Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Stupid Computer

Well, I had the money to get the BJD I had wanted for  a while and I was about to order it, then  I got a "blue screen of death" from my computer. I really really dislike these things but they are necessary tools. SO it looks like instead of the cute little elf I had planed to by (that will surely be sold out before I have any chance of getting the money for it again), I will be putting the $300 towards a new computer. Not a happy way to end the year!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Trash to Treasure

I thought I would show off the nice little oil lamp I found at our local "Antique Mall". This is not a valuable antique, it cost me like $3. If you look at the top clear green area on the shade area, that is what color the whole shade was. I used a Sharpie marker for the black "leading" and suncatcher paint for the color parts. The bottom/body of the lamp was clear glass, I used an all purpose brushed bronze paint to make it look like a metal lamp. This is 5 inches high by about 2 1/2 at the broadest part of the shade. This is one of my treasures collected and used in the rooms I have for my BJDs.


Saturday, December 28, 2013

Hi From the Boys

Today I was able to get 2 of my BJDs restrung...that means they had to be taken apart completely and re-put together. Thankfully a nice young lady was willing and able to do this for me.
This is Trevi (the little one, who did not need restrung), Ian (the redhead, who was to tight) and Aidan (the blond who was to floppy)!  Aidan also got the spiffy new outfit he is wearing and the great new boots seen here also. They are standing in front of the fireplace  I built (and shelves I bought). I am so happy to have them now posable!!

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Cat Boy Commission, Now With Wings

This is the next shot of the cat boy commission I am doing. Originally the boy this is for and off wanted a cape but realized that would not look that good so asked if I could give him eagle wings. So here it is with wings and once the background gets done there will be final touches and it will be done. 

Dr. Who Fan Boy Moment

I forgot to post this back on Thanksgiving weekend. At the convention I was at I got to hold one of the pieces of the actual Key to Time! For those long time Dr. Who fans who know more than just the past 3, you know what that is. To those new fans, during the Tom Baker era, there was a story arc called the Key to Time and it had several parts (the actual key was a Crystal puzzle, made of Lucite or acrylic or some other transparent plastic.) At Darkover this past Thanksgiving weekend one of the people there had in her possession one of the actual parts to that puzzle and I got to hold it! One of my few "squwee" moments...it was just cool.
More than 20 years ago I did get to pet the real K9 and operate the TARDIS controls! The Maryland Science Center had a Dr. Who exhibit  and I was a volunteer who got to actually take people through the exhibit, run the TARDIS controls and like I say, pet the real K9 etc. It was very cool back before Dr. Who was so huge here. 

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Homade Gifts

I made this for my husband as a Christmas gift, well it is for his BJD Dustfinger. It is a miniature but not exactly small (I already wrapped it so will have to give measurements at a later time). This is painted plywood, Acrylic and metallic paint and cloth covered foam seat. 49



Christmas Myth

Do you know any adult that believes in Santa Claus? I mean not as an idea, but as a real living person who delivers toys to good boys and girls on Christmas eve. Of course you don't! We all grow out of that belief, even if we will always love and promote the idea of Santa. He stands for good and happy things and we need that in the world. But, Santa is a myth.

So why do people. otherwise intelligent adults still believe in "Jesus" and his amazing, mythical life and death? Yes, the idea of Jesus is a good one, the idea that some god came down and died to save us. But come on, we supposedly believe that he was "born of a virgin", which now we take to mean his mother never had sex...but the word virgin did not mean that at the time of the Bible. Virgin only means young woman, it has nothing to do with her sexual activities, only that she is young and female. We are supposed to believe that the birth of the "Christ Child" changed the world...how? Other than switching the titles of those in control, nothing much has changed. He was supposed to be the "Prince of Peace" and bring "good will to all men", but I see none of that in the world. If he is an all powerful God and was supposed to bring the world peace, he failed! There is no more (or less) peace on this planet now than before his reported birth. His death was also supposed to change things...again, no evidence of this exists. You can say "But I have a personal relationship with him and feel saved", well, good for you. But that is not proof of anything but your feelings/beliefs! At one time millions of people believed in Ra and the Egyptian Gods, that lasted for many more thousands of years than Christianity has but it is not proof of anything.   

You may say that it is a unique and uplifting story that millions believe...again, not really. Everything found in the Christmas story and overall story of Jesus was done before. There are many son's of Gods or Gods who have supposedly been "born of a virgin", had come to earth to "save" everyone who believed in them. Many died and came back and overall, nothing is new or unique about the Jesus story.

Christianity is a mix of Jewish ideas, Greek and Roman Mythology and modern propaganda. I was a Christian for the vast majority of my life, I was a strong believer. I studied for the ministry and know much about what the Bible says and why. But in the end, I have come to understand that it is a Myth! The message of Jesus is a positive one (even if 90% of his so called followers don't actually do anything he said to do). But in the end, to believe in Jesus and the whole Christmas/Christian myth, is as unrealistic as still believing in Santa!

Listen Close, Happy Holidays!

http://videos.komando.com/watch/4567/kims-christmas-music-not-your-typical-christmas-song

Demon Fan Art

This is a bit of fan art, sort of...I did it as a possible Christmas gift for a friend. She is very particular (and so am I so I understand) and may not love it, if she does, it is her's, if she doesn't, it will be for sale. (She liked it but did not want it).
This is from the Anime series, InuYasha, it is his half brother Sesshomaru, my friend and my favorite character from the series.
I tried to do it in a somewhat Japanese print style. The kanji says "Demon Lover" it is 7 x 17 1/2, Acrylic, Micron marker and Pro White on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 50.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Cat Boy Commission Continues

Here is another step in the commission I am currently working on. I still have background and wings to paint and details to finish up.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Gay Sex Banned in India?

So, it seems India has made gay sex and there fore being gay illegal. Funny how this never made the news until the Indian woman got arrested here and they made a fuss about it.

How can such an old and huge country ban homosexuality? I can not understand the stupidity of some people!

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/12/the-dubious-arguments-for-indias-gay-sex-ban.html

Perfect Doll Bad Timing

http://www.dollclans.com/shop/step1.php?number=1

This doll has almost the perfect face to be my vampyre character Valentene, he needs pointed ears but otherwise he is SO close! But he is only available till the 22 of Dec. and there is NO way I can have that kind of money in time...ah well.

Just look at his features and this drawing of Valentene;

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Gift From My Son

He is in jail and we have some real problems between us, but he just sent me two drawing he did. I had just told my grandson's grandmother how a drawing from his son would be a great gift for my son in jail and he sends me two drawings he did. They mean more to me than any store bought gift. I am calling this one "Black Knight", he did it with an ink pen on lined writing paper (I did my best to clean it up and remove the lines). It is about 5 1/2 x 10 1/2.  The other is a hand with an eye in the palm, also ink pen on scrap paper (not lined and not cleaned up) roughly 8 1/2 x 11. Both are copyright Joe Gravelle.



Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Cutie in a Hat

Here is my cute little BJD Trevi in the Steampunk hat I made.

Cat Boy Commission

I was commissioned at Pennsic to do a portrait of a boy who is 7 (I think), I took pictures to work from and got his input of what he wanted. He wanted to be a cat boy, Cheetah specifically, with Eagle wings. This is the WIP for it so far.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

More Tiny Steampunk

This is my second doll hat in a Steampunk style. This first the Larger adult dolls. It is about 5 1/2 long, 4 1/2 wide and 2 1/2 high, it is a felt hat with leather band, metal gears and Acrylic jewel and Cherries decoration, with flocked acanthus. It has hand painted bronze details. "Steampunk Cherries hat" front side and back side views. For sale! 48


Saturday, December 7, 2013

Tiny Steampunk

This is my first foray into the Steampunk fashion field. It is a small black felt hat that I bought and then decorated. This fits the Fairyland LittleFee BJD and the MSD size BJDs (the size of my Ian and Aidan). I am very happy with how it came out and may make more to sell is any doll owners would like one. I have the next larger size that fits the adult size dolls and will post it once I decorate it. This is 4 1/2 long, 4 wide and 2 high. 47


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

This Years Holiday Cards

I have done 2 designs for our Holiday cards for several years now. This year I used art from 2009 and from 2013, the first was designed as a Holiday card but never used until now. The second was done just as a picture but I decided I liked it enough to see how it would work as a Holiday card and it works great I think! So here is "Red Star Angel" and "Winter Flight".


Monday, December 2, 2013

Legal

After 29 years (it will be our 30th year together as of next year) and after one wedding 20 years ago when there was NO legal gay marraige anywhere i this country, Don and I have as of today become legally married! It was a simple, Justice of the Peace ceremony at the courthouse but now we are legally recognised by the State of Maryland and the Federal Government as a married couple!


Sunday, December 1, 2013

The End of Darkover

Well this weekend was the very last Darkover Con, after 36 years of doing a convention based on and for fans of Marrion Zimmer Bradley's, Darkover novels, it has come to an end. The reason for the end was that the woman who started and ran this con for 35 of those years died early this year and so we had one last hurrah. Next year, there will be a new con that will be more general SciFi and Fantasy. more eclectic.

But this last Darkover was good, not huge but well attended and while the art show was small, I did better than I have in many years at this con. So it was good for me as a last Darkover art show. I sold at least 10 pieces and while most went for minimum bid, I still did well and I will miss Darkover. I have been to about 30 of the 36 and it will seem odd next Thanksgiving weekend to not be going to Darkover...the new con will be the same dates, so I hope it goes well and I will begin to look forward to going to it each year.

Anyway, the last Darkover con ha come and gone and it was good.