Lochness' Monster

Yo-ho~

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:26:13 GMT

One day, one day, I say, I will post something that looks like a real update, including pictures of Kenneth in Sorel and Mr. Takara in Cardinal, Ontario.

For now, anyone interested in ordering from this little shop? I just can't resist their silky pirate outfit. I'd love a coat like that for myself, actually. ^_^

Also, have a Lorelei pic! She's mah badass shadowrunner, for those who'd be in old 1980's rpgs. I gotta admit I stole her lip color from Enki Bilal's Jill in the Nikopol Trilogy.

Why, hello there

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:18:00 GMT

This smiley guy has been living with us for many years now. I recently discovered that with a few mods, he'd fit perfectly on a great body I had and repainted him for the occasion. He's been grinning a little more ever since. ^_^

Daija, Ixme, news and more, more, more!

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:05:18 GMT

Well... not really *that* many news, but...

1- It's been nearly 3 months now, and I still love my job. My boss is great, my colleagues are friendly, and I keep on learning new stuff. I think I'm even slowly getting used to working full-time. Slowly... ^_^;

2- Takara & Lorelei's bodies have shipped a few days ago. Yippie~!

3- I received a most unexpected email last Wednesday: the owner of the theatre company I used to work for wrote to thank me and ask me to give a short formation to her new employees. I'm flattered, really. Especially since the email was super nice. Also, the other lady, the one who gave me nightmares, left the company, so it won't be too awkward to visit the office.

4- I went to play paintball with my love and some friends 2 weeks ago, and Ixme helped us prepare for the action:

5- I've done something I haven't done in ages: I bought myself a cd. Yep, a music cd. It's the latest one by The Offspring and it's great.

6- Daija is a real fan of heroic kungfu movies, so I made her a little presentation. It's nothing much, but since I painted everything except for the basic characters and her face (even then, I did her faceup, right?), I'm quite proud. What's really strange, though, is that I never before attempted to use my Wacom to draw fire. The pyromaniac in me feels almost ashamed...

7- We always need more Ninja purring action!

More Daija!

What's left of my left knee or the heart-shaped scar, Rainbow-Brite-style. ^_^

It's silly, I know, but I said I'd do it, didn't I?

Meet Daija!

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:36:36 GMT

Fastest trip ever! I got a shipping notice from Fairyland on Friday July 25th and received the package the next Tuesday. Yippie~!

Without further ado, allow me to present Daija, the Great Snake: 大蛇. Yep, those are the same characters used to spell Orochimaru! ^_^

We can't see her faceup much, but I couldn't resist the rainbow. I can feel there'll be plenty more pics in the near future anyway: Daija is extremely inspiring. She'll eventually get a long white kana wig and I'll sew her a matching kimono... or maybe a traditional Chinese outfit. Her clothes should have a ghostly look, one way or the other, but I'm still pretty happy with her present style.

A message to all: don't shy away from the Feeple body. It's peculiar style and elongated neck might not be suited for any head, but it's absolutely perfect for an articulation maniac like me: it stands naturally and steadily, and holds a great variety of poses with ease. Hell, Daija can even bite her fingernails if she feels like it! She can also cross her arms without effort and it took me less than ten seconds to have her stand on one foot.

The two other heads are truly amazing. So much, in fact, that they'll need their own bodies. ^_^; Soon, you'll meet Lorelei the leopard, who has quite different tastes in clothes compared with the rest of the bunch. She'll actually wear (you won't believe it) jeans. I'm not quite sure how to describe her style, but I guess you may get an idea by looking at Shakira. O.o

The other little guy doesn't have a name just yet, but he's quite someone and I love his sculpt very, very much. ^_^

Before I go, here are 2 shots from a photoshoot I did with Nadezhda:

Good news, ladies and gents!

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:44:08 GMT

1- That super tiny brush aminamithri got for me paints miracles. Eyelashes have never been so fun! The brush's hair is at least an inch long, so at first I thought it'd make my lines all shaky. It's the opposite! That tool is truly amazing. Thank you~!

2- 'Cause I had to try the spiffy new brush, I needed a little ginea pig. Luckily, animefigurekit was kind enough to provide a willing subject. Is it pink enough for ya?

...And in case it doesn't show: yep! it's a cupcake on her cheek. ^_^ (to the victim provider: I'll send you a close-up!)

3- MY PACKAGE HAS SHIPPED!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaha~!!!!!!!!!
(the ultimate evil of the mighty brush will reign supreme)

4- Oh, yeah: have a me, just 'cause I'm rather proud of that pic (hey, it actually looks like little ol' me!).

Update!

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:29:29 GMT

Quick news about the gang and, mostly, pictures ('cause I'm *finally* done uploading them!)...

First, here it is at long last: Kamyel's guitar! Over the last year and a half, I considered hundreds of different replicas and ordered 3. The first one was way too small and got sold, the second one never got here 'cause the potential seller forgot to buy it for me, and the third one, from Dollmore, was a real disappointment when it arrived. I felt it had potential, though, and Kamyel was enthusiastic about the general shape of the instrument. So, I put it apart and rebuilt it, adding all sorts of knickknacks I've been gathering over the years. Now, it's just like steampunk, but without the steam!

Clockwork backside:

Front side:

What's a guitar without a guitar hero?

Then, allow me to present you the wonderful Jürgen Ravary, in his brand new suit, which fits even better than expected:

In case the suit looks familiar: it belongs to the Joker in the new Batman movie (if anyone would like a Heath Ledger head or a murderous clown mask, just ask: I have no idea what to do with them!). The gun was borrowed from Vincent Valentine and Jürgen himself shares the same mold as belladonna's supermodel dad. ^_^

Over the last month and a half, I also made clothes and accessories for Kamyel, Ixme, Nadezhda, Jiro, and Kenneth, who, in most cases, desperately needed stuff. I ordered socks for all the tall girls, sold almost instantly the Dollmore dress that didn't fit Nad (yay~!) and bought her a Dollheart outfit instead (coming soon!). Moreover, I received and hacked two wigs: a dark one for Kenneth and a pale one for Kiylan (which ended up fitting Ala really well) and I have been extremely unreasonable, once again (here, I should sigh in disappointment, but I'm way too excited by the anticipation to do so).

Oh, yeah: I also took tons of pics to prove my claims!

Yaren and Ixme!

Happy group!

Socks!

Kamyel & the Ninja!

Jiro in his new suit!

Nad!

Urban Kenneth! His new bag (inherited from Jürgen) contains his camera, laptop, and wrench (really).

Our delicious anniversary meal! Still makes me hungry...

And finally, a rainbow, 'cause I just love that pic!

If ever you're not tired yet, there's lots more in the Bucket!

Creamyjade's questionnaire... 'cause I said I'd do it!

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:02:51 GMT

Time to tell you about me, I guess...? I usually try to avoid posting much about myself, which is somewhat ironic since I have this journal...

Anyway, here goes:

1. Name:
I would very much like to be called Lochness all the time. It's androgynous, unusual, and nonsensical. My full birth name is nearly only used by officials, people who are pissed at me, or a mix of both. I don't hate it, but it seems like I have a hard time wearing it, even after all these years.

2. Age:
It clearly indicates that I should have turned into an adult by now. I still have no intention to, though.

3. Location:
A small apartment I share with my Love in Montréal.

4. Occupation:
I started working last week as a secretary, writer, corrector, and archivist for a governmental program which aims to teach doctors, pharmacists, and nurses about treatments for HIV patients. So far, my colleagues and bosses are all fantastic and the job is absolutely fascinating. I learn a whole lot of stuff everyday and this is extremely motivating. I can only hope this situation will last for a long, long time. I don't see my Love as much as I'd like (we don't have *any* day off together, snif!) but the time we share is all the more precious.

5. Partner:
I've been with my first love for the past 12 years, now. ^_^ In fact, I'm lying: we'll celebrate our 12th anniversary next week. There are many people I love and many things I enjoy, but to me, he most often is what makes life worth living.

6. Kids:
Two: aforementioned Love and I. That's enough for the time being!

7. Brothers/Sisters:
Younger sister: my opposite in many ways, from looks to tastes, but we still have so many things to share.

8. Pets:
The Mysterious White Ninja. Yes, he's mysterious, really. ^_^ He's 9 years old, I believe, and a total fur and purr machine, with a low, raspy voice. We adopted him (or was it the opposite?) two years ago from Creamyjade's roommate. He's much, much love.

9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
1. Love, love, love! Can I get any cheesier now? I can't help it, though, it's true!
2. New job and all the conferences and meetings it comes with (mmmhhh... such delicious lunches and restaurants).
3. The gang. Yes, them. The ones who monopolize most of my journal posts. ^_^ They are all so important for me.
4. The need to be creative. I have 20 billion projects, and just need to organize my time to realize as many as possible.
5. I would like to see my family and friends more often. Yes, you guys!

10. What did you go to school for?
Fun. No, really. I mean, I loathed elementary school and was definitely happy to be through with high school, but after that, I only picked the programs and classes that appealed to me, without much regard for the consequences. This lead me to complete a M.A. in history about Jesuits, Pharaohs, and the land of Confucius, and to accumulate and impressive student debt. Needless to mention, I more than enjoyed the first but will be struggling for a while with the second.

11. Parents:
They divorced when I was 18, about 2 months after I met my Love. It's been pretty hellish for them for a while, but I would say they are healed now. My dad has married a sweet young man in Thailand last winter and Love and I may very well go visit our new step family next winter. Let's hope airfare is affordable then!

12. Close Friends:
I don't have that many, and since they are so important to me, I should definitely keep in touch more.

*****

In other news:

-It was wonderful to see my family last week-end! Made me realize I miss everyone...

-Kamyel will have quite the juryrigged guitar once I'm done tweaking it.

-Believe it or not, I have 2 sales threads on DoA. O.o

News time!

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:06:27 GMT

Well, it's been over a month... but I was waiting to find something interesting to say since job ramblings about angsty bosses can become repetitive really quickly. There won't be anymore of those in the foreseeable future, though: I quit the company! ^_^

I found what seems to be a perfect dream job and I start next Monday! Yippie~! Since my two last jobs were real disappointments, I gotta admit I don't wanna risk feeling too giddy about the whole subject, but I'm still really proud. I can even boast being chosen among a hundred candidates, and succeeding thanks to a very meritocratic system. I was bluntly honest during both my interviews, but what really impressed my future bosses was my test results. On the second interview, the remaining candidates were left in front of a computer with two tasks: building a short bibliography on a specific subject and writing a half-page about their motivations and how they perceived the job. A background in biological sciences would have been preferable for the post, but my capacity to find and organize information, as well as my writing skills, have allowed me to outdistance the others. Lucky, lucky... ^_^

I really have a good feeling about all this. So does my Love... The only downside is that we won't get to see each other often, since I'll work full-time on week days and he works on week-ends. This situation will only be temporary, though: my hours will be flexible and Love can always change his schedule in September, although he would lose a few advantages.

Can't wait to see how this'll go~!

Other than that...

1- I have a new little guy in the mail. He's gonna be fantastic and we can all blame Carm for his arrival. I'm not sure, but I think he may be the exact same model as Gustav's Barbie form...

Paypal charged me twice when I paid for him. If ever you use Paypal and get an error page, asking you to send your payment again: DON'T! At least, not right away. Check your email first. I didn't. I just sent the payment again and now gotta claim my money back through Paypal since the seller just remains mute.

2- I participated in Dream-of-Doll's photo contest. Don't think I'll win anything, but who knows? I really like the results of this year's picture session with the cherry blossoms. The trees are getting pretty tall, though... Unless I start growing as well, I'm not sure I'll be able to sit people in their branches much longer.

3- I received a small ton of old broken watch mechanisms through the mail today. Wee~! They are amazingly inspiring... I see steampunk in our future.

4- Couldn't resist. I ordered the new Joker figurine they made for the upcoming movie. He doesn't look anything like my own version of the character but his clothes and accessories are o so perfect! Maybe I'll even manage to do something with his face... He's smily, after all! ^_^

Enough chatting now. Wouldn't wanna start boring y'all!

Oldish pic of Kenneth I always wanted to post.

Rasha's competition entry. Somewhat overexposed at the bottom, but still lovely enough for me. ^_^ As usual, there's more Rasha love in the Bucket.

I really need to resize and upload some new pics...

Back to mad science or just simple madness?

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:14:48 GMT

I've been feeling... pretty fucked up recently. I mean, more than usual.

You see, my job feels... less than satisfactory. I never wanted to become a professional artist 'cause I didn't wanna have to sell my stuff. Now, I spend my days working on financing campaigns. I guess I wouldn't mind so much... if the deadlines I gotta work with weren't all passed. Nothing seems to ever get done within reasonable delays, and I'm growing sick of the pressure. Especially since one of my bosses finds me utterly despicable. At least, that's the conclusion I came to since my behavior alone appears to be enough to infuriate her. She says that I speak a dialect she doesn't understand. I try my best to improve, but keep on failing miserably. Oh, well. The pay is enough to cover for all my needs (yay~ food!), and even some of my wants ("Chami would look so nice with this..."), but I can't help but feel I'm not getting paid enough for all the shit I gotta handle.

All and all, this lead me to icky sticky self-destructive thought patterns... which temporarily vanished on sunny days but kept on creeping back the moment I stopped actively chasing them. Keeping the work ghosts at bay is what lead me to adopt Ken. No regrets there: I had fun repainting him and enjoy being the subject of his anthropological studies.

Still, I miss my time as a Master's student. I know many would disagree, but I found the experience quite... pleasant. I kept on doubting myself and my abilities, but never even considered abandoning my project...

I wish to go back. Not in time, but to university. I want my doctorate now. I've been reading about it during the week-end and I want to pursue my historical researches. There are 3 broad subjects I would love to explore:

* The diffusion of the trendy "chinoiseries" during the XVIIIth-XIXth centuries. Why were they so popular? What image of China did they create?
* The diffusion of egyptomania during the XVIIIth-XIXth centuries: how the trend was transferred from the French to the British culture.
* European myths surrounding the North-American natives. How were they created and diffused? How did they evolve and how long did they persist?

What do you guys think?

Anyway, to thank you for reading all this, here's a pic with baldies and chinoiseries: ^_^

He's heeere~!

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:21:56 GMT

Yesterday night, when I came back from work, I was welcomed by a wonderful (if injured) Love... with a package! After an evening of scrubbing and a creative sunny afternoon, I present you the semi-mysterious newest member of our gang:

Those eyes are absolutely perfect for him! Sorry if the pic doesn't show much of his faceup... I took it really quickly... while being all excited. ^_^;

In other news, we presently have a guest at home:

Yes, it's Kenneth! aminamithri left him with us when she visited last Monday so that I could sew a few things for him. He now has a shirt! A fishnet shirt! It's a bit baggy... with super long sleeves. It wouldn't be hard to make it smaller, but I think I prefer it that way. Tell me what you think, Amina! ...Although I must admit my pic doesn't give very precise details... ^_^;

Kenneth seems to be doing fine, here. He spent a lot of time with Ixme. I think he's great with the little ones... Ixme, of course, loves him: he's green, her favorite color in the universe! He also discussed with Kiylan over tea and carefully studied the rest of the group, I believe.

It's wonderful to have an explorer-scholar-creature around! A bit too wonderful, in fact... I won't want him to leeeave! T.T

Here's another pic, also taken in the evening's darkness (I'm rarely home at the same time as the sun, recently):

And two pics of Yaren I forgot to post last time. I love his pilot jacket!

Nadezhda! And more!

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:33:58 GMT

A lot of stuff happened, recently. There were some rather unpleasant moments, but fortunately, they're gone, now!

...And Nadezhda is here! ^_^

Volks did quite a disappointing job with her head and I had to rebuild part of it. Her body is great, though: not only does she pose well, but she also helps support her companions! Now that she's been repaired, she exceeds all my expectations! She's so wonderful... and photogenic:

This is one of the first pics I've taken of her. The rest of the series is in my Photobucket, if ever you're curious... ^_^

With Kamyel...

...Chamisay...

...Alashkarez, Adeleska, and Ixmeyara...

... Aliochka...

...and Kiylan!

I've been quite unreasonable in the past week. My bank account will certainly not like this... but, on the other hand, Chami will get the original Kohya outfit, which he'll share with Adeleska and Alio. I've been wanting this jumpsuit since it was released back in 2004, so I can't wait for the guys to try it!

I also bought Chami and Alio some very beautiful clothes from Stacy on DoA. I'm her first foreign customer and she seems like quite a sweet person. ^_^ So, Chami will get a traditional Chinese outfit, in black and dark purple. Stacy is making it just for me and it's gonna look a lot like what Count D wears in Petshop of Horrors (she's a fan, too). Alio will get another traditional-looking costume, in sky blue brocade and black, with some white fur trimmings. He's also getting an awesome green shirt with real button holes! I can't wait for all this stuff to get here...

...but it's not over...

... and that's why I'm feeling really irresponsible: the gang's also getting a new member! More on that in... about a week? hehe.

I'll be out of town tomorrow, visiting my family. Happy Easter! ^_^

Return of the bad habits

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:32:54 GMT

EDIT: Sorry, lovely everyone, the anonymous comments are from me! ^_^ I forgot to log in, since I usually never visit my journal at work (hey, it was lunch break!) and I never log out at home.

I've been postponing this for too long... mostly 'cause I generally keep minimal contact with the computer when I come back from work. Better for my dry eyes, since I'm one of those people who forget to blink when they look at a screen. ^_^;

Oh, yes~ before I forget: I'll order from Dollheart tomorrow. Anyone wants something?

Also, it seems like I won't be able to order my Super Miss Dollfie Dream for awhile. Volks sent me a generic reply stating that "since it is going to be under the reproduction", the head won't be available until it gets restocked (yeah, I know). They recommend I keep on stalking their website. Funny how the US Volks reps use such bad Engrish. It made me laugh, though.

Anyway, I'm supposed to reply to 2 memes, so here they are, under the cut:

Number 1:

1) Are you currently in a serious relationship?
A. Love and I have been having way too much fun for the last decade to be considered a “serious” couple. ^_^

2) What was your dream growing up?
A. Freedom. For all creatures, including myself.

3) What talent do you wish you had?
A. Mind reading. I suck at guessing people.

4) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
A. Mango lassi, please.

5) Favorite vegetable?
A. Eggplant.

6) What was the last book you read?
A. My middle Egyptian grammar's prelude.

7) What zodiac sign are you?
A. Aquarius, and it's incredible how well it suits me.

8) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.
A. 3 silver earrings that I nearly never remove.

9) Worst Habit?
A. Being both overconfident and hesitant when it comes to my own abilities.

10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
A. We could walk together?

11) What is your favorite sport?
A. Hiking, though is it really a sport?

12) Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude?
A. I guess I could be described as a cynical dreamer.

13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
A. Most likely chat.

14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
A. My first year with Love was pretty rough, considering both our families disapproved of our relationship. Wouldn't have been a problem if we wouldn't have been kids at the time...

15) Tell me one weird fact about you.
A. Only one? Ok, I'll stick to simple things: I love to pour some Amarula in my cereals in the morning.

16) Do you have any pets?
A. The White Ninja, our amazing cat.

17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
A. I'd hastily dress up as you climb the stairs. ^_^;

18) What was your first impression of me?
A. Let's try to remember...

- Genvi: you seemed so cheerful and happy. I thought Miyuko sounded like a smaller version of you.

- Musoka: you made me miss my shaved head. I know, it's a weird first impression, but that's still the first thought that crossed my mind, if I remember correctly. I unfortunately don't recall our very first meeting, over ten years ago. My memory is terribly unstable.

- Animefigurekit: I was impressed by your sewing skills and your knowledge of figurines and dollfies.

19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
A. Meh, my favorite characters always look clever, in one way or another. Clowns don't usually fit that criteria, so I've never been particularly moved by them, even as a kid.

20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
A. I want pointy ears!

21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
A. Your partner in crime, of course.

22) What color eyes do you have?
A. Mahogany.

23) Ever been arrested?
A. Nope.

24) Bottle or can soda?
A. I'm not a soda fan. Do you have some green tea?

25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
A. I'd put most of it on my annoying student loan, but buy fun stuff for Love and I, too.

26) How do you normally clear your nose of its contents?
A. With paper tissues, although they're sadly not environmentally friendly.

27) What's your favorite place to hang at?
A. Our apartment.

28) Do you believe in ghosts?
A. In spirits, more like.

29) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
A. Creating stories with mah Love.

30) Do you swear a lot?
A. All depending on my mood and location.

31) Biggest pet peeve?
A. Humanity as a whole, though I seem to enjoy making exceptions.

32) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
A. Eclectic.

33) Do you believe/appreciate romance?
A. I can be mushy that way.

34) Favorite spot to be touched?
A. I usually despise being touched. Few people have managed to convince me otherwise.

35) Do you believe in God?
A. I tried, but I can't seem to be able to.

36) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?
A. Late, but done.

Number 2:

A. List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself.
B. Tag seven people to do the same.
C. Do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it".

A.
1- I love storms and taking long walks under the rain.
2- Even as a young child, I despised humans. My mom tried to comfort me, but to no avail.
3- I've always heard voices, but could never explain their presence.
4- What others find intimidating, I often find endearing.
5- I love to perform on stage, but I'm awfully shy.
6- I believe I would make a perfectly happy housewife.
7- I dislike talking about myself, yet here I am...

B. & C.: Have I mentioned I enjoy breaking rules? I'd be happy to read your answers, if ever you feel like answering. ^_~

Here's a group shot I've taken yesterday. Yep, everyone in black!

Of course, there are a few more pics...

New faceups:

À la une!

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:00:02 GMT

Newest news first!

I found a job! What am I saying? Not a simple job, but a calling! I start Tuesday: I'll be coordinator for a theater company. ^_^ I'm so happy~! I'll mostly do paperwork, but my artistic talents and various fields of knowledge will be required as well. It seems like the post was tailored just for me.

I can't wait to start~!

******

For New Year's, we organized a gaming day with a few friends. The theme was: 1980's cartoons. We each picked a favorite and organized a short story where everyone got to play a role. Someone picked He-Man and She-Ra, someone else decided on G.I.Joe, Love couldn't resist the Transformers, and (unsurprisingly) I chose Jem and the Holograms! My story ended up being much deeper and psychological than I originally expected. I certainly wasn't disappointed, and neither were the players, so we can call it a success! The two guys who never really watched the cartoon played very convincing versions of Jem/Jerrica and Kimber. The one who chose Jem had a whole lot of fun projecting holograms left and right, and the one who picked Kimber did such a great job I regret he didn't write episodes about her back in the 80's! Do's Raya had loose connections to street gangs and decided to confront Eric Raymond with a shotgun loaded with rock salt. Hehehe.

The whole thing made me miss my Jem figures, so I got them out of the box! Poor them, they remained there for so long...

Here's Synergy:

Jetta:

Roxy:

Pizzazz:

Stormer:

And Demian (why not?):

Group shot!

******
December 31st also marks the arrival of our newest gang member: Yaren. We crossed the mailman with his box when we left the house to visit our friends for New Year's. I asked the man if by any chance the package was addressed to us and, yes, to his surprise, it was! Do and I got our Holiday presents right before 2008, hehehe.

Here's Yaren, the great circus pilot, sitting with little Ixme and Hoplà the bunny:

*****
On December 25th, we had a wonderful supper with my mom and her parents. Everything was truly delicious and I got the most amazing present: my grandma gave me a Christmas decoration that my sister and I have been playing with for as far as I can remember. It's a little reindeer hanging under chimes which are attached to a little base where a tiny Santa figure kisses his wife. It's so cute~!

On the 24th, following the decade-old tradition, we had a late supper with Do's family. A bit before, in the afternoon, we went to visit my father's parents. We had lunch and discussed with my sister, who was also visiting. I see her so rarely now! It was good to be with her for a little while... She left early, though, and missed some nearly unexpected packages: two large boxes my dad sent from Thailand! We knew he had sent them, but didn't think they'd arrive so close to Christmas. Yay~ for EMS! There were so many boxes packed in these two parcels! All gifts for my grandparents, my sister, Do, and I. My dad chose a wonderful outfit for me: a great mandarin-colored silk skirt and an assorted buttoned shirt. He also gave Do and I a very beautiful and traditional spirit house. According to Thai customs, it's a good way to welcome and respect the spirits who share your house to give them a domain of their own. We found a very good place for the little house in our room, where the gang usually resides. No pics yet, you'll have to trust my word. ^_~

*****

On December 23rd, as I was wrapping all the gifts before we left town, this little elf offered his moral support:

I know it's a bit late for such pictures, but Alio is so cool! There's more here, as usual.

*****

Chami & the Ninja:

Ixme & my grandma's cake:

Kiylan's new faceup (of which I should definitely take more pics...):

Chami on the balcony during one of December's many snowstorms:

Holiday news, ya?

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:39:08 GMT

Most of the time, my job searches feel like some episode of Pinky and the Brain:
"What are we doing today, Brain?"
"Same thing we do every day, Pinky: we look for an interesting job."
I'm beginning to consider world conquest (again)... Sounds both paying and fun. Anyone wanna join in?

Today I met an employment professional at my old university. She was nice and full of clever advice. I'll join a networking group in January. With a bit of luck and some good strategy, it seems I can secure a most wonderful career.

That long period of unemployment does have some quirks that manage to keep the blues at bay. First, it's just great to spend so much time with my Love. Then, I gotta admit I did enjoy every single snowfall so far (have I ever mentioned how much I love snow?), and finally, I had a whole lot of fun with my little gang.

Kamyel arrived on November 14th, just when I stopped teaching, so I luckily got to spend a lot of time his company. He got sanded, then face-upped, and I finally started making clothes for him. He's an amazing little guy, all sweet and psycho. I've known him for quite a while, but it's great to finally get to see him look like himself. Can't help sharing the love, in case you haven't seen him yet:

I also couldn't resist this wonderful little Kadaj. He has an incredible range of movement, and just enough attitude:

Kamyel and him do spend a lot of time together... I sure hope similar figures of Yazoo and Loz eventually get released. Loz definitely needs more love and Yazoo is just cool. If ever you're wondering, those three characters are from Final Fantasy: Advent Children. I didn't like them particularly in the movie, since they sounded like rather generic villains, but they have so much style and potential!!

Special message for my Dad, if he reads this: yo, what's up? Hope you're still having an amazing time! ^_^

To everyone: Happy, happy Holidays, in case I don't get to tell you in person! Please don't get stressed out, indulge in all the grub and joy you can get, without any regrets.

More Kamyel smirky action:

Business Chami in a suit:

Back to casual:

Rasha and Kiylan, men in uniform:

Rasha, Kiylan, and Ala, playing goth star for the camera (they're actually cosplaying as some characters of mine):

This pic of Ixme is part of a photo-shoot I did a few weeks ago with an old My Little Pony house that comes from my childhood. Thanks to my mom for keeping it safe all these years!

Oh, yes, forgot to mention: Shehara lost most of his cheeks and gained a complete kabuki outfit. The clothes (not that we can see them much in the pics) are in a traditional Japanese style, but I didn't model them after any specific character or historical figure. It's a fully Shehara-inspired style!

Stay tuned for the latest news!

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:03:07 GMT

Since last I posted, I had a wonderful training day with my colleagues from school. I learned a lot of stuff, mostly about teaching methods, but also about my job situation (I work in a rather peculiar school, during an even more peculiar year, it seems...). I also discovered that kosher dishes can be truly delicious! ^_^ I had the occasion to talk to my favorite comrades, and they're amazing... I know I'll miss them when I leave, whether it's next week or in June.

On Thursday, I took advantage of an annoying flu to stay home, think, and send some resumes. I decided (thanks for all the advice!) that I'll keep my job until the principal gives me the boot. I'll do my very best to improve, but not to the point of compromising my own nature. When I went back to work on Friday, one of my colleagues told me she heard my students worrying about me while I was absent. She said they really seemed to like me, so I thought I'd be honest with them. I had enough privacy to tell two of my classes what was happening with me, and they were extremely supportive. I don't think that's gonna be enough to change how the principal views me, but I gotta admit that Dead Poets Society moment gave me wings. Despite being chatty in class, my students are really good people. I'll miss them, too...

My mom and dad both told me that whatever happened with the whole job situation, they felt it'd turn for the best. My Love is, as usual, ferociously on my side. I'm so lucky to have them all!

***

My dad got married last week. It wasn't really official or anything, as gay marriage isn't accepted in Thailand, but he said it was beautiful. I'm so happy for him! ^_^

***

I tried to cancel my Dolkot order Thursday night, just to be on the safe side, financially. Their rep replied really quickly, saying he unfortunately couldn't do anything, 'cause the package had already been sent! Hehehe. I guess I'll be poorer, but I'll have a new lil' guy to keep me company. Maybe I'll even get to bring him to the next meet-up, since EMS states that he already left Korea.

***

Meet Elizabetha!
She's not really a new member of the group, as she's been somewhat around for a little while already, but she now has her own body and face. Yay~! Screw you, financial logic! Yeah. ;<_<

Anyway, I took a few pics of her yesterday:

I also resized the pics I took in the last weeks of October and uploaded them to my Photobucket. Here's a sample from a shoot I did with Shehara:

...And a shot of the little plant I rescued about a year ago. It was so tiny back then!

Help wanted

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:58:51 GMT

Principal took me to her office today. T'was just like highschool. Well, it is highschool, but I'm supposed to be on the other side of the fence now, no? One way or the other, I get a week to kick my students' asses. Three strikes and you're out, ya know? This one's my last.

Maybe I should just quit. No need to torture myself over this, right? There are plenty of job opportunities for someone who spent two years studying some forgotten comma in the great timeline of World History. Well, not really, but I could figure out something.

I'm well paid right now, and still have a full week to change my ways and become an effective ~~dictator~~ teacher. Yeah, I still suck at discipline, and I have no fucking clue how to become any better. Oh, in theory, I know. But in practice, it's another game completely.

I'm thinking of resigning before they throw me out. That way, I can still somewhat use the experience in my resume. What do ya guys think? I'll take at least a day to make up my mind... Maybe tomorrow will be enlightening, who knows?

***

In other news, Mr. Mini new guy was ordered from Dolkot last week-end. It's not ideal in my situation, but at least I gonna be happy getting him through the mail!

Djai's body's been taken over by a really cool witchy girl, so it's no longer for sale. More on that later... or at the mini meet.

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 04:08:12 GMT

Still Halloween for the next five minutes and we're watching Nightmare Before Christmas (hey, it's tradition!). We also had that sinful meal that included shrimps and port wine... Mmmhh...

I thought I'd take advantage of my Dutch courage to buy my lil' Dolkot, but they removed the event special make-up. Dammit. I emailed them 'cause the special is still up on the official MSK Day page (it's just impossible to select). We'll see what happens! I'll just have to order after sobering up. ^_^;;

Djai's old shell is up for sale here. Wish me luck!

...And the movie ended at precisely midnight... quite a feat, considering it was our VHS playing and not a scheduled tv program. Hope you had fun on this ghostly night. I'm off!

Djai...

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:40:05 GMT

Being sort of an animist, I never planned the personalities of my resinous ones in advance.
Djai is somewhat of an exception, since I met him over a year before ordering his body. I have a very clear image of what he's supposed to look like, and the DZ Shenxi head has always been the best for him... until now. I discovered a perfect mini Dolkot who happens to look exactly like my mental picture of Djai.

I'm not quite sure what to do, but I'm more and more leaning towards selling Djai's current shell and getting the mini for him. I don't need any money right away, but there's already so much resin in our apartment that I don't think keeping the body is a good idea...

Here's a link to Possible Mister New Djai, and another to a head I find particularly appealing. Of course, I always think of super Miss DD... and she makes me smile with her sparkly eyes. ^_^

Today is the first of a new year...

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 03:26:47 GMT

...for all of us, but especially for Chamisay, who has been with us for two whole years already. Yippie~! No doubt he is as wonderful and amazing today as, well, ever. ^_^; I love him so much!

We actually organized a little photo shoot while I was on vacation last week in honor of his upcoming anniversary. The pics turned out great (I think), so I added all the keepers to my usual Photobucket. He wears his very first suit and the big red boots Luts sent as an unexpected gift along with him. *happy sigh* My marvelous little creature~!

If ever you drop by the gallery, there are also some pics of Ixme I took while visiting Sorel. For some reason, decay seems to be quite an inspiring sight for me. Here's a tiny view of Sorelbeach, in case you wondered what kind of place turned me into what I am today:

In other photographic news, I got myself a tripod (finally?)! If any of you, Montrealers, are still on such a quest, I recommend Astral Photo. My new acquisition isn't top of the line, but it's sturdy, light, easily manageable, and only $29.99 (yay for 50% off!). The store I went to also carries the gorilla thingies.

All and all, I got a wonderful vacation time. I enjoyed seeing my Sorel relatives, though I realized how much I missed them (it's fun to get close to your mum after years of icy relations, but it makes you sad to leave, dammit). I spent an afternoon with my sis and two of her friends, too. It was good to see she was going well and fun to have a chat, especially after so many months (we have opposite work schedules, so it's hard to keep in touch). I brought Kiylan along for fun, and both her friends and her got scared of him. My sister and one of them can swear they heard Kiy mumble to passersby while I was away. Despite the pink pants, they already thought he felt haunted before the experience, so they just didn't want anything to do with him afterwards. ^_^; The second friend arrived later. At first, he thought Kiylan looked quite cool, then got some evil vibe from him and also got turned off. Oh, well, at least my little resin guy was pleased to receive so much recognition. ^_^

School went well this week. Nothing changed, really. But I took it much better than usual. I was only stressed on Monday, and didn't get pissed off at all during all five days. I know some of my students will fail miserably, but all the ones who work (even a little) succeed, so I'm not worried. I still fear the rainy November depression, but who knows, maybe I'll be able to keep on concentrating on the good stuff. ^_^

Unreasonable me.

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 04:28:18 GMT

* First message: I updated my Photobucket... again! There are successful pics of Rasha wearing the Amakusa outfit, plus some shots of Ala, Kiylan, Chami, and one little flower bud. ^_^

* Second thing: I'm in a good mood! Although I haven't been very productive since the beginning of my vacation... The house is a complete and shameful mess: the cat hair dust bunnies must be having quite the party in every corner of the apartment while I write this. On the other hand, I have been creative: I finished Aliochka's outfit for the meet, sketched two new drawings in my pad, arranged a lot of pictures, and painted Creamyjade's lagomorphic creature.

* Third news package: I didn't get a Heisejinyao military outfit... I got 2! 0.o Yep, double "Silent World"... I still can't believe it. There's a black version with a red shirt and no hat that Rasha, Chami, and Djai will share; and Kiylan will get a blue one (still without hat) and a pair of bad-ass boots. So much money... but the guys will be so cool~! Can't wait to see them...

Rashayan, looking like his noble villainous self:

Ala with her new dress and nail polish:

Gotta admit the dress isn't her usual style, but it still fits her so well!

A close-up on Kiylan's hand:

We gotta see his face, too:

Me, with a wishlist? Impossible!

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:23:49 GMT

Well, I thought I was loosing interest in BJDs, but... it seems there are still a few models I like

1- Dollfie Dream - DD-03 head (look for the 2nd post). Being all vinyl and anime-like, she's not quite exactly a BJD, and that's why I like her so much. She's my favorite little android: totally different from all the other figures who hang at home. She's most likely gonna be the chosen one, in the end...

2- Luts Lu-Wen. He's stylish and elfish, what can I say? He has almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and I even started liking his big lips. The vampire head and extra hands can be tempting too... On the other hand, do I really want another CP mold? This guy does have a few points in common with Chami, which is a bad thing considering I'm aiming for a maximum diversity. He's cool nonetheless...

3- Buddy-doll Mars. This guy is awesome! I love both his body sculpt and facial traits. His slim eyes and slightly crooked nose are very unique, just like the "roundness" of his musculature. He seems very elegant, aristocratic, and just about Kiylan's size, too. There's only one thing he's lacking: owner pics!

4- Dollmore Lawrence Owen. I disagree with his price, so he's the least likely to join our merry group. I like his square jaw, grouchy/thoughtful look, and eye-shape, though. His sculpt is very well-made, with cheek muscles and all. Just imagine him with different eyebrows, no goth eye-liner, and certainly no lip-gloss. Keep the hair color, but please forget the weather lady style. This guy has a lot of potential!

Any thoughts on the subject? I'm curious to see what you guys think of my little selection...

Aftermath and Questionnaire

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 04:22:18 GMT

No Rasha pics yet. I tried to take a few this afternoon, only to remember how hard it is to get good shots of this guy. Until I do better, you'll have to trust my word: Rasha is most wonderful!

1. Do you have a tattoo?
2. How old are you?
3. Are you single or taken?
4. Eat with your hands or utensils?
5. What were you doing last time you daydreamed?
6. Ever seen a corpse?
7. Fall Out Boy or Lesley Garrett?
8. How did we meet on LJ?
9. Whats your philosophy on life and death?
10. If you could do anything with me, and have no one know, what would it be?
11. Do you trust the police?
12. Do you like Country music?
13. What is your fondest memory of fandom?
14. If you could change anything about yourself what would it be?
15. Would you cheat?
16. What do you wear to sleep?
17. Have you ever peed in a pool?
18. Would you hide evidence for me if I asked you to?
19. If I appeared on your doorstep, unexpected, what would we do together?
20. Which do you prefer, long or short hair?
21. Do you sing in the shower?
22. What's your favorite fruit?
23. If you could bring back anyone that has passed, who would it be?
24. Tell me one interesting/odd fact about you?
25. What was your first impression of me?
26. Have you ever done drugs?
27. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

A little Volks bashing?

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:56:26 GMT

'Got the Amakusa outfit yesterday morning and it's absolutely amazing... except for one detail: what kind of idiot would put velcro attachments on brocade? Isn't it *asking* for an accident to happen? Just by carefully trying the clothes on Rasha, I damaged the kimono at 2 places. I spent last evening removing the damned little scratchy things and replacing them with simple snaps. I also managed to repair the kimono entirely and improve the collar of the coat a bit by stitching its 2 parts together. Now, everything is perfect! I am seriously impressed by the results. Rasha looks like some rare and exquisite museum piece, a syncretic mixture of samurai royalty, Christian iconography, and general oriental mythology.

I'll try to take pictures today...

On another subject, school went a lot better on Wednesday and Thursday. Even with the cursed group. I wish it'd stay like that all year~!

2 posts in the same week, really?

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:48:07 GMT

Well, yeah... blame the Great Knight for remaining in bed after noon... ^_^;

* First things first: remember how I was amazed by Amakusa's outfit, acexkeikai? Well, I found one on DoA for less than a 100 bucks! It's a lot of cash for someone who won't get her first paycheck before Monday, but I'm still surprised I could put my hands on that limited little wonder. So, no Heisejinyao military uniform for Rasha, in the end. Instead he'll get a traditional Japanese Hakama set with an original twist. ^_^ All silky and cat-hair-proof, which is even better! Hehehe. I just hope SD13 long legs will be long enough for him...

* Yesterday I also ruined miserably what seems to be my billionth attempt at making a sherwani for Rasha. If you wanna see what the finished product is supposed to look like, go here. My version unfortunately once more appeared to be a silk mechanic's coat. It's too large at some places... and generally just awful. I'll most likely rework it, but still decided to PM someone on DoA for a commission. Her name is Meow, and she represents very talented Chinese dress makers. We'll see what she says...

* I started watching Fruits Basket yesterday. I didn't think I'd like it, but so far it's irresistibly charming!

* A pic, maybe?

Meet-up n' stuff!

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:20:21 GMT

Let's try to put things in order...

1- It's been a little while, so I started a DoA thread for an eventual meet-up. Dunno if anyone's free or in the mood, but I thought I'd give it a try... The info's here: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164637

2- I updated my Photobucket! I've been meaning to do that for quite some time... There's at least a couple of new shots in each category. If you're curious, everything's here: http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f301/Netling/

3- Musoka, there are 2 icons I'd pick for you: Mamimi because, as you use it often, it kinda became my online image of you. When I think about your LJ, it's always the first image that comes to mind: the creative green girl with the camera. ^_^ The super-expressive yet model-like screaming lady also holds a special place in my heart. I'm never quite sure if she's signing a modern opera, yelling in absolute movie terror, or showing her total outrage. I like her.

4- I wasn't paid yet, but I already started spending my future salary. Blame Dollheart and their Alice-inspired bunny suit! http://dollheart.com/shop/md44/shop_md44_e.htm It's cute as hell, but will most likely look deliciously ironic on my lil' bunraku Shehara. Plus, it's black and red, his token colors. I got a pair of shoes for Ala at the same time... they got crocheted cherries on them. ^_^ I'm also thinking about buying a very nice Heisejinyao military suit for Rasha and some colorful Cancan wigs... but that will have to wait a few weeks. Miss Dollfie Dream hasn't been forgotten either, but I don't want the gang to grow more in 2007 if I can avoid it. ^_^;

5- If you don't know it already, go read Flaky Pastry, it's a wonderfully funny webcomic. At least, I think so. ^_^; http://flakypastry.runningwithpencils.com/index.php

6- Also, if you'd like to hear the most hilarious video game reviews (even if, like me, you don't really play), watch some Zero Punctuation here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation

7- Images to brighten this post, maybe?

The sky during some peculiar August afternoon:

Rashayan:

Aliochka and Dalia: