New Pillows on Fivetrees

Hey Folks! My darling husband bought me a digital drawing pad for my last birthday and it's come in super handy this year of creating.  Hot off the presses are these new pillows that I designed/drew, had printed on fabric and then sewed into cute little plush items for the nursery or kiddo's bedroom.

Posted in the fivetrees shop just today. . . . Hope you like them!

And with an impending vacation on the horizon, I suspect more animal head designs or scaled down ornament sized pieces will be on their way before the holidays are upon us!

LP in late day sun

I was playing with sir fluffy pants late in the day, sun slanting low over the garage. I was being blinded as I was throwing him the toy, and while usually not great light to photograph directly into, I snapped blind shots of LP running around anyway.

I got a lot of bit of nose and toy, washed out back paws leaping out the frame, black and white blur against larger blurs.  But then I got this picture:

 LP and I have become close friends this summer, maybe closer than we have been for the eleven years we've known each other.  He's with me pretty much all the time and it's hard not to drop everything and cuddle, scratch, or wrestle with him. Dogs are pretty much the best thing in the world--along with husbands and gardens and family and friends and good food--and LP is easily in the top 2%.

I also got this picture, which I had to share.  It's just his butt, but the way the sun is lighting it up. . . it hardly looks real.  Am I wrong?

Seriously. It's lit like an aerial shot of the Swiss Alps.

new cute things

I've been on a making frenzy.  In part, because we're in the adoption process and I want to make a million cute things for our future niblet.

But also, I just have loads of ideas and, maybe for the first time, am really creating from this place of joy and light.

When I started making things, it was because I was miserable at my job and making cute animals and creatures cheered me up. But now that job is a thing of the past and I have a part time gig and all of this time to think and imagine and make things. Except for those blissful unaware summers of my (or anyone's) young childhood, I don't think I've ever been happier.

Here's what happy makes:

These fellas are all being slowly added to the fivetrees shop. . . with more on the way!

Toy Sweaters

I have been in serious toy-making mode.  Working on a few gifts, but mostly just making a heap of critters that will eventually end up in the fivetrees shop.  I enjoy making the animals' heads and picking the colors of their underclothes.   But in the end, I think I most love making their tiny clothes-sweaters, dresses, pants, scarves, and then styling their teensy outfits. 

 

There are so many small choices to make and the detail interests me--down to the color thread I use to sew on buttons.  (I believe strongly that it should never be the same color as the actual garment, except in specific extraordinarily limited situations. . . )

happy. sad.

Went to the Art Institute with my mom and aunt and in the hall on the way to the textile installation and the Lichtenstein show, I saw this ridiculously loveable cutie lion (my new favorite object).  Other end of the hall to balance things out was this grumpy disapproving head.

Tree full of cute

A bunch of new toys for the fivetrees shop. A mouse, a bunny, an elephant, and an alien.

Oh my!

Eggplant!

I have never been a fan of the eggplant. I want to be--well and truly. It's one of the most beautiful vegetables, but I have never successfully tasted anything made of eggplant with enjoyment.

However, as such attractive veggies, they do make an excellent shape for crocheting and having as a toy.

Photo Evidence #1:


Photo Evidence #2:


Now available at fivetrees on etsy.

Clam Cuteness

Ack. . . so cute I could explode.

Ouch That's Cute!

Man, do I love Hine Mizushima's work. Hine has been my favorite shop on Etsy pretty much since I discovered Etsy. The work is so smart and ridiculously cute.


I saw this little guy--Ectoplasm No.1--just today, and I thought I would have to chew my own hand off to get out of the trap of its cuteness.

It was shipped to its buyer in a specimen tube.

Can't. Take. The. Cuteness.

(not to mention 10% of the shop proceeds help out Japan Relief!)

Oh, the Cuteness

Trolling through Etsy this morning and very early on I found Runaway Dreams--a shop run by Julia and David, two artists in love in Mexico City. And their work is so cute it makes me want to chew my own arm off.

See:

"I'm floating" (Is it wrong to love that his balloon is tied to his hand rather than him holding on to it? It's kind of a creepy cute touch that I adore. . . )

"Getting ready for the party"



"Marcel--the mushroom collector"

Marcel apparently collects mushrooms for his girlfriend. I can hardly take it.

I wish there was a children's book starring the little hairy critters. I would surely by it--good story or no.

Check out their work on etsy at runawaydreams.

Letty

New to the fivetrees shop today--a brightly colored mouse named Letty.
I lover her tiny noggin and her orange and pink sweater.
I think more things in the world should be pink and orange.

Tiny Clothes

I was sick all Memorial Day weekend. Had one extra day today. I slept a lot, read a lot, and made a few things--including tiny clothes for new tiny friends to be added to the fivetrees shop soon.



Pink and orange. . . more things ought to be pink and orange. It's such a lovely combination.


I love this tiny cardigan.


Two boy pants, one girl pant and one pair of pants suitable for a carnie. Which is which? Hmmmmm. . .

New Critters

They need pants or skirts or something, but they're hanging around my office at home until I figure out the plan. . .





I love this little girl's bell-shaped sweater. She will need, I think, a similarly full sweet skirt to go with.

Brigid

New at my fivetrees etsy shop. . . Miss Brigid!

Holy Cow! Shut the Door! That image is hard to turn away from, right? I mean you must have a dog who you would like to make this warm/cute/sad, no? If so, you can purchase your very own doggie cowl at the etsy earthwalkers shop. . . and if that photo doesn't do it for you (because either you're all dead inside or you care more about your dog's dignity than its cuteness), then maybe this next regal pic will make you think again. . .



Go buy a cowl. Your puppy will thank you (probably because his increased cuteness will make you snuggle him way more frequently than pre-cowl ownership. Trust me. You'll see)!

Embroidery Bug

I've got the bug and I enjoy every part of it--setting up the canvasses, picking embroidery thread colors, making a plan, embroidering it.

Usually, I'm a much more illustrative embroiderer and work on pre-painted canvasses that give my work depth, but I've been trying something a little more free form this past week. And now two new pieces and a number on the way as a result:

Fruit or Vegetable

Two new rattles at fivetrees. . .

apples

carrots

Next Zapruder Point Album

Dan has been working hard to put together the next Zapruder Point album--this time with help from Larry Brown and John Aselin. I can't wait to hear the finished product.

In the meantime, I've been working on a cover for the album at Dan's request. I can't show you the final artwork, because the album's not done yet, but I can show you a few elements that went into the album cover. . . a little sneak peak!



It's been a great fun to work on this. . . The new album should be ready in a few weeks or less. Check the Zapruder Point website in the meantime for streaming music to tide you over.
'

Caught unawares. . .

by the cuteness.

can't. . .pull. . .eyes. . .away.
can't. . .stop. . .heart. . .from. . .melting.

(if you want the same experience, check out the cute-opolis that is adorably kawaii's shop on etsy)

New Lady Critters

I took some time away from critter makin's to work on a series of mitts. . . but I have bounced back again to critters. I don't think I get bored with any one project. . . I just get more excited about another. It's always a bright side.

Meet the two newest in the crew.

Imogen

and Maisie

It's been so hot hot hot here and the man and I are being toughies and not buying any A/C devices. . . so, dressing these little lovelies in sweaters has felt unusually cruel. But I shan't let my own discomfort get in the way of their fashion.