beetlegrass

Freaky Every Day

In greeting cards, "every day" cards are the ones that say "Hello", "Congratulations", "Thank You", "Best Wishes", "Get Well Soon", "Keep in Touch", etc.

It's for this very reason that I'm calling the every day line of the side show cards "Freaky Every Day".
It was a natural.
Here are just two:

The birthday card above with Ping & Pong has a back story to it.

Back in 1973 (I'm guessing), my sister gave my brother a book called Very Special People by Frederick Drimmer.

The book had a whole host of human marvels in it, including the famous Siamese twins, Chang & Eng, but the best part about this oddball gift was that she inscribed it, "Happy Birthday to a Very Special Person".

It's one of those things that became a family joke, so I had to pay tribute to that.

The concept & design of these puppets and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.
These images are © Megan E. Jeffery.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Press Packets

Here is one of the 20 press packets that I've made for the upcoming SURTEX -- 15 will go on the Press table; 5 will stay in the booth, as was recommended.

The cover has my company's name, the name of the show, and my booth #401.
Inside is the Press Release, which took me a while to write, because I had to get all the "alternate" headlines out of my system first. There's also a Fact Sheet about my co., and an About the Artist sheet in the right pocket. I AM my company, so needless to say: some of this information overlaps.

We were also asked to include photos, so I did 4 (printed on my brand new replacement printer), because I do a variety of things and wanted to represent, Yo.
Didn't want the photos sliding around inside the pocket or getting scratched, so I cut some clear page protectors (the 3-ring binder kind) to size. Cheap & gets the job done.

Have included 3 promo postcards: the Little Red Riding Hood one shown, and Hansel (to show my 2-D illustration side of things) and the Queen of Hearts,
Completing the packet: a business card and a bookmark, as you can see.
I'd staple cotton candy to the cover as extra incentive for publicity, but that hardly seems feasible.
Plus: sticky.

These images are © Megan E. Jeffery.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Making Things

Coming up with various ways to use my Couched Cushion print-outs for the upcoming SURTEX show.

Followed up on my sister's suggestion to make bookmarks as a giveaway... here's just a sampling; the rest are in the press packets.

"Faked out" several gift bags using bias tape, ball fringe, trim, and handles from other bags that I painted.
These bags aren't 3-dimensional; they're just to give potential buyers an idea of what can be done with the surface design of the Couched Cushions.

The name, concept, design, and images of "Couched Cushions" are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.
These images are copyrighted and may not be used for any purpose.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

SURTEX® Selling and Licensing Art & Design

SURTEX is but 3 weeks away (!), so I've been awash in the details of attending a big art licensing trade show.

This is something that is entirely new to me, and has me doing "Big Girl" activities such as: booking a hotel, ordering insurance, assembling press packets, and determining what height of counter and chairs are needed.

Have been getting images printed and put into three separate binders (illustrations; puppets; pillows), affixing images to foam core (shout out to my can of spray mount!), and making little freebie bookmarks with dreadlocks.

If you'll be an attendee or exhibitor at the show, please stop by & say "Howdy!" -- it would be great to meet you!

Here are the details:

SURTEX
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center/ Level 4
MEG Illustrations: Booth #401
May 18-20, 2008
9am - 6pm each day

This illustration is copyrighted. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Couched Nine Square

Creating different colorways with my Couched Cushions, using the different sliders in Photoshop (Hue & Saturation, etc.) to create interesting combinations.
Getting stuff together for my debut at SURTEX (a big art licensing trade show) next month.
I have a dream that one day ALL surfaces on Earth will be covered in these designs.

The name, concept, design, and images of "Couched Cushions" are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.
These images are copyrighted and may not be used for any purpose.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

With Icing & a Cherry On Top

It was icy this morning!
Here's my cherry tree that resides by my deck:

Later, the sun made the melting go so fast, that it sounded like it was raining hard, but it wasn't actively precipitating.

This photo below is unretouched; I just cropped it. That's how blue the sky was this morn.

Don't these pictures just make you SO COLD?
Don't they make your fingers long for something WARM to put on them?!?
Well, have I got an idea for you! (Here comes the hard sell...)
Warm woolen finger puppets, tied up with string, these could be a few of your favorite things!
OK, they're not tied up with string.
But they ARE woolen.

Because the SUN was so cooperative today, and I could take photos, have just loaded 16 more finger puppets into my etsy shop:

• frog
• cat
• bear
• 3 businessmen
• 2 chefs/bakers
• elephant ballerina
• 3 Pugs
• 4 elves

So, check that out if you've a mind to, and a big THANKS to those who've already purchased stuff!

The images seen here are © Megan E. Jeffery, 2007. All rights reserved.

ETSY Shop Updated!

And now for some blatant self-promotion -- as if this entire blog wasn't about that!
As the shows with which I was involved are now OH. VER., alladatstuff that you've been pining for is now:
IN MY ETSY SHOP !!!
(Couched Cushions; Juggling Kitty Pillow; Finger Puppets.)

I'll be loading more stuff into the wee hours of the night. And, if the sun cooperates with me tomorrow, and I can take some fotografias, I'll load more tomorrow.
So: Check early, Check often.
I feel compelled to say: FINGER PUPPETS MAKE GREAT STOCKING STUFFERS!
I also feel compelled to say: PLEASE SUPPORT HAND-CRAFTED ART!
There.
The compulsions have passed.
I feel so much better.
Freer, almost.

The name, concept, design, and images of "Couched Cushions" are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.
These images are copyrighted and may not be used for any purpose.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

RISD Alumni Holiday Art Sale

Here are some pix of 'my side' of Ginny's & my booth at yesterday's art sale!
The show was well-attended, and, as ever, a good place to view trends in clothing, hairstyles, and glasses' frames!

We didn't have as much space as last year's show, which was probably a blessing in disguise.
In other words: we left all of our furniture at home.
With the exception of Ginny's demi-lune table (love that word; I try to use it as much as possible), which became the 'stage' for my stuff. Came up with a title for a children's book called The Forgiving Skirt, due to all the stuff we shoved under this table that didn't show to the general populace due to the... forgiving skirt...
1 elf & all 3 snow bunnies sold.

Here you can see some of the junk I've collected from the flea market over the months.
It all gets used.
3 cows, a fly, and a Polar bear sold.

All of the penguins sold, and 3/4 of the Elepherinas (Ginny's word) went, too. I had made 4 more after the original 2 sold. (Little girls -- and one middle-aged man -- dig on pink)

The right-hand side in more detail, and the Aliens in the way they've been displayed in my home.
The eyeball ring is something I've always sworn I'd wear on my left hand if/when I ever get married to crack up my Husband-To-Be at the last minute when we're up at the altar.
(Act surprised if you're reading this and you're my intended.)
Sold 1 alien and 4 robots, and 3 reindeer.

Friends were kind enough to come out to the show & stop by to say "howdy''.
I still feel like a newcomer to this area, but now when I do something RISD-oriented, I like KNOW PEOPLE. Or recognize them enough to say, "Hey!"
Am greeted with hugs and kisses on the cheek now.
It's kinda funny. And really nice.

OK, enough emotion.

Some comments during the day:

• "I got it for $10 in Zanzibar!"
• "You eeediot! That's not a zit-- it really IS a third eye!!!"

A funny conversation:

Me, to a smile-y Guy: Hi, how are you?
Smile-y Guy: Fantastic!
Me: "Fantastic"? Wow, that's sayin' something!
Guy: Well, to tell you the truth, I'm hungover... and I really like your work!
Me, laughing: Do you like my work BECAUSE you're hungover, or in spite of the fact?
And maybe I shouldn't laugh this loud, seeing as how you're hungover and all!
Guy: No, I really like it! And, you see, our son took us out last night...
Me: Oh, sure, blame it on your son!
Guy: And he got us this (alcoholic beverage)-- Ugh! I feel like I'm back in college!
Me: OK, well, I'll hold your hair back if you have to vomit!

Set-up & Break-down went sooo much easier this year than last, because we had a guy helping us with the schlepping. No Icy/Hot or BenGay this year.
We treated ourselves to Chinese food, then home to collapse in front of the TV with chock-lit cake.
Thanks for another great weekend, Ginny!

The copyrights for the artwork shown in these photos are the property of the respective artists.
All rights reserved.
These photographic images are © Megan E. Jeffery, 2007.

Won't You Guide My Finger Tonight?

These reindeer finger puppets will be available for purchase at the RISD Alumni Holiday Art Sale, which is THIS Saturday, December 8th, 10am - 5pm, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.
Click on the link for details & directions.
I'll be at Booth #416 with Ginny Joyner, who will have framed & unframed prints of her beautiful watercolors for sale.

I made all these puppets Rudolphs because I figured no one would buy a black-nosed reindeer if given the option of sparkly RED.
The gingerbread houses are from the Martha Stewart line found in Michael's Craft stores.
They're supposed to be favor boxes, but: nahhhhhh, that ain't happening here.
The trees are from Plan Toys, courtesy of my Own... Personal... Santa...

Had fun with my sister Jane coming up with the snippets of conversation seen above.
Some of these are universal to any family; others are highly specific to our own "family of origin".
Click on image to see it larger.

Got the idea for the above scenario from the last craft show I did, where the majority of people were calling my Gnome "Santa". I thought the 'G' might have tipped them off, but: no.
So many people to teach; so little time.

The concept/design of these puppets and their images are the property of Megan E. Jeffery, © 2007.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Hi-Tech Finger Puppets

Bring your fingers into the 21st century with these robot puppets I'll have available for purchase at the RISD Alumni Holiday Art Sale, which is THIS Saturday, December 8th, 10am - 5pm, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.
Hit the link for more details.

The sounds the robots are making are ALSO their names, how's that for a happy coincidence?

I used a variety of hardware findings, notions, and crafty bits to make these guys. I knew I wanted to use clocks on them, and located some in the craft store, but: too expensive. Then I remembered: Santa gave me altered book watch faces a bunch of Christmases back!
Dug them out: there were six, and there were six gray finger forms!
I love when that happens.

When I was in Home Depot's hardware section, the guy who works there asked, "May I help you?"
I considered for a moment, then told him, "No."
He said teasingly, "OK, if that's the way you feel about it."
I explained, "Well, I'm looking for parts to make robot finger puppets, and I think that that's probably something I'll need to do on my own!" :-)
Later he saw me and wanted to know how I did with my search, so I showed him all the bits I found and told him how I was intending to use them. He seemed amused.

And, because I just couldn't help myself, here's Crabby the Elf again, stirring up... um... strife... in the workplace.
Not only is he crabby, he's also reactionary, but "Reactionary the Elf" just takes too long to say.

The concept/design of these puppets and their images are the property of Megan E. Jeffery, © 2007.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.