Today's Table (In the Works)

I like this last picture. Looks like Cielo Bird is thinking colorful thoughts.

I think colorful thoughts. A lot. Sometimes words completely fail to capture them.

That's why I do the art thing.

Embroidery Pattern and More Lulu

Here's another little embroidery pattern for you, chock full of witchy goodness. 

(You can click here for a pdf version.)

And here's more Lulu, watching for signs of Autumn.

Something-New Sunday

Trickety is the latest something-new.

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And speaking of something new, The Cart got a new member today!

Hello, Lulu!

The senior management (aka Tuzy the Wonderfluff) isn't quite sure what to make of this new addition yet, but I'm sure they'll be the best of friends in no time.

A Day Off

Dylan and I haven't had a day off in weeks, so yesterday we loaded up the tent, our dog, and Boy Kid and headed to the coast. We pitched a tent in my folks yard, with not a plan except to make a nice dinner, look at some stars, and take a soak in their hot tub (which we are both now in agreement that we really must have at some future point in our lives). It was heavenly. This morning we woke up late and very leisurely did whatever the heck we wanted. For Boy Kid that meant time with friends, Dylan headed to the beach, and I picked some blackberries with my Papa Steve so that he could turn them into blackberry jam. 

This is (part of) my folks' yard. See that hedge-looking thing just beyond the grassy field? Well, those are blackberry bushes. Gazillions of them.

The targets. . .

Papa Steve + a big plank of wood = endless possibilities.

Truth be told, I didn't do a whole lot of berry picking. I pricked my wee little girly fingers one too many times and designated myself as official bucket-carrier. Papa Steve has manly hands hands though. Purple-stained, crooked-pinkied, manly hands.

After a while I wandered off in search of pretty things to snap pictures of. . .

. . . and might have helped myself to some strawberries fresh from the garden.

Wheee!

We're back to The Cart now, and I'm putting the finishing touches on tomorrow's Something-New. What is it, you ask? Well, I'll give you a hint. . .His favorite color is orange, he has long ears, and he only eats candy corn. And no, its' not Dylan. I'll be back tomorrow evening to alleviate what I can only imagine is the pain of suspense.

Scenes From the Studio-- Show and Tell

Lots of stuff waiting to be finished. This whole batch is headed to NY. And my headphones. If you look very closely you can see where Dylan has screwed them back together, twice, after they've been sat on. Still, I love them. They keep my ears entertained while my hands are otherwise occupied.

Little Red is dubious about the latest batch's intentions.

Cirque Kitty, Paperhand Lincoln, and Tomato Queen keeping watch over the proceedings.

Mooses (moose? meese? moosen?) waiting for paint, and a pretty owl about to be sent to Massachusetts.

Piles of moose antlers, a genetically engineered curiosity, and reference for our next project. (Serious brownie points if you can guess who's next.)

Work, work, work. Play, play, play!

Feeling Stitchy

I'm sort of lusting over all the gorgeous contemporary embroidery out there right now. So different than the kittens grandmothers would embroider on pillow cases (although I love those too). I haven't had time to bust out the embroidery hoop lately (or ever, truth be told. I don't even own and embroidery hoop.) But that doesn't stop me from daydreaming about it. And apparently it doesn't stop me from making a pattern to share. Thought I'd do something a little Halloweeny on account of that's where my brain is at right now. Plus, October is right around the corner.

You can just click and save, or we put it here as a pdf.

And here are some gorgeous examples of stitchery goodness

so that you might join me in my covetous ways. . .

sometimesiswirl, 100Ladies, whimsiology,

Moxiedoll, marysgranddaughter,

GoldFools, rebeccajaynedagger, takofibers.

And speaking of Feeling Stitchy, have you seen very cool blog with that name? 

True, I need another medium like I need less hours in a day, but a girl can dream. 

What creative thing are you dreaming about having time for?

Something-New Sunday

Moose!

You can see more of our friendly moose head here.

Moose was Boy Kid's favorite word when he was little. He just liked the way it sounded and used it as an all-purpose sentiment, sort of the way a Californian might use Dude. Got a cool new skateboard? Moose! Scrape your knee on aforementioned skateboard? Moose! Get grounded for not wearing knee pads while skateboarding? Moose.

How about you? Do you have any all-purpose words?

On the Table(s) and Higher Places

First step is designing. Then sewing, turning, stuffing. Then base painting. That's the stage these are at, getting ready to be stained (step 4). I like to play with all the little bits and pieces at this stage, arranging them all tidy-like. There's something very satisfying about orderly objects. Speaking of which, have you ever seen the site Things Organized Neatly? It's chock full of tidiness of the silliest (and kinda OCD) variety.

I have an extra table full of stuff this month. My brother and his wife, Yellena, and traveling around Europe right now so we're managing their Etsy shop for a little bit. We've got a bunch of their beautiful prints arranged all tidy-like on another table, waiting to be shipped off around the world as they sell. They're really pretty! We have several of Yellena's prints hanging around the house. One of these days I'll do an  featured-artist thing about her.

Not everything in the studio is quite so orderly. 

There are a couple of bats that are resisting being packed in their shipping boxes.

They were harder to round up than you might think.

Bats, apparently, are not afraid of heights.

Tuesday's Artist: APAK

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.

 This week's spotlight is shining on APAK. Husband and wife, Aaron Piland and Ayumi Kajikawa Piland make up APAK. And you know I love a  husband-and-wife art team! Working here in Portland, they create rich and colorful paintings featuring the Utopian lives and adventures of curious little beings living in fantastic environments. Tiny creatures, imagined forest-scapes, camping. . .what's not to love?

Ayumi says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be. . .

a sea turtle. 

Today, I'm listening to the sound of my baby snoozing.

I'm really good at relaxing in the bath.

I'd like to be better at walking and riding a bike.

When I was a kid I was smarter...

I hate it when I open a bad avocado.

My workspace is comfortably messy.

Right now, I'm really into making my 5-month-old son laugh.

I hope that our art makes you smile :)

You can see more of APAK's charming art on their website or in their Etsy shop.

Something-New Sunday

Lots of new stuff fresh off The Cart on this unusually hot September day. . .

Finally used those skulls I sculpted weeks ago to make a couple of one-of-a-kind skellies, Catrina and Charles. I especially love how Catrina's flowery crown turned out. I used a couple of different flower punches for the petals and just cut little leaf shapes randomly, then folded, glued, and painted them all up.

Lil Top is another one-of-a-kind, 

a black cat who I'm not afraid of despite his somewhat clownish outfit. 

Everybody but Ol' Scratch insisted on green eyes this week.

He's apparently too full of fire and brimstone. 

 

Except for his green eyes, Cirque Kitty is all in black, white, and gray.

My latest punkinheads posed nicely for a family portrait. There's Papa Portland, Mama Willamette, and little Salem. (All Oregon names, in case you didn't notice.)

And Barkley got a girlfriend too. He was all smiles meeting Bonita. It was love at first sight.

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The skeletons are out tonight!

They march about the street

With bony bodies, bony heads

Bony hands and feet.

Bony bony bony bones,

With nothing in between,

Up and down and all around

They march on Hallowe'en.