Well, Howdy
I'm giving doll-making another go. I've been working on this one on and off since November and just finished her up the other day.
The nuts and bolts: La Doll for the face, arms, legs and torso, yarn for the wig and craft acrylics for paint. Her dress is from a vintage bed sheet, the trim from a yard sale and her sweater the product of size 0 needles and copious teeth gnashing. All total, she's four and a quarter inches tall short.
And I'm already plotting what to make next.
Figure Drawing, Redux
I went to a figure drawing session Sunday. I use to go to them pretty regularly right after graduating from college, but then work and life kicked in. And you know how it goes, things fall to the wayside, and you keep telling yourself, "mañana."
But the expression, "use it or lose it" is both annoyingly trite and true. The first half hour, all I wanted to do was to take a butane torch to my sketches. After awhile, though, things started clicking and I'm glad I went. It felt really good to get out and draw from life again and I want to make this a regular thing. Speaking of which: can anyone recommend sessions in the Seacoast, New Hampshire or Southern Maine area?
But the expression, "use it or lose it" is both annoyingly trite and true. The first half hour, all I wanted to do was to take a butane torch to my sketches. After awhile, though, things started clicking and I'm glad I went. It felt really good to get out and draw from life again and I want to make this a regular thing. Speaking of which: can anyone recommend sessions in the Seacoast, New Hampshire or Southern Maine area?
An aside: I don't think I could stay still for two minutes, let alone ten in an intricate pose, wearing a costume and pointe shoes. Seriously, high five, ladies.
Destination Imminent
Ending the day with a bit of sketching and sticking my head in to to say happy weekends, all around.
Also, Michael Palin's New Europe has me wanting to travel (Eastern Europe, I miss you). And Twinnings Peppermint Tea, you are the best.
Au revoir + à bientôt.
100 Things
If you haven't yet read this post by John Hendrix on finding your artistic voice, may I kindly suggest you do so immediately?
After reading it last week, I sat down and made a list of 100 things that I like drawing. It's a terrific exercise and well-worth the time.
And I'll spare you the full set, but the abridged version includes:
- Concertinas
- Seaweed
- Onion Domes
- Creatures of indeterminate taxonomy
- Mermaids
- Mystery, but not mayhem
- Plaited Hair
- Vigilantes
- Violins
- Questionable sartorial choices
- Apples
- Striped Socks
- Carrots
- Fascinators
- Dinosaurs
- New England Wildflowers
- Non-malevolent monsters
- Birch Trees
- Sleuths
- Any and all fairy tales/folktales/stories-with-no-basis-in-reality-or-science
All of this begs the question, of course: what's on your list?
An Armistice of Sorts
Why beat around the bush: I am not a fan of January. It's long, cold and typically involves the one two punch of a chest cold and/or driving in snow. So no, first month of the year, we are not on friendly terms.
But (because there's always that margin of error with the things you detest), I'm learning to make peace with January. There's been some moderate successes. I finished sewing the Tova Shirt from Wiksten and am in love. Clearly written, full of wonderful details, it's a delightful pattern, one I'm planning to make again and again. There's a new season of Downton Abbey (Edith, you go girl). I'm also working up some embroidery ideas for a download in the future. And because driving to Québec in January just isn't feasible, I made Tarte au Sucre this weekend. Because until you've eaten a pie that's made up of two cups of brown sugar, you haven't lived.
Structurally Sound
