Friday's Favorite: Abi Monroe's Dolls!

If you have never stopped by to visit Abi at her blog or Etsy Shop...

please do!

Very simply put: Abi is designing some of the most incredible dolls 

that are out there.

You can find her at:  http://abimonroe.blogspot.com/

Stop by and tell her "Daryle sent you!"

Our Finds: Four at Four

We found our newest favorite stop for special "finds": 

The Annex Marketplace in Wilmington, Delaware!

http://www.annexmarketplaceonline.com/

And what was the "fourth" find?

A beautiful "flag throw" (blanket) from the Museum of Fine Art, Boston

depicting fifteen historical American flags.  It came in the original zippered bag

with tags and the museum card.  Yup!  It too was: $4.00

Happy hunting... Daryle & Katie

Congratulations... the "Guardian of Hope" has found a New Home, in Canada!

Congratulations to "Pink"... from Pinkglitterfae Art...

earlier today, our daughter (way up in Vermont) 

picked Betty's number from the hat!  

We couldn't be happier!

Daryle & Katie

Fall Equinox Give-Away!

We love the fall season!

The cooler temps, putting our gardens to rest,

and the long shadows that dance across our lawns.

We are so blessed... and want to share that blessing!

What better way... than a give-away!

And so "The Guardian of Hope" featured on page 65

of the fall issue of Art Doll Quarterly...

will find a new home on Friday, September 23, 2011...

the first day of Autumn! 

Just drop us a note, here at Woodstown Whimsies...

and we'll put your name in the hat for the drawing!

Blessings... Daryle & Katie

Birdhouse Shrine: "A Window of the Soul"

Fini...  with a little help (actually a lot!) using 

 DecoArt One Step Crackle Medium... 

I decided to use a blending of raw sienna and burnt umber

for my "fill-in" color with the cracks; as I wanted a richer contrast

against the light, porcelain-like- finish of the skin tones.

Don't you just love paper hats?  

For me... they rekindle warm memories of my grandma, 

who lived with us. Occasionally, she would make me a paper hat,

fold after fold, using a sheet from the Milwaukee Journal.

Remember WHAT he started out as?

(sometimes it's nice to go back to where it all began, isn't it?)

Yup... that funky two-tone wooden birdhouse on stilts!

He stands about 23 inches tall from the top of his paper hat

to the soles on his shoes...

I'm hoping to enter him in a juried exhibition this October

at the Riverfront Renaissance Center Gallery in Millville, NJ.

Happy thoughts... Daryle

Craftsman Style Doll... (definitely a W.I.P.)

I just returned from a quick trip over the river

(o.k. "and through the woods...") to Delaware, 

making a stop at the Farmer's Flea Market in New Castle.

I came across this craftsman style architectural piece...

It just spoke to me... and for $3.00 with a bit of bargaining; 

came home with me! The seller said it is an old mantle clock case. 

It only stands 9 inches high... and is heavy for its size (2+ lbs. I'm sure)

After a damp cloth cleaning (I am thinking that it is walnut)... 

it certainly has the makings for a whimsical doll!

I cannot find a single nail in it; the four square columns

 are pegged on the bottom of the platform.

And don't you just love the vintage brass tag that I found...

It has "snook 260" stamped on it; in red.

Happy hunting... Daryle

Friday's Favorite... Folk Art Dolls!

They remain my first love:

(in the doll world...)

FOLK ART DOLLS!

Please take a minute to stop and see what Jan Conwell 

is creating these days... Her blog is J D Conwell Folkart Dolls.

Use this link to stop by and say "hello!"

http://jdconwell.blogspot.com/

This is one of her dolls, that I found at the

Primitive and Folk Art Doll Group at Etsy.

On the Brighter Side...

We hunkered down in Vermont, 

in Chad & Emily's first home 

as Irene came through... the pics tell all...

Our whole family was there... Chad and Em had us, 

as well as Naomi, Steve, and little Ryan 

for their first big sleep-over! 

The house was full... our hearts were even fuller! 

Yes, we know we are blessed...

Upon Returning to Woodstown...

We were thankful, upon returning to our home in Woodstown

late Tuesday evening... to find only some large limbs down in

the backyard and water in the basement.

We weathered out the hurricane, up in Vermont with Emily & Chad.

Much of Vermont was devastated by the storm...

with entire towns cut off by mud slides and/or washed out roads.

Our family and friends were spared.  We hunkered down in our kid's

new home (circa 1860) as the storm came and went; 

leaving so much destruction behind its path.

Parts of South Jersey were also hit really hard; as was North Jersey.

It took us hours just to get to where our oldest daughter, hubby, 

and grandson live... due to neighboring towns that

had flood waters and are dealing with washed out highways.

Some of you were praying for us... thank you for that!

With heartfelt gratitude... Daryle & Katie