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Thursday, February 13, 2014
Let's Have A Happy Valentine's Day! (Also some news)
I made some cards for all my cutie readers, yay! Also, I got a job! That is why I've been so busy and haven't posted much. I actually have quite a few posts with pictures lined up, I just need to find time to finish them.
Also there is a sneak peak in the Valentine, something I've been working on! You'll see these girls again in a future post and find out what!
Happy Valentines day! I hope you all had the greatest ever!
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Sunday, December 1, 2013
Let's Play With Dolls!: Building Fae
Hi everybody! I'm busy with a lot of things so I haven't been able to write blog posts for a very long time, also happy December! I have a few ideas lined up for posts, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back on a regular blogging schedule!
This is a new segment of my blog for my doll related posts, because my doll collecting has been really picking up lately.
For this post I will be introducing you to Fae!
Fae is my new doll and I am absolutely taken with her! Do you recognize this doll? It may be hard to guess exactly who she is because she is one of a kind!
Let me explain! Fae has the head of a Moxie Girlz Sophina and the body of an original fully jointed Barbie.You see, I was at the thrift store yesterday and I had a boat load of luck! (I may do a haul soon to show what else I bought.) Just to list a few things, I fell for the sweet face of a Moxie girl Sophina and I picked up a couple of articulated Barbies and some doll accessories. Mostly accessories to fit with an 18in doll because I have been planning on getting one soon, hopefully around Christmas.When I went to check out I was a bit worried because I filled my basket to the top with goodies and I didn't want to spend more than 14 dollars, but SURPRISE all the toys were not only a quarter, but buy one get one free! Though, I was a bit sad that the very cute Sophina doll was naked and had no feet! (I assumed they just had feet like an old Bratz doll, feet attached to the shoes and a peg leg I mean.)
Before I left the thrift store I'd decided I would try something I'd been wanting to try for a long time, a head switch! I was nervous, but with the help of this video Sophina's head popped right off! I had considerably less luck with the Barbie head. I had two bodies and chose the old jointed body over the ballerina jointed body because the skin tone was a closer match and I preferred the flat feet over the molded ballerina shoes. I have no pictures before the head switch because I was too excited to wait and I don't have my own camera.
The jointed Barbie head came off fairly easily, but I split the delicate neck. I thought I could just push the Moxie girl's head down to conceal the split part of the neck, but when I went to put the head on I learned something disappointing, it didn't fit! The peg for the head was far too large for the hole in the Moxie girl's head! I tried as hard as I could to fit on the head, but her neck joint flopped discouragingly, but I'm not one to give up.
I asked Mckinley's dad, who was in the kitchen, if he could help shove the head on any further, but he offered a different solution. he took the head off and took out the neck joint and went to work. He cut the split part of the neck off with a real tiny bone saw! It made a scary noise and I covered the Sophina head's eyes and gritted my teeth. He tried trial and error with the neck joint. We didn't have a hot glue gun handy (I really need to pick one up!) and none of the glue was holding so he just decided to melt it together! It really surprised me when he set my doll body's neck on fire and the neck lit up more than he was expecting. I rushed to get the dress off for the rest of the surgery, but then I noticed it had a spot of blood, he was bleeding, he must have cut himself on the saw so he took care of it before continuing and Aunt Louise helped me get out the spot of blood before it stained, so the dress was wet and drying for the first half of the pictures and she is wearing a different dress.
Here she is with the head attached to the new body!
Ta-dah! The head doesn't really move because the joint is melted to the body (Also she has some light burns on her neck, battle scars.) I hadn't fixed her hair at all at this point, I just pulled it into very messy pigtails. The skin tone of the Sophina head actually looks perfect on this body, which is really strange because the heads were not even close to being the same skin tone, weird! Her neck is also a better size for the head after the split part was cut off. The proportions of head to body are also better. She looks like her head belongs on this body!
The Barbie head and Moxie body look considerably less good together. See how these skin tones don't match at all? I didn't like the Moxie body much, but the painted pink underwear are cute.
Here is her old body on top of her new body because I didn't have any before pictures! The old body is a lot smaller compared to the new one! (A lot smaller than it looks here, also ahh peg feet!)
Here is one of Fae dressed in a temporary barbie outfit I had next to my original Draculaura doll!
She was looking very good and her head was staying on wonderfully, the surgery was a success!
I picked the name Fae because I wanted something like Frankenstein because she is a bit like a Frankenstein monster herself, but I wanted something a bit cuter and more original! I decided on Fae! Starts with an F and means magical creature, close enough right? I think she really likes the name.
Here she is sitting on the counter! She sits very well and has decent articulation in her body, though her arm flexibility isn't too good, she can't touch her face. She doesn't have articulated ankles or wrists, but is much better articulated with this new body than with her old Moxie body. Later in the day I brushed out her hair with a wire brush as you will see.
The next morning I woke up, walked my cute doggy, and put Fae in her actual dress that had been drying after it's wash and she looks very cute in it.
It's hard to see, but here she is in her dress with her hair brushed out! See what happened to her hair! Yikes! That will need some extra work and maybe a boil rinse. The frizz is kind of endearing at some angles, but I plan to boil it and cut it evenly because her cut is a bit uneven in the back. I also want to give her some bangs.
Also as a bonus tip, I made those shoes! I didn't have any shoes that would fit her large flat feet so I made my own with the help of this video I HIGHLY recommend her doll craft videos! I made them with a box from a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper, clear school glue, black finger nail polish, and duct tape! I made a few mistakes, but I'm hoping the next pair of shoes I make will be better. (I thought these turned out pretty nice though!)
Here are a few more shots of my little Fae!
The little shoes I made and a little piggy I bought that day at the thrift store. CUTE!
I am very pleased with the results of this project! Stay tuned for more of my doll projects and reviews! What do you think of Fae? Tell me if you try a head switch like this!
This was the first time I've ever seen a Moxie girl up close and I think they are very adorable in person! They have sweet faces.
See you next time!
Sugar
This is a new segment of my blog for my doll related posts, because my doll collecting has been really picking up lately.
For this post I will be introducing you to Fae!
Fae is my new doll and I am absolutely taken with her! Do you recognize this doll? It may be hard to guess exactly who she is because she is one of a kind!
Let me explain! Fae has the head of a Moxie Girlz Sophina and the body of an original fully jointed Barbie.You see, I was at the thrift store yesterday and I had a boat load of luck! (I may do a haul soon to show what else I bought.) Just to list a few things, I fell for the sweet face of a Moxie girl Sophina and I picked up a couple of articulated Barbies and some doll accessories. Mostly accessories to fit with an 18in doll because I have been planning on getting one soon, hopefully around Christmas.When I went to check out I was a bit worried because I filled my basket to the top with goodies and I didn't want to spend more than 14 dollars, but SURPRISE all the toys were not only a quarter, but buy one get one free! Though, I was a bit sad that the very cute Sophina doll was naked and had no feet! (I assumed they just had feet like an old Bratz doll, feet attached to the shoes and a peg leg I mean.)
Before I left the thrift store I'd decided I would try something I'd been wanting to try for a long time, a head switch! I was nervous, but with the help of this video Sophina's head popped right off! I had considerably less luck with the Barbie head. I had two bodies and chose the old jointed body over the ballerina jointed body because the skin tone was a closer match and I preferred the flat feet over the molded ballerina shoes. I have no pictures before the head switch because I was too excited to wait and I don't have my own camera.
The jointed Barbie head came off fairly easily, but I split the delicate neck. I thought I could just push the Moxie girl's head down to conceal the split part of the neck, but when I went to put the head on I learned something disappointing, it didn't fit! The peg for the head was far too large for the hole in the Moxie girl's head! I tried as hard as I could to fit on the head, but her neck joint flopped discouragingly, but I'm not one to give up.
I asked Mckinley's dad, who was in the kitchen, if he could help shove the head on any further, but he offered a different solution. he took the head off and took out the neck joint and went to work. He cut the split part of the neck off with a real tiny bone saw! It made a scary noise and I covered the Sophina head's eyes and gritted my teeth. He tried trial and error with the neck joint. We didn't have a hot glue gun handy (I really need to pick one up!) and none of the glue was holding so he just decided to melt it together! It really surprised me when he set my doll body's neck on fire and the neck lit up more than he was expecting. I rushed to get the dress off for the rest of the surgery, but then I noticed it had a spot of blood, he was bleeding, he must have cut himself on the saw so he took care of it before continuing and Aunt Louise helped me get out the spot of blood before it stained, so the dress was wet and drying for the first half of the pictures and she is wearing a different dress.
Here she is with the head attached to the new body!
Ta-dah! The head doesn't really move because the joint is melted to the body (Also she has some light burns on her neck, battle scars.) I hadn't fixed her hair at all at this point, I just pulled it into very messy pigtails. The skin tone of the Sophina head actually looks perfect on this body, which is really strange because the heads were not even close to being the same skin tone, weird! Her neck is also a better size for the head after the split part was cut off. The proportions of head to body are also better. She looks like her head belongs on this body!
Bobble-head Barbie! |
Close up, I love this torso joint! |
Here is her old body on top of her new body because I didn't have any before pictures! The old body is a lot smaller compared to the new one! (A lot smaller than it looks here, also ahh peg feet!)
I'm holding them to show the height difference better. |
Another picture of Fae with her old body and her friend headless Barbie. |
Here she is sitting on the counter! She sits very well and has decent articulation in her body, though her arm flexibility isn't too good, she can't touch her face. She doesn't have articulated ankles or wrists, but is much better articulated with this new body than with her old Moxie body. Later in the day I brushed out her hair with a wire brush as you will see.
The next morning I woke up, walked my cute doggy, and put Fae in her actual dress that had been drying after it's wash and she looks very cute in it.
It's hard to see, but here she is in her dress with her hair brushed out! See what happened to her hair! Yikes! That will need some extra work and maybe a boil rinse. The frizz is kind of endearing at some angles, but I plan to boil it and cut it evenly because her cut is a bit uneven in the back. I also want to give her some bangs.
Also as a bonus tip, I made those shoes! I didn't have any shoes that would fit her large flat feet so I made my own with the help of this video I HIGHLY recommend her doll craft videos! I made them with a box from a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper, clear school glue, black finger nail polish, and duct tape! I made a few mistakes, but I'm hoping the next pair of shoes I make will be better. (I thought these turned out pretty nice though!)
My doggy snuck in this picture, do you see him? |
Cutie! |
The little shoes I made and a little piggy I bought that day at the thrift store. CUTE!
I am very pleased with the results of this project! Stay tuned for more of my doll projects and reviews! What do you think of Fae? Tell me if you try a head switch like this!
This was the first time I've ever seen a Moxie girl up close and I think they are very adorable in person! They have sweet faces.
See you next time!
Sugar
Sunday, May 26, 2013
My New PINK Hair!
Hi everybody! Sorry to have been so busy, but I hope to get back into blogging soon! I do a lot more on tumblr lately and I will leave a link if you'd like to follow me there. Down to business! My hair!
These are some pictures before, I didn't have any RIGHT before so my hair is a bit longer in these than in the rest of the pictures. This is my natural color and I had never dyed my hair before so I was really nervous.
This is how my hair looked when we finished bleaching it! I was surprised that it looked pretty decent! I didn't think I would look very good as a blonde. Everyone at the house really liked it, it was more of a strawberry blonde, the pictures don't really show that.
BEHOLD THE FINISHED PRODUCT! (I'm wearing a night shirt.) I really like it! What do you lovely cuties think? I'm sure tomorrow will be filled with lots of Lala and Madoka closet cosplay!
We used Spat's Pink Fetish dye we picked up at CVS here is what the packaging looks like. I don't have my own picture of the box because we did the hair coloring very late and now it is almost 4am! So I'm a bit too lazy to get up to take the picture at the moment. >w<
http://www.rickysnyc.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/7/5716902039.jpg
I love the way it turned out, but it doesn't look much like the box, but I didn't properly bleach my hair because it was my first time and I was a bit afraid to bleach it any more than I did.
I hope to get back on the saddle and make way more meaningful blog posts soon!
~Skiteanna LaSweet (Sugar)
These are some pictures before, I didn't have any RIGHT before so my hair is a bit longer in these than in the rest of the pictures. This is my natural color and I had never dyed my hair before so I was really nervous.
This is how my hair looked when we finished bleaching it! I was surprised that it looked pretty decent! I didn't think I would look very good as a blonde. Everyone at the house really liked it, it was more of a strawberry blonde, the pictures don't really show that.
We used Spat's Pink Fetish dye we picked up at CVS here is what the packaging looks like. I don't have my own picture of the box because we did the hair coloring very late and now it is almost 4am! So I'm a bit too lazy to get up to take the picture at the moment. >w<
http://www.rickysnyc.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/7/5716902039.jpg
I love the way it turned out, but it doesn't look much like the box, but I didn't properly bleach my hair because it was my first time and I was a bit afraid to bleach it any more than I did.
I hope to get back on the saddle and make way more meaningful blog posts soon!
~Skiteanna LaSweet (Sugar)
Saturday, April 13, 2013
(10 Things You May Not Know About Getting A Pet Guinea Pig)
I've been wanting to make this post ever since some resent very upsetting events took place. Anyone that knows me well knows I have guinea pigs and I love them. They also may know that very soon I won't have guinea pigs and it makes me sad. (:-() This post is an honor of my guinea pig friends that I will have to say good bye to very soon.
*You Most Likely Are Going To Need To Get Two Or More!
I didn't know all that much about guinea pigs when I first got Sugar from my friend, though soon after I started doing a lot of research and I learned that the one thing that would make Sugar happiest wasn't me, but a friend. I knew as soon as I could I would get Sugar a (female) friend and then she could be even happier! Though when I learned that I did, and even now, seem to have difficulty sexing guinea pigs. (I have tried my best from the very beginning, but I failed more than once and for that I'm sorry) After I moved to Texas we bought Spice from a pet store. I thought Spice was a girl (and I did check) and the people that worked at the pet shop assured me Spice was a girl. To make a long and painful story short, Spice was not a girl. (More on my story later in this post, keep reading!)
* They Need A Lot Of Space!
People recommend guinea pigs as apartment pets, but I wouldn't. At home Sugar's cage took up most of my room and I still felt like she needed a little more space. I kept hamsters when I was really little, so when I got baby Sugar I used my left over things from my hamsters. That worked for a while until she grew up(and she did so fast)! I fashioned a guinea pig play pen into a cage to be cost effective (the pen was a little less than 10 dollars). When I moved to Texas the room was bigger so I had space and Sugar had the same amount of space she did before. That was when we decided she was lonely and it was time to get Spice (see above point). That worked out great fine, though they could of used more space we simply didn't have it. I was happy Sugar had a friend.
*It Is Very Very Easy For One To Get Pregnant!!!
When I came back from a visit to see my family in Indiana, Sugar was huge. We thought she was just getting fat, because she did seem to hog the food and water a little. We were worried about Spice starving and her becoming obese, not that she was pregnant (after all a girl can't get another girl pregnant right?). Wrong! Spice was a boy. I didn't realize how bad this situation would become at first. Sugar had her cute little babies and everyone loved them and we separated them form Spice and put Spice in the only other cage we had. Everything was pretty much fine for a while. I researched what I needed to do and thought I accurately learned how to sex guinea pigs (after spending hours only researching that very topic). It was very hard to hold the little ones still, but we truly thought this time we would avoid all future accidents! Did you know a guinea pig can get pregnant again right after giving birth and a pregnancy is always very dangerous for the female, ESPECIALLY back to back pregnancies like that. Also that the boys are fertile and ready to mate after 3 weeks and they need to be separated promptly form their mother and sisters. That is why I wanted to make sure I put Sugar with a girl, but things didn't work out that way, sadly.
*Bedding and Food Can Be Very Expensive (Especially in the Cases of Accidental Pregnancies.)
Suddenly I had 6 furry mouths to feed and I had to change the bedding and clean the cage almost every single day. It is about 20 dollars to refill on food and bedding at our local stores and they went through all of it in a few days.
*Guinea Pigs Are Not Just Bigger Versions Of Hamsters!
Guinea pigs are more like bunnies, but more defenseless. They are fragile little creatures that can't run in a ball or wheel no matter the size, because it will hurt their spine. People market things that can hurt guinea pigs TO guinea pigs! I bought things for Sugar at PetSmart when I was there and I ended up with quite a lot I couldn't and never have used. Guinea pig harnesses shouldn't be used they will hurt the guinea pig's delicate spine! I bought one, looked it up, and sure enough I never used it. They are much higher maintenance pets than hamsters. Guinea pigs need their nails trimmed regular and they need something to chew so their teeth don't become over grown. Also guinea pigs would not survive if let free outside!
*Guinea Pig's Bodies CANNOT Make Vitamin C!
They need to be given fairly expensive vitamin supplements and regular veggies high in vitamin C so they don't develop scurry! My supplement bought at PetSmart wasn't doing the job apparently because Sugar developed Scurvy a while ago (I made a post about it). I was so scared when Sugar became ill with scurvy, it was so terrifying! I gave her all my time every single day, she couldn't move her back legs and I fed her extra extra veggies filled with vitamin C (example, bell peppers). I did everything I could think of and searched on the internet everyday for a solution. Then Sugar got better and I was so so happy. That horrible experience is one I won't ever forget!
*Introducing Guinea Pigs Can Be A BLOODBATH!
When one of our guinea pigs began escaping the floor cage he was moved to another cage, he was already getting along fine with the two other boys since they were 3 weeks old. The two times we tried to reintroduce them when the boys moved to another cage, one of the babies viciously attacked the adult! The first time he bled and had a seizure and it was terrifying. We thought they just weren't reintroduced well enough so later we tried again (we didn't want Spice to have to be caged alone). This time it happened again, but Mckinley acted quick and saved Spice, but not himself. He now has a huge gash on his finger where Pepper latched on and wouldn't let go. Introducing guinea pigs can be very dangerous!
*Guinea Pigs Are Very Hard To Find A Home For!
I was thrilled when I first got my guinea pig, I had no idea they were difficult to find homes for, but they are. If your guinea pig has accidental babies you can't keep you will learn this quickly. Shelters are usually full and children that want one have parents that don't. Though people always want a puppy, it seems guinea pigs are quite harder to place. I have been looking for homes for my baby guinea pigs with little luck. I have had more homes bail on me than come through.
*Sexing Guinea Pigs Is Hard!
At least it is for me apparently! I thought I knew without any doubt what sex the babies were when a couple of days ago the one family that gave homes to two of our babies called. They were given one girl and one boy and the girl was pregnant. I was completely crushed and still am. I was wrong again and who knows what my baby "boys" that have been living together are now!
*Just Don't Buy Guinea Pigs From Pet Stores!
That is what started all of this, buying a guinea pig from people that didn't know what they were doing. I know you see the guinea pig in that small cage with 3 other guinea pigs and you want to help it, but pet stores don't know the sex of their guinea pigs! That means they house girls with boys and more than likely all the girls are already pregnant and will cause you the same problems. I have also heard awful stories about pet store guinea pigs dying a few days to a week after they were purchased. Once you have really thought through adopting a guinea pig based on these and countless other factors, please go to a knowledgeable guinea pig resque. If you life in my area (DFW metroplex or surrounding areas), please look here http://theguineapigrescue.com/ they take wonderful care of their pets and even have a waiting list of pets to be admitted. They were so nice and helpful to me over email when I told them of my difficult situation.
If your curious of my whole situation just read on. I thought I had the babies separated correctly and all I had to do was find them homes and fix either Sugar or Spice and everything would be fine. One day Mckinley was supposed to be watching the guinea pigs (I had few decent options for caging and I was out cleaning the cages, three at the moment.) When I returned I was horrified to find Mckinley asleep and Spice in the cage with Sugar! It was a horrifying sight and it was then I was told that the guinea pigs needed to go. We could not handle or afford more babies. Since then I have been trying to find a good home for all of my guinea pigs with little luck. That's when I found out my sexing of the babies wasn't entirely correct, but I truly thought it was. Sugar was already in with a boy I thought was a girl for a very long time. I have no idea at the moment how many other gender mistakes there had been. We can't house the guinea pigs we have already, we simply don't have the space. So I will have to say goodbye to my beloved pets and that is not something I want to do. I have lost so much sleep over this and it has consumed my days. Because of all the mistakes that have taken place recently I am loosing my friends and I will certainly feel lost. This isn't something I want to do, but they need to be placed in more capable hands. Guinea pigs are far more high maintenance than you may think. This has become a nightmare for us. I am not a bad pet owner, I tried my best and I loved my guinea pigs so much. I will really miss them, but we can't afford more disasters and if the cycle of babies keeps occurring there will be. I am very sad about this so you will have to excuse my emotional moments within this post. I just hope I can help anyone reading this to know if they are really ready for a guinea pig! What happened to me can happen to anyone!
You may be ready for a pet or need something to love, but certain pets will be for you and certain pets will not and research is the key!
Before you get a guinea pig ask yourself a few questions, 'Do you have space?' 'Are you committed to them for their 5 to 7 year life span' 'Do you really want a caged pet?' 'How will you get yours?' 'Can you afford it?'
Guinea pigs can be more effort and work than a pet dog, in many cases a cat or a dog is more the pet you may be looking for. Make sure you do not get a guinea pig just because you couldn't have a cat or dog where you live, unless you really want one and do the research involved.
You may have been in my situation and understand, but what I would like to do is prevent at least one person from finding themselves in my difficult situation!
There I did it, this post was in honor of my guinea pigs, I don't want any other guinea pigs or owners to go through this.
Sugar was my little girl
She rode with me across the country
I nursed her when she was sick
Now she's going away
and I'm the one who feels sick
I just wish she could be here to nurse me back to happiness too <3 :-(
I believe I have found a home for her and I just home she will be safe, loved, and happy there for all of her days.
I'll miss you Sugar!! I'll be back with more posts when this is all straightened out and I can smile again.
See you then. <3 :'(
*You Most Likely Are Going To Need To Get Two Or More!
I didn't know all that much about guinea pigs when I first got Sugar from my friend, though soon after I started doing a lot of research and I learned that the one thing that would make Sugar happiest wasn't me, but a friend. I knew as soon as I could I would get Sugar a (female) friend and then she could be even happier! Though when I learned that I did, and even now, seem to have difficulty sexing guinea pigs. (I have tried my best from the very beginning, but I failed more than once and for that I'm sorry) After I moved to Texas we bought Spice from a pet store. I thought Spice was a girl (and I did check) and the people that worked at the pet shop assured me Spice was a girl. To make a long and painful story short, Spice was not a girl. (More on my story later in this post, keep reading!)
* They Need A Lot Of Space!
People recommend guinea pigs as apartment pets, but I wouldn't. At home Sugar's cage took up most of my room and I still felt like she needed a little more space. I kept hamsters when I was really little, so when I got baby Sugar I used my left over things from my hamsters. That worked for a while until she grew up(and she did so fast)! I fashioned a guinea pig play pen into a cage to be cost effective (the pen was a little less than 10 dollars). When I moved to Texas the room was bigger so I had space and Sugar had the same amount of space she did before. That was when we decided she was lonely and it was time to get Spice (see above point). That worked out great fine, though they could of used more space we simply didn't have it. I was happy Sugar had a friend.
*It Is Very Very Easy For One To Get Pregnant!!!
When I came back from a visit to see my family in Indiana, Sugar was huge. We thought she was just getting fat, because she did seem to hog the food and water a little. We were worried about Spice starving and her becoming obese, not that she was pregnant (after all a girl can't get another girl pregnant right?). Wrong! Spice was a boy. I didn't realize how bad this situation would become at first. Sugar had her cute little babies and everyone loved them and we separated them form Spice and put Spice in the only other cage we had. Everything was pretty much fine for a while. I researched what I needed to do and thought I accurately learned how to sex guinea pigs (after spending hours only researching that very topic). It was very hard to hold the little ones still, but we truly thought this time we would avoid all future accidents! Did you know a guinea pig can get pregnant again right after giving birth and a pregnancy is always very dangerous for the female, ESPECIALLY back to back pregnancies like that. Also that the boys are fertile and ready to mate after 3 weeks and they need to be separated promptly form their mother and sisters. That is why I wanted to make sure I put Sugar with a girl, but things didn't work out that way, sadly.
*Bedding and Food Can Be Very Expensive (Especially in the Cases of Accidental Pregnancies.)
Suddenly I had 6 furry mouths to feed and I had to change the bedding and clean the cage almost every single day. It is about 20 dollars to refill on food and bedding at our local stores and they went through all of it in a few days.
*Guinea Pigs Are Not Just Bigger Versions Of Hamsters!
Guinea pigs are more like bunnies, but more defenseless. They are fragile little creatures that can't run in a ball or wheel no matter the size, because it will hurt their spine. People market things that can hurt guinea pigs TO guinea pigs! I bought things for Sugar at PetSmart when I was there and I ended up with quite a lot I couldn't and never have used. Guinea pig harnesses shouldn't be used they will hurt the guinea pig's delicate spine! I bought one, looked it up, and sure enough I never used it. They are much higher maintenance pets than hamsters. Guinea pigs need their nails trimmed regular and they need something to chew so their teeth don't become over grown. Also guinea pigs would not survive if let free outside!
*Guinea Pig's Bodies CANNOT Make Vitamin C!
They need to be given fairly expensive vitamin supplements and regular veggies high in vitamin C so they don't develop scurry! My supplement bought at PetSmart wasn't doing the job apparently because Sugar developed Scurvy a while ago (I made a post about it). I was so scared when Sugar became ill with scurvy, it was so terrifying! I gave her all my time every single day, she couldn't move her back legs and I fed her extra extra veggies filled with vitamin C (example, bell peppers). I did everything I could think of and searched on the internet everyday for a solution. Then Sugar got better and I was so so happy. That horrible experience is one I won't ever forget!
*Introducing Guinea Pigs Can Be A BLOODBATH!
When one of our guinea pigs began escaping the floor cage he was moved to another cage, he was already getting along fine with the two other boys since they were 3 weeks old. The two times we tried to reintroduce them when the boys moved to another cage, one of the babies viciously attacked the adult! The first time he bled and had a seizure and it was terrifying. We thought they just weren't reintroduced well enough so later we tried again (we didn't want Spice to have to be caged alone). This time it happened again, but Mckinley acted quick and saved Spice, but not himself. He now has a huge gash on his finger where Pepper latched on and wouldn't let go. Introducing guinea pigs can be very dangerous!
*Guinea Pigs Are Very Hard To Find A Home For!
I was thrilled when I first got my guinea pig, I had no idea they were difficult to find homes for, but they are. If your guinea pig has accidental babies you can't keep you will learn this quickly. Shelters are usually full and children that want one have parents that don't. Though people always want a puppy, it seems guinea pigs are quite harder to place. I have been looking for homes for my baby guinea pigs with little luck. I have had more homes bail on me than come through.
*Sexing Guinea Pigs Is Hard!
At least it is for me apparently! I thought I knew without any doubt what sex the babies were when a couple of days ago the one family that gave homes to two of our babies called. They were given one girl and one boy and the girl was pregnant. I was completely crushed and still am. I was wrong again and who knows what my baby "boys" that have been living together are now!
*Just Don't Buy Guinea Pigs From Pet Stores!
That is what started all of this, buying a guinea pig from people that didn't know what they were doing. I know you see the guinea pig in that small cage with 3 other guinea pigs and you want to help it, but pet stores don't know the sex of their guinea pigs! That means they house girls with boys and more than likely all the girls are already pregnant and will cause you the same problems. I have also heard awful stories about pet store guinea pigs dying a few days to a week after they were purchased. Once you have really thought through adopting a guinea pig based on these and countless other factors, please go to a knowledgeable guinea pig resque. If you life in my area (DFW metroplex or surrounding areas), please look here http://theguineapigrescue.com/ they take wonderful care of their pets and even have a waiting list of pets to be admitted. They were so nice and helpful to me over email when I told them of my difficult situation.
If your curious of my whole situation just read on. I thought I had the babies separated correctly and all I had to do was find them homes and fix either Sugar or Spice and everything would be fine. One day Mckinley was supposed to be watching the guinea pigs (I had few decent options for caging and I was out cleaning the cages, three at the moment.) When I returned I was horrified to find Mckinley asleep and Spice in the cage with Sugar! It was a horrifying sight and it was then I was told that the guinea pigs needed to go. We could not handle or afford more babies. Since then I have been trying to find a good home for all of my guinea pigs with little luck. That's when I found out my sexing of the babies wasn't entirely correct, but I truly thought it was. Sugar was already in with a boy I thought was a girl for a very long time. I have no idea at the moment how many other gender mistakes there had been. We can't house the guinea pigs we have already, we simply don't have the space. So I will have to say goodbye to my beloved pets and that is not something I want to do. I have lost so much sleep over this and it has consumed my days. Because of all the mistakes that have taken place recently I am loosing my friends and I will certainly feel lost. This isn't something I want to do, but they need to be placed in more capable hands. Guinea pigs are far more high maintenance than you may think. This has become a nightmare for us. I am not a bad pet owner, I tried my best and I loved my guinea pigs so much. I will really miss them, but we can't afford more disasters and if the cycle of babies keeps occurring there will be. I am very sad about this so you will have to excuse my emotional moments within this post. I just hope I can help anyone reading this to know if they are really ready for a guinea pig! What happened to me can happen to anyone!
You may be ready for a pet or need something to love, but certain pets will be for you and certain pets will not and research is the key!
Before you get a guinea pig ask yourself a few questions, 'Do you have space?' 'Are you committed to them for their 5 to 7 year life span' 'Do you really want a caged pet?' 'How will you get yours?' 'Can you afford it?'
Guinea pigs can be more effort and work than a pet dog, in many cases a cat or a dog is more the pet you may be looking for. Make sure you do not get a guinea pig just because you couldn't have a cat or dog where you live, unless you really want one and do the research involved.
You may have been in my situation and understand, but what I would like to do is prevent at least one person from finding themselves in my difficult situation!
There I did it, this post was in honor of my guinea pigs, I don't want any other guinea pigs or owners to go through this.
Sugar was my little girl
She rode with me across the country
I nursed her when she was sick
Now she's going away
and I'm the one who feels sick
I just wish she could be here to nurse me back to happiness too <3 :-(
I believe I have found a home for her and I just home she will be safe, loved, and happy there for all of her days.
I'll miss you Sugar!! I'll be back with more posts when this is all straightened out and I can smile again.
See you then. <3 :'(
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Let's Have a Happy Easter!! (Happy Easter, what I've been up to)
Dear Chocolate Covered Rainbow Bunnies,
I have at least been making one post a month I suppose. (ô_ô) I'm so sorry my cutie pies! I am here to explain myself and to wish you all a super happy Easter!
Also, this is where it gets heavy so grab yourself some popcorn.
Okay! To begin with I have been feeling a bit lost, kind of a how should a spend my time, what will make me happy, what will make my time really useful, sort of feeling. I also have been feeling a bit down and have not really dressed up in a way that made me happy lately. I also feel like I may be going through a style evolution. Not one that will be too visible on the outside, but one on the inside. How I feel about my style has been changing. I am realizing that I have been getting so caught up in what I think other Lolitas would want me to be that I started to forget who I was and why I loved the fashion. These feelings kept me from wearing Lolita for months. I wasn't sure what I wanted anymore. I was starting to feel conflicted about my own identity! I have been thinking of myself in different ways. Revisiting all my old hobbies that I used to enjoy. (A long long time ago in a galaxy I used to do amvs and make cartoon and anime voice overs/ fandubs.) Doing things like that used to be my whole world, but at one point I just stopped. I went back at it and also have tried my hand at vlogging. I have been trying so hard to find what I'm meant to do, whatever in this world will allow me to make other people and myself happy.
I am getting a bit off topic since this was still supposed to be a fashion post I wanted to focus on how my new confusing feelings would affect my style and this blog. I won't be changing how I dress much at all. I am just remembering the reasons I loved it in the first place. I don't want to listen to the inner pressures telling me to be more Lolita, making Lolita less fun for me. I don't think I can continue to buy dresses I don't wear anymore, I don't want to feel like a caged bird inside my own mind either. I want to allow myself to feel more freedom. I have no friends except for Mckinley living nearby since I moved. I have been mainly looking into making local Lolita friends and I am so worried about them liking me that I don't know what to do with myself. I hope I'm not being confusing I am mostly just puking out my feelings. They needed to be vented. Also I write stories, some of them I make with my friend and she is a talented artist so she draws them into comics! That's been getting me by lately since I love writing. I want blogging and dressing up to be full of fun and wonder again. The reason I started dressing up was not to be accepted by anyone. It was to like myself more. To feel more like the me on the inside on the outside. To be cute. To feel cute. I want to get back to that because who needs more stress in their life? Not me! (^▽^) I'm not sure if you've seen the Rise of the Guardians, but it made me want to think about something really hard. What was my center? I believe that my center is fun, childish silliness, happiness. Deep down that is what makes me, me. Though sometimes I feel conflicted about my outright childishness, but that is what makes me happy. Being like a child. Full of fun and wonder and silliness. I suffered from severe depression in childhood (I still struggle with it, but knowing who I am a little more and who I want to be certainly helps. Also it's a secret so that's just between us, I don't usually like people to know.) and can never remember having a carefree childhood. That could be why I show so many child-like behaviors now, but inside me it is just who I am. The one thing that helps my depression the most is acting extremely happy, that makes me feel really good inside. I feel like inside I will be forever a child and I think that's a good thing. I will take a deep breath, let go of all the pressure I've been feeling, and start dressing up for myself again very soon. (Sorry if this is hard to read and even harder to understand just a bunch of venting. I feel better now.)
Also if you live in the DFW area please be my friend I'm lonely. <3 (≧;∇;≦)/
In other news, I have plans to get a doggy soon! This is the one I have my eye on and I will be going to visit her first thing tomorrow. http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25725480 I'm not sure what made me decide I needed a dog, but I have been very serious about it for about a month now. Isn't she the most adorable squishy little aww bucket ever! Yorkies are my favorite dogs. I love sweet little girly looking dogs. I also love yorkies because they are so spunky and I'd like to think I am pretty spunky too!
I hope your all doing very well and didn't miss me too much! I will be continuing my self discovery, but I couldn't stay away from all you sweet people any longer! (*^▽^*)
Hoppily Yours,
The Pink Bunny of Ugu (Skiteanna LaSweet~)
I have at least been making one post a month I suppose. (ô_ô) I'm so sorry my cutie pies! I am here to explain myself and to wish you all a super happy Easter!
Also, this is where it gets heavy so grab yourself some popcorn.
Okay! To begin with I have been feeling a bit lost, kind of a how should a spend my time, what will make me happy, what will make my time really useful, sort of feeling. I also have been feeling a bit down and have not really dressed up in a way that made me happy lately. I also feel like I may be going through a style evolution. Not one that will be too visible on the outside, but one on the inside. How I feel about my style has been changing. I am realizing that I have been getting so caught up in what I think other Lolitas would want me to be that I started to forget who I was and why I loved the fashion. These feelings kept me from wearing Lolita for months. I wasn't sure what I wanted anymore. I was starting to feel conflicted about my own identity! I have been thinking of myself in different ways. Revisiting all my old hobbies that I used to enjoy. (A long long time ago in a galaxy I used to do amvs and make cartoon and anime voice overs/ fandubs.) Doing things like that used to be my whole world, but at one point I just stopped. I went back at it and also have tried my hand at vlogging. I have been trying so hard to find what I'm meant to do, whatever in this world will allow me to make other people and myself happy.
I am getting a bit off topic since this was still supposed to be a fashion post I wanted to focus on how my new confusing feelings would affect my style and this blog. I won't be changing how I dress much at all. I am just remembering the reasons I loved it in the first place. I don't want to listen to the inner pressures telling me to be more Lolita, making Lolita less fun for me. I don't think I can continue to buy dresses I don't wear anymore, I don't want to feel like a caged bird inside my own mind either. I want to allow myself to feel more freedom. I have no friends except for Mckinley living nearby since I moved. I have been mainly looking into making local Lolita friends and I am so worried about them liking me that I don't know what to do with myself. I hope I'm not being confusing I am mostly just puking out my feelings. They needed to be vented. Also I write stories, some of them I make with my friend and she is a talented artist so she draws them into comics! That's been getting me by lately since I love writing. I want blogging and dressing up to be full of fun and wonder again. The reason I started dressing up was not to be accepted by anyone. It was to like myself more. To feel more like the me on the inside on the outside. To be cute. To feel cute. I want to get back to that because who needs more stress in their life? Not me! (^▽^) I'm not sure if you've seen the Rise of the Guardians, but it made me want to think about something really hard. What was my center? I believe that my center is fun, childish silliness, happiness. Deep down that is what makes me, me. Though sometimes I feel conflicted about my outright childishness, but that is what makes me happy. Being like a child. Full of fun and wonder and silliness. I suffered from severe depression in childhood (I still struggle with it, but knowing who I am a little more and who I want to be certainly helps. Also it's a secret so that's just between us, I don't usually like people to know.) and can never remember having a carefree childhood. That could be why I show so many child-like behaviors now, but inside me it is just who I am. The one thing that helps my depression the most is acting extremely happy, that makes me feel really good inside. I feel like inside I will be forever a child and I think that's a good thing. I will take a deep breath, let go of all the pressure I've been feeling, and start dressing up for myself again very soon. (Sorry if this is hard to read and even harder to understand just a bunch of venting. I feel better now.)
Also if you live in the DFW area please be my friend I'm lonely. <3 (≧;∇;≦)/
In other news, I have plans to get a doggy soon! This is the one I have my eye on and I will be going to visit her first thing tomorrow. http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25725480 I'm not sure what made me decide I needed a dog, but I have been very serious about it for about a month now. Isn't she the most adorable squishy little aww bucket ever! Yorkies are my favorite dogs. I love sweet little girly looking dogs. I also love yorkies because they are so spunky and I'd like to think I am pretty spunky too!
I hope your all doing very well and didn't miss me too much! I will be continuing my self discovery, but I couldn't stay away from all you sweet people any longer! (*^▽^*)
Hoppily Yours,
The Pink Bunny of Ugu (Skiteanna LaSweet~)
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Let's Do a Vlog! (My new fashion vlog channel!)
Hi every body!! This is my new vlog channel on Youtube! Having a webcam will make reviews a lot easier on me~ That means I might do them more! XD~ Though I will of course still post pictures and things on this blog with the review videos~ I'm trying to decide if I should update this blog everytime I make a new video. o.o maybe~ Anyways! Enjoy my pointless introduction video and I'll see ya next time!
I've been meaning to tell everyone that my guinea pig had babies, but I never could get them to stand still for pictures!
Digitally Yours,
Skiteanna LaSweet
Monday, January 14, 2013
Let's Do The Fairy-Kei 30 Day Challange! (Back from Indiana, 5 questions in one)
Dear Magical Dancing Cupcake Fairies,
I am finally back on track after going back to Indiana to visit family for Christmas and my birthday (January 1st~). I arrived back in Texas about a week ago and have been settling in once again. I have been wanting to get back to my blog all week. I have a few small personal updates I would like to share, then I have 5 more days of the Fairy Kei Challenge.
~ I think Sugar, my guinea pig, is pregnant. When I got back she seemed to be morbidly obese. She wasn't really eating considerably more, but she was drinking a lot of water. Also, things seem to be moving in her stomach. We all still think Spice, her guinea pig companion, looks female, but just in case we did separate them.
~ I found another Rainbow Brite shirt at Walmart, but I left it in Indiana and need to wait for someone to send it to me before I have it. (>.<)
~ I spent a lot of time while in Indiana playing with the Japanese artificial singing program, UTAU. It's a lot of fun! I was thinking about making another hobby blog for it.
~ I just applied at the local Michael's, which is opening in March. I might get that job and am nervous, but very excited, please wish me lucks! (>U<b)
☆ Day six: Your luckiest thrift-store find.
I would say anytime I find very cheap and cute shoes that I can fit in at a thrift store, that is about the luckiest find possible. I have found plenty of wonderful items I use often at thrift stores, but there are none I use as often as shoes. I can honestly say I am wearing thrift store sneakers or mary janes most of the time. I don't like wearing delicate, expensive, or easily ruined shoes on a daily basis so finding shoes that I can spend anywhere from 1-7 dollars on is great for everyday wear and I don't feel as guilty if something happens to them.
These are shoes I wear very often that I remember buying at Goodwill for about 7 dollars a long time ago.
(I also really enjoy finding cute backpacks, my weakness)
☆ Day seven: 5 songs that remind you of Fairy-Kei.
~Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
This song is easily my first pick when I want to get inspired for fairy-kei! It is so fun and freeing (and also dance-y, yes, very dance-y) This song truely embodies the spirit of Fairy-Kei for me and I just love Cyndi Lauper she is great!
~ Our Lips Are Sealed by The Go Gos
Another fun dance-y song from the 80s.
~ Love Is a Battlefield By Pat Benatar\
You may begin to see a pattern! A lot of my songs on my 'Fairy Kei Inspiration' playlist are girly 80s pop songs! I just happen to love them and they always bring Fairy-Kei to mind since it was based on the decade. This song also makes me think of 13 going on 30, I love that movie.
~ Pon Pon Pon By KYARY PAMYU PAMYU (>;U;< <33)
I love her so much!!!! Any of her music makes me think of fairy-kei pretty quickly~! She is so out there and unique and all her music is fun! It's not everyday I find music videos I can't look away from~ She is an artist, musically and fashion wise.
~ Magical Journey By Pinku Project
They are so sweet! Don't you just love Pinku Project? I also love supporting bands like this! It's always been my dream to start a fairy-kei and lolita themed band and it's so great that they did it!! If you don't know them please look them up!
Jem and the Holograms http://www.last.fm/music/Jem+and+the+Holograms/+images/40319751
Jem and the Holograms http://www.last.fm/music/Jem+and+the+Holograms/+images/40319751
It was a bit difficult to just list five, for the most part I just picked five random ones that remind me of Fairy Kei. Some other music worth listing, Toybox (or other similar Euro Bubblegum Pop bands), Jem and The Holograms, Rupaul, and other music by the artists whose songs are listed above. To me fairy-kei is a fun and freeing fashion, so most of the music I picked is fun and freeing music about just having a good time and being yourself.
☆ Day eight: How do your family and friends feel about the style?
picture from http://caesar85-justdifferent.blogspot.com/
I know may be one of the lucky ones, but most of my friends and immediate family don't really care, some even like it. As for the ones that like it, they find it to be unique and different. It has the potential to make them smile and is usually always interesting to look at. I have had problems with many people not liking me because I'm a bit quirky, but I've always thought of being different and quirky as a real blessing. It helps me to see which people in my life truly do like me for me. Some people seem nice on the surface, but then will turn on you in a second when they find out your quirks. Since I literally wear many of my quirks on my sleeve, I have always had a fairly easy time weeding out true friends from those who are less true and are likely to abandon me at the drop of a frilly pink bow. I may have not had many friends growing up, but the ones I did have were loyal and easy to share secrets with.
☆ Day nine: Your most treasured piece of clothing.
I REALLY need to get back into taking outfit pictures, I have used this outfit to demonstrate a point at least 3 times. Anywho~ This is me wearing my pink glasses and pink wig in an outfit!
This is a hard one. I tend to treasure all my clothing you see. For the purposes of Fairy Kei I would say the most useful items in my wardrobe are my pink prescription glasses and my pink wig. Both things just add a fairy-kei vibe to everything I wear and I just love it. I could wear one of my normal outfits with my regular hair (brown) and my old glasses (Square and mostly black) and the outfit just pops considerably less, but when I wear the same outfit with my big pink glasses and my pink wig I always tend to like the outfit at least 85% more.They have magic powers of 'kawaii'!
☆ Day ten: How do you react to positive comments or people curious about your style on the streets?
"You wanna know about Fairy-Kei~?!?!?~ Sure! Come on let's be best friends and I'll show you all my favorite clothes and places to shop and you can borrow some of my clothes if you want to!!"- I would really do that. I need to keep myself on a leash. (XD')
http://angryanimebitches.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Smile-Precure-Ep-1-Img0032.png image location is here\
Possibly with a bit of over eager information spilling sometimes (regrettably XD). I am friendly about all kinds of comments, but the positive ones are obviously the easiest ones to react well to. I'm a nice girl at heart and also very naive. I'm usually accommodating when people want pictures, after all it's not everyday we see someone dressed so cute and different, right? I always like to see the good in people, so I view many comments as positive (even if others do not and maybe they are not positive after all) and I'm always excited to receive positive comments! When your work you put into your outfits is recognized it's so nice. If they are curious about my style I have to constantly tell myself not to be overly excited so I don't scare them away! (My excitable nature causes me trouble from time to time.)
These questions were fun! I just did the next five on the list, but I was really glad they ended up being fairly easy to answer questions! I'm glad to be back!! I should be gaining momentum with my posts very very soon! If you would like me to go into detail about anything mentioned here in another post please tell me and don't be shy to share your thoughts in the comments! (<3)
Perkily Yours, Skiteanna La~Sweet
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