New Art Endeavors!

In the begining of March I am going, with Jackson, to meet a fantastic artist! He has a studio downtown for his crochet and knotted sculptures! We are going down to check out his work and talk about the worl of fiber art! i have to finish some peices and take photos so i can show him my work .... if he wants to see it! Mostly though we are going to check out his stuff! I'm really looking forward to it. here is his site:

http://members.shaw.ca/daleandjohn/01.D.html

My new fabric came a few days ago ..... Retro Rocket Rascals! I am thinking of making a quilt of jack's new bed, but am nervous as i've never quilted before!! My grandmother and aunt bot quilt so maybe they will have some advice. I already got some great advice from the ladies at knitting last night!

Yikes

it seems that finding daycare is quite hard in this city! i have been on the waitlist for a very long time at many daycare centres and still have not found anything. i'm starting to look for family care instead of a daycare, though that makes me nervous! i just can't imagine letting my wee one go. it would only be for one day, but still....... it's hard! i did some more lino carvings last night and finished up another bowling for bunnies set. the rest of the week i am going to concentrate on art!

More Art, Less Craft

well not entirely true! I have been painting and am working on a small series right now. not sure of the titel yet, but when they are finished i'll know! i also found some resin and mold making stuf so will experiment with that in the coming weeks! i've ound some neat jewelry to make molds from! I'm working an a gorgeous set of sage and cream bowling for bunies set as well as the final draft of the pattern! My testers are hard at work making sure it's right. I've been doing a lot of family stuff this weekend and like last weekend will be doing a couple haircuts. I enjoy doing hair still, and it pretty well pays for any craft stuff that i buy during the week.... tried to post a photo, but didn't work!!!

Team Player

I've never been much a team player or a joiner, hoever I've joined some street teams on etsy to help promote my shop. There is one in particular that I'm excited about and it' called Etsy for Animals . I'll be donating some items as well as portions of my sales to local animal charities. The two that I have chosen so far are Project Seahorse and Wild Arc. It really feels good to be donating, it's been too long! I'l be working on projects and posting some photos ths weekend!

Hot Topic

Yay!!! My bowling bunnies are on the front page of craftster right now in the "Hot New Projects" section!! Oh and a junior highschool friend of mine bought a set of my t.v. notecards!! Off to the post office again. Yesterday I was at the post office mailing my red nana bunny off to a women with whom i traded for one of her gorgeous necklaces ..... i'll post the necklace and link to her site once I get the necklace. Great day today!

First Feature Shop

I've decided to start featuring shops and items from Etsy that I like or have purchased things from!

I've been really into jewelry lately (jack doesn't rip necklaces of my neck anymore!) and have found quite a few things I like on Etsy. In January I ordered a beautiful charm necklace from ClayFaery. She custom made the necklace for me combining two bracelets that I fell in love with.

Her shop is

www.clayfaery.etsy.com

I get so many compliments on the necklace she made, it's fantastic!

The Other Side

I'v been doing quite well keeping up with listing things on my etsy shop and now have to start advertising! I am joining some online groups that prmote your shop for you and also doing some posting on various websites I really don't know what I am doing, but have plunged in head first! I am going t have to take a break from creating etsy stuff and concentrate on my art as the deadline for the april show is approaching! I've finished the crochet part of my sculpture, now just have to stiffen it and make it stand on it's own! Alright tme to get off the computer and get at 'er! Oh here are my new cute toys! Bunny Bowling!

Away From Home

I'm at my mom's right now and will be until the end of the week. It's nice and relaxing up here, except for the fact that my son decided that 5:30am is a great time to start the day! I'm sleeping in the same room as him so I can't just let him do his thing until 6:30 like I would at home. But today he stayed in his crib until 6:15, even though he was babbling the whole time. So today he's a bit more on schedule with meals and naps. I've brought three projects with me to work on.

1: ABC Art poster
2: Crochet Sculpture
3: Swirl Baby blanket

I've got 2 swirls done of the 13 I need to complete, but have misplaced my tapestry needle, so won't be assembling the blanket this week. I'm making the most progress on my sculpture, which I'm happy about. It's a very relaxing almost zen-like process, so it's the most enjoyable. I have done 4 layers and am working on the fifth. In total i think there are going to be six or seven layers so I'm almost done. When I get home I'll stiffen the layers and put it all together and it'll be complete! I've got an end of the month deadline for 3 art projects and the sculpture is the only one even close to being completed! The ABC art poster is coming along. I've figured out what to put on each square and penned the lettering, now i just have to draw all the images and paint them. Tonight I won't have time to work on anything as I'm joining a friend for her prenatal class. That should be a strange, but interesting experience! On Thursday Jackson is taking myself, mom and my friend out for dinner for Valentine's day! We'll be home in time for his bath/bedtime, so I'll hopefully get most of my projects finished that night.

Being away from home always makes me think of how much i need to do when i get home. I really want to focus on decorating the main living/dining area when i return. I've got a list of projects for the dining room and i won't have to buy anything for them! I'm trying really hard not to purchase craft/art stuff this month. So far i've done very well. I did buy some material, but i'd actually purchased it last month, the order just didn't go through properly so I had to re-order in the beginning of me "no shopping" month. So I don't think that really counts! Alright the wee one is asleep, time to craft!

Lino!!

I love lino carving, i really forgot how much i love it! Yesterday I decidedto alter some photos i had taken of my heartfelt critters. They looked really good as flat black and white images so i carved them up on lino and printed off some notecard sets! i plan on doing a few different sets. This first one is calle the Heartelt Critter Collection. So far I've only cared 2 stamps, but will do more, maybe in a couple weeks. I'm going away for a week, starting tomorrowso won't be doing much crafting. I am hoping to get some work done on my newest crochet sculpture! I had to scrap the first one I id, but here is a photo of the direction it was heading in!

Working Even When ill

I've completed a few projects this week, more than I thought I would! I've got one heartfelt finished and another that just needs it's limbs attached! Also I've made two toddler scarflettes and for my personal project I've FINALLY made a case for my crochet hooks!! I seem to be on a blue and green kick!

Cough

EERRRRGGGHHH! I'm sick and had so much I wanted to do this week! I have, though, almost completed two more heartfelts so I'm not totally incapasitated (wrong spelling i am sure)! Ok I'm going to bed .........

Scarflettes!

so here are my new scarflettes!

Too Busy For Words!

I have had a really productive week so far! I've made 3 1/2 more scarflettes (or neckwarmers) like my gren one. I'll post photos when we actally get around to taking photos! Also I'v been exploring my art and where i want it to go. I was heading in this certain direction, but was feeling a bit lost and the i discovered something called "steampunk". it is a sci-fi type of art that takes place in victorian times and steam is the main power of things. bt it's a lot more complicated than that. anyways i realized that i've always liked steampunk realted stuff ( like city of lost children, gears, planes, etc.) and now i know hwere i want to take my art! is i've started sketching and coming up with some brilliant plans! i will have to see how this all pans out! Oh and good news! my crochet sculture is FINALLY dry and fairly stiff! now i just have to paint it a bit more and laquer it, then phtograph the finished results! i have another crochet sculpture that i am about to start, however it doesn't need to be stiff, so that's a relief! Oh and today i made a cute set for chels's friend who is having a baby soon. the little character is a rattle! i made a set like this before, only in navy and cream! Oh and I finished my painting for the birthday party tomorrow! what will i be up to next? no idea!!!

List Making

A few weeks ago I decided that the act of list making was taking away from the actual things I wanted to accomplish on said lists. So I stopped writing lists all toegther! I have since realized that was a big no-no for me! I forgot about all the prjects I had started and began new ones! So now I am back to list making and more than that ....... organizing and getting rid of some stuff! I am selling my PEZ collection, minus a few I simply must keep! I've totally reorganized my desk; even making a drawer divider for all my small desk items. Also I get Cory and myself to go through all our DVD's and get rid of 1/3 of them!! To help me oragnize little things I've put up a bulliton board. I've dedicated one area of the board to "This Weeks' Goal". Seeing my weekly goal written down will keep me focused. This week's goal is : "Purge and Oragnize everything you own BEFORE you purchase anything new!" So no more buying things!! I have a lot of organizing to do! And what I've gotten rid of so far makes me feel great! So yesterday and today I haven't done any projects. It's kind of a nice break. Though through all this organizing, I've discovered so many new ways I want to improve our house!! One day I'll get there! Alright off to do some more organizing!

A Break ....

I've been slacking BIG TIME! I'm finding some of the things i am doing to be rather difficult, or just boring, so I'v stopped doing things..... almost! Yesterday i made a neckwarmer/collar. It was a rectangle so required little brainpower or creativity! I'm really struggling with my crochet sculpture, but finally think i have found the answer! Nothing has been able to make it rock hard, so I am going to turn to resin! Like the kind used to coat a table..... this could get messy! I feel like I need to figure out what I have going on and stop half of my projects .... but which ones to focs on are the problem! I know I should finish the baby blanket (it was supposed to be an xmas present!!) and I should finish some more toys for my shop. Today my "Art of Resin Jewelry" book came in the mail and now I want to abandon everything to try jewelry making........ sadly none of the supplies I need seem to be available in Victoria! So I must put that on the back burner and just sketch my ideas for now! We'll see what happens tomorrow.

My New Projects!

So here are my two newest projects that i've completed! I love the birthday collage a lot! This was my first time taking collage seriously, and it was great fun! I finally figured out a good way to incorperate crochet into my paintings as well! I glued the fancy paper i used for the branches, on the sides, so i don't have to frame it! The next project is my first pull toy, though sadly he doesn't actually have working wheels ( i plan to work on that!). He was a lot of work, but well worth it! I've decided to sell him on my etsy shop as a decorative item. also i am thinking of dropping the whole "Jack-A-Ruu" name and just putting all my creations under "Homespun Sun" . I think it might get too complicated having two business names! What does everyone think of that??


-ooooh i just got my new amigurumi book in the mail today!! so you'll be seeing some cute critters soon!

So Many Things Accomplished!

I am so happy with how this weekend has been going! I am putting the finishing touches on 2 major projects! One is my prototype pull toy that is also going to be a gift for my friend's new baby boy! The second project is my birthday collage for my friend's daughter's first birthday! It's too late to take photos, so I'll add more tomorrow. Also Chels finished my banner for my etsy store! Next week I thnk we may be going up to TNM, which will be a much deserved break! I've promised Cory that there will be no yarn on the trip! I feel like a need a vacation from crafting after all the xmas gifts and now the business beginings! Two new projects that I hope to start next week are making a mexican day of the dead diorama and also venturing into the realm of resin casting! I've been wanting to make a diorama for a few years now, so that will be fullfilling. The resin is a new craft inspired by the many postings on craftster! Alright time to finish cleaning up and head to bed, and the best part is that it's my turn to sleep in tomorrow morning!!!

New Directions!

(sorry about the flash photos! it's nighttime!)



I've been going in a diferent direction this past week. More towards collage and art! I'm currently working on a piece for my friend's baby's first birthday! Also I'm brainstorming for a large piece that will take up one of my bare kitchen walls. I've been doing some bodies and ears for different heartflet critters, but have noe desire to crochet arms and legs or them at this point in time. I've come up with a cute design for my pull along toys, and have started two of them! Other than that I've just been trying to balance homelife with my ongoing projects! An what of my person project for this week? I suppose it's going to be my birthdya collage....however that might be a two-week project!

Proper Representation

Alright I've now added proper photos to my ETSY SHOP !! Check them out! Also I've been doing even MORE brainstorming!!

New Years Goals

My, my I've come up with some wonderful ideas for this coming year! I've finally opened my ETSY shop ( www.jackaruu.etsy.com)and will start working on some projects for my business! I've decided to focus on a few toys and also some bags. Tonight Chels is coming over to help design my new logo for my line!! I'm so excited about that! I've also decided to try and complete one personal (not related to the business) project a week.

I was inspired by A Marvelous Trousseau . This woman is going to make one outfit a week for the year!! Wow, most of my person projects are going to be pretty small! Anyways so here is my first personal project of the new year, a cute cropped cardigan! I started it on January 2nd and finished it up late last night!



It's from a pattern found here . I changed the bottom stitch from a sheel to a puff and like it a lot better, also the puff stitch is much faster!