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Julie loves blues and green together.

I KNEW that if a little doll ever came along with the name of Julie, I would fashion her after my little sister and best friend of the same name. She is the mayor of this tiny town, and I was going to create a costume for her in full, Monopoly Mayor-like regalia. But then I thought about it: who wants a doll with a string on mustache? Well, me of course. But even more than that, I thought highlighting one of Julie’s other loves would be a LOT more fun…

So without further ado, meet O.L.D. No. 00038 Julie, Queen of the MERMAIDS! You can tell by her crown. Also, she’s kinda bossy. Ahem.

Sweet Julie’s adoption page is HERE.

Hey! Julie kind of looks like Rumer Willis (Bruce Willis’ and Demi Moore’s daughter) here! GORGEOUS. This was taken at the blessing of my son, Adam. That’s sticky tape residue from the photo album on my shoulder. Not spit up, in case you were wondering. Not how Julie’s wearing a white floral and I’m wearing a black.

What’s so amazing about my sister Julie and I is how alike and yet how different we are. For example, we both like vintage and antique things. Thank goodness, the things we’re each drawn to are different. Otherwise, bloody battles might ensue; for we are a competitive people.

Would I ever have known that such kitschy things as these wall mermaids from the 50s even existed, were it not for her? Probably not! Yet, her bathroom wall was COVERED with these gems of delight!

Julie has a gift for taking the oddest things that I would never think of and making them beautiful simply by putting them in just the right spot! Like funky metal wall sculptures from the 70s! Or sea shell macrame plant hangers! I’ll grimace and say, “Oh that’s, um, nice.” But then BOOM! She puts them up and it’s magic.

Because of my Julie’s love of white and light colors, for O.L.D. Julie’s “street” clothes, I picked white as the base. Yes, I was nervous working with it! Me and white don’t get along! I’m a spiller.

I make fun of her because she likes light colors. She’ll tell me she’s going to paint something and I’ll ask her what color. Sometimes she’ll answer with an actual color, like “dark brown.” When I see said object, fully expecting to see it painted dark brown as foretold, instead I’ll see the palest shade of milk chocolate.

Look at our Julie’s hair! O.L.D. Julie arrived bald, and I had this odd wig for years that I tried on more dolls than the prince tried the glass slipper on feet. It never suited anyone…until she came along. Kismet.

But more often than not when I ask her what color she’s going to paint something, the inevitable answer will be white, which I’ve taken to calling (on Julie’s behalf) “dark clear.”

Even with all these choices that seem faint and odd to me, her home could be in a magazine. It’s BEAUTIFUL and funky and comfortable and the best thing you can say about any home: welcoming.

Little O.L.D. Julie’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect, because my sister Julie was out of town that week on business and I was missing her. We usually talk five or six times a day about heaven knows what. She’s my brain trust. She’s my conscience. She’s my advisor. Best of all, she accepts me as I am and doesn’t judge and she keeps me sane(ish).

So here is O.L.D. Julie number 38 making her debut into the world. A tribute to my own Julie, who I’m so glad I didn’t drown in the ocean when we were small. Hey! Maybe that’s why she likes Mermaids! Yer welcome, Julie. Also, I love you.

It looks like rain is making its way to Colorado, because April Showers was adopted by…Michelle! Fiercest battle yet. Thank you, Michelle! And thank you all! You bring me sunshine.

And with that, I leave you! Happy Titanic day! Let us not think about pesky taxes! You are, of course, my favorite.

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