studio changes

hi friends!  i hope things are going well for you; that life, or even just this minute, is peaceful and you find some joy in each day.  that's my wish for you.

this post was written over a period of time, so you will see some past tense along with present tense as i wrote and re-wrote things.  time frame is a little off.  i'm just leaving it.

there has been some excitement in my little world of late.  i had a bit of money in my art account and thought a treat was in order for Heavenspirit Creations to get me back to adventuring with creativity, so i ordered a huge moleskine sketchbook and a neocolor set.  i'm excited to get to work with these new products!  of course, i made a bit of a mistake and gave sweetie the wrong neocolor link so we ordered the non water-reactive set instead of the water-reactive set.  sweetie helped me out and ordered the correct item so i can get it quicker than waiting to return the wrong item and re-place the order, and it must have come from a different dick blick warehouse cause it got here two days before the first order was to arrive (and my first order seems to be stuck in fedex limbo instead of arriving at my door)!  i was dancing around and hugging the beautiful colored crayon set, joy, oh joy! 

now to decide if i want to just keep the other set or if i will be returning it...

 

the other shipment arrived the day after it's delivery date

 boy they werent kidding with the "xtra large" on the moleskine description!

and... i decided to keep the other neocolor set, big surprise

 

the bigger (HUGE) piece of studio news started with feeling a bit of "grabby hands" for the studio of a favorite artist of mine on youtube.  her name is sandi hester and she has a wonderful, genuine and fun personality.  her videos are engaging and beautifully edited and her art is colorful, really loose, and kind of folk-art-ish.  she is a joy to watch and learn from!

anyway, i was watching sandi create in her beautiful studio and started dreaming of a "not-in-the-cold,  messy cellar" studio for myself.  my studio gets way too cold for me in the wintertime, even with a heater, it has gotten that damp smell in the spring, and we've blocked the entry with cellar junk.  it's not been conducive to creativity and i end up bringing bits of supplies into the main house and making a mess for a few months before having to bring it all back down to make room for family gatherings, only to start the migration again when the holiday blues get me needing to create.  it's gotten to be a huge drag.  so... i was dreaming.  and my dream took me to creating my studio with the living room/tv room i was in.  we have a larger room we can do our daily living in, that i had dubbed "the christmas room" for all the time we (don't) spend there, but we'd have to do a lot of organizing, purging and (sweetie, anyway) heavy lifting to make it all work.  i did my "honey? i looove you..." opening, and sweetie was on board with the re-arrangement, cause he knows it would serve me better- he tries to make my life better every chance he can- and he likes it when i'm creating (i got a good one!).  

hubby needs his 'geek room' organized and cleared of non-essentials for his gaming, then we can more easily move things out of the way into his room while figuring out how to consolidate the two living areas into one.  the 'christmas room' might be larger, but there is little wall room in which to place furniture, so thats a big issue.  i'll be cleaning out and purging items from a cluttered room upstairs i lovingly call my 'crap room' that has a lot of craft supplies and just junk, and hopefully creating a spare bedroom and game library from some things in our living area now that wont fit in the new living area.  my new art studio will have the essentials; paints and other mediums i'm currently using, easel, desk, and a small couch that lucy-pup and i can snuggle on where she can look out the window (cause i'm mean and her favorite spot on her comfy couch by the window will be gone).  the cellar studio will be my art supply surplus like canvasses and mediums i'm not currently using and the stuff from the 'crap room' like my beads and fabric.  

 

 

lucy in her favorite spot

 doggie tv will not be the same, poor girl

this weighed heavily on my heart during the whole change 

"how to make it work for lucy?!"

 

"Operation Re-Arrange-the-Whole-House" was started over the weekend of july 25th with the big job of clearing out sweeties geek room that consists of a heavy gaming table that needed to be moved several times to put a large rug underneath.  he was a tiny bit sore after that!

but the results are fantastic!

(dont you love the gaming table he built a few years ago?!)

i only have 4 more rooms to go!  (whomp-whomp-whomp)

here is the little area i've been creating in,if you can spot it in the mess.  this used to be the "christmas room", soon to be the living room...

sooo lovely... 

this was during the transformation, dont judge.

artwork was done under the paintings to the right.  

notice pixel-kitty in the box?  he was 'helping'

 

 

and after, august 2nd, the new living room, still in progress...

 

 

i had a belly ache over the living room for several days, because everyone was unhappy about the lack of space.  pixel kitty adored his huge cat tree in the middle of the room, now he barely uses it.  so, now i've upset dog, cat and hubby!  pixel and lucy have to get used to being in the house as a whole together, where lucy pup would guard 'her' small tv room from the cat.   it's been... an adjustment, but things are getting better by the day.  pixel was running through the house this morning, and loves being in my studio without harassment from lucy.  lucy likes being in all the rooms and is getting more exercise.  keeping my fingers crossed!

we still have lots to find places for, but on whole we're getting used to general furniture placement.

 

 

before, the second floor 'crap room'...

this room you can judge, it was naturally a pit

again, pixel-kitty 'helping'

 

soon to be a game library, and to have a bed for spare bedroom... 

 

no photo yet, will update later. it still needs a lot done to it, but some has been purged, and some has been moved already. 

before (but after clearing a path to get in), my cellar studio...

just a heap of mess!

and during, august 2nd, my studio surplus room...

 

lots of organization needed here!  the two big shelves in the soon-to-be spare bedroom will be coming down here for art supply storage.

and, now, the main event...

before, the living room (with a lucy in her spot at the window)...

 

 and after, august 2nd, my main art studio...

(lucy is currently in the new living room, under the blankets)

 

 

 

the main studio is pretty much done, though i want to get each art medium organized in a better way.  this room is perfect for me!  it's big enough to hold all the supplies i work with; it has space for personal books i hold sacred, and my incense type things; and i have space to do workouts and yoga as well as a little loveseat for me and pup to relax on!  (and, yes, i made sure lucy is comfortable and can look out the window)

i might make a proper studio tour later.  right now, i need to rest after all that switch-a-roonie (switch-a-roomie?) we were able to do!

until later,

jenny

introducing frank the skeleton; a halloween tale (photo heavy)

my sweetie loves halloween.  I mean, he is passionate about it.  he's gotten a big outside display going now, thanks to friends and family getting good deals on after-halloween sales and giving him halloween decorations for christmas.  he sits outside with his cauldron of bite-sized treats waiting for trick-or-treaters to come.  though, in our neighborhood there is usually a non-stop parade of kids, so it's practical to sit outside anyway.  he goes 'reverse trick-or-treating', which means during a quick lull in kids he will take said cauldron of goodies and go to our neighbors houses to let them have their pick.  a few of our adult kids and some friends will sometimes come over to hang out by the fire with us,  all because sweetie is such a kid on this day.  halloween is a big deal for us!

this year we saw some life-sized (for me, at 4' 11") skeletons at a good enough price and sweetie grabbed one to bring home and call our own!  he carried it by it's neck around the store like it was walking by his side, making people smile to watch, and buckled him in the car to go home.  I was happy and excited to add to our growing display.  (we're gonna need a bigger yard, soon).

sweetie's been stressed out at work and I thought a little intrigue and lightheartedness was in order so I decided to make his coming home time a little brighter by displaying our new purchase in different scenarios, ala "elf on a shelf".

the first day, October 2nd, saw our new skelly, frank, getting rid of some unwanted pounds;

actually, I wasn't sure this was going to be an ongoing thing,

but the reaction I got from this first surprise cemented the idea of doing it all month

on October 3rd frank wanted to read sweetie's fortune;

what sweetie saw when he walked in the front door

a crow friend stopped by to see what cards would be dealt

October 4th had frank helping to take Lucy-pup outside;

but he kept passing out from losing weight from day1, so needed to sit and take a drink of iced tea before sweetie got home;

I think pixel kitty is confused by the whole situation

on October 5th sweetie was home for the weekend.  frank wanted to enjoy some fresh air while we took Lucy for a walk; 

"I'll just wait here"

he might have fallen asleep by the time we got back to the car.  

who could tell- no eyelids...  or eyeballs, even!

October 6th was my birthday and sweetie took me to the fair.  frank didn't seem to miss us much;

sweetie was back to work on October 7th and frank was cleaned up neat and pretty to welcome him home that night;

I had a load of laundry to do on October 8th, and frank was kind enough to give me a hand.  what a nice houseguest!  

frank was being a little silly on the 9th.  he'd seen pixel kitty hanging out on the cat tree and wanted to see the house from that vantage point;

on Thursday, October 10th frank figured he needed a good scrubbing from all the fur he sat in while on the cat tree;

"hey!  a little privacy, please!"

on the 11th I caught him coming out of my bedroom after he woke from a nap;

Saturday, October 12th, frank decided to help sweetie with yard work;

he couldn't stop playing in the pile, though, so not much help was had;

"wheee!"

it was D&D night on October 13th, and frank wanted to join in on the fun.  sweetie said if frank helped set up he *might* be able to be a guest player;

after a busy weekend frank fell asleep with some light reading on Monday, the 14th;

frank had a mishap on the 15th.  he fell down and broke his wrist, poor thing!  he took a look at sweeties 3D printer, but found the break is in too bad of a location to be able to fix...  frank has a sad;

he's holding his own hand,  hoping for a cure to his dilemma

**cries**

sweetie surprised me the next morning, the 16th, when I went to move dear frank, and I couldn't find where his hand had run off to!  I figured it would have fallen out of his other hand in the night with pixel kittys rampages (cause "pixel is crazy", said in the manner of the SCRUBS line "hooch is crazy", if you know the tv show).  I looked on the floor near where frank was located and couldn't find it, said oh well, and went to move him, only then looking directly at his face;

he must be very hungry by now 

to be gnawing his own hand!

saddened by his new lifestyle change with a missing hand (well, not missing anymore, just not attached), frank went to mope.  he was soon joined by a pack of alpacas trying to cheer him!

see the cute little alpacas on either shoulder?

on October 17th frank wanted to meet my sweetie at the front door;

no slippers or beverage with him, though

frank decided to check to see if the bathroom sink drain was leaking on Friday the 18th;

even minus a hand, he's still quite handy

another busy Saturday for sweetie and myself.  when we got home on the 19th, we interrupted this cozy interlude;

bun-bun assured me frank was a gentle-skele-man 

Sunday morning on October 20th was a quiet, relaxed time spent at home, just chilling on the computer with the family;

Monday the 21st was spent with me on the couch.  frank kept annoying me by asking what we were going to do that day.  he would not let up, even though I told him I wasn't feeling well, so I put him in a time out;

someone pointed out he looks like he's peeing.

guess he was mad at me.

and look at pixel, egging him on!

the next day, October 22nd, frank apologized for being annoying (and then peeing in the corner while in time out), by making me a vegetable pot pie.  he's forgiven, the scamp;

"ta-da!"

Wednesday October 23rd and all is well.  frank was feeling dapper and tapping his toes to some internal music when sweetie got home that night;

he reminds me of Jimmy Durante 

without his famous nose

"ah-cha-cha-cha!"

frank got on the floor to play with the critters on Thursday the 24th;

Lucy wasn't sure she wanted to be friends

even though she likes bones

 "really, mommy?"

pixel was ok to give a good sniff

and then frank fell over with the giggles

frank said TGIF on the 25th, and stopped to smell the flowers;

 he's been envious of sweeties mustache, 

so got out the pretty paper and tape

you may notice he planted his hand.

he said it was to see if he could grow another one

I told him I dont think it works that way, 

but he wanted to try

Saturday we did some more preparations for our halloween display, and frank got into the spirit of things;

he hasn't taken off his mustache yet, here.  

maybe he thinks its a costume?

on Sunday the 27th, frank was getting pretty anxious to open the candy.  not, yet, frank!

he doesnt think we'll have enough candy for kids AND him

stop trying to eat through the bag, frank!

frank's not a patient fellow

October 28th and halloween is getting closer!  frank seems to be getting ants in his pants, or something;

frank fit

so frank sat

just like pixel

our crazy cat

frank heard through the grapevine that we're expecting rain on halloween, and he got a little glum;

"please don't rain on our special day"

pixel saw the sadness settle in and tried to comfort poor frank

frank even did a little sun prayer for a favor

Wednesday, October 30th had frank happier, as he heard trick-or-treating would be postponed until Saturday for rain and high wind worries.  frank went upstairs to chat with pixel... possibly to plot something.  I worry about them telling secrets; you just never know whats next with those two!

"yo, dude, wash your knee!"

it's halloween!  sweetie had the day off, so we went shopping and came home with a couple new pets for frank;

I think they like him

pixel wasn't so sure about things, though.  

he had a 'fuzz incident' a bit earlier, but I didn't catch photo proof.

he was swatting it, and his tail was HUGE

friday, the day before the big trick-or treat day, and tension was high for frank!  he knew he had one big day of the year, and he had to be on point with the scare.  I caught him giving a pep talk to some of his co-actors;

"I know you'll all do a great job!"

I caught pixel listening in a little later;

looks like he didn't agree with some of the spooky talk.

either that or he wants to be part of it

sweetie came home with a surprise.  when we went shopping for on-sale pets for frank on halloween I got the thought of getting this guy only after we had gotten the chihuahua skeleton, and cracked myself up;

meet "Ferter"

(please tell me you got it, so I'm not over here cracking up by myself)

todays the big day!  November 2nd, trick-or-treat day for our town, and sweetie and son #4 had some help putting things together;

frank met Steve the dragon for the first time

frank saw how many parts Steve was in and passed out.

he does that a lot

"you put tab A in slot B?  are you sure?"

yay! all together now...

YAY!

"look at me, now I'm a dragon!"

what are you dragging?

"NO!  me!  I'm a dragon!  nevermind"

frank has Steve all tied up for tonight

and even Lucy is pleased with the display

resting time

sweetie still setting up

frank now has a sword and a guard dog at his side

part of the cemetery

pretty!

the night was very busy with tons of happy kids (they were circling the cauldrons, 5-6 deep waiting at times!), lots of neat costumes to see, some pups to give special treats to (the owners were thrilled), and lots of praise to the mastermind behind the amazing display!

sweetie was in his element

frank and the whole cast of characters got a lot of complements

and a few photos were had with them

"bye everyone!  thanks for letting me play!"

"now into the trunk I go, until another spooky day"

I hope you enjoyed our tale of frank.

until later,

Jenny