Around the Snowy Flats

Our Neighbors Snowy Yard.  

A big storm has swept through our side of town and my little guy Enoch has been out of school for two days now.  Snow days!  Yesterday we ate some Chinese takeout from Sum Hing and got a spot of thrift shopping in over at a lovely store called Exceptional Treasures ( it's where I've been finding most of the old kids toys too ).  Below are photos of the finds from Ex Op and I've also I decided to include the fabric from the quilt shop trip from last week that I will be using on my two 'Worry Dolls' as the backsides.  As a sidenote my morning snack is in the photo too, a valentine cake that's probably not the best thing to eat in the mornin' but oh well.

 Above:  Our Exceptional Treasure finds, Valentine Cake morning snack and 'Worry Doll' fabric.

A closeup of the lucky vintage ribbon in various colors.

Boy 'Worry Doll' fabric for his backside.  His name is Lowell.  

 Girl 'Worry Doll' fabric for her backside.  Her name will be Bunny Sue.

 A roll of floral fabric scrap.

Above photo:   I also found these very sweet Wheat trays with foldout legs, one flameproof glass carafe and some delicate striped fabric w/ metallic detail.  Pardon the kitchen clutter.

As far as the striped light sea green fabric and pink combed cotton selections go that probably ends the fabric choices that will be the backs of 'Worry Doll' brother and sister for now.  The fronts of the dolls will be canvas and that's where the screenprinting that I desparately need to do will come in!

The 'Giant Worry Doll' positive drawings for the screens.  They'll be two sided dolls.

Bunny Sue on left.  Lowell on right.

Usually 'Worry Dolls' are super tiny made from sticks and random pieces of fabric and/ or string, their face and hair are minimally detailed.  I was inspired by my cousins April and Genny (who has a sweet blog here) when I was in Los Angeles and hung out with them for the first time since I was 15!  The details of the meeting back when I was a 15 year old mongrel are actually rather glum, as it was my Grandma Florence's wake.  It felt like we just glanced at each other and basically went on with life in a flash.  But before my Grandmother's passing my cousin's and I were as thick as a 100 year old tree, or so it seemed.  Every holiday, every weekend, every summer then slowly as we all got older and into the teens our parents began to grow apart and so the family splintered.

So I got the chance to rekindle the bonds between my cousins and I last summer!!!  It was awesome and lifted up my heart in unexpected and what can be said as 'quiet giant' ways.  This most recent time we saw each other was at my Aunt's Birthday.  Everyone had just spent the day at Renegade Craft Fair and had went together out to eat delicious food and enjoy the further festivities located at a very cute East Los Angeles apartment.  My cousin April revealed some 'Worry Dolls' that she had brought with her purchased from Olvera Street and she split the group of dolls between us girls in the room, there was at least three of us there at that moment.  It was so touching because they've been with me the whole time since this summer and they serve to remind me of the freaking amazing suprises often found in unexpected places that life does bring.  Now I know my own cousins sons and daughters and their children have played with my kids and the cycle is renewed!  Anyway, I hope that the giant version of 'Worry Dolls' that I'll be whipping up will supply my desire to pay homage to my cousins well!

The said 'Worry Dolls'.

The said 'Worry Dolls' from my cousin in their natural environment on my dresser.