Where I've Been & What's New!

   So, I've been an absent friend on this blog....for quite some time I'm ashamed to say. I am sorry about that friends, I have no excuse, especially to my dearest friend Jenny, who has been holding up this whole show throughout the entirety of my absence. I can only apologize & thank her for her patience & support, as a true friend, I appreciate it enormously. Thank you for being you Jenny & for being such a strong & loving friend. I love you!

   Now, to address what's been going on, there's a lot to tell, but for time's sake & not wanting to push my entire life on those who happen on this post, or are first time friends on the blog, I'll keep it as short as possible. From last April, to the current year, I've been experiencing change, the kind of change you need time to wrap your head around. I've not been good at it, & I freely admit it. Some of that change consisted of good things, a new & wonderful man in my life, for example was long overdue & very exciting! However, at the beginning, it was a long distance relationship & occupied my time & mind constantly. It had been so long, I'd been so out of balance in that area of my life that I got a little over-focused on it. Part of that was good, the effort on both sides of the relationship kept us together & brought us to where we are now, which is together & happy with each other. The other part of that focus was depression related...a feeling which has finally loosened its hold on my spirit in recent days. 

 In the beginning of September of 2012, I left my job of five years, my home, my friends & family behind for the trees & mountains of Montana. I loved it here the first time I set foot inside the state. I loved the Tri-Cities, because it was home, but there was something in me that tumbleweeds couldn't fill, the love of the outdoors, hiking, trees, mountains, wild things! So the move to a new place was exciting, even more so, considering I'd be on my own for the first time & living with my boyfriend after we decided we didn't want to let distance get between us anymore. 

 The start was great... right up to the point where depression set in. I had no friends here, save the ones I was living with, I didn't know the area very well, & I quit two jobs in a matter of days after being    
hired. I was alone often (when my boyfriend & other roommate worked), lonely, missed my family terribly, & felt guilty for leaving my dog behind(my family told me he was depressed too). After quitting the last job I hated(telemarketing job disguised as something else), I decided two months of being out of work was enough. I went home for about a week,visited with my family, collected some things I left behind, Obie (Australian shepherd) included, & went back to Montana. I couldn't move back to WA & leave the man I loved alone. Putting six hours of driving back between us was not something I wanted. No matter where I was, I was missing someone I loved. I have to thank my boyfriend for being very strong, patient & supportive during this time. If this is a place to acknowledge my friends, he especially, must be given credit. All this time we talked about being together, me moving & then up and leaving AGAIN must have been very hurtful & frustrating. Not to mention my emotional idiocy at the time, made me irritable & most likely hard to be around. He also went through a series of jobs at this time, was often tired from work & yet still found time to support me emotionally. He took me out hiking & crystal hunting on his days off & went spent an amazing amount of time together, that part to me, was heaven, it kept me safe from my bad thoughts & having him near me everyday kept me sane & alive.

 After spending time in two jobs that I hated I asked another friend, our roommate to help me find & apply for something I liked. I literally went & walked into places & applied. Anywhere that interested me was visited & I soon had a stack of paper to fill out. Turns out, the first one I filled out was the one that was destined to be my new job! The Book Exchange called me only a few days after having applied there! I saw the stack of applicants & new I was lucky. I also found out later that my previous boss had been called & talked up my work ethic & usefulness as much as he could. After a one hour interview the following day, I was in! I now work full time, I make a decent wage (for Missoula area, we Washingtonians are spoiled when it comes to wages), & I live with m boyfriend & dog in the most beautiful state in the world. 

 What I learned from all this, was that things get better. Everyone has valleys, hard times, you can even get sad for a long time... but if you're lucky, if you have the love of good friends to rely on, you can climb your way out of your old skin & into a new better you. Everyone needs good friends to sharpen them, to pick them up & hold them tight. I thank mine, every chance I get because without them, I know now, I wouldn't be here! Thank you all, & I love you!

 As for the blog, hope to see you all much more regularly & with new & exciting adventures soon! happy trails! ~Anna 

Above is a digital piece I did of my new character Avis Wolf called, "Stronger"

A Two Friends' Tale: Christmas in June & Tea

This week Anna and I got together for some quality time! We were in search of a craft that we could do together. Initially, we were thinking of painting ceramics at a place that used to be in town called Artsy Fartsy. However, we came to find that they had moved.. So instead, we went to Hobby Lobby in search of a craft that was simple enough to do in a day and still fun! And what we found filled us with the Christmas spirit!

Hobby Lobby had displayed all sorts of Christmas ornament and decor materials in their main aisle!! And after perusing the entire store, we landed on these adorable dino stockings and decided that we would color them in with fabric markers!

We love dinos and we love coloring - So this was obviously a match made in heaven! :D 

Armed with some sweet beats and tunes, we laid on the floor, coloring like the kids we truly are. <3

We purchased Crayola brand fabric markers because they came in a variety of fabulously bright colors and also because they were the least expensive. They bled quite a bit in use though... :P Oh well! 

Here are our beautiful masterpieces!

Anna's

Jenny's

Aren't they fabulous?! :P 

The next part of the adventure happened when Anna's mom came home. We joined her mom and her sister on a visit to a new shop in town. It's called Magic Tree tea and gifts - and, man, was it magical! We enjoyed tasting delicious teas and browsing their selection of unique gifts. There were quite a few things I wanted to take home with me, but I restrained myself and only got one item. It was this beautiful box: 

One of the teas we were lucky to taste was a Three Flower Burst Flowering Tea. I saw the label of the tea container and I think this was the tea we tasted: 

It was so fun to watch it bloom while it steeped! Here are some snapshots of it blooming from our afternoon in the Magic Tree shop! 

It was a great little shop and the people were incredibly nice. I will definitely be returning for those other items that I was eyeballing and maybe even some tea to take home! Hope that you have a chance to happen upon/be introduced to a great little shop sometime. It really is a treat! 

Stay excellent! 

- Jenny -

Songs in My Head

sooo, there hasn't been a whole lot going on these past few weeks. Nothing all that blog worthy anyway. However, I have had some time to listen to music lately & there have been a few songs that just won't leave...ok, fine I'm addicted to these songs & I admit it (admission is the first step, right?). Anyway, have a look & enjoy! :)

*ahem* yeah, this video is a little silly, but I like the song, ok?! haha, & the don't hug cacti duo (fursuit makers) are pretty amazing! Nothing like a bit of furry silliness to brighten your day, eh?

ok, this one infected me by accident, I admit when I first heard the song, I thought it was odd, but worth looking up! There's also an awesome cover of this song floating around of five people on one guitar, buuuut I'll let you find that one on your own. ;) This is the original version!

watch the man sing! He is good!  Also I like this song, because it's something many people can relate to, that is, facing love from a distance & savoring the time you get to spend together. :) It's cute...and sad @ the same time. Now, if you're wondering why I put all these videos together, know this, I listen to a little bit of everything. I like music, there was no theme to begin with, just songs that have invaded my brain over the past few weeks. Until next time, enjoy some of your favorite music, & don't be afraid to seek new sounds. :) ~Anna

Typography & Creepiness

Sooo, I'm kind of in love with typography :). & no, that's not the study of the lay of the land, it's incorporating words into your art, or is it art into your words?... Anyway, I've found a few examples of this in one of my favorite mediums (animation naturally). Have a look & be amazed!!

The audio/video above is by Tom Waits "What's he building in there?" Something I identify a little bit with, being a haunter in October & a fursuit builder the rest of the year, I get strange packages, stay up very late...I have a dog tho, so I'm not a total creep, right? haha

Another creepy one. This time using audio from "The Dark Knight" love the imagery. Just cool that people take the time to do stuff like this? ya know? have a good week! ~Anna

Badger Partial Finished!!

yes!! That's right!! Finished & worn as the official mascot of the local Badger Mountain Challenge Race this year, this is my latest fursuit creation! haha, my sister, my dog Obie & I had a mini photo shoot in the backyard today because it was soooo nice out!! I swear summer is on it's way already! Enjoy ~Anna

Hi I swear I didn't die *sheepish grin*

heeeellllooo everyone, this will be the first post of a two part. The 2nd post will be about my Badger partial which I finished & wore today @ the local Badger Mt. Challenge race this morning!! More later, when I get some decent pics!!

  As for today, a couple of things. First, it's been rainy here in my hometown for most of this week & that means I'm constantly looking for mood music to fit the atmosphere. I happen to like rain quite a lot & so consequently...have a lot of music that fits that atmosphere...to me anyway. So without further ado, here is what I've been listening to most, it's a song by Bon Iver called Michicant. To me...this video looks exactly like it sounds...beautiful, of course it helps that it feautres, the woods, some awesome trees & rain...my favorite things. :) Enjoy. & be happy.

  And now for another favorite of mine, werewolves! I found out via a very good friend, that a wonderful independent film is being made...a wonderful film about, you guessed it, werewolves!! From what I understand, the project has been in the works for some time (roughly 2004-2005) & has ran into funding troubles because they decided to take their project outside the gates of Hollywood. Not only is this a non-traditional film, but the makers themselves are rather non-traditional. Attempting to please their intended audience, the director of the film has been gathering information & opinions to base his movie on, rather than just guessing @ what people should want to see. I find this not only refreshing, but inspiring & cannot wait to see this idea come to life! Here is the teaser Trailer & please check out The freeborn movie channel on youtube for more & progress on the film!! This monster movie is going to be beautiful! I even see (in some of the other videos) clips of a possibly fully lit transformation scene, which I have not seen (well done anyway) since American Werewolf in London. It looks amazing!! Please check it out & be sure to show your support in whatever way you can! Until the next post, stay wonderful. :) ~Anna

More Wood Burning & The Wolf Gift

                                                           

    Hello everyone! I had the best time last night @ our local high school (I feel so old when I go back haha), for the auction/fundraiser held every year there. Although I will be the first to admit I don't have much spending money, I still got to enjoy the general atmosphere, the beauty of the items displayed & oh the food! So very good! I did get lucky though & won the bid on a rather small silent auction item! & so to continue Jenny's wood burning theme, here is the little jewelry box I won. 

 
 Cute, huh? I know it's not the most professionally done, but there is a charm about this little box that made it impossible for me to pass up. It is unfinished, so I thought I might pick out a glaze & give it a little color along with some detailing depending on the glaze I choose. It will be the perfect little spring project!
    

On a completely different note, I found a book worth reading in the past week. Work has been keeping me busy though, so I haven't finished it yet. It also happens to be on my favorite subject (werewolves of course)! 

The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice has been one of the best book adventures I've embarked upon in a long time! Although I know Anne Rice is well known for her extensive works on vampires, of which I've read only one, (Blood & Gold-following the life of the Roman general vampire, Marius) she represents the werewolf in a believable & intriguing fashion. I don't want to ruin the book for you, but her descriptions have kept my mind oohing & ahhing over things described. From the scents of everyday, to the feeling of fur growing out of every pore, to the deepest sense of good & evil, this book will capture your attention & emotion for the tale (or tail if you prefer ;3) of an average reporter turned man wolf. I can't wait to see what happens next!! If you see this book, pick it up!! It's been worth every word! Until next week, stay happy & enjoy the coming spring. ~Anna

Double Post:Zombies & Trees

  So, I found an awesome race that I think I might do last week!! it's a themed 5k ran in a lot of different cities & states around the country. The zombie infested 5k!! The idea is that every person that runs has a flag belt with a set number of "lives" on it. When you set out running, on a course very much like the widely popular warrior dash, you avoid zombies on your way to the finish. This sounds like a pretty intense race!! not only are zombies trying to steal your life, the terrain you face is truly a challenge, up & over wooden walls, through hay bale mazes, & tunnels! Check out the link & see what you think!! So far, I  have a tentative team set up including jenny & myself ;). Now, the training begins!! & what better motivation to run & get in shape than escaping from zombies! Check it out!! & be sure to watch the videos here- http://www.runforyourlives.com  

  As for this week, spring is finally starting to close in on my home town, even if that only means it's slightly less cold & the car doesn't need to be scraped every morning(which is nice by the way). It gets me thinking about the change of seasons, & spring projects that could be undertaken with the sun clearing out the the cold weather. That being said the prop I've been thinking about is a large tree to put in a corner of my room. It would be something I could easily decorate for any season & act as a sort of main centerpiece for the living space. Here's one idea of what it could look like when finished. Although my tree will be supported by two walls (in a corner) & not have to stand alone or be climbed upon.

Another thing, or I should say the important thing I've been thinking about is what materials to use. I would like to be able to hang things on my tree, & not have it fall apart when I or my pets bump into it. The best & easiest looking method uses spray foam, like the kind one would use in houses. I've seen a LOT of amazing sculpting projects come out of this method including life size sculptures of animals & weaponry! if you get a chance, check out some you tube videos on the subject, they are amazing!! This method also seems to be popular for building trees. I've seen a lot of Home Haunters (Halloweenies) use this method for set building also & it always looks good. I'm thinking with some wood bracing, & a chicken wire under structure, I could have the beginning of my foam tree project underway!!

Here's another sample video of some amazing work, this time done for a photography studio!! Enjoy your week & your spring projects everyone! ~Anna

RadCon 6

Hey everyone! Sorry bout the late posting!! I was @ a convention this weekend in my home town & unfortunately caught some kind of flu right after! figures, huh? Anyway, RadCon 6 the local sci-fi & fantasy convention was here for three days this weekend & a few friends & I had an awesome time walking around in costume! In fact, that crazy hybrid costume I was working on?? Finished!! & just in time for the convention! (see above)  
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Who's the other awesome guy in the wolf shaman suit?? That was my suiting buddy who drove quite a ways to come hang with me & some of the other locals. :) We had lots of fun just being our characters & playing with the delighted little kids. Lots of people wanted pictures or just to ask us how we made our suits. some of us even got into a movie (along with some other furries that showed up) that was entered into the mini film festival while we were there. It was filmed over the three days & shown on the last day of the convention.-

All in all, we had a great time! Lots of fun panels & plenty of fun artists, & shops to visit! Not to mention the general awesomeness that just happens during convention! Can't wait for the next one!!~Anna

Projects in the works

So, here's what I've been working on as of late. I still need to get to those aquatic masks I talked about, but a little side project popped up. This is a character of mine that I'm making a partial costume out of. @ this point she's only part of the way finished. The head is getting it's little makeover while most of the rest of the body is already done. She features a moving jaw with a taxidermy jaw set & tongue & follow me eyes. this character is supposed to be a wolf/lion/horse hybrid with deer ears. :) She needs a nose yet & some more fur, but I'm happy overall with her looks (creepy as they are) & the progress. She will hopefully be done in time to show her off @ a local sci-fi/fantasy convention next weekend!~ Anna

control paint

found out about a new website worth looking @ for all you people that love photoshop, particularly those who like to paint with it!  http://www.ctrlpaint.com/  is an awesome website stocked with tutorials which almost seem too simple... except for the fact that they actually help!! It teaches you how to make things simpler for yourself (things we generally don't even think of when in the middle of a piece) by teaching you shortcuts, commands, & lots of tips & hints to help yourself improve! It really is a tool that you should not be without if you're attempting to operate photoshop for drawing/painting purposes!! Go check it out!!
~Anna

The Sandman

The sandman is an interesting mythical figure in our culture. I can remember talking to Jenny about him one late night after finishing a piece of artwork. We started talking about his origins & told one another that if we found anything about him, we would be sure to share it. I love creepy claymation/animation & so, after finding this wonderfully made performance from 1992 by Paul Berry, I decided it would make a fun post & a creepy reminder that the purpose of the sandman lies as much in threat as in promise. Some tales say he spreads sand into your eyes @ bedtime to make you sleepy & according to this animation, this may not be an innocent motive. enjoy. ~Anna

Aquatic masks project

This week has been a little slice of adult life for my normally loose schedule. long story short between trying to drive in the snow, get to work on time & be the boss for most of the past week, I have had little time to do what I hope will become a solid career for me in the next couple of years(working on that). My art. Right now, you could say I'm  in an experimental phase with my mediums, but currently my focus has been on mask making. Part of this may stem from my strange love of all things Halloween & the fact that I could never find what I was looking for in the mask department. Another reason may just be that I watched so many monster movies growing up that I was always interested in how they MADE those monsters. Often times, in such classics as the old time Creature from the Black Lagoon , The Alien series, all sorts of werewolf films, the monsters were humans dressed up in awesome (or sometimes not so awesome) creature suits made by all sorts of people. Moving back to what I'm up to, I just sent the preliminary sketch for what may become four mask commissions for sea creatures in a school film project. There will be two fish (one red & one blue), one whale & one kraken! hooray! anyway, this is one of the multiple projects that will be eating my time(but in a good way). maybe I'll post some pics as they get finished! ~Anna

Under the Stars

Being a city kid, I never did see much of the milky way @ night. Sometimes when the family would take trips out of town, we got lucky, we'd pull over the car & crane our necks @ the wide expanse of stars we saw so little of @ home. Now, I still live in the city, but I miss the stars. I've decided whenever I get the chance, or when I get my own home, I'm going to decorate the ceilings with stars. Like this:

  Looking around the web, I found someone who does this very thing as a job! How cool is that?! Artist, muralist & illusionist Frank Wilson has been painting ceilings & making beautiful pictures that involve nature & light for a long time. He uses rare earth phosphors that glow in the dark & change depending on the lighting. The first four pictures are actually the same picture, a mural of Mt. Shasta seen from a fully lit room to a completely dark one. Amazing, huh? The other two are examples of some of the art he does as a wall or ceiling mural. By day, they look like a blank wall, but by night, the rare earth phosphors glow to reveal beautiful scenes of nature. If you'd like to see more you can check out the website @ www.frankwilsonfineart.com  Until next week, enjoy nature & take some time to look @ the stars. ~Anna

The Werewolf Calendar

  I always get a calendar for Christmas it seems like every year I get @ least one if not two or more! This year being the only exception since I can't even remember. That being said, I've been casually shopping for a calendar I liked since the new year & finally, while checking out one of my favorite werewolf artist's websites  http://werewolfhaven.net  (the art of Janette Brown aka Sugarpoultry) I also found a link to a site I'd previously forgotten about!! http://www.werewolfcalendar.com

Did I mention that I'm a little crazy about werewolves? I am, & I freely & proudly admit it. Not to mention the werewolf calendar gets some of the finest artwork all in one place for all us nutty people that just LOVE those bloodthirsty, shapeshifting monsters.

 On a different note, I'm posting this a little early as I am going to be rather busy Saturday, which Jenny & I decided is going to be our regular day of updating. So, until next Saturday, enjoy some awesome werewolf art! This is called No Use Running by sugarpoultry who won second place in the werewolf calendar. Soooo good!~ Anna

Happy New Year!!

The greatest speech ever made. For those of you who know me in person, I have shared this video before. I just got to thinking about it & the beginning of the New Year & thought it was fitting. This video is about what's important in life, not so much about resolutions as about doing what's right & following your heart. Everyone has a choice on how they will impact the world & I thought it was something good to think about while entering the new year. happy new year & may it be the best for you & your friends! ~Anna

Introduction

Hi!
We're Anna and Jenny and this is our blog.
We welcome you to our space and hope you enjoy our adventures.

This is a blog based on friendship and because of this, much of the things we'll be posting will be things you would share with a close friend, for example stuff in our lives, stuff we're up to, things we think are cool, or more generally, anything that interests us. It's gonna be random.

We hope to invite you into a world of friendship. We hope to inspire you and your friends to keep close. That's one of our goals by making this blog: to stay close to one another. We know that we'll find a more defined direction and style the further we get into this project. This is our first blog and attempt at blogging - but we are both very faithful followers of other blogs. :) Bear with us as we get the hang of blogging and regular posting.

That being said, we hope you enjoy it and happy reading, friends!