Okay....these may not be historically correct, but in my mind, the pair are Marie Antoinette and King Louis the XVI. It has taken me almost a year to get these two done. His royal cape has over 1,000 hand glued tiny pearls and beads. This is my first attempt at Royalty and I am somewhat pleased. I learned a lot so maybe there will be another, more accurate portrait of the infamous royal pair. Please enjoy and remember, even tho' this is my passion, I am still and always learning.
On Oct 6, the day after my 60th birthday, my sister treated me to a wonderful trip to Savannah for 3 days. We did everything we could do in 3 days that was possible. We took the tour bus during the day and saw the sights, remembering where we wanted to stop off the 2nd time around. We took 2 ghost tours, one on the tram, the 2nd on the horse and carriage. Both were full of stories of "happenings" in Savannah and inside different houses. Savannah is the most haunted city in the states...and according to some of the stories I believe it. We also found Mrs. Wilkes, a restraunt that had the most delicious family style setting menu. There was everything on the table and the dishes kept being passed around. I couldn't eat everything, but I sure wanted to try it all. We also found an Irish Pub where my sister and I shared a most authentic Shepard's Pie. We also shared a wonderfully tasty whiskey soaked cake with a light and feathery citris frosting. We found candy stores, wine cellars, souvenier stores, jewelry stores, some of the most beautiful archietecture around and listened to wonderful historical stories. On the 3rd day we decided to go over to Tybee Island and drove around. We hit some of the stores and found the lighthouse and of coarse another restraunt...The Crabb Shack.... We had crabb legs and shrimp and couldn't eat it all. The most varied seafood platters I have seen in a long time. Most importantly tho', we found each other as sisters again. We took the time to talk, listen and laugh and truly bonded again. It was great......
August has really been an eye opener for me and my health. I have been diagnosed with Meniere's Disease which is a disease of the inner ear. I could go into detail about the diagnoses, but anyone can look it up if they are interested on md.net. I started thinking I was coming down with the flu. I was feeling "down" with an upset stomach and diareah. However, the worst was the vertigo...dizziness. I was unable to walk a straight line...I had to hang on to the counter or wall going from the bedroom to the recliner. I dared not move my head for frear of the world twirling in on me. I even had the dry heaves as I dared not eat. Well, it wasn't getting any better after a couple of days, so I made an appointment with the Dr. A week later, I was in his office, still dizzy and hanging onto my husband for support (who has Myotonic Dytrophy which makes him unsteady on his feet...it was like the blind leading the blind....now we can laugh at it but at the time it was not funny.} It has been a long haul. After having an MRI on my lower abdomen, the diareah was from a bout of diverticulitis which I was promptly given antibiotics. The Dr. gave me a few simple tests and diagnosed me with possible benign positional vertigo. I was given Mecklazine for the dizziness but all it did was make it worse and make me sleep constantly....After a week of meds, nothing had changed for me, so I called the Dr. back and he took me right in. I was immediately given an MRI of my brain and results were negative for stroke causing signs or tumors..that was good news. The Dr referred me to an ENT. She took me in and gave me a hearing test and had me do some other tests to rule out benign positional vertigo. She diagnosed me with possible Meniere's Disease and put me on steroids and diuretics. One day of the meds and I already feel better. I am not writing this to tell you of my woes, but I am writing to help create a dialog with others in learning to cope and live with this incurable disease. The symptoms can be managed, but they are debilitating when they hit.
I found this typesetters box at a yard sale. I had the perfect use for it, now I just have to finish my dollies. I have a great start on it, but much work to do. I fits my little dollies perfectly....hope you like it as much as I am having fun in wrking on it....
I know it has been ages since I last blogged. I have been busy, yet not busy if you know what I mean. Life seems to be going by so quickly, and I seem to be staying in the same place. I do plan on changing that. You see my Patriotic Mr. and Mrs. Clause in the picture on the right. I made these a couple of years go and just now getting them into a shadow box for a setting....all I have to do now is create the background. I am going to look for an old picture of a 4th f July parade and let them lead the parade. Should be fun. Well, hopefully I can get going on some other new projects. Still wish there was someone in my area of Georgia that likes miniatures and mini dolls to share the enthusiasm and wonder of it all.....
A couple of children in Christ Episcopal Church, Dublin, Ga helped me in this project. We decided to "Build a House for God" and the kids did 90 percent of the work. They did a wonderful job. They helped with the construction, painting, siding, wallpapering and decorating. They helped make lamps, Christmas garland, Christmas trees, and other applicable decorations of the season. We had a wonderful time. At the end of the construction, we had a silent auction. It brought $100.00 for a special project in the name of the children that helped in the work. We had a wonderful time, shared many laughs, learned a lot about miniatures and about each other. We bonded and made friendships that will last a lifetime.
