Stuff I CAN Share!

So the latest baby present was a success! I loved the way it turned out, but I'm glad Kristina does too... and of course the baby (of gender TBA) I'm sure will enjoy as well. When it gets a little older, of course. My first attempt at a hooded towel, love the idea of them and they're so dang cute. Been meaning to try this for a while but way to go Kristina and Steve giving me the perfect excuse to get to it! Lion Hooded Towel RAWR!

... you know you would have had to try it on too!

Everything I Can't Share Yet!

Super productive week, been flying though Christmas gifts at a healthy pace. Problem is, I can't post ANY of it!! Boooo. At least not until Christmas. Drawing for everyone I can afford to send gifts to. And by afford I mean postage. First year living away from everything and everyone for the holidays, looks like it will be a quiet affair. The first of many, I'm sure. And most importantly, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Boxing Day. Its a wonderful Christmas gift. Off to be a slave to my art markers for another day! Will dig out something to post soon. I promise!

Happy Birthday Twins! (BIG 25)

Got a phone call from Tony yesterday telling me how much he liked his birthday present. :D I love that part. I'm glad. I always end up giving away all my best stuff, but at least I take pictures nowadays... how much have I given away and not even documented. SIGH. I really REALLY need a scanner. Really. This process would be so much faster. And accurate. Maybe Christmas... oh there I go again... GAH Christmas!!! I have nothing done. NOTHING. I'm starting to stress. I need ideas. Lots of 'em and quick. Any requests?

Here's Tony's Birthday Magnets. LOVE the way these turned out! penciled and inked on card stock, backed with bristol board (for a bit of support) and sticky magnet sheet on the back! Presto! (Don't forget the dozen layers of spray lacquer!)

When he opened his envelope, the full body doggy one fell out and he thought, "That looks just like Toots! I wonder where she found them?" And then he opened the card and saw the rest. I love the wonder I get in people's voices sometimes. Gives me a glow. Happy Birthday!!


Today is going to be watercolor experiment day. Wish me luck!

The not-quite-so-frustrating day

Yesterday was a complete and total bust. I slept about 5 hours, then got up to a dark, foggy, rainy day (which today was as well, mild temps though still) which proceeded to frustrate me to no end. I had intended on starting a project I've been planning for the last several days. But when I put pencil to paper... NOTHING. Artists' Block I suppose. I'm having a hard time working out my own style for comic-style single frames and it is IRKING me. I wanted to do a series of characters in a trading card style, each with its own unique border, etc. So, still a great idea, needs more development. Its on the shelf.

I started brainstorming for another baby gift this morning, can't say too much about the project, but I'm at least halfway done and it looks great! Definitely a relief to have that one almost finished, hoping to have it in the mail by the weekend! Will post pics when gift is received. You're gonna love it. Its too damn cute for words...

That being said, I drew animals all morning and ended up not using any of them for anything. I love when inspiration drop kicks you midstream. I really do. I should post them, but its too late tonight. Maybe tomorrow on sewing break.

Edit: Nov 16 9:30am PICTURES

A Few of My Favorite Things

All of my energy has been poured into making an "idea book" these past few days, in preparation for an interview that I'm afraid to name for fear or jinxing it...

Got the idea when trying to fill out a Style at Home online profile last week, they give you a text box for your favorite things. I had quite a list... they're ALL my favorites. I had to delete them one at a time and try to re-post. I kept getting this angry red error message

My Favorite Things list is too long. Please try again.

So I tried again. And Again. And again. Finally I was left with a pitiful list of 4 or 5 items ... hardly an accurate representation of MY favorite things.

My list runs something like this:

1. texture that begs to be touched
2. ... haven't gotten there yet
3. Paisley
4. Glass mosiac tile
5. Red lacquer
6. working on it
7. also TBA
8. Analogous color schemes
9. Yellow-green
10. Graphic retro print
11. Mirrored anything
12. ...
    
13. Chaise sectional sofas
14. Stainless steel
15. Diamond plate
16. Ikea PS red
17. Stripes
18. Tylosand
19. Multi-purpose furniture
20. Copper
21. Fabric with a touch of sparkle
22. TBA
23. Funky damasks
24. ...
25. Nike Karlsson
26. Skylights
27. Grundtal kitchen accessories
28. ...
29. ...
30. Orchids
31. ...
32. ...
33. Rough painted wood
34. Slate
35. ...
36. Leather
37. Lucite
38. Undercabinet lighting
39. Magnetic things
40. Gerbera daisies

So I ran out of rubber cement part of the way through. Leaving room for improvement is good. I have MOST of an idea book. It looks good. I'm happy with how it came out. I'm also going to bring my old book that I made years ago and some of my decorating work. Wish me luck!!

old idea book

new idea book

BE BRAVE NOT BEIGE

The freedom of a chicken suit

I am part of a very select group of people. I have worn various rubber / furry / hot stinky and sweaty rental suits for a good cause. I have been Daffy the Daffodil in support of the Canadian Cancer Society at a family fun day. I frightened the life out of the small children and invited abuse from the older ones. I went to a primary school as Monty, one of two Newfoundland dog mascots for the City of Mount Pearl. I forget what we were there for, I had so much fun. I signed autographs and gave out hugs, and watched Pearl's back when she was doing the same so the rotten little b@st@rds trying to kick us or steal our head wouldn't get the chance. Ahh, the good old days. That was back in the high school years. Last summer, I had the chance to do it all over again.

It was almost time for the big paint sale of the year. We had a staff meeting over lunch in the manager's office to brainstorm ideas to bring in customers. Having a primarily industry and commercial customer base, we always did rather poorly with retail sales. Hot dogs... prize giveaways... hourly specials... coloring contests... we suggested it all. Someone suggested we get a Dora the Explorer suit and everyone laughed. I said, "Wait now, that could be a really good idea. It will definitely draw attention."

"Oh yeah? And who's gonna wear it, YOU?" More laughter.

"You're damn right I will!"

Silence. "You're kidding, right?"

Nope. Of course I was willing to take that one for the team again! To have that freedom once more? Sign me up! It could make the difference between a successful sale day and a flop. And I get to have fun all day and get paid for it, besides! Why not?

Sale day comes. The Costume arrived yesterday evening. One small speed bump in our plans. No Dora. She was waaay out of budget. We could afford ... a Chicken. Don't ask me what chickens have to do with paint, I couldn't tell you. At the time, we had a young man working with us. This was his first real job. His specialty happened to be holding up the counter while the rest of us worked until he was told to go do something in no uncertain terms. Before I got to work, he was unanimously voted to be the chicken suit test driver. He shuffled into the bathroom, suit fresh in its drycleaning bag under his arm. He didn't come out for twenty minutes. The others went to go check on him. Yes, he was alright, and no, he didn't feel quite like coming out just yet. So they gave him a minute, and he emerged in all his gaudy yellow glory. The place went up in fits of giggles. He stood there, shoulders slumped, half turned away, like a dog who has been beaten with rolled-up newspaper. He was cowering. They sent him outside with a decorated, empty paint can to generate excitement about our big sale. I arrive to work to discover a big yellow chicken standing dejectedly on the sidewalk in front of our store, his paint can dangling from one hand, almost hidden by his side.

Inside, the place is a ghost town. Not. One. Customer. My co-workers were slumped across the counter, in an odd reflection of Sad Chicken outside. "How's the big sale going so far guys?" I cheerfully ask. I get mostly blank, vaguely irritated stares.

"How does it look like its going?" One points out.

Ah. Not so well. It is only early, everyone's still eating breakfast yet. They'll show up. Five minutes later, chicken boy shuffles back inside. He pops off the mask with an exhausted "ugh". He can't do this anymore. Its awful.

Now, it is MY turn. I wait for him to change out of the suit and I get a coffee, I'm going to need it for today. I am ready.

On go the ridiculous red tights, the yellow, tufted, furry bodysuit, the fluffy chicken mitts. I stretch the rubber chicken feet over my shoes. Almost ready. I tuck the chicken head under my arm and proudly burst from the bathroom. Everyone turns to see the ridiculous chicken suit animated again. I accept the laughter. I turn to the kid, "Watch how it should be done," I instruct him. Then, pulling my rubber head on, I stride purposefully outside.

It takes a few minutes to get warmed up. I walk back and forth, pointing at my paint can and waving. Then, I get the urge to dance. Flapping my arms in "chicken wings", I high step around for a bit. I wiggle my behind. People start waving and honking from their cars, driving by. I hum a bit to myself, giving me a rhythm to move to. I can hear people walking down the sidewalk behind me chuckling. Soon, I'm doing every crazy dance move I can concieve of and people are definitely noticing. Men alone in their cars wave like fools with big grins on their faces. People waiting for the light to change try desperately to ignore me waving at them through their windshields, but as they drive away, they glance back with a smile. Oddly enough, the people who refuse to look, or wave, or smile, are the women driving alone. One family turn around just to drive past me again in their Volvo station wagon, everyone pressed to the glass on one side of the car, waving. I offer high fives to people walking down the street. And every time someone turns their vehicle into my parking lot, I pump both fists in the air and run around in celebration! I got one! Maybe they had planned this trip yesterday, maybe they have had the room plastered for weeks and just now get up to a husband or wife nagging that they get the damn thing finished and drove straight to the paint store to shut them up. But maybe, just MAYBE, they noticed me dancing in a yellow chicken suit in front of a big sale sign... and decided to come check it out.

After dancing flat out for three hours, I go inside for lunch. I peel off the mask. My hair is plastered to my head with sweat. I manage to get my arms and upper body out of the fun fur heat trap. Whew. Its a good exhausted. Business has picked up since I arrived, and the door opens and closes with foot traffic on a regular basis.

The real gem of the day, however, has yet to come. Next door, there is a dance studio. It looks to be a fairly successful spot, parents' vehicles overflowing into our parking to bring their little ones to learn flexibility and balance. I see a little girl pushing her father towards me, hiding behind his legs. I wave. She stops and hides for a second, then peeks around Dad towards me. I wave again. She breaks ino a shy smile and continues steering Dad in my direction. When they are about ten feet away, she stops and bawls out, "HI CHICKEN!" I wave again and start dancing in what I hope to be a non-threatening manner. She creeps forward, Dad urging her on. She walks up next to me and dances with me for a minute. I almost laugh out loud. She is copying my ridiculous movements. I stop and get a high five, a low five, and a thumbs up after little prompting. Dad calls out to her, it is time to go. I bend a little and hold out my arms, she hesitates, then barrels into me for a hug. She giggles a little and takes off running back to Dad, who has started walking towards the car. Halfway there, she shouts again. "WAIT!" I turn around, and she calls out to me. "CHICKEN!" Pause. "I LOVE YOU CHICKEN!" I can't help but break out into a big foolish grin. I blow her chicken kisses with my fluffy hand, and she waves the entire way into the car. She is still waving as they pull out of the parking lot. So am I.

Ink Bits

Some recent ink on card stock.

Finally, a blog all my own.

Yeah, I know. Seems like everyone's doing it these days. But I'm feeling mighty creative as of late, for the first time in many moons. As it is though, creativity is a very easy thing to let slip. I need to hold myself accountable to something, set deadlines of sorts, to keep me rolling. I try to draw as often as possible and for as long as I can once I start. I've been quilting, thanks to the inspiration of needing a baby gift for a good friend's first pregnancy. That first project finished and sent, I can publish it. And what better place to start...