Going out with a bang!!!

Hello everyone! Yes, unfortunatlyy I have not kept up my blog I've been bad ! However, due to alot of unfortunate events (divorce for one) I have been tied up & trying to get my life in order so I can start a brand new year. Fresh starts are my hope for 2008!!!!!

The little ladie on the left I made in honor of little miss Sophia who would have been 5 this year, she is my christmas angel, and heaven's keeper! so I appropriatly named this piece "Heaven's keeper" for this little angel keeps the heavens bright replacing and shining the stars so they always shine bright! and she is off to her new mom as we speak!

(she is a paper & plastic doily collage in a antique frame I did a rust treatment to!)

Also introduceing "Winter Solstice" she has star shine in her hair and glorious wings of olde she is a sweet little paper doll creation (of which I have one left to sell IF anyone is interested! please email me!) her arms and legs are all jointed and she is a original creation and one of 4.

My other sweethearts are my Queenie Belle tags! (One is up for grabs here! green floral) Her regalness dons a crown and a very pretty dress!

(All my work is paper collage with bits & pieces thrown in a few scribbles maybe some glitter or gold gel to make it look just right!)

and lastly I have my little snow fairies! aren't they quaint??? all snuggled in thier large stocking caps making sure we get all the prettiest snowflakes ever. They are gentle little girls who just like to play! they can adorn just about anything and look thier best! (two available~ midnight stars & old white scribe)

Well, my friends I'm sure I will have more later. I I will try to be more fluent with my blogs in 2008!!! OUT with the OLD & in with something new!!! and if I don't get the chance I would like to WiSh EVERYONE the happiest of NEW YEARS!!!! May this be the year of better things!

~All Hallow's Eve~

Ok kids! How can Halloween Not be a favorite holiday!!! I am into the obscure scenery of what the day has to bring so how could it not be the first thing that popped into my mind for my zetti postcard?! I'm hoping that all 5 ladies are enjoying thier girls!

~gRaCeFuL bAnTeR~

OK. I'm back! my life has been one nasty ball of wax lately so I have kinda been MIA! but then I'm never thrilled around the time my birthday hits! It's all rather sucky so I figure if I hide all of it will just go away & not find me! I know wishful thinking right!!! Does it take on a bad meaning when your cat dies on your birthday??? I'm sure that it probally means I'm cursed!!! NOW that I can contest to!!! Well kids I will write more later when I feel more chatty it's just one of those days for me right now...... Enjoy!

ahhhh It's a run by tagging!

I was tagged by http://www.sarahogren.blogspot.com/yesterday. Here are the rules…..1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.2. Share 7 facts about YOU: some random, some weird...all devastatingly interesting.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.
Facts About Me.
1. I like to quote movies..... terrible habit! but didn't you just LOVE that in "mrs. Doubtfire"!!! (see post header! was run by fruiting! LOL.)
2. I’m terrified of Sharks and snakes & whatever is larger than me on the foodchain!!!
.3. I like using 50 cent words, like chiaroscuro. it so confuses the hell out of people! which brings me to the fact that I also now get corrected by my 19 yr old who is one of the few who isn't baffled by benivelent ways! (she also has been charged with gran·deur! because it rubbed off on her at a very young age..... 5 yrs old & she could use the BIG words properly even if she didn't quite know their meaning yet!!! my friend & I at the time, use to try to out - word one another! What can I say we were weird! I still like to do it from time to time!)
4. I am the most normal person in my family...... (as long as you don't ask the 19 yr old!)
5. I have an earned BA in Professional Photography ..... yet I had a portrait studio (yes, past tense HAD.... 6. Loved to shoot weddings HATE the mean and manipulative people! don't get me wrong not everyone was that way but you get a few a year & that was more than enough!!! the more money they have the less they also want to pay you & the more they want you to do! ~ Enough said!!! I do miss the fun & full of life Great people I have met though....)
7. I Loved my childhood & wish it was still that way for my girls.... however, there isn't much innocence left in this world anymore! makes me so sad!

OK. time for torture! Hmmmmm

Alrighty then!
1.) http://www.jenniferconway.blogspot.com/ Jen Conway!

2.) http://www.faeryyellowbug.blogspot.com/ Hi Norma!!!

3.) http://www.zanymayd.blogspot.com/

4.) http://birdandflowerpaperdolls.blogspot.com/ Elaine

5.)http://starlitnest.blogspot.com/ Alison

6.)http://faeriewindow.blogspot.com/ Lori

7.)http://kimandliamsblog.blogspot.com/ KIM!

have fun!!!! (((Smiles)))

vIsItInG fReInDs......

Still another web is weaved and we are walking across the dark intense terain of the land of forgotten dreams where nothing ,like real life, is anything but seemingly obsured..... still we must go out to visit our friends who reside in this strange land, for no one can live alone without any visitors , you silly thing..... First, Gertie who has just done up her hair for our visit.... isn't it just so divine..... you have just the right touch! What a beautiful flower! Oh my dear you look rather stunning today! if I could only look as divine it would be a even happier day!

Next, Stella this young'n loves to leave her hair down ! Watch out for that sweet little bee! Oh dear me! bUzZ bUzZ bUzZ........

go away you silly thing

it's time for tea and what a lovely day

for the likes of it too!

Sometimes us girls just have to let our hair down sip a cup & sit back and enjoy the cool crisp day! OoOoOohhhh! I can see it's better weather ahead! if only it would just get here and not pass us by so quickly!

and for those of you who like my versions of Gertie & Stella visit my flickr page for the ones to be traded or sold! & give them a shout as well! & I hope to see you back real soon!

OMG isn't it Friday yet???

I am so bored & into work avoidence probally because your just on that verge of a extra day off!!! Woo Hoo! I soooo get to sleep in! Won't that be sweet! anyway, I am so ready for the weekend & even more so for FaLL!!!!! oh I can just feel the cool breeze, the outdoor market shows a great cup of tea.... hear the russell of the changeing leaves! Wine tasting! one of our wineries makes a great hallowine.... (OK. I'm not super huge on wine but my occasional glass I like to dwell in it & really enjoy! and usually I don't dig wines this sweet but this is good wine! almost tastes like a wassel!) http://www.illinoisriverwinery.com/ only to be out shined by my fav Margarita wine.....Maria's Sangarita http://www.prairiestatewinery.com/Clients/PrairieState/PrairieStateWinery.nsf/b8c53a514ad55cf886256b0500569094/8492fe485fd787ed86257018004c73b7!OpenDocument Ugh.... in setting up the link I just noticed the wine tasteing is the same time as the Renegade art fest in Chicago! What is up with that???? It's simply NOT Fair! (((pout))) anyway, can't you tell I LOVE FALL!!! anyway, I know get to the art Woman!

Here are my beauties next I will be switching to full AuTumN mode!!!!

Summer Serenade isn't she lovely with the little tiny dancer (atc's with tiny dancers next!) a peek'n from here pettycoat! she is all some kind of paper or another with exception of her plastic lace, buttons & brads! Oh My! and lately I just have a fetish for curly hair! it just looks so fun! I can't help myself I swear a few of these almost have turned into rapunzel!!!!

and then my new ATC's because I have a mushroom & flower swap for the FAA lucky parcel swap.... well... I had to do something! and no these are what I had leftover I made cute swing tags for the swap! and they are holding lily of the valley! one of my fav flowers!!! but then again they also lack that "big mushroom"!!! just a hint! anyway, I need to pump out some work & quit my slacker ways! till another creation! Later gators!

Every thing's coming up flowers?

Only for these two lovely girl! But where oh where did thier flowers go??? OK who forgot them???? oops! I am the only one here... even I can only ever blame me ~ why is that??? Hmmmm something here is arye! However, it's good to see that Ida (Jayne's little sister ~) has finally come to claim her thunder! and has joined her sister ...... both have colorful floral dresses & hair ... everthing trimmed in some of my latest flea market finds! Don't you just LuV to find some happy little odditys that are just perfect for that creative inspiration..... however, in my true packrat form I am so sorry to see them go! (I so have large detachment issues!)

I just can't help myself sometimes..... OK OK all the time!!! I am a self proclaimed packrat don't you know! I am trying!!! However, since my pending freedom I have been getting better! I HAVE!!! However, I need to get rid of so much more! I'm going into the ddt's already! What do people do with empty houses??? It's just NOT natural I tell you! I NEED STUFF!!!!!
Anyway, enough of my gibberish! I hope you will enjoy my 2 latest girls I have at least one more in the wings! Ohhhh what fun! then off to my art dolls, then to my ATC's again!

However, like today sometimes there are just days when you would just like to have person reflection relaxation days! .... yeah like that will happen! but god, it sounds so good! Have a very happy Tues! (((smiles)))

~mOrPhInG sOuLs~

Once again it's time to morph some f_a_b_u_l_o_u_s little charecters!

I'm feeling the HaLlOwEeN bug!!!!

Something has to keep my pe·ril·las mind busy!

Well, i always have to try something new You know me forever playing! I can Never leave anything alone!!! give me a computer , endless art supplies & SOCO & cokes & I could be happy for days on end! LOL. So much to do so little time to play!

Shhhhh!~ & that is all I did today!

I have a whole free day & where am I at! in my art studio playing with stuff while on the computer! I am so truly hopeless!

HEY! i did do a load of laundry! so I'm not completely useless!!! (it's always good to try to give yourself a excuse for a lazy day!!! Oh & further more I cleaned my art room!!! Yeah me!!!) anyway, enough about my heathen ways....

to my children... my imaginary children that is!

I have been morphing my vintage pics 7 making them my own & giving them a bit of a happy little halloweenie zettiesh touch!

Miss Ruthy here is a delicate thing with her new poppy bonnet how can you not love that face so!!! I decided she was such a labor of love that I would try my hand on ebay! hmmmm I wonder if she knows her shadow is following her?!

Hestor & Nestor are sweet twin.....moppets? Ok. besides thier names what would be a clue as to thier gender let alone race? hmmm guess it's best to just keep on guessing that way all you can help but do is LoVe them!!!

Nellie & Brunna (on top ~ that crazy witch!) are mischeveous souls who just hang around & get into things when you least exspect them to! you have to be quick & just a bit sly to catch either one of these dear little souls in action!

and last but not least is dear Jayne she is my favorite of the crew! how can you not love her reddish orange flowing dress & floral curly locks she is simply here to mistify all that she meets! (you can barely tell but she has some wonderful plastic lace trim on her dress that makes her look just divine!(and her little sisterIda she's always running late! will just have to show her lucious locks later but then she does like the lime light!!! )

OK well that concludes our happy walking tour for today! back to my couch! On Thunder!.... OK not really I have to do something in my den of slack! it just feels nice to be kid free for a few hours! But then I do miss my mess makers so..... What is a mommy to do! Til Later my dear friends!

and before i go i must solicate! The new ACEO's are available & limited to only one (Like the highlander! LOL. There can be only one!!! god i haven't watched those shows forever!!!)

they are $9.00 each plus $1. S&H Dolls are $15. plus $2. S&H

Ruthy & Ballad of Spring are no longer available otherwise you my inquire through goddessofhellfire68@yahoo.com or my flickr account ATC's more than likely were traded long ago! soooooo if any of them strike your fancy & your heart strings! Please ask!

& always a pleasure to combine shipping!

and as always thanks for visiting!!!!

~ Wallflowers ~

OK. found some old wallpaper that we use to make heart shaped trinket boxes out of at least a century ago! Hmmm what to do??? OK. wild curly hair! that's the ticket..... Zetti yet vintage... does it has to make sense Hell NO! it's my art enough said there!!!!

Don't you just LoVe! when you find something you forgot about & now is cool beyond belief compared to when you forgot about it!!!

it's like hey! I'm glad I saved that!

What a truly packrat statement!!!!

Oh what is a girl to do but create it keeps my mind occupied & my hands busy! and last but not least here are my favs I couldn't part with! oops! Well, at least you can enjoy them here!!! I am hopelessly stareing at all my lovely art in the office , which I should finish cleaning so you'll think I'm not a hopeless slob when I take my pics! LOL. Well, hope you are enjoying my little wallflowers!

Where am I ???

I haven't any idea! I've been trying to get everything done at once and Bam! nothing is ever done ! I swear one second it's 5 pm & the next it's 12:30 am! Where is my time going??? I never seem to get it all done it's so discouraging! Maybe it's just my horrible mood! Anyway, I swear by this weekend I WILL have some art completed! until then you can look at my ugly mug! (This is a self portrait when I was 25 & in art school! My Aunt thought I looked homely in this but Hell I like it! It's back when my hair was awesome!) anyway, I may pull outta this funk sometime soon..... maybe. I need to view more art to perk me up!!!!!!! ATC "Coming Soon"!

Kissys! Tracey

~Rainy day blues~

Ok. usually I love rainy days but I'm kinda lagging behind today...... probally because I'm at work & not curled up & snuggling with my best baby (and she is quite the snuggler... such a plus!) I'm definatly not enjoying today!

Oh well, life doesn't seem to like me lately anyway, so I had to make some little fairies to lift my spirits! as you can tell I love to dress them!

and I've been in a vintage homespun mood as of late! My little captured fairy is a request to make more of my captured fairies! I had her hanging around & dress all ready for a atc along with poor Glory & I finally just put them together the poor little dears! tehy just looked so sad sitting there all alone! and I also made a sister to Midsummer bight dream!

however, I didn't get all that I have planned done...... so much to do & not enough time! Why is that??? my eyes just don't cooperate with me as much as I would like them to! LOL. Anyway, I have some more ATC's in the works & paper dolls & was going to try my hand at cloth & paper mache dolls too...... So all in good time I will post as I get them created in between swaps! Just trying to keep my brain busy don't ya know! Til then Thanks for looking! much Love!

~Hats off!~

It was a wonderful mail day today..... & in general a paper hat day!!!! I am so thrilled! I received my Nicol Sayre doll for one & yes, I'm still feeling naughty for buying her! But she looks so nice in my primitive cabinet that I can't part with this is one of my studio dispaly cabinets! I don't really have a whole lot in it at the moment.... The hands up top are when my older daughter was about 3 or 4, the photo is a sepia reproduction / restoration print I did of a way smaller print (about a wallet size up to a 5x7) which came out wonderful! this is of my great grandmother, grandma (who died very young) & my aunt..... I just loved the photo in fact alot of my favorite restored family photos need to go up but as you can see I haven't quite got there yet! (this is peek of part of my newly redone studio room) Still have quite abit to do in here so no more peeking!!!

Also I mentioned it was a paper hat day! Yvonne was good enough to do her version of paper hats for dummies tutorial for me! It is soooo cute! & not to mention a few little goodies Plus a pretty stellar Atc fairy!Thanks Yvonne! (aka Moline on Flickr) ~ that's my book on smashed fairys I bought ages ago that my statsh is nesting upon!

& Last but not least I know I kept forgetting to show my paper stash I bought from the paper source (I just ordered one more! ) & know I need to get to work! & use it now but like material it's so pretty! LOL.

they looked at me like I was going nutts! (hey it's not often I get to a "real paper store" Now I wish I had another of this green floral print (background I used for my NS doll!) Well, time to roll! Next time I hope to have something made for you with some of these!

(1st set of paper is a japanese cherry branch, a black paper with a 3d shiny dot, a camden fair floral, & a large gold with white polka dot, second set is a pink pattern piece, peach polka dot, green 18 century floral, a salmon pink with white pattern (3d) paper & last of all a large floral & bugs paper..... didn't have a purpose for it but it is so darn cool! )

a MiDsUmMeR nIgHtS dReAm ~

I almost forgot her What kinda mommy am I anyway! Shhhhh ~ I didn't post her to flickr quite yet..... I made a few for my swapbot swap and I like her sooo well, I am going to do 1 or 2 more! I think she turned out quite well! Thanks to Mervi telling me it was Midsummer holiday! & this is what came to mind! Now I messed up my patriotic tribute! but oh well, we are all here for the art right! (& I may just forget later on! ) ENJOY!

In the spirit~

.... of the day I have decided to put up my favorite photo of all time..... a phot that was taken when Theodore Roosevelt made his travel by train through our fair country side! If it's one thing our towns are ...... they are rich in history that molded this country! We are also the site of the first Lincoln Douglas debates (in 1863) here is a photo of the unveiling of the new mural that was unveiled a few days ago.... cost $43,000 to commission OUCH! It is 92 feet by 20 feet & is painted by the artisit Don Gray who was picked among the 20 other artist who submitted to do the Mural! truly it's gorgeous! I will have to make a happy trip over that way soon & take pictures of all the murals! I think there are about close to 12 now this being one of the largest & they are all quite impressive! (in Ottawa, Illinois corner of Jackson & LaSalle Sts.) this is directly across from the new Lincoln Douglas statues & the Reddick Mansion (Red huge home in the background of this paintng! & the real thing is in site across the park )
and yes, that would be Lincoln standing watching the unveiling! (Dr. BF McClerran a retired University professor who travels the State portraying the 16th prez!and a 2nd little bit better view.....and last another neat "oldie" when Herbert Hoover arrived by rail to greet the crowd! I love the pole climbers! If nothing else they are all cool to look at!

((( Have a Happy 4th of July!!!!)))

Just a quick note from the insane assylum!

Well, I did it I closed my eyes & splurged on all splurges..... BUT I had to have her..... ck her out! http://nicolsayre.typepad.com/update/a Nicol Sayre doll! I also LOVE Fannie & Betsy but.... Nicol's dolls sell like wildfire & were gone in a matter of OH 10 minutes! that's so insane! Can't wait to meet Glory! Have her spot all ready to go for her.... at that craziness I will be looking at her constantly! yes, I'm insane I know but what beautiful dolls! she's definatly worth checking out!!! I hope to be as wonderful at it one of these days! RiGHT......... Wake up girl! LOL. anyway, here is a happy gnome to brighten up your day! (made for a swap!)

It's been such a slow process Lately but I will have a ton more to show soon! Plus what my studio room looks like! Almost finished I'm soooo tickled!

Let me know what you think about the new header.... finally something that looks 1/2 way descent! Enjoy!

OnLy in BoHoville......

will you never see traffic stopped for old "show" tractors coming through..... except OH here!!!

Sorry I am still disgruntled from yesterday that I had to wait almost a hour for 400 tractors to go through..... UGH!

yes, I should be use to it by now ALONG WITH waiting for the train to "change cars" (about a 1/2 hr wait in the heat..... you don't dare idle with the air on!!!!)

it was just my lucky day yesterday!!!...... yes, this is offically complain &

moan day...... here in agriland! Here you go check them out! photos are by David Manley (no sorry not my pics! but must give credit where credit is due!)

Here they are tooling along the I&M canal......

I&M canal was a manmade water route to transfer goods from Chicago to LaSalle...... many small towns were made due to migrant workers brought here to help make the canal & it's many locks.......

What a day for a Tuesday......?

Well, another day passes & I don't have anything.... new exactly. Still busy painting my studio room so I have to put my world on hold esp. since I had that slight disagreement with the desk & the ladder! NO! it didn't seem REAL bad so I didn't go to the doctor....... althought the way my leg has been swelling I may have 2nd thoughts! LIVE & LEARN! you cannot stand on a flimsy desk no matter how convient it may seem!!!! grrrr

Here are a few of my digital photo monatges the original pic is a old vintage photo & then I incorporated pictures of my daughter screaming (also obscured to make them more surreal) I think it still needs a touch more work...... I am always a work in progress!

this one is a forrest scape taken with my holga combined with fire rings , a vintage pic of my sister in a ballet outfit, & a jack o' lantern......