waiting in the sun

Today we'll be at the bazaar bizarre
Saturday December 16th
from 11am to 7pm at the Shrine Auditorium Expo Center…
if you are around come by and say hello.

I was sketching a page of robots. It is what I do when things aren't flowing, and these girls just popped onto the page. They came totally out of left field and those bunnies got waylaid. (I will come back to them later) I made a couple larger sketches…to become a mock pattern (I say mock because anyone that uses real pattern would laugh in the face of my patterns!)
The first two dolls went off to some friends so I could get initial feedback. I am going to send out another doll to get some sewing feedback from a blogger I admire. But so you don't have to wait any longer to really see them…

I wait for this light, the warm strong light, that gives these lovely shadows. I have trouble making my softies stand, so these girls have a bit of sand.  Some of my feedback was to make the buns larger on the little pink girl (you can't see them in this photo) & machine sew the bottom. I may change up the face a bit, make the eyes a little stronger, but keep the mouth small. I was going for a kokeshi type doll. I love the simple lines on the wooden japanese dolls. Whatdoyathink?

Thank you again to everyone that gave me a word…I have some really fantastic imagery to work with!

I have contacted the three winners: ky, the dad, & maria

I have also contacted four more people to send the a little something: louise, stephanie, jessica, & jenifer because I am that excited. Less than a month until I make my way west.

I am headed out of town again this weekend.  I was thinking of trying to tackle this little guy and finishing up a couple of dolls that I have been working on.  Taking a little bit of fabric and thread with me. It is not going to be exactly a pleasant trip my grandfather is sick and I haven't seen grandparents or my mom in years.  I have some trepidation about the trip. More on that later.

I don't check my luggage, so I can't take tons of fabric. I am thinking the head would be two colors…and the body one color. My initial color combinations were two greens, or grey & pink, or yellow & blue (all felt).  I don't have grey or pink right now and probably wont make it to the fabric store before I go, but any thoughts?  Or any other color combos that you'd like to see? I appreciate the help. If this bunny goes well…I might do a limited edition run like I did with the penguins.  I have a couple more penguins left to make until I get to fifty.  Then, no more penguins from me.

The softie posed with one of Tim Biskup's larger than life creatures during my trip out to lala land.

This weekend I met with Amy (who is a wonderful photographer); she picked up her painting from last exit because the show is going to be there for a couple more weeks. It is very humbling and flattering that someone would want to hang one of my paintings on their wall.

return home from coney island with anne

For sometime now I have been trying to figure out an adventure I can take. An adventure that would move me into the path of life. Of what I want to do with my life. I think the plan has been stirring for quite some time. Since I read this book, then the feeling stirred again when I watched this on netflix. (both are fabulous by the way, I highly recommend them) But I am pushing too hard. Pushing too hard for an answer. I know the drill (well my drill)…the answer will come when I am ready. I guess I am not quite ready yet. Ready to go on my adventure.

I need an assignment. I do well with assignment. Even something as simple as photo tour. Something like my coney island day, but in a larger format. So would someone like to give me an assignment, or any ideas that you would like to see me undertake. Are you out there thinking, 'I really wish since Wendy lives in New York that she would see this…'

That is what I need to find out, what the this is for those of you out there that read…I can give prizes…for the winning choice…a robot softie…whatdoyathink?

photos from coney island with anne

I realized a couple of days after a conversation with mav that I actually never answered one of her questions.
“why robots?” 
It was something I have never tried to answer, but as that question somersaulted in my unconscious, I realized why. 
Why robots. 
I felt with robots I couldn’t make a mistake.  I mean there are really no rules. 
And so I realized without naming it that I needed to try and make something that I couldn’t get wrong. 
Because that is hard for me – the not getting it wrong. 
I fight that battle on a daily basis.  The 'letting go' battle.  Letting go and thinking something is enough. 
A robot, for me at least, represents freedom. 
And that is quite a gift.  So thanks to mav for asking, so I could finally realize why.

Tomorrow photos of coney island sans softies… 

getting ready to fly

A trio of the birds took the trip with me and had their own penguin escort. 

never win at bingo

Day one -
we went to the San Jose Obon Festival
and played the games
watched the little girls dance in their amazing dresses.

We stayed late, well until it got dark, and I took some photos of the fabulous lights…
There were rows and rows of people dancing Obon Odori (japanese folk dancing) around and around this huge circle
under the hanging lanterns…it was really beautiful

Fiona over at hop skip jump made another batch of lovely bunnies that I think are going up in her shop soon but Peony here was snatched up ages ago.  Buddy gave her a little ride around the studio…

we almost had a little tumble, but buddy wouldn't let her fall! 

Peony just held on a little tighter after that… 

Another around town with the softies…
but this is a little closer to home…
my own mailbox 

I did some more photos around town with the softies, well around my neighborhood at least. There is a little patch of grass nearby and I wanted to get some shots for etsy.

I have a couple of long birds and a couple of penguins and a couple of digital prints up in my little store right now.  More will be coming.

I came to a conclusion about the softies…they are going to be limited editions…I got a bit burnt out getting ready for renedade.  I know the exciting part for me is making my sketch come alive.  Or at least come 3D.  I am thinking I'll cap out with the penguins at 50…but until then anything that hasn't make it out of the apartment will be assigned a number.  The penguins I put in the store started with 21.

on the way to brooklyn

Renegade was truly awesome. We set up on Saturday and never ever caught our breath until the end of the day. Johanna and I never expected anything like it.

People stopped by and said hi…
Anne, who it was a total pleasure to meet, hope her long bird likes his new home
Another Ann, who actually has a connection to work, small small world
Patricia, she brought me some lovely treats and braved the city
Stella, who warned me about the overwhelmingness of it all (now I understand)

and it felt like millions of other people that stopped to smile and giggle at the penguins and covet Johanna's paintings. Tomorrow I'll post photos…and gather my breath!