I'm in the TOP 10 for the Craftiest Bastard contest! Vote for me?!

**EDIT: I GOT THIRD CRAFTIEST BASTARD! THANKS GUYS!**

The Washington City Paper and Etsy are having a contest for those who participated in the Craftiest Bastard craft show! They sent an e-mail out saying who was in the top 10 of the Craftiest Bastard contest and I was among them! They didn't say who was where in the ranking, but maybe with a few more votes I'd have a chance at winning!

Please, if you have a moment, can you vote for Spiderbite Boutique? Just choose Spiderbite Boutique from the drop down menu found here:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards/craftiestbastard/?vendor_id=2695

I really appreciate the help! Oh, and above that's my niece Lauren Bullins, being so kind to dress up and be a monster mascot for the Spiderbite Boutique booth at Crafty Bastards!

New mystery product coming soon...

New products, new products, new products. That's the key to keeping a business fresh they say and my Spiderbite Boutique shop on Etsy is in need of some new products, methinks. I'm not going to tell you what they are, but here's a sneak peek at the prototype sketch:

 

It seems I just can't resist the faux-fur, but who can? It's so colorful and fluffy. These fuzzy fellows should be coming out shortly. Keep an or eye out in my shop or better yet, join my mailing list to find out when they arrive!

Wie geht's? Wunderbar!

The Austrian Magazine Nightline included Fribbler the Nightmare Snatcher journal in their February 2010 issue. Look at that, I'm on the same page as Nick Cave's book. Sweet! I had a very vague idea of what it said from my high school German class lessons, but Angelika of Purple Sage Designz was incredibly kind and translated it for me:


To commit yourself to the monster's care.  Nightmare Snatcher is another word for a notebook in the appearance of a plush monster to love (rather free translation, verbergen = to hide, note books that are hidden behind the name nightmare snatchers, like you wouldn't expect notebooks behind the expression). For example Fribbler is raven black and has sharp cuspid teeth. Rather frightening, but only rather (means it should be frightening, but is not really).


It's always fun to see your work written about in a foreign tongue, but worrisome too as they could be saying just about anything and you would be none the wiser. I'm relieved to find they had only positive things to say. I particularly like the description of him having 'sharp cuspid teeth' and since it was translated for me, I have been going around saying 'Rather (insert adjective here), but only rather.' I wonder if I could get a copy somehow. If only I knew someone in Austria...

If anyone is interested, here is the actual mag online. Fribbler can be found on page 8:

http://nightline.cc/aktuelleausgabe

Say hello to my little enemy...

You guys may or may not remember my little enemy drawing, but here he is above if you've forgotten. He's a little character from a story my dad and I wrote and I am currently illustrating.

Well, I recently did a test run for turning him into a sculpture. My reasons for doing this being that I would like to be able to look at him at all angles for various drawings, visualize him in various lighting situations, poses etc.... and Sculpey is fun! The test run is white, but I bought some bright yellow Sculpey for the finished little guy.

Hopefully the finished yellow fellow will have posable limbs etc. I'm still figuring the best way to do this. Here he is getting toasty in the oven:

And here is the little guy fresh from the oven, pre-sanding. Kinda reminds me of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. I believe the Rev commented on my previous post about poking him in the belly? Seems apt especially now that I see him in the round. I wish I could make him out of something squishy that would keep it's shape. Like Nerf or something. I'd squeeze him all up!

New Comp+New Camera = New Life to Blog?

I just bought a new computer machine this fall, a 21.5" iMac, to replace my 5 year old 12" iBook G4. It's the new love of my life. I mean look at it, it's so silver and shiny and HD ta boot. o_O The magic mouse and keyboard are great, but I keep forgetting to shut off the mouse and it wears out the batteries. If you get one be sure you have rechargeable batteries for it, unless you own stock in Energizer or something.

Now that I bought a new compy, my HP Photosmart camera that came free with my mom's printer a year or so ago just seemed so pitiful in comparison to this behemoth of modern technology. So, today I bought a Canon Rebel XS.

The only way I could justify these expenditures was to say I'm literally and figuratively going for broke on the art this year. I have a ton of new stuff to start posting and as soon as my camera gets here I shall photograph it and it shall be posted!

My dear readers, if I have any left, be prepared for an art-alanche! Which everyone knows is an avalanche of art.