Keeping In Touch

I wanted to tell everyone that I am so sorry for not posting of late and keeping up with everyones blogs. I am running terribly behind and feel so bad about it.
They say that people want to hear about "Real" things going on in peoples lives instead of how wonderful things are all the time when posting in our blogs...so I guess this is my "Real Thing" that is happening to me at this moment.

For the last several months I have been having problems with dizzyness and just not feeling like myself.  I couldn't put my finger on it...but I knew something was not quite right. In October I was outside taking care of my horses and doing some other chores before coming in to start my day sculpting. I became so dizzy I couldn't stand up and thought maybe I was having a stroke or something then later in the day I started throwing up. This went on for hours until I finally could not take it anymore and told my husband I needed to go into the er. They did all the standard tests, ekg, blood tests, cat scan etc., but the only thing they could find was that I was deyhdrated. They gave me fluids some prescriptions for nausea and sent me home.
In the meantime I was to schedule an appt with a new cardiologist since the company my husband worked for had changed insurance companies and all the doctors I had previously were not under the same plan.
So about 3 weeks ago I was in the cardiologists office and this vertigo hit me again. I was very sick and after an hour or two in the dr's office they decided I should go to the er again. After several tests and a few hours later the er doctor came in and said they wanted to do an mri. That test was not fun at all...they put you in a large tube where you cannot move your head at all. The machine bangs and bangs for over an hour taking pictures of your head. Finally after about half hour the doctor came in and told me that they found what they call a Schwonnoma Tumor in my head. It is a benign tumor that rests below the brain and is usually on the nerve from either ear or the stem of the brain. Only about 1 in 100,000.00 people get this type of tumor and it is caused from a missing gene of all things. (Maybe I should have bought a lottery ticket with those odds)  ;-)
 The problem with these tumors is that if left untreated they can cause, hearing loss, paralysis of the face, inability  to swallow and ultimately death.  So I was in total shock
never thinking in my wildest dreams that I would have something like this...but it all made sense thinking back on my symptoms. Ringing in the ears, fullness in ears like you need to pop them..but can't, the nausea and vertigo and occassional balance issues. So...I am in the process of seeing a ear, nose and throat doctor and then I am sure from there it will be on to a neurologist. Reading and reading on the internet to find out as much information as I can on the type of treatments. I have joined a wonderful forum called  Acoustic Neuroma Association where people that have this type of tumor come and share their experiences. So far I am very grateful for this group as they have been so supportive and helpful.

Our family has also been dealing with my dad who has been having many health issues too. He lives with us and I have become his main caregiver which makes it very difficult sometimes when I can hardly function myself.
His situation is very up and down at the moment and could change with each day. We are just trying to take it a day at a time.

Life has a way of throwing us curveballs when we least expect it but I am thankful that this is not cancerous and there are many things that I am thankful for at the moment. I realize that I am going to have to slow down for awhile which means not working so hard which I have done for many years. I have always been a work ahololic so now I need to focus on my health and take it easy on other things. 
I am still trying to work on dolls on my good days...so I will be showing some things from time to time.
I do have some things I will be posting soon but I just wanted to give an update here on my blog so people won't think I have disappeared from Blogland!  ;-) I do miss everyone and visiting everyones blogs but even being on the computer for very long can set off my vertigo which has forced me to limit my surfing the web.
So there you have it...I hope I haven't bored anyone. Life is still good...I count my blessings every day and am so thankful for my family and friends.  I will be back soon with some updates and some doll related subjects that I want to share.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Take Good Care!!! 


(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Marcie ♥
xoxoxoxo

Stitches In Time

"Stitches in Time"
 is what I call my work on the new and old dolls that I create and work on every day.

 This vintage image by Jessie Wilcox Smith, a wonderful illustrator of a little girl surrounded by her dolls as she intently works on repairing and stitching their clothes captures how I feel as I work on both old and new dolls here in my studio. The little dolls all lined up on  a shelf waiting patiently for their bright new dresses, a new hairstyle and little "spiffing" up.  The new OOAK's waiting to emerge from the clay or receive their new beginnings.

It is a fun and creative process which I have enjoyed for many years. I have many old dolls that are awaiting the same thing...all lined up in an old doll bed that was mine when I was a little girl.

Despite my bouts with health issues I have been able to get a few things done here and there.

 

The last few weeks I have been working on a few to share with you along with a new OOAK in the works which is taking a little longer than I had expected.
 I typically work back and forth between my OOAK's and my doll restorations. This is what works the best for me and I am much happier that way.  ;-)
Pull me away from one or the other and I can become quite grumpy. :-/ 

So... instead of fight it I learned to just go with it. So first I would like to show you a couple of doll restorations I have completed recently and then some other items of interest.

...Before Photos...
This is a Composition Shirley Temple Type doll that I purchased last summer on a trip to the Oregon coast.
I found her in an antique shop all frumpy and dirty.
She was wearing a beautiful bonnet and long dress but it was totally inappropriate for her.
So I took it off...washed it and will use it on another doll at a later time.
She is approx. 21" tall and has a blond mohair wig

She had several issues. Her eyes were blown, pin dots in face, chippy lip color and bad overall comp crazing.

 Her mohair wig was so matted down I thought about giving her a whole new wig but decided to try to untangle her matted mess. Luckily...and after much patience I was able to fluff up her hair.

....After Pictures....

Here she is after my restorations.

 I left most of her face alone. I figured I could live with the small imperfections on her face but I did touch up
her  lips, cheeks and eyes. Her hair was styled into a cute curly style.

 I made her a slip from vintage lace and fabric, dressed her in a vintage pink window pane fabric and slipped on a darling vintage bonnet that I had found in my stash of doll items.

She looks much happier now with her pretty new outfit!

The next doll is a 22inch Composition Mama Doll.
She is unmarked and came to me in a very torn and dirty outfit.
The dress was completely in shreds and so were her little shoes unfortunately.

Her face was not to bad so just some minor things were done and the rest left alone.

This darling dress and bonnet were perfect for her.

Tiny little pink Rosette ribbon roses were pressed open so that they would show in all there sweetness
and not smashed up as they were when I found the bonnet.

I added a silk ribbon and vintage pearl button tie to her bonnet.

She is such a cute baby doll!

I will be showing more photos of restorations in weeks to come.

Now to One Of A Kinds.
I am still working on a larger OOAK doll that will be a Princess with her fairy attendant.
She is actually much further along than this picture as I am finishing up her dress whenever I get a moment.
These are just a couple of pictures to show you her head and the color of mohair I chose for her.

The fabric that I found is gorgeous!
A beautiful creamy sherbert orange with an antique rose
print.
I was drawn to the fabric because it has allowed me to do an inset panel using some of
my vintage laces that have that old ecru patina to them.
 I love old lace and have collected it for years so this has allowed me to incorporate these antique pieces into her dress.
Here is a picture of some of the items going into her dress.

I hope to have her completed soon!

While we are on the subject of beautiful things...I wanted to share with you some of my

treasured handmade vintage silk roses.

This first one I purchased at an antique store. The case is actually a Hanky Case but I fell in love

with it because of the beautifully handmade roses. These roses are one of my favorites for adding to

dolls dresses and hats. They are what they call Rolled Roses made from silk ribbon. The roses are made in such a way that the top

edge of the ribbon is folded down and the petals are formed with this technique. This is a

beautiful example of that technique. I use this Hanky Case for holding some of my more

special ribbons.

Another special flower that I have in my collection is this very vintage spray of roses

still with the original tag that reads "Made In France" I love this piece as it is also well

executed and has withstood the test of time.

The ribbon itself has beautiful edges that you just

can't find in ribbon today.

I felt it was so special I placed it in its own frame.

 

Another little sweet piece of ribbon are these adorable baby ribbon rosettes.

These are tiny little roses that were probably made for embellishing lingerie or baby items.

These were also found at a local antique store and I just adore them.

I recently placed a small length of them around the collar of a Patsy Type Doll that I restored.

They added just the right touch on her little pink dress.

 

 

This is a shoebag I made many years ago for a needlework class I was teaching. 

This bag is made of taffeta with a handstiched center panel adorned with ribbon and

a tiny bullion rose. Bullion Roses are also some of my favorite things to adorn doll dresses and bonnets.

They are fun to make and have such a delicate look to them. A tiny bullion rose on the front

of a dolls dress, collar or sleeve is the sweetest thing ever. 

Lavender Stuffed Hearts with hand stiched bullions roses for placing inside the shoes.

 

These are just some ideas for adding special touches to your doll clothes whether One Of A Kinds 

or Antique Dolls.

I hope you like them...

 

I will close with a view of a sunrise taken a few days ago of a mountain that is right across from our home.

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I have photographed this mountain over the years

and how the beauty can change from season to season. 

This particular morning the clouds were absolutely stunning with the sun rising up behind them

and creating this amazing sunrise to start my day.

I hope you have a wonderful day to day and may God Bless!!!

 

Warmly, Marcie   ;-)