It's been awhile.  Life events have kept me away for two years.  My health is improving.  My first surgery went well, and I am getting ready for the second.  Can't say as much for the critters.  The guinea pigs reached the ends of their very happy lives, as did the hamster.   The coyotes got the cats.  Someone stole the chicken.  However, Luc, my 16-year old cockatiel, is just as spoiled rotten as ever, but he doesn't go outside much. 

We have finally gotten moved into the new-to-us house.  Some things are still in boxes, but the new carpet is down, the paint is on the walls, the pictures are hung, and, most importantly, the computers are hooked up (and the bills paid)!

I have not yet gotten back into the clay work, but I have been doing some really beautiful hand embroidery.  I posted on both my Artfire and Etsy sites yesterday, and would like for y'all to take a look. 

I have put a couple pieces up on a site called Zibbet.  It looks promising-- you might want to check it out:  lots of cool stuff!  It feels good to be getting back into the swing of things. 

Joy and Happiness always,
~~Kathy

Welcome Summer!

Greetings y'all. This is a bit past the Solstice but the heartfelt wishes for a grand and glorious season are the same. Things here at casa Summers are moving along. We have tackled the huge job of clearing the attic. So far we have only gotten in one day, one long, hard, productive day. The wet weather and the heat have slowed us down a mite but we are hopeful of getting the job done.

I thought I would get involved with a polyclay group over on yahoo groups. Not a great experience. Perhaps I'm just overly sensitive about censorship. In any case it didn't work. So, I've subscribed to a polyzine and joined another group hopefully with better results.
I now have a Flickr account. Lots of pictures there of my work.
I've got several new pieces in the works and a show coming up this weekend. InConJunction is where I got started selling my work at conventions. I think it will go well. I'm only taking a dozen pieces about a half tables worth.

I'm sitting here looking at a new piece and have decided just what it is about my dragon wings i don't like. I've been unhappy with them for awhile but couldn't put my finger on the problem. They are flat. they have impressive veining but no depth. they are the same thickness all over. No dimension to speak of. the rest of the critter is quite nice. So I'm going to start working on designing the wings with a bit more detail and realism.

And now the part you've all been waiting for. The sharing what I've found. There is an artist that carves cameos, from Oreo cookies! They're awesome. And the condiment art is terrific as well. Check it out here:
http://jgklausner.com/work/oreo-cameo

Thanks for staying with me 'till the end.
Joy and Happiness Always
Kathy

Dirt Devil-The Exorcist

I just had to share this! Enjoy! Joy and happiness always. ~~Kathy

May Day!

Happy May! Blessed Beltane! Welcome Spring!
I'm happy to see no more snow and ice, however, the rain is beginning to wear a little thin, That's okay 'cause soon we can all complain about how hot it is.
I just put ten new works up on my artfire site..I also put them in my etsy shop. Somehow I've managed to get 40 pieces on ArtFire but only 36 on etsy..:0/
Another bit of info is that I'm not going to have a table at GenCon this year. They are already full up and have a rather large waiting list. So I'll be looking for a new August venue, at least for this year.
I'd appreciate if y'all pop over to artfire and take a peek at the new goodies.
Thanks for staying with me thus far. I'll have more for you later.
Joy and Happiness always. Kathy

Just a quick update

Well, friends, eBay was a bust. Ppfftth! There were 23 views on one baby fairy, and that was the most views of any piece. I am saddened and somewhat irritated. What's wrong with these people? LoL Just wanted to take a moment to share. Feedback would be nice, y'all. Comment on these pictures... tell me wonderful things! Thanks for reading. Joy and happiness always! ~~Kathy

April finds me busy as a bee.

I have been sitting here just claying away. I have my "in transition" shelf quite full. Baby fairies (still available on e-Bay BTW), potted baby dragon, resting fairy that is available on FAEBAE and several pieces listed on both etsy and artfire. I have a new piece that I have fallen in love with.There are pictures to follow. All in all I have been a very busy girl.

On the personal front Marty's unemployment has finally hit the wall. It's all used up, kaput, no more, all gone. We thought this was gonna really mess up our getting to Conglomeration in Louisville, KY at the end of the month. (Oh yes, Happy April!) but with some creative accounting I think we're gonna make it. I have a dealer table there and hope to make a bit of change to offset the cost of going in the first place.
If you are in the Louisville area and feel inclined our group is throwing a grand room party and we would love to see you. It's at the Louisville Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Airport. It's always fun and there will be posted signage as to what room #. This is Easter weekend and the party is on Sat. night. Starts around 9:p.m. and goes 'till we throw you out.

Okay now for the new artwork from ME! I found the Love Mug on sale and I put together the floral arrangement and made and added the really cute couple. My thought was that what gal wouldn't melt if she were given this by her sweetheart. Here it is:





Thanks for staying with me until the end. Joy and happiness always. --Kathy

I've taken the e-Bay plunge

Hello! After giving it much thought I decided to once again sell my wares on e-Bay. Today I put up four new pieces; Three baby fairies and one baby dragon.We'll see how it goes. Things over there have certainly changed.
I also put up some new work on ArtFire and have a couple more to get up there yet. I'm also into convention season so things should be picking up, business wise.
Now for the important stuff. Who sent Indiana all this cold weather?!! I thought spring was here and I was all ready to put the plants out when woosh! away blows our balmy weather and I have to get my coat back out. Enough already. The up side is my wind chimes (I love wind chimes and hope to one day have bass ones) are chiming their little hearts out. We did have to tighten up the hooks a bit so they wouldn't blow away and become someone elses wind chimes.

I have finally talked Charlotte into opening an ArtFire gallery. Now to just see it happen. But isn't a mother supposed to nag every once in a while? that's right. Thanks for agreeing with me.


Here are the links to the e-bay listings or you can do a seller search for barcy.

OOAK baby dragon with blocks:

http://cgi.ebay.com/OOAK-Baby-Dragon-Blocks-/190516656685?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5bad7a2d

OOAK Sitting Baby Fairy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/OOAK-Sitting-baby-fairy-/190516643807?pt=Art_Sculpture&hash=item2c5bad47df

OOAK Sleepy Time For Alexander:

http://cgi.ebay.com/OOAK-Sleepy-Time-Alexander-Baby-Fairy-/190516647713?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5bad5721

OOAK Baby Fairy Podling:

http://cgi.ebay.com/OOAK-Baby-Fairy-Podling-/190516654454?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5bad7176

Thanks for staying to the end.
Joy and Happiness always--Kathy

"One Man Disney Movie" Nick Pitera Disney Medley Music Video

I don't know what to say about this other than WoW! I am so impressed that I just had to share it with you. Enjoy! ~~Kathy

New listings for St. Paddy's Day

"Top o' the mornin' t' ye!"
"And the rest of the day t' ye!"

I have finally in spite of not having a computer of my own listed some new works at my ArtFire site. I've been doing most of my online stuff (like getting my e=mail, etc.) with my cell. I wanted to share some of it with you here. I hope you'll pop over to ArtFire to check out the rest. Have a happy St. Patrick's Day and remember to take it easy on the green grog.



I really like this guy! He is such fun. I flocked the dragon suit so it's a little fuzzy. Clever me. :)

This next one is also a fun piece. "When I Itches, I Scratches"

Thanks for staying with me to the end. Joy and happiness always!

Sword Dance & Shadowgraph

Good morning, all! Convention season is upon me. I'll be in Bowling Green, KY, the 25th of this month, in Louisville, KY, for Conglomeration in mid-April, Woodruff Victorian Emporium, here in Indianapolis, in June, and July brings InConjunction (also here in Indy); August will find me here at GenCon, and September is Pagan Pride, always a fun show.

I don't know if I mentioned this but I have a new source for my eyes. I'm now getting this most important supply from Amanda at Dreaming Tree Studios. Aside from getting ready for convention, not much is going on here.

In my web crawling, I ran across this awesome performance I want to share with you. As my Xander is so into swordplay, this really caught my attention. Enjoy!

Stairway To Heaven - The Beatnix

...and this actually was created and performed in the 1990's on Australian TV. Hope you enjoy!

Hayseed Dixie - Highway to Hell

If you enjoy the occasional off-the-wall cover of a traditional classic, here's one for you! And another to come...

It's Life, Jim, But Not As We Know It

Happy Valentines Day! Hugs to you all! I hope the ice didn't adversely affect y'all. We chipped our way out inch by inch. Some didn't have quite as lucky. Check this out...
Things here are moving along. I've got some new work that needs photographed and posted. I have several convention shows coming up, and I'm rather excited about them. My friend, Seth, is a website designer among other things (what a talented guy!) and is putting together a new website for me. That's exciting news! And I thought I would share with you my yesterday -- the microwave oven died of unknown causes; we had an accident in the Wal-Mart parking lot getting a replacement; water leaked from something somewhere ALL over the kitchen floor (we found it in the wee hours); and my guinea pig died! Hope your yesterday was somewhat better!

Happy New Year!

It's been a whole year, WoW! I wish you all the very bestestest of everything in 2011.

I want to share with you some awesome photos of the World's Largest Cave! soon to be featured in NatGeo's January 11 issue. I was totally blown away by this. Joy and happiness always, ~~Kathy

Happy Holidays from the Vancouver Aquarium and me too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This has been a most busy year, and there is much for the Welcome To My Whimsy family to be thankful for. True, sales are down; true, discretionary money is very discrete, and sometimes our healthy is spotty; but there is the love of friends and family -- for that I am extremely thankful.

Of course, I can't forget those of you who after all this time are still reading my less than frequent musings. Have I mentioned how time-intensive blogging is? I can play with my clay or blog. I'm having trouble doing both, but I'm sure you noticed.

I have listed some new critters on both the ArtFire and Etsy sites and I'm doing a few more shows than usual this season. Daughter Charlotte is even doing the next two with me.

The jewelry market is rather glutted with many lovely designs and materials, so much so that Kathy Ann has given up her ArtFire and Etsy shops. She is still doing shows, and custom work. So if you want something special, feel free to e-mail me and I will put you in touch with her. Together you can design something incredible.

I have a couple of sites for you to check out. The first one is brought to you by Mother Nature, and I don't think she was in a good mood, but it's definitely worth looking at. Click here. The next one is one of my favorites: if you are a movie buff or a dance afficionado, then click here.

Thanks for staying with me to the end, and hopefully I will get back to you before Christmas.

Joy and happiness always, Kathy.

Remember me?

I'm so embarrassed to have been away this long. Many things have happened these past months and I'm sure it's the same with you. ( can't tell if I put a period there or if the screen is just dirty. hmm :O/)
I have given up doing my own web site. I wanted to and I have the skill but most of the time not the inclination. So check out the new site. We will be adding pages later, pictures of my older work etc. I will try to keep the artfire and etsy sites up to date. This is show season and so keeping up is slow. By the time a piece is finished and i get it posted it's sold and I have to take it down. I do, however, have LOTS of new stuff to share. The "Alice" series is really hot and moving. My dragons always just fly away and the gargoyles are getting a fair bit of attention. Since I am doing shows that also cater the more mundane among us I have added kitties and bunnies and mousies to my troupe. I'll try to post a few pics for you. The knot work is also doing well but I did not take it to Gen Con this year. Last year I held little workshops/make-and-take classes that REALLY went over big. This year I went over big in the art show. Was great fun!
So here now, are some pics of new stuff. Enjoy.














If ya can't dance at least give a happy hop!
This next work was inspired by Ursula Vernon, an incredible artist and a lovely person too. It's based on her Cuthulu's day out.

I have found many new things/places to share with you in the coming weeks. That should inspire me to blog and you to await my blogging.

Joy and Happiness Always --Kathy

Happy New Year!

WoW! Happy New Year to you all! 2010 already. I just love living in the future.

I hope your Holidays have been lovely. I know mine have been wonderful. Friends, family, food, all the things that make life worthwhile. Well, lotsa love and clay help too.

So before I share my new work I want to give you a little update on the life and times of me.

Mr. Nibbles had a stroke and we lost him. :O( sadness) We have a new kitty, Seamus. He is an orange tabby rescue. He is such a well mannered fellow. He lets us know when he needs to go out--no litter box in the house. He knocks on the door when he wants to come in. He is very vocal about little things like food and water or lack thereof. Are you ready for this one? He stays off the kitchen table and the counters! Who wouldn't want a kitty like that? :O/ Well, whoever went off and left him really lost out 'cause he's ours now.

I took a break from the clay and made some really nice knot work jewelry. It can be found on both Etsy and ArtFire. I donated quite a bit to the the Santa Shop at the elementary school. I thought it would be a nice change from the Worlds greatest Dad mugs and faux Precious Moments figurines. I love the Santa Shop. No child is kept away. EVERY child can get gifts for their families regardless of if they have $$ or not.

We've all had our share of the winter illnesses but seem to be doing okay in spite of it all.

Marty is still in the market for a job. But we're hanging in there. I don't care much for the other choices so hanging in it is.

Charlotte has the promised paper dolls about half done. They are SO cute. I hope that one day you will be able to see that for yourself.

I did not "take advantage" of the Online Stores, Inc very expensive offer of marketing my wares/website. But I did get lots of info at their workshop--and for a lot less money, I might add. So I am in the process of implementing some of their suggestions.

Now, it is time for the self promotional part of our program. I have wanted to do Alice in Wonderland figures for ages and I finally have. So far I have five finished. I noticed that Artfire. . . or was it Etsy? had Tweedledum and Tweedledee on the front page this evening and they weren't badly done either. My Alice guys can be found on both my Etsy and my ArtFire sites. Here is a preview of 'em, though.


The Dormouse

White Rabbit



Cheshire Cat

Mad Hatter

Catterpillar
you can't see it here but this fellow has long curled antennae. It is so cool looking.


thanks for staying with me until the end. I wish you all the best in 2010.
--Kathy

Mindblowing Pop-up Lego Buddhist Temple

Mindblowing Pop-up Lego Buddhist Temple

This is just so cool. Xander is ALL into lego Star Wars the Clone Wars. So right now our house is a clone trooper fortress. Hope they let Santa in.

Hey I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Perhaps I'll get an actual updated post on here after Christmas. Provided I haven't foundered on holiday goodies. Oh! How they abound, fudge, maple, peanutbutter, chocolate. Cakes and cookies and pies Oh My!

We have been trying to share the wealth. We've sent blankets and pillows and food stuffs to the shelters. This is such a sad thing. I am so thankful for all of you and my family. And my warm, toasty, tight little house.

Again I wish you all a very merry holiday whichever one you celebrate.
Joy and Happiness Always
--Kathy

"Well, It's about time!" do I hear you say?

Hey Y'all. Sorry for the great expanse of time since I was last here. I was really good out of the gate but as with most blogs and bloggers the novelty fades and other things tend to take precedence.

Let's see, Xander's had pneumonia, as has Marty, only Xander can go to the Dr. and get meds.
I am gimping around more than usual 'cause I did somethin' to my knee. Doc thinks it might be tendinitis. I got a shot of some kind and if it worked, oh my! because the pain only eased a little bit.
There for a while I couldn't walk on it at all. Bummer! It's a bit better and I'm getting used to it 'cause I don't cry nearly as much. LoL what a baby!

Mr. Nibbles has had a stroke. I don't really expect him to pull through but all the same I'm feeding him (yogurt and baby cereal mostly) and making him take water (drops through a straw). That's the thing with pets, you get all attached and when they get ill it breaks your heart.

Oh yes, the powers the be sent Charlotte a kitty for her birthday. He was a rescue, abandoned.
We don't understand it at all. He is so well mannered, declawed, neutered and beautiful if a bit on the scrawny side. He was going to be an outside kitty but he seems to be spending an awfull lot of time inside. We all love him, even allergic Marty. We named him Seamus.

The holidays are upon us. If any of you desire a critter of my crafting let me know. I don't usually need a lot of lead time but with Christmas it's a bit different. It gets really busy both here and at the post office. I currently do have dragon ornaments available on Artfire.
When you order, either via e-mail or by phone, let me know you're a blog follower and I'll knock a bit off the price. Remember, too, Kathy's beautiful jewelry. I know I would love to open a box at yule (or any other time) and find one of her gorgeous pieces in it.

Another idea, if you have a gamer on your list, is a rendered portrait of their game character.
Or a caricature of themself, or their character. Charlotte's couple caricatures are really awesome, too. Samples are available for the asking (and you don't even have to say please).

Again, my apologies for my tardiness in writing to you. I leave you with some cool links for pumpkin carving.

ReallyCool Site! http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/

Here are pics http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/galleries.php

Virtual Pumpkin Carving Tool - Carve, Print & Email Your Pumpkin from Better Homes and Gardens.


Here are links to LOTS of free pumpkin carving stencils. 4 screens full of ‘em

Enjoy your Halloween and hopefully you'll hear from me before Thanksgiving. :O)

--Kathy