365 Day 68

process

Finishing up the Tookies finger puppets for Art-o-mat today.

First, they all got a "hair cut". I trimmed the flat ribbony yarn -- the clippings/leftovers are so colorful and soft it seems like a waste to toss them out. I am going to hang on to them for a few days -- maybe they can be the stuffing for something.











These are the 20 that I will order for the two Detroit area Art-o-mat machines that I host.














These are the 80 that will be distributed through Artists in Cellophane to Art-o-mat machines across the country. Doesn't that make YOU want to do a series for Art-o-mat, too?!?












Setting up for the wrapping up the puppets and stuffing the boxes steps.















Wrapping the finger puppet.















Adding my information insert.




























The Tooky inside the box. The pennies add weight to the boxes for vending.














All 100 boxes full of finger puppets. I got 50 wrapped in cellophane before my hand and wrist gave out. I will do the other 50 in the morning and pack up the boxes for shipping late tomorrow afternoon.














I'm taking the rest of the night off!

365 Day 67

almost there!

Wow -- just 13 more Tookies to make in this batch of 100 for Art-o-mat! I will finish them before I go to bed tonight, but I wanted to post to the blog before my self-imposed midnight deadline.

Look how colorful those guys are!

365 Day 66

I did it!

Today my friend Juana and I hand delivered our submission CDs for "Come Play With Me" out to Paint Creek Center for the Arts in Rochester, MI. This is the toy-themed show I have been referring to and it is another "first" for me. PCCA invited Michigan artists to submit original dolls, toys and games for a playful exhibit. Submissions will be juried by PCCA's Exhibition Committee.

Here are my photos -- this is "Chime Cat Visits Cloud City"


















and the accompanying detail shot.


















Chime Cat is 3 feet tall, 14 inches wide and 19 inches deep. It weighs about 30 pounds.

I still need to tweak some of the painting of the cat. Also I want to add clouds to the cart and I have a wooden piece that will serve as a handle for the pull strap. Then I need to seal the whole thing really well.

I am nervous and excited about it. Artist notification takes place between March 14-19. Keep your fingers crossed for Chime Cat!

For the remainder of the evening I will be working on Tookies, adding the flat ribbony yarn to the tops of their heads. I have about 30 to go, then I need to trim up the "hair" on all 100 finger puppets and put them into the boxes and add the acetate/cellophane...then they will be ready to ship to Art-o-mat HQ. I think probably Thursday at the latest...most likely before then. Yay!

365 Day 65

why does someone who dislikes painting so much choose to make things that need to be painted?


Okay. I have done about all that I can do -- for now. I am going to take the photos and submit them for consideration into the toy-themed show. I will need to tweak the painting to clean up lines and possibly add clouds to the cloud cart. I will also need to coat the whole thing in some sort of sealer...but for now...this is basically how this piece will look. Oh, and I have the piece of repurposed leather reins (or something -- not sure exactly what it is) from my niece's horse stuff and a handle to use as the pull part. Whew.

And I really, really, really DO hate to paint.

The title of this piece is now "Chime Cat Visits Cloud City".






















































































And now, back to finishing the Tookies!

365 Day 64

coming along nicely

I am happy with the progress of Piece #1. I really hate to paint and so far, I think it is turning out well.














The cat will have stripey socks and the cloud cart will be sky blue.


















I only did work on 31 Tookies today because I watched live streaming video of the Detroit Derby Girls flat track roller derby tonight. Detroit didn't win, but it was a very exciting, edge-of-your-seat bout.

Back to work in the morning!

365 Day 63

now it's up to me



Matt came over to finish attaching the frame/trim to the cart today. I am so grateful for his help with this project!
















Now the rest is up to me -- the painting and embellishing and finishing. I need to take photos for my submission CD and I should probably come up with a title for it. Juana and I will both run our CDs, paperwork and entry fee to Paint Creek Center for the Arts on Monday. I hope we get to be in this show together!



















Here is the first finished Tooky from this batch of 100 for Art-o-mat. I gave this one the ribbony yarn "hair" and trimmed it and came in to blog about it now because I am afraid I am going to fall asleep in my chair in front of television while I am working on the rest of the Tookies and miss my midnight deadline. I don't know what's with me, I keep nodding off. But it is only a little after 9 and there is no way I am going to bed for the night right now...LOL.

365 Day 62

preeetty colors!


Today the plaster cloth cat is still air drying so I am working on Tookies.










Before I went to bed last night/early this morning I did the soft edges of 25 of this batch of 100 Tookies finger puppets for Art-o-mat.

This afternoon I did another 25.

This is what I will be doing for the rest of the night so I thought I'd go ahead and post to the blog now.

Aren't those great colors?