Good news today. I found out that 'Shared Vision' ( BC Mag on holistic living) is doing an article on Bamboletta. I'm not sure of the scope or size, but it's exciting none the less. It's funny, I'm ring to slow things down with the 'biz' and interest is just growing and growing. Isn't that always the way?

Next week I am working on an order for mahardrygoods.com. I've created a gnome doll for the site that I'm eager to see posted, I'll put up a pic when I'm done him. There are also a few babies and a mermaid in the mix.

Good Lord, could this baby be ANY bigger? Everything is such an ordeal right now..going up the stairs, picking things up off the floor, you name it it's an event.

BTW my good friend Devon, who I have mentioned before is now officially blogging...http://talltreephotography.blogspot.com/ it's pretty new, but it will be a good one, I promise!

I've posted up 2 new dolls for sale on Natural Pod www.naturalpod.com. I also posted a cozy sherpa banket doll. I'll try to get some more blanket dolls done in the next few weeks. I've decided to only make the blanket dolls in organic fabric since they are for babies.

Nothing else exciting to report. I've spent most the day recovering from staying awake until 4AM! I've been wondering around like a bit of a zombie. Thankfully John was home so I could have a good nap this morning. I'm such a lucky lady.

This is a picture that my friend Devon from http://www.talltreephotography.ca took last week. I think my mom would be horrified I am showing this in public as everyone can see my underwear.

It's 1AM and I can't sleep. The irony of pregnancy, I can't sleep yet I am so, so tired.

Today we went to the Mill Bay Family fair. It was cute. A few of those bouncy castle types of rides and some stalls. The *big* event though was the fire truck..that had it's ladder fully extended! Ben was awe struck. It was hilarious to see all the teenage girls just hanging around all the hunky young firefighters. Lol, I'm glad I'm not 18.

I'm working on 3 large dolls for a customers order right now. It's wonderful, I'm doing an African American, an Asian doll and one to look like their Filipino nanny. Lots of fun with the different types of hair I can do. I've got 2 other 14" in the works as well for sale up on Natural Pod. John was busy tonight making all the heads. He is a master headmaker, ther is no way I have the stregnth to make them that tight. I honestly think that my dolls really progressed once he started making the heads for me. He's even mentioned a few times that he may be up for 'machining'..haha this is his man term for sewing. I am using some scraps of organic fabrics to make the new baby's washclothes and I think I'm going to ask him to serge the ends. Nice and easy and a simple square, just to get him used to the machine. I took a sewing class years ago that a man was one of my classmates. He loved the serger because it was 'like, the power tool of sewing'. I think this will be a good intro for John.

Still obsessing on Lost. We are almost through Season 2, thank God! I just can't stop watching it. I have to admit though, before I came online and blogged, I went and read about 5 episodes worth of spoilers ahead of where we currently are. I'm so lame! I just have to know about the 'Others'!

We headed down to the Farmers Market early this morning for first dibs on some yummy, fresh. local strawberries. Ben and I then spent the morning cleaning and freezing them for the winter. The market here is fantastic, there is everything you could want and more. I found a wonderful lady that sells fresh poultry and veggies from her farm every week. I've learned a lot about organic farming and eating from her the past few weeks. Her products are fantastic.

Those two Babies are my latest venture in jointing with doll joints. Little gal on the left has no hair, I'm waiting to hear back from a customer about what kind of hair she'd like on her. The other little gal will be up for sale either today or tomorrow on Naural Pod ( www.naturalpod.com ) . I'm working on a fairy next, inspired by the srawberry season! Im going to go to the 'Loom' yarn shop and see what kind of strawberry fairy hair I can find for her. I love making the fairies so much, you can just go crazy with them. When I was little I used to be obsessed with them, my mom says that when I was around 4 or 5 I used to think that dragonflies were fairies.

Well, gotta go and wake up Ben from his nap..

This is my new little guy Samson. He's one of the 12" dolls that I just made up. I'm trying to make up more of these smaller dolls, they are such a nice size for little ones. Benji has a 12" doll , Emily, that is just perfect for him. Most of my customers are buying dolls for their 2 and 3 year olds and the 17" dolls are just a tad overwhelming. When I was checking back on the Natural Pod site though I noticed I have a lot of Caucasian dolls..well, they are all Caucasian. I hadn't noticed everything had sold off. So, next week I'm going to work on adding a tad more 'colour' :)

So today we bought a minivan. It's a 2000 Toyota one and it's a pretty goldy/pearl colour. I NEVER thought I'd ever get a minivan..ever, but they really are practical. With the new baby coming and next summer's Farmers Markets, I think I'll get some good use out of it. It just seems like such a mom thing, you know? I should just come to grips with the fact that I am a mom..ha, ha!

I'll get some pics up of the new and improved Baby dolls tomorrow. One will be posted on Natural Pod tomorrow for sale. Her name is Stella and she has the most fantastic hair. One of the yarns I used on her is handspun by Lorna, the owner of Westcott Farms where I am getting my wool from. She has these beautiful dark brown sheep that she got the wool for this doll from. So, it hasn't been dyed..just carded and spun..beautiful! It's a bit of a yucky day outside and I can't get a good shot of her so I'll wait until tomorrow.

We've become obsessed with the show 'Lost'. We've been renting the series on DVD and it has taken over my life. Anyone else obsessed with this show?

I can't believe I'm having a baby in a few weeks, it all seems so surreal. This pregnancy has been so much easier then my last one, I keep foorgetting that I'm pregnant. I guess running after a 3 year old all day takes your mind off things. I feel pretty prepared though. I have a doula lined up and I *love* my midwife Jane. We are going to try for a homebirth but I'm open to whatever happens.

I'm tring to finish up some orders and get as much stuff on at Natural Pod as possible. I'm not sure how well new baby and dollmaking will go together. John is going to try to get 3 months off paternity leave which would be just dreamy. I'm fielding wholesale requests weekly and had a huge American company enquiring about the dolls a few weeks ago, but at this moment my focus is to be a mom. After baby is born, I'm going to really look at Bamboletta and where I want it to go. There are a few crafty mamas that I met in Cobble Hill that I think I can get to make my smaller dolls like my Pouchy, Blanket, Toddler and Lavender Cuddlies. Then I can make the Babies and various sized Bamboletta's.

Speaking of my Babies (the cloth kind), I've redone how I joint them. I love the button jointing, but it isn't the most sturdy if you have a rambuntious young child. Kids love to spin the arms round and round and round (because they can!) and the previous jointing would snap. Anyhow, I started looking at how teddy bears were constructed, ones with articulated limbs and wanted to construct the Babies the same way. I ordered in some joints and through some trial and error am really pleased with the results. I dislike that they are plastic, I hate for anything plastic to be in my dolls, but, I figure it's better then a child playing with a doll and it's arm falling off! Not a good scene!

I have to say a big THANKS to my good pal Devon, who gently reminded me of how lame a blog that is updated monthy is.. she is starting a blog soon about her photography and we have decided to become blog buddies and make sure that each other posts regularly. More on her when she get's up and running....