Magickal Finds

I stopped by the thrift store yesterday to finally get rid of all the old computer parts we've had lying around the living room (FYI: don't turn printers on their sides. We now have some leaked ink splotches on the carpet to contend with.), and found this little lady. She was so different from the other dolls - i.e. she didn't look like she was attending a southern belle party where the theme was "Ah the children who have chewed on my head." It turns out that she's a handmade creation from Gretchen Lima - a doll artist in Tucson, AZ, whose dolls have been featured in multiple printed publications. Gretchen has some beautiful creations that range from gypsies and wise women to spirits and cactus ladies. She attends quite a bit of art fairs in the Midwest. And for those interested and in the Tucson area, she also teaches doll making workshops using guided imagery techniques. And judging from the photos of her students, it looks like you can come away with quite the creation yourself.

When I saw the doll I was surprised at how cheap the thrift store was selling it for. It looked like it was worth much more than the $1.70 I paid for her. It turns out that Gretchen's dolls go from $60-$250, depending on the detail involved. So I had myself my own little Antiques Roadshow moment. :) But in this case, it's a keeper item. Not like things like butt-ugly antique tables that you know the guy who brought one in, who inherited it from his great-grandmother, is praying to God that it's worth something and upon hearing it's several hundred thousand dollars does the largest victory dance known to man. And definitely not like this Satanic pig toy. That's another one the guy's definitely not going to be keeping around long.