Sprucing up the joint

Also, I'm reworking the look of things.  So expect some different looks and disappearing widgets over the next couple days while I figure out just what I'm wanting to do here.

Rock Band etched glasses

Rock Band etched glasses
Originally uploaded by melusian

I would take a moment to address my lax posting habits, but we've already done that before.

Ridiculously demanding job: over! (of my own choice, don't worry).

Baby: bouncing, beautiful, and now capable of entertaining herself for up to ten minutes at a time.

Result: I have time to be creative again (and write about it!).

Coming Attractions:
-Pics of my new (to me at least) craft room, because babies and art supplies are best kept away from one another.
-I'm sewing again, so of course I'll be needing to show all of those projects off.
-Paintings in progress

In the meantime, I finally got around to taking a photo of these pub glasses I etched a few months back. Good way of keeping track of your drink during a Rock Band party. Until someone decides to switch instruments. Or you're harmonizing.

Movie review: Alice in Wonderland

With Baby Alice visiting with Mommom and Poppop, we found ourselves with the golden opportunity to take in a movie.  Top of the list:  Alice in Wonderland.

Pros:  Like all Tim Burton movies, it is if nothing else a decadent double chocolate gourmet hot fudge sundae for the eyes.  I wanted nothing more than to run home and start drawing.  In fact, I shall be doing so as soon as I finish typing this.  The theming and contrasting of everything Red Queen/White Queen was especially well-done, as well as the transitions of Alice’s costuming as she shrank and grew. 

My favorite costuming, though, would have to be in the “real world” of Alice.   While being unmistakably Victorian, there were still very subtle elements in little places.   A quirky fabric choice or a pattern with contemporary flair took them a step further than the standard period look, emphasizing the general “off” feeling of the entire film.

As far as performances go, new starlet Mia Wasikowski does a great job as Alice.  I’m looking forward to seeing more of her.  I loved Anne Hathaway’s affectations as the ethereal White Queen.  She is one of my favorite actresses, and it was great to see her do something so different from her usual roles.  Of everyone in the film, she looked like she was actually having a lot of fun!  Alan Rickman was very well cast as the voice of the Caterpillar.  But then, I just adore the sound of his voice.  Seriously.  I want him to be my ringtone.

And Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter?  Not bad, just…a standard Johnny Depp performance for a Tim Burton movie.  While an amazingly versatile actor, its getting hard to differentiate  between his '”crazy” roles (i.e. Wonka).  Although his recitation of “Jabberwocky” did give me a happy chill.

Cons:  Don’t be fooled—this is still a Disney film.  And like everything Disney, there is an insistence on a plotline, even if it has to be shoehorned in there.  Anyone ever been on the original version of Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom?  “Little Red is OK!” Heaven forbid we just ride in the truck and let the real animals be the stars.

The original Alice in Wonderland is less an actual story, and more a series of vignettes.  Yes, there is the overall little-girl-has-a-dream-and-then-wakes-up arch, but really, it’s about exploring what’s around the next corner of Wonderland, and watching Alice interact with the characters she encounters.

I realize this version takes place years after and apart from the original story.  However, (and the SyFy Channel’s recent version of ‘Alice’ is guilty of this also), the wacky personalities of Wonderland are meant to be simply visited and observed for a short while.  They aren’t meant to DO things.  Not to fight epic battles.  Not to have romantic entanglements with Alice.  Not to get down with their bad selves in a pop-style victory block party dance off. 

Oh Johnny.  You were about 10 more dancing seconds away from a movie ending FAIL.

While it doesn’t quite live up to the hype, it is still a good and quite enjoyable movie, and a must see for any Alice or Johnny Depp fan. 

And while I’m on the subject of cinema:  is anyone else tired of everything being in 3D?  I’ve lived through the 80’s once already, thanks.

Getting back in the saddle

Yes, I’m still alive.

So now I have two months of motherhood under my belt.  Little Miss Alice is doing fantastic, is very wiggly, and always seems to have something to say about everything (not her fault that it all just comes out in eeee’s and ooooo’s)

   I was told how much having a baby would change my life, but I didn’t realize just how much that would be until I experienced it for myself. The past couple months have just flown by.  With babies, there’s ALWAYS something to do!

However, everyone is beginning to settle down, allowing me to take up pencils and keyboard once again.  It feels good to do some drawing.  Here’s a couple sketches I’ve done for some fantasy painting ideas:

  Hopefully I’ll get the chance soon to transfer and paint!

I’m also sketching for one of my husband’s tabletop game setting projects, and brainstorming some new stained glass ideas.  I would like to rejoin the outdoor festivals and art shows this fall, and now is the time to start building inventory. 

I’m also sharing some photos of commissions from the past few months, now that I have gotten around to uploading the photos:

    All in all, my plan for the year is to refresh my business, what I offer, and how I market.  And, of course, push myself to be a better artist.  It’s time to evolve!

Alice has arrived!

Belatedly announcing the birth of Alice Danger Moira Davis! (Yes, Danger is her middle name)

Our baby girl was born December 16, 2009 at 5:35 pm.  (Mommom’s birthday too!)  She clocked in at 7 lb 8 oz and 18 inches, and gave her mama quite a time!  She is absolutely gorgeous, and quite strong and curious already.  And so expressive! She’s very vocal, and makes lots of faces.  Alice is thriving, getting bigger every day, and stops traffic everywhere she goes.

Its been a whirlwind the past couple weeks, w/ the holidays, visitors, and a particularly nasty cold, and I apologize for taking so long to post the good news.

I hope everyone had as spectacular a Christmas as we did, and wishing you all a happy new year!

Home stretch

The end is nigh!  Since I'm walking around at just about 5 cm dilated already, the plan is to induce labor tomorrow morning.  Alice will be Mommom's birthday present!

I know that I won't be getting much sleep after she arrives, but even those couple hours at a time are sounding very nice right about now.  That, and fitting into something besides flip flops and the two shirts I have left..  Let's get this baby out before the Macy's parade people call!

So, a couple nights ago, I dreamed I went for a walk.  There I was, minding my own business, when complete strangers start walking up to me and handing me bottles of cleaning supplies. Telling me things like "That baby isn't here yet because your house is a mess!" or "She won't come until you have that place spotless!  Get moving!".

Eventually, I'm waddling through my neighborhood, with an overflowing armload of Lysol bottles, Clorox wipes, etc., while neighbors (one of which I think was the lady from the Pine-Sol commercials--when did SHE move in?!) are leaning out of the windows and hollering from their doorsteps at me to get cleaning, because that baby doesn't want to see a messy house.

But, my house IS clean.

The parts of it I can reach at least.

Places lizards should not be found

It’s been too long since I blogged. 

Would a funny story make up for my seeming betrayal?

Good!  Here goes…

Lately Miss Alice has been making sleep even more of a challenge than it usually is for me.  There is alot of shifting and a mountain of pillows of all shapes and sizes involved.  And don’t even get me started about what a production it is to fight through all of this when I need to exit the bed.

About 4am last night, I’m sleeping soundly for once.  Suddenly, I find myself standing at the end of the bed, fully awake and in some sort of plastic action figure battle pose.  All I remember is seeing a small, black, mean-looking lizard on my pillow next to me.  As in NEXT TO MY HEAD.  Unacceptable.

After a thorough search of the bed and surrounding area, including shaking out every one of the aforementioned mountain of pillows, I came up with no lizard.  Did I imagine him?  Dream him?  Is he just that fast?  I still don’t know.

Meanwhile, my back really hurts.  Turns out that, when triggering my reflexive ninja backflip from the bed, my brain failed to take into account the fact that my body is over 8 months pregnant.  Picture a hippopotamus trying to make it through the obstacle course on American Gladiators.  That’s a normal day for me right about now.  I won’t be surprised if Alice is born with a Nerf gun in hand.

So the rest of my night is spent in various locations throughout the house with a sprained back, trying to doze.  One cat, assuming that since I’m up, I should obviously be serving breakfast, follows me around poking at me.  Alice is inside kicking furiously, as if to say “What’s going on?  I can’t see a thing!”

Husband comes home from work, listens to my tale, checks the bed, proclaims me absolutely insane, and peacefully falls asleep in the lizard-infested bed without another thought. 

I do wonder if this entire episode is nothing more than the result of the small person inside of my just being hungry.  Or perhaps the imaginary lizard was eating imaginary bugs in the bed, which happen to be a recurring nightmare of mine.  In that case, I’ll let him do his imaginary job.

Let the husband deal with him now.