The Past and The Present(s)!

Hello Dears!

Here is my first official post at Vagabond Creations! I wanted to thank all of you who have continued to follow me here!

After returning home from a delayed holiday vacation, today's post is brim-full of happiness! I first wanted to show you this lovely gift I got from Diane of Dianie Mac Designs (CLICK HERE TO SEE HER WORK), which I only got upon my return home.

I've heard of Diane's amazing work for some time now, but I first got to know her when she entered my Monster In the Close Swap. Here's the doll she created for that swap, by the way:

Isn't Diane amazing?

And here's the wonderful present I got from Diane!

I'm not sure what I've done to deserve this, but I am blown away by such a heartfelt and generous gesture! Clearly she realizes my love of bees, and if you look closely you can see a wonderful flower motif at the bottom, and this extends around the base of this doll, as do wonderful little beads and baubles, and glitter, which are added with care all around this doll. Folks, these are the kind of dolls Diane makes and if you are ever in the market for an amazing doll and other art, PLEASE visit her site!

Diane, you are too much! This is so heartwarming I don't know what to say!! THANK YOU!!

In the meantime, here are some other happy items I am bringing back from my trek home!

A "flock" of yarn, given as a Christmas gift for my new journeys in knitting.

I have to say I am particularly fond of the brown and white Fisherman's yarn, on the right. I would call myself a good crocheter, but I knit badly. I have resolved to right this problem this year. Alas, I have a feeling that the poor wool will resultingly be trounced in my attempts!

I also received as a Christmas gift this book on draft horses and drawn carriages:

I know this seems bizarre and out of place until you realize I am also doing this project as well (you do know I have THIS OTHER BLOG, right?).....

Finally, I brought home with me the drawings I did as a younger girl. Before performing arts, I REALLY started my arts career as a wee girl, and my first love was drawing. It seems, during most of my girl-dom, I was drawing, and it stands out highly in my memory--every time I turned around, there I was, drawing random things. This eventually progressed into a short lived career as an illustrator, before art on stage took over.

Anyhow, here are some of those drawings in my teens and twenties (click to enlarge):

By the way, you can read more about these on my Beyond Vagabond site!

In the meantime, if you are interested in hearing me on the radio, and happen to like farmy stuff, please see my Renegade Farmer site, as I will be on the air THIS SUNDAY, at 6pm

AND--HOLD ON--there's a giveaway on this blog coming! Perhaps as soon as tomorrow!

Thank you for joining me on this trip to the past, and celebrating the present (and presents!)