MacGregor Stewart Ross McBain

Mac Gregor Stewart RRRoss Mac Bain’s adventure begins and ends prrrrrretty much the same everrrrry day. Being strrrrrongly attracted to plaid, he rrrresearches his ancestry for hours, scourrrrring books.

Lunchtime might find him rrrrelaxing with his favorrrrrrite set of bagpipes, pounding out a tune to beat the band.

Dinnerrrrrrr brings him to his favorite meal, Scotch Whiskey.

But being the fine Scotsman he is, his tolerrrance is unserpassable, therrrrrreforrrre Mac Grrregor Mac Bain still has plenty of rrreserrve to sachet up to his favorrrite Bonnie Lassie.

New year's baby!

 Here is an original “Happy New Year” baby doll given to me by my Mother, when I was young. (What was she thinking?!?!) He hails from Germany and comes equipped with a very happy new year baby’s authentic parts!

So for want of an effectively appropriate name, I shall call him.....Peter! 

Little Peter, the New Year’s Baby!

Little Peter is a very happy baby, even though he was born with a bad permanent wave.

See him playing in the new year’s snow...

See him taking his new year’s bath.....

See him making his new year’s resolutions:

                                                                                                       To get more exercise...

To eat less sweets.....

Stiller nacht my Little Peter.

Dutmer's Doll-A-Day

Here lies Mother's old doll cabinet, chalked FULL of dolls from all over the world. Tucked away among the relics are dolls as old as my Mother (88 yrs.); some maybe older, many younger,  some handmade by members of the family, others handmade by a tribe member, or just cheap trash picked up along Mom's travels.
My 2011 plan is to post a doll a day, give it a little life and personality, and straighten up the crowed doll cabinet. My daughter was supposed to inherit these, as I inherited them, but all of her life, she thought of the cabinet as a "scarey" place. So, many of the dolls will be for sale. If they are, it will say at the end of the blog. Since I'm not PayPal savvy, if you are interested in a doll for sale, you'll have to email me.

cra-z-rtist@charter.net
Hope you have a very prosperous, fortuitous, fulfilling new year, and please enjoy Dutmer's Doll-A-Day!-Nancy

Meet Millicent K. Spivey. She hails originally from Great Britain, but her heart, body and soul reside on Long Island. 

Milly’s Charleston fetish grabbed hold of her New Year’s Eve, and perpetuated well into the bewitching hours, leaving Milly with aching feet and a pounding head.

 Champagne, being her drink of choice, flowed like Niagara Falls last evening, and I’m quite sure Milly made a fool of herself at least once or twice draped on visiting Yale upperclassmen, swinging from the chandelier, and romping atop a platter of grapes trying to make “wine.”  

Obviously, Millicent celebrated hardily this New Year’s Eve past, and is paying for her frivolity with a long New Year’s Day nap and a cold compress. No doubt she will be up and about later in the day preparing herself for the next party, which promises to be more satisfying than the last. Milly is single, prefers it that way, and is, most assuredly for sale this New Year’s Day, 2011. Bidding begins at $15.99.

                                                                                           To bid on a Doll A Day doll, send an email to cra-z-rtist@charter.net.

Dutmer's-Doll-A-Day, New Year, 2011!

Meet Millicent K. Spivey. She hails originally from Great Britain, but her heart, body and soul reside on Long Island. 

Milly’s Charleston fetish grabbed hold of her New Year’s Eve, and perpetuated well into the bewitching hours, leaving Milly with aching feet and a pounding head.

 Champagne, being her drink of choice, flowed like Niagara Falls last evening, and I’m quite sure Milly made a fool of herself at least once or twice draped on visiting Yale upperclassmen, swinging from the chandelier, and romping atop a platter of grapes trying to make “wine.”  

Obviously, Millicent celebrated hardily this New Year’s Eve past, and is paying for her frivolity with a long New Year’s Day nap and a cold compress. No doubt she will be up and about later in the day preparing herself for the next party, which promises to be more satisfying than the last. Milly is single, prefers it that way, and is, most assuredly for sale this New Year’s Day, 2011. Bidding begins at $15.99.

                                                                                           To bid on a Doll A Day doll, send an email to cra-z-rtist@charter.net.

Dec 29, 2010

rain drizzling. had to help my husband get into bed. last night with our daughter in home town. celebrating. big chevy truck. the interior seemed like a vintage chevy. large. i came home alone, after putting my husband to bed. i went back to the bar. celebrated till I was tired.
 streets quiet. I felt the loneliness of the world.

Christmas in 2010

Thanks be to all who helped us celebrate our "global" christmas.  (Actually Milwaukee, WI and Rockford, IL). It 's not often we are on the road during these holidays, and although we didn't have that down home feeling, waking to open presents secretly stored beneath the Christmas tree, we got to spend time with far away relatives and people we truly adore!

 New Year's a comin', and I will be busily hacking away on the computer posting Dutmer's-Doll -A-Day, a daily adventure from Mother's beloved doll collection which has once again, become my beloved doll/dust/collection. Please tune in and spread the love!-Nancy

Welcome back...Nancy

I have had quite a siesta from blogging! I guess I fell off the world, but I am climbing back on. Actually, I owned my own business, and I didn't realize how time consuming it was until I closed it.

Coming the first of the year from this very sight is going to be a fun daily blog on a collection of dolls I inherited from my Mother. I will take you through their history, present day activities and mishaps. I don't think you'll have to be a doll lover to follow along. Just tune in and come along for the ride!!!!!

Here's a preview from the blog of Millicent K. Spivey, our New Year's doll:


Champagne, being her drink of choice, flowed like Niagara Falls last evening, and I’m quite sure Milly made a fool of herself at least once or twice draped on visiting Yale upperclassmen, swinging from the chandelier, and romping atop a platter of grapes trying to make “wine.”  

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl...no biggy to me, I am not a football fan. My son, on his way out the door to a party mentioned, "I hope they have food there."
My partner (aka x-husband/new lover), said, "Don't worry there will be food. The women work all day cooking."
Then Loch, my son replied, "Mom doesn't."
HOW APPROPO! Not only don't I cook for Super Bowl, I don't participate..(as you see, I am on the computer blogging instead.)
I have occasionally been noted to watch the half time entertainment, but "The Who" doesn't trip my trigger anymore than the game. I know, I grew up in that era and should be overjoyed to watch "The Who" but you must now get SOME idea of what makes me tick since I don't like football. I don't belong with the normals...I prefer the abnormals....the artists, musicians and actors.

Friday, I had a meltdown. I hadn't painted in the studio for 4 days. I was back to 'normal' income, which is dog grooming, and because of that, I can't get to the studio since I have to go home and feed the troupes plus involve myself in any other side venture I participate in (yoga, zumba). I told John (the partner), through my tears, that I couldn't be Woman of the year because I was really an artist, and right now, a frustrated one! It was very mary Tyler Moore-ish. aka Laura Petri
We formulated a compromise and Sunday, today, was supposed to be my day for real quality, quiet time painting! But instead.....

I have spent all day wrestling cigarette-smoke-grimed antiques that I received FREE form a friend who is a realtor who said, "Everything left in the house will be tossed, so let's go get it!"  I created my karma. I was hoping to spend the day in the studio working on the latest painting, but instead, I was washing, scrubbing, polishing, and pricing estate sale 'junk' (?) Someone will buy some of it. I have an antique store, you see.
The store has finally gotten under control and was looking rather artsy as opposed to  cluttered and junky, and I was real proud. Yep, real proud. Then I got the call for estate left overs. Now I have to find SOMEPLACE to put all this stuff until the tourists, (God love 'em), rally forth to take it all away. I really wanted to get away from antiques and more into the funky and the arty, but a scavenger is a scavenger. I inherited the curse from my parents.
My Mom's philosophy: Don't throw anything out. (She was a kindergarten teacher utilizing every bit of recycled goods we could en mass for art projects in class).
My Dad's philosophy: How can you pass up boxes of junk at auction when their only .50? (He discovered auctions after retirement).
Monday: back to the shop to find a nook and cranny for all freebies, and then I promise myself, back to the studio to paint!!!

Gone too long

Wow,
Time has flown since Dec. 26, 2009, my last blog. I can't say that I have been overwhelmed with work, just taking a step back to survey the world, I guess.
Always continuing to push painting. I get about 45 minutes to an hour to paint these days. I want 4-8. There is always something that pulls me away from what I think will be my final destination, which is my art. Need less distraction and more discipline.  Work on that, Nancy, won't you? Sure Nanc, I'm on it!

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