Saturday, May 2, 2009

Those Crazy Victorians!!

Did ya ever wonder just how nutty crazy those Victorians might have REALLY been? Many say they were not...but in researching family history...like I have been doing lately with my own ...I am beginning to think that those seemingly peaceful, relaxed normal appearing individuals that called themselves our relations might have been a little more 'Round the bend' than many originally thought. I am now thinking that more than a few might have had this wickedly kooky side to them that if given half the chance could have proved that many today pale in comparison to those delightful Wackies of the 1890's ...Gosh I hope so!!! It is wonderful to think they were closeted goof balls with outlandish notions ... stuffy on the outside yet true unabashed Wacky Doodles on the inside looking for a way out!!!...and that many did find the door to escape through.

Isn't it fun to think that a few in the old Victorian Bloodline of our Family Ties could have resided quite well in the 'Sunnyside Rest Home for the Incurably Nervous' (in other words their Nuts 'O' Meter is at full tilt)... "I'm not Crazy...I'm Gifted!!!"

Now I am sure these relations were actually nuts (well, maybe...a few of mine were) ... but to live in a time where these things were NOT normal ...by a long shot... and to still push forward with those interesting thoughts and deeds...would have most certainly been seen as a "Get the Cod Liver Oil and Mustard Packs Henry...she acting out again" event!


I cannot even imagine what it would be like to have that all in you..I guess you could call it 'forward thinking'.... but to continually have to push it down deep inside....WOW!!! Heavy stuff.


I look at pictures of my family from that period... and they to me always look like they might be hiding something ... (like where they hid the family jewels perhaps... yeah right!!) So it is always fun to imagine all kinds of stuff about them...then do some digging to see how close I am ....often not, but I am continually surprised at what I do find out about my bloodline... see, this is what happens when you can't sleep!! Toooooooo much thinking...


Lets see...in my family there were Millers,Writers, Spongers, Painters, Gamblers, Doctors, smugglers,Teachers, Barbers, Musicians ,Travelers and Pirates (yes...a Pirate)!! Now I am pretty sure there are others I am not familiar with hiding out high in the Family Tree with interesting occupations but I have yet to climb that high. I guess my whole point is what a wonderful time we live in ...the 'Here and Now' of life... where we can wave our little freak flags as high and fast as we wish with few even taking a second look... Never holding back...never closeted or restricted. But so many of those Vivacious Victorians who might have been inwardly screaming to run amuck ...did not...could not! Think how different our times would be today if more had!

I tip my hat to all those who went before us .... Those that wanted to paint with vibrant colors, wear purple under ware and drink beer from a bottle, make cookies in the nude at 2:00 am , flip off a boss or travel great distances for no particular reason.... Thank Goodness the 'Desire Gene' is passed down through the generations...

So Paint that Painting, Make those cookies and 'flip' whomever you wish .... future generations are counting on you...don't disappoint!

Jodi (waving her flag high)!!!

Friday, May 1, 2009

It's Official.... 100!!!!


It is the small things in life that curl my toes and make me say WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!..... and hitting 100 is one of those things. 99 was my 'almost' thrill...now 100 is hitting the mark!
If I had a Great Big Cake ....I would pass each of my friends in Blog Land a slice...and wash it down with a little 'bubbly' ... so lets pretend...OK!
I know I know...this all seems so silly ... but it really means a lot to me..if I was not afraid of 'throwing something out'...I would do a back flip!
So I will just be content to go back to my work table... finish working on Lupin ... and smile ear to ear till it hurts... I am sure I will resemble The Joker by days end...
Hugs Hugs Hugs to all
Jodi
P.S. Thank You Leo Furtado for being the 100th....

Thursday, April 30, 2009

WOW.....99!!!!!!!


OK....this is VERY exciting to me.... officially this morning...I have 99 Followers of my blog!! 99...can you believe it....seems like only yesterday that I was asking my friend Debbie from Tiny Treasures "So what the heck is this 'Followers Thing' and how does one go about getting started with it"?? I never in my wildest dreams (and I have some doozies) did I dream I would ever have this many people joining the Crazy Train called the Creager Studios Blog!! What...are you all INSANE!!!! KIDDING...... I love each and everyone of you ...you mean the world to me and it is YOU who keep me moving forward with this wacky Blog...
You inspire me, you enchant me, you help fill my daily life with interesting tales of wondrous things from near and far.... You are all my motivational team of friends that make Blogging a true Joy in my Life. It was
Chris from Designs by CK that really gave me the cyber 'push' to start this journey...thank you Chris!

Now you may say 99...why the heck are you celebrating 99 and not 100!! Well ...first off...I celebrate each of the numbers and 100 will have it's 'WOOO-HOOOS' ... but 99 seems the cusp of a landmark number ...the, 'just before the biggie' number guy ...and I have always been one to celebrate the 'Almosts' in life ...the sit on the edge and wait for it...wait for it...(you should see me at 11:59 on New Years Eve) ...there is always the Almosts in life... and right now it's ...number 99!!



Thank You One and All.....

for being my Blog Buddies and sharing your friendship with me.

Jodi

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Commission









Happy Tuesday All...

This is a commission for a miniature Doll that we had. Chinese Empress...1:12th scale .... Hand Sculpted in Polymer Clay over complete armature. Hand painted and printed clothing. Fan hand made from shaved thin wood. All furniture hand made from wood...you can't see in picture but she also has bound feet. Her hair is a combination of hand worked Art Papers and shaped and stiffened mohair. Love these speciality commissions...makes us really do our homework...

Thanks for taking a peek...

Jodi



Monday, April 27, 2009

I was given this Award.....


Often I am affected...but seldom moved to speechlessness. I was given this Award by a dear friend...Oopsie of Desperate Blogger...I was Thankful beyond words...it is such a kind act to bestow an Award ... makes a person feel loved and understood.... but the most glorious part of this award was all the elements attached. The Creators of this Award and the Namesake of this Award... of which I went to each of their blogs and was enriched beyond words. Makes me realize that blogging is a glorious thing in that we meet new friends and are able to express ourselves in the most unique ways...but also from time to time we are enlightened and dazzled by the power of words and forces of human connection... and then at that point we are propelled to a 'New Place'.... a 'level up' as I like to call it. This is the absolutely beauty of human connection ...and I believe the true spirit of Blogging....to connect, to learn, to grow and to share.... thus making our lives a richer place to reside....
Please enjoy these blogs...
Thank You Oopsie...for opening my eyes just a little more...
Hugs
Jodi

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Things that make You say ...HOLY *&$#!!!!


This Last Week or so has been a VERY LARGE Eye Opener to me... Moving Stuff from one place to another (whether it is yours or another) can really make you stand up and take notice of things in your life!! And one of those things is the amount of 'Stuff' we all can accumulate over the years!!!
For me it started as a child...(YES...that is Me in 1957 unpacking from one of our many family moves)...now mind you...this is but one of my several toy boxes...I did love toys and books. This 'illness' as I call it... grew with the years. Into my teens my stuff spread into two rooms. Moving into my first 'Pad' took me 3 days to complete...after I married Richard ...I combined 'stuff' for the first time (doubled in size over night) ... then our first big move to Oregon I felt like a wagon trail heading west with all our friends helping and their cars loaded to the roof tops with our 'stuff' ...coming back again to California...again the amounts doubled in size (good stuff to be found in Oregon) ... First move to Phoenix, AZ I actually decreased stuff before moving...so proud of myself... but quickly started to accumulate again... increasing the number of stuff by two once again when we returned to California 4 years later. Shed much of it before we headed out on our last move to Lake Havasu,AZ ...the load felt noticeably lighter ...but that was not to last... all kinds of 'stuff' started finding it's way into our home once again... and now, with eyes wide open from this last long and difficult move for my sister ...I actually am 'blinded' by the realization that I have WAY TO MUCH #@^&* !!!! There ought to be a Law!!!!
I swore to myself (and Richard) that This is IT!!! I am going to start my final Clean Out Phase of my life... and already I am feeling pretty darn good about it.
Now of course....we will start with ALL of Richard's 'stuff'...tee hee!! Kidding... as I am Queen of Crap... I will take the first hit...purging myself of trinkets, tid bits, doo dads & doohickeys, extra of this and and too much of that.... one does not need 67 dollies or 98 carved wooden dogs, untold amounts of old Kitchen gizmo's and gadgets.

I have had two goals this year.... pay off my credit card and learn to juggle...I now have a third.... Purge my life of unnecessary 'stuff' and to fill those spaces with the time to enjoy things left.

As I said... Moving 'Stuff' can be a real Eye Opener.... on so many levels.... and I am at level one of a New beginning....

I think I see a doll idea in here somewhere!!!!Hmmmmmmmmm

Happy Sunday All

Jodi