wickeddollz art & imagination

Altered Dolls Art

2011-11-01T10:29:00.001-05:00

Altered Dolls Art, a set on Flickr.

Lots to look at !

zombie baby large 1

2011-11-01T10:07:00.001-05:00

zombie baby large 1, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Finally finished up my latestest altered art doll.Check out the other images to see close ups and her back!

kiss or zombie bite

2011-10-07T06:41:00.001-05:00

kiss or zombie bite, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

work in progress on another weird idea

Fairy Colour

2011-10-06T06:32:00.001-05:00

Fairy Colour , a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Vampy Boots

2011-10-05T18:08:00.001-05:00

Vampy Boots, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Vampire Vargas girl style

2011-10-05T18:07:00.001-05:00

Vampire Vargas girl style, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Autumn Halloween Pumpkin Pin-up Photoshop

2011-10-04T08:38:00.001-05:00

Autumn Halloween Pumpkin Pin-up Photoshop, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

alice in wonderland 2

2011-09-27T14:49:00.001-05:00

alice in wonderland 2, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

mermaid3

2011-09-27T14:31:00.001-05:00

mermaid3, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

mermaidy weirdness

steampunk 2

2011-09-27T14:30:00.003-05:00

steampunk 2, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

another in the steampunk series

Vampire

2011-09-27T14:30:00.001-05:00

Vampire, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

just in time for halloween

Models

2011-09-25T07:32:00.001-05:00

Models, a set on Flickr.

We found Nerdvana yesterday. What follows a night of model building, Top Gear, and scotch!
Weird-Ohs Sling Rave Curvette

mermaid

2011-09-22T17:09:00.001-05:00

mermaid, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

elf this test1

2011-09-22T10:16:00.001-05:00

elf this test1, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

elf this test1 ...a little something on in the works for the season

Ode to a Blue Mermaid NFAC .99 original on ebay now

2011-09-20T18:17:00.000-05:00

Ode to a Blue Mermaid NFAC .99 original outsider creepy lowbrow EBSQ Noelle Hunt
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300601965483
Ode to a Blue Mermaid NFAC .99 original outsider creepy lowbrow EBSQ Noelle Hunt in Art , Direct from the Artist , Paintings |eBay

Markham Car Show 09/11/11

2011-09-12T07:54:00.001-05:00

Markham Car Show 09/11/11, a set on Flickr.

studies for possible paintings

martini mermaid

2011-09-07T16:02:00.001-05:00

martini mermaid , a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Mermaid in blue

2011-09-06T17:54:00.003-05:00

Mermaid in blue, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Grier Portrait

2011-09-06T17:54:00.001-05:00

Grier Portrait , a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

zombie 002

2011-09-06T17:53:00.003-05:00

zombie 002, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

zombie 001

2011-09-06T17:53:00.001-05:00

zombie 001, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

wickeddollz's photostream

2011-09-02T08:31:00.001-05:00

wickeddollz's photostream on Flickr.

for anyone who wants to peruse things I've done lately

WIP BLUE MERMAID #2

2011-09-02T07:46:00.001-05:00

WIP BLUE MERMAID #2, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

WIP BLUE MERMAID #1

2011-09-02T07:39:00.001-05:00

WIP BLUE MERMAID #1, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

A piece I'm working on for Nibblefest. It will go up on ebay on the 20th for anyone interested
10x10 acrylic on canvas

The Gnome Project

2011-09-01T09:58:00.003-05:00

The Gnome Project a video by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Nasty Toys for Naughty Children

2011-09-01T09:58:00.001-05:00

Nasty Toys for Naughty Children a video by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Nasty Toys for Naughty Children

2011-08-31T14:22:00.000-05:00

Grier

2011-08-18T12:25:00.001-05:00

Grier, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

new portrait I'm working on

Zombie Gnome

2011-07-17T16:40:00.001-05:00

Zombie Gnome, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

DSC01848

2011-07-15T15:55:00.001-05:00

DSC01848, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

The things I have learned from trying to talk about feminist issues on Y...

2011-07-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

The G Gnome Project!

2011-07-13T16:23:00.001-05:00

The G Gnome Project!, a set on Flickr.

New Nasty Toys for Naughty Children "Mummy"

2011-07-04T06:41:00.001-05:00

Mummy, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

Rock-a-Billy Vampire

2011-07-04T06:40:00.001-05:00

Rock-a-Billy Vampire, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

what I do with them...

2011-06-01T08:50:00.003-05:00

what I do with them..., a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

these are cheap dollar store knock offs of the baby bratz. I'd also be interested in any baby bratz of any size.

wanted

2011-06-01T08:50:00.001-05:00

wanted , a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

these are cheap dollar store knock offs of the baby bratz. I'd also be interested in any baby bratz of any size.

Nasty Toys for Naughty Children

2011-05-31T05:49:00.000-05:00

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song [Official Alternate Version]

2011-05-26T18:25:00.000-05:00

Evolving Stories... Faux Sure

2011-05-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

a car full of bees 9

2011-05-01T14:12:00.001-05:00

a car full of bees 9, a photo by wickeddollz on Flickr.

kinder surprise challenge redux

2011-04-11T09:24:00.000-05:00

What Women Deserve

2011-04-06T12:21:00.000-05:00

I support Planned Parenthood because... (colaboration video)

2011-03-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

#prochoice at Lowe's on Twitpic

2011-02-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

#prochoice at Lowe's on Twitpic

What if the Tea Party was Black?

2011-02-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

What does Pat think? - 1

2011-02-12T10:05:00.000-05:00

Chris Smith's SHE ASKED FOR IT Bill (H.R. 3) & Attack on Planned Parenthood

2011-02-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

Flickr

2011-02-09T12:32:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Historical Context

2010-11-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

Toronto Zombie Walk 2010

2010-10-25T09:39:00.000-05:00

Perfect Sense pt 1 - MSF's Got Talent Entry 2010

2010-09-12T07:06:00.000-05:00

When You Share :Special Edition by Chris "Okse" Oxenbury

2010-04-21T16:56:00.000-05:00

WIP spooky girl custom blythe

2010-04-21T10:51:00.001-05:00

WIP spooky girl custom blythe
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

WIP spooky girl custom blythe

2010-04-21T10:50:00.001-05:00

WIP spooky girl custom blythe
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

painting in progress (discussion encouraged!)

2010-04-15T13:05:00.000-05:00

Michael Specter: The danger of science denial

2010-04-14T17:11:00.000-05:00

bat girl for Bat Daddy (batman63)

2009-04-15T16:16:00.002-05:00

bat girl for Bat Daddy (batman63)
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

doodled this out at work today inspired by the Bat Daddy (batman63's. )Need to finish it up but I'm happy with it so far!

Wicked Witch of the east OZ altered art doll

2009-04-03T11:08:00.001-05:00

see the wicked witch appear in less than 3 mins!

Where procrastination leads

2009-04-01T09:59:00.001-05:00

Just more frippery as I stood in the ruin of my living/dining room after search for stuff for tax time. This again is just a joke for friends who know me , and know how LD I can be.

More favourites From Wickeddollz GO look at some great art!

2009-03-28T09:19:00.001-05:00

More favourites From Wickeddollz GO look at some great art!
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

Some great art that you should go check out

Altered art dolls process

2009-03-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

Sheila "Squiddy" Ms Squidderson EBSQ "Squid show entry"

2009-03-24T14:09:00.001-05:00

Sheila "Squiddy" Ms Squidderson EBSQ "Squid show entry"
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

Media: mixed media photoshop
Dimensions: 7 x10
Date of Work: 2009

Squid Girl (Shelia "Squiddy" Mc Squiderson) is mt fantasy creature who swims in the ocean of my brain. She seems a little annoyed today, who knows why she's quite changeable , much like the sea.

This is a combination of my sketch modified in photoshop with an added collage element of "Goldie" the gold fish>What HE's doing in the OCEAN is again just "because". I take no responsibility for the characters who live in my head. credit where credit is due: gold fish from phantompanther-stock.deviantart.com/ thank you

asian kawaii NFAC entry EBAY tonight @ 7pm est

2009-03-20T17:46:00.003-05:00

asian kawaii NFAC entry
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

This is one in my series of Blythe portraits. I chose this image for this months Nibblefest "Asian Inspired" for two reasons
1) I love the whole Kawaii cute moment in the low brow kitsch art world
and
2) becuase Asian Butterfly was my first Blythe I collected, and will always adore her best of all.

WHY is there a duck in the painting??? Well why not? I like ducks and everyone needs a friend to share the spring cherry blossoms with.Besides ducks don't talk back and they are nice and yellow.

painted on wrapped canvas with the sides painted black there is no need to frame this piece. It's smaller size makes it perfect to display in an apartment, or if your like me on a wall already covered with great art! There's always room for Jello.... and great paintings!
CLICK HERE FOR AUCTION!
This is my entry in the Nibblefest Art Contest, a themed art contest beginning on the 20th of each month. Please be sure to search for NFAC to see more great entries, each starting at just 99¢. Thanks!

Big eyed Dime Store Dollies Video

2009-03-19T08:38:00.000-05:00

day of the dead altered art doll

2009-03-16T16:05:00.002-05:00

day if the dead altered art doll
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

new piece for the dime store dollies project.
Feel free to drop me a comment on what ya think!

collage for steampunk show on ebsq

2009-03-11T09:35:00.002-05:00

collage test for steampunk
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

Portraits of Artists from Archives Of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
A WIP for the Steam Punk show on EBSQ

credit where credit id due
Thanks for the stock images from the people on Deviant art below.

beetle from racehorse87-stock
key from ~strwberrystk
bee =Wu-KillahD
wiring from ~brujo
butterfly from ~kayne-stock

child photo from: Portraits of Artists from Archives Of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

original image taken from the commons

I wish I could get a new location, location, location

2009-03-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

I am not a suburban house wife...I am a woman who ended up living in the hell of suburbia.

My favorite line from 'Monty Python the Holy Grail'

2009-03-06T08:13:00.001-05:00

"That rabbit's dynamite!!!"

steampunk WIP 2 I'm in Love with a Clockworks Girl

2009-03-06T07:55:00.001-05:00

steampunk WIP 2 I'm in Love with a Clockworks Girl
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

2nd sketch working on adding some colour in photoshop..lots let to do, not sure I actually do decent work in Photoshop.
I may transfer with my light board then hand colour it with prismacolor pencils...still deciding.

Exciting night in the ER

2009-02-28T09:05:00.001-05:00

Yesterday it rained all day so the kids had indoor recess every time. Which mean they were nuts! Grier was trying to find a quiet spot to read her book and ended up at the end of the hall. Somehow the fire doors which are always suppose to be open had been closed and while Grier was sitting reading a large kid came running through them and smashed her in the temple with the door. OK so she shook that off and kept going with her day, but her head kept getting worse ( apparently I was working at the school, but she never came to tell me about this) then later in the day she got wobbly and tripped over someone and fell and hit her head a second time. So by 3:30 when she came to find me for home time, she was grey, nauseated, and crying.

At first I thought she was just feeling crappy with a head ache, and we walked home. We even stopped for the Friday treat at the store. She came home sat on the couch with her ice cream, and then asked could I store it in the fridge for her. Five mins later she was asking me to sit with her. I gave her an ice pack, but it wasn't helping. She started really crying and saying she was going to be sick, then went quiet saying her whole left side felt "hollow". OK so now I'm officially scared, of course Paul isn't home I have no money for a cab, and the ER is about 15 mins away. I start calling all my friends, but no one is home! Finally I get a friend at home and she comes and grabs us and we go off to the ER.

AT the ER the nurses look a t her and we get bumped through triage really quickly and right into and examination room in a section I have never been in before. Not the usual waiting rooms where you sit on the cold paper for another 20 mins till the DR can see you. She was striped down, put on all the monitors and oxygen right away. She was able to answer all the nurses’ questions so, things got calmer as the O2 seemed to perk her up a bit, and she started to get some colour back in her.

NOW she is the drama Queen of the Western World!!!! This makes me insane! , and makes it hard to really figure out what’s going on. The Dr examined her and she complained about everything LOL. He was great with her and at one point looked at me, and I just tried not laugh about the overacting. When he finished he asked if there was anything I needed to tell him, so we went in the hall and I explained that yes she was overacting, but really had been terribly grey etc. He was really sweet and said yeah it happens with kids, he still wanted her to have the head CT and some blood work because she did look very sick and maybe something else was going on to make her dizzy. She had also been complaining about her knee hurting so we had to have an X-ray for that too.

Everything turned out fine, but he was concerned that she DID have a minor head trauma, and possibly a concussion so we absolutely did the right thing bringing her in. (THANK GOODNESS!! I always worry they think I'm an overprotective mom and wasting the time and money of the healthcare system! Fortunately the nurses kept reassuring me I should have been worried by how she looked when she came in) So the little pumpkin head came home got some kids Tylenol and slept in the big bed with mom and dad just in case anything happened in the night.

so that’s my long story. Thanks for letting me vent it out!

Custom Blythe Doll Scrap blog

2009-02-24T17:19:00.000-05:00

DOLL REROOT Tutorial /02/23/09 9PM EST

2009-02-23T17:45:00.001-05:00

DOLL REROOT Tutorial /02/23/09 9PM EST
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

a doll re rooting tutorial on EBSQ LIVE tonight at 9:00pm est
www.ebsqart.com/Chat.asp

More Wicked scrap blogging

2009-02-21T10:12:00.001-05:00

Wicked Scrap Blogging

2009-02-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

Why I gave up on "Lord of the Rings"

2009-02-11T06:57:00.001-05:00

becuase it was possibly the most boring thing on the planet.

Watch ""Igor" " next time you're home sick

2009-02-11T06:54:00.001-05:00

Just watched this with 2 sick kids. Thye loved it & I didn't want to put my eyes out with a fork. I love Eddie Izzard

The Love/Avon Army of Women is a revolutionary initiative that will change the face of breast cancer research.

2009-02-07T19:29:00.001-05:00

The Love/Avon Army of Women is a revolutionary initiative that will change the face of breast cancer research.
http://www.armyofwomen.org/

The Army of Women is dedicated to representing all women in research so that the research results will apply to all women. This means we need you to help us recruit women of all ages, ethnicities, sizes, and shapes. We need women who have had breast cancer and women who have not. We need African American women, Asian women, Caucasian women, and Latinas of every age and lifestyle to be involved.

You can do your part to help us spread the word about the Army of Women and reach our goal of one million women.

New Sketches for new Ideas

2009-02-07T18:20:00.003-05:00

Been working up some sketches in the last little while. Ideas for wierd and strange characters who tend to appear to me out of now where. Feel free to comment on anything you like or dislike!

join me on a journey of health and fitness

2009-02-07T14:40:00.000-05:00

Come on and join me on a journey of health and fitness in my fitness blog http://noellehunt.blogspot.com/ !

2009-02-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

Cool eh? I nearly missed this in my email.

If I could tame a wild animal

2009-01-28T07:09:00.001-05:00

A monkey... who couldn't answer an monkey. Although I suppose the poo throwing could be a problem.

Maybe just Sea Monkeys then? But only if they look like the package!

I recommend checking out Day f the Dead festivals Sugar Skulls what could be better??? when you're in Mexico

2009-01-28T07:06:00.001-05:00

OK why when I type in MEXICO do I get San Francisco? not that it isn't a beautiful city... one of my faves. Lived there for 3 years... does Plinky know something I don't?

When I realized I was a grown-up

2009-01-27T07:54:00.001-05:00

I'm an adult??? crap when did that happen??? Well it explains why all the bills are in my name

My road-trip mix tape

2009-01-23T07:21:00.001-05:00

couldn't be a very long road trip with only 3 songs

My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone

Gravity by John Mayer

London Calling by The Clash

In defense of my vice:

2009-01-23T07:12:00.001-05:00

Why aren't my vices more interesting? Then again is boring better?

Coffee, and I won't although I do tend to try and cut down every so often, that and collecting stuff. I collect too much stuff... maybe thats actually my worst vice, yeah collecting stuff... or scotch I do like scotch... sad really my vices are so banal.

I did quit smoking years ago I guess kinda gives me a free pass on vices ;)

My first job: food service

2009-01-23T07:08:00.001-05:00

Why you should TIP your server

I worked in a diner in a small town and swore never ever to work as a waitress again.I've managed to keep that promise. Possibly the hardest job Ive ever had with the least amount of perks

2009-01-19T18:49:00.002-05:00

Sisters of Perpetual Indifference School for Wayward Girls
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

ou can see individual ones here if you really fell like checking them out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wickeddollz/sets/72157612767039924/

This is a project I started last year , but finished ( mostly) working on them today. Next I need to create a story about each girl.If you have any ideas about names etc feel free to leave a comment .:D

they are bound for ESTY soon

2009-01-18T12:17:00.002-05:00

New OOAK repaint dime store dolly project altered art doll
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

She is kind of my homage to Lyllionia :D although with my twist

I have a little dress for her now. I still need to paint her stockings and some other details, and clean up the hair line and put a sealer on her .
She stands approx 8-10 inches tall.

If anyone has interest in any of my OOAK altered art dolls please feel free to email me.

emmy for trade 028

2009-01-15T11:10:00.001-05:00

emmy for trade 028
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

You can find more information HERE TIB or feel free to flcikr mail me

I am looking for a Lyllionia + in trade for her.
OK so I'm now obsessed with Lyllionia 8" tall doll with vinyl head and soft body
http://octobertoys.com/posiez/index.php

Emmy, with dress and cute little replacement shoes, no hat, eye work, cleaned up, hair is pretty good but not perfect.

Please feel free to ask any questions!

birthday art party the: arteests

2009-01-14T07:03:00.001-05:00

birthday art party the art
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

My daughter had an art party this year.We set up the long table and I gave a short "lesson" then let them have fun. We used acrylics and made sure to have them all dry before the end of the party.

I got the frames for them so everyone took home their original art. It was so much fun

2008-12-23T08:28:00.002-05:00

Little Children should be seen and not heard
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

Media: acrylic on wood panel
Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5
Date of Work: 2008

This piece started from a creepy Victorian post card. I later made that into a photoshop collage, they they so amused me I couldn't resist painting them.

This painting will be sold at a charity auction for the new play "FIRST HAND WOMAN" by Sarah Michelle Brown

FIRST HAND WOMAN is an award-winning new stage play set within a woman’s heart and mind. This is a powerful journey through heartache and healing, as told by the boisterous and unapologetic stages of grief. Join Denial, Bargaining, Anger, Depression and Acceptance as they unravel the secrets and truths of a love story gone bad. As the play progresses, layers of this woman’s truth, and the realities of the relationship with her lover and with herself are poignantly and sometimes joyfully peeled away. Thus revealing someone who is seeking the redemption and reconciliation of her fragmented self. CAUTION: Show contains spontaneous simulated Orgasms!

"This is one of the best dramas I've seen... you will laugh with them and cry with them". - [The Montreal Gazette]

Writer / general manager: Sarah Michelle Brown
Directed by Esther Jun
Starring Sarah Michelle Brown, Kiran Friesen, Patrice Goodman, Allana Harkin, Nicole Leroux
Featuring vocals and vocal composition by Saidah Baba Talibah
Renée Brode: lighting designer
Guiomar Campbell: percussionist
Gillian Lewis: stage manager
Lisa Li: assistant director
Lindsay Naft: sound designer
Anna Treusch: set designer
Karusia Wroblewski: movement consultant

For more details visit: www.sarahmichellebrown.com

2008-12-17T07:36:00.004-05:00

(click for a larger version!)

My dreams of Christmas are a little different than most I admit. Hope everyone is having a good one!

2008-12-10T08:02:00.001-05:00

No idea whats going on , but my website has disappeared.
I have a paid account with Lycos/angelfire, and it's simply gone. I can log into help but not into angelfire at all. I'm trying to redirdirect my url to a free site I have elsewhere but man I spent a lot of time on that site :( ALSO I PAY for it.

There is an announcement that debit/credit cards got hacked somewhere, they say not them. But I pay through paypal. so whats the deal?

I hate this.

2008-12-10T06:43:00.001-05:00

What crafts do you make during the holidays?

I always make crafts, but lately I've made ornaments for X-mas. Some of them are available on m

something weird is happening with my images...apologies

Originally posted on wickeddoll.vox.com

2008-12-09T06:35:00.002-05:00

pet portrait swap for Cary Snyder
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

A pet Portrait finally finished. Such a beautiful dog. I had difficulty with this one and I'm not sure why.

2008-12-02T06:53:00.001-05:00

I have been working so much at the jobby job I haven't had time to paint or do much of anything except hit twitter in the morning. I finally managed to work on some Original art Cards, these are 2.5 x3.5 painted on stretched canvas with acrylics.

all original art work

copyright

please read the copy right information.
Thank you

2008-11-24T05:45:00.002-05:00

NFAC The Christmas Tree Original outsider folk art painting
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

This painting is now up on ebay! Starting at .99.Remember NFAC ends on Thanksgiving Evening (11/27), so if you’re planning to bid, please bid early or maybe use a sniping software.

The Christmas Tree Auction

thanks for looking!

NFAC The Christmas Tree Original outsider folk art painting

2008-11-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

NFAC The Christmas Tree Original outsider folk art painting
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

This months Nibblefest 's theme is Christmas Trees. I found this a difficult theme, and decided that while fir trees are beautiful I needed to move in a different direction. I wanted the soft cool crisp feeling of the Christmas morning and the warmth of the surprise that the colour of Christmas brings to the world.

This brought me to this abstracted tree with a single red ball. Is it a Christmas ball? Or is it the last apple some how magically left pristine in the silence of winter waiting for a small animal to find the magnificent present?

Olivia the pig inspired black white pink and red ornaments

2008-11-17T07:30:00.001-05:00

Olivia the pig inspired black white pink and red ornaments
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

These ornaments were inspired by my daughters original request for an Olivia the Pig ornament. So these are NOT Olivia ornaments but I think they are ornaments that Olivia would love!
they'll be up on my ETSY this week.

NOELLE HUNT ETSY STORE

2008-11-14T07:03:00.002-05:00

Velvet 002
Originally uploaded by wickeddollz

When I was little we had no money, seriously not knowing how we were getting food on the table .I'm not asking for sympathy btw that’s just how life was. I didn't actually realize we had less than most until I was an adult and realized that pancakes for dinner wasn't a treat it was because all we had was flour & eggs and maybe some brown sugar LOL.
Well one year when I was in about grade 2 or 3 my dad finally got a really good job. We bought a house we had “things”. That Christmas was dream like for me.

We didn’t believe in Santa I had always known that the things in my stocking and under the tree were from my parents. I knew that they had to pay for them, and although I never FELT poor I was acutely aware that things cost money and that money was not easy to come by.

That year my brother and I had done what all Children of that era did, lay on the living room floor searching through the Sear Wishbook marking the things we wanted for Christmas. I had seen commercials (at a friends home mind you we had not TV till I was 13 … but that’s another story) for Beautiful Velvet with her growing blond hair, adorable purple velvet outfit, and amazing violet eyes. I wanted her so badly, but realized she was an expensive doll.

So we marked up the catalogue made our wishes, dreamed our dreams and truly did not expect to get any of the things we asked for. That’s not nearly as sad as it may sound. Learning to dream about things you want and window shopping is still one of my favourite things to do. My kids have learned this simple pleasure too.

That Christmas morning was like something out of a movie for me. When my brother and I woke up at the crack of dawn and raced down stairs there in the living room was virtually EVERYTHING we had asked for. I remember just stopping the door way and staring dumb founded. I had never in my life gotten EVERYTHING I had asked for, and there in the centre of the room was Velvet in her funky box, perfect and pristine.

This truly was the one magical X-mas of my life, and what I think of when people say Christmas.

Velvet lived with me for many years, but finally went the way of most toys of our youth. She left me in a yard sale, and I hope made some other little girls as happy as she had made me.
I was as pleased as that first Christmas when a dear friend of mine sent me one of her collection after reading my story. She now stays in my collection smiling her knowing smile and being just as beautiful as she was that first Christmas morning she found me.

So that being said, what is you one “real Present” that stayed with you through the years? Not physically but the one toy you will hold in your heart forever? What memory makes you smile? What magic moment that allows you to be little again? Mine is a Christmas story but your might be a birthday or Chanukah or any other holiday. Come on share the magic!