Drawings, Sewing and a Basket or Two

Hello Readers!

I've been busy for the last 11 days. It doesn't really feel like I've accomplished all that much though.  Especially when you consider I made the majority of these things I'm fixing to talk about all in the last week. I have worked on fp9 too, but I failed to take any new pictures of it while photographing these guys at three o'clock this morning. Fp9 is coming along nicely by the way! I promise pictures of it next post!

Cat toys were high on the radar the last three days! 

These birds were made early  this morning. I'll probably make a few more of these before November gets here. The pattern is my own.

Mice. I have about a dozen of these little devils all cut out and ready to be sewn. I hate sewing mice! It's their ears that give me so much trouble. They are cute though and worth the trouble of their ears no matter how much I hate it! The remaining mice are an awful green color, purple and yellow.

Fishes. Fishes are EASY to sew! I'll have to cut some more of these if I'm to make any more of them before November. You see the green one in the bottom right hand corner? It's the first one I sewed. I didn't like it too well. I like the others much better! All the cat toys have catnip sewn into the innards along with some polyester filling. Felt sewn with embroidery thread. Bird, mice and fish are all about 3 inches long or so.

This was an interesting experiment! I wove this little mat on an embroidery hoop. It's about 3.5 inches across, made from strips of cotton fabric and green acrylic yarn. I have metal hoops of all sizes and a basket full of cotton strips to do something with! I need a new pad for one of the chairs in the livingroom and a pad for my chair out on the porch. You'll see some more of these, bigger than this one, in the future. 

I used up some more of the microscope slides Ma brought me. 

2 gray kitties

all the microscope magnets are drawn in marker on cardstock

black and white kitty

green eyed gray kitty

3 blue birds again

calico cat

catfish

green bubble tree

orange poppies x2

some more orange poppies

striped ginger kitty

5 orange poppies

I was into orange flowers yesterday when I drew all these!

half a sun face

I finished the pink and white basket. It's a little basket. Only about 3 inches across and 3 inches tall.

I was going through some of the stuff on the shelf just inside the doorway in this room the other day and ran across a window blind repair kit. I don't own any window blinds TO repair so I did the next best thing and used the plastic strips to make a basket. This basket needs a bit of help if truth be told. I bought a new stapler this morning while I was in town so I'll do some repairing to this basket tomorrow when I wake up. This basket is about 6x4.5 inches.

That's all I've accomplished that I can show you all. I have gone through the stuff on the shelf in the kitchen and found a basket full of half-finished projects that I'll get to in the next few days. You all will get to see some paper mache birds and fishes, some other fishes and whatever else is in that basket. I think I saw some polymer clay carrots that need a paint job. They'll become magnets. I really don't know what all is in that basket.

That's it for me today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember....

be good to one another,

it matters!

Peace

831 

this and that and then some

Hello Readers!

The calendar says it has been five days since I was here last. Feels like it was yesterday. I've been sleeping a lot for the last three days. I have felt like something the cat dragged in and left laying on the floor where it fell. I am much better today though. I threw my back out this afternoon while digging through a box that was sitting on a chair. I bent over just far enough and out she went! I've sat on my ass in my straight back chair in front of the computer all day, drawing 1 x 3 inch masterpieces with my markers. This chair is much more comfy for the old back when she's out than the recliner in the livingroom is. I don't hurt too bad sitting in this chair, but it's a bear to stand up and get going again! 

Before the sun went down, earlier this evening, I took my lizard cane out on the back porch for a session of whittling so its new rubber tip would fit. I wore the old rubber tip right through the bottom! I decorated that cane almost two years ago. I got a new wooden cane on the yard sale hop I went on with Ma last weekend. 

I want to finish the snake cane before the first of November. We'll see if that happens. It's been waiting in the wings for a few years.

I've worked on the two elastic projects I showed you all in the last post. 

I started sewing the envelope together. I wasn't much into it. Sewing through 4 layers of elastic is hard to do! I wasn't feeling all that great when I was doing it and my heart just wasn't in it so this is still a work in progress. But progress has been made! 

As has it progressed with the little pink basket as well. Same day, same crappy body aches. I just wasn't into it. I did sew two rounds on this little guy though. I'm liking how it is looking!

I drew a few ATCs. This is Asian Elephant. 

markers on cardstock

Mushroom 

ATC

markers on pastel paper

I bought some ATC blanks on clearance at Wally World last month. There were three packages of three different kinds of cards. One package had a whole slew of different colored cards in pastel paper. This one was done on white though. The paper isn't very thick and needs a backing on it for sure.

Green Lizard

ATC

markers on manila cardstock

Yes, I know, lizards don't generally have fangs. 

I told you all the bowls were still calling to me. I made one from fabric scraps, tissue paper and glue. It wasn't exactly a success. It's a cute little bowl but...

It's a damned wonky little bowl! I should have put a few layers of newsprint between the layers of fabric on the inside and outside of the bowl. I used two layers of tissue paper. That wasn't enough apparently. It's a flimsy little bowl as well as being wonky. 

I've got a whole box full of little fabric scraps! I think another experimentation with the fabric bowls will happen in the near future beings as how I already have the mold covered in tin foil and ready to go. 

I started some fish.

Wish I could say these fishes were for the newest fish picture, but they aren't. They're way too big to go on that thing! This one above has glitter on his fins. I've not yet taken a good look at that fish since I put the glitter on his fins so I don't know what's gonna happen before these things are done.

Might just be more glitter on the horizon for them.

Your eyes aren't fooling you. This one is shorter than the previous two. I cut this one out of a different box then the previous two and the bend in the box was in the wrong place. It was either cut his tail short, make his nose have a big crease or get a different piece of boxstock. I chose to make him short.

You'll see more of these fishes in the next post. I traded one of them this morning. Can't send it away if it isn't done.

Yesterday Ma brought me a box of microscope slides. She paid ten cents for them at a yard sale on Saturday. It is a box of 72 but there were a few missing when I got it. I used 18 of them today.

I drew 18 masterpieces today. All are markers on one of three papers:

manila cardstock

linen cardstock

paperboard

I don't remember which is on what.

It is one microscope slide with the drawing held to the back of the glass with copper foil tape. I'll slap a magnet on the backsides and put them in the inventory for the shops.

All of them are done with markers.

It looks like a lot to do in one day. Some of these took longer than others to draw and color. The six fishes that look pretty much alike were the quickest besides the two red and blue ones that follow.

The red and blue one is part of an ATC. I did the elephant first before any of the others. He's my least favorite of these.

I really like the yellow fish. Bottom one is another part of that ATC.

Microscope slides are 1 inch by 3 inches. 

I've seen microscope slides made into pendants with a slide on either side to make a double sided pendant. The edges were soldered together. I don't know how to solder. I know how to tape. That was problem though had I wanted to make pendants...I don't know how to attach a bale with tape. So magnets they'll be!

I've worked on Fish Picture 9 also. Haven't worked much on it...but progress has been made. 

If you click on this picture it will get bigger and you can see some detail on it.

Those black and white 'sticks' are broom bristles. Nylon, I think. I bought a bundle of about 3000 of them for a dollar. I tied a small bundle in a knot and stuffed them between the rocks on the bottom of the canvas. Those are the only new doodads added to FP9.

 There really isn't any rhyme or reason to how the colors get on the canvas. I don't know where this is going! I've never made a fish picture with such a background before. If I put strings on this thing, they are going to disappear!

It's rather Jackson Pollackish, yes? 

I think a revision on fish color is in order. I said I was thinking the fishes should be bright green....I'm leaning more to a very dark color, black perhaps, so they'll show up in that chaos! 

Work continues on the doodads for the rock shelf.

That's it from my neck of the woods! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember....

Be good to one another!

It matters!

Peace

831

Mostly Works in Progress

Hello Readers!

I've been busy in the last two days but also been sleeping odd hours. Well, odd for me anyway. Can't say as I've actually finished much work in that time, but busy I have been!

I told you all about the new (to me) markers I got at a yard sale over the weekend for a quarter. I played with them. I kinda felt like the character looks, at the time. I used each marker for a few lines. I think I need a whole set of brush tipped markers. The ones in this batch were wonderful to work with! 

Scratch that. I really DON'T need any markers! I have more than enough at the moment!

Earlier today I dragged out all the markers. That entailed having to clear the debris field that had accumulated atop the marker box that sits on my desk. I used those markers again today on two ATCs that you won't see in this post. (Mainly, cause I did not scan them!) 

Yes, I did say SCAN....I figured out my scanner after having taken it from its perch beside the desk and installing the new printer I bought. I wasn't aware the printer didn't scan till I got it almost hooked up to the PC. I know. I know. I know. I should have read the box the printer came in much more closely before I chucked it in my cart and brought the damn thing home! Turns out the old scanner only had a loose cord. I scanned photographs of Mel Tillis the day I hooked it back up! So ATCs and other flat things will be scanned from now on! YEAH!!!! (I hear you all squealing with glee!) No more crappy pictures! Well, no, that's not entirely true. There will still be crappy pictures, I'm afraid. Just not crappy pictures of flat things.

I probably could have scanned this altered envelope but I already had the camera out at the time. It's a bit thick too cause it's stuffed with goodies I hope my September partner will be able to use. That's the backside.

This is the frontside. I've scribbled out all pertinent information so Laura doesn't get any kooky mail. The unicorn sparkles cause I painted him with silver dimensional magic.  It also buckled the paper envelope which I was not expecting. No biggie though!  I MUST get this in the mail tomorrow.

I believe I told you all about this little pink and white coil basket in the last post. If I said it would be finished by this post, I lied. It still looks exactly like this. I took this picture the day before yesterday.

Another weaving with the 1 inch white elastic. This will be sewn into an envelope bag. I'll put a pretty little button on it for a closure.

This is a work in progress that will be around for a bit. This box was full (to the brim) with quilt scrap material. Pieces not big enough for much more than quilt making. I tore/cut most of it into long strips of various lengths and widths. I'm going to weave something out of them. Might be a rug. Might be a few mug rugs. I don't know what they'll become at this point. I have to weave them before I can wash them. And believe me! They need a washing! They smell like they've been in an attic for eons. That smell took me back though! Oh yes, it did!

Ma paid a quarter for the whole box at a yard sale on Friday.

This little owl is the front cover a book that is yet to be sewn. All the components are ready...just need to poke some holes, cut some string and sew it all together! The owl is done in markers on a linoleum sample. The back cover matches the front cover sans the owl. It's 4 inches square.

The red book the owl is laying atop is called Hollywood Beauty Secrets Revealed. It was published in 1931 and is a riot to read! Ma loaned it to me. I don't know how women made it through to the 1940s if they actually did some of the things suggested in this book! Quite an eye opener! 

This canvas is no longer! Ma brought me this canvas, along with several others, a few months ago. She paid $2 for like 7 canvases of varying sizes. Some with things, like this above, on them. Others completely blank. This one is 19 x15.5 inches. Strange dimensions!

I did this to it. Layers and layers of paint, puff paint, spackling compound, wall paint and glitter paint. Styrofoam rocks, leftovers from previous fish pictures along the bottom of the canvas, covered with more puff paint. 

It took me two days to make it look like this!

Then this morning I got up and now it looks like this!

I think the background is done. The rock shelf needs some doodads. I have to figure out some fishes for it. (I'm thinking bright green fishes-though that is subject to change!) Slap some fibers on after the fishes and fluff up the rock shelf with those doodads it needs and it'll be done! And where the hell am I going to hang it when it is done???? I'll figure that out when the time comes!

Those little white balls along the rock shelf are glittery pom poms. I used some of them on the last fish picture. They were in a baggie on the painting table. I picked it up to get them out of it and found my silver bracelet I've been missing for about 4 days or so. I thought it was probably in the laundry. I knew it was somewhere in the house because I hadn't gone anywhere for a few days when I noticed it missing! I'm glad to have found it, just wasn't expecting to find it where I did! My hands are shrinking apparently. I've worn that bracelet for years and this is the first time it has ever slipped off my hand.

copper colored doodads for fp9

failed buckyball units, decked out in glass paint, glitter paint, puff paint and a bright yellow glass bead. I have enough failed buckyball units to make a dozen more fish pictures with. 

There are more doodads done that I forgot to take a picture of this time. There will be even more than these to show next time. 

Evelyn is still asking after her turkey. He's now drawn on a canvas board, waiting, waiting so patiently, to be painted. Now to get the muse onboard so the painting can commence! Evelyn has requested her turkey be black, red, yellow and green. God help me!

Some paper things must be done! See this? It's a box of antique sheet music. I gave $2 for it at a yard sale. The oldest one I've seen is 1914, the youngest, 1934. I've skimmed but the top three inches of the 10 inch deep box. The ones I've seen are all high school drama productions. Musicals, obviously! That's an awful lot of paper to add to an already overflowing paper room.... It had to be done though. $2 for it all! I'll trade some of it for sure. I can see origami balls, star ornaments, backgrounds, canvases for small acrylic paintings....lots of things to be done with it! It was a good find! 

I shouldn't talk about the three rolls of wallpaper I couldn't leave behind at another sale. Cause I needed more wallpaper like I needed another hole in my head! But who can pass up avocado green flocked flowered wallpaper? And the gold shimmery black flowered wallpaper, it literally screamed at me! I left a good dozen other rolls in the box. I'm not even sure just what that other roll of stuff is. It's not wallpaper though! Same size roll, but it's a pure white cloth of some sort, man made, I'm pretty sure. Looked like something I needed. I gave the lady $1 for all three rolls.

What I need is to go in the cutting room and make sense of that chaos! I need a professional organizer. When I win big in the lottery, I'm going to hire one.

I finished the woven paper fish magnets. I gave one of them to Ma and put another of them on my fridge cause his eye got all buggered up somehow while they were drying. I'm betting a cat had something to do with it!

The copper doodads you saw earlier came from the dregs of the bottle left of top center. The copper puff paint looks like a full bottle, but it's all dried up, gooey in spots, just a general mess. I painted the cuttings from the doodads I didn't show you today with the gooey copper paint and then cut the rest of the blob from the bottle into little chunks that will become part of the rock shelf on fp9. The cuttings from the doodads I didn't show you are cuttings from the white woven mat you saw earlier in this post. 

I've retired the paint paper beneath the fishes. It's just a page of newspaper advertising that I wipe my brush on before I clean it in water. I use these papers to cover cereal box chipboard when making book covers. I still make a mess on the table around the newspaper, but this helps. I usually stack 5-6 sheets, one atop the next and when one gets full or looks good to me, I change down to the next one. Sale ads are a good choice because they are not as large as a regular newspaper sheet, they are colorful to begin with and they are easy to come by! You also get a little more mileage out of your paint.

I sent a box off the Historical Society in Topeka last week. No word yet. 

There is a photography convention in Lucas this weekend which means more traffic in the gift shop at the Art Center, which could mean some sales for me. 

My daughter in law called me this morning to talk me into coming for a visit the last week in October into the first week of November. I think I surprised her when I didn't put up a fight! She wants to participate in the craft fair the VFW is hosting the 2nd of November. I up for that! I'll continue on my merry making way and add to my inventory. 

Expect to see some little books in the weeks to come. Lots of little books! Bowls have been nagging me for a few days also....

At any rate, that's it from me today!

Thanks for hanging in there!

:)

Remember.......

Be good to one another!

It matters!

Peace

831