Hi folks, if anyone remembers me and reads this I wanted to share that since I'm transitioning to doing pottery as a full time profession I have a new gallery pawtory and I hope you'll give it a follow. I'm open for commissions but the time to order is now, this is the lowest my prices will be and fwa is one of the few cons I go to every year where you could pick up but only if you get your order in by next week (March 6th, 2018).

I waited too long to arrange for room space so I had to book my own room. Am looking to cut my costs down tho, anyone looking for a clean/quiet place to crash Fri+Sat? $40 per night but it's just floor space, sorry (there's only one bed and my mate and I will be in it... Not fucking though, don't worry :p)
I'll take it down to $30 ea per night if there are two people. NO SMOKERS, no snorers (at least not loud ones). Not for partying, basically for storing stuff, showers, and sleeping. I'll also offer you a discounted price on a badge if you want~
Fursuiters okay as long as you/your suit don't reek.

Phew. Well this is last minute, isn't it? I didn't know if I would be able to attend this year because of money issues (being unemployed) and also waiting to hear back about a job interview I had. Well, I didn't get the job, which means my time is free to go. That doesn't take care of my financial issues, but in the many cons I've been to I can usually turn a meager profit, so I'm hoping that it will be the case this time as well.

That leads me to the little help I need... as you can imagine, the last minute nature of my going means I don't have room arrangements. I am fine sleeping on the floor, but I can't afford a whole lot for the room. In fact, I would be absolutely ecstatic if I were able to pay at least part of the expense with art. So if anyone can, or knows someone who can, help me out, I would be in your debt.

Just putting out my feelers for this con cause I've never been but I'd like to go this year because I will probably be unemployed and I can usually turn a profit at cons to help keep me afloat (if I can get a ride/room for cheap). And I happen to be a huge Marvel fangirl so the theme is perfect for me and I will actually have some merchandise I could sell.

Anyway, is there anyone who might be willing to allow me some floorspace to be paid with badges or other art?

My mother made her as comfortable as possible and gave her lots of attention over the past few months as her health deteriorated. She will be cremated today. Thank you again, those of you who donated or spread the word when I needed to pay for her xray to find out what was wrong. I don't really want to talk about it but I felt you all deserved to know.

I'll be in artist's alley most of the time methinks, gotta pay the bills. For the theme "Still in Love" I thought I might offer couples badges but I also want to have an option for single furs.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm a huge fangirl, so I thought maybe I could do something along those lines for single furs (that is, somehow incorporate their favorite celeb, character, or w/e). I'm not exactly sure how yet though... any ideas? x) My other idea was basically a bust badge with an uber cheesy pick-up line of choice. Of course, there is always pet badges (you and your pet or pets).

Got her xrays today, thank you everyone who donated or bought something to help me pay for it. Unfortunately it seems she has a cancerous growth on her knee and the only option is amputation, which my mom does not want to put her through because it would be very stressful and the growth is likely malignant so amputation may still be ineffective. For now she seems fairly comfortable when you don't touch her leg, she is eating fine and seeks out petting, purrs and gets around okay without putting weight on it, so we are just going to let it be. If her condition deteriorates and she is in pain then we will put her to sleep at that point.

An artist I really like who has recently entered the realm of published work has been addressing this issue on her tumblr and I just wanted to talk a little bit about it on here because this is a rampant problem in the furry community.

Art is hard work and time. I've seen so many furry artists (better than me) undercharge for their work because the competition is so great. And then there are others who can charge actual reasonable (for the artist, maybe not from the perspective of the buyer) rates because they've "made it," they've gotten their name out there - and that's good. But too many artists undersell themselves and really it hurts all other artists when that happens because it's just undercutting and more undercutting. I'm guilty of this myself. And I know I'm not the best artist out there but I literally charge less than minimum wage for my work. And I justify that by saying "well there are better artists than me who charge the same and sometimes less, I can't charge more." Well, it's a vicious cycle. Like gingerhaze mentions, it's one thing to work for free or for very little because it's something you like to do, something you would do anyway. But to do it because you don't think your art is worth it? No. There is way too much entitlement among furries, because artists work so cheap. It's like you don't actually value the art anymore, you just expect it. It's more than a little frustrating and hurtful. Especially when furries are willing to spend hundreds and thousands on fursuits - which hey, is ART - but will flinch at paying more than ten bucks for a badge. YEAH fursuits take way more time and arguably more skill, but I'm not trying to compare them directly, just on principle I'm saying I know you damn furries are able to equate the value of art with money, why can't you do it for more than one medium?

Anyway, I don't have a solution for this other than education. I wish this was more of a discussion. But I don't have many watchers so yeah this will just end up as another ignored rant in the sea of journal posts I'm sure. But anyway, consider this a warning that I'll be raising my prices for traditional work that I do at conventions (since that is typically the only time I sell art anyway).

Hello all,

My cat that lives with my mom and sister has something wrong with her leg; they took her to the vet but I could only afford to have her looked at and some pain medicine. The xray would supposedly cost over $200 and that is not including treatment of any kind. I'm kind of in a fix here because I'm an unemployed student and my mom can't help because she is in debt herself. Her injury doesn't appear to be life-threatening at the moment, but she seems to be in a lot of pain whenever she tries to use the leg.

Update: Got her x-rayed and unfortunately she has a cancerous growth on her knee, and the vet said this type of tumor is usually aggressively malignant. So even if I could afford the amputation surgery (which would be very stressful and painful for my cat) it would not be a guaranteed solution. Pain meds would be over $100 a month which is also just too much. I feel awful, but she seems content to stay in my mom's room, has a good appetite and seeks out attention/petting (only seems to be in pain when her leg is touched) so I don't want to put her to sleep until her quality of life is clearly deteriorating.
My thanks to those of you who donated or bought something to help with the cost of the x-ray. If you would like to see proof of the vet service, send me a note and I will give you a picture of the bill.

I am leaving what I have for sale up in case anyone is still interested in any of the items because I could still use the money when the time comes for euthanasia.

Things I have for sale... make an offer.
Unless otherwise stated:
- All plushies have tags and all games/dvds have cases
- everything bought new, ie I was only owner
- Smoke-free but not pet-free home, although most stuff has been kept away from my animals for the most part
- Shipping will be calculated separately, of course I will combine shipping.

*Official Rainbow Dash plushie from Wal-Mart like this - Hugged once and then put on my shelf, very hard to find in stores (there is one on Ebay for $22 so give me your best offer)

*Uncle Kage DVD's: Senior Moments, Kidney Stones, and History Lessons (think I bought them for $20 ea and watched maybe twice...so make an offer?), also Masquerade & Highlights from Anthrocon 2006

*17 copic markers the following colors: 100 (black), colorless, B24, B29, BG10, E00, E11, E15, R20, YG63, Y15 and 6 in a set called Secondary Tones (G02, G09, V04,V09, YR61, YR68) (they are brand new and retail for $6 each, I bought from ebay for around $3.50 ea)

*2 1/4 yds of short lightish purple upholstery fur, has some stretch to it; I bought it from ebay but the shade is too light for my character. (make an offer)

*Star Wars shirt, large baby-doll style worn and washed like 4 times maybe, with this design ($5?)

*Official Kumagoro plushie from Gravitation (this one; he does look a bit derpy in the face but

*Bunch of Official Neopets plushies: baby blumaroo, baby gelert, meepit (small); white doglefox, spardel, yellow faellie (very small) all have their tags ... just make an offer on any or all

*Ty Classic: Carver, a very cute and super soft bear with a bow and pumpkin.. he's large, plushie size not beanie baby size, tag looks pristine ($8?)

*Nintendo DS games, barely played:
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
- Animal Crossing: Wild World
- Teenage Zombies
- LOL (Multiplayer game thing)
- Lost in Blue (bought used)
- Myst (bought used)

*PSP games, barely played:
- Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles
- Star Ocean: First Departure
- Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
- Resident Evil: Apocalypse (UMD, does anyone even use these anymore?)
- Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (no box)

*FLCL Complete Series Bluray (still in shrinkwrap.. $15?)

*Official Trigun Collector's Edition bullet necklace, and apparently super-rare Kuroneko Sama keychain-thing (I can't find the thing on any other site and have no idea what currency that is)? It looks like it might be a bottle opener and attaches with a tiny carabiner. I have the black velvet drawstring bag that apparently the bullet necklace came with (though it's got some cat hair on it) and a red velvet drawstring bag with "TRIGUN" embroidered on it.

*Vincent Valentine large-ish action figure with stand, no box, a bit dusty.

*Yaoi manga (rating: YA=young adult, M=mature, E=explicit, all bought new & read once or twice ($2 ea? 3 for $5?):
- The Art of Loving(M) and Dear Myself(YA) by Eiki Eiki
-Passion 1&2(M) and Time Lag(YA) by Shinobu Gothoh
- Rising Storm & Brother (E) by Yuzuha Ougi
- Star (M) by Keiko Konno
- Selfish Love 1 & 2 (M) by Naduki Koujima
-Love Circumstances (E) by Aco Oumi
-Yaoi Hentai Vol. 2 & 3 (E... duh)
-Yaoi Gothic: an explicit sketchbook (anthology of high quality inked pics in different styles, semi-realistic to anime)

*Bunch of Neopet TCG cards, any codes have been used. One unopened 2p starter set, one opened 2p starter set, bunch of boxes w/ opened packs (return of sloth and meridell).... make an offer idk

*Bunch (200? more?) of really old common MTG cards, idk make an offer

*Still selling Furries in Wonderland card decks also ($25 ea shipping included... by the way, I believe there is one person who bought a deck at fangcon whose info I don't seem to have, if that was you let me know.)

*Thing you can have for free if you buy something: cheap fullmetal alchemist ring which are really pretty much worthless but shiny so you can have it if you want :P (necklace was claimed already and I don't know where the pocketwatch went), or Trigun keychain, and my eternal thanks :x

If nothing interests you, please consider reblogging in case someone else is x_x

Thank you everyone who has donated or bought something so far, I am up to $105;
I don't know how much the final vet bill will be so I am not setting a "goal," just hoping to raise as much as possible, preferably by selling the stuff because I really don't like to just accept money x_x The xray+sedation cost $189. But my sincerest thanks to anyone that can afford to donate or buy something. If I do have any money leftover it will go to the PVDR charity. Thank you for reading.

Update: Someone asked why I don't check other vets/go on a payment plan, just wanted to post the answer here:
The reason I haven't been able to do that is because I am not actually there myself. My sister works and goes to school and has been taking care of my mom, who just had surgery (so obviously my mom can't do it either), so unfortunately they have not had time or ability to go vet shopping/take her back. I'm going home on my break in mid-December so I can take her then.
I called some dozen vets in the area before settling on one that had both what seemed to be more reasonably costs and mostly good reviews.

Should be able to catch me in Artist's Alley. Come get a badge, hmm? Cons are kind of the only place I do art anymore x_x

Kinda got sucked into it. Not gonna be posting furry stuff there, it's pretty much just for my slash art... but I also started a groupthing called
Steve and Tony's Infinite Playlist
for collecting Cap-Ironman-Superhusband-y songs and related stuff that fans can submit
if anyone is interested, here 'tis:
http://stevetonyfm.tumblr.com/

We're driving down after Link's last class, probably will get in pretty late.
Really hoping I can turn a profit bc my freaking car just cost me almost 500 bucks in tires and repairs. But past con experience puts my Saturday sales considerably below Friday (which makes no sense but whatever ) and I've only ever made a profit combining all three days :/

Yeeaaah Toryfur definitely won't be ready for MFM this weekend. MAYBE the head. but I kinda gave up trying to rush it, especially without sewing experience. Even the stuff that doesn't require sewing (just hot glue) is taking me a long time. ie I just spent like an hour furring one ear... yeah. x_x I am sloooooooooooowwwwwwwww ffffffff
and very intimidated about trying to sew the body suit :/ I'm happy with my padding but I just know I'm gonna screw up the pattern or sewing part of the body auuuggh...

Resume this Thursday @ Dead hour (11-12) ; Cookeville furs be there or be hungry!

Ooookay so I set up an alt account because the game is on sale atm and I want to get the friend referral reward - but obviously I'm not going to play it. So if you would like to play this account message me in some fashion (comment, note, email) and let me know. It has a free month on it right now and unlike the trial you can lvl to 60 instead of 20 along with not having [url=http://us.battle.net/support/en/art.....ount-faq]other restrictions[url]. It needs two more paid months in order for me to get the neat referral mount thing on my MAIN account but I will be adding those as time goes on (I would prefer someone actually make use of them). If you decide you don't want to play it, well the account is only linked to a junk email and I can give it to someone else.

If you are seriously interested in playing the game, there is a sale going on for the rest of the expansions ($15 for both) that ends TOMORROW:

http://us.blizzard.com/store/browse.....5,p:1100001289

Mists of Pandaria is coming out next month and if you want to play that, you would have to upgrade the account with the other expansions first (however, unlike previous expansions, you will be able to play a pandaren even without upgrading expacs). I also happen to have an extra beta key for pandaria that I could link to this account.

If you are willing to pay for the extra months of subscription yourself, I am willing to do some art (ie a personal livestream).

I think that's it. :x

BEST TEE EVAAAAR

get it before it's gone... today only!

http://www.riptapparel.com/

omnomnom yay for shirts that subtly support my OTP/slash/ship SUPERHUSBANDS YAAAAY

I have been on a huuuuuuuuuuge tony/steve slash kick like omfgomnomnomnomnom
Okay so I wasn't really a fan before the movies
but now I've gone and looked at stuff like the 184 (canon) slashy ironman/cap comic moments and amazing fanart like this (some nsfw in the 12 paaaages of glooorius steve/tony) so even though their movie slashiness is debatable I am a total Devotee of the Superhusbands cult now lol

have definitely read more slash fanfiction in the last couple days than I have in the last few YEARS (I think the last big slash kick I was on was for Harry Potter? And yeah, that was years ago)

and of course have been considering doing some fanart

and of course want to make it furry

so what animal do you think Captain America/Steve Rogers would be?

Same thing for Iron Man / Tony Stark?

I have kind of been thinking the classic All-American yellow lab for Steve
and possibly a ferret for Tony lol

I maaaay also have to do a Billy/Teddy pic (Hulkling is almost furry, right??)

Doubt anyone will weigh in on this but I figured it was worth a shot, hah.

Well I ripped up my first fursuit, the white rabbit:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5277922/

I am going to reuse the foam base for another project (with some refoaming of course) using some nice camel-colored fur I bought for cheap from the furducers. It's going to be kind of a test suit before I do Toryfur, since I will be buying more expensive fur for her and I don't want to mess any of it up. I still haven't bought her fur yet, waiting on more swatches that I ordered. I've decided not to do navy blue again though and am aiming for dark purple instead.


The test suit is going to be a lion with interchangeable parts once I get more advanced (and as my time allows) in order to realize the Chimera character I created awhile ago (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4762436/)
Rather than a typical fullsuit, it will basically be a shirt and pants, that way I can wear the pants as like faun legs to renfaires and such (I plan to make both hooves and feetpaws as well as both a lion and goat tail so that I could also be just a lion for zoo outings and such). I am trying to figure out the logistics of removable horns. The snake tail will be a separate project in the unspecified future since I don't think my current skills are up to it.

Soooo I don't think I will be able to get the same navy blue fabric that beetlecat used to make my ears and hooves... the only navy blue fabric I can find is of a quality I would rather not use, or seal which is really short (then again the fabric on her ears is really short?). I am not sure what to do for poor toryfur. Her markings are more purple than blue, but the purple fur I've seen is much too bright... Should I just give up? Try to make a suit of another character with colors that are easier to find? :/

Well I'm taking two courses with labs right now but when those end I have about three weeks until the start of fall semester and I want to give making a fursuit another shot, this time for Toryfur (aka the pandonkat), incorporating some of the old partial pieces (beetlecat's hooves & ears, niiku's tail &paws ) to make it easier on myself - but will be an entirely new head and digigrade body suit. Anywho, I've read a couple tutorials but was wondering if anyone had any they particularly recommend?
Btw, I'm going to knoxville anime con with the bf this weekend cause it's only 5 bucks, of course as rainbow dash.

I have a tiny break between intersession (been having 10 hour days, 6 days a week classes) and my summer courses, so I'll be able to make RCFM - it's less than 3 hours away, and this'll be my first time there. Hopefully I'll make enough in the alley to cover the costs heh. Anyone else going?

Well good news; apparently my tablet is not broken because it worked when plugged into a different computer; it is just not working with my computer for some reason. The question is, how to get it to work? Have fiddled with all sorts of settings and unplugged and replugged stuff in with no success >.<

If you need to contact me, my twitter account is sierratac and it goes straight to my phone which I should have on me at all times. But I do plan on being in Artist Alley the majority of the time - including into the wee hours of the mornin'. Gotta make the moneys!

I won't be bringing Bill after all since car space is limited and I probably wouldn't have time to suit anyway. Besides, I think the only person (:iconlaurenrivers) who would be terribly disappointed is not attending anyway. :P

Sorry for my long absence. Lots of things going on IRL, some I mentioned in earlier journals and some not. Between that and my useless muse I haven't produced any art since my tablet quit working. Well other than the occasional doodle on notes.

I hope FWA will help get my creative juices flowing again. Alas I will only be there from Friday night to Sunday night, since I have class every day of the week, and of course our spring break was LAST week. Sigh.

If I owe you any kind of art and you will be attending FWA please drop me an email at sierratac [at] yahoo [dot] com so we can arrange to meet up. I will draw in your sketchbook if you like, or I can just do it on separate paper. I also still have card decks available if anyone would like to purchase one for $25 ($5 off since no shipping necessary).

I'm going to try to be in Artist's Alley a lot, look for my rainbow dash hoodie (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6779562). I also want to bring Bill since it's been awhile, but with the limited time it may not happen.

Well unfortunately I have not gotten my tablet working again but I will start doing traditional sketches now that my finals are over and I will put out another journal when I have solved the tablet issue.

The winner of the Wonderland Card Deck is Rez

The winner of the 1hr personal livestream is  rabbitfangs

Thanks to everyone who participated, and to those in my work queue, thank you for you patience as I have one issue after another x_x