For all you ART lovers---ATC's

Well gang as many of you know that read this blog I am just GAGA over ATC's (Artists Trading Cards) ever since our Everything Oz club did them I have been hooked big time and been signing up for swaps left and right.

Right now I belong to 3 sites they are:

ATC's For All-----http://www.atcsforall.com/
ATC Newbies-----http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ATCnewbies/
ATCs For Everyone----http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ATCs_4_Everyone/

So for you I am going to share some of my lovlies........This first set is for "Snowflakes" for ATC's For All

This second was for a swap I though I had signed up for and I had not and then when I saw the rules I didn't follow them either talk about blonde moment--so these are available for teh time being till they find a home....

Some things

I want to start with what happening here.....Well yesterday was really rough here, as in my hands were really bad. One of the worst days I have had in a few weeks. The soreness , tingling, burning and loss of feeling was through the roof! Add into this mix some really intense trembling--think sever Parkinson's and you get the visual idea.

I wasn't able to get much done at all and actually just to get my mind off of it for a while went and saw the Christmas decorations at our local mall. I know there isn't anything anybody can do about it but at times it does get to be a little much.

I also don't want people who read this blog to think by any means that I am bragging about the new "Oz or Judy" items I am getting because that is not my intention.

1#. I want people to enjoy seeing my collection. I have even had someone ask to show pictures of the room I have this stuff set up in, which I may do.

2#. I want people to realize what is out there. When I started I had no idea what was available and some of it as inexpensively as I have gotten it. There seemed to be so many sites talking about other collectibles but very few Oz sites and even fewer Judy sites.

3#. Finally I wanted to share in my joy, the fun and the excitement of the "hunt " and the "find" of the items I get. I know --as some friends have pointed out--I am obsessed with Judy to the point it is a little well as they said "weird". But I am hoping that those of you who love Oz and Judy as much as I do understand exactly where I am coming from.

So with those things in mind-- I got yesterday in the mail--courtesy of E-bay Original Sheet music from "Thousands Cheer" and the song believe it or not is called "I Dug A Ditch In Wichita" lyrics by Lew Brown and Ralph Freed and music by Burton Lane. This movie is now on my list of movies to see--as I have not.

And I finally got around to watching my other purchase with my baby sitting money "Easter Parade'. Now granted I have seen this before but it was nice as there was the extra added bonus features which I had not including an interview with Fred Astaire's daughter! Very cool to say the least.


The other thing I wanted to add was the ending where Judy is in that great hat and dress--is that friend of mine Micheal Siewert owns that dress and had it at the Oz Festival. It was one of the dresses I actually got to handle. Anyway at the end of the movie during that scene I was just crying and crying and crying--simply because it hit me I was that close to Judy--having Judy if you will in my hands.

I wouldn't know what I would do if I owned that dress like Michael does, I would probably be crying all the time . Hell I would be crying even if it was say a scrap of it . But I am grateful to Michael who does the "festival circuit" and shows the masses those dresses. Michael if your reading this WE--Judy's fans--LOVE YOU for it.

Some things

I want to start with what happening here.....Well yesterday was really rough here, as in my hnads

A doggie update and other stuff

Sorry gang it has been a few days since posting but it has been very busy since Thursday of last week as my newest dog--Toto. She had her jaw finally fixed. The vet said it was broke about 8 months and the jagged bones you have when a break occurs were rubbed smooth, which will make the healing process longer.

The main vein that supplies blood to the teeth was also severed so she lost a lot of teeth on the right side. The muscles on the side that was broke are all extended and the side that wasn't are all tight because it was broke for so long, but that wil change now that it is fixed.

I was so mad at the previous owner I could have just spit. She is on medication and IV fluid once a day but surpisingly she is doing very well. But I have also kept a very close eye on her too

As far as my newest items to my collection go I bought last week--ordered actually "Pigskin Parade" from Best Buy and finally got a chance to sit down and watch it. It was one of the items I bought with the money I earned Baby sitting. IT was Jud's very first film role to speak of and was released in 1936 which was 3 years before Oz. What was a nice added bonus was the reproduction lobby cards included with the DVD. It was again one of Judy's movies I HAD NEVER seen.

The second item was courtesy E-bay--you have to love them--a December 1945 issue of "Movie Star Parade" with Our Judy on the cover, inside is a delightful two page story about "The Harvey Girls". The magazine is very fragile as some of the pages tear easily and are browned but what a wonderful find for me wish I had paid the original fifteen cents!!



Finally the last piece I am going to post about today is original 1947 Sheet Music from "Easter Parade"----"It Only Happens When I Dance With You" starring Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford and Ann Miller. Again this was in thanks to E-bay and for I might add a song and a dance--ba dump bump

Ok, now after seeing this I REALLY HAVE TO GO "Over the Rainbow" if partial nudity is not your thing be forwarned! But gosh these guys are gorgeous!!!

42 years----

Well gang its here my 42nd birthday and to be honest with you I seem more depressed this year than the last two years. I was the only one at 24 who with a group of friends who found out we had AIDS, who lived to see 40. I seem to be wondering this year more than others why? I didn't think it wasn't so much of an issue the last two years as I have been so grateful just to have lived this long--gosh I need a shrink.

I did have this incredible dream last night though where I got to meet and speak with JUDY!!! It was this private intimate thing in a room, which may have been her home but we talked about her concerts, her movies, her life, her children and how saddened she was to see so many people suffering and dying from AIDS. She was so warm and funny and held my hand most of the time we talked.

The dream changed and I was in her London home very shortly after she died--the same day even I think and Mickey Deans has asked a few of her closeest and dearest friends--me one of them --to the house to have a few of her things. I had shoes, dresses, purses, hats and even jewelry. The dress in the dream I remember most is this red one with MArabou feathers at the bottom she wore at her last concert in Copenhagen.

The dream changed again and I was in Campbell's Funeral Home and Joe Luft (as a child) was holding my hand as we walked toward the casket , my sobbing uncontrollably, as we reached the point were I could almost see in I woke up.

I was in a cold sweat--almost like night sweats and crying, then all of a sudden out of the middle of no where at 2:30 in the morning I heard Judy singing "What Will I Do"



It was as if Judy was saying---Happy Birthday Kid!

Legally Blonde and new acquisitions

Well gang Jim and I saw "Legally Blonde: The Musical"last night, it is part of our season tickets to Cleveland Playhouse that we bought late last year. Even if they were the cheap seats and we are still making the payments on the package, the show as a whole was just incredible and wonderfully funny. We also did the pre-show and after show talks as well which gave incredible information about the show. If it comes to your area I highly recommend it!

As far as some of my newest acquisitions to my growing Judy Garland/Wizard of Oz collection--they are from E-bay as I have been slowly selling some of my dolls on E-bay as well. I know I should pocket the money but I just love Judy so!

The first piece is an original 1963 Movie poster from "A Child Is Waiting" which stars Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland. Judy plays a teacher for Mentally Retarded children, one only a few serious roles she played. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the movie as of yet but it is on my list of MUST sees.

The next piece is a China plate which is the second in the "Celebrity Clowns" Series from an original painting by Jon Helland It is numbered 3432 of 12,500 plates by American Heritage Fine China It measures approx. 10 1/4" in diameter.

I have done a new painting, actually a caricature of Judy which I have to photograph and post here, it is hanging in my "Judy Shrine" as Jim calls it and there is also a new yellow rose Christmas wreath hanging on the door to the room as Yellow Roses was Judy's favorite. Well till next time......

Newest items and other news

Well we here in Ohio have had a few snow flurries and for us--being Jim and I-- we haven't any real snow stick to speak of. However where my mom and dad live in the heart of the snow belt they have had 9 inches already!

Work wise things have been very busy, babysitting the neighbor boys has kept me busy as well and got $70 in my pocket. Will be sharing over the next few days what I bought with it--four guesses what it involves .

I am going to be honest here and say that my collecting Judy has really become an obession--there is not a day that goes by where I do not find myself thinking about her, watching part of one of her movies I own or listening to her CD's or even even humming one of her songs. I know its going to be a love affair that will last till I die. There is just something that draws me closer and closer--I just want to know her everyway I can.


Some of my newest items to my ever growing collection is the DVD movie Judgement of Nuremburg starring Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, Judy of course, Maximilian Schell and Montgomery Clift.



Judy has maybe only 6 or 7 minutes on screen but in my opinion it is one of the most powerful performances given. She palys a Haus Frau who as a girl was accussed of having an intimate affair with a Jewish man. The man was killed for it, even though it was not true.


The second piece is what I would call a "program" of photographs and story that may have been available at Judy's concerts. This item Jim actually bought me for my birthday. It has 16 pages and 45 amazing photographs, some of which I have never seen before.

I ask that you all join me tomorrow praying as my newest dog Toto goes to have surgery one her jaw--somewhere along the way the previous owner broke her jaw. The surgery involves them wiring the bone back together. She will be at the vet overnight before she comes home to her daddies. Well gang till tomorrow---I'm always chasing rainbows--especially to techno music!

Another movie addition to my small but growing collection of Judy movies. Starring Jimmy Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner. "Ziegfeld Girl" was released in 1941.

Judy plays the role of the born in a trunk vaudevilian, a role that was very close to here own life. What was a wonderful surprise was the intorduction by the ever popular and handsome John Fricke--a man I can call friend! It is nice that anytime I want I can pop in the DVD and see and hear John and won't have to wait till September 20009 for the Wizard Of Oz Festival to do so.

This makes another movie in the Judy repoitire that I had not seen since before and now having seen it it is one of my favorites because of the incredibly beautiful costumes in this movie. Everybody knows how this boy just loves his costumes! Direct from the movie-- a samll taste of what you are in for!!

Palladium and other news

Well I want to start off by saying I am sorry it has been a few days since posting but it has been very busy here--house work, the class I am in, and babysitting the neighbor boys who are 6 and 8. I also want to ask that you all keep me in your prayers as I fell again last night, this time in the kitchen. It was another one of those dizzy fainting spells and i am hoping it isn't anything to serious.

April 5th, 1951 Judy arrives in London to perform her first comeback. April 9th, 1951 Judy opens her new show which is performed twice nightly with Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

Whilst no newcomer, it had been a number of years since Judy had been in a variety show (vaudeville). On The bill with Judy were Max Bygraves, Bedini Troupe, Frances Duncan, and The Debonaires. Judy is pictured here back-stage for her 1st Night in 1951.
After the overture, Judy swept onto the stage. Full of nervous energy, Judy twirled round, slipped and fell over, falling onto her bottom. In subsequent performances Judy was confident and strode on. She opened with "Here I Am", followed by songs Judy had sang in her films, and a couple of "new" songs: "Love Is Sweeping The Country" and "Limehouse Blues". A tremendous success Judy thrilled the packed house, time after time to wild applause. Judy was at the Palladium for 4 weeks.

I only mention all of this as one of my newest items I added to my collection courtesy of E-bay is the program from that concert. For me it is a piece of history and Judy at the top of her game.

Okay I know this isn't from 1951 but I couldn't find anything on Youtube frm then so hopefully this will give you a sense of the magic.

For Me and My Gal

Well I went out yesterday and bought "For Me and My Gal" on DVD for myself for my birthday on the 16th of this month and actually sat and watched it earlier today--first time I had ever seen it. What was hard for me to imagine was that the swimsuit number with Judy and the outfit she wore, Michael Siewert owns that outfit adn I actually got to hold it in my fingers. Watching the movie in that part I actually cried, that I was that close to Judy--my idol.

I have some other new things Judy related I am getting in the next few days courtesy of E-bay--you have to love them honestly you do. Of course I will share them here with all of you. I can say too everything here lately I have bought has been because of dolls I have sold on E-bay, whichcomes in nice as it isn't really money out of pocket

This piece was an E-bay buy as well and for a song and a dance and I only bought it because of the beautiful artwork on the envelope as I already have a first day issue, but it was that wonderful artwork that sold me as they say.



Now don;t forget to buy your War Bonds!

Newest ATC's

This set was done for the "ATC's for All Group" and the theme was Vintage Trash to Treasure so my cards included Antique photos, antique lace, antique page from a book, brads, yarn, ribbon, peral, clear pop dots, Japanese paper, Modge Podge and I think the most clever was teh portrait f Bette Davis in Black and white that is on the sheets of Postage stamps right now!

OK these three are ATC's of course and for the "ATC's For All Group" I belong to the theme for this swap was "Self Portrait"--which I guess you would call these except these guys have hair--and I doon't . They are hand drawn and done in colored pencil and marker.

Happy Halloween

In the spirit of Halloween--Judy singing a classic from Halloween. Oh, by the way would you believe only ONE "Dorothy" this year for trick or treat!

more snow in the sky and a Lion Among Men

Well gang it is official Winter is here at least in Ohio! We woke up to snow this morning--nothing on the ground as it was so wet from teh rain a few days ago but snow on the car, on the roof and on trees--- It did look pretty while it lasted but I also know we are in for the long haul. Leats hope I am not sick the entire winter season like last year!

Well I also finished "A Lion Among Men" by Grgory Maguire the third book in the Wicked years and I have to say I LOVED every second of it. If curse words aren't your cup of tea this may not be for you as there were a few. I also recommend you read teh other 2 previous books first as you maybe some lost if you don't. For me though there were some very open questions that needed answered. I'll leave them unmentioned you go out and buy and read the book as well .

I do want to share one of my more favorite passages though...........

"Yeild up your souls
To singe the air.
Yeild up, and mount the heavenly stair.
Yeild up, yeild up,
You're almost there.
You've dropped your bones in the sod.
Yeild up, yeild up, yeild up your souls
To the darksome, nameless dissappearance:
The heart of the Unnamed G-d"

Hopefully Gregory has another "Wicked" book or two in him as I said I still have unanswered questions from all three books. He has written other fairytale stories as well and the ones I have read are very good indeed.

Mickey and Judy Again

Well believe it or not gang, today here in Ohio I saw my first ittsy, bitsy--teenie weenie snowflakes! UUUGGGHHHH--run screaming towards the hills . Saturday by the way was our 5th anniversary and we spent it at the neighbors Halloween party--we had so much fucn--they have this huge bash every year. Tons of food, tons of booze and lots of fun, of course the more fun the drunker we get .

Been slowly turning my sewing room into my Oz/Judy Room and even took out my sewing machine and table, right now it is in the lving room but that may change before Christmas.

The cold has played some havoc on my hands of course but so far no huge difference. I go Thursday for an eye check up and I can almost guarantee I am going to need new glasses it been like 4 yers since my last check up and doing this counted cross stitch winter project has been a little harder than normal--a real sign I need new glasses.

The top is a small flyer for I believe "Strike Up the Band" and in Spanish, I had to have it as I have never seen anything like it before. It is also dated June 17, 1944 on the back. Have to try to find a frame for it.

This second is a bit bigger actually 8x10 I believe and for the Detroit Roosevelt Theatre--this is the real deal and no copy!! Wish I could find a movie now for 10 cents! Well gang Me and "Jude's"--Mickey's pet name for Judy-- are going to go put a show on

2,512 hits and other stuff

Well somehow this little blog has hit the 2,512 reader mark which I thought would never come--maybe the new format is helping some ---so thank you all for reading.

I want to share my newest Oz item in my collection, it is the German edition of "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire. A nurse JIm works with at the nursing home went to Germany on vacation saw these and thought of me instantly, bought it and GAVE IT to me!!!! Have to love that! Anyhow the text inside is all in German and what makes this even more unique is the did away with the beautiful illustrations between the sections like they have in the USA version. In German if you can't make out the title is "Die Hexon von Oz".

I also want to share my newest ATC's for the ATC's For All Swap--Christmas Swap-- mine are made from antique Christmas cards from the 1950's, markers, an antique book page, embossing powder, Liquid Applique, glitter paper and regular card stock. I think they turned out really nice.

I asks you keep me in your prayers the medicaions I am on for the AIDS the last 3 days has made me really sick--which is standard-- but it has taken a lot out of me as well. Hopefully I will feel better this weekend.

Politics with a WICKED twist

Ok I just HAD TOO--both of these are just absolutely hysterical-----

New ATC's posted, a new Judy item and other stuff

Well gang the last few days have been very busy for me with the usual doll stuff for customers (yawn, giggle, rolling my eyes) housework, and then my ATC or Artist Trading card addiction. The newest ones are for the ATC's For All group and the theme was Marie Antoinette.

My cards were all hand drawn, markers, ribbons, emobssing powder, antique book pages, stamp pads and varnish----whew what a list! Personally though this set is some of my favorite work I have done recently for the swaps and I am really looking forward to getting cards back. I am currently working on Christmas themed ATC and recreated Antique Christmas postcards--where you take either
actual antique Christmas postcards, cards or clip art from online 2-4 of them, your favorite parts put them back together in a new arrangement and add the stuff like you would do on an ATC card.

My other idea in this regard is doing the same idea on a canvas for it to become a wall hanging and I have one in the starts that should be fun if it all works out.

My newest Judy item is a December 1945 Screen Romance Magazine with "Our Darling" Judy on the fromt and a great inside spread on her newest movie---"The Harvey Girls". This was bought off E-bay and is the whole darn issue fo the magazine--the fashions gang are incredible. It is also my first full color photo of Judy on a magazine issue that I have and with the amount selling some things on E-bay I had to have it for what the neighbor calls my "Judy Shrine"---she should Michael Siewart and his shrine of dresses!

Today was also the first real hospital visits our care and comfort class made at Akron General and I am happy to report it went VERY well. I am more than likley will be taking the full fledge Chaplain class when they offer it again.

New Art work post for a new friend

Well a new online friend asked me to post some of my newest art work and addiction other than Judy which isn't easy to do .

They are called ATC's or Artist Trading Cards and it started about a year ago when we did a swap in The Everything Oz group. There original cards that you make that measure 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 which is the size of a playing card. You make them generall with a teme, send them to the host and then she/he mixes them up and you get back the same number of cards you make. Most swaps are three cards. These are the two sites I belong too....... http://www.atcsforall.com/ and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ATCnewbies/. The ideas are coming a little easier now and I am learning some new techniques so I willposting time from time some of the cards I am making. Hopefully you will enjoy them.

This first set was done for "ATC's For All" and the theme was "Vote for a Silly Campaign". So my cards took a feminine twist to them and were more fun than Silly.

I used rubber stamps, markers, newsprint, vellum paper, stickers that I cut out to look "not like stickers" and ink. These were the very first cards I did for ATC"s For All" and I used some new techniques I had not used before I felt they turned out very well.

The next set was "People are People" and was also for "ATC"s For All" and this time around I used antique photographs some of which I trimmed to look like cut outs, rubberstamps, newsprint, ink, cut out stickers, vellum paper, markers and cloth paper. These I though were just stunning. Hopefully all of you who read this will love these cards as much I did making them.

And here is the deal I will make I will make you ATC cards in exchange for either ATC cards you make with a Wizard of Oz theme or a Judy Garland theme--the Judy cards could be her movies, words from her songs or even something you come up with out of the blue. I know I would love getting them and I wil mkae my cards to your requests. Hopefully I will have some takers :)

In the mean time my cold is some better but I still sound horrid and today was spent getting my check up with the dentist, teeth cleaning and I am happy to report I had one very small cavity which he fixed while I was there.

I also moved a small table downstairs to set up a small craft area so I can craft and listen to tv and not have to drag the dogs upstairs as much when I do work on dolls. It looks nice and I did re-arrange some furniture.

Well gang till next time.

Sunday post and a start of a cold

Well gang I know I promised to show off my winter project from last year which is the quilt I made with an Oz theme. Some of you, who read this blog may have seen it at "The Wizard Of Oz Festival" as I took it with me, it seemed only fitting.
It took a little bit to get all the pictures, and then resize theme so I could use them in the blog but I am now going to show them off. I started this in October of last year and finished shortly before Easter of this year.

Keep in my mind part of this time frame I was very ill last year and this quilt was really the only thing I was working on at the time. It took what little energy I had to do this much. The blocks are all hand embroidered, and the top was "pieced" by machine but the quilting was all done by hand as well.

I have not been able to master "massive machine quilting" as of yet but I also think that the hand quilting adds a very nice and personal touch to the piece.

The blocks are for the most part iron on transfers I took to the library and enlarged and then traced off unto paper. To make the quilt not quite queen size.

The Glinda block, the wizard in the ballon block and the Wizard of Oz with Franks name and publishing date though were all hand drawn and not iron on's or from tracings. I did that to come up with the number of blocks I did and for it to be uniform and tell the whole story if you will.

Once the "Strip were sewn to the blocks and the figures either drawn or traced I embroidered them. LIke I said mostly sick this entire time I would sit and watch movies and sew these blocks till I went and laid done from sheer exhaustion. I think it was what kept me going last year, to see this quilt put together.

Once all of the "character embroidery" was done the blocks then were sewn together by machine. I also want to point out that every bit of fabric, thread, batting and needles I used were all on sale and all in all I think I have about $95 in materaials invested into this--its the time though. that makes this piece a labor of love.

Once all of the blocks were sewn together I felt the quilt lacked something in a major way and I them decided to embroider words from movie and the books into the light solid green strips. The embroidery was done in a dark green and were all hand written by me.

So here is what is embroidered around each block........

1). The title block--- "Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who wasa farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmers wife... This of course is from the book "Wizard of Oz" and is the very first words.

2).The tornado block--- "The house began to switch, the house to pitch, and suddenly the hinges to started to unhitch. Just then, the witch to .... from the movie--the words alternate back and forth through out.

3). Glinda block- "Glinda, the good of Oz sat in the grand court of her maids a hundred of....

4). Munchkin block-- "Come out, come out where ever you are and meet the young lady who...

5). Dorothy with Scarecrow block-- "There was a great corn field beyond the fence, and not faraway she saw a scarecrow placed high on a pole...

6). Tinman block-- " When a man's an empty kettle, He should be on his mettle, and yet I'm torn apart, just because I'm presumin' that I....

7). The Lion block-- " The cowardly lion of Oz paced to and fron on the wide veranda of the loviest palace in Oz, it....

8). The Wizard Block-- "We're off to see the Wizard the wonderful Wizard of Oz , We here he is a whiz of a wiz, If ever a...:

9). Dorthy and Toto on YBR Block-- "They came to herw willingly, and Dorothy passed her hands over their faces and forms and decided one....

10). Wicked Witch Standing block-- "I thought you said she was dead, that was her sister the Wicked Witch of the East , this is the....

11). Wicked Witch Melting block-- "The witch shreiked in disbelieve, in panic that now the world should twist so, offending ....

12). Wizard in Balloon block-- "Somewhere over the rainbow way up high there's a lnad that I heard of once in a...."

Yesterday here was just beautiful and my parents with my brother and nephew all went to Sharon Pennsylvania to Kraynak' as they have this huge Christmas tree display from about early october to January 1st and it has become a family tradition for us for years to go. http://kraynaks.com/ Any how Jim was working that day so we went to lunch as well and Shane--that's my brother bought me a Dorothy and Lion music box while there which I will have to take pictures of.

The leaves were in that section of Ohio and Pennsylvania were in there peak and the day was just gorgeous beyond words. Somewhere along the way I think I caught a horrid cold, my chest aches, my muscles are throbbing and I sound like some cowboy reject from some old John Wayne movie--kids it ain't pretty .

Today was spent fairly much miserable and if it is the cold Jim had It is going to last about a week. Thursday night Jim and I went to see "A Chorus Line" which kicked off the season at he Clevalnd Play House to which we have this year season tickets. It was my first time seeing it on stage versus the movie version and it was wonderful. We also did the pre-talk before the performance and the after talk and got to meet some of the cast--wish they gave autographs but oh well.

Our next tickets are to "Legally Blonde" the play not the movie but I am sure there will be some comparisions. Until next time enoy the rest of the photos and the Youtube post.