I was trying to stream tonight, but I am having a really hard time getting livestream to work. (there is a beeping in the audio output I cannot figure out)

I just wanted to mention it, as I told a few people that I would stream tonight. I tried playing with it for a few minutes, but it was getting distracting. So, i will retry when I take my next break. Give me an hour or so.

Over the past few months you may have noticed I have been more withdrawn, antisocial, and to an extent neglectful.

Now, I am not exactly sure what the mechanism was, but for some reason over the past few months I was feeling quite depressive.

The sleeping in, the weight gain, the lack of interest in even things I loved.

That sucks. I didn't talk to friends, I didn't get back to people.. you know..
Granted, if you have ever had to deal with depression, this is not news to you.

So, I have been kinda kicking depression's ass lately.
I cut out the junk food, and re-started on the regiment of b vitamins that I had been on in the past.

I hate how such a simple solution can really make all the difference. It kinda makes you feel like an asshole for not trying the easy steps first. Once again, if you ever had to deal with depression, you know this all to well.

With that, I am doing much much better. I already lost a little weight too. Partially because of diet, partially because I stopped living in bed.

I really do appreciate any positive sentiment, but it is unnecessary.

I simply wanted to advocate the use of proper nutrition as a means to help anyone with mild depression. May not be a cure all, but I have to tell you, it worked for me. That, and you really have nothing to loose by eating right.

I am off to dance to the Jackson 5. That is what life is all about.

Take care of yourselves!

-Jeff

4,000 WATCHERS!

I never thought I would ever see that. Then again, if you would had seen the very first costume I ever posted almost 5 years ago, you can see why I was skeptical. I have come a long way.

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for watching. I hope my work will keep you doing so for years to come. Without the recognition of every single person watching me, I would just be a guy in dark room making animal costumes. You guys make it worth it in every sense of the word. Without you, I would have to go back to a thankless, soul crushing job.

Thank you. Thank you, Thank you.

So, it's official. We are a little behind schedule. Between the move, the hospital visit, the holiday's, and the normal little things that sneak up on all of us we lost lots of time.

So, commissions and quotes are closed until we clear out the list.

I know communication has been pretty sluggish lately too. This is in direct correlation with the move, and other delays.
I have been focusing all of my energies on catching back up in the shop, and I don't have my computer set up out there, and I do that to avoid distraction.

Things have stabilized for sure, and we managed to get 4 suits done in the month of November, so we are really picking up the pace in the new shop.

Oh, also, I should be updating my gallery fairly soon. I am missing quite a few recent suits, and really need to get on the computer more often.

Anyway, I will update when we are re-opening. But it will at least be a few months.

Thanks!

-Jeff

Ahh, MFF as soon as later today.. I will be flying up tomorrow. I elected to stay an extra day here to only miss one day of work. As seeing that I just worked over 16 hours Tuesday, 16 hours yesterday, and most likely another 16 hours today to make up for lost time.. I feel no shame in taking a full day off on Friday.

Okay, actual message I was posting the journal for.

DON'T FEED THE LEMURS!

Due to my hospital stay, and subsequent prescribed medications in can not have a single drop of alcohol. It could cause irreversible damage to my liver. I could not cheat, even a little, so once again.

DO NOT FEED THE LEMURS!

And I an not being sarcastic.

I had some major health issues kick my butt over the last week, and the final straw came on Monday.
I can get as TMI as you like, but I think for the sake of anyone reading this passively I will hold back on that side of the story.

I woke up and something was just not right, and I seldom, if ever, have been truly hospital sick. So, I was brought to the ER, and I thought for sure it was going to be a nightmare. I was welcomed right away by the desk. I wish I could have returned the pleasantries, but I was doubled over in pain.

I sat down, saw the Triage in as little as 20 minutes, and within an hour I had a room. Within an hour and a half I had been stripped naked, and was already examined.

I was reassured by a cranky nurse, and a very nice doctor, and within under 2 hours I was on my way.

Total cost was under 100 bucks for out of pocket, and the doctor even followed up with me.

Not too bad..

Last time I went to an ER with a friend, it took almost 8 hours in total. That trip cost him around 300 dollars... at the same hospital.

So, I think things are getting better.. let's hope so.

Anyway, i am still a little out of it, but am getting back to work today. It eel good to actually be at full capacity. As the last week i felt like I was working myself ragged for almost no gain.

I hope i am well enough to make it to MFF, but I am not going to push myself. I can't drink on my meds anyway.. but still, we will see.

I am now 99% at my new house. Water was supposed to be on days ago.. but should be on tomorrow.

We got the shop here in in piece. It was a little nerve racking, but loosing less than 3 days of production for a full move is more than I could have hoped for. I hate that I am getting good at moving, it means I am doing it too much,

New house should allow us to grow a bit more, and now we have more space than we know to do with. I know that won't last, but for right this second it feels amazing.

Most of my furniture made it alright. I did manage to dent up one of my prized mid-century lounge chairs a little. Not irreparably, but it is beyond the simple scratch cover method, and will require a little refinishing. Not a happy day for me.

The house itself is still rather empty, and I am at a loss on how to arrange anything. I used to have so much more of a knack for that stuff, but lately I have really neglected to even try to design anything. Having a clean, organized house is nice, but at this point I would rather just get back to work. The move itself was nerve racking enough, I just want it to be over and done.


The good news is, with a new house means a party. Perhaps something much more formal than a regular party. Our last mandatory dress event went really well, and with a house like this a classy shindig will be hard to pass up.


I am pretty sure I got back to everyone who had contacted me while I was in between houses, and the internet was not yet up. If for whatever reason you contacted me after the 3rd of this month, and now, and you have not heard from me, let me know. I missed your message in the gap.

That is all for now. TTYS

-JeFF

Just letting everyone know that I will be a little hard to get a hold of for the next few days.

Internet in the new house is not hooked up yet. So I will have limited time to keep up with everything until about.. Friday. So, it's not too long. I just figured I would make mention if anyone was trying to get a hold of me over the next few days.

-Jeff

I wanted to check in on FA after the downtime.

The funny thing is, I kinda broke the FA habit while it was down. Plus I wanted to avoid the massive upload fever that I am sure 5 days of no FA had caused.

I am a little late to the party.

I was just checking to make sure that everyone had gotten the initial "post post post" rush out of the way before I added to the pile. Once submissions spend more than 4 seconds on the main page I will start to upload all the wonderful things I have created. (wow, that sounds really egotistical). To show you all the things I created. .. I guess that works, but I still would like an adjective in their. To show you all the ... photographed? things I have created...

Eh, it wil have to do.

Anyway, check us out on Twiitter. where I try far too hard to be funny. the coll thing is, along with that I also will post streams, and wip pics far more often than I do here.

https://twitter.com/CritterFactory

Just as a warning, I am really bad at the internet social sites. Please don't hold it against me if I am not good at tweeting correctly.

https://twitter.com/CritterFactory

Had this, but never used it. UNTIL NOWISH!!


Yes, I finally modified my Old KayproII to dial up the twitter mainframe.

A little late to the party, yes.. but to be fair I really didn't care to join before.

I will post streams, and pics, and of course my phrase of the day.

I have 7 tweets so far. My goal is 200.

I am going to try to actually use it for real this time.
I am trying to be more social on the internet again.

Please do follow me. I would be ever so grateful.

I stole this from Beetlecat. To be fair, her's might be more interesting.

1. Who are you?

-Jeff, or Media, or Spook, or Mitsonga.
I am a man that wears many hats, and am many things to different people.
I could be anything from best friend, to the most annoying person you have met. I have broken hearts, and have let people down, and I have also been the only one to turn to at 3AM, or been the most caring person you know.
though that may seem rather philosophical, in reality it points more to a strong personality than anything. I tend to run fairly hot or cold on almost everything. Neutrality is not a characteristic I would describe myself with. Because of this, whatever I am to someone, it is usually multiplied.

2. What are the 3 most important things everyone should know about you?

-I am hypoglycemic, so I can be very moody, and suffer from fairly severe irritability, If in the wrong company I can come off worse than I should. The worst part about it is for as bad as it gets, and as impassioned as my reasoning might be, I may have just needed a Cliff bar.

-I have ADD (actual doctor diagnosed ADD, not web-MD self-diagnoses). Though I feel the clinical definition should define ADD not as a lack of focus, but rather an inability to un-focus on what you are interested in. It has it's advantages. I will obsess over details that others would overlook. I am very technical, and have an incredible focus for whatever may interest me.As I had mentioned, the downfall is in that taught focus, very important things can be avoided, or overlooked. The reason I mention that ADD is important information is because it often directly dictates my relationships with people. It has also been a huge contributing factor in all my triumphs, and failures.

-The last important thing to know about me... I guess would be that I am ???? no.. uhh.. that I can be.. Well, two important things seems good enough.

3. When you aren't doing memes like this one what are you doing?

-Working mostly. Most of what I do is directly related to work. That may sound bad, but in reality my work is diverse enough to hold my interest in one avenue or another. I may work on electronics one day, then make molds the next, then sew the day after. So, really it's not as if I am doing the same thing from day to day.

I do bowl on a competitive league. my summer average was as high as 220 (July). I had a rough week establishing my current average, and started at a 176. It won't last long. In a few weeks I should be averaging back up to 190s to 200s. Though some in my league are 215 average bowlers. I practice when I can, and hope to start bowling in tournaments this winter.

I am an avid music listener, and I do play a few things. But I have not really had the time lately to play as often as I used to.

4. List your classes in school from the ones you like the most to the ones you like the least (or if you are out of school, think of the classes you did like and didn't like at the time).

-I was not a huge fan of school. I was able to slide by just by passing tests. I never once did my homework, or studied. As long as the teacher was decent as presentation I was able to get by just listening. I take that back. I did study, and do my homework in photography class, and motorcycle mechanics. I also used to be in debate.. though I now realize that I was not amazing at it.

5. What is your biggest goal for this year?

-Get settled, and have 10,000.00 in savings. I want to have enough to buy land this time next year.

6. Where do you want to be in 5 years?

-On a self sustained plot of land. I would ideally like to be as off the grid as I can. I will keep the internet, paved roads, running water, and grocery stores, but I don't want a power bill, mortgage payment, car payment, or landlord to bother me. I would like to be able to grow my business without limitations, and I want my home, and workshop to reflect that.

7. What stage of life are you in right now?

-The struggling idealistic artist phase.

8. Are you more child-like or childish?

-I suppose it really depends on the day. Sometimes ether of those titles fit me. Sometimes I allow myself too much freedom, and the later child-like me regrets knowing the childish me.

9. What is the last thing you said out loud?

-Bye Matt!

10. What song comes closest to how you feel about your life right now?

-"Watermelon man" by Herbie Hancock

11. Have you ever taken martial arts classes?

-No

12. Does your life tend to get better or worse or does it just stay the same?

-This question seems to imply that there is linear direction of circumstance. I would be much more comfortable comparing my fortune/misfortune to a cycle, or wheel. Good times with the bad, always passing away.

13. Does time really heal all wounds?

-For some people it dose. I would like to think I am one of those people(though for some things I do need more time). Some people I have met seem to go against this paradigm. I figure if I can't remember why I am upset exactly, then I may be wasting energy.

14. How do you handle a rainy day?

-If I am able, I like to sleep in, and watch movies. Soup on the couch, and baked goods seem to find their way into the schedule.

15. Which is worse...losing your luggage or having to sort out tangled holiday lights?

-Ever had to wear dirty clothes for 2 days, borrow a tooth brush, borrow deodorant, and buy a cell phone charger because of tangled lights? I think a better question would be "Would you rather loose your luggage, or miss your flight?"

16. How is (or was) your relationship with your parents?

-Eh.. kinda distant. My parents are supportive to a degree. They are not mean, or cruel, or even geographically far. We really just don't have much depth to our relationship. As I had mentioned, I can be rather opinionated about my ideals. They seem to avoid confrontation at every turn. They don't like to argue, and because of this they often don't listen. Most of the time our conversations involve them asking how my car is running, or how good the pizza was. It's very superficial.

17. Do you tend to be aware of what is going on around you?

-Well, yes and no. I can be as observant as Sherlock Homes if I am in the right mind frame. Most of the time I am only observant of the things I am directly involved in. that dose mean I am not observant to things outside of that involvement.

18. What is the truest thing that you know?

-Only believe half of what you see, and nothing you hear.
-If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
-If you don't believe in something, you will fall for anything.

19. What did you want to be when you grew up?

-Astronaut. I wanted to go to Mars. At this point I am willing to settle for low earth orbit.

20. Have you ever been given a second chance?

-Yes, but a full second chance is a joke of a concept. You may choose to forgive, but forgetting is something head trauma patients do more than you or I. So, the idea of a real second chance is an odd one. I will say people have forgiven me, that seems a tad more realistic.

21. Are you more of a giver or a taker?

-Oi.. by ratio I am slightly more of a giver. Though, I have been known to take enough for me to really think about my position on the matter.

22. Do you make your decisions with an open heart/mind?

-I am tainted with life experience. I do try to be the voice of reason, and offer myself several different scenarios, but at the end of the day I tend to go with my gut.

23. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?

-Burns on my hands. I tend to forget about them, and go on like normal.. so they tend to get rather painful.

24. What is the most emotionally painful thing that has ever happened to you?

-I have had a few bad break ups. The worst part is trying to do the right thing, even if it's not the easy thing. I have had it on both sides pretty bad. If you are the one to end it, you always are the bad guy, even in your own mind. You toss and turn, and feel horrible that you feel the way you do, but you know whatever pain you have, you are about to share it with someone else you may still care for. Makes you sick.. If you get left, you are never really sure what happened, and the feeling of being alone, and powerless to do anything about it is enough to go crazy. You fight the urge to lash out, or contact them.. I try to pretend it's okay, but it takes a very long time to actually be okay.


25. Who have you hugged today?

-Yes, by my 20mo old Niece. She was not having a very good day, and vomited on herself.. twice. I was lucky enough to give a hug after the bath, and new clothes went on.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/critterfactoryfloor

working on some interesting projects tonight.

I am making a blow up dummy to fill out duck tape dummies.

Should be interesting.

I want to suggest something that may come as a surprise. If you are reading this, chances are you are watching my. If you are watching me, chances are you are at least vaguely familiar with my work. Also, from the title of this journal you may already see where this is going.

Most of the time I submit cute, fluffy animals. I favorite overtly cute pictures, or funny things. I am not exactly what you would consider a monster fan.

As you may have already guess, one huge exception to my pattern is ALIEN. Yes, ALIEN, the 1979 thriller/sci-fi classic.
I adore the art design of H.R. Giger (pronounced GEE-ger). Not to mention Ridley Scott's superb work on capturing it all.

Okay, I am rambling, and have not even told you what my half backed plan actually is.

I want to make a xenomorph. No, xenomorphs. I would like to see if any one of you would be interested in teaming up to do this. Maybe a commission from me to make on for you, maybe a partnership, maybe a parts maker, maybe I would even order a xenomorph from you. Really the bottom line is, we need more of them, and I want to be part of that effort.

I am not 100% sure what I am asking. But it is looking like I am going to go ahead, and make my weekend project all about making ALIEN for reals. I would like to ether make the one dog alien from ALIEN III (horrid movie, but awesome alien design) or the good old fashioned ALIEN from the 1979 movie.

Anyway, if you have any interest, weather you would like to commission me, or to work with me, let me know. And we can work out what we can come up with.

None of this is set in stone, so it may be best to sit down and chat with me if you are interested.

Thanks!

-Jeff

Sicker than I have been in years.

I think I got the stomach flu.. or something like that. Lot's vomiting, lot's of dizziness, lot's of body aches, and a fever through the roof. Had my AC cranked down to the 60's..

I was able to get up and eat today, so I am on the path to recovery.

I am getting back to all my emails now, and tomorrow morning too.

the lesson of the day.. make sure you wash your hands everytime you touch anything, or every three minutes. Whatever occurs first.

Sometime, on August 16th 29 years ago..
A scared, homeless tramp dumped her newborn child on the doorstep of a hospital, and ran away, never to be seem or heard form again.
The child was shuffled fro foster home, to foster home. But in the end, worked his way through school and showed the world that no matter what the odds, we can all triumph over adversity


Oh, Also....... I was born.

I am still enjoying all the fruits of being born into an upper lower middle class family. Our 401k's may collectively suck, but we do have an in ground pool.

What can I say.. Being 29 is pretty uninteresting.
I predict my insurance rates will lower. And my ability to rent a car will continue unabated.

Next year I will get to be 30, and continue to live the life of a manchild. Now for over 3 decades.

Well, at least I am not fat, and I am not loosing my hair. GO TEAM JEFF!

Pretty soon I get to regale my nieces with stories of the crazy 80's. They will ask me if I used to dress funny, and I will have to remind them that I was only 7. So, yes. Then I will gesture with my hands to show the size of a cell phone that I never once saw a person use in real life, and we will all have a laugh. Those phones back in the day where so big! Oi... At that time we will eat what I can only assume will be some futuristic protein enriched gruel, and return to the underground bunker before the night marauders return, with their fanciful notions of justice via the "Thunder Dome".


Until that time, I will continue to sew, and store non-hybrid seeds.

Here's to one more year on this fabulous existence on Spaceship Earth.



Cheers!

-Jeff

We are finishing up the final stitches on quite a few costumes, and we will be looking for our next round of commissions.

if you are at all interested, and would like to request a quote, or have any other questions email or call me.

tcfquotes[at]gmail.com

407 415 1893

No notes, please.

We are still trying to keep our volume low, so this may only be for 1 or 2 slots.

Give me a jingle!

Thanks!

-Jeff

Ever get mad?

Boy howdy, I sure do.

I am not sure if it comes with the territory or not, but for some reason I get angry. I am not saying I curse when I stub my toe. Oh, no sir. I get Mt. Saint Hellenes mad. I get yell at a crying infant in a stroller mad. I get writing wordy critical letters to everyone that has mildly annoyed me at 3AM mad. (good thing I never send those.)

Why is that?

I am usually a cool headed, down to earth, logical, rational individual. So, why is it that just by watching a single episode of Tosh.0 can get my proverbial goat?

oh wait.......

(now here is the punchline if you haven't been paying attention)

I think I can isolate all of my irrational explosive anger issues to one singular event...

Tosh.0

Why is it a talent-less hack of a failed comedian spurts out as many one liners to internet fart videos, and it takes up the majority of all programming on a single network?

I just get so angry...

hello all

I have to apologize for my shift key being a tad unreasonable in this post. My capitalization may be less than it should. There may be lowercase "i"s and more than one sentence started in lowercase. This is, however, an issue for only this post, or until I get my ass to the store for some manner of cleaner.

Now that we have that unpleasing news out of the way we can move forward to some recent events in my life.

i have always been asked a specific question I have never understood when someone close to me passes away. I guess the issue is not the question itself, but it's implication of my emotions. if you where wondering the question asked is something along the lines of "are you sad?" i guess seeing it typed in front of me like this gives me an insight to why someone may ask this. Still... I do not really understand the brute simplicity of the question. I may just be a pedantic observationalist.. However, I do feel that we tend to have defined social roles to play in specific scenarios. Almost as if we are to feel alienated if we do not feel what we are outlined to feel.

I had mentioned earlier that my grandmother was in HOSPICE. I think it's fairly clear what has transpired form the last time I had left a journal.

As i was saying. At the time of my grandmothers death I was not greeted with a sense of sadness, or loss. Rather, I felt a wave of relief. shortly after, I felt as if I should be feeling some other way. of course, I felt sympathy for my grandmother, my family. But me.. I felt like I should be feeling worse. that in turn made me feel horrible.

From that time, I have bee doing some thinking, and trying to figure some things out that I have really not thought about in quite some time. I am coming to the conclusion that we all mourn our own way. What maters is how someone is remembered.

i say this as if you empathize with me on this. i don't want to generalize with my opinion. i thought it was an interesting observation.

i have been a tad quite during my reflection time. so, please forgive me.

i figured i would give an update.

-jeff

Remember about 6 months ago when many of us decided that 2011 needed to go, and that 2012 was going to be better?

I am considering going back to 2011 this month.

Let me be blunt.

My grandmother is on her deathbed.

Many of the other issues from moving have started to clear up. I have been catching back up for the lost time. And slowly, but surely, I am getting back onto the internet with some regularity.

So it seemed quite the kick in the face when I heard the news that my grandmother had heart failure, and has been admitted to a HOSPICE. She, once again lacking a better term, is on a death watch.

Though I would not lie and say that I have been by her very side every waking moment. I have been fairly distressed these last few weeks. It has effected me in many ways, and I have had trouble "snapping back" into regular life. I am admittedly a little stunned by the onslaught of not only the problems of last month, but the seemingly continuous bad news.

Overall, I myself am stable. I am obviously shaken, and feel somewhat distant to the whole thing. I think that the shear deluge of events has left me a tad emotionally drained.

Of course I appreciate any sympathy for my situation. You don't have to feel the need to say something if you feel badly for me, or my situation. Honestly, I just wanted try to communicate my reasons for being a tad aloof over these last few weeks. I know getting a hold of me is not as easy as it had been, and I wanted to make sure that I made mention of this as it was happening.

One thing I will add.

Don't take your family for granted. I had once ignored my father for a few years out of anger. I would have no idea what to do if I had found out that he was sick, or worse, dead, at that time. I have never been a terrific grandson, so this is a good time to remind you that we don't have forever, let the petty stuff go.

-Jeff

Sorry for being quite and all. I do like to update when I can.

So, what can I say, these last few days have been a bummer.
My Grandmother is in the hospital, We lost Vex, my father just got his 3rd (yes, 3rd) DUI, my car is on the fritz, and Lucy(my uncle's golden retriever) has a week to live. While I can assure you, the list of bad things this month is much longer. I figured I would stick to the most important issues.

And not to downplay the importance of any of those events, but to top off I am moving.
I have been in the same house for almost 4 years. and all of those years I had made costumes. I can 't tell you how frustrating it is to get rolling on a project, and realize the one tool you need is ether in a box, in storage, or 6 miles down the road at the old house.

It was something I needed to do. With limited storage at the old place we could not stock huge amounts of materials and fur, and that had come to bite us in the butt when fur is backordered. Space had become such a premium that we had to use 3 or 4 tables for every thing we did. That may sound like a lot of room, but with two people working in a glorified closet.. it's not. Not to mention our landlord was looking to raise the rent again..

I do have to say, this move came at a very bad time. I figured after FWA would be good, so as to have settling time before the AC rush comes. Of course I did not count on everything playing out the way it did. Then again, really, there is never a good time for bad news.

Overall I feel I am taking things in stride. I am working weekends to catch up, and I think after I get out of the old house 100% I will be able to get a grasp on things. I am not in a bad mood. I am optimistic, However, I will be the first to admit that this has not been a good month.

Don't worry about me. there are far more important things to worry about. You don't have to feel sorry for me, or anything like that. I just felt like bitching a little bit. It dose feel good to bitch,

http://youtu.be/w0i62SxvN_U

If you do want to watch my weekly fursuit dancing thing, clicking on the link above would be a good start.

I am still moving slowly into the new shop, and I figured I needed to suit in the new house. So, the hose has officially had somebody in fursuit dancing in it. I am not sure what that dose for the property value, but it least it makes me feel more at home.

The Lemur's name is Mitsonga btw. Not Metsango, or Matsona, or whatever typo. I had him as a secret suit for almost like 2 years, and finally got him put together. He is a Verreaux's sifaka. Not zoobamofoo (or however the hell it's spelled) or even a King Julian. Though, yes, he is a leaping lemur. (sigh) I will never hear the end of that one.

Anyway, watch the video, and enjoy!

Normally I don't get too riled up about things. Well, let me clarify. I always get riled up about things, I just never get to the point I feel the need to make a journal post about it.

Let me preface this by saying that I like jokes. I think myself lighthearted, and I can even take a jab or two at my expense. I simply ask that if you dish it out, that you can take it. I can't tell you how many people I have never met have come up to me and say something vastly inappropriate, and tactless, like "Hey, you're that Media guy, I hear you're an asshole". To which I often say something nasty in return, as I can be rather quick witted if verbally assaulted. At that point the individual (whom I have never met) acts not only surprised, but has the audacity to act offended. Had this been an isolated occurrence I would think nothing of it, and it would not have been mentioned. I say this because this is the mentality of many people. That whole "say whatever fucked thing you want, then pull the indignant card when it happens to you" bullshit.

That brings me to my next point. April first..

The comedy worlds "D student" of days.

Like any other day, I woke this morning, and in a surreal waking state I slammed the f5 key as fast as I could to see what the new day had brought.

Over my morning coffee I saw a vast sea of moronic, kindergarten level "pranks" on my FA. Pranks I would have used more brain cells to navigate into a pair of socks.

Way to fucking go champ, that thumbnail dose not match the actual image. COMIC GENIUS!

I see plenty of artist wasted away months of planing (no doubt attempting to lick their own genitalia), and now we all have to suffer through a day of "phoned in" pranks that wouldn't have even passed as a joke 15 years ago on Geocities.

For god's sake, this level of material makes 9/11 look like a funnier day.

You want an April fools joke?
Just look at anyone moronic enough to propagate this tired material another year. That is a fucking joke worthy of our combined laughter.

Happy April first.

-Jeff

If you are anything like me and impulsively look at your submissions hourly you may have noticed I posted a head last night. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7682797/

I am midway through moving, and today we have our shop back 100%. We where only down I think 4 days to move. Moving is very expensive, and a little extra money to get settled would not hurt.

I had enough people ask, so I figured I would make an offer and see if anybody was interested.

I am thinking doing this similar to a Craigslist add. I post this, you send me a message, and if you make a fair offer you will can take it home.

1200.00 OBO (or best offer) I will entertain reasonable offers.

The conditions are simple. first come first served. I need at least a 500.00 down payment via paypal today if you want to make payments. Head will not be shipped until payment in full is completed.

I can also make the rest of the suit if you would like. That arrangement can be made when you send an offer.

The head will be completed this weekend, or next weekend. I cannot work on this suit during the week, as it would interrupt other suits in progress.

The head will fit a 21" to 26" head. If you have a bigger or smaller head, adjustments can be made.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

You can reach me at tcfquotes[at]gmail.com

Oh, and I can ship the head to FCN if you would like.

-Jeff

I will be available for repair work at FWA for a few hours every day. I will charge a rate of 30 bucks an hour for non-TCF suits. TCF suits can be repaired for free.

The services include.
-Touch up airbrushing
-Machine sewing
-Re-gluing
-Minor fabrication (new buckram for eyes, spare claws, etc)
-Zipper repair

If it is something not listed above, I may be able to help. keeping in mind I will only be taking on small projects, and if it is too big of a job I reserve the right to turn down work.


It is all first come, first serve. You can wait as I work if you like.
As mentioned, it will be for no more than a few hours a day, so call to find out if I can help.

Add this number to your phone. It couldn't hurt to have it on you if you had a fursuit emergency at a con.
407 504 9416


Other things to keep in mind. Many makers have different techniques that may not be compatible with the materials I bring. Though I stand by my work, I could very well be voiding your suit's current warranty. Be sure to ask your maker before hand. Almost every maker I have met is willing to repair your suit. I would recommend you talk to them if you have time to before the con. as they know your suit in and out, and better than I ever could. Think of me as an emergency service.

This can be a rather touchy subject for some makers, as you can step on toes for more invasive repairs. I wanted to mention that point, and for the record state that I respect trade secrets. If you are a maker, and don't want me to fix your suits, or just have general concerns, give me a call or email. We can chat about it, maybe set up some rules, and make sure we nip concerns in the bud before they become problems.

The time has come. today if the sun stays out (and I have not gained too much weight from long hours, and bad eating habits) we will be showing off all the new suits FWA bound. 3 in total!

It really is a lot of stress off of all of us. as at one point due to the fur shortage we had 6 or 7 suits being made at the same time, all waiting one stupid thing. so, getting these suits out the door, and done on time was really good place to get the shop cleared, and allowed us to get focused. It was a very frustrating time being unable to finish things. I am so happy that everything is just coming together day after day again.

That is good news for more than a few reasons. Most importantly we are now able to take on a few more commissions. Only 2 or 3 right now. I still would like to see a faster turnover before I open for a large batch.

The time frame for these is about 9 months to a year, depending of course on the slot you get. It is first come first serve.

I do tend to get lots of questions. and seeing that getting me on the phone has been harder lately due to the rush, I will do a quick FAQ right here. So, simple questions can be answered without having to contact me.

FAQ


What do I need to do to get a quote?
-I will need an email from you containing these things. (email address is at the bottom)
--Your real name, and number. Emailing back and forth can be time consuming, and be very frustrating if you have questions that are hard to put into written word. Simply leave me your name, and number, and when I can call you. I will email you back first if you wish. If you would like a direct phone call I can do that as well. I like to be on a good talking relationship with people I make suits for. Please, don't be shy.
--Art, lots and lots of art. I do not need a "ref sheet". I do need to get a feel for the character more than have a technical data sheet. Favorite badges, or favorite artist pieces work far better most of the time for style. ref sheets are more for patterning, and coloration. I am making a character in the style of your choice. Think of me as a 3d printer of sorts if you are going for a certain look. If you do want something made in my style, make sure you notate that in your email. If you are in love with one badge of your character I would prefer to go off of that badge than to use my default fursuit style.
--Suit expectations. If you want good visibility and need to have glasses fit in the head, are allergic to cotton, hate the look of DF fur, need to dance with lots of padding, or need a suit designed to withstand 300 bratty 4 year olds at a charity event I would like to know. Feel free to tell me whatever comes to mind. If you have been dreaming of getting a suit for years, and have something perfect envisioned you do not see on other costume, I want you to put it in words. this will allow us to better suit your needs, and I can make you aware of any changes or compromises that we have to consider with materials, and techniques available currently.
--Time. If you do not wish to call me, quotes can take a few days up to a week to get together. This is because I do have to sit down, look up the materials, and answer any questions without easy answers. Finding time to sit and devote a few hours to emails during production work is nearly impossible. Saying that, feel free to give me a poke if I have not responded in a reasonable time frame.


What is the average cost of a full fursuit?
-Depending on your needs, a suit can be as low as $2,000.00 or up to $4,000.00. Price could go even higher depending on what you ask for. We try not to have a one size fits all price, and take each project as it's own. To answer the question, most of our suits in the past have been around $2,500.00.

How do I know what the suit will cost?
-We take a slightly different approach to pricing a suit. So, there is no easy answer. Each quote is discussed with you, and we go over your needs for the suit. Most of the time we look at the character art, and see if it reflects what you would want to see in a costume. If the art is good we figure out the best options for you to achieve that look. The price is based off of projected labor, and materials cost.

Do you offer partial, or head commissions?
-Short answer is no, the long answer is yes.
We do not really offer head or partial commissions off the bat unless people insist. Mainly because we are too expensive for most parts alone. We have crunched the numbers a few times and found that the labor that goes into the head alone can be as much as 80% of the labor on a full suit. Not to mention the cost of materials for the head alone dwarf the cost of fur for the rest of the body. To be frank, other makers offer their heads, and partials at prices we cannot compete with. We stay competitive with full suit pricing, as we have the most room for savings when we can spread our cost. A head alone can be $1,700.00, but a full suit can be as low as $2,000.00 dollars. Of course we will do or best ot meet your needs within our means to do so. Please feel free to inquire if you would like to find solutions if you only need a head.

Can I get this in time for (fill in the blank) con?
-After making suits long enough I have learned to not to promise exact date deadlines. Rest assured, if you need your suit, and you ask me to try, I do my best to fulfill that need. However, we no longer offer con deadlines because we repeatedly have fallen prey to circumstances beyond our control. This is especially true of suits of experimental nature (electronics, exotic animals) . We often discount experimental suits due to the likelihood of delay. If you need a suit in time for a con, be sure to order early. If you are considering asking for something requiring fabrication (moving parts, electronics, quad suits, odd padding) please keep this topic in mind.

Do you offer moving jaws/ follow me eyes? How much extra dose that cost?
-It is interesting that these three questions are almost always asked together. Lets break it apart, and start with moving jaws.
----Moving jaws are offered, but they come at a compromise. You can have a jaw that moves very well, and that has a huge range on motion, but the fur on hinge cannot connect. With that you see an unsightly line on the face, that will look worse over time. Sometimes the line is a huge cut going into the cheeks (we call it "Joker mouth"), The other line goes from the back of the bottom jaw to the bottom of the head. On the other hand if you do not want to compromise a clean look on the head you must keep the fur continuous over that hinge point, thus limiting motion to a marginal amount of movement on the jaw. I have tired several methods to eliminate this issue with some success. Though, the problem still is something worth mention.

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Follow me eyes are also available. These also come at a compromise. I have offered this style of eye for a very long time. If you want to get technical I have offered it longer than the toony eyes you see on almost all my suits. As my very first commission was "Tank" the Rottweiler, that featured following eyes. From my point of view they look great from a distance. When you get close to the suit the effect of the eye is lost, and with me at least I cannot un-see the shadowbox used for the effect. So, it is really up to you. I do tend to shy from it, as we offer other styles of eyes with a similar effect. You can still order it if you like.

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Extra cost for these options depends more on how much you are willing to sacrifice for effect rather than a flat cost. If you want to "eat you cake, and have it too" on ether of these options you will pay more for the added fabrication, and advanced materials to clear the technical hurdles. If you would like a more generic implementation, these are typically factored in without additional cost.

Do you offer payment plans/what is your down payment?
-Yes, we offer a fairly loose payment plan that allows you to set your own rate. You are given a quote, and it is your responsibility to pay the quoted amount in full for your suit to start on time. If you do not make your payments in full at the time your suit starts you can be bumped to the back of the line. If you are bumped, you will be assigned a new time table for estimated completion, and if you fail to make full payment within the allotted time, we reserve the right to reevaluate your original quoted price. There is also a cancellation fee if you want to cancel your commission. The initial down payment is typically 25% of the total cost. Arrangements can be made. Please bare in mind that you are entering a binding contract, and you should carefully review our TOS before you commit.

Can I get WIP pics, and offer critique?
-Yes. yes you can. I also allow you to pick your fur, and materials. The only issue with this is the fact that many people I make costumes for do not fully understand the fursuit making process. A level of trust is advised when working with me on your project. In some stages of the suit the eye can be tricked, and the progress pictures can lead to unnecessary edits that can effect the end product adversely. I often have to "see what is not there". I will note that micromanaging a project can greatly add to time spent on a suit. There is only a narrow window for edits in some stages, and it will be up to you to make choices quickly, sometimes within minutes, So, I do offer some blunt feedback to insure that the project keeps forward momentum. It is your money, and I do think you should have a say.

Can I change my commission after I make my down payment?
-Yes. However, this dose not guarantee you will pay the same price for the commission. One the suit is started you have far less flexibility in this. If your suit is in construction, and depending on the stage your suit is in, you may not be able to change at all. So, please take your character seriously enough to avoid fickle last minute changes. I will double check with your art before I get started. As changing things on a suit that is done can lead to a less clean looking product, and can ruin a suit if the change is too drastic.

Can you help me with my Duck tape dummy?
-Yes. If you know you are going to a convention, drop me a line, and we can get your duck tape dummy right there in the hotel. I am happy to make the dummy for you, and have done it often enough to make a full dummy in less than 30 minutes. If you are in the Greater Orlando area you can alos stop by the shop, and we can get you all taped up there as well.

Can I visit your shop?
-Yes, but only if you make arrangements with me first. I am more than happy to give you a tour of the shop, and give you a live update of what is happening with your suit. However, if you drop in unexpectedly I reserve the right to not allow you in. We do try to operate a transparent, and open environment, but do not have the luxury of entertaining every whim of a commissioner.

I think that is about it.

If you do have any further questions, or would like to submit a quote, contact me at
tcfquotes[at]gmail.com

Thanks!

-Jeff