Thursday, January 20, 2011

Puppy Girl Gets Artistic Too!

So, only as an adult have I found my ability to make things in an artistic way. I'm not talking about crafting...I've always been "crafty". I'm talking about actually making ART. Or at least, attempting to make art. I'm curious where this ability was when I was a child. Was it hidden? Waiting to be discovered and released? I know I had tiny glimmers of it here and there. I remember one time in particular - I had to do something for a book report, and I wanted to draw an eagle, but I hadn't ever drawn anything before. I got out a book that I had on bald eagles and set to work trying to trace one of the pictures. Well, it didn't work. I couldn't see through the paper I was using well enough to see the picture. But I HAD to have a picture of this eagle! So I attempted to draw it myself and it turned out GREAT. Everyone thought I'd traced it - including my own mother! Even after I expounded on how I spent the last hour and a half drawing it myself and just copying it, I still wasn't believed. Sad. Maybe if I was believed I would have fostered my artistic abilities earlier? (I wasn't believed because I had a tendency to lie - since I was the truthful child in the family - but because to that point I had shown absolutely NO artistic ability at all. I guess it's hard to believe something like that when you don't see it forming before your eyes.)
My Puppy Girl has always enjoyed doing crafty things, and drawing and coloring and painting...but like me as a child, she has shown no artistic ability - that is until a couple years ago!
About two years ago (ISH) she saw me attempting to paint something, and of course wanted to join in on the fun. So I sat her down on the floor, laid out a ton of newspaper, got her as undressed as possible (because kids ARE that messy), laid out a piece of watercolor paper, and gave her a couple of colors of paint, and a single paintbrush. Oh, and a cup of water. This is what she came up with:
This one shows the colors fairly well

Hanging up on my wall (REAL stained glass courtesy of my mother's amazing talents)

I LOVE it. It makes me think of poppies...except they're somehow in a blueish field instead of in green.
Since then she has wanted me to teach her to draw and paint. Well, I have a hard time doing that since I kinda make it up as I go. But I teach her what I figure out, and what I learn from others. She's made a couple other things between then and now, but nothing that she is proud of until a few weeks ago. So I'm not going to display the ones she isn't proud of here. Maybe she should think about painting over her "not so good" work? Make something new? Hmmm. I'll bring that up to her.
But the next one that she IS proud of (and so am I) is this made over the recent winter break from school:

Please excuse my husband's computer game! ;-)


A close-up of the middle

I made her sign her work :)
I love it. The colors in the bottom layer smooshed and blended to make a great background for the splatted colors. And the splatted colors just look wonderful together...and the way some of them almost swirl around others is really neat. She employed a few different "techniques" - one of which somehow included a stick.
Here are some pictures of her in the process...because she's my kid and she's so pretty and awesome. :-D

Mixing up her own paint colors


That's some serious concentration!
The artist hard at work! I love that child. Added to her budding artistic talent is incredible intelligence, and beauty. She amazes me constantly.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

First Order - Valentines Day Goodies!

I got an order to make four special, one of a kind (Uniquely Yours) Valentines Day goodies. And it was left up to me for the fabric and design!! How awesome is that?!
There is something for a little baby girl:
A close-up of the ruffled cuteness
The whole skirt with the waistband folded once

The little skirt has an "adjustable" waist. The waist band is similar to what is on typical yoga pants. This way it can be folded over twice for the shortest, and tightest fit, folded over once for a medium fit, and not folded at all for the largest fit. The skirt should last at least a year...maybe even longer! I love making clothes that last when it comes to babies and little kids.


Something for a cute little boy:
It won't exactly last a long time..but I think it's super cute! :)

Something for a "pre-teen" girly girl:
Waistband unfolded

Waistband folded once

Close-up of the tulle ruffles

Close-up of the fabrics used
I used the same concept for the preteen skirt as I did for the baby skirt. Make it versatile! That way it can be worn longer. I also used 4 of the same fabrics...just laid out differently. Fun? I think yes. Girly? Absolutely!
And something for a teen aged girl:
Front view

front closeup

back view
a look at the hood
I made a black velvet hoodie. I used the same kiss material as in all the rest of them, and the same red lace as the middle daughter's skirt. The sleeves are overly long since teenagers tend to like to tuck their hands up inside their sleeves and stretch them out - figured I'd just give her long sleeves to start with! I put some lace on one  shoulder to add some interest.
Some fabric is upcycled, some has been waiting to be loved for a while, some is left overs from other things, some is brand new, and everything is 100% designed by me! I had a ton of fun making things for my first order! :-D And I look forward to completing many more in the future!! Interested in something for yourself or your little one? Just ask!

Friday, January 7, 2011

ERG! Or UGH! Or SNEEZE! SNEEZE! plus Christmas Gifts

I know it's been a while since I've posted...but I've got some good excuses, I swear! I've had my 9 year old, Puppy Girl, home for the last three weeks, and my 10 month old, Baby Bunny, is always home, and add to that my friend's 5 year old because I'm watching him while she works because of the winter vacation. They go back to school on Monday! YAY! ... But then again so do I....BOOO! I'm not ready for going back to school. Aside from watching the kiddies, I've also hurt my ankle (doc says xrays show no break...I'm not convinced. It's still swollen and deformed...in just ONE little area.), my husband was sick, now Baby Bunny is sick - and it's magically transformed from a mild cold to bronchitis in a couple days, and now I'M sick too. Thankfully for me it's only a cold still. Add to that the passing of my husband's father, and getting some orders to make some V-day clothing, and this has been some super crazy-busy last couple weeks.
SSSOOOOO all those excuses/reasons, just to get to the point of this posting....I wanted to show some of the gifts I made, but I didn't want to do it BEFORE Christmas...for obvious reasons, I think!
The Lexi Dress:







The Jillian Skirt (plus an embellished shirt):




Apron #1:




The Reversible Bubble Skirt:

The Stuffed Owl Pillow:



And there was a second apron, but I don't have any pictures of the recipient wearing it yet... hint hint nudge nudge!! ;-) Oh, and there's also a diaper bag, but I don't have any pictures of that one either, yet.....