Lucid - Ah I see, ok you did good in that case! I couldn't have told you apart. *shifty eyes*

Amakai - Sure no nuts, I get that, I am picky about my nuts I have to say. =P

Woop that is so awesome, I am really impressed by your aspirations and your planning and wow you work with parrots? Talking parrots? I think birds are pretty smart. Funny how "car diving" is found among different species. When they do that thing where they fly right in front of your car and go from one side of the road to the other side. I would like to know the impetus for that behavior. I am sure someone will figure it out. /rambling

@uma - yeap =u= other then that...I like many types of candy...I don't like spicy ones though...and some flavors just gross me out xD

Woop you have a lot of names there, who gets to pick the names? I had no idea there were people out there who trained parrots. Are you like a Parrot Whisperer? Do parrots chirp or have songs? I would like a song bird but my cats would tear it to pieces. Also, if it got out of the cage I would never get it back, not to mention don't they just sort of poop wherever, like they don't even notice, right? They cannot be potty trained? Well that is about it for me and birds. Lovely creatures though I really admire them and one day if for some reason I don't have cats I would consider a bird. Or fish. >.>;;

Amakai, I am sure you are done with your candy by now, right? Ever have those Bertie Bott's jelly beans? I bet those have a ton of flavors you would gross you out. In general candy does not gross me out but my husband bought some dark chocolate with sea salt (some "organic" brand)and I had a bite and the chocolate went CRUNCH when I bit a salt crystal and I am all "blehhhhhh". That was gross.

So how is everyone today! I hope you are all doing well.

@Uma: I'm due around June 1st, but my ob is thinking that I might be further along than we initially thought. I don't know if you already knew, I've been trying not to be all baby-oriented in the forums. I don't wanna put people off by seeming to only talk about babies and such, lol. And I like the word "expecting". I used it when I was first telling my family that we were having another baby, and they looked at me kinda weird, haha.

I had no idea what Asian ball jointed dolls were, so I just looked them up. I have to say I'd love to see what your dolls look like. The ones that I saw in my search have me intrigued about yours. My porcelain dolls are mostly from when I was a kid. They were for looking at, not playing with, or at least that's what my grandma used to tell me. lol They were cloth bodied with porcelain limbs and faces. My favorite one was dressed in a red Spanish dress with black lace. She had brown eyes and black hair that was pulled back in a net that was pinned up with a red rose. That doll majorly influenced a lot of the clothing that I like, and I just realized that some of the outfits I've been using on my avatars look really similar to the dress she had. >w<

What kind of camera does your husband have?

Ok sure about the baby orientation in the forums, I totally get where you are coming from. I don't mind it at all but I suppose it could be off putting to some, however, you can feel free to update me on it anytime!

I have 2 BJDs, one is an Island Doll (MSD-Amy) - MSD means it is a smaller BJD of about 40cm and "Amy" is the brand name of the doll. I renamed this doll Aditi. My other doll is a Planetdoll (MSD-Roseanne) but I named her Claribel and she is about 43cm tall. So that is standard for MSD size. You can see them here. The dolls are the same 2 dolls but they have different clothes and wigs. I am not a great photographer, I am just learning. I was originally using a Nikon Coolpix point and shoot. Now I have graduated to my husband's Canon Rebel. He also has a Canon DSLR which is his main camera, I don't use that one. Do you have one of these or similar, do you take pictures?

Wow on your dolls. Those might (or might not) be worth a lot. I was looking at a porcelain BJD on ebay for 3.5k. Not that I would buy it, but I was just looking for fun. I had a doll collection too when young which my grandma got for me, I still have them packed away at my mom's. I had one, a Spanish one, with a frilly black dress that left quite an impression on me, I bet I still have it. That is neat that you discovered that you are dressing with perhaps an underlying inspiration from your doll, fantastic!!

I like your violet today. What are the arm bands you are wearing?

@Uma - LOL haha...that's funny xD I still have candy from Halloween man. There's no way this candy will be gone any time soon. Hell I'll probably still have jelly beans by Christmas time xDDDD

Omg Amakai, are you hoarding your candy, lol? Haha, I have done that too. It does eventually all get eaten right? You don't really still have those small candycanes from Christmas 2011 (like I do) do you? Lol I have to throw them out! Wah. Sugar is an excellent preservative. Makes me wonder why the more I eat it the younger I don't stay. Vexing.

Woop much parrot food for thought there! And wow they do talk, I am amazed. Do they only talk when you are around or do they talk to each other when there are no humans there? I guess they must be social? Or, being avian, are they just so different from us that social is not the same thing. Jimmy sounds so clever! Wow, but does he know what he is doing? Does he bark when the dog is around and meow when the cat is around?

Our cats are adult Bengals. They are rather predatory and they climb habitually. So birds would not be a good idea.

I had to look up Betsy and Blythe to see what those were. Interesting looking. I wonder if that is what started BJDs becoming available or interest just in general in articulated dolls. Are your dolls poseable?

Awesome! Offline, I find myself talking about my son a little bit too much sometimes, and I think a few of my friends get tired of hearing about my pregnancy. Lol. I've gotten to where my best friend forgets I'm pregnant (she lives a few states over, so while we Skype constantly, she doesn't really get to see me from the neck down, and unless my son starts messing with my belly or the baby starts moving and I start poking back at her, she doesn't really hear much about the pregnancy anymore). Do you have any children?

Your dolls are stunning! I love the one with purple/pink eyes. I think it's pretty nifty that you can customize the eyes and hair. And they make for such nice photography subjects! Your pictures are very good. *nod nod*

I don't know if the dolls I have are really worth very much, they were mostly from the dollar store and such. They were inexpensive. But I loved them. I had some in a Victorian Era dresses, blondes, brunettes, I had one that had red hair and green eyes that I absolutely adored! I'd get them for Christmas and sometimes Easter. God, the memories... lol

The first digital camera I started off with was an old HP. It's such a dinosaur now, lol. It took four batteries, and within a few hours, it was dead, even with the flash off. Then I moved onto a Sony Cybershot? I think that's what it was. It was far more advanced than the HP. I loved it. I had just figured out how to really take awesome macros, when I was in an accident and the camera was destroyed. I was so sad. I've never dealt with any of those cameras, although truth be told, I've been wanting to get another camera. I think I'm gonna start looking into another one like the Sony I had.

The bands I'm wearing I actually got out of the claw machine. They're Trisiana's Arm Ribbon, and I've got Eliza's gloves on the other arm. I finally got another set of eyes and a new mouth, and I was wanting to do a lighter colored avi to set off the happiness my avatar can now express, lol!

Which, your avatar is wonderful (as usual)! I'm liking the fall-ish color scheme. It's really pretty. And I've noticed that you don't really use a nose on most of your avatars, is that because you don't like the ones we have available, or do you find it more appealing to not use one?

@Uma - nah I eat it slowly xD I don't like eating lots of candy all at once...but ice cream is another story

Kilala - What is that dress you are wearing please? It's very cute. Nope, no kids, never actually wanted them and my husband has the same feeling about it so we have our bengal cats, Berlioz and Louis-Philippe. Maybe I can show you a pic later. Thanks about my dolls! Yeah I really like having them but you know I am not obsessed about them or anything, I did name them but I don't have backgrounds for them like some people do. Good luck getting a new camera! What are you going to take pictures of? The noses they have here don't look like noses to me. As soon as they get a decent nose I'll equip it. XD

Amakai - I adore ice cream. A wonderful delicacy with the added attribute of being cold. Nice. So what are you up to lately, any projects?

Woop - why didn't I think of that? If course they are going to talk in bird language right? I suppose they have their own language of sorts. I bet they can clearly say "get away from me" and things like that. You might like a BJD, but some are expensive, but they pose well and have this beautiful mystery about them, sometimes...usually, depending on the faceup which is how they are made up for the face. Like make up, face up. Ok well enough about dolls, how is everything going today?

So I have to fly to Nashville in 2.5 hours. So we have to get going to get me to the airport. I am going to see my mom who is not very well. Just for a couple of days. I am getting off the computer now but will be on later tonight most likely. Ciao for now.

@Uma - not too much. Working on my art orders for various sites and my own personal stuff. Tomorrow's my moms bday though I have no idea what, if anything, we're doing for it.

Uma, I love your avatar! <3 I don't even have words to describe how amazing it is! I hope your mom gets feeling better soon too and you have a nice trip.

I tried doing a baseless avatar today. :O I don't feel like I'm very good at making them because my usual style focuses too much on color matching and balance. But this is what I came up with and I kinda like it.

Thanks Woop, my mom is elderly and frail but in good spirits. I am glad I am here. The added advantage is it is only 9pm here instead of 10pm so I have an extra hour. XD BJDs are really expensive it is just crazy what they want for them. Those dolls you mentioned are really cute ones. If you get one let me know which one you get.

Amakai what are you drawing? Are you doing avatars or something? Happy b-day to your mom, do you have your present for her? I am sure whatever you do she should be happy. My mom was just happy to see me. Mom's are like that.

Going to Edit in Lucid's reply as I didn't see it before. Ok I see the avi, Lucid you look like a blazing but mysterious volcano...on an alien world. Very dynamic! See I could never do that, ever, I am not good at that...I think I just need the human form to have something to drape. Thanks about my avi, I really like it too but I should make a note of who designed this skirt and all these lovely items and make sure they know how much they are appreciated. Also, I had it layered a bit different but firefox saved it funky.

@Uma - I have art shops on all my other avi sites =u= it's usually OC art since they're not super cluttered and crazy but sometimes it's simple-ish avi art

I don't have anything for her sadly. Being jobless and broke makes it hard to buy much of anything but my sister is having flowers delivered to the house for her since she gets money from her school

Oh, no! I hope all goes well on your trip, and that your mom starts doing better. Do you mind if I ask what's going on?

The dress I'm wearing is the Button dress from the Crane Game. I'm wearing all the Button items except for the hair pin. I love animals! Our roommate has a cat (who is pretty psycho at times XD) that I adore. I've got a dog that is currently staying with my aunt. She's a black lab/chow/pit bull mix, and she's the sweetest thing ever! She looks like a lab, except for her head, which is shaped like a pit, and she's got a purple tongue like a chow. She's sweet like a lab, too. I miss her and wish I could bring her down here with us, but we can't afford the pet fee where we're living.

I take pictures of everything just about it. I take a lot of my son, and my pets, nature, and random stuff. I've gotta post some of my stuff on my deviantart.

I wish they had more mouths to choose from. Speaking of which, which mouth do you have equipped? It's awesome and pout-y looking.

If I remember correctly, Uma wears like 4 different mouths, haha. I really like the way she does it though.

Oh wow. I haven't tried layering mouths yet. >.> In all honesty I hadn't even thought about it, haha.

Amakai, don't be sad about that, times are what they are and not having a job is not a shameful thing but just part of what we have to get through now in these times. I am sure you are going to let your mom know how precious she is to you. Maybe get her dinner together for her or do some chore for her that she normally does for you or maybe make something from things around the house, a nice note telling her how much you appreciate her or if you have string and paper an origami hanging decoration or gosh I can think of more things too. But I am sure you you will do what you can, it's all you can do!

Woop sorry to hear about your other half's nan, but wow, 99 is an incredible age to achieve! I hope she gets to 100. I went to your blog btw and was very impressed with your felting work. I had never heard of that before, you really have talent and there is one little doggie there I have my eye on in your etsy shop. You may just hear from me on that! I keep picturing that little dog in my doll's arms...we'll see once I get home. So you live in Australia, wow, I adore your country though I have never been.

Kilala, thank you so much for the little dress! I am going to make my next avatar with it but I don't know when that will be since I really like my current one. Maybe in a week or less. I tend not to change everyday since it takes me a long time to make my avatars. Btw if you post photos on deviantart do link me. Lucid is right, I have 3 or 4 mouths equipped to get this look, lol. Let me look and see. Ok first layer is Full Lips in brown. Next is Smile lips in gold, then small lips in gold. Finally I layered Basic lips in the next to the last color. Basic lips have the little cut in them so you can see the gold beneath. The brown lips at the bottom act as an outline. You can do the same thing with reds/purples too. Or change the bottom to dark red or purple then layer the gold and top with Basic lips in red.

As for my mom, she is very old, she is 89 actually (she had me rather late in life). She had lymphoma a couple of years ago and went though chemo which really set her back. Then she got going again once that was in remission but something has happened lately, she got sick with a cold and just has not been herself for 2 months. It's sad for me, but I am glad to see her smile and hold my hand and have this time with her. Thank you for asking about her, it's on my mind.

Sorry to put all this in my avatar thread but hey, we are talking about avatars too so it's all good.

Back to avatars, I layer many things habitually. I like skunk eyes under stormy eyes. I like the Lunae's Companion eyes under pretty eyes. And I usually layer blushes and eyeshadows too.

What do you guys layer?

@Uma - my sister got her flowers from both of us so I guess it counts for something xD we went out to dinner and got cheese cake at safeway =u=

Woop thank you for asking, my mom is just not the mom that I used to know. She loves me and holds my hand but she is so frail and just wants to sleep. I have to leave tomorrow though. Generally I sort of have a rather Spock indifference to anything emotional but this has been a really difficult visit. Anyhow, on a more cheerful note, the dog I was eying at your store looks like my mom's dog...I don't think I can pass it up and anyhow I never got mail from Australia before! Oh and what hair are you wearing by the way? It's long and really pretty.

Hey Amakai, I am so glad that your sister shared her gift, she sounds like a good sister. I love cheesecake, I hope you enjoyed yours if you like that kind of thing? So what is your art like?

My DA -> http://amakai411.deviantart.com/ =u=

And she...is okay...right now I'm not really happy with her cuz she's 19, pregnant and with an emotionally abusive boyfriend but won't leave him

Wow ok I am sure I wrote a reply to both of you last night but I don't see it. Maybe it is downstairs, I will have to go down there and see if I wrote it but did not post it. o_O I was so tired last night I don't even remember going to bed.

Edit I wrote it out and never posted it:

Your art is really impressive Amakai. You have a ton of deviations submitted and appear to be very active. I was going to ask you about art before I saw it but I did not know you were so good so I see that 1) you are not taking commissions and 2) I probably could not afford you anyhow, lol! But that is amazing! I am really glad to have seen your devart page, it has absorbed me for quite a little while here, I read the "About Me" and some other stuff and looked around. So I have learned a bit about you and I can see why you are not happy with your sister, well I could see that without knowing a thing about you (sister is 19, pregnant, abused, what is not to understand and sympathize).

Hey Woop, it was a good visit so I am glad that I went. Sloth hair, never heard of that, got to get some. Blond is always a good color. You are welcome for the gifts! XD


How are things going, anyone have anything special going on??

haha thank you xD I try my best...I've only started doing digital art this year actually...believe it or not. I do take commissions but right now I'm full with various cluttered/couple art from my other avatar sites. I don't really charge that much since I use the DA point system cuz no one has wanted to buy my art in real life.

I'm glad you found my page interesting at least and took the time to read stuff xD I can't tell you how many people don't even bother with that stuff most of the time then go asking stupid questions

Titanic you are totally dynamic and energetic appearing! I love the bright colors and the balance in your avatar, you are very strong in the force, lol.

I will edit in my reply to everyone else if no one has replied, just wanted to say that real quick.

Edit:

Woop, I am less tired, it was a long day that day and I flew home and I hate flying. I hope the sleep apnea machine works, cpap, is what we call it here, I think that stands for continuous positive airway pressure, or something like that. Works well. I know about it because I did a rotation in sleep medicine. I am glad you had/have a nice long day for your chores. I got some stuff done yesterday but none today since I am working. Tomorrow the people come who are going to steam clean our carpets, I can't wait they are so dirty. We have a guest coming on Friday and now everything will look really nice.

Amakai, you are really good, I can see why you are full with your activities. And your avatar looks sweet, I love those colors! I don't know much about the DA point system. I have been on DA many year but never did much with it. Now I just put some doll pics on it.

I'm still fairly new at it but thank you ;u;/
It's really the only way I can earn money on most any avi site is to draw people xD
And thanks :D I like my avi too as it's got 3 of my fav colors xD

You are lucky you can draw. I am very poor at that, I have no talent even though I wanted to be like Raphael or da Vinci. *cry* Haha, but I found a different calling. But the thing is, if I could draw then I too could make gold or aurum from my drawings, but alas, I have to purchase runes and so forth with RL money. I don't begrudge it because I like to support avi sites like this one in particular, but yeah, I do spend money on my avatar fun.

I have no money to spend on avi sites xD so I have to draw to get most anything I want lol...I'm sure I'll open a shop here eventually...and take one slot at a time so I don't kill myself with 5 shops on all my sites xD