Monday, October 29, 2007

FREE for Halloweeeen

I am giving away FREE sets of Halloween pins with Etsy purchases on October 29th,30th and 31st!Head on over to my shop to check it out.

I am destroyed from my weekend of Halloween fun, it was worth it. :-) But even though my party is already over, I want to keep in the Halloween spirit. Boo!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Process post! Danzig the Cat.

Another little custom order, a portrait of a much loved and "right up my alley" sort of wild and naughty little boy cat named Danzig. (How could I turn it down, a boy super-loving his cat and naming it Danzig is like a freaking fairytale to me!)

It was fun and fast and I took a few photos of...
This was the original design sketch. I had some photos of the little dude for reference, so it was more working out what would be around him. I did another separate one for the actual cat, and then spliced them together for the final sketch. This is the scanned pencil drawing on illustration board. Thats why its a bit muddy, I had to up the contrast. On to the painting! I guess you aren't supposed to give away your secrets to painting, but its not like I even paint the same way each time so there isn't really any secret. I tried to keep this one from getting too tight, and colouring it in like a colouring book, but it just happens like that at the beginning. I use really watery acrylic and blast it with a hairdryer every five seconds. And I listen to HIM.I think I should have taken another one in between this and the last one.I basically just added dark and light a few times...dark then light then darker than lighter until its high contrast enough for me. Like this. With a paintbrush! Secret REVEALED! Ok, here is the final guy... Danzig! I think its pretty cute. He is a sort of bad boy, but with a heart of gold, like all orange cats are. :-) Whatever bad thing he did, you'll forgive him.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I have a plan.

I started early this year working on Holiday season stuff. Its SO hard to not focus on Halloween (Because I love it SO much!) But I have been keeping myself busy planning and gathering and working on holiday stuff so as soon as November hits I am in business for Christmas!

So thats why its a bit quiet around here. I have things I am dying to post about but will have to wait until after Halloween!

For now, I will show you the last of the "Critter Love" sets I have made fro my shop. The bat!This is the fifth "love" set. Fox,rat,squirrel,raccoon and bat pretty much cover it. Why bat is last I will never really understand. it was one of those "DUH!" moments for me. Why wasn't bat FIRST? Ok, maybe second after Fox...

I have a new "Love" series taking shape in my head, and its not animals. OOOh!

Halloweeeen! Yeah! I am like a kid who can hardly wait! I already thought of a costume for next year. Hahaha.


***Post update!***

Ok, I lied. I added something new to the shop after I said I wouldn't...Hee hee. Fruit Bat!
Don't even try and touch that strawberry, he will nip your fingers right off!
Ok, NOW I am not adding anything else I am supposed to be hoarding...
:-)

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Wow!

500 sales!!Aww! My dude is the best and always surprises me with one for every hundred sales. This one may be the last as 500 is "the big leagues" to me. At 600 I will buy something for myself! :-)

I can't belive I am almost too busy to make Halloween stuff (aside from bat cookies and my costume and all my regular stuff) But I did manage to make this little lady...She is evil witch in training, but it isn't going very well because she is too nice and cute. Gawd, I love to make these cat things.

:-)

Monday, October 15, 2007

Big Project!

OhmygodIforgottoupdatemyblog!

Ok, not "forgot" so much as "was super busy." October is so full for me, both with things I control and things I don't.

The BIG project I hinted at is safe to show now. Its a quilt! I made this for two really good friends that got married. They have been together for like 9 years so its not like they need toasters and muffin tins. I thought something more traditional would be better for them as a keepsake. And the bride's favorite colour is orange... Its a pretty relaxed pattern with black and white prints. I hand tied all those teeny ties, which I think makes it look more traditional, and makes it warmer. I really like the backs of quilts. I really am winging it making this thing, I sew with only basic knowledge and luck. But the backs of quilts just "happen" and its so neat! I also added their names and the date of their wedding. They are a Halloweeny couple, so orange and black is just too perfect. :-)

It was a lot of work, mostly because it takes up so much space. But not difficult work, just A LOT! I told them they can never get married again , as I am only making baby sized ones from now on.

Now I have two weeks of feverish work before Halloween comes (yayayayaa!) and then November which is my "sell everything you got" month. I am like a big rolling snowball, if everyone stays out of my way no one will get hurt!

*coming soon to the shop*
-wool felted baby bats
-wool felted cats
-printed scarves
-mounted prints
-stockings

*phew*

Monday, October 1, 2007

Victory over varnish

Sometimes its a struggle to get things done. This week is SO going to be like that. Nothing seems to want to cooperate with me!

This painting...
Was such a struggle! The painting was easy and came together pretty well, but the varnish took like 8 coats and sanding and redoing and UGH! But it came out ok, just with ten times the amount of work it should have...One lesson I always fail to retain about varnish is that spray just makes life easier! WHY can't I just remember that!! Its basically what saved this painting's life.

Now I have all these custom orders and things to do that all fall right before the wedding I am in on the weekend. Sigh! Thats always how it happens....

AND I have a super secret project I am working on, that needs urgently to be finished...Its my biggest sewing project ever! Oooh... next week...