P1010175, originally uploaded by robayre.

It’s the last day of the month, phew. For my final project for the August Challenge, I made a cell phone charm. I was delighted yesterday to realize that I finally have a phone that has a place to attach a cell phone charm. I don’t know why but the first thing I think of when I think of cell phone charms… rabbits.

I had a bit of difficulty with this piece. I originally started with a silhouette of a rabbits entire body, but it was so small and so many areas, it was really getting distorted and lost, so I redid it as just the head. I was not too far into it when I suddenly realized it’s likeness to another very recognizable logo, ahem, that I wasn’t trying to align myself with. Honest, I was actually thinking of my old pet rabbit, and using this picture as a reference http://www.flickr.com/photos/robayre/66909244/. I finished it anyway. Now, after completing it, I’m not sure if it even looks like a rabbit. Well, it looks like a rabbit if I tell you that’s what it is, but if you didn’t know that first, would you recognize it?

Anyway, the rabbit is made of a tan wool felt, sewn onto a dark brown poly felt, then sewn onto a wool handspun, handknit swatch, that was then hand felted by yours truly. The completed piece is way bigger than I originally intended it to be. After cutting out multiple profiles, sewing and then ripping many times, and knitting and felting multiple backgrounds, I decided it was good enough.

This concludes the August challenge. I look forward to finally finishing reading the books I’ve started, doing some much neglected laundry and dishes and maybe even cooking some real dinners again. That’s sounds pretty pathetic, lol.

I finally broke down and got a new cell phone this weekend. After too many days when I wouldn’t receive any incoming calls or texts, Matt reasoned with me that it was important to get a functioning phone in case of an emergency. I got a Samsung, Messager Touch. It has limited internet usage, for the time being, and I’m completely obsessed with it. Since my last phone was so old and barely worked, I rarely used it, or even knew where it was. But now? Now, I’m constantly wondering why everyone isn’t trying to call and message me at all times. It doesn’t have an antennae sticking out and it has video capabilities! This is the modern age.

I used my brand new phone to take the picture of today’s project.

Only one more day of August.

I’m almost complete with this second yoyo pouch. I’m pretty excited because I’m getting much better and adding extra touches that really finish them off. I’m going to wait until I have three entirely complete before listing any in my shop.

Off to work on another. I’m addicted.

Today I saw a beautiful illustration on flickr (click here to see it) and an accompanying video on how it was made (click here to see the video).  I’m always inspired by and drawn to space/night sky images, so it isn’t a surprise that this illustration would inspire me to make today’s piece. I made 4 pin back buttons using watercolors, salt crystals, acrylic paint, and the ever-trusty kemper fluid drawing pen :)

While making these pieces today I had the idea that I would split them up and send each one to a different person through sendsomething.net. Do you know sendsomething? It’s been a long time since I posted about it here, but basically it’s a website where  people have their addresses listed and you can just send random people something. It was one of the main reasons I wanted to get my p.o. box, and I occasionally get fun envelopes or postcards in the mail from people.  Sign up, it’s absolutely free and certainly fun to get mail.

Today I traced and cut out circles for another yoyo pouch. Once I started to make the yoyos, I realized the fabric was a very stubborn one. The cooperation of the fabric is the difference between finishing them all in one day or finishing them in a week. Hoping it was starch in the fabric, I decided to wash them in the sink. We will see once they are dry. Washing them, though, I couldn’t help but see beauty in the water and fabric color, so I snapped a shot.

I got an email earlier today that my blog has been featured on the website GuideToArtSchools.com for a feature on found art. I actually saw this a few weeks back when Rosa was featured in the TOP FIVE! (awesome!) and informed me that I was on the list as well. You can see the complete list here.

One quick link for all of you who make life lists, here’s a new twist: Summer Pierre has a list of completed & realized dreams. I really like that. Reading hers I was already transported to creating my own list in my head. I need to get on actually writing or typing it out now.

8.25.10 page spread, originally uploaded by robayre.

Today I had to bring some disaster relief to my drawing table. Papers were starting to pile high. Tools were lost between the layers. I couldn’t work on finishing up my next yoyo pouch because my sewing machine would not even fit on the table. Instead I tidied up some and did another little book page spread.
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Alyn Carlson has announced on her blog that she is doing a promotion to try and grow her readership. To thank those who brought new fans to her site, she will send a small piece of original artwork. It wasn’t hard for me to get a small handful of friends to visit and subscribe to her blog. Her work speaks for itself.

Two packages going out today. 10 new friends for my blog., originally uploaded by Alyn Carlson.

The other day Alyn’s artwork arrived (pictured immediately above). I love her work so much and was giddy when my little package arrived. I think I am going to mount and frame it. It’s so lovely. I’ve swooned about her here before, but let me do it again. She’s a mixed media artist, graphic designer, actor AND chicken rancher. She makes the most unbelievably beautiful paper art hats and one day I hope to be the owner of one. You can visit her blog here, her flickr here and her etsy shop here.

If you like her work, you can still participate and send friends to the Colorgirl blog and receive your own original piece. Just read here.

Trying to play a little catch-up here. I’ve finished two spreads in my mini book. You can see the other pages from the book so far in this flickr set.

I’ve been working on another project in the background… another yoyo pouch. I’ll post it when it’s complete, which will probably be tomorrow.

On Friday I got a message from someone through Etsy inquiring if I could make my bunting notepads larger. She wanted to use them as stationery actually, so I didn’t need to pad them. Then she asked me if I had envelopes as well. It was funny because it had not even occurred to me to even make such a thing, even though one of my best selling items is my recycled stationery sets. I’m so excited about making this custom set that I plan on offering them as another regular item in my shop. They will listed for a few dollars more than the recycled sets because the paper used for these envelopes aren’t recycled, but will probably be made up of mostly art, scrapbooking and high quality patterned papers (think: Paper-source).

I think I’ll also list some larger pads (5.5×8.5″) just because I’m having fun padding :)

I finished the piece I started for day 12, which I was going to post and call day thirteen (because it did take me two days) but my sister thinks that’s cheating. This is Circle Series No. 15, you can see the whole series here.

Here you can see exactly why it took me another day. I dyed cotton string to go with the piece and hand-stitched the last circle. This concludes day 12.

Which brings us up to Day Thirteen. I created Circle Series No. 16.
and a detail shot

For two weeks I’ve planned on participating in Illustration Friday. After two weeks, and two words (star gazing and atmosphere), I came up with and created this piece inspired by both words. I’m not submitting it, but hopefully I will be able to create something and participate next Friday.