Beetlejuice.... Beetlejuice....

This week at work has been pretty dead, so I let my creativity lead me.

Growing up, as if you couldn't tell, I LOVED everything a little bit strange and macabre. I watched a ton of Saturday morning type cartoon shows. Most people would probably remember: Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, Histeria, Batman the Animated Series, Reboot... but one that not a lot of people remember is Beetlejuice. It had a HUGE influence on me. I absolutely LOVE it. It is extremely pun heavy. It had the first ever character that was completely computer generated in a syndicated children's cartoon. The opening credit song still sends chills down my spine umpteen years later.

It breaks my heart that it took until 2013 for the complete DVD collection to be released (the show ended in 1991), but you bet your bottom dollar I have it (and my kids love watching it). It is a great show with a lot of heart in it. Seriously, take a look some time. Some day I hope to make myself a poncho based on Lydia's famous red one.

Anyway, enough of me gushing about Beetlejuice. Here are some previews of some patterns I am working on (with one for The Nightmare Before Christmas thrown in).

I am not sure if I should outline all of them like I did for Ginger (the dancing spider), but she didn't look right with out it. I suppose it could be up to the individual, or I can give examples of both in the instructions and have people just pick which ones they like the best.

I don't have the instructions figured out yet, just the designs. I also realized while digging around in my stuff that I have not finished up my last completed underwear pattern. And a pattern for a friend. Oops. I hope to get them both done over my time off for New Years.

On a down note, my sewing machine totally broke while I was trying to get all the work done on holiday gifts (bowl cozies) done. I got enough of them completed to scoot by, but I still have several more to go. My old White machine doesn't like the thread I am using on it, so I have to wait until I get the Pfaff back from the shop to finish. That also means I cannot try and make some reusable "paper" towels or a roll up silverware thingy to take to work for my lunches.

Yes, I am reusing this image.

With New Years coming up, I have been thinking about what some of my goals should be. I want to put out more finished patterns (duh!), but I also want to properly set up the business side of things so I can sell some original designs when I get that far. I want to do some more work on my kiddos quilts. I also want to make a Christmas tree skirt (hubby threw out the pattern thinking it was trash over the holiday.... GRRRR). Most of all, I want to teach myself to actually paper piece one of my designs. There are so many things to do, that normally gets shoved to the back, but dang it, I have to do it! What are some goals you have? Do you think there is anything else I should try and shoot for?