Art I've been working on...

Holy crap.... has it already been almost a week since my last post? I'm getting lazy!

Actually, I've been super-busy... lots to do, lots NOT done, too much getting in the way, etc.... sometimes it annoys me too much to admit.

Anyways, here's my first Etsy art for sale:

ELSIE GIRL

I've also been working on some beginning character drawings for the childrens' book I'm working on with my friend. We're still not sure what the publishers are looking for, or if they'll even like my work... but we'll see! These are the first two preliminary drawings (omitting the one in-between that looked AWEFUL):






That last one's face is based upon the face of one of my neighbors... she's got such a darling face!

We'll see how everything goes. As for my art, I hope to find the time to do more sketches that I can post, because this is really fun! Plus, the money, I do have to say, would really help a lot.

Owls, owls and MORE owls

So, my little bro just got his owl tattoo done, and in honor of him, here's my ode to owls (stuff from my house):

Amazing Baby....

This band is offering their demo for free download online, and I FREAKING can't get enough.... It's like slow, sexy cool T Rex with tinges of David Bowie and Queen... crap. I'm not good at describing music, but it's pretty incredible.

The Amazing Baby

Day after the show...

So, I had a performance at Sundance last night. A girl from my record label has been working on a 2 hour album to coincide as a soundtrack for The Return to OZ, just like the Pink Floyd album and The Wizard of OZ. She needed some "beheaded" backup singers, and it was to be me, my friend, and another super-cool girl from my record label. Wouldn't ya know it, but that day around lunchtime, both of them got sicker than sick, and had to bow out. Fortunately, my awesome friend 'Elsa' and somebody I didn't know were able to fill the spots. We were in a built box that made it look like we were just heads on pedestals, and sang and screamed and all that stuff... it was great!

I was having a really bleak, lonely day, and it just seemed especially out of the ordinary depressing... and then I remembered that those kinds of days usually only follow right after a fantastic performance.

As soon as I find some pictures from the show, I'll post them.

It was the third time I've performed at Sundance, this time being a lot more fun than the other two. I met Fairuza Balk, who hosted the show, and then casually slipped out after introducing it. (Why do celebrities do that? I think it's rude.) Anyways, she wasn't too impressive. She looked especially under the influence of something, and didn't really care to 'bother' to speak to anyone. Maybe she was shy, but... I would've liked a picture taken with her. Oh well....

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Trying to stay ahead of the game, working on keeping up the house, keeping the kids fed and happy, etc. (the radiohead song that says "Fitter, happier, more productive, on antibiotics, ...." comes to mind.

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New business ideas?

Right now, I'm trying to think of some great ways to make some good money being creative at home.

I've got a preliminary sketch situation with one of my published author friends, for an upcoming children's book, and I'm super excited about it.

Also, I've got some necklace sketches in the works, super chunky with vintage vibes, and I may do something like that.

I'm also thinking that it'd be fun to sketch some good aprons and pinafores, wanting to make some of those out of re-claimed fabric from the D.I. (Gotta LOVE the D.I.)

I even have a VERY strong desire to make myself a bag with a big embroidered spider on it. Why, I don't know.

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You know, sometimes it's like pulling teeth just to get ahead enough to feel like I even CAN create, but when I can, it's renewing.

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I had a dream a couple weeks ago that my parents had died.... and then my dad came to visit me, and it turns out that he hadn't. It was really fantastic to see him, and he said that my mom was coming shortly. I miss them.

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"Dark have been my dreams of late..."

I've been thinking about a specific scene from Lord of the Rings... and I'm not a super-knowledgeable expert, so the details are a bit fuzzy. But this is the run-down...




The King of a specific kingdom of man has been possessed by the spirit of an evil wizard, because of a lying, snake-tongued right-hand-man he ALLOWED into his court. Gandelf the good wizard comes to release him from his enchantment, and when he sees him, this king is covered with the dark webbing and fuzziness of old age, though young. His eyes are completely cloudy, blind and unseeing. He looks beyond hope... beyond release, beyond salvation. And because of his present state, he is unable to cure himself, unaware of his surroundings and present state.

Fortunately for him, there is someone who can heal him. Gandelf points his white staff at the miserable king and speaks courageously during this time to the enchanting evil wizard, "I will draw you out like poison from a wound!" And because he is a white wizard, full of light and truth, this evil wizard is thrown out of his stolen habitation, leaving the king to recover his senses, youth and court. Unfortunately, during this time of darkness in the king's mind, his son, most cherished and only heir, has died... and so much has been changed, leaving the King to mourn for his loss.



Fortunately, it does not end there. He is able to pick himself up, dust himself off and hold his sword, remembering his inspired calling as leader and King. He must now prepare for a battle for the existence of men, and this king's leadership is mandatory if his kingdom is to survive. Only when this 'poison' was drawn from him could he lead and protect his kingdom.

I believe that Tolkien was a visionary, and knew the hearts of men. While I don't consider myself a LOTR person per se, I think this man was inspired to write what he did.

New creations...

I'm doing my best to find little things to create, because I find that if I take too long, I get immensely bored and don't finish them. So, here are a couple things I've been doing:






* Bought new snowboots (I did't have any). This is the only online pic I can find of them, and the ones I got were white. So, I used some sharpies and shoe polish to color the bottom parts black, drew some tree branches and black birds, and took off the silly pompoms. I replaced the laces with black ones. I realized that I should've used shoe DYE instead of POLISH, but too late.... so it's kinda wearing off. I need to get some black shoe dye to finish them the RIGHT way... but I definitely like them better, even though they're weird.



* Adjusted some black patent boots by adding some vintage buttons to the side.



* Changed my son's tiny thrifted bunny to make it look like The Last Mimsy bunny... because another kid had one, and he just HAD to have his own. And yes, the mouth looks botched. That's because I botched it. ;P

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Also, a blog I'm enjoying a lot these days:

http://missthumbelina.blogspot.com

It always amazes me how creative people are, and I LOVE being able to peek into their lives and be inspired.

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Chocolate treat for this week? Nutella on Town House Crackers. OH MY.

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Hope you all are having a fantastic New Year!!