Black Friday Shopping

After building pine cone turkeys and eating the real thing we turned back to reality ...

We've been running low on supplies. Paints specifically, the bulk of which got finished off during the inauspicious backdrop bonanza (though in a silver lining the backdrops dried spectacularly). Fortunately the Trouble and Strife is a big shopper and today offered many specials.

Alien Two was, however, stumped when it came to finding the requisite bright green.

Stumped until Alien One pointed out that some cardboard furniture comes already painted.

Returning home, she sketched her own designs.


And me, I returned to lion's claws for Robin's papier mache shower.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

PS I found the following clip on Youtube and have been inspired to incorporate the ideas into a night-time squirrel drive-by:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyU0pe6EFBQ

I love the Japanese!

And in the Distance ...

There must be mountains, trees and, most of all, blue sky.

No, not the background of the photo on the left, the background on which that bundle of energy is running! That's right, today we painted impressionistic mountains and skies of our own (something which will likely prove necessary for the forest shoot a few weeks from now - more on that soon).

And for a while everything proceeded swimmingly; the groundwork had been laid, the workers had dispersed and I was adding the finishing touches.


Then the Trouble and Strife wandered out to inspect the progress ... but nothing escapes the Trouble and Strife!

Her purview took in much more than scenic backdrops, indeed it fell to my feet where something was clearly afoot.

Or under foot as the case happened to be.

And worse, all over our dear friends' balcony!

In short order, efforts to apply turned to efforts to erase. The local residents rallied, the Trouble and Strife took out a rag and we all went to work.

But the work was slow. Hard and slow.




I did all I could, including physically throwing myself into it!



Two hours later, and working by flares (check the reflected light on the left of the last photo) the last bucket of soapy water was brought out to yours truly.


I only hope the light of day does not necessitate the complete repaint the Trouble and Strife immediately volunteered me for.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Lost in the woods

Today's sustenance: raw banana bread mix, sans sugar (but with chocolate chips and nicely browned bananas).

The Trouble and Strife's recipe. A total winner according to Alien Two.




Today's task: build a forest.

Our progress: Alien One contemplates the limbs without leaves, while Alien Two contemplates her next move ...




... an all-out assault on Alien One's jar of battery-recharging home-made apple-sauce.




And the result: Alien Two, the deer!








Extra-terrestrial help aside, conjuring up a wooded forest takes more time than I'd bargained for, but with a quick field trip to reexamine nature, our inspirational subject, everything became clear. We need more workers ... more aliens! And I know just the place to find them :)

Stay tuned, very shortly we shall emerge from the woods.

Chin chin Ruthless Whims

Between Takes ...

Our fabulous cinematographer, Tom, stokes the fire in the center of the console before pausing to gaze at the galaxy, wondering which speck our Alien Interlopers originated from.




Little does he realize, the Aliens are lounging in what will later become Robin's studio apartment ...














dosing
up
on
sugar!





Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone, a squirrel escaped Vivian's studio, snuck into my office and absconded with an acorn.

So many mischievous characters to keep tabs on!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Spaceship has landed

It started with the Trouble and Strife cleaning the alien's bunk bed ...



Then someone threw in some drawbridge doors ...


Then a mysterious man, shrouded in darkness that did little hide his receding hairline, climbed in ...


Pretty soon there were chains and an ominous tally board!

What does it all mean? And where are the aliens?




More soon.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims