Thursday, December 14, 2006

Midnight at our house

I have now decided that what it takes to hand paint 123 Little Red Poppets to look exactly the same is:

1. many hours
2. the mind of a serial killer

The many hours I'll do. Ok. So I fudged a little--took some liberties, painted them slightly differently from each other.
Not terribly, but slightly, e.g. dolphins. Dolphins all mostly look alike to humans, but different to each other.
And, likely, vice versa.

Owww. My back. Funny. It's the tiny detail stuff that gets me. Not the lifting of the wiggling 4 yr old, or diving, or moving of a bookcase I know should've waited for the Pete unit.

Before I forget, while I'm whining about the pains of artists... We often have problems with our hands getting dry and itchy from the work. I discovered recently that the Gold Bond foot cream contains urea, which is a very effective ingredient used to treat serious skin conditions. Works great for 'artist claw.' Really great. My hands hardly look like artists hands at all. I've moved up to fisherman, or farmer.

It's a process.

Anyway. One hundred twenty three poppets are ready to march out the door tomorrow, the last of the winter sale shipments. I don't mind painting them, really. Eventually, the Little Red Poppets will be painted by others (good, hand-picked others) and will say 'SlaughterHouse Studios' on the bottoms instead of my name. It's the way things go. Still, it's better that I've done lots of Little Red Poppets on my own. I know them. They will always be mine.

Ok. I'll admit it. I do have the quiet chuckle of a serial killer at times.

And painting poppets can provide time to think, and listen to music like the new "ecdysis" by Miho Hatori, who was once half of Cibo Matto. This album is, in my mind, somewhere between Cibo Matto and Bjork, which, in my mind, is just fine.

This household runs late. The kids are asleep, but midnight means time for food, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

g'night

13 comments:

ravyn said...

We haves a hurt paw, Preciousssssss.

Going to the emergency room now cause it hurts like hell to try and straighten my fingers. Typing with just the left hand sucks monkey butt.

Anonymous said...

It's now Tuesday in the Low Desert of Southern California.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA

Anonymous said...

When I saw the box left by my front door I just knew the poppets had arrived at my home. They are so precious. Thank you for all your hard work to get these made and shipped. I will have so much fun when my Granddaughter sees them this afternoon.

K said...

Happy birthday!

Poor Ravyn! Sounds awful... not another horse-related injury, please? I hope it feels a lot better soon.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

And Happy Holidays to you and your family, too!

Rubius said...

Dearest Lisa,

Many many happy returns on your Birthday... yeah!!! I say it's international Lisa day!!!

and I hope your hand is okay. We need your talented paws Ravyn... we love the work they do.

Take care,

Kristina

Derek Ash said...

Ah, Christmas was coming, no being could stop it.
Not a creature was stirring, save the maker of poppets.

With hands dry and crusty, and eyes gleaming, crazy…
No sane person dared call Ms. Slaughterhouse ‘lazy’.

With diligent painting, and mailing her goal,
We’re sure that our Lisa shall not receive coal.

She toils until midnight, when what should appear?
Jon Stewart! Steve Colbert! Some food and some beer!

Now with Poppets deployed, and her blog-fans all cheering,
She could (maybe) take time for the Holidays nearing.

May her Christmas be Merry! And her New Year be bright!
May she rest and relax for some short time tonight.

Anonymous said...

Best wishes on the day!

Regards, David

Robert/ GuardianAlien said...

Happy birthday Lisa! We love ya :)

ivenotime said...

Happy Birthday Lisa! and Ravyn, hope your injury is quickly healing. My hands are a wreck too, the nails currently embedded with a mix of mahoghany stain and iron oxide, numerous cuts and nicks, and fingers now too large and calloused for any of my rings. Was it someone on Spongebob who said "big meaty paws?" sounds about right.....

ravyn said...

wow, suddenly lots of comments!

Belated HBD to the Lisa, and great poem RRNN!

The paw is on the mend, diagnosis: tendinitis. Kept it still for the first 24 hours and taking it easy now is helping a lot. Gonna wrap it now and go to bed.

Anonymous said...

Poppets for my birthday, yay! I found them waiting patiently on the porch when I arrived home late last night. Thank you so much and happy birthday to you too!

Alys Sterling said...

This is what I get for gallivanting off and not going near a computer for a month - I miss your birthday. Happy, very belated!

The poppets I ordered in the Halloween sale have now all settled into their new homes, two in Iowa and one in NY. So the invasion progresses. It was fun watching people open them!