prep work
Today I prepped the stray 17 Tookies that I had to remake when I started this batch and I also printed out a lot of hand made rubber stamp images.
The 17 Tookies that needed the side, top and bottom seams.
I stamped out a whole bunch of images with hand cut eraser carvings/rubber stamps...this is just a small sampling.
I cut out all of the images and sorted them into envelopes for easy retrieval.
I traced the outline of the oversized playing cards that will be my working area for the designs. After I assemble the designs I will reduce them to the proper artist trading card size.
This process took all evening -- I wasn't counting on it taking as long as it did. I will assemble the cards tomorrow.
third try might be the one
It has been a while since I worked on the stripey sewn-together-piece-of-fabric guy so that is what I have been doing for most of the day and evening.
I needed to make a head for this guy. I decided to try to make my own pattern.
After about four messed up ones, I ended up with this.
I was trying to base it on this pinned-together head that I left off with.
I used some scrap pieces of t-shirt material (now that I know the designs do show through).
So this is how head number one turned out. It needs to have the spikes attached to it.
Trying to figure out how big of a triangle I need to make.
Hmmm...putting the triangle on the bottom kind of makes it look like a lower jaw.
But no...it doesn't really work too well. I think the roundy part is too roundy...Try again.
A new shape and a (sort of) triangle to go with it.
Trying the triangle on the bottom...nope...looks too reptilian.
Triangle on the top...needs shaping...
After squeezing and pushing the cotton stuffing around I got the idea to squeeze the muzzle a little and try sewing a slanted line to gather the fabric in. Maybe it will work.
Hey -- not too bad. It kind of gave him a nose shape and a slight mouth.
Looks a little badger-y to me. I think I like it.
But now I don't have enough of the orange color changing t-shirt material left.
Think about it and try again.
Hey! I have quite a bit of the fabric I used for the legs. Maybe a head made of the same fabric wouldn't be too bad. A little busier than I had planned on...also it won't be as stretchy. I will give it a go.
A lot of sewing later...
Not too bad...not too bad at all.
Now I need to insert the spikes.
I was having trouble making a pattern of the outline of the spikes so that I could cut a hole in the head.
Then I tried sitting the spikes piece on the copier -- I figured I could cut paper more easily and get a feeling of what I needed to do.
About four tries later...
I figured it out. I need to reposition the spikes -- they are only tacked in, but now I have an idea of what to do.
The spikes are still just tacked in -- I have had enough of trying to figure this out for one day. At this moment I am pretty pleased with the outcome.
I like my seams a whole lot.
I just cut out a couple of fabric circles and dotted them with a pen -- they are not attached. The ears are just folded fabric pinned on. This is just to get an idea of how I could do the eyes and ears.
He is turning out cuter than I was expecting. But I am done for today.
Oh -- and no Tookies for today -- I need to give my hand a break.
another ten Tookies done!
Here is today's daily limit...ten more Tookies finger puppets for this batch of one hundred for Art-o-mat.
daily maximum of Tookies finger puppets
I made my self-imposed maximum number of Tookies finger puppets today.
My range is: at least one per day and no more than ten.
one finger puppet, one grouping
Today Sue and I ran some errands and it really wore me out. I only made one finger puppet and hung up one grouping of art.
Hanging art in the cat room is a bit tricky. I can't place the pieces too close to where the cats can reach and I don't want to draw their attention to it. I hope this works out.
more short spurts
Today I worked in spurts on cleaning the studio and getting some art onto the walls.
I put the "self-portrait" collage on the wall today -- yay. This was made in our 2nd Thursday group a while back.
I rearranged a couple of items in this space. I found a frame for the beast up in the right top area. That and the tiger in the lower right area were painted by little girl sisters -- purchased at the Grosse Pointe Art Center during a show. Mary Fortuna's minotaur doll and Renee Dooley's skeleton girl doll have found seating on Leann Meixner's voodoo boxes. Carla Morabito's woodburned goat-like guy sits on top of another Leann box. The blue guy in the film box came from the Detroit Artists Market "That DAM Box 2" a while back.
I had to make a trip into the basement to "shop" for a couple of frames. I did a little bit of work while I was down there (big mistake). I think these two pieces look like they've always been in this area of wall space.
The new additions are William Hessian's wolf/cat guy and Bonnie Pfingst's fox.
Here is William's piece closer up.
And I am DONE fighting with static electricity tonight, or I would've made more Tookies. Geez.
All I could manage was these four...my hands and arms were covered with yarn and cut off bits.
working in spurts
I worked at various things today in spurts. My orthopedic appointment is still a week away and I am limited to what I can do physically. In many ways, these last few days have been a challenge.
Today was a day of tidying up the blog, organizing and sorting things in the studio, gathering thoughts and ideas for the 2nd Thursday group that I would like to introduce (very minor structural tweaks), and making two more Tookies finger puppets.
I set a production goal for myself for this batch of 100 Tookies finger puppets for Art-o-mat. I have to make at least one puppet a day, but no more than 10. I need to pace myself this time so that I don't fall behind but I also don't overwork my hands.
In the studio I made some de-cluttering progress by sorting:
- small hand tools
- paintbrushes
- little canvases
- stretch animals
- plastic jumping frogs
- tubes of acrylic paint
- various objects for plaster cloth
I also stacked numerous boxes of Art-o-mat art (that need to be sorted out -- inventory, pieces for demos, my own collection, etc.) Empty Art-o-mat boxes were also put into the storage closet.
AND -- another minor achievement -- I made a small path so that I can walk all the way up to the metal racks in the very back corner of the studio behind my desk. (I had to stretch to reach over things before...not a very smart for my knee.)
Well -- it doesn't look like much, but I was busy all day. It is a start!
