UPS Brokerage Fees

So I received the first of 2 packages for the contest I won for the Kidrobot contest: Link, and had to pay a $112.25 UPS Brokerage fee. I've already contacted Kidrobot about why I had to pay a fee on a prize and hopefully this issue will be resolved soon. But I hope they get back to me before the next package arrives because I'm not sure what to do about it. I might have to refuse the fees and have it sent back to them.

I'm sure this is all one big misunderstanding and someone just forgot to put a checkmark in some box on some form. But it sure ruins the feeling of winning a contest when you have to pay fees you can't afford. 

I should be excited about winning and getting my stuff.....but right now it's sitting on my bed and I'm feeling ripped off.

I really hate UPS.

Do you speak pottery?

I decided I wanted to figure out the pottery mark on the bottom of this bowl I found awhile ago, but I'm having trouble figuring it out. Not sure which direction is right or if part of it broke off....etc. I took a look at this site to try and find it, but I think my brain glazed over looking through all the markings. For all I know it could be something recent, counterfeit, or someones' school project. But if anyone is interested in researching the marking or already knows what it is....let me know.

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For the first time in a while, I felt like sketching.

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So I decided to quickly animate something for a contest at the last minute. No time for editing or retakes.... just add snow and away it goes. Next time I want to do something like this I really need to give myself more time.

But now I have a light box I can use to take some slightly better lit photographs of my projects.


EDIT: So my animation was chosen as the winner for the contest! Now I'll have more than enough Munny's to design for years to come!....Or maybe just another year. It has been announced to the site but it looks like they just used my dropbox link instead of uploading it to another service, so I'll have to send them my blogspot link when I confirm the package has arrived. And I'll post pictures of my prize when it arrives.

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This is a little project I've been working on for awhile. I haven't finished it yet but I'm busy at the moment working on other project deadlines. Also I'm not sure how to approach painting it. I want it to look like a stone sculpture with jade armour....but I'm not very confident in my traditional painting skills, so I'm going to experiment a bit on something else before I attempt painting this one. I'll post the finished piece at some point in the future.

I was also meaning to post this one earlier. After my cat passed away I wanted to make something to remember her by, and I didn't want it just to be a framed photograph. So I made a shadow box to display her coller and a small stone box (sanded gray sculpey) with a bit of her ashes in it. It was my first time making a shadow box and it was a lot of fun to do. It also helped me to get over her death.  I might try making more shadow boxes in the future.

And it's way past halloween, but I carved 2 pumpkins this year and wanted to show them off.

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So I put my cat down on October. 5, 2012 and picked up her ashes from the animal hospital on Oct. 9th. The same day I picked up her ashes I was also laid off from my part time job. So needless to say I'm not in the brightest of moods right now.

Ironically I'm now in an artsy/drawing mood. I guess I really do work better when I'm horribly depressed. Go figure.

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I participated in the Steveston Grand Prix of Art again this year and this is the final result of my time at the event. Completely created in Copic Marker..... not watercolour (much to everyones amazement).

I think it turned out better then what I produced last year...even though I haven't really been creating much art outside of work for awhile. I look back on this picture and see a few little things I wish I could've touched up, but the final whistle had gone and I ran out of time... for 3hrs this was pretty good though. I've never been very good with titles so the piece is called "Heringers" after the shop in the picture.

This piece was bought by Heringers Meats in Steveston Village (the shop in the picture) and will now reside with the rest of their collection from past competitions. So if you would like to see it in person (and maybe pick up something for dinner...) head on over to Heringers.

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I was also the person in charge of artist registration this year... which was a learning experience and a hell of a lot of work when my registration duties evolved into more than just registration duties + other shop work, customers, etc. But it seems like registration went a little more smoothly this year, so alls well that ends well I guess. Though I'm not sure I'd be interested in doing this duty again....unless I had a dedicated helper maybe.

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And on a sad note, my cats health has deteriorated further as the cancer progresses. I will have to make a decision in the next few days or weeks, of when to put her down. It's been something I've been trying not to think about, but when you visit the Animal hospital almost once a week and everybody knows your name... you know it's about time. This will be one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but I know in my heart it's the right thing to do for her.

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I recently created a map for the Richmond Sharing Farm Society , which was a lot of fun to create and reminded me of all the maps I used to make during high school for various projects. You can like and share the map on Facebook.

Lately I've gotten a bit behind on my contract illustration work which means less time to do my own projects, and my responsibilities at my part-time job have picked up. I am in charge of the registration (and some of the organization) for the 2012 Steveston Grand Prix of Art . Last year I participated in the event for the first time, and this year I'm helping other artists and volunteers register. Though I'll still be painting at the event, I'll have to go back to work afterwards lol. You can read more about the event and register 'here' if you like.

And on a sad note, my cat of 15yrs has been diagnosed with cancer and only has a few more months to live. I've made many trips to the animal hospital over the past 2 months (at least once a week) and my cat has also had 2 surgeries during this time. But the cancer was just confirmed last week. I don't think my brain accepts the fact that she is dying. So right now I just feel emotionally stunned about the whole thing and I'm sure at some point (probably when she has passed away) it'll hit me hard. Until then I'll just spend as much time as I can with her and go about life as I would before knowing about it.