Heya,

I've been working on a 'quick' reference sheet for Sunk as a belated birthday present to myself, since I realized that I didn't really have anything like it for her (either her old colouring or new). While I was working, it got me thinking...

What do you like to see in a ref sheet and why?

Personally, I like simple reference sheets with no more than two poses (preferably front and back), perhaps a couple close ups of detailed things i.e. for Sunk's I've done a close up of her face to show her scar and lip piercings. I prefer flat colours in a ref sheet because as an artist I simply find them easier to work with.

~Sunk

Heya,

How was everyone's Christmas/holiday?

Mine was pretty uneventful. We sat around in the sun, relaxing and just generally not doing much. Rak got me the most awesome socks ever (long and stripey!), a sippy mug, a book and an inflatable rubber duck. Then today I let someone stab me in the face and finally got the snake bite piercings that I have been wanting for a long time now. They feel a bit sore and tender at the moment, but I love them.

~Sunk

Heya guys and gals,

I will be unavailable from nowish (tomorrow at the very latest) until Tuesday 18th because I am going to FurCoNZ. I am really looking forward to it, mostly because I get to catch up with people I hardly ever see and partly because I don't remember the last time I've had a break from everything irl for this long ^-^ Ooooh and I'm getting my hair dyed purple tomorrow too ^-^

I will also be unavailable for the following dates as well:

22nd - 23rd - babysitting
24th OR 21st - christmas/monthly food shop
25th - 26th - Christmas with in-laws and my folks
27th - sorting out calves/weanlings
29th - my birthday (will be turning 23)

I will be closed for art commissions until the second week of January. The first week I want to spend planning my business year (for both R&R and commission work). I will however be taking SMALL beaded commissions (i.e. earrings, keychains and bookmarks) as these I can do in-between other things. Just inquire if you're interested.

~Sunktokeca

Heya guys and gals,

I'm doing a quick collab auction with the awesome  sunbearable (if you're not watching them, go check them out. they do some amazing work).

The auction can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9423719/

I'll be doing the sketching and line art and Sunbearable will be doing the colouring and shading. I won't be taking any more commissions this side of new years, so if you want some art by me, this will be your last chance. Either way, check it out and spread the word!

~Sunk

Heya,

I'm opening for 3 badge commissions. They'll be $10 - $15 each, depending on character complexity and how much of said character is showing in the badge. All badges will be completed by December 12th (It's the 4th today) and any peeps who are going to FurCoNZ can pick up their printed and laminated badge on the 14th.

Printing, lamination and postage options are available. Just ask if you're curious.

Example: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9373067

Spots:
1.  bearwithin - sketched - awaiting approval
2. OPEN
3. OPEN

Comment below or note me if you would like a spot and we'll work something out. If I complete the list by the end of the week, I will open for more if there's interest.

~Sunk

Heya,

So... I was originally planning on opening up a batch of urgent commissions yesterday since there are a lot of things we need to pay for this pay month and the extra money would be extremely helpful. However my plans got abruptly changed at 6.30am yesterday morning. Monday, Rak ended up having to work and so plans got delayed. Yesterday the boss packed the biggest bitch fit and we ended up having to muster sheep (i hate sheep so much) yesterday morning/early afternoon. He was three hours late.

By the time we had got away to go get food and visit my mum (and drop her off some things) it was mid-afternoon. We wanted to leave at 12. We got home at 12.15 this morning and got a charming phone call at 6.30am from the boss telling Rak he had to go fetch some sheep from the neighbour's place, but of course it woke me up. So, I'm now in a ton of pain from my knee and my head and I'm really, really, exhausted.

I will open commissions on Monday, since we have to go away tomorrow so Rak can fix some machinery we're trying to sell...

It's kinda like GRAH!!!! can't even get a day off without people complaining. I'm gonna hate to see what people are like when we're gone for basically a week in mid-December (at which time I'm dying my hair purple).

~Sunk

Heya,

I don't know if anyone would be interested or not, but I'm offering 3 $15 flat colour commissions similar to this one: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9321791/ (also... lookie! Sunk has markings now XD)

Just comment below with your refs if you're interested and I'll note you my paypal.

1. OPEN
2. OPEN
3. OPEN

~Sunk

Heya,

Tomorrow I shall be working on art, or at least I will be tomorrow morning and part of tomorrow afternoon. This means I shall be working on some of the art I owe people, so expect some art to be posted in the next day or two. I'm also going to be working on 'updating' Sunk a bit (nothing too major, I just feel the need to 'update' her) as well as catching up on washing and doing some housework.

I will also be doing this Thursday afternoon, with luck (Thursday morning I have to help organize the sell mob to go on the truck). ^-^

How is everyone doing?

~Sunk

Heya,

Sorry for all the journals lately. I've been doing a lot of thinking about various things.

Anyway... I was wondering if it would be worth posting some of my Rhymes and Reasons products here on FA for sale? Many of them are suitable for at home use as well as in the classroom. What do you all think?

On a side note.. cows are weird.

~Sunk

Heya,

My washing machine refuses to work. I've only had power in the laundry for about a month (previously I was using an extension lead that ran through the bathroom) and now the darn thing up and died on me. It's still getting power, because it does it's start up thingy. It just won't start filling. I've tried everything to get it to work, but nope. Even checked to make sure there was still water (for those who don't know, we're on rain water that gets collected in a tank and it's been very hot and dry here for the last three weeks). So yeah...

~Sunk

Heya,

As some of you may or may not know, in addition to doing commissions, I also run my own small business making teaching resources (I also do stock work on a fairly regular basis. This makes me a very busy lady ^-^). One of the ideas I came up with was 'colour-your-own' bookmarks, which I think is an awesome idea for two reasons.

1. I can send out a digital, printable version to the client for less (since I don't have to factor in the cost of printing), as well as being able to send out a physical copy (which would cost more since I will have cost of printing and postage >.<).
2. They're bookmarks! I personally think reading is awesome and kids should be encouraged to read as much as humanly possible.

Anyway... I had another bright idea while driving the quad bike down the farm; why not offer them to the peeps on FA as well! So here we are ^-^ I can send out the templates in a couple of formats: PSD, JPEG, PNG They're 5.92cm wide by 17.63cm high (2.33x6.94 in inches). I'll probably send out the templates for 50c for x amount (haven't decided on x yet).

Themes I Have Thought Of:
ABC's
Butterflies
Dragons
Frogs
Rabbits
Trains
Dragonflies
Trains
Books
Spiders
Cat and Dogs (Bec449)
Hearts (crystalookamiwolf)
Roses (crystalookamiwolf)

Themes I Have Done (Updated as they get done):

You are more than welcome to suggest ideas for themes and I will add them to my list (+ if I do your theme, you'll get a free coloured copy and a free template of your choice). I will also do customised, one-of-a-kind, bookmarks, which will be printed, laminated and posted to you.

~Sunk

I will probably pull this journal down in a bit when I have calmed down more (somewhat).

So, basically I have put every single one of my projects on hold for a freaken month. Which in itself isn't too bad. I like helping people and I particularly like doing farm work and training the farm dogs.

What I do not enjoy is being woken up at 6.15am and being told to help muster (Thankfully Rak answered the phone and bluntly said no). It has resulted in my week long headache (which was severe to start off with) to turn into a full blown migraine. Not helped by the door being banged on at 6.48 and the dogs going nuts because the bike was gone and they wanted to help.

So, I got the dogs to finally be quiet (not an easy feat when they want to help move cattle) and I have a shower to try and get my migraine to stop being a migraine and then I go down to the yards and help. The cows are mooing and everything very loud and in the end, I just took the bike and came back home.

Just not having the most pleasant of mornings. This is even considering that I did a full days work on the farm yesterday (with a bad headache), which caused my knee to be swollen like a balloon by evening.

It's probably irrational to be upset and annoyed, but i don't care. Just want to curl up somewhere where I won't be bugged in the coming hours.

~Sunk

Heya,

So for the rest of the month (and what has just been) I'm going to be fairly busy. As a result, commissions are temporarily closed until November 4th. Anyway, my schedule is roughly this...

14th - 15th: Finish painting the last dragon and finish painting gourd. Spray with sealant.
16th: Help set up exhibition.
17th - 21st: Finish work for a private client
22nd - 26th: Do logo work, business cards, clothing tags, care slips and help do inventory and catalog for client 'Cowgirl Country'. Do some work for my own business, Rhymes and Reasons, if possible.
27th: Working at exhibition
28th: Have a break. Work on art owed. Work on R&R.
29th - 30th: Catch up on housework. Work on art owed and R&R.
31st: Getting back cracked and knee checked. Visiting friends for halloween.
1st - 2nd: Unavailable due to not being at home.

Some of this is likely to change as my parents are planning on coming to visit me and I'm meant to be going for a horse trek around the 22nd and I have stock work that needs to be done every four days or so. If you have a query or want to contact me, feel free to note me ^^

~Sunk

Heya,

So, it seems I'm prone to rescuing animals. This isn't anything new. As a kid, I'd rescue birds, cats, kittens, hedgehogs all the time, much to my parent's grief. Now as an adult, I seem to be rescuing farm animals. So far this year, I have saved three lambs and potentially a calf. Why? Because I'm a giant softy when it comes to animals.

Porky was practically dead when I found him and being a lamb everybody (including myself) expected him to die that first night. However, after several days, much frustration, and three stomach tubings he managed to be a little bouncy lamb. Now, he's almost weaned!

Tweety was a mis-mothered lamb after an assisted birth. She was more straightforward. Much more so than my new lamb, Lola, whose mother died when she was a week old. I got her when she was 10 days old and had to re-teach her how to use a teat as well as get her used to human contact and drink from a bottle. Thankfully, she's doing much, much better now.

Anyway.. as for #25.. I was walking the dogs (as I do every other day (run them with the bike alternate days)) and I saw what I thought to be a dead calf at the bottom of the paddock. Unusual, but not unheard of. So, I take the dogs back to the house, put them away and took the bike down to check it's number. Turns out, it's not dead. It's just almost dead. So, waiting for it to be collected by Rak and hopefully it'll be alright. It's mother died and we had thought it had been adopted by another cow, but obviously it hasn't. Fingers crossed. He'll need his stomach tubed at least. Kinda feel sorry for Rak. He's got 90 odd other calves he has to feed and #25 is just one more and not in the best of shape.

Have any of you guys rescued any animals? If so, what type and how are they doing today?

~Sunk

Heya,

I know I was meant to do the draw Sunday, but I may have spent my Sunday doing housework and getting stuff organized for Monday. Anywho... a bit late, but the winner is....

 Evison

Because not many people entered, I will more than likely do something for the others as well.

~Sunk

Heya,

I seem to have found myself in a digital art slump, so to try and get out of it, I decided to hold a free art raffle for all of you lovely guys and gals.

Just post your refs below and I'll give you a number. All I ask is that you have to be watching me to enter.

Draw will be on Sunday 23/09/2012 my time (it's the 18th as of typing this).

Prize will be a full colour image by myself. If enough people enter, I may do a couple other prizes (sketches, chibis, badges, etc).

~Sunk

Heya,

So.. I'm still alive, I think. I feel pretty achy and exhausted from the last two days. Thursday, mustered cattle and got a severe headache while on the side of a hill. Not a lot I could do about it, after all, I was on the side of a hill following cattle. Said headache turned into a migraine of epic proportions (light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, nausea, dizziness, the works (haven't had one so badly in months)). So, wait up for Raknar to get home, sort him some dinner (he's pretty sick and still working). Friday, mustered more cattle, sorted them out, then turned around and helped Rak feed out to his calves, all with a killer headache.

Yeah, that's basically what I've been up to. Mustering and painting my gourd.

Anyway... about a week ago, Rak brought home some postcards and made an awesome suggestion. Do any of you guys and gals want me to send a postcard? They're all New Zealand themed with scenes from NZ and one has a picture of a kea (native alpine parrot). Just let me know. I have a couple of them available to be posted.

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on painting gourds. I have come into possession of many and half a dozen or so are dry enough to paint. I have some awesome ideas for them and will hopefully be exhibiting some in late October in a local art exhibition (and if they don't sell, I will probably either put them up for sale here or keep them).

Otherwise, I'm great. I've recovered well from being sick and I have steadily been loosing weight over the last month or so (I now have an indented waist, it makes me really happy) which has been giving me tons of energy. My business of making teaching resources is slowly starting to take flight. I'm starting to get buyers who aren't my mum, so that's awesome!

Hmmm... I don't really know what else to say. You guys are all awesome. <3

~Sunk

Heya,

I'm sick. I had a throat infection that worked it's way into my chest. So for the next few days I'm just going to relax and take it easy. Tuesday we're mustering cattle, so art will resume on Wednesday.

This past week has been kinda crazy. Had a couple of orders for the business and had been working on them (everything was posted/delivered yesterday afternoon).

Hope everyone's well.

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

So, if anyone's interested, I have four commission spots open.

Commission info can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3155748/

1. zoraobeyuki - PAID - Adult Commission - inking
2. OPEN
3. OPEN
4. OPEN
5. OPEN

Alternatively, I accept books as payment. Each book = one full colour commission. Just ask if you would like to see my wish list.

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

So one of the volcanoes close to us errupted last night and is spewing forth volcanic ash. Just letting you guys and gals know that I'm alright and so is Raknar and all our stock and animals.

If you want to read more, here's some articles: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a.....ectid=10825125
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a.....ectid=10825130

So, we should be fine ^-^

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

So... ummm... over the next week I'm going to be a little busy with feeding two little lambs. One's two weeks old (Porky) and he's getting fed four times a day, every five hours now, so that's not too bad. There was a stage where he was getting fed every hour and even got stomach tube three times. But... he's much more spritely and much, much more lamb like.

However, I now have another rescue lamb. I got her tonight as her mother had birthing complications and then, ultimately, abandoned her. She's in much better condition than Porky. She's standing (even climbed out of her box) and bleating away quite happily, so that's good. However, she needs feeding every couple of hours or so. So, if art's a little slow, that's why.

It's kinda nice looking after the lambs. It's a good feeling knowing that they survived because I put the hours into feeding and looking after them. Oh... I may post photos later on.

Happy wuff is happy ^-^

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

We set a date. 23rd of February. It will hopefully be a glorious summer's day and although it's almost slap bang dead in the middle of the busy season for us, I want a summer wedding and anytime will be inconvenient. So, sod it, I'm getting married then.

Anyway, I've been saving all my commission money since we got engaged for the wedding, but we had a family emergency this week, particularily yesterday, and I had to use most of the money we had saved, since my fiancee doesn't get paid til Monday.

Soooo.... We're kinda aiming to have 6 grand saved (well, I would like that) by February. While, we usually tuck away some money each month, I know we won't get there.

I'm, therefore, opening for commissions. My commission prices can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3155748/ and all the money is going towards our wedding.

To get a commission, just send me a note or e-mail at whispercommissions[at]gmail.com (if you don't use the note system). I will do just about anything, including porn. All porn gets posted on my adult account.

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

So... we got a new postman, right? This isn't usually an issue. I've had a lot of different postmen in the last four years or so (I've moved about a bit), but I've been here for about eight months or so now. The old postman that we had here was brilliant. He was a really nice guy, delivered mail on time (considering we're at the end of the run) would bring packages to the door, etc, you know all that stuff postmen are supposed to do.

Not this new one. He's so freaken slack! He doesn't deliver my fiancee's mail (even if it is addressed to here), which is bad, because all our bills are under his name. Most of his mail goes to his folk's place at the other farm >.< He usually delivers my mail. I ordered six packages (five books, one package for the business) all around the same time (about the 30th of June) and I received the one for the business a couple of weeks ago, but the books haven't arrived. The site I brought them from is very reliable. I've brought the majority of my books (well excess of 30) from there, even some since I've moved here, and they have all arrived in a timely fashion. So, they should be here by now.

I have reason to believe that the postman isn't coming right to the end of the road, like he's supposed to, and thus not delivering our mail or that of our neighbor's. I've seen the neighbor's flag up for several days before he collects it. I'm so frustrated and annoyed at him. I'm a very tolerant person, but when people slack on their jobs..... GRAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to do 'books for art' type of thing since the business is starting to pull in some money, but I'm hesitant to because of the lack of mail. Heck, I ordered a printer two weeks after the books and it arrived before it. I dunno...

Sorry... I had to vent. It's driving me bonkers that he's so slack and doesn't deliver mail. If they're not here today (I check the mail after lunch), I'm going to have to ring the post office and ask what's going on and then I'll probably ring NZPost and lay a complaint about his incompetence.

~Sunktokeca

Heya,

So... I'm still alive... I think. This past week has been more than a little crazy for me. The weekend was spent waiting on people (who never showed on Saturday, so instead of going for a horse ride, I ended up doing an oil painting) and then moving horses from one farm to another. Then, cattle were moved into easier to muster paddocks. Monday was spent bringing all three mobs of cattle down to the yards for testing and then back into easier paddocks. Tuesday I went for my horse ride (i hadn't been for over a week and I aim for at least two rides a week). Yesterday (Wednesday) was spent all day at an auction and then working on commission work.

So.. yeah.. most of that was done with a swollen knee as I wrenched it running across a paddock. However, I have a brace for it and it should be alright provided cattle don't go into the swampy bits. Anyway, this is roughly what's going to be happening in the next couple of days.

Today (Thursday): Bring all cattle back to the yards for reading of test done Monday. Work on commissions in evening after dinner and before I crash.
Friday: Baby sit so Mother-In-Law can take her yearling to get broken in and bring back a young quarter horse for trekking work. If weather is agreeable will do some flat works on my riding horse (which is borrowed, my boy isn't broken in yet).
Saturday: Drench cattle (maybe). If not drenching, finishing off current commission.
Sunday: Commission/art/business.

Status of everything:
Private Commission: Complete
Rhymes and Reasons (business):
- Order #002 - Number Frieze (A4/B4 size) - 99% complete - Ready for Printing and shipping
- Dominoes - Parts Arrived.
- Alphabet Frieze - Need to re-do letters N, X, and I
- Flash Cards - Need to work on back, but pretty much done

When things settle down again I will hold a raffle for you guys since I reached 400 watchers and I will do some freebie streams as well.

~Sunktokeca