Totally forgot about it being the end of the week...

What did I do this week?
-worked on "sculptures"
-worked on comissioned drawing
-worked on "doodles of the day" (I think it will be a continuing thing...we'll see)
-prayed that we would get a half day on Friday (that didn't happen)

For the weekend:
-working on "sculptures"
-preparing for my birthday...yes, yes...the big 2-7 on the 4th.
-relaxing!!!
-working on my dad's christmas presents
-working on a comissioned drawing- to be completed by Monday
-going to see the parents

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Just a Farmer...

A combination of my dad, my granddad, and my uncle.
I'm bored. And this is totally incomplete. The only thing that will do it justice is a nice paint bath in photoshop...or illustrator...which ever I get to first.

This makes me think that I should totally write a childrens book about farming. I've already got the main character- "Farmer Fred".

Is this day over yet?

Elf vs. Garden Gnome

Doodle of the Day

This could totally be the next great UFC fight. You know...if Gnomes or Elves were allowed to cage fight. I'm pretty sure Santa is totally against cage fighting. And Gnomes...well...they have a deal with Travelocity, so I don't think the cage fighting gig would work out too well for them.

anyway. I started on a commissioned drawing this morning, didn't finish it, got bored- started knitting, didn't finish...and then this idea hit me for some retarded reason. Whatever.

10 calls so far. 3 faxes. Love the day after Thanksgiving. This is so much better than Christmas shopping with all of the crazies...did you hear about the guy who died at wal-mart in New York because of the people storming the doors??? Yeah, it's why I don't shop on this day.

The day after Thanksgiving

I drew "gobble gobble" on Tuesday, for a "doodle of the day" post for yesterday. Did I even see my computer yesterday? The answer is no.

Anyway.

I hope everyone had a joyous and fat Thanksgiving. I know I did.

I'm working today. Actual work work. With nothing to do really. I've had one phone call in the last hour- and it was from someone who works here- so that doesn't count. I'll probably draw today. Or knit. Whichever comes first i guess.

Seriously, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Hope everyone enjoys leftovers!

Doodle of the Day

Title: "Calamari?"

Tools used: 5.5" x 12" paper, Pigma Micron 01 pen

Date started: 11/26/08

Date completed: 11/26/08

Yesterday I was screwing around, doodling some crazy weird stuff and drew an octopus (image at the bottom of this post). I don't know why, but I get all nervous when I draw a "cartoony" figure, and I don't want to fill it in, or shade it, or color it- because I have a feeling that if I do any of that, it'll come out wrong and I will be wishing I had used a different media. So yeah. This guy came about from my design from yesterday. I'm actually going to start a "sculpture" after all of this holiday madness is over. It'll be a "holder" for my airbrush. This is kind of a rough idea of what it might look like. I think it might be cool looking to have an octopus holding an airbrush.

So this is the little guy from yesterday. I think I like him better all cramped on one tiny page better than all spred out. But whatever.

Happy Thanksgiving!

An End of The Week Update...early in the AM

Have I done anything this week? Um, yes.

- Completed all of my mom's Christmas presents
- Began painting "sculptures"- will continue to do so this weekend
- Received all of the books I ordered from knitpicks.com and began knitting giant squares for said Afgan that will be completed in time for the end of the world in 2012 (using patterns in one of the books...that's why mentioning the books was in there...).
- Bought my first pair of Converse (no mom, they don't make my feet look giant)...red :)
- Decided that I really really really want to be a tattoo artist.
- Cleaned my room (I'm starting to sound like I'm 10 years old.)
actually, the whole cleaning thing...it's bad. While I was home sick on Monday, I watched a marathon of some cleaning show on BBC America where the ladies wear frilly gloves to clean other people's dirty dirty homes. And well...the show freaked me out. Not that my place is anywhere as gross as the places they clean, but it made me realize I'm living in clutter, dusty, craptastic messiness and something has to be done. Hence, all week I've been cleaning after work.
- I've adapted to cold weather. Shock of all shockers. It's 36 degrees outside and I walked out of the house in a sweater and didn't immediatly go into shock. I think it's safe to say, that if I decide to move back to Wisconsin, I think I could handle the coldness. Even bigger of a shock, when they said it would be 36 degrees this morning I got all excited, and might have started doing a happy dance.

Anyway, when I have some pictures I'll post again, so if I'm not posting for 2 weeks I appologize. Have a great weekend everyone...and if I don't post before- Happy Turkey Day!!!

Nothing New

I'm not feeling so well these days. I avoided my parents all weekend because they both have sinus infections and I didn't want to get sick. However, magically, one of Gonzo's friends who we were hanging out with on Friday night and on Sunday has a sinus infection...I do not have a sinus infection, but I was sick yesterday. So sick that sitting in front of the tv, wrapped in a blanket was painful. Laying in bed trying to rest was painful. Then getting to work this morning I saw a headline on msn.com about some intestinal "thing" that is in grocery store meat. This could definitely be what I have. My innerds hate me right now.
I also like to contribute any "sick" feelings that I have to my natural human need to want to hybernate when it gets cold outside. Seriously, I think I'm part of that human species that is required to hybernate from mid-November until mid-March. I mis-took that for "seasonal depression" while living in Wisconsin (self diagnosis here people, it saves on therapy visits).
Anyway, while I feel a gazillion times better than I did yesterday (kind of), I still feel ill (left over from yesterday and new "stuff"). I woke up with a sore throat. I swear to everything that is holy, if anyone gave me a sinus infection I will...deal with it with o.t.c. drugs and get on with my life...but if I see you again...you're getting the stink eye.

I have pictures!!!

Yeah!!! Pictures!!!! And my square pile is growing!!! That's what I have done so far. Seriously...I don't even know the finished size of a blanket that I want yet...I'm just knitting squares. Can we say a disaster is on the way???

Ok, I know I have been saying that I have all of these projects and nothing to show for. Well I do have a lot to show, but just can't right now. But I'm going to give away some hints in the next pictures, just to make all 2 of you happy.

One of the "projects" that I'm working on is so top secret that you won't be seeing any pictures until it's done.

But I will show you one of the "projects" that I'm working on for one of my family members. Anyone want to take a guess as to what it is? You won't guess it, I promise. I took the picture so it's all overexposed and whatnot- you won't guess it.

And because I really enjoyed hanging out with my friend Jessica in Wisconsin, and seeing her two darling horses again- I've started drawing her male horse- Prinz. He was eating when the photo was taken, so pardon the jaw placement. He looks like he wants to say something...or spit...which I wouldn't put it past this horse to do.

Anyway. That's my Friday post. That's part of what I've been working on this week and part of what I will be working on all weekend. Hope everyone is as excited that it's Friday as I am. Can I take a nap now?

Break time

I'm taking a "grape-break" from drawing (and obviously it's a blog break as well). I've worked on so much knitting and drawing and cutting out "tags" in the last two days that I can officially say that I'm pretty sure I'm going to have arthritis soon. Oddly enough after all of the "tag" maddness last night, even my left hand hurt...including wrist, and I didn't think I was using it. Anyway, I need to finish up part 2 of my mom's Christmas present before the end of the day...because tonight I would really like to work on the "sculptures"- I only have 3 1/2 weeks left to complete them. I swear...I'll get a picture up...soon. I was going to take pictures at lunch, but the power was out at the house, so there was no light, and quite frankly I couldn't see much of anything- so I scraped that idea. I swear I'll post something picture-ific soon.

Beginning of the Week Update

-I finished part 1 of my dad's Christmas present (2 parts left to complete)
-I began part 2 of my mom's Christmas present and I'm about 1/2 way finished with it
-I sanded "sculpture #1" of my ubber secret sculpture-type-project
- and now I'm chilling out, waiting for lunch time. I might start to knit a square. "Might" is growing into a strong "will".
When I can post pictures of anything I will. Sorry, this blog is going to be pretty pictureless unless I get some "none holiday" drawings or knitting going.

so...many...projects...

and I can't post pictures of any of them!!!! The best and the worst part of the year...where I have a lot going on, and can't share anything.
Needless to say it's Friday. Which means this weekend I'm going on a scavenger hunt for sand paper, and tags. I can't tell you why.
I'm knitting more squares...I think I knitted a total of 3 or 4 yesterday- no pictures. Why? I know they aren't a secret or anything- but because I'm not taking pictures of my other goodies I figured the urge to photograph "everything" all while my camera is on, was too great, so I just haven't taken any pictures. (that's a lie, I totally took a picture of part 1 of my dad's christmas present this morning...and I'm not doing anything with it- he reads this blog- Hi Dad!)

So yeah, I still have 4 1/2 "things" to finish for "family" gifts...2 drawings to finish for a friends gift (but I can post those, she knows I'm drawing them for her). 2.5 statues to create (well finish, they are already "sculpted" per-say). And I'm still accepting orders for drawings for the holidays!!! We'll see how the next 2 weeks go- I may still accept drawings until December. You can always contact me to find out when the cut off is, or if you want me to do a drawing- it's been slow, so I'm sure I can work you in(ASBTSF@gmail.com).

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Socks! Pair #2

I hate buying varigated yarn...to make socks...and you knit one sock- then you knit the other one with the second ball of yarn...of the same dye lot and color as the first ball of yarn...and the socks don't match...

Granted I still like them. Yes, one is severly misfigured...although i can't figure out which one. The one with the large orange stripes has been in my backpack, with all of my knitting stuff for over a week. The other one (on the top) was actually the one I finished today. I think it just needs to be stretched a little.

You'll also see a square in the picture. That's square #5. It's tiny! 2" x 2". I'm going to make some more since there's no point in trying to use the last of the mis-matched yarn with matching dye lots. (AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!)

Oh yeah, I also- FINALLY- bought a copy of "Drunk, Divorced & Coverd in Cat Hair" by Crazy Aunt Purl. www.crazyauntpurl.com is her blog of hilarity. I'm already to chapter 6 and I just got it in the mail last night (Amazon.com people, it's where I buy stuff). Great book so far!

I'm almost finished with part one of my dad's Christmas present...and I'm so excited about how it's turning out that I really really really want to post pictures of it. But I won't. Because I'm not spoiling the surprise. Seriously, I'm shocked with how well this is turning out. Me, shocked. Yeah. Shocked (I totally just typed "socked"...and laughed...it's fixed now).

"Callie" and "The Langs"

First things first, I drew 2 drawings yesterday!!! 2!!! That's a record. I guess starting both of them the day before helped out a little...but still! The majority of the work was done yesterday.

So here's the first one. While on my vacation to Wisconsin, I stayed with my friend Jessica (the one with the bad knee), and she has this cat named Callie. The last time I saw the cat she was a full grown adult cat. This time, we met 16lb. diabetic Callie. She's huge! But cute and fluffy and I wanted to sneak her away in my suit case and bring her home! But I don't do well with the insulin shots and all.

So anyway, as a thank you to Jess, I wanted to draw her adorable Callie- so this will be shipping off to her soon.

And then I had been bitten pretty hard by the drawing bug yesterday, so I went to work on drawing #2:

This is my friend Heather (who I also visited on vacation a few weeks ago- I posted her picture with the vacation pics), and her husband Eric. I was part of their wedding, and promised to draw their wedding picture- but didn't get to see the professional pics until this trip. So I figured it was time to get this one cranked out as well.

I'll be shipping this out as soon as I compile a cd of all the pictures and fun times that Gonzo and I took while with Heather.

Anyway. That's what I wanted to share for now. I'll be starting sock number 4.5 today, and maybe knitting a few squares. I started to roll my second skien of yarn to make sock #2 of the pair and it was split...so I have a tiny ball of left over yarn that I'll probably knit out first. I hate when skiens are split! I paid for one whole one...not part of one with a tiny ball...geez!

History being made

I worked on 6 drawings last night. 6 drawings! That's a record for me. Granted none of them look like anything other than outlines...with a few rough squiggles, but seriously- that's insane, even for me.
It's all of those drawings that I have to get done by Christmas (the presents for loved ones). I'll only work on them one at a time now. 6 at once. Whew!

I also finished sock #3.5 yesterday afternoon. I didn't take any pictures yet. I figure I'll wait until I get the other one finished and take a picture of the pair...not on my feet. I kind of like how this one turned out. I kind of mixed several patterns together to get the kind of sock that I wanted...and then I kind of made part of it up...because that's how I roll.

But yeah, today I'm hoping to get at least one of the drawings 1/2 way to 100% of the way finished, and be able to cross it off of my list of things that need to be finished.

Oh yeah, and it's election day.

TM

I had this whole post typed out about my pricing, and how I'm proud that I've stayed consistant for almost an entire year, without having to increase or decrease my prices...and about a stupid discount program I was thinking about starting for repeat customers (as a thank you) and how it's tanking because people feel that I'm insulting them and their pocket books by not offering the discount to start with. But I'm scrapping that post for a more upbeat one!!

A Shade Better Than Stick Figures is trademarked now!!! Yeah!!! So I guess I should start labeling everything A Shade Better Than Stick FiguresTM ? I think this is the one thing I am most proud of owning. Granted it's like the "garage business", as I work out of my messy living room- which is actually a bedroom...One day I hope to have a store front...or at least my own studio. I think I would like a studio actually- one where people can pop into during the day (yes day...because by then it will be my full time job), and request drawings in person, or hang around and admire some prints of previous drawings that I've done (I won't let people watch me draw because I hate when people watch me draw- I get paranoid and can hear them in my head, judging every line and thinking to themselves- "why did she just draw it like that? Why didn't she put a line over here?" When in all actuality they are probably just watching and thinking "I wish I could draw like that" or "that's awesome!" I'm weird, the artist who doesn't want to be watched...let me blend with the wall paper folks)
I've actually been toying with the idea of seeing about renting an airconditioned storage space and "using" it as my "studio". Like going there after work and on weekends...but I don't know if they allow such madness at places like U-Store-It, or U-Haul, or any of the many storage places which all names have escaped me. It's not like I would tell people where I was, I would just use it to keep all of my drawing stuff there...and maybe actually buy a real drawing table...a nice dark cherry colored wooden drafting type table...that's adjustable...that I would be able to use in my nice clean storage unit. Where there's no tv to distract me...and maybe I would have an ipod dock, so I could turn some music on.
I know in Princeton Texas...some crazy amount of miles from my house...they have these great places that look like a storage facility, but they have a bay door, like for mechanic work, with a store front door. Some have glass front doors, others have a plain white door, everything's locked. But I have often dreamt about getting one of those so I could have art shows every once in awhile, and just open the bay door to let people in and wander around my "suite"...but it's in Princeton, and the likelyhood that I would go out there every weekend is slim to none, so it wouldn't really constitute the expense. But if they have any closer to the DFW area I might consider it.
But yeah...I dream...I dream big.

Anyway, I also wanted to say thank you to all of the many people who have helped make my first official year (technically I've been doing this since 2004, just not under the A Shade Better Than Stick FiguresTM name), with A Shade Better Than Stick FiguresTM a real adventure. Without everyone who has requested drawings there wouldn't be an A Shade Better Than Stick FiguresTM- there would just be some goofy girl with a pencil and some paper doodling. Thanks a million everyone! I hope to do business with all of you again! And I hope that you all truly love the drawings that I have done for you!!! THANK YOU!!!

It's a Monday

Please note! Drawing requests for holiday orders (to be delivered by December 24th, 2008) will now be accepted up until November 15th, 2008!!! Please get your orders in As Soon As Possible!!!


5" x 5" Magic Square, Square. Definitely needs to be blocked, but it's another in my lovely line of "squares" that will eventually be made into a blanket.

I have so many on-going projects, and so many "need to get them done by Christmas" projects (granted the later of the 2 are all presents for family members), that my mind has officially traveled to "the bad place" and is acting like it doesn't want to have anything to do with knitting needles, or clay. FRUSTRATING! But at least it gives me time to draw! Something I'm really in the mood to do right now.

This weekend I worked on the sculptures that I can't really discuss in detail as of now, but will post pictures the minute I am able to. I attempted to finish sock number 3.5, and sadly only worked about 8 rows of the foot before deciding that crap TV was way better than knitting. Sadly I didn't work on any part of my dad's Christmas present- which means I'll be doing double time from here on out on his present, as well as the remainder of my parents, and friends presents.
I shrank my socks in the wash on Thursday night. Those lovely pink strippedy- ugliness socks from a couple of posts ago. But magically I can still fit my gigantic feet in them and stretch them enough that they fit. I'm amazed!

I actually dressed up on Halloween, as I mentioned on Friday...but afterwork I hit it to the 9's in rock-a-billy make-up, shirt and rolled pants with classic high heels. I totally felt like Rosie the Riveter! Then we went to Gonzo's mom's house and passed out candy to all of 10 kids. 10 kids! What the heck happened to kids and trick-or-treating??? We have so much left over candy that I'm bringing most of it to work in hopes that my co-workers will eat it all.

Yesterday Gonzo and I did something we swore we wouldn't do. We rented "The Happening". Please note that I am extremely picky when it comes to movies. Extremely picky. I loved the "6th Sense". I liked "Unbreakable". I own "Signs". I never saw "Lady in the Water". And nearly walked out of "The Village". M. Night Shama-lama-ding-dong has made it really hard for me to even want to get excited about his movies. Seriously. But I had already been told the gist of "The Happening", which really irritated me that that's how the movie went- prior to seeing it. But low and behold, the movie didn't suck. Sure some of the acting was bad. Some of the things that happened in the movie were really unbelievable. But over-all, for what it was, the movie was pretty good. I didn't think that it was a "horror" movie per-say. It was more of a suspense movie...with an R rating. Maybe even knowing what the end was, helped me like the movie? I don't know. But if you are ever bored some night and haven't seen it, "The Happening" will at least give you one or two laughs, and maybe one or two "duh" moments. Plus there's a lot of pretty sick and twisted things in there that will make you go "what in the..." yeah, so it's not bad. He's re-newed my interest in his movies. That could be a bad thing in the long run...but for now, I see it as a positive.

Please note! Drawing requests for holiday orders (to be delivered by December 24th, 2008) will now be accepted up until November 15th, 2008!!! Please get your orders in As Soon As Possible!!!