The Beat Goes On

Yes, it does. I had given up on posting on the regular until that holiday was over. I was getting more hours at work, so when I got home, I just wanted to eat and go to bed. But... it is over until the end of 2019. My schedule will get back to normal and I can do some serious creating. Got big plans for 2019. Still getting things sorted out. This morning I finally wrote my 'unfinished projects' list. Not as many as I thought there would be. Some will take a day or two to finish while others will take a bit longer. But I can still work on them along the way. I will have to. One is a roombox.

I have eaten so much stuff these past couple of weeks. Candy, both homemade and store bought; cookies, scones, did I mention cookies? Pie. Chocolate covered nuts. And then I was able to make it to my mother's for Christmas. She fed me. Ribs, mashed taters, and stir fry veggies. Yum! Stopped by my cousin's and she had homemade spaghetti. It was so good. I don't think I brought back enough as leftovers. Another cousin grilled (hey, this part of MI had no snow, not that that matters for grilling) and brought over ribs, chicken, prawns, and crab legs. So for breakfast, after starting back to exercising, I had pie for breakfast. The last of the bean pie. And lots of coffee. It will be difficult to break the sweet habit, especially when the roomie has it all over the house. My will is strong.

I didn't draw that much during the month except little things on the calendar that hangs on the fridge.

I made my roomie a pair of flannel lounging pants with little kitty cats all over. She loved them and the flannel was so nice, even after pre-washing the fabric. I hadn't sewn anything life size in awhile and I enjoyed it, so I will have to do more.

I got a really cool prop for some upcoming show. I'm thinking of making some creepy pumpkins and some skellies to go with it. It's kind of cool.

Having some tech problems, so I will post more later.

Still At It

Yep, still at it. I finally got my wayward stash of doll and art ideas under a wee bit of control. It took me three days to wrangle all the pieces and slips of paper and napkins that had ideas on them. I ended up with several categories: regular dolls, Halloween, ornaments, manly dolls, skellie things, bed/boudoir dolls, drawings/paintings, witches, and fiber art pieces. Some may overlap but those were the leading units. The oldest sketch was from 2012. I've got to step up my creative game.

I'm glad that I finally did it and now I can see what can be done and what needs to stay an idea or cute sketch. I've started my list for the first quarter of 2019 and I will go through the stack of ideas I should tackle first. I also have more days at the store until after next week. Then maybe I can have a couple more days to make things for me.

The sun is out and it's feeling quite nice outside. Not really Christmas type weather. Although I hope it will hold out until next weekend so that I can spend some time with my mother. That's my update.

No Pic Post

Yeah... about that. I have done some small drawings in my Bullet Journal but not anything worth showing. Right now I'm working on getting my holiday happy back. I tell ya, working in retail at this time of year makes you want to turn into a dragon and fry some people. I was excited about the holidays... last month. Now I can't wait for them to be over. Once again, I'm buying gifts for myself that I will wrap and open on Christmas morning with the excitement and joy as if someone else bought them for me. I deserve gifts, even if they are from me to me.

This year is wrapping up. At least the one everyone else follows. I also follow another where the year ends on October 31st. Almost two months into that year and so far not doing to bad on what needs to get done. This other year starting in January, I don't know how I feel about that one yet. But, I have straightened my work area after my last two commissions and that feels good. It's not perfect but I know where most things are and I'm ready to go.

I have today to myself and I have a few gifts to wrap for friends. I'm writing this post. I finally saw 'Avengers Infinity War' and wow! I've seen it twice already and I'm trying to figure out how they are going to fix things in the next movie. I will watch it again until I have to take it back. Next to my show list that I'm working on, I will finally make myself go through all my doll/figure/art ideas. The ones written down and sketched out on slips of paper, corners of paper used for lists, and some are even on napkins. I've been putting it off long enough and now it's time to see what I've got. What can be used to make things come to be. Especially that I'm lining up shows. Gotta have new work for that. I have 17 more days to figure that out.

See ya.

I'm Here!

Still here on this plane on Earth. Dealing with more hours at work, trying to stay healthy with so many ill people around me, truck is doing a lot better, working on getting my 'happy for the holidays' back. I tell you, retail can suck the happiness out of the holidays. Can't wait until the next week and a half is over. No snow yet. On the good side...

I finished two commissions. I almost talked myself out from doing them (Bad Wendy) but I told myself that this is what I want to do. Even though things are hard for independent business owners, artists, writers, this is what I want to do. So I did it. Them. And they are off to their new homes.

I also did a drawing for an online art challenge and I'm behind. Here's my mutant candy cane. He has issues.

I will work on getting some of the other prompts done. Now I have to clear up the art area, go through fabric to see what I have for the next round of dolls. 2019 is so close and there are so many things I want to accomplish. Continuing on the big plan. Until next time, be good.

Hard Day

It was seriously, a hard day. So pretty, blue sky with fluffy clouds, and sun. I lounged in sunbeams coming through the window today. Felt so good. Ah....

Anyway, I also got a body stuffed. She'll get a face soon and I finished December's front page for my Bullet Journal. It's a gingerbread crypt.

December

Yay!

Maybe. It was gorgeous yesterday at a marvelous 53 degrees. The sun was out, people were smiling. Then it started to rain and then we got snow. That was a pretty good fake out. I mean, it's winter. As they say in probably every state, don't like the weather, wait a few minutes.

Anyway, I've a pretty good creative list for the month. Which I've started. I have to finish a doll before Christmas. So far, so good.

She will get stuffed tonight. I am late on having my front page for my Bullet Journal done, but that's nothing new. It is sketched, I just have to color it. It does make me smile though. I'll show it to you tomorrow.

Well, well...

Here I am again. Another month has gotten the best of me. First off, the weather went from this...

to this...

in 2.5 seconds. Michigan time. Yep, I didn't get a proper fall this year. I guess that's a thing of the past now. I'm glad I have some fond memories of how a fall used to be. Beautiful colors on the trees, crunching on the dry leaves on my way to school. Nice cool temps so you could have a window open for a couple of weeks after summer. Chilly for Halloween, a little snow for Thanksgiving, and then winter. And winter was after Indian Summer (which may not be politically correct these days), a time after a frost and then a week of warm temps. Nope, nada, it's gone forever. Now it's winter and daylight is short. Winter isn't official until December 21st but it's here. The only thing to do is deal with it and soon there will be fires in the fireplace.

November got away from me. Yes, I had some plans. I did do a doll show, it was okay. Made a little money and got some new contacts. I always like talking to the other vendors. I got sick. Oh boy did I get sick. Not flu sick but a really bad sinus infection. Usually I could kick it with an over-the-counter medication but not this time. I was having vertigo with this bad boy. I had to go to Urgent Care. I got a shot in the rear end so I could get some relief and antibiotics for ten days. I'm feeling loads better but then I had to take my truck back to the shop. And I didn't finish NaNoWrimo. Ugh! When it rains, it pours fish and frogs. Tackled again by the universe. But...

I'm back up. Still hanging in there. Looking for the silver lining of a whole lot of storm clouds.  This month got away from me. But a  new one starts tomorrow.

Hello November

Isn't great how time just keeps marching on whether you're in step or not? And here we are. November. We have two more months of this year left. But because Samhain happened last night and is the start of a New Year for some, I'm going to do that. Start a new year with new things (because I can) and get another rough draft of a novel done for NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. 50,000 words for the month of November. I made it last year and I will make it this year. The difference this year is that I will continue to refine and edit a draft and see where that takes me. As usual there's lots to do this month. I have one more doll show to do and that one is in Toledo, OH on November 18th. More on that later. And because my stock is way down, I will be doing more sewing to get it up again and ready for the show.

Last month there were so many drawing challenges. Inktober being one of them. I started it but didn't finish. I did manage a few drawings on the calendar on the refrigerator. My roommate did three of them.

It was fun keeping up with that. She would leave suggestions for me and I would think about it for a day and then draw it. Got keep going with the sketch/drawing thing. That's my update. Gotta get some words written. Have a nice evening.

Happy Halloween!

Oh no! October has whizzed on by. I had a health relapse but had enough energy to take a selfie. Which I don't like taking.

I'm trying to take it easy for the trick or treaters tonight. I'm so glad it stopped raining. Right now the sun is out and not too cold. So maybe, just maybe, the kids will have a nice time this evening. The sickness has set me back once again. I guess that's a part of life. I just want my head to stop hurting and not feel so tired. Plans for November are underway though. I think I'll first take a short nap.

Have fun and be safe tonight.

Ack!!!

October, my favorite month, why are you not being kind to me? This is going to be short folks. I had to put my truck in the shop a few weeks ago, for a week and then I got sick this past week. I'm feeling a bit better but now it's checking the creative time damage. So no new costume this year. No Halloween party to go to because I can't afford a relapse of being sick.

I'll be back.

Life

Now I can see why there isn't a manual on it. I can say it's never dull. Just when I was thinking I was at least on an even keel, here comes a boulder. I was diagnosed with Lyme's Disease and if that wasn't enough to wreck a day, my truck is back in the shop. I know it's getting old but I need it to hang in there for at least another year or two. Maxwell, my truck, is 20 years old with over 220,000 miles on him. Yes, I wanted to cry. And I had to spend money on a car rental so that I can get to work for money that is no longer mine. Ack!

So I got up, wiped away chunks of stone and dust, pulled my pants back up and kept moving. So last weekend I was a vendor at a doll show in Wilmington, Ohio. It was about 4.5 hours away, so my mother (who went with) said we should stay at the hotel. Fine. It wasn't my best show, or my worst and I did sell some things. What was really weird was that the hotel we stayed in was recently remodeled and the walls were like paper. Our neighbors were so loud and they had their TV on loud. So what did I do? I found a slasher movie on the ScyFy channel and turned up the volume. Childish, maybe but it was quite satisfying. The next morning, they started in at each other around 5 AM. Ugh! He was yelling at her about breakfast. What did she want? They have bacon and eggs. She yelled that she didn't want the bacon and eggs. He yelled that they have sausage and biscuits with gravy. She yelled back that she didn't want bacon and eggs. He yelled, no, what about sausage and biscuits with gravy. You would think they were on opposite ends of the hotel but they were in one room. I was about ready to yell, I'll take the bloody bacon and eggs. I got up. Geesh!

I was supposed to be up at the front of the show but got put into a back corner. When people came to my table, they commented on it and I told them that I was incorrigible, or I got sent to the principal's office, or that I was just the odd one. I was fine with it, I made them laugh, and I still sold some things being in the back.

There were so many cool things to see at the show. I really like dollhouses and room boxes. One day I will have one. These are by Judy Rankine and she even has tutorials on her Facebook page.

And there were some nice antique miniature dolls to go into a dollhouse. I was keen on those from the 1920s.

I love the stripe dress.

I even saw a real Izannah Walker doll. She was beautiful.

I got back home and unpacked everything. My inventory is way down. I sat and thought about if I wanted the Wilmington show to be my last for the year. I ask myself why, because there's another show coming up. Do it... do iiiitttt. So I contacted the organizer and asked if she had any tables left and she said yes. I'm doing the Doll & Teddy Bear show in Toledo, Oh. Lots closer and I can drive it in the same day. Why not? I make dolls, I want to get back into that circuit, and Christmas is coming up. So what, I have five weeks to get new dolls made. I can do it. This is my calling. Or at least one of them. Life is short, so take a chance. I don't know if I will get my Halloween costume done this year but that's okay. There's always next year.

Until next time.

Muah ha ha!

Well, well, when it rains it hails. Right when I'm staring to get into a groove, life happens. Found out I have Lyme Disease. And my truck is in the shop. Not one or the other but both one right after the other. In two days. Whatever, I've got stuff to do. I nabbed a spot in another doll show in November so I will be sewing like a mad woman. And I still haven't made my Halloween costume. Yeah, I know, I was supposed to start it way back in February but I got in my way.

Part two of running around the wilds of Michigan. Two weekends ago I went to The Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween show in Marshall, MI. Marshall is a very quaint town and a house there has been featured in the film, 'The House with the Clock in the Walls.' Or something like that. I didn't get a chance to see the house and I haven't seen the film yet.

This is me at the entrance of the show. I didn't get the huge figures on either side of me. Next year. there were so many wonderful artists there. The figures below were by Dustin Poche.

Mr. E. A. Poe is by Joyce Stahl. As you can see, he sold. Actually a lot of her things sold.

These gourd critters are by Kevin Buntin. He's amazing too. I've got to get one of these.

Allen Cunningham did the Halloween dolls below. So cute. He's amazing too. Everyone was amazing. He also did the dollhouse. I've got to make myself a dollhouse. At least I know who to go to if I need help.

And these wonderful and whimsical pieces are by Laurie Hardin.

This was my second time being a visitor at this show. So much creative energy and very cool people. It will be in Marshall, MI again next year at the end of September. it's gonna be a long night tonight. Have some things to cut out. See ya!

Catching Up

Yes, catching up, yet again. For the past three weeks I've been running around like crazy. After a sudden heatwave, we now have fall temps and the leaves on the trees are starting to change color. My favorite time of year.

So I will start with three weeks ago when I went up north with my friend Kristi and her friend Abbie who is probably my new friend. We started out at Spicer's Cider Mill. Got cider, fresh donuts, apple pie, and wine. Did I mention that this was a ladies getaway? Yeah... Then we went to Ossineke and saw the roadside attraction Jurassic Jesus, the one who protects the dinosaur park.

That's me in the green. And the next pic is of a postcard from the dinosaur park. We also got fudge from Joann's Fudge. Actually, I got truffles.

We then went to a small waterfall and onto Posen. We took a nice walk on the property and got pizza at the town's party store.

The next day we went to Mackinac City. We visited Fort Michilimackinac.

And this poor guy waiting for visitors to come around so he could talk to them. In the back you can see the Mighty Mac aka Mackinac Bridge over the Straights of Mackinac.

There were several large gardens (at the end of their days) that had to feed everyone in the fort.

My new new friend I met. We talked about costumes and costume books.

We left there and I went to Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. It was around closing time and I was part of the last group to go up into the lighthouse. 51 narrow steps and an 11-rung, eight-foot ladder through a narrow hatchway. I did it, I went all the way to the tower. So glad there were only 3 of us. Really got a chance to talk to the guide.

The original Fresnel lens is on display in the light keepers area. I also got a quick look at the Shipwreck Museum. Very interesting and continued my talk with the same guide. He was pleased when I started talking about Michigan shipwrecks and U-boats of WWII. It's really nice to talk to people who love and appreciate history and they don't make you feel bad if you don't know everything they know. I wish I had time to buy him a beer and just talk. So if you're ever up north in the lower peninsula of Michigan, go see the fort and lighthouse. The Mighty Mac and the Straights of Mackinac. The best time is off season. No crowds. A little on the chilly side but still very cool. The last thing we did before heading south was to have pasties for dinner. Yum. Pass-tees. Until next time.