September 1 2025

August is my birthday month which means I always go into it with unrealistically high expectations. I demand the world handed to me on a silver platter, which the world so rarely lives up to. This year it was nice though. This year I spent August doing too much, almost all of it pleasant, almost all of it exhausting. Maybe 27 will be the year of quiet contentment. Wouldn’t that be something?

A big part of this month’s success, I think, was that my birthday party was a huge success. I told everyone in advance that all I wanted for my birthday was a crazy charcuterie board (ensuring I got exactly what I wanted, nobody had to stress about what to get me, I got to share my gifts with everyone, and I didn’t have to provide any food or drink for the party). My friends came together and built the most insanely beautiful ornate over the top charcuterie table that any of us had ever seen.

Seen here spread across the lovely new dining table that my partner spent a few weeks ahead of time lovingly refinishing. I sent everyone home with meats and cheeses and bread. I’m thinking next year I do it again, perhaps as a tea party instead. Y’all, I finally did it. I solved birthday parties.

This was the first party we’ve hosted since having the house to ourselves and it felt like showing off a beautiful project we’d completed. We actually hosted a lot this month. Visiting friends, visiting family, my birthday party, a movie night. I’m giddy and exhausted.

The guest room got some good use but so did the craft room. It feels really good to use the space after spending so long designing and constructing it. Like stretching out your legs after sitting for a long time. First I did a couple quick and easy sewing projects. I whipped up a cloth cover for a transparent umbrella, to make it serve as a parasol during August’s heat waves.

It’s more functional than fashionable, but it certanly spared me at least one sunburn. And I spent an afternoon patching my favorite pair of pants where they’d worn through,

which is still mostly functional but I am quite pleased with the spiraling sitches. I think they’re cute.

Most of the month’s creative effort, though, went into the felt dragon that I started in July. Remember where we started on August 1st,

and here’s how things are looking on September 1st.

(the big white table is very satisfying for taking photos against)

I’ve got his overall shape mostly worked out, bones and muscles and skin. It took a bit of back and forth to get things even (I think the skeleton got a little twisted as I went) but it’s fairly well symmetrical now. And the cheaper darker wool I used at the start is almost totally covered over now.

You can definitely tell which areas have the white wool laid down thicker. The darker under layers still shine through in spots. I want to blend those edges out a bit, but I think I’m okay with the variation. When I start adding color the darker tones should blend in, fade away.

The rear legs have a funny shape to them, an artefact of my back and forth attempts to get them symmetrical. I’ve deliberated on it a lot but I do think I like it ultimately. I like how continuous those curves are, and the flatness feels remenicient of a flying squirrel. I’ll have to be mindful of this when I add on the wings. I think they could really make or break this design, and how these details are read in the final sculpture.

I definitely want to bulk out the back of the rib cage a little, but it’s a balancing act. I really like the extreme curve that the spine has, and I don’t want to do anything that would minimize that.

And then the head has a nice snake-like shape to it now.

I’m hoping this guy will be a bit easier to photograph once it’s not all white on white. Or maybe I just need to learn some proper photography techniques.

Next on the docket for this guy: I need to smooth over some of the lumpier transitions on its sides. Grow the rib cage a little. Add some variation to the front legs so they’re not just tubes. Work out roughly where I want the colors to be, as a prelude to making the wings. Decide if I want matte felt eyes or shiny glass eyes, and make them. Decide if I want horns, and figure out how to make and attach them (horns are narrow and pointy and thus very intimidating to form in felt). I’m considering using some chalk pastells as well as colored wool when it comes time to add the color- I’ll need to experiment before I can make that decision. And finally, the detailing color work, marbling and scales, which I would be astonished and insanely proud if I reached during September.

Oof. That’s a lot of steps. It’s been fun so far though. I’m looking forward to the next chunk.

Anyway. Happy labor day. Happy September. I hope you had a nice summer, and I hope autumn reaches us all soon.

Thanks for reading!