Logospilgrim's Blog

Welcome to my lovely doll witch world…

I love herbs, and potions, and sweet magical delights.

And, once again… It’s been a while.

As the rest of the planet remains neck deep in its continual (and tedious) meltdown, my own focus remains self-care and self-preservation.

My art has been selling at the splendid shop The Village Quire, and I’m getting items ready for Halloween and Xmas. This is my top goal right now. As is adding a few local shops to the list of places that feature my miniature worlds. At some point, I’ll gather my pieces in a book, but I’m in no rush… A calendar for 2024.

Other goals include a new book. I’m aiming for a release around Halloween 2023.

I’m no longer putting unhealthy pressure on myself to get a book written quickly. I didn’t think I’d write another one, but then this one came to me, and it’s going to be an enjoyable project without a doubt.

I’m toying with the idea of a yearly publication that would be called Petits Fours: Fine Diableries for Select Individuals. I think this would be interesting, but it’s still an “if.” The first issue wouldn’t be published until around end of April 2023.

I had a lovely birthday and took lovely photos to celebrate (including the author photo on the back of Doll Witch).

I love that white dress so much. It’s like wearing a cake.

Speaking of which, I have been baking cakes on a weekly basis.

It’s part of my Easy Bake Oven life philosophy. Note: I recently acquired a fabulous vintage olive green Easy Bake, exactly like the one I adored when I was a kid. It’s on display next to one of my favorite Silly Sculpts—a girl wearing a pretty dress, holding a cake, with cook book behind her. Perfection.

I have also been enjoying my new Nicoletta Ceccoli tarot deck, and general witchery. In a way, I’ve come full circle, except I’m much happier these days. My tarot and witchcraft are for me and close ones at the moment… Eventually, I’ll expand my practice to include a limited list of clients.

My main social media platform is, as ever, Twitter. I share pictures on Instagram once in a while, but I still can’t stand that platform and its wretched algorithm (which makes the feed virtually useless; I don’t even try to keep up with it) and censorship. I did join Pillowfort as a kind of backup. Otherwise, I’m on Patreon.

I recently added a small inverted pentagram on my right arm.

You can’t tell from the photo, but the pentagram is a sweet shade of pink.

So that’s what’s been happening. Mr P and I are keeping to ourselves and very much living our quiet Lair Life, away from the turmoil and noise.

Stay tuned for my upcoming miniature world art pieces. I’m working on my 80s-esque “Boom Box” world right now, and then I’ll turn my attention to “Candy Pumpkin.” After that, “Festive Tree” and other Xmas-themed worlds.

Yes, it’s been a while.

Things had been improving last autumn, then Omicron hit, and things promptly went right back down the toilet. Restaurant reservations disappeared during the holiday season, then dining rooms shut down yet again at the start of January. Just when Mr P was set to go back, the Crackpot Crapvoy arrived and it was another month of hardship for us, waiting for the lunatics to get cleared away from downtown while various levels of government (Gong Shows) demonstrated their utter uselessness and absurdity.

Then our situation radically improved when Mr P was hired (on the spot, and he started the day after his interview) somewhere closer to home, away from the downtown core, with good hours, a good work environment. We’d hoped his previous workplace would come through with its promises of better conditions, and its failure to do so, especially after what we’d just been through, was the absolute last straw.

Slowly but surely, we’re beginning to recover from the whole sordid mess that was 2020/2021 and the first months of 2022. Needless to say, I am actively ignoring “the news,” better described as “your misery is our business” (there is no other way to describe their so-called purpose).

Right now, my focus is increasing my miniature world art portfolio.

First, I had to do some clearing and reorganizing and getting my personal environment back in order, as it were. Now I no longer feel that horrid “I sat on the couch for almost two years, holding on to the shreds of my sanity because it was all I could do” feeling when I look around my home. The mere fact that I had the energy to sort out my library and dust shelves and get rid of this and that was profoundly therapeutic. I sorted my closets, mementos, journals, photos… I love it when my treasures are “just so.” I love it when things are carefully, neatly organized.

I exorcised 2020/2021/2022 right out of the house. It was necessary to my well-being and creative process.

Baby steps.

It’s with unspeakable joy that I can share the following: my art is available at the exquisite shop The Village Quire.

This photo was taken in March; the snow has since melted, I’m happy to say.

And here are my journals, and a signed and framed 16X20 print of Hot Chocolate.

This lovely raspberries mug was next to my Hot Chocolate print; I brought it back home as a memento the immense joy of seeing my work at The Village Quire gave me.

Molly told me that someone who was very interested in the framed print had taken a photo of it! That made me indescribably happy.

I have my sights set on pendants at Sérénithé next. As I said, baby steps.

My goal now is, as I said, to continue increasing my portfolio and have cards etc ready in time for Halloween and Xmas. I want to create happy miniature summer worlds.

My social media activity is at a minimum, where it will stay. My main online “art activity” platforms are Patreon, and this website. I am much more interested in selling my art locally than online (most online shops targeting creators are “design and promote our products for us and we’ll give you a nickel for every dollar we rake in” rackets). I have lost interest in time/energy-sucking virtual thingamabobs. Social media’s message to artists etc that we “must” have an “online presence” and be a “brand” is total poppycock. They can take their algorithms and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine as far as I’m concerned.

I own my time, my life. I have had it with digital El Dorados and tedious “social” soapboxes.

I’m aiming for Xmas re: my first local market table. In the meantime, having my little art cart at a couple of select local festivals is a possibility.

When things are more “regular” again, I want to draw at places like Café Mulligan every week.

Analog and local are my modus operandi.

Here are portraits I took before the holiday season… That red velvet dress is so beautiful.

More recent photos, featuring another delightful dress.

I am very much ready for cheerful strawberry dresses and so on… Waiting for warmer days.

Today, miniature worlds art, listening to favorite CDs and vinyls, and being devoted to myself and all that I love and enjoy. This is my priority.

I know what I want and need in life more than I ever have. Anything that’s not on my list of priorities simply doesn’t matter to me anymore.

What matters to me is living deliciously, on my terms.

I’ve been creating, and creating. Soon I’ll have all the elements I need to put together the gift bags I’ll bring to local shop owners when I ask them if they’d be interested in featuring my work in their stores…

I recently created my first deluxe art journal. I used my piece Hot Chocolate; closeup details on the front, the entire piece on the back. Fine paper, a thick, creamy #80 covered white paper, so smooth and beautiful. The cover has a velvety matte finish, absolutely lovely.

I’ve also been creating signed, framed prints.

These are 8X10s, signed with pencil for a soft look.

And here’s a 16X20 framed poster print, signed with a silver pen.

Although I’m primarily focusing on local sales, eventually I’ll have an exclusive selection of items on my Square shop…

I have one original piece there so far, but soon I’ll have some of my journals and signed/framed prints available on Square. I’m taking things one slow step at a time.

I’ve created a second business card, this one featuring that portrait of me wearing my pink damask dress and holding a copy of my Hot Chocolate journal.

I thought it would be a nice touch to add an “artist portrait” to my gift bags etc. Also I adore that dress, the white lace choker around my neck, the stocking with pastel bows… It goes very well with my miniature world art.

I want my art to have a fine, luxurious gourmet chocolate quality: a sweet, special candy indulgence. Sumptuous yet fun and whimsical.

I’m working on two more 8X10 canvas pieces at the moment, Pride Rainbow Cake, and Candy Pumpkin. Also I’ll be working on a series of little framed originals, on watercolor paper; the frame is 4X6, the art 3 1/4X4 3/4. I want to do a series with Hoppy Bun in the sky with a variety of balloons, surrounded by a few clouds, like in the first canvas piece I ever did with Hoppy Bun:

The art will be tiny… Hoppy Bun with all sorts of fun balloons, floating in the sky.

Ah yes, and there will be more miniature art pendants soon as well; I’ll have a selection on Square.

Otherwise, things have been evolving… Many adjustments, but life keeps improving. By the spring of next year, everything should really be quite good.

Here’s another portrait I recently took, with my magical black lace babydoll and delicious “let them eat cake” necklace.

This embodies the mood I’ve been in: living deliciously.

More art news etc in the near future. As usual, my marvelous Patreon members see it all first. I also have a Ko-fi now. The support and enthusiasm of those who savor my work has been a precious treasure in too many ways to count.

I can hardly wait to start creating Festive Season miniature world art… Not much longer before I focus on those pieces.

Life has been a little less grim lately, hasn’t it? Let’s hear it for 2022 being wonderful.

Even though the region where I live has begun its fourth wave, I feel better and better each day. I’m less anxious, my energy is progressively returning.

Mr P and I are fully vaccinated. We got our second shots in July. I had a stronger reaction to the second shot than to the first, but I didn’t mind in the least.

Around three weeks ago, I began venturing in the outside world again now and then, doing little errands during the quietest times of the day. It’s been going well. Quebec has instituted a vaccine passport and I couldn’t be more thrilled about this.

Soon, I’ll set up an online store using the Square platform. I’ll have miniature world pendants, signed postcards, journals, original pieces, etc. Stay tuned.

My hair finally got evened out by my hairdresser a couple of weeks ago; now it’ll just keep growing until it’s chest length.

I continue collecting lovely dresses, necklaces, frilly socks… Selling miniature world art while looking like a doll are two things that go very well together.

Here are a number of portraits I took of myself these past few months. Depending on the light, my hair looks darker or lighter… It’s a kind of golden chestnut color with touches of shimmering silver white. In most of the photos below, it looks dark. I decided against getting it dyed.

And here, after getting my hair evened out at the hairdresser’s. In this light, it’s closer to my natural color. She took off a little bit (I’d hacked off two inches of split ends and blarg myself, you can see the results of that in the fourth and fifth photos), and now it’s much better behaved. I’m going to see my hairdresser every four months or so to get the ends trimmed, but otherwise, it’s going to grow and grow.

More art soon.

Late summer is a wonderful time of the year; so tranquil. I’m also looking forward to autumn. I’ve started adding fall dresses to my wardrobe, a lot of plaid, more florals, lace… It’s immensely enjoyable.

I’m not much for makeup, but lip gloss appeals to me. Next spring, I imagine I’ll be able to wear some when I bring my art to local shops…

Slowly but surely.

You can now purchase a digital copy of the fabulous new Rubber Clown Car album on Bandcamp! Featuring the album cover I created for it:

I’ve also added the piece to my Redbubble store.

It looks great on all kinds of things, like prints and posters… And this marvelous tote bag:

Since it’s June and Pride Month (warm wishes to all my fellow asexual, bi-romantic, genderfluid queers, and all my other rainbow friends), I’ll be working on my Rainbow Cake miniature dream world. Stay tuned.

Here I am wearing my white H&M dress, which I’ve dubbed the Holly Hobbie wedding dress. It’s like wearing a cloud. It’s longer on me than on the tall model (I’m just 5’3″), and I’m going to pair it with my old fashioned burgundy booties.

I have a number of other lovely dresses and accessories on the way. My traditional birthday photo session (later this month) is going to be a massive amount of fun this year. I’ve always gone back and forth between tomboy and petite doll looks, and after years of favoring my tomboy side, I’m now very much in the mood for petite doll.

Once I’ve had my second Pfizer shot (it was supposed to be at the start of September, but it’s going to happen sooner, announcements will come this week), and I feel okay leaving the house again to do regular things, I’m going to get my growing hair evened out at the hairdresser’s, and I may well get it dyed strawberry blonde, which is what it looked like when I was little. It would be fun, and I’m in the mood for fun.

Last month, I finished my piece Root Beer Malt Shop.

It’s been added to my Redbubble shop.

After that, I completed the cover for the upcoming Rubber Clown Car album, “Go. Do.” It will soon be released on Bandcamp, followed by CD baby. Digital, then physical copies will be available.

This summer, I’ll be focused on creating more miniature world art. Towards the end of the summer, and this fall, I’ll be busy preparing myself for local holiday markets… And I’ll be making more cabochon pendants featuring details of my miniature worlds.

Creating these pendants has been a source of great pleasure to me. I package them like sweet treats, little cupcakes. The outside world things I’m interested in, and which I haven’t done in a very long time, are meals with loved ones, going to favorite record stores, bookshops… And selling my art locally. Artist markets, local specialty shops. I’ll be ordering special edition journals next, among other items.

I just spend over an hour writing a new post, only to have the whole damn thing somehow disappear. Typical of the past craptastic fifteen months, but I digress.

Let’s try this again.

Well, things are finally, at long, LONG last, starting to turn the corner around here.

First of all, after what often seemed like an interminable, nightmarish, sanity-dissolving wait, almost a week ago Mr P and I got our precious first Pfizer shot. The second one is scheduled to take place at the beginning of September, but it looks like it might happen way before that. I certainly hope so.

As you can see, Severus joined in the mask effort.

Getting some Pfizer mRNA in my system has done wonders for the fragmented remnants of my mental health. My PTSD symptoms are less intense, my hypervigilance less overwhelming. I’m not ready to be “out there” yet, but this was a significant step in the right direction. My arm hurt for a couple of days, and I was tired (but then, when am I not tired… I’ve been exhausted since the shitstorm erupted), that was the extent of it.

Last month, I finished my piece Root Beer Malt Shop.

It’s been added to my Redbubble shop.

After that, I completed the cover for the upcoming Rubber Clown Car album, “Go. Do.” It will soon be released on Bandcamp, followed by CD baby. Digital, then physical copies will be available.

My hair continues to grow. I’ve decided to keep growing until it’s long, long. That’s what I want.

I do the boy thing, I do the girl thing… I do my thing. I’m genderfluid. It’s fun, a joyful and creative part of my personal self-expression.

I’m going to be fifty-two next month, ha.

When I took the photos above, I was wearing a very 70s shirt/dress I’d found on Old Navy of all places. It was on sale, and I was in that sort of a mood, so I got it, and it made me happy. Let’s just say that it inspired me.

After everything that’s happened, I’ve been in a mood for renewal. As such, I’ve been adding dresses to my closet these days. Speaking of closets, I spent the past couple of days sorting, culling, and reorganizing them. I love organizing. I got rid of sweaters I hadn’t worn in ages, of duplicates (say, five exact same shirts, down to two at most). I selected all that I most love, carefully arranged pants and jackets and dresses and hoodies. I put my cherished bags on the top shelf, including recently acquired mini backpacks with floral patterns. I took photos; my Patreon members saw them.

Floral patterns have featured prominently in my renewal project.

My wardrobe is three piece suits, 80s mellow ragamuffin, vintage disco shirts, flounce, florals, tomboy, Gothic, 70s… Why limit oneself? Life is for living.

It had been well over a decade since I’d bought dresses, and I’m on a roll. With most of them, I’ll wear booties. Like the ones I got yesterday. Twenty dollars instead of fifty, definitely not bad at all. Thus I got the black ones, and the brown ones.

The babydoll dresses I love most have a variety of floral patterns, like the one below, with daisies I couldn’t resist. I’ve loved daisies since I was a kid.

Everything is massively on sale lately, fortuitously enough. The shops I prefer tend to be on the inexpensive side to begin with, like Ardène and Stitches… Throw in big sales, and one’s collection goes from none to many. Though I’ve been picky, only getting what I fell in love with, what worked best for me.

I’ve also gotten dresses from H&M. It’s the first time I’ve shopped there.

But how could I say no to this ethereal dream? Like a Holly Hobbie wedding dress. It has a slip underneath.

Then, there’s this magical dress. Feels like Beetlejuice will be on his way any second. It’s made from recycled polyester; how 70s.

Sweet green dress with a floral pattern… Oh, I think so. It’ll join the others soon.

All these dresses are short, but they’re longer on me than the models, which is great. That’s what I prefer.

Then there’s this extra special Killstar dress, all lace and loveliness. I love Killstar, I have many of their bags, and when I saw this dress… A high holiday item without a doubt. It has a faded “been soaking in tea” ivory color. When I tried it on, I looked like a doll. I got a size small, and when I looked on the website yesterday, I saw that the XS, S, and M were already sold out. I suspected this would be the case. That’s why I pounced on it when I did, while I still could. And, you know, horrid year and all that.

What I need to add to my trunks drawer now are white Calvin Kleins. Because I wear men’s trunks no matter what.

I love the way they look, and they’re more comfortable than anything.

Jewelry-wise, the marvelous Satanme successfully tempted me with glorious red and orange glitter medallions. It doesn’t get more 70s than that.

This summer, I’ll be focused on creating more miniature world art. Towards the end of the summer, and this fall, I’ll be busy preparing myself for local holiday markets… And I’ll be making more cabochon pendants featuring details of my miniature worlds.

Creating these pendants has been a source of great pleasure to me. I package them like sweet treats, little cupcakes. The outside world things I’m interested in, and which I haven’t done in a very long time, are meals with loved ones, going to favorite record stores, bookshops… And selling my art locally. Artist markets, local specialty shops. I’ll be ordering special edition journals next, among other items.

The provincial government has announced that life will be close to back to normal by the end of the summer. Art and recuperation, that’s what I have planned for the coming months.

So, that’s what’s been going on.

Definitely getting better.

Still not using Instagram much; Twitter remains my preferred social media platform (in moderation).

More miniature worlds soon. Creating art in my lair will always be my main world.

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Well, here we are. March 2021. Spring is around the corner at last.

Life is beginning to seem less grim for the first time in seemingly forever.

I dare to hope that Mr P and I will get the vaccine by early May… Who knows, maybe earlier? I have a feeling things will really start speeding up in April… Anyway. The mass vaccination campaign is quickly picking up steam after a terribly slow and depressing start.

Whenever we can schedule our appointments, I am so ready. I can’t get this damn vaccine soon enough. I’ll feel reborn and at least half sane (a massive improvement) when it finally happens.

In the meantime, I’ve been cheering myself up by planning my art table for local markets, and visualizing myself asking local shops and cafés to carry postcards and framed copies of my work…

This is one of the things that have kept me going during all this garbage. Hopefully, at some point this summer, I’ll be selling my art locally and feeling happier than I’ve felt in my whole life. Creating miniature dream worlds is wonderful. That’s what I want to do.

I recently ordered the first sets of postcards featuring the pieces I’ve done so far, and I was ecstatically happy with the results. The postcards are stunning, excellent quality, with a velvety smooth matte finish. I couldn’t have asked for better. And I designed (with an altered template) a table top sign. That’s just the beginning. Basically, I’m going to give my art table a candy/cake/ice cream counter vibe. When someone buys postcards, I’m going to put them in a little white bag and seal it with a sticker (details of one of my pieces). I’ll have jars filled with dollar store candy, and I’ll include a few sweet treats with each order.

Today, I received my first order of glossy mini posters (8.5X11), and they’re amazing. I’ll have mini posters of all my pieces, some of which I’ll frame. Those will be placed inside white boxes, as though the person bought cake or donuts, and I’ll tie the box with bright, colorful string.

Yummy art!

This is the round sticker I’ll use to seal bags and boxes and envelopes:

I’m currently at work upon Root Beer Malt Shop, which is in the coloring stage. This piece makes me tremendously joyful.

I also have the structure outline all done for the cover of the upcoming Rubber Clown Car album. Once Root Beer Malt Shop is done, I’ll get to work finishing the album cover. It’s going to be, surprise, very colorful and cheerful and dreamy.

By the end of this year, I’ll have a calendar and an agenda for 2022, and I have illustrated books brewing in my head.

Special journals with my art on the cover, and ultra fabulous bags featuring my art, are next on my list of “things I’ll have for my local market table.” These will be available online exclusively to my Patreon members. I’ve been posting on Patreon a lot.

Most of my pieces can be obtained online via my Redbubble shop.

January was very quiet. I was exhausted after the dreadful autumn, though Xmas cheered me immensely. Mr P and I had such a good time unwrapping gifts… It was a very bright spot during the Second Wave for us, not to mention that the news on the vaccine front were becoming more optimistic.

Pretty doll I got myself for Xmas. My Disco Rainbow girl.

Then February was rather rough, because after a year of trying to deal with my ear troubles on my own, I was forced to schedule an appointment at the nearby clinic so my doctor’s nurse could clear them up; the right one would need two appointments. This was incredibly stressful and draining, though everyone at the clinic was amazing, and the nurse extremely kind and understanding (I’ve barely left the house at all since last March). Narrow, twisted ear canals are such fun. Once this was taken care of, however, and I could hear clearly for the first time in months and was no longer constantly worrying about my ears clogging up completely, I began thinking a bit more clearly as well.

Now, my focus is creating as much art as possible while Mr P and I wait our turn to get vaccinated. My focus is getting my miniature world art table ready. I already have visions of the merriest Xmas market experience… I’m more interested in local offline sales than online ones. Anyhoo.

Here’s to a good summer.

I’m off to continue adding many many colors to my Root Beer Malt Shop.

Here we are in December. It’s been a year, hasn’t it? And by “year” I mean “flaming garbage mountain.”

Mr P and I are still hunkering down at home. We hardly ever leave the house. This continues to suit us just fine, apart from the mentally draining outside chaos, that is. Thankfully, vaccinations have slowly begun… I have no plans to do anything much in the outside world until I’ve gotten my shot (and even then, things won’t be like they were before, far from it), which I’ll get the moment I’m able to do so. April?

Anyway.

Last week, I finished my latest miniature world, All Night. I slowed down a bit when September rolled around, because the horrible Second Wave began in earnest here in Quebec, and it hasn’t yet shown any sign it’s about to ease up. Maybe after the Xmas partial shutdown… Whatever. Herd humans just don’t seem to learn. They simply can’t not clump in noisy, clueless, virulent mounds, a phenomenon that has drastically increased my already great desire to avoid most people most of the time. There are treasured individuals I’ll be happy indeed to see again on occasion, but for the most part, I am now an avowed professional hermit (well, more so).

Basically, I haven’t had much energy. I look forward to having more stamina, and creating a lot more art, when life starts being less “Constant Red Alert.”

This comic strip by artist Alex Norris sums up it perfectly.

I did finish my piece Hot Chocolate in early September, if memory serves right. 11X14.

I love this piece very much. The pleasure I get from creating these worlds is truly immense. I do look forward to the day when I can sell my art at small local markets and artistic events… It’s one of the few reasons I can envision wanting to leave my lair at all.

And here is the piece I just finished, All Night. 8X10.

Those photos were taken with the smart phone, and thus don’t fully capture the colors and details. Hot Chocolate is already available on my Redbubble shop, and All Night soon will.

Here is my dear and lovely longtime friend, Cintronite, wearing a mask and carrying a bag featuring my piece Magical Toadstool:

Yesterday, I took a self-portrait that showcases how my messy shag has been growing back… I rather like it. I love ultra short hair too, but this is even less trouble, especially since I’ve never had fewer fucks about styling it; my flippy hair does what it does. It’s a 70s shag. I’m wearing my beautiful, golden Harvest Moon medallion by Satanme.

In other news, I shared this series of tweets a couple of days ago.

Writing these words about Masterful, a book into which I put so much, felt good. I doubt my work will ever be the sort of thing that’s acknowledged by mainstream fandom websites like Mugglenet etc, I’m too… oh, unusual? for that, but there it is. In any event, fandom as I once knew it has pretty much ceased to exist, and I prefer doing my own thing.

Future publications will focus on my art. I’m thinking collections of my work, with accompanying notes.

At the end of 2021, I’ll have a 2022 calendar and agenda featuring my miniature dream worlds.

Right now, I’m enjoying my 70s Festive Extravaganza. Gazing at my festive tree and the pile of wrapped gifts underneath is a source of unmitigated joy to me. This year’s haul will mark the beginning of my collection of Our Generation dolls. 2021 plans include playing games like Snoopy Monopoly with these dolls, because Artificial Human Companions are most excellent.

These are the two gorgeous Holiday dolls waiting to be unwrapped… My first Our Generation dolls.

They’re so delightful to me. They’ll soon be joined by more.

And if wrapped boxes are fun during the festive season, why not have a few waiting to be unwrapped on Valentine’s, Eggster, my birthday, Halloween?

I immediately felt that this was a splendid idea, and I’ve already selected special items for this purpose.

This year, I also have many amusing books wrapped beneath the tree, and it’ll be wonderful to read them during January and February while the world, well. You know. While the world hopefully starts improving. Anything less obtrusive would be fantastic.

So that’s what’s been going on over here. More art soon. I post on Patreon regularly.

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