365/2013 - Day 309

working on the robot guy

Today I have been working on what I am calling the robot guy.  I am still not sure I will finish him so I won't say what my end goal is...but I started work on him today at Joan's house this morning with Joan and Leann.

I explained what I was hoping to do, Joan (and Leann) offered verbal assistance, walking me through the steps.

Many steps later I had the pieces hand sewn and stacked together --

Joan offered to run the side seams for me on her sewing machine -- it really did only take about two minutes for Joan to do that. 

Back at home again I plugged away tonight on sewing the bottom edges of the head and the monitor/body, attaching the head to the body, and sewing down the edge all around the screen area.  

This part took up a lot of tonight's work time, but I think it was well worth the effort.

I feel very confident that everything is securely in place so far, plus I think the edge around the screen looks much more polished and finished now.  I know it doesn't look like it, but the head is quite securely attached, too...I want to embellish it now and make it more decorative.

I need to choose the fabric for his arms and legs and figure out how I want to do his hands and feet.  I will be adding beads to his antennae, too.

365/2013 - Day 275

hanging the show

Wow -- the day finally arrived -- time to hang the show.  I could not have done it without the help of Joan, Leann, and Patti.  I did very little of the actual hanging myself...I am still learning.  I need to go back in the morning to add all of the artwork labels, the artist statements, and do some minor repair on a couple of pieces.  Then it is shopping time for the Opening Reception and going to Sorella's Bakery to pick up Monica's generous donation -- more about all of that tomorrow.   Here is a quick look at the early stages.

Sue came over shortly after I left the NAH.  We had a belated birthday celebration for her and a mini girl's night in with Abby and we watched a couple of movies.  Sadly, we didn't make it to the opening of the Canton show but we will see it during its run...I was having just too much trouble with my knees, back, etc.

Sue and Abby just left and now I need to log in the entries from today for "[small] Works".  I am hoping to get to bed relatively early tonight -- tomorrow is going to be a long, long day/night!

365/2013 - Day 202

a little help, new art, and a little sharing

This morning I went over to Joan and Andy's house so that Andy could cut those pieces of wood for me so that they are squared on the ends.  What a woodworking/tool guy genius!  Andy only need to do one chop on each end and the first two taped together pieces were perfect.  I also took the remainder of the board over and Andy cut the two ends off, measured it, cut it and it was done!

Thanks, Andy!!!

While I was at their house, Joan was rearranging artwork and she came across one of her fabulous collages that I fell in love with but never brought home yet.  Joan gave it to me today -- we will work out the details later.  I know exactly where I want to hang this piece, but I will need help from another Andi tomorrow because I can't use the step stool any more.  I will take a better shot of Joan's wonderful collage tomorrow.

THANKS, Joan!!!

Where I want to hang my new Joan Potter Thomas artwork.

Okay...if you are at all squeamish you might want to not look any further.  This is the sharing part I spoke of.  I debated a long time about this because I didn't know if I wanted to include it in the blog with art stuff and show a gross photo.  I also didn't know if I wanted to expose this much about myself but what the heck -- this blog is mainly for me to document stuff and have it to look back at when I need to.  On the other side, if someone sees it and can relate to it...know that you aren't the only one out there...that sort of thing...well, okay. 

I am not posting this photo to say "woe is Took -- poor Took"...I am posting it to share why I am not able to do much else today.  I ran a few errands after stopping by the Thomas household and I was on my feet too long and this stupid heat and humidity is still to high for me. 

I have spoken a little in other posts about the "laundry list" of annoying things that are wrong with me physically.  Taken separately they are mostly that -- annoying, but I can live with it.  Taken together when they all happen at once -- like today -- things become more of a problem.  Still stuff I can live with, just harder to deal with and I am much less mobile.

Also -- please know that I am not looking for solutions or recommendations or suggestions for treatments of any sort.  All of these various issues are monitored by my doctors and we are/I am doing as much as I can to deal with things.  Believe me.  

Anyway -- I am not going to elaborate on all of the things.  The photo shows the reason why I have to be pretty much doing the elevation/cold packs/resting thing today and tonight.  The swelling does go down to more tolerable levels, but I have to really baby myself to have it happen.  I can actually have ankles and my "good" foot can be less severe, my "bad" foot can be a little better looking but still messed up.  One calf is always larger than the other.  Today is just a really bad day because my feet are extremely swollen and I can't walk on them much.

365/2013 - Day 155

cool stuff

Joan cleaned her garage yesterday and today she came by on her way to the Salvation Army store to see if I wanted any of the items to use for making plaster cloth guys.  

Oh man -- is this great, or what!  Joan thinks it was probably the base of an artificial xmas tree.

And how about these hose reels????!!!???  The inside thing turns around, too!  Joan said she might possibly come back and get one of these to use in her art at some point (if I haven't already put them to use). 

Then on her way out she showed me what else was in the car -- this soft sculpture calla lily -- I might be able to build something around this.

And this piano lamp -- how cool!

Now I'm all worked up -- SO many ideas flooding my head...I need to try to draw them in my sketchbook before I forget them.  I am blown away -- these are really GREAT things!!!  Thanks, Joan!

365/2013 - Day 149

another glorious Wednesday Morning with Joan and Leann

I cannot express how much I love my friends and our mornings together.  Man.

Leann arrived first -- and headed for the coffee

awwww

Okay -- I was having a LOT of trouble understanding how to make the hole/fabric tube/sleeve that will allow my soft sculpture "Quillz" to sit on its stand for display at West of Center at the Northville Art House.  The drop off date is quickly approaching.  This morning Joan and Leann convinced me to just let Joan whip it together because she can do it so effortlessly and beautifully.  After much discussion they helped me to understand that this is how artists learn from each other and that she wasn't doing this as a collaboration or that I wasn't passing the work off...it was just one artist was showing another artist how to do something so that the other artist can do it herself next time.

First "we" went into the seam by the tail...Joan made a long tube/sleeve and attached it to the inside of the hole that was created by opening one of my seams. 

Then she worked the creature down over the pole, positioning the stuffing and making it work...but it wasn't quite right.  The hole and tube needed to be inserted into a bottom seam.  Joan just took the seam out again and redid it in the new spot.  She is amazing.

ta-daaaaaaaaaaa

This is the second insert/tube/sleeve -- look at those smooth, even stitches.

This is the first seam that I will close back up.

and this is the pole/base/stand that I will sand and repaint...but it is much too humid today.  I did go out and get the paint, though!

It was very difficult for me to let go of my white-knuckled control over this project/problem.  Now that it is done (and I watched Joan do it so easily) I realize that if it had been something that Joan needed to plaster cloth or a tiny magazine image that needed intricate cutting I could have done that for her (and think nothing of it) just as easily as she did today's work for me. Duh.  

Thank You SO much, Joan (and Leann) for your help and guidance and patience and friendship and...and...and...

365/2013 - Day 146

the curious part

I am a creature of habit and routine.  I love it, I need it.  Weekends are always bothersome for me because my tv schedule (daytime) is messed up...not what I am used to.  Wah, Poor Took.

Today I've been pulling images from magazines for an upcoming return to my Animal People series for Art-o-mat.  Still the prep stages.

Then I was thinking about the curious object that Leann brought for Joan and me to "fight" over.  It is a donated radio part of some sort that Leann's husband Mark thought one of us might enjoy using.  Joan liked it a lot, too -- but she didn't have a plan for it right away, so I "won"...yay!  Of course, it is a snake part...anyone can see that!

the curious part -- thanks, Mark!

I wanted to use a tube that has a lot of surface to the edge to hold the part better.

While wrapping the tube with masking tape I found that there was a long glob of some sort of glue...I decided to leave it.  Maybe it will show up through the layers of plaster cloth.

The curious part affixed to the tube -- it is really firmly in place!

I didn't know what kind of head to make for this snake...a balloon didn't work right.  I couldn't find any shapes around the studio that I liked, so I wadded up some plastic outer wrappers from paper products...this is just the sort of occasion that I save them for.

Well, so far he has turned into a sort of rattlesnake and I am not fond of viper-shaped faces...so he will be changing, but this is how he looks right now.

Straight on he is a little less viper-looking.  I will absolutely be changing his head shape...but not tonight.

365/2013 - Day 51

what a lovely, lovely morning

I love Wednesday Mornings so much.  Joan and Leann are just the best and we have such a marvelous time together.  Today Leann had an activity for us to work on while we talked and shared -- we made little accordion fold books and drew in them with ink and toothpicks.

items for today's project...accordion folded paper pages, ink, and toothpicks

I showed my newly finished spikey creature to Joan and Leann and he sat with us while we worked/played

oh my gosh...

my spikey guy was included in Leann's book

Joan made TWO books...the first one was like a haiku about the weather and patience in waiting for Spring

this is the first side of my book

I discovered I could make little dots and connect them to come up with creatures

what the heck is this???

so true

Leann working on her second side

Joan's second book turned into a "thank you" gift to her boot camp instructor

very cool

that Leann and her ideas -- thank YOU!!!

Joan happy with her book

And yes...I am working on painting the plaster cloth guys -- I am just not showing them until they are done because they may be going into an upcoming show I was invited to participate in...remember?  Also -- after consultation with two people whose opinions I hold in high esteem -- I will be making changes to one of the plaster cloth guys and including one I hadn't really considered before last night.  I guess I am just not "satisfied" unless I am making even more last-minute work for myself -- LOL.