Weekly update. . .time suck

A "time suck" is something that wastes your time, there are a variety of things I do that take up time that could be more productively spent, some of them I do for fun, some of them I do because well they need doing, some of them come from outside sources and are not really a choice. 

I like watching youtube reaction videos, waste of time I know but it's fun and I usually do it while doing other things like cooking or chainmailling so it's more filler and not a total waste of time because other things are still getting done. 😎

I have 3 cats that require a lot of care and attention, I don't like calling them a time suck because I love them and they make me happy but scooping 3 litterboxes 5 times a day along with the feedings, and in and outs they do take up some time. 😅

Lately I've had some strange messages on my etsy and etsy messages kind of have to be responded to or they penalize your shop. So, starting back in August this guy messages me this; 

"I have been made to order a rainbow option choker by my Master"

Now I don't judge and there is a part of me that doesn't care at all who does what with whom, but seriously I did not need to know. Since it's an etsy message it included a link to the listing he messaged from which is a rainbow necklace about 20 inches long. 

I assume he wants a length adjustment to "choker" size, so I replied with an explanation of how it's made of anodized aluminum so take care when measuring and leave a bit of room for neck flex because metal maille does not stretch. 

This of course led the conversation to where I already knew it was headed and I had to explain that I sell Jewelry and anodized aluminum is not the material he's looking for, that for his application he needs someone who works in stainless steel. I recommended someone else and he thanked me for the explanation and advice. I breathed a sigh of relief because well it could have gotten creepier or he could have ordered and then broke one of my necklaces which would have been a return/refund issue my shop has NEVER had in 10 years. 😥 Honestly, I'd rather not get a sale than have somebody order and be unhappy or worse break something that took me days to make.  

About a week later I get another message from the same guy (new message chain) linked to a different listing but similarly questionable message. 

" My Dom wants to use the front loop as if it were a handle to be led around with.  "

So, I explain (again) that I sell Jewelry not adult play equipment and that anodized aluminum is too soft and not fit for purpose, that he would be better off with a different material, shop, product. 😑 Because really who doesn't love writing out the same explanation over and over. He replied " Oh gotcha, I forgot about you saying that already" and I rolled my eyes and moved on.

Or so I thought because a couple weeks later he messages me again on the existing message chain about the same bloody necklace. "I love having that second pic with the hoop type position to be led around with. That's what he wants to do with me, but he probably won't do it. " Now at this point I am getting annoyed but telling off potential customers is bad business, so I reign in my desire to go flaming dragon and instead link him to what he's really looking for. 

That really should have been the END.  Well, Friday night I got yet another message about my necklace listing, a bit weird and didn't make much sense to me as he was asking about a loop in the second photo, but the second photo in that listing is the chain lying flat in a spiral so no loop. 😕 And he said "before I order" and I'm just like 😫 

Saturday morning, I responded I tried my best to remain polite but did end up telling him point blank. "Please do not order soft aluminum Jewelry for BDSM play purposes, I do not wish to be responsible for a claim if it breaks." His response was to basically admit he'd been out drinking, I did not respond and I will not be responding further and if he messages me again. I am seriously considering marking him as spam because I think I've somehow gotten into a very one-sided relationship with a crazy person. 😟

Weekly update. . .so close

I am soooo close to finishing this thing

I really have been trying to finish this, but it seems Merlin has become jealous of it, lately when I go to work on it, I only get a few rings in before there is a cat on my bench kicking rings around and crawling on my shoulder. 😏 I have achieved length, I got the clasp on yesterday, I just have the few scales along the end to place. She is 27" inches total and will sit up like the other dragons but can be comfortably worn as a necklace.  😎

Once finished I'll need to do a ring count and get some good photos. I was hoping it would be done already and there would have been a photo of me wearing it in this post but cat-interference, maybe next week. 😌  

Weekly update. . .wasted day

I wasted a day this week, not intentionally it just worked out that way. I dip my plier tips in a product called Plasti-Dip it serves a couple of purposes, but the main one is it prevents me from scratching rings while I work. Back before the move, at the beginning of the year, I did a double coating on all my pliers and threw away the open can. I chucked the open can because I didn't want to take any chances of it spilling in transport, the stuff dries out overtime away, and I've never had a problem finding it. 

See that last bit is the problem, in all my years I've never had a problem finding/buying the Plasti-Dip I use, so I never anticipated a problem this time. Being back in Indiana and close to a Menards I didn't think twice as I popped over to the store until I'm standing in the isle and . . . .

there is literally a whole section of "Plasti-dip" that is SPRAY?!?! 😖

no pop-top can to actually DIP stuff into?!?!? what the hell??

It literally has DIP in the damn name why is it all spray now?!?! Who wants plastic over-spray everywhere? I'm sure the product serves some kind of purpose (even if I can't think of one) just not useful for me. After chatting with the chick working there she looked on her computer and suggested the Ace Hardware (the website said they had it) so I left disappointed in search of an Ace. 

After an annoying drive thru some crazy traffic, I found myself at the Ace Hardware where my disappointment multiplied because they only carry the spray in the store 😕 they can order the other but don't keep it in stock. 😠 So why is it listed on your stupid website if you don't actually physically have it to sell me?!?!? 

Moving on, I located a Lowes and drove back thru more annoying traffic to a 3rd store, now hours into what should have been a simple 20-minute thing. Luckily Lowes actually had it in stock, so I bought 2. 

I have since peeled/stripped the coating off the pile of used pliers and started the process of re-doing them all. 😇

after 2 coats and some drying cure time I'll be back to work next week and will finish that darn stubborn dragon 😅

Weekly update. . .September ends

Well September is nearly over, I had a nice Birthday, my ring order finally arrived. 🎉 I have continued to fail in the whole finishing off the art photography project, but other life stuff and weather just keeps complicating things. 😏 

When I pulled the package out of the mailbox, I saw the tears and was worried that some of the stuff may have escaped, luckily it was only the outer paper that tore, and all my stuff was inside. 

I double checked and counted everything against the invoice to make sure it was all there, a task in itself considering the number of different but similar things. 😅 Rings and scales in various sizes and colors.

I also did something that some people may think I'm crazy for doing. . . I ordered "mixed" color rings, instead of buying a large bag of each color I sometimes buy bags of mixed color and sort them out, you don't get as many of each color but with certain sizes that I don't use many of it is cheaper to buy a couple of bags of mixed color than to buy more bags that are more expensive. I know lots of people would not want to spend hours hand sorting rings by color, but it actually makes my OCD happy. 😁 

The bad news for the dragon on the bench is the longer it lays there the less I like it. 😒 The good news is I think I finally picked a pattern flow for the taper and now I have the rings to do it. Hopefully it goes well and I like the way it looks, otherwise me and this thing are gonna have words, likely curse words. 😅 She doesn't have a name yet so if this goes poorly it may be a naughty name in the end. 

Weekly update. . .still waiting

I am still waiting on my ring order, but I at least have a tracking number and some idea of when it will finally be delivered. 😏 In the meantime I'm still not really happy with the new dragon's tail, I did remove the mobius rope section and tried again, then removed that and tried a modified byzantine. It's ok, not ideal but I may just go with it to get this one finished. 

The art photography project is still on going, slow but progressing, I may be at it until the end of the year though. 😅

I am mostly happy with the shots I'm getting, but there is a limited window of time each day when the sun is right and the kitten often decides that is when he wants to play. 😏 The other day I had to stop because he tried to eat the cactus.

Ok so it's a "succulent" not a true cactus but still spikey and not really cat friendly for chewing. 😑 Plus for continuity and consistency of website photos it would really be best if he didn't eat my photo props. 😕

Weekly update. . .weird week

Times are weird and things are hard, here's your weekly blog post. 😅 That's a joke based on an old Christmas card if you don't get it, I'll understand just know that I'm laughing.  😉 

It has been one weird week and ended with a dental cleaning, so you can probably guess, not as productive as I had planned. I did photograph some paintings, but I haven't added or updated listings yet. I did work on the new dragon but I'm not liking the tail. 😒

it may sound crazy, but I am thinking of taking the last few inches off, I'm just not happy with the pattern transition, actually not happy with the pattern either 😏 

I think I will likely remove the rings in between and just take the mobius rope off the end and extend the boxchain portion a bit and try transitioning to a different pattern. It would likely be easier if my damn ring order would arrive, so I had the right color in the in between size I need to do the taper properly. 😔  I placed the order about 3 weeks ago, normally it would have arrived by now, but it hasn't even shipped yet due to. . .well let's not get into it (tariffs). 😶 

On a happier note, my birthday is coming, I'll be 49 and my big plan is to do . . . Nothing. 😆😅 That's right I chose nothing, my husband spent weeks asking about various plans and trips and what I want to do, and the truth is I don't want anything. I don't want to go anywhere, travelling with 3 cats is not easy but I'm not leaving for days and leaving them home. I don't want anything; I have everything I need and I'm not really a materialistic person anyway. 

Oh, sidenote he lost his iphone the other day and when he found it, it had been run over. 

so, if you have ever wondered this is what the inside of an iphone that has been run over by a semi looks like 😂😆

Weekly update. . . September!

Another week gone and minimal progress has been made. 

She has scales, but the wings are not attached, and I haven't decided on tail patterns and length. 

My shoulder has been bugging me which makes me work in shorter intervals and is slowing me down. 😒 

Hoping this week will be more productive. 😉 I am a bit frustrated with myself, the weather, the needy kitten and all the other factors involved in the art photography project not getting done. I can't believe it's September and I still haven't finished. 😔