Happy Halloween!

I don't have a new scary picture right now so I'll show a piece I did some time ago. One of my first needle felted pieces.

I am just about ready to start NaNoWriMo, November 1 at midnight. I'm very excited about reaching 50,000 words in 30 days. I'm finishing up two stories I'd started before and I want to get that first draft done. One is a fantasy pirate story and the other a mid-grade kid story dealing with zombies. I am cooking for the week so all I have to do is heat a meal up and get to writing. I also have dolls and ornaments to do for the holidays. So November will be very busy and prove to be quite interesting. I will post my word count on a regular basis along with showing new dollies.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Sorry.

While trying to figure out this Google+ thing, I mistakenly deleted photos on my blog. This is very frustrating and there is no way to retrieve the pics, so I have to go back to each one and upload the pics again. Really thinking about going somewhere else when I start another blog. I will not say how peeved I am right now. So be patient with me. I will get all pics back up as soon as possible.

Thanks.

Latest Winter Wandi

I started this little gal last year and finally got her done this year. Most of this batch of Wandi dolls didn't have names, so she just gets a number. I did crochet her hat and shawl and she turned out better than expected. She will be wrapped up with several others and on their way to a local shop for the winter season. It feels good to get something done.

Yikes!

I can't believe this month is almost over. It hasn't exactly been the most productive month looking back at my calendar. I am so behind. I know, I know, I'm being way too hard on myself. I did manage to have my first one woman show and I did get a commission. I guess one can't be working all the time. I needed to recharge my creative batteries.

Now I'm getting ready to do NaNoWrimo (National Write A Novel In A Month) in November. I know!!!!!! I'm a crazy gal but I've got the attention span of a gnat. I will really have to focus because not only do I have the commission to do but get ready for the holidays, and two shows in February. Yes, 2012. EEK! Along with the job thing and writing and Turkey Day. I can do it. One day at a time. One project at a time. Well... maybe not. I'll be working on several projects at a time. But it should be one fun ride.

For NaNo this year, I have four stories I'm working on. I have them all started and they are in various degrees of being finished. What I'd like to do is finish them. Have solid rough drafts so that I can them flesh them out, edited, and be ready for publication of some sort. One story may take off faster than the next but I shouldn't get any type of writer's block. If I do, I'll just move to the next story. The goal is 50,000 words in 30 days. I will have to get a good start right off the bat, November 1st and work hard to get a good word count in the first three days. I'll be helping friends at their BBQ location at the Persimmon Festival, then a good friend will be coming in from Michigan the following weekend, and my job has it's fair the next weekend after my friend leaves, and after that is Turkey Day. Yeah, 50,000 words and more dolls. November should prove to be quite interesting or I'll lose a lot of hair. Maybe some weight. Off for more plotting and planning.

Have a great day people!

18th Annual Carolina Renaissance Festival

Well folks, I got my geek/nerd on this past Sunday. My pals Maya, Amanda, and I went to the Carolina Renaissance Festival. The sun was out, it wasn't too hot or too cold. A perfect fall day. I've been to festivals in Michigan before, Maya had been to this one before, and it was Amanda's first time. A virgin. We had a blast. We didn't gorge ourselves on the foodstuffs. I did have the fish 'n chips and a beer. Or I should say, ale. We laughed so hard at times, our cheeks hurt.

Enjoy the pics.

One of the many faerie ladies entertaining the little ones.

Check out those wings. Awesome!

The band for the aerial performer.

The aerial performer.

An archer taking a break, sketching in her leather bound journal. She did pose for me at first but I asked her to pretend I wasn't there. I like natural poses from people at the fair. Great doll references.

Pretty dresses. Lots of work.

The music group Maidens IV. The fourth one is in the corner playing the heck out of the drums.

A wonderful Steampunk ride for the kiddies. I guess some parental units were allowed on too.

A lovely lady in one of the many costume shops. Yes, I saw several outfits I wanted to own.

The Green Man.

Three silly Musketeers. I don't know how well they would do with protecting anyone. They were ready for the ale tent.

A guy in a kilt.

This lovely lady was smocking. I can't recall the term she used but that's what she was doing. I used to smock ages ago. No time or little people to do it for anymore.

London Broil, the juggling troupe. They were hilarious. And very good.

A lady harpist.

Like I said, I had a blast. It's been years since I've been to a fest. Next year... I'm dressing up. I've got a whole year to make my costume. What shall I be? A pirate? A Steampunk pirate? A Steampunk wench? A faerie catcher? Any ideas?

In Progress

I'm behind but I'm not out. The cool weather is finally here and I'm enjoying it. I'd rather be outside walking and crunching leaves but I have to concentrate on more dollies. So here are some doll pins in the works. I wore my witch doll pin Wallis to the job and got a commission for 12 similar ones.  Pretty cool.

These babies are almost done. I'm procrastinating a bit. The wad of white are strips of a gauze type fabric. Quite messy. Their eye sockets have been painted and their button eyes stitched on. I have their hearts cut out and ready to be stitched on top of their bandaged bodies. They look kind of cute. Then I'll add some beads, some type of hair and a bit more paint. The next couple of days will be another pic.

What's Next?

No pics this time round. I really need to get some fall pics this year. I can't remember if I had any last year. The leaves are changing quite nicely and I love to hear them being blown down the sidewalks. We finally have our regular temps for this time of year.

So what's next with me and my work? I really need to get more items back on my Etsy shop. Need a PayPal adjustment and then I should be back in business. I have dolls stacked up that need to be finished and I'd like to do that within the next two weeks. More needle felting with some bears in winter wear. That should be fun. Lots of ornaments for the Krankies Holiday Craft Fair. Catch up on my Hop To It quilt blocks and get ready to do NaNoWrimo again next month. Also, restock shops for the holidays too. That's just my three month plan. I also have a six month plan. But I'll work on getting things done for the rest of this month. By the end of the week I should have something to show.

See ya!

All Things Halloween

The reception for my first one woman show was a success. My friends helped me out by supplying the food and there was wine too. The set up of my work at the gallery was just wonderful. Thank you Hampton House Art & Framing for a beautiful display.

It was so wonderful to see my work set up like this. Very moving and exciting. A different feel than if I did a doll show where I would have to sit for a day or two to sell my work. I feel as if my work have been elevated to the next level. It was a great feeling. I can't wait for the next exhibit.

I never would have thought to put the Goth Girls in a row like this and one shock of color with a Wandi Witch. They look like a chorus line.

I love the idea of my Voodoo Doll Pins and Witch Pins hanging by their necks. A bit creepy but fitting, don't you think? I was wondering how they were going to display the bunch.

Me and my art rep Lee Mecum.  We're both wearing doll pins.

Me and Nathan Ross Freeman. He's the director of the independent film I made all those dolls for. He really liked my dolls and how I named them and said he was honored that I had done the dolls for his film.

Meredith and her fiance Josh. I haven't seen them in almost a year. They made the reception exceptional. I cried when I saw them. Meredith is one of my biggest cheerleaders.

Benita Van Winkle is a wonderful artist and photographer. I was surprised and happy that she took time out of her busy schedule to come to my show.

Evelyn Crews is another creative kindred spirit. Now that my show is up, we're going to do some beading workshops.

Steven Dunn is a fantastic painter and was the second friend I made when I moved here. He used to work at Hampton House and encouraged me to do my art. He asked me to bring in my dolls five years ago and he put them in the gallery that day. Now I've my own show there. I'm tearing up as I type this. He said he was very proud of me and my creations. He mentioned that even now, when he has his own shows, he still gets a chill seeing a body of his work in a gallery setting. We stood and looked at my show. He said he got a chill and that he was very excited for me. Many more friends showed up and we talked and laughed. This is only the beginning for me. I hope you enjoyed the pics of my show. Hold onto your hats, the ride continues.

Marley Batsheva and her Amazing Bat Circus

I finally got the last piece done for my show. It's Marley Batsheva, named by two friends, and her bat circus. I had fun making the bats. They are needle felted over a wire armature, with felt wings and beads for eyes. Marley loves her bats. Here's her story:

Coming from a family of performers, artists, and writers, Marley decided to continue the tradition. She has created her own bat circus. She's not too fond of fleas. Bats are more petable.

Forgot to take the pin out of this bat. Oops! He's been skewered. They still need some practice, don't you think?

And look what I found at the craft store. I was looking for something else when I spotted these two beauties. The last two. I'm on the hunt for more but I believe I've missed the boat. Get it? Dracula was on a boat.... Anyhoo, I can't wait to paint and decorate them and see what dollie goes inside. My voodoo doll pins are too big. Drats! It doesn't matter. I'm creative.

I'm supposed to be taking it easy this week. A self imposed break of sorts before I get back into the creative swing of things. I will probably continue to rearrange things and get projects in order on my craft bookcase. See which dolls in progress I want to finish and get everything together to get started on new ones. Now, I've got the holidays to think about. I'm also thinking about a different background for my blog. Not satisfied with this one.

I have a lot on my creative plate for the rest on this month and year. I'm so excited, I can't wait to clue you in on some things. I will be doing more needle felted pieces and throw myself into some polymer clay. I can get back to my applique and finish off a quilt or two. My Etsy shop needs a lot of work, so that's on the list too. 

Have a great day!