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	<title>Tracy Swartz</title>
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	<link>http://tracyswartz.com</link>
	<description>Gourd Art, Stories &#38; Poetry</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:52:44 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>WOYWW #142 &amp; CED2012</title>
		<link>http://tracyswartz.com/blog/woyww-142-ced2012</link>
		<comments>http://tracyswartz.com/blog/woyww-142-ced2012#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:52:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gourdess</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Domestic Gourdess Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News from The Lair]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://tracyswartz.com/?p=2804</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So excited to visit other desks for WOYWW at Julia&#8217;s blog! Snooping at other desks will have to wait until later though or I won&#8217;t get a thing done. So without further ado&#8230; here is my desk this morning: Let&#8217;s &#8230; <a href="http://tracyswartz.com/blog/woyww-142-ced2012">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>So excited to visit other desks for <a href="http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">WOYWW</a> at Julia&#8217;s blog! Snooping at other desks will have to wait until later though or I won&#8217;t get a thing done.</p>
<p>So without further ado&#8230; here is my desk this morning:</p>
<p><a href="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2805" title="woyww #142" src="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-1.jpg" alt="woyww #142" width="400" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>Let&#8217;s zoom in closer shall we?</p>
<div id="attachment_2808" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 360px"><a href="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-2-copy.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2808" title="Reindeer gourd, artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" src="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-2-copy.jpg" alt="Reindeer gourd, artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" width="350" height="344" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Here&#39;s looking at you!</p></div>
<p>The reindeer now has eyes and can keep a watch on everyone else on the work bench.  He is waiting for his ears and tail.  Those will be made from gourd pieces.  I will probably add his legs and hooves first.</p>
<p><a href="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-4-copy.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2810 aligncenter" title="dachshund gourds, owl gourds, artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" src="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-4-copy.jpg" alt="dachshund gourds, owl gourd, artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" width="350" height="217" /></a>There is no other way to say it&#8230; I added rear-ends to the Dachshund gourds.   Hopefully this doesn&#8217;t cause a stink.  Hopefully they are nothing like my dogs who have been known to clear a room.  Next to them is the owl. I drew on the face as a reference point. I have something pretty cool in mind for the face! *insert evil hand rub and mwhahahaha here*  I had to cut down his wings in order to add his adorable feet.  That was a delicate procedure and I am glad his wings didn&#8217;t break or crack.<br />
<a href="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-3-copy.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2809" title="mini susan b. cats, dachshund gourds, owl gourd, artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" src="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woyww-3-copy.jpg" alt="mini susan b. cats, dachshund gourds, owl gourd, artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" width="300" height="399" /></a> Last up are the mini Susan B. Cats with their first coat of green paint.  How did I train them to sit this way?  Catch a few naughty gnomes, put them in the cups and well, there you go.  I think the gnomes worked their magic and put them to sleep because  I didn&#8217;t find one gnome hanging about this morning.  Anyhoo, these cuties will be sold with a copy of the book. I will debut the <em>Susan B. Package</em> on March 31st at a Health &amp; Vendor Fair at WPOS Radio in Holland, Ohio on March 31st.   So exciting!   AND&#8230; you can still get a copy of <em>The Story of Susan B. Cat</em> with a 10% discount by signing up for my newsletter! Just click <a href="http://tracyswartz.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=97c5ee511c749c69a5418dfce&amp;id=13f0160b09" target="_blank">HERE</a> to sign up and get the super secret URL to order the book. This offer is only for newsletter subscribers and expires at midnight on February 28th.  After that it goes back to it&#8217;s regular price of $12.95 plus shipping.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m sure I could come up with more hootenany and hooey-ish things to talk about but I have a stove being delivered today.  Our current oven tried to launch itself from the kitchen.  It mumbled something about going where no stove had gone before, beam me up potty and there was more to life than baking turkeys and getting plastic melted in one&#8217;s oven.  Its gas valve went wonkers.  It&#8217;s not the first time the stove has tried to pull this off.  Shhhh&#8230; don&#8217;t say anything to it.  My stove is going to where many a stove have gone before.  It&#8217;s getting scrapped.  Shhhhh.</p>
<p>Have a Wonder-Filled day and enjoy YOUR creativity!
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<div class="shr-publisher-2804"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Ftracyswartz.com%2Fblog%2Fwoyww-142-ced2012' data-shr_title='WOYWW+%23142+%26+CED2012'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Ftracyswartz.com%2Fblog%2Fwoyww-142-ced2012'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Ftracyswartz.com%2Fblog%2Fwoyww-142-ced2012' data-shr_title='WOYWW+%23142+%26+CED2012'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Susan B. Cat Book</title>
		<link>http://tracyswartz.com/blog/susan-b-cat-book</link>
		<comments>http://tracyswartz.com/blog/susan-b-cat-book#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:12:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gourdess</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://tracyswartz.com/?p=2792</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Look what came in the mail! It&#8217;s 10 copies of my book, &#8220;The Story of Susan B. Cat&#8221;! It&#8217;s always exciting to see your stories &#8220;live&#8221; and &#8220;in print&#8221;. These will be part of a package deal I&#8217;m creating. What &#8230; <a href="http://tracyswartz.com/blog/susan-b-cat-book">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><a href="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/sbc.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2793 alignright" title="artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" src="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/sbc.jpg" alt="artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" width="500" height="364" /></a></p>
<p>Look what came in the mail! It&#8217;s 10 copies of my book, &#8220;The Story of Susan B. Cat&#8221;! It&#8217;s always exciting to see your stories &#8220;live&#8221; and &#8220;in print&#8221;.</p>
<p>These will be part of a package deal I&#8217;m creating.</p>
<p>What that might be?</p>
<p>A signed copy of the book &#8220;The Story of Susan B. Cat&#8221; and your very own mini Susan B. Cat gourd. These will debut at the Health &amp; Wellness Fair on March 31, 2012 at WPOS in Holland, OH!</p>
<p>Remember, until February 28, 2012 at midnight (EST) you can purchase a copy of &#8220;The Story of Susan B. Cat&#8221; with a 10% discount. Simply sign up for my mailing/newsletter and you&#8217;ll receive the URL for it! (You can sign up <a href="http://tracyswartz.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=97c5ee511c749c69a5418dfce&amp;id=13f0160b09" target="_blank">HERE</a>.) After that it will be available for the regular purchase price of $12.95.</p>
<p>Today is Ginger Bear&#8217;s (formerly known as The Flying Freckle and T. Bone Bear) birthday party. The house is ready for the small onslaught of middle school boys. We&#8217;re going roller-skating! This was the Hubs&#8217; idea and a brilliant one at that. If we can keep up, we shall be skating fools for about four hours. That ought to poop the little boogers out nicely.</p>
<p>I haven&#8217;t been on roller skates since I was 17. I think that extra fluff on the rear is going to come in handy at the rink!</p>
<p>Have a Wonder-Filled day and enjoy YOUR creativity!
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		<title>WOYWW 141 &amp; CED</title>
		<link>http://tracyswartz.com/blog/woyww-141</link>
		<comments>http://tracyswartz.com/blog/woyww-141#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:21:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gourdess</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Domestic Gourdess Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOYWW]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://tracyswartz.com/?p=2781</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Leave it to my dearest cohort in crimes yet imagined, Tracey (forever known as Tracey with an &#8220;e&#8221;) Fletcher King, to find the neatest groups to play with. I ought to stalk her blog more often. Anyhoo&#8230; It&#8217;s called What&#8217;s &#8230; <a href="http://tracyswartz.com/blog/woyww-141">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>Leave it to my dearest cohort in crimes yet imagined, <a href="http://traceyfletcherking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tracey (forever known as Tracey with an &#8220;e&#8221;) Fletcher King</a>, to find the neatest groups to play with. I ought to stalk her blog more often.</p>
<p>Anyhoo&#8230; It&#8217;s called <a href="http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/2012/02/whats-on-your-workdesk-wednesday-141.html" target="_blank">What&#8217;s On Your Work Desk Wednesday</a> (or WOYWW). You can visit others desks to see what they&#8217;ve been up to during the week. Messy desks are welcomed which is right up my alley!</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know about you, but I feel a bit like a peeping Tom or rather a peeping Tracy. Perhaps it&#8217;s because I lack an &#8220;e&#8221; in my name. I never considered being &#8220;e-less&#8221; a problem until I ran into several Traceys flaunting their &#8220;e&#8217;s&#8221; willy nilly. It rather felt like a moment when the wind gusts suddenly and blows up your skirt in the most unladylike manner catching you without your bloomers. Not that that has every happened to me. *ahem*</p>
<p>On that NOTE, here is my work desk today. I will admit I tidied up a wee bit. I chose to use my workbench because in reality I have been known to hog er&#8230; borrow my desk and the sanding table for overflow.</p>
<div id="attachment_2782" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 610px"><a href="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/P1090901.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2782" title="artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" src="http://tracyswartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/P1090901.jpg" alt="artist dolls, doll art, doll artist, doll artists, dolls, dolls art, dolls handmade, fantasy dolls,hand made dolls,handmade art,handmade dolls, mixed media art,one of a kind dolls, ooak doll, ooak dolls,unusual art, art gourds,decorated gourds,gourd art, painted gourds, gourd crafts, gourds art, gourd art designs, dried gourds, gourds for sale, painting gourds, gourd artists, hand painted gourds, gourd painting, buy gourds, painted christmas gourds, gourd arts, gourd pictures, decorative art, fine gourd art, gourd craft, tracy swartz, swartz tracy" width="600" height="338" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">10 little cats sitting in their cups...</p></div>
<p>The 10 little cats had tail implants today and are recuperating nicely. I painted 10 wooden stands for the 10 little cats. However, I didn&#8217;t have enough moss to make 10 circles to place on the 10 stands for the 10 cats. Oh and there are 10 heart shaped paws for the 10 cats who will sometime in the near future be sitting upon the 10 wooden stands covered with one of the 10 pieces of moss. I couldn&#8217;t help myself.</p>
<p>Can you see the two dachshund dogs, the owl and the reindeer?</p>
<p>Really? The are right there. Here, let me adjust the gourdevision and see if that helps. No? Alright I&#8217;ll point them out.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll use the necks on the large gourds to make the dog&#8217;s bodies. The cute oval shaped gourd will become an owl and the mini bottle gourd will be sliced in two. Whichever half works best will become the owl&#8217;s head and the other half will be sliced vertically to create wings. The larger bottle gourd is the body for the reindeer.</p>
<p>Stay tuned and you&#8217;ll see them more clearly next week.</p>
<p>I must warn you that there will be flock involved. It seems I haven&#8217;t seen the last of the flocking stuff for a bit.</p>
<p>Have a Wonder-Filled day and enjoy YOUR creativity!
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