Transition

That word can mean many things to different people. For me it's crossing a river from comfortable place to a very strange and unusual land. A nice, creative one with lots of bright colors. I love color. I love all types of art. Getting a little ahead of myself.

I am transitioning from being one type of artist to another. For the past 30 or so years (jeepers, I'm divulging how many trips I've been around the sun) I've been a traditional cloth doll artist. I'd design a doll, make the pattern, find fabric, cut out the doll, sew it, stuff it, paint the face, and then dress it. I've done everything from cottage industry type things, to limited editions, to one-of-a-kinds. I've made play dolls for both boys and girls and dolls you just put on a shelf and look at how pretty and cool they are. That was way back when fabric was good. Now it's hard to find a fabric that will hold up to what I did to it. Fabric that's the right color for brown dolls, fabric that doesn't feel slippery. Because when I found something that worked, they'd go and change it. And the search would be on again. Then the fabric stores started closing or moving further away.

Now don't get me wrong. I love cloth dolls. I've won ribbons, had one woman art shows; been in galleries and cool little shops; taught classes; been in local newspapers; photos of my dolls have shown up in doll magazines; made dolls, that were a huge part of the story in an independent movie (still on the shelf), the main character was a doll maker; had my dolls in an exhibit in a museum (The Delta Fine Arts Museum); and had an interview on the local public radio station because of that exhibit; have a doll on permanent display in a children's museum; and had my dolls decorate the set of a stage production along with making a doll used in the play. I have done a lot with cloth and I am proud of what I have accomplished with them but now I want to move on.

I couldn't understand how I could still design, sew, and stuff the doll but after that, I lost interest. I wouldn't finish the doll. Why? Well, it's the stuffing part. I've stuffed a lot and oh... the right stuffing I like to use is getting more difficult to find. Why do they have to change formulas? Stuffing takes a lot of time. I love painting the faces and dressing the dolls; putting on the final touches of beads, buttons, or feathers. But once I was done with the stuffing, the dolls just sat. And it was a chore getting back to them. Plus my hands are having a hard time doing that part nowadays. I longed to do dolls or figures that I could pose, put on a stand, in a vignette. Tell a story. I tried porcelain (finicky), needle felting (a lot like stuffing), polymer or oven bake clay (no place to do that now), and air dry clay.

For right now, I've settled on the air dry clay. It's not as portable as cloth but easy to clean up. I can sand the dried piece, drill it, paint it, stain it, whatever. And I have started a couple of pieces. I'm terrified that they won't come out. That no one will like them. So I've decided to just make them for me. Just do it. Learn the new medium. There will be a learning curve and it will take a lot longer if I don't open up the bag of clay. I have so many ideas sketched out. On paper, in sketchbooks, on napkins. It's something SOOOOOO totally different.

But I've given myself permission to 'Make It Suck' and then I'll let others decide if they like it or not. That's what a friend of mine told me to do. Make it Suck. I will wrap up the few cloth dolls that I have waiting to be finished. Then step on the next stone leading to the other side of the river. It's scary but I'm getting excited. Until then, here are some bloomers.

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.

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.

I Take That Back

Today is Day One of my next trip around the sun. The last two days were spent having fun. Now I'm back to creative work. I have quite a few projects for my new year, deadlines, goals, and a few things on my new bucket list. I don't know how much I'll reveal along the way or just tell you when things are done or I'm ready to jump on a plane. Some things you have to keep close to the vest.

Last month was okay. Yes, I'm still a wee bit hard on myself but I'm human. I did get a large project done. The doll and sent a load of other dolls to North Carolina for a theater production. Yes, I have to look at the small things the I did and not the five page list of things I didn't do. I was able to get my front page to July's Bullet Journal done. I got the idea from christina77star. She's on Facebook, You Tube, and Instagram. She did not have the skellie guy in her tub. Or the rat. Those are my additions. Still working on my handwriting too.

And I finally made it to a farmer's market. The Oakland County Farmer's Market and it was very nice. Here's my haul for $18. Beets, bok choi, green beans, zucchini, and Whitefish pate`. Gonna eat healthy this week.

So, it's a new month and a new day. Gonna prep my veggies for cooking so I won't have to worry about meals for the rest of the week. Have a nice day y'all.

Day One

Of my next trip around the sun. Yep, it's my birthday. And so far so good. A couple of off-key renditions of that happy birthday song, which were hilarious. A long talk with a friend from another state. Lots of happy wishes on Facebook; a friend took me out to lunch. I had Salmon Ratatouille and a Blueberry Mule for a drink. Blueberry infused vodka with ginger beer. I wasn't driving.

Bella made it to North Carolina just fine. She picked up some reading once she got there and is ready for her stage debut.

A new year for me. Last year was, well, it was better than the year before so that's saying something. I now have a mission and a bucket list of sorts that I will be working towards. I'm going to do a personal challenge of a piece of artwork everyday for 365 days. The next trip around the sun. Could be anything but probably drawings or paintings. While cleaning up my mother's place (an ongoing process), I found a small sketchbook from when I was in undergrad at university. A... long...time...ago... I'll work on filling that up. It is 4 inches by 6 inches in size. About 30 pages..

Today is celebrating and relaxing and I'm about to binge watch some movies that have been on my list for awhile. Because tomorrow, it starts. The creative movement and that's because I have about eight days off from the other job. Nice huge blocks of time to make stuff.

That Was Fast

I went to the Secretary of State this morning, also known as the department of motor vehicles in other locations, to renew my registration and get new tags for the vehicle. Twelve minutes. That was a record for me. Now I'm legitimate again for another year.

Last week we had some wet weather and after working the job I saw this pretty rainbow. I never catch rainbows with my camera.

I also got the doll done for the theater production that will happen in North Carolina. She is now on her way south. The costume designer will make her a dress to match the live actress.

Now I'm in the process of cleaning, straightening the art area, a.k.a. dungeon, so that I can get busy with Halloween items and other things for the doll show I'm doing in October. I'm taking a couple of days off from the job so I can have huge blocks of time to get into some kind of flow. The project list is long but at least I know what I should be working on. 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.

This Month

June is flying by so fast!

What the heck! And I've been slack in posting. Will be working on that. So, for my birthday celebration month, I went to the Winston-Salem Ham (operator) Fest. One of these days I will practice and get my license. That was Saturday. On Sunday I went to see my friend's daughters (my play nieces) at their end of year recital. I was impressed with all the dancers. The studio even takes special needs kids which is great. The older kids, 18 years old, did special dances because they were aging out. The studio takes ages 3 to 18. The tinies were cute but I really like the mid-ages from about 6 - 10. They hadn't been jaded yet and danced because they didn't have a care in the world. They weren't thinking about how big or small they were. No hangups yet and they were great. I had fun and when the 18 year olds were doing their favorite time during their stint, there were many wet eyes in the audience.

I will go onto a local art museum's site to see what's on. That along with a movie or two is on my birthday list. A day trip to the mountains would be nice too.

It's May!

Don't you just love life? You can make plans and at times, they just don't go anywhere.They decide they will not do what you want, when you want, so you have to change course. I didn't get much on my list done. What I did get done were the dolls for the film. What a time it was. There were tears; periods of uncontrolled laughter; times when I asked, 'What the heck am I doing?' but I finally got everything done, including the main dolls and the director is very happy.

And I'm happy. Thrilled. Yes, the adrenalin is subsiding but I don't feel as bummed out about it as I have in the past when huge projects are over and done with. I still can't believe it's done, a nice red mark is through that project, that was on my long list of things to do. Maybe it's because I have to get ready for a spring craft this Saturday that I'm not feeling sad. I don't have time. This time around I've got to get back in the saddle ASAP.

April was a good month. Dolls for the film- done, participated in Empty Bowls, went to the River Run Film Festival, saw Oklahoma on stage. A very good and happy month.

What I've decided to do for this month is to write down the projects I need to work on instead of individual items. Let's see how that works out. Plus, I really have to start thinking about my show in October and start working on those items. October will be here sooner than I think. We're almost mid-year! That is so scary.

So, here are my projects. Some are immediate, others will be worked on over the next several months.
-Krankie's Spring Craft Show
-Apply for a grant
-Yadkin Arts Council Exhibition
-October/Halloween show & sale
-Send off manuscript
-Beef up Etsy shop
-Start miniature project
-Get back to sketching on a regular basis
-One painting a month

I think that should do it. What's on your list?

Oklahoma!

I got free opening night tickets to Oklahoma put on by University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Orchestra seats. One of their alumnus, Terrence Mann, directed. The costumes and sets were based on the original 1943 production.

It was great! I had a lot of fun and couldn't believe I remembered a lot of the tunes. I loved the costumes and I'd really like to practice kicking my leg up like those can-can girls. Okay, maybe not. I don't want to hurt myself. I'm not usually a musical person but I like this one. My favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein production is The King and I. I can't even remember the last time I saw a stage production, and I was a theatre major. Yikes! Maybe this is a sign that things will change. It felt good cleaning up to look presentable in public.