I'm sorry you've had a rough time, I know it's impossible to never get burned, but hey, stick with who you know. :)

I'm just feeling really discouraged at this point. It's not that I've been burned. It's more that I'm tired of being lied to about completion dates, feeling like my patience and kindness are being taken advantage of, and feeling like I'm wasting money waiting months upon months, to the point of not wanting it anymore. And then there's the attitude I get when I ask for updates- which is super great. Like, remember how I hired you to perform a service? The one you have yet to perform? And I could have hired someone else who would have been possibly more willing to actually do what they were hired to do? Yeah. Thanks for the 'tude, though.

But the worst part about all of this? When you can tell that they don't care, because even if you ask for and receive a refund, someone else will come along to fill the void left behind. You aren't a client here; you're a replaceable source of income. There's no personal investment. Just give me money, and maybe I'll do what you paid me for. And if you can't wait, someone else will.

I yearn for a better fandom. More artists like the ones I truly enjoy working with, who like taking their work personally, and have a need to fulfill a piece in a timely manner. But they are so few and far between at this point, and it will take quite a bit to convince me otherwise.

I always tell someone the completion date is a week or two extra than I actually think it'll be since then it gives me a buffer in case stuff comes up and then people are like wow she got it done earlier than expected :)

That's really a great idea, honestly. Good on you for being proactive and doing something like that.

I've been delayed by some artists for years, but I just am a very patient person. I know that there are some artists that don't do a good job with customer service, but it's one reason I'm very selective about who I hire. I'm trying to grow out of the impulse phase, and get even more selective so everything I get serves a purpose, one way or another.

I'd vet your artists very carefully, work with the ones that you see doing what you're looking for in customer service and in art, and stick with those.

I think the fandom, like the world, is what you make it. There are sadly no regulatory bodies to control standards of customer service, but that's a plus and a minus in some respects. We all get the same world, it's up to us to make the right choices.

*snugglecuddle* Oh dear. It's sad that you've had bad experiences :(
I think one of the reasons may be that the whole commissioning thing has turned into a capitalist's wet dream. Like auctions for example. @_@

Maybe you should spend your hard earned cash on pretty outfits. Then you could create the ideas you have in real life :)

There's a royally good idea, fitting coming from a princess like yourself!

*big hugs* unprofessional behavior is a sucky thing that we sadly see sometimes too frequently in our fandom. I've had my mistakes, too, but I try as best I can to own up to them and try to make things right. But I know doing art full- time as my only job isn't a good idea for me. But I feel there are many like me who may not have the turnaround time and discipline to do art full time and to do that well. I feel like some people view it as an easy option. You're your own boss and you get to doodle all day. But the reality is that , if you run your business properly, you're still committing 40 + hours to this job, as well as providing communication and customer service. It's not for everyone! I wish more people saw it that way before diving in.

On a happy note... 4 weeks to go until we get white girl wasted and activate our sass together!

All things aside, I think it's time I took a break from it all. I'd still like to get small things here and there when I can, and when the idea strikes me, but no more of the impulse buys. x3

And I am oh so looking forward to it. It's gonna be fantastic, and even better than last year!

I'm so sorry you've had enough bad experiences to turn you off of trying new artists.
I know there are a lot of artists who take great pride in their work (and yes, I include myself in that group!) and these artist work their hardest to turn out great pieces for their clients...who usually turn into friends.
There is no good excuse for stalling on an assignment so long that the client wants a refund. Most clients, I have found, are very patient as long as you keep them in the loop. Communication is the key. Some artists have not learned this simple fact.

And now I had better get back to working on my queue! Lol!

I always do appreciate when you chime in on my journals! I've had such great experiences working with you. I remember when I wanted to get a badge from you at each con we both attended. (I stopped and thought about that, then wondered what I'd do with all of them!) I'd still love to get the occasional piece from you in the future. Very happy with my harem piece, and it was definitely fun seeing it in your print book at Furpoc this year!

Regarding this journal, though- that's what it all came down to - poor communication. If the person in question had expressed what was going on regarding my commission, as well as the circumstances around it that I was not made aware of, I would have not gotten so upset or felt my patience was taken advantage of. This does not excuse how I handled the situation, but it was all very preventable. It's sad that this last commission came down to a refund with the conditions surrounding it, but alas, I understand the artist's position, albeit a little too late.

I'll make sure to stop by your table at MFF to say hello as I always try to!

Always a pleasure to see you too!