Beautiful even in Death, our Beloved BDC lay enshrined in eternal slumber

BDC
Born - 1992

Passed into the sleep from which there is no awakening - 2007

For your service and loyalty you will be missed. Rest in Peace.

I am so aggrieved to let it be known that my dear and faithful BDC passed away this morning just before 8 O'clock in Carlsbad, CA.

BDC served diligently and without complaint until the very last day of his life, enduring grueling hours of labor in excruciating heat and never uttering even a whimper of discontent. No, He was my loyal companion of 15 years, spending every morning (except vacations and Christmas) serving my needs. Never did he grouse when the winter days in my Colorado studio meant working all day to cheer and warm the frosted denizens of that altitudinous state seeking graphic contentment. Never did he complain when he was unplugged from his life force and boxed in the dark for yet another journey, ah how he trusted me, yes, he trusted me completely. Never, Never, Never did he shirk his responsibilities even in the face of my heartlessly commenting on his worn out state and pondering right there in front of him, the allure of others of his kind. Oh How shamed I am! Ohhhhhh.


We believed that he was suffering only from the ravages of time and an injured power cord, but alas, as I lifted him this morning to lovingly load him into the car to visit the esteemed electrical healer, Billiam, for the laying on of hands, his bottom detached with a wrenching sound, and his poor innards were exposed to this cruel world. What pain he must have felt, but at least it was swift. The official cause of death is Consumption.

For his good service I am thankful.

(BDC was his familiar name, his given name being Black and Decker Coffeemaker)

The fires are slowing down...

Li's Art Doll Adventures Site
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The "Fire Storm" Of 2007

Well this was the color of the sky around 3 today. The air is yellow and flaky, tastes like over burned marshmallows and is prickly in the eyeballs, but over all, bearable. And considering that my home and most of my friends homes, still stand, untouched, except by soot, makes us some wicked-lucky San Diegans!

There is an ethereal quality to the last two days for me. All waiting and watching the maps, scrolling statistics, phones singing to me (I recently got some new rings and my brain is still surprised when the tiny John Lennon and Yoko Ono snuggled in their jammies at the bottom of my purse, begin to vibrate and chant loudly: "all we are saying, is give peace a chance, all we...) and relief!


I send my thoughts and prayers to all!

The Month of the Dead, October

This month I created a doll in honor of my friend Mari who committed suicide several years ago.


She was creative and funny, with a wicked New York City sense of deliciously sarcastic humor, an astounding skill for astrology powered by an affinity for channeling and a deep spiritual connection that might seem impossible to reconcile in someone other than Mari.

She was of Italian descent and whenever we were out together, I was amazed by the spell she cast over men and women alike. She was so tall! So solidly confident! I was furious with her for taking her life, mad because there were things I wanted to tell her, things we shared and laughter that danced around us when we talked about even the most grim of things! She loved to play solitaire on the computer and had once owned a bookstore. She lived in Taos and had a dress shop in the corner of the square that was full of sheer fabric and silk thingy-dos. Her favorite color was beige, she smoked and her fast little red car was always saturated in Benson & Hedges residue and littered with potato chip bags. She did sweet things to surprise you but if you crossed her, she shunned you for awhile... then shaking a finger in your face with a look that skewered you onto the wall of the present, noted that you might not have your priorities straight because they were different than hers! Hah! Then later, it was all OK. Mari changed her name from Lynn to Mari and Mari was better.

She was haunted by something fierce, deep and sharp, but many of us loved her dearly and felt blessed by her life, including me. Halloween Thanks Mari...

This doll was created with wire, paper clay, fabric, stuffing, gauze, Kreninik Metallic threads and the arms of a dollar store Barbie that are tied behind her back. Enjoy Halloween and create something that is a stretch for you, something that wakes you up to a slightly different way of looking at this rich and juicy life we have! Make Stuff!

Li's Art Doll Adventures Site
Li's Recommended Doll Books for Doll Artists

The book is still on sale! Go to Amazon with this easy-Parcheesi link and buy one!

How to Shave a Pencil

*Special Sketch Note for Discovering Drawing students*

Isn't this a delicious picture?
Look at all of that color!
Does your desk sport such brilliance?

Now, as we all know there are several ways to skin a point. Your first thought might be to poke it into that sleek electric pencil sharpener in the corner over there. And that is great for detail work and has a specific feel that is pleasing to the hand as well as the eye.

Another way might be to use an Xacto knife and shave the wood off to carefully reveal the lead as they did in this picture. I recommend that you try this method just for the fun/experience of it. It is a great way to BOND with your points, feel the wood, smell that new pencil smell, see the wealth of color and contrast, hear the sound of the shaving... (Employ almost all of your senses, except for tasting... Never, ever eat any part of a pencil it might be worse than running with scissors. Grin!)

Last weeks class focused on bonding with your points and tho we are mostly working with black and white, I encourage you to try the third "Daily Draw" with colored pencils. Besides being fun, you can experiment with carving the point on your pencils. Try crosshatching with a blunt tip and a very pointy one. Try smudging and doodling, try meandering touch and holding the pencil in a tightened fist!

*ALWAYS use care with sharp objects! I have several finger scars from pocket knifes, Matt knives, xacto blades and other slicing tools!*

Play! Enjoy the week, Li

Li's Art Doll Adventures Site
Li's Recommended Doll Books for Doll Artists

The book is on sale this week! It is cheaper than I have to pay to get them! Go quick before the sale is over! Go to Amazon with this easy-Parcheesi link and buy one!