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 288

a Wednesday Morning at Joan's...

...with surprise guests!  Well, one surprise surprise guest.  Leann told us she was bringing her mom to join us and we'd be making little ofrendas, but we were not expecting JANE!  Jane got to work this morning to find that the power was out and people were being sent home.  Then she remembered that Leann and her mom and Joan and I were getting together (to do fun stuff) and she met up with Leann and her mom and they all arrived as I was arriving at Joan's.  SO cool!

First -- Joan's house and yard are decorated for Halloween.  During the recent giveaway at Second Thursday Joan picked up my bag of antique crow decoys.  They look SO good in her yard -- wow!

I took the opportunity this morning to take some photos of Joan's incredible home and the various art pieces and wall/ceiling treatments.  Even the stairway to the basement and the bathroom are incredible.

Then we all sat at the kitchen table and Leann started putting out all of the materials she supplied for our ofrendas.  There were beads, various papers, rubber stamps that were carved by Leann, little teensy light bulbs, crepe paper, colored pencils, a box set of paints/oil crayons/pens/markers, glue, beads, paper skulls that Leann made...she thought of everything!  And we started working -- either on an ofrenda or a Halloween scene.  Here are the pics:

putting out the materials

workin'...workin'...

Leann's piece

"Mom's" piece

my piece

Jane's piece (in progress)

Joan's piece

Then they were on the move again to show Leann's mom more of Joan's house and stuff...including the xylophone wall and starry ceiling to the basement.  I stayed upstairs and took more photos.

Jane, Leann, Joan and "Mom"

And all too soon it was time to move on.  Joan needed to get to work and we all followed and went to show Leann and Jane's mom the current show at the Northville Art House...her kid has stuff in the show.

Jane trying out Mike Sivak's "Parcae" game.

"Mom" viewing Mary Fortuna's beeswax figures.

Alas, Joan couldn't join us...but we all went to lunch at the Starting Gate.  Delicious!  What a wonderful morning!

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 156

time for a new batch of Tookies

This morning was another Wednesday Morning with Joan and Leann, except we were minus Joan because she had a work-related meeting to attend.  We missed Joan but hopefully we can all meet up next week.

Today I finally settled down and got back into the groove of making Tookies finger puppets for Art-o-mat.  I am changing the look of them this time around.  For this batch they have pointy horns or ears something...however you want to see them.  I like them a lot!

yep -- time to make some Tookies

just Leann and me today -- we missed Joan

the first new guy!

I only managed to finish three tonight

I hope people like them as much as Leann and I do!

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...