Belated Halloween Post!

Hi Everyone! Been swept up in busy holiday preparations? Yeah, me, too...
But before November ends, I wanted to post photos of my awesome Halloween decorations this year. My birthday was on the perfect day to combine a birthday party and Halloween party--Saturday! So, I went a little more all-out than I usually do, and it was fantastic! Check it out below!

My boyfriend Mike helped me with the cobweb net--it turned out fantastic!

I brought out my wooden puppet (with a neck issue) and clear front casket from long past school projects to bring a spooky element to my art cove--she was keeping the spiders company.

A few friends hanging out in my art cove. I love that my skeleton obsession can come out in full glory for this one holiday.

My brother goofing off on the couch.

I had a red bin of costumes from our Halloweens past, and if any guest showed up without a costume, I picked one for them! =)

I covered every frame with spider webs, and the banister with spiders!

I was really proud of the spider egg sacks I made! These spooked many navigating to the restroom, and it was hilarious to hear their surprised shrieks!

This year's awesome find for my skeleton love collection--a Nightmare Before Christmas banner! I just couldn't bear putting it outside with the elements.

The spider den from the front of the house.

I picked up these jars after reading Martha Stewarts' Halloween Handbook--she displayed a fennel heart for a human one, and a head of cabbage for a brain--they were a hit!

My spiders keeping my awesome pumpkin safe. My mom crafted and personalized this lighted pumpkin just for me--the creative gene runs in the family!

Sally the Skellington surprised all guests looking for a rest here!

Back porch all clean and jack-o-lantern-ified!

I got a beautifully carved jack-o-lantern for my birthday!!!

Starry Pumpkin.

My friend Amanda, who carved the Starry Pumpkin and I. She was a Funky Monk, on top of being so talented!

And I just had to share a few photos of my friends and family who came along, too. (Some were taken with a cell phone, so I apologize for the graininess in advance.) Check them out!

My Derby Wife was a very scary Chucky this year!!!

Not my best photo, but you can see both part of the rumpus I made, and the arms moving for my costume...besides, I've got an awesome Homer for a step-dad, and my brother is The Most Interesting Man in the World!

Happy Birthday Girl!

Marge and Homer, aka Mom and Vance!

And just to finish it off, here's a candid shot of my boyfriend, aka The Riddler, giving me an apparently hilarious riddle to solve! HAHA!

Hope your Halloween was as fun as mine was, and that your upcoming holidays are even more fun!

I'm doing really well with a few steady (well, more steady than it has ever been) orders, and I even expect to get a few more stuffed monster orders in time for Christmas--I can't wait! If you want to see what I'm currently working on, I like to post progress photos of my projects on my Artist Page on FaceBook, so please, check out my page, and if you like what you see, "like" it and share! I would be most appreciative!

Until next time...

Step Back in Time to: The Sketchbook Tour 2012

So, I know that this is quite delayed, but I was finally able to find the correct link to show you all my sketchbook for The Art House Co-op!

Late last year, in the middle of doing lots of Halloween costumes, and then preparing for the holidays and New Year's and all that, I also took on doing a sketchbook for the 2012 Sketchbook Tour that needed to be postmarked by January 31st. It was a hard deadline to make, but I was able to do it! I was so very excited that the sketchbooks have been going on a continental tour, and people will be able to check my sketchbook out just like a normal library book! Thankfully, I also paid to have it digitized, so you won't have to go too far to see it here. It was a great project to set a timeline for, even if I did rush towards the end--I'm thinking about applying for the 2013 Sketchbook Tour, but I've got a few more things to sort out before I can commit to that one, I'm afraid.

Well, it was short and sweet this time, but check back soon to see more photos I had done of my Skeleboys, and my Frankenbox!

New Creature Photos!

Hello All! Sorry it's been a while since I've posted--life gets busy, as it always does. BUT! I have good news! I sold my official first creature through my etsy store!!! WOOO!!! I was able to create a one of a kind customized Alien for my first customer from start to finish in a week! It felt so great to set goals and work with a timeline--reminds me of how school used to be, but better!

Before Mr. Alien was shipped to his new family, I was able to have my good friend Vicki Curtis-Stoner stop by the house to take some photos of Oliver and his friends! Check out the photos, and let me know what you think. =)

Oliver the Alien, completed, and ready to travel!

The new Oliver design is much more round than my original one offered on etsy.

I am pleased to introduce to you Squiddy the Cthulu! The newest member of my etsy store!

Oliver and Squiddy hanging out!

Until next time...

Girls' Night Out-Painting Edition

This weekend was an exciting one, and not just because of the tropical storm that came through (however, that was crazy weather!). My mom had been brainstorming with her churches' ladies group for Girls' Night Out ideas, and thought of me, and suggesting I teach a painting class for them one month. I was ecstatic!

My mom and I had done a painting class with a very good friend of mine at Painting with a Twist months ago, and had a BLAST!!! We wanted to borrow the idea, and skip the wine. ;)

I have been painting as long as I could hold a paintbrush, have done many murals, and I've always loved teaching and helping others with art, so I was comfortable with the idea. Mom said she estimated maybe 10 or so ladies would come out, and we started from there. Mom hunting for great sales and bargains, she collected the supplies we needed. I wanted the girls decide what they would like to paint. After seeing Mom's previous handiwork, and also being from Pensacola, they gravitated to a beach scene, that would be easy, fun, and unique for everyone. It looked like it was going to work out fine.

Mom's painting, and mine when we were the students--you can see where I get my artistic side from, right?

Once the day came, an announcement was made in church one last time, again showing my mom's beautiful painting, and that sign up sheet filled to the MAX! It was very exciting!!! But also made me so nervous! Would I do a good job? Would I be able to show them something great? Or will it all turn to a mud pie? Eeeep!

I just took a big deep breath (well, a few), and going in early helped to ease the butterflies. I had come in nice shorts and a pretty shirt, and thankfully I made the smart choice to change clothes before everyone showed up! I ended up getting quite messy. =) We had 29 ladies and girls show up, and it was a GREAT time. Other than my canvas taking a dive into my palette once, I was able to stay neat and on top of the lesson with little trouble. (Well, no trouble, actually!)

Every seat was filled, and every hand was painting! It was wonderful!

Loving all the smiles. =D

Cindy requested a miniature version of the night's project...and she did great!

My Mom and I share the love of little things--her Sand Dollar painting, with a cute display easel.

My Mom and I!

All of the ladies and their masterpieces!!!

I had SO very much fun, and hope maybe we can do it again sometime! It was more than a success. =)

New Squish Monster Photos!

Hello! I've been very very busy lately, but I've just been DYING to share these wonderful photos. A very talented and good friend of mine, Vicki Curtis-Stoner stopped by my house just before the roller derby bout a few weeks back to take photos of my stuffed monsters. I'm so very glad she came by at such short notice because I ended up selling an animal! Hooray! (Unfortunately, I was so busy watching the bout and manning the vendor table with friends that I forgot to take photos--sorry!) Still, enjoy the great photos below!

Clawford the Crab!

Olliver the Alien got a new home!

Handy Henry always has a good time!

Lanky Ned loves to cuddle.

 While we were taking photos, Vicki and I came to call my stuffed creatures "Squish Monsters", and I just loved the name!

Olliver the Alien hanging out with Big and Little Neds.

Thank you to Mrs. Susan for helping me with my embroidered tags! (The eyes and nose are my initials.)

My favorite Squish Monster buddies photo!

The bout was a fun one, and there were lots of kids that came out too (our roller derby is fun for the whole family!) and I loved watching the kids playing with my stuffed monsters. Overall, it was a great night. Hopefully I'll have a vendor's table at the next home bout, and I remember to take photos to share with you!

Time for a Change

Well, there have been a few changes going on in my life, and the biggest one of them being that I lost my "real job" very recently. (Hence the time away.) I took about a week to just relax and try to enjoy the sudden vacation--I certainly was not happy in my "real job", but I've been waiting to jump into creating for a living...for too long. Losing that job certainly had it's impact-loss of insurance and great paycheck, but that boot seriously started me thinking about making my own income. I know it will  be a hard and slow start, but I'm willing to fight for the freedom I have now. I do miss having the routine, but the freedom really has opened up my creative pools--I'm convinced I can do this!

So, what really concreted this for me was making a "Care-Panda" for my best friend's one year old. I was doing it for fun, but every time I make another, it gets easier, and looks better. I'm trying better sewing techniques each time, and learning along the way, and ultimately, I get to see the little ones loving on the animals--it's so worth it.

I cross-stitched the care bear years ago, and my friend always asked me to keep it. I think she knew what she wanted me to use it for. ;)

My boyfriend had the adorable idea to do a little trouser flap like he's in long johns! Ha!

Well, I have also been involved in our local roller derby league since I'm out of school, and today they are offering us vendor tables at the bout! I will be selling more of my creatures, like those from the Funky Flea Market, and hope to get some great photos to share! I'll post more pictures of my new Squish Monsters soon--my good friend Vicki took FANTASTIC product photos for a makeover on my Etsy shop at sewvictorious.etsy.com--I can't wait to share them!

Funky Flea Market

We have this wonderful hidden art community called Railroad Square here in town, and I sign up for the monthly newsletters to see what they have planned. They MUST have heard my thoughts because I opened my email in January and was taken aback that they were hosting what they called a "Funky Flea Market" open to everyone! For $10 and a name, I could bring all my stuffed animals to sell in person in the best environment possible! I just HAD to do it. Quickly realizing that I didn't have enough inventory to fill a table (I only had 7 critters to sell! Eeep!), let alone a table at all, I asked around my crafting friends to see if anyone wanted to share a table with me. My friend Amanda was ALL about it, AND she had a table! I couldn't wait!

When it came time for the big day, something came up at Amanda's work, and she was not able to accompany me to the flea market. I had to go it alone. Thankfully, it turned out to be super easy!

Amanda is so multi-talented, and very very creative, and had HUNDREDS of hand braided macrame jewelry pieces to offer, as well as some sewn belts, some RAM keychains, and small glass infused jewelry bowls for sale. She set me up proper with a big bag of her goodies, and I donated my chair to display my creatures in, and it was ON!

The Goods on display!

The sign says it all. <3

People were there selling their household goods, like a true flea market, but the really interesting tables belonged to those displaying beautiful handmade lovlies that hours must have been spent on designing,creating, and perfecting. I liked seeing other artists out there actually working on new pieces in between customers. I picked a sunny spot as this January day was terribly cold, but I kept moving, and quickly heated up.



 I knew that I was making these for kids, but their enthusiasm for my creatures was more than I could have ever imagined. The first one I sold was to a little girl named Lily, no older than three, and walked straight up to the chair of critters, and swooped Allen the Alien up in her arms, just about as big as she was, then toddled off declaring, "Boo tee full!" I couldn't let her NOT leave with one. I asked her father to pay much less than I intended just so she could have it, and thankfully, he argued to pay extra. It was the first time I've had to sell my critters in person, and was exhilarating!

Shortly after Lily and Allen left, another little girl visited my table, and fell in love with Handy Henry. It couldn't have been a better match!

<3 !

 As the day progressed, however, so did the weather. The wind began to howl like crazy, and for those in the shade, froze. Everyone had things knocked off their tables, and unfortunately for a neighboring vendor, had a LOT of things broken. We were supposed to be there from noon until 5pm, but by 3pm, all the vendors had packed up their things to escape the crazy winds for shelter.


Overall, it was a good experience, and we had a LOT of people turn out, and I ended up selling four of the seven animals I brought!!! It's great, because I could really see what styles were selling best, (the remaining three are the same style! Whoa! What an eye opener!) and now I have a goal to have more at the ready!

I plan on going again to the Funky Flea Market to sell, but I am really excited about a local place I recently discovered that offers shelf space in their store here in town for the handmade beauties and musings of neighboring artists. Guess I need to start sewing quicker!!! What will I make next?

So, I got creative with Halloween costumes this year!

I was really busy the whole month of October trying to keep up with all the orders I had. First up, my Sister in Law Anna was 7 months pregnant, and wanted a cool Halloween costume to incorporate her belly. Of course, she had thought of me, with my love of skeletons. "What do you think about doing a skeleton shirt showing the baby?" She inquired one day. I paused... "...that's THE coolest idea I've EVER heard of! I can TOTALLY to do an x-ray shirt!" And that was it!

I immediately took to the internet to look up how-to's and found the best one out there! (Plus, a great idea for a matching husband-HA!)

I finally discovered the wonderful things you can do with freezer paper!

The freezer paper has a matte side where you draw your design, and cut it out, and a shiny side that you iron down to create a perfect stencil! However, you cannot reuse the paper--you have to tear it off once the paint is dry.

She was a big hit at her daytime job--working as a preschool teacher. I wish I could have heard all the funny questions the kids would be asking her about the shirt!

Yes, this shirt shows the baby at actual size--he was a very big boy!

 And it turns out it was so simple and fun, I also did another one for an admiring friend! (Though, this friend was not pregnant...)

I didn't remember to take after pictures, but I did take good ones of the before!

This is what the negatives looked like ready to be painted. Quite the trompe loeil!

I was also commissioned to make a sailor girl costume for a coworker of mine, and although I don't have any modeling photos, my mannequin was a perfect fit for her!

She had an already existing white sleeveless shirt she wanted to use, so I added sleeves, and the small details.

I added the navy blue striping to the whole outfit.

She was very specific in the style she wanted the skirt to be, and I created it from scratch!

I hand tacked each of the pleats so that they would all lay flat.

I searched high and low for just the right golden buttons!

It wasn't an accurate portrayal of a real sailor's uniform, but if it were, what would be the point of Halloween? Ultimately, it was a complete success, and she still tells me how she loved it.

And just in case you were wondering, I did do a little something for myself--I just had to idolize an original great--Bride of Frankenstein. Again, not an accurate portrayal, but putting my own spin on things as I tend to do, I was able to focus all my attention to the wig, and adopted a "Betty Boop from Jersey" accent to explain all night to people "How wonderful my Frankie ["Fwankie"] is to me, he bought all this beautiful jewelry and told me to go have a night on the town!"

It was definitely a great Halloween season!

Well, until next time.....