What I've Been Up To Lately

A little more Rococo,  some robots, and the whole entire solar system.

Personal Excess

In March, I continued with the theme of frivolous Rococo teenagers.  I couldn't get enough traditionally girly, frilly, floral extravagance.  I was thinking about my own excesses, two of which (binge-watching Netflix and trips to the craft store) are featured in the illustration above.

Lithodora

The second piece I finished in March is about "me time" and the luxury of self-care.  Taking time to relax, de-stress, and process our various experiences is vital to staying healthy, but who has the time? There are so many books and articles emphasizing the dire need for down time, creating pressure and guilt for those of us who find it difficult to pencil those things into our schedules (or our budgets), thus compounding the stress we need that tranquility to get rid of.  Sometimes all that advice has a very "Let them eat cake" feel to it.  It can be counterproductive and dismissive of the limitations of people's actual lives. So I drew the fantasy of being able to do all the things one needs to do to be healthy and whole.

"Pizza Party" hanging in Pegasus Gallery

I was too sick to attend the opening of Larkin Arts' Pizza Party show, so I didn't get to take pictures of it until the last day of the show when I went to pick it up.  I was so nervous that I was ruining these people's lunch by moving around to take pictures that I didn't spend a lot of time looking at the other pieces, but I got a kick out of what I did see, and I still love that this show even happened.

More of Larkin Arts' Pizza Party show at their satellite gallery, Pegasus inside The Golden Pony

Since March was the second month in a row that I struggled to finish two pieces, I'm revising my goal of three finished illustrations a month in 2016.  I feel like finishing two a month is still pretty respectable while actually being realistic.

At least this guy is pretty cute.

I'm trying to teach myself intarsia knitting, and it's been awful.  All those strands of yarn hanging all over the place and getting tangled and the loose stitches and gaps... It's chaos, and it's highly offensive to my compulsive need for order.  I got through this little whale twice - once for this swatch, and again on the actual sweater I'm making, but I don't think I'll be attempting this technique again unless there's a pattern I absolutely can't resist or someone can teach me how to do it without creating pandemonium.

I had a really tough time photographing this thing.

The pom-pom solar system is finally finished!  This was the group craft project for the National Stitch 'n Bitch Day party we had at the beginning of February.  I had no idea how long it would take!  Dan Funk made Saturn's clear plastic rings, which might be my favorite part of the whole thing.

 

You wouldn't believe how long it takes to make a pom-pom this big.

Stash Basket pattern by Yarnspirations

Last month, I shared the stash baskets I made and am still making.  I like that they're big enough to really see how different colors look together and they're useful, but they're not as time consuming as a whole sweater or a long scarf.

 

Super Tote pattern by Noodlehead

I got a new sewing machine and was finally able to finish this bag that I started in December.  I've been calling it my Terminator bag.

Here's a better shot of the fabrics I used.