Joyce's Blog

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody!

2012-02-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

My Art Doll is all ready for a Valentine's Day celebration. I hope everybody has a wonderful Day!

It's been Awhile!

2012-02-12T05:10:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything on my blog. We have had a very rough winter at Burnet Heating & Air, the phone quit ringing about Thanksgiving and has just now started back in February. I spent a month in South Austin taking care of Vicki Lippe, who broke her leg just after Christmas and got a new job at the same time. She couldn't drive, and has a brand new Ford Escape, so I moved in with them and drove her to work, did the grocery shopping, some cleaning, laundry, all the stuff she couldn't do because she was stuck in a wheel chair. She is now out of the wheel chair & using a walker, husband Gary is taking over this week and she should be driving again the week after that. I'm home now and have all my stuff to do here. Cats are acting weirder than usual but they'll settle down.

I finally finished this painting!

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

This my dad & 2 of his brothers painted from a photo taken in 1947. I painted this in acrylics on a 24 x 36 all media canvas. It was a booger and now I know better than to use acrylics - I'm stickin' with what I know & that's watercolor. I've got a big sheet of watercolor paper to try this again!

It's Fall in the Texas Hill Country!

2011-10-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

We finally got some rain all weekend over 5 inches for us in Burnet! The sunsets and sunrises have been beautiful over the last couple of days and there is actually dew on the ground - that's something we haven't seen for awhile. And, the temperatures are down to 87-90 degrees - get out the coats! So now all the Texans who ran off to Colorado because they can't take the heat can come home now!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

I don't usually get controversial in these blogs or anywhere on the 'net but I have to speak out this time during Breast Cancer Awareness month. I suffered (and am still suffering) breast cancer last year. Thankfully, it was stage 0 and it's gone now but I'd like to share some of my observations. First and foremost, when you give money to these big corporate "charities" all you are doing is supporting the charity. If I contacted the NFL & asked them to buy a whole bunch of pink gloves & Nike shoes for their players, would they do it? Even with health insurance, the treatments bankrupted us and I'm still paying. I contacted the Breast Cancer Resource Center, all I got was a pink tote bag full of pink crap I couldn't use and didn't want. When I asked the director how much those bags cost to put together, she told me about $35. I gave the bag back & asked for the $35 - didn't get it. I contacted American Cancer Society asking for help to pay medical bills and buy my prescriptions, no help there - they aren't in the business of helping individuals but directed me to my local food bank and maybe I should contact the local churches. Susan B. Komen organization has so much money they can afford to sue anybody that uses their "for the cure" slogan (and win). The money collected goes to "research" and while there has been some headway in cancer treatment, for the most part the treatment is the same as it was 25 years ago. Who is in charge of "research"? The drug companies. I rest my case (as the legal community says). So, if you really want to help fight breast cancer, find someone in need and clean their house, buy some groceries, give them a free ride to treatment and then buy lunch, give them money, gift cards, I'm sure you get my drift. That person will feel better and so will you - your money will be helping someone who needs it and not the director's salary increase for some big corporate charity. So many women have to keep their jobs during treatment because of the health insurance factor and it's very exhausting to go through chemo or radiation. Thank God I had my family and my church, Genesis Lutheran there to help me through with support and encouragement. I highly recommend a church family for everybody. Anyway, that's just my observations and I hope somebody in power someday has enough compassion and puts aside greed and money to help those who really need it.

RAIN!

2011-06-23T05:12:00.000-07:00

It's been over a month since we've had any rain - here in the Hill Country we only get rain when it storms, then we have to deal with possible tornadoes, straight line winds, hail & lightning strikes with not much rain. Two nights ago we had lots of thunder & lightning and we actually got 2 1/4 inches of rain. It was a time of celebration in the neighborhood, we didn't have to water gardens or lawns! Lots of worn out knees from thanking God!

Blue Ribbon at the Fair!

2011-06-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

I won a blue ribbon - first place in watercolor/fine arts division at the Burnet County Fair this past weekend - June 10-12, 2011. I was surprised because there was lots of great competition. All of the entries in all of the categories were amazing and I even got to taste some of the baked goods winners but I'm glad I didn't have to judge any of it!

Genesis Lutheran Church Garage Sale

2011-04-07T05:40:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! Genesis Lutheran Church Garage and world famous bake sale is April 15th & 16th. Finish your taxes, come on out! Last year, Bonnie Norman and myself were going through breast cancer treatments and weren't able to organize anything so this is going to be a big one!

Got My picture in the Paper

2011-03-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

Highland Art Gallery had a new members' show last weekend and since I was the only new member in the gallery when the newspaper reporter showed up with her camera, I got my picture in the paper! This is a watercolor painting I did of Longhorns in the Bluebonnets and my husband Jerry made the frame out of an old cedar beam from our house.

This is a Test at Jan's House

2011-03-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

This beautiful painting was done by Jan Hulen, Burnet, Texas.

My latest Creation

2011-03-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

I just finished making this Easter bunny doll using a Syndee (now discontinued) doll head and a light gray faux fur with a nice long pile. I used textured upholstery velvet for paws, feet and ear lining and stuck some mohair curls around the face for a little realism. The doll ended up being 20 inches tall and about 25 inches around the belly and took lots of stuffing. I made a neck bow out of a sparkly Easter print and fixed a few silk flowers and ribbon on 1 ear. For sale at http://www.joyceweaver.etsy.com/ and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. A real fun project and I'm happy with the way it turned out!

Doll and Bear show

2011-01-20T05:20:00.000-08:00

I'll be an exhibitor at the Hill Country Doll Show & Sale, Saturday February 12th at the Civic Center in Downtown New Braunfels. This is the only show I'll be doing until the holidays. Come on out, it always draws a weird (but harmless) crowd! www.dolldr.com

Happy New Year!

2011-01-17T06:30:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful that the holidays are over, we had a wonderful holiday season, even if it was hectic and I seemed to be at the grocery store too much and cooked too much and lots of washing dishes. We are truly blessed! My off-handed goals for this year are to finish up my last tub of bear fur, then onto cloth doll making. I also want to spend more time playing electric guitar, read more music, and writing songs. I have a quilt to finish - the top is done, I have to modify the backing because I bought it years ago & didn't buy enough so that's where I am now. And, continue to paint. We're planning a trip to Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico in the spring, and the Highland Art Guild Friday morning paint crew is planning a trip to Ruidoso in September. No more doctors this year if we can at all help it! Happy New Year everybody may your year be blessed.

Merry Christmas to all!

2010-12-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

I had a record holiday selling season - I've sold nearly 20 bears since the first part of December. A great help was selling 12 bears to 1 customer at a show here in Burnet, the rest were sold on Etsy or Artfire.com. Thanks to everybody, may your holidays be joyful and relaxing. Go to church, remember the reason for the season and be with friends and family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

May the holidays be relaxing and enjoyable for everybody. We're going to overeat at Mom's house and so many folks are coming with food that I'm off the hook this year oh boy!

Christmas Bears

2010-11-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Here are my Christmas bears for this year. They are all listed online: http://www.joyceweaver.etsy.com/ and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. My next show is here in Burnet December 4th: http://www.burnethillcountrychristmas.com/.

It's Fall Festival Time in the Texas Hill Country

2010-10-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

A great trip!

2010-09-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

I had a great trip, we are all good cooks so we ate well, weather was perfect, got to paint a lot. Here's a painting I did of Georgia O'Keeffe's Ghost Ranch. I painted it on a post card that I sent to my Mom.

Girls' Road Trip!

2010-08-31T04:57:00.000-07:00

It looks like I'm headed west for a week, traveling through New Mexico & parts of Colorado on an expense paid trip by a couple of friends! I'll be gone through my birthday which doesn't sit well with the rest of the residents of my household (2 legged and 4) but I feel like this is something I need to do, mostly for the artistic inspiration I hope I get! It's been a long time since I traveled through that area & I'm really excited to return.

After Doll Show Report

2010-08-08T05:24:00.000-07:00

Oh boy was it a sign of the times at the doll show yesterday. The only thing selling was old, beat up, & dirty dolls that went for $.50 or $1. Those of us with handmade clothes, dolls, bears, or furniture were not selling anything. We had a good time though, met some nice people, had a relaxing evening in a nice hotel and a good trip. I don't think I'll be doing that show again, though, I may not do any show again because I can't afford to go in the hole.

Doll Show in San Antonio Saturday August 7th

2010-07-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'm spending this week finishing projects and getting ready for next Saturday's doll show in San Antonio. 8101 Pat Booker Drive, Live Oak, Texas at the Civic Center.

Bountiful Harvest!

2010-07-23T05:04:00.001-07:00

While I was going through radiation treatments, I was blessed with fresh plums and peaches from neighbor & friend's trees, then a couple of weeks later, my peach tree was full of ripe peaches. So, for about 3 weeks I spent the hot afternoons inside making jelly, jam, freezing peaches, and making cobblers. I am really tired of peaches right now, but I know this winter my hard work will pay off! It is a blessing to have such a bountiful harvest when so much of the world is starving. Next time you see a jar of homemade jam or jelly, think about all the work that went into it, that's why it tastes so good!

New Bear

2010-07-23T04:58:00.000-07:00

This bear was made from a commercial pattern and I used some faded shaggy felt for the bear's body. I've been wanting to make this bear for awhile, but somehow never found the time. It was a quick, fun project and an attempt to make something in the "primitive" or "country" styles that are popular decorating trends. In order to even out the bear's color, I sprayed an antiquing ink all over the body.

Artfire Certified Handmade Artisan

2010-07-23T04:48:00.000-07:00

My Artfire.com studio has been awarded the Certified Handmade Artisan Badge - that means everything in my studio was handmade by ME! I already know that, looking at broken fingernails, sore muscles, unfinished projects (aka UFOs) but now the world can see (haha). Thanks to everybody for their support! Check it out - www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver

Returning to Normal!

2010-07-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

My cancer radiation treatments are over and even though I'm still suffering with burned skin, swelling and fatigue, every day gets better and I hope my energy level gets back real soon. This has been a real test for me, I did not do well through these treatments except for weight loss. But since it didn't kill me I'm figuring it will make me stronger. Thanks to everybody for their thoughts, prayers, cards, and emails, it meant a lot to me. Now I'm looking forward to the next Hill Country Doll show, August 7th, Live Oak Civic Center, 8101 Pat Booker Road, San Antonio, Texas.

I am Featured Artisan this week!

2010-07-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

I'm the featured artisan for the next couple of days at www.artfire.com - check it out!

Teddy Bear Website

2010-06-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

I've been invited to join the Teddy Bears Artists website and there's a contest going on - check it out!

On the road to recovery

2010-05-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everybody for all their cards, best wishes, prayers, food, companionship and assistance. I'm so blessed to have such great friends and family! My surgery was successful, now I'm starting radiation treatments. I am not a jewelry artist BUT I started making these bracelets for friends and family for therapeutic (and fashion) reasons, now I'm hooked. These are for sale at joyceweaver.etsy.com and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver!

Texas Wildflowers!

2010-04-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

I painted the cover of this blank sketchbook using watercolors one day sitting in my church's back yard (it's listed in my online stores: www.joyceweaver.etsy.com and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. The wildflowers in our area are the best they have been in a long, long time. I feel so blessed to be living in such a beautiful place. The beautiful flowers have been a real comfort to me during this time as I fight breast cancer. I'll have surgery next week and that should take care of it. God is taking care of me and is keeping me from totally losing my mind and I know I'll get through this, many women have gone through much worse.

Trip to New Orleans

2010-03-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

My mother and I drove from Giddings, Texas to New Orleans, Louisiana last week for a funeral. We took a detour to Crockett, Texas to visit my aunt overnight & then headed up Highway 287 through the Big Thicket to Beaumont & on to our destination. Mother's cousin, Millie Stehle Harris, passed away at the age of 98 so it was a chance for family to gather & celebrate her wonderful, long life. I hadn't seen some of my cousins for 30 years but it didn't seem like it and now it's going to be easier to keep in touch with email and cell phones! After the funeral Mom and I toured the French Quarter and surprisingly got caught up in the St. Joseph's Day parade. She ended up with a neck full of beads and a bunch of paper roses all hand delivered to her by some nicely dressed men who had been drinking heavily for most of the day. In exchange she had to give each one of them a kiss on the cheek. All I got was the broken beads I could fish out of the gutter and didn't kiss nobody. It was a rejuvenation for both of us, some people head for a spa, some go on a cruise, we head for the nasty, filthy French Quarter for our soul cleansing. Don't ask, it's a Who Dat thang!

SNOW in South Central TEXAS!

2010-02-24T05:28:00.000-08:00

It snowed ALL DAY yesterday, the wind was blowing, I thought I had been transported to Minnesota or something! The neighborhood kids had fun playing in it - about 3 inches stuck to the ground. I had to cancel a doctor's appointment and spent the day inside. So did the animals! Here's a picture of my golden retriever Boozoo down by the creek that runs next to our house. After he figured out this wasn't going away, he had fun getting snow all over himself.

Doll Show was lots of fun!

2010-02-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was an exhibitor at a big doll show and I sold enough to make our expenses UNTIL I bought an American Model doll - for a good price but still... My husband went along, had a good time, and told me on the way home that he learned a lot about what I do and was real impressed (ha). People wanted to buy but we could all tell that the economy was putting a halt to a lot of spending. The same show is being held in San Antonio in August and we might try that one... Here I am!

New Cloth Dolls and GEAUX SAINTS!

2010-02-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

I'm posting a picture of my latest dolls. These were both made from Judi Ward's Whatever, Whatever pattern, a fun class I took years ago. I had fun making jewelry for both dolls, too! Oh yeh, Geaux Saints in the Super Bowl!

I'm getting ready for a big doll show!

2009-12-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

February 13th is New Braunfels, Texas big doll show and this year I decided to take a leap of faith and buy a space. So that means I'm madly working to get bears (mostly) and a few dolls ready. At first I thought I might not have enough stuff for 2 tables BUT now I'm afraid I have too much! Here's a picture of my latest listing - an all red panda that turned out pretty cute. Check out my online shop at http://www.joyceweaver.etsy.com/ and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T13:35:00.000-08:00

I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday filled with the spirit of the Christ child now and all through the new year!

My latest Far From Perfect Bear

2009-11-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

I just listed this little blue bear online at http://www.joyceweaver.etsy.com/ and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. I've been working my way through a box of mohair fabric that I've collected in the last year or so. I'm now down to enough fabric for 2 more bears, then I'll see what kind of mini-bears I can get out of the scraps. Chores, making a living, customer requests and taking care of pets have slowed me up a bit on bear making but I seem to find time somewhere! enjoy!

Flowers in my back yard

2009-11-06T05:41:00.000-08:00

After a few inches of rain the zinnias in my back yard came back in full force. When I planted this spring the sun burned everything to a crisp in no time. Now we are actually experiencing some cooler weather for a change and the flowers came up with different colors this time around. I hope the frost holds off but in Central Texas ya never know.

Art Fair Report

2009-11-04T12:39:00.000-08:00

The below promoted art fair went off without a hitch! About half the artists showed up so that meant everybody got twice as much space for the money. I brought donuts for the morning & sandwich fixin's for lunch because we were a good ways out in the country. Sales were good, attendance was ok - any show can always use more buyers! Some of our church members had a table for the first time at any show ever & did real well. And, people became aware of our little Lutheran Church in Buchanan Dam, Texas. However, I think next year somebody else can head this up & I'll just help.

Shameless Promotion - Genesis Lutheran Church Fall Harvest Art Fair

2009-10-12T15:23:00.001-07:00

Once again I'm in charge of our annual fall art fair and I've scheduled Saturday, October 24th for an art show & sale, bake sale - everything is homemade, live auction and a kids' make-it-and-take-it area. I've got plenty of artist space still available. Genesis Lutheran Church is located at 15946 E. State Highway 29 in Buchanan Dam, Texas. That's about 90 miles northeast of San Antonio, about 60 miles northwest of Austin and about 50 miles or so north of Fredericksburg. We ARE south of Dallas however. Any artist wanting space should email me at joyceweaver@verizon.net.

New Bear Series - Far From Perfect Bears

2009-10-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

I was rummaging through a box of mohair fabrics that I've collected over a short time and decided to make bears out of the fabrics until they are all gone. They're now listed on Artfire.com (artfire.com/users/joyceweaver). It's a fun challenge because I look at the box & pick a fabric & go from there, no plan or pattern, just what happens after I choose the fabric. I've got 6 more pieces to go & then if I can use the scraps I will so keep looking at my shop on Artfire.com and joyceweaver.etsy.com too! The holidays are coming up and if you are going to gift a gift to anyone special, make sure you give a gift to yourself too - you deserve it!

Get ready for Christmas!

2009-09-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

It's time to start thinking about Christmas and avoid the rush & stress of the season (unless you like that particular way of celebrating Christmas). I would recommend buying handmade this season - you can find wonderful, one of a kind gifts at good prices online - try etsy.com and artfire.com. Both of these sites cater to handmade items & the listings are by the artists themselves. My store is joyceweaver.etsy.com and artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. We are actually experiencing some weather changes here in South Central Texas - it's down to around 90 degrees and we've had a nice amount of rain (we could use more though). That will be the extent of our fall season - here we only have 2 seasons, the beginning of summer & the end of it. That just means we can swim longer and start sooner each year & I like that!

It's been a long, hot & sad summer

2009-08-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

My 85 year old dad passed away July 21st and as much as we miss him, I know he's in a better place, he's not suffering from bone cancer any more and my mother can get on with her life now. My dad was a member of the 300th combat engineers in WWII and celebrated his 20th birthday right after the Allied troops landed in Normandy France. He built every house we lived in, retired from Brown & Root at the age of 55 & was a rancher in Giddings, Texas until he died. All 3 of us kids went to college, married and are now professionals, my mother stayed on the farm and will continue to run it as long as she can. I'm proud of my family, they instilled in us old fashioned values, the importance of attending church and being a Christian, a work ethic and responsibility, for example, our animals got fed & cared for before we did and family is always more important than money. He had a wonderful send off, the entire town and most of the preachers attended, food was everywhere and so many flowers & plants we couldn't find Mom in her house after we had all the flowers brought home.

American Girl Doll Store in Dallas

2009-06-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

I was able to visit the American Girl doll store in Dallas, Texas recently & met a friend & her daughter for lunch at the bistro. That place is amazing, dolls & accessories everywhere and lunch was more than substantial - maybe because it was Dallas! I would recommend a trip for a girl of any age whether you're into American Girl dolls or not.

I have a New Store on Artfire

2009-04-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

I have a few listings on www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. Check it out! Also my Etsy store - www.joyceweaver.etsy.com. I'll be adding stuff all the time and if you are looking for a special artist bear, art doll, tote bag, watercolor cards or the newest fine art trend - Artist Trading Cards (ATC), also called Artist Card Edition Original (ACEO). These tiny paintings are 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and are great for trading, inexpensive to purchase and easy to frame. Plug in ATC or ACEO on any ebay, etsy, or artfire search & see what comes up.

Here I am blogging!

2009-04-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is such a new deal for me but it looks like this is something I can easily accomplish. I think the commercials showing the 4 year old taking pictures & sending them to her grandmother should be done the other way around and the grandmother should be the one showing how easy that camera & computer is to operate. I'm not as impressed with a 4 year old as I am with someone my age or older performing the same operation right?