Tumblr, Christmas Cards, and Life

Holy frig, everyone, HI! Sorry that it has been so long since we all got together here.  I haven't updated my poor journal since May, it seems, and for that, I am sorry! Lots of things going on in my life that I occasionally drop in here now and again to upload some art

So, what's new with me? Had a great few months minus the 2 months I spent sick. I took 3 weeks off in the summer to get myself sorted: In July I went down to see my sister, and in August I took two solid weeks off to basically collect myself... I needed a breather from life in general, kind of avoided everyone and everything. September thru December have been rather uneventful, mostly just spending time with my friends and working on so art that I shouldn't be working on because I have OTHER art obligations that I SHOULD BE doing. And spending a lot of time on my new addictions: the black hole that is Tumblr, and BBC TV series.

Ah, Tumblr. It has become my new addiction. I spend a lot of time over there, moreso than I do here or G+ nowadays. And really, it's not so much of as me posting as it is me fangirling. Seriously, you guys, I need help.  You see, over the summer, my girlfriends introduced me to the AMAZING BBC series, Sherlock. I am sad (or excited?) to say I am irrevocably HOOKED ON THIS SERIES. It's beyond borderline obsession with this show, really, as the majority of the fanbase is pretty awesome, and with the news of the new season airing on BBCOne in just 15 short days, I can't stop fangirling. Tags are the greatest thing ever, seriously. i keep one tab open just for my #Sherlock tag, LOL. Though because S3 is coming up shortly, the tag is starting to get spoilery, and I am sadly going to have to refrain from looking at this tag soon. I love the theories and the fanart and the general love of this fandom. There are a few sour grapes in the fandom (like those 'tards who are pissed about Mary Morstan joining the cast... uh... it IS canon, idiots, if you ever cared to read classic literature), but all in all, being a tumblr girl makes me feel like a 15 year old fangirl squeeling over Twilight. Oi, I didn't want to make that comparison, but really, that's what Tumblr does to the obsessed woman, I think, LOL. Hah. BUT! I don't just fangirl on there (even though I do have a fandom-only related blog there)... I post up new and exciting art over there at least once a week, more than I actually do on G+, and as much as I love dA, I've been kind of using dA as my "last final posting" of pieces. SO!! That said, for those of you who don't know, I've not one but TWO Tumblr blogs that I hope you will all either follow or creepily stalk from the sidelines, LOL!

StephRatte - This is my main art blog, and I post up WiPs, Fanart Fridays, and anything art-related. I usually post up more here that on my G+ or dA accounts, at least a couple months prior to that. Please do check it out, updated at least once a week, sometimes a couple
Myriad of Fandoms - This is my fangirling blog. I created it to keep StephRatte strictly for art. MoF is where I reblog all my other favourite things to, and is currently inundated with Sherlock  and Benedict Cumberbatch, but I also post up TMNT, Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Dragons.... anything I find fun and amusing. Mostly my reblogging blog, I hope to also post up some unfinished fanfics or fanfics-in-progress there (like my all my partially written fanfics for TMNT, DWD, Dragons, Megamind and my long-to-still-be-completed Sonic series). I have fun on this one, mostly, and post whenever something catches my eye. Look at it like my updated-more-than-dA-journal Journal. Hah hah. Fun times.

So there we are. And because it is December, I usually post about this next item.



A little bit delayed this year than I normally am. Thing is, I'm not OFFICIALLY doing Christmas cards of any kind this year (not even for my own family...). There are some financial difficulties for me this year, and a real life event happened in late May in my personal life that kind of made me sour to the whole idea of holidays and Christmas. I spend a lot of time working on the cards for everyone each year and this year I just don't have the time or financial means to pick up cards this year and send them out. I'm not really in the "Christmas Spirit" this year at all, and I just don't have it in me to make beautiful cards for everyone this year.  HOWEVER. I am not opposed to exchanging cards with anyone who is interested this year as long as you don't mind getting them until after Christmas... and I truly feel bad that I don't have the time to draw something for everyone this year, and if you truly honestly would like a card from me and don't mind just a quick pencil sketch in said card, instead, then by all means, please do send me a note with your address, and I will send you a card next weekend. I will be doing the 2 or three cards I am sending off this year this week, but I'll place a deadline as FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013, so please, if you are genuinely interested in getting one, let me know and I'll add you to my list of cards receivers. Check back to this journal for updates to the list below (this is more for me so I don't forget who I'm giving cards to. A will go next to them as I finish them):

calicokatt
kittizak
Merani
MaryBellamy
MsLizEzor
Theresa

Again, please note that you won't get your card before Christmas, but I will still send you one at the week's end



First off, I'm still doing my Fanart Friday over on my my Google+ (Steph Ratté) and Tumblr (stephratte.tumblr.com), which then in turn gets uploaded here in large batches a few weeks later. One of these days, probably in the new year, I will also add dA to the list of uploaded sites since dA now also offers scheduled posts, but until then, you can see it on G+ and Tumblr or here on dA through my Twitter Widget. It's fun.

Please, do not hesitate to suggest or add my art to groups! I am honoured and humbled if my stuff get suggested to groups! I often forget to submit my pics to my normal groups, so you guys suggesting them makes me happy, and makes me remember why I keep doing what I do

Also, I tend to leave all comments and faves for a mass "comment reply" where I try to dwindle down my message centre before uploading new art, so a lot of times it will be between a week and a couple months before thanking y'all for your faves. So guys, please know that I appreciate and love EVERY COMMENT AND FAVE you send my way, in case I miss thanking you

In the new year I think I'm going to be doing mini-commissions. I am actually behind in a couple commissions (for my own family, nonetheless), but those being big commissions that I haven't been paid for yet, I would like to do quick $10 commissions of bust illustrations, since I will be going to Disney with money I do not have and need some for spending. They will be nothing special other than they will be for you If you're interested, I can put you on a waiting list and come January, I will post up details.

Is there any interest in making my originals of my fanart for sale? Curious. Like I said, I need quick cash.

The points commissions idea is still on the backburner. Until I can find a viable reason to start them, since dA doesn't even have a proper shop to spend them at anymore, I've been rethinking doing this since I currently have no need to renew my sub nor buy any prints.


And that's all folks! Thanks for visiting, and thank you for continuing to keep up with me

Steph