quarterly update

I was reminded today I have a blog.  I was all like, I do?  And then I looked, and sure enough, there it is!  A blog!  So I've dusted it off and decided to add a little something to it.

It's not that I don't have things to say.  I do.  All sorts of things.  I mostly say them in my head, however, and occasionally to actual people.  But that leaves you out, dear imaginary audience!  So let's rectify that.

First off, I have a website now.  It's really very beautiful.  You can look at it right over here: www.abbydid.com

Isn't it amazing and wonderful?  I'm so pleased.  It really helps that I sleep with the guy who made it for me.  Reeeelaaaaaax.  I'm married to him.  And before you go asking to have him make you one, too, let me just say it took me FOUR YEARS of said sleeping with to go from asking for a website to actually having a website up and kicking.  Not sure how fair a trade off that is.

Next up, GUESS WHAT?  I have my first solo show coming up this spring!  This is quite a departure for me, as it is not plush-related at all.  Well, just barely.  You'll see.  I love my creatures, and I love finding them good homes with happy folks like you, but it was time to venture off into a more introspective, explorative direction.  Mark your calendars for the opening on April 14th at Fabricate.

So, while I have been stitching away, the results have been of a very different nature.  I have butterflies in my stomach venturing out into unchartered territory like this, but it makes me happy and I really like what I'm doing, so it is my fervent hope that it will inspire similar feelings in all of you.

For an idea of what's in development, here's a piece I created for Fabricate's anniversary show last November.  It's entitled "Home Base" and it depicts one of the places I love most in my hometown of Cincinnati, the Union Terminal.

Here's a closeup.  What I do is take a photo, tweak it on the computer to amp up the colors or distort them to my liking, then print it onto fabric.  After that I back it in batting and start stitching away.  It's sort of like doodling, but muuuuch slooooower.

The plushmaking continues, as well, but not at the break-neck pace it once did.  I'm learning to balance things a bit better, not just run in all welly nelly.  Hooray for personal growth!  What this means is craft shows are out of the picture for now, but probably not forever.  Fabricate and my etsy shop are the best places to find my work, and you know if you ask nicely I'll make you something special.

One new creation in the shop is the Whipper Slapper.  I LOVE this guy, he's ridiculously fun.  He's a monster slap bracelet, and I highly recommend you snatch one up today.  Personal monster protection is all the rage for 2012, my friends!!

So that's it for now.  I love you all, my kittens, and hope your new year is off to a good start!