Spending the week leading up to the new year showing my brother around this crazy city called New York. I can't believe the number of people that are out. In droves. It blows my mind. This morning we braved the MoMA. Saw some amazing pieces. Later tonight we'll head over to friends and ring in the new year with friends and family. Wish all you and yours the happiest New Year.

I am headed out on a plane today. To a place where you can't by a 'special' tree on the street. I love these stands because it smells so much like Christmas every time you walk by. These trees all ready for a home. I hope all your holidays are warm and lovely. …HAPPY HOLIDAYS…

This is one of her favorite spots. She has a little piece of cardboard that she pilfered from me. For a while she pushed it around the floor and would sit on it where ever it lay. She would sit there, as if it was her throne, but it ended up over in the corner. I feel a little like when you were in school and your science teacher sent you to the back of the room to face the corner for too much talking. No that didn't happen to you? Whatever it is she loves this little area (one she is surrounded by heat) and she is trying hard to will me to stop talking those stupid photos!!

{From back to front - Smitty, Prudence, Melpomene}

These are all gifts and two out of the three people are getting them today, so I thought it would be safe to do a quick little post. (sorry the photo is blurry - not so much light)

Smitty was a construction worker on one of the Antarctic science stations. He was the foreman of the penguin crew.
Prudence, the ex-librarian, now turned professor, is a fussy educator. No slackers allowed in her class. She is strict, but it’s only because she cares.
Melpomene is a quite, shy little thing. She likes to write stories and play games in the forest. She keeps her stories hidden because of the shyness. But it’s mainly because the stories are for her, not anyone else.
Back to Smitty - he likes hanging with the guys after a long day of work.

(**stories courtesy of the Boy)
(***most softie stories courtesy of the Boy)

Here are my little creations in pins and needles.

I have been invited to sell my robot creatures at a pre-valentines day fair next year in Park Slope, so actually in two months. I am going to have to get my patterns on paper and have the boy start cutting fabric. He totally wants to help, but he is not about to touch my wonky sketches/patterns that I work from. I am really excited and flattered to be asked!!
Oh and I keep meaning to tell you that the Plush Rush shop is up, the penguin and pelican are still there on page five. There are so many cool creatures!!

Back to the fair. It is one day from 10 to 5.
Does anyone have any ideas on how many I should make?? And which of the designs?

On Thursday I am headed out west.
My bestest friend in the whole world is getting herself hitched on Saturday. That seems soo soon. I can’t imagine how stressed she is.
I am coming soon Aiko!!

Because of the early holiday travel plans I may not update as often. We’ll see what happens.

I love it when it snows and people walk in the middle of the street.

Lisa put a challenge out to talk about why we blog, what it means, how we came to it and the like. I decided to do a timeline. I was amazed to break it down and see how it played out. Which is different to how it played out in my mind. I took a look at my entries and my comments and here is what I found.

My little timeline:

Nov 2004
I started doing Illustration Friday and posting on my old site crabbcards, which is funny only because I hardly ever do the illustrations any longer. And crabbcards doesn’t exist.

February
loobylu put up an invitation for the Schmancy show and I plunged in saying I would send three softies by July, even though I had no idea what-so-ever of what I was going to make or how.

Beginning of March
I started the blog following in the footsteps of the talented Johanna. She has a style that is singularly her own and it helped me find my own style. To let it come forward and thrive.

End of March
I found Lisa and her way of looking at the world - constantly questioning art and the ideas behind it inspire me and push me forward.

By this time I always looking and seeing. I think it (blogging) began as sort of following the group. Seeing what everyone else was doing and being painfully jealous of their creations. I was really unsure of myself and scared. I wasn’t sure at all what I was doing.

May
Martha found me or I found her – not sure which happened first but she has a delicate and amazing way she looks at life. It inspires me to look at the little things in my life and realize their beauty.

July
Mav found me and I was instantly enamored of her friendship with arc and her kindness and love of beauty is undeniable. She always asks me to go a little beyond my comfort to realize again that I like to take risks.

Those four ladies changed me for the better. Their talent and words are amazing. They and the lives they lead constantly inspire me. I think that is what I love the most about blogging. Getting a peak into the lives of people with similar interests and different lives.

Dec
Now I think I am a little more confident. I am putting my art out there, which is scary and really exciting. I don’t feel like I have to keep up, which is really freeing. I just have to create what makes me happy and there I am right now. Creating to make me happy.

That feels kind of nice.
Thank you to everyone that reads.

Doesn't she look super sweet and lovely? Sitting there demurely on our dinner/my worktable. I used to have water glasses all over the apartment. I was a crazy water drinker, still am, but now I have to be more careful or I get a mouthful of cat-flavored water. There is that moment after you swallow when you realize your water has become tainted. eck. Look at her. I thought she only went for the full glasses, but she tested the depth with her paw and then squished her head in the glass. Cute little devious girl. Hmruf!

Bazil was created to be a chimneysweeper. Apparently, in London they have a big chimney problem. They were never able to clean the things effectively.
So…they came up with the idea of bat bots to do it. They figured since the bots were bats, they would not antagonize the bat populous already living in the chimneys. Unfortunately, the bat bots that came before Bazil developed mechanical problems due to the abundance of soot in their gear works. So before Bazil was sent out on duty, the program was abolished.

Here is is chilling in the Boy’s little space, so he is far, far above any Trixie threat.
Bazil went to go and live with Renny one half of the LA power couple. They are the couple that brought us to the dark side with pie-tinis and cake-tails.
So we love them!! Check out his fun eyes!

My mini-obsession with clothes continues, even though on most days I look like a mess. No really its true. But this campagne is lovely. I am totally smitten.

We were headed out to another party on Saturday night. Now I know it seems like we are just party hopping, but our lives are usually simple and at home. This was a particularly busy weekend. That said, we went to the Boy’s mentor's 10th wedding anniversary party and it was beautiful. I have decided that I want to be like her when I grow up. She is an amazing woman. When she talks to you she looks and listens, so intently it is almost unsettling. In a good way, to know you have her full attention. That she has such a big heart and she cares. Cares about the people that she surrounds herself with. It was amazing and wonderful to see. Because she is a music person (which is probably the biggest understatement that I could make), her husband as a gift had one of their friends compose a piece of chamber music for her. As they were giving their little speeches, the musicians were secretly setting up behind us. Three violinists and a cello. I love the cello. Every time I hear the cello play I want to take lessons. During the speeches people had tears in their eyes. Maybe not all people, but I had tears in my eyes. It was beautiful and lovely. It is what I hope for the Boy and I. Warmth and love surrounding and overflowing this couple.

The photo above is from the huge steam pipe, con edison is doing some work on my street at work. my current list *turtle softie *swim *draw images for new site *wordpress template - email mike *dress for wedding? *email catch-up -DONE *make the new site (after the new year) *owl softie X2 -DONE *small green girl -DONE *gifts for family -DONE *mail package to slo -DONE *mail package to nevada *penguin softie -DONE *aiko's blog *after drawings are done post new site *check out andy's glass work at henri bendel *red girl bot (after the new year) *swim (really needs to get done) *gifts for a & t -DONE *gift for the Boy *schedule for time in california - where am I going to be? -DONE *do an entry on why I blog -DONE Mav's list that started this entry Lisa's list, she is totally charging on her list Shana's diving in after been away for a bit How do you put the lines through the words??

This card is even more perfect since last night WAS a night of cheers. Drinking and laughing. Drinks traveling around the table, tasting, ohhing, and ahhing over delicious martinis that didn't taste at all like they had any alcohol, which was a bad thing this morning. Last night it was just delicious. Cake-tails & pie-tinis. Drinks with alcohol that taste like cake and pie?! Delicious and dangerous.

Camilla's Peeping Friday again. This time we were supposed to take a look at our bathroom and it looks like lately I can't take a photo without Trixie. It is one of her favorite rooms in the apartment (not that she has many rooms to choose from). Since I was in the bathroom for a while she came to investigate. Then she realized that she could investigate the cabinet. A place that is normally closed off to her. Trixie trying to decide where to start. I am still doing a painting a week. And I revisited cardboard again. For anyone that is wondering what ever happened to the other half of painting 11 1/2, it is on hold. My favorite power couple from LA thinks they may want to take it off my hands and they are visiting this weekend. My first piece headed to another home (well maybe). So I'll do a little happy dance. I'll do a little happy dance anyway because the Boy and I have plans to hang out with them this weekend. ***a couple of additions… I thought my little ice girl would work for Illustration's Friday this week, the theme of blue. I have been in love with these rain boots since I saw my friend from Spain sporting them a couple weeks ago. Need to save my pennies!!****