So, I probably haven't told you about the art doll workshop I went to early this month. I belong to a local club of the most fun ladies (& one retired engineer. go figure.) I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. They are so talented and so generous with their knowledge, materials, and time. And so full of joy in the art of art doll creation! (check out our blog
here)
This was my second workshop - as fun and informative as the first. The doll is supposed to be a high-fashion lady of the art deco style.
I started off with a black evening outfit, but after sewing it, realized it was all wrong with the accessories we were making. This is when having a fabric stash pays off!
We learned how to make tiny, delicate hands & paint them to look like she was wearing leather gloves.
OK, so now for the mess-ups confessional: She's wearing leather, high heeled shoes (cut from an old glove) and "gaters". Oh, I should have added the words "supposed to be" to that sentence. No way was I going to sew the teeny, tiny beads on her calf that would give the button-up gater effect. Uh uh. Then I messed up the heels. Then I didn't care for the placement of the holes in the base, so I drilled another one. Hmm, how to cover up these mistakes? Ah ha! She's wearing gloves, fur, & carrying a muff - it must be winter. Make it look like she's walking in snow. Unfortunately, it looks like she's walking in a bubble bath. Or maybe she's walking on Cloud 9! She should be - her ankles were fat & she had big feet; she's so happy I covered them, right?!
Oh, the learning curve of new hobbies! I didn't finish the doll in class and I was pre-occupied with sewing the body when everyone else was making the hat & hair. (yeah, I'm always behind in any new class I take.) But it didn't look hard. Until I tried to do it at home. I realized I didn't have the faintest idea how to do hair and the hat pattern wasn't working out for me either. Time to improvise - glue a wad of packaged doll curls on her head & cover them up with a modified hat.
One thing I am happy with is her eyes. I love sculpting the faces and shading the eyes. I had difficulty making the mouth. The instructor worked on that for me. An interesting observation: I notice that many dolls somehow resemble their makers. I've always paid more attention to my eye makeup than anything else; and I hate lipstick. I never wear it. I'm not surprised I have trouble with doll mouths.
There are so many mistakes and some really bad workmanship on this doll. As with anything I make, that's what I tend to focus on. I'm so glad our Maker doesn't focus on our flaws. We are created in His image, and therefore we're beautiful and complete in Christ Jesus. If we would choose to see ourselves and each other with the eye of faith and the grace and mercy of our Lord, we might be a bit happier, don't you think?
Some of the stores had beautiful holiday displays. Some were more understated, but ready to receive your cash nonetheless.
This has nothing to do with the holidays or Lights On; I just absolutely loved this woman's profile. 
Lights were on in this parking garage.
Lights were on in this old fashioned phone booth. It actually works. Quite charming.
Lights were on the statues outside PF Chang's.
Lights were on in the sky. The moon peeks through some remaining leaves.
The street lights were on and illuminating a tree strung with miniature lights. Just waiting for...
...the Main Event! Fa La La La La!
And so it begins.
The street signs are written in both English & Cherokee. 
Lest you think we don't have hills out here...!
This must be the Bison's BFF.
How would you like to pooper-scoop this yard?
Now it seems 'in the present', as if an amateur photographer was passing by and stopped to snap an interesting object then moved on down the road. End of story. But maybe the next person will see use for this tool. Maybe it still has purpose. An element of hope? Or just an object of fleeting interest?
What do you see here? Is there a story? Does it remind you of a time period? 
The warm, sunshine of fall came in November this year, not October. But it was very welcome, nonetheless. Today, however, is classic dreary gray November. Time to remember the color & beauty of the past few weeks.
What does a rusty bucket have to do with fall foiliage? Nothing, just thought it was an interesting shot. Rust is a fall color, right?
Same rusty can with a splash of red nearby.
This little boat probably won't see much action for awhile.
Enjoyed a hayride & cookout with some friends.
This was an interesting thing to come upon when we stopped by the river to photograph the scenery... didn't make me want to hang around there very long!
I'll give you a little pause from our Search for Fall and tell you a story, A Duck's Tale, so to speak.
We went on a hayride / cookout with a group of friends. While everyone was feasting, I wandered off with my camera - In Search of Fall, of course. The property had a good-sized pond so I was looking for something interesting to photograph, when around the bend came this little flock of ducks. (flock? gaggle? herd? what's a gang of ducks called?)
When they turned the bend and came into view, something by Wagner should have been playing! It was quite dramatic.
