that incredible psychic.

We went antiquing throughout the town and found many wonderful treasures, but my favorite was the big book of Peterson's Magazine from 1857. Here is just one beautiful picture from my new book. Look at the picture on the wall. Could it be of a sketch of a woman, or is it supposed to be a lady in a mirror? I think probably a sketch, yes?

Kathy Patterson of Babes From the Woods

Kathy Patterson of Babes From the Woods is not only a dear friend, but a magical talent and I am sharing with all of you an article about her in the brand new issue of Antique Doll Collector magazine. Of course, this is not a PDF, on purpose, because one really must purchase a copy of the magazine to be able to truly read and enjoy the article. This is to tantalize you with the desire to go get a copy, and to visit Kathy's wonderful blog.

I am so happy for her success for her work is incomparable. I'm also jealous of the snow she is enjoying! Oh how I love snow!

Christine

Thanksgiving 2010 at My House

I love to clean and cook. I love the house to sparkle and glitter with cleanliness, beautiful objets d' art, and lots of candle light! Music is essential too. Well it did sparkle yesterday, along with plenty of music and yummy delights. I had a marvelous time on both Wednesday and yesterday preparing and presenting what is to me a good old-fashioned Thanksgiving.

My daughter and her family were there and so was a dear and beautiful friend of hers. Of course, not pictured is my 19 year old grandson who had gone from the table briefly, nor a picture of my dear husband nor of me. Of course, when I snapped the picture the others were wandering about elsewhere. And because there is always so much to do, I only had time to snap a picture! So remiss am I in the photography department. I shoved the camera way up high on the refrigerator and forgot about it. Nonetheless we had a fabulous time and I am so rested and happy today.

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving too.

Christine

Primitive Stump Dolls

Please go to my website and click on the "Dolls" link to see all about my latest stump dolls. I have at last completed using up all of my fabric scraps for they are the stuffing for my little stump dolls.

My studio feels so clean, and it is now time for me to begin creating a new scrap collection.

Dolls beckon...

This Just In: Designer Craftsmen and Historic Home Show in Valley Forge

Designer Craftsmen and Historic Home Show in Valley Forge is ON for 2011!

February 4-6, 2011, Valley Forge Convention Center

Isn't it nice to hear good news these days? Well, if you haven't heard any lately, we've got some for you! Old House Media Group, publishers of New Old House, Old-House Journal, Old-House Interiors, Arts & Crafts Homes, Early Homes, and The Design Center Sourcebook proudly announces the acquisition of The Historic Home Shows and The Designer Craftsmen Shows, the beloved and highly-respected events produced by Bob Goodrich of Goodrich Promotions.

Although I, Christine, have never had the pleasure of attending this show, I am happy to report that it will be on after all! The show was bought from Goodrich by Old House Media Group. We just received the announcement and needed to share.