2010 Christmas Baby

This year I've got for you an amazing OOAK baby as the 2010 Christmas baby!!
Truly one of my best babies, with almost maniacal attention to detail and coloring, this baby boy will steal your heart...
Stay tuned because he will be going up for sale TONIGHT!!
If you are not in my mailing list, keep an eye out on this blog as I will post the details here too (pictures, price etc).

Lots of special accessories with him too... and his name? What else? Noel!!! :) :)

What? A preview you say??
Why, certainly!! :)

A Christmas present for YOU..

It's time to give something back and thank you for your wonderful support over the years!! I know sometimes I haven't been easy to work with but you have stood by me very graciously :)

So I would like to return the favor!!
This little boy will come to live with one of YOU... (the one in the back - note he will come differently dressed).
This is Nono, in resin, he is number 3 of 50 in white skin tone. He is a Ball Jointed 4" baby boy (anatomically correct).

All you have to do is send me an e-mail to tina (at) tinakewy dot com, with the subject "My Christmas Wish". Tell me what you wish for this Christmas and enter to win! (one entry per e-mail address please).
Your e-mail will be entered into my mailing list and on Christmas day, a winner will be chosen at random. E-mails will be numbered in the order (time stamp) they are received. Closing date is December 24th at midnight Pacific Standard Time. (if you live in a different part of the world, you might want to check http://www.worldtimeserver.com/)

Offer is open to anyone in the world, I will ship worldwide!

Merry Christmas to all!!
Hugs
Tina

In my past life...

.. I must have done something absolutely terrible, horrible.. I must have been a mass murderer of pregnant women or something or a maneater... because this is the only explanation I can give as to why things are so hard for me in THIS life... Just got off the phone with the school ministry. They denied John his school helper... I was in hysterics... and here is the "I want to die now" feeling again...

Stuff..

I am editing my post because as a friend said, a certain someone might read it and this will cause me more trouble. The post has done it's job, I've gotten my thoughts and my troubles out there and I feel better!

Thanks to those who mailed me and stood by me. I've gotten it off my chest, I feel a tad better and I say, let's just get through the Holidays and as they say in Greece, God is gracious, He won't abandon me (I know that already!).

Hugs to all
Tina

Chunkalicious OOAK baby for sale tomorrow!!

A new adorable, CHUNKY baby OOAK is going up for sale tomorrow!!
This adorable baby girl is 8" tall (6" with very bent legs) and is the fattest, chunkiest, baby with the cutest cheeks ever!!
She comes with two outfits, accessories and even a pacifier!!

If you are not on my mailing list, send me an e-mail to tina (at) tinakewy dot com and put "Mailing List" as the subject of your message.
I am really excited about this one, she will make someone a very happy mommy!!

Until tomorrow!
Tina

PS. Oh stop twisting my arm!! Fine, fine... a preview lol :)

Naunitta

As promised here is a post for Naunitta and Nono, my first resin BJDs.
I know I've got my very own style and it might not get accepted in the larger BJD community (like DoA) but it's ok. So, Naunitta and Nono arrived last month! I sold the first Caucasian and Tan Naunitta at the show in Germany and the White a little later, before I even had a chance to photograph the first two :)
I am very pleased with how they turned out, except I wanted the White skin to be more translucent so we changed that later on and I am very happy with how she turned out!!

I am sculpting a sleeping head and fisted hands for the boy and girl bodies so there will be 3 babies: Naunitta (awake, smiling), Nono (making a funny face) and Nanette (sleeping peacefully).
Here is some eye candy for you. I've got 2 more White and two more Caucasian coming if you are interested..and tan...

Still alive and kicking!!

Hi everyone!
I am still alive and kicking, just super duper busy!!
Let's see, I travelled to Germany last month and I was sick... supposedly it was a mild cold except it brought me to my knees for TWO FULL WEEKS!!!

The boys celebrated their 5th birthday on the 14th November! We had a small party at my apartment and it was sweet, nice and wonderful all at once. We only invited 4 other couples with their kids, seriously, we couldn't accommodate more! lol
The next day we headed over to my MIL's where we had a 2nd cake ..

John got his therapy/service dog, a purebred black Labrador (Britanny type) named Pandora.
We've had her for 6 weeks now and she is AMAZING... We have seen great postive changes in John and Cody!! She has settled in beautifully and loves us! She is SO well trained!!! :) She is an ex champion dog (her mother is the World Class Champion) that was retired and put into service.

Her most favorite thing in the world is play ball!! And the best part is, they donated her to us!!! You know who you are, THANK YOU!!!

Oh! And I've got the Naunittas and Nonos!! They came out WONDERFUL in resin, so wonderful you won't believe!! :)
Gotta run, I promised the boys to make Toll House cookies today and I've got to finish this year's Christmas baby (not sure if it will actually BE before Christmas, I started her back in AUGUST!!!!) and finish some other things and decorate the tree today!!
Many hugs to all and have a wonderful Sunday!
Tina

PS. Here is one more pic of Pandora... just because she is so awesome!!

We couldn't get her a top cape because the purpose of a therapy dog is to be touched and petted!! But because she also does service work, she had to wear some kind of harness so we could tie John to her so we got her this for her comfort. The certification tags go on there but there is still room for the child harness to be attached to her and leaves enough of her back free to be petted! And my, she LOVES to be petted... and scratched and played with!!! :)

I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won

I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won,I won!!!
The Colliii award 2010 for best OOAK newborn with baby Khian!!
I would scream but I am too sick and I have now lost my voice....
THANK YOU for your good wishes!!!
Hugs
Tina

Virus

Sorry guys if you haven't heard from me. I came down with this virus yesterday, one day after we got John's service dog home. Yeah didn't tell you about that, did I?
As soon as this blasted fever is down I will write more.
What a week. The boys didn't have school yesterday and today (National Day in Geece) and I am beyond exhausted...and sick... and I've got my, you know... girl thingy.
I want to roll over and sleep for a decade.
I will live I supposed.
Talk to you later!

Naunitta & Nono *Resin Pics*

Ok so TWO posts with cute baby photos in one day?
Wow! :)
Ok so I have about 10 more minutes, I gave myself a break and I wanted to share...(used with permision of course)

Remember my first BJDs to be made in LE Resin? Here are some actual resin pics.
Remember you can order them, I will have 6 for immediate shipping.
(Click to enlarge)

Here you see all three skin tones, white, tan and natural.

A bit of good news!

Hi everyone!!
I have some exciting news to share with you. I entered 3 dolls (OOAKs) to the Colliii Awards this year and all three are Nominees!!!
Thank you all for liking my dolls. There were some AWESOME entries this year, I was so proud to see dear artist friends, some of which I've known for many years and their out of this world creations! I tell you, they blew my mind more than once!!! Way to go girls!!!! :)

So without further ado here you go: (just the two, I can't find my photos for the third one, grrrrr, stupid broken computer!)
Baby Khian (pronounced Key-Anne)
Click to enlarge!

And the portrait of my very own John, as "Early Bird" (he was almost 5 wks early lol). This is actual size in his father's hands. Yes he was that small!! :):)

Wish me luck for the rest of the competition!
And I too wish good luck to my fellow Nominees :)

An update :)

Hi people,
I apologize if I have been lost this past month but the truth is I feel Like I am going through the worst phase of my (personal) life.

Here is a list of what happened to me in September:

1) The school started a committee to get John and Cody away from their school because of their special needs. They don't seem to care where they end as long as they are not in that school (public school and before you ask yes it is illegal and yes we are fighting tooth and nail).

2) John went through the system once more and was formally diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (Autism) as well as his other neurological (CP) and other issues. We now have a VERY formal paper saying our son is special needs... we've had a paper anyway so he could receive services but this is the mother of papers if you'd like.

3) I was in a car accident! Not my fault, a "racer" driver crashed into me... the damage to my (one year old) car was 1100 Euros!! We will eventually get that money back ... eventually is the key word. While in shop, they fried my car battery!! I spent another100 Euros out of pocket to get a new one...

4) My phone's touch pad broke following a short fall... 100 euros to fix it and since I don't have it, I haven't fixed it yet!

5) A doll got lost in the mail... he is held at US customs in NY. It is the second time this happens in 13 years I have been shipping. The first time the doll was delivered after a month btw.
Thankfully the collector (who has been sent all paperwork and has been following/tracking online too) has been wonderful!! :) (Thanks P!!)

6) I need to take care of my dad which I like to do but things are SO difficult, my psychology is hitting rock bottom, I can't even find the courage to get out of bed in the morning. I am terrifier of what I will face during the day.

BTW we filled charges against the teachers.They were calling my boys "babies" in front of everyone.. MY SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS WERE BEING TAUNTED BY THEIR TEACHERS!!! Can you even BELIEVE it?
We are in a race with the government to find help for the boys, secure a special ed teacher and another school (super hard, the laws are idiotic at best).

Through this all we ended up with ZERO money. We drained our (poor) accounts with the car repair, John's 8 doctor's appointments this week, utilities, gas to all those appointments etc.
I desperately need to finish and sell a life size OOAK but honestly, I can't :( I feel so horrible inside... I have been trying, I did get some headway (even by sheer force of will!!) but I need to FINISH something to get us back on our feet a little $$.

Inspite all that, things are work are not bad. All three of the OOAKs I entered at the Colliii are nominated for an award. I would LOVE to win.. I have lost faith in everything, even in my ability to sculpt. :(
Seriouly folks, I have never felt so low... mostly because I thought we caught whatever was wrong with John so early, he would be "like everyone else" when he went to school... yet here we are and though he has come a LOOOONG way, is he like everyone else? No.... he sticks out like a sore thumb... and not only that, nobody is willing to help him in the stupid public system we are in. It is a rotten system :(

I so need a pick me up... I need to get back on my feet. I am a very cheery person.. I am bubbly.. I don't let things drag me down too much or for too long.. this time however... I think it's done me in... it's been a whole month and I am still in a deep dark hole..and not even the sweet smiles of my boys can get me out ... and I worry :(

Autistic

Today was the day we received the final diagnosis for John...
He is Autistic. I wasn't prepared for this. There was a PPD-Nos diagnosis in his chart which was dropped back in March due to improvement by the neurologist but the child psychiatrists after a detailed evaluation are certain he is Autistic...

On the mild side, yes, they talked of Asperger's Syndrome and Fragile X but this is a table turned for us as we need to head in a different direction.

So many bad things have happened to us in September that today I kept thinking "is this when I die?".. I mean how much more can I take psychologically? I feel like an emotional wreck...
I look at him today and think "Autistic" and everything has changed, yet nothing really has.. he is still the boy he was yesterday, right?

I had hoped his issues were of the sensory integration type, I wasn't expecting this diagnosis.. High functioning Autism... sigh...

I SO need a pick me up right about now... please God...something, anything...

Surgeries & car accidents

Surgery Update: My dad pulled through, they had to remove almost all the organs in the belly except kidneys and intestines but he is (presumably) cancer free and predicted to live a long life with a urostomy.

My update: I had my first real car crash this afternoon. The guy in front of me breaked hard, I managed to stop in time but the guy in the back didn't and he crashed into me pushing me onto the guy in front (who took off because he had an illegal thingie on his car).

My new car (well, a year old so NEW) is wrecked front and back... ok not too much but we will need to replace both front and rear fenders. I am shocked and shaky and have a headache but I (think) I don't have a concusion, I feel ok, not sleepy or nauseous.

Also this morning John was signed up as a PSYCHIATRY patient :( He needs help with his behavior and I need help in helping him with behavior.. .my 5 year old sees a psychiatrist :(
I am not doing good girls, I must admit. My own psychology is in the pits. Too much too soon, all at once.

Will write more later.
Thanks for praying for my dad!!
T.

Still surgery...

.. he's been in there for 3 hrs already... how long is too long when removing half a person's organs?
I am only hoping this means the surgeon is dilligent rather than he ran into unexpected findings :(
Please keep praying for my dad!
Thank you, I will update you when I can...

Tomorrow's the day - Prayers appreciated

Tomorrow's the day... My dad is having his cancer removal surgery.
They will for sure remove his bladder and ureter, possibly the prostate and kidney and whatever else the cancer has affected, they are not sure what yet and won't be until they "go in".

Admist all this I have somehow remained functional even if by just barely. I can't imagine my life without my dad. He is the sweetest and most optimistic person on the planet. He does not think of his life afterwards as anything but a pleasure and a victory. He does not care he will have a urine collection bag for the rest of his life, all he is thinking about is he will be pain free and ready to move about...

He just turned 60 a few months ago.
The problem is, he might be able to go back to work but in Greece once you qualify for pension you don't get it right away. There is about 18 months' worth of waiting (don't ask me why, I am not sure, all I know is it is absurd!) before they start pay you... he will need my help financially (and in other ways of course) and this worries me a little because it's not that I don't want to help him... it is just that I might not be able to help him in that respect :(

Anyway, one thing at a time... we will cross that bridge when we get to it...
For now, please storm the Gates of Heaven with your prayer for my dad to make it through surgery and maybe, things won't be so bad in there... and please pray for a complete recovery and a long, full, cancer-free life.

Please forgive me if I am out of touch tomorrow, I am not sure if I will be home at all.
Thanks again!
Tina

Naunitta & Nono

A few years ago I became obsessed with Ball Jointed Dolls. I had seen a couple in the Ahoy Show in the Netherlands and I started researching them.... as usual, it wasn't long until I wanted to make my own... but of course adult dolls didn't really "do" anything for me so I turned to babies (c'mon you are not surprised at all are you?;))

I made my first one in 2007... her name was Miyadorie and I was SO in love with her!!

Now, you must understand that at the time, I had never owned a BJD and I "guessed" about how she was supposed to be. She moved and stood alright, but I hadn't yet figured out how to string such a doll so she had some... ehm, improviations...

I was hooked!! You see, realistic babies are my passion (and my greatest stress) but these BJDs are my FUN!! And I needed some fun... I could sculpt without worrying too much about realism, I could let my (limited I admit) imagination go wild because these were something between an anime cartoon child and a human child...

Then I created Meggie...

Meggie was a baby of about 2... and she was better than my Miyadorie, technically...
Then Mei Li Hua was born...

And she was better than all three :)

And the years passed and recently Harper:

 

And Gigi

... joined the ranks and by then I had figured out everything and no improvisations were made lol :)
I could now sculpt directly in polymer clay and string the dolls without missing a beat...

Except now I wanted one in RESIN.. you know... a real BJD... and over the years I made each one with the hopes of "it" being the correct one to reproduce... and I was looking and looking for someone, anyone to do it but doll companies were either asking a fortune (in the range of thousands) or weren't even answering and those who sculpted and casted did not have time (or wanted?) to do mine :(

But then... I found someone and he had done it before!! And he did not ask for a thousand dolls for the molds... and then again I waited for the right baby to be born... and one Sunday here she was...

And I was desperately in love with this cheeky, full of character little girl and her potential...
The tiniest I had ever gone, just over 4", her face the size of my thumbnail... She brought a smile to my face but most importantly to my heart...

And I can't wait to get her back in resin :)

And not only that... a few days later she got a twin brother. A big step for me to sculpt a face like this but I will tell you what...if he doesn't make you smile, I will refund your money lol :)

(PS this is before I changed her eyes for more realistic ones)

(I must warn you though, this little chunk, eats a LOT, bananas being a favorite!!)

I love baby BJDs... who cares if they not welcome on DOA? lol :)
I love them and can't wait to set up their nursery...

BTW if you make clothes for such tiny babies or furniture please contact me :)

Now tell me, don't they make YOU smile?? :)

Have a great week everyone.. and please keep my dad in your prayer list, he is going back to the hospital tomorrow and I wish I had better news :(

Depressed

Sigh... things have not been going well lately...
First this week wasn't exactly as I expected it... The boys were only kept in school for a few hrs instead of the full schedule...
On Monday (first day) we only stayed for an hour for blessings.
On Tuesday and Wednesday we took them home after two hrs.
On Thrusday and Friday they kept them until 12pm.

Their full schedule is 8.15am to 3.30pm which is what they were on last year as well, except Tuesdays and Thursdays when they have therapy and I must get them at 1.30 for our 2 o'clock class.
So this week went by and a) I couldn't get used to the early wake up (neither can the kids!). I've been DRAGGING all day every day because I am supposed to go to bed at 11pm but since I am not sleepy at 11pm, I end up going to bed at 2am which is my usual...and I get up 6.30am.... and then I am too tired to concentrate on anything during the day.

Today was a rough day. I had a horrible, horrible fight with George. He wanted the boys NOT to be picked up from school at 1.30 but instead push their therapies at 4 (until 6!!). Remember my boys go to bed at around 7.30 to 8, so basically because it "didn't fit his needs" he wanted the boys to be working from 7am to 6pm...
I won after a good hour of screaming and crying which left me with red eyes and drained.

Then my dad who as you remember has cancer, had more tests with a new doctor and they are NOT good :(
God please I don't want you to take my dad!!! Please!!! :( :(

Then today we sterilized our kitten because he was starting to look for females (he is 6m).
Cody had a fit, even though we discussed in advance how Merlin would look and act post surgery. He was howling (Cody not Merlin) that we were killing his "brother" and we had to go back in the Vet's so he could be re-assured by the Vet, his cat would be fine.

I am SO tired and drained today. I want to crawl under a rock.. I am depressed :(

Not even my new BJD can cheer me up :(
(which btw you can pre-order but I will make a post of her own)
Sigh....

School starts! School Starts!!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you're only a day awaaaaay!!

School starts tomorrow!! We have blessings (uhm, a Christian Orthodox thing) at 9.30 am and we will "pop in" to meet our teacher and say hi... then we go home. And then Tuesday they go in full day...
I reckon I won't get much done tomorrow but come Tuesday, I am planning big :)

Oh and after 3 days of relentless pain and careful juggling of pain medication, anti-inflamatories, protective pills for the stomach (because I already have one ulcer from stress), binding my wrist and just moaning and groaning and not sleeping, today I feel much better! The swelling has gone down, my elbow is semi-bending now and I must have gotten at least 5 solid hrs of sleep last night! YAY FOR ME!!! :)

Oh and my PC broke down AGAIN... but this time I think I got it figured out. It was the graphics card all along because it finally died 2 days ago, the next day I went to the PC stock house and got a cheapie one and now said PC (his name is Orion btw) works FINE!!!

Still, I can see an upgrade is in my future. Since June one by one things have been failiing in my PC (remember I've already replaced a Hard Drive, fans and now the graphics card) ... I will think about that later!

Hope you all have a great Sunday!
Tina

Death by mosquito bite...

OMGosh, you can't believe the pain I am in right now!!
You see, I am deathly allergic to mosquitoes... I haven't always been... it started last year, when each mosquito bite would turn into an ugly welt... then this year, I am even more allergic, each bite growing and growing until it is the size of a small plate on my skin.

Two days ago I got bitten several times... one of them, right in the elbow joint. My arm is burning hot, red and angry. I can't bend my elbow very well and did I mention the PAIN??
I didn't get a wink of sleep last night!

My arm is so swollen, not enough blood gets to my hand and my fingers are tingling... It's one of those "please kill me now" moments...
Yesterday, while the welt wasn't quite so big as today and when I still had use of my arm, I got a migraine which is super common for me.
Because the only pills that work (Excedrin Migraine), kill my stomach I had to chose between treating my ever growing migraine OR my ever growing welts, because you know, the OTHER pill that I could take, an anti-inflamatory, ALSO kills my stomach. And I picked the migrain... BIIIIIG mistake... because my stomach was ok BUT I didn't get a wink of sleep.
I couldn't get comfy and I went numb several times.

As I am writing this, I have taken the anti-inflamatory this morning... it killed my stomach. I really wanted to RIP IT OUT (the stomach)... I was semi-ok for about 8 hrs and now the drug was left my system and I won't get a wink of sleep tonight either.
Ice only helps for a little while and now my fingers are going numb too..
Curse you mosquitoes!!!

(oh and btw wanna hear a good one? The doctor said "take an anti-inflamatory and REST"... HA!!!! Rest! HAHAHAHAHA... Doctors are SO stupid... I've got two small kids and a big kid (hubby) and it's the weekend tomorrow.. Rest... yeah right... I can hear them already "Pancakes mommy! Toast mommy! Coffee honey! What are you cooking for lunch honey? Will you take the kids out? Will you go to the fresh produce market? Sorry I can't help, I need a nap, be a good wifey and do everything like you always do...)