Finally, My Dream of Two Toilets is Realized.

We got the apartment! Which I now realize is not actually one I have described in detail here, but was the one we wanted most of all. It's one level (everything else we looked at, oddly, were townhouses) which isn't a plus, but isn't a minus either. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two huge patios, a working fireplace, a dishwasher, washer/drier in unit, parking, and a nice big kitchen. Plus space to set up a living room area and a good sized dining room area too. Finally I'll be able to throw proper dinner parties, instead of having everyone eat pasta off of their laps. Not that eating pasta off of ones lap is a bad thing, but it'll be nice to have the option of serving things that are best eaten at a table.

And I am dead serious about the two toilets being a dream come true. It isn't that sharing one has caused any problems, but there's something nice about having the second one. I'm drinking water constantly (the whole eight glasses a day thing has never been a problem for me), so you can draw the natural consequence. Plus we can have the cat's litter box in the bathroom that isn't our main one, which is a really pleasant thought.

Oh! I am so excited. We're going down to sign the lease tonight, and any moment in the next week or two that we aren't working, we'll be packing. The plan is to move as soon as possible, perhaps in a week or two.

It would be faster, but we both actually are doing a decent amount of work. Charlie's got his Astro Boy job, and I'm helping a friend make a commercial. Combined with art stuff, we're pretty busy. But happy! I don't want to jinx anything, but things are finally looking up.

Five New Heads!

Yesterday was all about new heads. I worked on these five lovelies from before noon until nearly 6pm. Which was perfect timing, because I then had to get dressed (I had, um, worked in my pajamas all day), because we had been invited to a special screening of a forthcoming movie. And the score for that movie, done by a friend of ours, was great! And um, yeah. We really liked the part our friend did.

But these heads! I'm pleased with them. They already have perspective identities in my mind. There's prospector head, and swimming girl head, fancy pants girl with her beehive (which was originally going to be more Marge Simpson curly, but didn't end up as such), and the shy girl who's maybe a little chubby, and her weird, goofy brother. I think about them a little too much; it maybe isn't healthy. I have a hard time parting with them by the time they're completely done. I've spent so much time with them, and assigned them personalities. It's something I need to work on.

We're still waiting to hear about the dream apartment. One couple turned it down, and there's still one couple ahead of us. But they haven't communicated with the people at the building in awhile, so we have a good chance. I'm really hoping. I think we'll know today though, one way or another.

Still no official new apartment. We've applied for three, but we're down to two possiblities at the moment. Our choice- Charlie decided he wasn't as crazy about one place once he had thought about it, and since it was the most expensive of current options, it wasn't a big sacrifice. I'm still anxious to here from the places we do want, and I'm not making a big effort to seek out new possiblities right this second. It's just as well, as looking at apartments during the work week is tricky.

No new art to show right this minute. I have a few sketches around and a sock I've been knitting (I've been knitting it for awhile. It's not even the second sock. It's the first sock. This doesn't bode well for the pair getting done in a timely fashion). There are some new model prototypes I made today, but they're for an commercial job, and not really all that interesting out of context anyhow. Plus most spare time has been taken up by apartment hunting, errands, and yesterday's much need spa trip. (The spa trip was a belated birthday present from Charlie. He went too. We had massages. It was lovely.)

Since I don't have art to share today, here's a close-up of Smee, waiting patiently as I hold his Kong over his head.


And as an added bonus, Rusty helping Charlie sit on a chair!

We've just started apartment hunting, and I'm so antsy. I know that technically we have time, but we've been itching to get out of this place for months now. We saw a place that was pretty great last night, and applied. We haven't heard back yet, and I don't expect we will until late today or tomorrow, if not until Monday. Neither of us could sleep particularly well, and now I'm all jangly from tiredness, but still to hyper to rest.

And it's generally hard, because even with the move into the suburbs (we're planning to move to Pasadena or there abouts, from our current LA home), there's very little that's both in our price range and allows pets. Add in the fact that as we get older and more financial stable we're also getting a lot pickier, and choices get ridiculously scant. Los Angeles is just a very expensive city. And it's suburbs likewise.

Anyhow, I really do hope that this is all resolved soon. I feel like I'm going to be on edge for months to come.

My world is lovely

So I tried out some new things with this doll. Her feet have flat bottoms, and she has removable shoes. I also used some little brass colored glass beads I got this weekend as buttons down the front of her dress, and on the cuffs. And her skirt is paneled, so that it goes outward in all directions. I'm really pleased with how she turned out!

I pleased with a lot of stuff lately. I've been working out regularly, and even if it's only been a week, I'm still really proud of myself. It isn't something I love, but I know that it's good for me. That said, now that it's starting to make me feel healthier, it's easier to go to the gym.

And I love all of these toys I've been making! It was a little bit of a gamble, as I'm making a lot of it up as I go along. But I really think they look good. They're cool! The one I have up on my store isn't selling, and I feel like there's a good chance that future ones I put up won't sell either. My luck isn't great, and I need to push myself to promote more. But at least I love making them.

Plus I'm starting a new series of paintings this week. A loose narrative told in scenes across four or five small canvases, it will portray a girl's trip through space to a strange new place. Sort of an allegory for my move to LA, which has been wonderful and bizarre and terrifying all at once.

And hats! I'm making hats again. I sold a hat a few weeks ago, and I'm working on more. There will be teapot hats and peacock hats and tree hats!

Yeah, art is making my world lovely.

New Doll! Plus Bonus Body Issue Digressions

Another doll, done! She came together relatively easily. I think I must be getting the hang of my doll making process. She'll be up in the shop soon. Watch for updates!

In other news, I started going to the gym yesterday. When I lived in Chicago, I walked a lot. It was my main mode of transportation. Sadly, walking everywhere in LA just isn't possible, and even where you can walk, it frequently isn't pleasant. So I've gotten out of shape, and it wasn't feeling very good. And I wasn't feeling super great about how I look. Which I feel guilty about, the being down on my chubby self. Especially as I frequently think other girls look extra cute when they're chubby. But for myself, it doesn't match up with how I look in my head. Probably because I was a tiny kid, and most of the women in my family are wee. The realization that I would never be a tiny, lithe little thing, at least not as a healthy person, was not really a bad thing, but it was sort of a surprise to me. At any rate, the fact that my health will improve with working out is my bigger concern, along with generally feeling good. And I'm going back this afternoon. I already feel more awake than before. I realize that's mostly a psychological thing, but whatever. I'm feeling good!

This picture represents how I'm feeling right now.

Nothing I'm doing is working particularly well today, and it's terribly frustrating. The little felt robot pouch I want to make to hold my business cards has come out crappy twice in a row now. The handle for the teapot hat I'm crocheting is all lumpy. My head hurts, it's too warm, people are doing loud construction type things in the neighborhood, and everytime I get a leg up on housework the dishes fill the sink again and the clothes are back in the dirty laundry bag. In other words, nothing is really wrong, I'm just in a colossal grump today.

I think I'm going to go draw more. That, at least, is working today.

Weekend of Awesome!

Taking a break from washing the mountain of dishes from last night's Sopranos finale party (kind of liked the end, perhaps precisely because it pissed so many people off). I have to take a break for a few minutes to give my finger a few minutes to heal, as I cut it on one of the pointier of the dirty things.

So I will point out highlights of my weekend!

Friday was my birthday, which was spent reading, working on hats to sell, hanging with the dog and cat, and fielding phone calls from well-wishers. In the evening Charlie took me to Los Balcones Des Peru, our favoritist LA restaurant. After a trip to the cd store and the comic book store, we came home. And not a moment to soon! We were going to watch a dvd, but when Charlie flipped on the tv, there was a police chase. And newscaster was saying "They've just rounded the corner of Adams on the Washington". And we remarked to each other that that was awfully close to our house. (You know where this is going, yes?) So we settled in to watch the chase, which went in circles around our neighborhood. It was all "hey, there's the Trader Joe's" and "hey, there's HD Buttercup". And then they turned on to my street! And it was all "hey, there is our house" and "hey, there is our car." It was kind of scary, but we kept watching to the end and it came to a peaceful conclusion.

And Saturday it was off to Pete and Caroline's house for a Pete's birthday party. Which was enormously awesome. There were tons of great people, lots of good food, and a bouncy castle! I'm now firmly of the belief that basically every social event needs a bouncy castle. For that matter, ever gym needs a bouncy castle, as that may be the most exhausting cardiovascular exercise ever.

But yes! Good weekend! And please excuse any typos, I am having trouble typing with a band-aid on my fingertip. Also, my brain is a little stupid today.

Stuff in Shop! Stuff in Shop!

This little fellow has been added to my etsy shop!

Sew Excited (that I'm making awful puns)

Tada! I have finally set up my new sewing machine! And despite the copy on the box (and my deep fears) it did come with a foot pedal. It just gives you the option of using a start/stop button on the front instead. Which is actually kind of cool, that my machine could be used by someone with out good use of their legs. It's an inclusive machine!

I was seriously afraid to set it up. I hadn't used a sewing machine in a few years, and I really thought I was going to mess it up. Now that I've set it up with no trouble, I have to laugh at myself. It's not like driving a car, where messing up could hurt or kill someone. The worst that could happen is I'd sew through my finger or break some machine part. Fortunately, it set up with out issues, and sews quite nicely. Sews pretty quietly too.

In a bit I'll have to put it away for the day (the perils of having no designated work space and having to use the kitchen table), but I'm really excited to put this baby to heavy use. I'll have to name it, I think.

On an unrelated note, this weekend was fully of greatness! Friday night we went out for dinner at Sushi Karen, one of my favorite restaurants in LA (well, technically Culver City, but same difference). The food is great, but because it's not on a super main drag it's never super crowded.

Saturday we were off to the LA Arboretum, which we somehow had never been to. I can't imagine how we'd gone so long with out visiting it. It's amazing. Lots of leisurely walking, lots of trees and plants, and there were peacocks and turtles everywhere.

And yesterday I went to my very first baseball game! It was great. I was afraid I would become horribly bored, but I didn't. I actually had tons of fun, and the game was really close. So close in fact that Charlie went to use the bathroom, and when he came back a minute later the game was over.

Okay. On to some online pattern browsing, and then to conquer the mountain of weekend dishes.