Holly Doodle Designs

Still need to add these to her book, but here are the finished doll and clothes I made for Heather.  In case you’re wondering, the clothing will actually fit the doll should she choose to cut it up.  I may make her a copy on my printer so she can feel free to cut that one up and play with it if she would like, since I’m sure she won’t want to rip up the original.  I didn’t make her any shoes, though!  Oops! 

Where shall Heather go today?  How about to the Book Club meeting on a friend’s back porch where she’ll wear her wide-brimmed hat with a floppy pink rose and enjoy a nice cup of chai tea in a cute aqua cup.

Or maybe she’ll have a nice mimosa at brunch with her girlfriends.  The blue dress will be nice.  It’s her favorite color.  And for fun, she’ll bring that wicker basket purse with the vintage millinery on top.

And then this evening, she may attend a lovely garden party in her ruffly chiffon confection of a dress.   Mint Julep, anyone?

I’ll show pictures one more time, once I figure out how to attach it to her book and how to embellish it so it doesn’t seem weird just sitting there in such a fluffy, pretty book.

I mentioned that I’m behind on a round robin art book swap that I’m doing with a few girls.  The theme is “paper dolls” and let me tell you, this is hard for me!  I’m not a collector of vintage images of people or paper dolls.  I like them, i enjoy them, but I don’t HAVE a lot of them.  It’s been tough for me to wrap my mind around how to do a page in a journal on paper dolls!

But tonight, I figured it out.  The book I have right now belongs to Heather.  Inspired by paper dolls that Karla made, featuring the likeness of her “fairy grand-baby”, I decided to illustrate my pages and make a “Heather” doll.  I still need to make her clothing, but I think this is going to be fun!

My family and I are taking a road trip next week.  We’re headed to the beautiful state of Georgia.  That is a looooong drive from central Oklahoma, let me tell ya.  So I’ve been busy putting together a kit of things for the kids to do in the car.  I got them each a small art tote and am stocking it with a mini star-wars coloring book, some washable markers, their Nintendo-DS video game thingies and all the games, some small toys, and whatever else I can think of.

Then I started to think that I should pack one for myself!  I thought about how scattered I am with my doodles and illustrations.  I want to start keeping my brainstorming and rough sketches in a more organized singular spot.  That’s when the lightbulb finally turned on.  I need a journal.

So I’m starting one.  For my road-trip tote, I think I’ll include the journal and my sketching pens/markers, and maybe I’ll take along the art-journal round robin for Heather that I’m supposed to have already finished.  It would be great to bring a few supplies.  Hmm.  Hopefully I can get my act together before I hit the road.  We’ll see. But it’s got to be better than a scattered mess like this:

Yes.  A journal.  That will be nice.

I’m putting my kits together for the class I’m teaching at Paper Crown in Oklahoma City tomorrow at 1:00 pm.  If you’d like to join us, call (405) 848-2389 and sign up!

In Oklahoma….. Cowboys and Farmers tip their hats and say “ma’am” as they pass you by.

In Oklahoma…. if you’re stuck in traffic, someone will LET YOU CUT in front of them.  Because it’s the neighborly thing to do.

In Oklahoma…..   People wave to each other in their cars as they go by.  They do not know each other.  It’s just the friendly thing to do.

In Oklahoma….. A lady cannot open a door for herself if a man is around.  He will jump to his feet to open it for her.  No matter the age or size or appearance of the lady.  Then he will tip is hat and nod in respect.  He does this as a matter of grace and gentle kindness, not because he doubts her ability to open the door for herself.

In Oklahoma….. Chivalry is not dead.

In Oklahoma….. The soil is red and the sky is blue.

In Oklahoma….. There are no “smog alert days”.

In Oklahoma….. There are rolling plains of green, which turn to gold and are harvested right before the wheat bends to face the sun.

In Oklahoma….. “harvest” is a big deal.  And a family affair.

In Oklahoma…. It doesn’t matter what you did Saturday night, you’re expected to be in a pew on Sunday morning. 

In Oklahoma…. There are huge sky-scraper lined cities, happy little suburbs, and one-stop-light small towns. 

In Oklahoma…. When someone says they’re “Goin to the City”, they either mean Oklahoma City or Tulsa.  Not New York.

In Oklahoma….. The English language is expanded.  We have words like “fixin” which does not refer to repairing anything. 

In Oklahoma…. We say “ya’ll”.  And no one laughs.

In Oklahoma…. My kids pray in loud kid voices before every meal.  In restaurants.  And no one turns around.  Because it’s common.

In Oklahoma…. Good ‘Ole Boys are always around to help you carry stuff.

In Oklahoma….. It’s normal to pull over to the side of the road to let the tractor or Combine Harvester pass.

In Oklahoma….. Cattle and Horses are everywhere.

In Oklahoma….. We have very. big. hair.

In Oklahoma…. You are either RED (OU) or ORANGE (OSU), but not both. 

In Oklahoma…..  Weddings and funerals, and c-section deliveries have been planned around college football playoff games. 

In Oklahoma….  There are 4 distinct seasons.

In Oklahoma….. We love the great state of Texas.  Unless OU is playing them.  Then we put stickers of their mascot, the longhorn, upside down on our rear window.  That’ll show em.

In Oklahoma…. Trucks with trailer hitches rival sedans in number.

In Oklahoma…. We know we are the “Home of the Red Man” and respect our Native community.

In Oklahoma….. There is a rich history.

In Oklahoma…..  There is so much more than you may think. 

Oklahoma is my home and I love it.  Please feel free to borrow this pattern and substitute the name of your home in it. If you do, please tell me so I can come read about it on your blog and learn about the place you hang your heart.

xo

My little ones have had a virus this week.  It came on with a headache, then a bit of a sore throat, then 103.5 fever that lasted about 24 hours or so, and then it was gone!  I thought “strep” at first, but then it left us as quickly as it came on, so no need to go to the doctor I guess.  I’m glad it was short and to the point! 

So while my kiddos were on the couch, I was playing with my watercolors.  These are just doodles in watercolor, but I think it’s fun and productive to just practice and play without expecting a finished PRODUCT as the outcome.  The joy is the process in this case.  Which is a hard concept for me!  I need a finished product!  I’m results oriented when it comes to making stuff!  But I’m learning that to get the results I want eventually, I have to play, doodle, and practice till it comes naturally.  I know, seems like a lesson a kindergartner would get, but I’m slow.

I’m enjoying learning to paint something that’s recognizable, without first drawing it in pen.  I like drawing, but I would like to be able to do both.  The rose and strawberry at the bottom were fun, because they are only defined by color, not lines. 

It’s a fun exercise and watercolors are such a fun medium!  I highly suggest getting some, and playing.  They bring back memories of childhood, in the way the water kind-of rolls and soaks in.  Also, they come in such beautiful clear colors.

So what have you been practicing lately?  What are you learning or teaching yourself?  I’d love to know.

Song For A Fifth Child

by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue.
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due.
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?  (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up,  I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Babies don’t keep.