Lately, I am going through a dry spell on carving despite having comfortable cool weather. I don’t know why. There shouldn’t be any excuses.
The last Citizen carved was 24th October followed by the Halloween Owl a week later. I’ve gone almost two weeks without any new additions, a rather unusual stretch. Maybe if not more Citizens, at least some gnomes, another monument or two, superheroes or even the big pieces. OR… maybe something totally new.
We shall see…
Suddenly the weather changed. The real monsoon is here and it looks like golfing days will be reduced. In fact, last Saturday when we had our usual morning game, we couldn’t complete 18 holes when the rain came down. My flight did 12 holes while hubby’s flight managed 11 holes only.
I am not complaining though. Rainy days may mean less golf but with the air being cooler, it’s more comfortable; definitely a welcome from the hot and high humid conditions that we’ve been having the past few weeks.
On a brighter note, it means more comfortable days ahead to carve up more Citizens of Gigglesville!
I think I deserve a pat on the shoulder for carving up a four inch Citizen of Gigglesville. The Halloween Owl is a pretty good effort for a first attempt on a bigger and harder piece. And suddenly I find my other citizens so minuscule!
How did I ever managed to carve up 111 pieces of one inch tall or thereabouts of the Citizens and a band of Superheroes too? Just as amazing.
Now that this is completed, onwards to color it!
This year for Halloween, I did not have time to buy whole watermelons to carve like I did in 2013 when M1 was still around. And not only pumpkins have gotten too expensive, they are unavailable at our regular grocer! So I opted for something very different this time.
I carved a Halloween Owl.
Several weeks ago, my only sibling bought a pack of wood with different size blocks for me to vary my carving pieces. It was very thoughtful of him to push me beyond my comfort zone, which I think is a good thing.
The basswood pieces are so much bigger and harder in density than my usual one inch wide soft balsa. I feel very pumped about the challenge. I had to plan thoroughly because now, the size and shape of the character are somewhat different. The block is four inches tall, four times taller than what I am used to work with.
So on 31st October, I started on a Citizen of Gigglesville wearing a witch’s hat and a big cape. I must say even the carving process has been different with more strength applied, being a harder wood, and all the tools were utilized.
Work is still in progress but it’s coming along good. I hope to finish it by next week and have it painted up!
Out of the blue, I decided that my Citizens of Gigglesville should wear hats! I don’t know why but I suddenly developed an urge to sew or make hats for them. It would make them even more cute than what they are now.
I even bought some tiny fluff balls with the intention of making some Santa hats for them. But I have failed miserably because I couldn’t even get the cone shape of the Santa hat right. I won’t give up though.
Then a brilliant idea hit and I didn’t even have to make anything!
My citizens now don sombrero-like hats, made out of fruit nettings! Hahahaha….. it’s just cuteness overload. I had so much giggles ‘dressing’ them up and taking snapshots. Clearly only Citizen #53 was not amused by the session. Hahahaha…..
Package one of two arrived last Friday and the diamond files are much longer than what the website picture showed. I guess I didn’t see the measurements listed properly.
Hubby laughed when he saw them because he said they look similar to dental instruments, being angled. Well, I think they will be put to good use especially with all those angles to tackle tight crevices.
And package two, which was shipped separately after I received notification on Friday, arrived yesterday. Yay. Like the first set, this second set of diamond files are also longer than its picture on the website.
Again, hubby laughed at them because he half expected the set to have mirrors, complementing the dental-looking first set. Hahaha….
Anyway, I don’t know why I need so many of the same thing. The more the merrier? We shall see how the end result of new citizens when these new tools are put to use.
The first set
The second set which is longer than my existing mini files
I’ve come to conclusion that it takes more than the carving tools to make the end piece look good. The filing or the sanding down of the surface to smoothen it is the essence as much as what the shape is.
My more recent Citizens of Gigglesville do really look good with all this attention to details – the curves, the crevices and of course, the surface.
Last week, the online shopper in me struck again! I couldn’t resist and went into the Lazada site again to purchase two different types of diamond filing sets! I await their arrival.
It has become an ongoing joke between hubby and I on the subject of birds (and owls), with me labelling his troop as citizens too.
As you know, my Citizens are my owl carvings for the imaginary township of Gigglesville. And his citizens are the visiting birds who would come by the garden daily to be fed.
Every evening when we return from work, all the citizens await – mine in their tray, his at the garden. As my citizen count grows with an addition almost every night, so does his count too!
It is now more than Fat Bird, Bird 3 and Bird 4; it’s a whole flock of all sizes, big and small! I would poke fun at him that his citizens are awaiting, being so demanding, constantly wanting to be fed unlike mine, so docile and not demanding at all.
His citizens are also very territorial. Each time he has the bird seeds out, they would ‘fight’ especially the pair that comes down to the ground, pushing and shoving whilst pecking away. While this is ongoing, my citizens are just chilling and being cute, living harmoniously together without any in-fighting.
I just find this so funny. My citizens and his citizens. Hahahaha….
Last week, there was a constant migration of Citizens, mass migration if you may. It started on Wednesday with five Citizens leaving Gigglesville in one go! Then the next day, another one and by Saturday, two more left. I guess this is good because they are on a mission to spread giggles and love.
So far, the migration count is about 21 per cent from the population count. But as each one leaves, I carve up more. Although eight Citizens left last week, I added another seven, so the township will never dip in its population count.
This week, two citizens are approved to migrate.
I never thought this day would come but last Friday I achieved the milestone for carving the 100th Citizen of Gigglesville!
All because of a sports injury, my unexpected interest in carving has spawned off such a tremendous and almost addictive hobby to create on a daily basis.
With three Monuments, a team of Superheroes complete with a nemesis, a mayor and the ‘O’Mobile, a pet (courtesy of hubby’s effort), a gnome, Wanderlust Owl and Lab Owl, the Citizens have grown at an amazing speed.
Most surprising has been my ability and patience to do this on top the challenges I face especially when coming up with a new species. My carving skills have improved tremendously with each one done up.
I reflect back to July last year – the first Monument and the first few Citizens with the efforts this year… wow. Such progress! And with more tools and more paints acquired, it’s a good thing going. Honestly, I really enjoy this because it is rather therapeutic.
So, a toast to many more Citizens of Gigglesville to come and to all recipients of the migrated Citizens spreading their love and giggles, it makes me very happy that you joyfully welcome them with open arms.
Citizen #100 is a giant
Angieneering 
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