Another beautiful day in Sunny California...Snow Summit at its finest! The recent three inch snowfall freshened things up and it is a sunny, cold day!

I love this...and believe it is true! After SARK's video party, I was lucky to have a half-hour consultation with Edward Vilga! What great fun to talk to him about my dream of creating dolls with messages for women to encourage them to live their dreams! He was sooo- supportive and I am going to work with him on getting it planned with dates and follow up calls. I am sooo- motivated to do this and will need to dedicate time to make this happen! Send me your support...

Just finished another demo/workshop on Wednesday at Yarn Designer's Boutique in Big Bear City! Once again, Heidi made another unique Isbella, a Winter Fairy! She just sits down and before you know it, she has personalized and finished the kit! Isn't she so cute?

Next month will be small batting bears with personalized Big Bear tags! Stay tuned to more information about February 20th!

We spent the weekend with my brother and his wife who live in Woodland Hills...you can see them checking out the stacked turtles in the pond at the top right. What a treat to go to the Commons and see once again the beauty of the ponds with beautiful sculptures, lots of koi and turtles, and beautiful vegetation! Shopping at Barnes and Noble and lunch at Johnny Rockets also added to the day after we had been at Sperlings, a wonderful garden store and gift shop!It was a little chilly as you can see by the way Ben and I are dressed!

Our little group, Queens of Challenges, here in Big Bear Lake are beginning a year-long 2013 challenge to create ATC's that promote our preferred medium! There are seven artists...painters, mosaics, jewelry, bears & speciality crochet, metal, quilter, and doll maker...such a great and enthusiastic group! Many of us are using this opportunity to use new techniques on snall cards!

Every other month, we create one card so at the end, each of us will have one from each artist. We are meeting to share "the hows" and exchange. In December, at the end of our challenge and hopefully, thoughts of a new one for 2014, we will exchange our challenge containers made from old band aid metal boxes!

I will post at the end of our first exchange which is the end of February so stay tuned to see the works of miniature art that all these artists produce! Below, you see Sally Sherlock, a mosaic and repurposing artist, at our kick-off luncheon in my home just after New Years! Oh what fun...

Another great quote for those of us who fear we are not talented enough..

Talent is overrated. It only gets you about 1/16 of the way there.
Talent isn’t worth JACK unless it’s supported by commitment
creativity and consistency; discipline, determination and desire.
Scott Ginsberg

I used to teach the gifted series that Ohio requires teachers to take to teach gifted classes. So...I have lots of books but one that I just resurrected is The Creativity Book by Eric Maisel. I am using this as part of my 2013 "possibilities" (rather than resolutions) to keep focused on my artistic endeavors. It's a year's worth of inspiration-with Lesley weekly and this-it should be a great year for creating!!!

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ― Martha Graham

This is the first quote from Lesley Riley's 52 Pick Up to inspire me to do... not think about doing!!! Her selection of Nina Simone's Feeling Good was sooo- wonderful!

Week 2 just arrived so I am off to check it out! I love her work and if you need to be inspired, you should check this out!

Here is my Isabella, a Winter Angel, from my Whimzy Doll Series! I will be having a demo/workshop at Designer Yarn Boutique in Big Bear City on Wednesday, February 9th, from 11-2! Kits will be available to make his lovely pin doll as a gift to yourself or for someone special. Email me if you would like information on coming to this event at janetschultz@verizon.net!

I just came across this article from Expressions, january/february 2006, Top 5 New Year's Resolutions Crafter Style! See if you can identify with any of these five resolutions. Maybe even add them to your possibilities for 2013? Here is #1...

Lose Weight
Time to get rid of your unused art supplies. You may never find a use for some of the things you have. Just remember...one person's junk is another person's treasure! Trade, donate, sell...there will be more stuff!!!

Here is my next class at PTL in Big Bear Lake, CA called Celebrate! It will be February 9th and folks can make one in brights on the left or neutrals as the one on the right who is unfinished. Contact me at janetschultz@verizon.net and I will send you the flyer for specifics and registration.

Here's the last of my holiday sharing...some of my bathroom display with more of my dolls!

And here is my fireplace all decked out with antique and vintage things...all in whites, silvers, and golds! I have five dolls over 100 years old thanks to my other "sister" Molly who is president of Bebes of the Woods, a antique doll collector club here in Big Bear! My favorite and one most collectors want is my Jumeau, a French doll, on the right hand side looking at the tree. Molly has collected over 40+ years and is sharing her dolls with those of us who are just new collectors...you should see her collection! Each year I add new pieces...recently, it has been furniture to create little vignettes. You can also see my prized Santa Quilt piece, a gift a long time ago from my friend in Ohio, Sherry, who I worked with! Oh, how I love Christmas!

Well, now to my small living room/kitchen adjoining...Little space but lots packed in! This is my Santa tree-used to be real but with fireplace and small space, needed to do an artificial one. Guess I live with our "real" Blue Spruce that is decorated outside!

This tree just has Santas which I collect! Even the top is a brush star with Santa!

And then there are my favs...Joe Spencer Santa and Analee Mouse and other dolls! My Googly is a reproduction doll from my "sister", Heidi, and she is so lovely with her handmade, crocheted outfit-my antique doll club birthday present!

An of course, living in Big Bear Lake, surrounded by wildlife, I have my many "friends from the woods! A wood chipmunk and an owl are a few...the rest on up above on a bookshelf!