little red fox

oh how time flies when you're movingandpaintingandupholsteringanddecoratingandlearningandentertainingand...

 

Oh, kids. It has been maybe my longest break heretofore (love that word). I apologize for the lack of explanation. It makes me seem flakier than I would like, I admit.

But. Unlike our slightly overweight kitty Earl whom you see above (a.k.a. Pork Chop, a.k.a. Bubba, a.k.a. The Boiled Ham) I have not been lazing about while a ray of sun hits my belly. In fact--here's a little breakdown of just why I've been so busy:

• We moved! We are still in the country but muchmuchmuch closer to the city--kinda perfect. And I've been focused on filling an entire three bedroom house allllll via thrift stores and second-hand sources (a la Craigslist), thank you very much! 
• And due to not only budget constraints--but also in the spirit of re-use and recycling--I've been teaching myself how to reupholster the second-hand furniture I've acquired. And wow is it hard. I didn't know it would be quite as hard as it. But because of sites like Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy and the oodles and oodles of inspiration they provide--I've taken tons of ideas and run with them to make my home as pretty as it is in my head and for so much less money than it would have been. Well...tis a work in progress. Much more--sooooo much more to come on this front, by the way. Including lots and lots of 'befores and afters.' Lots of pics! We're talking an entire house via elbow grease and ingenuity, creativity and desperation, people. No small task! 
• I've finally gotten a work space set up in the new house, so I hope to get my Etsy shops up and running here shortly. While I've loved making things for my home, I've missed thinking in terms of Little Red Fox and goodies that go out into the world. No woman is an island. At least not all the time.

But. Clearly our cats are happy so that's one very important accomplishment. I've really appreciated the notes and well-wishes and inquiries into my absence, too, by the way. My apologies for waiting so long to explain. But really looking forward to reconnecting and all that good stuff :)

back from the dead!

Hello, friends!

A more responsible blogger would have written an explanatory note before the hiatus but...ahem. By way of an apology, I am offering up one of the most exciting, gorgeous images I've seen in forever. (Thank you to Ernestine for pointing me to it here!)

By way of an explanation, I will just say my multiple trips down South to Virginia to visit Mr. Wood, then back here, then back down to Nashville to see my sister, then back to Virginia, then...you get the picture. Or maybe you don't--because somewhere in there I lost my camera AND my iPhone stopped taking pictures. And so now you get the picture. I miss my camera. It was old, but I knew it and it worked. 

So that's my story. I was very touched by the sweet emails and messages I got from some of you inquiring into my well-being. I'm alive and well! Very well, in fact. As per ususal, I'm amidst another reevaluation of priorities and goals and who am I and what do I want...all that good stuff that makes you more who you are and ever-so-slightly more clear-eyed. I'm excited to share some of it--some of it is art-related, some shifting in my creative aesthetic, some related to our location...lots of changes in store! And I love me some change! And I very much look forward to hearing more from you. 

On a more pedestrian note: I have a great french-bistro-based chicken recipe we kinda made up the other night--delicious. That'll be here tomorrow :)

As always, thank you for checking in and reading...

where and what i've been

 

(Don't you just love that 1930s Studebaker? It was here when the owner bought the house and he just never had the heart to move it. I'm so glad he didn't :)

 

Well, it's been awhile. As one sweet reader pointed out--its been a month since I last posted! I hadn't been keeping track but it certainly feels overdue. Its been a bit dreary in these parts, though Spring is doing its best to chip away at the gloom, both internal and external. Also...perhaps I'm finding myself in a "transition" of sorts? Perhaps that has slowed me down somewhat...it's been a little tough-going around here but after awhile one finds it necessary to pull oneself up by the boot straps. So that's what I've been doing. Boot-strap-pulling. Which has included but is not limited to: exercising like a crazy person, learning meditation, couponing like I'm getting paid to (because I kinda am), planting a garden, and sewing a spring and summer wardrobe.

So that's what I've been up to :) All of which I will be sharing in coming posts, but let's start with the life-affirming event of new growth, shall we?

It's a bit easier to deal with boot straps when you have such lovely surroundings. I will forever be grateful to this little parcel of land for giving me that. To walk out our back door and see this daily has been so helpful. And its just getting prettier with every day that passes. I told my mom if you wanted to shoot a film that was set in Eden you could definitely shoot parts of it here. 

And here is my new focus of this spring/summer and all spring/summers to come, if I can help it. Our beautiful, sweet, daring to bloom and grow, completely inspiring garden. Every day I walk out to witness and root for the sweet little buds who, against what seems to me to be crazily insurmountable odds, are growing. Every day. Literally pushing up through dirt like tiny heroes. I can't believe it really works like that! And it does! Daily! I could cry its so wonderful.

So I walk the 75 yards from the house to the garden every day. But never alone...

Every day my two co-managers join me in overseeing seasonal green growth. It's a tough job, but they are devoted to their company. 

Earl takes his rightful place underneath a raspberry bush...

And Cricket, who it seems has a flair for the picturesque, also has his go-to spot...

Though I worry about their stress levels with this tough work schedule, I don't think I have to mention what their moral support has meant to me. On planting days, they will stay out there with us all day. It's almost like they care :)

I took a few pictures of the beds after we planted, but going through them I realized they just look like beds of dirt. Of course I see them as magical wonderlands covered in glittery fairy dust and miniature unicorn hoof prints. But of course that is just me so as things start to bloom I'll find some pretty pictures to show of actual real live food things.

Until then--roll call!!: an entire bed of strawberries, every herb in the world, about 5 different kinds of lettuces (including a spicy mustard green which is out of this world when picked young and eaten raw in salads), snow peas, butter beans (and ode to my grandmother!), pole beans, 3 or 4 different types of tomatoes, french radishes, celery, carrots, cucumbers, swiss chard, kale, red beets and candy cane striped beets, green and white onions, rhubarb, asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash. Not to even mention the two or three apple trees, two plum trees, an apricot tree, and over 120 blueberry, raspberry, red currant and gooseberry bushes scattered about the property. You just can't be sad thinking about all those beautiful vegetables and things growing big and strong. Thank you, boot straps :)

I'm going to keep showing garden progress and what all we make with the bounty throughout the summer. I've started collecting some fabulous spring recipes though a lot of this will probably be best with little to no preparation. (I mean--the asparagus we've been eating is candy-like in its sweetness and moisture. I had no idea asparagus was that delicious.) And starting tomorrow--I intend to start showing the clothes I've been busily sewing away the last few months. I feel like my sewing skills have taken a nice little jump ahead which is extremely satisfying to see. I also feel like I've made some crazy cute things (at least to me!) so I am very much looking forward to sharing. It's a crazy mix of vintage patterns re-worked, altered thrifted things, and completely invented things, and mixes of all the above. I've been MIA but I've been busy nonetheless...

Be back tomorrow. And anyone else out there needing some boot-strap-pulling support--I'm rooting for you! Me and all my tiny little would-be vegetable friends and two somewhat-lazy-but-still-invested-emotionally tuxedo kitties :)

 

i might title this post 'seasonal affected disorder.'

Waiting for spring...waiting and waiting...we went on a beautiful hike over the weekend and felt so upbeat and excited about seeing trees and grass and all that stuff and woke up the next morning to...6 inches of snow. Twas horrifying. Which quickly gave way to depression. We were so looking forward to getting things going in the garden and really just ending our months-long confinement due to this unforgiving weather. When all is said and done we will have had almost half our year under snow! In some parts of the world that's the norm I guess but for me--a Southern girl who never even saw snow until college--it was an exotic event that turned exhausting as of a month ago. So it was with a kind of desperate glee that I saw these glorious and adorable little sprouts unfurling their tiny green heads in our starter-garden thingy. Soon (pleasepleaseplease) these little guys will be lettuces, tomatoes, basil, parsley and spinach. All is not lost! Things are happening!!

And something else is also happening--

Yucky photo but exciting contents! These bags are filled with allllll my handmade shop goodies for the Womens' Co-op I'm a part of! It's called Bliss Co-op and I know I alluded to it a few times but it's my first time being in a shop and being part of a co-op and I'm happy and excited and all of it. Especially my inner hippy which has been sadly ignored the last few years in the acting universe.

I'm starting small--only a couple of shelves at first--and I'm setting it all up tomorrow, in time for our Grand Opening on April 1st! I'm terribly excited to meet the other ladies involved so I'll have pics of our party and my "area" which will contain goodies like these (can't wait to tell you more about them--proper post coming later)...

(Note the mushroom...)

...and approximately 800 other items all of which I made the last two weeks. So--an official "whew." 

I know I haven't listed the hats yet--nor have we really been cooking too many exciting things--but that will change after April 1st. I've made a huge batch of vegetable soup, and other standards but some new and tasty ideas on the horizon (for example: the time has come to try Mug Cakes--thank you, Brendan.) 

That's it for now. I think I need to go sit underneath a special light bulb or something. Or maybe wine. Or both! 

I hope, hope, hope you're warm and cozy and happy wherever you are and that you know where to get full spectrum light bulbs and/or a tanning bed. Sigh.  

 

 

a fairy tale on the go

Just popping in! I wanted to show you this little thing I've been working on for the last few weeks. A bit of this and that...you know--tiny felt ears here, a tiny felt tail there...

Starring four little miniature friends: a little girl (1.5"); a tiny fox with felt ears and tail (1.5"); a magic mushroom (1"); and a black bear (2.5"). All hand-painted with non-toxic paints and sealed and all in their very own little enclosed green felt play-ground, decoupaged forest (from a drawing of mine) all in a little carrying case...

The box is 3.5" by 5" and is stained (again, non-toxic) and decoupaged with a handmade seal saying "a little forest story" for your very own fairy tale. This is an original and at this point there is only one and it's here!  It's been sold and is on its way to its new home overseas! Thank you so much to the sweet buyer!

In other news--we are off to the city for a big city weekend! I have some auditions today, then we are doing yoga and having dinner with friends and all that good stuff. It's good. We're up here in the country not seeing anybody for days so some interaction here and there is a good thing for us :)

I wish you a very happy weekend whatever you are doing! 

happy weekend of love (and candy)!

I am taking this opportunity to make Valentine's Day last the whoooole dang weekend. We are very fortunate to have some of our favorite people here over the weekend (and Monday) so it feels extra-festive. There's nothing really planned--just the usual eating, drinking and merriment (perhaps featuring a few games of Dominoes and a viewing of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show AKA The Best Television Event Of All Time)? There's a crazy rumor going around in these parts that Mr. Wood is cooking up a Mexican Love Feast for us which may or may not include Pink Grapefruit Margaritas...I can think of nothing more wonderful.

But on to the candy: I so enjoyed making the chocolate bark over Christmas and I've been thinking up some new flavor combos to try ever since. I had a chance to make some last minute before everybody got here just last night. I had white chocolate chips, so thats what I went with. Because its so much sweeter (to my taste) than dark chocolate seems to be, it almost gives you more room to play off the savory/herbal flavors, I think.

This time I made Red Chili White Chocolate; Green Tea White Chocolate, and Toasted Coconut White Chocolate.

The Red Chilis I had on hand weren't particularly flavorful, but they were spicy. So it was really interesting to have the sweet white chocolate and then a little heat in the background.

The same with the Green Tea--even though I toasted it, you couldn't really taste it. Next time I'll need to probably brew a small amount and stir it through somehow? I'll have to work on that.

The toasted coconut was delicious and one I'll definitely make again.

But they all looked so pretty together!

The two dark chocolates are lavender sea salt and toastsed hazelnuts--both delicious!

And in the Bizarre Candy Category, we have this--

 

A heart-shaped Junior Mint with a blood-red cream filling. I ate the whole box but I wasn't sure how I felt about it. 

I hope you are having a fun, delightful love-filled weekend whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day or not! There's a lot to be grateful for in this world. Like heart-shaped tortillas and PINK margaritas, for example :)

 

how i'm spending my superbowl (who's playing again?)...

I got down to work today on one of my very favorite bits of Little Red Fox business: the packaging. I like to do it all myself, and though my computer skills have greatly improved, it still takes me quite a bit of time. But it's fun for me, so no skin off my nose.

So if you ordered one--here's what you're getting :) 

I'm also gearing up for my very first Flea Market (more on that soon) AND a women's art co-op nearby here upstate. More on all of this soon but of course I'm so looking forward to it all. I've been wanting to do this for a couple of years but haven't been able to because of all the acting stuff. Now that I'm taking a break from it (of sorts), it seems time. 

****

 

On a dumb note: why-oh-why has it never occurred to me to do some type of links "round up" on this blog?? I'm shocked at myself. I get to read so many wonderful blogs and get to see so many wonderful ideas by inspiring, creative people, so it only makes sense to point out some extra-special-delightful posts. Why it took me 17 years to think of it...well, I'm a dummy. 

So here you go--spreading the blog wealth, as it were...

 

• Heart-breakingly adorable (handmade!) little-girl dress giveaway on An Art Nest.
• Lovely, lovely song/and crafty video over at My Pure Harte.
• Cute little DIY for some spiced-up jeans over at petit pas.
• Casey found what looks to be a delicious recipe combining lots of my food loves in one dish! Definitely going to make this in the next few days.
• Amazing--truly--illustrations/designs/art over at Hawk and Fallow.
• Elsa has started a new blog about miniature artists' books. I'm utterly obsessed.
• Burda Style's Alison Dahl has the best idea ever to spruce up some old shoes. Look for my version here very soon...I'm extremely over-excited about this one. 

That's it for me! I'm going to go express some fake interest in the Super Bowl. It's sad for Mr. Wood to watch the whole thing alone.

Have a wonderful night, wherever you are!

odds and ends

I just wrapped up a bunch of little things here and there, which always feels delightful, and I'd love to show you--so let's just jump right in, shall we?

Finished this drawing today. It was originally supposed to be a cover for a journal, and it still might be, but I'm thinking it will be a limited edition print series first...it's a petite little 5x7", graphite on white cardstock. Currently researching professional printers and would love any suggestions any of you might have??

Remember how Hello Kitty--which essentially defined my childhood--would always do a sort of 'character series' thing where they'd debut a new character and then have all the products in that line around that character and its colors, etc? Well, I'm in my Black Kitty phase...

The wooden Kitty Doll! He's about 12" long, all hand-made, hand-painted. Eventually he'll go in the shop (and I'll make some more), but I have other designs on him right now...I have other black kitty stuff in the works, too, all of which I'm very excited about ;)

I also finally FINALLY finished a commission that has been weighing on me. And when I say weighing on me--I mean that I don't really think I will know who I am without it hanging over me. That kind of weight.

The customer requested a doll, and also gave me some personal background to work with. And for some reason, partially because I did two plays, moved, and had other art-related work to do, I got so...stumped. I drug this project out a ridiculously long time. Way, way, way long. It was actually quite embarassing, even though the customer was very understanding. But finally FINALLY the other day, it occurred to me what I needed to do. Basically--without giving away any personal details--I needed to illustrate the balance between a child and a grown-up, and the sort of dreams and realities of both...the balance between a spiritual reality and a physical one...

I think this captures it pretty well, while still within a certain aesthetic.

The feet always make me laugh :)

And here he is slightly more...grown-up.

I hope my customer likes it! I'm really, really happy with it. And also really, really happy I finally did it.

And on the baking front--I've been making the bread from the book that I love so much and it's been a big hit with Mr. Wood and guests alike.

Both the peasant bread...

...and the rye bread.

By the way--I am of the opinion that this book makes a great present for someone who likes to cook. I gave it to my sister and she loved it and it got here really excited to try baking bread for the first time. I loved that.

Other bits:

• Katie of the Pure Harte blog just did the sweetest post about some of the little wooden things I've been making, and it just warmed my heart. Thank you so much, Katie! I don't have to tell you the vacuum being at home making things can put you in, so it's quite moving to feel...noticed, I guess. It's one of the reasons I have this blog, I suppose. I'd be making things regardless--but if your craft falls in the forest and no one sees it...??? I'm really grateful, Katie. (Check out her cute vintage Etsy shop here, by the way!)
• And funnily enough--sorta in the same vein--via Etsy, one of my mini bowling sets made it into the kaboodle gift guide, which was very exciting for me. A first! There are some really neat things on there, too...(think I'm #6).
• Also got into a couple of etsy treasuries here and here! Those things are so great. Though I have to admit--I don't really understand how anyone gets them or who looks at them (I'm not very Etsy-savvy), but still--pretty cool and thanks to the people who included me!
• And I think I've mentioned it here--can't remember--but I have another blog that I use to essentially catalog inspirational (i.e. weird, bizarre Victorian photographs, old carnival photos, etc.) images/photographs, and I uploaded a heap of amazing things over there recently. In case you wanted to see some interesting things...
• And here is one of my favorite photostreams of incredible vintage photographs from Flickr.

Teasers:

• I finished another new project for my shop today which I'll be showing here tomorrow, so check back for that...
• AND--homemade Christmas decorations! I made some and they'll be here on the blog tomorrow as well...

Whew. I'll be back tomorrow with all that new stuff I mentioned but dinner first. Think we're doing the Eggs in Hell with homemade rye bread :)

 

 

bits of business

I'm just popping in quickly to show the new little postcards I made as thank-yous or inserts for my orders. As of today, you'll find them inside your Little Red Fox packages. I'm absolutely in love with the paper moon photographs from the 20s!! I can't think of anything stranger or more wonderful.

This was the first drawing I did--the first of many that I can't wait to share.

And I also finally made my new business cards:

I imagine it would be much cheaper (ink-wise, if nothing else) to have them done somewhere but I love doing it. That little bow is a stamp I made today, and I'm currently trying to figure out other uses for it...

I love how they look in their little desktop dish...

Why do I love office supplies so much??

And that's it! I had a whole OTHER list of things to do today but these are the things I did, so be it. And now--there is a spinach pie to be made and eaten with aplumb.

But before all that--I just wanted to somehow hug you all and thank you for visiting me, and writing your kind words. I'm forever and terribly grateful. It really does make it all more worth it. And because of that--I have a little shop-related announcement tomorrow so stop back by!

playing catch-up with you...

Hello! And a very happy Thanksgiving and Hello, Winter to you!

I've been gone, I know. I was out of town for a week and before that I was...well...It's really really not that I haven't been doing anything creative up here (besides cooking). Swear. Quite the opposite. The truth is that in between pots of green or apple-cinnamon tea (using my oh-so beautiful antique teapot, a gift from my mom :) thank you, Betty!...

I have started about 25 different projects and finished only a few of them so far. Such is me. With countless irons in innumerable fires. I find it frustrating at times and I get really sick of myself but I also have to accept that I am driven by passions--however fleeting--and not practicality. But one must do the things that one must do...

Like these smaller paintings...

(These are just the sketch on the canvas-board-thing...)

...to be 'colored-in' eventually...

...on one's sewing table, perhaps...

 

And also some mysterious things happening on a much larger scale...

My other "secret" art project, though still in the fetal stages, has taken a big step forward: the pieces I cut out with a jigsaw (thank you very much I am now an accomplished wood-worker!) have been sanded and are now officially primed for the painting-portion of their journey...can't express how exciting this is for me. Any guesses what it could be?? A very long way to go, indeed, but it's happening. And learning to use power tools has really got my wheels turning for a whole series of art projects that should keep my busier than usual all winter.

And in other news I have made three long dresses, a blousy 20s-inspired top, a knit pant-suit, altered about 50 different thrift-store finds...and began this...

...and I bet you know what it is.

I've also made a slew of organic whole-food beauty products that I'm very excited to share, including some rather inventive containers that made me very happy.

And! In addition to my very first delectible pickling experience which I will be showing you--in the last two weeks I have discovered the absolute perfect winter salad which we are in love with. It's incredibly healthy and crazy-delicious and I think I've made it 5 times in less than two weeks--one of which was by request for Thanksgiving! So I'll have that for you soon, as well.

And! In additon to all this (are you tired, yet?) my sweet and wonderful thrift store/estate sale finds. I did real good :)

Anyway. Sorry to be M.I.A. for so long but I was on a creative bender and still have more coming! It's nice because this was one of the things I wished so hard for when I would lay in bed and think about this upcoming move to the country: I was so ready to feel it all pouring out of me. I kept picturing all my body parts lit up while I was lost in a peaceful creative frenzy and voila! She is a-light! In the car on the way down to Virginia and on the way back up I sketched and dreamt up about 20 ideas filling up as many pages in my sketch-book.

So I will be more consistent now with the little blog. Nothing is quite as fun if you don't share! Lesson learned.

But I have some holiday cards to make right now ;)

(P.S.: my Etsy shop is back up and running after our little vacay for those of you who inquired. OK! Off to draw...)