*hence noting that this is the final what could be the most shortest update ever this year*  

I come to learn that everyone in the entire world celebrates certain holidays that are not limited to Christmas. I of course celebrate Christmas not because of Catholic religions but also to be surrounded by family and close friends, exchanging gifts and watching classic Christmas movies. There're holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and others more. They may be different from Christmas, however they all shared a similar meaning of getting together and celebrate with gifts, food, festivities or whatever tradition your family and friends do. If there is one certain holiday that I am sure we can agree on, that we all celebrate together regardless of religion and race and so on, is the New Year's.

This holiday, New Year's, is not heavily limited to breaking out of the champagne if you are of legal age, staying up until midnight, and coming up with resolutions for the new year coming, etc. But this also marks for everyone who had survived through the hardships and mishaps that occurred in 2017, and believe me, I had encountered those too often. Few of them to name: Losing two grandmothers in two months, dealing with my mom's roommate for the final time, political issues that are constantly at times unbearable and unhealthy for me, and a car accident that rendered me fearful until I got the courage to start up driving again for Spring. Those things listed indicated me of the bad times that had happened that are now in the past, and I perhaps I've grown stronger and wiser to them? Whatever the case, those bad things are now behind me. While there's a bad in anything, there's also a good that makes up for it. I am blessed to still have my mom and family members to talk and greet to (and now more so with my nephew Jacob in the picture), found a new love with Stefan thanks to Marklund and the Target outing where I asked him out, kept on sewing and coming up with projects like Pixel Patchworks and I'm slowly getting into drawing again, got a new job as a dietary aide and getting to know of the residents of Pine View, and the miracles of chiropractic care ensured me that what seems feels like a fainting spell is actually telling me to take a Number 2.  

I read over the past entries this morning, from January to November of 2017, and I realized that "Damn, I've been through the lot."  Thankfully it was not anything devastating or catastrophic I couldn't handled, but those events that had transpired shook me enough to rethink about life and death and how to continue to move on with the memories you still hold within you. Another realization I've obtained that after a certain sorrow event happened, there'll always be salvation after going through it with hope.  For instance, Grandma Joanne passed away in sleep, but then still the Hampe family gets together on holidays and meeting new ones altogether. My mom's roommate finally got the boot, but then presented an opportunity to forgive him for the 10 years he had caused me grief and annoyance. Grandma Caroline passed away which had left me not only jobless but also grandma-less in terms of blood relation, but then having another job which was similar to hers in the past as a dietary aide was given to me. So, basically, as long you can find a sliver lining in everything that has happened to you and while in the aftermath, then that's all the reassurance I need to keep myself sane, calm, and determined to make this next year better.  

Now for the New Year's Resolutions!  … I'll keep it simple this time. I was able to complete 75% of my Resolutions in 2017. The only things I wasn't able to do and complete was the 300 Drawing Prompts book and Going to a Con and Cosplay. But that's okay, because perhaps 2018 will be the year to do so if the fates allow. Maybe.  

New Year's Resolutions for 2018 (not at all finalized):

Nothing much left to say at this point, but I shall leave with a series of photos and pictures that was taken and drawn during this festive month:

HAVE A PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS 2018! KEEP ON CREATING AND HERE’S TO MORE CREATING TO COME!

It seems a long while, and unusual to have this November Update on the first day of December.   This entry will be short and will only focus on the important key pointers from last month and to what will come this month. I happen to though of a journal writing design I would like to try out, so here we go!  

PREPS FOR THE HANDMAKING OF GIFTS AND GIVING CHARITY

Oh boy, I'll be making lots of things to give away this Christmas. At the least I can leave more room for future fabrics to come. You see, I'm one of those people who always stock up on fabrics, especially remnants, when prices are far more than generous. I once struck the gold mine with a majority of remnant fabrics costing under a dollar!  Whenever I go to a retail store where such fabrics are sold, mostly Walmart, I always look through that basket and see what I can pick up. Then eventually, the sewing section of the room will be at risk of overflowing.  

The solution is: make, make, MAKE! Make anything, from drawstring bags to key folbs and bandannas. I had to first ordered some notions aka zippers online. Still waiting on the delivery, but in the meantime, I prep and make whatever I can.  

I barely post any of my recent artworks on DeviantART much, but even if I did, they will be on hold while making such goodies. Do know I am still creating works, just in a different area of art. As much I would love to upload more of my works again, I'm not focusing on that this month. I really missed those days but I'm certain there will be a comeback.  

In the meantime, here are some doodles and drawings I had drawn during November (more will be under appropriate sections): 

Also! Update on the Pixel Patchwork of the Twitch's Emotes!  


The ultimate plot twist: Pixel Patchwork became center attention of aprons!  What I did simply is to center the patchwork evenly at the visible center (meaning the patchwork will still show after inserting the pockets at the bottom of apron), then using the Leaf Stitch setting and the same color thread as the apron fabric, I filled in the edges until all pixels are about 0.5 inches. This part of the project was nerve wrecking because of the fabric thickness, but the results was promising in the end. The next step will be covering up the back stitches with a white broadcloth and I will proceed on making a regular apron.  

ARTIST SHOUTOUT WHO IS DOING HOLIDAY CARDS THIS YEAR

I wished I had time to make holiday greeting cards like last year. However, busy times are alifting thanks to work and personal stuff.  I'm focusing on gifts close to home and charity work. At the least I will give a shoutout to an talented artist Venus Star Power aka kupomatic on Twitter. She does amazing and overall cute works that I adore very much. She is currently taking forms to have her holiday greeting cards sent out to you and you will get a personalized drawn card from her!

twitter.com/kupomatic/status/9…

 Please go to this tweet above to fill out the forms to have a holiday card sending on your way (you have 7 days to do so!). Also, do please to check out her works and give her a follow.   

CAR ACCIDENT DILEMMA, ONLY SUFFERED WHIPLASH AND STIFF NECK

Important Disclaimer: Me and Stefan are alright and gratefully not at fault. We simply had a collision accident at the T-intersection where that one tree was blocking our views and could've changed the outcome completely. Long story short: a car accident, one was at fault because he was speeding through ignoring the Stop sign, Stefan immediately slams the breaks despite of being too late for the inevitable, and we together suffered non-threatening injures including non-broken bones. In my case, it was the whiplash that follows hours later the accident and my neck was stiff. It was horrible, and that accident was scary to say the least.   

I'm very grateful and blessed for me and Stefan not having anything worst than we experienced. At the cost though, becasuse of his truck totaled, we weren't able to hang out as often as we did. However, we still texted each other and update ourselves with our health and well-being. Along with drawing of myself wearing a ice-pack around my neck, I drew a little something for my dear in hopes it would cheer him up.   

By the way, the Cleansing Ooze was a made-up Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster that Stefan has come up with. I remembered it through our conversation and drew a Super Plushie telling the epic tale how the Shiny Cleansing Ooze came to be. It was so dang silly that it sticks to my mind for a long while.  

Recent update: the claim was filed and was in Stefan's favor, and from what he informed me he may get a new car soon which makes me happy and hopeful. I hope we get to hang out again next week depending on our schedules. Either way, I'm glad that dilemma is close to over.  

Now I suffered more fear of trying to drive and potentially take the driver's test next spring due to the car accident's impact.  Oh well, more time to get over it.
 

BABY NEPHEW JACOB MICHAEL HERE ON EARTH

I am officially the crazy aunt that everyone will always warn him about, constantly.  The baby is a healthy 8 pounds 8 ounces with a hefty length of 20 inches (almost 2 feet!). I will bet you a million bucks that he will be three inches taller than his father, who is 6 feet 1 inch. After a shift from my work, I went over to see that bundle of joy and resisted the temptation of pinching his cheeks. Instead, I give him a couple of soft kisses on the forehead. He is simply the cutest. I cannot wait for the moment I will spoil him with drawings and stuff.   

GOODBYE TURKEY AND HELLO HOLLY!

Thanksgiving was good as always, especially when you get the feast! Funny thing is, I didn't eat as much even with little seconds. I mostly saved room for dessert, specifically the pumpkin pie.  Seeing family is also gratefully good. It still bothered me that Black Friday shopping starts on Thanksgiving and people who have families cannot stay with them during that holiday. It sadden me, but it's what living in a capitalistic world. We should all have that day off and enjoy each other's company and the food! Only in a perfect world.  

Positive though, Black Friday got me deals to get prepping for handmade gifts for my family and buying gifts for charities such as Giving Tree from both Holy Cross and Marklund. There's always a silver lining in everything.  

I managed to get all of the Christmas decorations up and going even before the first day of December, rest assured the decorations started two days after Thanksgiving. Here are a few pictures of the Christmas Trees and the Wreaths outside, and also a little part of a Christmas Village featuring TheRunawayGuys in garden gnome's attires.

AT WORK, RECEIVED SELFIE OF GORDO THE GORILLA

Holy smokes, that shift was something. So, one of the residents who I served hot chocolate and food to, has a boyfriend who is a big gorilla plushie named Gordo (meaning "fat" in Spanish). I fulfilled her order and decided to give Gordo one of the bananas I had found while getting ready for the serving hour. It was amazing and I just had to take a picture of that grand awesomeness, with permission of course.  

This is unrelated to the gorilla but related to work: It seems that no matter what, I will always find a smile when I eat a cup of chocolate ice cream after work. 

   

No Kidding!  

I wish you all a blessed holiday season this year, no matter which holiday you celebrate I still want you all to have a good time. Keep on Creating!  

Days closer to Halloween got a little spooky.  Just a couple of days ago, the west side of my town temporary lost power. I was alone doing handsewing and mending my clothes when it happens, and I thought something serious has happened. Turns out there was only a power outrage and the electricians resolved the problems immediately (in a matter of 2-3 hours). Note to self would be: do not watch any Halloween specials or videos on YouTube until the power has restored. 

But antidote aside, here's a spooky journal update that haunts within your notations.  Good news, it can be lifted by reading it and paying it attention.  This update is rather short anyhow, so here's it goes. 

ARTIST THINGS

PIXEL PATCHWORK PROJECT 

Current WIP: Some pixels were rearranged because of a slight detail error, and looks much better even in 99% accuracy to its original. White fabric is my primer to pad the patchwork underneath and give them shape. Surprisingly, the work is not done yet, there is more developments to follow. 

INKTOBER DOODLES AND DRAWINGS

I somehow got the time and the inspiration to get inky with it.



I do have an original costume in mind. Not sure if it's a Halloween Cosplay design, but the idea and the circumstances that comes along with it was too good to pass up. In addition of seeing my adoptive family of the Falls this year, I gotta dress up. Not backing down.  

Photos will be taken and posted after Halloween shortly. 

REAL LIFE THINGS 

DIETARY AIDE CAREER

My part time work as a dietary aide got busy as I learned new tips and tricks of the trade. Thankfully they made my job a bit more easier to manage.  I start work 30 minutes early because it feel beneficial to me to begin working without waiting for the last minute (also I will get paid a little more for my paychecks). At some times, my mom would drop me off at my work two hours before my shift due to convenience. However, I liked it very much. At the lobby they got this beautiful scenery of ponds and trees with actual koi fish and turtles. It's a lovely sight and a good spot for me to draw while waiting for my shift to begin.  

Didn't I mentioned before that you can have leftovers before the shift is done or while having a moment of break time? That Spinach and Orzo salad I managed to take home was so delicious and divine. I really enjoyed the chef's cooking.  

ONE-ON-ONE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGN

Just between Stefan and me whenever we get a chance to hang out together. So far when I got into it, it's been fun and great to play as one of your created characters.  The whole adventure started when my character, a wood elf named Fichu, discovered an ancient tablet that drags her out of her home forest to find the answers regarding it. She travels with a magical wizard in training Horace and a Sir Knight with his small group of a Squire and Page and a Halfling. Currently, she travels with a good party of people whom she practices her trust into them and their journey continues. 

#PANTSONHEADWEEK

Organized by sephiroth1204, there's a charity for Suicide Prevention and money are raised due to the photos and videos of us, wearing pants on our heads. I checked out the promo video and I decided to give it try. I couldn't have as much fun as coming up with different designs for every pants I wear on my head.  Also, it's for a good cause. I will do it again next year. 


Video below to see my pics along with other awesome shots and entires! Believe me, they are awesome!  

Nothing much else happened to me personally. I'm having a nephew on the way, preparing my Halloween costume for Tuesday, and helping out my mom with things that are needed to be solved, etc. I took notice that 2017 is speeding along past us or I haven't paid much attention to the minor trivial things in life.   

Also, no short and sweet moments this time, however, I shall leave you all with this: 

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN HALLOWEEN! SEE YOU ALL IN NOVEMBER! KEEP ON CREATING!  

Welp, I don't know about you guys, but I'm hyped for Halloween this month. Who's also hyped? Anyone? No pressure, I was just curious. I really don't have the costume in mind nor will I have the time to make one this year. But I do plan to watch some classic Halloween movies and cartoons. Before that, time for a monthly update with some photos to go along with it. 

INTERTRIBAL POWWOW 

If only that weekend was a little more cooler weather-wise, but nevermind! I can't complain no longer that I had tasted the deliciousness that is their most famous Frybread (two times in the row no less). The Pow Wow was awesome as always; great vendors with goodies, dancing and music, and there was a Kid's Corner which was new and took participation in making the beaded jewelry and tasting Lima Beans (sweetly good). There was also the Corn Maze and the Buffalo Hayride, one of these festivities I did with my Aunt Roseanne. I'll let you guess with ones we happen to do with the photos taken below.

This is where the dancing took place, and I couldn't believe with the outfits. They are so beautiful I am certain that most of them are truly handmade. They're one of the kind! To explain of the flags, we have Native Americans who are veterans from past wars.

             

This woman is my Aunt Roseanne (mom's side of family).

We went through the Corn Maze and didn't get to see the Buffalos this year (though we happen did the other way around last year). The corn stalks were amazing looking with such colors against the afternoon sun. The one photo with my cast shadow is instant phone screensaver worthy.

Lastly, some goodies. I bought a new pouch since my old one is long overdue, and another one to gift for Stefan. For him along with the brown pouch, I got some crystals and arrowheads to put inside, in addition of a beautiful array of amethyst which was screaming for his name. As for me, I got more arrowheads and crystals as well. 

A "REAL" PART-TIME JOB GET!

Yep, thanks to the referral of my future sister-in-law, I managed to land a job of Dietary Aid, which is basically serving food for the elderly at a nursing home. The one in St. Charles (specially named Presence Pine View Rehabilitation and Nursing Home), two towns from me, was beautiful, they even have a pond garden when you go through the front doors. Breathtaking and nice. Met these wonderful ladies Terry and Deloris, whose daughter had taken her out for lunch at Burger King. I will soon learn everyone of their names and their favorite foods once I begin.

I got the interview on lock-down along with the tour of the place (where I will be at work, serving the people sometimes at the cafeteria or room service with the pushing tray cart, etc). So far so good. Then afterwards, I got stressed out because it was somehow unclear to me when until my official first day begins. As it turns out, no need to be worry. I had now to go through the background checks (passed thankfully), the physical form and the fingerprints, and have them all done in the matter of 10 days. I understood the background checks, but why the psychical form and the fingerprints I have no clue, but if it means I got the job already, then I will be ensure of that.

After all that prep work, I finally got that job and started a part-time career as a Dietary Aid. I will gather some good stories to share with in the future. I'm about at least in week in, and I'm slowly but surely getting it once you got the routines and the tasks down.

At the very least, I finally wake up and will about to make money this point forward.  

ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN AN INSTRUCTOR'S PERMIT

Not yet at least, but at a very moment, I have refreshed my knowledge on the rules of the road. I got less than two years to get my state ID renewed (because of changed address)… that will be when I will hopefully get a driver's license, or at the very least an instructor's permit. I got one more chapter to go and I will review the study questions before I get ready. Here's hoping that I will not get freaked out when entering an intersection!

Current update, have reviewed the study questions and will study again until I am ready to take that test. 

NEW SEWING WORKPLACE

My sewing workplace has been moved back to my place, which helps me to work more often than to laze around almost all day. It's nice and roomy, and it feels like the craft room in the basement once upon a time. The plastic drawers were once my Grandma Caroline's to put her favorite things and clothes inside, now they hold my sewing notions and overflowing fabric scarps. My mom has also given me two more plastic bins which in consequence got rid of the shoeboxes I can recycle. Still nice.

A couple of projects in the works. First off, is a handmade baby blanket for my future nephew, which is now in full completion. I have made a tag with cleaning instructions to ensure my brother and sister-in-law that the blanket does not and never need to be ironed (because of the minky fleece fabric). As a last minute detail, I used big buttons to add on the patchwork and hold most of the minky fleece together. Satisfaction reached. Now needed to wrap the gift together and then it's off to the baby shower!  

Another project was inspired of pixel art and patchwork combined. A question burns if I can do some fanart by making fabric pixels and patch them up together to make a sprite or picture out of them. Turns out, it's possible and perhaps for little money too (depending on the amount of fat quarters and the size of pixels considering the seam allowance length). My first pixel patchwork was a classic Pok'eBall and I planned out accordingly by sewing in pixels two at the time and progressively patch in more bigger pieces. It's time-consuming, but when planned ahead and got the reference out, it helps to ensure all the pixels are at the right places. Also, to ensure that lines are touching each other (closely if not perfectly accurate).

Confident with the Pok'eBall patchwork, I decided to tackle another pixel patchwork of Kirby on a Warp Star. I got more bigger pieces to patch the pixels up, and end results couldn't be any more satisfying. Then after Kirby, maybe I shall do the classic Link from the first original Legend of Zelda, or the characters from VVVVVV. There are a lot of simple sprites out there, so the possibilities are endless at this point. I am really hyped for this new art style I'm developing.  

Currently as of now, I am tackling another pixel patchwork project involving two certain Twitch emotes and couple of solid hued aprons. Progress photos soon to be followed, but this should be a good preview to wonder about.

OTHER MENTIONABLE DOODLES

 <-- Me and My Dear/Darling (Stefan) are still going strong in a matter of three months!  

Sometimes you had this feel of making ink lines on a paper towel. -->   

 <-- Besides having an excuse of drawing more Super Plushies, I'm happy that Bagel had found a loving home that is ProtonLucah. He's now a famous kitty thanks to the numerous amount of fanart.  

OTHER SHORT AND SWEET MOMENTS

 Captured the magnificent creature that is the Praying Mantis. Thankfully, not camera shy! Such a beauty!  

 The Ultimate OTP has been realized and soon be married. ProtonJon and Lucahjin are engaged! I couldn't be any more happier that I could die forever in bliss!  

 Once you got down the routines and tasks of your first ever part time job, things are surely become easier and less overwhelming.

 Since the roommate has moved out of our place, my mother's and my mind has greatly improved, along with some chiropractic care and lemon ginger honey tea.

 When you thought you had suffered through a certain illness you had to call in sick for, it turns out you only had suffered caffeine withdrawal because you were drinking decaffeinate coffee.  

 I learned that you can actually paint glass windows with acrylic paint. Such genius, and I made the Tommy Home a little bit spooky. Who's ready for Halloween am I right?!  

 Drawing character concepts are refreshing. Courtesy of Twitch user xenopersona819, here are some rough colored concepts of a D&D Cheerleader character (fusion of a Monk and Bard class)

     

 The feeling when you found a number three within the mark of a bird turd. It's actually beautiful looking. There is also this pawn-like shape from chess.

 Also the feeling when you have two hard broiled eggs and one yellow banana… you got a smiley face from breakfast!  

With Halloween coming up within a month, I wish everyone a safe and spooky October. Keep on Creating!