Earthquakes, Heat and Busy Busy Busy ~

Hello There:

I am inside.  It is where I've been all week.  It's too hot to do anything outdoors.  I run out in the morning, water the garden and find my way right back inside.

It's hot....so, so, so hot.  It's hot and jolting and rumbling with earthquakes.  Not huge earthquakes, just big enough to make you stop what your doing and wait to see if this will be "the big one".  But no, just a hard jolt and a rolling shake and it's over.  Until the next one.  So...this is life in Southern California.

I have been crazy busy.  I am copy-editing a middle grade trilogy.  Each book is about 300 pages.  I am also keying in the revisions as I go.  It is slow work.  Slow but fun and I am really enjoying it, because I am a reader and a dedicated wordie!

I am also just starting to play around with the illustrations for a children's book about 'possums.  Just starting...but it is in my mind all the time.  I'm not the author, but I was asked to do the illustrations.

Through it all, I am trying to keep up with my own work and I have so many projects going all at once.  So, I work a little here and dabble a little there.  It's nice to be in the studio during these long, furnace days.  What more can a gal ask for?  

Even though I'm crazy busy with all sorts of bookish stuff, I decided to list a set of my Gnarly-Dolls yesterday.  

 Zeb and Essy

For those of you that are familiar with my Gnarly-Dolls, you can probably see that Zeb and Essy are more traditional than my normal doll-extravaganzas.  They were made because a friend challenged me to try and create a set of dolls that were more traditional.  This is what I came up with.  Yeah...not so normal, but it's the best I could do ~

Both dolls are completely hand-stitched.  I don't use a sewing machine.  I don't own a sewing machine.  I am terrified of sewing machines.  They're too fast and chaotic for me.  I prefer the rhythm of a hand-stitch.  It is truly meditation.

Essy ~

Zeb ~ 

You see, when I was a little girl, I loved the show "The Waltons".  I especially loved Grandma and Grandpa.  Their names have always stuck with me....Zebulon and Esther.   Zeb and Essy for short.  Yep, just a little nod to my childhood and to Grandpa and Grandma Walton.

Just so you know, Zeb and Essy have removable clothes ~ 

These two characters were really fun to make, and now it's time for them to go onward.  I am hopeful that they will find a new owner that will love them and take grand care of them.  

If you are interested in adopting Zeb and Essy, you can find them in my online shop.  Just click right HERE.  

Also...please note ~ Zeb and Essy are not toys.  They do have buttons that could be pulled off and cause a choking hazard. 

Well, I am off to bake a birthday cake.  We have a birthday in our house today and another one next Tuesday.

Like I said....busy busy busy!

Ohhhh....and the winner of the art print giveaway is comment #5 ~Jaybird.  

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World