Craft Show in Lithia Springs This Weekend!

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to let you know, I will be doing a craft show at Lithia Springs High School on Nov. 8th and 9th. I will have all new Holiday Myxies, so be sure to stop by.

Have a great weekend.
~Caralyn

People are talking about me...but in a good way :)

Hello Everyone!

I have been featured in a few Artist Blogs. One is about polymer clay artists and the other is about fantasy doll art. Check them out...

http://chattyhomemaker.blogspot.com/

http://dzfantasy.blogspot.com/2008/10/art-dolls-and-artists-who-create-them.html

Have a wonderful day!
~Caralyn

Happy Halloween

Hello My Friends

It is just about that time again, Halloween! The only time when it is acceptable to take candy from strangers. In fact it’s expected. All you have to do is wear a towel around your neck and your undies out side of your pants…don’t tell me I’m the only one who does that…and they give you candy. Any other day of the week they would call the police for that kind of display. But not on October 31st, ain’t Halloween grand. So to honor this wonderful holiday get yourself in the spirit by dressing the way your mother never let you.
What’s that? Gas has taken all your money you say, you can’t afford a costume that makes you look like a crazy person? Well never fear, looking like a psychopath isn’t just for the rich now days. You can find a costume using stuff from around your house. There is the traditional towel around your neck that we covered but if you are looking for something a little more creative here’s an idea.
Get a regular baseball cap, spray paint it green, unless you have a green ball cap…I don’t know of anyone who does.
Take different color construction paper. Cut out ears on the green, sharp teeth on the white, a tongue out of the red, and if you have googily eyes use them but if not use the construction paper. Then paste the ears and eyes to the top of the cap and paste the teeth and tongue to the bottom of the bill. Be creative as to how you want to decorate it, with spots or glitter, etc. Combine the cap with a green shirt and presto, you’re a dragon! Okay so I know it’s a campy cheap costume but you’re the one who spent all you money on Gas. Besides with a little creativity you can make it a great, despite cheap, costume and then be on your way to getting a tummy ache from eating more candy then your stomach can handle...that’s the American way :)

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Back from D-Con and Boy am I D-Tired.

Dragon Con was great!
Despite being a busy, BUSY little beaver, I had a lot of fun. People from all over attended the art show, it was packed most of the weekend. I did fairly well and I received a lot of positive feedback from all who stopped at my booth. I had the opportunity to meet all kinds of people, including Todd McCaffrey the son of Anne McCaffrey the science fiction novelist best known for her Dragon rides of Pern series. I also had the great pleasure of meeting Willy Whitten, he is the talented artists that worked on the films Aliens, Terminator, The Thing, Invaders from Mars…just to name a few. By far the coolest conversation of my life. He gave me his email address and you better believe I am going to be bugging him with my emails. He will have to change his email address to get rid of me.
It was also a wonderful experience being able to meet some of the artists that had booths at the art show. They are all very talented interesting people and they were kind enough to share some of their techniques and advise with me. It helped me come up with all kinds of neat ideas so look out world
I also appreciate all of you that came to see me this weekend, it is always nice to get your support. Over all it was an inspiring and educational experience and I look forward to it next year.

Talk to you later D-udes,
~Caralyn

OMG Dragon Con is Coming for Me!

Hello my little darlings!
It is crunch time people, only 2 more days until Dragon Con. Fortunately I'm not worried…okay I lied, I am a little worried but that always happens to me before a big show like this. And being that this is my first time having a booth at Dragon Con, I will say there are a few butterflies squirming around in my tummy…don't know how those little suckers got in there.
I am pretty much all set and ready to go, I have a few finial pictures I am matting tonight and then I should be all done. It has been a long, tiring month but it's all going to be worth it at the show.
Please everyone come by and see me while you are there so I don't get lonely. I will be in the art gallery and I'll be the one covered in Myxies, can't miss me. :)
Unfortunately I won't have a computer with me this weekend so I won't be able to answer any messages but you can leave them for me anyway so when I get back I feel like I have lots of friends :D
Well, see all you geeks and nerds and Trekkies this weekend.
~Caralyn

A place for my Myxies

Only sixteen more days until Dragon Con and I still have so much to do.
The project I am presently working on is MYXIE LAND! The second happiest place on earth :)
It’s a stand for my Myxies. Before, now my little creations were homeless, sitting on a cold table at each show waiting for that special someone to come along and give them a home *sniff sniff* but not anymore. Now they will have a happy little shelter, a place to rump and play while they wait for their new family to adopt them.
It’s a beautiful dream come true.

I started with craft foam. Craft foam is that stuff usually used for silk floral arrangements, but I’m using it for the base of the stand. It is light, Thank goodness, I have enough to haul to shows without adding a 20lb Myxie habitat. Also craft foam is not difficult to shape, so carving hills into it a breeze.
Covering the foam in a green felt creates a nice illusion of grass and topping that with craft moss and flowers completes the naturalistic effect.

The last part is going to be a large tree that will enable me to have a place for my hanging/flying Myxies. The tree I am using was actually old decorations I purchased after Christmas. YAH DISCOUNTS! It isn’t quite the right shape, unfortunately so I will need to shave off a few limbs and crop the base until it's right.

Well, all this is going to take some time so instead of jack-jawing with you fine folks, I’m going to get back to work.

Tootles

Preparing for Dragon Con

Getting ready for Dragon Con would’ve been so much easier if the organizers had let me know a bit sooner…but I can’t complain because at least I got in, right.

So now, on my agenda for the art show:
First, making more myxies. I have several ideas for some I think will be really neat but unfortunately I only have time for a few…Alas. *PANS* I am making two pans, these will be my first try at sculpting pans and I’m excited to see how they turn out…so far so good. Also I have now made Myxie wind chimes I call them Mynd Chimes …just kidding. Then I need to make about seven more regular Myxies, and about a zillion more Myxie pals, and that’s going to take awhile. The process is going slow but undoubtedly worth every minute.

Next on the agenda, inventory organization. At past shows I just had a box with my art in it, the customer would ask for a print and I would fumble though the box until I found the right picture. Well that’s not going to cut it anymore, I’m playing with the big boys now. I have to get my stuff straight for the D-Con… Plus it will just make it SO much easier to find prints for customers if my art is all accounted for and organized.

Then comes ordering more supplies (bags, business cards, mats, etc..) this is not my forte, I prefer doing just the fun stuff, my art. But these things are essential to running a business. Fortunately I have family and friends that help me with that side of things.

And with a multitude of other galling little tasks to fulfill, I am a busy little beaver. But I am excited about Dragon Con so I promise not to stress over it too much.

I don’t know about you but I’m tired now.

Thanks for listening,
Caralyn

OMG! I GOT IN!

Holy Hot pockets Batman! I just now this very second received a call from the Dragon Con Organizers, and guess what…No, I didn't win the best costume contest, I GOT IN TO THE ART SHOW WHOOT! The guy told me I got the last booth. How cool is that…of course he could just tell everyone that but who cares, cause I got in. So, yes my little darlings, I will be at D-Con Aug. 29th though Sep 1st in the art gallery, so why don't you stop on by and say Hi.

See all you fellow art lovers there.
Caralyn

My Thumbs hurt so Bad!

In my short time as a Myxie creator I have discovered a few things, such as if you leave a sculpture in the oven for over three hours, it turns into charcoal, also I've learned a little about which clays work best. I have chatted with a few fellow artists that told me about Sculpey. This is great polymer clay for someone with a light touch, Sculpey is extremely easy to mold. But for someone like me with led fingers, I found this clay usually left me with odd looking Myxies. Discovering a polymer clay called Premo helped me solve my problem. It is firmer and takes slightly more effort to mold, making it the ideal clay for making my sculptures as detailed as I desire. Like Sculpey, Premo comes in various colors. But for reasons unbeknownst to me, different colors can be easier to mold then others, thus sticking me in the same predicament as I was in with the sculpey. After trying a variety of different Premo colors I settled on one that was the perfect firmness for my creations, Premo Beige. Unfortunately using only the one color makes it difficult to have different skin colors. Since I didn't want my Myxies to be identical, same skin colors caused a problem. But with having so many options of colored clay to choose from, it wasn't a problem for long. By mixing a small piece of another color I found I could keep the firmness of the Beige while being able to have an array of different skin colors. A small piece of white for lighter skins, a piece of tan for darker etc. Which brings me to the reason for this blog. All that mixing and kneading leaves my thumbs raw and blistered. It's not unlike how they felt after hours of playing Final Fantasy 8 with my brother. They look like I was using them to stir a hot cup of coffee. But alas, the Art must go on, so until I found a better way of mixing the clay I will continue to have blistahs on me fingahs. But enough complaining from me.
Have a great day

Dragon Con Art Show Update

I just heard back from the Dragon Con Jury…And Guess What…Drum roll please…..I got in! Whoot!
Whoo I was so excited to get that news Dun de dumdum Dobedo do do That's me singing the happy time victory song.....
SCCCRRRREEEEEEECCHHHHH and that's my happy fun time screeching to a halt because unfortunately even though I passed the jury, Dragon Con had too many applicants this year and had to cut a few and I was one of the ones cut :(....
It's not all bad though because now that I've passed I will be able to pass every year so my plan is to keep trying until I get a booth. I will however still be going to D-Con and passing out business cards and flyers, cause that's a great place for marketing. Anyhow I know you are all disappointed that I won't have a booth….or at least you are good at faking it, so Thanks, all of you for rooting for me. ....
.. ..
Talk to you later Fans :P....
Caralyn ....