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Spread the (platonic) love! :D

Soooo, my tablet has been a total bitch to use lately. I have a Wacom Bamboo Fun, which is only a little under a year old. I've been having issues with the cord for months now: If the cord is moved just the slightest bit while the tablet is in use, it freaks the fuck out. People have been telling me I can buy a new cord, but now I realize that they're referring to an older model of my tablet where the cord was removable. The cord on my tablet is not removable. Now, on top of all this, the touch function has turned to total shit. I only ever use the touch function to zoom in and out, and it's being almost completely unresponsive. I have to keep doing the zoom gesture in various places on the tablet to get it to zoom in/out even the slightest bit. It used to be fixed easily by unplugging the tablet and plugging it back in or even toggling the touch function off then on again, but nothing seems to be working as of late.
I wouldn't be nearly as bothered if the tablet weren't still so new. I've probably been more rough with it than I should be (I had it in my bag wherever I went last school year, so I'm sure it got banged around plenty), but... argh. I just can't justify replacing such a young tablet. It's not even like it's my own money: I'm a jobless college student who is still 100% financially reliant on her parents, and I feel like shit asking them for things, especially expensive things.

I guess the real point of this journal is to see if anyone else has had this kind of tablet trouble and/or has any ideas for fixing it. I'll probably end up e-mailing customer support or something at some point, but I don't think I actually got a warranty on the tablet, so I'm pretty sure they'll just say "lol your fault" and tell me to suck it up or replace it.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.

*munches popcorn*

Going back to URI tomorrow morning. I'm so excited! ^.^

It's going to be a very busy semester (and year). One of my best friends is in the same double major as me and is 1 year older than me, and he says sophomore year is a killer work-wise. With that in mind, don't expect all that much art from me during the semester, aside from sketchbook scans.

BEEYAWWWWW! :D

Irene was indeed downgraded to a tropical storm (albeit a strong one) by the time it hit Long Island. A lot of people in neighboring towns apparently lost power, but mine never went off. There was some crazy flooding and uprooted trees elsewhere, but not here. Just a bunch of leaves and twigs strewn around the yard. Even my paranoid cat stopped giving a crap at a certain point XD

I hope everyone else out there in Irene's path stays safe, especially if you live by the water. Just because it's not a hurricane anymore doesn't mean it's not capable of damage. If they suggest you evacuate where you live, you should probably do it!

There's kind of a hurricane barreling towards me. Should hit around the late afternoon (aka soonish) and will be at its worst tonight and tomorrow morning. More than likely going to lose power, not sure for how long though. Can't say I've ever a hurricane (or really REALLY strong tropical storm) before, so I'm kind of worried x.x
Not as much as my cat though. She's acting like the planet's about to explode XD

On a lighter note, I go back to URI on September 4th. Exciting exciting :D

Here's the link if you wanna check it out: http://frostycatmonstur.tumblr.com/

It's probably not going to be too exciting. I'm thinking of posting sketches and silly doodles there, along with my serious stuff (aka what you see here). I warn you, I might occasionally rant and vent and other nonsense (though I'll try to avoid that).

So yeah. If you're interested in st00pid doodles and listening to some obnoxious socialist vegan asexual furfag attempt being witty, be my guest. If not... carry on citizen! :3

I've got an artsy friend who's been trying to convince me to get a tumblr for a while now, and I'm pretty close to caving. Any of you guys on there? What's it like? I really don't know much about it other than you post/reblog shit and that a lot of artists like to post sketches there.
I might make one once I'm done with all the requests I owe (I don't want it to distract me from finishing them). I'd probably post silly sketches and stuff there, maybe some stuff I don't feel like posing here or on DA.

...I really don't know where I'm going with this journal anymore :|

Uh...
...
...I saw Animal Collective recently. Pretty bitchin' show. Too bad pot smoke gives me a headache -.-

More specifically, those of you who are in or have recently been in high school:

How valued are the arts in your school system? In the United States, music and art programs are being cut like mad in public schools, and it's got me pretty worried. I'm a music education/performance major, and the future of my potential employment is looking more and more grim every day. Is this happening in Canadian schools? Have there been major cuts in art and music programs?

I've been toying with the idea of moving to Canada when I'm older for years now, but have only started thinking of it really seriously within the last year or so, and I'm wondering how employable I'd be if I did.

I'll probably be posting a journal similar to this in several years once I'm done with grad school (and hopefully have more watchers who can answer this question XD) and this seemingly distant future is a little less distant, buuut I'm curious :P

Note: This does NOT affect anyone who has already given me a request! I know I've got a few people on here that have. I will still be doing your requests, so don't worry X3


Haha, I don't know how many people knew/cared that I did requests anyway, but I'm closing them down for a while. This goes for trades too (though I will make exceptions). I like taking requests because it often forces me to draw species, etc, that I don't normally draw, but i just need a break from them for a while. I have so many characters who have been floating around in my head for years who I've been dying to draw (and not just your generic cats/dogs. A king cobra, a beta fish, a raven, etc), but I always feel guilty working on stuff for myself when I've promised to do things for other people x.x

This may or may not be temporary, depending on whether or not I finally get off my ass and get a bank account/paypal before I decide to open them again. If I do get my shit together, I'm considering just switching to actual commissions. I've always been a bit wary of the idea of drawing for money because I never thought I was good enough, but I guess it's worth a shot. Plus, me getting a job this summer is seeming less and less likely (no one seems to be hiring x.x), and I feel like crap having to waste my parents' money every time I want to get anything, so having even a little income from my art would be nice.

Of course, I'll still do request for my close friends. After all, if I didn't, why else would you guys keep me around? I can't get rid of my one redeeming quality! XD

I've been kind of inactive, haven't I? I've just been pretty demotivated in the everything department since I've gotten home. I think I miss college already...
It hasn't really helped that I think my tablet is crapping out on me either. I've had the thing less than a year -.- Then again, it's gotten plenty of abuse from going literally everywhere with me (during school at least) since I got it in October. I think something's wrong with the wire/USB, because it randomly craps out on me if it moves while I'm drawing.

Buuuuut enough of my bawwwwing.

Commissions are seeming very unlikely, unfortunately. I've discovered the reason why too: My mom doesn't want me shipping things to people because our address would be on the package and EVERYONE ON THE INTERNET IS A RAPIST OH GOD. So unless I can make her less paranoid and work out the other factors as well, commissions are definitely a no go for a while -.-

I'm almost done fixing up Crackle (finally XD), so hopefully I'll be posting some videos of him relatively soon.

I've got a bunch of crap from my sketchbook I guess I should post sometime. I filled the thing up ages ago XD

In other news, I got accepted as a contributor to a Redline group on DA (which basically means I get to correct the anatomy on people's drawings), so that should hopefully get me drawing again.

Aaaaaand most exciting news for last, I GET TO SEE  redmp AND  strykerwulf ON FRIDAY EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :D


...Carry on, citizens!

Still alive? Didn't get raptured? Bummer, dude ;3

As for myself, I saw Tune-Yards (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ1LI-NTa2s&feature=channel_video_title) live in concert with one of my best friends. Killer show <3

So how did you all spend your non-apocalypse? Anyone do that awesome prank where you left random clothing in public places to make it look like someone got raptured? XD

...Oh hey 2:30am. Brb collapsing.



*collapses*

Well, that's kind of old news really. I've been home since Friday night. I just haven't felt like posting a journal XD
I'll hopefully be fixing up some stuff on Crackle this week so I can post some new pictures and a video (maybe two). Would you guys be interested in seeing a video explanation on how various things on him work/how I made him? I'll definitely have a video of me just being silly with him, but if you guys would be interested in an explanatory video I'll totally do one of those too!
Speaking of Crackle, clay is fun :3 I'll be painting my little Crackle sculpture soon.
I'm also planning on making at least one plushie this summer, so keep your eyes peeled for that too.

On a different note, a few people have been asking me about commissions lately (and for sculptures of all things!). This is all totally up in the air right now, but I'm thinking that I might open for commissions this summer. Don't get your hopes up, this is totally tentative. As far as the financial world goes, I'm a total n00bmuffin (just got a bank account less than a year ago, etc) and I'm still under my parents' rules, so a lot of this weighs on whether or not my mother will let me get a paypal account and ship things to strangers XD I'd really like to though! I'd probably be doing really simple plushies (like this one, but less half-assed: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4657333/) and sculptures.

Brb playing with paint :D

If you're wondering why I've been a tad quiet lately, it's because the semester's been slowly coming to an end. In other words, OH GOD SO MUCH TO DOOOO SJFKLASJFLSJ D:
However, yesterday was my last day of classes. Just gotta do finals and prepare for my jury (music major playing final of FUN), and then I'll be heading home and be much more active!
Of course, just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean I haven't been working on anything. I've got a few things I've been working on in my spare time, two of which are ref sheets requested by a couple of close friends, as well as a complex personal drawing. Oh, and doodles. Copious amounts of doodles :3 I might post a few of those if I get the chance (my sketchbook is full. I need a new one ;.;)

In other news, I'm probably going to be adding a major in Music Performance to my current Music Education, because apparently I hate living. Free time? What's that?
Really though, I'm totally honored that my flute teacher's so confident that I'll get in (you need to audition to add the Performance major. My jury a week from tomorrow will serve as my audition). I didn't think I was making much improvement this year, but I guess I improved a lot more than I thought I did!

It's totally weird thinking that my Freshman year's about to end... A year ago I was still trapped in high school, hardly even motivated enough to get out of bed in the morning, and now I'm happier than I've ever been (as far as school goes at least). Time flies yo.

Anyways, Ima go back to doodling instead of studying for my Spanish final tomorrow. Toodles!

I-Con was quite awesome! Got to see AWESOME people I hadn't seen in over a year and gave/received a bajillion hugs <3
In a total "me" fashion, finished Crackle's bodysuit literally right before leaving for the con -.- I really need to stop doing that... Either way, he's pretty much done. Like, 99% done. All he needs is some velcro to secure the body padding and some more snaps on the arms and feet to secure them in place.
But, even with the padding shifting around, he still held up quite well! I just wish I could have gone more than one day :C But alas, I had to be back at URI to rock out on the bass flute at a 3pm concert.
Yeah, this is a pretty lame/short journal. I'm damn tired x.x
I'll try and get some pictures of fullsuit Crackle up ASAP. I didn't get to snap any myself (surprise surprise...), but I'll be scouring the I-Con site and facebook group for any pictures, and worst case scenario my friend and my mom each took a couple of pictures of me before the con.

...*collapses*

...Not me :C












JOKING >:3 Membership has just been purchased, and transportation has been worked out! I'll only be able to be there on Saturday (I've got class until 5pm Friday night and will be trying to finish Crackle's bodysuit/feet from whenever I get home until I pass out, and I've got to be back in Rhode Island all dressed up and ready to play in a concert by 2pm on Sunday), but klfjsljf I am SO happy this is going to work out!
I'll be parading around as Crackle as a partial, if not a full suit. I hope to all of you crazy New York/Long Island furries there! :D

...more from my sketchbook? While I usually don't have time to do a lot of digital art, I bring my sketchbook to every class with me and draw in it every day. I've only been doing so since the beginning of this semester, so there's not too much in it, and I would only post the stuff I thought was worth posting (there's a lot of crap in it made when I was half asleep). A lot of it is silly nonsense (like this: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5486229), but there's some semi-serious stuff in there too, including some random characters I don't think I've ever posted here.

Also, if you guys are interested (and tell me if you're not! I won't be offended XD I don't want to spam you with crap you don't want to see), how would you like me to post them/how frequently? I could either post a page whenever I finish one, or wait a while and post a decently sized sketchdump. If I did the latter (most likely would end up doing that so I'm not totally spamming you guys), I might post the pages I already have posted in themed dumps, like Pokemon, rathmars, random characters, etc.

Just in case you were wondering. I LIVEEEEE.

I just got back to school after a week long break (I don't like spending a lot of time on the computer during breaks), and I'm feeling super relaxed.
...Though that could be because I'm running on no sleep and a cup of coffee XD I was up all night working on Crackle, just like during winter break. Same stupid working pattern too: Work on him a little bit at the beginning of the break, a bit more during the middle, then freak out when I realize I'm running out of time and pull a (few) all nighter(s) working on him. And he's STILL NOT DONE. I swear, I'm an idiot -.-
It also totally didn't help that I got Pokemon Black and White the week before...
The good news is, while he may not be a fullsuit yet, I DID manage to finish up his mask and paws and whipped up some arm sleeves, so he works fine as a partial (sans the feet. One still needs to be furred). The awesome news is that I brought him to college with me :D There's a rave going on next week on campus which the Wildlife Society (which I'm secretary of) is sponsoring and will have a booth at, so I'll be wearing Crackle to try and get people to come over and buy stuff from us.
...The bad news is, still no pictures! XD Theoretically I could try and take some now (I'm alone in the dorm room) but a) There'd be no pictures of me actually wearing the suit because I have no one to take pictures for me at the moment and I hate doing myspace style mirror shots, b) It'd be REALLY awkward if my roommates came in while I was doing so, and c) I'm a lazy piece of crap :D
So yeah. I MAKE YOU WAIT. AS USUAL.
Also, I totally didn't even touch my tablet over the whole break, so no new art at the moment either. But that could change very quickly now that I'm back at school and separated from my craft supplies (aside from the little fursuit "first aid" kit I brought with me just in case Crackle gets a boo boo).

...PLUH *collapses onto bed*

Holy hell I have a lot of submissions, etc in my inbox. This is what happens when I don't log on for a few days I suppose X.x

Alright, first off, I was not able to complete Crackle over the break, and I feel pretty shitty about that... I've got the head totally furred (just needs to be trimmed), a completed tail, one furred footpaw and one taped up footpaw, and completed patterns for the bodysuit and handpaws. I'm really disappointed that I didn't get to finish the one thing I wanted to finish over the break, but so it goes. I also don't have any pictures, because I literally finished furring the head less than 10 minutes before my friend picked me up and we drove back to Rhode Island.

On that note, I'm back at college in Rhode Island. Classes start tomorrow. Not gonna lie, it feels great to be back.

That's about it I suppose. Oh, and for those of you back in New York who happen to be going to I-Con this year, I'll hopefully be there for that Saturday. I just have to make sure that I don't have any concerts or other major obligations that weekend so I can take the ferry home and then back without a hitch. Crackle's got enough of him finished that I'll hopefully be able to finish trimming his head and make him some handpaws that Friday so I can at the very least wear him as a partial, and if not I've still got June. Aaaaand there's a chance I might be going to Anime Boston. I guess I'd have my parents mail me my suit or something.

Anyways, I've gotta go get lunch and buy books, so that's all for now X.x

Oh hey-yo. I just realized I haven't really said/shown anything regarding my latest fursuit since I posted my concept for him, so here's my (somewhat limited) progress thus far! This'll probably end up kind of lengthly and technical, so feel free to skim/TL;DR this XD

I'm FINALLY almost done foaming the head. The follow effect eyes are installed and looking pretty good. The nose is sculpted, baked and painted. I think I just wanna add one or two more tones of paint to it, but then all I have to do is put some Mod Podge (makes it shiney :3) on it and attach it to the mask.
His ears are... SO BIG <3 zomg I love them. Right now I'm having a little issue getting the jaw to move as well as I'd like it to. I think it just needs some more padding on the inside of the mask near my forehead because when my jaw moves down to pull open the jaw, then entire mask shifts down a little as well.

So yeah. Mask's almost done being foamed.

The fur just came in the mail today! Looks really nice, and it's so soft <3 I got a sewing machine for Christmas, so hopefully all of the sewing that would normally take up most of my time will become the fast part of making the costume.

Duct tape dummy is made, and I've got the start of the digigrade padding on it. Definitely needs some more/needs to be sculpted a bit, but it's got the basic idea.

...Yeah. Not too much done thus far. I've certainly got my work cut out for me in the next week or so. I go back to Rhode Island on the 22nd, and I'm going to a concert on the 21st, so I lose that day.

fksljflsj... wish me luck X.x

CAUGHT IT >:3
This journal is being posted exactly one year since I joined Furaffinity. I joined at 8:25pm, January 1st 2010.

...Had to do it.

Had my last final and headed home on Friday. I am SO glad this semester is over. I mean, I love college, but I really just need a break...

So yeah. I can finally finish up any requests/trades I have to do. Aaaaaaand I can start designing my next fursuit >:3

Also, hells yes on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" being repealed.

Pokemon December is serious business.
That is all.

Bye bye kiddie porn <3

So my tablet and I are getting married. Ima just throw that one out there first. I love it, even if it does distract me from my work <3

Soooooo, remember that Pokemon comic I had been talking about so much over the summer? I'm finally getting back into that. I really really REALLY dreaded the idea of doing it in traditional media, and that combined with me failing at drawing my own characters, art block, and all of the plushies and fursuit I worked on all summer, it kind of was on the bottom of my to do list. But now that I have a tablet, fail less at drawing, and will probably get tired of just drawing Frostbite eventually (hehe, yeah... right...), I'll hopefully get into it again! I've already started on a nice sketch dump for Lucy (the Vulpix) again, and will start doing some story boards when I feel like it.

Oh, and fun fact. I know it's in my profile info somewhere, but I DO take drawing requests. I've already got a couple of them to do. There are only a couple of catches: 1) You have to be watching me already (though if you're reading this that probably isn't a problem), 2) I will NOT do mature art (lol. interest in requests just dropped 90850927508%), and 3) it will be done entirely at my leisure. It is free art after all. I'm only doing this for fun and practice.
And if for some reason this offer is way more popular than I anticipated, I may have to turn you down if I'm getting overloaded (though I don't think that'll happen) or if you're asking something beyond my abilities/attention span.

Also, I've got yet another project in mind for myself over winter break when my sewing supplies and I are re-united at long last. I'm hoping to make myself a new fursuit! I'll have a ref for the character up... whenever I have the motivation to do it XD But yeah. I'm hoping to make this one a full suit, if time allows. If not, I'll make it a partial and upgrade it when I've got the time.

On a more personal note... Haven't been feeling so hot lately. Stress from school is getting to me I guess. The combination of teachers expecting me to give a crap about their silly gen ed work and my obligations as a music major (practicepracticepractice O.o) is not a good one, and on top of that I just checked my grade in my Intro to Education course and I apparently have a 40% at the moment because a major project is marked as missing even though I JUST CHECKED the site that we posted them on and it's BLATANTLY THERE. So needless to say I had a small heart attack when I saw that, and now I have a huge headache -.-
Also, my roommates are starting to get to me, which is... very strange. They're not bad roommates at all. They're clean, neither of them drink or party (neither do I, and I was SO shocked that I got so lucky as to have roommates who didn't either), they're very respectful, and very quiet... but that's the problem. It's just... TOO quiet in a way, which is certainly strange coming from someone as introverted as me. The thing is, I'd be totally fine living alone, no people, complete isolation, but if I'm with people, I at least want to feel like I'm with people every once in a while... They just come off as being so... cold. It's just awkward. I gave up saying good morning long ago. If someone sneezes, I say gesundheit, but no one ever says thanks. If I sneeze, no one says anything. No one says good night to any one. We eat together, and we rarely speak while we do. This is incredibly awkward because I'm a slow eater, so they always end up having to wait for me... just sitting there deathly silent. It's creepy and it makes me so anxious I just end up throwing out what I haven't finished. fjsklfjlsdksjfl. You all probably think these are silly things to get worked up over, but it's slowly driving me mad. For most of this semester, had you asked me about my roommates, I would have raved about how great they are, but now... ugh. I feel like I'm always making them wait for me, and that they're starting to resent me for it. Then again, I'm paranoid, but still...
Ugh. I hate people. I just wanna live alooooone D:

Sorry about the TL;DR rant... I normally don't like to whine about personal things that no one cares about, but I've just been so depressed lately. The headache isn't helping...

Ha. I like how this journal started out "YAAAAAY ART ART ART TABLET ART FURRIES ART YEAH :D" and went to "I'M SOOOOOO SAD KILL ME PLEEEEEEEASE ;.;" Welp XD