In the past I have accepted Ref sheets and/or detailed descriptions when commissioning a fursuit. However to reduce confusion and to avoid getting a ref sheet and 5 paragraphs explaining what is wrong with the ref sheet I must insist on a new policy of ONE dedicated ref sheet.

When requesting a quote or going forward with a commission, I now require ONE (and only ONE) ref sheet.

Ref sheets are inexpensive ways to explain EXACTLY what you want your suit to look like. They show color choices, markings and patterns so I know how to make your fursuit. If I have to look a multiple images and read 6 different emails to know what you want your suit to look like it; A) makes more work for me to try and keep track, and B) increases the likelihood of error which cost me time and materials to change/fix.

Ref sheets are relatively inexpensive. You can get a decent ref sheet for between $40-100, whereas you fursuit may be $1500-3000 Even if an artist charges for changes to a ref sheet, it is still significantly cheaper than the costs of having to change a fursuit.

Types of Refs I will accept:
-3 way or 2 way turn arounds that show all markings, colors and details you want on your finished suit
-colored in free-to-use templates such as those you can download and color in yourself
-Photo(s) of an animal if you just want a realistic artistic liberty animal
-Badges ONLY if they show the entire body and all markings and colors accurate to what you want

I will NOT accept:
-detailed descriptions with no image
-a ref sheet with an attached 5 page email with all the things wrong with the ref
-screenshots from Second life
-a link to EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF ART you have ever had made for you
-Badges that are just a head shot

This new policy is effective immediately on any new quotes or commissions. Please note I am doing this for both my benefit and my customer. It is easier for me to have a single ref to work from, and therefore I am less likely to make a costly mistake.

Thank you very much for understanding!

---

** REMINDER! Bone dragon is still up for adoption! details are available here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6624839/ **

New Komickrazi Fursuit project!
You may be familiar with my past projects including:
Money bucks: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11730490/
Vikings! Wolves of war: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14825270/

Would you like to adopt a dragon egg that will hatch into your very own fursuit? Read on for more details......

These 4 Dragon Eggs need a home! I will be looking for 4 parents to adopt these dragon eggs and take them into their homes. Owning a dragon is a lot of responsibility, so be sure to consider if you are ready for such a commitment.

WHAT YOU GET:
When you commit to adopt a Dragon egg you will receive the following:
-One-of-a-kind Dragon egg for you to keep
-Custom made Creative License Dragon fursuit based on the type of egg you adopt
-Adoption papers to certify you are the owner of said Egg
-Fursuit Repair kit to keep your dragon happy and healthy
-Cleaning and maintenance guide to care for your new dragon

TYPES:
The 4 available eggs are as follows:
-Magma dragon: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15856645/
-Forest Dragon: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15856677/
-Glacier Dragon: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15856740/
-Bone Dragon: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15856794/

COST:
-Each dragon egg adoptable is $3000 USD
-I DO accept payment plans
-I will require a down payment of $700 paid by March 31, 2015 to hold your egg
-The remaining money MUST be paid no later than January 31, 2016

SHIPPING:
-I will NOT deliver these dragons, you must have your dragon shipped to you
-Cost for shipping will be extra, and will be calculated once the dragon is complete
-I will not mail your dragon until the shipping has been fully paid

There are ONLY 4 available dragon eggs to adopt, so there are some important instructions you must follow if you would like to adopt an egg.

INSTRUCTIONS:
-You must submit an adoption request by filling out a form.
-Adoption request forms will be available on Thursday March 12 5PM MST and remain open until Sunday March 15 5PM MST at which time the request form will be removed and I will no longer accept new adoption requests
-Once I have all of the adoption requests I will determine who are the new dragon owners and contact them individually
-New Dragon owners must then pay the $700 deposit to hold their egg

FAQs:
-Will these be realistic or toony?
---Realistic

-What if more than one person wants a specific egg?
---Due to the small number of available eggs, I will be determining owners by LOTTERY. Once all adoption requests have been gathered, if more than one person wants a specific egg I will select a winner via random number generation.

-If I do not get the egg I want, can I pick a different one?
---Yes, the adoption form will have a feature that will let you choose which egg you would like, and an option to accept a different one if you do not win the lottery for your first choice.

-What if I lose the lottery?
---I am sorry, but in order to remain fair I have chosen a lottery system to ensure everyone has an equal chance at getting an egg. There are only 4 eggs, so if you do not win the lottery on any of the 4 eggs, I am afraid you will not be able to adopt at this time. If you really really want an egg and fursuit you may commission me through my website as a non-project commission, pricing and timeline may differ from the adopt-a-dragon-egg project.

-May I request my dragon to look a certain way/draw a ref sheet/explain what I want?
---No. These dragons are Creative License suits. I have a basic idea how I want them to look, but I want their hatching to be a surprise.

-I really hate/love ____ on fursuits, can I request a specific trait?
---Yes. Those who adopt an egg may make 3 wishes on the egg. These wishes will allow the adoptive parents to make subtle requests without ruining the surprise of the finished suit. Such wishes as "I wish my dragon has ears", "I wish my dragon was wingless" or "I wish my dragon has glowing eyes" are acceptable. Wishes such as "I wish my dragon looked like Telephone" or "I wish my ice dragon was a fire dragon" will NOT be accepted.

-What is no one adopts one of the eggs?
---After the adoption requests close and owners are selected, if there is an egg that is NOT adopted or if there is an owner who cannot pay the required deposit, those eggs will be open for adoption on a first come first served basis until April 30th, 2015. After that time if the egg is not adopted it will no longer hatch, and will be sold as an art piece.

-Will you do a con gathering/photoshoot like with your other projects?
---Yes, however unlike previous projects, you do NOT have to commit to a specific con before you adopt your egg. Once all owners are found and the suits are made, I will discuss with the new egg owners as to where and when we will choose to meet and do photos. If it proves impossible for all 4 dragons to gather, I will do individual photos of each.

If you have any additional questions please feel free to comment below.
If you would like an emailed reminder when the adoption form goes LIVE, please note me with your email.

Good luck everyone!

Yeah yeah, I'm now officially on twitter: https://twitter.com/Komickrazi
I'm really boring! Follow at your peril!

OMG, got hotel booked online this morning. I decided to skip the Westin this year (I'm cool with elevator lines most of the time, but on check-out day it's too stressful), and settled on the Hampton Inn which has free breakfast! So YEAH!


I've been sick all weekend with a cold that my Hubby gave me. When he caught it he accused me of giving it to him from FC which I promptly denied. He didn't believe I wasn't the carrier until I got sick days later.
It did mean I was practically delirious through the booking process due to being sick, I'm lucky I managed the booking at all... I guess all those years booking for San Diego Comic con make AC's hotel passkey system easy enough to do while half awake and doped up on nyquil.

I shall now go back to drinking tea and watching documentaries on netflix and napping. ~_~

Momo goes to FC

http://youtu.be/MXzMrJZVU8Y

There are lots of tutorials out there for making Duct tape dummies or DTDs.... however I still sometimes get DTDs which are poorly made and make it really frustrating to work with.
Some makers will refuse poorly made DTDs, and others will tough through and try to make lemonade out of lumpy-bumpy-falling apart lemons :P

I think the main problem is even with a million DTD making tutorials out there, people assume that maybe they are clever enough or cheap enough or lazy enough to find a better way to make one. However, please note.... makers give you a tutorial for a reason: we work with these all the time. We know how to make a good one.... and we know what makes a BAD one. Perhaps the reason we still get poorly made DTDs is because no one ever explained WHY you shouldn't do certain things.

Let me lift that veil! Here are some ways NOT to make a DTD!

1) Do NOT use pantyhose or spandex or any stretchy material as a base.
--The reason makers suggest painting smocks is the are non-stretchy, made of a thin material that is easy to cut with scissors, and come in an assortment of sizes which can be modded as needed with some paper towel. Stretchy material is HORRIBLE for DTDs because once you are done taping and remove the clothing, the stretchy material will attempt to unstretch back to its original shape. And when it does so, it takes the tape with it, and your entire DTD will pucker in on itself and all of your work will be ruined.

2) Do NOT plant a starting point and simply unroll the tape like you are wrapping up a mummy.
--Duct tape is... well tape. It's sticky! Anyone who has attempted to unroll any length of tape will notice that it somewhat sticks to itself and requires a minor bit of force to pull from the roll. Taping someone up like this means that the additional pressure you add to pull the tape from the roll as you go is making the DTD tighter and tighter and tighter on the person being taped! This makes the DTD making experience uncomfortable and intolerable as the circulation of blood is cut off during this taping torture..... not to mention the added impossiblity to cut said person out since they are wrapped so unbearably tight.
Please cut and use SMALL pieces of tape and place them on the person's body as you go. If you need to you can pre-rip tape pieces or have 2 helpers (a tape ripper and a tape applier), this will speed things along.

3) Do NOT forget to make tick marks along your cutting lines..... and if you use BLACK duct tape, make sure to use a different colored marker that will show like a silver pen.
--These lines are used to assist in reassembly. We use these marks to line up the pieces when we put the DTD back together. Although you can put a DTD back together without them - if you have patience and good eyesight to see how the tape lines match up - it speeds the entire reassembly process along exponentially.

4) If using old clothes for the DTD base, do NOT leave your shirt untucked.
--I know this sounds weird, but once you've put together a few DTDs you will understand the logic of this.... when stuffing the legs/hip area of a DTD, most people go in through the neck. This means we are taking handfulls of stuffing and pushing them in through the neck to the thighs/hip area. If you do not tuck in the shirt, we may start pulling the pants portion of the DTD away from the tape while we stuff.... if you tuck your shirt in, stuffing is so much easier as it is a smooth line straight down. So tuck that shirt in!

5) If the painting smock is too short in the arms and legs, do NOT just make the DTD to the end of the smock and email your maker telling them to add a few more inches to the legs and sleeves.
--Please understand, we make lots of costumes, so at any given time we have a lot on our minds. It's highly possible we may forget and you'll look silly with your 3/4 sleeve fursuit with built in carpi pants :P If your painting smock comes up short on the arms and legs, grab yourself some paper towel and extend the arms and legs accordingly; it takes 10 seconds and saves the inconvenience of possibly being without a suit when you discover your maker didn't make them long enough and it has to be returned for revisions.

6) Do NOT cheap out on tape.
--Seriously.... use Duct tape. Do NOT use packing tape, scotch tape, painters tape, masking tape, dress makers tape, paper tape, ticker tape or any other kind of tape. Duct tape works well because it's super sticky and due to the fabric woven into it it's flexible so it will not warp or distort when you fold it up to mail.
When taping, please be sure to go over the taped person a few times to ensure there are no gaps or thin areas. A thicker DTD is far preferable to a thin one... they last longer and are less likely to fall apart when being assembled/disassembled. Yes, this may mean buying an extra roll of tape, but seriously..... it's like $7.... how much are you paying for your suit again?

I hope this lesson will assist you in future DTD making endeavours. Now that you know WHY you aren't supposed to do it... don't do it.

Well well.... nothing like starting the new year with art theft!

Please avoid the following etsy artist: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Suitsforthefurry
Two of the photos (the grey deer and blue wolf dragon) are costumes I have made which the etsy seller has stolen from my gallery. I would assume the other two photos are stolen as well.

I have already reported them to etsy, hopefully their store will remove the images or be shut down.

EDIT: Page has been removed :D Go internet!

Meme meme meme meme!
Stolen from  Sidian
Hotel
Hilton

Arrival/Depart
I arrive Thursday afternoon, leave Monday morning

Means of transportation
magic flying bus

Sharing a room with
Surprisingly..... no one O_O
I'll either be very lonely or enjoy luxuriously wandering around naked and singing into my hair dryer at 3 am

Who do you hang out with?
I don't know >_<
All of my usual FC buddies aren't going this year.... I will have to make friends.

Gender
Female

Preference
My husband

Relationship Status
Married

How old are you?
*cough*33*cough*

How tall are you?
5'3"

Are you an Artist?
Yus!

Do you have an artist table?
No!

Do you take commissions?
Yus! But not at cons!

Do you do trades?
If you draw in my sketchbook I will draw in yours :3

Are you a Fursuiter?
That is a silly question.

What's your fursuit?
Momo will be coming!

Attending parties?
Probably not.... I like to hang out on the con floor for the most part... plus no one ever invites me T_T

Do you drink?
My name is Temperance, what do you think?

Can I buy you a drink?
No thanks!

Do you smoke?
Ewwww :(

Are you attending any panels?
I think Dekks is doing a dance panel, that could be fun :D

Stage or public performance?
I've signed up for the Dance comp.... we'll see if I make it past the preliminaries

How do I identify my self to you?
Start with "Hello, I am _________" and we can wing it from there.

Rules of engagement (physical contact)?
Hugs in fursuit are okay

How can I find you?
I'll be wandering around the con most of the time in suit. The headless lounge seems to be the place I find most people :D

Can I talk to you?
Please do!

Can I give you lots of money?
I like money?

Can I give you stuff?
I like stuff

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
In fursuit, yes.

Can I come to dinner with you?
I hope I find someone to come to dinner with me, or I will be so lonely T_T

Can I hang out with you?
As long as I'm around the con or getting food. If I go back to my room it's because I want to be alone.

Can I take your picture?
*Poses* yes!

How do I know if you're not looking to socialize (angry, busy or upset)?
If I don't want to socialize I'll be in my room.

Personality Type?
Nice, optimistic... a little shy.

What's your goal for the con this year?
Meet new people! Have a good time! Dance!

Now I have a few questions.....
Who else is going?
How many komickrazi suiters? Do you want to do a photoshoot?

Some of my customers can be disheartened when I inform them I will not make a suit a certain way. This may be because it is a technique I have not done before and am not comfortable making it without some private experimentation on my part (I would much rather play around with a personal suit and fail, than attempt the same with a customer's suit and let them down). Or, it may be because it's limiting in function/movement/vision and I am concerned for a customer's safety or general comfort.

I have a few costumes I have made for myself which I would never replicate for a customer. These costumes I often refer to as "showpiece suits", they are costumes which I made for a costume contest or masquerade where I want to show off my costume making skills to a large audience (such as San Diego Comic Con, or Dragon con). Costumes of this nature are made to wow judges and increase publicity for Komickrazi studios; taking part in or winning an award in high level competitions can be good for advertising and business. Showpiece suits often disregard the wearer for the overall finished look; this can mean they are extremely hot, uncomfortable, bulky, hard to move in, have limited vision/hearing, and may impair my ability to get around without assistance.
Some showpiece suits may also have lifespan limitations. As anyone who makes props for a movie knows.... stuff breaks.... and sometimes it just needs to get on stage for 1 minute and do a thing and get off the stage without falling apart. Although I don't condone cutting corners where possible, I sometimes may choose to not add a harness or support which I would add to a commercially made suit that would alter the "look" on a showpiece suit. Since I know the stress will be shortlived, and the look would change without it, I may choose to leave out a part which I would not otherwise.

If I say no or discourage a customer to make a certain item or add a specific feature I am doing so out of years of experience. Yes, when I made a showpiece I may look awesome, but I am also probably in a lot of pain or physically restricted in possible unsafe ways. I want to make sure that my customers are safe, comfortable, and have a long lasting suit they can enjoy for many years.


Here are some of what I refer to as my "showpiece suits":
Scar from the Lion king musical: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8437546/
The costume was quite form fitting, so I needed assistance getting the corset on. The head was heavy and caused extreme head and neck pain. I had a raging headache whenever I wore the costume for more than an hour.

Hildr Scourgedatter the Charr: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11173930/
This costume was hot and cumbersome due to the sheer padding involved, only the backs of my legs were unpadded and the armor was all leather so there was very little breathability to the costume. My vision was AWFUL, I could only see through a 4 inch gap in the mouth, which sat about 1 foot away from my face, so I could really only see directly in front of me about 4 feet (enough to know about things without tripping on them, but not enough to do much else). I required a dedicated handler just to walk down the hallway. The weight of the head on my neck was so much that I had neck pains for several days after wearing the costume.
Getting the costume OFF also proved a challenge. Since the body/muscle suit was so form fitting, once I began to sweat the lycra undersuit stuck like glue to my body. In order to get it off, I had to tuck my head into the neck, hold out my arms and a team of two people would have to pull at the sleeves and neck to help me get out of the suit.

Game of thrones dragons: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14122179/
All three were extremely hot, the heads alone were about 5 lbs each so neck pains were common, we had limited hand movement and function, none of us could lift our arms above 90 degrees, and sitting was a challenge.... though amusing for onlookers to watch us attempt. When we took the shuttle to the con in the final day we had to make a 3 point turn just to get into a bus seat, and we practically sung a chorus of "sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" as we walked down the narrow aisle trying not to hit every person we passed with our wings, thighs or tails.

Old Lace the Deinonychus: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8738059/
Old Lace's head was made from one of DVC's old raptor head bases. Their bases were hollow and surprisingly light, but still quite heavy comparable to other costumes heads. Built on a motorcycle helmet it was hard to breathe while wearing and pressed on my cheeks and neck quite heavily. To get the proper "look" I had to bend at the waist to get the proper raptor stance, which is killer on the back. Although possible to do with practice and exercise, it's hard on the body for long periods, even if you are used to it.

I know what you are thinking; well, yeah... I'm putting on an animal costume, that's kind of the point. And in some ways, yes, some fursuiters are wearing their costumes for the very purpose of wanting to feel less human and more.... wolf-like, tiger-like, or whatever animal you choose to dress up as. But I want to talk about those OTHER ways one can become less human in an animal costume....

Almost every fursuiter has probably experienced ill treatment while in fursuit. This is not limited to mascot type costumes either. The campaign "Cosplay ≠ Consent" shares many similarities to the troubles fursuiters have regarding people doing things which they may not otherwise in a more normalized situation. The trouble with Fursuits, Mascot costumes and cosplay often lie in the concealing of ones identity. Masks and face coverings seems to give people free reign to treat those in costume as if they are less of a person. This maybe largely be due to the fact that humans are visual people who respond to subtle facial changes to determine mood and emotion. Without those cues, it can be hard to feel the normal empathy one should towards an individual.

Abuses towards fursuiters can range from "harmless" tail or ear pulling (which may not hurt for physically, but could damage your costume), inappropriate touching (such as gender checking, or butt groping), striking, punching, pushing, or even picking up a fursuiter. Like contact with another person in an ordinary social situation, everyone has varying levels of "okay-ness"; whereas some people may be fine with rough play, hugs, petting or other contact, not every fursuiter may like or want that kind of contact. With no visual cues from facial expression it may be hard to tell if a fursuiter wants the sort of contact you are engaging in.

Not all fursuiters are vocal. It is a personal choice to speak in costume and when to "break" character. They may speak up if you cross a certain line, or choose not to speak up at all and bear through a situation in hopes it will end and they can make an escape. In some lucky cases they may have friends or handlers who can jump in and speak up for them to say what is and is not ok, or act as bodyguards to prevent people from approaching them in the first place.

It is easy for forget that cuddly pink bunny or big black dog is not a big stuffed animal you can interact with, but a person with feelings. Please do you best to remember that those in costume have the same rights and deserve the same respect as any person. If you do not know a fursuiter personally, it's always safer to ask permission before engaging in certain activities (for example, "Can I have a hug?"). Even if they do not speak vocally, a fursuiter can still nod or shake their head. If they say "no", don't be upset... it is THEIR choice to accept or refuse an action (remember, they are a person who has the right to refuse if they wish). If a fursuiter or their handler asks that you stop doing something, please listen to them.

It can be easy to forget or ignore that fursuiters are just people; a really great performer can suspend your belief that the character they are portraying is something other than human. But! Fursuiters are indeed people, and their choice to dress up and entertain people does not make them less deserving of your respect.

A little rant about fur....

1)Not all whites are created equal
There's white.... and then there's white.... Shades of white can vary widely. I can order a bunch of different whites in varying styles and pile length and discover some are more off-white and some are more ivory and some are more cream and some are the most blinding unicorn white. White can also look different in different lighting settings... a fur that looks okay under florescent lights may look completely different under natural sunlight. This can make color matching a real challenge (especially if we want shorter fur and some longer accents. This goes for other furs too... one color in one style may be a slightly different shade in another style. We can do things like airbrushing to help blend furs, but there may always be a subtle variation.
--We do our best to color match as best we can... but sometimes that's not possible.

2) Not all furs shave the same
Shaving fur should be fun!.... Like grooming a dog!.... Except it's not.
Faux fur is plastic, it doesn't shave the same as natural hair. Some furs shave better than others and some are REALLY hard to shave.... but they're all murder on your clippers - even with cleaning and oiling and proper maintenance. It can take several HOURS to trim a fursuit face depending on the fur (DF fur is notoriously challenging to shave).
--Please keep in mind, if I say I will NOT shave your body fur to be shorter.... this is why.

3) You can't dye fur
People seem to forget this one... a LOT! Fur is PLASTIC, it can't hold dye ( before you try to argue with me.... yes, technically it CAN, but not the way the dye was intended - Dyes are designed to absorb into a material, which is why only certain materials can be dyed in the first place - materials that can be dyed are natural fibers like wool or cotton not plastic like faux fur or polyester). Dyeing, airbrushing, painting fur all does the same thing..... the color does not absorb into the faux fur fibers, but simply sits on top of them. It changes the texture and feel of the faux fur fibers, and will fade/wash out/rub off over time. Because of this, most makers limit dyeing/painting/airbrushing to spot work (ie, small pieces) which will be less noticeable to changes due to fading over time.
--If we can't find the exact color you are looking for don't ask us to dye fur...... we can't do it.

4) Furs go out of print
Yes, sometimes furs are made and sold, then no more of that fur is made. This can be a challenge when doing repairs to an old suit. Dye lots can also change between bolts. If I buy some chocolate brown from a vendor, then buy some additional chocolate brown a few months later.... the browns may be slightly different. This is because one bolt of the same color may be from a different dye lot as the next bolt. The color change may not be drastic, but it will still be noticeable to some extent.
--If you want additional fur for your suit for repairs, it never hurts to ask if you can get your maker to order additional yardage for you to purchase. Most of the time, we have no problems doing it, as long as you pay for the extra fur.

5)Sometimes.... you're going to have to settle.
Look... some fur colors just don't exist. It would be lovely if every color/style/length/texture under the sun could be purchased on a whim, but it's just not so. I sometimes spend several months trawling the internet for that elusive color/length and coming up empty handed. This is often the reason lots of fursuit makers become fur horders... when you stumble upon a rare color you buy it right away for fears you will never find it's like again.
**this particular point is only a half truth.... you CAN get every fur color if you're willing to PAY for it. National Fiber Technologies (http://www.nftech.com/), does make custom fur in any color/length/thickness you want.... but it's ungodly expensive. Fursuit makers aren't made of money... we really can't afford to use NFT fur without charging ungodly prices.... so you have to decide what is most important to you..... a close inexpensive match or an ungodly expensive exact match**
--We do our very best to find the furs that will be the best for your suit... we may not be able to match exactly, but we try very hard to get as close as possible. Please do not ask us to shave a huge piece of fur or dye a fur to get an exact color ... sometimes you do just have to settle

I will not be attending MFF this year, but  Lailadie was kind enough to offer to run a Komickrazi Photoshoot.

If you own a Komickrazi fursuit and would like to take part, please check out her journal for more details: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6246808/

I hope everyone has a good time ^_^

So I knooooowwww I said I wasn't going to do FC next year, but I have since changed my mind >_<

When planning out my cons for next year I had planned to attend a few different ones than I have done in the last few years, but I was really starting to miss the idea of not attending FC. I have done it 6 years in a row, and it's sort of become that thing I do in January after Christmas. I found a stupid cheap flight which proved to be less expensive than going to any Canadian cons (geez Canada... it's cheaper to leave than stay... get it together!).

So yes, contrary to what I have said before, I WILL be attending FC in January.

I haven't decided if I want to find a roomie or just have a hotel room to myself yet ¬_¬

I plan to celebrate by making costumes and eating candy!

....

....

oh wait... I do that every day.

0_0

....

No wonder my parents question my career path

I went out with some friends for a fursuit walk. I didn't suit for this one because I was still feeling poorly (in fact, going out at all probably made me more sick).... but I'm a furry, so y'know.... we do stupid stuff and regret nothing O_O

Anywho... I made a video :3

http://youtu.be/0VqfMTnxogE

*crawls back into bed* ~_~

Bah! I caught something from my sister-in-law's kids this weekend. Despite my sheer force of will, I seem to have failed at fighting off this bug T_T

I may have to take the day off and get better.


Oh well... drinking tea and watching horror movies all day doesn't sound TOO bad.

Edit: Thank you for all the well wishes.... I still feel like 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound sack. *rolls around and makes pathetic sounds* So much to dooo.... sshhhhtap being siiiick..... ugnnnnghnnnnnn ughhhhhhh

I'm sure you're a very nice person.... but......

I get asked this a lot, so I think I need to address it.

Fursuit makers sometimes seem like a gateway to a furry social life. Lots of furries don't officially feel "furry" until they get a fursuit. I understand the connection.... heck, I was 6 fursuits deep before I considered myself a furry. This reputation of fursuit = furry can often lead makers to be considered some sort of gateway to the furry fandom. This often means that customers often mistake their fursuit maker as their new best friend who will show them the way; introduce them to the right people, make them a part of the community of furry and become their connection in the fandom.

I have met a number of my customers, and they have (for the most part) all been really lovely people. Some customers I have met clicked right away and we have become good friends. However this being said, please do not assume that since I am accepting your money as a business transaction that we are now the best of friends.

Would I like to meet you someday?
Sure! I like meeting my customers and having a quick word with them.... ask them if they like their suit, if they have any questions, if everything is holding up well. I usually meet customers at cons and meets where many furries are gathered and we can speak in a social setting. Heck, I'll even go out for lunch or dinner if you want and it works into our schedules (a girl's gotta eat).

Are you allowed to come over to my house, hang out and watch me work?
Umm... probably not. I, like most makers, work out of my home. I am sure you are a very nice person, but until I get to know you, I would prefer my personal and private life remain separate. There are very few people I let visit me or check out my studio at home, and they are friends I know and trust. Could you be one of those friends? Maybe one day.... but I am the one who gets to determine when that is. Just because I am making something for you does not mean we are BFFs.

So that being said....
-No, I am sorry, even though we may live in the same city you may not drop off your DTD or pick up your finished suit. If I do not know you it is nothing personal, it's just.... I do not know you. On the plus side, if you live close, shipping is super cheap! Think of those poor customers who live a half a world away... shipping is crazy expensive!

-Yes, I would love to meet you one day; perhaps at a future con. It never hurts to ask if I will be attending a con and if I would like to meet... if I am, I would be happy to hang out and chat if I'm available.

-No, you many not visit my studio and watch me work. For the same reason as you many not drop off or pick things up. I just don't know you. I am not comfortable letting strangers into my house.

In the end, fursuit making is just like any other kind of business. Completing a business transaction does not make you anyone's best friend. Friendships may grow naturally.... but that is how any friendship starts... it has nothing to do with a fursuit we made you.

I don't ask my financial adviser if we can go over to his house for board games and thai food, and you shouldn't ask your maker if you can come to their house and stare at them while they sew. That would be weird....

Yay! I'm back from RF and ready to get back to work!

O_O

...
...
...

So let me procrastinate by doing an RF con report first!

Wednesday:
I flew down to Seattle with  yannarra and  voice Our flight was stupid early, so my poor hubby had to get up early and drive us to the airport. Sorry honey!
We left our bags at the hotel and took the train downtown where we; got soaked in the rain, visited the EMP and Chihuly glass museum, and wandered Pike's place.
When we finally checked in we found we were located on the second floor, just above reg. When I booked the hotel, I specifically requested to be placed in the quiet part of the hotel.... yet somehow they stuck us in the middle of the party hallway. I'm glad I had earplugs!

Thursday:
Nothing important today... we went to 7-11 to stock up on supplies and suited a bit. I met a customer in the eve for dinner to discuss some commission details.
I wore my viking for a little bit, then swtiched into Momo for the dance. My dance feet needed repairs, so I just brought my happy feet sneakers. I realized my sneakers are not so great for dancing.... they're really loose, and the bottoms have rubber on them so they are really grippy.

Friday:
I had my head making panel in the morning. Sadly an hour is never enough time to discuss it all, so I didn't get to cover EVERYTHING I wanted.
I quickly suited up after my panel for the dance competition preliminaries. Unlike other prelims, RF chose to do a more audition style arrangement. Normally everyone gathers in one room and we all hang out while we wait for our turns to dance. RF had everyone wait in line outside and call us in one at a time to do our dance in a private room with the judges. Although this method helps ensure that your dance remain a secret, it also makes the entire process seem more scary and daunting.... like we're auditioning for a part in a musical or something >_<
I did get to chat with people in line though, but I would have preferred to sit and chill in a more casual atmosphere. At one point I was showing someone a dance step and my feetpaw slipper shoes fell off. I realized that my sneaker feet were loose enough that they may not stay on for some of my kicks... so being oh-so-smart, I though I could keep them on by tying the fake laces on my sneakers to my ankles, that way if I kicked, the feet would stay on. This of course only worked in theory... for when my turn did come up and I kicked... my shoes did fall off... but since they were tied to my ankles, they were now flopping around my feet >_<
I was so frazzled by the circumstance that I completely forgot my routine and flailed around for a full minute. I was so embarrassed that when the song finally ended, I apologized for screwing up and left, knowing I had totally bombed T_T
I pushed the whole even from my mind and put on my viking for the big photoshoot. The Viking and Komickrazi photoshoot was awesome. I was so pleased with the turn-out and the shots (I will post some of them soon :3). Everyone looked fabulous... and I gained a new nickname as "Mama Wolf" for my zealousness in brushing and neatening everyone before they were allowed outside to be shot.
I did the GOH dinner in the eve, where I had a lovely time. I sat with  ishimitsukai,  Akantenshu, and  rociy Thanks for saving me a seat guys :3 Sure is awesome hanging out with you fabulous VIPs :P
After dinner, Rociy helped me film some of my  askmomomousevideos, then I danced up a storm at Retro night! wooo!

Saturday
I did Cartoons and cereal with Yannarra: and Voice: It was a very Duck heavy selection of cartoons... Darkwing duck and Duck tales then some Rescue rangers. I felt very nostalgic.
I bought some comics at the Dealers den and took a peek in the art show before the ice cream social. Ishimitsukai: and Akantenshu: snuck me in the front of the line with their amazing powers of VIP-ness :3
The vikings got to march in the parade and howl and look badass :D I think everyone had a good time, especially when we were able to get the whole hallway to howl with us. Hoooooooooowwwwwl!
I lined up to watch the dance comp where I ran into a friend. He informed me I was on the list.... I was actually in the dance comp! WTF? So even after my colossal screw up in prelims, I guess I didn't fail as hard as I thought T_T
However it was far too late to check in, and I couldn't have run to my room and gotten suited up in time, let alone warm up or anything.... so I watched from the sidelines and kicked myself for not checking the list. I just didn't even think to bother because I was so embarrassed by my fail flail.
I spent most of the rest of the evening explaining to people why I wasn't in the dance comp even though I was on the list.

Sunday
I did my Fursuit making as a business panel. Hopefully I was informative... talking about the boring aspects of business are important, but certainly not as interesting as the creative process of making stuff.
I met up with  Nightdragon0 and did some eye surgery on his suit. It was hard not having a full studio set-up for repairs, but I managed pretty good with the limited repair station RF has set up in their headless lounge. I ran into  summerbound just as I was finishing up and offered to shorten her viking sleeves as well since she was right there :3
I was nice to casually hang out with people and do repair stuff. I'm one of those people who likes to DO stuff all the time, so it felt sort of nice to do some sewing, even on vacation.
I put on momo and wandered around and chatted with people, then met up with Yannarra:, Voice: and Ocean: for our annual Mango Thai dinner. SOoooooo goood! Om nomnomnom. :I We finished up dinner with some 7-11 ice cream, then it was off to the dance for the dead dog. I chatted with quite a few people and said a lot of goodbyes T_T

Monday
Late flight meant sleep in and slow packing. Wah... I miss the con already.

___________________________________________________________________

Thanks for talking comics with me  sisaro

I hope you can make it to Dragon Con  Aeto

Sorry  Voice for telling you about ear porn!

Poop Nuke and Gynosaurus are my new favorite words >_<

___________________________________________________________________

Also.... I made a video: http://youtu.be/W3zkjOR3ZIU

Going to RF? Have a Komickrazi fursuit? Want to take a photo with all the other Komickrazi fursuiters? Then read on.....


WHAT - Komickrazi photoshoot
WHEN - Friday 2pm
WHERE - We will meet in the headless lounge, or if it is busy, in the hallway outside the headless lounge (PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE ENTRANCE TO THE HEADLESS LOUNGE). Once everyone has gathered, we will go elsewhere to do the photoshoot.


We will do a quick photo of all the Komickrazi suits, then you are free to go. After we get a shot of everyone, we will do the Viking photoshoot ( which will take approximately an hour). You are welcome to hang around if you like just please keep out of the way.

Photographers are welcome. I have hired a photographer for the Viking photoshoot, but if other people want to take photos please go right ahead.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Stolen from  Yannarra

Hotel:
Con hotel

Arrival/Departure:
Early Wednesday and out on Monday

Means of transportation:
Airplane

Sharing a room with:
 Yannarra and  Voice

Who do you hang out with?
I dunno... lots of people....

Gender:
I'm a lady

Preference:
My husband

Relationship Status
Married

How old are you?
I am older than I look and act younger than I am

How tall are you?
5'3"

Are you an Artist?
Yesssss

Do you have a sketchbook?
I always bring a diary/sketchbook to remember each con

Are you a Fursuiter?
Oh my yes :D

Which Fursuits will you bring?
My Viking Wolf Teiwaz and Momo

Can I ask to wear one of your suits?
You don't have to.... I will be wearing them ALL the time O_O

Would you wear one of my fursuits?
Ummmm.... yeah.... no

Attending parties?
I'm not a real private party person, I'm usually shaking my tail on the dance floor in the eves

Do you drink?
My name is Temperance, what do you think?

Can I buy you a drink?
No thanks

Do you smoke?
Ew, No.

Are you attending any panels?
I will be running the Head construction panel and Fursuit making as a business panel :3

Stage or public performance?
I've applied for the dance comp, we'll see if I get in.

How do I identify my self to you?
Your name is a good start, badges help ^_^

Rules of engagement (physical contact)?
I accept hugs in fursuit.

How can I find you?
Catch me before or after a panel, otherwise look for a cute mouse of a scarred viking wolf.

Can I talk to you?
I love meeting new people

Can I give you lots of money?
I like money

Can I give you stuff?
Heck yes

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
If I'm in fursuit I accept all the hugs.

Can I come to dinner with you?
Depends on my plans. I like meeting new people and doing stuff with friends, but I don't need an entourage of 30 people filling up a Denny's because we all HAVE to sit together.

Can I invite you to dinner?
Sure, like I said, depends on my plans.... but I do need to eat :3

Can I hang out with you?
Yes, but if I have to do stuff, please don't hang on like a creeper... it's weird

Can I take your picture?
*poses*

How do I know if you're not looking to socialize (angry, busy or upset)?
I will be in my hotel room, so if I'm not in the mood, you won't be able to find me.

Personality Type?
Friendly, casual.... a little shy sometimes >_<

What's your goal for the con this year?
Viking photooooos!

Sooooooo.... I left home expecting fall weather in Halifax, only to regret not bringing enough short sleeved shirts and shorts because it was sweltering. Then I return home to find freaking SNOW! My poor trees and bushes are all sagging under the weight of damp snow on their branches.

I had a lovely time away, but now it's back to work!

Well, y'know, after I catch up on internets.... Yeesh, Did I just spend 2 hours catching up on a week's worth of Tumblr?

OMG it's true! I'm going on vacation. Not just a quick weekend to a con (which often ends up being work), but an actual bonafide vacation!

My hubby and I will be driving around Nova Scotia where we will avoid doing all the things you're supposed to do in the maritimes like eating seafood (we both hate seafood) and going on whale watching tours (I get so seasick). But we will do lots of hiking in Cape Breton and I will get to visit the Joggins Fossil Cliffs (Eee! fossils >_<)

I will be out of town (and therefore out of my studio) til September 9th. Although I will be bringing my laptop with me, I cannot promise I will have reliable internet access. I may not be available to answer any emails, but I promise I will do so upon my return.

Bye everyone! See you in 10 days :D

Huh, so it was brought to my attention that there is a Parasaur named Utah that looks a whole lot like me: http://atoama.jp/gallery.php?charaID=00064

I ran a quick translation on the Japanese text:
Name : Utah
Race: Parasaurolophus
Boys dinosaur much late teens speaking in humans . I love it's shy shy but really a bright personality , to play with friends who became friends

Now before anyone starts raging and trolling Amanojaku Studio, let me make this clear. I don't care. I think it's kinda cute that someone across the world copied my fursona design... I personally don't think I'm a very interesting or unique looking scalie (aside from my species choice). Amanojaki probably doesn't know I exist. Someone must have found my ref and sent it to them. It's impossible for a maker to know every fursuit design in the world, so they cannot be blamed if they had no knowledge.

Maybe one day I'll meet my Japanese brother... and he can bring me delicious Japanese snacks and I can bring him delicious maple syrup and we can have an family reunion of two nearly extinct duck-billed dinos.

**EDIT** It has come to my attention that some people found my post to be offensive. Re-reading my post, I can see how some people may think I am passive-agressively crying "Wah! Someone copied me; don't blame the maker, it's the customer's fault."
I am very sorry if anyone thought I was intentionally crying wolf or creating drama or making a fuss.

I DO think the suits look very similar. I think it's fun they look similar. I don't care if it was copied and altered slightly or if we both came up with a similar design independently.

I recently made a suit for someone which looked similar to another furry. Both parties had discussed and agreed on the final design before I made the suit, however when I posted photos people started calling me out on how this suit looked like another suit. In my attempt to prevent people from bothering Amanojaku, I seem to have inadvertently turned what I wanted to be a lighthearted post into a heated debate over what a selfish jerk I am.

That was never my intent and I am very sorry.

I love a good horror story :3 Nothing quite beats a good scare... and somehow a wholesome place like Disney makes is all the creepier.

I found these creepy stories to be right up my alley:
http://angelicvibes.tumblr.com/post.....s-really-liked

Working at Disney and Room Zero are my favorites.

Oh my! I'm selling my cock, bug and raptor :3

I need to make some space in my studio, so it's time to say goodbye to some of my fursuits. But my loss is your gain!

Check out the following auctions:
Annie the Ant: http://www.furbuy.com/auctions/1059853.html
Old Lace the Raptor: http://www.furbuy.com/auctions/1059849.html
RJ Rooster: http://www.furbuy.com/auctions/1059852.html

Starting price is super low, as at this time I do NOT have the time to do any modifications or alterations. All costumes are bought AS IS, but will include some material so you can do the modifications yourself, or hire someone who can.

Good luck to everyone, happy bidding!