I LIVE IN A MAD HOUSE!!

I have an unfinished project in every room, including the kitchen at the moment, where the second batch of plum pudding is slowly steaming in the oven.  For another 2 hours and 40 minutes.  Plum pudding HAS to be a labor of love because no sane woman would make it.  If it turns out to be edible (think fruit cake without nuts) I may make take a loaf and some rum sauce to the quilters' Christmas dinner.   So, if I can get my trashed kitchen back in working order by - say midnight? I plan on making a double batch of Thai Pumpkin soup tomorrow morning.  I'll freeze a quart or two for those chilly days when I need to warm up from the inside.

Meanwhile, in my office/studio, Spanish Dancer rests gently on her head, her new hips and legs exposed to the air so that she will be dry enough for gesso and paint soon.  And on the dining room
table, a two pound block of fondant, dowels, big plastic straws and several sketches of a dragon's head.  My friend Mary and I have for the past three years, entered the Jacksonville Historical Society's  Gingerbread Extravaganza.  This year, we're making Puff the Magic Dragon's Magical Christmas.   We're limited to a 30" square of space and 85% of the building materials must be edible - discounting the 30" by 30" by 1/2" plywood base.   This can be a real challenge if you're building something higher than six inches.  So since Puff's body is gingerbread, and his neck and head will be made of fondant (my job) I must keep that piece as light as possible while incorporating a means of attachment in addition to his fondant "skin".

And unfinished teddy bears languish on the coffee table in the living room.  My problem there is that any time I sit down, I'll fall asleep.  Progress on the teddy bears is v-e-r-y slow.

THE DEED IS DONE!

My grand daughter told me that from now on, she would introduce me to her friends as "the surgeon".  I suppose that's better than "the butcher"!

Be that as it may, the Spanish dancers' legs are gone and - so far - replaced from hip to knee.  But she got her revenge!  Since I find it impossible to wear a dust/particle mask, my glasses AND safety glasses all at the same time, I went without the safety glasses while sawing off her clay legs and am paying dearly for my negligence.  My eye lids and  tear ducts are so itchy I feel like ripping them off.  Suffice it to say, my eyelids are so red and swollen, I look like I've been on a month long bender.  OTC drops and baby oil help, but doubt they will be a cure.

SO.  while senorita's clay thighs were drying, I cut out a pair of Teddy Bears.  One will be for my grand daughter's significant other who has a huge collection of stuffed animals.   Teddy is a light brown, will have a shock of curley red hair and  - If I can make a decent pair - flip flops.  I worried about a colorful tee shirt for him until I saw some really loud toddlers' socks at Publix. BINGO!

I also have a hat box I'm going to refurbish for my grand daughter.  She makes costumes for all sorts of events, and I know she has a hat or two that could use some protection from their five cats.

--- AND IT'S GETTING EVEN WORSE

I guess I'd forgotten how long ago I made the Spanish Dancer because her skeleton is made of wire.  No wonder she wobbled and the clay cracked.  I tried last night to make repairs and even my best glue wouldn't grab and hold.  So, I'm seriously thinking of removing her legs entirely and starting at her hips, build new legs using dowels as the skeleton.  Dowels don't bend and the way I construct my dolls makes them very sturdy.  I simply could not in good conscience,  allow one of my dolls go out if it wasn't at least 100% my best effort.  So I'm going to give the grass/weeds in the back yard a quick cut with the weed whacker then cut off the dancer's  legs.