All the brown skin dolls are 20% off. I’ve changed all the prices in my shop to reflect the savings. There are other dolls for sale too- ones that I have had just too long and it is time for them to go live with someone else. The sale will run through Monday 1/17.
the owl pattern and getting the studio picked up. Both are going slowly.
There are blizzard warnings in the neighborhood so this months’ Crafty Biz meet-up is postponed until next Wednesday (1/19). Email me if you want details.
*blog heads-up* I am going to have a Martin Luther King Day sale- I will be marking down some of the things in my Etsy shop that have been there too long. I have some older pieces that I’d like to sell also and will either put them here in the blog or list them on Etsy. The sale will start on Thursday morning and run through the long week-end.
And, I’m heading back up to Portland (ME) next weekend to deliver P back to school and eat some excellent food. I’m always open to suggestions!
It is really hard to start back up again. There are the unfinished projects that feel like they need to be finished before I start in on the new. But those projects don’t have any energy now. Or maybe it is me that has no energy. I know that the only important thing is to actually spend time in the studio and do something. Anything.
I was inspired to get out the ink and brushes by this podcast interview with Lynda Barry on Sound of Young America (thanks again for the recommendation Abby!)
I started filling up pages last night.
I am trying out different brushes on each page, trying to find one that works well with the ink.
More today.
And, I’m working on the owl pattern.
I come over to the desk and do some more scribbling when I feel frustrated.
And, Hey- It works! I’m having fun!
First doll of 2011!
People often ask me where I get my inspiration. This little girl is dressed in colors inspired by this wonderful illustration by Matte Stephens.
I love the rust red and mustard color combination.
some details-
Her dress is made of a sweet piece of Liberty fabric.
She is made from an over-dyed bit of beige cashmere. Originally a piece of clothing from my mom’s past.
Happy New Year, 2011!
I love reading the “hopes” from other years. Sometimes I do pretty well. And this year I succeeded in what I said was my biggest goal- connecting with people. So- WIN! And, Peter’s quilt got finished. Huge. As for the rest, not so much. But, really, my “hopes” are just that. The important thing for me to do is remain open to good opportunities, feed my curiosity and the fun factor and not get bogged down with any “should-do”s.
So, for 2011, I hope-
*warning* a lot of these are reruns ;) and illustrated with random photos that never got into any other posts this year.
-more patterns… I KNOW- I say it every year! Well, maybe this will be the year. And, honestly, I will never write a book until this process is a lot easier for me. But… this year I realized how much it means to me to see my designs spread themselves out around the world. I am not kidding when I say it gets me all choked up. It is like sending your kids out into the world and having people love them. So maybe, this is the year.
-I am keeping my eye out for another Photoshop class- hopefully at my local High School Community Ed classes since I could walk to that.
-always, always, always I need to work on clearing out. It is very hard for me but having art students to give stuff to is very helpful.
-my biggest hope for this year- something I don’t usually talk about on the blog. To end the year with less pain. Yes, the physical kind. I have had chronic back-ish pain for years and decided to do something about it last summer. Now, 4 physical therapists later and pages of suggested exercises, I am so much worse that pretty much every part of my life is affected. So, hmmph. I hope to read this a year from now and think- Oh Yeah- Remember that? I’d forgotten all about it!
One more thing from my 2010 list. I had been hoping to teach more, but it didn’t happen and realistically, probably isn’t going to. Among the reasons against it happening is that I am unwilling to fly anymore with the current security measures at airports. So there, now you know 2 things about me that might, for some people, be considered TMI.
-but I want to end this list with some real fantasy hopes! Read more for fun, actually look at those magazines I buy or subscribe to, draw more, try a new medium just for fun, and actually learn how my camera works. Spend more time in the garden, start some flowers from seed, go the the beach at least once this year, and figure out what I should do with the worm casting from my worm bin. Clearing out the basement, losing 20 pounds, and winning the lottery would be nice too but probably aren’t going to happen either! So, now time for me to go off and read what everyone else put on their list. Have a wonderful first day of 2011!
I made 27 tiny worlds in 2010-
and taught 2 workshops at my house.
I made 31 fish and wrote up the pattern-
14 swaddled babies-
8 ladies-
15 girls-
21 guys-
11 kitties, 4 foxes and 9 owls.
That adds up to 113, but I actually did 114 and can’t show one because someday it will be in a book (weird, right?). You can see these mosaics larger over on Flickr. Just find where it says “view all sizes” and you can make it big.
Onward to 2011 and lots more dolls!
This is the disaster that is my studio on December 31, probably every single year! December is always crazy and it takes January to get everything back in order. Actually, I’ve already started. I can see the top of the ironing board and that was not true a few days ago.
One of the best parts of blogging (for me) is the written record of what has happened over the year. And, being able to go back to other end-of-the-year posts and think about where I was in my head. 2010 has been a good year in many ways. In my “real” life, things are better and more secure. Two of my kids have finished degrees and that is exciting. Over here in crafty blog land, I’ve moved forward in a quieter way then 2009. No big public wow events- like the Etsy Handmade portrait or my PurlSoho pattern.
Instead, I think the most wonderful thing that has happened this year is my crafty biz meet-up. It has been a success and I am going to do a post just about that in the next few days. The other highlights have to be Sage– my wonderful intern of last summer. And, Brooklyn Renegade– which is a show that all others will have to live up to!
Once again this year, I was lucky enough to travel and meet up with other crafters in far away places- in Minneapolis, I met up with Kristen, Erika, Susan and Hannah. In Paris, I met Catherine and Laure- and that was the highlight of my Paris trip! So, this year, the best was all about the people I connected with and I can’t think of anything better then that!
Happy New Years Eve! I can’t wait to see what 2011 will bring- it is always interesting!
well, actually, I only have one more handmade gift to post. The other ones I gave were this owl and lots of homemade cookies.
Yoga mat bag-
drawstring closure, pocket, non-adjustable strap. I looked at some free tutorials on-line and then made it. Very easy.
Big snow in the forecast so our trip to Connecticut is canceled- which is why I am relaxing on the sofa and writing this post right now! Also, daughter is here for 2 extra days because of canceled flights! And, this is the year that I received some homemade gifts from my family. Eleanor gave us some of her homemade preserves-Â peach salsa and also some pear pickles which we had with our ham last night- wow and Yum!
we got our first snow on Monday-
and it sifted down slowly for a few days and we have enough snow on the ground that Christmas will be white.
I’ve made the cookies- they were done earlier then usual because I had to send Christmas-in-a-box out to my son in Minnesota. See you on Skype tomorrow, Julian! My challenge to myself- make a homemade version on HobNobs. Yes, that was fun!
Last minute presents that I can post… because really, I am sure that the kitties do not read my blog.
And, uh-oh, Mango opened his present a little early!
This was my test catnip toy made from the Spponflower fabric I made last year.
Have a wonderful Merry Christmas everyone! I will have a few more handmade gifts to post after the grand opening.
And now there is a pair-
and she is very well out-fitted!
She has an argyle tail.
I wanted to make her all foresty and also well dressed.
The pinafore is removable with snaps.
Her bag closes with a string wrapped button.
Getting the colors just right can be very frustrating and doesn’t seem possible with my level of technical skills. This girl is made from the same sweater as this owl. It is not the same color as the boy fox- she is more of a red orange. The jacket is olive, the scarf, a warm medium brown and the purse is an ochre yellow color. Each photo seems to get some right but never everything!