Gathering energy in the new year

The light is returning! Happy New Year!

The new year has started slowly as I figure out my focus for 2021. Last year I created 100 laundry dryer balls and I already have two orders for the new year. I think this might be a good product to continue making on a serious level in order to fund my other projects. With wool felting taking up more space on my work bench, I’ve had to rearrange things yet again so drawing and felting can co-exist. Yes, drawing is part of my 2021 focus areas. I want to finally complete numerous images waiting in the file drawers. First back on the table is a drawing from last spring of Remy the Black Labrador. I’ve loosened up my colors, thanks to the blue sheep of 2020, and have shifted Remy into the blue/purple zones. I’m working with Prismacolor colored pencils on a very soft printmaking paper. Below is her current stage of development:

She has lots more to go before the image is complete, but I feel confident on the course its taking. There’s also several more colorful sheep in the works too.

On the sculpture table: Barney the Basset mix is slowly coming together! He belonged to my bro-in-law who lives in Austin TX. He was a sweetheart and a total slobbery mess. Oh, the drool! As a memorial, I’m creating a felted version (without drool) of the sweetie. Below is his current stage of development (and I can already see areas I need to fix!):

On a sad note: The end of December were the last days with our old cat MeMe. Her struggles with kidney disease culminated with euthanasia on December 31. She was 17-18 years old. What a way to end 2020! The amount of energy & care keeping her going ended and I was exhausted for days after that. However, there is a collective sigh of relief having passed through the life of MeMe. Now on the other side, the animals are all more relaxed, not having to be on the lookout for where she might be. She struck fear into both dogs and cats. Everyone was on edge when she came upstairs to drink water. I had to be on constant vigil for everyone’s safety. With that intense energy gone, the house feels empty but those remaining are starting to change. After years of not touching the litter boxes, the dogs are snarfing kitty-roca again. EEEEW! I had forgotten about those bad habits and didn’t want them to return! Her presence near the cat boxes kept the dogs away, but now are fair game. The other cats are relaxing into life not under the rule of “the old lady”. Fiona is blossoming with affection and becoming my new studio cat. Pippin continually causes chaos and gets locked out of my zone. Home life will be better in 2021!

Thanks for checking in. More dog sculpture/image progress reports to come.

Happy 2021!