Halloween Party 2017

My wonderful friend Kristi and her husband Roark put on a wonderful party. So many cool costumes showed up. Kristi made her gown and her husband's uniform.

The food spread was wonderful as well as the decorations.

Happy Halloween Eve!

I've been busy with the new job and making my costume for a Halloween party and tomorrow night. The party was a blast and I'll be showing pics. This was the first full-size piece I made for me in over twelve plus years. I almost made myself crazy with it but realized I was supposed to be having fun with it. That it's been awhile and to enjoy. I'm plotting my 2018 costume and will start that in January and not the week before the party. I didn't make the hat but decorated it with dolls I've made and a pin I got from a doll show.

Here I am as a forest witch. The walking stick is also decorated with my work, a skull from a craft store and a stuffed rat from IKEA I got a few years back.

And I got 5th place for best costume. Not bad my first time out.

I plan on keeping the creative mojo train going this week. So much I want to do and make.

Where Do I Want To Be?

Good question. I started on this yesterday by making a comment. I'm all for making plans. I think I'm up into the 900's or something. Plans are good but lately, my plans have been pooped on by the Blue Bird of Happiness or the Pouter Pixie. I guess pixies poop. Whatever. Plan, plan, plan. List after list after list. This year it hasn't gotten me anywhere. So I stopped to think why. Did some reading. And then I found something. That was missing. Along with the happiness and contentment and other things along that line. I'd lost my sense of wonder. Everything that I did had to have a reason for doing it. I wasn't having fun. Now that I have a part-time job it has put some things into perspective.
Maybe I can't get my 'eye of the tiger' back because my wonder has gone away. I've stopped asking 'what if''. I mean, I do that when I'm writing but not with anything else.

We get one shot at being on this planet. I've decided that I''m not done yet. There are some things that I don't like right now but it isn't the end of the world. Even though the Sword of Damocles is still swinging a little. I'm totally missing my weird side. And... and the biggest thing of all...

ADVENTURE

Whether I'm going somewhere alone or with someone riding shotgun. Or creating a whole new world. Or beings. Painting a picture. Taking a walk in the woods. Seeing what the ice cream tastes like at the new food joint. Trying a new recipe or getting back to playing dress up.

That's it!

I am now officially on an adventure. Going to do something wild, crazy, and unusual. It will be a very strange adventure. Yep. That's it. See ya!

Battleground Park - 5 August

Another post dated post. I will catch up on things very soon.  Battleground Park aka Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.  Maya took me to the park so we could play an interactive game.  I love that park.  It's the site for a Revolutionary War battle between General Greene (colonist and supposedly Greensboro was named after him) and General Cornwallis (British), who lost.  Amazing tactics on General Greene's part and now I must brush up on my Revolutionary War history.  There's tons of it right here in my backyard.  This is my first historic battleground I've visited.  I drove past Gettysburg once and that was solemn and creepy at the same time.

There are many monuments and graves there.  The walking/biking/car trails are excellent.  The Visitor's Center is very nice with a museum, small auditorium and gift shop with some awesome books in it.  And once a year, not too far from the park, there is a reinactment of the battle.  I have a friend who would go out there in costume.  I may just have to join her next year, if she's still going.

One cool story (this is a present day person looking back on history and it's many stories, war is not cool at all) is of a British soldier who died and was never found.  Years later, a farmer was plowing the area and found skeletal remains.  Years after that, DNA testing was done and his family found back in England.  I want to find other stories like that and get my costume designed.

Statue of General Greene.

Hello August! (post dated)

I wrote this the day my laptop crashed, so I'm posting it today.

This is late.  I didn't do an end of the month blog (July) wrap-up because my computer was on the fritz.  If it's not one thing, it's another.  Life just keeps throwing things at me (pies, greasy piglets, engine blocks) just to keep me on my toes.  I couldn't believe it.  I tried to be positive after crying myself to sleep the night it decided it was going to mess with my mind.  I told myself that crap happens.  They call it life.

I decided to let it go.  August 1, I had to run errands.  That's a great way to suck the creative juices from you.  Got home and tried to reinstall Windows.  Nothing.  I had lunch and read a book.  Loamhedge by Brian Jacques.  One of my favorite authors and I've been blessed to have met him before he passed away.  He writes the Redwall series, and I still have a few more books in the series to read.

I worked on my Google+ introduction for when I get back on my laptop.  For the rest of the day I wrote and worked on a doll.  I'll also add some sketching.  Halloween is approaching and I've got to get busy.

What I accomplished last month (July):

• Bless This House quilt top
• six doll pins, one a special order
• four short story rough drafts
• Map Hunter II rough draft, finished two days ahead of schedule
• finished my short stay for whenever I get to make a Regency gown
• finished my blue dragonfly blouse
• read two adult books, one kid book
• one landscape painting

I did okay giving up TV for the month.  I fell off the truck four times but as the month went on, I didn't miss it.  I did get the weather in the morning before my walk and I watched Under the Dome every Monday night and Sunday Morning for three Sundays.  I think that's pretty good and I don't really need TV.  I will continue to listen to my music during the day and watch movies.  I plan on giving up sitting for so long at a time and do more stretching and drink more water for August.

For this month, and it will be a bit crazy, I will attempt:

• finish one more quilt top
• make another blouse for me
• read three books
• Map Hunter III rough draft
• two short story rough drafts
• finish my socks
• goo gobs of Halloween stuff
• a painting a week, does not include sketches or practice pieces, yeah that may be harsh but we'll see
• finish my mermaid

I am off to do, something.  Hopefully my laptop can be saved.

Short Stay

I finally got my short stay done.  Finished.  Completed.  Now crossed off the list.  It had been almost a year since I started the thing.  My subconscious kept telling me not to finish it because I had no funds for a gown.  So I didn't do it.  But every time I was cleaning the studio, or looking for something else, or finding room for some other thing, there it was.  And in the way.  I didn't want it to get damaged (all the hard work I'd already done on it) and I didn't want to lose any parts.  So for the past two days I was working on it and got the thing done!  DONE!  I tells ya, done!  And it fits, even after my weight loss.  I tried it on over my chemise and I've got the silhouette of the Regency period down.  This one was from a commercial pattern and I would love to do one from a period pattern.  Later on that one.  But I now am ready for when I have funds for a gown.  My undergarments are now hanging in my closet and I feel loads better.

Wow!

There are times when you are so fed up with fear, you just have to kick it to the curb.  And when you do, all sorts of creative happy comes.  There are so many things I want to do with my life that I got fed up a few days ago and decided to do something.  I'm back to working on several projects at the same time.  For some reason, I feel better about that.  Some people are good at working on one thing at a time until it's done.  I tried that and, well, it worked for a minute but I felt that I was missing something.  My whole apartment is getting back to looking like one huge studio and it feels good.  I know, I'm so special.

I forgot to mention that I got another doll commission last week.  Yesterday, I snagged a spot at a local art fair that will happen in a week and a half.  I will have some new pieces and I was so excited that I couldn't sleep last night.  I'm kind of dragging today.  I went to pick up some artwork but one of the owners decided to keep everything.  Most excellent.  I've been sketching more new pieces for the upcoming show and the giveaway.  My birthday is next month.  I had asked for some help from the creative muses and they sent the art fair.  Thanks.  I finally got more coffee and some chocolate because I will be burning some midnight oil.

I was able to work on some other projects which had stalled because they weren't working out.  I got back to a sleeveless blouse I had started. It fits but the collar wasn't working out so I put it to the side.  For three weeks.  Seeing that I don't have many items of clothing that fit, why hadn't I finished this piece?  So I took the collar off yesterday and will cut a new one that will fit.  Sometimes commercial patterns are like that and I'm glad I know what to do when that happens.  I'm also glad that I had fabric left to cut a new collar.  I also worked on my second pair of knitted socks and got back to my short stay.  I redid the hand stitched eyelets.  Now I can get the boning in and finish it.  Then I can look for fabric for a gown.  There's an even coming up in July here in town that I would like to go to in costume.

I've been reading a lot of kid books, a writer should read everything they can.  And Halloween is calling.  Right now I'm feeling pretty good.  Excited, which I haven't been in a long time.

I've got this.

Been Slacking

Sorry for no new updates.  So here we go.  I had three commissions, one after the other and the fourth was postponed until June.  That kind of threw me for a loop because I was in such a 'go get 'em' mode.  When the adrenaline is coursing through my veins, you just wanted to keep going.  The postponement brought me to a screeching halt and the adrenaline took a nose dive.

Here we go again.  The doubts, fears, and other crap us creative types deal with on a regular basis, decided to body slam me.  Really?  So I told myself that it was time for a break.  That I had been working hard (which is a good thing) but I'm also allowed to take a break.  And I did.  And now, I'm back.  I have another commission to work on.  Two paintings, size 24 x 36.  Huge!  I haven't worked this big since undergrad.  Will this be a challenge?  You bet.  And I'm ready.  I'm getting excited about these paintings.  I got my first degree in art, specializing in watercolor painting.  These paintings will be in acrylic.  Something new to me but I'm raring to go.

I'm back to working on dolls and hope to have pics soon.  Been working on my latest quilt and I'm almost done with my blouse.  I've been working on my kid book series, book two actually.  I thought I was ready to send out book one but when I started working on book two, I noticed that I needed to add some bits to book one so that book two would flow better.  Now I've decided to hold off on putting the series out there until I've got more written.  In the meantime I will work on some shorter stories and put them on a writing website for me.  Stay tuned.

I'm still working on my second pair of socks.  The heels are giving me fits.  This is what I get from not continuing knitting on a regular basis.  That will be remedied too.

Carry on people!!!!!

Costume Done!

One of my commissions was to make my version of the White Queen for a little girl's dance recital. When I should it to her her face lit up. Both she and her mom went "Awwww..." She tried it on and it fit and she's got room to dance. Right before they stopped by to pick up the dress, they stopped by a store to pick up shoes, which match the trim on the dress perfectly. I forgot to get a pic of the choker that I also made but mom will send me more pics.

Love the sleeves.

I love that face!

Work in Progress

Yep, I'm still working on catching up. Here is my warren of bunners and I cleaned off my art table so I could cut out a kid's dance costume a la White Queen.

The bunners will be stuffed to go into baskets and the smaller ones will be ornaments. They can also go in baskets.

Very seldom do I see my whole art table. The gown has now been cut out. See, behind. Ha! I have also been writing new material for the past couple of days. My goal is 350 words a day but I've been hitting 700+  a few times. I'm still working on the piggy and hope to get more pics of him up soon. Need to finish him so I can get paid.

I don't know what's going on but my creative juices have been going crazy. So many great ideas for stories and dolls. Only so many hours right? One day at a time and one bit at a time will get me to where I want to be and the wonderful things I want to make. Eek!

I'm Still Here

I just don't know where to begin. I do hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I did. I enjoyed good food, conversation, a couple of practical jokes, lights at Tanglewood Park, an after dinner Starbucks run, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the tube, the Purina Dog Show, part of a football game, and a couple of episodes of Shaun the Sheep. It was my first gluten free dinner and it was very tasty. I did re injure my thumb. The pain shot all the way up to my shoulder. It's at about 80% and continues to ache and not want to do what it's supposed to do. But I have got to get busy for the two craft shows I have next month. So I will suck it up and get back to work. I'll keep icing and heating it but it's getting to be a bit annoying.

I was able to make it to the NC Renaissance Festival. Maya, Amanda, and I are trying to make this our tradition. Still didn't dress up but there's always next year. It was the last day of the festival and oh so cold. It was really nice being able to see the village without a sea of heads and bodies. I would love to see the place at first snow. That would be so awesome! I did get to see some men in kilts.

Next year... next year.

I'm way behind on my NaNo this year. I won't hit my 50k words but that's okay. I am going to continue to get in 1000 words a day, edit one page of Map Hunter so I can get it out there, and continue to finish up my screenplays. I also have to work on a commission. Here's the first pic.

I have re purposed a cereal box. These two will become masks. Day of the Dead Masks. I do hope you come back to check out their progress.

Yes, these are styrofoam eggs. They will be turned into ornaments. Alien heads. That's all I'll say right now. Take care all.

Silly, Sassy, Sweet, Swamped September

Silly because I feel silly in a fun sort of way. Halloween and fall are coming and I'm so excited. I will decorate my apartment this year for that wonderful time of year, even if I have to make my decorations using drawing paper and crayons.

Sassy because I've been losing weight and toning up quite well and I'm starting to like the way I look in the mirror. I'm almost ready to get some new clothes. I will also continue making period and fantasy costumes.

Sweet because I'm being a little bit nicer to myself. I have just about everything that I need and I'm saving to get other things that I want.

Swamped because... well you guessed it, I've got a lot to do. I have a month to get more Halloween items done and then Christmas is coming up too. They kind of go hand-in-hand. There's a Regency Ball coming up I want to go to and I need to get a gown done. I have one quilt block left to do and I'll have a quilt top done. That was on my list for the year. Planning shows and more product for next year. Next year! Four months away! Yikes! And the book. Map Hunter. I've got to get that final edit done. It's time for that. I know there are a lot of little girls who would love to read this, and big girls and boys of all ages. As soon as I upload pics of the opening of Olde Mill Eclective, I will post them. When I got home yesterday from the opening, which was a success, I almost fell asleep eating. I was about to crawl into bed a little after 6:30 PM and everyone decided to call me. Seriously? It was all good.

That's the skinny of it for right now. I've got to get busy today and work on my lists and I will report back directly so you can see the list. Massive, simple massive it will be. Have a wonderful holiday, stay safe and make your September a Stellar one.

Works in Progress

I've been working on my short stay and it's coming along quit nicely.

Next I'll make the eyelets, boning, and bias tape all around to finish.

These are mini plush monsters I designed and cut out. The face parts will get sewn on and then the rest of the face will be embroidered. I'm making these for the Olde Mill Eclective shoppe.

Here are the majority of my pieces for my next Bless This House block #6. Lots of pieces. Today is going to be a busy day as I have to continue to prepare things for the new shop. I have to make price tags for my items. I will also be getting back to dollies/figures today. My paper clay folks need ears.

Short Stay in Progress

My short stay is on it's way to being put together. I have the gussets in place which will then get basted in before stitching on the machine. My goal is to have this put together by Sunday.

Short Stay

I'm finally getting around to my short stay. Can't have the silhouette of the Regency/Empire/Federal period without it. Plus, it's all part of my Regency Wardrobe Challenge. I did a mock up to see if it would fit and it did. Now I've cut out the proper fabric.

I will start sewing tomorrow. A good friend has let me use her bonnet pattern. One she designed herself. I think I will design my ballgown. October is coming up fast.

It's August!

Happy August everyone. Yes, this year is speeding along like a bullet  train on rocket fuel. It's been two months since I left employment and I have great things in store for this month. Halloween is coming and I'm working in a new medium. Securely back in the creative saddle until the next pothole in the road. I did well last month. Not so much with my manuscript but there is this month.

I have the greatest friends who are there when I want to ball my eyes out because the world and the universe don't want to play fair on the playground. My good friend Sherry in New Mexico told me how talented and awesome I was and that I could do this. Just what I needed. A shot in the arm.

I ended last month by starting figures with a new medium. Creative Paper Clay is what I'm using right now. I've used it before in the past but never gave myself a chance to really get to know it. Some people like it, some don't but for me, right now, it's what I'm using because it's what I have. My pieces are turning out better than I expected. Photographing white pieces doesn't seem to work well with my camera but here's the beginning of my two guys.

They are going to be undead types. After all, Halloween is coming. Yay! They do have their bodies and I'm working on their limbs. It's been a challenge to figure out how I want to joint them. No cloth bodies. Scary. They are going to be a good size and I think I will make smaller ones that will be stationary on a stand or as ornaments. I also have to work on other ornaments. I will have more pics of these guys on Sunday.

I made myself get up and go for a walk in syrupy conditions. I am so looking forward to fall. Even though I was born in the summer, I am not a summer baby. I'm glad I can see that the days are getting shorter. My morning was pretty good. After the walk and breakfast, I edited another chapter of my adventure manuscript and wrote new material, 600 words. My goal is 500 a day. I didn't stop to think, I had lunch and went right into the next project. I sketched a doll. Forgot to take a picture but will get it to you soon. Then I sewed a mock-up of my short stay for my Regency Challenge. I'm so glad I did because the cup size that I used is too big. Imagine that.

The front part is where the eyes will go for lacing and there will be a little bit of boning. You can just see the little wedge panels (which will be smaller). The arm hole fit, as well as the back. I was quite pleased when I tried it over my chemise. I am going to eventually make another one of a finer fabric and make the front part a little lower. The one I have now will be great for a day dress and not showing cleavage.

I still have some appliqueing to do and get back to my figures. Thanks for stopping by.

Wonderful Wednesday and a Doll

Hello! It's a glorious Wednesday and it's raining. Yay! Still gotta work on the humidity but it's a lot more comfortable in my apartment and studio. I may be able to be in my studio a lot longer today. That is so fantastic. I'm doing better at enjoying each moment of my day. I'm also getting better at enjoying what I do each day instead of what I didn't get to on the list that can go around the world. I now giggle when I think about what I've accomplished for the day. It's pretty awesome. That feeling of being in the moment.

Okay, today is going to be busy because tomorrow I'm going to a museum and movie with the gal pals. This will be one of the long days I'd been talking about. Remember? Have one or two knockout, creatively killer days during the week. Or at least one. I think this will be it.

• I've got to work on an applique block. Getting behind again. 
• Work on another Moli Doll, they seem to be happening right now after being unfinished for over a year.
• Post a blog, which I'm doing.
• Work on my short stay. I can't make the real thing until the mock up is done. Can't make a Jane Austen gown until I have a short stay.
• Continue on my latest collection of voodoo doll pins. Ran out of buttons and was going to go to the store today but patterns are on sale next week at JoAnn's, so I guess I'll wait. I will work on their skirts and red hearts today.
• Get my 500 words in.
• Play with some clay.

Yeah, sure. I'll check back in with you on that list. Ha, ha, ha! But I'm feeling quite happy and I'm ready to get going. Right after breakfast. Have a wonderful day all!!!!

A Project Done

Hello there. Yes, I missed two posts and I apologize. Still working out the kinks of being self employed. Managing the fear a little bit better and it's wonderful having a friend who keeps me on track. Maya was the second friend I made when I moved to North Carolina. She believes in me, my talent, and what I can accomplish. She's a wonderful writer and she really helps with seeing things above, around, and under my box. I'm still working on saying and enjoying what I have done each day, instead of what I haven't done with my artwork. That is a challenge.

I have been keeping track of my creative hours and for the past three weeks I've averaged 40 hours each week. I was shocked, yet pleased. I have proven to myself that I can put the hours in. Now I will work on using my creative time to accomplish what I really want to do, which is editing my manuscript and making one-of-a-kind figures for sell, along with continuing my other creative fun. I do want to do one more hand puppet and start pitching it for summer workshops for kids. I'll get started on that one today. But first...

I finished my chemise for the Jane Austen Regency Wardrobe Challenge. I hung it on a hanger to take a pic and then told myself to go ahead and try it on. Silly me, of course I should try it on. When I bought the fabric it was quite light weight but then I washed it and the weave tightened. Because of budget constraints, I had to go ahead and make it. There's nothing saying I can't make another with really nice batiste, nicer grade muslin, or fine linen. I tried it on and oh my gosh! It's so comfortable and would make a wonderful house dress for the summer. It was very airy and soft. I've got to make one just to wear around the apartment. Here it is, minus me.

Moving Along

The mind is a tricky thing. Seeing that my weeks don't actually have a beginning and an end, I thought that this week I'd start it on a Monday and see how that goes. Monday was a good day. A very productive day of quilts and applique which ended with going to my applique workshop. I love those ladies, they are hilarious. I know that once a month I'll get to see them and the awesome work that they do and we go crazy. Plus, it's good to get out of the apartment.

Tuesday morning, I got up and went for my walk. I'm still waiting to feel good about it but anyway... I got home, showered, ate and had coffee. I was feeling great. Then the brain decided to do a U-turn and wanted to take me for a ride. It was trying to tell me that I had a good day on Monday and that I didn't need to do anything today. My to do list is at least ten miles long, I chose three things to do. Edit chapter two of Map Hunter, work on my reticule, and cut out my chemise. Bad Wendy continued to plant seeds of despair and I was about to take an emotional dive when I said "No. I want to have several good days in a row. Beat it." But doubts started to sneak in and right when I was about to paralyze myself with fear, Good Wendy screamed, "DO SOMETHING!!!!!!". So I picked up my quilt block and finished appliqueing it.

One more block done and one more to go before I can put all blocks together. I'm on my way to one of my goals of finishing an UFP (unfinished project). Then I cut out my chemise. Yay me!

I just love having my table cleared off to do whatever but the floor and surrounding area is another thing.
I also edited chapter two of Map Hunter, my mid-grade kid adventure series. And...

I embroidered my reticule. I had drawn another design but because the bag was already together, an elaborate design wouldn't work. This one turned out quite well considering I worked in a very tight area. I even made my tassel. I want to continue to work on my schedule for each day. Eventually I will get to dolls. Being creative during the day is helping. I'm getting there. And I feel pretty good about it.

Here's the Dress

I finally got the dress done. It was a battle but I won. Figured out that I wasn't properly prepped to make a dress. All prepped for dolls and quilts, but not a dress. At one point I had to look for my zipper foot. I refused to cry when things weren't going well. I pulled out all my tricks from working with non-profit and educational theaters. A friend helped me hem it and another friend suggested the tulle bow to hide a few flaws. I even got a few compliments at the reception. Not bad for this being the first dress I've made for myself in over 18 years.

This pic was taken after the festivities were over. I'm beat and it was horribly hot and humid that day.

Meredith and Josh, husband and wife. The first dance was amazing. It started off slow, like usual, but then the DJ switched music. They danced through music time and it was the first time I saw a bride hike up her dress and pull a MC Hammer, Can't Touch This, move. It was great. And they hadn't rehearsed it at all.