Tuesday Tinkering…

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So I decided on the final image for mini Wiwohka, and went ahead with the character creation feature, using the image you saw last week.

Let’s made a whole new portfolio for her this morning, now that we’ve a new and revised avatar. I started with collecting some profile shots…

So far, so good. Now let’s try changing her outfit…

Wow! I’m really impressed with how they’re keeping her so true to the original. But, what if we take her out of the studio and into the real world…

She’s coming to life, in my opinion. And, she fits in perfectly at the Barnyard, both in doors…

… and outdoors.

Well?

What do you think?

I know that being the one who created her images, I feel rather partial to mini-me. If it were possible, I think I’d adopt her and bring her home with me!

I haven’t tried to alter her hair color yet, but I’d like to see if we can change that little red streak to another color… just to match her outfits. I think we’ll try that next week, right before we move on to some more work with Brutus.

I think it’s time to go deeper into the dragons facial features, now that OpenArt has revamped their system. I’m kind of liking the changes, but don’t tell them that… it’ll probably just go to their heads.

As quietly as possible…

Wiwohka2 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Write about your approach to budgeting.
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Not only is a good budget impossible to approach in our current society, but whatever that thing is in the image… you don’t want to get close to that thing either.

The art program I’m using was just as frustrating and disappointing as a budget I didn’t agree to, what with offering me a rabid African deer instead of a roaring lion. Typical budget, these days!

I had to give up on budgeting about six years ago, when Covid landed on our country’s shores. When you lose everything you own, fall through every crack in the fabric of society, and wind up homeless at the bottom of the proverbial human pile… a budget no longer helps.

With my husband back in college gaining a new career path, my health has kept me homebound, and alone. Mornings are spent in scripture and prayer, then to my writing… that’s the only budget I’m approaching.

God willing, my book will fall into the hands of a competent publisher, and perhaps then I’ll have need of approaching a budget. One needs to have actual dollars in hand if they’re to do anything, really.

I used to say that you can’t leave home without spending money, but that’s changed since Amazon. Now you can spend money without even getting up out of your bed. Isn’t that a hoot!

That’s what I love about baking virtual cookies… they’re free! No budget needed here.

Want one?

Monday Messages…

Wiwohka4 Comments

Honestly, if one tries hard enough, they can learn something new every day!

I know this may sound silly but I’ve just discovered something hidden in plain sight, so to speak.

I’m fairly certain that you’re well aware of many different words in the English language, carrying two meanings that are only separated by a single letter.

Take the word compliment, for instance. Were you aware that it’s not the same as complement? I’m only aware because I asked Google. Don’t I feel like a silly ant! How many times have I used this word with the wrong spelling? Check this out…

Key takeaways:

  • Compliment refers to praise or a positive remark. It’s something you say to appreciate someone or something.
  • A complement completes or enhances something else, making it more complete or better.
  • A compliment is used when expressing admiration, flattery, remarks, or praise, either as a noun (“She gave a compliment”) or a verb (“He complimented me on my work”).
  • Complement is used when something enhances or completes something else, either as a noun (“The sauce is a perfect complement”) or verb (“The new features complement the product”).

Now, I’m not saying that anybody else missed this little tidbit of knowledge. Maybe it’s because I’m an ant, and this truly is my literary education stage. I mean, I did say that I wanted to learn to write better so I could become a journalist one day, right?!

Since that means I’m off the hook for not knowing a thing, maybe I’ll keep things short and sweet this morning. Instead of a long drawn out language lesson, which I’m nowhere near qualified enough to instruct… I’ll make you virtual breakfast!

This is to make up for Wiwohka not baking you cookies…

Ok, well, Wiwohka had to help me a little…

I picked out the cover, as well…

Wiwohka3 Comments
Daily writing prompt
If there were a biography about you, what would the title be?
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However unlikely it may be that anyone would write a book about me, I’ve chosen to go the extra mile this morning.

Not only did I come up with a snappy title for the prompt, but since it’s Saturday, I offer you the Title, the Cover Image, AND any possible illustrations needed for the book in its entirety…

Against All Odds

Additional Illustrations –

Doesn’t this prompt make you wonder what might be written of your journey from the eyes of someone else? I bet the book would read as an Action/Adventure story. What about yours?

Don’t forget to grab a cookie while your thinking of an answer…

A different path…

Wiwohka7 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What were your parents doing at your age?
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For some, this prompt is quite easy to answer.

For others, it’s not so easy, nor does it elicit any feel good memories to recount for others.

While I may be one of those who doesn’t have any of the mushy pleasantries to offer you, I don’t wish to make the prompt into something sad. There are many wonderful legacies being made by loving and decent human beings. Just not in my family tree, that’s all.

Though I don’t wish to point out the obvious here, aren’t most folks doing the same things as mine, when it comes to the average day to day living? I’m unsure what the prompt expects for an answer.

Being in my late fifties, I suppose that I do mostly what other mid fiftiers are doing… you know, worrying about my cholesterol, wrinkles, and hair loss. I suspect that it was the same for everyone around that age, back in my parents day, too.

Well, that’s all I can really say about the whole ‘what were your parents doing’ thing.

Cookie?

You don’t have to eat the one with a bite out of it… I was hungry.

Thursday Thoughts…

Wiwohka2 Comments

Can the body truly heal itself?

Can time really heal all wounds?

If there’s no pain, will there truly be no gain?

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder?

When it rains, does it always pour?

Should we always reap what we sow?

Do many hands always make light work?

If honesty is the best policy, why do so many not use it?

If we’re not to judge a book by its cover, why are we so quick to do so with people?

How often do we bite the hand that feeds us?

Man, oh man…

Wiwohka6 Comments
Daily writing prompt
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
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Ahhhh, the laws of nature, the laws of Government, and yes, the laws of mankind, themselves. One might pick from any number of lists, in order to locate a law that seems in need of being changed. Would the change even remain, once enacted?

If we’ve learned anything at all regarding the law, it’s that if man is involved in it’s creation, modification, or even dissimilation… it won’t last!

After all these generations of humanity, we still struggle with racism, hate crimes, corporate greed and injustice, along with a completely inadequate educational system. Why is this still occurring? Human Nature, that’s why!

Until we learn that we never had any power in the first place, we’ll never stop making mistake after mistake after mistake!

I vote that instead of trying to find some law that we think we have the power to change, we start giving God the space to start making changes within our very hearts! Big, and very powerful changes are possible from the smallest of humble surrenders. I know who holds the power… and it’s neither you nor me, but God and God alone!

When I am weak, He is strong!

When I am lost, He makes a way!

When I am powerless, unseen, and discarded by a very broken and fallen world, He lifts me up, surrounds me, and covers me with His providence… and His Power! Since I never had the power to change the world on my own, in the first place, I never really lost anything of myself, aside from the fear, shame and self-loathing that usually comes with existence.

Since God’s the only one with any true power to change what needs changing, I choose to let Him do that which I cannot! That’s all I wish to focus on til I get home…

Cookie?

Wednesday Words…

Wiwohka2 Comments

Eustace is determined that I should get Valentines cookies that won’t hurt my stomach, so he spent the whole of yesterday baking dairy-free, Gluten-free, and low sugar/sodium cookies… Oh, Joy!

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that they looked and tasted kind of like Playdough.

Shhhhhhhh…..

I’ll try, but you know how dreams can be…

Wiwohka4 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Write about your dream home.
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I’ve dreamt of my dream home…

I’ve even thought a great deal about my dream home…

But it’s not nearly as easy to write about a dream home, as things keep changing, the longer you’re awake!

Beautiful colors, and exquisite designs fill the rooms of this dream house, but each time I try to dream it again, the rooms have all changed…

What makes something dreamy, at all, really?

Is it the sights, the sounds, or the smell of a dream home that make it dreamy?

I’ve found that when you dream on a thing too much, you miss all the other dreams you could’ve been dreaming.

Truthfully, that saying about home is where your heart is, or the scriptures about storing up your treasures…

those are really good things to think on.

You can stuff your home with every manner of beautiful, and yes, dreamy things you wish. Hopefully, you’ll come to realize that it’s not what’s in a home that makes it a dream home… it’s what you do when you’re there!

Love changes the way everything looks and feels, making even the smallest of spaces quite beautiful and dreamy…

Just sayin.

Cookie?