Early

For once I'm ahead of schedule with something. The March front page for my Bullet Journal. Yeah, I had to put bats in.

More downsizing and repacking things I'm not using and tossing things that are old or broken. Rearranged several plastic drawers. And they are labeled.

Day 2

This is all I have for right now. Got sidetracked by some family business that needed tending to.

I may have to do 2 versions of her. One in black and white and the other in color.
#29faces

Moving Forward

Slowly.

This hasn't been the week I was hoping for. I know, it's only Wednesday but I have been chipping away at things. Finally got some hair on my lady doll pins, prepped some fabric for my next embroidery project and got some sketching done. One step at a time.

More Wendland Witch sketches. I'm trying to keep up with a sketch a day. Once I get three projects out of the way, I can start making these.

Finally

Again. I got something done and can cross it off my list. I finished 16 Bat Hat ornaments. I had started them some time ago and for the life of me, I didn't finish them. Now they are done and I can move onto something else. I do feel good having them done. Now it's time to tackle something a bit more challenging. After all, I do have a craft fair coming up.

And I'm still working on filling another sketchbook.

Bat Ornaments

Getting closer to having these little guys done.

In Progress

Got a couple of different things in progress. I submitted pics of my work to an upcoming craft fair and I want to be ready. New skellie pins waiting to be turned and stuffed.

A little further along on these guys. I don't know what to call them yet.

Stuffed hats ready for bat ornaments.

My Work Table

It's been awhile since my work table looked like this. It was scary and exhilarating and fun at the same time. I hadn't felt that in a long time. How long? Three years long. Eek! Yep, I looked back. Way back. I'm grateful for my blog because I was able to go back and see when I was the most productive. What did I do differently? The time when I had a regular job, I got home, ate, and got busy. I designed and made things. Cool things and for whatever reason I lost that. Well now, I'm working my butt off to get it back.

I've made these critters before and I thought it would be the best small project to do to get back into the groove of things. Bad Wendy and the monkey were trying to poo poo my efforts. I told them to find a corner and be quiet. Sometimes you can't rush the really cool things you want to do after being away from it for so long. When I found out how long it had been, I cried. Three years gone; not creating anything. I mourned. Creating is like breathing but I guess I was underwater during that time. Now I've broken the surface. Doing the doggy paddle. And that's okay. Or maybe I was knocked out like Sleeping Beauty and Good Wendy threw paint brushes, paint, and maybe a sewing machine at me and I woke up.

For the past couple of months, I thought to myself that I've got to get back to making things. I've got to get that spark back. That it's okay to start back up, small. I gave myself permission to start small, with something I was familiar with. And now I'm ready for the next thing.

My St. Patrick's Day bat ornaments. I love bats and these make me happy.

And my bunner door hangs. I like them too.

There were plenty of times during the creation of these little guys where Bad Wendy was trying to get me off track. And I worked very hard at being in the moment. One stitch at a time. One little piece that goes next. I was so tired when I got done. My brain screamed at me. "What the heck do you think you're doing?" I answered back, "I'm using you." Maybe someone will buy them. Maybe not. But the creative floodgates have been opened. At least a bit.

One day at a time. One project at a time. One step at a time.

Bat Ornaments

Last week I got some bat ornaments started for St. Patrick's Day. I'm a bit ahead of schedule. Better not smile too much.

Somehow I ended up with more heads than bodies. Oh well.

Bat Heart Ornaments

Finished and delivered a commission of bat heart ornaments. Even though I'm getting busy with quilts, I enjoyed making these little guys. Yes, I love bats and Halloween is all year round for me. I have another quilt on the frame right now, so I gotta go.

#Halloween #bats #hearts #ornaments

Hello February

It's a brand new month. Can you believe it? My head is spinning. Last month was okay creative wise. The creative mojo is coming back. Thank goodness. I didn't get a chance to work on Kid Medusa but 29 Faces is this month.

Here's what I did do:

• Finished reading one book (out of 3)
• Longarmed quilted 2 quilt tops, and a wall hanging
• Finished 2 quilts/throws with binding (for sale)
• Made a Nine Patch quilt with Irish theme (just have to put the binding on, that was also longarmed by me)
• One day trip to a quilt and fiber show
• made 12 bat heart ornaments (commission)
• Stuffed half of my Gail Wilson doll
• Watched on documentary on Joan Miro, Miro, The Art of Seeing which is now at the Nasher Museum at Duke University.

For this month I will work on increasing what I want to accomplish. After all, it's a new month.

February:

• read 3 books
• watch 4 documentaries
• 29 Faces
• write a short story
• practice longarm quilting
• one day trip
• Gail Wilson doll
• picture quilt
• continue downsizing apartment
• post regularly on blogs
• one Halloween piece

Bunner Bat Ornaments- 7 of 20

Here are some Bunner Bat Ornaments for Easter. They are a part of my own personal art challenge for Lent. The rat doesn’t count just yet because he isn’t dressed. I love bats and I love bunners, so here’s my combination.

31 Days of Halloween - 13

Thirteen is a good number.  But I'm so far behind on this personal challenge.  I will continue to work on it but here's number 13.  Bat in Winter Hats ornaments.  I think they turned out quite well.

Bat Santa Ornaments

Getting ready for a show this weekend. Here are my Bat Santas. I'm more Halloween than Christmas, so here's a little mix of both.

Artist of the Month

I am featured Artist of the Month at Olde Mill Eclective at the Bethania Mill Shops. Yay me! If you're in Bethania, NC, stop by and see my setup. It will be up until the end of October. There are other lovely shops in the mill and Muddy Creek Cafe is right next door. Yummy food and local beers. There's parking in the back, and if that's crowded, there's parking at the Bethania Visitor's Center across the street.

Olde Mill Eclective

in the 

Bethania Mill Shops

5455 Bethania Rd

Winston-Salem, NC 27100

336.813.3774

We are also on Facebook. www.facebook.com/oldemilleclective

Be sure to support your local businesses, shops, and artists this holiday season. Thanks!

Artist Trading Card

I made my first artist trading card ever. It was fun and took me a couple of hours. Only because of drying time. I may or may not do more. Painting again felt great. Maybe I'll start doing more of that.

It's 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. I used acrylic paint and color pencils. Have a great weekend!

Bat Heart Ornaments

Something new for Olde Mill Eclective. I will put them in the shop this week for the Black Walnut Festival and will make more for the month of October. Need some things with a lower price point that won't take a lot of time to put together. They were fun to do.

Here are more ornaments in progress. Right now I'm calling them Cauldron Critters because they will be displayed in a cauldron. Makes sense to me. They are another version of a voodoo/zombie/undead thingy.
I have some fancy yarn for some of the guts.

I designed, cut out, sewed and stuffed these little guys yesterday. Got tired around 11 on the PM. I was going to stop around 9 last night but something, probably Good Wendy said to keep going. I really like how I can make my own schedule. I'm getting a late start today but I feel good creatively because I'm finally getting things done. I do have the rest of the day and night. Tomorrow will be different because I have to have a plumber look at my kitchen sink and who knows how long he'll be making noise. It's all good. Gotta have a functioning sink and I'm getting better at creating when things interrupt me or go wrong. That's a good thing.

More in Progress

I've decided to try and get a lot of doll bodies done this month and dress them all next month. Stuffing and attaching limbs can be a bit tedious, dressing them is fun. I'm going to try it. Here are more bodies in the works.

I like my little voodoo doll pins so much that I decided to enlarge the pattern to make a larger doll. I don't have a copier in my apartment so I measured the original pattern. The distance between the top of the head to the waist, the top of hips to toes and made a new, bigger pattern.

This is what I came up with after using some of my yummy stripe fabric for their legs. I'll stuff them tomorrow. I did find a problem after altering the body pattern as I was cutting them out and had to readjust the leg pattern. If it works out after stuffing, I'll just adjust the leg part. If it doesn't work out, I'll have to redo the body.

This is my fourth Ghostie Girl. As of right now she doesn't have a name. She will have bats. Not in her belfry but all over. They are pets. I'm on the lookout for a small wicker birdcage. The craft stores have their fall stuff out now and guess where I'll be. Also will be on the lookout for coupons.

Another Wandi Goth doll. I finally stuffed her head and attached it and limbs. That other long arm with the pointed finger belongs to the above Ghostie Girl.

Beatrix's Hat

I finally got Beatrix's bat hat done. Along with her face and hair. She fits well on her stand, maybe now I can finish her. She is the third in the Ghostie Girl series.

She looks a little bit distressed because she's had a great time at the Bat Festival and has had way too much to eat, drink, and too many trips on rides that go up and down and turn around.

There is a bat button on the cuff of her felt hat. The first one I made was too small for her very round head. The second one was way too big. Sounds like another story doesn't it? The third one was just right but then I sewed the white band on wrong and had to do some creative stitching. Now she needs her cotton candy and toys she won playing the games.