Custom pull charms

Among my latest jewelry-making adventures are these glass or wood beaded pull charm dangles. Some to sell and some for me!

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Report

Last Saturday I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival right here in Columbia, at the Howard County Fairgrounds. It is the largest festival of its kind on the east coast. I had good advice to get up and go early, because by 9:15 a.m., there was about a one-mile back-up to turn into the parking area.

As you can see, the festival is about much more than just sheep, including goats, llamas, alpacas and rabbits. I'm pretty sure I offended a human owner when I asked if I could take a picture of the "cute sheep." But I apologized- to the owner and the goat.

Cady had to be coerced into posing with a llama? alpaca? and a bunny rabbit. She was whiny about walking the entire festival. I told her not to wear boots.

The sheep/goat booth is also where I got the great hot pink mohair that will make a nice re-rooted scalp for Blythe. I'm big on pink hair. The little clay robots will make some great pullrings.
There was also pottery, jewelry, rugs, beeswax and clothing, as well as plenty of food vendors. I thought about a lamb sandwich, but couldn't do it. I settled for a corndog and a stomach ache.

By the time I trekked to my car three hours later, the parking area looked like that of a giant shopping center. But I guess it was, actually, and handmade is always fun. When I got home, I couldn't resist the urge to doodle some sheep.

Daisy at the beach Wednesday morning

We've had lots of Blythe drama here, too much for a vacation. Daisy, with her new Pure Neemo flexion body, keeps losing arms, legs, feet and hands every time she gets dressed. Worse, her head keeps falling off unexpectedly. Very creepy. I was advised to use small rubber bands above the neck joint, which I did. One band left her wobbly still and two bands got in the way of the joint and caused her head to keep coming off. So, I opened her head with a screwdriver for the umpteenth time and went back to just one rubber band and a wobbly head. Didn't plan to be opening any heads on this trip.

Next, Abby's sleep pull string broke and her eyes stuck, so I had to open her head to fix that. Miraculously, I hadn't damaged her arc when the string broke, so she could be fixed with only one head opening, knotting the pull string back together and securing it with a little super glue, without getting the string glued to any of the working parts. Amazing. I didn't screw that up.

I had high hopes with all the outlet malls here of snagging some discontinued Barbie furniture or clothes, but every toy store in a 25 mile or more radius seems to have gone out of business. Shocking. Can't believe families with kids who come to the beach don't need to go on a toy shopping spree or pacify junior with a new toy while mom hits the outlet mall.

Only two more days of vacation. :(