Day One in Tulsa. Central Collie Club Specialty

We left for Tulsa this afternoon.  Vans laden down with unnecessary stuff to maintain Life and to maintain the Collie Coat.

Our hotel is Wonderful!  We've got a suite of rooms with more room than we need! 

Each of us has her own bedroom/bathroom.

That's Brenda's Jeremy, cking out my digs....

And then there's a livingroom/eating area between the two bedrooms......

What's that on top of the refrigerator, you ask....

Only about 80 chocolate vaginas....But there's more to that detail in a later post....Suffice it to say that I need to get some new friends....

James finds the coolest place in the suite to lie down....He is SUCH a Collie!

Once we were unloaded and all our suitcases emptied, we headed for the Central Collie Club Specialty at the Raddison Hotel on 41st and Garnett.

Nigel showed Beautifully....but did not win, place, or show....But, as always, it is so much fun to just BE at a dog show in and amongst the fuzzies and all that it takes to make the "so." 

Our Norwegian friends showed up, right as bitches were being shown.  They went NUTZ taking pictures and exclaiming over all the pretty dogs, declaring that our Nigel was, by far, the most handsome of the lot.  But, of course, theirs was not the opinion of the judge, so we did not take away a ribbon this time.

Brenda looked so pretty in her liddle red jacket and black pants....

Afterwards, we took the Norwegians to supper at the Cracker Barrel. They were Thrilled at the down home, country cookin, and loved every bite.  Of course, while we were waiting for our order, they had to shop in the gift shop area, and found lots of treasures...

Marianne had a 1/2 pound hamburger, and she was excited to tackle such a big job!!!  I Must say she did us all proud, devouring every morsel, french fries as well....

Afterwards, we sat outside while Jorunn finished up her shopping.  I shared my Tootsie Roll with everyone, and we laughed and giggled like girls...

We got back to our hotel around 9 pm. Fed the dogs (they, too, had hamburger meat tonight!), and walked for about a mile. Back inside with a glass of wine and some Girl Scout mint chocolate cookies, a warm bath (Brenda has it Quite Chilly in here....My sister Sherry would heartily approve), and a little Kombucha Tea.  Life is good.  Collies strewn all around us....

Until tomorrow. 

xoxoox

CCA....BEfore it "Officially" begins......

Today is Friday.  Our vans are packed and ready to go to Tulsa tomorrow. 

On Sunday, the doors to the Expo Building in Tulsa Oklahoma open for a week of Pure Heaven....This year, the Collie National Specialty will be held in Tulsa ....only an hour from my front door. 

My dear friend Brenda from northern Virginia has been here for a week with her three Collies.  We have bathed dogs, trained dogs, planted flowers, mucked out the water gardens, hosted a water garden program for the Garden Club, gone to Lowe's numerous times, built stands for banners to hang over our ex-pens,

taken long walks in the neighborhood with 5 Collies, cooked, eaten lots of chocolate, and maybe even vacuumed....once....

Today we welcomed 4 Colliewimmen from Norway to my home. We had met at the 2009 National Specialty in Massachusetts, and so our reunion was beautiful and delightful.

I only took one picture.  It was before we ate our lasagna.

We talked non-stop about (what else?!) Collies. Training Collies.  Grooming Collies. Collie Health. Collie Diet.  Clickers. Collies in the snow. Collies who are too smart for their own good and find ways to challenge us.  Collie puppies. Whelping Collies. Collie books. Collie figurines and pictures. Collie wool. Knitting Collie wool. Collies dying.....

And, at some point along the way, we all six became One...I cannot explain it, it just happened....I am certain that our mutual love and passion is at the core of this phenomena. It was like family...an intimacy that is usually reserved for long-term friendships. Amazing.

As they left Tahlequah and headed back to Tulsa, we went with them to WalMart for a quick shopping spree.  Each one found treasure of some sort, and were amazed that they had "everything" there.  Ah.  WalMart. THE American Icon...

Dog treats and dog vitamins, capris with lots of pockets, shampoo, sunscreen, power bars, fresh apples, chewing gum, cotton shorts, cotton shirts....and many other things that would not fit in their suitcases for the return trip.

We bid them good night, came home and fed our Collies, walked them thru the neighborhood, fed ourselves and settled in for a slow, relaxing night.  We Know that, come Sunday, our week will begin to sail past at a pace we never even imagined could be. This One Week has been in the making for So long for So many of us.  I can only to hope to slow it down a bit with a daily account here.  Keep checking back.  I'll write till my head hits the keyboard!

Random, Snow-y Thoughts and a Couple of Recipes

Yesterday it was -31 degrees an hour north of us.  Yeh, thatsa minus you are reading there. And I do NOT live north of the Arctic Circle. Today it is 36 degrees. On the plus side. Next week will bring balmy 70 degree temperatures and sunny skies.

Additionally, there is about 8 inches of snow on the ground, in various, unmelted places. Here's a few shots of Collies in the snow...BEfore the full-blown mass came down.

Mostly, I've stayed inside managing to thaw out until noon.  My fingernails have never looked prettier. My knitting yarn stash is diminishing. My computer skills are surpassing Bikeman's. I've watched all the Bonanza re-runs. The Collies are groomed. So are the cats. I've sewed several costumes for the upcoming Freestyle competition. I'm taking an online Dog Training course, and doing all my homework. I've watched several movies that were stashed away and drunk gallons of coffee and (weird ) hot teas.

And baking.  Why is it that whenever the weather turns cold, the baking mood hits in full force?

Here's a couple of Wonderful gluten-free recipes.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

7 oz really good (45-75% cocoa) semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated.
1) Preheat oven to 300deg. Melt chocolate and butter (double boiler or 50% power in the micro)
    Stir together half of the sugar and 4 egg yolks. Now mix that w/the chocolate mixture.
2) Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form.
    Fold that mixture into the chocolate. Pour into a Pam-d 9-inch cake pan.
3) Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out w/just a few crumbs on it. Cool 30 min.
    Dust w/powdered sugar.

Okay, now....HERE's MY edited, snowbound, caint git to th grocery version:

I used plain ol COCOA!  Yep!  Just the powdered stuff from Hershey's. A CUP of it.....And still only used the 3/4 cup butter.  I also sprinkled  a few walnuts into the batter and on the top. We Like walnuts here on Patti Circle.

This is a GOOD Cake! Really. I had No Idea that it would be so wonderful. I would serve it to company, if anyone chose to mush by....

Here's another good one. BTW, I found these in the Sunday newpaper magazines.

TOFFEE KISSES

3 egg whites (give the yolks, raw, plus crunch up the shells, to the dawgs)
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (if you don't have any brown sugar, use about a Tablespoon of molasses, stir into the granulated white stuff...it's the SAME thang!)
1/2 cup milk chocolate toffee bits (I had Heath chips--leftover from Christmas baking I Didn't do, and added some chocolate chips)

1)  Preheat oven to 350 deg. Line a baking sheet w/parchment paper (side note:  Parchment paper is a     Necessity for many reasons....You don't use it that often, but it IS necessary for various reasons). 
2)  Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer at high speed until SOFT peaks form. Add the sugars, a little at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (note: you CAN overbeat this....so don't get over-zealous when you see those whites getting stiff).
3) Gently stir in the toffee/chocolate bits
4)  Drop batter by tablespoonsful onto the parchment-lined pan (you can do that fancy piping thang if you have the inclination or the equipment---can even use a ziplock bag w/the corner cut off).
5) Bake 40 minutes, or until crisp. Makes 40. I didn't get that many, but I tend to wield a heavy spoon....
35 calories per kiss. 1 g fat

There's also a Chocolate-Mocha version of this, but I haven't tried it. Instead of the toffee chocolate bits, you add 3 T of chocolate chips (is that ALL???) and 1 Tablespoon of instant espresso powder (do they even MAKE that??).

And, regarding feeding the dawgs RAW eggs, well, that's the Way We Do It around here. All my boyz eat a RAW diet, human grade food, really quite easy to do.  I add an egg every once in a while....especially when I have farm eggs to share. Perhaps I will blog about this in the future. They are all thriving and doing Quite Well on this diet. Even my 14-year-old Collie. 

So....the World Outside is beginning to Melt......I think I will brush my teeth and get dressed and go practice dance with my dogs.

Junior sez he's stayin inside.....

LIDDLE WOLF CUBBIE

Three years ago last month, he wove his way into my heart and claimed me as his very own.  The pup who has never met a stranger, happily greeting anyone who comes his way, still has an innate need to check in with me and remind himself that he is Totally and Forever mine.

I truly do not believe that I deserve a love this strong and pure....But it is a gift, and Mom always said to graciously and humbly Take the Gift....So, it is mine, and because of it, I have grown and learned and experienced a dog like none other.

The Standard for the Collie includes a major portion devoted to "expression."  It is the subject discussed by the Best of Colliefolk, and its interpretation is as vast as there are Colliefolk....But the main component in a Collie face is summed up in the Expression.  And, even tho he has entertained us with his silly antics and eternal puppyhood, SOMEtimes, through that dorky little face I am beginning to see traces of wisdom and even a bit of elegance.

Man, it has taken a Long Time!

He's actually learning how to pay attention, how to respond gently, and how to receive guests without jumping up. Why, we have even completed a visit to PetSmart without peeing in the store.

Next month he will qualify for his second "leg" in AKC Rally Obedience. Off leash.... "No net" as Bikeman calls it. In March we will dance in the upper level at a World Canine Freestyle event. April finds us at the Collie Nationals and completing that Rally title.  May is an Animal Communication workshop in New Hampshire. And, of course, June is CampGoneToTheDogs.

In the meantime, we still take time to do a few therapy visits....

This is my "kennel help" who assists me when we load up the van at the Retirement Center.  The boyz do whatever he tells them to. And the Wolf Cubbie doesn't jump up....I'm thinking that he might be a pretty good ambassador for the breed....Dorky smile and all....

FORTY Years Ago

Do you remember what you were doing 40 years ago?  How OLD were you? Do you remember the fashions you wore back then (certainly something Very short if you are female!).....How old was yer Momma? Your sisters and brothers? Who was president then?  What car did you drive?

Forty years seems like such a very long time ago, and when I was 19, the folks who were 59 seemed ancient and Quite Stoopid and out of the loop.

I turn 59 this month. The last year in my decade of fifties....And as I look at that Ancient Age, I look back to that young woman who was 19 and so desperately in love. In love with Life, with herself, and with a very handsome and kind Sailor stationed at the Naval Base in Memphis Tennessee.

I married that kind man, and we have been on a Roller Coaster Ride for the past 40 years. It doesn't look like there is any hope of things being much different.  We speed up, we slow down, we rocket downhill, we fly to the top till we are almost out of track, and there have been Very Few non-breathtaking moments in the whole dam ride.....

Together, we have lived thru 8 presidents, several wars and rumors of war, 4 college degrees, 2 mortgages,  countless cars, vans, dogs, cats, and various other animals. We have gained and lost weight. Grown our hair out and chopped it off (well, that would be ME, Bikeman's hair has stayed the SAME all these years.  Really). We have argued over children, money, the thermostat setting, schedules, who gets to mow the lawn...

I Love mowing the lawn! I LOVE it! WHY does his "manly duty" get in the way of this wonderful activity?

I wanted to write something about Wisdom and Knowledge and give Sage Advice about Something, ANYthing in this Blog, but, honestly....well....I don't feel much different than I did 40 years ago when I knew everything and believed we would someday be Famous.....It was only Yesterday when I first laid eyes on that blonde, blue-eyed handsome sailor.  Only yesterday when we embraced each other and "Knew" that this was the end of our lives as we knew it.....Hours after that, we had children and minutes after that, they finished college and married and gave us grandchildren. Seconds later we were retired and riding bicycles nonstop and teaching dogs how to dance.

HOW can one learn something Important in so short a time?

Fifty-nine.....Apologies that I do not have any Wise Words to go with my Advanced Age....

I will tell you one thing that I have learned, and truthfully, I did Not learn it from the Dali Lama...tho I do have his book  The Art of Happiness and have digested every word...

I believe that it is Very Important to be happy.  My Mom quoted Abraham Lincoln as saying that "Most folks are as happy as they make their minds up to be." She also handed me her Dale Carnegie books---"Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic." and "Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude."

 Grow up with those attitudes in your face everyday, and some of it is bound to sink in....With or WITHOUT the Dali Lama.....It also shows on your face, and in your relationships and in the manner in which people react to you. When you are Happy, you will accomplish much, you will benefit many, and you will allow the Love of the Great Creator of us All to shine outward and warm the planet.

That's about all I have to "give" you of my nearly60years....

Figger out a way to Be Happy, then spread it all around.

Shovelling Bleep Somewhere in Kansas City

This post will not have any pictures to go along with it...And when you read the copy, I am certain that you will be Quite Glad....

I am in Kansas City this week keeping the grandchildren for a few days.  Their Dad is on assignment in New York City, and  Baby Daughter flew up to explore the town and enjoy alone time with her husband. Bikeman keeps calling and asking me if I'm okay, thinking that taking charge of a 5 yr old and a 2 yr old might be more than I can handle these days.....And, oh, yeh....That Christmas Miracle---my COMpletely losing my voice over the holidays---well, that has lingered much longer than necessary...

What Good are you around children if you do not have the voice to yell at them?

Happily, THESE children do not need any yelling at, and remind me frequently of the rules that they should follow....Gee, we haven't even watched ONE episode of Sponge Bob since I Got here....And I am Fine. The children are taking Good Care of me.

ANYway, back to the Subject at Hand (so to speak)....The...uh....the *Bleep*....

Most of my friends claim that eventually, if we visit long enough, my conversation always seems to turn back towards the subject of bowel movements....II don't know how much of that is actually True, but, as I have OFTEN said, this is a function that one should never take for granted.....And one for which we should always be grateful...

I have often said that it shall be my job in heaven to wipe noses.  My own children knew how to blow their own noses by 18 months, in self defense of keeping Momma and the nose-sucker away from them.....I detest nasty noses, and have been known to swab away on children whom I do not even know....They just Needed it....

After today, however, I'm thinking that my job description might just change once I pass over the River, because right now I seem to be surrounded by, well, by other bodily functions...And, I must say, I'm becoming quite good at Scooping the Poop....

Today's first venture outdoors found the children playing on their swingset, and me scooping a gallon bucket of dog poo out of the backyard. This family has 2 big dogs, add my two Collies I brought with me,  and snow has covered their "offerings" for several days now.  Balmy temperatures melted the white stuff, revealing several hazards in the play area, so I took bucket and shovel in hand to tidy up the yard.

This morning the children and I took a walk over to the elementary school playground. They cavorted in the big open field, and the blue merle Collie (whom we refer to as The Liddle Wolf Cub) got to run amok as well. At one point, Prosper stopped and poo'd, and I, not being at the ready with a poop bag, improvised with a wad of paper towels I'd taken to wipe noses in the blustery day....

Now, let me digress a bit...(like I never DO that, duh!)....I feed my Collies a Raw Diet.  This is a diet of raw meat, bones in, and nothing else. The benefits of this "prey" diet are many, but first and foremost is health.  Of course, I am "in the business" of growing lots of coat and also making sure my boyz have bodies that are at optimum strength, endurance, and performance. They are the picture of good health and fitness, their teeth are clean, and their coats are full and lush.

Another added benefit is poop.  Raw-fed dogs' poo is very compact and very dry. So, actually, picking up the objects with a paper towel is not quite as disgusting as it may sound. And besides, there was a dumpster about 100 yds away, so I could dispose of it quite fast. Of course the grandchildren were "grossed out," but, well, I just consider that one of the descriptions they can use regarding me later on, when they get older and things Really get embarrassing....

Our Samuel Robert is 2 1/2, and learning how to use the potty.  He is actually quite independent in his toilette, and doesn't even need to be *reminded* to peepee unless he is distracted on the playground equipment. Pooping, however, is a little bit more involved, and not a skill he is comfortable performing whilst sitting high up in the air, feet dangling...

Samuel Robert currently prefers to "go Commando."  This is a young person's description regarding the covering (or not) of underwear.  Sam does not wear any underwear under his britches....He is, as Kramer on the sitcom Seinfeld announces, "OUT there, BABY!" Makes it all easier when it comes time to stand up to the potty and make a stream....

Today, he stood in the living room and sadly told me that he'd pooped.  He was frozen in time and space, not wanting to MOVE for fear of what was going to happen "next."  Take ONE step in those loose athletic pants, and, well....where would the unwanted stuff wind up?  Down his leg and onto the floor....

Not wanting to make a big deal out of all this (please take note, I never was an advocate of potty training), I took my time getting up and putting my knitting away, nonchalantly offering my help in this matter. I told him to go to the bathroom, and we would take care if "it."  I walked ahead of Samuel, and he followed, knock-kneed and hesitantly, looking over his shoulder all the time for......

Yep....those things eventually rolled right down thru his pants legs and onto the floor. "Oh Nooooo," he told me, distressed at what was happening.

But GrandTone had the ever-present tissue in her pocket, and was quick to retrieve the still warm objects and flush them quickly down the toilet.

Wipies on bottom and legs, new Commando pants, and the boy was up and runnin again, happy and (looked to me like) several pounds lighter.

Fast forward to later that afternoon.  Taking a longggg walk with the children and this time, our "middle" Collie, James.

James usually takes a couple of steps on his walks, and has to "go." Doesn't matter if he has just gone moments before.  Walkies always seems to bring out the poo in this Collie. In my defense, I must remind you that I had two other "added responsibilities" on this venture that I do not normally have ---those being children of 5 and 2.....So I did not think of grabbing a poop bag as we headed down the street (please don't tell my dog obedience students of their teacher's poor planning and bad citizenship).

About 3 blocks into the walk, James stopped. Turned around 3 times, and let loose. Once again, raw-fed, so firm, dry, and not even very smelly....

However...my supply of tissues/paper towels had depleted from my pockets, and I was empty-handed.

THIS is when the planet blew my way an almost-empty Taco Bell bag, and I scooped James offerings in with the packages of hot sauce and yellow taco wrappers. The things we find ourselves being deeply grateful for....

MORE WORK FOR JANE ANNE

For the past few days, I have been working on finishing up the doll clothes for Grace's American Girl doll, Julie.  I sew best late at night when the house is quiet and no one is requesting anything.

Our older Collie, Baden, usually comes into the utility room and lies FIRMly beside the bookshelf (not real close, but in the room and out of the walkway).  I can hear his quiet snores mixing with the hum of the sewing machine, and there is a certain peace in these moments....

Here he is beside the front door, sleeping with the Wolf Cubbie....He sleeps a lot. Tells me he's a bit "curious" about why he sleeps so much.....I'm just glad he's still sleeping and sharing his life with me....

ANYway....Back to the sewing machine...I've been sewing and designing all week, and wanted to publish the "results" before I package them up for Christmas Day.

Once again, I am using Jane Anne as my "fit model." I'm thinking Jane Anne desperately neeeeeds a haircut, but I am certainly not the person to try that---especially since Jane Anne's hair isn't gonna grow back anytime soon..."At Least," I would tell my children, after I'd botched yet another trim job on their bangs, "It'll grow out, and no one will remember...."  Sigh....oh yeh...."they" remember all right....It's one of my Worst attempts at parenting, this bang trimming thang.....I FINALLY realized my limitations and began taking them to the beauty shop even when all they needed was to get the bangs out of their eyes....

Jane Anne doesn't seem to mind the tousled look...She just likes the attention, so here's a few pictures....

Remember, of course, that Julie is a "70's girl," and not yer basic Littlehouseontheprarie kinda chick....But I figger that Every young girl needs some sort of prairie outfit in her closet...Ya nevah know when you might need to re-inact a Land Run or something. Besides that, I just HAD to make a pinafore out of this lacy curtain....

Here's a silky denim pantsuit. Shell buttons with snaps underneath.  This was made from a shirt someone gave me. I also used the material under my Snowman Nativity here......

You probably see a yellow dog in front of the Snow Nativity....Okay, so I will digress a bit further and include a picture of yet another Nativity scene nearby...

Yeh, Bikeman got that one for me one year.  It has several breeds, but....sigh.....no Collie.....

ANYway....back to Jane Anne and the clothes.

Pajamas.  Made from a pair of sleep pants I did not want..... Of course, a girl in Kansas City has to be warm in the evening....So, Of Course she needs a matching robe!

And speaking of keeping warm in Kansas City, she could certainly us a leather coat....I made this from a red leather skirt that I got from the thrift store.....

Pretty cute, huh?! The belt with the snapper is the original skirt waistband....

And then, of course, there's a Sweater Outfit.  Made from a mohair sweater that I did not wear anymore. I used the ribbing for the collar and the bottoms of the legs and hem of the sweater. Julie should stay plenty warm in this liddle rig....

In an "effort" to create a few "Bohemian" articles of clothing, I fashioned this shirt out of a cotton shirt I had in my closet. I think the tie strings are a bit too long, but I'll let Grace make that call. 

And, now, ladies and gentlemen, it is Party Time!!!!

A silk shirt that I never wear anymore.....green net-like material I found on sale at Hancock's (thinking of making future dance collars for the Collies)....

She can also wear the glitzy top with this funky skirt....The skirt is a "recycled" ladies' boot.....Yeh, the top of the boot is the skirt with the ankle embellishment for the waistband.

And here is my Favorite, overthetop outfit of all!  The blouse is a sheer curtain (lined with material from a pillowcase), and the skirt an old blouse I found at a rummage sale (you can see the buttonholes on the hem). Flounce petticoat  is yet another color of that "net-like" material I originally bought for the dance collars. 

So...there you have it! Julie is officially "Christmas'd UP," and I am ready to find a suitable box for her wardrobe. There's a small trunk outside in the storage barn that I used as a prop for one of the boyz performances....(please keep in mind that this was done over 2 years ago...We have learned a Lot since then).

NOW....another cuppa coffee and count the minutes until we leave for Christmas and Family!  Or, as Grace would say, "Only three more sleeps...."

CREATION

I came out of the womb knowing how to sew.  I was sewing doll clothes on my grandmother's sewing machine when I was 4 years old. I remember my mom hovering over me (the sewing machine was in my grandmother's livingroom), and asking her mother in law, "What if she sews her fingers?!"  My grandmother answered her, "Well......It'll be the Last time she does it." 

     I didn't sew my fingers until my own children were well into their 20's---and I never did it again....

I've sewn lots of things over the past 55 years....my own clothes, my wedding dress, bridesmaid dress for Susy's wedding, The Christening Gown,  my children's clothes, dolls, stuffed animals, costumes for River City Players, Halloween costumes, clothes, curtains, dog garments, dog mats, upholstered couches, quilts, trumpet gig bags, leather purses, prom dresses, church altar cloths,  daughter's wedding gown and accompanying bridesmaid dresses, grandbaby quilts and crib bumpers, Christmas ornaments....well, you get the picture......I sew to Relax.....to satisfy my need to create.....to share pieces of my life with others......

Probably the Most Fun thing to sew, however, is what I sewed when I first sat down to a sewing machine....

Doll Clothes.....

Ever heard of  American Girl Dolls  ?  These dollies came out after my children were asking for "infant mannequins" for Christmas (ever talk in such "code" at Christmastime?.....Santa becomes "the Celestial Elf"....Christmas is "First Nativity"......older child is "primary offspring"....all encoded so that the children in our household would not understand the "secrets" we were discussing).

The dolls come with books about them, clothes, and furniture, and trunks...trunks for storing those clothes....The dolls are expensive, but certainly something that grandmothers want to buy. However,  their clothes cost way more than I would pay for my own garments.

Enter McCalls, Butterick, and Simplicity.....THEY make lovely doll clothes patterns for American Girl Dolls, and I have lots of fabric just waiting to be sewn into overthetop garments for granddaughter's Bitty Babies and Kirsten and Julie.....

I have cleared out my closet periodically and saved a few items I've scored from the thrift store dumpster....Today I made a doll sweater from a woven wool/mohair (made in Scotland) muffler that has been washed and sorta felted. 

 I've also cut out doll panties and a pinafore from some Battenburg lace curtains. A red leather skirt I dug out of the trash has become a doll coat. I cut up a pr of jeans for jeans;


a blouse made in India was transformed into a "70's" style tunic....

Doncha just Love the sleeves!

An old satin dress might have enough fabric for matching grandaughter/doll outfits....

Meet Jane Anne. 

 She's a garage sale find I purchased a few years ago. Poor, cheap imitation of the AG doll, but nonetheless the same size.  I've named her after my friend Jane Anne  who lives in New York City. Jane Anne is a "size model." She is a perfect size 10, and wears a leotard to work. She tries on clothes for designers in NY who check to see that their sizing is consistent. SOMEtimes, ya just need a real live model to ck out the curves and shaping. 

THIS Jane Anne resides on the top shelf in my sewing room. She never gets played with, until I get out my American Girl Doll patterns. She models the clothes I make, allowing me to sew buttons and hems and snaps in the correct places.

Yes, those marks on her are mine. Her measurements are very close to the American Girl Dolls, but some comparison is necessary.

She's a very patient model.....Good company, actually....But then, I've always enjoyed the company of dolls....