Did you put two and two together??? ~wink~ ?

YEP...Pursue on eBay, pursue-email, and Pursuing Art...Life and Dreams are all one of the same!!! ;-)

I've been holding on to share until the beautiful 'DIVA' arrived, so I could meet her in person, admire her, hold her and take pictures to share! It's been hard to wait.

I know that my friends who visit all know about this, but if you'll indulge me...I need to give credit where credit is due.

This stunning art doll was beaded with love and attention to detail by a very talented friend of mine, Grace Danel of Gracebeading. The beautiful and colorful face that fits her perfectly was made by the talented Jen Martin of Graphixoutpost. The wonderful and charming art doll form (in a very cool pose) was made and donated by another talented friend of mine, Monica Magness of Girl Gone Thread Wild. Grace generously beaded her for Beading For A Cure to raise money for colorectal cancer research. Grace's title for her was 'Kicking Back' and so appropriately named for her!

I feel so thankful to have her and lucky to have won this auction!!! I wish you all could see her in person and hold her...she is more beautiful and charming in person than any photos could convey. Oh, Grace...I am so thrilled and was so excited last Sunday when, at the end of the auction, my name was sitting there! I've had a smile on my face since...believe me, Mark can vouch for that! I made him bring his laptop to the coast with us because I wasn't about to miss Sunday morning! I'm sorry I didn't answer your e-mail that you sent Saturday! I wanted to get this posted first! Thank you for the e-mail and loved the extra pix of mamma and babe! Grace, you did have an idea it was me! ;-) And Monica, when I e-mailed you last week...you must have thought I was 'losing it' or you got it, but didn't respond or let on when you wrote me back. When I ended my note to Monica, I said... P.S. Did you put two and two together???? I figured if Monica had an idea and mentioned it, Grace did too. I was wondering if anyone figured it out! Mark asked if I was going to post about it, but I told him not until I receive her and am able to take pictures to share! So when I said I had a great weekend at the coast, for more reasons that just getting out of dodge on a sunny weekend, I wasn't kidding! ;-)

She is happily sitting in my art room with me and with my other 'Diva Friend' very close by and always will be there to encourage me! I just absolutely LOVE her!!! Your beadwork is BEAUTIFUL and the Swarovski's just sparkle when the light hits her just right! She is full of life in color and yet her face is so peaceful and serene! I am so glad you ignored your inner critic and put on those inner ear plugs and just kept right on beading! She is stunning! I adore the little chair that she sits in too! It reminds me of two old ice cream chairs and a table that Mark and I have, and had since I was a little girl.

I feel so fortunate to have won her and that the money is going to a great cause! You stated you thought she went for a generous bid and that is because you are so sweet and humble Grace! However, I thought I got her for a steal! I won't even tell you what my bid was, but I put in the amount that I was truly willing to pay for her and knowing the money would go to a worthy cause! I know better, doing beadwork too, that she truly was worth WAY more than I got her for!!! At least in my opinion. Okay, I know we could add up costs for doll, face, beads, thread, and even a chair in this case, but how do you put a price tag on love and time?!! I didn't pay enough for what she truly is worth, but I am very grateful to have her Grace! She is priceless and more valuable to me than any dollar I paid for her! You know I've admired your work and dolls for a long time and I am honored to have her with me! Know that she will be loved and cherished, smiled upon and shared very proudly! ;-)


Here are two more of those pictures that show the real trees from the coast! ;-)) I think it was ocean mist in the previous picture I showed or maybe a kind of haze that day!?! The pictures we took looking the other way on the beach showed only the clear beautiful sunny day and bright blue sky. You can see in these two pictures, better, that where the ancient forest was, is an inlet area that is protected by the large rock formation that is behind it and jets out into the ocean. There are houses and real trees growing there! ~SMILE~!!! Can you imagine getting to see the view from one of those houses? Wow!

I hope this post brings you a smile and as much joy as I had sharing it! I'll visit with you soon! Keep Pursuing Art...Life and Dreams!


A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~