It’s been a while since my last update. Spring came early and with it lots of work in the garden. We’ve planted the beans, peas, onions and cucumbers and started a billion tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and assorted plants for the witch garden. We also brewed four batches of beer totaling 20+ gallons and strung ropes up in the hop garden. In addition, I invited a friend to take some photos of Victor, Bernard and T.J. with fancier equipment. We were going to shoot outside but as soon as we took the first round of pictures it started raining so the shots of Victor and Bernard were done inside against a white paper background. I also have T.J. and Bernard posted on Etsy for sale. Victor is up as well but only as an example of custom work. Images by Heather Pyles.
If only zombies knew how to brew and garden.
Four heads are better than none.
I started a new project this weekend. I decided to make multiple sets of jaws. I cut open four paper mache balls and removed the paper. I then rewrapped them in more paper to be reused as balls again later. I hot glued teeth that I had made from Fimo onto the jaws. I’ve never much liked hot glue. It’s often painful, smelly and at best, a temporary bond. Lastly, I wrapped each tooth in stripped sheets soaked in white glue to attach them more permanently.
What are you doing to that poor child?
I strung T.J. on his marionette controller and we were outside taking one final picture before posting him on Etsy. As we were posing him in the yard, brakes squealed and a red van stopped halfway down the hill in the middle of the road. The driver stuck her head out the window and stared. Squid, with her back to the road, controlled T.J. They turned and waved. The woman yelled “Oh, thank God. For a moment I thought what are you doing to that poor child?”
T.J. Sitting on the Porch
I took some pictures of T.J. in natural light. He was sitting on the bench while we grilled. I thought he might want some but he said he’d rather eat my fingers.
Kid Zombie
Here is the new guy. Isn’t he cute? I have better pictures to post soon.

Tantrum

T.J. throwing a fit. He could use some hair and a good slathering of blood. His clothing was boiled in a mordant of alum and cream of tarter, air dried and then boiled in coffee for that dirty zombie look.
Groundhog Day
I hope everyone else had a Groundhog Day barbecue. The groundhog was delicious.
Busy business
Had a business meeting about opening the law office. Wrote all weekend and then boiled some zombie clothes. Cleaned a path through the chaos. It still looks like the labyrinth but there are new routes. Maybe I should build a minotaur.
Dubbel header

Brewing two beers today…English Bitter and a Belgian Dubbel.










