Crssa's Den

Web Page Update

2006-02-22T19:46:06Z

Well, I've finally done it... updated my web site!!

http://www.adorablefoxie.com

I've given it a new layout, added some recent artwork, also added my most recent costume. It *needed* that update!

Also something neat with this update: I've added some of my Second Life stuff! I wanted to sort of design the web site to match my shops in Second Life, using the font I've been using on my displays and signs.

So go, check it out, click around, and let me know what you think!
Enjoy! :)

Update

2004-12-11T17:06:27Z

Haven't updated here in a while, some news for those who watch this journal, and even some for those who watch my other journal too. :)

Been really busy with my new job. I work at a store that sells artificial flowers. Just like in fursuit construction, hot glue is their best friend too! ;) They make arrangements and sell little home-and-garden-gifty things. I've been extremely busy - working 5 days a week, sometimes 6 - and it's been really wearing me down. I've been slowly chugging through some things I've needed to get done, but won't really have a chance to work much on projects until end of December and into January, when I will only work 3 days a week. (They've hired a new daytime person to share the shift with me, so I can have some time off. We've needed a new person able to work days, so that if either I or the other daytime person gets sick, or has to miss work for whatever reason, we will have more than one person. The trick is, some things are unplanned, and so it screws everything up for both people if an emergency comes up. This way, if someone gets sick and the other person has plans, or something they need to do, the third person can cover. Much nicer.)

Speaking of sick, I've been battling a cold for the past 3 days or so. At first it only really hit me at night, but I've been feeling it during the day lately, too. Been taking DayQuil during the day to keep me going, and NyQuil during the night, to knock me out. :P

Okay, well, I'm off to curl up for a little bit and see if I can't sleep off more of this cold. It's leaving slowly, but surely. Just wish it would go away all together!!

Quick little post...

2004-07-05T03:04:43Z

Just a quick post before I head out. Going to Michigan before Anthrocon, so I'll be able to check in for e-mails and comments and such, but going to be very busy.

borderdog, your tail is finished, you can find me in Artist's Alley all weekend (at least Friday and Saturday, if not Sunday as well) or you can e-mail me and I'll give you my cell phone number.

I'm exhausted, made four tails start-to-finish today, also two pillows (only stuffed one) and packed up all my stuff. Also did a quick cleaning of the apartment, so the roommate won't have to worry too much about it.

We'll be on the road at 7:30 AM tomorrow!!

See you all at Anthrocon!!

Anthrocon!!

2004-06-26T18:25:59Z

I've been making stuff for the con. Made some business cards and a sign to put on my table in Artist's Alley. So, if you're looking for me, look for this sign:

Yay!! We leave in just over a week. :)

Commission updates

2004-06-24T01:11:23Z

Just thought I'd write a little ditty about what I've been working on, and how far along I am, for the people that I owe commissions to, and about the projects I've been working on.

Skunk tail
Design is drawn out. I think I know how to rig this tail, now... now all I've gotta do is shape the wire, cover it in foam, and cover the tail with fur. It's hard to figure out how to get a skunk tail to stand up from your butt!!

Dragonz_squall Tiger Tail
Blue and red tiger tail... this is one I'm enjoying!! All of the pieces are now cut out, and the stripe patern is drawn out. Now to start cutting out those stripes, and sewing in the red! This'll be a chore!

borderdog's Shengoh Tail
This one's on hold for right now. I've been putting it off, unfortunately, because it's easy. I'm going to tell Silv to make me do it tomorrow afternoon. Is Anthrocon delivery still fine with you? I can give you my phone number so I can meet up with you on Thursday night, or I can post our room number as soon as I find it out.

vincent_wolfe's Drawing
Still working on it. I don't think I'll have it done before Anthrocon. -_- I'm trying...

Butterfly Fox
Here's where I am right now:

Debating over whether or not I want to sell it (or even just prints) at Anthrocon. Those of you who have access to my private journal can read more for yourself over there. I expect this gal to be done by week's end.

pat_the_fox's Badge
You know the status on this one... same as before. Rawrgh.

I think that's all I've got in my queue for now. I don't know what else to say. I'm so tired. So much to do before AC. :P

Yaaaay again!

2004-06-17T17:45:36Z

I got my other box, from CR's Crafts, today. Yay! :D

So now I can complete my fursuit. And I can make the skunk tail, too!

I'm gonna wander off and get a haircut now, gotta stop at Wal-Mart for some things, and then I'll be back to bury myself in a mound of fur. XD

SQUEE

2004-06-16T20:19:35Z

Whoo! I got my faaabric, I got my faaabric...
*dances*

Well, okay. Most of it. But the rest should be here soon, too. Yay!

So now I've got the fabric to do borderdog's tail, and I got the fabric to do dragonz_squall's tail, ears and paws. And it looks GREAT! I also got the remainder of the orange fur that I needed to finish my fox fursuit. I SO HAPPY!

The rest of my fur should be here this week. I ordered it over the weekend. I'm waiting on black and white shag fabric, to make a skunk tail, and a white fabric to use for my fox fursuit. When all that's arrived, I'm gonna be an even busier bee! :P

I'm gonna go get to work on stuff right now!

To be or not to be... nekkid?

2004-06-12T18:57:20Z

Well, okay. So I was working on a drawing that I'd like to sell at Anthrocon. I know there are a few anatomy problems; I've gotta enlarge the foot on the right, fix her muzzle, and even up the wings. I'll be coloring her like a monarch (or viceroy, take your pick) butterfly, since they're orange/black/white just like foxes.

But my question is this. Should I leave it nekkid? Or should I give her some kind of clothing? Honestly, I kinda like it the way it looks now, as far as clothing goes. She's all covered up... but is it too PG-13 (R?) rated? What do you all think?

All input is appreciated. :)

Hakuna Matata!

2004-06-12T03:52:40Z

No worries! Well, except one. The fur lady e-mailed me back, yay! She doesn't have the white "spiky fur" that I need, though. -_- I might get some similar-looking fur, that's not as soft, from CR's Crafts. It's cheaper, too. Yes, I think I just might do that...

Can't wait for the orange to get here though. Mmmm orange fur..... :9

Wahoo!

2004-06-12T03:34:05Z

Got my LiveJournal client working again. Yay! I just had to download the latest version. -_-;

I've got a badge auction up on FurBid right now. Tell all your friends!
http://www.furbid.ws/cgi-bin/auction.pl?commission_genfur&1088219969
I'm also accepting badge *trades* for this! I want to build up the number of badges I've done, and figurd that would be a good way to do it. So, if you or anyone you know wants to do a badge trade, let me know! The catch is, for the trades, I've gotta meet you in person (most likely at AC) to give the badge. I don't want to mail out a badge, and never receive one back. :(

hollyannvix, there was a problem with your ears. The fabric I tried using for the yellow decided it didn't like being hot-glued on. So, I'm going to probably be redoing your ears. >.< Mind if I hunt you down at Anthrocon and give them to you there? :)

I finished the drawing for Orion J. Well, I might have to darken up the background a bit still. But other than that, the characters are done. I like it. It was a bit of a challenge for me. And I drew hands and feet!!

I worked on vincent_wolfe's drawing some more today. Touched up some bits here and there, fixed her eyes, and traced it onto watercolor paper. It looks good! Will be coloring it tomorrow. Also, do you mind if I use the drawing to sell as a print at Anthrocon? I think it's going to be one of my best works so far. :)

Also started work on the badge for pat_the_fox. Don't want to post it, though, because I don't know whether or not it's supposed to be a surprise for the person. :P Pat, do you mind if I give it to you at AC, so you can give it to her personally? ^_^

I also did some work on face drawing today. Well, fox face drawing. Was playing around with expressions, and got some cute ones. I don't like too much how I've been doing muzzles lately, have wanted to try other ways of doing it.

My plans for tomorrow:
- Start coloring Vincent's drawing. Possibly do detail in colored pencil.
- Finish and laminate badge for Pat the Fox.
- Draw something else to be sold as a print at Anthrocon.
- Work on spine design for skunk tail; still waiting on fur for that. :\
- Worry about the fur lady not e-mailing me back yet. I need to get tails done, but I don't have the fabric yet!! ;_;
- Work on designing fursuit head for my personal suit for Anthrocon.
- Make "crack bread" - this wonderful cinnamon bread that's very addicting! I need to post the recipe for all to see. ;)

I think that's it... if anyone else knows of something else I should be doing, poke me and remind me. ¬.¬

You wanna Sexy Fox T-shirt?

2004-06-07T23:16:18Z

Sorry for those of you that see this as a double post. I'm putting my little cutie-pie fuzzies on Zazzle, so you can buy your own shirts! Woo!

Here's the link:
http://www.zazzle.com/contributors/products/gallery/browse_results.asp?cid=238347106853647673

Feel free to browse, and spread it around! :D

Projects!

2004-06-06T17:34:50Z

I'm sad to say that the 'taur suit is on hold for now. Silv's helped me a LOT with the progress I've been making. We've got an entire back leg put together, and tested it out with some nylon rope. This is fairly inexpensive to build, as far as the frame goes, but the fabric and padding are going to be a bit too expensive, as I'm going to have to cover over a THREE FOOT LONG butt. :P So, the goal is for next Anthrocon, or perhaps MFF (if we go) or FWA05. It'll get done, no doubt about that, we just need more time and money.

So, since that's not going to be finished, I've decided to work on another kind of suit. A personal suit, yay! This might or might not be iFox 2.0, we'll see. I may name it something else all together. I'm also determined to fix up the black suit I've got hanging on the back of our door, so it fits Joe, and help him to finish his head, so he's got something to wear, too. It'd be really cool if we could do that. ^.^ So today is probably going to be big fursuit work day. Gonna (possibly) haul out the duct tape dummy and start piecing together a suit. :) One thing I'm not certain on... I've got that "spiky fur," like I used on zephyrpanthur's tail. I don't think I have any white left. Should I use the bright yellow in its place, or order some more white? I think I'll be ordering some more white, instead. I could use it, anyway. Spiky fur ears have been increasingly popular, lately. :P

That's all from now; if I get very far with the 'suit today, I'll certainly post pictures! :)

Let's try that again....

2004-06-03T14:09:14Z

Here he is! Now he'd better be working! I poked him. I think he was just kinda shy. :P

Wuff wuff!

2004-06-03T03:32:04Z

A friend for the sexy fox!! :D I might make this into a sticker, too, or do something else with it. It's a cute little guy (girl?) I sketched out in Painter and then traced/colored in Illustrator, with a little bit of help from Photoshop for touching it up. :)
Tell me what you think!!

plugplug*

2004-06-02T22:22:48Z

Cross-posted, here and there. ;)

I've got some new auctions up on FurBid, for tails in time for Anthrocon!
Get a velvety cat tail here:
http://www.furbid.ws/cgi-bin/auction.pl?fursuit&1087422969
These are made out of patterned velvet-like fur fabric. Each bid wins, until the last tail is gone!

Also, you can get your paws on a blacklight reactive cat tail here:
http://www.furbid.ws/cgi-bin/auction.pl?fursuit&1087424317
This one's pretty spiffy, and glows pretty bright! There's ONLY ONE of these, so bid fast!

Both auctions come with the option to add a full-color laminated badge for only $10 extra. Any money gained from these auctions will be pooled into my Anthrocon fund, to get me there this summer! ;)

Anthrocon! And fursuit work...

2004-06-02T18:50:04Z

Well! I've got a bit of stuff coming up for me! I'm currently hard at work on my 'taur suit, which, the skeleton is almost done! Yay! And I've got some tails/ears sets I have to do yet. One is for a blue and red tiger, which will be fun! He gets the whole ears/tail/paws set. Another is for a skunky, but he still has to get in touch with me again..... I've also been thinking of, instead of hauling a ton of tails to AC, just auctioning off the remainder of my tails. I've got a bunch of those velvety cat tails to get rid of, and some of the silky fox tails. I'd like to get some extra money, so I can afford to fur the 'taur costume! ;)

In other news, Silv and I are hard at work preparing for Anthrocon! I'm trying to decide what I want to make prints of, and I'm trying to come up with some other sticker ideas, because my "Sexy Fox" sticker was a big hit, last year! I'd also like to get some of these professionally done, so they don't fade when they get wet. Our stickers last year, they were fine in sunlight and all, but, even though we DOUSED them in sealant, the stickers turned greenish when they were rained on. Man! ;_; I also want to design business cards, as does Silv, and we're thinking about getting little sign thingies from Staples to stand on our tables, listing our prices. Better than duct-taping quickly-scrawled paper onto the front of the tables. :P

So! Anyone! What kinds of prints would you guys like to see at Anthrocon? I've got a few in mind, but I want to know what other people think! Anything I've done in the past, or suggestions for new drawings! Please, let me know! :)

What I did on my... May 25th afternoon. :P

2004-05-26T04:21:45Z

I made earses!
This one's for barryr:

And these are for another guy, of his fox. He's getting ears AND a tail, though these tails I've had around forever! They're so soft, and nice, and yet I still can't get rid of them! ;_;

I'm getting much better at making ears. Practice is definitely making perfect. These ears look so floofy on the headband part, but it's fun and stylable! You can make 'em spiky, or slick it down, or trim it if you don't like it... I personally like floofy, and even at one point had hair that short, and so I'd let it blend in with my own hair, heheheh.

Oh! I also figured out something pretty cool. I know this is kinda common sense, but... I got some vinyl-coated wire a while back, you know, like the kind used for clothes lines.... I was planning to try and use it for a fursuit head idea I had. Well, the wire bends far too easily for me to use it on a head, but I decided to keep it around rather than return it to Wal-Mart, because I figured I'd use it in tails, or on ears. So today I used this vinyl-coated wire on the ears, and I was able to hot-glue the fur directly onto the wire, and the ears are STILL POSEABLE! Because the wire was covered anyway, it didn't matter that there was hardened hot glue on it; the ears can bend any way you want! Hehe, so, if barryr wants to be a cute puppy for a day, he can bend the ears over and have them look all floppy and cutesy-like. ;) Well, I thought it was cool. :P

I also worked some more on my fursuit head tonight. I really want to give it a moving jaw. I don't know how well that's gonna work though. I think it's not gonna work the first time I try... but, that's what this is! an experiment. :)

Well, anyway, I'm starting to fall asleep. Will be productive again tomorrow, and post the results here, of course. ;) Good night!

More progress!

2004-05-20T14:39:26Z

So, our internet went out last night, as the roommate tried re-wiring the cables, and Joe ended up re-doing it, so all of our cables are in the ceiling, not duct-taped to the wall. ;) And I must say, it looks much better!! While they were rewiring, I started work on the fursuit head. I think I'm gonna redo most of it, actually. Right now it's got little strips of plastic mesh on it, but I think I want to do it like I did my iFox head. Which is to say, entire sheets of plastic mesh encircling the helmet, and then parts cut out. I'm gonna go for a moving jaw on this one, too! EEEEP!!

We went out to Lowe's last night, and I found a type of hinge that looks to be promising, as far as giving the knees a "joint." It's small, yet has room for 3 screws on it. I'm not gonna mess with it just yet, but will update when I do.

Gotta couple of pairs of ears to work on now, too... I've got a new kind of wire I'd like to try for ears. Vinyl covered - I wanted to try it for my fursuit head, but it ended up bending too easily. So I think I want to use it to make poseable ears and tails. That should be good!

I'm hungry now. Gonna wander off and find some breakfast.... or maybe lunch... who knows! ^.^

Productiveness!

2004-05-19T21:36:30Z

I know, I need to bust my butt to finish some drawings. I've worked some more on the one for Orion J, and a little more on Vincent's, but I got distracted by shinies. That is, foxtaur suit guts. Whoo!

So, here's where it stands. I've cut all the PVC pipes that I needed, to the lengths that I needed. 3 pipes was *just* enough for what I need! I used some connectors to fit them all together, to make sure it looks okay. It took some fiddling around, but I think I've got it! This is gonna work out kinda weird, but it'll be really cool once it's done! It's gonna take up a heckuvva lot of space, though! Eep!I wonder if there might be a way we can disassemble the guts of it for transporting it up to Philly...

So, tonight I might work on the head, might work on drawings. Dunno which. Tomorrow I hope to figure out how to attach the legs and let them move. As it is, with the connectors, they couldn't move if they wanted to. Perhaps I can figure out some kind of way to rig a knee, of sorts. We'll see. ^.^

Ferret head, near completion!

2004-05-18T04:59:08Z

So,

I am working on redoing the eyes, because they need it. Trust me, they'll look better. Also going to work on blending the transition between the dark and the light fur, as well as a few more modifications.

I'd like to drop this project all together, really. I'm not terribly proud of this one, but, it's been a learning experience. So, I don't mind. :)

Hurry!

2004-05-17T03:01:33Z

This cute li'l gal is gonna get away!

Her auction ends in two hours. Go bid!

New art stuff!

2004-05-15T00:10:26Z

Here's where I'm at coloring that picture:

I also got a scan of the badge I included for Zephyr Panthur, with his tail. He was wonderful to work with, and I'm glad things turned out the way he wanted, and so I sent him a badge to go with his new tail and ears. :)

I've been thinking of offering a badge commission on FurBid. I'd like to do something, to save money and get a new scanner. The top picture was scanned with Silv's scanner, and while his is okay at scanning line art, the color still is a bit off, and makes it look much less than it really is. :( Oh well... this commission is almost finished, then vincent_wolfe's is going to be finished off, and a badge for pat_the_fox and I'm all done with my backed-up projects. Yay!

Drawing!

2004-05-14T02:40:11Z

I worked more on my final piece for Orion J... I can't get in touch with him, though, because my e-mails to him have all bounced, and he hasn't been on AIM. D'oh! >.<

So anyway, here's what I had done by this afternoon. This is just pencil sketch, and I've since inked it, gave it a bit of a background, and colored *most* of it with marker. I killed Silv's goldenrod marker, though, so we've gotta go to the art store to get a new one. That's something like five prisma markers I've killed in the past two weeks!! o.o;; So after we get the new marker, I'll finish shading and highlighting with pencils, and it'll be done! w00t! ;)

Anyway, here it is:

I made Silv pose for reference pictures. I think it's definitely been helping my anatomy!

What's new?

2004-05-12T17:10:30Z

In about an hour and a half, I've got a job interview. Hooray! I hope I get it; I could use some more money to buy art toys and fursuit-building stuff. ;) Not to mention money to actually be able to SAVE so Silv and I have stuff for our wedding, and then some.
The ferret head should be complete tonight. I'll be taking pics, and posting them, of course. :) Then it'll go on to FurBid, where someone will hopefully want it. It's pretty darn cute!
After I finish the ferret, I'm gonna start work on my 'taur suit. That's all I'll say about the suit for now. I know what fabric I want to use, I've got most of the supplies I'll need for building it, and I really want to start tonight. Silv and I have a couple of tests to run, before we go ahead and build up the costume.
I've also got a couple of drawings I want to do this afternoon. Will post them when done. :)

First entry!

2004-05-12T03:09:13Z

Here's the first entry in my public livejournal! Though there's not really much to say. I guess I've been busy working on commissions and stuff... I've about finished with all the drawings I need to do, and I'm almost done with my ferret fursuit head too! I got a bunch of tails and ears out yesterday, and I am happy.

I've got a couple of things for sale on FurBid, check them out here:
http://www.furbid.ws/cgi-bin/auction.pl?alluser&Crssafox

Silv and I just got a new hot laminator today from Big Lots! It works beautifully, and we'll be using that to do con badges, from now on! I hope to be offering con badge commissions in the near future, to help build up our Anthrocon fund.

Also, I've got plans for a new fursuit. A complex fursuit. You all will have to wait, to see what it is. I'm not going to be posting my drawings until *after* it's been completed, because I don't want anyone ripping me off. Even after I finish it, I might not post it. We'll see....

Finally, I'm thinking about offering a fursuit commission on FurBid. I think it'll just be the head, anyway. I had a blast, working on a tail and ears for Zephyr Panthur, and it turned out really nice. I'd like to work on things other than tails and ears, though, and I need to build up a fursuit head portfolio of sorts! Let me know if you'd be interested. :)