Happy Birthday Roxanne!

Today is Roxy's birthday and it is all about her! She is 17 today! Happy Birthday Sweetie! I love you!

Good Sunday Morning!

Well yesterday was all about Roxy. She asked for a spa day from her mom and that is what I delivered. She received a facial with homemade masks and scrubs, a manicure and pedicure too. We were going to do her hair but she wasn't in the mood so we just watched movies and ate Chinese food instead. It was a nice day.

Hey! I am on Twitter. You can follow me at laurieleighart.

I also found out that Tonner is on Twitter too! TonnerDirect is his tag name.

Here is a picture of Treasured from the Chicago convention. Happy Sunday!

Finally - pictures of Ava Gardner

She really is a lovely doll. : )

Another picture of Antoinette.

This one I painted for LeeAnn back in January. She is Amusing from Idex. LeeAnn named her Sadi.

It's Friday already!?

Doing a little shipping today. I should have pictures of Ava done today. I love these gorgeous Hollywood actresses! Hoping for Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Hedy Lamarr, Lauren Bacall just to name a few and the guys! Wow - that would be amazing.

I am also hoping for new sculpts for the Antoinette body. I know I am going to collect her. I just love her!

Happy Friday!

I have been super busy today working on Ava...

A big thunderstorm is coming so I don't know if I will be able to get any real pictures. I took a flash picture earlier of my progress just for a sneak preview. : )

Convention Package!

It arrived today filled with so many wonderful goodies. I love Ava - what a great doll. Treasured is so beautiful and so is the lovely Sydney bridesmaid. I am so lucky I was able to have someone go in my place.

I played a lot today with my convention stuff... I especially worked hard on Ava. Here she is in her before picture.

I am so excited today!

My convention stuff is scheduled to arrive today and I am really looking forward to it. I am going to be like a little kid watching for the UPS man all day. I am still really sad that I didn't get to go to the convention but thrilled I am getting to see everything in person. I can hardly wait to see the new Ava sculpt and I can hardly wait to paint her.

I finally got to see Terminator Salvation. I am a huge Terminator fan and have been anticipating this film for a long time. I wasn't disappointed! I really really loved it. I thought they followed through with the original storyline perfectly. I loved the homage they paid to the original movie and the details that maybe only Terminator fans would notice. I particularly loved the character of Marcus but everyone was great in it.

Guess I need to get busy... I have lots of doll hairstying to do today. Weee

Staying up...

way too LATE! Then I sleep in and get a late start on the day! Ahhh... I am just sitting here answering my emails. I think I have a couple of things to mail out but I probably will get that done later on today. I have a lot of dolls staring at me right now that aren't complete and they are wondering what is taking me so long to finish them up.

Some days I wake up with an immediate sense of being overwhelmed. This is not the best way to roll out of bed. My mind immediately goes crazy with the thought of bills, commissions, and housework. I just have to remember that no one ever gets it done. There is always more to do... always. In fact my worrying cripples me and I get less done. So I am taking a deep breath and just moving forward. This is probably the time when someone knows they need a vacation. HA

Good Morning!

Well it is a beautiful, hot day here on the east coast of Florida. I am hoping for some rain to cool things off.

Just packing up a few things for shipping... almost done with that. While I am out I need to pick up some groceries. When I get back it is ALL about the dolls.

In my work space/office/studio... I have a desk with my computer. It is a corner desk and is covered in dolls. Next to me I have a window and below that a little dresser full of art supplies. On top there are doll magazines. Behind me is my "studio" with my paint and more supplies. There are many doll heads on the shelves. Below that are lots of dolls, doll bodies and a huge container filled with doll clothes that I haven't organized in a while. (I also have doll clothes in my doll dresser in another room and another three containers as well.)

The room is pretty small but because of the window I am happy in here. I can paint and turn around and answer emails. : ) This is a picture of it all clean right after we finished with the room when we remodeled. I will take some pictures of it now (after I clean up a bit more - ha!)

Happy Father's Day!

Good morning! I hope you all are having a wonderful day! Here is a picture of one of my heroes. I do hope you gentlemen are having a wonderful day and your kids are treating you like the treasure you are.

So I worked on this today...

Poor girl doesn't have a body yet but she is the undead so I guess she doesn't mind. Another vampire to complete for my commission book... I am on my way!

I had a nice day today just hanging out with my daughter and her friend. I cleaned a little and played Res Ev 4 again... I can't help it. I never liked video games but that stupid Wii changed everything.

I am burning DVDs right now so they will be ready for the mail on Monday morning. And then I am off to bed.

No fun quotes tonight - just be happy!

P.S. My convention package is on its way and I can hardly wait!

Rebates - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

So I bought a new phone for Roxy and I when I renewed my wireless account with Verizon and of course I got rebates on both phones. I don't know why they do that but whatever. Rebates are so weird. I spend the money now and they give it back to me later, right?!

SOOOO - I get my rebates in the mail. Two rebates for two phones. They are both on these little debit cards. This isn't that big of a deal except they both have my name spelled wrong. So now I can't use them anywhere. And to use them you have to go online and register them.

I went online and followed all of the protocol and called them to get my name changed. I had multiple problems and it took me about 40 minutes for one $70 rebate and one $50 rebate. All in all I could have preferred a simple check to deposit in my account.

The people on the phone were very nice and helpful though. It just seems like a complicated system. It is almost like they rely on people who won't mess with the entire rebate situation. Goodness!

So today is another day!

I am up and having some coffee. Went to bed sort of late again. But I am ready to get a move on. Hopefully I will achieve something today! Good Morning!

oops!

I didn't mean to post that. I didn't get a thing accomplished today! I mean I didn't do much of anything. I guess I had a shut down day - which only means that now I don't get Saturday off. But that is okay! At least I feel pretty rested. : )

Sigh....

I couldn't resist!

I had to dress up my minime as a gypsy and play!

All done!

I am all done and I couldn't be happier. Hope you like him too! He will be on eBay tonight! His name is Marko.

A Gyspy man in progress...

This is the inspiration and progress picture of my next doll that will hopefully be ready by tonight for his auction. He needs a great gypsy name. LeeAnn sent me the picture and I had to create him.

Can anyone say - slow start...

I just now dragging my butt in here to finish up a doll and crossing my fingers - once again - that I will have her ready in time for pictures. I take all of my pictures using natural sunlight and if I am not ready by at least 3pm - it gets too dark. It is 10:30 now so I had better get busy!

For now I leave you with a repaint of a Rose from Titanic that I did within the last year and one I did when I first started in 2000. : ) Have a great day!

The day is already gone!

I can't believe it! How did it get to be nearly midnight? I still have to clean my kitchen. I managed to work on two commissions today. Neither are finished but they will be soon. I went to the grocery store and picked up a few things and then got Subway for dinner. Veggie subs and since I am a vegan I just get the vegan sandwich "meat" and put that on the sub. Tastes great!

Tomorrow I will be finishing up a doll for eBay. I would love to finish at least one of the commissions and take some pictures too. That would be great.

For now it is time to clean up and get ready for bed. Night all!

P.S. I love mermaids! This one is by Andy Simmons at http://www.ans-graphics.com/

Quote for the day:

You only ever have to do what you're capable of doing because by design, no matter how things appear, you'll always have enough time to do it, you'll do even better than you would have thought, and life will get even richer than you could have imagined. Mike Dooley

More progress...

Flash pictures always leave a terrible glare but my vamp is coming out pretty darn good. Still not done! Lots to do but here she is so far.

I'm turning into a vampire...

I am working on an Ashleigh right now - hoping to get those "vampire eyes"! It isn't easy to paint with a chihuahua in your lap!

Don't you love it...

When you beat the mailman! I had a doll and a few other things to ship out this morning and I got it all in the mailbox before the mailman came! Thrilled!!! So I am cooking breakfast for Rox and I now and then I am working on commissions.

A finished commission from last week...

Before I go off to bed I have a commission to share. She is a Mei Li and I had forgotten how much I enjoy this sculpt. Hopefully I will be sharing more completed commissions tomorrow.

My quote for this evening:


Be happy!

That's all. : ) Night!

Today I mailed everything out!

I am always so thrilled when I get everything mailed out but also shocked when I realize just how long it takes. Regardless - I got it done and with Roxy's help which I really appreciated.

I did play around with my Antoinettes - I was looking at all of my dolls today and got worried that I have fallen so hard for this doll. This will mean some changes! But I like variety! I just know I will need more Antoinettes.

It is getting ready to storm again. I love the rain and thunder as long as I don't have to get out in it and I keep my power.

I didn't get a commission done today but I don't have any shipping tomorrow so I will be trying very hard to finish up some that are very close already. I will post pictures here.

So it is bed time but before I go...

I am off to play Resident Evil 4 on my Wii... yes I am addicted. I will have to meditate before I go to bed.

I got a lot of things done today so that makes me feel good. Tomorrow I am working on commissions and shipping. I am behind on that but everything will be going out in the morning.

Hopefully tomorrow afternoon I will have at least one commission doll to share.

I leave you with this quote my sister sent me. Good Night!

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not,
but rejoices for those which he has.
- Epictetus

And finally!!!

I finally finished her and BARELY got the pictures taken. I didn't get all of my shipping done today. : ( But I still need to go to the post office and mail my taxes... then I will come home and try to get the rest of my shipping completed, do the auction, and then I will collapse on the couch and veg... : ) Hope you like her!

Progress picture of my Antoinette repaint...

Well - so far here she is. Does she remind you of anyone?

Good Morning!

It is a new day and a new week. I am up earlier than usual too and just finished a 5 minute meditation so I am ready to get some breakfast and get moving on the day. I have repainting, shipping, and an auction to do. Better get a move on!

Just a thought to start the week out: Happiness is something that you decide ahead of time!

Off to bed...

Well the day is gone. I didn't get much done on Antoinette but I will have her ready by Monday - hopefully. The day was pretty quiet. I watched too much TV.

Thinking about starting a little newsletter on repainting if I can figure out how to do it. Little helpful tips and how tos. Could be fun... but I need to figure it out first and I have a few commissions that need to be completed before I can do that! I also need to work on my website. Yikes!

So it is Saturday...

I am sitting here trying to figure out this blog. I have NO idea what I am doing but I have gotten this far. I received two new Antoinette dolls today. Cameo and Honey... and I love them. I will hate to part with either of them. Sigh... However if I plan on keeping my house they both must go. I still have Amusing from IDEX and I am keeping her.

Now I just need to put my thinking cap on and decide what look to go for. I am pretty sure I will be painting Honey first.

The house is so quiet right now. Roxy is sleeping and my little chihuahuas are being still for once. I am starving so off to have a bite and then get busy with some paint.

So sad I am not at the Tonner Convention this weekend!

This year has hit me with a lot. I feel like I stood in the middle of the road and somehow didn't expect to be hit. Oops! But that is okay. I am on my feet and dusting myself off.

I am super grateful to the Tonner Team for putting the convention online for those of us who couldn't attend. Brilliant! Thank you!