Doll swap

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be a celebrity and have Mattel or Hasbro make a doll that looked like you? Me neither, but I got to find out anyway! I participated in an art doll swap through Nancye's Art Dolls. The partnering was random, and I got Lubov as my partner. She is a Russian artist who is so talented! She makes humorous, realistic-looking art dolls, which made me very curious to know what the doll she made for me would look like. The theme was "The Girls of Summer," so I made a summery little girl in pigtails with sun-burnt knees. (I'll show a pic at the bottom of this post.) It was a new experience to ship something off to Russia. The post office clerk complimented my Russian printing for the address!

Earlier this week, I received a notice from the post office that they had tried to deliver a package while I was at work. Thursday I went home early (which for me means, on time for a change) so that I could go to pick up my package. Russian printing all over the box - YAY! My doll from Lubov had arrived! Carefully but quickly I tore into the box, eager to see what Lubov had made. Imagine my delight and laughter as I pulled her out of the box!

Didn't Lubov do a fabulous job!? Look at the detail. Dare I say it? She looks so much like me, from the blue eyes down to the frou-frou flip flops! Even the crocheted pouch is something I would happily carry in real life. I justLOVE it!!!

I am really impressed by Lubov's talent! Her skill is amazing and her techniques are very interesting, expecially for building the dolls body - it's partially soft instead of all Sculpey. I'd like to dissect one of her dolls to see how she builds it, but I certainly won't dissect this one!

My little contribution traveled a very different path into becoming. She is a cloth and clay doll, with ropey limbs a la Deirdra's princess bug doll. I cal her Seaside Sally.

She was very different for me, but I think it's fun to play with different ways of making faces, et al.

Now summer comes to an end and the Girls of Summer have to sit it out for a while and autumn begins to blow in. Art & Soul is coming up, and I will be selling at Vendor Night on Saturday the 3rd of October! My first sales event in years. I've been busy making soldered pendants and have some dolls in progress. I'd better rev up production so I'll have something to sell!

Greetings from Savannah, the illustrated version

Last Wednesday Emily and I took the red eye flight to Savannah, Georgia, with layovers in Los Angeles and Atlanta. We left at 8:55 p.m. Pacific time, arrived 11:00 a.m. eastern time. That's a long travel time. But instead of being exhausted the next day, we were raring (rearing?) to go shopping for dorm room stuff. Along the way in search of Target, we saw a lot of beautiful old Savannah and parts of SCAD, Savannah College of Art & Design - Emily's new abode.

This is the Student Union building. It looks like an old synagogue on the outside. On the inside it's ultra-modern with orb-like napping chairs.

The Spanish moss drapes gracefully from all the tall trees that grow majestically along the colonial squares.

Beautiful architecture adorned with wrought iron catches the eye on every block in the historic district.

Wildlife! This beauty had made its home across somebody's veranda. We were far from it, on the sidewalk. Let me tell you, this spider was BIG!

Along the walk from Emily's dorm, this brick wall with wooden gates stands in a field. Was it a carriage house, a factory, a livery stable?

There were many areas that reminded me of Eugene, Oregon. This little stream reminded me of the millrace by the U of O, but instead of ducks swimming around begging for bread crumbs, there were...

TURTLES!!! And LOTS of them! Until this day the most "wild" turtles I had ever seen in nature was a grand total of... ONE. The first day we were in Savannah as I looked over the bridge, about ten swarmed up hoping for some bread crumbs. Wow, the South is a whole different world.

Emily's dorm was a bit of a surprise. It wasn't one of the cool refurbished old buildings that they showed off on the tour she took last year. It was an old motel, like a Motel 6 - an old one that you would find driving from LA to Death Valley. Drab stucco walls that Emily longs to paint in vibrant hues. On the bright side, the kids get their own bathroom in these motel dorms! As we began to bring in her things, put up shelves and dress her bed, the place started looking much cheerier. Here's Emily's little corner of the world:

And here's my sweet Em with her cute little stuffy that best friend Nyssa made for her.

Though you are far away, you are always close in my heart. I love you, Emi!

xoxo

Greetings from beautiful Savannah, Georgia

Poor blog, I've been neglecting you. I didn't want to, it's just that I had to set up my new classroom last week (11 and 12 hour days, ugh). School started on Tuesday, but I'm already playing hooky. I am here in Savannah, Georgia, getting my Emily settled in to her new college life. Gulp - my baby's leaving the nest! It's all scary scary, for both of us, but I hear about all the great opportunities she's going to be having here and I am so excited for her. We've had tears already - it will be hard to leave on Sunday...

I hope to take some nice pics and post them when I get back home! Ciao for now.