paper dolls

This weekend I got the unexpected news from the states. My mom rang to say my grandmother had suddenly slipped into an unresponsive, coma-like state and wasn't expected to live past the weekend. Just a a few hours after that call, she passed away.

My grandma suffered from Alzheimer's so losing her was a gradual process. Last time I visited her, she didn't know who I was and was often frightened and confused. But I don't want to think about her illness now, because as my dad said, "she had 80 great years, and five not so great years".

My grandmother was excellent at drawing and is credited to be root of all artistic talent in my family. As a child I was in awe of her abilities. She had a talent for rendering, and though I didn't know that word at the time, I loved to watch her turn a blank sheet of paper into something that looked so real. She used to sit down at the kitchen table with me and create the most fabulous 1950's style paper dolls and I would colour them and cut them out. Secretly I wasn't that interested in having paper dolls, I just wanted to watch her draw.

This cutie sweet fifties girl is something my grandma would have drawn for me during one of our paper doll sessions. -in memory of my Grandmother and the times we spent together.

There are many more childhood memories. She helped me with my reading, cooked me eggs (I was and still am an egg fiend), arranged games for us grandkids with prizes for the winners, helped create 'make-believe' scenarios for us to act out, and kept her children's toy's from the 1950's for us to play with. She also made me a porcelain doll with hair and eyes to match my own, I still have this doll and plan to pass it down in my own family.

She was a pretty special grandma and it's hard for me to say goodbye all the way from NZ. The rest of my family is gathering in Wisconsin for her funeral but I can't make it out there.

What I've been doing instead: going to the beach and eating muffins (thanks em), talking with friends, chilling at home with Luke, crafting, eating eggs, and drawing. These things help.

_kimberlee