(Inside A Black Apple)

Hi there! I'm here.

Sorry for taking a wee, un-announced break there, and for worrying anyone that I worried.

I'm here!
I'm fine.

I've been getting work done, but also keeping it a little quiet at the Black Apple cottage.

A little of this...

(Enjoying Amy's book, which is every iota as wonderful as everybody says)

A little of that...

(munching on banana bread)

And a just a little of this, too:

PS: Thank you so much for the great update Tuesday!
There are a few original pieces in the shop at the moment, so take a gander if you're interested, as it doesn't happen too often.

PPS: I'm not getting about half of my comments via email...and I don't know why. I'll investigate, but in the meantime, it's probably best to email directly if you have an important question.

Found frames, and the girls who came to live in them...

I found some really cool thrifted frames/surfaces recently, and they were just right for mutating to my own purposes (that is, to paint them/paint IN them).

Coney Island Baby   9"x11"x1.5"    Acrylic on board
(dimensions included permanent vintage frame, which is hand-painted and distressed)

and...

Miss Littlehat     7"x10"x1"   Acrylic on wood panel/permanently affixed frame

I've had a longstanding, irrational hatred of women in top-hats (it crushed me whenever some artist would plop one on Death from The Sandman Series). Recently, I've decided that as much as I despise regularly-sized top-hats on ladies, proportionately to the opposite degree, I love a lady in a tiny top-hat.

PS: The only exception to the no-ladies-in-top-hats rule is Joanie Stubbs from Deadwood.

Happy Sunday everyone! I'll be back with dollies (hopefully) tomorrow.

I wish I had a chariot of Black Swans...

To Ride a Black Swan    11"x14"x1.5"     Acrylic on canvas

and this little androgyne I finished up yesterday:

Sam    8"x10"x1.5"     Acrylic on canvas
I really like that Sam's hair turned out a bit like a Bob's Big Boy mohawk.

Thanks for all the love about the creeping dunces! See you soon, with more pretties for the update.

Creeping Dunces

I'm posting a shop update next week, on Tuesday at 2 ET (New York time). If anyone needs any help with the time zone thing, here's what looks to be a helpful converter. I'm going to have quite a few originals (in addition to The Quiet Room, Illustrated Girl, and the Outlaw Diptych, I have some other new paintings that will be ready to show over the weekend). I'll also have a big batch of Sophie dolls (my other weekend project) aaaaanndd a gaggle of those little guys pictured up top.

These are the project I was alluding to mysteriously the other day.

I'm so very happy with these. I love the old duncies, and I'm sure I'll make more in the future, but I wanted to make a doll that was a bit more soft-sculpture. They are free-standing, weighted with a bit of rice, and comprised of wool felt (caps and backs), red and black striped quilter's cotton, and this beautiful, printable cotton that is so soft and really doesn't betray that it's printed (the faces really look painted).
I have this great vision of there being a whole herd of, say, 20 of them the next time I have a proper art-show. I'm going to finish two more black-capped ones for the update, so there will be three of each.

Happy weekend, my dears!
xoxo

Dear Tim Burton,

Please, please, PLEASE tell me that Sweeney Todd is going to be as good as it looks to be from this film-still. Please. You need redemption. You need it badly. You have the HBC, Alan Rickman, and the once-reliable Mister Depp at your disposal (all you're missing is Clive, for god's sake) .
Please, Tim. I need this...you need this...WE need this.

Don't screw this up for me...
er, us.   

A little beginning

This little drawing is the beginning of a new design/project that I'm really excited about. Prototypes and patterns have been made, so it's only a matter of honing it all now...

Just have to get a bunch of non-fun (packing + shipping) done today, and then I'm free to get back to working on this new idea. AND get cracking on a couple felt insects, since my Hillary-patterns came in the mail today. Lots of fun sewing to be done...I better keep the sewing mojo I'm feeling right now going strong.

Happy Tuesday, my sweet applets!

PS: For folks who are curious about the chicken + sauce + rice dish from this weekend, I'll try to get around to posting the recipe soon-ish, promise. Stay tuned!

A blossom of buttons

This little embroidered number (I'm SUCH an embroidery novice, so don't chuckle) is wool felt with vintage buttons mounted on an old brooch that had an unfortunate cabochon.

I made this little brooch late last night after a fun + exhausting dinner & movie (I made this summery, chicken + rice dish with a crazy-good sauce). The sauce is one of those things that can't help but be delicious because it is comprised of such tasty ingredients...white wine, chicken broth, cream, onion, garlic, lemon...mmmm.
We went to see Superbad (along with every person under the age of 20 in the Athens area, by the looks of the packed theater and obnoxious lines) which was mostly funny and good. Not Supergood...but who doesn't miss George Michael now that Arrested Development is no more? I know that I do.

I also finished up this little girl yesterday:

She's a gift for a very lovely lady and some equally cute little girls in the UK, who did a very special favor for me, and she'll be jetting off to her destination soon.

Enjoy the tail-end of the weekend!
I'm trying to figure out how to spend it...

Would you be an outlaw for my love?

 
An outlaw for my love      8"x10"x1" plaques    
Vintage wood plaque, paper, acrylic, ink

This is the "real life" view with the cute little round hangers at the top:

Off to make dinner (and, more importantly, cake!)

xoxo

Things I loved this summer

Not that the Summer is over (in Georgia, we've got til' late September before we can even THINK about a bit of Fall coming our way), but still, these are some nice things I became smitten with this Summer...

I tried to find links for all of the things that were link-able in any kind of useful way:

• France Gall, amazing French pop chanteuse that I am absolutely  obsessed with.
• S'mores (I don't think any linking is required here.) I got hooked on s'mores because they're actually pretty light, for a dessert (less than 150 calories) but are so satisfying and special.
• The "Up" series, gripping, incredible social experiment/documentary. I can't think of a single person I know who wouldn't really love this series...it's that iconic and human.
• The mighty Avocado...read some fun facts on wikipedia!
• O Lovelies socks from Sock Dreams. They are just...lovely.
• Fresca. I know it seems like an old-person drink, but it's soooo good. Perfect for summer.
• On the slightly risque front, Agent Provocateur. Their stuff is so beautiful (and yeah, a bit pricey). Don't click that link if you're easily troubled by sheer bras left un-airbrushed.
• Finally, running. Josiah and I started running together at the beginning of the summer (the worst possible time to start something like that), and we're still super slow and in the fetal stages of it, but (I think) it's good for me. It kicks my ass, but in a good way (again, I think).

Sigh... when I was little, I really hated the summer and craved the Fall. I would cry (yes, cry) when school ended in the Spring, and rejoice when it was time to go back. As I've gotten a bit older, I've gotten better and appreciating the different seasons for what they are, and the good things they bring, but I always seem to be over Summer just a little too early.

Happy Friday, my dears!

You are lovely (v 3.0)

The new "thank you" enclosure cards came, and I'm so pleased. I'm all over that little banner (I snagged it from an old drawing and popped it on here).

Today was a much, much better day.
I just worked at the computer and did totally boring stuff, but somehow, it was much better. We ended the evening with some 'ritas (I really love awesomely bad nicknames for things) and guacamole and such with my (our) lovely Sara and then saw my sweet friend Jenny sing. Thank you for all of the understanding-of-cranky-generally-bad-days comments yesterday. It means so much to know the heat is boiling most everyone's brains, and it's not just me.

See you tomorrow!