On a bright and balmy day, Bellacozy/holdfast visits the cemetery

Of all the tombstone decals, the one I found most interesting was one of a little sewing machine

In a successful attempt to get jazzed about  Springtime, Holdfast and Bellacozy took a trip to one of our favorite spots for good weather - the cemetery.  It is quiet, tranquil, and has a lake and duckpond.
We made a major score early on in the tip by quickly spotting an empty grave, which was far deeper than we would have thought.

We then returned to the studio for a little lollygaging followed by progress in the form of home made pasties, now for sale on our etsy page....

grab bag. ?

Unfathomably fabulous illustrator/animator/artist Jiri Trnka.

free clip art from Graphichsfairy

the illustrated man

bellacozy/holdfast creature feature time

Plush pangolin, slinking away

Over here at holdfast/bellacozy studios in Oklahoma City, OK,  the pistons are firing and the lines are pumping out toy after stuffed, hand-made toy.  There has been an explosion of productivity in the stuffed animal realm since we have mastered basic 3d patterns, and the cute just keeps coming.
From embroidered to petaled to  hand-painted, the new holdfast/bellacozy babies are fresh out of the oven.
Yessir, if you are in the market for a one-of-a-kind toy for a child near you, please come a-knockin.

cutesy case of curiosities

Two new paintings

I have been on a very long crafting binge and have not given much attention lately to what I like doing the most - drawing and painting.  I still feel fairly uninspired in that area, having emphasized most of my thing-making activity on stuffed animals, embroidery, tedious plastic needlepoint, pasties and an attempt at scrimshaw.
I did, however, manage to sit down a while ago and do a little bit of water coloring, and the featured images are the result.

Edwidge Fenech

In our search for classic film stills to replicate and any other sorts of intriguing beautiful images,  we've come across French-Maltese cult bombshell Edwidge Fenech.
Fenech is known most for her career as a queen of 1960s titty comedies, which anyone would agree is a prestigious title.  She is beautiful, raven-haired and someone who I will be keeping an eye on, retrospectively. 

Project completed - toy antique radio

Another hibernation project I recently completed is a toy antique radio.  Although tiny, the tedious process of working with that odd plastic needlepoint material was intense and time-consuming.  Initially, this little yellow radio was going to be a practice round for later larger radios. Now, however, I'm not sure I would be able to complete anything much larger than this little fella.

frontal view

from behind

grab bag .5

I recently completed a cut-paper apple, and a few other fruits.  To my dismay, I just realized that the heart pattern is headed in the incorrect direction....

Diamond flower stencil

 The sky, having waited all winter, has finally unleashed a pounding snowy gale.  Everyone in the southern mid-west is snowbound and staying inside.  In this house there is a pot of beans and biscuits going and a lot of arts and crafting in slovenly attire.

Bird-eyed boy, acrylic and pencil on cardboard

Metal tray with pangolin stencil

Selections.10