Give Me Something Good To Eat and Snail Pace

Working, working, working....lalala--lala-la-la. Below is a peek at one of the upcoming pieces for the month of April. I was going to ship the piece below, "Give Me Something Good To Eat" to Pennsylvania for the Halloween Convention (see post below), and realized if I did and it sold I wouldn't have enough work for the SpookyTime Jingles' April offerings. YIKES!!



How are the rest of you doing it? I am working everyday (including weekends) and in the evenings, I'm spending fewer hours on the computer (I owe so many of you comments that I apologize...again), and I still am not getting ahead. Am I just that slow at putting these little things together or what? Suggestions or recommendations are appreciated!

Hmmm, do you suppose I should quit using that 20/0 brush a little bit less?!!!? HA!

Have a great day and happy creating!
Laurie

Updates

In the next two weeks you will find my work available both on eBay as part of the EHAG Artists April Challenge, and at the National Halloween and Haunters Convention in Pennsylvania (click on the link to find out more...some of you have asked about it). That Dani girl, leader of the SpookyTime Jingles' gaggle of talented artists, will be hosting the STJ booth for us and I would love to attend just to see all the goodies and meet some of the STJ artists!!

Besides Big Head Benny going to PA, so is the little Halloween Skelly ornament shown below.

I also need to apologize again for my blogging absence. I have found I am bound to the studio table to paint and sculpt to try to get ready for these two events along with trying to create something for the STJ update in April. I over committed for the month of April I'm afraid, and I promise to try to get more focused in the coming months....hee, hee, hee (if you know me that was a really crazy promise)!!

Have a great day and happy creating!!
Laurie

Big Head Benny With the Itty Bitty Bat Bow Tie

This month is keeping me hopping. Below is Benny. He is a geeky little pumpkin boy that was almost named "Twick or Tweat", but I thought that might offend some people so he is just, "Big Head Benny With the Itty Bitty Bat Bow Tie." I finished him last night...well, he still needs another coat of matte finish, but the painting is done. I also finished the EHAG giveaway piece yesterday and have two other figures in partial paint. Benny will be packaged and shipped to our fearless SpookyTime Jingles leader, Dani, for her to take to the Pennsylvania Halloween Convention. I really wish I could attend but have work to get done both for the tree farm (planting season) and Monkey-Cats Studio, so I will have to be satisfied to just be there in spirit. Hope he catches somebody's fancy!!

The grass and tree fire is still rearing it's ugly head I first posted about on Monday. They had to go back out to the scene Tuesday and yesterday due to patches flaring up again. No homes were lost, however there were out buildings and the Nebraska Youth Camp buildings that were destroyed. This is also crane season here in the Platte River Valley, so this probably means some of the cranes had to relocate for their evening roost as well...they overnight on the islands and sandbars in the river (predator protection) during their 4 to 6 week stay as they prepare for their trek to Canada.

Need to get back to painting so have a great day!
Laurie

FastMache Order, Weather and the Fire

I received a number of emails besides the comments you left yesterday and I wanted to let you know why I order over 200 pounds of papier mache material. The company I ordered from (link in the post below) provides your shipping for FREE if you order over a certain dollar amount...plus there is an additional discount on your order if you go to the next dollar figure they list, so I did both. I had not been able to find my papier mache product locally or on the internet since October, and the company would not respond to my emails. When we went to Arizona in January my husband kindly stopped at every Hobby Lobby and Michaels store between Nebraska and Arizona listed on the internet, and I only found 3 small boxes. I decided to not go through this again next year so I stocked up. I don't think I will have to worry about my supply for some time now!!! HA!

We escaped the tornado threat yesterday in our county, but people to the east of us were not so fortunate. We had sustained winds in the 30-40 mph range all day yesterday, with wind gusts over 60 mph. It created a terrible problem for our fire department when a grass fire started southeast of town, jumped the Platte River, crossed Interstate-80, which was closed for over 6 hours in a 9 mile stretch because of the smoke and for the safety of the 10 fire departments that came in trying to get it stopped. Kelly came home from work long enough to tell me what was going on and I next saw him after midnight. They had farmers come in with disks on their tractors ahead of the fire disking under combustible material and front-end loaders moving dirt for them ... it was the example of why I love living here...everyone offering services to help out. They had food brought in from various organizations, the Yamaha dearlership supplied 4-wheelers for the department with water on board, the Salvation Army provided their canteen for water, gatorade, and food for the fire fighters, the city helped line up the loaders and operators for the department's use (both the city manager and mayor went to station 1 to check on the department's needs), and one mutual aid department came from over 35 miles away to help with the fire. ((((((( Big hugs to everyone for their help.)))))))) We are in a wind advisory again today but our temperature is about 35 degrees cooler than yesterday so hopefully no fires today. Here is a video link: http://hubvideo.kearneyhub.com/?p=1493

Here is wishing you all good weather!!
Laurie

New Halloween WIPs

Thought I would show you a little of what I have been doing. I received my 200+ pound order of fastmache from Discount Art Supplies last week and I felt like I finally had sufficient quantities of the material to cover some larger gourds and armatures. I've mixed multiple batches of fastmache covering the armatures and then building the faces and figures over the top of the initial application of papier mache. I still have a lot of assembling and painting to do so I guess I better get back to the studio table.

Some of these pieces still need faces on them and fastmache details to be added, but at least I have a group finished to the point that I can start painting on some of them. Wish me luck!!!

Well, the weather radio just went off and we are in our first tornado watch for the year....and so it begins! Just a tad earlier than normal, but part of the yearly cycle.

Have a great day, and if you live in the Great Plains hang on to your hat today, they say it has the potential to be a bumpy ride!! (blizzards to tornadoes)
Laurie

Blog Award

Well that Chris, of Designs by CK, just gave me a blog award, which I am to list 7 of my favorite things and then pass the award along to 7 other bloggers. Thank you Chris!!!
Seven of my favorite things:

1. My husband...he is a person, and not a thing per say, but he is one of my favorite things. He is so supportive of what I am doing and I adore him.

2. My cats...they entertain me every day. Elwood, Jake and Glycey are just the best...well most of the time...after all, they are cats.

3. Sunshine...I work faster and feel so much better when the sun is shining.

4. Sleeping in....I just think that if you are sleeping that your body must need it so waking up without an alarm clock is just the best thing!!

5. Creating...yes is it one of my favorite things and Halloween tends to be a favorite subject/holiday.

6. PBS...I'm a junky. Charlie Rose, Frontline, Scientific America, NOVA, Antiques Road Show, etc... I have yet to watch a "reality" based TV show and get hooked because of PBS.

7. Blogging...there is so much talent in blogland that I have spent hours just visiting new sites and viewing my favorites. Sometimes I spend too much time at it according to others in this house....hmmmmm!! HA

Okay 7 bloggers to pass this on to:

1. Chicken Lips--David is always doing something fun and exciting on his blog and his work is just the best...plus he raises chickens.

2. PJ's Talking--she makes me laugh and I love her work and use of color.

3. Pumpkinseed Originals--Janell has a blog award free zone, but she is one of my favorite bloggers and artists so I just had to give her a shout out!!

4. Bone-Head Studio--Flora is just one of the most talented women that amazes me monthly with her new creations.

5. Crescent Hill Designs--Lance keeps coming up with the best ideas and pieces. I always look forward to his updates.

6. The Holiday Queen--That Melissa has the best thing going on this month on her blog. She is pure genius at blogging and her work is pure eye candy!!

7. The Cart Before the Horse--Jo and Dylan's work is just inspiring!!! Most of you already know them, but if you haven't looked at their blog or their work you are in for a huge treat!

Particulate Masks

Yesterday I took the 24 pound boxes of fastmache I had ordered and converted them from their cardboard boxes into bag lined plastic lidded buckets without the use of an N-95 respirator since I was out of them. I figured since I was working outside I would be fine. This morning I am so plugged up, which could also be attributed to allergies since I have been having some recent trouble, but I'm betting some of this is from my bone-head move yesterday. I went to the hardware store about an hour ago and bought a new box of 20, N-95 particulate masks and I am back in business to dig into my new stash of the powdery paper mache mixture. You know, sometimes as artists and craftsmen we forget to take care of ourselves by using the right protection, yet even the two monkey-cats below know a mask is a necessary tool for use in our house. Now if I can just teach them how to put them on.



Jake was the first to bring me a mask for use today....

and right behind Jake came Elwood with a second mask. I'm so glad I have such thoughtful animals!!! Back to the clay for me and the boys.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
Laurie

The Bunny Bowl is Done!!

Well, the Bunny Bowl is painted and getting ready to take a journey to his new owner. I must confess, I learned a lot while sculpting and painting this piece. He was work, but so much of it was just trying to figure out how things would work in this shape. I now have lots of ideas for Halloween so I think my husband gets the next bowl to give out his Halloween treats to the Trick-or-Treaters this fall. He doesn't ask me to keep many pieces, but he looked at this one a lot and commented to me about it as I was working so I'm taking that as a sign.


I think he will be funny with eggs surrounding his little body and only his arms and feet showing in the bowl. Bunny with attitude!

Hope you like him!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Laurie

SpookyTime Jingles Update TONIGHT at Midnight!

Yes, tonight is the night for the March update of SpookyTime Jingles. Below is a fat little Santa on STJ that appears to be in peril of getting stuck in the chimney...will he or won't he fit?! I think he looks pretty snug in that opening, but I also know Santa has magic so I'm betting on the jolly little fellow!

I've gotten a chance to peek at some of the new pieces so go give this group of artists a look! Lots of little spooks and jingles!

Have a great day and happy creating!
Laurie

Spring is Coming!

Even though we are in the single digits here today...brrrr, cold, I just know spring is coming! The little Pumpkin Boy below is an indication of the approaching warmer weather as he is adorned with a green dyed raffia collar and curlycue on his head. (Anytime you see green in this shade you have to think spring-right?!!)

He holds a small Easter egg in his spindly little fingers, and has a body painted in a pattern similar to a decorated egg as well. He is thrilled with his little "prize" and rubs his tummy in anticipation of getting to eat it!

This little guy is up for grabs on SpookyTime Jingles (Thursday night/Friday morning) March 13, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time!

Hope you are having a great week! Have a great day and happy creating!

Laurie

Out Spider Walking

Where is the time going?!! What I thought I would have done on Wednesday finally got done on Friday...what I thought I would get done Friday is still sitting undone!!!! I'm painting everyday, except today because I'm working on my SpookyTime Jingles pages and sent out some pieces, but I feel like a snail. I know we only lost an hour for daylight savings time Sunday, but I think it feels like several days....and I had a terrible time getting myself out of bed today. What is up?

Okay, enough of the pity party, on to the positive! Below is "Out Spider Walking", that you saw as a WIP a couple of weeks ago. I was charmed by this loving little Skelly figure and so I put extra details on his collar, which is a spider web of course with a big ole' grinning spider holding the collar closed, and a tiny spider button on the shirt. Even his little cap has a tiny web surrounding the top above the 31 inside of the "O" for October. He also has the striped leggings I love putting on my figures with boots.

I tend to be a happy person so I notice that most of my figures also wear grins. The photo below shows some of the hat and collar detail more closely. Oh a Skelly and his Spider, what could be more endearing to a Halloween lover?

Bear with me about my blogging, my posting and my responses. I am so behind, and need to be in the studio a ton more this next month so that I get my EHAG (Eclectic Halloween Artist Group) challenge piece done as well as my EHAG giveaway piece...yes, another small piece will be given away by me in April (are you feeling a little more generous in spirit to forgive me now?) as well as finishing 4 works to be sent to the Halloween Convention in Pennsylvania in April and my new STJ April pieces. If I go bald I figure I can always buy a wig!! HA!

Have a great day and happy creating all!!

Laurie

Blue Bow Bunny

Well, I have been painting and painting and thought I would show the bunny that was just finished last night. This is Blue Bow Bunny holding a decorated egg in one hand and a small basket of decorated eggs in the other.



Hope you enjoy him!!
Laurie

PFATT Blog Giveaway and Halloween and Vine

For this week only, ending March 7th, there is a chance to register and win a number of giveaway pieces on the THE PFATT BLOG by just leaving a comment to sign up!! How exciting is that?!! The drawing will be held on Sunday, March 8th, so scamper on over to register! (Yes, there is a little something from yours truly so go give the blog a look.)



You have to love those PFATT ladies for such a fun idea!!! Don't you just love a giveaway?!!

Okay, here is the next item. For those of you that have learned a little about me through this blog you know that I love all things Halloween. I read last fall about Halloween and Vine and Ghoultide Gatherings and how everything was so magical and wonderful at these two major Halloween art events. I sighed and thought, wouldn't it be just the best thing to be a part of one of those two terrific shows. So I put the names of the events on my image board to dream big, and last week I got an email from Scott Smith of Rucus Studio. Well dreaming big is a good thing and I have been invited to participate in the 2009, Halloween and Vine.

I am thrilled, giddy, humbled and a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. It is such an opportunity I can't even begin to explain or completely take in yet. I'm telling you this because I think my frequent postings may become fewer in number and I may not be showing as many works. I will need to be building an inventory for the California show and since I work so slowly the inventory building needs to begin today. I just want to take the very best that I can, so hang in there with me as I begin this exciting new journey. I will still be producing work for sale on SpookyTime Jingles and have committed to the EHAG challenges, so I promise to work as hard as I can to keep those little jingles and spooks coming to you.



Have a fantastic day and happy creating!!!

Laurie