Low-Tech

This is my super high-tech drying device-

It's made of rejected parts from here and there, and a simple fan that is lying on its back. It works perfectly, but these teeny tiny necklace bits 'n' bobs we've been doing lately are too small to hang or lay on top of the fan. (I tried. It was less than successful. Tiny arms flew in all directions as they were violently spit out by the fan. *shudder*) So I came up with an equally super high-tech solution. . .

1 old picture frame (that's glass was broken long ago) plus a bit of screening (from a walked-through screen door) plus hot glue = A handy dandy drying rack for teeny tiny bits 'n' bobs!

Works like a charm!

Window-Shopping Wednesday

Y is for. . .

kimarijewelry, 2BCreative, tailormade,

lisacongdon, GrantCreekYarns, ILoveYoYo,

bugnikdesigns, mamapainter, AppleJaxie

And a special BONUS window-shopping treat of selections 

from my favorite store in this week's favorite colors

(and they're having a SALE). . .

Futures Antiques

Get Ready, Get Set. . .

Almost ready to get stuff ready for paint (still waiting for a few pieces to migrate over from Dylan's table), today's table is well-labeled.

I like organization. It makes me more productive and less stressed out. My brain likes to zip around in a hundred directions at once, so I put plenty of time into prep work and the little tricks that allow me to stay focused on the task at hand. Saves me lots of time and wasted energy in the long run.

How about you?

Contained creativity or creative chaos?

Something-New Sunday

 Look at these tiny little arms waiting to be stuffed-

Even in my itty bitty hand you can see that Dylan has outdone himself in the sewing and turning department. I'm all agog. How he manages to do it with his gigundo manhands, I'll never know. (That's OK with me, a little mystery is a good thing.) And what, praytell, are we up to with such tiny silliness? Well, I'll tell you. We're up to THIS-

They're necklaces!
Now you can have your art
and wear it too.

On the Table

I'm seeing triple!

I like doing things in sets of three. I'm just weird like that.

Speaking of sets of three. . .

This is what those skelly dudes will look like when I'm all done with with them. One of them is a clear favorite amongst buyers, and it's not MY favorite. Which one do YOU like best?

Window-Shopping Wednesday

Z is for. . .

Futures Antiques, LiciaBasille, kateconsumption,

licoricewits, EnchantingStamps,  MisNopalesArt,

janprytz, toniandtree, scottlanephotography

Zinding zood ztuff zat ztarts zith Z zis zifficult!

Road Trip

We went over hill and dale (and mountain and desert) this past weekend, on a college hunt.

Off we go. . .

Prettiness. . .

Along the way. . .

Downtown Portland. . .

Multnomah Falls. . .

Still going. . .

. . .and going. . .

. . .and going. . .

On campus at last. . .

College kids in a giant bird bath. . ..

Decision made, bought the hat, heading home.

The hunt is over!

You say it's your birthday. . .

to the man of The Cart

Yay for Dylan!

♥my knight in tarnished armor♥

Our eldest kidlette drew that portrait of  His Silliness.

Dylan likes it because he thinks it makes him look like The Dude.

Something-New Sunday

Tah-Dah!

I know you've already seen the first of the Tweedle Twins, but we're making them in a limited edition of 25. That means we'll make up to 24 more of them-- 24 grumpy heads and 24 happy heads, 48 red shoes and 48 spinny propeller hats. Wheeee!

Sneak-Peek Saturday

Whatever could it be?

Or is it whoever could it be? Or maybe whomever?

Whatever.

I'll spill the proverbial beans tomorrow.

On the Table

Here's what this morning's worktable looked like

on this bright and sunny day-

That big ole basket holds skellies and moons and stars in varying degrees of doneness. I like to always have a couple made up just in case one sells. Most days start with finishing 3 or 4 of them before my real day begins.  Four of the pieces on the table are already done, last night's accompliments. That little girl and her bear in the boat are awaiting more playmates.

We're making them exclusively for Earth Angels,
and you can only get them there.

There are many many more additions to the menagerie still waiting in the wings, quietly (and some not-so-quietly) demanding my attention. But they'll just have to wait their turns.

Window-Shopping Wednesday

It's a beautiful sunny day here on the Oregon Coast.

And what goes better with sun than lemonade?

. . .

den10studio, papermoth, smilesandsquiggles,

magicbeanbuyer, studiolyon, dreamalittle7,

sofiamasri, CircaCeramics, FuturesAntiques

Show and Tell

I just put the finishing touches on a big project that has been keeping me extra busy these past few weeks. So of course I had to share. It's Cirque du Wonderland -

 Remember those odd "blue tounges" on the worktable a few days ago? This is what they were for-

An auburn-haired Alice-

An acrobat cat-

You gotta love that Cheshire grin!

The White Rabbit, giving a whole new meaning to time management-

Each little pocket watch was made from a slice of a dowel with a little eye hook in the top and a bit of paperclay, then painted burnt umber, sanded, and painted gold. Then I printed out an interesting looking old clock face and decoupaged that on there. They're all happily floating along one of Dylan's guitar strings with the aid of some teeny tiny crimping beads .

The Tweedle Twins, never agreeing-

I carved their little propellers out of wood. They really spin too.

And last but not least there's a strongman who's as mad as a hatter-

And what hatter would be complete without a doormouse perched atop his hat?

Whew!

Now on to the next challenge!

PS- This whole set was a comissioned piece, so none of them are for sale. However, one of the pieces will turn into a limited edition. You'll just have to wait 'til Sunday to find out which one. Oh, she's such a tease!

Something-New Sunday

Here's the latest.

This little moon is late for her debut; instead of finishing her, last night was spent in the ER with my youngest and his broken wrist. Poor little monkey. (OK, so he's several inches taller than me. He's still my baby.) The doctor said that he calls skateboards "job security".  We heard him tell the same joke to the kid in the next curtain-room who had also broken his arm at the same skatepark. The other kid's arm was broken way worse, no small comfort. So he's patched up for now (apparently they don't do casts in the ER anymore, so we'll have to go to a regular doctor tomorrow) and quickly running through all his sympathy treats. Anyway, instead of working, we were cuddled up on the couch watching a zombie movie. (He's a teenage boy, I'll take my cuddles where I can, even if zombies are involved.)

Sneak-Peek Saturday

Today's table is chock full of frivolities!

Alice waits for clothes and a face while a white rabbit waits for his paws. The so-far-faceless Queen of Hearts will perch atop a circus tent when all is said and done.

(What on Earth are those turquoise tounges? I'll show you later.) A Cheshire cat acrobat stands on his head, waiting for all his finishing touches, along two one-ton teapots and a hat for an especially strong hatter. Pencils and paintbrushes wait to be put to use, along side my ever-present pile of notes and lists. Another Alice needs some attachment, and there are the rabbit's paws.

That orange tabby isn't going anywhere til I give him his legs, and a little lime-head needs all sorts of attention.

Wheels wait for color, while a cart and a bird wait for paper mache. Itty bitty propellers need to be painted red and put in their proper place. Tiny pocket watches and Alice's head wait for faces. A pink flamingo and conjoined Tweedles wait for limbs.

Tomorrow's Something-New is next on the list, waiting patiently for craters and her face, and a pile of painted fabric waits to be turned into so many silly things.

My list is long and my hands are happily doing their thing.