Dear Diary,
My sisters and my friend, Judy, have been encouraging me to post pictures of my art. These Palo Verde Gals seemed to be an appropriate start because they were the first Art I ever had published. They came out in the Spring 2005, Art Doll Quarterly - Show and Tell section.
The day I got the magazine and saw the dolls was the same day our Whirlpool front load washer and dryer were delivered. I hate to say this but my excitement over being published was pale in comparison to how I felt about my new washer and dryer. I remember feeling guilty because I should have been more excited about being a published artist but that new washer and dryer were incredible! Before it was taking me two days to finish the laundry and now it was only taking me one! I felt like I was in love for the first time. I now knew how my husband felt about his truck.
How the Gals came to be
Back in August in the early 2000's, I was trying to think of something to make for one of my incredibly talented friend's birthday. We have been friends for a real long time (since 1973!). Through the years she has given me so many wonderful, unique, gifts. If you have been to our home, you have seen her silkscreens hanging in almost every room. Well, Leslie was "into" primitive cloth dolls. With that in mind, I decided to make her one. Usually when I create something, I have a picture of it in my mind. The finished project never turns out like my imagined project. This is good and bad. I sent Leslie her birthday present and she loved it.
My sister, Sarah Ann saw it and she wanted one, then she told my other two sisters about them. Lucy wanted one since Sarah Ann and Leslie had one. I told her I wasn't going to make her one because she had never even seen one and might not like them. She said, "Well, if I don't like it I'll just stick it under the bed and pull it out when I have company and say, look what my sister made! Isn't it awful?" To make a long story shorter, I made a frenzy of dolls! I gave allot to friends, family, and even sold some at Two Plates Full, Southwest Gardner and a boutique in my home town. I have about twelve partially made at this moment. It has been too hot to climb the Palo Verde Tree so they don't have arms and legs. But I don't have that excuse now.
