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Mushy the Mushroom

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  2. Mushy the Mushroom

    108+ Hours: Snow Leopard

    By Mushy the Mushroom,


    fairytale ramblings
    Hello! A scan of Snow. Audiobooks and art do jolly the heart!
    9x12, watercolor paper, pencil and acrylic.
    Drawing time: unknown, very undetailed sketch from years ago.
    Painting time: 108 hours.
    My scanner also has snipped off the edges here and no time to splice it.
    *afraid to upload higher quality due to uncertainty about the current content size limits.*

     
     
    Done in 30 minute to one hour bursts (Gauze and braces to control the hand swelling/protests).
     

     
     
    The wacky way my mind apparently sees fit to document time...please no one check my addition.
    *cringing at the crude sketch*
     

     
     Finished in May before things went to utter dismay for a way. I won’t miss that wicked week of sleeping on shifts for safety. Hopefully legalthings will be settling, it’s so much bettering! Court ordered support, food is good, and using the window AC because it was in the 90s inside. My soul does sing, secret projecting, for such joy comes with rejecting all other things, for fast progress it brings! 
    In fairytales it somehow seems easy, you see. It seems such villains only dare to disown stepdaughters and such, for it’s much more merciful to believe that blood is stronger than water. And the betrayers of trust seem nearly always blown away as little gusts of dust. Instead of the reality looking over one’s shoulder, but that’s when one can believe they’re surrounded by an army of invisible soldiers! 
    I so do miss this dear dreamland of clockwork composed castles in the beaches of blog sand, but I understand that if I get writing, it’s absolutely igniting and I’m afraid I’d better wait just to be extra safe! (The predicament of being a happy hermit who hardly speaks a bit, this is my outlet. Those fairytale-fumblings, photo-fueled written fits. And can I use my words at all, if without some rhythm they fall? I often wonder if it gets on the nerves, if anyone might observe. If so, I apologize for any anguish over my singsong language. 
     
    *imaginary frolicking and bursting at the seams with a continual project photoverload of Things I Shouldn’t Be Doing piling up* 
     
    Thankfully right before bolting I did get another diagnosis(ish), autoimmune UTCD, due to positive ANA combined with all the other abnormal blood antibodies, so two connective tissue diseases now it seems. *Relief mingled with flashbacks of “Yay, it’s a true thing and nobody is furious for it and telling me it’s not real?!” What a wonderful world where weakness won’t be weaponized. I think I’m in that world now? At least safe in our own house! Successfully made the first eight hour, four appointment doctor daytrip at three different hospital locations in our 18 year old car the other day. Overwhelmed with gratitude that my mom is willing to wake & take me at three in the morning. And it’s lovely to get to do some art in the car, because the obsessive new-not-yet-allowed-to-talk-about projecting I am delightedly taking too far. We even remembered to pack the wheelchair! A treat because anymore the wheels get stuck on the stray nails in the “floor”, but hopefully staggering about is…strengthening? I wondered how bad the bloodwork would be, given the …haha.. uh…living conditions life's thrust upon us. But I promise now it’s at the level where it wouldn’t be condemned! Merely multiplying Monocytes. It may have been far worse! Neurology was…interesting. They think the problems are small fiber neuropathy, and are planning to do an EMG and muscle biopsy. Hoping Gabapentin will not make me a sloth, but sleeping more than four to six hours every 20 sounds miraculous. Also learned I cannot lift my toes which is odd to process. ENT dr.  #1 did reference eye scans at last to ensure Plaquenil doesn’t destroy my vision (escape equaled canceled appointment.) ENT dr. #2 was much more skilled at using the nasoscope than the prior person. Tip-top when terror goes to waste! They plan to take my tonsils and the adenoids because of infection. Antibiotics again. So strange, antibiotics all about lately. I have another dentist now and they prescribe pre meds every time to prevent endocarditis/infection? Now wondering if it was slightly scary that the swelling tooth infections weren't medicated at my old dentist, rather mysterious.
     
    Okay, done rambling, real reason for beloved blogging is because I recklessly worked to the point where I couldn't walk again and resting was dull I have another 8hr drive daytrip for the fifth diagnostic GI procedure where they’re putting me under again is approaching. A tad precarious given the weirdness various, so a bit of art to show before I go! 
     
    New friend groundhog must visit the blogs!
    He has a hole there, just stands and stares.
    *terrible tablet pic*

    And a little oldhouse frog!

    🎶Just Thinking About Tomorrow
    Clears Away The Cobwebs And The Sorrow 'Til There's None
    The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow
    So You Gotta Hang On 'Til Tomorrow, Come What May 🎶
  3. Mushy the Mushroom
    Then recreated some scenes from Tangled. I didn’t have much else planned between two and five in the morning, needed purpose. Taken over six days with laser level tripod contraption and iPhone shutter remote, straining to see the thumbnail of the movie screenshot for pose reference. Then I thought  “Took extra rubbish photos, could be low quality stop motion?” (Was going to anonymize, but was convinced not to this time for the sake of the recreations. So here’s the unfiltered goofery of attempting to imitate Rapunzel’s expressions.)  Starring Shasta Alien as Pascal Chameleon.
    ~~~AcTiOn~~~
     
    https://youtu.be/4qPsmBdJAS8
    *Begs it to embed*
    (Wasted 23+hrs learning to use video apps, trashed around five versions of this, the sound is still off, but ‘twas a fun endeavor.)
    Because growing up sounds like giving up? And maybe there’s no gain in trying to refrain from twinning with an alien friend?
    Also because the story is a little similar to how my own has been?
    (Poor health and severe food allergies have been/apparently still are my form of Mother Gothel. I’ve seldom left my home for the past 9 years ( homeschool)  Aside from briefly thinking I was fully well and trying to restart life, meaning painfully shy church attendance.). But that's quite okay because with art and such I’ve filled the days (and nights)! And I have been blessed with three lovely family humans. And some pet snuggly ducklings! And this precious alien Child!).

    2013~~>present. Can't believe he's eight now and has twin sons!
    *Tangled inspired, new design*
    113.5hrs making/drafting, 30 minutes for the design plan. Made over 45 days. 
    This happened thanks to an indescribably kind lady from a local lace outlet. The factory was shutting down, they were discarding the fabric, and she sent me home with a load too heavy to carry.
    Cost of project: $0. Had the other stuff already.

    Plan/draft:

    The making process:       Petal tests, as some materials have the undesirable habit of bursting into flames instead of becoming melty. Faux flowers, because you know, why cut the flowers when they’re trying to grow? The gold ones made from kimono scraps had that obstacle, so sewing for them. The rest were from grandma #1’s basement ribbons and taffeta scraps.
    Centers are beaded knit yo-yos gathered over leather.
      The under layers: 12hr assembly petticoat featuring lace cut off of my mom’s old prom dress. Blanket Stitching and French seams on the shirt. Elastic belt with ten loops to hold the ten skirt length adjuster ties.   The finished dress and belt: First attempt at a 10 gore dress, only had done 6 gores before. Tried some couture techniques. Specifically thread tracing before cutting, which I realized was not a good idea when doing French seams. That took five hours. Hand basted (temp stitched) all the seams together, machine sewed French seams, then hand-prick stitched down every gore, sleeve and neckline. The square neckline is made of elastic casings. Then hand sewed all the ribbon skirt extender ties. The back lacing is made from tubes of lace. The lacing loops are made with steam-a-seam then hand sewn on. The belt is a patterned ribbon fused and hand sewn together with beads from grandmother #2. The sparkle beadthings on the tie are from gutted earrings. ( Inside out photos first):

     
     
     

    Crowns + necklaces: The crown body is made from ~1/4” wide barn rope with wired ribbon sewn around it. Then sewed flowers on it + the flower ribbon strands.
    Leaf necklaces using grandma #2’s beads. The cord on the human size one is actually made of braided metallic sewing thread then covered in glue, as I lacked a chain.
     
     
    The baby’s outfit: Fully lined and finished with gold hand prick stitches.The tie is made from kimono scraps and fusible web. 


      Time for the recreations! “[...] and by then it's like 7:15...” Shower curtain, tablecloth, sheet, temporarily stolen clock from my dad, oil lamp from my grandmother. “And so I'll read a book. Or maybe two or three....”

    The doll was taped to the wall, and the baby precariously attached to a shoulder strap using rubber wire. Chalk markers will not exactly come off of satin paint.... Throwback to repeatedly pencil graffitiing our hallways as a wildchild and telling my dad we could "clean it up with paint"...
    “I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery...”
     
    Just 3M taped a mirror to my paint basket and drew the designs. Baffles me as to why a paint box would have a mirror.   “[...] and knit...” Jammed a scarf made four years ago back on the needle.   “And cook [....]”   The baby was perching thanks to a rubber wire around his neck that was attached to my headband. Froze the pie and shoved it in a cake pan because the other was too wide.
    "Then after lunch it's puzzles..." Would have been more accurate with Legos. Shower curtain floors.   “[...] and baking” The baby is rubber wired to the elbow. These are fake cookies, bad biscuits, much deception. I ran out of sugar.   “[...] Ventriloquy...” Tablecloth and rubber wire. “Candle making...”

    Shower curtain, my mom’s Dutch oven on a pie cutter with battery powered flames, and that box of 72 “emergency” candles. (Thoughts during that photo: I've absolutely lost my mind. Absolutely. It's just gone. This was the sixth scene setup/photo within two hours. Costume overheating. It was 4 am. Tylenol lapse, subsequent collapse.)   “Then I'll stretch..” (Not a song accurate recreation...) Untethered perching on the side of a chair stacked on a bench, for the pose that makes no sense. At 4 am. Much safety. #world'sworstbabysitter “Maybe sketch....”
    (Also low effort, not song-accurate..)

    Foam core fraud pallete, transformed with a paper lunch bag. “[...] Sew a dress!”   Highlighters, mirror with wrapping paper and rubber wires. This is the scene that inspired this project that uncontrollably snowballed.  
    “And I'll reread the books, If I have time to spare...” Halfheartedly arranged sheets, mirror made from CDs, light from watercolor paper, handmade pillows that give the odd illusion of morphing into the dress, wax paper plant, pouf from spray painted, knitted-together tee shirts, and Dulcimer made by my dad.   “I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere....” The phone was ~2" below ceiling height, attached to the tripod that sat upon a milk crate and basket...And maybe a puzzle box. “And then I'll brush and brush, And brush and brush my hair..” Faking it. Should have put that extra doll wig on the baby. “[...]Tell that to my frying pan!” Wrinkley sheet push pinned to wall, one thrown over the closet door, mirror teetering on paint basket and milk crate for correct height, and most importantly, the iPhone edge making an unsightly reflection appearance. The baby!

    The satchel is some kind of antique camera from my grandfather. Terribly grateful about my mom’s affinity for cast iron cookware. "Crown” made from crystal lace and elastic.   "Just smell the grass! The dirt! Just like I dreamed they'd be! Just feel that summer breeze the way it's calling me [...]I could go running. And racing. And dancing. And chasing. and leaping. and bounding. Hair flying. Heart pounding!.."     Awake 23 hours~> four hours sleep~> joy over perfect sunrise light~> frolicking, joints subluxation-ing~> barefoot stepping on a pine cone~> too tired to move for three hrs~> not noticing the pine cone spikes until nine hours later~> NO REGRETS. If you can’t yet beat it, why not dance to the beat of it?   “And at last I see the light And it's like the fog has lifted” Lantern is a battery candle in an extra ikea lampshade. Just drew the designs with a gold gel pen.  Ripped the sticky-back solar string lights off of a shelf and sewed gold ribbon around them. The boat? It’s an inflatable raft covered in a fitted sheet.  Getting outdoor photos with a twisted sleep schedule is quite the adventure! I staggered off the couch at eight pm after staying up 24+ then sleeping four hrs and started fervently racing sunset. Thanks, mom, for inflating the raft and braiding the hair with zero warning! “And at last I see the light
    And it's like the sky is new” You may spot background ducks if you look closely (at least in the video). We were actually on the bank in every photo where the front of the raft isn’t visible.   “And it's warm and real and bright And the world has somehow shifted” ISFPinsanity kicked in, tossed it all in the water with the poor child clinging on for dear life. “All at once everything looks different Now that I see you”....Precious Baby Yoda, that is! Such a happy little weirdo!

    Thanks to my mom for catching the baby as I threw him to shore...And the shutter remote.  My bare feet were trudging mud, but miraculously, only the leggings got dirty. But a sizable pine cone did get temporarily lodged in the petticoat. BUT WHERE'S FLYNN?   *tears of joy* The end!  Thanks for dropping in! ~I like you, just the way you ART~            
  4. Mushy the Mushroom

    125+ hrs: Mothstumes + Mother's Knits ft. Baby Yoda

    By Mushy the Mushroom,


    baby yoda, butterflies and bubbles
    Social butterfly? Not I. Awkward moth? A cut from my same cloth! 
    Costumes, and could not for the life of me concoct a clever cinematic story, much less meet a human to model. Made do, a messy music mashup of perturbing posing, 83 minutes of recording, swapping, screenshotting, and chopping into a 52 second video, then shrinking back to the studio. 
    My mom: “It’s too fast, my eyes!”
    *Contemplates incinerating more seconds off*. 
     

    What's all this? It started with a sweatergift from my mom, the greatest gift ever given unto me for a birthday. Dreaming I ate three giant, gorgeous donuts and rode a bike was a close second. [Reality: 18 months of what would starve any creature with a metabolism, but instead currently uncontrollably gaining weight + an arthritic ambulatory wheelchair user. ] 
    I will gladly goof over donut dreams.
    And If you dress as a donut, do not doubt, I will support the decision.

     
    ♫ They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
    They can say, they can say we've lost our minds
    I don't care, I don't care if they call us crazy
    Runaway to a world that we design
    Every night I lie in bed
    The brightest colours fill my head
    A million dreams are keeping me awake ♫
     
    Back to the sweaterstory!
     "What colors would you like? " 
    Me: *grabs 11 skeins from glorious grandmayarn box* 
    Her: 

     

    https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/childs-knit-crew-neck-pullover Pattern used, combining sizes to accommodate my disproportionately long yet useful arms, designed crop length. Tis her first sweater, and it does contain tears. Even made The Child a matching one! At some point, it struck me that one does indeed need mothwings to wear with confetti sweaters, a set of two would be even better. Rummaged just enough of the right colors from the preexisting hoard, wire was the only thing left to be acquired.  
    My moth model: 

     
    Baking wing beginnings 88hrs for big wings, 25 for the minis. 
     
     

     
    Gingham reinforced cotton strips, sewn at center. Machine basted once ironed in half as a tube, then hand basted with Tex 70 slick thread for neat gathers. I initially sewed my casing tragically slim and completely removed and resewed each piece after sandwiching and spacing. 
    Turned right side out & pressed. 

    Used grandmabasement ribbons for the wing venation. Initially planned to paint them, but this seemed less of a mess. Tracing wheel and vanishing marker for seam guides.  RIP ribbon rations, so not accurate. Spontaneously strewn stripe seams, sort of "quilted" on. 
    Since the ribbon ran dry, tacked in soft yellow yarn down each side of the Child's wingset, then machine "quilted" it.
     
    Eyespots from ribbons, brown cotton, lace and leftover leather seed scales from my pinecone quiver. Handsewn onto each side with blanket stitches, waxed embroidery floss and beads. Wing edge endpoint trimmed with 3/4" sherpa strips cut and stretched on the bias, machine sewn. Multisize bubble beads, each tied on with tan Tex 70 thread, sewing through both sides simultaneously. RIP fingertips. 

    Wire time! Was a tad wide for the casing, crammed in over a few hours.Wrapped the exposed wirewads in 1" strips of PUL fabric and brown knit, anchoring each layer with Fabri-Tac. Tied slender strips of sherpa around the side wire areas, used 1/2 elastic for straps. Extra sherpa tassels to shield the adjustable elastic connectors (AKA safety pins.. *fancy*) 

     

    Video for a feel of structure. 
     Almost forgotten antennae! 2 hrs here. From felt leaf placemats and elastic enveloped in knit tubes. 

     Baby's Mothstume, 9.5 hrs. Fully lined, white opaque lace overlaid with the mesh floral. Four little leg faux sleeves, lined tubes filled with fabric scraps. Handsewn goldthread sherpa neckline trimmed with knit strips.

     

     
    A newold backdrop holder has made things easier, a reject from a closing store. I was running string between closet doors before this, haha.

     

    Guest starring a fine friend whose origin was in a GIF, one here. 
    Brother, browsing blogs: "Look at this thing!”
    *Points to the rainbow assembly of grinning gallopers in GIF bliss*
    Young mush, literally screaming:  "IT'S A HORRIBLE RAINBOW CREEP MONSTER!!!"
    *lifelong bond*

    Sewing, a sock, paint and felt:

    *???*

    Wired up a rainb(orr)ow of circle circular knitting needles (stolen from mom) +secured some skein skypillows. Foamy 'flies still not shy.

    My mom found a clearanced skirt which bore uncanny resemblance to a confetti sweater.
    Her: “Does it actually match?"
    Me :"Probably not, nope! "
    *new favorite outfit*

    Cloudy with a chance of …falling dolls.? 

    B u  b   b    l     e      s 
    Do you ever just look at chewing gum and think "an admirable anchor for props!" ?
    Hope not...
    *guilt*

     
    No human size mothstume, white one from years ago shall do. Leather quiver and headband from an eternity ago, last spring. For it feels wasteful, tools that sit idle. Hope one day an able bodied soul will use the archery thing.

    Sunrise, 8 am, impending equinox, ~45 degrees, barefoot, duckdock. Dear neighbors, my sanity isn’t wholly lost, please don’t call the cops! 
     


     
    "Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."
    ~C.S. Lewis
     
    .:Medical mystery mishaps:.
    Wheelchair waltzing at 3 am is surprisingly wonderful while wondering if bones are internally shattering.
    It’s been ten years, two severe with searching, blame, and begging. I research restlessly and print papers to pass to them. Wield the med message system as I find myself so often mute, memorize my own medical notes now. I’ve learned some will lie if you allow it. A recent appointment ignited a new interest in my case. Primary care explained that the specialists were stumped and medically at a dead end. I debated, I begged. Everyone cried. Got referrals. Success stings sometimes. 
    That diagnostic procedure/surgery I had in February (SB enteroscopy) is getting repeated in a couple months by my own GI doctor. Because the surgeon imaging reports disagreed, they were out of ideas, and I sent Labcorp guides about what to do when Celiac blood work and biopsies conflict. They actually read it, which I never expected! The January surgeon saw intestinal damage, bleeding + an ulcer but duodenal biopsies were unremarkable. This February one missed the ulcer/lesion, saw no villous damage or the bleeding, and did not take the ordered repeat biopsies.Tattooed my GI tract.That was a bewildering car ride discovery from the photo pamphlet while coming out of anesthesia. I have a TATTOO? Took me over twice as long as expected to wake up from it, nearly wasn’t released due to low blood pressure. The next one will be the 5th diagnostic procedure/surgery in under a year. Endless ultrasounds, ER visits of which I’ve lost count, 3 edible nuclear stuff scans, 3 CTs, 1 PET scan. Bouncing between endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology, rheumatology, It's dizzying. Consistently “strong positive tTG iga” discovered one year ago this week + other bad bloodwork + systemic wreck + unlikely Celiac genetic test with double negative biopsies = uncharted territory + no one knows if Alpha Gal allergy medically effects people after remission, it’s been exactly 7 years since I was bitten. THE HOSPITAL SOCK HERD IS HEIGHTENING.
    I learned that GI and Rheumatology are actively arguing about which specialist should see me. Outpatient orphan? GI swears it’s autoimmune, Rheumatology thinks it’s intestinal. Meanwhile they keep running Multiple Myeloma tests without telling me, I don’t know why I find this secrecy funny. I suppose I’ve no healthy fear at this point.  Doctors at this hospital are so baffled that they’re sending me to their rival university’s GI hospital people and are pushing genetic referrals, but…For the first time a treatment's being tried!. I’d put aside hoping as a form of coping. And my, how exciting life is when one doesn’t expect a thing!
    It fits the theme of weirdness, wings, and bugs, for I am now on Malaria drugs (Hydroxychloroquine).
     
    “It's not what the world holds for you, it's what you bring to it.”
    ~ L.M. Montgomery
     Grand wishes, goodbye, must fly! 

  5. Mushy the Mushroom

    280.7hrs: Painting My Brother.

    By Mushy the Mushroom,


    Life is balloons
    “The Move”
    18x24” 140lb watercolor paper. Drawn a long while ago with pencil, started the painting with acrylics in May, taking long breaks until around September, when mania began. Finished December 6th, 2021.
    Drawing time:? Painting time: About 280.7 hours/11.66 days. The longest time prior poured into a painting was 56 hours.
    Reference was my brother at a Chess tournament in December 2019. Wanted the board in the painting, so MS paint spliced this facepalming player’s board in, stolen from the same FB tournament album. Random coffee cup ref. from Google. I don’t know how to play Chess, once the thing was done, I showed my bro, and thankfully he said it wasn’t a losing position(?). Is it true?
    (photo)

    If life gives pain, why not turn it into a painting?
    Done in short burst style, about an hour at time at most. Much done while transient GI intussusceptions occur/resolve (the feel becomes familiar, the ER would be weary of seeing me, so I wait, wait, paint, paint..) Working those tiny details while gnashing gum has been a perfect pastime through the nights. And audiobooks, it never occurred to me that one could consume them while creating. Twirled through some Bionicle Adventures books and The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, my now-favorite book!

    First try at getting something scanned at Staples. I got it mildly stuck in the scanner, never having done this before, but all turned out well (Thanks, Mr. Moe!). First time using a USB. *fuuuture*
    The scan kind of bleached out the details, tried to edit but have no idea how. Hid my sig on the score sheet.

    The subject, who generously didn’t mind me neglecting a model consent form! Better figure out how to get a print made for him, as atonement. 

    We cannot cope with shutter photos, so grainy ones from video. Faceless photo, maybe our awkward won’t show?
    He’s smart…and uh, I sort of try the art? 

    But maybe we’re all mess-terpieces? 



     
    Creating confessions:
    Only the second big drawing, 9x12s are my main.  I only just realized I should wear my jackets/shirts inside out so it's harder to paintruin them. This is one of my first done mainly/partially in art acrylics. For years, I’d only used Plaid Apple Barrel craft paints (the allergies). I still like them for their smooth/thin finish, but some of the reds are dull. I had to fine-grit-paper sand some of the art acrylic rough spots down. Seemed barbarically effective, Quora said it was fine.  I haven’t ever used a real palette before. I use plates covered in plastic wrap or parchment paper, with a cake cover lid to keep them fresh. Easy to clean up! It took me quite a while to learn to cover the portion of the painting that rested under my hand with a piece of paper (bye, smudgies!) The angles are off-especially on my brother’s face. Hopefully it matches his current features more so than the two-year-old photo? Never painted a relative before, dear bro, please forgive! How I time my projects:
    I wondered if I'd live to finish this. I am numb. (Like, brain-numb. Not physically numb, but that does happen to my limbs a lot now, haha.) Eeekyay! Little Po' in the window. Outfit might truly be a new knitted six-side star borrowed from my mom. 

     
    What does one do for fun?
    Sometimes switching out mom's phone contacts to LEGO lookalikes.

    And seeing things are easily fairytales, if you please.

    And that life is just better with cookies.

    Wishing all an exuberant new year!
    (Also, thanks a million to BZP for putting up with me. I cannot express how much this place, and people have brightened a medically dark year!)
     
  6. Mushy the Mushroom
    Just a crown. Not really worth posting, definitely not in a topic, but I had a merry time with it. The back is held together with a tiny rubber band (Also one piece on the front, because it was broken).
    Should Bionicle be fashion?
    Yes.
    Should Bionicle be fashion in this manner?
    No, probably not. But that definitely did not prevent me from going totally fantasy-medieval-princess with it.
     
    Yay for tablecloth capes, letter opener daggers, that plush bear that frightens my mom, phone camera timers, a flimsy dock made exclusively for perching ducks, and laser level tripods. This is what happens when you’ve never celebrated Halloween. Any excuse for a costume will be taken. 
    Am I the only one who feels as though shutdowns are a second Renaissance?



  7. Mushy the Mushroom
    It appears as though it’s maybe time to resume aimlessly cluttering the region with creations...
    4x5.75” Beta fish, acrylic on watercolor paper, done for greeting cards. 
    Brain: A small painting will be faster....Reality: Spends 22 hours gleefully obsessing over the details. 

    And a few somewhat recent 9x12 pencil drawings that I remembered to scan but forgot to watermark...oh well...

    (French seams)  Went to Walmart to buy a shirt...then realized the 3yrd. indigo fabric roll was cheaper and could make a spiral ruffle skirt also.  And some old things—> New things. Print pajama pants = new shirt and mesh lace scraps + Rolled hem presser foot = scarf.

    A simple fleece lined hat from tee shirt, made to complete an outfit. My dad is now happily living as a human bottle of Sriracha...
    .
    Noticed that the giant bag of my family’s semi-destroyed jeans was nearly overflowing. ‘Twas a nice excuse for a little challenge + drafting a new pattern. Used the inner side of the denim to avoid stains, cut strips around the holes and alternated the light and dark denim panels. Interfaced and stuff. First try at a method of construction that replaces zippers with button pockets. I am baffled as to why I had "coat of arms of New Jersey" buttons, but yay, they were the right size.

    (Why does the dress form look so weird? Because it’s made of a chopped up wooden hanger, a tennis ball, drop cloths, wood glue, stuffing, a copper pipe, and a punching bag stand. Very professional. XD )
    Finally drafted some patterns for these dolls. Hopefully will be able to get back to actual worksewing soon...

    (The mischievous Muscovies had a glorious time trying to photobomb these..)
    Things for the Child. (Is it wrong to have a Child without watching the show?) Snap-on hair bows and test subject dresses, made from old dyed sheets/pillowcases. The sleeve cap shape was shamefully off on these, redrafted the pattern with paper towels later. 


    Window Child backpack, made from a drop cloth, leather, foam, clear fabric, and metallic faux leather. Partially sewn with the Needle-Launching-Monster. Messed up the window a little with the wrinkles. Only realized it looked like a portable clothes dryer afterwards...It’s ridiculously wide, but had to be to accommodate his ears. XD

    I can not contain my joy over the fact that alien dolls aren’t that peculiar anymore. I used to drag my beloved Figrin D’an, Admiral Ackbar and Greedo dolls around everywhere.
    The tragically disproportionate outcome of trying to make a Child cake topper out of peanut butter + powdered sugar at 3 am:
    :
    Just beaded masks.

    And daisy flower crown from a while ago. Green base band is from elastic strips covered in velvet, “woven” and sewn together. Daisies made by shaping wet leather and centers made from stamping and painting. 

    Do you ever just go outside for a fast photo then somehow end up frolicking into the welcoming woods for the next hour?

    (Dress made a few years ago, not remotely recent.) (Not pictured:  Very awkwardly trying to hide from passing neighbors, trying to hide the camera remote, laser level tripod, many NSAIDs, dark underlying fear of tick bites. )
    “There’s nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend.” -Bob Ross
    ...Or maybe even a tree frog.?
     
    May spring bring you as much happiness as this daffodil brought Pops~

     
  8. Mushy the Mushroom
    A Curious Collection of Child-Created Plushies 
    (A photo backlog blog with redundant writing style. Compiled during the precious few minutes of freetime in the car. Editing sponsored by poor quality control and insomnia.)

    Once upon a world ago, when I first began teaching myself to sew and draft patterns for plush toys, my mom mentioned I should take a photo with myself and all these curious critters I’d dreamed (dragged?) into existence.
    At the time I said I couldn’t because they were yet-to-be-given gifts and a group gathering would risk ruining the surprise. 
    There are individual photos stashed away on some forgotten/lost USBs somewhere. 
    Many of these plush people were deployed to grandmothers, distant family others, but most rest with parents and brother. Clusters stand guard about the house, but they’re preponderantly a trunk troop these days. Today they’ve assembled for photo play.
    I used to feel guilty over giving these because they were all only plushies-and I had no knowledge of how to sew/make anything else for gifts, this was all I knew to do to show my love for my people. How gracious were the recipients-nobody ever laughed. I used to be so terribly afraid I’d not have time to make gifts when grown, as I was incredibly slow, and for some reason would always attempt to make 3 plush toys each for both my parents and brother every Christmas.  I usually started pouring over them as soon as the year began and it was entertainment grand in the midst of flipped sleep.
    To this day I’ve never followed a store-bought/premade pattern, didn’t think to look up real methods/books for sewing, and some of these funny friends are a testimony of how much that would have improved the quality therein, instead of merely human patience. Felt sheets, as one may observe, falls victim to fuzzing quite frightfully with wear.
    Prior to all this: 
    *why …do we still… have this 😆*

    ...I gave my dad... a trash bag...?
    And so it begins with pre-sewing machine makes: the Towel Totoro with painted details (made a V2 towel totoro and gave away later, but lost photos) Senior the Owl (Señor was what I meant, made for my bro’s birthday. ), Valentine dino for bro, Giant Microbes E.coli plush attempt for my bro’s Christmas gift. 

    Hamel the Camel- also pre-sewing machine. 
    From one cured ham sack (body) One soccer sock (head/neck), two glove fingertips (ears),four small sock legs and startling sharpie button eyes. 

    Drink can, black ballet tights, two packing peanut plush. And George the Towel Bear, first thing done by machine. Gave him to my dad.

    Little early-makes ornaments and stocking stuffers for family.
     

    Mother owl + candy cane stocking stuffer for brother. 

    Trio of Snow, from so long ago!

    One of my first sewing machine projects and 3D plush drafts. I remember taking forever hand sewing the limbs and head on. For my dad’s Christmas gift.

    Elephant plush and Felt camel. Camel’s blanket woven on my mini-loom.

    Felt dolly stocking stuffer and tee shirt Pusheen, one the first couple plushies sewn by machine. A heavy kitty, filled with fabric scraps.

    Gray pup and Snaily. Snaily was a first-machine-year project for my mom’s Christmas. Sewn during summer sick-insomnia nights. 

    Christmas chameleon for my bro and deer for a parent, cannot remember which one. 😆

    Fleece dolphin, very early attempt.

    Sebastian the Seahorse for Sam, my bro + a stubby rendition of Mr. Narwhal from Elf for my dad. 

    Easter Eggbunnies + Father’s Day dog made from pants. 

    Three-toed sloth + mousey for somebody in my family. 

    Sherpa Panda for my mom’s winter gift.

    Bro’s penguin and goldfish. Made the functional fishing pole from a chopstick, metallic tape, a bobbin, pony bead and paperclip a couple years ago for fun,  and these two became a crew. 

    Stocking stuffers for my family because youngling me saw skinny stockings as sad. And felt was the only material I really had.

    Peachy the Pear and Peary the Peach- the main characters of my “Fruity Friends”-A drawing of a googly-eyed fruit basket gang. I think these were for my dad? Made Bob the Banana for him a couple years prior to this, but he was lost along the way. RIP Bob. 
    And a first-year-machine-sewn kawaii cone for my mom. I used to be afraid to tie the hand sewing thread knots myself, and I remember covering the plush up and asking my mom to tie off the visible bit. On her own gifts. 
     

    “Uglydolls”, the happy little weirdos. Some were designed to look sort of identical to the actual “Uglydolls” brand, some are custom. (Just learned that there is an Uglydolls movie now that I have not seen, so I feel odd about posting these having no idea what’s it’s about 🙈)
    1: Uglywalrus- Custom critter for walrus-fan bro. 2:Uglydolls “Groody” for bro
    3: Uglydolls “Uglyworm” for bro
    4: Uglydolls “Wage” (custom color) for my dad
    5: Uglydolls Icebat (made from my old fleece sweatshirt) that I kept.  Bionicle icebats?
    6: Custom WinterUgly for my mom. 


    More custom Uglydolls for my bro. Giant (Scoliosis?) Ugly with Velcro pearsnack, and Pixel the Xbox gamer. 

    My bro and I were once obsessed with Giant microbes plushies, prompting me to donate this Plasma to him. Made from my old unsightly dress. 
    And some SCARY first attempt microbes plushies I made for him years before. The sock Fat Cell and the glove Amoeba, complete with hot glued, cabinet-door stopper eyes. 

    Minion plush for bro’s birthday. Made on knitting looms with sewn on felt eyes, details and extremities.

    Platypus plushie for my dad. Made with knitting needles and a loose loom for the main body. Plus a pompom body + felt foot and bill baby duck.

    A happy ragdolly for my mom’s birthday (?). Designed to resemble her favorite childhood doll who once survived a sharpie to the face.

    Mom’s Matryoshka Nesting doll pillow + test subject curtain rag doll I never finished.

    Coral-inspired Martian doll for my mom. And “The Beautiful Pear Bird”-for my brother, designed from his iconic Pear Bird artwork.

    Sphere Squiddies! I stalked Etsy plushies late at night during a severely-sick-insomnia-summer and tried to copy some Octopi. I couldn’t fit eight legs on mine! First lopsidey mustache one bestowed upon bro, last two done later for my mom.
     

    Corduroy Croc. Inspired by this Land Of Nod (questionable name..?) toy magazine that came to our house once with the most magical plush toys in it. Tried to copy the critter using my dad’s old pants. For my bro.

    Bulldog for my dad. Has a red collar I forgot to slide on. 


    Jenny giraffe for my mom. 

     
    Teacup Piggy for Mother’s Day gift.

    Spike our Puggy and Penny, my mom’s favorite former pet in plush form (except the dress!). Both for her.


    Snoopy for my dad, weighted with beads. 

    Blanket stitch goat and painted fabric dog made for doll photo shoots + mini ornament of “scrappy do” -my bro’s childhood Meerkat toy.

     
    Flower with a plastic straw sewn in stem for stability, plush from printed fabric, and blanket stitched doll things (sandwiches, campfires and bears, oh my!)

    Little seed bead clawed skunk and a bun for parents.

    Canvas dogs for Dad. Painted bulldog +beady toes

    Brother’s blue lobster

    Koala-for a parent, which one is not apparent, though.

    Bobbeh- the friendly, enthusiastically southern catfish character concoction of my bro and I. Made for his birthday one year, RIP to the matching Bobbeh card. 

    Krunchy Kronch Donut Dudes! When my bro was in college, he took a game design class and his group created Krunchy Kronch-a 2D game of these ferocious donuts rolling through a city, avoiding obstacles in a Mario World fashion. Recreated the characters in felt for his birthday. Hand painted acrylic and ribbon tags. Made the box from poster board.


    HUNGRY
    A faux suede turtle plush drafted for my dad one Father’s Day or birthday. Bead toes. The  shell is removable and handsewn faux leather. I had no idea one should punch holes in leather prior to sewing and destroyed my digits forcing an ordinary sewing needle through it. This was one of the hardest plush toys I remember doing.

    John Carter Woola drafted for my dad. Tiny teeth.

    Bro’s BB8 + baby robot stocking stuffer. These robros have made an appearance here prior, though.

    Drafting a Dalek was a daring endeavor. Painted eye stock thing, I believe I stabilized the arms and such with a plastic coffee stir/straw. First time using screw-on plush eyes, for the body's bubbly bits.

    Despite the household ban on Pokémon games, my bro fancied Pikachu so I drafted this one. From a tee shirt and felt.

    Wheatley from Portal 2, a plush drafted in the  first summer of “real sewing” with a machine. I studied photos from Google all through the very bad sicknights and this was the result. He is a bit of a flatter sphere shape than intended. His frontal handle things are stabilized with disposable plastic straws. I’ll never forget my bro’s happy face when he saw its lopsided body.  Still, I’d rather run than stay when giving a gift to someone. So frightening to just sit there.

    Felt Kokeshi Momiji doll for my mom.

    Baymax for my brother with an acrylic painted tag. And a quick little Portal 2 dude whose quality I wasn't even proud of at the time.

    Felt Bionicle Jala/Jaller/I still am confused.. made for my bro for Christmas years ago. Stiff felt, non-stiff felt I made firm with glue, sharpie stains, but he didn’t complain ($40 for a McDonald’s toy was an unfathomable fortune…you can buy so many bananas for that...).

     
    And 4ft( ? memory gone at this point ish Adi adipose who appeared here not too long ago! 
    His limbs are bafflingly long compared to those in the TV show. 
     

    Croissant crab crew for my dad.

    And more recent plush designs. 
    A henna based on our dozen hug-hungry Golden Comets. From scraps.

     
      Nursery scrap dolls for our old church and elephant baby toys for some church babies.

     
    Toady! A turtle. A recreation of my favorite lost plushie from years ago (LPS Turtle). A fan of bonnets indeed. Every green creature is a good creature.


    *one eternity later*
    The swarm…

    Scares me to think of how big it would be including the ones dumped on other relatives 🙈

    “Mom remember how you said [insert direct exact quote about group plush photo] years and years ago? I finally did it, thanks for the idea!”
    Her: “Haha, what?”

     
    **tucks them back into a trunk..*
    *...okay.. some didn’t fit.
    How foreign life is from when these shots were snapped four months ago, that day after it began to undeniably unfold. Strange how snapshots hide that you're shaking. How sweet is truth after a life of forced faking. We had to just go. Why won’t the wounded let the tears show? Maybe one day it will be safe to let some stories go. Fright and flight, for we embark upon a new, happy, free life! 
    For I’ve never been so grateful for a sink with running water (instead of a garden hose), a real mattress with sheets (and not a tiny shared air bed), a kitchen, rooms with walls and doors, that hairbrush I thought was lost in the shuffle, not accidentally losing a finger today, shop-vacs, surviving it all over the past four weeks with Covid, and mainly, for the safe and selfless people in this world. Here’s to anyone who is struggling or uprooted in any area.. or every. You are not alone.
    Peace and joy to you all. And thanks to all here who make BZP feel like a home. 
    Off to roam!
    PS:

     
     
  9. Mushy the Mushroom
    Lesson learned: 
    If you find some front yard mushrooms, adorn them in various styles and photograph them, people are going to stare...
     
    ...But if you do all that and it begins to rain, causing you to build a terribly improvised hut, they will think you’ve gone wholly mad.
     
    ...Which might not be absolutely inaccurate.

     

    Apparently crabapples can be used as miniature props.
     
    Also, if anyone can identify what type of mushrooms these are, please let me know.
    BEHOLD THE HUT OF SHAME.

     
     
  10. Mushy the Mushroom
    March, oh my, almost flown by, I feel like the March Hare shouting "I’m late!" for my pretend post-date!
    Present proceedings:
    -Traumatic almost ends to a toxic situation.
    Thankful that the terriblest times typically cannot precisely recur in a particular person’s story.
    -Unrelated double ER day did damages that aren't bandaged, too drained to explain, brain & body badly bumbling since. Eating, drinking, moving, sleeping, thinking, I’m brilliantly bad at all that. But breathing, and I have usable hands!  Drowning in Duke doctors doing their best to diagnose some suspected ultra rare “root disease” of the speedily sprouting idiopathic secondaries. 
    (Fr e e s o c k s + six(?) hours of waiting room weave while watching other patients leave
    + CannotSeeAThingInThisDarkCarDoodle and the “Ran out of yarn, paper cranes to amuse that toddlerpatient” to keep hands busy & mind sane! Inexpressibly obliged to have a mom, always there, uncontainable care. I wish everyone had a mom, what gift could be more golden?)

    -Life is a lovely thing to live around people positive! 
    -I haven't touched a dead rat or nest all year! I’ve been very good. Rarely doing limpy late night ladder leaps these days, you see. Only minor chairclimbing for curtains!
    -Our windowside wildflowers are blooming. Springs seem sunnier here, I wonder if it’s the mountainous elevation or pure imagination.

    -Chronic midproject making madness missions marching forth! Even a couch can be a creative chariot *lapdesk lightning bolt power* with essentially endless enchanted art endeavours to edit!
    Significantly surprising when ~half I've made I simply forget exists at this point, haha. 
    -Phone of my own for photos! Thankfully a retired one that will never, ever ring (meaning hauling me into a hermit-hiding fit from it at home. Guessing that the former years of ~7 daily pointless phone calls from one individual could have contributed to the recoiling? ) It wasn’t difficult to phoneless document projects prior, as 24/7 access was warmwelcomed as my mom was always around. Inexpressible appreciation! Miss her lots. Sorry for fuzzy Fire-tablet photos in the mix here. And shadowy shots. And if these possibly oversized images are harming the site?
     
    Specks to show, but back to sewing small.  A game of “Can I sew this fast and beat the neuropathic fire, lefty foot limpness & edema fluid before it fills my feet? ” Wonder if supine machine sewing is achievable. The adventures of adaptation! *EDIT:    
    Just yesterday I figured out a floorflop footless footpedal function to be used from now on. Relief! Power!


     A tale of Tatooine twins. To begin!
    Once upon a not far away time...a noble lady noted a night of Star Wars watching amongst the nice folk of the workplace. An uncanny correlation of conversation! For the leader of the league had of late procured a pair of undesired plastic persons in a collection lot, bought from an "extra" actress in the Star wars films.  Once upon ages ago in a home far, far away...a little human became absurdly obsessed with Star Wars. This was thanks to a Lego Xbox game from a grandfather, the fisherman one. She so longed for a certain little Leia doll, but no luck did fall, due to the tag on that specifically splendid ‘70s doll.
    This is that 1978 doll. Sent to me without being sought out at all.
    Hysterical happiness! I daresay- miraculous! Not that material things matter much, but such meaning and memories the plastic molds can hold!
     Little video of my dear death star duo:
     

    \


    Referred permanently for robe rehab. I reminisced over my days of doll doovers inspired by the Tree Change Dolls and then did the daring thing-repainting!  
    A catastrophe in the collector's eyes?
    But done with love, and so far, no lighting has punished me from above. The generous giver wanted to see the makeover, and remarkably- wasn't angry! Actually pleased!? 
    *
    Untimed project due to being out of practice+physical flops/post ERs project pause for weeks.
    Absenteeism of old faces by acetone.
    Repainted the faces, bodies and limbs with acrylic craft paint. Used various PC pictures as a skin color guide for overriding the orange aura. I fear their complexions are not perfect, but bumbled as best I could, and their kind natures are quite good. Sealed with Jo Sonja's matte brush on varnish.  Sewed and gelled Leia's cinnamon buns back. Drafted their clothes from paper towel + tape test garments. Leather scrap accessories, mostly handsewn.
    Shoes also paper-towel drafted and held on with baby rubber bands…because it's a supply I storage-scavenged.

    And a drive link with WIP pics: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xROTDk3lRt0JFEGLurrp2h1ZKrECQtvS asI had this already to send to the giver and was too tired to properly post all pictures.
    The Skywalker family is uncanny in its relatability to me. Siblings with the same first letter of names, one fancy, one a family-farm-dweller, the dangerous dad, the moral mom made miserable for it, and the abnormal lack of other family members to stop the tragedy.

    So, sew, totoro!
    The story of how this spirit sprouted: I naturally was making a preliminary pattern for Agnes’ Fluffy Unicorn in the form of a costume suit for The Baby, as you do. This was a post-paper bean, old t-shirt-first test subject I’d already mentally trashed. 
    Video because overabundant pictures:


     


    But then by some miraculous twist, it looked okay and was Totoro-tone. So, ears, faux fur and leather, and braided embroidery thread whiskers (hooked on sewing machine needle during braid for neatness). And the tiny, hand beaded, machine-veined tree toupee! Dear knowledgeable ones, is it truly an Akita leaf as this one article says https://www.laitimes.com/en/article/vioe_w7d3.html ? 
     

     
    .
     

     
    Was the wandering wheelchairless weirdo for these photos, thus not at all pro. Wish I weren’t too weak for a serious stop motion production. Late January. A fine feeling to breathe the arbor-aroma after days of complete crippled couch confinement! Never understood why adults don't climb trees typically, I’d live in one if my legs would allow it! Russian yew tree twigs, Alaskan blown glass buoy orbs brought from my grandparents’ + mom’s major move, many moons ago.
     
    @Bambi has first-rate create recommendations. 
    “June 19, 2022: Now you just need a Mimikyu to go with that Pikachu. ”
    Thanks for 3hrs of thread therapy! 

    Bit-sized butterflies! And feather from dear Brownie, my once-duck-baby we had to leave behind.


    Cannot remember the contents.  Two months was a terribly long time ago! Did I already share this shot?
    …hmm, art was in this! *subtracts points from senility score with laughable satisfaction*
     
    Mermaid-ish mom top made from a precut back in the basement residence. French seams and such.

     
    Bakes thanks to new backbrace need (and wheelchariot, so weird to remember cooking without it.) Caramel crumb cookies and yeastroll feast, not properly planned in the least but for a birthday of our benevolent once-basement-hosts!
    Sprinkley spontaneity party from September! 

     
    And bake box for momcoworkers. Three am tablet photos being triumphant, of course. 

    So spine shattering and shortness of breath inducing, sadly. Shouldn’t be doing extra stuff, but suffering for special occasions-other people treats is a pretty sweet pretend occupation to me! 
    Used to want to be a pastry chef prior to the allergic to everything adventures. But thankfully also a costume designer, a toy maker, Jedi, and an artist of course, so no sadness stayed once that idea strayed. At this point I’m thinking being a fairy godmother or a grandma-minus-the-family would be the most wondrous and well-suited dream career. #1 has the wings for optimum mobility, and how nice it would be to be invisible, unknown, free, far-away, in a forest fairy village making tiny gifts for all ze humans at all hours, and dropping them at doorsteps on phantom runs. #2 matches my mobility and eccentric octogenarian interests. Unremitting time & things to invent when repelled by traditional entertainment/television!
     
    Oh yes! Some tutorials tied up, hoping they aren’t too topsy-turvy for typical translation: 
     
     
     
    *Still silently with Greg on this and esteem them as best friends* 

     
    Wow, this is wackily harder to organize words. Sorry for the near-nonsense.
    Art assemblages wait until next time, I go crumble like an overcrisp crippled cookie now.
    Care, cheerfulness and imaginary confectioneries to all!  Wishing you a superb start of spring!
     

    *adoring that magic wand duster far more than I should*

    Probably going to regret not proofreading this later.
  11. Mushy the Mushroom
    Good Dawning, dear comrades! 
    And by golly, the months melt by. 
    I must so apologize for lack of coherence to reply well to such goodheartedness received here, unimaginable appreciation and thanksgiving to each of you! I owe so much to this site, the little, so-loved Lego city!
    A little homelife hurricane-eye era gallery I forgot about. Started sketch March 2022. I was shedding raretears after a dead-end doctor visit while drawing it, if I’m honest.
    But I lived through a lot more than I ever would have believed, thankfully! Picked up and completed this year.

     
    Cards printed from my zebra drawing-I think these were thanks cards for birthday gifts? 

     
    Fixatif-ing old art because eventually I find out how to do things…sometimes...
    .
     
    A flooring scrap and thin cutting board travel artpad that I never anticipated using in the situations that swiftly followed. I can confirm it’s rather worn out now. 

     
    I somehow had my scanner resolution so rough it’s barely discernible, but maybe it’s for the best given the story here. I decided to draw my distant aunt’s Anatolian shepherd, Tippy, as a thanks gift, as out of the ocean blue(?) she sent a gift.  Then another gift, which was very generous… and looking back this was uncanny given what wrongs were going on at home, then I was blocked on social media, though no interaction was ever exchanged, only mailed christmas cards and felt ornaments and occasional like posts from family I didn’t see. I guess I don’t have an aunt anymore, or anyone on that side?. Sadly, strangely, sorry-ingly. I guess I’m grateful to never have been allowed to attach or interact prior, the separation would hurt more? It’s an odd thing, to become aware of mourning something you never genuinely had. So nice to say “Aunt, uncle and cousins!”- Like beloved characters in a book. You hear about them, know their happenings at length, but can’t quite access their world. I liked believing it, the belonging that goes along with it. So I’ll appreciate that time of that pretend.  (PS Cannot recommend hammock-lapdesk art, poor posture choices on my part and promptly abandoned, haha. )

     
    I am unsure if this was instinct, or if it was a blessing before its time. For around four years we’d stored some very filthy inherited possessions in attic totes. Platters, china, statues and odd trinkets brought back from my mom’s family home for safekeeping, in light of the place sitting in an abandoned state of disrepair half a day’s drive away. I decided it was time my mom got to enjoy them! Funny metal fluff to get off the tar.  Do you play Cinderella when you scrub stuff? Or perhaps a Bohrok? A great gear to turn the wheel of cheer!
     
    🎶
    Ah, those good old days when we were useful...
    Suddenly those good old days are gone
    Ten years we've been rusting
    Needing so much more than dusting
    Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills!
    🎶

     
    For mother’s day decor, 2022. No idea if I posted this prior!
    🎶
    She's our guest!
    Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!
    🎶

    Ivory ponies, polished for bro’s home (apartment, in actuality)!


     
    And statuary with dust undeniably scary. My grandmother’s whole house was once engulfed in this.

    I do think there must have been some kind of inkling of impending doom driving a lot of trying to invent special, for-mom happiness. My efforts seemed to further ignite an explosion from another element, upsettingly. Right there in the lower rooms, the heirlooms sat ready as the tumultuous, unexpected trek took place.
     
    When family lacks, but grandfather’s monkeybank with a snack has your back!

    🎶
    With your meal, with your ease
    Yes, indeed, we aim to please
    While the candlelight's still glowing
    Let us help you, We'll keep going
    🎶
    Fast forward to October, as such scenes seem better in-order.
    A barn box, caulked and reclaimed-painted. We found a big branch to put up my human swing here! Over the past couple years at our old house, I started swinging daily by the duckpond for some form of physical activity/fun/pain distraction because of weakness and joint pain/not being able to walk or stand much at all. 
     
     
    Of course the baby couldn’t just sit on the ground here, wouldn’t be prudent! And a read-tree for dear Mum, where she may sun her silken coat, so pretty plum. 
    Red shirt/dress may or may not be my Winnie the Pooh dress from when I was a human child.

    Still more than just a bear, btw.
     
    It was soon discovered that my swing was in fact to be Mum’s also, though.
    I fast found out I couldn’t propel it anymore. I hadn’t noticed I was shallow-shuffling instead of stepping.  I was so busy pretending to be well, not able to use the wheelchair in the condition of this house, absent-mindedly on plaquenil and painpills, in knee braces because I had a home to build and clean! I was just sitting there on the swing after a few kicks and my legs sat immovable. I couldn’t get my feet off the ground or slide them into shoes all for days. That ability returned but not the full lifting of lower legs/stepping.
     
    (In brackets due to medical/disease content, my apologies if disturbing, not sure if I should/how to use spoiler tags anymore)
    [ Five days from swing setup, neurology did the EMG and skin punch biopsy to evaluate the pre-fleeing ambiguous disease progression numbness. Also, they noticed my toe-lifting paralysis that seemed to upset them, a progression which had escaped me.The tests involved probing the leg nerves with a zapper tool and measuring the reaction. It appeared similar to an ultrasound. Then they took two BB-sized skin biopsy samples from my leg with a hole punch. They said the results took a few weeks.
    And I was prescribed Gabapentin for sleep and pain. That had the reverse effect and made me rather lobotomized, unable to feel my body and terribly sad. Also, hello hives! Very much a personal-refuser of the mind altering medications, this is the closest encounter I’ve had to one. 
    The medical daytrip/appointment/procedures done late last are a blur.  Casually showing up there like a normal, civilized chronically ill human when in reality refusing to take a single day off renovation attempts with reckless inspiration. There are some things they need not know, haha
    I lost count of the amount of diagnostic GI procedures I’ve had at this point, the last one was in late August and I think it must have been the 6th one in 14 months? Two full years now since the really high tTg IgA test.  I told them at the time Celiac certainly did not add up and no change was happening even with dietary omission. Two and a half years have passed in a state of extreme undernutrition due to the sickness. We have no idea how I'm still living like this. Tests, baffled doctors, more baffled doctors, ERs, other specialists, blood draws, scans, referrals, genetics waitlist, being *diagnosed with hypermobile EDS and UCTD, Retests, problems being found but still not Celiac. So thankful for Duke financial aid. The auto-released biopsy on this most recent EGD again confirmed that this wasn’t Celiac disease, so I am grateful to say I was able to stop force feeding myself 4 slices of bread a day, as it is always followed by fevers, face flushing and writhing. In January I finally had a follow up. Apparently I was correct that this is not Celiac disease, not a return of Alpha-gal or another allergy and it is actually something neurologically-related. A mystery systemic disease.  The two year-ago genetics referral at UNC hospital is now canceled because they are overfilled with Ehlers-Danlos patients and rejecting the people who were waitlisted two years ago.
    My tonsils & adenoids are gone for good, thankfully no tonsil stones/infections now, however, the extremely thick mucus that causes the throat soreness did not go away as hoped.
    In January I contacted neurology about the forgotten biopsy results and got diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy.  There aren't enough nerves in my legs.  Systemic autonomic dysfunction is suspected. But SFN seems more of a secondary disease, and they are not definitively sure what the root disease(s?) is. And this shouldn’t be causing bilateral foot drop. *In light of the overall progression, the diseases I was diagnosed with last year are now being reconsidered as rarer/different/more serious things than anyone thought. Not that they told me, I stalk the visit notes. Now there are tons of specialist tests coming up like cardiology, GI, rheumatology, possible ASD testing (that I personally requested because of the realization that I was weird/have some cognitive/social/learning quirks, its genetic significance, having a sibling with it, etc.) this year. 
    The January 15th stroke-like neurological blood vessel paralysis emergency thing was like no other ER visit I’ve had before. The 7ish other trips in my life were acute, life threatening, temporary things. This did lasting damage and I was discharged as no one at the local or Duke hospital was sure of the cause. That day has split my existence in half. We were advised after a 3 am phonecall to drive to Duke ER for hyperswollen left foot, I collapsed paralyzed in the passenger seat on the way and local ER paramedics had to remove me and evaluate the situation there. I could hear everything, but my whole body was like a corpse and I couldn't move or speak. Awkward when your mom is signing paperwork and the doctors are like "Who is this? No idea what her name is" They CT'ed my head, and immovable hours later, I heard them saying I was discharged without diganosis, they were scared to do a spinal tap, and to follow up with Duke. I still couldn't open my eyes or move most of my body and my mom had to shovel me into a wheelchair and checkout. They forgot to evaluate my gigantic foot. We went home, I slept for a few hours then, still being very numb/semi paralyzed and swollen, we made the daytrip to Duke ER, who did imaging of the foot and dischargeded me with permission to add more OTC painkillers to my life, lidocane patches for my giant limp foot, and to follow up with my specialists as they had no idea what was wrong with me. My left foot is still bluish and swelling, and both legs go randomly limp, icy cold and blotchy on and off now. My whole body lost feeling, I cannot feel thirst, and getting in over 16 oz a day is a painful and rare accomplishment. Eating has been reduced to a few small bites daily to try to keep myself alive somehow. Sleep is in random couple hour intervals, which makes it surprising when I hear what day of the week it is. I am so glad the total paraylisis wasn't permanent-I cannot imagine having paralyzed hands or eyes. Take the legs, take the feet, they can't create, just not the hands please, haha!
    The spine involvement is new, I had to unexpectedly see neurology again a couple weeks ago for it.  They forgot about weighing me prior, as a (non-paraylzed/short-distance ambulatory) wheelchair user and did not realize how bad this was getting. Instead of unexplainably maintaining and frequently gaining weight, I’m losing again-20lbs down from one year ago when I was already at the edge of underweight-all in the past few months. Not ideal when eating and drinking cause extreme illness and idiopathic anaphylaxis that worsens with epinephrine. So this trip thankfully led to getting me new genetics referrals to different clinics and a neuromuscular doctor. Guessing this is good because the autumn ENT doctor was concerned about ALS due to the throat strings and neurological abnormality. At the time I was happily unaware of what that disease was. So now is the time to “survive to the next appointment, hopefully” and spend the days/nights creating things, as always. Abundant audiobooks, and comforting and cheery Christmas music. Sometimes I feel a little like how the orchestra band kept playing on the night of the Titanic, but then I remember an encouraging ex-doctor patient in a power chair at Duke whose diagnostic path of Myasthenia Gravis took ten years. I’ve only been a full time lab rat for the past two and a half, ambiguous sick/disabled (without much early investigation) for over half my life now. In late 2019 when I began crashing again, I was crazed for a cure. Those prior two years post-PICU of trying to be normal and healthy and getting to eat all the fabulous foods was such a treat! I ponder how it must feel to possess a prognosis, or the power to plan. If I merely live to get an answer, I would feel rich.  And I will proudly proclaim that a major life goal of mine is eating, hahaha. I do so wish my mom had a family- It's just my faraway bro and I...and, unfortunately that one past-many-years-incarcerated uncle who we hope won't get out of prison this fall...y i k e s. She's had to deal with all my medical drama alone...  But life is still lovely, there are little things of beauty in all if you look close enough. I do think happiness is an inside job. ]
     
     
    Some small efforts put forth in order to retrain my art amnesia-brain! Done in December 2022 to a cozy comfort audiobook and Cladrite radio. I do adore pretend time traveling and brain roleplaying, such fun to be a magazine illustration fine artist in the 1930s-1950s when the fancy strikes. Painting these, in truth, felt as an internal battle because of the practical-or-nothing-at-all predicament that 2022 sent.  Painting seemed..improper so soon after, almost pointless-but thank goodness for the motivation of doing it for someone else. Maybe that’s the secret joy in doing any and every thing? Who is it done for, and the love behind it? Tis for me, that feels like truly living.  
    Mini scenes, 3x3”  cardboard canvases. Sneak peak of barnchair, woven with care. 
    First try on this, had the canvas squares sitting idly for years. My grandmother’s generous gifts of art supplies live on. 
    Pencil sketch covered in acrylic paint and gloss glazing medium. 
    I “should” probably watermark some of these, but oh well. And maybe blur my signature but eh, doesn't really matter. Going to blissfully believe in the morality of humankind instead, I haven’t the energy to worry.
     

    Low res-resized  version of scan, it appears.

     
    Painting times:
    Baby: 6.5 hrs 
    Girl: 13 hrs
    Deer: 6.5 hrs
    Reindeer (if I recollect correctly)?: 7.5 hrs
    Chipmunk: 7 hrs
    Birdy: 7 hrs



     
    For my mom’s Christmas gift. I credit her completely with forming my art obsession, I wonder if she knows that…I’m afraid I never thanked her prior, oh my. All those splendid art history books and children's drawing books, that dearest impressionism book of unrivaled beauty and dashing colors, the craft-centric homeschool curriculums that danced across my child kingdom- all at the kitchen table in that sacred morning sun. She covered its wallpapered wild ivy walls with my paint splattered scrolls and sketched scrawls. Something odd began happening recently, in light of meeting a few individuals for art transfer. They wondered when I started drawing.. I felt a fool because it never consciously occurred to me that people ever stopped drawing. All children I’ve seen are creators. Maybe artists don’t grow up? Hope they don’t have to, I’m quite afraid of such heights. 
     
    So soon, If all is well, I can freely photodocument and publish my professionless-and proper-product-less projects that paperwork presently prohibits!I am glad to further discover how the less one has, the more unconventional uses for other objects appear. ‘Till then: Drawings! 
    Gratitude echoes over my very being over the luxury of getting to do art again.
     
    Lapdesk Land doodles. Some of these were unrequested ones for BZPers, and other random victims of my art endeavours, so I feel odd/guilty about posting them.... My apologies if unacceptable… Please let me know if any would want them taken down and I shall gladly do so! 
    Graphite sights:
    Anatolian puppy, one of the first tiny attempts to remember how to draw. (September)

     
    12hrs, 8x10 as I actually began googling standard art sizes.  My brother’s Japan research trip. How was that half a decade ago? (September/October?)

     
    Car art of a family photo for my mom. Started in September when summoned to show up for a scary Social Security “prove you are sick, please” interrogation because of the new need of insurance and never having had income. I never noticed I was considered disabled until recent years. My mom never made me feel like I was, being homeschooled since forever helped this, I guess! Standard small photograph size, whatever that is.  

    Public domain peoples! 8x10”, 8hrs.


     
    A memorial of a Facebook church acquaintance’s pet, pit bull Boo Boo. 8x10”

     
    Anatolian, another attempt! 10hrs? 8x10”.
     

    We found this poster on our front door once getting back from the ERs on January 15th. Impressive determination considering our yard is gated and farm-fenced! 
    I collapsed on the couch treasuring this task. 

     
    The dog owner did find their furry friend again! And introduced us to a local children’s charity runner friend. It was initially started by her rare-disease daughter. So I tried to draw her, 13hrs, 8x10”.

     
    Then it occurred to me I knew of one other similar children’s cancer charity, so drew the girl who founded that one, for fun. 17.5hrs, 8x10”

    Shoutout to my mom’s art delivery services! 
    And a bit of a rough one as my accuracy and speed is absolutely unpredictable and pain-dependent. 8x10”, 16hrs. Quadriplegia violinist from IG, I need to muster the brain power to ask about mailing this one. 

    (Property of BZPers below) 
    8x10” , 8.5 hrs 

    6x8”, 5.5 hrs

    9x7” , 13.5 hrs

    8x6”, 13.5hrs.

    Trying to improve at people's portraits, proportions I do struggle with. My method is to do a light sketch focusing on the angles, then going back over that, erasing and mechanical pencil detailing down from the upper left side so I don’t smudge it. Then fixatif spraying and cutting to-size. I seriously need to thank the pastor who supplied this orphaned tilting lapdesk from their church gym, the hours of joy and purpose it has provided are inexpressible.  
    Moving back to one’s hometown is funny. The one family I was fortunate enough to call my (only) childhood friends is still around. 
    Drawn for her mom while she was gone on a missionary trip. 8x10”, 20hrs.

     
    My mom adores old-fashioned paper calendars (only the finest ones from Dollar General, haha), and I’m quite fond of their picturesque vignettes. I fell for this feathered friend and had to fashion an embroidery lookalike. Plumped it up a little. It’s a pleasure to stitch rainbow plumage and other colorful crafts in between the graphite-gray sketching. Keeps the immobile insomnia hours vibrant events. 38 hrs total, framed it (Yay for spray paint and barn-find frame) instead of making it a pillow. Initially for my mom’s Christmas gift, but upcoming mother’s day makes more sense for her new-old home’s wall art needs. An uncanny color match to my grandmother’s lamp.


     
    It fit in our scanner! Wrapped and sticky leather taped it onto heavy cardboard. 
     
    Craft collection! Truth be told, I’m torn on what to post, project-wise. I want to wait on posting the home decor stuff as it makes more sense to show it with the whole room, so we wait. 
    My mom loves heartleaf philodendron plants. Historically her houseplants ended up getting suspiciously knocked off the surfaces where they sat, and she gave up. With funds for foliage now as the only barrier, I decided a few pseudo plants would make the shelves merrier. For Valentine’s day, since they are conveniently heart-leaves 
    I didn't have the proper supplies or a way to get them, so the base was a wood-cutting ripped old shirt I’d remade from an old shirt. Used a similar method as last year: fusing two cotton layers together with spray adhesive, ironing and cutting out. 
    Sewed leaf creases down each one and smothered them in glazing medium for stiffness. Cut around the edges again for a smooth finish.  Scalp massager (???) and pipe cleaner base. Tied on with green yarn. Ginormous cardboard tubes, old shoe foam and laces, and upholstery swatches for “planters”. The superglue I used to attach the fabric to the cardboard started smoking when I pressed it together. No spontaneous combustion has occurred so far. 
     Definitely not one of my greatest creations, but passable from a distance. 

    *real ladybug lounging on leaf*


     
    And gratitude greetings from owl arts, little laminated prints.. Recycled partially from gift bags. Going to pretend that the printer ink wasn’t too red on some, and this was intentional. 

     
    Scrunchies for my mom. 
    Octo-O’s, balloons windblown, done into donut bundles because why not?


     
    And assembled the pants  for my mom I’d cut out in the basement last year and abandoned. Maybe these will be for a Christmas gift, stashed and waiting for now.
     
    Basic bakes and birthday bakebox gifts. Butter, beautiful butter! 

     
    In other news, I’ve just last week figured out how to organize the kitchen to be much more wheelchair accessible! It's worlds less exhausting with appliances on lower surfaces and a folding card table for a low countertop. Figuring out wheelchair life is new in itself. I started using part-time at the former home in January 2022 as the mobility/pain/weakness issues worsened. That house wasn’t very easy to drive it in, with the rooms being much smaller and closer. Once we were given no choice but to leave in May, so began the season of painful staggering. This new-old home is perfect for rolling with all its hallway loops and long rooms now! I love it here, endearingly old and unusual. 
     
    Handkerchief head scarf bandanas for my mom’s coworker, as she kindly sent one to me as the color wasn’t her preferred.

     
    I think that wraps up the majority of neglected knick-knacks and novelties and my endlessly talking about my mom being awesome, haha. Looks like I’ll be making a collection of current yellow-thing-projecting for next time. 
     
    My mom made my whole life with a birthday gift of this baby. One with feet, what a treat!

    Wishing everyone a happy week! 

    Also, I've patched this thing together in Google Docs again and haven't a grasp of if the images upload too largely as a result, apologies and will try to remedy if so!
    Or if my brain can form sensible entries anymore 🙈
     
  12. Mushy the Mushroom

    Art, Archery, & Antiquated Attire

    By Mushy the Mushroom,


    nothing more mortifying that reading your own content
    Pencil pictures,  9x12s on watercolor paper. First try at using a mechanical pencil after basic shading and stuff with Ticonderogas . Probably a frowned upon method (?) but it bringeth this uneducated one much joy.  (Topic for the one.)   In September my mom bestowed these tapestry runners to me for fun dissection, destruction and dismemberment. Later became a laced bodice thanks to an old waterbed sheet, leather scraps and ribbon from my grandma’s basement.   Then it needed a dress as a friend. Wanted to make a more accurately fitted muslin because the one I did in [redacted,] and was exceedingly barbaric and based solely off tidbits of info found on Pinterest (cringe-inducing lack of ease reference, marked seamlines and notches.) Finally made life size measurement “maps” of meself and my peoples. 2d tracing and position marking to aid with shoulder slope, then separate charts with about twenty 3D measurements.  Thanks family, for being gracious Vitruvian volunteers. Apparently a lot of humans have mismatched  shoulder slopes.  (Thanks ER, for the recent scoliosis diagnosis. Would have been baffling without such insight. )
      Decided to draft an asymmetrical shoulder/torso pattern instead of using one shoulder pad. Did about 5” of total wearing ease for semi loose fit. First attempt at elbow darts (these are a thing?). Hand-draped sleeves for non-wrinkled cap shape, but not quite right yet (too feeble to do stuff + doing it anyway due to reckless inspiration =  a disgraceful quality of work but a very happy distraction) Expansions for shoulder mobility. Strangely, superglue seems to be the only glue or tape that will stick permanently on baking parchment paper (?). The ~elegance~ of the second test garment made with a mouse-chewed sheet and expanded with masking tape: Finished dress:  Made from 3 yards of thin upholstery fabric from art scrap store.  Balanced dart technique , 3.5x gathered skirt, fully lined (method ), invisi-zip. Prick- stitched facing was kind of a fail, didn’t intend to make an outer facing but forgot, so rolled with it. The slight sleeve cap gathers are also my mistake (Positioned them ~1” too far back).  Archery Gear: The results of my dad finding a new old bow and me remembering how fun it was to shoot the toy one.  Thus I learned about string slap the hard way... Did anyone else think that bracers were LotR fashion that had no practical use? ._.      . Bracer with handsewn leather loops because of a lack of long leather eyelets. Based roughly off Etsy listing photos, made test subjects from old jeans first.  Leather from the marvelous bin at the art scrap store.Dropped the awl in the process and the 1840s needle tip snapped and soared across the room. ._. Partially sewn with Needle Launching Monster (China Leather Shoe Patcher) Draw hand finger guard, handsewn.   Quiver. When eccentric thoughts materialize and you end up cradling arrows in a mock California Sugar Pine cone. (Based off this Reddit user’s  image. Can I link to Reddit? is that okay now? Sorry if not.) The cone scales are made from acrylic painted scraps of the leather jacket (this, my shoes and my brothers wallet all match now...Awkward? XD). Neoprene glued+ sewn on with the NLM/CLSP. Innards are thicker leather with rubber stabilizer at the top band, the end is veg tan leather. Sewn with hand cross-stiches and layered scales with glue. Sewed on a three point strap. Just made with bag sliders (Seemed more convenient than ordering the right things). (Only own two arrows currently. ) Took acetone to the decals of the arrows and removed the rubber fletch things. Followed this dude's tutorial for feather fletching except with e6000 glue instead. Used some abandoned feathers from my Muscovies.   (Looks pretty bad around the sleeves- the error of drafting a dress after the outer bodice. Fail-learning journey .) For hunting a box of pine straw and rocks.  Archery was admittedly an absurd thing to consider right now, but sometimes I’m mostly/somewhat ambulatory, so yay anyway. 'Twill be used one day.    Pants and a fake cat for my mom.  The cat head/face pattern needs some refinement next time. Little leather paws and thread whiskers. Didn’t have plush weights, used airsoft BBs instead.      The baby. Polo shirt gnome bonnet, gown from the good parts of the rat-chewed sheet.    Polo shirt attire + spoon + 99 cent tote for a boat + mom breathlessly blowing bubbles by the bank =   Both the baby and the phone nearly went overboard. *rubber boots, soaked anyway*   Did you ever make rafts as a child?    I remember getting stoked about them and my parents made my brother help with one when we were [redacted] and 10. He wasn’t fond of the experience, so switched to raftdrafting alone. I think only one was stable enough for human use. Their flimsy remains lay in the bottom of the pond to this day. XD Our dad, ever since that day: “If I’m ever gone, my daughter gets the tools, and my son gets her phone number.”  ...not sure if that’s supposed to be a bad thing or not, but sounds like a sweet deal? -Heads- Recently decapitated an elf doll to remake it. The cotton fabric I had clashed with the head, so painted it with watered down acrylics and heat set it.  My mom: What’s in the drier? Me: A body.    Removed the original face paint, was going for a more Studio Ghilbi style. The outfit is kind of rubbish, made the clothes for another doll at 14. Just decided to add new lace and made some slapdash leather boots.    I have two heads now. Not like this, or the Rebis.... ...but a foam one for hat making....   Dress form is now renamed Taun We.  Okay, done spam-bling now, sorry and salutations!
             
  14. Mushy the Mushroom
    Upholstery from $10 hotel chairs from a market years ago, store display crib mattress foam, brown astroturf(?) rolls someone abandoned behind the store where my dad works (people dump the oddest articles there, once even a freezer still full) , PUL scraps, spray adhesive, garage spray paint and two $5 blankets.
    ~63 hours for two chairs.

    My mom
    Never any money for house things or what she needs.
    It gets to me.
    I cannot buy it...make it? I'll try it!
    Before: (Extra one)

     
    Astroturf later stapled and sewn on first. Spent a lot of hours sewing this before it occurred to my mom what this material actually was... I accidentally upholstered with astroturf...proud of my observation skills here.

    The PUL layer with velcro attachments. Only the hook-side needed since the turf clings. elastic and velcro on the cushions. This was initially intended as a final layer due to a lack of fabric funds.  Carefully patterned it & realized it looked rubbish.
    Gnawing off the leg varnish & paint took longer than anticipated despite the magic power tools.

    My dad brought two blankets home.
    Bingo!
    Removable layer two, pattern new.

    Uncanny cushion design as XL throws only go so far.
    Snap closures.

    Had no paint thinner/stripper, sanded paint from the hinges of my old bookshelf like a barbarian with a dremel drill.  Shaved the sticky door edges off, drilled holes in the clock and shelf and wired to the back, screwed shelves down like a setup hypochondriac. In honor of her recently inherited heirloom Hummels. Showered & shined in a salad bowl. *no pressure at all*
    She went shopping, surprise setup time.
    *shoved long-lacking quarter-round along this wall*
    *rug to hide the peeling up fail floor*
    *going to replace yellow bells with eternal imposters later*
    *finished 5-10 minutes before her return and fell over in bone shattering exhaustion with zero regrets*
     

    Peculiar curtain hanging as peppery Pug twirls amongst them.
     
     
    Tissue paper, origami squares, feathers. 
    Wasn’t intended to look like an Easter egg! 
    Sakura Lanterns made from poster board and construction paper… years ago, sides resewn.
    Couldn't walk after this setup
     
     

    Buttermint dough baby dino in a Shroom Sylva sprinkle storm. 
    There’s a lemon cheesecake she’s guarding under the grounds there. I sadly do not possess frosting finesse.
    *buttermint dough fractures, but chosen for flavor. The claws and spiky dino bits are sprinkles shoved into holes I gouged with toothpicks.I think it took about 5-6 hours to do the decorating part?

     
    [not pictured: my mom sobbing as I tell her only she may slay the dragon]

    Still too sick to eat cake, got to bake it at least!
     
    Honey Badger greets ya with a smile as warm as his pizza!

    (Small doodle one in honor of my dad’s cheerful, young coworker, Adger. Twas his nickname. COVID took him. ) 
    Artgift & Fixatif
     
    *hundreds more to go*

    Beloved balloons bring impromptu romps.

    The bird's name is Betty BTW.
     
    Their songs still spin on (this is non-fiction!)
     

    May your equinox rock!

  15. Mushy the Mushroom
    ‘Ello! Can’t sleep, might as well pile it up in a big blog heap. 
    9x12, Ticonderoga, mechanical pencil, watercolor paper.
    Unknown public-domain-reference subjects, except one with my grandma’s floofy dog + mysterious dog, presumably from another relative...? 

     


    I did a bad thing. 
    Sneaked down the street and stole a sign at 11 at night. 
    Forgot the wire cutters, took a second trip with double the fright. 
    Drew the cat, zip tied the sign back.
    Got up the nerve to be that weirdo who texted and said I could drop off the art at their driveway.
    They also found him later that day and took the posters off display. 
    Yay!
    …I just wonder if they noticed that the zip ties changed colors. 

     
    Where I mirthfully threw 16 hrs of my life:
    Baby Bloom!

     
    (Bistro chair +rubber wire around arms + megaflower + footstool)
    Fulfilled my dream of honoring this background character from Toy Story 3. I hadn’t the wits to make her from old ballet tights and yellow balloons then, it was time for another spin. Also based on the 10-petaled “false sunflower”, the Smooth Oxeye. 

    Made from cotton, a wig-size wad of vintage ribbon from my grandma’s abnormally well-stocked basement, sweatshirt knit, press-on snaps, steam-a-seam, handsewn hook-and-eyes. Quilted-style leafwings. 


     
     
    Stump scene dump! Do you love a good stump?
    I've been keen on them since way back when.. Was fantastically disappointed when barred from bringing dear Holly Stump as seating during that one firework night. Such chairs they are! Most pleased to see society embrace them and welcome them into their homes at last. 
    When there’s no sister to be subject to shoots, one thing leads to another and pumpkins are places where there should be faces? 
    (Shhhhh, pretend winter. Twas 75 degrees)

     
    Monarch madness, Poor pup!
    Sharpie, porcelain marker, 3D butterflies made from foamy sheets and wire.
    And bonus goat in a coat on the other side.
    Sharpie, + leftover knitted yarns from pom pom trim. 

     
    Achild from acorn squash. 
    Stopmotion
    Effort level: You’re becoming food in a few days. Want to become a nontoxic friend until then? Maybe with a wee Viking vibe. 
    3M double-sided tape, pickle jar base, foam sheets, shipping foam tube arms, dress from harvested shipping paper, leftover fur from that same, ever-lasting, leather jackpot jacket that generated shoes, a wallet and quiver. 
    Unsightly stopmotion hand, none of this ever is properly planned.
    Props: Pompoms from leftover yarns from the scarf things and sock cuffs, 
    Campfire circa ages ago.. Felt fire and logs from a painted sheet. Rock ring from tee shirts. Couldn’t find the little felt marshmallow man on a stick, subbed with tiny poker made by the ancient blacksmith villager man. He gave custom, name-stamped ones to the random little peoples who watched the smiths. Such a legend. 
     

    Brace sizing gap alterations. Hand punched and hand sewn loops. Terribly grateful something stops the knees from the ~20-per-hour snaps!  ISO: Real exoskeleton. Maybe the Stormtrooper kind. 

    Horsies! 
    But not actual ones. My spindly friend.

     
    When your dad volunteers as the tribute pony....We brought home my grandmother’s old riding cart for restoration, but this is the closest we've gotten to achieving that. She would be livid…haha. I cannot believe I get to go for pseudowalks down the street again! He needs a horse head mask ever so much, many ridiculous ideas brewing. But neighbors might call 911 if they saw that. Have to sometimes appear normal, I suppose.?
     
    Fairy Gourdfather forwards fall felicitations to you all! 
    Is that word used decently? Love a posh new word but scarcely know how to wield them. 

    PS: Does video link embedding not work now for anyone else? It used to automatically do it for me, but now it gives an error code.
     
  16. Mushy the Mushroom

    Baby Ducks with Swords Flying Airplanes to Dollar General?

    By Mushy the Mushroom,


    nothing more mortifying that reading your own content
    [Translation: Lacked a quality title.]
    A little art. 9x12's, Ticonderogas, and mechanical on watercolor paper. Not much blog material this time (mid painting, big project and also just staring at the ceiling). 

    Ninja-inspired outfit made from scraps of unwanted tee shirts (slapdash tired sewing). French seams, mitered corners, six-panel skirt and first try at drafting a twist top. Swordthing from grandmother #2. Apparently she would go to fields and use it to cut hay for her horses. (It’s a hypermobility brace (turns out flexibility can become crippling) and I didn’t make it- just felt ninja enough to leave on. )

    Hat drafted for my dad, an avid headwear enthusiast. Maybe it was meant to be, as our surname shuffled can spell the name of a certain hat?
      Reused a bill/front stiffener from baseball cap. Made from the surviving areas of his new pants that were ruined by bleach on the first day of being worn, lined with the pocket material.

    (Unfortunately no available siblings to bribe (with baked goods) to be in photoshoots, so making a goof of myself for the sake of pictures yet again. )
    My family has acquired a lot of antique stuff we’re not sure what to do with, So yay for props!  Toy airplanes from grandfather #3 (adopted parent = many bonus grandparents). Drafted the aviator hat for my dad, made from a leather jacket. For go kart riding. It’s a glorious “Is this madman trying to get us killed because this is a rad way to go(?)” experience to go ~35-40 mph in it without seatbelts. (Overalls +dress made years ago so kindofcheating.) 

    Got her to be in one photo though!  Pops+props. Outfit also made from tee shirts a while ago.

    Iphone attached to short tripod, attached to laser level tripod, precariously chained on top of a swing set and ladder. Delicious(?) drink from the 1996 Olympics + Sign-thermometer-thing from grandmother #2’s barn. Cheating again, outfit was made years ago. 

    ^Became a weird foreshadow of a “CT enterography.”
     
    *Rewind*
    It’s been a weird nine months of trying to get a doctor to help, dozens of blood draws, bouncing between referrals I had to fight for, and kind of wanting to run from my own body as it all falls apart. 
    I thought I knew pain. I was wrong.
    The only way I can describe it: The handle of a shovel, stabbing into the stomach all the way through to the back. Makes it angry if one drinks, but can’t compare to its fury if one tries to eat.  Stays for hours, stabbing one awake during sleep.
    It’s an awkward predicament  of “Any sane person would go to the ER..But I can’t. They will say they don’t know or brush me off.” 
    Begged specialist #3 to order a CT. Because, after nine months of not being able to eat enough to support human life (yet somehow surviving), living on pickle juice to prevent death by electrolyte imbalance, crawling up stairs, and losing the ability to lift my arms high enough to brush my own hair, I don’t have much left to lose.
    CTs are much louder than I expected. Iodine IVs are rather peculiar. Results:

    Transiently telescoping intestines/intussusception Guess that’s why no painkiller will work.
    “Extremely rare”...until it happens to you.
    Doctor: I’m ordering another scan, CT enterography. 
    For this, they asked me to chug 48 oz of unexpectedly palatable sprite-like contrast in 45 minutes, and then injected the iodine. The warmth  of it flowing through the veins. The imaging donut device above. The robot voice saying “Breathe! Hold your breath! Breathe!”...
    They weren’t telescoping in this image. Apparently it keeps doing and undoing it, whenever it fancies. Stoked about another clue, so close to the knowing!  Cannot say I’m enthusiastic about an upcoming EGD, a camera tube shoved down the throat, to chop off biopsy bits, but hey, should be an enlightening experience? Chose the full anesthesia knockout option because I’m afraid I’d laugh at the horror of the situation and choke on the scope.
    Okay done describing that now, kind of gory. Sorry.
    Random curiosity: Were the Dots bracelets actually inspired by hospital wristbands? They appear eerily similar to me but this is the tainted viewpoint of somebody who lived in hospitals for three months. 

     
     Farewell from these fake flowers.

    (Also happy ice cream season and merry exactly-six-months-until-Christmas!)
  17. Mushy the Mushroom

    Bambi! Bugs! Bow Ties! Pies!

    By Mushy the Mushroom,


    Life is balloons
    -Bambi, October 5, 2021.
    In your honor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Csjb9HWCk8

    I just left the lighter there?
    But also: 
    *DUN DUN* [sur]P[r]IES 
    Complete life cycle condensed in 30 seconds. (AKA: Fast version of maunderings below)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLWBw0BzM48

    Set sail at three am, a glorious distraction XD 90 minutes carving after sketch, 60 film/setup. Done with porcelain fill marker, carving tool, Xacto, electric bread knife, and my drill bits (prior sanitized). Is this how people ordinarily carve these things? I’ve never done a pumpkin/squash before. Was I supposed to use the Dremel? Didn’t seem prudent to simply decapitate Acorn Child/Fairy Gourdfather (We’ve bonded, had grand times… too soon) so boom, balloon brain. Turned inside out as it was what I had. Swing suspended out of the way by luggage straps and a bungee. Needed ambient lighting, fire hazard time. Grocery bag blobs. 

    Cam off, baked squash. Pies for my peoples. Faintly fancier than usual (finished the next day, fell over).  FullFallFestivityFeels instead of Sprinkles+ShapesThatAreEasyToCramInAFreezer. Chocolate X Cookie crust. Accidental upside-down rose pies thanks to the silicone pan, painted edible red with dyed almonds as leaves. Few frozen for Thanksgiving, maybe? Perhaps then I’ll be able to eat some like a realgirlhuman?! Without throat constriction? Please?

    -Bambi, October 5, 2021.
    Done, yes, - The frosting foam, that is! 
    Thanks for the amusement, Bambi. Has greatly enriched my life. XD
     
    Cringe content repository:
    Me as a florist:

    Look closely. 

    Cicada shells, cheery fellows! Used to glean gallon-size bags of them off our trees and set up armies of them all about the house. Trails down every stairwell. Mini captains of boats. Great toys. Grand that people are Cicada cooking now?! I researched so hard about whether or not the shells were poisonous four years ago. My ducks loved to eat them, they looked and felt like crisp potato chips, I wanted to join them! Couldn’t get a straight answer online, sadly never dared. Have you tried them, or the shells? Still rather tempting.

    ^They send their love to all~
    Bow ties are cool, but we aren’t.

    Well, I was admittedly terrified to ask my dad to dress up. XD Not sure why, he happily obliged. I think he’d agree to any genre of absurdity, being a former masked pro wrestler. ._. 
    Why this atrocity?
    https://youtu.be/dYQ-VURstig
    Well...in 2015 the spontaneous idea of “MUST create a GIANT Adipose plush/blobchair for my brother” somehow materialized. Went feral and free-cut without a pattern. It took a mighty quantity of poly-fil. The floored grin on his face that Christmas-bahaha! I've no recollection of where I hid the thing before wrapping it, It’s exactly 4.5 feet tall!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJaeIPJEbNo
    Then, in 2016, he hoped to acquire a purple Dalek, but without luck. Got some felt and some plush-toy eyes and attempted to fix that up (and BB8, more robots to exterminate/celebrate.). (Oldugly watermark due to an IP theft thing, I lack the original here.)

     Time jump to present,this monstrosity, Adi’ wanted a horsecart ride, I, Sara, made an attachable Clara collar (olddress made 2yrs ago as I’m slacking), voltage tester and tape became the Sonic, The Child repped the Tardis, and my dad, volunteering as a tribute pony, actually agreed to this? Thanks?  CRINGE. [Brought to you by poor judgement and low quality editing tools.]

    Happy scare season from my family to yours, I guess? [We are not celebrants of Halloween. This is our typical aberrancy]
     
    *Slinks back into bushes lowkey questioning life choices while chilling with the Cicada crew* 

    Ooh might as well re-drop this little dude over here also:

    Edit: Oops, got the quote date wrong. Fixed. Sorry Bambi.  
     
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