Custom duo

I thought I'd share the two custom orders I had last week, starting with a Super duo!

The boy was already done but I changed the initials per the customer's request. He also asked for the super girl complete with zebra cape!



My second order was for a Skeleton going all the way to Alaska! That's a first for my little shop.

I digress to say that since Thanksgiving I haven't been creating like I should. I've been overwhelmed with work and with things that take away my energy for art. So now when I sit around and am doing nothing I try to make myself draw or paint. On Friday I have the day off alone so I think I'll be doing art and things for my new shop all day.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Forever Thankful

Today I am reflecting on how good a life I have at this point. While I wish I could be in California today, I'm at home because I will be working tomorrow. Although I am far, I feel the love of my family just like every other year.

I am thankful for my sweet partner. He truly is there for me in every step of our lives. He takes care of me whenever I ask and with his whole heart. Yesterday he went to three stores for me/us (me) and came home with a smile and tried to help me fix my apple pie problem. What a hero right? He wants me to be who I am and just to be happy, I love him so much for that. I love him for accepting me in all my moods and weirdness.

My family is a equal to William. They are so supportive even if they disagree with my life path at the moment. I called them all this morning and truly feel their love today. I know we all wish we could be together, but I appreciate the support even though I can't be there. They are amazing.

William's family has been really great to us this year as well. Today his dad, Bob, and brother, Robert are over cooking our meal. Turkey and potatoes and yams and green beans. It's been a busy morning full of talking and music and family.

While it's silly, I'm so happy to have our cat children with us to cuddle and love at all hours of the night and day.

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving is having a perfect one, enjoy your family, friends, food, and kittens!

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

I painted once, I was awful.

My ode to Grumpy Cat.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Turtle mouth Zombie

This is a Zombiebot I am oh so proud of. And while I am happy to find him a new home once my shop is up and running, I'll be sad to see him go. I think he has a turtle mouth.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

P.S. In case anyone noticed yet, I'm trying to make my blog more about my art. Since I create almost daily, I'm going to be showing it off more and more. 

Yoshi's second life

Here is a second zombie yoshi I've done lately, the first is for my personal collection and this one will be for sale in my new shop pretty darn soon. I put him next to my Albino Mouse to show you his great size. I wish I could find more of these dolls but they were all selling out when I bought the two.

Acrylic paint on a vinyl doll

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

I'm creepin on you.

Sometimes when I create Lovebots I make silly creatures. This Creeperbot is one of those silly robots. My love of Minecraft goes as far as survival mode on super easy, I'm terrified of creepers! I'm so worried they're blow up my house and their grunts are awful. I swear I can hardly play the game on my own.

Materials:
Fleece, Felt, Buttons, Stuffing, & Thread
Machine sewn body
Handsewn face and heart

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

White Mouse

An albino mouse was so fun to do since it's completely oposite of how it was before I painted it. I am going to try my hand at sculpting my own toys and see where that gets me. For now, here is the white mouse.

Acrylic paint on a vinyl toy.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

The Quiet Thoughts of an Introvert

The older I get the more I understand the fact that I truly am an introvert. That saying I take more relaxation and strength from alone time than social time. The more and more I work in retail, which means interaction for 8 hours five days a week, the more I relish my alone time.

I find the best thing I can do to calm down after work is to sit at my desk and create something. I don't always plan what to make but it eases the stress that work builds. Today I came home and started working on a princess order I received a day or two ago, because I want to get it home and I have a new order right after that! It's been a great week for my humble shop.

Love & Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Strange...

Tonight I am starting the opening of my new shop on Big Cartel. I opened a free shop tonight to start working on how to use Big Cartel and what I can and can't do with it. I'm going to start working on my inventory really hard and once I have enough to have a real shop, it'll be open for everyone to enjoy!

One thing I find strange, besides feeling like I'm starting over completely. It feels weird to me to be writing an about me on a brand new site that no one has ever seen. Maybe it's silly maybe it's not, but it all just feels strange.

Love and Turtledoves,

Jacqueline

Eyebrow Worship

Okay so bare with me now, I know I am not a beauty blog. But when I love something, I really fucking love it. And the only speck of make up I refuse to leave the house without, is mascara and some bold brows. And I mean bold. I absolutely am against thin, "rainbow" brows that are so popular now. I mean good for you if you can pull that off, but I am against it. I love me a bold brow.

So here was my dilemma. Since I started dying my hair black two years ago, I have never found the perfect eyebrow make up. I first started doing my eyebrows with a dark brow pencil, but I didn't like how goopy it was. Then I used Elf's brow pallet, which is amazing for one dollar.

But after a while, and a few pictures... I realized the awful truth. It didn't match AT ALL! My eyebrows were super brown under bright light compared to my black hair. Just thinking of it makes me cringe. Then I tried Revlon's Color Stay Brown enhancer, which was really nice and dark and LASTED LIKE A MONTH. Boooo not cool. So I gave that up especially because it's 7 dollars a pop!

My next dilemma was the cost of good eyebrow make up. I wanted to try Two Faced and Urban Decay but they were way too pricey for my taste. So one day when browsing Ulta, I found Tarte's Eyebrow Mousse. And may I say it is AMAZING!

It comes in a little jar with a sweet brush! Which was perfect because I was wanting an eyebrow cream and a new brush just for my thick brows. This was my perfect solution. It was $28 dollars at Ulta and you can buy it online at Tarte.

I swear it is going to last forever, thank God!

Love and Turtledoves,

Jacqueline

A much needed change

In case anyone is wondering, I have decided to change my entire blog and business. Now that I'm growing up, I feel like my old blog name is too innocent and out dated. I don't feel like a diamond in the dark anymore, I feel more like a strong, young artist who wants to shine. I want to share my journey living as an adult at nineteen, while trying to become the person I am on the inside.

In short, I want my blog and business to reflect who I am.

The biggest change to my business is I will most likely be switching from Etsy to Big Cartel. My biggest reason for the change is I feel Etsy is very sweet, and not very edgy. Also, I don't feel like my art fits on Etsy, only that my Lovebot's do. Big Cartel has less community features, but I feel like it's audience is more hip and dark. I will creating more just Lovebots and Big Cartel is where they will be.

I hope to have it all sorted out within the next few weeks and can't wait to see how the internet receives the new me. I'd like to thank everyone who still cares and hopefully you'll enjoy this new journey with me.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Knick Knacks Forever

All of my life I have been an avid knick knack collector. When I was a little girl, I collected Precious Moments. When I was in middle school I collected Stephen King books, I had over 20 and had read more than half! In high school I collected records to hang on my walls.

These last six months I have started collecting vinyl dolls and then modifying them. You can see my first modified Yoshi on this post. My favorite dolls to search for and buy without modifying them are the Monster High Dolls. They're creepy and well styled and they aren't too common. I love going to Target and not finding one everytime, but once and a while I find one I have to have. 

So far, I have Ghoulia Yelps in Physical Deaducation. I loved her because she's got a little rockabilly style.

Recently, I bought C.A. Cupid because she is perfection. I saw in and couldn't leave her there. She was just too beautiful.

My favorite part is her beautiful lace detail legs. They are amazing!

I also love Funko vinyl dolls. They are simplistic versions of normal characters. I have a Stormtrooper, Rudolph, and a Mickey that I modified. You can see the Stormtrooper and Rudolph in the first two pictures.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Help! I want to be a better blogger.

So as everyone can know by now, I am awful at posting! I get so caught up in procrastination from anything crafty or productive, that I ignore my blog more than I ignore the laundry. But it's not what I want. I want to be a great blogger and have internet friends and share my life with the internet.

And you know why I think I don't share as often as I wish I did? Because I think I'm boring! Here, in 'wonderful' Las Vegas, a good time is getting wasted and doing things you don't remember. To me a good time is sewing and watching United States of Tara and eating the AMAZING dinners my Mister makes me. I can feel that I'm letting other people get to me. I'm letting people tell me I'm boring.

The truth is I am not boring. I'm old fashioned and a home body and that's okay! I just need to accept myself more and do whatever the fuck I want!

And this blog is super ranty and run on sentencey so I'll end it with a new project!

I just got this sweet new watercolor brush that has water in it. Finally I am good at shading!

Love and Turtledoves,

Jacqueline

My Recent Disappearence

Hurray for sunlight!

Lately has been such a whirlwind that I, to be truthful, have lost sight of my blog and of my creative projects. I had planned to do some videos once or so a week and keep up with everything, but I lost focus.

I wanted to make a video for this wonderful news, but it's been almost three weeks now so that's out the door! Anyway, William and I have moved into our first apartment! We have a beautiful two bedroom apartment and our lives have improved so much. We live a lot closer to our work so that reduces SO much stress for us.

I'm also happy to say I have been back at my creative projects. I just made a Lovebot I am SO proud of and cannot wait to make more of. So I thought I'd share him today as well.

I haven't thought of a name for this little guy but I am so thrilled to make more of them! The funny thing is I'm not a huge zombie movie fan or anything but I'm just so into making zombie things right now. I think on the next one I make I might make half of his face a skeleton too.

I also have some big news at work that I hope goes through here pretty soon. I'll keep you posted though ;), it's not quite time to talk about it.

Have a beautiful week!  I get to see my parents today and am SO EXCITED. It's been about six months and I am in need of some family time. 

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Birthday Vlog

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

P.S. The adorable redhead I speak of is Sammy of Everything In Between.

Death to Yoshi

On my last post and on my twitter, which I like to use to post silly things about my days, I have been hinting about my latest art project. As I said before, I bought a vinyl figure from work on a whim and decided to spice it up a little. I bought this sweet 9" yoshi figure for about 9 dollars after employee discount. I had bought a pink one the day before but didn't quite love the blue one as much.

Once I decided on a theme, I painted him solid white so that I could do anything I please with him.

It took about three coats of white acrylic paint, with no color showing through when I was done.

 Next I turned him a dark green, to look much more like real Yoshi.

Next I gave him bruises, dark patches, and other skin discolorations. 

And then the fun began.

I added some over all creepy and zombie-ness.



And here is my finished result. I have to say this is the most fun I've had on an art project in so long. I'm almost sad for it to be done.







If anyone, or anyone you know, is interested in purchasing a vinyl figure like this one, I will be making another soon. Please email me at diamondinthedark-smacko *at* hotmail *dot* com.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Apartment Dreams and Creepy toys

Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing super great :) We've been doing very well lately, living in bliss together. Work is turning out for the best for us, we both received our much needed promotions in the last few weeks! Now we both make commission and can really afford a new place! So for the next few weeks we'll be saving up for deposits and looking even harder at the places we have our hearts set on. We're going to have a two bedroom apartment to stretch out in, we're so cramped right now! The most exciting part about having a two bedroom is the second bedroom will be our art/computer room, so he can game all he wants and I can get back into sewing. I can't wait to share with you our new adventures!

Right now I'm hard at work on a new painting project. I bought a vinyl toy/doll at work and am hard at work repainting it to be a little.... creepier.  But that's all I'll say! I'll post my steps when it's all done, I can't wait to finish it!

A few things I love this week:

• Being IRL friends with Samantha of Everything in Between, we are penpals and text all the time! She's the cutest.
• Apartment day dreams! We go to stores and talk about all the cute things we'd get to make our new place home.
• Acrylic Paint
• Animal Crossing: City Folk
• William, my sweet sweet Mister.

I hope you're all doing well! What's new with you?

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

Awkward Silence

I know I've been blogging for a year or two now but I feel horrible about my recent lack of posting. I've been working so much and so tired all the time that I have completely neglected my blog. I feel like I owe myself and all of you an apology for that. I do love my blog, I promise I'll be making more time for it!

So as promised, I had a surprise. And as many of you guessed, I got my first tattoo! On February 29, William and I headed to Lucky 21 tattoo in Las Vegas to see Alex Strangler, one of my favorite tumblr tattoo artists. She was visiting for just two days and we were praying she'd have an availability for me! 

So I gave her one of my drawings of the flowers you all know I'm obsessed with. I was so impressed that she came back within a few minutes with a perfect stencil. I didn't have to fix anything because she did just what I wanted.

And then I sat for two hours and got my first tattoo! It's on the inside of my left arm, close to my elbow. I thought about getting it lower but that would have hurt even more! Over all I'd say it hurt like a bitch, however you get over the pain pretty quick. I just got super obsessed with how beautifully it came out and I know I'll be getting tons and tons more.

And I thought the healing process was wicked so I snapped shots of those too!

Over all I think it was an amazing experience for me. The team at the shop was amazing and friendly. Alex is kind and truly gifted at her craft. I don't think I could have asked for anything better.

Do you have any body mods? I am slowly making my way more into them. I am really thinking on dermal anchors right now.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

A Slow Little Day

Hello everyone! 

I cannot believe how little I have been blogging lately. I think I'm going to start scheduling it like all those amazing bloggers who blog regularly. I just get so tired from work that I can't think of anything to talk about!

So today was my day off alone (booooooo William had to work) but it has been a nice one. I've used today *pay day whoo!* to catch up on cleaning and food supplies.

So today I:

Did Laundry

Funny fact is these are mostly William's dress socks! hehe

Became addicted to Minecraft

Bought and Organized a shoe rack

Nommed some Spring Candy mix

Bought new glasses

and had a wonderful day over all! 

How have your days been? I promise I'll post again in a day or two. I have some really exciting news to share! Here's a tiny tiny sneak peak.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

P.S. I also have some fun vlogs William and I did together! I can't wait to share :)

To Pants, Love Pants: My Valentine's Card to my Mister

My Dearest Pants,

Just starting out I know this letting is going to take me a long time tonight. I've been really thinking hard on what to write to you this year. Last year we were apart, so this is our true "First" Valentine's Day together and I want to write something truly from my heart. I want to truly express how deeply I love you and appreciate our partnership.

Preface over, I love you. I love you like I have never loved any other being on our planet. I have much love for the people I care for, but my love for you out shines all that. Moving in together has been the best decision I think I could make in my young life. When I first moved, I was scared but now I feel alive again. I feel hopeful for the future, our future. 


When I see children at work, I see our children. When friends talk about their husbands, I know I'll be talking about mine someday and it will be you. I know someday you'll find your niche and we'll have that family we want so badly. I absolutely know it will be with you.

I love you more everyday and while Valentine's Day is a sweet day to tell you so, I promise to show you I love you everyday.  I will always be your Pants.

Happy Valentine's Day, 

Love with all of my heart,

Your Pantsy

P.S. Thank you so so so so so so so much for making the car run like a dream and for making me laugh every day. You're the best.

Tired Forever

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for the lack of posting here. I'm swamped with work and life and just being tired 24/7. I work 8 hour shifts five days a week so sometimes I come home and just veg out in front of the tv. The most I can get myself to do is clean our room and then usually I have to drive back to work to pick up William.

The good new with work on William's part is he should be getting a promotion very soon! At first we thought he'd be made a salesman but now it's looking like he'll be getting some a higher position too. We're really crossing our fingers!

Anyway, that really has been my entire life lately. I've been doing a little painting and even sold a Lovebot for Valentine's Day. Right now I haven't felt any inspiration for sewing, I'm hoping when we move into an apartment and I get can a desk I'll have inspiration again. I'm sure it'll happen.

What have you been up to lately? Today I went to Target and got a good little haul. I finally bought a Brita water filter like I've been wanting for months!

Love and Turtledoves,

Jacqueline

Cat Paintings

Hello everyone! I cannot even tell you how busy I have been this week. I'm happy to announce I officially work at Fry's Electronics in Las Vegas, Nevada! I didn't want to tell too early because I hadn't gotten the absolutely official call yet. This whole week I had orientation and next week is my real first week of work. I really love it. I'm a cashier and I love everything about it, it really is fun to me.

I've also been super busy with my water coloring. My sewing is a bit on the back burner because I don't have a desk and our room isn't bright enough for comfortable hand sewing. I promise I'll get back to it soon, I also want some inspiration first.

Back to my watercoloring, I've found my new calling is drawing cats. 

First I drew my cat, Muffin.

Weird picture of her, but it's the best one I have of her whole face.

Then I drew this silly cat I found on tumblr.

Then this funny cat meme.

And then this cute kitten.

I seriously just love cats. I know I'm a little nuts but I love cats.

And for my dad's birthday earlier this month, I sent him this piece I really put my heart into.

Each one of the roses has a name of a family member, he sent me this picture of it framed. :)

I hope everyone else has had as good of a week as I have! I can't wait to show you more I've made and share some funny stories from work.

Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline

P.S. Artist friends, what do you do with all your pieces? I feel like I'd rather them have a purpose than just sit in a book... what do you do with your extra pieces you love but don't wanna hang up yourself?