Busy bee - show applications

I'm going to be a busy bee over the next few weeks. There are some deadlines closing in for work and applications to some shows. The Plush You Seattle deadline is May 10. After that the Strange Figurations deadline is June 30 and the very next day is the deadline for Teeny Tiny Art show #7.

I've got several sketches that need to turn into paintings, as well as several plush ideas. I'll try to get some in progress shots while I work on things.

This little sketch is definitely one I'd like to finish in time to submit to the Teeny Tiny show. I'll be working on her and some others over the next couple of months.

I must say I'm really excited to get some of my sketches out of the sketchbooks and make them into final pieces. Some of them have been sitting in there for a long time, and are starting to get cranky with me.

Skull doodle - oil pastel

This is the result of last nights playing around with my new oil pastels. I'm actually pretty happy with how he came out. At the beginning I didn't think I would be. But I just kept on playing, and slowly things started to look better and better.

And while I didn't get super expensive pastels, I was really impressed with how well they worked. Definitely good enough for me to work with for a while.

I also loved my silicone brushes. The set I got was actually a bit TOO soft. The reviews had said the soft ones were good for pastels, but I think they were referring to chalk pastels. I forgot how heavy oil pastels are. However I also got some chalk pastels, so I'll use the soft colour shapers for working with them, and charcoal, and maybe painting. :D

I did order a kids rubber clay shaper tool, and that was firm enough to really blend the oil pastel, though the tip was a bit large. I'll probably order myself a couple of the firm brushes sometime soon. (oh noes! Suzi has to order more art supplies!) I can't say enough how much I love them. I can already tell that sore finger tips from smudging will be a thing of the past. And I really want to see how they work with paint.

Tonight I'll be doing the water color resist version. Which means unpacking the paint supply box. Then apparently Patriots is starting a Trivia night tonight, that will hopefully be every Wednesday. I've been wanting to go to one of these forever! My friends in other states go to them frequently, and I've been jealous for years.

Skull doodle test subject

I got the disappointing news that I did not make it into the Plush You LA show. While I was a bit bummed out, I'm not too down about it. I really am just starting out. So I'll work on making more cute things and try again next time.

Also I've been switching moods from my Plush Mood, to my Art Mood. I got the idea recently to make a simple little doodle to use to test some new methods. So here is my little skull doodle.

Nothing super fancy. Just something simple that will allow me to concentrate on learning to work with some new mediums rather than being too focused on a finished project. I've traced him onto several 6x6 pieces of bristol and will begin experimenting tonight. Mwahaha!

Here he just has some thick ink outlines. Just for fun. The other methods I'm gonna play with are:
- oil pastel
- water-color resist
- acrylic with resist


And maybe some others. We'll see. If they come out pretty decent, I'm going to donate them to the 6x6 exhibit.  More on the 6x6 show here. Its basically a fund raising exhibit where anyone can donate pieces of art 6x6, and the art center sells everything for $20 a piece. There are no names on the pieces (except on the back) and on one knows who they are buying from until after its purchased. It seemed like a neat idea, and I was going to do these little tests on this size bristol anyway. So basically its perfect! If I have time, I may doodle out some other little pieces, just to get myself into the art groove.

The labels arrived!

My labels arrived today!  I'm so excited.  They look great, and are so well done. I'm definitely very pleased and can't praise Priya Creations enough for the outstanding job. I definitely recommend them for all label needs. I just made my layout, and uploaded the file to them. I was given a soft proof, and after approval and a few days these lovelies were waiting for me in the mailbox!

Now to tackle that craft room so I can get to making some things to sew this little guys on to. I've got lots going on in my head to get done!

I wanted to sew one onto Keith, but he didn't think that was a good idea. Harumph!

Moving - Almost finished

I'm almost finished moving. There are only a few remaining odds and ends at the old place, and today I dropped off all the donation items/clothes. The new place is coming along. I'm about 40% unpacked. The kitchen is mostly set up. I still need to clear out some of the cabinets and reorganize them. There is a laundry backlog that needs to get worked on...oops.

The craft room is currently full of boxes and misplaced furniture. :( I really want to get that set up and get things started. Unfortunately I got sick recently, and have spent most of the past 5 days sleeping. Today is the first day I'm feeling well enough to get around.

I was really disappointed in myself. With all the packing, moving, unpacking, I didn't have time to work on my Olympic Plush Challenge entry. My sewing machine and fabrics are still hidden amongst the pile of chaos in my new craft room.

So I'm trying to get myself well (see above about sleeping for 5 days) and do what I can to get things rolling. I've got soooo many ideas in my head. Its like my brain knows I'm currently unable to make anything, so its being impish and being at its most creative right now. Oh brain!

I had some labels made up by the wonderful Priya Creations on Etsy, to sew onto my plushies. They should be arriving soon. I've only got a couple more things to get ready business wise, and then I should be ready to go forth with my Etsy shop. And hopefully I'll get the craft room set up in the next few days so I can begin making all the things swimming in my head. Maybe by the end of April I'll have several things listed in my shop.  Only a month later than I was expecting. :P  I can't wait!

Plush You LA application submitted!

YAY! Here are the 3 images I sent in. You'll recognize the one from the Mortal Plush show. I decided to go ahead and use her for the application.

Now I can focus on packing and moving before beginning working on other projects. :)

Too busy to update! Oh no!

More snow this weekend makes me very happy.  Did I mention I LOVE snow.  :D
*does a snow dance* 

I've gotten a bit busy with the day job so haven't gotten to work on my art and crafts as much as I would have liked. I did work on a painting, and got a good under painting on the canvas. I've also sketched up some other ideas for pieces that I really like and have a good solid plan for my Olympic Plush Challenge entry.

I've got a really cute idea (I think) for something else, but I'm not quite yet ready to share it. So far I've not seen anything exactly like it yet, so that makes me really pleased. I should have a prototype finished by this weekend, along with my Olympic challenge plush.

I may or may not get enough done in time to submit to Stuffed Magazine like I had hoped, but I can always submit at the next deadline which is August 15.  It might be better, because by that time I should have a few more things completed, and hopefully I will have opened my Etsy shop by then.

I do want to have things finished up so I can submit an application for the LA PLUSH YOU show.

More later. I'm exhausted from Zumba class, and the kittehs want to play Laser Pointer Chase Extravaganza!