tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30494149219677194562024-03-13T14:08:52.857-04:00Moonlit CreationsMy brain never shuts up. It is overflowing with ideas, images, useful little bits to musing that have incredible potential. I wish to share these things with other, as there is far too much for me to do in my one lifetime. Come share my brain for a little while. Maybe you will find something you can use.Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-374069918716805072014-07-07T13:02:00.001-04:002014-07-07T13:02:41.285-04:00Really I'm Still HereThings really picked up over here and sadly I have neglected this blog. <div><br></div><div>My husband and I moved in with my mother-in-law who had an entire half a delux double-wide trailer she wasn't inhabiting. We now have our own living room and bathroom now. It's heaven! </div><div><br></div><div>We are both employed again, which is part of why things picked up so much. He leaves early in the morning so I walk to work. </div><div><br></div><div>The best part of all this though is the Anima project. It's becoming something greater than I ever imagined. We have been playing the game for over a year now and it just so incredible. I cannot wait to begin the comic of it in earnest.</div><div><br></div><div>Here's a little preview of what to expect from it.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCekDO-w9k7khjv41wOPpTvNSmlQPA-zOkz_b4-QRRPTILWrLwNwpqWzrB8xZUYlfdYy1lUWVxLNTlTaiZsKbySBPBk3ScfUOF6rqxeFHiWC6jo4bhjAay_KZKXvhsCvRZ_GN-qISRp8/s640/blogger-image--614038137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCekDO-w9k7khjv41wOPpTvNSmlQPA-zOkz_b4-QRRPTILWrLwNwpqWzrB8xZUYlfdYy1lUWVxLNTlTaiZsKbySBPBk3ScfUOF6rqxeFHiWC6jo4bhjAay_KZKXvhsCvRZ_GN-qISRp8/s640/blogger-image--614038137.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm so geeked!</div><br></div>Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-44838477310527312602013-08-17T13:44:00.000-04:002013-08-17T13:44:59.191-04:00Way More Complicated than Necessary<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I've been working on the Anima Campaign and it's related comic, I've been coming across more and more issues regarding how women are portrayed in media, especially comics and games. I do in fact follow the Escher Girl and Hawkeye Initiative tumblrs because of these issues, largely because I find their ways of dealing with it humorous without making light of the issue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the whole, I agree that women are not well-portrayed in most media. Boob and Butt poses and battle bikinis are better represented than real woman. This is obvious and cannot be argued because the evidence is there. You can't miss it. Horrible anatomy is also prevalent for both genders (thanks Rob Liefeld...). That too cannot be missed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even what seemed like a step in the right direction has gone amiss, namely the Strong Female. This idea went from the light at the end of a tunnel of sexism, to embodying it further because the Strong Female is the only female allowed to show up in anything other than romantic comedies, usually as part of an otherwise all male group. Strong Female is violent in ways that the male characters wouldn't accept from the other guys but it's okay for her because she's the woman, she has something to prove and probably has Daddy Issues. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To recap, we have: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ Women put in stupid impossible poses for the sake of sexy, because all women must have butts but also not have room for internal organs because that means they are fat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ Women who are supposed to be warriors put in clothing that is impractical and would likely get them killed over their male counterparts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ Women who are simply plot devices to make the lead male man up and take out the bad guy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ The so-called Strong Females who talk a big game and beat the crap out of whoever they want, but ultimately come off as insecure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This doesn't bode well for anyone creating a female character for pretty much any kind of media.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Going down this thought path, I began to wonder if, in trying to solve the problem, it's actually become worse for the creators of the media, especially ones just starting off. It has me concerned about my own character in the Anima project and how she will be perceived.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First off, let me state a few things about me so that my poor Ageha will make a bit more sense:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ I am not feminist in the classical sense. I believe men and women are equal but different and that difference is needed. It takes all kinds, as they say and all kinds includes men and women being different.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ I believe that women are strong and capable, but I also think a woman's strength is different than a man's strength. It's hard to put it into words because I'm not just talking about physical strength.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ I am a large woman, always have been and probably always will be to a degree. Women who look like literal wasps are not something I'm going to draw unless she's literally a wasp-women hybrid and then I will find some way for her internal organs to be in her wasp-butt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay enough about me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h3TBwL7EhJWVRxj8dbBcVK7nwmhaCGcTRZuvw8qW1SKsgymqnWt3v8OQGZEBgl9uYYuHHSA7fH-CyW3IesQHF2kBGau_kWfv6rjI8rAaZzpTcblB5eQtAczsuhvCnA2FU-3R6CtlQbE/s1600/AgehaClothedforBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h3TBwL7EhJWVRxj8dbBcVK7nwmhaCGcTRZuvw8qW1SKsgymqnWt3v8OQGZEBgl9uYYuHHSA7fH-CyW3IesQHF2kBGau_kWfv6rjI8rAaZzpTcblB5eQtAczsuhvCnA2FU-3R6CtlQbE/s640/AgehaClothedforBlog.jpg" width="441" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is my Ageha. She is five-foot-nothing, slightly chubby, definitely chesty and though you can't' see it, the girl barely has a butt. Hips yes, butt no.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> She is, for lack of a better term, a ninja. She frequently wanders around in plain sight so she's not about to wear anything that scream "HI I'M TOTALLY A SUPER ASSASSIN!", so no random armor pieces or any of that nonsense. She wears the kimono because A) She likes it. B) It's comfortable and C) It's feminine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This leads me to some of my concerns.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are those would rejoice at the fact that Ageha is not showing copious amounts of cleavage. She shows a bit of leg sure, but she's wearing boots with no heel. So not bad.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the who she is and her circumstances that have me concerned that I will be blasted for writing. She is a tough little woman but she fights only out of greatest need. She is modest and feminine. Her greatest wish is to be a wife and mother but her circumstances won't allow this yet. She is the only woman in a group otherwise comprised of men, which I've recently learned is one of symptoms of the Strong Female Syndrome. There are some who would have problems with any or all of these things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that I can't please everyone nor should I. I love Ageha the way she is. I made her that way for a reason and I shouldn't apologize for it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It makes me wonder though, as I think about this in terms of Ageha, has trying to solve the issues of poorly done female characters made things harder for newbies like myself?</span>Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-28504407464906254952013-07-18T09:42:00.000-04:002013-07-18T09:42:21.123-04:00An Artist's Confidence<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why must it be such a fragile thing?</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love being a creative person. What I don't like is being a creative person who is also PMSing, and has anxiety issues. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all started earlier this week when one of my Anima guys let me know there was a chance he wouldn't be there Friday. This isn't a big deal, it happens, especially when juggling birthday's of his girlfriend's family and they like to do things last minute. I received confirmation yesterday about which felt way too last minute for me but there's no amount of cranky that will change that. I was able to alter the session to make it work without him. So no big deal, right?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well then another of the guys said he would be late. I wasn't worried until my husband pointed out that a little late for him has been super late for the rest of us so we may not get to much at all.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That was this morning. I went back to bed and pulled the covers over my head. A couple hours later, after having dreamed about the worst possible game session imaginable, complete with one guy giving another a partial buzz cut mid-session, my husband texted me.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the real name of his character, completely not the one I had given said character when he gave me nearly nothing for backstory. We worked it all out and he's using the name I gave as his character's family name and the one he picked out as his character's first name. So again, no biggy. It was all worked out well.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Except that he's upset that I may have fibbed to keep something for his character a surprise. I don't even remember this at all. I'm trying to, but there was one point when he was talking to me about his character while I was half asleep. This is the only time I can think of that this may have happened. I feel bad about it because this is not what I intended. But it's kinda become a thing now...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regardless of the fact that a lot of this is out of my control, I feel like I'm a terrible GM for this and if I were better at it, this wouldn't have happened. Add in whacked out hormones and I'm a mess.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopefully this gets better soon.</span></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-67092900883504436472013-07-03T15:23:00.000-04:002013-07-03T15:23:45.979-04:00Meeting Myself<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was going to be productive today but the late night and poor sleep quality messed with those plans. But more than that, I had a little conversation with myself today and I began to see that I've been trying to force things upon myself that I'm simply not wired to do. I see myself a litt more clearly now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As much I as want to be a homesteader, I really would only be able to keep up with a garden and some backyard chickens. As much as I dream of owning a dairy cow and a dairy goat or two, they are far more high-maintenance than I think I can handle. Maybe in the future, but certainly not as I am today. Let me get a few kids under my belt and check back later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do aspire to dress better but I will always be a jammies gal. I see no need to wear make up most of the time, cosplay and weddings being the exceptions. I would rather wear knee-high black boots to a wedding than heels any day and have done so twice. I don't know what my style is yet, but I've been gravitating toward skirts more than I ever recall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Out of all the things I do, I prefer comic creation and sewing/knitting to all the other things. Sure I love cooking for people, and many other things but not as much as those things. I love the freedom comic art lends to a story, freeing me of burden of description that just writing must have and lending a voice to my art. Sewing and knitting are similar, freeing me to have something to wear that's my own and no one elses. All other creative pursuits pale in comparison.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want children so badly it hurts sometimes. I'm working on ensuring that it doesn't become an idol in my life, but that doesn't change my desire for them. I've come to the realization that it will always hurt initially when someone I know announces they are having a baby, especially when they are younger. It's hard to wait for something so deeply desired, but then I remember that someday I will be announcing it and it may hurt another woman who is where I am now. For now, my battle is against jealousy and its one I intend to win.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visuals that others may find weird or just "whatever", I find striking. The queen xenomorphs of the alien series are beautiful to me despite the fact that they're horrifying hell-beasts. As for the mundane, I find male backs a stunning piece of biological architecture while most people are kinda' "meh..." unless there's a well-proportioned butt involved. I've discovered that this is a positive aspect of my creative outlook and I should embrace it more often than I do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am an introvert with social anxieties and probably always will be. I just happen to live in a world that prizes the extroverts more but that doesn't make me less then they are. I do not hate people but being around too many for too long will drain every ounce of energy I have from me. Being with those I know well and care about doesn't do this to me for the most part, but I still need to decompress afterward. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have flaws, many of them in fact, but I should not be ashamed of who I am. I am fearfully and wonderfully made after all. </span>Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-9041745976984373572013-06-30T19:36:00.001-04:002013-06-30T19:36:54.803-04:00Hiatus Apparently<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently a hiatus was in order for me. Things have been odd so that doesn't help me much in keeping up with the things I usually do. The summer cold didn't help either.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What really got me thrown off though, is Anima. I have dived into this world with pretty much everything in me, creativity-wise. Sure I have a lot of other stories but there's just something about this campaign that has grabbed me and will not let me go.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of it is that I have a great group of guys as my players who have given me such a diverse cast, I find myself fangirling all over the place about them. They are not the typical kind of group I would put together which makes it that much more fun. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I mean, seriously, who would have thought to put together this group:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* A martial artist/pharmacist who is apathetic about everything except his intense hate for anything dark (my hubby's character).</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* An ex-merc who is terrifying with a sword, especially if you are dark/blood mage or pirate, yet lately has been having to be Captain Dad.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* A quiet psychic warrior with ADHD, who also looks a little like a tiger.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* An intensely derpy dark mage who loves everyone despite the fact that he drives everyone else crazy and has a love for pirates.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* A bisexual, nearly divinely gorgeous light mage who is epically unfortunate, particularly in his love-life.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* A ridiculously pale woman with ninja-like skills and penchant for blushing who starts everything by hiring the others to help her find someone who bound a crazy artifact to her when she was five (this one's mine). She also has a crush on one the above guys, but isn't telling anyone who it is.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seriously, this is such a great cast, I'm kinda beside myself with creative awe. I'm waiting on the details for the ex-merc at this point but since his player has been working very hard on him, I'm more than willing to wait. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Session Four is this Friday. I'm so excited ^^</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-40508937738065258762013-06-03T08:44:00.000-04:002013-06-03T08:46:24.952-04:00Anima and My Creative MindSorry I've been gone so long. I've been sitting on a number of post ideas but none of them were really working for me. I debated doing a post about how women are treated in comics art-wise then I realized that it is such a controversy. I'd much rather enjoy scrolling through the Escher Girls Tumblr and laugh at the atrocities against anatomy than state my own opinions. Getting into it too much takes the fun out of some of it.<br />
<br />
I debated posting about the continuing adjustments I'm making to my Fluttershy cosplay but as we had to cancel going to JAFAX, I'm not currently working on it.<br />
<br />
I debated things I cannot even remember.<br />
<br />
Finally I have something. This past month, I started down a new path, that of Game Mistress of an Anima Campaign. I've been wanting to do this ever since my husband bought me the original core book a couple years ago. And now it's finally happening! Squee! I have five players who are fantastic at characterization, a very open world to play with and a brain that won't stop coming up with ideas to throw at them. My guys are also hilarious. Last session, several of them stuck their d4s to their foreheads and declared themselves to be Dice-icorns. My husband stuck two and then three to his forehead, becoming a Diceson and a Diceratops.<br />
<br />
The part that is most fun for me is all the art this inspires me to do. I already knew going into this that this campaign is destined to be a comic but I didn't know I would be this excited about it. I have to wait a bit for the actual art part of the deal though because I don't have all the information I need about the characters from the guys as yet. I guess I'll be working on transcribing the script from the recordings. It will be a challenge because all of us have serious ADD during the sessions but it's at least something.<br />
<br />
I feel like I'm kinda boring since that's pretty much it for that part of my life right now.<br />
<br />
I'll leave you with my latest artwork, a full design of my character Lark Meadows. Steal her and I will throw things at you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiUApKrV2LpmqwHnrVNO1-G8_HovDxLITW0zlIymeaPqoYnZLllPVC-XoEwgWTCjzNmosajI_czsdjPtPZhNRvRJvvS-wUaJPrkxkw0lWk7ZUXGYT7kfjN-2FjSfqZO9zB8WpT4QC8o0/s1600/LarkPoseSword+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiUApKrV2LpmqwHnrVNO1-G8_HovDxLITW0zlIymeaPqoYnZLllPVC-XoEwgWTCjzNmosajI_czsdjPtPZhNRvRJvvS-wUaJPrkxkw0lWk7ZUXGYT7kfjN-2FjSfqZO9zB8WpT4QC8o0/s640/LarkPoseSword+copy.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-23069250082931227302013-05-17T12:40:00.000-04:002013-05-17T12:40:53.181-04:00Confidence Acquired!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-HTcootExDFP8_aFFmTE_nKAcKZUplt_61hw9RurQ7nA9O7dZ4HASxyizaTmd5jLLEho5c72yC4SqEfaoBjrSxQP61mTSZQs3-BYohb79jGfUkVOJ41YXupTCCL-S31EzOvKZYlayfU/s1600/10YearComparisonFinal.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-HTcootExDFP8_aFFmTE_nKAcKZUplt_61hw9RurQ7nA9O7dZ4HASxyizaTmd5jLLEho5c72yC4SqEfaoBjrSxQP61mTSZQs3-BYohb79jGfUkVOJ41YXupTCCL-S31EzOvKZYlayfU/s320/10YearComparisonFinal.tif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See this beautiful piece I did this week? This was a redraw of a piece I did ten years ago. I am super proud of this. Would you like to see why? Of course you do! At least I hope so if you're actually reading my blog. ^_^</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYDL6OScjs5OD8H0iTxka47y4jWA0Y8yLiNXG8sR7_vmhrZuRHZjyBGkMb5jnktsyBXoVVRLiGugxhzqsZuVcFACB9b1MRlA8vqe6t3GkNo9RuhD5JOihT6bpaodGLpxwLsUfrn_U7-8/s1600/10YearComparisonSidebySide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYDL6OScjs5OD8H0iTxka47y4jWA0Y8yLiNXG8sR7_vmhrZuRHZjyBGkMb5jnktsyBXoVVRLiGugxhzqsZuVcFACB9b1MRlA8vqe6t3GkNo9RuhD5JOihT6bpaodGLpxwLsUfrn_U7-8/s400/10YearComparisonSidebySide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Woo look at that DBZ hair! But more importantly, look at that progress. I was in a funk of not thinking I'd actually improved. I'm so glad that my friend <a href="http://kuroitenshi13.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">Kuroi Tenshi</a> had done her own 15-year comparison and thus inspired me to do the same, only with ten years since I've only be taking art seriously that long.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay I feel like I'm tooting my own horn here, but I'm super excited to see just how far I've come. I've been trying really hard to stop comparing myself to other people when it comes to many things, art included. Comparing myself to myself is the only way to go. And now I see how much I've grown.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine this with the help I received with drawing men and I feel so much more confident in my abilities. I was honestly afraid to move forward with my stories because I did not think I could do them justice. Yet I look at Firestorm and Andiago up there in their first incarnations and how they look now and I can't help but feel so excited to keep going.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Never let someone else's progress get in the way of your own. Never.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-85058072900897994422013-05-06T07:56:00.000-04:002013-05-06T07:56:42.771-04:00Emotional Blergh<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I'm actually awake three hours after getting up to make the hubster's breakfast and lunch. This was supposed to be the normal but it hasn't been since Shuto Con, mainly because that was the same week I kicked the hormonal birth control. My body is suddenly having to make all it's own hormones again and it got a little cranky with me. That's a small price to pay for better health though, so I've been taking it was it comes.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for the Blergh part of the title, things have been a little nutty around here as of late. I won't go into details right now, but the situation has not been good for my heart. It's left me feeling raw emotionally and the hormones are just making it worse. It's also been terrible for my journey toward contentment in my circumstances. At least I can look at that one as challenge.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have learned some things about myself through this though so I guess that's good. I can correct some of those things that need correcting and be thankful for the others.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just wish my immediate solution to all this wasn't crawl back into bed and hide from the world.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead I'm going to listen to Arrietty's Song and Spiller's Theme from The Secret World of Arrietty over and over again because they make me happy.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can at least end on a good note and post a preview of what I've been up to art wise:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggYwfGii1i2XPWuC8pS6iY5JgtZDFTzeP2E1_Ix7MfHbpxFmc8ZBS0tlsfq8ITq0YmL3CbNIv45oxUnZ9P53OP_TUnJ_Ocum2b-t8iIsX_F8cLyTvqIKruIO3OTIm9YZu7ntkHE2bqLI/s1600/3Links1LunaWIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggYwfGii1i2XPWuC8pS6iY5JgtZDFTzeP2E1_Ix7MfHbpxFmc8ZBS0tlsfq8ITq0YmL3CbNIv45oxUnZ9P53OP_TUnJ_Ocum2b-t8iIsX_F8cLyTvqIKruIO3OTIm9YZu7ntkHE2bqLI/s400/3Links1LunaWIP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clearly this is far from finished but I'm very happy with how its turning out so far. The woman is my OC, Luna, who has to put up with those three Links for the sake of Hyrule. Insanity follows. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best part of this piece so far is that I've proven to myself that I can actually draw men. I honestly thought I was lost to all hope in regards to that one. Thanks again <a href="http://blog.crashbanglabs.com/" target="_blank">Kristie!</a> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-62809236942133385312013-04-25T15:04:00.003-04:002013-04-25T15:04:52.858-04:00Mind Blown<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Church Zero by Peyton Jones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An ebook that was free for a short time through davidccook.org that I decided to download on a whim. It sounded interesting. I've always like to see what people think is the problem with the modern church. People blame so many things; the congregation, the pastors, the facilities, the music, the chosen denomination, the list goes on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd been wondering much the same myself. My home church has been scratching their collective heads about it for a while. We have a lot of good things going. We have four incredible pastors who works their butts off to lead us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a set-up that allows for individual care through small groups headed by two individuals (a shepherd and apprentice shepherd) who are in turn headed by mentors who answer to our pastor in charge of adults ministry (he is a totally awesome guy who can preach the entire Bible in one sermon) . It's a good system that is based on the setup God gave Moses so that all of the people of Israel could be taken care of without killing Moses do to the non-stop care the people needed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a great Children's Minister who is passionate about reaching children and a Youth Pastor who never ceases to impress me. We even have a pastor dedicated to Life Care, meaning counselling the hurting!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But we are still missing something and I couldn't put my finger on it. Then I read Church Zero.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there it was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My church as well as the modern church as a whole have been focused on growing up, not out. We are so focused on bringing people in, we forgot that our job is to go OUT and reach those who have never heard Jesus's name or only heard it in passing. We are supposed to bring the Gospel to them and that usually means one thing: CHURCH PLANTING.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peyton explained it in a later chapter in the book as such:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Churches should be like Mogwai. Multiplication is hardwired into their DNA, all you have to do is accidentally spill water on them and they pop out five more furry church plant balls."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what happened?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to Peyton, we have lost sight of what Luke penned in Acts. This church was growing out through various apostles (with a little a, as in not the original Twelve picked by Jesus, but Paul, Timothy, Titus and others like them) rather than up like today's megachurches. Granted, Jerusalem had a megachurch but it was constantly sending out people to reach those who hadn't heard the Good News.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other words, yes we need to get people in the Church, but we must also prepare those that accept Christ to do His work, which often means leaving to start new churches. We've focused so much on Shepherds and Teachers, the ones that stay put, we have forgotten, by ignorance or willful omission, the Little a- Apostles, the Prophets and the Evangelists of Ephesians 4:11-12.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was very challenging to me personally as well as in regard to my home church. I did have some consultation though. Whether we were aware of it or not, my church family is led by most of that fabulous five. I don't know if we have all of them, but we have most. We are also not afraid to try new things for the sake of reaching more people for Christ. We have helped plant a church in an area that needed one. But are we doing enough to grow out?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm still trying to take all this in. It's incredible to think about. How many time have I read that passage and missed it? How many times have pastors done this same thing?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm still praying about all this, seeking God's wisdom in the face of this information. But I can say is this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not the same as I was before I read this. My perspective has changed drastically. The Modern Church is content to hold its ground when Jesus told us to gain ground for the Kingdom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am no longer content to stay in the trenches.</span>Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-71658533640444906602013-04-10T16:20:00.000-04:002013-04-10T16:20:09.087-04:00Herderrrr! I forgot this!So in the post I did earlier, I meant to post this as well. The problem was, I'd forgotten to finish it by drawing the guy on the far right. Watch me herpaderp, everyone!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7PoQIQbA4s6NlnoUAaSCofLsBNbI7dMBEotZAdtfkVziijICmuQeNcotfa3QrRKnizckZ2JQhTuJbffBLnSkHF8-8-mNV1cSEk74KQjH1NCmXIvSHxilZLLuW30bjSE9KR6l46BWxrM/s1600/FirestormAndiagoMaiMaj.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7PoQIQbA4s6NlnoUAaSCofLsBNbI7dMBEotZAdtfkVziijICmuQeNcotfa3QrRKnizckZ2JQhTuJbffBLnSkHF8-8-mNV1cSEk74KQjH1NCmXIvSHxilZLLuW30bjSE9KR6l46BWxrM/s400/FirestormAndiagoMaiMaj.tif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here is what I've been up to on either side of preparing for Shuto Con. The middle two were supposed to be part of my Intentional Practice but I got carried away and finished them a tad more completely than I'd originally planned which threw it all off. I'll start back with that next week.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These four are the main characters and their best friends from my long-standing story, Rain of Fire. From left to right they are MaiTeia, lady-in-waiting to the short woman next to her, who is YuKia Fuenoia or Firestorm, Princess of War. Next is Andiago, Prince of the Alliance and fiance' of Firestorm, though the poor girl isn't allowed to know that little bit of trivia until an hour before the wedding. Last is Majene, Andiago's best friend and comrade in arms.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To finish off the trivia before I go into more about the art part of the deal, their ages are, respectively, 30, 20, 21 and 32. The three tall ones are part of an alien race the came to live peacefully on earth when their planet kicked the bucket, known as Ye-Ap.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Name Pronunciation (as I imagine you are lost) :</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Note: There is no particular accent on the syllables, like in Japanese. The Fu is also pronounced in the Japanese fashion, more Hu than a hard F.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ye-Ap = Yay-Ahp</div>
<div>
MaiTeia= My-Tey-Ah</div>
<div>
YuKia Fuenoia = You-Key-Ah Fu-En-Oh-Ee-Ah</div>
<div>
Andiago = Ahn-Dee-Ah-Go (this is the easy one!)</div>
<div>
Majene = Ma-Jay-Nay</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Okay so now that the formalities of character introduction is over, I'm VERY happy with how they turned out. I'm still getting the hang of my tablet but seeing results like this makes me thrilled. I'm rather heavy-handed with graphite so its nice to be able sketch and erase cleanly for the most part.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Firestorm seems the most solid but that makes sense since I've been drawing her since 9th grade which is 12 years so it makes sense that she is so easy for me to just whip out. Andiago is pretty good aside from being stiff because I was primarily focusing on proportions and design with him, less on gesture. I've been drawing him for almost as long as Firestorm but he has undergone a recent revamp due to freakin' James Cameron's tall blue people (The Ye-Ap used to be blue...).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm particularly proud of how Mai turned out. I've only drawn her once before and that was before Cameron crushed my blue Ye-Ap dreams. Seeing her so well fleshed out and adorkable makes me seriously happy. I think I sped through Maj a bit though. He still looks good, better than I expected, thanks to <a href="http://blog.crashbanglabs.com/" target="_blank">Kristie's</a> fabulous proportion-focused panel at Shuto Con. I just didn't finesse him as much as I did the others.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well, I think it may have been a good thing I posted this on its own. This combined with the other would have been waaaaaaaaaaaaay too long.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-45346226666266828832013-04-10T08:40:00.000-04:002013-04-12T12:39:25.269-04:00Conventions, Medication and DecompressionI live!<br />
<br />
I feel like I fell off the face of the planet for a bit though that's not unusual for me while prepping for an anime convention. Yay Shuto Con! Yay Decompression post Shuto Con!<br />
<br />
That's mostly what's been going on with me lately. I've been a sewing fiend and when I wasn't a sewing fiend, I was a wig styling fiend. I was a few other types of fiend as well but to a much lesser degree.<br />
<br />
Shut Con was a blast. I made some new friends, learned a ton from <a href="http://blog.crashbanglabs.com/" target="_blank">Kristie</a> in her lovely panels as well as hung out with her at Art Jam (greatest panel ever for drawing/hanging out with fellow artists!), and had a somewhat successful cosplay experience. And I finally got to see our friend's panel that we missed last year due to limited space/VIP pass issues, even if he did get technology-screwed and had to smash his whole presentation into about twenty minutes. Equestrian Embassy: Condensed was still just as good as it would have been normally and was probably funnier because of the time crunch.<br />
<br />
Expounding upon the cosplay experience, the reason I call it somewhat successful is that I was still not as identifiable as my husband and friend and creating the costume just about gave me a aneurysm. Here is the break down:<br />
<br />
Successes:<br />
* I finished the outfit the week before Con week and the bags two day before rather than a race to finish line that my previous costumes have been.<br />
<br />
* I was able to use a commercial pattern without killing my brain.<br />
<br />
* It was comfortable to wear, aside from a wig cap issue. Apparently I have a large head.<br />
<br />
* There was no catastrophic failure of any pieces. My shorts did pop a stitch or two, but I expected as much since I sewed them with the wrong tension but didn't figure that one out until it was too late.<br />
<br />
* I was far more recognizable than in my first Fluttershy cosplay. I even received an attack hug from a Discord cosplayer which made my day.<br />
<br />
Less than Successes:<br />
* Sewing my dress and shorts was incredibly hard, mainly because I merrily jumped into the world of knit fabric. I mostly knew was I was getting into and the shorts weren't bad. The dress fabric was a very thin, fine jersey though, and I swear it was doing the hula while I tried to sew it. It still turned out well though.<br />
<br />
* I trusted Burda too much with the gathers in the dress and not a fabulous sewing blogger (<a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/" target="_blank">http://www.makeit-loveit.com/</a>), who had already helped me with my shorts. Burda's instructions for the waist gathers were to zigzag over lengths of elastic thread, while the lovely lady at Make It and Love It manually winds the elastic thread into a bobbin.<br />
<br />
I did test the Burda method and it seems to work. OVER SHORT LENGTHS! I am no tiny person, so the width of the fabric was daunting. Sure you can still pull it to gather but your elastic thread will probably break and it will be nigh impossible to keep it at the right length you want. I ended up having the remove the back gathers because A) the front gathered too short so it wouldn't fit around me if the back was also gathered and B) it is very hard to sew over elastic thread on thin jersey fabric and maintain straight lines. Bad call Burda. Bad call Me.<br />
<br />
* I placed my Cutie Mark on the right side of my dress, which was promptly covered by the front of my wig. I ended up playing with it constantly so that people had a chance to notice it.<br />
<br />
* My bags were okay except that I had to carry more than a hip-slung bad on a thin belt could handle. I hadn't planned on carrying two small sketchbooks but my friend didn't have the space in her carrying device (she was Twilight Sparkle, so she carried a hollow fake book for a purse). The bags kept slipping down and they weren't even in weight so it was always off.<br />
<br />
* Again, I was still not as recognizable as my friend or my husband. To be fair though, they are doing more closet cosplay than me. The only things handmade they have are their Cutie Marks and my husband's Smarty Pants doll (which I made...). Also, I take a different view of Fluttershy than a lot of other cosplayers do. I think Sweet Lolita Fluttershy is cute, but the pony works with animals. She has chickens and a host of other animals. Loli is impractical for taking care of animals, so I went with something cute and breezy but with a practical side, hence cute but sensible boots and "saddle" bags. Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way, but I don't want to feel I have to be LoliFluttershy to be recognized.<br />
<br />
There is also another aspect to this. I do wonder if it's partially because I'm a large woman. I'm not trying to say that everyone who recognized my friend (who is a stick) didn't notice me because I'm fluffy and they all are jerks. I just wonder if I'm deemed "not cute enough for pictures" because of it. Aw heck it's probably not that. Some people did take pictures of me, though it was always with my friend a/o husband. Well, best not to over think this one!<br />
<br />
This does made a good transition though. In regards to weight issues, I've finally kicked a factor out of my life for good. No more hormonal birth control for me! Maybe I won't have to think about that paragraph above this one ever again!<br />
<br />
Bye for now!Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-4910051115261727922013-02-28T17:09:00.002-05:002013-02-28T17:09:12.462-05:00Intentional Practice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7VonPWxU-ygVl2NRqJZMYzIzS0-ub-ZPMvOqRmPXjK5mAr_W-aP2CoTthWhAvBrqcdXVbmplHGp16-gppH9Y9qI80GZsf51Kdzgmue4CmMmzXgiOkrR7QYh0hEvzVxIv3QuGSZWj9Do/s1600/Intentional+Practice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7VonPWxU-ygVl2NRqJZMYzIzS0-ub-ZPMvOqRmPXjK5mAr_W-aP2CoTthWhAvBrqcdXVbmplHGp16-gppH9Y9qI80GZsf51Kdzgmue4CmMmzXgiOkrR7QYh0hEvzVxIv3QuGSZWj9Do/s640/Intentional+Practice.jpg" width="484" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you who may have missed it, my primary creative outlet is drawing. I have been having a terrible time actually doing it though, due to all the other things I need and want to do as well. I kept thinking I didn't have the time (same excuse I use for cleaning our room...eesh...).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then I read a blog post on <a href="http://mabelandriv.com/2013/02/22/on-hearing-a-word/" target="_blank">Mabel and Riv</a>. It struck a huge chord in me as here I am at 26 years old like the author was when she heard the word "Intention" used in a way that drastically changed her life. I am currently doing what she talked about, surviving only, letting myself be a victim of my perceived circumstances.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Ari taught me something different. She taught me that living intentionally means thriving instead of just surviving. She taught me that intention means slowing down and taking the time to actually do things that matter in ways other than getting by from day to day.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decided that Intention needs be a theme in my life as well. That's why I made a weekly plan for my sketching practice. It takes the guess work out of it so I can slow down and enjoy the process. As an artist, I've been surviving. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now it's time for me to thrive. Thank you Ari.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're an artist like me, feel free to use this plan or the concept behind it.Customize away but do please credit me a wee bit. Go ahead and share it too. I know I will be!</span></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-23989161491675699762013-02-27T17:29:00.000-05:002013-04-11T16:11:57.735-04:00A Strange Collection<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Disclaimer</b>:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In this blog post, there be nudity. I really do try to keep this to a minimum but I've also made my peace with it after taking a Life Drawing class. I promise that it will never be nudity for its own sake nor will it be pornographic. The specific image I am referring to in this post is of a woman who spent most of her life alone in the woods. She does not understand modesty at this point in her story. You have been fairly warned and it is the last image herein so you can just ignore it if you wish. It honestly shows nothing as I'm posting an iteration of the piece that has no nipples. I simply wanted to share it because it spells a great deal of improvement for me as an artist.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well now that that unpleasantness has been dealt with, on to the fun stuff! And by fun stuff, I mean what I've been up to while not updating this blog for so long.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjhyphenhyphenPRiXW-sUnR0MX8anHazCozEiSatnEjZe4gjT-vVAyZQiGOkl8SJIw38qYvve4BgNtCmchwgV7Rh-ma2CtdbXm3e3JKbQ_lXIV9zFApkjMwcTG6holiZq405tXt_7doK3hBdXco3c/s1600/IMG_0361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjhyphenhyphenPRiXW-sUnR0MX8anHazCozEiSatnEjZe4gjT-vVAyZQiGOkl8SJIw38qYvve4BgNtCmchwgV7Rh-ma2CtdbXm3e3JKbQ_lXIV9zFApkjMwcTG6holiZq405tXt_7doK3hBdXco3c/s320/IMG_0361.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is my sourdough start, known as the Blob that Ate New York. At the time I took this picture, it wasn't quite as intimidating as I'd separated some into small jars and put them in the fridge. It completely filled that vase previous to that and is back to that status. I really need to use it more often.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqU55_Nm-MIqWkGYPC0J8rYFXhEE7nNFV7uhbkcKFVFTx1GRrzh6rJGHhkAo4RPbQHbswpXZAvG_mxbRT23UEHjrUXQMa6fSSC5UXdvaI9i5kqBtuRo6laVuglIZkQsK_cUSNZAEasPc/s1600/IMG_0363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqU55_Nm-MIqWkGYPC0J8rYFXhEE7nNFV7uhbkcKFVFTx1GRrzh6rJGHhkAo4RPbQHbswpXZAvG_mxbRT23UEHjrUXQMa6fSSC5UXdvaI9i5kqBtuRo6laVuglIZkQsK_cUSNZAEasPc/s320/IMG_0363.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the first food I made with Blobby. This is cinnamon sourdough pancake batter. It made way more than I was expecting. There are still some pancakes in the freezer should I decide I'd like more. It looks oddly pumpkin-y. My only guess is that I used the "white wheat" flour I have hanging around, which tends to do this. It's been so long I can't remember. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOvuhmyGWwblymGVO-73W1O0-6nqZBb-_Rp94_G5MW4EORUUKcwbkceGh0yawO6_nFmOE36skj2fe2lu72-xfiS3Tp-zhnywhpcT5nifcqkgT7jsPEzzO4TlZ8Zr40DBUoxH8IVwiMCI/s1600/IMG_0360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOvuhmyGWwblymGVO-73W1O0-6nqZBb-_Rp94_G5MW4EORUUKcwbkceGh0yawO6_nFmOE36skj2fe2lu72-xfiS3Tp-zhnywhpcT5nifcqkgT7jsPEzzO4TlZ8Zr40DBUoxH8IVwiMCI/s320/IMG_0360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here are some of the pancakes. Holy moly they were good with some frozen berries and Greek yogurt. I barely made through three when I can usually demolish more conventional ones. Just goes to show you how traditional methods produce more filling results.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rpaEsOy0XiL7c6KQI4jpQEuslGll_GYhHFV2CEsIIOQOTN0HBp6lrw_RQ0jAGsNGBymh-qubAdr0E-2nH_9lkydwKq-DlVw3Qo7KgOdda7uMPIihBOYvkSzwbNzcLI8MCDRNDyfBhpY/s1600/IMG_0362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rpaEsOy0XiL7c6KQI4jpQEuslGll_GYhHFV2CEsIIOQOTN0HBp6lrw_RQ0jAGsNGBymh-qubAdr0E-2nH_9lkydwKq-DlVw3Qo7KgOdda7uMPIihBOYvkSzwbNzcLI8MCDRNDyfBhpY/s320/IMG_0362.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is my sad sprout jar. It's currently on hiatus right now because I can't seem to remember to harvest my sprouts before they grow their embryonic leaves. The last batch even got hairy and thus when to the stock veggie bag. I'll get better at this once I'm not in the middle of a new project.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87sZfvItypqjmo6JqWrzZMNes7-XDmgQeA_NgdaJexvzY4K6MyrLuGYmh46Q-glCPHMQIv_QpSIeA7KfjtL15uH-xiJEppOEfPvMP17r2HGC1WJx6-Vm7sQozMwzw_yQMCa1PX_VhJYI/s1600/IMG_0367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87sZfvItypqjmo6JqWrzZMNes7-XDmgQeA_NgdaJexvzY4K6MyrLuGYmh46Q-glCPHMQIv_QpSIeA7KfjtL15uH-xiJEppOEfPvMP17r2HGC1WJx6-Vm7sQozMwzw_yQMCa1PX_VhJYI/s320/IMG_0367.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here is the new project! Last week I received my kefir grains in the mail, from <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/milk-kefir-grains.html" target="_blank">Cultures for Health</a> . Two evenings ago they were finally hydrated and yesterday morning produced this lovely kefir. Unfortunately I missed out on a third of this first batch. I used most of this to make a berry smoothie. Everything was perfect until I reached out to put the blender jar back on the motor. I knocked my smoothie over, losing almost half to the depths of the stove's left from burner. After screaming "WHY?!" at the top of my lungs, I proceeded to clean up that horrible mess and enjoy the smoothie.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've yet to try plain(er) kefir. I'm not that brave yet. Well, more that I'm not entirely used to the taste of fermentation yet.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOjh90JFPPU9-gXjBTBnZEYEtJL5lSbDNjRCriv2fdKEk7YH12o7tVsEMY8sX-91NX951rYhshTKFh95T6qSKY9mVmPMqcepNK3f8s9GK9nryGx_vbeNiDHAl43g1L50ZC_NZqUfLX8M/s1600/IMG_0366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOjh90JFPPU9-gXjBTBnZEYEtJL5lSbDNjRCriv2fdKEk7YH12o7tVsEMY8sX-91NX951rYhshTKFh95T6qSKY9mVmPMqcepNK3f8s9GK9nryGx_vbeNiDHAl43g1L50ZC_NZqUfLX8M/s320/IMG_0366.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in new not food related, I found one of the most difficult part of my Fluttershy Cosplay 2.0. These boots have been agonizing to find! At first I wasn't sure what I was looking for, then when I did, I COULDN'T find them for less than $50. I am not made of money therefore that wasn't going to work. But when I thought that I'd never find the right pair, these popped up at Meijer for about $20 and I practically cried. They are cute and somewhat feminine but not impractical. You could take care of chickens in these and still be adorable. That is the essence of Fluttershy.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ux0ME5UgP7mJvSP5-cXShtLdnfpvgslMuErVCdP0i5SbXtQz8A92FM9MLZx7wmiDpXpgC0tIVcuF1N9j-wWpCgE-25bqhsktyRBoZg9ITRmHoIv3qw73gcSl1k-O06_UFkvNtDf1heU/s1600/fluttershy_and_elizabeak_by_purplefairy456-d410km1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ux0ME5UgP7mJvSP5-cXShtLdnfpvgslMuErVCdP0i5SbXtQz8A92FM9MLZx7wmiDpXpgC0tIVcuF1N9j-wWpCgE-25bqhsktyRBoZg9ITRmHoIv3qw73gcSl1k-O06_UFkvNtDf1heU/s320/fluttershy_and_elizabeak_by_purplefairy456-d410km1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://purplefairy456.deviantart.com/art/Fluttershy-and-Elizabeak-243571033" target="_blank">By purplefairy456</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She's just so darn cute!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hOqzWboWE-tNSnTAWxn1O2CGcUyrblApMPdNuCttilEh60fx6L3Wa8BbitUlYwbUbdL680CAi8XjXLt4mij73CB6atS6Bo4N2rkIA54E115t5cJOgaM1Pkm05AYzYXi1WkUCePvv70E/s1600/Sketch0003+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hOqzWboWE-tNSnTAWxn1O2CGcUyrblApMPdNuCttilEh60fx6L3Wa8BbitUlYwbUbdL680CAi8XjXLt4mij73CB6atS6Bo4N2rkIA54E115t5cJOgaM1Pkm05AYzYXi1WkUCePvv70E/s320/Sketch0003+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've also been having fun with my Bamboo tablet. This is one of the first semi-finished sketches I have done since I received it. Only one of the characters is mine, Uzumaki Reiko on the bottom right. That's Haruno Sakura and Hyuuga Hinata (top and bottom left respectively) from Naruto (Kishimoto Masashi). Ahhh fanart, how I love thee! This is for one of the fanfics that made the cut.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiovkxnEzLzJS-xlW-9Ie_qE69EMsT2b3xfBqkxo1avgHJkpfqzhnttkvoHkiT0JjPrTXOvA2AFzZwPgjdivqh9qjco6JlHknm4y-0MSQlaqhZcurAUwETwQ7C4M5PwjFEWWd8Yl8p8XU/s1600/Sketch0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiovkxnEzLzJS-xlW-9Ie_qE69EMsT2b3xfBqkxo1avgHJkpfqzhnttkvoHkiT0JjPrTXOvA2AFzZwPgjdivqh9qjco6JlHknm4y-0MSQlaqhZcurAUwETwQ7C4M5PwjFEWWd8Yl8p8XU/s320/Sketch0005.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now this is one very loose sketch but I had to learn eventually that Sketchbook Express flattens layers of any file you close and then reopen it...and that is why Akimichi Chouji (also from Naruto) here is soooooooooooooo unfinished. I plan to finish him some day because the squishy expression has an adorable reason!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>WARNING! </b>This is where you need to stop if you do not wish to see the nakey. If you don't mind, keep scrolling down.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Down</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.\</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Down</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Down</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Down</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And here you are.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycf2HbeE42SRjwJtmoM_EZVeX4ykMyK0kkSg6-pT-kT51T-ggQLqLXZWOCVS3soL7ZLhOxdNGZ8nKEclzIPta1FlUKvYKFEjl3YDUcbpv_skPx-aYq_JkL0yCOnEspYQfLon1orh3yUk/s1600/Sketch0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycf2HbeE42SRjwJtmoM_EZVeX4ykMyK0kkSg6-pT-kT51T-ggQLqLXZWOCVS3soL7ZLhOxdNGZ8nKEclzIPta1FlUKvYKFEjl3YDUcbpv_skPx-aYq_JkL0yCOnEspYQfLon1orh3yUk/s320/Sketch0015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I posted a colored head shot of this before but I couldn't help but post the rest. This is the best piece I have draw in a long time. This is a rare image that turned out almost exactly as I'd hoped it would. I never tire of drawing my Lithium so that makes this kind of growth that much more special.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well, that's what I've been up to. I hope to be better about posting in the future.</div>
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-23026874206776223522013-02-13T19:48:00.002-05:002013-02-13T19:48:33.046-05:00I have no idea what I'm doing!<br />
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">Or at least
that’s how I feel most of the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print; font-size: x-small;">Actually I have
a better idea of what I’m doing than when I posted last. I've actually achieved
some of my goals to an extent and that makes me rather excited to continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">So here is what
I have achieved thus far:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">I have pared
down my fanfiction list considerably from what it was. I cut the ones that were
crack-tualarly stupid (LOTR OC falling in love with one of the sons of Elrond
anyone?) for a grand total of six stories and only one is destined to be a fan
comic. The others will be written stories, which is particularly good for the
choose-your-own fanfic that I decided to keep because it was just so stinking
hilarious I couldn’t bear to drop it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">I have restarted
my sprout jar and will be harvesting my first batch today. Though I have a big
jar, I’ve found its better for me do sprout small amounts of mung beans as the
volume quadruples as the sprouts grow. That was January’s project from the
Homesteading list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">I have also
started my sourdough starter. I think I may have misunderstood what people have
been writing about them because I had the crazy idea that they took a while to
get started. When mine was living on the back of the stove, it took off running
in two days. Not only that but it also out-grew its jar with stunning results
not unlike a science fair volcano. It now resides on the kitchen counter in a
large glass vase and still threatens to take over the kitchen for a while after
every feeding. I’d better get a move on with various sourdough products. Last
week I had a Pancake Day. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have the guts to start some
actual bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">As for other
food-related goals, I’m still struggling to kick some of the processed food
habit. I have a severe weakness for pizza which is fantastically bad from a
Real Food standpoint. Mishandled grains, dead cheese and
who-knows-what’s-in-there sauce…and yet I keep coming back to it! I guess I’ll
be adding sourdough pizza crust to my list of things to do with my Blob That
Ate New York starter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">As for my other
biggy, weight loss, well, I’m not sure what’s going on. Apparently while eating
a reasonable amount of calories and exercising every day, my body doesn’t like
getting rid of the padding. I’m pretty sure some of it is those stupid birth
control pills. The rest is me, pure and simple. I’m thinking, and hang with my
on this one, that I’m not actually eating enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">A lot of people,
including those who are supposed to be experts on nutrition and weight loss
would say this is counter-intuitive but I’m pretty sure it’s one of my
problems. I found out that at the very least I need 1500+ calories just for
basic functions that keep me alive plus about 150 more for digestion. This
doesn’t even account for things like moving, or exercise. So, with the
knowledge that I already have and this “new” information, I shall move forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;">Whodda’ thunk my
problem was not eating enough?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLKYeKrSWn2eAFcNzROEHh-UYNs5CLv-kQKkMLtZWTIbqW5_oSsXNrPnv89qbm6G65mionxICPf2zWjMvaC4MrdnQbKd2TTur9Mnc7sv9uEKsv7Qe9Kv2kThy5b-QeY0ltFrIXbmXVsc/s1600/Exaggerated_Emotions_2_by_ookaminokage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLKYeKrSWn2eAFcNzROEHh-UYNs5CLv-kQKkMLtZWTIbqW5_oSsXNrPnv89qbm6G65mionxICPf2zWjMvaC4MrdnQbKd2TTur9Mnc7sv9uEKsv7Qe9Kv2kThy5b-QeY0ltFrIXbmXVsc/s320/Exaggerated_Emotions_2_by_ookaminokage.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found this in my files. I create terrible things sometimes.<br /> I didn't know what I was doing with this one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-22536344278798077082013-01-23T09:58:00.002-05:002013-01-23T10:03:42.892-05:00Doing the Pandora BoogyI'm currently in the post-workout-desperate-for-a-nap phase of my day, listening to Coldplay' Clocks on Pandora and having a good laugh at myself.<br />
<br />
Why, you ask? Because once again I over complicated something stupidly simple.<br />
<br />
Since starting this blog, I've tried various methods of exercise in my weight loss journey with limited success. I've used WiiFit in various capacities, but I'd get either bored out my skull or my body would resent the repetition . I've done prenatal yoga, only to find out that the very not pregnant me could only manage the routine if I used the third trimester mods. That was a bit discouraging. Then I tried the Leslie Sansone walking at home DVD I've mentioned before with similar results to the WiiFit due to repetition. Feeling discouraged that these methods didn't work for me, I took to just at-home walking while reading blogs and watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes. Yet once again, the repetitive motion got me.<br />
<br />
So once again I had to rethink my "weekdaily" workout. I figured my best bet was to just turn on some music and dance like a weirdo. Nothing fancy, just moving in a way that was relatively comfortable and could be changed whenever a particular move wasn't working anymore.<br />
<br />
And yet I over complicated that too. I tried using the enormous iTune collection my husband and I share and spent most of the time hitting the Next button because a lot of the music either didn't work for a workout or were more my husband's music than mine so I didn't feel like listening (he has very eclectic tastes, mine are a bit more narrow). So then I turned to Pandora's workout stations and it was the same thing.<br />
<br />
Why on earth didn't I just use one of my own stations? That's what I FINALLY did and I couldn't be happier. I'm embarrassed it took this long to get to that point. It was no longer a drudgery of repetition, there was no WiiFit disembodied voices yelling at me to more securely stuff the Wiimote into my workout pants (no pockets!) and no excessive button-pushing. And while my body is still screaming for nap time, I don't feel like I need to be put out of my misery. I should have known I'd do better with limited structure yet I stubbornly refused to go with my gut (and feet) on this issue.<br />
<br />
Just one more reason I was once nicknamed "The Mule".<br />
<br />
It may have also been this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexBvNJXbI68MHdsef2lW1CjhJv_sTl3dYy_rcenZ1qBShyKGPQb0qGzAtPRyBOxH0Mof5fnsgGrH0ZvD41L9VVPyTWhet1y7dN8IwUJt49168nc0zskIsbzOKGFSv_Rpe-dfWLZ1M0m4/s1600/BrainFarting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexBvNJXbI68MHdsef2lW1CjhJv_sTl3dYy_rcenZ1qBShyKGPQb0qGzAtPRyBOxH0Mof5fnsgGrH0ZvD41L9VVPyTWhet1y7dN8IwUJt49168nc0zskIsbzOKGFSv_Rpe-dfWLZ1M0m4/s400/BrainFarting.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://humortrain.com/post/32823280553" target="_blank">Brought to you by Humor Train</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
And now I leave you to go play catch-up on my Bible reading. It's not even a month in and this is the third catch-up...please pray for me to have more discipline in this.</div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-52217742069908091042013-01-19T21:04:00.000-05:002013-02-27T13:33:52.975-05:00Way Too Many Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hello Internet Peeps!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I said in the previous post, I've been
working on my goals for 2013. The list went from sane to impossible before I
knew what hit me. I'll be doing a lot of trimming but I figure I'll share it
anyway with some comments/snide remarks about how some of the goals have been
progressing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Spiritual Goals:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> - Read the Bible in a year ( This
one has been off to a rocky start. My mother has been sick so she has been
sleeping in the living room, where I usually do my quiet time. It's really hard
for quiet time to be quiet when my mom feels talkative).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Memorize two verse a month (gotta be
honest, I forgot about this one until just now, as I type this!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Pray the Spiritual Discipline Prayer as
often as possible (once a day)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Pray for my LIFE group, one
couple/person per day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Pray for my husband and a selected
family member every day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Homesteading Goals:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Start a small project each month (in no
particular order)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Continue
Sprouting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Begin a
Sourdough Starter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~
Lactofermenation (probably cabbage)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Crockpot
yogurt making<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~
Grain/nut/legume soaking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Indoor
herb/microgreen growing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Sock knitting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Composting
(find a bin regardless of garden status)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Sewing
functional clothing (only made cosplay costumes thus far)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Tincture
brewing (for lack of a better term)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Kombucha
brewing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Kefir making
(both milk and water)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Bonus: Make a 5
gallon or bigger bucket washing machine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Fully Research these subjects:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Raising Chickens
(layers and meat birds)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Raising Goats (Read
the Storey Guide so far. It was a little intimidating)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Raising Sheep,
Llama or Alpacas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Raising Dairy Cows
( I REALLY want a mini Jersey!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Gray water safety
and how to used a backyard wetland to filter it for garden use<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Real Food Goals:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Cut White/Brown Sugar, High Fructose
Corn Syrup, and artificial sweetners from at least my diet, preferably
everyone's diet, by June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Source a hand-crank grain mill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Source grass-fed beef, pastured chicken
and pastured eggs and price them by January 31st<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Try out a few farmers markets and road
side stands in season<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Determine if the local year-around
market is worth the drive into down town<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Avoid soy products that have not been
properly handled (so pretty much all of it that's in a store, including in packaged
food, some of the worst offenders)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Work meal plans so weekend meals are
covered by March<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Make bone broth at least once a month
(source the best chicken possible at this time)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Try liver by June (Just me for now,
though my husband eating it too would be nice)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Health Goals:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Stop taking that darn birth control pill
by March, for the sake of my continuing health ( it has not treated me well,
and research indicates they are rather terrible for fertility and the chance of
getting certain cancers)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Try to lose a much weight as possible
January through March. If nothing seems to be happening, speak with
my practitioner about this issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Get back into some basic hygiene habits
(college reeked havoc on my teeth-brushing habit!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Start using herbal tinctures as
supplements by June<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Pay off the remaining medical debts so
the check ups are possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Eliminate soda for life by June-July<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Keep a weight loss journal through March<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Creative Goals:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Drawing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Draw every day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Set up a monthly schedule
with one male drawing and one perspective drawing per week <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Comics<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Finish Planning stages of
Lark Song by May<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Start Script for Lark Song
May- December<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Work out layouts along side
script<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Set up Kickstarter by
December<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Cosplay<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Revamp Fluttershy by March
15th<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Make a concrete plan for
future cosplay by March 30th<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Improve prop construction
for JAFAX 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Along side the cosplay
plan, make a "parts of costume and materials" list<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Learn shoe covering<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Fanfiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Pare down list of stories to ones
I actually care about<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Finish Eva outline by June<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Finish Eva writing by December<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Sewing and knitting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Sew two projects a month<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> ~ Finish the baby blanket by
December<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Decluttering Goals:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Reduce my
person possessions by half by June<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Assess my "save for kids"
items and save only what I really want for them<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Read through book collection and give
away the ones I don't want to keep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Make paper crane chains and branch so
the bin can be used for storage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Separate clothes into Keep, Donate,
Repair/ Repurpose, and Rag Bag categories<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Weight Loss Goal:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Lose 1-2 pounds a week to get as
close to 170 pounds by December, unless pregnancy occurs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So yeah, that's clearly a crap ton of
goals. I'm sure many will not be attainable this year, but I will do the best I
can and roll over the good ones that I don't finish for 2014. What kind of
goals do you have?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On a less list-heavy note, here's a part
of the first full piece I've done with my new Wacom Bamboo Create tablet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98k40VTODge94w8iqmctg_u1IudEgleCIjy9TUkZgUYuBbpmtV9ybT-dRA8zIix3PsAph5bdhRPJahW0yYOEmr2nunsb_TKSHg1XLMg9o7juVD5L-OADvyJU6-hUzx83aBnS6gypU5tE/s1600/LithPortrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98k40VTODge94w8iqmctg_u1IudEgleCIjy9TUkZgUYuBbpmtV9ybT-dRA8zIix3PsAph5bdhRPJahW0yYOEmr2nunsb_TKSHg1XLMg9o7juVD5L-OADvyJU6-hUzx83aBnS6gypU5tE/s1600/LithPortrait.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best picture of Lithium I've done yet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bai Bai Buu!<br />
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-36260025754284763502013-01-01T20:23:00.001-05:002013-02-27T15:25:55.753-05:002013, What Led Up to It, and My New Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
Before anyone freaks out on me, the last part of title refers to this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RNc2vpQMndwOqcecAbNAUqZc7uiCFTaWPQKs895tSx5yBjBfV7LSbpEukqRXZNLqZRo-dzBY7kJPu2Y7W6Gu_3RUQvywJ6OmaokTSolA_4kN7AEY0P_MQqg0K46vTgaHOzKVa4K90a4/s1600/MyBaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RNc2vpQMndwOqcecAbNAUqZc7uiCFTaWPQKs895tSx5yBjBfV7LSbpEukqRXZNLqZRo-dzBY7kJPu2Y7W6Gu_3RUQvywJ6OmaokTSolA_4kN7AEY0P_MQqg0K46vTgaHOzKVa4K90a4/s400/MyBaby.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behold! My new Wacom Bamboo Create Tablet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I seriously have the best mother-in-law ever! I had no idea that anyone would buy this for me since its so expensive but she totally did! It's my Christmas and birthday present but I couldn't be happier. I can finally work around the scanner issues we've had around here. I've been sketching like a maniac. I'll put some of my work up later.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The end of 2012 was a frantic one for me. Every year I keep telling myself that I'm going to work on Christmas presents throughout the year to spread out the cost and keep myself sane. I almost managed it but then I gave into Peer-Pressure: Mother Edition and waited until she was ready to throw in her half of the Christmas fund. That was December 1st. I really need to remember that I must function as if she's not there when it comes to finances. Silly me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anyway, here are a few of the things I made for family members:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCPd730bfX-Fy1WCxbHp7G-bXzNO07wwSOA_kuud5HYx2HQLW4RfF5YFd43Tf5iuoFU3iXcDw-3VfsfmkolzLD26FKL45UEWUSmBgWVtLlAvjsKmaseA58-u9ce2pFYNtJkThz-9mrV8/s1600/WhalesPersonandPiggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCPd730bfX-Fy1WCxbHp7G-bXzNO07wwSOA_kuud5HYx2HQLW4RfF5YFd43Tf5iuoFU3iXcDw-3VfsfmkolzLD26FKL45UEWUSmBgWVtLlAvjsKmaseA58-u9ce2pFYNtJkThz-9mrV8/s400/WhalesPersonandPiggy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Humpback whales, pattern courtesy of Valaan Villapaita (<a href="http://valaanvillapaita.blogspot.com/2011/05/tee-se-itse-valas.html">go here</a> ), a baby sock piggy <br />
and a baby sock person.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1te91f8HbgBiIAT8DKU23NmsYZrE4WKUQl8zX1NjihuCv4lhttah80FKyO27NyWveZ-FKfVD4tCsBIbqqEvys_ttRxhyphenhyphen0GGztDnwVTz-N6_TEuHfjVsXoLa2IHpZbIM0qsvuQaJjQdFE/s1600/Platypurse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1te91f8HbgBiIAT8DKU23NmsYZrE4WKUQl8zX1NjihuCv4lhttah80FKyO27NyWveZ-FKfVD4tCsBIbqqEvys_ttRxhyphenhyphen0GGztDnwVTz-N6_TEuHfjVsXoLa2IHpZbIM0qsvuQaJjQdFE/s400/Platypurse.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a Platypurse. It was such a breakthrough for me when it comes to sewing because I've never made anything lined before.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD3ZBMOM0UV69p42eZAAwb8P6fLrRbv1dWMU4D0eX2c7nM8UJLe_1HH9GeMH9trco6vWOB9BqrMswdNXowjjNJmm4NmvJNHkmvu4fDXMCP4OGGtFaeZhJo3p8Ok8z322w5UN6WhzRDTk/s1600/OctoPlushie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD3ZBMOM0UV69p42eZAAwb8P6fLrRbv1dWMU4D0eX2c7nM8UJLe_1HH9GeMH9trco6vWOB9BqrMswdNXowjjNJmm4NmvJNHkmvu4fDXMCP4OGGtFaeZhJo3p8Ok8z322w5UN6WhzRDTk/s400/OctoPlushie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This the adorable little cephalopod is for my cousin's youngest daughter. I need to make on for her oldest since I caused a bit of jealousy. Whoops.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is just a small sample. I also made little fleece pillows for another cousin, red jersey/black lace scarf for another cousin, non-lethal throwing stars for two of my male cousins and a set of Peanut Butter and Jelly Fleece Pillows for yet another cousin and his wife. I was a bit of a sewing fiend.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I wasn't sewing, I went shopping with my cousin. We both found a bra we were interested in but didn't buy, and it turned out to be the same one. Almost...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0G1C6PjZM6CmlENE37btw4ZTva9DnkdXmoCucqoG6Es0eOQ49_yE-iHfakLFacDz1wFE3qRnegKJcqhTu0UETBkTBdUfGKfq7hXDpe_vR6qjK82Eoa25icxI267op2Ww6gz7K7-9hp0/s1600/BraPerspective.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0G1C6PjZM6CmlENE37btw4ZTva9DnkdXmoCucqoG6Es0eOQ49_yE-iHfakLFacDz1wFE3qRnegKJcqhTu0UETBkTBdUfGKfq7hXDpe_vR6qjK82Eoa25icxI267op2Ww6gz7K7-9hp0/s400/BraPerspective.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mine is on left, hers on the right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We left that store in hysterical giggles because mine was twice the size of hers. Honestly I didn't think there was that big a difference between us. I still chuckle about it.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Next post will be that all-expected 2013 Resolutions. Lets hope I can actually make them happen this year!</div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-90754389272835891042012-12-11T06:48:00.000-05:002012-12-11T06:48:23.446-05:00Survey AdventuresApparently, I'm boring.<br />
<br />
Or at least according to the surveys I attempt to take through Swagbucks (<a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/">http://www.swagbucks.com/</a>). Normally I wouldn't join one of these types of sites but I've been hearing some good things about this one in particular. The person in question said she was able to fund a trip from Michigan to Tennessee through Swagbucks and another site. I was skeptical but when I visited Swagbucks, it had multiple ways to earn the bucks. One of those was taking surveys from sites they already checked out to make sure they were safe. They often give you quite a few bucks.<br />
<br />
Except when you don't meet their criteria, which for me is about 90% of the time. Apparently for these surveys, a married white 20-something female who doesn't have to have the latest gadgets including a "smartphone", drinks rarely, is a homemaker on a budget, and whose family only buys used cars apparently doesn't have opinions that matter. The only surveys I've been able to qualify for involve grocery or retail shopping.<br />
<br />
I get it, they are looking for people who can give them opinions on products and services they actually use. I simply don't fit the bill. But it's no less annoying. Swagbucks is nice enough to give you one little Swagbuck for five of the surveys you don't qualify for in a day. Unfortunately for me, I fill that quota with great speed. And one buck verses the 50+ a survey gives out isn't much of a consultation prize. Not that it's their fault. That falls to the survey people.<br />
<br />
I just want to know when and how I became too boring to survey.<br />
<br />
Oh well. Now for something completely different.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoQ39EW58J8OWVnpo8-ymrtxs6EhUCl7alQLL7PFLWfoqMxt9Is4tOYxbkNFZXp28N241HjP_tONFJuXinyStB7wdmSfTb3QpcgxQA316_sVPyiH59Swf9iKEYGDA0od6Z-dzGrcZddk/s1600/Un_Yukai_by_ookaminokage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoQ39EW58J8OWVnpo8-ymrtxs6EhUCl7alQLL7PFLWfoqMxt9Is4tOYxbkNFZXp28N241HjP_tONFJuXinyStB7wdmSfTb3QpcgxQA316_sVPyiH59Swf9iKEYGDA0od6Z-dzGrcZddk/s400/Un_Yukai_by_ookaminokage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Un-Yukai, a warbeast from one of my stories. No Stealy. He's Mine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-38374023225685958752012-11-29T11:09:00.001-05:002012-11-30T11:25:40.817-05:00I Worry About My HeadThere's good news and there's bad news.<br />
<br />
The good news is that I'm working on starting a little webcomic, mostly so I'll have to do something with my art or people will show up with the torches and pitchforks for lack of updates. It won't be shmancy at first but who said I had to be fabulous before posting anyway?<br />
<br />
The problem is, I have no idea where to begin. I'm fairly certain I'm going to do something semi-random a la Awkward Zombie ( <a href="http://awkwardzombie.com/">http://awkwardzombie.com</a> ), in that somethings will connect, other things will be experiments and random crap that comes to my head. But from there, I'm not sure what I'm doing.<br />
<br />
How do I find a place to host the comic?<br />
<br />
Should I include original work, or fanfiction...or both? And which ones should I do?<br />
<br />
How often should I update?<br />
<br />
I think my head may go splodyboom!<br />
<br />
So, any ideas?<br />
<br />
Also if anyone knows who did this lovely image, I would really like to know so I can internet hug them. This is a recent fandom of mine and this picture is quite possibly one of the best I've seen for it. N and Touko from Pokemon Black/White is seriously adorbs!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSI0ZFnecIdXNqY-4vJqx2zbN9kflmH0Mq74CJezbnCL8Y6cNRMMNH8MGB3lGOsTMcbwO9lJZogJGJXNq2o5Y-Zpxc5bgFVJbdeNXeVZ2yhaw24QWuPC9wNXev2jSWQWHhYos-6vpbsg/s1600/tumblr_lhzfslYP8R1qa2buvo1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSI0ZFnecIdXNqY-4vJqx2zbN9kflmH0Mq74CJezbnCL8Y6cNRMMNH8MGB3lGOsTMcbwO9lJZogJGJXNq2o5Y-Zpxc5bgFVJbdeNXeVZ2yhaw24QWuPC9wNXev2jSWQWHhYos-6vpbsg/s400/tumblr_lhzfslYP8R1qa2buvo1_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who drew you, beautiful picture?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-63840406610318970332012-11-19T17:22:00.000-05:002012-11-19T17:22:02.594-05:00A "Shoot Me Now" DayThis isn't going to much of an update simply because of the kind of day I've had.<br />
<br />
In Short:<br />
- Couldn't get out of bed this morning.<br />
- I thought the washer had died.<br />
- I tried to wash some blankets in the tub. I succeeded but I couldn't wring them out well so the dryer couldn't handle them.<br />
- My husband fixed the washer in two seconds...just needed to hit the reset button on the outlet.<br />
- I'm horribly tired despite getting enough sleep, so much so I couldn't even work out today...<br />
<br />
Dinner went well though.Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-80327301054620584402012-11-08T18:03:00.001-05:002012-11-08T18:03:05.345-05:00Artist Media Revelations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
*** Warning: This post contains a little bit of drawn/painted nudity in the form of a man chest and the back of a nude woman, so there's a butt shot. These were meant simply as anatomy practice, but its not for little ones or those who would be offended by this. ***</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello all!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I wander around the internet a lot, usually to things on Pinterest or links from the blogs I read. I'm also trying to find new ways to improve my art process. And that's when I discovered that I actually like watercolors. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For years I belittled watercolors as something you used if you couldn't afford other paints. I didn't mean to be like that, I just hadn't seen how beautiful watercolor could be with the work I already do. Pinterest is full of art like that. I have been humbled. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And then I remembered I still had some watercolor sets from high school and I went crazy! I think I'll be incorporating watercolor into my sketch process more often.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBllfwfJ_i5hRoRCMqZvnymxMk6CjhTBEt4zqidqM3DAfbH_Xqtd6zQs3FMEmwG3xTvhZD8Qo7r3e5_keNG_Ubdg8ba4uZXI2ImPcZVCWia7ipUh5NPVPJYrUMFk6E_ncu8IsgXzDlXlE/s1600/Curseyoumantorso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBllfwfJ_i5hRoRCMqZvnymxMk6CjhTBEt4zqidqM3DAfbH_Xqtd6zQs3FMEmwG3xTvhZD8Qo7r3e5_keNG_Ubdg8ba4uZXI2ImPcZVCWia7ipUh5NPVPJYrUMFk6E_ncu8IsgXzDlXlE/s320/Curseyoumantorso.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one looks better in the sketchbook. Less bruised...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vlhG9g06DcO8GCqSGJBqgQQ349ph6RxEAwF3lr20xxcxwmYrMBlWpW1u82ABq_RHWyHQoW8T8vhw3F3lSUATG50ZWhpg2rdIhvcjjj4MdlP-rYcwkMhE-5reQHquZefDnwuQMItpB1w/s1600/PosedNude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vlhG9g06DcO8GCqSGJBqgQQ349ph6RxEAwF3lr20xxcxwmYrMBlWpW1u82ABq_RHWyHQoW8T8vhw3F3lSUATG50ZWhpg2rdIhvcjjj4MdlP-rYcwkMhE-5reQHquZefDnwuQMItpB1w/s320/PosedNude.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's the best one I did. And the first. I'm not sure I improved or not.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9X8a6iMmPzHw5M5JEuOJNbZvuksP6RAp5uHXMhVYO-Fij8bDu7MEYLFXN8mtpGm5dL8B4Wk9Q4tYTX15Vl-ip6xc-0fMSzdeRpcfUxkfC8wyDpq2i4E4ULFEkQe8l3AlLpfgg49upXE/s1600/Firestorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9X8a6iMmPzHw5M5JEuOJNbZvuksP6RAp5uHXMhVYO-Fij8bDu7MEYLFXN8mtpGm5dL8B4Wk9Q4tYTX15Vl-ip6xc-0fMSzdeRpcfUxkfC8wyDpq2i4E4ULFEkQe8l3AlLpfgg49upXE/s320/Firestorm.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the last of my face studies. I think I was getting tired because she's way messier than I'd normally let happen. By the way, this is my character Firestorm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pz7VN0m7RFYJbIk18Gb4vpX9ooE7mINRSQGxkruq2sjJEQ9TTH2xbnmSK7x1ZpMQgu1KAFTy_1yiRznwtPMuvhLwx0yvVapZnUxyQpGgOwHvbBH7vjXGHexyI_ueCsazAsnTTPt_03I/s1600/Ayseirah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pz7VN0m7RFYJbIk18Gb4vpX9ooE7mINRSQGxkruq2sjJEQ9TTH2xbnmSK7x1ZpMQgu1KAFTy_1yiRznwtPMuvhLwx0yvVapZnUxyQpGgOwHvbBH7vjXGHexyI_ueCsazAsnTTPt_03I/s320/Ayseirah.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Ayseirah. I did her before Firestorm and she was turning out really well until I did the hair behind her face. Don't get your paper too wet...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLRJmdSmqcx2UjKpbGxjLl4YsjwU_qEkw6xgvwbKlPvuVCgrv9mTuzq80oGTZ3hjJXAkEjcJLENgML5H7TqqRrygkbKThah8uvJRoVvMd0rYz3M9o6mpFphP2CuHG9MCykpz42tPDk6A/s1600/Lark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLRJmdSmqcx2UjKpbGxjLl4YsjwU_qEkw6xgvwbKlPvuVCgrv9mTuzq80oGTZ3hjJXAkEjcJLENgML5H7TqqRrygkbKThah8uvJRoVvMd0rYz3M9o6mpFphP2CuHG9MCykpz42tPDk6A/s320/Lark.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my character, Lark. I'm bummed the picture turned out really blurry because she is the best one of the bunch, especially since she has white hair. The blue worked perfectly as the shade color.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TJe5mO15RYiFu2zDPEB9Rv3jRNhiaHhaeNwSMmMycoYiWPPxj6f8BCGQ-oJr07nGKpjHnwD3304_POMXXW_gDqpN-oMs3L8XIRd4WYBocd4A4AdII16xOjVHO-yp6pdXcKWPKsZ1RQ8/s1600/Laine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TJe5mO15RYiFu2zDPEB9Rv3jRNhiaHhaeNwSMmMycoYiWPPxj6f8BCGQ-oJr07nGKpjHnwD3304_POMXXW_gDqpN-oMs3L8XIRd4WYBocd4A4AdII16xOjVHO-yp6pdXcKWPKsZ1RQ8/s320/Laine.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Laine. I'm most proud of her because she's not a dark brunette like most of my lead females and it worked fabulously.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-PY0Dv0ym4reWGRZj6f1dCMposLgc0irTsf4z1kC8gki3bfFmLN4zk9YLFyiWJzrErs_1_JQ8WU8-tqRjVvUoapCcTOrTL7GwA2VuY5Tq_r7DXfVbkfXK8U5aP2CmcYe10fUdpw5w6I/s1600/Meira.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-PY0Dv0ym4reWGRZj6f1dCMposLgc0irTsf4z1kC8gki3bfFmLN4zk9YLFyiWJzrErs_1_JQ8WU8-tqRjVvUoapCcTOrTL7GwA2VuY5Tq_r7DXfVbkfXK8U5aP2CmcYe10fUdpw5w6I/s320/Meira.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay Meira has green eyes! She was the first one face I painted. I really struggled with her hair when I drew it and then again when I painted it. Curse you fauxhawks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloMWWeEH-NrB9UXBSq7Pfbmai-U06xloP2XGYK0kgsTBfBJI3HCKoJk2qielEEfG89xb5Csm5-Ndf5TQVo2j0ZpFsxFOOejOV_N07pNGbrFpGlm0nB-W6dLd5_kQvtiziiTeOTYihwzQ/s1600/FluttershyRevamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloMWWeEH-NrB9UXBSq7Pfbmai-U06xloP2XGYK0kgsTBfBJI3HCKoJk2qielEEfG89xb5Csm5-Ndf5TQVo2j0ZpFsxFOOejOV_N07pNGbrFpGlm0nB-W6dLd5_kQvtiziiTeOTYihwzQ/s400/FluttershyRevamp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my Fluttershy cosplay redesign in color. Unfortunately, the color was eaten by the digital process.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-53358532176777026402012-11-03T17:50:00.001-04:002012-11-03T17:50:38.594-04:00Patience When "Wait" is Akin to an ExpletiveAnyone who has read any of my post may have notice I'm not a patient woman. I've even blogged about it before. I'm realizing it may be worse than I previously thought.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You see, there are two things that stand in the way of my husband and I having children, not counting the biggest one which is God's timing. Obviously, if He doesn't make it happen, it won't. But there are two things fully withing my power to change. Namely, my desire and ability to keep a home and the thorn in my pudgy side, my weight.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So why is this bothering my impatience? I have been far more diligent working on both of those aspects of my life. I'm doing really well. So of course, I stupidly think that means we should be having kids right now because I've managed to keep the house in order for two weeks. Yep that's right, I think that I have made LIFE ALTERING PROGRESS from two weeks of success.<br />
<br />
Two weeks of success is definitely an improvement for me though. Usually when I try to make something a good habit, I manage it for about three days and fizzle out, only to find myself doing nothing but scouring Pinterest and wondering why I can't accomplish anything.<br />
<br />
I need to keep waiting, even if I was raised to think wait is the same as profanity. Rather than sit there and wonder when my husband is going to say I've done enough ( goodness I love him for being the sensible half of us!) I'll keep moving forward, establishing laundry as a habit rather than a chore along with many other things I "forget" to do.<br />
<br />
God's really working on me with this one. He keep putting awesome Christian moms' blogs in my inbox that are amazing and convicting. These are ladies that share many of my view on raising children, like homeschooling in a way that doesn't create socially awkward weirdos, but confident people with a love of learning, serving truly nourishing food so that my whole family is healthy (saves on doctor bills!), and creating the kind of home life God wants me to create for the family. Wow...that was quite the sentence. Don't throw things at me!<br />
<br />
Going back to the point, it's been great to have daily reminders of what I desire to see in the future of this crazy little family of two. Please pray/ send good vibes my way that I continue exercising patience while we wait for the right time to have little ones and that I continue to make homemaking a habit.<br />
<br />
I shall leave you with this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK9zO67iT7Mg4HErt7FlfsuY3dh2JT5AUMWRjN8QWQt4pNnUp3zGpbqfyBr3ZLyZ6YehPr4v56102ysAjMsaqF_pPyNQTeXzvNqKd1VwU6Se_12EioeAQVA2RW12qJIVEm2JBOLLrVUY/s1600/Evin_Candy_Corn_by_ookaminokage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK9zO67iT7Mg4HErt7FlfsuY3dh2JT5AUMWRjN8QWQt4pNnUp3zGpbqfyBr3ZLyZ6YehPr4v56102ysAjMsaqF_pPyNQTeXzvNqKd1VwU6Se_12EioeAQVA2RW12qJIVEm2JBOLLrVUY/s640/Evin_Candy_Corn_by_ookaminokage.jpg" width="474" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I came up with some strange things back in the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-2731133721838882842012-10-25T19:00:00.000-04:002012-10-25T19:00:21.739-04:00Someday But Not Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf-G1LQ4KQe7Nayo2gqIv-_UTO3oGNFFhH_MYPmW7yOXVcDBsSxaVtpMBalfMUCmlhG7rFUax3jXpjuifgYG3lgHK3v4DMlkN8KMRvwyJ4a7a6fClWcyaQmRrbrJKHRBY07obfQEFWTA/s1600/SomedayBlueBaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf-G1LQ4KQe7Nayo2gqIv-_UTO3oGNFFhH_MYPmW7yOXVcDBsSxaVtpMBalfMUCmlhG7rFUax3jXpjuifgYG3lgHK3v4DMlkN8KMRvwyJ4a7a6fClWcyaQmRrbrJKHRBY07obfQEFWTA/s400/SomedayBlueBaby.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-36086994687734648002012-10-23T13:01:00.001-04:002012-10-23T13:01:23.743-04:00Mending WhimsicallyJust a small update of what I've been up to lately; Mending! This is a very easy technique I sort of based off something from the book Mend It Better by Kristin M. Roach ( <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603425640/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=13515938487&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1564602265577627815&hvpone=12.89&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_2wn9gl3htp_e">Find it here on Amazon</a> ). I don't think I did it like the book shows, but it worked well. All I needed was for it reinforce some minor holes that resulted from pulls in the knit fabrics. I used six strand embroidery thread separated into either three or two strand bundles depending on the size of areas I needed to cover.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbgAG0ojoi3N3s3mye8h6F-JAgbhkSANuj8_ADxrVEu1SgKbHkzgr6n2VlBSZ65XvnGHGuwmC4V2r01llJ_z3Iq0jruyKTzMI5SdC2QcpRJyPvqHqvTO3I_shzvfoIpgbfHnQaLEh42w/s1600/BlueStar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbgAG0ojoi3N3s3mye8h6F-JAgbhkSANuj8_ADxrVEu1SgKbHkzgr6n2VlBSZ65XvnGHGuwmC4V2r01llJ_z3Iq0jruyKTzMI5SdC2QcpRJyPvqHqvTO3I_shzvfoIpgbfHnQaLEh42w/s400/BlueStar.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shirt was the first one I did, botched it, did another one and then started this version. I forgot to take a finished picture. Oh well, it shows the process.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeuD5ufVqS35zeLD2zrEYDg4IoCUKclWG3-UB_DDpahQFTjaoZxp4FusXnhQDaYNAvCCmG1gHZlLmH_V0Go4XDLd3KnHdLpBmVT5NA_ZnE1q6hTne8QDYT-Q1JVXNdpbMNtvQreeFojg/s1600/Hoodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeuD5ufVqS35zeLD2zrEYDg4IoCUKclWG3-UB_DDpahQFTjaoZxp4FusXnhQDaYNAvCCmG1gHZlLmH_V0Go4XDLd3KnHdLpBmVT5NA_ZnE1q6hTne8QDYT-Q1JVXNdpbMNtvQreeFojg/s400/Hoodie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one was just a small hole by the hood this shirt. You can't tell by the picture but the heart is a very pale <br />green.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0z6ZlQjBnsRIs3jRW8WG99VjIp8GoYUECMPezX56xmRAgQs2vWyus2R1GzUImdOjmeNdg0Np0Rzp2Rjac1jTetXrLJaw_x2GsvV9id3uS64N2JMGMDIlJTtSxjnM4-BgRNefL_kZLgk/s1600/Hearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0z6ZlQjBnsRIs3jRW8WG99VjIp8GoYUECMPezX56xmRAgQs2vWyus2R1GzUImdOjmeNdg0Np0Rzp2Rjac1jTetXrLJaw_x2GsvV9id3uS64N2JMGMDIlJTtSxjnM4-BgRNefL_kZLgk/s400/Hearts.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">I'm not telling you what this is. You can probably guess though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAViR8v2H6LuRbPX_W-2tiepaCW_yvogEC8soldNcE66Hk74ApuW-_ZppV_j5fTVEWmLHmyISXvVY6nwYCO2zix9nbUJb53sU27TT5pOzf28Ek-0TlxkHntiPsZ1z2Dkvdv7sSC_nUXIw/s1600/FinishedFruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAViR8v2H6LuRbPX_W-2tiepaCW_yvogEC8soldNcE66Hk74ApuW-_ZppV_j5fTVEWmLHmyISXvVY6nwYCO2zix9nbUJb53sU27TT5pOzf28Ek-0TlxkHntiPsZ1z2Dkvdv7sSC_nUXIw/s400/FinishedFruit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my Kingdom Hearts 358/2 shirt so I decided to make my mending paopu fruit which shows up in a tree on the shirt. This was my favorite one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049414921967719456.post-48882500509544419072012-10-13T19:26:00.001-04:002012-10-16T13:11:12.458-04:00Here's the ListIn my last post I mentioned that I was going to look at my excuses for not doing things that I should be doing. I have answered my excuses. Thanks again to Amy at Raising Arrows for the inspiration! ( <a href="http://raisingarrows.net/">Check out her blog here</a> ) . Also, please feel free to share anything that you make excuses about not doing when you have the time and resources. I'd love to share your efforts to change this with you!<br />
<br />
Here's the list.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #403152; font-family: LainieDaySH; font-size: 48.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;">Refuting the Excuses<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #4f6228; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #4F6228; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent3; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 128;">~ This list is an exercise in proving that I have plenty of time to
do the work that I am supposed to as a homemaker and wife and the ability to
prepare for these things. I have 24 hours in a day, just like everyone else and
God has given me many abilities I can use to make these things fun. I have no
excuses! Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”
NASB ~<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">I can’t stay up after making James’s
breakfast and lunch. </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;">I have done this before so I can do it again. I know that tea helps
me stay awake so I should use that. Early morning is ideal for quiet time and
doing my work out. I don’t need all that extra sleep, which may be contributing
to my weight issues, and I can get to sleep at the right time if I don’t sleep
in.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">I can’t work out and still be productive
during the day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> If I do the work out earlier enough, I can rest for a bit afterward
without hindering time for other tasks. Also, I need to do exercises that won’t
fatigue me too much. If I don’t feel like I could work out again, I’ve done too
much. Gentle yoga moves, transverse abdominal work and walking are ideal.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">There isn’t enough time during the week to
clean the house.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> There is no reason for this. Doing a one-shot task and an on-going
task is not too much during the day. An example would be cleaning the bathroom
and folding the clean laundry. Neither of those things takes too much time.
Make a schedule for each day that includes a one-shot and on-going and a
maintenance task. Stick to this and it will be much easier to tackle these
things.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; text-indent: -0.25in;"> 4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; text-indent: -0.25in;">I can’t keep up with the laundry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> The above schedule will address this. Not only will this make
things easier on James when it comes to work clothes, it will help our clothes
last longer. Patching and mending will also help.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">I don’t have the time or the inspiration to
draw every day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> Given the above things, there should most definitely be time to
draw. I need to carve out a specific time, probably after lunch as it will be
easier to assimilate into nap/quiet time for children later and is good for
letting digestion do its thing. As for inspiration, this is not necessary.
Follow lessons on Drawspace or work on specific things for stories. There is
never a time I don’t have something to draw, as long as I don’t expect perfection.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 6)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Nobody helps me out that much so why should I
keep up with the house?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> I don’t need that much help. James is willing to work on the
basement and Mom does the dishes when I cook dinner. I have plenty of time so
this is an attitude issue. Proverbs 31: 17-18 “She is energetic and strong, a
hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable, her lamp burns late
into the night.” NLT</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 7)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">The mess is too overwhelming for me to
handle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> The mess is big but it is not impossible to deal with, especially
taken in small chunks. A little every day will go a long way. This can be
worked into the on-going tasks. Remember Philippians 4:13</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;">!</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 8)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">I will never be able to lose weight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> Says who? Just because the pounds aren’t melting away doesn’t mean
they won’t eventually. This takes time and diligence neither of which I’ve been
putting into it. If I’m doing this and still I can’t seem to lose any weight,
then there may be a problem to address with a doctor but first I need to put in
the work. Again, I need to carve out time for this.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"> 9)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">I will never know how to do things for myself
rather than others or other-oriented goals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> This one I’m not so sure about but it’s something I should take to
God. I don’t know what to do about this but He knows and can direct me in the
way I should go in regards to this. Talking to Jeff may help as well because I
really don’t understand what James means by this. My art is pretty much all for
myself, or at least I think it is. This needs further scrutiny.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 10)
I can’t do anything toward my homesteading goals right now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> There are many
things I can experiment with while waiting for garden space or livestock. I can
sprout things, grow small batches of herbs and microgreens, work on soaking and
fermenting grains, search for second hand tools like a grain mill and work on
other skills I have the tools for, like sewing. The biggest thing I should be
doing is breaking down my goals into steps that I can be working on so I’m not
trying to do everything at once.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 11)
I can’t feed my family well on conventional food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> While conventional
food is not ideal, it is what is available to us at this time due to budget
restraints. Until we are able to rework our budget to accommodate the higher
prices of better quality food, I need to focus on making meals as healthful as
possible with the conventionally grown items. I should also strive to have a
variety of foods to limit the overexposure of chemicals specific to the
particular food. Growing as much as I can with the space I’ve got and limiting
the foods that are the most sprayed/injected/etc. will be a good start. This is
a step by step process.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 12)
I don’t have time for experimenting and must get things right the first time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I am not God,
therefore I am not expected to get everything right the first time. There is no
rush because things will not fall apart if I don’t learn to bake sourdough or
set up a permaculture garden immediately before having babies or what have you.
God is in control of what I can and cannot do, of the timeline for my learning
and of all that I should do for myself and my family. I need to let Him direct
my projects and let go of the need to be perfect because I’m not and He is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><span style="color: #403152;"><b><i> </i></b></span>13)
I will mess up badly if I try to can food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">See above. This is something
I need to try before writing it off as impossible. Aunt Mel did it wrong for
years and never killed anybody, so why am I so afraid to do it right? The
safety precautions are easy to understand and I know how to identify food gone
icky. Furthermore, it is a skill that is extremely valuable in light of the
depleted conventional farms that are currently failing, one that I wish to
teach my children so that whatever the future may hold for the state of food,
they will have skills to feed their families and save that food for the winter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><span style="color: #403152;"><b><i> </i></b></span>14)
I will be stuck on birth control pills for as long as we’re not actively trying
to have a child.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I need to continue
my research on this. As far as I can tell from my research, conventional doctors
believe them to be safe but a large body of studies indicate that long-term use
can cause increased risks that outweigh the benefits of use. While they do
reduce the chances of ovarian and endometrial cancers (which makes sense
because these parts are not being used in the same way due to the hormones), it
increases the risk of breast, uterine, and LIVER cancer (which I cannot live
without). One of my biggest issues though, is that while the pill can guarantee
98.9ish% effectiveness in preventing pregnancy, it prevents ovulation on about
68-75% of the time. This means that because of the dramatic thinning of the
endometrium (it needs to be about 12mm thick for implantation and the pill
keeps it at less than 6mm), eggs that were released in that 25-32% of the time
may have been fertilized but were simply unable to implant. This is pretty much
what the terrible morning-after abortion pill does. This is also the definition
of a chemical pregnancy, which is considered a miscarriage. So following that
logic, taking the pill is forced miscarriage. It also is looking more and more
like we don’t trust God to know when we should have children and when we
shouldn’t. I don’t want to Crouse or Gentner, but the pill is seeming less
wise. My research is also indicating that the pill is not helpful for PCOS, if
I indeed have it because it creates a false environment of hormonal rightness.
It may even be doing more harm than good by flooding my system with androgenic
hormones that increase my testosterone levels, which in turn increase my
estrogen levels, which lead to weight gain. The excess fat then gives off more
estrogen and the cycle continues. These things seem to outweigh protecting my
other ovary. Shouldn’t I be trusting God to protect my fertility, indeed my
very life, rather than a man-made chemical set?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><span style="color: #403152;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 15)
The Lysakowski-Sparkia homestead is nothing but a dream. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #403152; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themeshade: 128;"> While it is a dream
right now, it doesn’t have to stay that way. We are all for it right now, we
are creative and determined people. With proper preparation, this is not
something impossible to achieve. God willing, of course.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 16)
I will be a bad mom because I don’t have enough discipline and will thus become
hypocritical when teaching our future children.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Every parent will go
through this. The best thing I can do is pray that God gives me the desire to
learn discipline so that I’m not asking things of our children that I am not
doing myself. It’s not a sign of a bad mom, just one that is sinful, imperfect
and still needing to learn about her role.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 17)
I can’t break my sugar habit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Philippians 4:13
strikes again! This is completely doable, especially if I’m doing the cooking.
I don’t have to add refined sugar to my food. It would be nice if I didn’t have
to go it alone but if that’s the case, I will do it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><span style="color: #403152;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 18)
I will never have Imogene, Geraldine, or Mable (Mini Jersey Cow, goat and ewe)
because I’m not disciplined and brave enough to handle them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I need to start
small with this one. I should start by raising laying hens before anything else.
If that goes well, with proper research and seeking out opportunities to
interact with these bigger animals, this is completely doable. These animals
require daily care but this is not something out of the scope of my abilities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><span style="color: #403152;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 19)
I will never finish any of my comics let alone publish them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Says who? Only I can
say that and based on what I’ve been doing, I’m saying I can’t do it. But I
know I can and the only way to do so is to work at it every day. Preparation
and planning is the key. Keeping to the plan is essential. This is doable,
especially because I plan to self-publish. I cannot keep living in fear that I
will fail. I only fail if I don’t do it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"><span style="color: #403152;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> 20)
I will never be enough for James.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Where in the world
did I get this idea? God made me for James, He knows what He is doing. I am
enough because God made me enough. I have things to learn but so does James. We
are both imperfect and will mess up, but we are where we are supposed to be
with each other. Keep making positive changes but don’t freak out!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #403152; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Luna Musingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350613303187214701noreply@blogger.com0