Hear ye, hear ye.

I have been on a little bitty bit of a cross-stitching kick lately. I did a Final Fantasy 4 "Rydia" for myself, and then Dark Cecil and Paladin Cecil for a friend of mine. Observe!

These take a godawful long time but compared to the stuff on Sprite Stitch, I consider myself a lightweight.

And then, on Friday, I thought it would be a cool idea of create a coat-of-arms for my family unit. I changed my last name in my early twenties, and my husband took said name, so we really are a totally new unit. I figured it would be a good time to solidify our values and identity in a way that would be both bad-ass and a helpful reminder for the goals we want to strive for (before we get too cranky and old).

I spent some time in the SCA as a kid, so heraldic stuff is not entirely new to me. I think I took to it rather like a fish to water! The hours of research were quite fun and it's really amazing I didn't try to shove more symbols in. There are so many to choose from! I originally meant to put a cool crown/collar and chains on the ox but totally forgot about it when it came time to ink. Oh, well.

The Latin translates (if Google is to be believed) to "wealth (within) skill and knowledge lies". I wanted a real "working class" badge, with a hammer and star representing the quest for perfection through arts/crafts. The star also corresponds to the symbol for a third son, which is what my husband is. The 'X' pattern is a Scottish designation for the first generation of a coat. Shafts of wheat (in place of, traditionally, garish ribbons) and the wheel (in lieu of a helm designating rank) for progress, forward movement, and fruition. The ox represents fortitude/labor and the lion valor/achievement. The owl, of course, for wisdom and learning. Apparently there is a big difference between eared owls and earless owls, so I gave him ears. I will say that the one owl I saw in the wild was earless and pretty damned freaky. Every other culture of the world but the west is into them as harbringers of death.

Jerry says that orange and blue is the best color combination EVER, so what choice did I have there?

What can I say? I love symbolism.

On and off.

Little bit here, little bit there.

Here's me and my siblings as kids.

Parallels.

Something I ponder a lot about these days is character design and how much cartooning-down I want to do in general.

We love big, inviting eyes and people that are something like 6 heads tall - because let's be real, when you look in a mirror and realize how tiny your head ACTUALLY is in comparison to the rest of your body, it's actually kind of unsettling - and all sorts of shortcuts that make storytelling potent and hyperhuman. We also like to look at characters with either far fewer details, so we can inject ourselves into them and find them more relatable... or far more details, because then they deeply enrich the world they inhabit and become the opposing forces we pit ourselves against.

Long story short.

I was sketching and did 3 different Mae'houns, sort of as a test of how detailed and non-detailed I could get, with my usual style there in the middle.

Also, you know, to prove this point to anyone who's interested.

Uncharted Waters.

Not only do I have a job right now, but that job utilizes the words "mandatory overtime". Also, I spend a lot of my "off" time playing an MMO - my first, because I was previously concerned that I am exactly the sort of person who would become completely absorbed in an MMO. Turns out I was right!

I'm enjoying gutting fish in taverns around the world while sporting the finest West African fashions. If you see the above avatar, say hi. I totally have some Quest Mediation Permits you can buy. There's some in-game economic humor. Snerk!

Oh! And here are some of my co-workers.

I'm seeing a behavioral therapist right now, and it's a pretty positive experience. I've done a lot of really intensive talk therapy in the past, but this current school focuses squarely on my attitudes and self-worth. One of the main reasons I don't draw as much as I "should" (would, could, etc.) is that I put so much pressure on myself that if I draw at all, I'm going to Fail, so why bother? Perfection to the point of constipation. So right now I scribble Totoros on my work bench and doodle while I'm sailing in UWO. Just trying to get back into enjoying it and doing it when I feel like it.

This little piggy.

No, I haven't updated much lately! I have been tackling all the yard work possible, then I came down with the Head Cold Of Death™ that's going around. The nice thing about being sick is that once I get well again, life is completely amazing and magical and I feel capable of doing so much stuff.

Did some inking the other day. My husband was kind enough to be my foot model.

"All for under fifty bucks!"

He builds furniture.

I sew.

He built a headboard; we upholstered it; I made a matching bedspread.

We're a pretty good team.

Texture quilt.

I have a nephew on the way, so I've made some reusable wipes and have been looking at cloth diapers (which are really scary and, to be honest, beyond my abilities). I also wanted to make some kind of quilt. What I loved growing up were patterns with lots to look at; and babies love to touch and feel; so with those two put together, I decided on one of those map playmats.

I've sewn together about half of it and have the other half to do.  The "lots" and "roads" vary from suede to vinyl to denim to wool to jersey knit cotton. (Ahem, hand wash and line dry.) When the batting and first backing is in, I will machine quilt different patterns over the "lots". The fabric in the upper right is what will be on the backside to look tasteful when necessary, with a yarn-tie technique to boot. I always, always push beyond what's realistic in layering but, just the same, I always, always pull through (thus far).

I'm deferring to mama's wisdom on where to go from here. I have felt and other materials ready for trees and buildings, but do we want the playmat to have the capacity to grow along with junior, too? Do I attach buildings so it's cutesy and arty, or leave them loose as playing pieces so the LEGOs can eventually move in? Or I'm probably overthinking this, and a combination of diarrhea and projectile vomit will strike at once and totally destroy the thing, and it would be really uncool after a few years besides. But I'm toying (ha!) around.

Test frame.

I've drafted over 15 pages this week, and it feels great. Things are coming together nicely. Once in a while, I'll occupy a page with test coloring. Here's a conceptual coloring of the Spirit Ocean, full of mistakes, but, well, that's why I post it here, right?

Step into my office.

It's great having a computer desk on wheels - as well as a space dedicated solely to drawing. Sometimes I marvel more at that than actually working. I feel kind of famous just for having a cool workspace. Maybe I need to become famous so there are more pictures of it on the internet. Come on. You wish you had a sunny corner like me.

And nstead of doing dishes, I've made a point of refurbishing my thrift barstool and sewing together a small rug (made of upholstery fabric and the foam from an old DDR mat) to go underneath it.

Sitting room.

Did some note-taking at my sister-in-law's place while the rest of the family crowded in to tile the bathroom. Here are some "dessert" sketches of a child's face and, of course, my nephew, Stanley the mastiff.