No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on April 5, 2010

But first a picture of Caroline in her Easter Finery

(Caroline in her blue and yellow flower dress with a yellow sweater, light blue leggings and white shoes)

And an announcement for those Proud Froudians in NYC.

Tomorrow (Tuesday April 6th 2010) at Books of Wonder ( 18 West 18th, NY NY 10011 between 5th and 6th street)

Brian and Wendy Froud are signing and talking about their new publication “The Heart of the Faerie Oracle” from 6pm to 8pm.

I can highly recommend this event. Brian and Wendy are great fun to talk to and the art work is just beautiful. Also Caroline and I might be there. We’re still deciding

And for those of you near or in Chicago. Wendy will be doing her critter making workshop April 30-May 2, 2010. There are only a few slots left and it is totally worth it.
And you too can make cool stuff like this

Goat Critter made in the Froud 2010 Critter Workshop

For more information on the worshop, contact Sherri Morgan (sherri (at) imaginosis (dot) com) for more information. And tell her that I send you.

I had a great time at the workshop. I met some really incredible artists there. I learned all kinds of neat techniques that I know I am going to use in the future including making hats and shoes. It is also nice to have the time to do nothing but work on my critter. Interruptions are just part of life but occasionally it is nice not to have any for a couple of days.

Caroline had one heck of a weekend. Peter took her to see “How to Train Your Dragon” in I-Max 3-D which, according to both of them, was amazing. They went to the Central Park Zoo and zipped past the line because we have a membership. And that was just Saturday. Sunday they went to see the Circus and had lunch at Mars 2112 and went around other parts of the city.

Pictures later once I recharge the cameras so I can get the photos off.

I am grateful that I took the workshop and Caroline had such fun with her daddy.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 3, 2010

Well this is how far I got which was the goal for the day

Head sculpted and baked.

You can’t see it in the picture but he is grinning and his teeth are showing slightly. I figure after I get it all painted, you’ll be able to see that detail better.

It’s funny how, now that I have done this a couple of time, that I am held to a high standard than someone who is taking the course for the first time. Wendy knows what I have done in the past and pushed me to be better this time around.

We had the usual silly moments that make this workshop memorable. There are discussions that I can honestly say I haven’t heard discussed anywhere else. Toby is there helping Wendy and we decided that he could say anything in his suave accent and make it sound sexy and a good idea. We then put the theory to the test and were proven right. And yes it does make me feel a little old that the baby from Labyrinth is now in his mid-20s.

Today is hands, feet, body and painting. Tomorrow is about painting and costume or lack there of. And then it will be done. Mwaahaaahaaahaaaaa!

I am grateful I am taking this course.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 2, 2010

I think I have most of what I need for the workshop today. I have to drive in to Queens which is always fun. I am giving myself about two hours for what is normally a one hour drive but I am going into traffic which is always fun. Then there is the parking but that is a whole other issue in itself.

We’ll see how the floor treats my feet for the day.

I am grateful I am going to this workshop.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 1, 2010

Happy April Fools Day! Watch your backs.

I was thinking about doing a total spoof web log entry but decided against it at the last minute.

I had a doctor’s appointment to follow up on my foot. He told me that it is not broken, but I knew that. He also told me that I have a mutant foot in a good way. I have extra bone where it is good to have extra bone. I also have one heck of a heel spur which has been building up over time. So we are back to the physical therapy that I have done before twice a day, ice 3 times a day, and no bare feet. The last one is the hardest because I live in bare feet. I only put on shoes to go outside the house. But since my foot needs more support than that, I will be shod.

This weekend is the Froud workshop. This year it is specifically creature making which piqued my interest. Yes, I have a lot going on this weekend and Peter is off to the West Coast next week, but I need this and Peter knows it. This is my retreat weekend. I get to go off and be creative without interruption for a couple of days. Kind of a rest button for my creative mind. And considering all the stuff that has been going on, I really need this.

Some day I am going to set up a photo retrospective of all the dolls I have made in Wendy’s workshop. I think this is my fourth one. It might be the fifth but I think it is the fourth. Either way, I have learned a lot and become a better doll maker and sculptor because of these workshops. This will set me up for what I want to do later for DragonCon and some other conventions. I will still do the puppets because those are my signature pieces.

So I am slowing shifting to my artistic brain by making a puppet of Ariel and a dragon for a swap. By tomorrow I’ll be in the making groove and all will be creative.

I am grateful for time to just let my artistic side out to play.

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Posted By Kathleen David on March 31, 2010

Ariel had class Monday so we didn’t do the Passover Seder until last night when she could be home. It was interesting because Caroline was old enough to read the four questions (Ariel sang them in Hebrew) this year. Caroline had a whole bunch of questions that we answered as we went. She understands that the last supper (or last dinner as she called it) was a Passover Seder and that the ritual has not changed since Jesus did it. She wanted to make sure she was the wise child. We had a fresh kosher turkey for dinner and it was much better than the last couple of turkeys we have had so that might be the way to go for good turkey.

So now I have a couple of things that MUST BE DONE before I am off on Friday to the Froud Workshop. I think I am going to do one today and one tomorrow, although one may have to slide into next week. Which I feel bad about but I have only so many hours and so long that I can stand these days with minimal pain. I am heartened that I do not have to take pain killers/anti-inflammatory medication around the clock. Now I tend to have to take something in the evening before bed, which is a far cry from where I was a week ago.

Our ground is so saturated that we had a bit of a back up from the septic tank. It sorted itself out but I had to clean and bleach the washer which is in the basement. Knock wood, but so far I don’t see any other problems. The lawn feels like a sponge when you walk on it. Rumor has it that the bright shiny light is going to return this afternoon. I hope so. We need some drying out time here.

I am grateful for the rain even with all the problems it is causing.

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