Last two in a commission of eleven.

I finally stopped dragging my feet about it, and finished the last two custom Monsters in an order of eleven. This was a very draining set to make, which is why I took so long making it. Everything was set out for me with very set and precise details that the customer wanted.

It was also very educational. While hats are still not perfect, they are far better than the first one I ever made for the Potato Cowboy. Also, I've learned that one of my flex-y tools is good for constructing super small details on before transfering them to the Monster itself. I also finally experimented with translucent clay and was very pleased with the results, as both beer mugs I made look frosted. You can see the gold I used for beer underneath, making the beer mug look full of, well, beer!

The last two things I learned is I need the customer to not tell me, "well no hurry, whenever you get to it." Because I apparently will never get to it. Also, I think I like to have a bit more creative control over the Monsters. As I mentioned before the customer knew what they wanted in what colors and how. And then when I found I couldn't do something in clay.... well, it got frustrating and hard to have to try for hours until I maybe--and even then it risked looking mediocre--got it, rather than being able to brainstorm something else I could do that would look just as, if not more, awesome.

Here are some recent postings that have gone up in the past week or so. Mostly I have decided to skip posting the "normal" Timid Monsters here--at least during the holidays--because I post so many a day/week, that you would surely get bored with them. I guess I'm trying to make this more interesting without really knowing how to go about doing so, but while assuming that the more complex things are also the more interesting.

This first Monster's inspiration came--in a roundabout way--from a friend I used to have in high school who always owned rats. However, since a ways back we had a rather nasty falling out, I didn't use the friend's name (though I rather wanted to), and I was careful to avoid any points of recognition in the description. You know? Because we still have some mutual friends and are awkwardly still FaceBook buddies. I didn't know if she would take offence to me making her into a Monster with her favorite pet--especially such a brightly colored Monster!
Cameron the Timid Monster goes everywhere with Jacob, much to the chagrin of the other Monsters. They think all rats are filthy and vile. Little do they know that Jacob and Cameron both have impeccable hygeine. Cameron in afraid Jacob will never be accepted as a Monster if he doesn't grow some horns.

Next! I've had elephants before, but now, I have PET elephants. Yeah! I think they are adorable. I only have two made that are pets, amongst the few other smaller ones that are, well, free range, perhaps? I am hoping pet elephants are as popular as the past non-pet ones I've posted.

Always wanted to have a pet elephant? Me, too. And now you can own your very own sans the expensive food bill, messy clean up and hard-to-find-camouflage grey.

It has been a long time since I posted a habitat, but it isn't for lack of making them. Hmm, I suppose that should be it is not for lack of having them made and sitting on my shelf collecting dust because I have a hard time photographing them and then choosing only five angles to post on Etsy. So since the category "Timid Monster Habitats" has sat unused for months now, I decided ENOUGH was ENOUGH. I hope you like Harlow. Most of his nasty habits can be avoided by not leaving his jar open at night.

Harlow was found in an empty corner of the garden looking sad and lonely. So far, it seems that he likes to impersonate stumps, read over your shoulder, and reset the margins in word processing programs. Harlow eats mostly flowers and mushrooms that he grows and harvests in his new home.

Oh my gosh. FOUR. I must be out of control.

Or making up for lost time. Anyway. Here are two more commissions out of an eleven Monster order. I have two left to do.

Wowee! Three posts in one night?!

Indeed. I have a happy/sad announcement. I have been offered a job at the new Bayonne Shoprite. It is official when I hand in my paperwork between the hours of 10a and 4p.

This is good news as I've now been applying for various work--at literally hundreds of places--for well over a year, and I finally got something. It is sad because this is the only place I've even heard back from. Yay! Bachelor of Arts in English with a writing emphasis and Bachelor of Arts in psychology! *sigh* Don't mind me, I'm still in the tail end of my pity party.

The really sad news is that as with everytime I've had fulltime work, I will have significantly less time to make things, post them to Etsy, and generally be amazing. (Hey! I'm trying to stop wallowing in my grocery retail goodness!) But since I've been working on a new website that I have yet to launch, and I keep feeling like I'm on the verge of something big and great, I am going to try to keep this up as full time as I have the energy for.

That is all. Oh. And if my camera battery ever finishes recharging, expect a fourth post with pictures of two more finished commissions.