The Contest: Week 2 (Duck walk-by)

Dear Reader,

Welcome to Week 2 of The Mad-Cap Squirrel King Contest!

For details on how this works, check out the The Mad-Cap Squirrel King Contest Tab or review the Sample Contest Entry blog post.

And now, check out today's clip:



Enter the Week 2 Contest with an image of your favorite place in the wild!

To score weekly motif points include some form of golden glow.

And don't forget there's still a couple of days to enter the Week 1 Contest!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Picture of Opportunity

Dear Reader,

One of the virtues of washing dishes is that you gaze out on the world with the opportunity of inspiration.

This morning provided precisely such a rewarding instance and a quick succession of events saw Alien One soaking up the raw material for a new piece of art!


In short order, we dismantled the frame of our neighbor's discarded photograph and Alien One set to work on Squirrel King improvements :)






Final details are still required, but Robin's wall will now be graced by high art!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Notes on Footage

Dear Reader,

The last couple of days I've been making notes for our wonderful editor on footage already shot.

While doing so, came across this lovely production still from the night we shot the other side of Ed's truck's arrival (our week 1 Contest Clip); you might recognize Justus and Robin, our stars, and also the voices you can hear on the clip of the truck arriving :)

What an awesome team!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Stopping Me in my Tracks!

Dear Reader,

What a great weekend! Our first family Saturday morning soccer, and a slew of parties.

Everywhere I looked there were images that stopped me in my tracks, from the Aliens as a pussy-cat and mischievous mouse ...

.. right down to our bedroom wall, on which we've co-opted Robin's shelving unit before she's had a chance to use it (next week, by the way, will be a big one of construction on her room).


We'd all love to see things that have stopped you in your tracks! So, check out our Week 1 Contest Clip again and enter our contest by sharing an image with us!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Contest: Week 1 (Ed's Truck)

Dear Reader,

Today, with great excitement we launch our contest!

For details on how this works, check out the The Mad-Cap Squirrel King Contest Tab or review the Sample Contest Entry blog post.

And now, check out today's clip:



Have you ever felt like a deer in the headlights? Enter this week's contest with an image of something that might stop you in your tracks!

To score weekly motif points include aluminum foil in the image.

Very much looking forward to your entries.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Fun and Games

Dear Reader,

A sterling game of hide and seek yesterday, found Alien Two absconded to another house entirely! Albeit a very little one, and without windows yet :)

The fun continued later while I continued with last minute behind the scenes preparations for tomorrow's contest launch, as the Aliens slogged away at their home-made pinata. Contents: "crayon candy" and stuff animals.

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Miniature Flowers

Dear Reader,

Careful cutting followed delicate rolling ..

.. behind the scenes a little glue licked the two together, and pots for miniature flowers were made!




The dried flowers from the visit with grandma and grandpa to the LA flower district were dipped in paint.





The distinct elements were carefully pieced together, and ... Voila! We have the potted flowers for Ed's house (which is still under construction).

House soon :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

The Joys of Aging

Dear Reader,

Today is my birthday, and we're off to a most wonderful start!

Actually, it all started last weekend when the Trouble and Strife took me for a magical weekend getaway while the Aliens overnighted with a good friend. So the first joy of aging: appreciation of celebrations.

The second joy happened this morning: woken by the Aliens (not counting Alien Two's foot in my lower back throughout the night) to lovingly made birthday card and books (above photo on the card, rainbow the final page of the book). The classic "Raining to Rainbow Sight" is a true Alien One special, including the lines: "The sun is coming out, I hope a rainbow will sprout", "The sun, the sun. I can't wait."

And finally, checking my computer to find so many of you sending messages ... it's my first real year on Facebook :) "Like" The Squirrel King as a birthday present to me ;)

Big Squirrel King hugs to all!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

References: Part 9 (Wind-Powered Mechanical Creatures)

Dear Reader,

I'm not sure where it fits into The Squirrel King yet, indeed it might not be until a future season, but from the moment I saw these wonderful mechanical creatures I knew they would have to be used somewhere. I'm sure you'll agree as soon as you see this:

Animaris Umerus walking - June '09 from Strandbeest on Vimeo.
Also, check out Theo Jansen's site for other cool creations, and a even a mail-order kit to build your own (I'll let you know how fantastic that is when ours arrives).

I can't wait to examine the cogs and gears with the Aliens :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

PS Don't forget that our contest starts this Friday, make sure to check back then for the inspiration clip!

Youtube Squirrel King Central

Dear Reader,

A few of you have asked about past videos on the blog, so to save you trolling through past entries, we've collected some of the the highlights in one place! Check out the newly created: Youtube Squirrel King channel.

To start things off, give yourself a chuckle watching Alien One's early cinematic efforts as she gives Mr. Clock an energetic tour of The Squirrel King facilities, or simply warm your heart with the explanation of where the foil birds came from :)

Have a great weekend!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Ed's House

Dear Reader,

Some time ago, Alien One noticed a doll's house while visiting with a friend. Of course we immediately committed to making our own ... and then other projects side-tracked us.


... Until we came across some fabulous fabric for a roof!


Cue some glue ..


And our top-down design is now well underway. Stay tuned for updates on what will double as Ed's house.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Inspiration from a Cool Advertisement

Dear Reader,

We've all seen, at some stage or other, the wonderfully inventive (if a little unsettling) faces of the 16th century Italian artist Arcimboldo.

Assuming you, like me, liked those vegetable and flower creations, then you might also get a kick out of a human made of humans.

And just to bring it right into the 21st century the advertisement below has that human in motion!



I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Chin chin Ruthless Whims

PS If you like this blog, please take the time to like us on Facebook - just click the button on the right at the top of this post :)

Inspired By Alien Artistry

Dear Reader,

Yesterday afternoon rained watercolors per the Aliens' request. And with my supervision a little on the lackadaisical end of the spectrum (those pine needles were being deliberately used to texture), the outcomes were among the most wonderful ever!





Inspired by the Aliens' efforts I was reinvigorated to work on the holes that ultimately befall Robin's Mango Goddess (her Butterscotch colored MG).

Beware the damage an errant acorn might cause!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Ready for Action

Dear Reader,

It might only be Monday, but Alien Two is very ready for soccer season start this coming Saturday! Looks like the last day of summer vacation might be spent down at the park kicking a ball :)

Meanwhile, the Trouble and Strife has taken off in Robin's Mango Goddess, also ready to seize the day!

Hope you too have gotten your week off to a great start.

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Wing and Rings

Dear Reader,

As promised, the wings for Alien One's bird now have a top-side!

Indeed all we need now is something to affix the wings to her arms, the little task of the headdress, and we're ready to shoot :)

And while I was busy sticking feathers on the wing's substructure, the Alien's were suspiciously quiet. ...

.. Turns out they are in advanced (if early) preparations for mother's day; busy making earrings for The Trouble and Strife. The creations are so beautiful and Squirrel King, that I've requested the use for Robin :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

A Quirky Distraction

Dear Reader,

Life is full of little oddities, and the curious Bright Eyes music video here is certainly one of them. It's just as much a fun distraction as any sort of reference.



I love the anthropomorphizing of inanimate objects like clouds!

Tomorrow look out for our birds wings; they're getting close :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Community Service Cover-Up

Dear Reader,

As some of you astute followers have noticed, the background tunnel in last Friday's shoot was almost the same tunnel we found when scouting the forest by the river. Almost, but not quite.


Between scouting and shooting, the squirrel king team risked poison oak (my right leg is indeed still reeling with a nasty rash consequented by our care-free scout) and transformed the unsightly mish-mash of graffiti into playfully delightful urban mural that sits prettily into the forested landscape.
Between coats we also took a few minutes to remove some of the detritus surrounding the area :)

Can't wait for you to see it with the real cat burglars, not just Alien Two in last year's halloween costume!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Just Hanging Around

Dear Reader,

It's important in life to balance frenetic activity with a few lazier moments now and again.

Yesterday found us sharing precisely such a delightful day of relaxation; particularly well encapsulated here by Alien Two lolling about with a good friend in a hanging basket.

Of course no day hanging about would be complete without a tire swing too ...



Hope you too had a great long weekend!

Back to the serious business of Squirrel King production :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Cat Burglars Caught in the Junlge

Dear Reader,

What a great day of shooting yesterday!

After our super trooper cinematographer, Tom, escaped the territorial bird in this photo, he delicately dodged poison oak and shot some delightfully magnificent comedy.

I made friends with the Catburglar and his side-kick Bob, and pretty soon we were all huddled around the camera shooting our conspiratorial committee.

I can hardly wait to share some of the footage with you :)

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims

Introducing .. The Man, The Legend .. The Catburglar!

Dear Reader,

He's been a long time coming, but we're finally going to shoot the real thing, not just Bob, his ungainly apprentice, the genuine article, the real Catburglar.


Of course kitty-cat talk got Alien Two excited and last year's pink cat Halloween costume had to be rolled out :)


Then, as she made a closer inspection of Tony's costume she naturally wondered: with that sparkle ... is that really practical? So I reminded her that army generals don't wear battle fatigues either ;)

Tony Doupe, a man of class, is our top ... cat!

Chin chin
Ruthless Whims