Just Because

I'm super excited to be working on the first of this year's Halloween and Day of the Dead pieces. It's definitely some of our favorite stuff to work on here on the ol' Cart. So, in honor of that bit of cheeriness. . .

Just leave a comment on this post for your chance 

to win a randomly selected skelly ornament.

We'll pick a winner out of a hat on Saturday, August 4.

UPDATE:

The winner is. . .   rachel whetzel

Thanks for playing!

Today's Table (See, I'm stuck in a title rut.)

Toothy grins. Check!

And last post's Step One magically became Step Two-

Now I just need to figure out who they want to be. 

So many possibilities!

Today's Table (I really need to get more creative with these titles.)

Got a bunch of new designs and templates made yesterday. That's Step 1 in our making-stuff process. Now they're all ready for Step 2, Dylan to do his magic sewing-and-stuffing thing. I can't wait to play with them! He has been neck deep in his latest video for the past couple of weeks, so we'll see if I can drag him away long enough to make some blanks for me. I think he has maybe a minute of his 3-minute video done, one second at a time. He's really sinking his creative teeth into this one. No one is safe from being recruited drafted into puppeteering service at any given moment. 

Today's Table (Work in Progress)

Oh my, this week seems to have slipped away while I sat at my worktable!

You can't tell by looking at them, but the residents of today's table are quite the world travelers. Well, they're about to be anyway. They're all destined for exotic destinations-- New York City, Italy, Australia, Hawaii, and Austin, Texas. I'm hoping to someday see all those places and more, but until then I'm quite content to let the beasties have the adventures. I have an adventurous mind, but a homebody's heart. 

How about you? 

Are you ready to fly off on new adventures, 

or would you rather keep to your nest?

Today's Table (Work in Progress)

I'm still learning my way around Photoshop. I do eventually convince it to do what I want, but I'm quite sure I take the looooong road getting there. Each time I tackle a new project I learn some new tricks though, so yay for that. I've been designing what will become a new line of stuffed Halloween ornaments, complete with wee little masks. Also doing some garland/bunting/decoration sort of things while I'm at it. Seems way to early for Halloweeny stuff, but I did notice the first few orange leaves on the oak tree this morning. Anyway, I finished a half dozen black cats and another half dozen punkinheads, but I had a batch of skellies in my head that wanted out as well. So even though I was supposedly taking yesterday and today off, this happened. They're a kinda sugar-skull-meets-tattoo-flash amalgam I guess. I like them. I have all sorts of plans for them. Can't wait to see what they turn into!

I'm taking the day off today, for real. No art table for me. I have big plans which include checking out our annual local Robin Hood Festival followed by watching season 2 of Downton Abbey and eating lemon sorbet (not necessarily in that order).

How about you? Any big (or not so big) plans?

Today's Table(s)

My very first strawberries are starting to emerge! Seriously, I'm inordinately excited about it. (It's no wonder strawberries keep showing up in my arty meanderings.) And, as if that's not enough, there's a tomato starting to happen too! 

I'm amazed by my own amazement over produce.

Just Playin' Around

Me and my old Annie are just playing with the itty bittys before they head off on their merry way. Annie takes every opportunity to pretend she's a giant.

Today's Table (In the Works)

Yesterday morning's table-- 

The aftermath of a marathon of creativity.

This morning's table-- 

What are those strange little gingerbread people you ask? I'm not telling yet.

Today I'm finishing the painting part on all the rest of these paper bits. I have plans for them, yes I do. Hopefully there will be 24 when all is said and done, right now there are only 12. I'm trying to reign myself in. 

Too many ideas, not enough hours in a day. 

One is a Lonely Number

Phoebe*, Queen of the Night Fairies*, Batsheba,

Aloysius, Meadow Kaitlbug*, Julie Butterfly, 

Dalmatian and Ducky, Ellery, Poppy Kaitlbug*,

Bailey Bunny, Banjo and Belfry, Clara Angel.

Each of these is the only one. Either they're an only child (one-of-a-kind*), or all their siblings have already struck out on their own and they're the last one left on the Cart. It's not that I don't like having them around, it's just that everybody deserves a home of their own. 

Today's Table and Being an Artist

Continuing to work on my super secret project (can't wait to tell you what I'm working on, but it'll probably be a while yet), doing some extra special Tiny Raggedies for Jen over at Earth Angels, and painting wee little baby faces on wooden leaves. Have I mentioned that I love my job?

This pair is already on their way to London, but I managed to snap a picture of them before their journey. This particular goat's coloring was a special request, and I love that kind of request. I love getting to see what our stuff looks like in new colorways. 

And speaking of new colors, there's only one elephant left but I'm not ready to give up on this elephant pattern yet, so I'll soon be doing some sort of variation for a future incarnation. What color should the next one be? Should it be naked or dressed? Formal or casual? These are the kind of silly questions I get to concern myself with. No matters of life and death (yet another reason why I love my job). 

Sometimes I imagine myself doing something else with my life. Something more serious. More important. But then I remind myself that the world needs its artists. I can't imagine my own life devoid of art's influence-- no music, no stories, no adornment, nothing that exists just for the joy of its own existence. . . It would be a pretty lame world.

Phoebe

Phoebe and her monster mask are ready to go to a new home.

(Zella made other arrangements.)

You can see more of her here.

Something-New Sunday

What has 16 eyes, 4 horns, and a pair of red Mary Janes?

Meet Phoebe and Zella. . .

You know how sometimes best friends like to dress alike? 

Well, Phoebe and Zella are no exception.

(These two aren't up for sale yet, they're too busy playing dress-up to be bothered. I'll let you know when they're ready to go.)

Today's Table

Truth be told, this is actually yesterday's table. But that pair of dapper goats looked so cute sitting there chatting away about things they imagined to be of importance, I just had to share.

Today's list looks something like this: sculpt monster feet and zebra mane, base paint leaf babies, finish bits for secret project, scan said bits and try to play nice with Photoshop (sometimes Photoshop and I don't play well together), try not to obsess over all the other stuff that I want to do but just can't get to today. 

What's on your list today?

Happy Independence Day!

Tuesday's Artist: Michele Maule

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 Michele Maule. Living and working here in Portland, Michele works in a variety of media. I like that she manages to combine collage elements into her paintings in such a cohesive way. She has a knack for editing and restraint that I really admire in a mixed-media artist. I especially love how she elevates everyday objects, captures small moments, and I find her work to be beautifully restful.

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a singer in a band.

Today, I'm listening to NPR. 

I'm really good at making guacamole. 

I'd like to be better at being patient.

 I hate it when it rains on my birthday.

When I was a kid I was very, very, shy.

My workspace is weirdly tidy right now.

Right now, I'm really into gardening.

I hope that my art resonates with people.

You can see more of Michele's work here.

Who stokes your creative fire?

Today's Table (in the works)

Today's table has a split personality,

insisting that my mind go in two directions at once.

(I can't tell you about the first picture's silliness yet. It's a secret.)

I'm very grateful to be where I am today, mostly on account of it's not a million degrees outside as it is in most of the country. My heart goes out to those of you not lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest.

Something-New Sunday

Finally satisfied, The Queen of the Night Fairies is keeping watch from her perch upon the mantle. (I managed to convince her that those little ceramic animals were in fact minions. Don't tell her otherwise.) She's available now, here (but I warn you, she can be a bit high-maintenance).