http://www.kickstarter.com/projects.....arcana-project

really great project by  onion!

good news is it's already funded, so if you back you're definitely going to get your rewards!

The rooms themselves were pretty nice, but trying to get anywhere was a nightmare. The hotel's concept is nice if you need a place to stay on a trip (few rooms on every floor so every room gets a big window) but it really doesn't work for a convention as big as FWA.

I get stressed easily so waiting 20 minutes to have to cram into an elevator full of people just to go from my room to a friend's room or the con floors was terrible. I chose not to do a lot of things because they weren't worth the elevator crap.

I also got stuck in an elevator for 15 mins crammed full of people because the outer doors didn't close properly. The same elevator had problems several times but I don't think they ever took it out of service.

PS if you're tired of waiting for an elevator, don't bang on the doors and try to physically open it. grow the fuck up

not going back next year if it's the same hotel.

I'm bringing a bronze crow claw necklace and a bronze fox claw necklace to donate for the auction!

finishing them right now, I should have a picture up in a few hours

this will be your first chance to buy one of my metal pieces, AND support a really good cause so look out for them!!

I'm only 90 mins away but not sure if I'll go. I went to school in Baltimore and it wasn't the happiest of times, so it takes a lot to get me back up there. Plus it's really soon after FWA

who'll be there?

yes I will be there

no I will not be selling anything there

though if you see me and want to take a peak at my new silver and bronze cast stuff, I'm sure to have at least one on me that I can show off. yelling HEY BIRD! BREAKSPIRE! CAW! or something will do the trick

I will most likely be in Trader Vic's perching on the rim of a scorpion bowl the whole con. if you do not know what a scorpion bowl is then I am sad for you.

they don't seem to be showing up for newly submitted stuff

am I the only one with this problem?

I only have 2 more casting classes left, so I need to get things done in wax by tomorrow at 1pm for them to be cast next week and used as kickstarter examples

so far, if none of the casts fail, I will have in BRONZE AND SILVER:

- crow claws

- fox claws

- badger claws

- lamb vertebrae

- rattlesnake vertebrae (tiny! necklace and earring versions)

- coyote teeth

- mouse skulls

- sparrow skulls

- mini sparrow skulls (both as a necklace and earrings)

- mini magpie skulls

- parakeet skulls

- bat skulls (hinged if I can figure it out in the next 14 hours)

I went ahead and purchased the equipment I need to clean up and polish/patina the castings, so I'll be able to do that after the class ends. The kickstarter won't start until after FWA, and it will have a goal of around $5-6k to get all the casting equipment I need. Kickstarter prices are going to be cheaper than their eventual retail prices. You're probably all sick of hearing me talk about it but I'm really excited :>

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects.....d-printing-pen

This is one of the best ideas for a new art tool I've seen in a long time! As a sculptor the idea of being able to sketch out ideas in 3D is incredible. The examples are a bit crude, but I bet with practice one could make finished works with it as well.

I backed the project at the $99 level :>

I have an account on weasyl to reserve the name 'breakspire', but I probably wont use it. I'm not sure what it is about it but I don't really like the layout of the site.

why I don't feel the need to leave - the creeper got an IP ban, the admin who deleted tarangryph's "call out" journal left, and it seem's like dragoneer's only crime was not taking action until he had proof the offender was violating FA's TOS, and not taking action for things that happened off FA. am I missing something? I am the kind of person who needs to see something for myself to judge, and without seeing the deleted journal (maybe what was in it did call for deletion, who knows) or anything offensive the guy did on FA, I don't really see enough here to get mad at FA about.

I do feel terrible for tarangryph for having to deal with the creeper, if everything I've read second hand is true. it's pretty fucked up. but FA is/was not the problem

either way, I don't think jumping ship is the right thing to do here. if there are issues let's work to resolve them

I'm probably going to regret writing this because drama. but I wanted to let people know that I will still be active here, and why.

I'm going to order sterling silver chains to go with my first round of silver casts.
Eventually I'll have a good stock of silver chain/findings, but it's expensive! To get the best price, I need to order only one kind.

Which type of chain do you prefer? Tiny ball chains, or rolo chains?

pictures of each kind are here: http://parliamentrook.tumblr.com/po.....terling-silver

You can either answer on tumblr, or here. Your input will determine which I order!

Thanks so much for your time! <3

EDIT EVERYONE LIKES THE ROLO CHAINS AND LITERALLY NO ONE LIKES THE BALL CHAINS except me lol SO I AM GOING TO ORDER ROLO CHAINS

how is it february

how

D:

also AC rooms opened up today. I'll be in the Doubltetree with  artslave, as usual. If you haven't booked a room yet here is the link, do it SOON

https://resweb.passkey.com/go/anthroattendee

that was hard to do, I'm so sorry international customers!

small packets (jewelry) are now $7.75. light skulls (mink, crows, the new flying fox etc) are $10, large skulls are $15

silver lining: Canadian packages will have tracking numbers!

if you order in the next few days and I can manage to get your order done and out before Saturday I will refund you the difference between the old and new prices

:(

it's a $3.50-$6.50 increase depending on the item.

I really enjoy shipping my stuff all over the world on a regular basis. If you're outside of the US, I hope you will still order from me! The increase in shipping costs will be widespread no matter who you order from in the US, so it's not just me. All of us business owners in the US who ship internationally will have to pay more.

Domestic prices are still the same. USPS rates for them have actually increased a few cents, and I may raise my US prices to reflect that eventually, but for now it's still $2.95 for small packets, and $5.50 for larger skulls.

I started my class yesterday and it was amazing

10 people, the instructor is experienced and knows what he's talking about, and it's very laid back so I don't feel timid around all the new equipment and people.

the process is pretty simple, I just need to get comfortable working with the kiln, torch, and centrifuge.

mold making is a completely different thing it blows my mind. instead of liquid silicone, they place the object between packed down rubber sheets, and "cook" it so it melts and cures. I'm bringing in some of my molds next week to see if they'll work with the wax injector.

Once I get wax versions of my skulls, I will work on them to make them more intricate, thin, and detailed. so some of the features I had to thicken or fill in to get a simple resin cast will be coming back to these

the wax jewelers use... wow. I never had an urge to sculpt tiny mammal/etc skulls for resin, mostly because I wasn't familiar with a medium to use. but now I think I'm really going to enjoy sculpting in wax!

all day today I've been checking out prices for the equipment I will need to set up my own shop. $5,000-6,000 is a generous estimate for all new equipment and supplies. It's a lot, but I feel like this makes sense for my business and future. When I'm ready and have examples of things I'll start a Kickstarter so I can afford everything. I'm interested in doing things in both yellow and white bronze, and silver. The metals are actually a lot less expensive ($15 for 1lb of white bronze???) than I thought, so I can have varied backer levels of reasonable prices. The prices will also probably be lower than their eventual retail prices

of course I just started, and will evaluate at the end of the class if I need to take more classes (which I will do anyways) or I'm confident to start a Kickstarter right away, as well as talking to my teacher about equipment.

if all goes well I will have my first cast skulls in 2 weeks. I'll be posting a lot of progress pics to tumblr (parliamentrook.tumblr.com) as well as here

thanks everyone for supporting me thus fur, and I hope you continue to as I take this exciting next step :)

USPS is about to raise rates A LOT for International First Class, which is what I use

on Jan 27 I am going to have to raise my International rate for small things (jewelry, keychains, small skulls) from $4.25 to $8

so if you’re outside of the US and you wanted something, save yourself a few bucks and order now

model shots of my jewelry! - the shoot is planned for next wednesday and I'll get them up as soon as I get them from the photographer. they're going to go in the woods and/or a graveyard, or some other neat places up in Providence, and the model is a gorgeous belly dancer

my precious metals casting class starts on the 12th. I'm so excited to be stepping up to the next level. I'm a quick learner, so by the end of the 8 weeks I hope to have a good practical knowledge of how to cast pendants in silver and bronze, and a few examples of finished pieces that I can use to make a kickstarter to get my own equipment. I will also try and find out about plating, and of course with the help of my instructor, research which equipment would be best for my needs.

so maybe metal jewelry by AC? maybe. things always take longer than I think

if there's anything you're DYING to see in silver or bronze let me know. I'm going to do bats and mini crows for sure.

I also finalized some paperwork with a lawyer, I don't want to talk about it til it goes through but it also means exciting things for my business :)

lets go 2013

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/.....isers/1777005/

I never had an account myself, but this is important for anyone that does.

do any of you guys have it? how/when did it start?

my hands and wrists have started to hurt, and have been steadily getting more painful over the past week... probably related to the sheer amount of nonstop work I've been doing recently (10 day work days/7 days a week this month because of christmas orders)

any personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I just woke up and heard about the shooting

it doesn't feel right to do anything except just sit here

my heart goes out to everyone effected

HOW WILL I SURVIVE

if you order anything after today, it will not ship until after christmas. sorry!

I'm making a big push to get EVERYTHING currently in my queue out by the end of the week (nearly 100 items) so they all make it to people in time. and hopefully that will give me a few days free to make gifts for my friends and family

thank you to everyone who has ordered recently! I have a good amount saved up towards when I start casting in silver (equipment, raw silver, class is paid for) and it's helping me turn my studio into a more efficient place to work. <3

you need a shelving unit. you go to ikea to get one

first they fill you up on meatballs so you are full and content with life.

you happily stroll through the artfully arranged fake rooms. even though you only came for shelves, they make you want to throw out all of your furniture and redo all the rooms in your house like these rooms. you pick out another bit of furniture (a table with legs that have built in shelves! oh boy!) that will go nicely with your new shelving unit.

then you get to the market place. you get a cart because they're right there, and you know you'll need it to carry the shelves. now you have an empty cart that you're wheeling through a maze of neat inexpensive things. somehow you decide that you should get new glassware or aren't those candlesticks pretty and they're only a few bucks each might as well get them while you're here. wow rugs are cheap, you get one for your new space that you're planning, because it's really going to go great with your newly organized room (thanks to the shelving unit).

at the end of the marketplace you see plants! oh boy plants! what a fantastic finishing touch to your new space! you get one even though the one you bought last time you were at ikea died in a few weeks

then you get to the flat pack furniture! this is what you came for! you find your row like a boss and go down it looking for the number your sweet new shelves will be in.

but there's nothing there. they must be sold out. every other section is overflowing with boxes of furniture, except for the one you want. the one you came for.

now you have a cart full of things you got to go along with the thing you needed. side dishes, but no entree. well, they're already in your cart, and if you DONT buy them, your trip will have been for nothing. so you buy all that other stuff and decide to come back another time to get what you need.

and repeat

etsy sales (total) (not dollar amount, items)

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

... do it now. or very soon. order time of 2 weeks + about a week for shipping = close to christmas already

I can't rush anything or put you ahead of the queue, since I've been getting slammed with orders. I may even have to shut the store for a while so I can get things done

IDK I want to make sets of little skull buttons (1-1.5")

not for a while though lol. I have a lot of stuff to work though first. but I'd like to have what I need ready for when I have time. so if you've used one you like, or know of a nice one, let me know the name of it or link me to it? thank you so much :)






EDIT - GETTING SIGIL'S OLD MAKER, THANKS GUYS~ !




(errr when I find more people popping up doing similar things to me I kind of get a ton of frenzied energy to try and do everything new and different and better. sooo... buttons now)

http://parliamentrook.tumblr.com/

in case you're there and you want to follow me

I post WIPS, random dumb stuff, reblog other skull/taxidermy stuff, clever design and sculpture, and the occasional Sherlock Holmes