Stupid Virus

Yes, COVID-19 is affecting pretty much everyone on the planet right now. Schools and businesses closed, people off or out of work, and yet there are still those not taking things seriously. I'm taking precautions and have had my work hours cut. My doll show in April was postponed until October. I wonder how looking for a new job is going to affect me. It seems like this is how things always are for me. Finally get a plan and something weird happens. And there's not much I can do about it right now.

So, I've gotten back to some projects that were put in the cupboard. I finally finished the top of a hexie table runner using Halloween fabrics. One project at a time maybe. I'm closer to finishing this piece.

And I'm learning how to do portrait embroidery. Maybe I can catch up on that while I have more time.

I will work on getting back to some sketching too. Like some Plague Doctors or something. Be good, take care of yourselves and others. We'll get through this -thing.

February 2020

Yes, it's been awhile since my last post. Working on finding some kind of balance in this one life I have has been daunting to say the least. Anyway, lots on the table this year. This decade. My knee is getting better from surgery last year. I'm back at the job and I'm looking for a new one. Which is another job. Wish me luck. Working on more exercising and eating better. That will work out when Lent comes. I will be able to focus on what I put in my body. I have finished up some projects and still working on others from last year. The last decade was full of heartache, turmoil, and frustration. So here's to the new decade and year.

So far:

• Submitted two short stories for possible online publication
• Finally tacked down the binding of my Double Irish Chain quilt that I started in 2016
• I've been doing little sketches on a regular basis, will turn some into better drawings
• I've been writing on a regular basis, working on editing a pile of stories
• Got a pin loom and I'm learning how to weave on it. I have other plans for the finished pieces. Don't know if it will work or not for what I have in mind but I've got to start somewhere
• Learning more ways to applique and embroider, also for future projects
• Participating in the art challenge 29 Faces for the month of February

From last year been working on some Frida Kahlo dolls.

Also from last year, Christmas ornaments for co-workers.

I bought myself a Wattle & Loop (out of Australia) embroidery/applique kit. I have lots of ideas but wanted to see their process.

Yes, it's the Year of the Rat. These two were commissioned after I drew and showed one for the front page of my Bullet Journal for January.

The mending of my favorite pair of pants that I've had since forever. Like almost 30 years. Cotton twill and they don't make pants like this anymore. Mending the holes, then covering them with hexies. I will stitch hexies all over the pants. I'm also going to work on one of my favorite sweaters that has seen better days. Going to try not to buy more clothes but get back to making my own.

First four of my 29 Faces.

And my Double Irish Chain quilt.

I have missed blogging. If only to keep my wits about myself. I don't know if anyone will read this. Or if they get anything useful out of this but I will keep going. Life is truly a journey if not a very wacky trip. Have a good rest of the week.

Shakes Head

This is still turning into a very strange year. Don't know why or what going on but... I've been getting more hours on the job but it doesn't seem to work out. Pay one bill off and here comes another. So I'm back to looking for more work. Slowly getting back to some sort of creative schedule and I'm doing more hand sewing again. Making hexies and picked up embroidery. I've done embroidery before, many moons ago, and wanted to get back to it because I've seen beautiful work done by various artists. What I want to do and trying to figure it out, was causing me fits. So I didn't do it. But then I found a group out of the UK and they suggested to do a piece with only a few basic stitches. That you don't have to learn how to do thousands of stitches to create unique work. Running stitch, backstitch, seed stitch, French knots, I only need a few to get started.

Right now I'm doing half-inch hexies, a type of English Paper Piecing. I recently found smaller ones that will probably suit my design purposes even more. I'm on the lookout for where to order them.

Seems like every time I have time to be creative and I have a little schedule, something comes up and throws everything out of whack. It's annoying but what are you gonna do? Keep going. Do a little of something on the schedule and list. I do have some time off coming up and will have to dig in and get things done.

Spring has turned into summer, then fall, and back again. I have no idea what season it really is. Again, you just roll with the punches. Have a great day.

2019

Day two on this calendar. It's 2019 y'all. No pic for this post because I just wanted to get started. Lots to do, lots I want to do and so far, I've gotten a decent start. First off, last year. 2018. I did do a few things.

• was a vendor at three doll shows
• finished 25 projects which included 52 pieces
• designed and made a doll for a theatrical production in North Carolina
• designed Halloween embroidery for a friend
• made my second trip up north, seeing another lighthouse and the Straights of Mackinac
• started a new doll making technique
• wrote a little, very little on my novels

That's what I did. What I accomplished and I'm pretty proud of myself. It wasn't all that I had wanted to do. But I did do some things and this year will be a lot better. I'm in a different place in my mind right now and I've got some exciting things coming my way.

With this new technique I will be doing more standing figures. Some will be cute, some funny, some a wee bit scary. But I believe it will help me grow as an artist. Making my box just a little bit bigger. So stayed tuned. We've got a new slate for the next trip around the sun.

The Best Laid Plans...

Don't always turn out the way you want. Actually, that's not the exact quote but part of it will work for now. Seeing that my list didn't work out, I decided Bailey Magoo Bear needed a scarf. So I knitted him one with some sock yarn I had and now it's being blocked. He'll have to get more clothes later on and will probably have a better wardrobe than I do.

I told myself that just because the day didn't go as planned that I could still do something creative. The scarf was fun and relaxing and I decided to take the first steps to do an applique/embroidery piece. Haven't done that in a month of Sundays. And I got to use my light tablet again. Second time since I got it for me last Christmas. Gotta work on that too.

I am so ready for fall. It was 80 degrees today and still a bit humid. Ugh! I am waiting patiently for cooler temps.

New Face and Hair

I'm still working on being more consistent with things. Still. Not giving up though. I got Raggedy Ann and new face and hair.

Below is a trick to do loopy hair I learn a gazillion years ago when I first started dollmaking. I couldn't find my original but I taped together two pieces of cardboard and cut out the center up to about two inches from the other end. I wrapped the yarn around it and stitched down the middle. I'm able to pull the board towards me and the stitched loops backwards in order to wrap more yarn and continue stitching.

The new hair is on the top. Looped and ready to be stitched on her head. I didn't have the same kind of yarn so I used what I had in my stash. More pics coming.

Start, Stop, Start

Okay, this has been a weird six months. I relocated back to Michigan from North Carolina and I'm still adjusting. I'm now looking for some work and I'm okay with that. It was a big move and resources have been tapped. For awhile I felt like a failure and beat myself up a lot. But I've some wonderful friends who believe in me and my work and they have helped me get through a lot of things. I'm still learning about my new community but I'm ready to get back onto the creative bus. Train. Boat. It's time to put the big girl pants back on along with the tool belt and shoulder holster. And I'm working through one of my lists. Here's what I'm working on this week. Four projects need to be finished by the end of the week. Others need to be worked on.

I've got three cloth dolls to finish, two aliens to dress, a table runner to work on, a short story to retype, some doll dresses to make, and a purse to make. Wish me luck.

Catching Up

Really working on keeping up with the sketching. I got a head cold on the way to South Haven and then when I got home it turned into a sinus infection. Feeling lots better now and my nose is still on my face. Another Day of the Dead Mariachi guy and some other creepies I may or may not work on. Thank goodness for Google Images because I only had a vague idea of what an accordion looked like. Now I have a set of five and have some different ideas for them. But for now I have a small commission for some doll clothes.

Short Week

I have been mostly keeping up with my sketches and some embroidery. I have a fairly decent project list going but it will have to wait until next week. A friend has invited me to go with her to the west side of the state for a mini road trip. So I really won't be able to start back to anything until Saturday. Until then, here are some pics.

More Wendland Witch sketches. I'm so looking forward to getting started on those.

The End

Of the month. Yep, so long July. You haven't been good. That's okay. I've got another month coming up. We'll see how August goes with Mercury making an appearance again. Things just may get interesting.

Well folks. I don't know where to begin. I haven't gotten used to my new surroundings just yet and it's taken a beating on my creative mojo. The good thing is I haven't given up. There are still a lot of things I want to do, places I want to go, and people I want to meet. So here we are. Half the year over and I still like I'm in damage control mode. I won't even bother to look back on what I wanted to accomplish. But there's nothing wrong with giving it another shot. I didn't do too bad with a sketch a day. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad. Didn't finish anything but worked on several projects. That must change starting tomorrow. Because Halloween is right around the corner. And my two year plan starts in earnest. At the moment that's top secret. I may drop hints later in the year. So I am planning today for August. I may have to ask for your assistance at some point.

Until then, here's some embroidery I worked on yesterday. They are two separate pieces and will join two more in a table runner. I've got some Halloween fabric for the background. Have a good day today. Be kind to others and yourself.

Working

Finally. I just had a short staycation and I didn't do anything. I was able to just sit and think and plot and plan out things with no one around. I watched movies, read some books, and basically took stock of things. And started a new plan. A two year plan. I've a couple of creative opportunities right now and a new one that may be coming up. So today was get to the grind stone and start turning it. I finished painting doll pin faces, found mohair, and pulled dress fabrics for the full body pins.

I also made Raggedy Ann some new legs. They turned out okay considering I didn't have the original pattern. She'll get bloomers tomorrow or part of a new face. I don't know which just yet.

I enlarged some drawings that will become part of a larger embroidered piece. Haven't sketched for the day yet but that will happen and post those pics tomorrow. And I've got to work on a short story. Added another part that may clear some things up. Just moving right along.

Catching Up

Getting back on the creative wagon. Got some things done, new things designed, bills paid, caught up on emails, found a doll I'd been looking for, and spotted Juno catching bugs at night while hanging onto the sliding glass door.

I worked on some more embroidery designs. A friend suggested I do a whole Mariachi Band. Maybe.

Here's Juno on the glass of the sliding door. Scared me when I went to turn lights out for the night. I wondered what that pale spot was and when I got closer, it moved. An unusual way to catch bugs but he was busy at it.

Got two Goodfellas doll dresses done. The red head is a doll I bought from a store. She's a bit smaller than the brown one which goes back to the charity.

And here is Leah's doll I made for her when she was younger. She's in her 20s now and she can't wait to get this little miss back. She loved her and her sister Tori loved her, if a little too much. Tori liked fuzzy things and tore a hole in the feet and took out the stuffing. The hair is also coming off, Tori. I think I will fix one side of the mouth, leave the stains, put on new hair, fix the feet, new bloomers, and a new dress that I'll tea dye a little. I'm excited.

Got a long list of creative things to do. Need a few supplies and will go out tomorrow. And then it's the pedal to the metal.

#goodfellsascharity #goodfellasdoll #wendyluane #dayofthedead #embroidery #clothdoll #raggedyanndoll

Here

The past week has been a strange one. Had a bad anxiety attack at the beginning of the week. Then when I started to feel better and work on things, the area had three electrical brown outs on three different days. That also put a further crimp in things but I kept going and did what I could as long as the sun was out. I'm hoping the upcoming week is a lot better. For now, I finished stitching my third embroidery piece. It's not all Redwork but that's okay. I like how he turned out.

#wendyluane #redwork #embroidery #dayofthedead #pearlcotton

Okay Day

Today was an okay day after not doing much yesterday and a lot the day before. So before I started getting down on myself, I told myself that I had a recharge day yesterday and made up for it today. I'm quite satisfied with that assessment. Not only did I sketch, I painted in my watercolor sketchbook (I'll have pics tomorrow once it dries), started a new doll, posted on social media, worked on a novel series (still getting all the parts together on that), and worked on my latest Redwork project. Things are okay.

I've always wanted to make a Frida Kahlo doll. I cut one out, sewed, and stuffed it today. Now I have to pic a face to embroider.

And here is my latest Redwork piece.

#wendyluane #fridakahlo #fridakahlodoll #redwork #embroidery

June

Boy, that came up fast. How did May go? It was okay. I got four projects done. I made a purse, designed some embroidery designs for someone, finished my second Redwork piece, and finished my first short story and sent it to someone else to read. What they call a Beta Reader. I was too close to the story to see anything wrong, so I sent it to someone else to critique it. So even though I got some things done, it wasn't the bumper month I had hoped for. Fear is a bad thing. Fear of success is equally bad. I'm working on being kinder to myself, still. It's so easy to help others and offer encouragement but not cut myself some slack or pump me up. But today is a new day in a new month and I will forge ahead. I've got too much stuff in my head to give up at this point. One day at a time, one part of a project at a time.

Today, I got up and wrote in my journal, then I went for a walk. They tell me it's supposed to help get you in shape and deal with sadness. I'm still waiting for that to kick in but I did manage to lose 10 pounds in the past two months. I need to lose about another 20 but yay for me! Flexibility is getting better too. I got some really nice storage containers for my fabric at a yard sale today. I usually don't catch bargains like this.

I finally got the underpants for the Goodfellas doll. I think I found a style of dress to make. Will probably sketch that tomorrow and make a mockup.

And here is my next Redwork project. I got more pearl cotton from my mother. She used to do crazy quilting but hasn't been doing it lately. Like several years lately. So I grabbed some colors I didn't have.

I have a mega list of projects to do. I will share some in the near future. There's a very nice festival coming up and I want to make a few pieces for that. And I have several dolls that really want to be finished. I can be such a goofball but I'm working on it. Working on my next short story too.

#dayofthedead #dollunderpants #dollclothes #redwork #embroidery

Okay

Lots of things on my mind today. I thought I had missed a posting to the blog here. I'm working on every other day but this will do. Before I forget. Ah... getting older. How lovely. Some aren't blessed with that so I will carry on.

I finished the Redwork Day of the Dead fellow yesterday. He's very colorful and turned out a lot better than I expected. Next will be to find accent and backing fabric to finish him off as a small wall hanging. Along with the lady I finished last month.

Here are the sketches for two dresses for the Goodfellas dolls.

And here are some new witch sketches. The Witches of Wendland. Kind of catchy.  And the sketch that I did yesterday. We'll see if I can get on track with these and other sketches. You know, that everyday thing. When I was younger and in high school I could draw anything. Now, not-so-much. You don't use it, you lose it.

It's a bit overcast in my neck-of-the-woods. I hope you all have a productive day. Cheers!

#dayofthedead #witches #pencilsketches #redwork #embroidery #dolldress

Some Sketches

And bloomers. I tell ya, getting back on track after a huge upheaval is work. I keep telling myself that it's okay to be a work in progress as long as there is progress. My mother is involved with a group of ladies who participate in dressing dolls for little girls during the holidays. It's through the Goodfellas charity organization and they pledge that no child should not have a toy for Christmas. The girls get dolls. The dolls are handed out to those who wish to dress them and I'm making some dresses. Instead of having my head explode over the project, I started with one section at a time. First up, underpants. This was the first time I made a pattern, sewed the piece, and it fit. I cut out seven more. Today I will design a dress.

I am working on sketching everyday too. This was yesterdays page. One can't get better unless one keeps at it. At something.

And I'm further along on my second Redwork piece. Maybe I can finish him today too. He's very colorful. I think I'm liking that.

A New Day

And a new friend. We have a wham bam storm last night and this morning there was a guest when my friend opened the umbrella on the deck. I'll name him Juno.

I also got busy yesterday. That felt good. I hope I can do it again today. I started my next Redwork project, started editing two short stories, watched some art tutorials on You Tube, got back to sketching because I'm working on a new series or doll, and I talked to a good friend, a fellow doll artist who gave me some tips and hints to get going again. I think that's been the best part of the week, talking to someone who knows what I'm going through. That I'm not alone. I feel energized.

I like how more stabilized the fabric is with the woven interfacing on the back. Less puckering on the front and I can do more stitching on this guy.

Trying to figure out a body for a new doll and possibly some paintings I can make prints of. I don't know if I want her to be a little girl or young lady witch who will have some unusual adventures.

I started working on some facial expressions that may or may not end up on the final character. I've got a few fantasy art books I'm working from. This one is called DragonArt Fantasy Characters by J "NeonDragon" Peffer. I'll do more figure work too in the next few days. Sometimes you have to step back, pause, regroup, and move forward. Have a great day.

#wendyluane #witchdoll #sketches #pencilsketch #characterdevelopment

Saturday Post

Yep, weird week but I made it. Got back to sketching, prepped my next Redwork piece, painted in the sketchbook. Maybe I can fill it up this year. One can hope. And here are some flowers in the yard. Spring has sprung.

I was supposed to do this Krampus around Christmastime but didn't get to him. So here he is, ready for spring. Maybe I should do a series on Mr. Krampus during the off season when he's not harassing bad children. Maybe this is his end of the school year picture. Ha!

I got my fabric prepped for my next Redwork piece. I used a woven interfacing on the back to see if it's a bit more stable to stitch but not be overly heavy to get the needle through. We shall see.

#redwork #krampus #embroidery #woveninterfacing #pellon #dayofthedead