More Little Monster Poses

Five Little Horns - Poses

by =marinaneira on deviantART

Good morning, all! Here are a couple more poses of my yet-to-be-named little monster with five horns.

Today is off to a pretty good start! When I went to bed last night I got a sudden feeling like I was supposed to go to work today. So this morning, after I got up, I had to hurry to get everything done early just in case, while I waited for my boss to text me back and let me know whether I was needed today or not. Happily, it turned out I wasn't, which resulted in me having taken my shower, fed the cats, cleaned the litterbox, done the dishes and had lunch all by 11:00am.

Now I have the entire day ahead of me, to draw and practice my watercolors, and not a single other chore to do. I am delighted! I'm probably go and lie down for a bit right now since I didn't have a great night, not being sure whether I was really off today or not.

Something really strange happened to me as I was drifting to sleep last night, probably the product of stress and three cups of coffee in one day, one of those right before bed, too.

You see, it happened to me once before, after lying awake in bed for some time, that I began to have trouble swallowing. I was basically thinking about it too hard, suddenly wondered what would happen to me if I couldn't swallow anymore for some reason (crazy, I know) and wouldn't you know it, all of a sudden I couldn't swallow. The mind plays funny tricks. It was like I'd lost control of those muscles. Maybe I was half-asleep, who knows, but I sure as heck panicked. Eventually I could swallow again but it took a lot of concentration and for a few seconds I was sincerely frightened.

Well, last night something similar began to happen, only this time I was concerned with my breathing. Basically I began to worry about what would happen to me if I had that same experience as that time, but with my breathing rather than my swallowing. It didn't happen, but I had a hard time relaxing and falling asleep. These worries seem to assail me when I am stressed out, and make me wish I had someone next to me in bed that I could cling to for comfort. I can't wake up and bother my mother who gets up at 4:00am or so to go to work. So it's a little scary. I know my mind is only playing tricks on me and my body isn't going to forget how to swallow or breathe. But I am scared that my own stress could do something like that to me.

This reminds me of a couple of night terrors I had some years back. It was only twice, I think two nights in a row. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling the most pressing fear you can imagine. Think of what it would be like to suddenly feel all the fear that it was possible to feel, but without a real reason, and what's more, being aware that there is no reason for your fear, yet being unable to do anything to control it. Those times I did wake up my mother, who was very confused and never really woke up completely, so it wasn't much comfort.

Looking back, while I don't want to experience that again, I'm half glad I did. It's amazing what the mind can do, all by itself. To think that one could experience such abject terror with no logical reason is fascinating, don't you think?

Anyway, I'm off to draw, or paint, or work on my book, I don't even know yet. All I know is I should try to drink less coffee today --just in case!

-Marina

Five Little Horns

Five Little Horns by

=marinaneira on deviantART

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share this little guy with you. All the "Wild Things" excitement made me want to create a little monster of my own. He doesn't have a name yet, but I love him so I'd like to use him for something interesting. Haven't decided what just yet.

I completed this month's batch of The Greeting Farm rubber stamp designs a few days ago, and they include some of my favorites to date. Too bad it will probably be a very long time before those are put up for sale! Only a tiny fraction of the work I've done is on the TGF shop right now, and I don't upload them to my deviantART until they are available there.

Last night I bought my first Halloween costume ever (a blue Star Trek uniform, boots and a phaser, ha ha) and tonight I am going to my first Halloween party. Wish me luck!

-Marina

Saturday Recap

What a nice, cool morning we had today! I guess fall is finally here. I'm glad! It's my favorite season.

So I finally went to see Where The Wild Things Are yesterday. It was really good --visually stunning and very deep. I can't say I'd call it a kids' movie, though; and some adults may be put off by it. It's a strange movie. I know it was good, but I'm still processing it.

After the movie, as I had planned, I went and bought this adorable plushie of Carol. Now, the tag listed his name as Moishe, so I was confused. If you've wondered about this, there's more information here (well, sort of.)

I wanted to get the book too, and there was just one left on the window display before we went in to see the movie. Afterward, it was gone! And it was the last one too. But that's alright. I bet they will be on sale everywhere once the movie hype has gone down a bit. :)

It was a wonderful day, and I have a lot of inking to look forward to today and tomorrow. With that, this month's batch of TGF rubber stamps will be complete, and I may have a little time to practice watercoloring and to work on my book before the next one.

Next month, I think, I will finally go out and shop for a new wardrobe. I've been putting it off and it's about time. I need more dresses! It's been so long since I bought any.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

-Marina

Just Worn Out

Hey, everyone. I've been crazy busy and just kind of a mess this last couple of days, hence the lack of posts.

For some reason I feel really sleepy and tired throughout the day, even though I have been sleeping properly. Yesterday morning I fell asleep three times while having my breakfast (as in, I suddenly started awake with half-chewed food in my mouth!) I slept as much as I could today and it made some difference...Maybe I'll perk up completely after I have my coffee.

I just read the first few reviews of Where the Wild Things Are, which I am going to see tomorrow. They weren't all raving, but I'm still excited to see it. I would like to buy a stuffed toy of Carol as well as the book itself the same day I see the movie.

Anyway, I'm off to take care of all my chores, go to the bank and ink rubber stamp designs for TGF the rest of the day. I'll probably post again on Sunday.

Enjoy your weekend!

-Marina

That's It!

Ever since yesterday's post, in between drawing, writing and watching Star Trek, I researched, read and thought about my main character's motivation until I believed my brain had effectively melted. I fell asleep thinking about it, woke up thinking about it, had breakfast and made by bed thinking about it, and then sat down at my computer and began to research again.

I found the answer I was looking for in the comments of another blog, in a post about giving your characters motivation. Someone mentioned a character from a book I've never heard of as an example of a character with no motivation, and the blog author pointed out that that character's motivation was to find his purpose. And boy, did that hit me like a ton of bricks!

Of course that is what my main character is looking for. She has another, unrelated motivation at the very beginning of the story, which she soon loses, and at that point she finds herself with no purpose. The rest of the book is her discovering her purpose, then running away from it (literally) then actively chasing it even though she fears it, and finally coming to terms with it at the end. Now that I realize this is her motivation, I can see that it moves everything else in the plot--only when she finds her purpose and embraces it can the story end. It also makes sense now that she is the only character in the entire book who doesn't have anything she obviously wants!

I'm going to keep rewriting while keeping this in mind. What a great way to start my day!

-Marina

My Brain is Melting

I have a bad case of Writer's Block. My book is well over halfway done, but I see many problems with the beginning of the story, and my main character has no motivation. Is it okay, I wonder, to simply throw stuff at a character and have her reactions move the story forward even if she doesn't have something she wants "more than anything in the world"? I've heard this is required when creating any character, and I wonder if it's the kind of rule than can't ever be broken, or if it can at least take a little bending.

The things my protagonist wants change depending what I throw at her. And yet all the other characters in the book DO have things they want badly --every one of them! Why can't I think of what she wants? Arrgh.

Maybe I should join a critique group. But the one time I did that, I was so shy that not only I couldn't read my book out loud, but I did not dare give my opinion to anyone either. I went once and came home feeling miserable and embarrassed.

Right now I feel as though nothing could help me as much as the opinion of more experienced people --that and some writing classes. I'm currently trying to find out if there are any colleges that have writing classes open to the public. I'm willing to invest my time and money to learn if only I can find someone to teach me, so you know of any creative writing classes or workshops in the South Florida area, please let me know!

Ah, well. As frustrated as I am with the difficulties of writing, I still love it. It's a challenge, and I'll learn how to overcome these bumps as I go along.
 
Okay, I better get back to inking those TGF designs if I want to be done with this month's batch of stamps by the end of the week...

-Marina

What a delightful surprise from Kadie!!

I just HAD to write an extra post today! When I got home from work, there by my computer my mom had left today's mail for me. There was a little envelope, and when I opened it, just look at what I found inside!

I was so pleasantly surprised to find this gorgeous little card so nicely crafted by Kadie, featuring Maggie The Bunny! Maggie as you know is one of the characters I created for The Greeting Farm.

I am always in admiration of the cards you talented girls make, so to hold one in my hand, and such a pretty one too, makes me happy beyond words! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Kadie! I've placed your card in a memory box that hangs on the wall of my studio, so everyone can see it. ♥

Sorry for the blurry scan! I'm afraid our digital camera died right after the Orlando trip. :P

-Marina

Happy Friday!

Snail Weather by

=marinaneira on deviantART

Hello everyone, and a very happy Friday to you all! I'm feeling better today. Got all my chores out of the way so as soon as I get home from work this evening I can begin to tackle the second half of this month's batch of rubber stamp designs for The Greeting Farm. (Speaking of which, all the stamps that were released on October 1st have been uploaded to my deviantART and added to a new gallery, along with the piece you see above.)

I've also started writing again, thanks to the wonderful little laptop my boss gave me. I'm trying to revise what I have written so far. Some time ago, a friend told me that I use way too much passive voice. I was kind of upset at the time because I loved the sound of passive voice and didn't know it could be abused so easily! Well, a couple of days ago I sat with my manuscript and a little book of grammar, and soon realized with much horror that I use passive voice almost exclusively. It's terrible! Ha ha... So now I want to take some writing classes, but I can't find any in my area. Anyway, I'm sure I will manage somehow!

The other day I heard a writer say on the radio that perhaps one could not write an entire novel, but one could certainly write one page a day, and that by thinking in this manner he had finished and published eight books to date. I found that inspiring and will try to do the same: one page per day, even if I feel like I hate my manuscript that particular day.

Be sure to drop by Jessica's blog today and let her know what you think of this wonderful little card she made featuring Laurie The  Skunk, one of the characters I created for TGF. Isn't the flocking she gave to Laurie's coat precious!

That's it for today but expect to hear again from me this weekend. Enjoy the rest of your day!

-Marina

Back From Orlando

I arrived from Orlando a couple of days ago, and I am having a surprisingly difficult time adjusting to my usual routine, as much as I missed it. I had an alright time --let's just say I didn't choose the best time of the month to take a trip, and was very moody and sore all three days.

To tell the truth, I did not feel like going at all, and wished I were home many times during the three days we spent there, but there was no helping it, the reservations had already been made. I do regret spending so much money to go to the frickin' "Happiest Place on Earth" and then pass the time brooding. If we had gone one week later it would have been very different. It only makes me want to go back again all the more, when I'm my usual cheerful self. Hopefully we will get to do that soon.

It was fun looking for gifts for my friends, and of course I bought a lot of junk for myself --a whole lot of postcards, the tank top I'm wearing in the photo, an I Love Lucy keychain, a Chilly Willy stuffed toy and a few Disney and Universal pins as well a sleek album to put them in among other things. So it wasn't so bad, but I felt bad for not being better company for my mom.

Something is heavy on my mind since our return, and that is the health of my beloved, overweight, ten-year-old cat, Stimpy. I noticed he was limping slightly the morning of our departure, and tried to forget about it when my mom insisted I was imagining things in my worry to leave our pets alone for three days (our landord took care of them while we were away.) I was quite successful at forgetting the incident entirely, and did not give it any more thought until we got back late Sunday night. Then Stimpy's limp was evident to my mother as well, and you can only imagine my guilt, as much for leaving him alone as for forgetting that he was in pain in the first place.

The vet saw Stimpy on Tuesday, gave him a couple of shots for the pain and ran a blood test on him to rule out diabetes. Apparently, it is arthritis. We will have to wait a few days to see how he reacts to the medicine he gave us to sprinkle on his food. He is taking it with no problems but the limp has not subsided. I am  worried and heartbroken to see him like this. That may be what is making it harder to concentrate on anything else --but I can only pray that, if he cannot be cured, at least his pain can be lessened enough to make him comfortable.

I am slowly getting back to inking, so keep an eye on my blog the next couple of days if you want to see what I've been working on.

-Marina

A New Writing Station

A couple of days ago I was fortunate enough to get a hand-me-down laptop from my boss. It's old and heats up quickly, but it's also very fast, especially after being reformatted. I won't hook it up to the Internet. Rather, I will use it solely for writing. I think it's high time I got back to work on my stories, and all the children's books I've been buying lately have me bursting with inspiration.

One of the nicest, biggest, most colorful gems I found is Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever! and in excellent shape, too, other than a bit of scuffing on the corners. So I scanned an illustration for it and used it as the wallpaper on my "new" laptop, as you can see on the photo above. :)

It's a crazy night --packing and getting everything ready to go to Disney and Universal. Woohoo! I've been to Magic Kingdom once before, but I was only there for six hours. It took us just about as long to get there (by bus!) as the time we spent at the park itself. So, we did not enjoy ourselves as much as we might have liked.

This time, we're staying two nights. Needless to say, I am very excited! XD I hope to take lots of pictures and buy some books and toys, too (no matter where I go, I have to buy books and toys... sigh.)

I won't be be able to update until Monday, but I should have lots to tell! Maybe I'll get some ideas for new TGF stamp designs, too.

Well, I'm off! Have a great weekend, everyone!

-Marina

Laurie, Marlene, Maggie and others now available at TGF!

Laurie

Today is a VERY special day! I've created a large number of rubber stamps for The Greeting Farm in the past couple of months, but today the first three rubberized designs --Maggie, Marlene and Laurie-- along with a few holiday digis are finally being released and put up for sale in the shop. It's so exciting!!

I did my very best to create adorable characters and draw them in situations and poses that are cute and fun to color. I hope everyone will enjoy them! More than anything I look forward to seeing the beautiful cards folks will create --though I must say TGF's talented Design Team has already blown me away!

Everyone at The Greeting Farm has given me such a friendly, warm welcome. I am very happy and grateful for this. Of course if you have any particular animals that you'd like to see me draw, or if you want certain characters doing certain things, feel free to make suggestions, and I'll see what I can do. I can't guarantee the design you want will get made, but if it's an idea that sounds fun for me to draw, I'll sketch it up and pass it on to Marie. Just let me know in a comment, or shoot me an email!

Hope these new stamps bring you as much pleasure as I had in designing them. ♥

-Marina