Finished, Welcome Mr. Potter........................

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Mr. Potter is finished and back from the garden with his fresh pickins of pansies.
 He is such a warm and whimsical fellow.

I am busy, busy still creating more folk art and dolls for the upcoming Historic Norcross Art Fest in GA. The show is October 5-6th and I am very nervous - it will be my first show in GA and I haven't done a street fair in years. I really missed doing the show and seeing friends at the Country Living Fair in OH this year. But with all I have been thru this year - it was just too much to handle. I am considering the Country Living Show in Atlanta GA next year. It is much closer to home than OH now that we are in the gorgeous mountains of North Carolina. It is truly breathe taking here.
Autumn Blessing to all

My Machine is Back Up and Running..........

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Yes! My machine is up and running and I am back at it. 

Meet Mr. Higginbottom, he demanded some breeches before I get back to working on Mr. Potter and friends. This poor old chap had been sitting around for some time with no pants or jacket - he said he felt rather " undignified" 

 Huh! What a character

Changing Things Up a Bit

Well, I had been working on all those fun pumpkin people when "kaboom!"

my sewing machine (Nellie) got jammed up and stopped working. I was in a panic but good ole Dr. Tim the sewing machine man has her in his shop and she'll be up and running again soon. I have had the same machine since the early 1980s. Nellie is a German PFAFF - they just don't make them like that anymore - she is worth the $135 bucks to get her stitching again. Ouch!

I have started a batch of my mixed media doll ornies while I wait for Nellie. Love the shot of all the silly heads above. Lots of found objects, beads and wire - they are so much fun to make.

Happy Friday

and

 enjoy the weekend!

Mr Potter is on Today's Work Table.......

Mr. G Potter is eager for me to finish him.

He wants to get out into the garden and pick more flowers for his Fall bouquet.

He is such a sweet little fellow.

Sundays Work Table...............

More of my signature style

 "snaggle tooth"

 folky fairies under way.

Good News..... Mini Progress Report

Good News..... Just this last Tuesday I had my feeding tube removed from my abdomen! Wooo Hoooo It has been just about 6 months since my original surgery and 9 follow up procedures. I am finally progressing well. The big challenge for me now is getting in enough calories daily and stop losing weight. Life without a stomach is difficult and no walk in the park but it beats the alternative. Cancer is so evil.

The weather today was wonderfully cool and a tease for Fall that is around the corner. A little stroll around the garden surprised me with this big, beautiful Hibiscus bloom near the arbor. It is the size of a salad plate. I marvel at mother nature and God's handy work.

 I'm working on some fun Halloween stuff here in the studio that I will post about soon. My little ones are anxious for school to start - my youngest will start Kindergarten this year. Both in school all day ??- whatever will I do with myself! Heavenly silence and uninterrupted time in the studio???

 Oh my!

 Bliss

 

Halloween Works in Progress and Fabric Shopping Therapy...............

I was at Duke Hospital last week for another outpatient surgery and stopped at a fabric store for a little therapy. I found this great textured black fabric and it just screamed CAT to me soooo, here is the start of my "cat" doll. I haven't done any form of a cat doll in years so it will be very interesting to see what develops.

Fall is just around the corner and I am getting things going in the studio for Halloween whimsies! I will be doing a show in Norcross GA. this October ( more details later) I am so sad to report that I will not be doing the Country Living Show in Columbus this year. The massive surgery I had in February and all the follow up procedures and slow recovery has robbed me of my energy and abilities this year. I am getting stronger all the time and the doctors and I are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I am adjusting to life without a stomach better and better every day. It is such a long journey of recovery to find my "new normal" and lifestyle being stomach-less. I am a slave to eating and I hate it. I have to be nibbling on something every half hour and there is no guarantee it's gonna go down well. I will be getting my feeding tube out in two weeks!!! Very excited about that milestone. Thanks again everyone for all your love, support and encouragement.

Back to sewing!

New Listing on Early Works Mercantile -Sneak Peek into Fall

This whimsical little duo is my sneak peek into Fall!

Just listed on Early Works Mercantile for the month of July.

Cheers!

 

  http://earlywork-tatteredmoon.blogspot.com/

Rustic Mermaid................

Whimsical primitive style mermaid. Will list in my Etsy shop soon.

Working..............

Energy is still very low but I'm still tinkering.

Making some more rustic mixed media pieces.

Happy Sunday

Progress Report - Early Works Mercantile - June 15th listings

I was back in the hospital for a while with more complications the end of May but yet again I'm back on my feet and trying to move forward. I am working on some primitive mermaids for the summer - stay tuned...

Please don't forget to drop by and see all the primitive and folk art goodies just listed by many artist at -

www.earlyworkmercantile.com

Update....Slow Recovery...Healing.... Trying to find My New Normal.......

Yes, I know it has been so long, but finally the update.  On February 22nd I had my entire stomach removed along with several lymph nodes and a "scant" section of my esophagus were it attached to my stomach. What can I say - it was a horrible experience that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy but it was necessary and it is now done! I will never die from this hereditary form of stomach cancer the way 4 of my family members did. I am the lucky one!! I am still having to do tube feeds through the night to ensure I get proper nutrients. I hook up to the machine and the formula goes straight into my small intestine thru a small tube attached to my side. I HATE it for several side effect reasons but also am grateful because it  literally is/has saved my life.  It has been a very slow recovery with many "unexpected" problems. I was hospitalized for a week just before Easter in March for dehydration and an esophageal stricture. I was unable to eat any type of soft food orally and began spitting up any water or liquid I drank. My new connection site ( where they hooked my esophagus up to my lower intestine) developed really bad scar tissue that closed the opening up to about 4mm. Since that time I have had to return to Duke hospital (5hrs away)once a week to have dilation's and stretching to get my esophagus to open up so I can begin to eat real food. This is done as an out patient procedure with a GI and anesthesia team. I am now up to about 12mm and can eat mashed potatoes, soups, and other super squishable foods. The goal is 15-18mm but each time I go in, the scare tissue begins to take over again! Errrr, so frustrating.  I head back for another stretching the end of this week and I meet with my main doctor on the 13th to evaluate this on going problem - I pray no more surgery. I was in the ER just this last Thurs. night for a kidney stone- OMG the pain was intense. I passed it this AM - thank you God! I was told I have a few more in my kidneys but not as large as this one was. This is a result of the surgery, dehydration, etc.  Big sigh............ I am just trying to keep my spirits up these days and be grateful for all the little positive changes. My energy is getting better and I am getting stronger everyday. I am also beginning to adjust to all the weight loss. I miss making my art. I feel very disconnected from it and I can't believe how slow I am moving when I do putz around in the studio. Patience is so difficult for me - the docs tell me "all in due time" 6 months to a year from now, I will be comfortable in my "new normal" I just want control as to what that so called "new normal" is gonna look like!!!! Wow! there it all is. What a negative sounding post! Yuck... but it is my truth and my reality for today. I will get better, I am getting better every day. I am alive and not fighting cancer or undergoing chemo! Thank you God