When I got up this morning and my computer would not start. Its been acting a bit weird lately, fan running too much, making weird noises, and going to sleep all on its own. So I just knew that my hard drive was fried and all of my artwork and everything vital to my existence on my computer was gone to gigabyte heaven. After begging and pleading it start, unplugging it and plugging it back in, I flipped the switch on the powerstrip and, thank goodness, it came back to life. We had a really awesome lightning storm this morning, so hopefully that was the culprit, but it made me realize that I seriously need to back up my computer. I've never had the misfortune of burning up a hard drive, so I've been really careless I guess. So my main goal for today is computer work, blah. 

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What the crap, its fall already!!!  That means cold weather, disgusting snow, and the insaneness of the holidays are quickly approaching...all things that I can only take about 5 minutes of.  So far, this year has been a huge blur.  I've traveled about a bajillion miles and been relatively unproductive art wise.  I don't understand how when you're a kid, time takes forever to go by.  It seems like one day at school is never ending and summers past by gloriously slowly.  Yet when you're an adult, time is in a constant state of fast foward.  Its all too easy to spend your time trying to rush to get things done but accomplishing nothing.  I don't neccessarily want to be a kid again, but I do wish time would slow down, just a little.
Things to Get DoneToday:
*pm aceo
*complete mm drawing
*sketch for 2 EL pgs
*complete armature for Halloween sculpture
*watch Heroes because I completely freaking forgot it last night ^_^

Whew, finally home after being gone for a while.  My sis has asked me to share a booth with her at the Pride of the Fox Riverfest in St. Charles IL on June 7 & 8, so I have a toooooooon of work to do.  It will be lots of fun.  I am still loving painting with ink, this crow is my latest.  Its titled "Nevermore", hopefully it will be sold on ebay.  I was going to do a little more with it, like maybe painting part of the poem along side the raven, but decided against it.  So I was all finished with this painting, just about ready to put all my supplies away, when my phone rang, which scared the crap out of me because I mean, what's scarier than a ringing phone, right (yes, obviously I'm slightly jumpy)?  I jerked my arm and bam, knocked over a brand spanking new bottle of black ink on to my carpet, where it spilled out completely.  Not only did it spill, but it splattered all the way over on to my computer cabinet, chair, computer and wall.  Unfortunately I did not think to take a picture until after I had cleaned up everything but the carpet.  And that may look like little drips, but promise me, they are not little spots.  So I know there's a lot of artists out there on LJ, and this had to have happened to someone but me, so how in the world do I get this out of my carpet???
 

I've been wanting an excuse to draw some old timy, WWII-ish pinup girls because I love that kind of art, so I came up with a new series of mermaids based on famous pinups.  This is my first, which is inspired by the famous pic of Betty Grable.   She was really fun to draw, so I'm excited to do the next.  I think it will either be Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe, but I'll probably save her for last. :)

I'm trying to figure out a way to tap into the local art scene.  I could be wrong, but I'm just not sure if there's a place in exciting Topeka for my fantasy art.  So I started looking around Kansas City for some stuff adn came across ConQuest39, a sci-fi and fantasy convention.  I have never been to a convention, wouldn't know how to go about preparing for one, but I'd like to try it out.  Its probably already too late for me to participate in the art show this year as its in May, but I'm going to find out.  I dont' know if my stuff is even good enough for taking to a convention, but we'll see.  

So I've been selling art on ebay on and off for about a year now.  I haven't been too successful, its a big world out there on ebay.  The only thing that I have that sells regularly is my mermaids, and they basically all go to one person.  Yay, I have one dedicated fan!! ;-)  But for some reason I still loooove listing stuff on ebay and keeping up with the auctions, just hoping that I may one day create a small following for my artwork.  Since I was not exactly being all that profitable and I was never gaining new stars, I came up with a little idea for ACEO's that I hoped would always sell, even if not for much money.  My goal was to pay for my ebay fees and receive more stars, hence my Pink Monkeys were created.  The idea behind my little monkies is that they can do anything and be anyone and should always be very humorous.  I list them all at 99 cents so they'll be more likely to get bids. I'm on number 58 right now, and every one I've ever listed has sold, granted for under $10, but they do pay for my ebay fees for all my other art I list and give me new feedback.  But now I'm completely addicted to these little guys and they are loads of fun to come up with.  I'm going to try to do one a day, but they do take around 2 hours to complete so that probably won't happen.  Here are a couple of my favorite Pink Monkeys so far. :-D If you wanna see the rest I've uploaded them on my website so you can go here!
       

I'm so excited.  After searching forever for a place to watch Star Trek online, CBS has answered all my dreams and made available the entire show of Star Trek, every episode!!!!  As well as the Twilight Zone and MacGyver.  Now if they will only make TNG available, I'll be super happy. Okay, enough of my extreme dorkiness.  I've been trying out watercolor again, but in a new abstract-ish way.  Its really fun and I'm addicted to painting with ink now.  I certainly don't claim to be any expert painter or to even know what i'm doing with watercolor, but I've put a couple on ebay.  This one is my fav so far.  She's called "Weeds". One bid, woohoo! auction

Question...why is it that the only time I get alot of work to do is when I don't have the time to do it??  I've got three aceo comissions (yay for Pink Monkies!), one fantasy portrait, and a triptych mermaid piece to do this week.  Not to mention trying to do a couple more aceos and one fantasy piece for my own ebay.  Geez.  Not that I'm complaining!!  I'm very happy to be busy.  I'm really hoping to get very serious about my artwork this year and trying to make a certain amount of money each month.  I'm thinking of opening an ebay store.  I don't know too much about them, but I think I do one fairly cheaply.  I'd also really like to try out Etsy, but I always thought of that website as being more for jewelry and like handmade crafty thingies rather than artwork.  If anyone actually reads this and has had success on Etsy, I'd love to hear about it!!! :-D 

Just got back a few days ago from my trip to Chicago.  My little niece is growing so fast...she really looks so different everytime I see her!  She's just so cute. My mom and my sister really loved the portraits I did for them.  I'll upload them later.  My mom took hers to church to show off, haha, and someone ended up commissioning me, so yippee!  My website is only half finished, hopefully I'll be able to work more on it today.  I've got to get up my grandmother's quilt website and put up an auction on eBay for her.   So if anyone likes handmade quilts, you'll have to keep an eye out!

Here's my latest eBay drawing...."Hippocamps"


click here for auction! 

Can't get away from the mermaids!!!  They are by far my favorite thing to draw.  Here's the new one!  Pic and eBay link below.  Argh, I have SO much to do this week before I go visit my family.  Finish two major drawings, finish one drawing for eBay to list this Sunday, and build two websites.  Yes, two. My own and one for my grandmother to sell quilts and crochet on.  Her site will be small, so it should be fairly easy.  Will update as I get stuff finished. :-)



Full Moon auction