The self destructive life of an Artist

Wanted to share this about the life of an Artist

How we put ourselves down not only as artists, but human beings. I am so guilty of many of these:

How we really can uplift ourselves, by first stop looking for others approval. We have to learn how to make ourselves happy. Remember how babies, in their innocence, can sit and play and laugh all by themselves without a care in the world? We need to empty our minds and get back to that innocence.

I am guilty of self-sabotage. I am re-learning/re-teaching myself how to love living with me. I am going to live for me, create my babies with love as always. Because, there is someone out there that will find and appreciate my talents for mine alone. I grant myself permission to be human! So there, got that off my chest!

I will soon be putting a very pretty Camelah Elaine photo shoot for you to see (ok, not the entire shoot, but some very enchanting photos). She is just adorable, Kenzie sculpt by Donna RuBert.

See ya soon, peace, love, power and God Bless!

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie www.loveisforevernursery.com

WOW!

I have made a big dent in getting the rest of my "stuff" put up, but I still have a few things that I am going to have to work out as far as it's new home. I don't have nearly as many hidey-holes as before! So it will take some ingenuity on my part. Mostly, I have a lot of kits that are begging for attention! LOL I think that I am OCD to a degree, I have to have everything where it belongs or I just can't paint! I AM plugging along so that there are no more excuses! Bear with me! As Arnold Schwarzenegger says...I'll be bock! Hahaha!

Jack by Tamie Yarie nka Teddy on Ebay

I know that it's been a long time coming but little Teddy is finally ready to leave the nursery! I finally worked up the nerve to list a baby on there after much pushing and proding by some people I know! LOL Don't have any confidence in Ebay but maybe, who knows?

So here's his link and I hope that you will visit:

View your listing: REBORN EXCLUSIV~Tamie Yarie JACK~SOLD OUT#124/250~TEDDY - 160591395810

I'll make this short and sweet! Finished Paris, but have decided to go ahead with her twin. So I have to get started on her. I really think that they will be cute, but dread the head! LOL

As for me been trying to keep up with yard work (my husband's 2nd love) and the house. Those crazy moles are killin me! LOLROTF I have to laugh to keep from crying. Think they left and they return from vacation. Other things have happened but not worth mentioning, like finished the bathroom...finally (okay, I sneaked on in). I am going to do better at blogging, I just get so sidelined sometimes, I forget where I stopped.

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

Help Cheer the 13 babies on to Royalty!

Voting begins November 8, 2010 12:00 a.m. and ends November 14, 2010 1...2:00 a.m. (CST)
Don't forget to vote, these babies are just adorable!!!

As before, the Cutest Baby "Reborn" Pageant was created just for the Reborn Artist to show off their talents and skills. Its intent is strictly for fun and enjoyment!

http://www.cutestbabyrebornpageant.webs.com/



From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

Lots of things have happened, but I'm back. Get those entries in now!!!

Announcing the "2010" Virtual Inaugural Ball ™Cutest Baby "Reborn" Pageant


Exclusively for Reborn Artists, beginners and skilled has begun!

Accepting entries from now until October 31!
23 seats remaining!
The trophies are gorgeous and waiting for their new owner!!!!

I have to apologize for the late reminder, it was supposed to start Oct 10 but over the last couple of months I have been dealing with my husband's declining health. For 13 1/2 years, he fought a hard fight, but the love of my life lost his battle on September 25 while I stayed at his side. He was buried on my birthday October 1. Life has been much of a blur and turned upside down. The contest is my only motivating force to try to get back to as normal as I possible can.

I hope that it will be fun and I know that there will be some beautiful and hard choices to make!
Let's get those entries in now!!!

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

They say that they always start out ugly

Yeahhhhhh, yeap, she's getting there! Still needs a lot of work, but I can truly say...canvas ain't ma thang! lol However, time to sign up for the next session, I might even get her finished, along with the Llama man! Gotta work on her nose, hair, the background and hair bow. Just what I know, I am sure my art instructor sees a whole lot more!

Little Keanu has over 260 watchers, the most I ever had! I just wish he would get a mommy out of at least one. I hate to start on new babies until I can get homes for some but alas, I cannot let that be a stopping feature! Gotta get motivated and paint some babies! Little Jack, Erica sculpt and so many more!

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

Life gets in the way again...

First I want to wish everyone a safe and HAPPY 4th of July! Be careful with the fireworks and don't eat to much BBQ! We just got back from my sister's celebrated a day early! Food was deelish!

Now about life...
My husband spent a week in the hospital due to fluid buildup due to his bad heart and it was on the other side of town. Running back and forth really takes time out of your day and energy! Prayerful and thankfully he has gotten out and has lost a lot of fluid so he is much more comfortable and a lot thinner 2 weeks later. Now I am on antibiotics due to a tooth abcess and happily waiting for a tooth extraction next week (a very expensive tooth I might add considering a root canal, crown and $1600 later oh did I mention the bone graphs). I am now looking at about the same amount for the extraction and a partial to replace it, the tooth probably should have been pulled at first. Oh well who knew?

The good news is that I am learning proper color mixing techniques in my class and getting the pretty brown shades instead of muddy-what-the-heck-is-this. It is so interesting how two colors can create a value that can go on and on by adding a little more each time and add orange and watch it totally change!


I will start painting on my canvas next class now that I have it drawn. It's a 3 hour class that goes by so quickly that it is unbelievable. I am trying to hold off painting AA's until I see what techniques I can apply with the paints that I already have. I will take my primary colors next class to get a true feel for them. Not saying that I won't be using my premixes, but I can sure enhance them when doing my AA babies! I am very very tempted to start painting my caucasian and asian babies that have been waiting, patiently I might add, but every time I get all set, something happens. They had their baths weeks ago! I have always believed everything happens for a reason...I believe this better be a real good one! lolrothf So my thought is I keep getting slowed down (some how that doesn't sound like proper english but you get the message) not knocked out. I have hope!

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

Okay! catch up time! lol First, I have got tons of great shots of Keanu, I used both cameras on him and they are awesome! NOW I have to figure out which ones to choose for his auction since I can't use them all (bummer) like this one. Isn't that the cutest thing?

Next, I have started my art class where you learn to use different mediums (water colors, acrylics or oils). Of course I am using acrylics and L-O-V-E IT, it's 3 hours long once a week and just passes off too fast! I have done paper canvas with pencil and pastel caulks but never painted canvas! I am doing one painting of my Felicia Renee' also my problem child I might add. I still haven't got her color the way I want it (I am the stripping queen) from a shot that I took when I thought that I liked her! LOL

My first lesson. I find my instructor Ann Croghan so very interesting, she does not include black or burnt umber in her kits, because (her words)

"it kills the color and we won't be using them". 

At that point I told her "you are telling me" (while I flashed back on little Felicia) and laughed out loud! I can't wait to learn how to mix MY OWN browns in Ethnic flesh tones. She has a Masters in art, and also a very talented artist, need I say more.
I am taking pre-shots of the canvas pieces that I am working on, so that I can see my progress. I will post it here eventually! Don't want to be premature and wear you out yet! :o) I am really wanting (biting at the bit) to learn the proper technique for hair painting. I have her and my other one an adorable little Lama with a man, so that should really be fun and a lot of hair to paint!


Now for my exciting moment! Yeaaahhhhhh!!!!! My little Tiffanie Ciara, won "Miss Baby Doll World 2010"! It was beyond disbelief because there was a lot of talent in competition. I sincerely liked that it was not a forum based voting but voters worldwide, so there was no partiality!

This is little Tiffanie:

She is the sold out limited edition "Hannah" doll kit by the wonderful artist Tamie Yarie! You can see her winning photo here! http://www.missdollworld.com/

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

It's a Boy (almost)!

Keanu Reeves is one of my all time favorite actors, did I forget to say "Hunk", and for some reason this Jannik sculpt put me in mind of him (if he was finished; tight and bright dark eyes, fair skin, full lips, dark hair and a very happy baby). He has gorgeous Lebanese features:

This is what I feel like one of his children might look with a little of mom and a lot of dad, my opinion I know, even if he doesn't put you in the moment and it's just my little vision, I like the idea of a little Keanu, let's meet him. If you are shy or easily shocked don't stare too long, cause it's a BOY! :


The Beginning...I have taken his "progress photos" with my new D 3000 Nikon :


The sculpt is Jannik by Master Artist Birgit Gutzwiller from Little Dolldreams Collection, his facial features looked so alert and screamed B-O-Y. I am reborning him using LDC permanent air dry paints. I switched his original limbs and added Sheila Michael's anatomically correct torso because it seemed that it was made for him. It has happy hands (full limbs) that look like they might say "I just want to touch everything".

Here he has had his first few layers...he will have 20mm eyes in Oriental brown (because he would have his father's beautiful dark eyes wouldn't he?)

Now he's got more coloring, he has human hair eyelashes and I have put in his eyes. I shot this yesterday right before it started getting dark outdoors and the next one outdoors from today).

His Binky is now functional, so he's very happy. Gotta do his nails and eyebrows!

All done with his nails, got them sealed off to do his eyebrows while his nails dry. This is an outdoor shot today, oddly enough it was very overcast. Thank God that I got this one right before it started to sprinkle. We've been getting a lot of rain the last few days!

I'll be back with more shortly!

Update:

He's got the sweetest little dimples...the cutest little tongue and I think that he's trying to teeth! I have to do his creases and little fat folds. Then I will start on his hair. I decided to use the natural black Alpaca  (it's beautiful just like his virtual dad's hair) on him too, it's just sooo soft. I can't wait to see the contrast with his skin tone.


So this is skinny of what I have been doing for the last few days. I told you I was getting back into my groove! LOL Well, brought you up-to-speed on little Keanu! He will have his own page like little Jack with the rest of his progress so stay tuned!  Now that I've got him started, I'll need to get started on little "Jack".

From my heart to yours... Hugs, Judie

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

First and foremost, I want to thank all of my clients for adopting from Love Is Forever Nursery! I look forward to meeting more adoptive parents in 2010! I sincerely hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and have a very blessed and HAPPY NEW YEAR!


I cooked dinner and had a wonderful Christmas with my family in spite of my falling in my driveway Christmas evening. I ended up getting my hand xrayed and placed in a splint to support it. It has slowed down my baby making considerably. Thank God it was in 2009, Thank God! Still brought in the New Year quite but nice with my hubby, pup and bird sons, so that was special!

I had previously painted "tiny one" by Kymberli Durden. She's a 10 inch sculpt, of which I was completely glad of, however she's taking me 3 days to root her tiny head and I'm only half way done, a painfully slow process (My husband says I just have to be doing something. lolrothf). I'll be posting pictures of her soon, I think that she is coming out absolutely adorable! Have to decide on her eye color. She has in temporary eyes right now

Now for the good news! Remember little Nani (Samiah by Tamie Yarie)? Well, she went on a lonnnnnnggggg trip and now this little sweetie has a new mommy in Switzerland! Her mommy just sent a very sweet email that I want to share!


Saturday, January 2, 2010 9:30 AM Baby Nani arrived !!


My
dearest Judie!
On the last day of the old year your cute package with sweet
little Nani arrived here at our home!!!
Wow, she is even cuter than on all
pics I saw!!!
She is adorable, so gorgeous,a little miracle,an angel.....
you did a very very good work on her!Thank you so much, and thank you also for
the cute little things you put in the package for her - You are very kind and
your package was made with such a love and kindness.....just wonderful!!!!!!
The whole family(and we are a big family with 7 children!!) enjoyed to open
the American package!!!!!!
Now little Nani is very tired and she just has a
little nap in a clothes basket, she lookes so nice in there!
She is really
fantastic, a sweetie-cutie-honey-darling,hihihi........
Oh, I am really
happy and proud that I could buy a baby from you, you are a very special and
popular artist, I always look on your ebay auctions, you make it
phantastic.............A GREAT ARTIST YOU ARE!!!!!
The promised chocolate
package is on its way to you,enjoy it!!!!
So my Dear, now I must close for
today, it is already evening here,I have to start cooking with our dinner, today
we make a speciality from Switzerland,called Fondue chinoîse, with very thin
filet meat leaves in a hot bouillon and with many different dips like garlic
cream,curry cream,spices,cocktail cream, and more,yummy.....
Thank you again
for all you did for me and little Nani, she is my little sunshine and will learn
the Swiss language very fast............
Love and hugs, kindly,
Monica


Wow, and I never had real Swiss chocolate, a sweet gesture! We will see!

Keep checking on me, I soon hope to have a new look on my website! I have lots of new babies planned for 2010.


From my heart to yours...

SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It took over 50 hours to root her head and I thought that I would never finish, but I think that she was well worth the wait and turned out adorable! Say Happy Birthday to Felicia Renae'! I decided to use a BB body so that she'd only be 24 inches long. She's approximately 6 months old with gorgeous Meadow Green eyes. Felicia is just the happiest baby you'd ever want to meet!

Make a Smilebox postcard

From my heart to yours...

Keys to a Good Artist

As professionally serious artists, we spend many countless waking hours on these babies just to bring them to this life-like quality that we desire and you want. That can take weeks to accomplish.

• Pay close attention to past client reactions
• look at the artist's past babies
• If on ebay look at the feedback there
• Study the baby (does it really catch your interest don't bid on a baby you really don't want)
• Can you see the mouth, hands, and feet?
• Is the hair neatly shaped & styled to fit the baby's features?
• Look at the hair from the front, side and back of the head if you can does it look natural to you?
• Do you see enough photos of the baby or can you request to see more?

These are only a few key hints as to what you want to look for in a professionally done reborn. There is no cut and dry way to study what catches your eye and captures your heart.