Sunday, June 23, 2013

On My Worktable

Oh my gosh! This month has flown by. Did you get to see the Super Moon? I saw it, but it wasn't way big like in some pics online. It was very bright though and it made me smile. Still working on things. I apologize for not keeping up. I've fallen short on the celebrating this month but there are a few cool plans in the works.


Here's what's on my worktable right now. Still working on my Bless This House borders. I now have the sunflowers in place. One has already been appliqued on.


More Day of Dead doll pins to finish and a large doll for a group swap that needs to be done by the end of the week. Been writing too. And that's always changing. It's going to be a scorcher this week and I'm hoping I don't have to go out much if at all. Have a good one. It's finally summer and the days are getting shorter.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Aarrgh!!!!

The weather this spring has been so screwy and for the past couple of weeks, it's been messing with my creative frequencies.  I've delivered several commissions and the recipients were thrilled.  Their responses really made a few days, pumped me up, and I was ready to get on with the next project.  But Andrea, the first Tropical Storm of the season was a pain.  My curls had curls, and those curls had siblings.  It was wet. At times like mini monsoon wet.  I've been in Japan during the rainy season and it was like that.  Wet and muggy.  Yuck!  When Andrea hit the road or I should say open sea, we get something else plow through with more rain, flooding, and tornado watches. Had a massive allergy headache yesterday and I just slept.  Feeling better now but it's going to be hot and humid for the next two days.  Thanks.

Seeing that I'm not taking a vacation for my birthday month, there will be fun and new things to do.  Maya got me involved with an online game called Ingress.  Yes, I'm getting my geek on and massive competitiveness is bubbling under my surface.  First I have to level up to be considered an active player.  That wouldn't be a problem if it would just dry out!

Tonight, a local art group is having a talk about New & Old Media for artists.  It's free and I think I'll check it out.  A gallery I have work in, recently moved to a new location, and are now going to have their Open House on Thursday and I will hit up a movie at the $2.50 joint.  This week is turning out quite well for celebrating.

In between all that fun, I'm getting my giveaway piece done as well as working on more Halloween pieces.  I still have a quilt top to finish up because having parts around are driving me nuts.  And back to writing.  I would like to have my writing website up by the end of the year.  Still working out some bugs and have decided to brainstorm a bit as to how I want it set up.  Never a dull moment.  That's the key, be in the moment.

See ya!

Saturday, June 8, 2013

What the Heck!

Yep!  What the heck?  Where has this year gone?  My head is spinning and the world is upside down.  In thirteen more days it will be the longest day of the year.  And you know what happens after that... the days start getting shorter.  What?  The past couple of weeks have been a bit crazy.  I'm working on catching up on things, like wrapping up May.  That just totally slid by me.  Two commissions and an art show later, I can come up for air.  A bit.  So grab your favorite beverage, your favorite seat and get comfortable.  This may take awhile.  Where do I begin?

Okay, I'll begin with the end of May.  The last day, the 31st, when I realized that I had been out of work for a year and actually survived.  There were times where I did get help from some wonderful people but I didn't give up on my dream of being an artist.  Not starving but severely struggling and that could be a mind thing in itself.  My emotions were all over the place.  Happy because I took a chance.  How many other people do? With several false starts, I forged ahead.  Not knowing where I was going or how things were going to turn out.  Working out a schedule for me that would work for what I wanted to do.  I'm still working on that but I've found out that I write better in the mornings.  I work great with the painting and dolls after lunch.  That's a good thing.  I'm still amazed that I can do that.  Make my own schedule.  Some days I have to chuck it out the window, but it's my schedule.

Happy because I've been creating and working on new designs, even though most didn't work out.  But attempt was there.  I didn't know if they would work or not and the drama between the two Wendy's was epic.  I can't. I can.  I can't.  Oh, just do it and worry about the outcome later.  I even surprised myself when I had to do a cloth doll for a graduation gift.  With very little time to do it.  I couldn't find my old patterns because brilliant me decided to put them in envelopes and file them away.  Far, far away.  They are quite safe.  So, I did what any doller would do.  Made up a new pattern and doll in a day.  I really like this new pattern and I'm trying to figure out what else I can with it.  Got her painted and dressed in the second day.  I really need to figure out how to keep that kind of fire under my butt at all times.  Be able to turn it on and off.  Good Wendy was impressed.   Bad Wendy's head exploded.  For those of you not familiar with The Wendy's, they are my muses and alter egos.  They either encourage me, present bright ideas, or go totally AWOL.

Happy because I've have been in the zone so many times that is was a form of enlightenment.  Pleasure. Excitement.  There were times when I felt like I was flying and when  project was done, I didn't crash and burn like in previous years.  I stepped right into the next thing.  There were times when my brain actually hurt because I was thinking things through.  They say that your brain is a muscle and this past year I have stretched it.  I actually felt it getting stronger.  Neurons reconnecting.

Happy because of the many times I questioned myself and I just didn't give up.  I kept going.  There was always tomorrow.  I was blessed with new days.  Days to start over again if I had to and sometimes, I had to.  Days of being alone and stuck in my studio.  Working on a project through tears because this was my new job.  Something I've always wanted to do.

Happy because no matter how many times I got knocked down (and there were plenty) I got back up.  Sometimes I limped, was bruised, or totally shell shocked.  Always working on not comparing myself to anyone else.  Hard, very hard.  Battling the thoughts that I'm too old to do this or to be published one day.  Realizing that I just have to do it.  Write my stories, craft my dolls because I have to.  Work my butt off because I have to.  Because those things are a part of me, they make me.  To create is to breathe.  And when I don't, I feel a little ill.  Then I pick up clay, or fabric, or a paintbrush, or pen and paper and get going again.  I've painted, sewn, and written through tears.  Will it happen again?  Probably.  But I will keep going.  If anyone ever tells me that I don't work, I will tell them to try it.  And then eat rat turds.

Now the other side of the coin.  There have been times when I would freak myself out, asking if I should get a job.  Then I ask myself, what jobs?  I still beat up and drag myself over hot coals and mountainous terrain.  But not as often as I had been doing.  Am I still afraid at times?  You betcha.  I am getting stronger because this is my creative journey.  If I don't like one path, I can get on another one.  Am I wealthy?  Nope.  Will I be?  I don't know the answer to that either.  But I will have peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment.  No one can take that away from me.  So I guess in a sense, I am wealthy.  Leaving behind things that will make people smile or think.

Well would you look at that?  Not much to the other side of that coin.  I am very proud of myself.  Of what I've done in one year.  Last year I made a deal with myself to at least try.  The deal is still on because this year will be better.  The Wendy's have pushed their sleeves up.  The game is still on.

A Gift

I've been making more Day of Dead doll pins.  I'm going to have to make a real doll at some point.  This little gal is a gift and I hope the intended recipient is not a follower of my blog. Got this one done yesterday after a morning and afternoon filled with laundry.  Ugh!  Oh, the mundane things in life sends the creativity flying.  Away.  Far, far away and I'm trying to reel it back in.



I also wanted to show how big this painting was. 24" x 36".  It comes up to the handle of your standard door.
Finished my aliens but they didn't come out the way I'd planned.  I made up the paper mache recipe and it was okay but not the effect that I wanted.  I have another recipe to try but another doll maker told me about something else that might do what I want it to do.  I'll get back with you on that. But here are my guys. Two factions: one the likes Earth and one that wants it totally obliterated.


They are totally goofy and it doesn't seem like the bad one will be taken seriously.  So back to the drawing board.  I like my paint job but I want more detail in the face.  I also like the idea of the placards that show their alliance.  We might be in trouble.  Or not.

Doll Commission

I finished a doll commission this week as a graduation gift.  The person who ordered it didn't want to give it up.



I can't seem to get away from cloth dolls, so I guess I'll stop trying.

Whoa!

 Okay, wow, geesh!  This year, this crazy year is going by so fast. A lot of stuff have been happening and I'm treading water. I'm h...