PFATT Marketplace Update Today!

 I will have two little jingles available today, December 10, at 10 a.m. Pacific time, on PFATT Marketplace:         http://www.pfattmarketplace.com/monkeycats.html 
They are a fully sculpted figure, Edgar Elf, and a Christmas candy cup featuring Eddie Elf and Santa Mouse on the front.  Both items are handmade of paper mache and wire.

Edgar Elf has the addition of a bottle brush Christmas tree topped with a paper mache star added to his material list along with wood used for his legs and base.  Edgar also has a tiny paper mache ornament hanging from the tip of his striped cap, and has striped sleeves and leggings that visually tie into the stripes located around his base.  Small peppermint swirl details can be found as vest buttons as well as at the tip of each collar point and the bottom of his elf vest.  To complete his look, Edgar is wearing curled toed elf shoes and stands on a small snow mound that helps form his base.  He stands 12" tall to the top of his cap and is finished with a matte polymer finish.

The second piece available is a Christmas candy cup featuring Eddie Elf with his buddy, Santa Mouse.  The two of them probably create more mischief than completing toys for Santa's workshop, but since they are so creative the big elf himself overlooks their playful nature.  In the close up below you can see Santa Mouse swinging on top of Eddie's jingle bell while he holds a candy cane in his other hand. 

The top of the candy cup is trimmed with green scalloped shapes accented by a fine green and red dot garland completing the border.  Ornaments, pine and holly hang from the top border to complete the design of the candy cup on the sides and back.  More views can be found on my Flickr site at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/28312086@N03/

I hope you like how Edgar turned out and that the new candy cup will fit the ticket for a spot in your Christmas decorating or gift giving needs!  As always, thank you for your consideration!

Laurie

Edgar Elf

My production has been slow, but I have managed to sculpt and start painting on a few Christmas figures.  This is Edgar Elf, a sweet little elf that likes to help Santa carry and decorate the Christmas trees at the North Pole.  (Do you think the fact we just opened our Christmas tree farm this past weekend had any influence on the subject matter for this piece?)  He stands at 12", and I plan to have him available on PFATT Marketplace, December 10th.  I still have all of the detail on his jacket, legs, shoes and base to finish so it will be several days before I am able to finish painting him and post him completed.

In other news, the Christmas tree farm was inspiring this past weekend, and I loved seeing the children so excited about Christmas approaching.  As I was carrying trees, like little Edgar here, I noticed my eyes were "itchier" than normal, but I dismissed it to the dry air since we are in the midst of a severe drought.  Unfortunately, what was happening was I was having another allergic reaction. I didn't get hives this time, just eyes that were swollen shut the next several mornings and a head that felt like the size of a watermelon.  I went to the pharmacy and got some wonderful eye gel and feel great today so I'm off to go paint the afternoon away!!  My fingers are crossed it doesn't happen again this weekend so I'll take some allergy medication and maybe a particulate mask to reduce the risk.  Won't that look festive!! 

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!
Laurie

PFATT Marketplace Update Tomorrow!!

Oh my land where is the time going?  I looked at the date of my last posting and I'm embarrassed it has taken me so long to update my blog.  My apologies!!   Okay, here is what is happening in the studio right now.

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 10, PFATT Marketplace will update at 10 a.m. Pacific time.   I will have three new Christmas Candy Cups for sale.

http://www.pfattmarketplace.com/monkeycats.html 

UPDATE...all sold, thank you!!!!

 

Eddie, Jingle Bells and Little Jingle Elves candy cups 

 Eddie is watching the gingerbread man play with his jingle bell....

 Jingle Bells is holding his pine bough....

and mischievous Little Jingle is holding his candy cane.

To purchase any of the candy cups please email me at monkeycatsstudio@charter.net after the Marketplace opens Saturday (tomorrow) morning and include the name of the candy cup and price of the piece in the email.

I’m trying to keep it fair for all collectors to get the piece(s) they would like so I need the price including in the email to verify you have actually been to the site after it opens.  

Thank you so much for understanding and helping me with this. 

 For additional side and back views of the candy cups please go to

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/28312086@N03/

In other news, one of my works is in the newest issue of Art Doll Quarterly.  I will be posting about that in the next blog update...which will be sooner than this one!!!  (promise!)

Have a great weekend!
Laurie 

Ghoutide Gathering, Family, Mission Penisula and Thank You

I realize that facebook and many artists' blogs have already been filled with numerous Ghoultide Gathering images, but here are a few more.  I had planned on posting the images of my display last week, but we had a death in the family, and well, that put a halt on my plans.  I lost my last Uncle a week ago today, and this is just after losing my Mother's last sibling only a few months prior.  I've been reflecting on our family with the knowledge we are losing the generation that influenced my life and therefore my art so intimately.   It is with a bit of sadness I write of this, but I have such great memories of my childhood and the people that helped make me who I am today, that a deep feeling of thankfulness is overwhelming me.  I know they are still watching over all of us and that gives me great comfort. 

 This is a section of my table at Ghoultide Gathering

 To make room for pumpkin boxes and small figures I put up an extra shelf this year.

 Following Ghoultide we took a trip north to Petoskey and Traverse City, Michigan.

The color was wonderful and the air was crisp and filled with the smells of apples and grapes.

 This barn is on the Mission Peninsula and I have loved seeing it the last two years as we pass coming and going from where we were staying.  It has such character and then you notice the modern roof that more than likely is why the barn is still standing.   I just keep saying, "wouldn't it make a great studio," to my husband and he just rolls his eyes.

 We have stayed at a vineyard, Chateau Grand Traverse, the last two years and I think this photograph shows you why we are so drawn to the area.  The color this year was fantastic, our hosts wonderful and we actually were present for part of the grape harvest while we were visiting this year.  The smells....I wish I could describe them, were just wonderful.  We would walk outside, inhale and just smile at one another.  That body of water in the background is Lake Michigan.

 

 It rained most of the time we were there, but we really weren't bothered by it.  It was annoying the owner of the vineyard, however, because it was delaying harvest and the birds were taking advantage of every day the grapes were left on the vine.  We heard them firing off charges several days to get the birds out of the vineyards only to watch them return the next day. 

 All good things must come to an end and this is one of our final sunsets at Grand Traverse.  It was the perfect way to unwind after a very successful show.  A huge thank you to all of you that made Ghoultide Gathering and follow up sales so wonderful for us this year.  It keeps the dream alive and well!

Have a great week!!

Laurie

Thank you for a Successful Blog Sale!!

Thank you to all of you for such a successful blog sale.  It warms my heart you found places within your homes for my work.  The wheels are already spinning for next year's Halloween creations!  Off to go wrap and ship some work!

Laurie

Blog Sale Tomorrow, Sunday, October 14

We just got home from our trek to Michigan several hours ago.  We had a great time spending a week in the rain, sleet and cold temperatures while sipping hot coffee in the Grand Traverse Pie Company's restaurants.  It's funny when we travel how a little water, even slightly icy, falling from the sky and cold temperature changes just don't seem to stop us from enjoying our surroundings. I really am very fond of Michigan!

Now it is time to get back to business.  I have a few Halloween items available that will allow me to host a blog sale.  The sale begins tomorrow evening at 9 P.M. Eastern and is very easy to follow. If you find a piece you would like to purchase after the blog update, simply email me at monkeycatsstudio@charter.net with the title of the work and price of the piece.  The first person to email me will be the customer that I will sell the work to.  Easy peasy!

Hope you find something you like!!
Laurie

PFATT Marketplace Update

PFATT Marketplace will update tomorrow, October 10, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.  I will have three works available for purchase, but my iPad is fighting with me right now so I am unable to post images of the works.  (Technology, great when it works, and not so wonderful when it doesn't.)

The link to my PFATT Marketplace page is:  www.pfattmarketplace.com/monkeycats.html

As always, thank you for your time and consideration!
Laurie

Show time and Blog Sale

Ghoultide Gathering is this weekend, October 5-6, in Chelsea, Michigan. The paper mache pieces are all nicely contained in their bubble wrap cocoons, boxed and sending out muffled tones to me that they want to be released.   Periodically I go out and tell them, "Soon, little ones, just a few more days of confinement and then you can dance on the display table when no one is looking!"  Silly little folks!

One of the instigators leading the paper mache revolt is Dexter the Devil Pumpkin with Blarney Bat.  He looks sweet and innocent, but he is full of mischief, and his bat is full of deceptive charm. What a couple!  He will be relieved to be unwrapped on Friday for his unveiling at 5 p.m.  He whispered to me that he hopes to see you there!

Following Ghoultide Gathering I will be working on a blog sale to be held on Sunday, October 14, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.   Many of you have been so patient about me building the Ghoultide Gathering inventory that I hope to have a number of works available for sale for those of you unable to attend the event.  More news will be coming in regard to the show.

Many details to finish so I'm off to tie up some loose ends!  Have a great week and hope to see some of you Friday night and Saturday!
Boo!
Laurie

Ghoultide is quickly approaching!

It is that time of year when I'm in that frenzy to get the last bits and pieces completed on a new group of  creations for Ghoultide Gathering.  I'm getting up earlier and going to bed later and I still have this feeling I'm not going to get everything I wanted to get done completed.  It is what everyone faces, that there are only so many hours in the day, and I will accept that what I finish will be what I have to show and sell.  I still have some creative time in the next few weeks so I plan to make the best of it!!!

Since I haven't shared anything for a few weeks I thought I would share a few works that will be traveling with me to Michigan.

  

"Bones are Beautiful"

"Boo Boy-Eek!"

"Sidney Out Spider Walking"

"Pumpkin Container" 

Hope you enjoyed the preview...I need to get back to work!

Laurie

EHAG Emporium Tonight!

Just a reminder that the EHAG Emporium updates tonight, August 31st, at 9 p.m. Eastern!!

SOLD, thank you!!

"Scaredy Bat", the little character below,  will be available.   He is hand sculpted of paper mache without the use of molds and is a one-of-a-kind original.  He will come signed, dated and numbered.   I  will sell the piece to the first person to email me after the Emporium opens with the price of Scaredy Bat in the subject line.

  
Thank you for your consideration and have a great Labor Day Weekend!!  (I'll be painting!)
Laurie

Sneak Peek of a Ghoultide Gathering Work!

I photographed for over an hour this morning trying to catch up on documenting work completed for the Ghoultide Gathering Halloween show, October 5-6, in Chelsea, Michigan.  I haven't gotten all of the editing done, but thought I would share one piece with you, "Willy the Web Master", to show you what I have been creating.

I found a domed wire cover months ago and decided it looked like a spiderweb.   I proceeded to build a rather large spidey-type character perched on top of the web.  It turned out to be a fun piece because when you place a small Halloween character under the cover it looks like Willy has captured or imprisoned the occupant.  I don't know why I didn't leave one in place to photograph the work, but I plan on exhibiting the work with a character serving as "prey" under the dome.

In other news I will be participating in the EHAG Emporium this month.  At 9 p.m. Eastern Time, on this Friday,  August 31st,  this little fellow, "Scaredy Bat",  will be available for purchase.  He is a one of several Boo Boy figures I have created, but the only one being chased by a bat in formal attire.   Normally, it is the Boo Boys doing the scaring, but this rascally bat has turned the tides on this little ghost character and has him on the run!  Scaredy Bat will come signed, dated and numbered and is a one-of-a-kind original from my studio.

That's it for now!  I have to go paint...naked paper mache figures are beckoning me for some clothing!

Laurie

Ghoultide Gathering Preparations

The mild panic has started to set in with the realization that there are just weeks instead of months until Ghoultide Gathering.  The problem is that the list of things to do is so long and yet time is ticking.  All of this is leading me to rethink some planned pieces,  how many actual hours there are in a day to work and then the ultimate question of  how much sleep do I really need.  Then of course my mind jumps to the fact that I have just wasted time thinking about such things.  Silliness, but actual thoughts passing through my brain.

With all of the mental chaos going on I still have managed to finish most of the pumpkins for my display.  The pumpkins were added this year at the request of some collectors that just wanted a few larger ones to intermix with their Halloween decor.   The seated character in the foreground is the normal size of most of my pumpkins (I put him in for scale) so you can see that the surrounding mid-size pumpkins measure from 5" to over 8" in height, up to the big boy that doesn't have his face completed yet shown in the center. I think they will be fun to arrange within the display at Ghoultide and I'm thinking I might have to keep a few for myself.

 

My brain is telling me I need to get back to the studio to work on a few more pieces so I guess I better close.  Who would have thought that a mass of gray matter could be such a taskmaster!

Have a great weekend!

Laurie

 

Morey, the Mad for Bats Cat

Morey is the second silly cat that I have created for the fall show, Ghoultide Gathering.  He is just batty for cats and bats, and is amused that they rhyme, so everything he owns is either a cat or a bat or the combination of the two.  (Hence, his hat!)

Morey is shown with Ballister, his pet bat, that he takes for long flights each evening.  Being the fashion icon that he is, Morey always makes sure that he never leaves his house in the evenings without a proper hat, jacket, designer shoes, socks and bow tie.  His philosophy is that if you look good, you feel good and if you feel good, you do good....words he lives by.  Oh, and he would never allow Ballister to be unfashionable either so he always is found in a nice coordinating vest and bow tie.

Hope you like Morey and his fashion sense!

On another note:  Normally I try to have a work on PFATT Marketplace every month, but due to an inventory shortage I will not have a piece this month for the August 10th update.   Please be sure to check out PFATT Marketplace for the other talented artists' works!!

Have a great week!

Laurie

Working on Ghoultide Gathering Pieces

My apologies for being so tardy in posting a new update here on the blog.  Time is passing so quickly for me and after losing so many weeks to the alkaline burn on my hands I am spending very little time on the computer and as much time as possible in the studio.  I'm getting up earlier, going to be later and I am making some progress so I thought I would share one of the pieces I just completed for Ghoultide Gathering.

This is "Clyde, the Batty Hat Cat," one of nine new paper mache sculptures I'm in the process of finishing to take to Chelsea, Michigan. I will have 5 cats this year for the show, two shorter pieces and three with the longer legs.  I've been having some fun with their accessories so I'll keep you posted with additional photographs as I get them edited. 

Back to painting for me so I can then get back to sculpting.  Awe, the cycle of the studio!!!

Have a great week and stay as cool as possible!
Laurie

PFATT Marketplace is Updating

Time is flying and it seems my wings aren't flapping fast enough.  Where is the time going?  A month has already gone by and it is time for another PFATT Marketplace update on Tuesday, July 10th at 10 a.m. Pacific Time ( which is 11 a.m.-Mountain; noon-Central and 1 p.m.-Eastern), with a "Christmas in July" theme.  (It has been so hot this summer that the thought of a snowy Christmas sounds very good at the moment!)  UPDATE:  BOTH SOLD, Thank you!!

I took the time in the middle of the Halloween madness currently happening in the studio to paint a Christmas candy cup with a little snowman on the front and wreath on the back for the update. These candy cups can be hung on a tree as well as to be used to hold a small bag of Christmas candy for decorating a small table space or where you just need that extra "something" in a Christmas grouping.

In addition to the Christmas candy cup, I will also have one Halloween figure available this month, Hubert B. Bones.  Hubert carries a sign to communicate that he "will scare for candy" on one side, and the other side of the sign that says "Boo", to indicate how he plans to scare...which is important since he has no ability to speak.

Like many of my skelly boys he has a tremendous fondness for spiders.  There is one on his sign, one on his top hat and one on the back of his vest. 

 

Those busy little spiders created cobwebs for Hubert on his bow tie, vest, top hat and sign.  There are many little details on this piece, hours of painting, and this will probably be the last full-sized Halloween piece I will offer on PFATT Marketplace until October. 

 

Hope to see you on PFATT Marketplace this month and thank you for your consideration!

Have a great weekend and stay cool!

Laurie

It's Paper Mache Time!

It's that time of the year when my cats, Jake and Elwood, are in the studio chasing bits of paper mache flying about as I work.  It might actually be worse than normal due to me being behind in getting sculpted figures done for Ghoultide Gathering.  The hands are healed and I'm learning to sculpt with gloves on so that I can proceed with building an inventory of Halloween characters.  Here are some of the paper mache figures in progress below.  Can you tell this last group was a focus on cats, skelly boys and pumpkins?!!

I'm off to go mix some more paper mache clay to get back into sculpting mode for the day! 

Have a great week and weekend!
Laurie

Back to the Sculpting and Painting

I was so glad to find some gloves I could sculpt in so I could get back into the paper mache last week!  I mentioned on Facebook that I had a bad batch of paper mache that chemically burned my hands almost 2 months ago (Yes, this is the second time I have had this happen) and it really set me back in my work.  It actually hurt to run water over my hands or to try to do dishes or bath so I was doing all of this with household gloves on.  I can happily say that I am past that and Ansell, Touch N Tuff nitrile gloves are my new best friend!  They are thick enough they don't tear, but not so thick that you can't feel the surface you are working on.  You have to keep them moistened to keep the paper mache from sticking, but that is so minor when I consider it is keeping my skin intact! 

The photo above shows some pumpkin heads with a variety of faces in different sizes that I was able to sculpt while wearing the gloves.  The gloves still allowed for detail even on the small pumpkins that are less than 2.5" tall, and worked equally as well on the largest of the pumpkins that is over 5" tall (not including the stems).  They were dry enough yesterday that I was able to prime and orange coat several of them and even finish one of the small heads.

The smallest of the pumpkin heads are going to serve as toppers for two painted containers for Halloween.  I'm trying to decide if they need little crepe paper collars under their chins and I'm inclined to believe they do. 

I'm so excited to be back functioning again in the studio so I'm off to go paint details on the rest of the pumpkin fellows over the next few days.

Have a great week!

Laurie

Little Winnie Wicked

I'm in the studio finishing the painting on a few new Halloween pieces so I thought I would share one with you.  Below is s piece finished last week, "Little Winnie Wicked."   "Winnie" is a wild-haired little witch so I had to blow her bangs off of her forehead to get a shot of her face.   She obviously is a happy character.

Part of Winnie's smile is due to her beloved pumpkin, Penelope, her little companion who was the recipient of some legs created by a loving spell cast by Winnie.  Winnie felt so badly that Penelope had to roll everywhere she went, which slowed her down terribly.  Winnie was sure that giving Penelope legs that it would be the perfect solution to her movement needs.  

One would think that would lead to a happy ending, but Penelope Pumpkin became so excited with her new legs and feet that she ran and ran and ran until she became lost.  Winnie was a wreck worrying about her companion so she cast a second spell on Penelope as soon as she was found.  With a movement of her wand, Winnie gave Penelope a very long vine that could be used as a leash until she got use to her legs.

It shouldn't be long now for Penelope to be on her own again, but in the meantime, Winnie has a firm grip on her little buddy.

Have a great week

Laurie

PFATT Marketplace May Update



PFATT Marketplace will update tomorrow (Thursday), May 10, at noon Central Time (which is 10 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Mountain and 1 p.m. Eastern), and I'm proud to announce that I will be the featured artist of the month.   If you would like to learn a little more about me and my work go give the site a look after it opens tomorrow.

I will have one offering this month, "Franklin Stein", the nephew of Frank N. Stein.  Franklin is only seven, but as you know this branch of the Stein family isn't born, they are created.   Franklin is shown here ready with his trick-or-treat candy container, two of his favorite spiders decorating the front and back of his jacket, neatly stitched neck and arm seams, newly polished boots and a fresh haircut given to him by his....mummy.  I know, sappy joke, but I couldn't resist!   SOLD, thank you!!!

Franklin is 14.5" tall and is 4" wide and deep.

Franklin is carrying one of his family's portrait candy containers with a star background. This little guy has a big heart filled with Halloween (literally I've been told), so he will make a great addition to anyone's Halloween collection.

Hope you like him!

Laurie 

Skelly Boy WIPs

This is what is in on the studio table being painted this week.  I have two skelly brother figures, Horatio and Hubert B. Bones.  These two brothers are the nicest of skelly boys, but they will scare for sweets...as a mater of fact, Hubert's sign will carry a message advertising that intention. 

It is said that these two boys can be found on Halloween amongst the trick or treaters advertising their scaring abilities in the hope that someone will take them up on their services.  No one has shared with them that they could ring a doorbell, say, "trick or treat," and candy would just be given to them.  Hopefully this year they will find out that a scare isn't necessary for a piece of chocolate.  Well, one can hope that will be the case!

Hope you are having a great week!

Laurie 

Stanley A. Crow

Still working on Ghoultide Gathering pieces and works for next month's PFATT Marketplace.  I thought I would share, "Stanley A. Crow, Skelly Lover", who will be making the fall trip to the Michigan show.  He is a dapper little crow with a fixation for anything skelly related.  He wears skelly buttons, carries skelly candy cups and dreams of dancing skelly figures as he sleeps.  Stanley is shown daydreaming with his wing tip lightly touching the side of his face as he imagines his skelly costume for Halloween.  Trick-or-treating will be here before you know it seems to be a phrase that is always passing through his mind.  (Plus he loves gummy worms!)

Oh, to be a child again!!   Time is flying so I'd better get back to the paper mache clay.  Enjoy your week!

Laurie

Working on Ghoultide Gathering Pieces

I took a few days off last week to head to Kearney, Missouri, to attend my brother-in-law's retirement party.  It was great fun and we are so glad we made the trip to wish him our best in this new phase of his life.  Congratulations Keith!

The reality of our world was that we needed to come home and get back to work.  Below is "Lil' Chucky Chimp", a small fellow that I completed this week for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering show in Chelsea, Michigan, on October 5 and 6.  I know it sounds like months away, but honestly, if I don't kick it in gear and work like crazy the next 6 months I won't have much of an inventory for the show. 


And so begins my big push on Halloween work!!  I see many cups of coffee and paper mache clay batches in the hopper in the coming weeks (months)!  Awe, the smell of ghouls and goblins in the studio...come to think of it, not so good! HA!

Have a great weekend!
Laurie

Sir Stolen Time

SOLD...Thank you!!

As part of the "Screampunk Challenge" for the groups,  PFATT and EHAG, the members of the two groups were challenged to create a work that mixed a touch of Halloween with Victorian industrial, known as Steampunk.  After thinking about the challenge I decided that my piece was going to focus on time, and time theft (borrowing) and time travel.  This is what I came up with, "Sir Stolen Time," a silly skelly that will be for sale this Saturday night on the EHAG Emporium at 9 p.m. ET.

In this full view of "Sir Stolen Time", you can see his magic watch made from paper mache clay and a metal clock face, his metal gear buttons down the front of his vest, his metal key monocle fob with a chain hanging from his metal-gear monocle, and topped off by his time-geared top hat. 

This piece is the first work I have ever created with reference to Steampunk or gears, but I'm thinking it might not be the last.  I sort of like this thing called "Screampunk"!

I have seen lots of wonderful works created due to this challenge so don't miss checking out the EHAG and PFATT blogs for more sneak peeks!

Time is Flying

Goodness me, where has the time gone?  Time seems to be flying and one little character coming out of the studio this past week seems to be in agreement with that.  Below is a sneak peek of "Sir Stolen Time", a somewhat silly little skelly that lurks around stealing time from others when they aren't paying attention. 

I think most of us have looked up from what we are doing and had the realization 5 or 10 minutes have passed and wondered where it went.  Well, I think "Sir Stolen Time" just might be the culprit.  You see, "Sir Stolen Time" didn't pay attention to time as a youth and it wasn't until he became a skelly he began to value time and what could be accomplished in seconds and minutes a day.  He was given a magical clock that allowed him to accumulate time from others so he could return to our world to create gentle mischief and pranks.  He does such things as moving keys, putting pepper in the salt shaker, eating the last piece of candy you've been saving for days and using the last roll of toilet paper in the house.   (At least, that is what he has done in my home, but I'm sure you have all had similar incidents occur.)

"Sir Stolen Time" was created as part of a joint EHAG-PFATT challenge called Screampunk...sort of a twist Joyce Stahl came up with to reference a Halloween steampunk creation.  She is so clever!

I may put out another tease of "Sir Stolen Time" before he becomes available.  He will be for sale on the evening of March 31, on the EHAG Emporium.

Hope to see you there !!
Laurie

Chucky, Ferdinand and Priscilla

ALL SOLD...THANK YOU!!!!!

I've been busy in the studio working in paper mache clay and almost forgot to post that I will have three pieces available this Saturday on PFATT Marketplace.  Below is Chucky Chick candy cap, the last Spring piece I will create this year.  He is upset that the Easter bunny gets so much hype so that explains his forced grin.  I think some Halloween sort of came through on this piece-yikes!!

As many of you know, the "N. Stein" family has a number of brothers and the little character on this candy cup is one of Frank's younger brothers, Ferdinand.  Ferdinand doesn't have the high brow of his older brothers, Frank and Fred, but he is still quite the looker ...especially when you consider he is made up of parts.  He is accompanied by Astro, his bat, and is surrounding by the stars and bats in the night sky.

The final offering on the PFATT Marketplace is the youngster, Priscilla Pumpkin.  Priscilla is so excited because this will be her first Halloween to trick or treat.  She had her mother create her moon and star bow for her to wear on her little stem curl, and she very carefully put on her striped stockings so that the lines would be even on her little legs.  Priscilla even hand picked her candy bucket, Orville, to accompany her on her Halloween night maneuvers.  She appears a bit eager, but that is due in part to the fact that her mother just couldn't break the news to her that Halloween is 7 months away.  Poor little Priscilla, she knows it is Halloween somewhere!

PFATT Marketplace opens at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday so if you are interested follow this link at that time for the update!!!

http://www.pfattmarketplace.com/monkeycats.html

Hope you like them and that I hear from you!

Laurie

Percy Pumpkin

I'm back in the studio working in paper mache clay again so it will be awhile before I have new painted figures to show you...but,  I mentioned to you two posts back that I would share Percy Pumpkin with you.  Percy is the little fellow shown below.

Unlike most of my pumpkin-boy figures, Percy has a jack-o'-lantern face instead of having sculpted and painted human features. I did a few of these jack-o'-lantern faces last year as free standing pumpkins and liked the idea of giving them bodies this year to create something new and different. I have a few more of these silly fellows, and ladies in mind so I'll keep you posted on my progress.


Have a great day!!

Laurie

Chester Chimp and Barnabas Bat

I finally finished Chester Chimp, but not without some extra steps being involved.  As many of you know I have two cats, Jake and Elwood, the Monkey-Cats.  I've never been good about keeping them out of my studio and off of the table...I guess I'm just a bad kitty momma.  Anyway, when I sculpt bow ties, small bats or other little extras for a figures adornment, I usually sculpt them separately before adding them to the body of the characters.  Well, one of the two boys, who shall be nameless (Jake), took a liking to Chester's bow tie.  I have searched and searched for that little piece and it is nowhere to be found, not even in his favorite hiding spots.  Consequently, a new bow tie had to be sculpted (twice mind you) before I finally got one to add to Chester's attire. 

Chester's bow tie is now firmly attached, as is the wire for Barnabas Bat.  Chester also went into the cabinet to prevent a cat tail or imaginary wind from making the bat vibrate and creating the need for a cat attack.

Remind me if I have new kittens in the future to keep them out of the studio space.

Hope you like how he turned out!
Laurie

Chester Chimp Work in Progress

As mentioned in my last post I started working in Halloween colors again and have a figure in the works that I thought you might enjoy.  Below is a picture of Chester Chimp, standing by his pumpkin friend, Percy.  (I'll show you more of Percy later.)    Chester isn't finished yet as he has many details that need to be finished on his garment, hat and extra additions to be placed in his hands.  I have found it is those additions and details that take the most time to complete, but I also think they make the pieces have more character and interest.

Chester is only the second monkey to be created in the studio, and I'm sort of liking how the little fellows are beginning to develop.  I currently do not have plans for another monkey this year, but I might have to add one to the list as this fellow gave me a great idea for another one.  Decisions, decisions. 

Hope you like the peek and I will keep you updated with his changes.

Have a great President's Day!  My boss is making me work!

Laurie

Bye-Bye Pastels, Hello Halloween!

Darned as I have tried to stay in the pastel paints for one more month, the orange and black paint wouldn't hear of it one more day and jumped out of my paint holders right onto new Halloween work.  Yes, it has happened, the Halloween pieces have already started to emerge from the studio and I'm off to work on another one today.  (I am smiling!) 

This is "The King and Mini-Punk on the Skelly Throne".  They are headed to Chelsea, Michigan, in October to Ghoultide Gathering.  If you haven't already heard, Ghoultide Gathering will be moving to the Chelsea Fairgrounds this year to a new location where all of the artists will be under one roof!!   Acres of free parking and other conveniences for the customers, and the artists are all a buzz about the new location.  Give the link a look and start making your plans soon for a weekend of Halloween merriment!

Off to go paint...have a great week!
Laurie