April

Yikes!
I will try better to post on a regular basis for this month. These are strange and unusual times. There is nothing normal about it. And though I have more time on my hands right now, I have a hard time wanting to be creative. I'm working on that. I'm learning that it's okay to want to sit and cry, or be angry with what's going on, that I can't leave the house and meet up with friends or my mom. I just don't want to stay there. In the darkness and think there will never be light again. Everyday is it's own day. And I take it one day-at-a-time.

Like so many others, I have started making masks. For friends and family who have to go out for groceries or to work. Here's my prototype. I'm using whatever I have in my very low fabric stash. I don't have elastic and it's hard to come by, so I'm making fabric ties. Better for washing. Over time, elastic breaks down. My hair is a fright and so is this pic. Sorry about that.

I'm still working on my 100 Critter project. A bit behind on that. But here's what I've been doing.

I even pulled out a recipe this past weekend and cooked. Shrimp, farro, spinach (because when one wants to find Swiss Chard it's nowhere to be found), broth, Parmesan and Feta cheese, and I topped it off with grape tomatoes for a little color. It was so good. Next time, I will double the recipe. Made this in the crock pot.

And I put together a jigsaw puzzle because I love doing them. This one was a challenge but I got it together anyway. I wish I had some of these yummies to munch on.

I'm going to try to see if I can get a link in. I am now a published writer. My short story Ancestor Ghosts has been published in the spring 2020 edition of Sirens Call Publications e-zine. http://www.sirenscallpublications.com/ I'm on page 92, Wendy L. Barber. It's very exciting to finally have others be able to read my work.

Okay then, I'm off to get some masks done, keep drawing, writing, and get back to some doll making. Stay safe, stay home, we will get through this.

Still February

Working hard to get back in the groove of blogging. It's a way to get my feelings, ideas, and dreams out of my head and into the world. I think I will attempt a post every Monday. See how that goes. Waiting to hear back on a job but if nothing happens by March 1, the search will commence. Starting to look for another place to stay. That's so difficult when what you get paid, doesn't afford a one bedroom apartment in a decent area. Praying that my truck stays well for another year. It turned 20 almost two years ago and has over 220 + thousand miles. Love that truck. Praying that my laptop keeps working for another year. He's old and cannot take any new programs. Old programs are having a hard time updating and some have stopped.

I am not a patient person. I'm working on that. Now that I know what I want to do with myself, it is sometimes hard to just keep working on what makes me happy and feel content. It's been a struggle to get back to being creative after my knee surgery and all it entailed the end of last year.

I am back to working on dolls that were started some time ago. I have a doll show in April I would like to attend. I have new ideas for dolls, if I can just stay out of my way and play. Play with new materials and just see what happens. I have several ideas for big projects too. I have started learning new things such as weaving on a pin loom, and working on embroidery and applique.

Still working on the 29 Faces art challenge for the month.

Doll skirts for some dolls that have been sitting around forever.

A pin loom I got myself for Christmas. I have a project in mind for the weaving but needed to know how this thing worked. So fat so good. I practiced with yarn I had on hand and now I need to find what I think will really work for what I want to do.

My first woven pieces. The top are the latest ones. From left to right: The two lilac ones are worsted yarn. The pink, red, and dark purple are cotton. Bottom row were the first ones I made. From left to right: The two dark red and blue are 100% wool and the green ones are a wool, silk, and alpaca blend. I can also say I've started Christmas gifts.

I also did a thing last month that I can't talk about right now but it's exciting, and as soon as I can tell you about it, I will. Have a great week.

Here we go!

Sometimes you just need to talk to a good friend, who really knows you, to help you get back on the creative wagon. Things keep happening that want to derail me being as creative as I want. My mother fell again last week. The second time this year. I went into her hometown on Monday to check on her, the house, and I made her a big pot of veggie soup and some rice on the side. I bought her some frozen breakfast sandwiches, frozen chicken and turkey breakfast sausages, and breakfast bars. Why? Because she won't eat breakfast. Then later in the day, she'll get dizzy. And then comes the fall. So I got easy and small things she can eat in the morning to get something on her stomach. Today I go back because she's got a doctor's appointment.

Back to my friend. She helped me get out of this little rut that was about to turn into a canyon. It's the same old negative loop. I have a list of things I want to do. I get a great start in the morning. Then right after coffee, things go haywire. The doubts seep in. Why work on something and it won't turn out. Or no one  will like it. No one will buy it. No one will buy anything because nothing's finished. Then I get freaked out, think about my mother, getting a new job, and it just goes on and on. My friend told me to stop it. Find a beautiful picture of Scotland and put it where I can see it everyday. And tell myself that I need to work on and complete things so I can get there. Yesterday was a good day. Got more Frida dolls stuffed and put together. I didn't get to all on the list, but I got to that.

See, they look like aliens. This is one point where I would stop and do the bad thing of beating myself up. So when I get back from mom's, I will paint pretty faces. Have a great day y'all. Someone should.

Wow!

I can't believe this month is just about over. End of the third quarter. Where am I? Still getting my knee back in shape and taking it easy on myself. Just now getting back to being creative and working out what to do next month. There are quite a few art challenges next month: Inktober, Drawlloween, and Doodlewash. But I think I will turn them all into my own personal art challenge and call it 365 Days of Halloween. Which will take me back into Halloween 2020. Yes, it's a big endeavor but it's my personal challenge to see what I can do with all my creativity.

I'm still working on starting projects and finishing them. Starting isn't my problem. Finishing is. So I will be working on that come next month. Still job hunting too. The knee set me back to zero. Getting old sucks. Rehabilitation, recuperating as you get older isn't as fast or easy as when you're younger. Figures.

I did try these Brach's Maple Candy Corn and I'm hooked. I think I like them better than regular candy corn.

I also glued on the hands, feet, and head to my witch doll. I got her as a kit by artist Patrick James Gil of Graverly Will Creations. He offers different heads and feet with a hat thrown in. I didn't want to paint her green, more like a medicine woman who lives in the forest. Her stockings are made along with her bloomers. I did give her an ample bosom just because. Will design something for her to wear. Because her month is next month.

 Nice on the outside but don't get on her bad side. If you know what I mean. She may turn you into something unnatural. Have a good weekend.

Okay Then...

Yep, I thought I would be doing better at posting but this has also been a weird month. Heck, a weird year. The one thing I have been doing is keeping up in my Bullet Journal but the creative wheels are a turning. Since my last post I've:

• had 2 panic attacks
• took 3 days to clear out one room of my mother's house - still not done. Have to go through built in drawers and finish off the closet.
• got things together for an upcoming yard sale
• stuffed and put together 5 new dolls
• got a little knitting in - that kind of calms me down
• been doing some little sketches
• started making hexies for upcoming projects
• went on my first day trip of the spring/summer
• bought some doll supplies
• working on designs for a new doll
• figuring out which doll shows to do at the end of the year
• worked on a watercolor mermaid painting
• added my first piece to my wardrobe with a blue jean jacket (not new)

Okay, looking at the list, it hasn't been bad. There is always room for improvement. My blue jean jacket I got at The Michigan Antiques Festival and I love it. My first ever blue jean jacket. It was my first time going and there were also antique cars on display and I love the antique spinning wheels.

New Long Legs dolls.

The what used to be my art room. Knotted pine paneling. Those were the days. I used to pretend I was in a log cabin when I worked in there. I have to go through my books too. I washed the curtains, which I guess hadn't been done in awhile and when I pulled them out of the dryer, they looked like a tiger had gotten some claws on them. So... new curtains will be made. And a window needs to be repaired.

My version of Feegee Mermaids.

I'm making hexies. Using a template, they are made out of fabric. Because I have lots of scraps and some crazy ideas for these little things. I have seen some smaller than this and I'm seeking out those templates. Yes, that's a quarter next to them.

And this will be the second garment I add to my wardrobe. I read of one young lady who had so many different crafts she liked to do (sewing, knitting) that she decided to make one garment a month. I liked that idea and will try it. But the new garment will replace an old one.

So, that's my update. Will work on another post a lot sooner.

And She's Off

Got to the next step on my new pieces. Making things suck. That way, if they do suck, I won't be too disappointed. If they don't, I'll be pleasantly surprised. Already I'm figuring out how to do things differently the next time around. After dinner I will put in eyeballs.

I also started heads using a foil base. Because of drying time, I figured I'd get a bunch going at a time.

I also started painting two new dolls I created last year. Better late than never. I don't know if I'll make anymore.

So that's where I have stopped for today. At least until after I eat. My stomach is growling. Catch ya later.

Okay Then

I refuse to allow this year to be like last year. Nope, not gonna happen. But I tell you, the past couple of months and this week has been testing me something fierce. I am a human lightning rod and weather forecaster. Because of a childhood injury, I can tell when a storm is coming. So the body was not feeling it Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. Yes, I knew two storms were coming our way. One skirted a little to the south of where I am, the next one was a hit. Okay fine. But I didn't feel any better. Then I woke up Wednesday and heard about that horrible land hurricane. Yes, it looked like a hurricane over land. Slammed the West and it was heading my way. It lost some of the power by the time it got here but the winds were wicked and the thunder and lightning... wow. If this is a sign of future spring storms, we're in for it.

So that went by and I was still feeling miserable. I know Mercury in Retrograde likes to mess things up and I was doing quite well as to see certain triggers and work around them. This was something different. Got online and read about the massive solar storms we were having and were to end today. Seriously? A huge celestial and earthly trifecta of 'LET'S MESS STUFF UP'.

I survived. I'm so glad I wasn't at work, because I probably would've done something very stupid. We still have rain, Mercury is still around, the solar flares are expected to stop today, and I managed to get something worked on. I started my new projects. Making things suck. And I got one apron for the church lady's cut out and wrote in my journal. Not bad for the morning and I'm closing tonight. Co-worker is sick. Whatever.

Here's the first step. I covered Styrofoam halves with Creative Paperclay. They should be dry by tomorrow and I'll do the second step. Not counting on them being anything but I've got to learn how to work with this new medium.

Hello February!

Where do I start? First off, February is going to be my start month for 2019 because January kind of sucked. It was very weird, starting day one. I came into contact of 2 Debbie Downers and from there, everything just went downhill. I didn't produce much of anything. I was in a void and I didn't know what was going on. I blame all the lunar events that were happening. Blood Moon, Wolf Moon, eclipse, and then to top it off with the Polar Vortex thing... UGH! And so many friends and acquaintances also suffering from creative stagnation and just being ill. Things breaking down. Like I said, January sucketh.

But now it's February. A new month. A short month. I'm feeling better but I'm a bit afraid to do so. I've got plans. I've decided to go all out to make totally different things. I will still do cloth dolls but a different variety of cloth dolls. I'll explain in the future. I'm truly going to give myself permission to make whatever the heck I want. If people like it, great. If not, that's okay too but the little monsters are crowding my tiny brain. Yesterday, I started some new pieces. I have no idea what I'm doing. I didn't have the right materials for one group and used what I had. Really going to have to improvise a bit and that's okay too. Stop stressing and overthinking and just make something. You know.

Two different groups going on in the top photo. I have an idea and they're works in progress. The goal is to have them done by the end of the month. And that's Boris in the back with his nifty red and white scarf on.

I want to participate in the art challenge 29 Faces this month too. I've been practicing last month on the refrigerator calendar. I think I will try more male faces. I do need to practice those.

So I'm off to a start of a very busy month. A creative month. Because spring is coming. I know we have to get through February and March (we could get more snow) but spring will eventually get here.

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.

Foggy Morning

It was chilly the day before and it heated up yesterday but cooled off again overnight. I woke up to this this morning.

But then the sun decided to scream through the fog and it was amazing.

Yesterday I was able to get the skellie mermaid that I had seen at Michael's Craft Store. I had my eyes on it for the past two months almost. Of course they had moved their Halloween items because Christmas is now taking over. The sales associate had to go in the back to find her. There were two left. And this one is mine. Love her. She will get a bikini top, a ratty skirt, a dead lei, some jewelry around her neck and a crown of fish skeletons. That will happen after my doll show the first weekend in October.

Isn't she great! Have a nice day.

My Mini Muse

Bailey Magoo Bear is turning out to be a great help in getting things worked on. He assisted with the first paint and embroidery job on the voodoo doll pins. And then approved the short pants and skirts to go on said pins. I know I'll keep him around.

New Dollies

I decided to get out of my way and my head out of my butt and do something. I have so many ideas and I freak myself out by them and I end up not doing anything at all. Which is kind of lame. I'm a lister, a person who makes lists. And I'm not ashamed. If I don't write things down, I will forget them. If I don't do random sketches on small sheets of paper of really cool ideas, I will forget the idea. So... lists. Now I'm putting three things on my list and giving each part of a project some love. I guess I will have to figure out how to use the timer on my almost new phone. That I've had for several months.

So this is what I did today. I have no idea why I waited so long since I cut the things out before I stuffed them and stitched them together. I'm glad I only did two because I think I want to make a slight change to the legs. Maybe. But I'm liking them so far.

I think they have long legs because I'm short. Well actually average height but I'm the shortest one in my family. I love those stripes. I will continue to work on staying out of my way, overthinking, and my procrastination. Which has a lot to do with the fear of trying new things. Have a goodnight.

Been Busy

I think that's a good  thing. Or, the realization that my doll show is in a little over two months has stoked the fires under my creative butt. More go-to items cut out and ready to be stuffed. One older design doll; I cut out and sewed more of them for the show. I designed a new doll today and cut out two just to see if the pattern will work. And I finally got a top pattern for the mini witches made and their fabrics ironed and ready to go.

The new pattern is the long doll with the stripe legs. I love, love, love that fabric and bought what I could when it was around. I don't know if I'll ever find it again or anything like it. But I will search. the little doll next to her I've made before and sold most of them. They are cute little primitive dollies at a very nice price. Have to have something for everyone and in different price ranges.

The mini witches have their selection of fabrics ready. I still haven't gotten to any clay dolls. Cloth dolls are so much simpler and I know I can do them. Ugh... it's a creative mental growth block. I mean, I've done dolls in polymer and air dry clay before but I have a design in mind and I don't know if I can pull it off. Fear is not my friend.

Okay, gotta go turn some bodies and get to stuffing. Gotta go to the other job in the morning, switched with a co-worker who nabbed a doctor's appointment. You know how precious those appointments can be. Take care!!!

Bella

Bella has her costume for her stage debut which was yesterday. 'Learn To Speak Doll' opened at the Hanes Theater, produced by the Peppercorn Theater at Kaleidium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Here is the set with my other dolls. And I'm in the playbill.

Not a bad way to start off a new month.

Done

I finally got a project done. It is for my mother's church lady group. They wanted some aprons so I obliged. It's been marked off the list. Not my creative list but the master one. It was nice getting back to sewing human size instead of doll size. The sewing machine has been cleaned and needle changed. Next will be to finish the voodoo doll pins. I can't believe we're well into the first week of the month. Wow!

The aprons tie at the neck and at the waist. There are two pockets. I love the fabric my mother chose. I also have to straighten a bit so I can get to the next three projects. Have a good day.

Slowly...

Moving along. One of my mid-year goals is to post on my blog more often. Even if I don't post pics, I can talk about what's going on in my crazy little mind. My creative crazy little mind. I'm at the bad point of most of my projects. Finishing. I don't know why I don't like to finish things because I know that if I do, there's a good possibility of me selling the piece. Maybe it's because that's a scary thing. I tell myself that if I finish it, people will expect more. Oh, what a wonderful loop that is. No, it isn't. I'm running out of room and I've got so many more ideas floating around and just sketched out on paper.

One project has a deadline and it must be finished today. That's scary in itself. To release something that I've created. What if they don't like it? But they will. You were recommended to them, so someone likes your work. To some this may sound silly but to other creatives, you know what it feels like to not trust yourself, your work, your own creativity, your passion and you just start beating yourself up over it. Well... for me... today is not that day. It will get done and in the mail. Because I have so much more to do. Oh my gosh! You wouldn't believe the lineup I have of what to do and as long as I can stay out of my way and put fear in the backseat (because it will always be there), I can step on the gas. And my creative dungeon, um... work space is a total wreck and that is also jamming my creative frequencies. Ugh!

One... thing... at... a... time.

So, for now I show you the voodoo doll pins that I have been working on for a very long time. The finally got a little paint, their faces on, and skirts and short pants ready. They are the second project that will be done on Sunday. Next week is my birthday and I'm taking off from the other job to have time to bust out some new work and finish up some old work. I've got eight days. Yeah, I'm laughing now. It hasn't turned maniacal yet but I feel it building. I guess this is a good time to see what I'm really made of. You with me? I'm doing the virtual hand holding right now.

I'm off to a great start today. I think I'm going to need more coffee. Yesterday was the longest day of the year and now they are going to get shorter again. Isn't that crazy how that works? My countdown has begun. 130 days and 14 hours. That shouldn't be too difficult to figure out.

Have an exciting day y'all!

Still Kickin'

The last two weeks were difficult and I'm glad they're in the history books.  Things got better over the weekend and I started creating again. Got the doll together for the children's theater production and today I will paint the face and add hair. I don't have to dress it because it will have an outfit identical to one of the actresses. I also pulled dolls I had made for an independent film that hasn't left the shelf. The person who is directing the children's stage production is the one who's film is on the shelf. So we have some history and it's the only reason I'm doing this.

The doll is like 23 and a bit in inches. She's got a bottom so she can sit a bit. They wanted her to have fingers. And they want a special hairdo for her and she's got to be able to fit into a backpack. Now I know why I don't do big dolls. They take for-ev-er to stuff. It wasn't until I got her head on when I realized she was kind of cute.

I would say about 90% of the dolls on this table were made for the film. They will be used on the set of the play. I have to wait for the okay of what to send. This morning, after coffee, I will take better pics for the producer and he can choose what he wants. During my move last year, the dolls were tucked away. When I went to look for them, I decided to go ahead and catalog them. I did a lot of work and that I am proud of. My creative mojo hasn't gone anywhere, I just forgot that I had it. Once these babies are in the mail this week, I can go on to other projects and BOY do I have a bunch of projects.

Everyone have a great day.

A New Doll

I'm working on a doll for a children's theater. I have size specifications to work with and they wanted fingers too. I will cut it out after lunch and sew it together, then turn it to be stuffed after the job today. Hopefully me getting out of my creative way will work this time around. At least for awhile. I'd truly forgotten how much I liked designing, pulling fabric, making a pattern, and then sewing the doll together. Stuffing... not so much but then there's the painting of the face.

The doll will be 24 inches tall and be flexible enough to go into a backpack. Don't ask, I guess it's part of the story.

I Did It!

I've been planning to make new bedroom curtains for several months now and finally did it. Because the planet has shifted positions and the moonlight is coming into the window at full force. Even if it's not a full moon. Very simple, used the previous curtain as a pattern, took two hours while listening to The Pointer Sisters (yes, old school), and viola! Curtains. Checked off the list. I also finished my second dish cloth and will start the third today. I'll try a new knit stitch.

On to the next thing.

Is it April?

I know things happen. It's called life. It's how you bob and weave, roll with the punches, take a dive into something new and fall into a pile of very large and very soft cotton balls or slam into a concrete slab. You get where I'm coming from. No matter what plans you have, or goals, or deals with psychic bumble bees, there is a little imp or pixie or freaking faerie waiting in the shadows to throw things at you. Anything from the size of pebbles to... I don't know... boulders.

I thought that this was going to be a decent month. Ha, ha, haaaaa. Yeah. I have to remind myself to look at the nice and good things that have happened and not have the weird, 'you've got to be kidding me' stuff take over my thoughts.

Right now I am waiting for the Bug Guy to get here. His window is 9 AM to 11 AM. Because he's new on the route, he probably won't get here until 10:45. I won't be able to go work in the dungeon because I won't be able to hear the doorbell. So what's a gal to do? I searched high and low for some fabric to make some new bedroom curtains. Nothing complicated, just something to keep the extra light out. Street light, moonlight. That sort of thing. The piece I was looking for took about ten minutes to find. It was pretty. But would work better as part of my table cover for my next show. Drats! I continued looking. Found something nice but not enough yardage, then something nice but would look better as aprons. This was not going well and I was tearing up things I'd already straightened. I finally found something that will work. The stripes may not go in the direction I think they should but no one but me will see the bloody curtains. Today, I will make curtains. If it's the only creative thing I do.

April has been screwy. One big fool joke. Where the heck is spring? We got up to 60 degrees early on and then snow, rain, high winds, snow, icy mix, then a melt, and more snow. Today it's supposed to be in the 50s. Of course I feel sorry for all the migrating birds right now. I'm sure they are way confused and possibly starving. The neighborhood heron and egret have returned. The birdsong has changed. And a herd of six deer ran through the yard. Please, no more snow. Not only has it screwed things up for the birds, it's screwed things up for me. I'm off my days again. One week I thought it was Friday for the whole week. This week I thought yesterday was Friday. What do I wear? I know about layers but that's getting old. I've had a doll show, a funeral, and I've been given more responsibility at the other job. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one. I was exhausted after the funeral. I had three days off from the other job. Sort of. I did laundry, caught up on paperwork, paid bills, cleaned my bathroom, vacuumed the whole house. Then I sat and read. That's it. Part of my brain was yelling at me that I should be doing something. But I needed that time to regroup.

Regroup. I was working on new dolls for the show but the design wasn't sitting right with me. Yes, I messed up some fabric (I don't have a lot of it for skin tones), and stuffing, and time. I began the usual of beating myself up but the dolls weren't working. So this morning, I started to take them apart and unstuff them. Along with wash fabric for the curtains.

Breathe. I will unstuff while waiting for Mr. Bug Man. Then to the other job. I will make curtains today. See ya!