A Busy Month

It's been a busy month. I can't believe that a lot of the big tasks I had that seemed next to impossible are actually behind me. At the beginning of the year I made a list of 10 things I wanted to accomplish this year. I don't like New Year's resolutions but I wanted to set some goals both large and small that would take me out of my comfort zone so that I could learn and try new things. It's so easy to stay in the same place and do the same thing because you don't have to think much but change inspires growth.

One of the things on my list was to enter something in the California State Fair. This past Friday I took two of my favorite dolls, Verlene and Michael and entered them. It really isn't about winning a prize but just having something that I made at a venue that will be viewed by so many fair visitors from all over the country. I didn't really think about it that way until after I got home. Now I'm really excited and hoping that they get selected by the State Fair judges. I'll keep you posted when I get the results. I'll share the other nine things on my list as they develop.






The kid's doll class at the Moral Values Program home school was a lot of fun. Their teacher Patricia Guerra has done an amazing job with her kids. They are smart, courteous, patient and well spoken. We had 12 students make dolls for their moms for Mothers Day. I was grateful to Lillian LeBlanc, Debbra Murphy and Jan Hollins for bringing their hands, hearts, heads and spirits to help us out. We got a lot done in  the class but there is never enough time in doll making so I did to take them home to finish so that they would be perfect for all of the moms. A little lace and satin ribbon made them just right but the basics and the choices were all made by the kids. All of my doll classes for kids and adults both in the future are going to be a little longer. Making a doll is something that should be enjoyed and not rushed.




















I was very honored to be invited by Sisters Quilting Collective and Professor Darryl Freeman to bring some of my dolls to be part of a textile arts exhibit at The Cooper Woodson Center CSUS Black Graduation. I am happy to say that I have been working hard and have replaced all of my lost dolls over the last few months. I did a collection of dolls for this exhibit. I did some of my "Tribal Energy Mask Dolls" and some of my African Village dolls.

The 28th annual African American Graduation Ceremony was amazing. If you felt grumpy or in a bad mood before it started you left in high spirits with this wonderful sense of hope.  There were over 400 African American graduates on the list for the Class of  2013-2014. They didn't just march in they came dancing in. Their energy and spirit was contagious. You just knew you were witnessing something wonderful.



The best part of the evening was that I got to work with three awesome ladies. Faye Kennedy-Wilson, Kanika Marshall and Fredi Slaughter-Walker. We had a blast.