All artwork and content © 2010 mischiefmaker

All artwork and content © 2010 mischiefmaker
Please do not use images without our consent



Monday, November 15, 2010

Squirrels are fun...with wheels!!

This post is seriously long overdue. I can't believe it took me this long.
Anyway, hopefully most people are used to my crazy obsession with amigurumi and plush toys that this won't be anything surprising.
I previously purchases an adorable book entitled "Knitting Mochimochi" by Anna Hrachovec that has some of the weirdest/cutest knitted amigurumi I've seen including a couch, a smokestack and of course, my first project, a squirrel on wheels.

Anna recently had a photo contest on her blog (http://mochimochiland.com/) encouraging people to make any of her adorable patterns and photograph them in the most creative way possible. So I accepted the challenge and made this:


Jesse's boss Janet has recently started taking care of baby squirrels who have lost their mothers and then releasing them when they are ready to be on their own. This little guy was named "Earl."

I figured he would be the perfect playmate for the newly knitted squirrel on wheels whom Jesse said I should name "Wally."

Jesse even made Earl his own pair of rollerskates so he could join Wally. Unfortunately, Earl was more interested in food.


Sadly, Janet cannot keep Earl so I let her keep Wally as a thanks for letting Jess take pictures. Thanks Janet!
Even though I didn't win, I can gladly say I at least made it to the final ten. Maybe next time.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Zombie Crawl and New Zombie Listings

Hello one and all!
Zombie crawl was a ton of fun!
All the zombies had fun, especially zombie Jess.
We wanted to thank everyone for coming, and as a very special surprise, we are going to offer the zombies for $10 off starting November 4th in our Etsy shop (www.mischiefmaker.etsy.com).
So don't miss out!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Yet another reason why I am a complete idiot...

Jess, my Mom and I had just gotten back to her house from an excursion to JoAnn Fabrics to buy fabric for our Halloween costumes (no, it's a surprise. I can't tell you).
I had bought something for her and was getting it out of the back of my car. I had my hands full, so I asked Jess if he would close the door for me.
I don't really know what happened to me in the 2.5 seconds that followed. Amnesia? Completely forgetting I had just asked my husband to shut the door? In 2.5 seconds? Or maybe just assuming he would watch my every move and act accordingly, because he would never get distracted himself. Nope.
I don't really know.
All I know is that I saw something awesome in the back of my car that I just had to look at. It was the most awesome thing in the world and I had to see what it was. RIGHT THIS SECOND. I think in actuality, it was just a Funkin (http://www.funkins.com/) or something, but still...

So I yelled "Ooh! What's that?!?", stuck my head down to look and WHAM! Jess closed the door right on my head.
Stars and little funkins started dancing around my head. I could hear my Mom and Jess asking me if I was ok, and the only thing I could mutter was "Ouch."
Being the motherly mother that she is, my Mom made me sit down and put ice on my head to help with the swelling. Plus, she wanted to make sure I didn't have a concussion.
I just felt like an idiot.
Now I have this big bump and bruise on my forehead. As if I needed more proof that I am an idiot.

Friday, September 17, 2010

"Talking to the Dead" - my first art show



I'm not excited or anything ;)

I'm having my first art show! Woo hoo!

Here's the information:


“TALKING TO THE DEAD”
OUIJA BOARD JURIED ART SHOW

THE MACSPA & ART PIMP PRODUCTIONS presents “TALKING TO THE DEAD” a juried group art show featuring custom Ouija Boards. OCTOBER 5th through 30th 2010 at The MacSpa 1738 Wynkoop, Suite 103 Denver, CO 80202.

Opening Art Reception will be held Thursday, October 7th 6-9 p.m.. This event is Free to the public. Ouija Board artists and Dead Ringer artists will be on site, Tricks and Treats will be served, and local artist and supernatural-mystery author Mario Acevedo will lead neighborhood tours showcasing the weird and wicked history of LoDo.

Special Encore Reception featuring Zombie Caricature artist Stan Yan and Clairvoyant Carol Pollard Saturday October 23rd 10 a.m. - 2 p.m..(Pre-Zombie Crawl). Guests will have a chance to become a Zombie. Stan Yan will be creating Zombicatures on site. Prices ranging from $20-$40. Don’t be dead get read! For just $20 Nationally known clairvoyant, Carol Pollard, will be doing spirit communication, pet readings, business and personal readings and much more!
The MacSpa Regular Hours are: Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. -12 p.m.

“TALKING TO THE DEAD” OUIJA BOARD ART SHOW is an art show based on the general fascination of communicating with the spirit world. Art Pimp Productions has juried a group of designs for Ouija boards from local artists for this unique show. The following artists will have their Ouija boards on display: Kyle Banister, Jennifer Higby, Lynda Knowles, Eric Matelski, Ian McKown, Tadd Moskal, Scott Ramsay, Eric Buckner Winfield, & ZEZ
DEAD RINGERS: Keeping with the theme of the dead and the spirit world “TALKING TO THE DEAD” OUIJA BOARD ART SHOW will also feature the following DEAD RINGER ARTISTS:

Cori Buchholz & her Crochet Zombie Dolls

Mark Friday, is a sculpture, mixed media, and print based artist. Mark will have a collection of his spookiest wall sculptures on display.

Phil Bender, collects everyday objects and arranges them in geometric grids, suggesting both nostalgia and scientific classification. Phil will be putting together collections of Halloween Memorabilia for display.

Stan Yan, full-time Denver freelance cartoonist and Illustrator. Stan will have his zombie caricature drawings on display. (Stan will be on site for the Encore Reception Oct. 23rd 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MacSpa to create personal Zombicatures for guests).

The Ouija board, or as some call it the "wee-gee" board has been around since the 1800's. During the late 1800's, and into the 1900's the Ouija board made it around the world being sold as a novelty item. However, history dates similar boards, and devices used for communicating with the dead as far back as 1200 B.C. Ouija boards are used to help communicate with spirits, which some refer to as a seance. While some people believe that the Ouija board doesn't work, others fear it for good reason. Scientifically the Ouija board can not be proven to either work or not.

Any and all questions can be addressed by contacting Eric Matelski at ArtPimpInfo@mac.com 303-898-4350
TheMacSpa.com
Artpimponline.com

Come join me if you get a chance! It should be a lot of fun!
Here's a sneak peak of some of the zombies that will be there:



There ready to eat some brains! ;)

Friday, August 27, 2010

It's hedgehog-y!

I really don't know what my obsession is with hedgehogs. They are just so darn cute. And fun to make.
I have made another hedgehog mobile. After having made the mistake of pricing the last one I made too low and in the process ended up losing money, I have decided to take into consideration cost of shipping, supplies, tax, and the time it took me to make it. Plus the pain in my elbow caused from excessive crocheting. But this one has a lot more detail and one more hedgehog.
I've improved on the design and gave it more strength.
I love it. I might have to make myself one ;)

I am still considering making a zomie mobile, but trying to work out how to do it without making it really heavy...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Reasons why I am not fit for society and should just be locked away in a padded room making tea cozies all day long

I make crocheted zombies. Enough said.

Sometimes I seriously believe that my life is really like "The Truman Show," but instead of giving me the perfect life it's more like a game show where they keep throwing crap at me and wait to see how long I can last before I just totally lose it and start pelting people in the head with water balloons filled with old cat food.

I bought an expensive-ass phone (because I convinced myself that I might need it for when [if] my Etsy store [ever] picks up) even though I am losing my job and it's very confusing and won't hold a charge and I feel like the government is watching and judging me with every new email I get, and it seems like my battery gets used most when it is in "idle" mode, but seriously, what am I supposed to do, turn it off? and I feel like I am missing important calls because sometimes when Jesse calls it doesn't go through and then I start to wonder, "What if it's ADT calling to tell me that my alarm is going off and there's probably someone in my house right now stealing my cat and my underwear and I missed it because my building has crappy reception (you'd think being on the 24th floor and having a brand new 'state of the art' phone, it would work properly, but no)," and then I start to think about coming home to a completely empty house because we were robbed, again, and then having Jesse yell at me for buying the really expensive phone (even though I already feel guilty) when I didn't need it and he got the crappier phone that hangs up when we try to talk to each other even though we are on the same plan but still works better than my phone, and he yells for having to pay an extra $10 since I went over on my plan because I don't know how to work my new phone- technology scares and confuses me, leading me to believe that I was born in the wrong century and wishing I could go back in time when all people did was needlework all day long and not have to worry about money and losing their house and husband because they are unemployed (and REALLLLLLY don't want to have to get another crappy receptionist position or work for anyone else EVER again), went over on their phone plan, and kept asking for a baby when the husband clearly doesn't want that responsibility and then having to move back into their mother's basement because they are unemployed, childless and 30 -see, back then 30 was really old and by those standards I'd probably be retired and ready to die by now - but I keep telling myself "Don't worry. Etsy will pick up, it just takes awhile", "buck up little camper," and "look on the bright side," until I want to punch myself in the face because I have a problem with people, even myself, trying to cheer me up and I really don't believe myself anyway, and then start to worry that maybe I am doing this whole "life" thing wrong and I should just start over, but then I realize that I am almost 30 and it's too late and then I get depressed and start looking up my etsy page on my new phone to see if I have any new transactions but alas, no, and in the process have wasted another $5 looking stuff up on my phone. Sigh.

I write really long run-on sentences.

I have a problem with people trying to cheer me up when I don't want to be or with people telling me what they think I should do. I don't know why. When bad things happen and I feel terrible, I just want to vent and pout and generally feel sorry for myself. Encouraging words and phrases just tend to make me want to stick my face in the garbage disposal. I think it's my inner child, refusing to clean up her room, but instead of room, it's "life." I have a co-worker who is a nice enough guy, but is CONSTANTLY telling what he thinks I should do. I wear hair ties around my wrist. So what? He comes up to me one day out of the blue, looks at the hair tie on my wrist and exclaims, "You do that too? Aw, you shouldn't do that! It cuts off the circulation in your wrist. My daughter used to do that and I quickly made her stop." Ok psycho, have you seen the size of my wrists? They're miniscule. The only thing getting the circulation cut off from is your brain. Now mind your own damn business.

I feel really bad for my husband sometimes. If he moves something a tiny bit or puts something out of place, I freak out. I think I have OCD. If the kitchen canisters aren't all facing the same way, or if a cabinet door isn't shut all the way, or if one of his socks are invading my side of the bed, then holy crap the world is going to end! Sometimes he puts tools on the kitchen table or counters and I...well, actually that is gross. We eat off of those. I think I am justified in getting annoyed on that one. But little things like that get under my skin. I worked hard organizing everything so that they all face the same direction (you know, just in case the bigger canister was having an argument with the second largest canister and didn't want to have to look at each other the whole night. I'm trying to be considerate of my inanimate objects. Don't judge me). But then again, he's known me for 11 years and still wanted to marry me. It's his own fault.

I have a hard time asking for help or anything else for that matter. When at a store, I will search the entire store from top to bottom fifty times before I will ask one of the employees for help. Yes, I realize it is their job, but I prefer to not talk to strangers if humanly possible. Or maybe I just really need to find that book on making everyday household items out of old shoes all by myself so I can feel like a big girl. It's probably a little of both.

I don't like to get on an elevator with strangers if I can help it. Same goes for public restrooms.

That's probably enough for now, assuming I haven't lost you. If you kept on reading, then I will reward you with a handmade oven mitt made out of Jesse's old "yardwork" shoes. Enjoy!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Jesse - the man, the myth, the dog portrait painter

Jesse has put up a few listings for custom dog portraits on our Etsy page. He has done many in the past and does an excellent job. Of course, it doesn't have to be a dog portrait. He can also do cat, bird, horse, llama, squirrel, bunny, bearded dragon...
In 2005, he graduated with a Bachelors degree in Fine Art with an emphasis in drawing and painting. He usually does oil painting, but has also done acrylic and watercolor, and he's been known to make sculptures, miniatures, jewelry, and of course Halloween decorations/props.
Jess likes to make his own beer and mead and made all the alcohol for our wedding in 2009.
Here is a few examples of the custom paintings he's done:



Jesse works really hard on all his projects and it shows. He can be a perfectionist. I think the puppies look so real, like they might just jump out of the canvas and give you a big wet kiss, yet he manages to give it an almost surreal or whimsical quality. Visit our Etsy page to see more :)

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

I've been featured!!

Yay!! Denver Zombie Examiner, Jessica d'Arbonne, has written an article about me!
I met her at a ZDT (zombie defense training) class awhile ago and I gave her my card. Check her out at http://www.examiner.com/x-23103-Denver-Zombie-Examiner. She has all sorts of interesting stories from how to train your dog to fight zombies to the dangers of becoming a zombie at the office.
Also, I have signed up for the crochet showcase today on Etsy. I managed to make three hedgehogs for "hedgehog week" and hopefully can get another hedgehog mobile made. I know lots and lots of pregnant ladies!
This is Frances. Frances hopes to be adopted soon. He hasn't been getting along with my cat who's been eyeing him like a piece of tuna.
Frances, Jasper, and Henry the hedgehogs are still up for adoption along with their zombie friends Wes, Benny, and Melvin (their girl friends Patty and Roberta have already been adopted and they miss them terribly). So if you know anyone who would like to take these cuties home, please help me spread the word! Thanks so much!!



Tuesday, August 3, 2010

It's Hedgehog week!!!


Of course every week is hedgehog week for me ;)

I'm going to try to see how many hedgehogs I can make this week...

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

New item!

Due to circumstances beyond my control I will shortly be doing Etsy full time, assuming I can make a living. Which would be great! But first I have to make a sale...

Anyway, I have a new item in my shop!!
It's a hedge hog mobile!
It has four brightly colored hedgehogs (blue, green, red, and purple) and four cute mushrooms. They are stuffed with polyfil and the hedgehogs have safety eyes.
This adorable mobile would look great in a woodland themed nursury, or just in your home. I am considering making a zombie version...




Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Something's a-brewing

Ok, not literally. But I've got some new projects brewing in my mind. Mostly involving yarn. Of course.
Unfortunately, I can't show you yet. I am having trouble getting them finished. But I can give you a sneak peek, at least.
One main problem I have discovered at the moment is finding the time to do anything. Having a full time job is counter-productive to starting my own business. But necessary if I want to keep my house.
Also, I have no work space until we can get the house painted and organized. That makes it difficult for me to concentrate.
Three words: puppies are demanding. I love him dearly, but holy yarnballs! I need a break. Or I need him to grow up really quick and calm down.
I look at all these talented people who were able to to run their own businesses, bake a cake, clean their house, AND spend a lovely day of shopping with their friends and wonder how the hell they managed to do it all in one day. Granted, they don't have a full time job on top of running their business. But I can hardly manage my life as it is.
Anyway, enough with my incessant babbling. Here's a sneak preview:
No, it's not just colorful hedgehogs. They are part of a much bigger and cuter project, assuming everything goes to plan. Hopefully I will actually get a chance to work on them today.
I designed them myself. I love hedgehogs.
These little guys have actually helped me stay positive this last week when I thought I was going to lose it. Work has not been easy for me lately (especially considering I haven't had a vacation since my honeymoon last year), and it's nice to have some sort of comfort and something that is very "me" here at the office where everything is so "corporate" and business-like. This environment is too serious for me.
But these cute little faces help me get through the day :)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

ETSY!!!






It's about damn time! I finally got around to posting a few of my items on Etsy.com. It only took 2+ years, but I did it!
http://www.mischiefmaker.etsy.com/


I'm sure it will take some time to establish the shop, but that's a good thing. Then I can take some time and try to come up with other things to make.


So if you know anyone who likes zombies or scarves and hats, pass the word!! I'd really appreciate it :D

Thursday, February 25, 2010

We love fur babies

It only took three + years, but we finally adopted another member to our family. His name is Gus.
Gus is a lab mix (we're not sure what he's mixed with, but we suspect it's border collie) who was one of eight puppies dumped in a drop box at a pound in Ohio and left for dead. Luckily, some caring people with an organization called Mile High Labrador Retriever Mission (http://www.milehighlabmission.com/) found them and brought them to Colorado through Pilots N' Paws.
As always happens with all our fur (and feathered) babies, they came to Jesse's clinic to get treatment for kennel cough and Jesse instantly fell in love with Gus.
Gus was always the more independent and laid back of all the puppies. They could even hold him upside down and he wouldn't squirm. And he's got a cute white patch on his chest.
Since he was able to spend so much time with his siblings, Gus loves other dogs, cats, and people. He even escaped the reception area at Jesse's work to go see a little girl. He is so sweet. He has been trying his hardest to get our cats, Jack and Sally, to play with him but I think he's a little too hyper for their liking.
Gus is so smart. He is only 3 months old but he's mostly got the potty training thing down, we've already taught him "sit," "shake," "lay down," and we are working on loose leash training. He gets to go to puppy classes every Sunday and gets to learn new tricks and play with other puppies. He seems to really like it.
Now he's getting so big! He'll be full grown before we know it.

Here's the deal...

Yes, I work for an Oil and Gas company. Yes, I realize that some people think that "big oil" is the devil. I have gotten a lot of crap for this. But, please, let me explain.
I was in desperate need for a job. They hired me. They took a chance on me - someone who has never worked in the Oil and Gas field before, someone who has only really worked with kids and in retail, someone who really didn't have any receptionist experience. But they still hired me.
And let me tell you, I have never met businessmen like the ones I work for. They are caring and understanding. They are not at all like businessmen I have met in the past (e.g. the jerkoff Chiropractor I used to work for). They understand the importance of spending time with family, they understand when life gets in the way and you have to take a personal day, and most important of all, they know how to just sit and talk to you like a human being and not be all about business.
Believe me, I NEVER would have thought I would work in a place like this. But these guys (and gals) make it all worth it.
When Jess and I were robbed the Monday before Christmas, they let me take off as much time as I needed. They even gathered a gift basket and collected money to help us out. I never cried during the whole ordeal until they did that. That's when I knew that these people I work for are something special.
Now I don't mind so much when I have to clean up after them. Because I know that they really appreciate me and all I do.
But I want to make something perfectly clear: just because I work for a bunch of Republicans, doesn't mean I am a Republican. I am neither political nor religious. I don't even understand half of what goes on in my office, nor do I want to. All I do is answer phones, pass out mail, order supplies, file well data, etc. I just do office work.
I would love to someday work for myself as a full time crafter, but until then, I need to stay at my financially stable job with people who make me not hate my job so much.