Mary

Mary lives in a mid-sized town in a part of the country that has all four-seasons.  Its summers are very hot and its winters are very cold. Mary dislikes the cold very much, she even keeps a pair of mittens near her refrigerator, so that when she needs to get her cherry ice cream out of the freezer, her hands don't get chilly.  On days when it is gray and cold outside, Mary will stay in bed, drink hot chocolate and pout with her kitten, Toonces, who pouts most days for reasons that Mary is unaware of.  But, for Mary, the winter is saved by the snow.  She loves it.  She'll stay up all night watching it fall and will even brave the cold to venture outside and look straight up into it and imagine that she is the star of her own snow globe.  She didn't believe it at first, when a neighbor informed her that no two snowflakes are alike until she examined each one that fell on her window pane and noticed all the intricate details of each flake.  Toonces, however, remains underwhelmed.  

Mary has been dancing around my sketchbook in various forms for weeks.  It is nice to have my special requests done and be able to get back to sketching and developing new ideas.  

Joseph and I are watching Mad Men on DVD now---it is such a good show, I am really hooked, which is kind of surprising because there is not a single character in the show that I would want to be friends with or even sit next to in a cafe.  Most of them are greedy, snobby, meanies, but still--it is so good.  And, I really want the early sixties style to come back so that I can wear dresses like the girls in the show---they seem like the perfect dress for twirling, plus I bet they would be flattering for girls like me who have some "junk in the trunk".

Mary is available here in my shop.

Alex Project #7 and Group Shot

The Alex Project is complete!  This last one was a bit of a challenge---it is strange to sew sweater-type of fabric----the straight lines don't really work out, but I like how this one turned out anyway---especially the bow-tie.  I think all men should wear bow-ties.  So the dog outfit and ears are made out of Alex's ribbed sweaters, the face out of a Trading Spaces T-Shirt, the cheeks are that same plaid that I have been using for all of the cheeks, and the nose is from a Jerry Garcia tie, the dog nose is fabric left-over from the pirate hat and of course there is the denim for the jeans and the corduroy for the hair.  I am pleased with how they all look as a group, because they look like a family and they are for a family.  Working on this project has been special for me, I'm a little disappointed that it is over.  I hope Tracey's family likes them and that I did his clothes justice---I know how important memory-holding objects are and I hope these guys make the Perez's feel nostalgic and happy when they look at them.  

Alex Project #6

Here is the pirate of the Alex Project---or maybe less pirate and more little boy with pirate-leanings.  His patch is one of those leather rectangle jean logos, his cheeks a plaid shirt (same as the inside of his ears), his face is from a Trading Spaces t-shirt, his shirt is from a blue striped casual shirt, the pirate patch is from a little Halloween pirate hat and his jeans are of course Alex's jeans.  Also, his hair and eyebrows are wool from his over-coat.  

I have one more to do and no real plan for this next one, but I think it needs to involve one of Alex's sweaters.

Joseph and I don't have cable here, but yesterday I was really wanting to work to some TV shows, so I watched Grey's Anatomy over the internet----I watched 4 episodes and I think I went through a whole roll of toilet paper because of all the water-works the show produced in my eyes.  Phew.  

Alex Project #4

Here is the fourth doll of the Alex Project.  He is a Super Hero!  His helmet is made out of a blue dress shirt, his red suit out of an "Indiana" t-shirt, his belt out of an Indiana University tie and his logo is made out of well-worn jeans and a plaid shirt.  I want to make a "tie" cape, but I am leaving it out just incase I need ties for the other two dolls.  In the top picture he is flying past the tree that I see just outside of my front door.  Its leaves are this extreme shade of yellow that make it seem like it is glowing.  

Election day was amazing.  I feel like America actually shifted under my feet.  I know nothing is really different yet, but at the same time it feels like everything is different.  Today when Joseph and I took Albert on his morning stroll I felt a real connection to the people we passed.  I actually had this urge to hug everyone and jump up and down in glee like they were doing in Grant park last night.  

Change.

I voted for it.  Then, I did it to my hair.  Enjoy this historic day!

Alex Project in Progress and Pottery Class

I heard from my friend whose family the Alex project is for that she was obsessively checking my blog to see the progress on the dolls, so I had to post the picture of this newest one before the sun set.  He is almost done, but I couldn't beat the sun today (no fair though--the sun had an hour head start today with "fall back").  Here you are, Tracey!  

  

And here is my pottery piece.  He was supposed to be a vase (I loved the idea of this mustache man with daisies blooming out of his head), but alas I am not an expert "wedger" and there is a small crack on the bottom of him so now he can't really hold water.  That is okay.  Instead of a vase he is now a whisk holder, which I like because the whisky part of the whisk looks like some sort of flying mechanism which is sort of hilarious to me.  I really enjoy my pottery class, but I have to say, I don't have the knack for it that I wished upon myself.  I am not the boss of the clay.  The glazing I like, because I have control over it while I am painting it, and yet everything changes once it goes into that magical, fiery cylinder (kiln), and the surprises are usually nice and welcome.  Also, I really like the people who chose to take adult education classes at the art center in Bloomington.  They are all so interesting and I find their conversations more entertaining then even This American Life on NPR which is my favorite.  

Speaking of America.

Tomorrow is the day.  

Vote.  

Hope.  

O B A M A.

Baby William

Sorry I haven't been posting in awhile.  I have a very cute reason, and he's posted above.  He's my brand spankin' new baby nephew William.  He was born on Halloween, which was my sister in law's wish and she some how made it happen.  Isn't he cute??  He has navy blue eyes.  I held him, which I never do with newborns because their fragility makes me nervous, but I finally broke through my fear with baby William.  Congratulations Aaron and Maureen!  Your kid is really lucky to have you both as parents!