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Wow what a year so far!
Please forgive me for doing a semi-generic post on all of my blogs. Nothing's changed in the last ten minutes, so I might as well repost. :P
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Again, I feel like I must apologize for my inactivity. It seems that my
illness is finally really coming in and thwapping me good. I had
emergency surgery on Friday of last week to try to remove what was
supposed to be a baseball sized tumor from my uterus -- only to find
that the bugger had grown tremendously and sprouted or something to be
the size of a full-term baby. So the doctors repaired what they could,
fixed some broken organs and have planned to do a massive hysterectomy
removing everything including the cervix, ovaries and lymph nodes just
as soon as I get back from visiting family in the US. It seems that
this surgery will be pretty major and due to the size of the tumor must
be taken out through the stomach and could take six months or more to
heal -- and that doesn't even include the cancer, just the basic
surgery.
Needless to say, I've been feeling pretty down and stressed. I try to
stay chipper -- but it's not always easy. I continue to work and create
-- but right now I'm playing with jewelry and seed beads. I'm really
thinking of doing some fairly big projects like a beaded doll...
anything to take my mind off of the illness.
I have a hard time keeping up with everything around me these days, but
I'm sure you understand. I do stay on top of things and check email,
send out orders, take commissions -- but I may not be good at
responding to chit-chat. It's probably for the best -- anytime I just
try to "chit-chat", I somehow start talking about my medical issues, my
anger at various doctors for letting it get this bad, etc. -- or I make
awful jokes that no one else laughs at but me. (Such as how I am
planning on delivering a healthy, bouncing baby tumor in June.)
I'm excited to make so many new and talented friends here -- and I
truly hope that what seems like a disinterest in you or your work
doesn't put you off. I've been roaming the net, looking at all of your
incredible work and bookmarking sites. It's a real pleasure to share my
ups and downs with you right alongside my creations... just don't let
me bum you out in the process. :)
...and I want to quickly make a "shout out" (geez I giggle everytime I hear that) to my bestest bud Kerry (www.theworldoffairy.com). She's just flat out, without a doubt, the greatest and frankly I don't know what I would do without her friendship -- especially these days. It took no time at all for her to take up permanent residence in ma' heart and I just have to thank her publically for her love and support... and to her hubz for putting up with me running off with her and showing her all sorts of cool doo-dads for her art that cost him money. *laughing*
Take it easy folks and if you see me around, make sure to wave!
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Special waves from England lovely Nora, though I may be covering you with breadcrumbs as when I feed the birds at the moment, I seem to end up harbouring most of it up my sleeves! Serves me right for wearing such baggy sweats ;) |
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Sending great big hugs and healing vibes your way Nora. Best wishes for a speady recovery and peace of mind. giovanna |
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Here's a big "Wave" from across the continent to you Nora. My heart goes out to you and I'm sending healing thoughts your way. I wish for you the fastest recovery from this difficult path. Susan Schroder |
I think I'm on "vacation"...
Well, it's the end of the year and we're a month away from gently rolling into 2008. It's been a LONG year for me and I'm so very glad it's almost over. I've been sort of on hiatus since my operation last month and I haven't really accomplished anything lately. I created a whole box full of dolls and my camera went to pot, so I haven't photographed them for my website and I just don't feel like picking up a pencil. I've decided that I'm physically, mentally and emotionally taking the rest of the year off. Now, I haven't been idle -- heaven's knows I can't stand to sit still doing absolutely nothing! So, I pulled out the trusty old crochet hook and some of the finest yarn I could find that didn't qualify as "thread" and made an absolutely beautiful scarf. It'd been so long since I'd last crocheted anything that I forgot what a fabulous range of hand-dyed, homespun yarn there is! I found this incredible yarn shop that's about a half hour from here and I also found a woman on ebay with some of the most beautiful hand-dyed tencel, silk, wool, and cotton yarn you've ever seen! (If anyone is interested in knowing more, please contact me!) It took me almost three weeks of nonstop crocheting with that yarn to finish my scarf -- but it was worth it. The first day I wore it I received compliments... which was odd because I've never seen someone compliment a scarf. I'm in the middle of crocheting a throw blanket and I've picked up some books on knitting... I think I'll learn to knit. I've got plenty of art finished and dolls ready and I really don't want to do anything that requires "thinking". *laughing* I can crochet while watching television, look down and realize that I've done an amazing amount of work. I can't do that while drawing or stitching dolls! (I need to hold off on the dolls anyway... my roomies think it's starting to look like a body farm.)
I feel like I'm rambling, so I'll cut this short -- but do have one final bit of news: My beloved Chihuahua, Angel, had puppies two and a half weeks ago. I have precious little grandpuppies. One is white, one is blonde and two are black and tan. The black and tan pups are boys and the white and blonde pups are little girls. I think I will be keeping the white one, however due to logic-minded realists under the same roof as me, I will be selling the other three. *sigh* I wish I could keep them all... this is Angel's first litter and my first time ever whelping chihuahuas. I do have photos up of the chihuahua puppies on my DeviantArt account: http://norablansett.deviantart.com Please check out the disgusting cuteness anytime you feel like you need a boost. *laughing*
Take care everyone and may you all be blessed!
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Enjoy your rest of the year off!Good luck with learning to knit.The puppies are really cute! |
Hooray! All better -- and dolls!
Well, surgery came and went and I'm feeling so much better! I took last week to really lay down and heal, and well, most of this week too from the looks of things. I didn't totally waste my time though -- I created some new dolls. (One of which is currently up on ebay -- tell your friends. *grins*)
Seriously though, they were the perfect "bed rest" activity. I am so proud of them! Here's a photo of one of my babies that was a commissioned piece. She's about to be on her way home:
I'm really quite pleased with her. In my photos area I've added a picture of four of my girls together. Right now I have the following new dolls: Kizzy the Gypsy, BerryBerry the Faerie, Maria the Red Hot Pepper Pixie and Lillian the Witch. I also created a little 9" doll Lucille, but I've decided that the amount of work was still about the same as the 12" dolls. She really doesn't look that much smaller, either. I guess since the 12" dolls are sitting and are fairly slender, they seem pretty tiny anyway.
I haven't done any 18" dolls in a while... I've found that people really like the smaller ones. I guess it doesn't help that I'm not "known" as a doll maker, so it's harder to sell them for what they are worth. I have checked with other doll makers and they feel that I'm charging a very fair price... once I add up the costs and the extensive time involved in creating them, I don't see where $80 is too much. I've seen plenty of doll makers charge a lot more than that for a lot less... Eh, I don't know.
Any doll makers here that want to help me out any? :) I'm not even sure what help I need... I like the dolls -- and people around me love the dolls... and stores are begging for my dolls... but then when they get in the stores, they just sit. Online people are begging me to make more, show them more -- but then they aren't buying! I can't keep buying fabric and making dolls that won't sell. *snicker* (Okay, I can, and I do -- but you should see my work area. With six new dolls and my favourite faerie Madeline hanging around, I'm being run out of my own studio area by faeries! *laughing*
Well, I suppose that's all for now. Thank you so much to all of you that offered prayer, thoughts, meditation and support. I am very appreciative. Of course, I won't know for a few more weeks/months if the surgery was enough, but for now -- I'm "healthier". :)
...and here's Kizzy the Gypsy saying Buh-bye!
Many blessings!
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I love your dolls! Especially Kizzy! They seem like perfect little Healers to me. I'm glad the surgery went ok, sending lots of Hugs and thoughts your way :) Toni |
Surgery... tomorrow! Eek!
I've been really quiet lately on all the different forums I try to participate with -- and the short of it is that I have surgery tomorrow. Over the last two weeks I've had multiple CT scans, blood work, meeting doctors, anesthesiologists, more x-rays, etc. My nerves have been pretty shot, so messaging people and replying have been put on the back burner. (Please let me take this time to apologize most profusely and sincerely if you've messaged me or gotten a friend request with no message, etc. I can't think straight to save my life!)
I feel really bad about my inability to properly respond -- but I hope everyone understands. If I've invited you to be a friend -- it's because we're already friends elsewhere so you sort of know me (or possibly know me really well), or it's because I truly admire your work... and personality, etc. :P
I've been keeping busy with all of the medical business -- and I've been making dolls since I'm shaking too hard to draw or paint. *laughing* It's amazing how I've managed to keep my stitches in line! I do have a new faun to take photos of as well as the most precious 9" pixie doll. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to sell her -- she was an experiment in creating a smaller doll -- but she's finished and she's positively precious.
So, well, that's it for now... I'll let people know how I'm doing after the surgery as soon as I can think straight enough to pass information along. All prayers, thoughts, meditations, candle lighting, etc., are accepted and I will be extremely thankful for it.
Many blessings to all of you and Ciao! :)
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Thanks for the friendship request. |
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Thank you for the friend request! |
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Aww, i really hope all goes well tomorrow and you have a speedy recovery. i'll be thinking of you. Many blessings! |
Welcome and Blessings!
Okay, so I found this site and thought I would sign up. I'm absolutely terrible at introducing myself -- it tends to boil down to:
"Hi, I'm Nora. I draw and paint for a living. I also write short stories and poetry and have two novels in progress as well. I've got kids and dogs. I'm thirty-three and not yet too concerned about my age... it's just a state of mind anyhow. I rarely make sense, and even rarer still do I make change. I play with dolls -- and I even make some. If you're still interested, check out my website."
Well, thanks for dropping by and taking a peeksie at me. Feel free to chat me up anytime -- I'm pretty accessible. :)
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Hello Nora, nice to meet you! It is a pleasure to know and communicate with you!I hope we'll be able to know each other and share common experiences!Warm greetings from Italy Anna Elhangel |
Jeez Nora! Your makin' me blush :)
KerryIt's as easy as pie to be your friend, you're such a fantastic person!! Sending you love and hugs (although the next time I see you I'll be giving you some for real!!)
10:15 AM CST