A Merry Christmas to all........

I am a little late with the greeting, but as you know, this is such a busy time of the year.  I do sincerely hope that those of you who have found my blog and are reading this, have peace and happiness and love , not just at this time of year, but all through the year.
We are fortunate in this country, with Summer skies and relaxed lifestyle and peace.  We have many cultures living together peacefully.  I believe the most important thing in life is to love and be loved.  Be it family or friends.
Every New Year presents new challenges and it is like a journey, where you know where you are going, but the things that may happen along the way are yet to be experienced.  I learned, many years ago, that there is nothing that can happen in this life, that you cannot deal with.
So I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I wish you all a Very Happy New Year in 2011.

Pay it forward......

The most amazing thing has happened to me.  A few posts ago I made a comment on the loss of the wonderful doll maker Hannie Sarris.  I mentioned that it was a great loss to the doll making world and that I was 'devastated' that I had thrown Hannie's book out with the recycling!
I received an email from a wonderful woman, yet a complete stranger, who lived on the other side of the world that wanted to make me feel better by offering to send me her copy of the book. 
This came as a complete surprise and such a kind and generous gesture, and I was very keen to get my hands on that book again.  So she sent it to me.  The book arrived today. (With another magazine featuring Hannie).  I am so happy.  My friend wanted nothing in return.  She was quite happy to send the book to me, and insisted that I need not return the favour.  The world is an amazing place.  The internet is an amazing place.  And people are amazing.  Now I know, I must 'pay it forward', so I need to think of what I can do.

The expression "pay it forward" is used to describe the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead.

So I will keep you posted - I think it's time for a give away.........................

My Santa

So this is a good example of how something that looks 'not so good', can become 'very good' with a bit of perserverence. Santas are very forgiving.

I like to make underwear for my Santas, so that the support for the stand can go up through it.  I don't like a skinny body, he needs to be robust.......















I like lots of hair under his cap, and his moustache needs to blend into his beard.

I always make his boots, all the clothing and some toys..............

It's been a long time since I made a Santa.  When he comes together, it's like meeting an old friend.
I think I still have a lot of Santas to make...........

I've been busy - making dolls!!

Well actually, Christine and I have been making dolls.  It was last year she mentioned that she would like to try sculpting.  Christine has always encouraged me to do more, and her own interest helped me make the time to do a workshop, one on one.  Well the result was fantastic!

I sculpted along with her and at the end we both had a fininshed Santa.

This is my Santa face

This is Christine's Santa - we almost forgot to add the neck!

Tomorrow, I will show you the result of my sculpted Santa.  And I have even been doing other dolls, just to finish up some dolls this year - that I started ages ago....................