Tag: fiction

Tuesday Tinkering…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

Sometimes, trying to create an idea or image that fits with a story can be tricky. You can have all the right tools, resources, and materials, but still feel clueless. At times, I find myself feeling sort of like the little girl in the above image. She has everything needed for that letter, except the pen to write it!

Now that I’m preparing to work on Volume II of my book series, it’s important that I have a good working image or two, of the main characters within the story. It was rather easy to create our dragon, as I’ve always had a clear picture in my head of what he should look like. Maybe it’s because he was a baby when all this began. Who knows.

All I know is that it’s not been that easy to come up with visuals for our heroin, as I’m always focusing on the dragon in the story. Now that we’re entering the second leg of our characters’ journey, the heroin needs to find herself, in a manner of speaking. For this, I’ll need an image in my head that captures exactly who she is.

First, I set about asking Norbert, my ai assistant, for some images of a cloaked woman with a satchel over her shoulder, walking along a path…

While I like her face, I don’t like the suitcase. Not only is it the wrong style, but it’s also a completely inaccurate depiction of what I consider a satchel. It’s far too modern. Not only was the bag wrong, but since she’s walking in the wrong direction, I can’t really get a working image for creating the avatar.

I corrected the wordage on my prompt to reflect a frontal image, as well as, changing the style and positioning of her satchel…

Much better, but a bit too sultry. We aren’t doing a Victoria Secret photo shoot, here. Plus, she needs to have more of a hooded cloak to reflect a mysterious traveler. I don’t want that image of her face, but I will be able to use it for a pose image when I make the actual character.

I changed a few key words in the prompt, and asked again…

Much better, I thought. Her face is softer, and a bit more moody.

I took this image, along with three others that offered differing angles of our subject, and plugged them into the Character Creation machine…

I like her, though the clothing will need to be altered to fit the story. I was able to add another character to her image, which was helpful. There are two main characters in the story, so I needed some images of them together…

Now that we’ve a real heroin to work with, I just need to get this handsome fellow into his own avatar. But that’s for another day. For now, I will be satisfied with our somewhat successful creation of our first main character. She may change a bit, as time goes on, but I am connecting with both of these two adventurers… hopefully, you are, as well.

Live Novel Friday…

Wiwohka1 Comment

The Wharf

Episode III

Maiyah woke with a start! She’d been awakened by the sound of a very grumpy Ogre, angrily cursing at one of the kitchen staff. There would be trouble if she wasn’t where she should be, so late in the morning.

She’d overslept!

Oh well, she’d heard Ollie yelling at the staff nearly every morning. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. The grumpy Ogre often yelled at everyone, as that’s usually what he did when he wasn’t eating, drinking, and/or carousing with the pirates that visited the tavern. Mornings were the worst, so Maiyah hurried to get to her assigned tasks before her tardiness was noticed. It never made for a pleasant day if the boss was cross with you… and the young barmaid made it a point to avoid trouble, at all costs.

Hurriedly, she set about finishing all of her morning duty’s about the tavern. As she worked, Maiyah couldn’t help but wonder if her gifts had been accepted by whatever had installed itself behind the fish barrels. She’d tried desperately to stay awake long enough to see it emerge the night before, but fell asleep soon after sitting down beside the bedside window. One was rarely afforded a short work day, nor an early night to bed around the wharf.

One of Maiyah’s morning duties was to bring in the day’s first catch. Ollie prided himself on the fish he offered his guests. Many of the taverns morning customers were the owners of the other businesses along the Wharf, as well as travelers passing through. The drinkers were all still passed out in any one of the many alleyways along the wharf.

This particular morning, she hurriedly finished collecting the fish from the dock, and made her way back along the wharf. She knew that she shouldn’t, but she made a point to pass beside the fish shed. Maiyah’s curiosity was driving her to go against every rule she’d written for her own preservation.

Some part of her was calling out to offer aid to whatever might be hiding behind the fish shed. Maybe she felt compassion, or perhaps it was pity. Perhaps it was the memory of her own lonely beginnings, driving the young barmaid to break one of her own life preserving rules. Most probably, she was simply curious.

You know, many a brave sailor had fallen into Piracy, or worse, out of simple innocent curiosity. The barmaid had learned this while sailing with many of them.

But those days were long behind her, thanks to Ollie. The grumpy old ogre had purchased her from a band of pirates, for only two barrels of ale. Maiyah made every effort not to give the ogre any reason to regret his decision.

This morning was no exception. Carefully emptying part of the fish basket on the kitchen counter, she turned to leave. Without drawing attention to her actions, Maiyah casually slipped a few food items into the pocket of her apron. She then returned to the fish basket on the counter, carrying the rest of the unused fish out the doorway, and toward the fish shed.

Looking one way, and then another, Maiyah quietly slipped behind the fish shed. Kneeling down between several barrels, she placed the food gifts she’d pilfered from the kitchen. Sitting back on her heels, she wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her chin on her arms. And then she waited…

After several long moments, there came a soft shuffling sound from behind one of the barrels. Slowly, and timidly, a small head emerged from hiding.

Maiyah sat quietly watching, as the tiniest of tiny little creatures peeked out from behind the fish barrel. Why, it was a baby orc! But, how on earth did it get behind the shed?

Softly, Maiyah whispered, “Hello there, little one. What on earth are you doing back here?”

The small creature said not a thing, but slowly reached out and picked up a piece of the bread, nibbling at it’s corners, nervously. Tucked into the folds of it’s tiny coat was what looked like a scroll of paper. Reaching forward slowly, Maiyah retrieved the scroll while the little orc was preoccupied with eating the fish.

She didn’t want to linger behind the fish shed, as it would begin to look rather suspicious why she was climbing around back there on her hands and knees. Somehow she must hide this little one, but the only safe place was her own room. She wasn’t even sure the little thing would come with her, let alone allow her to stuff him inside the fish basket she carried…

What was in the note?

Where did the baby come from?

How will Maiyah get the orc into her room without being seen?

Be sure to leave your answers in the comments.

See you next Friday…

Hugs

Live Novel Friday…

Wiwohka2 Comments

The Wharf…

Episode II

**As per our conversation last week, I’ve settled on Ollie for our portly Ogre innkeeper. He has a rough and intimidating presence, but for those who know him, there is also a kind heart hidden beneath all that muscle and aggressive demeanor. Our young barmaid has learned to avoid Ollie’s grumpier side, using her quiet and unassuming nature to sooth his rough mannerisms. Though his frightening appearance and frequent angry outbursts keep the customers in line, our young lass has grown to love the grumpy old innkeeper. We’ll call the tavern The Ogre’s Rest, and I think that Maiyah is a fitting name for our young barmaid. Be sure and answer the questions at the end of each episode, so I’ve a story to work up. Enjoy Episode II…

This night, like any other night here on the wharf, Maiyah has been busily serving customers and helping in and around the kitchen. The cook asked that she bring in another fish from the barrel out on the dock in front of the tavern, so she retrieves a container and heads outside for the barrel.

As the young barmaid is pulling a sizeable fish out of the barrel, she spies movement from behind the container. Briefly glancing down, toward the disturbance, she spies what looks like a tiny shoe sticking out from behind the barrel. Rule number three kicks in, warning her not to bring attention to herself, so she continues on about her business, carrying the fish inside to the cook.

As she cleans and serves food to the customers, several pieces of dried meat and fruit cake left on guests’ plates, happens to fall into her apron pocket.

Her sleight of hand skills rewarded her a small water flask, from the pocket of an old tinker, snoring blissfully in the corner.

Since her shift is coming to an end, Maiyah carries her cleaning supplies out to the shed, next to the barrel on the dock. Inside the shed she takes a strip of cloth hanging on the wall, folds the food and water inside, and casually walks back toward the tavern, discreetly dropping the small package behind the barrel as she walks past.

Once inside The Ogres Rest, Maiyah retreats to her room above the bar. Her room is small, but offers a window that looks out over the wharf, to the sea beyond. From here, she can see directly down upon the front of the tavern, where the shed and barrel both sit beside the water’s edge. She dresses in her nightgown and settles in at the window ledge to watch…

There is just enough light cast, from the tavern’s doorway lantern, for the young barmaid to have a clear view of the barrel. She spies movement from behind the container, but only enough to confirm that there is indeed someone there, but whomever it is, hides themselves very well. She falls asleep with her head resting upon the window sill of her tiny room above the bar.

Who or what do you think might be hiding behind the barrel?

With the clues given and remembering the three survival rules, what do you think Maiyah will do?

Be sure to leave your answers in the comments…

Hugs

Live Novel Friday…

Wiwohka12 Comments

***So, here’s how this works. I want to try for a graphic novel style, but with a twist. Each week, I’ll release a new episode accompanied by several questions for you to answer. These answers will determine the next weeks episode. Some weeks I may give you two alternative outcomes, while at other times, there will be questions that will direct the path of each character involved in the story. Sounds easy, right? I’ll do all the heavy lifting. Each episode will be flagged, so if you come in to the story midway, all you need do is scroll back on the feed to catch up. Let’s do this!***

The Wharf…

Episode I –

Life here can be very tough, for any soul not already hardened by life’s cruel realities!

The taverns and store fronts along the wharf are owned by varying disreputable men and women, both of which would sell you to the sea for the right amount of coin.

If one wants to eat, they must live and work in the midst of pirates, slave traders, treasure seekers, and drunkards. There was no room for anyone with weakness, nor naivety, of any kind. Letting your guard slip, even for a moment, might very well bring about your doom…

Within the Wharf lay a tavern, filled with all manner of vile men, most living and working on the filthy trade ships, arriving here daily. Few of the locals in the nearby farming communities ever come to the Wharf, let alone frequent such a dangerous establishment.

If you were a woman, either you came into the tavern to work, or you were dangerous enough to hold your own in a fight.

The Wharf was no place for kind folk, nor was the tavern safe for anyone carrying a coin purse without a gun or a dagger for company.

Inside the tavern you see a young barmaid, busily sweeping the floor near the doorway. She belongs to the owner of the tavern, purchased off one of the slave ships some years prior, when she was rather young.  

She is quiet, very obedient to the one who feeds her, and always works busily, both in and around the tavern. No one bothers her, nor do they pay her any mind at all! Everyone here knows that she is not to be touched, as the owner of the tavern would kill you for even considering it!

Don’t let her meekness fool you, as she is not what she seems. If you did look into her eyes, you would see danger floating within those dark pools of green, staring right back at you! In her short life, she has seen too much, felt too much and lost too much!

This has molded her into a very hardened and wise soul, for one so young. She is also very smart, both in book knowledge and being street savvy. Her three rules for survival are,

Don’t make the tavern owner mad…

Stay out of folk’s business…

Do not bring attention to yourself…

These three rules were born of painful lessons learned over the years of service to the owner of the tavern… most assuredly, the only reason she was still breathing air, even if it did smell of stale rum and dirty pirates!

*****************************************************************************

Question #1 – Our heroin needs a name. I’ve already a name in mind, but this is for you to choose, not me… not this time. What shall we call our young lass?

Question #2 – What should we call the tavern?

Question #3 – Will the tavern owner be a burly old one-eyed ogre, or should he have a hidden softer side to him?

I went easy on you this week, since this is a whole new thing, and all. Each episode will have harder questions, but you’ll know more about the story as time goes on. My hope is that you’ll become invested in this tale, which will only gain strength with each weeks answers. This should allow the story to expand and gain traction, as time goes on. Who knows where this will lead.

til next Friday…

Hugs

Live Novel Friday returns…

Wiwohka3 Comments

I know it’s been three years since you last saw an episode of Live Novel Friday, but I think it’s time to bring it back… but with a but of a fun twist!

We tried The Tuesday Tattler, but it didn’t really go anywhere. That’s not to say that I won’t return to it (or maybe it’s already in the works), but I’ve other irons in the fire at the moment.

Namely, the publishing of my book. I’m going for it! As soon as I find the resources for its release, it’s boxed up, sealed and ready to go. With volume I being released, that means I’ve no excuse but to move on with staging volume II. The story move forward.

With that project, and several others I’m trying to get finished, AND the added responsibility of my grandbaby, here in another month… my time is limited. Because of this, I’ve opted for a really fun adventure that I think you’ll enjoy. I actually started it back in 2024, I think, but it didn’t really go anywhere. That’s not to say that it wasn’t good, nor was it your lack of reading. It just didn’t feel ready, if that makes any sense.

It feels ready now!

Here’s how it works. I release a fresh chapter, and then you guess the answers at the end. Those answers will determine the direction of the following chapter. See how that works? You are going to be able to choose how the story progresses.

I don’t know if you recall when I wrote this first episode, but it was called The Wharf. It’s going to be written as if you are right in the midst of the story. That’s why you’ll notice how it stays narrated but you feel as if you are walking alongside the character into the scene. If we can do this, I intend to dedicate the book to all of you.

So, next Friday, you should have your preferred breakfast drink in hand, a soft comfortable blanket, and your thinking caps on. Meet me here next Friday at 9 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, for some all new live Novel Friday…

The Wharf!

See you next Friday… hugs

Tuesday Tinkering…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

Well, I think last weeks tinkering session was a total success!

Not that I’ll be winning any academy awards, or anything. I just mean that I challenged myself to do a thing (creating a new character on Tuesday, and then writing a story about it by Friday), and it worked out.

So, it got me to thinking (I know, dangerous pastime)… what if I sought to write a whole series of children’s character books, only employing my tinkering sessions and a two day rest before kicking out a little story, song, or poem to accompany the images. I don’t see why I couldn’t, what with todays insta book mentality flooding across the web.

While I get my jabs in at all the ai created mumbo jumbo being printed out there, currently, I’m not being snarky when I say that I believe it’s possible to actually write imaginative content without my computer telling me how… or worse, doing the writing for me. Not on my watch!

Anyway, getting back to the tinkering plans I’ve set for us, I plan on making a habit of mixing up writing styles, as well as, continuing to expand my illustration skills. My hands on learning is all that can be afforded, at this present moment, so if I wish to become a better writer, more brain stretching work is involved.

I know your probably saying, “Great, now she’s gonna start wearing even bigger hats on her noggin.” Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but if I do then that means my cookies will need to be bigger, as well.

Go big or go home, right?!

For today’s next challenge, I went with another water baby, but on an entirely different patch of sand…

This isn’t the finished character, by the way, but it was the first image offered by the ai. All I typed in was “a photorealistic image of an adorable baby walrus”.

While the little guy seems awful cute and chubby, we’re nowhere near satisfied. He’s got no nostrils, for one thing. So, I used the auto-enhance on the prompt…

“a photorealistic image of an adorable baby walrus, trying to learn to swim along the shore of a beautiful sandy beach”

Getting a better shot of his nose, but now his eyebrows look like they were individually stuck into his little forehead. It made him look too much like a plushie toy.

Again, I returned to the auto-enhance feature, asking it to expand the prompt even more…

“Imagine a photorealistic scene at a picturesque sandy beach where gentle waves lap against the shore. The sun casts a warm, golden glow across the landscape, illuminating the fine grains of sand and sparkling blue waters. In the foreground, an adorable baby walrus, with soft, wrinkled gray skin and big, curious eyes, awkwardly paddles in the shallow surf. Its flippers splash playfully, sending droplets gleaming in the sunlight, while a few sea gulls circle overhead, drawn by the joyous scene. The sandy beach is dotted with tufts of sea grass swaying in the light breeze, enhancing the serene atmosphere of this tender moment.”

At least he has more expression with his eyes, even if he lost his eyebrows. His facial expression seems far more realistic, though his fat rolls look rather like sweatshirt material than skin. I kept at it for nearly a half hour before, coming up with numerous images that were similar to this one, but with differing poses and expressions.

Now that we’ve come this far, let’s give the ai our best 10 images. From there, we’ll generate some possibilities for a solid Avatar.

I’ll be right back! Give me about 10 minutes, or so….

Everyone, meet our newest character…

I’ve decided to name him Booker, though I’ve ne earthly idea why! The ai decided to give him tusks, even with him only being a baby, but I think it makes him super cute.

Norbert gave me several differing shots, but I think he looks most realistic in this one…

… minus the grown up tusks, mind you.

I don’t think Booker took nearly as long to create, as it took me last week, during pumpkin’s creation.

Now that he’s here, I’ve only til Friday to create his story, so I best get moving!

See you Friday… hugs

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka6 Comments

Perhaps you’ve asked yourselves how I get from an idea, all the way to producing an actual story, here on WordPress. Well, I doubt you were actually wondering that exact thought, but for all intents and purposes, I’m going to act as if you asked. Humor me, if you would.

We will just call today’s tinkering, a tutorial on how to create a brand new story character from scratch. Did you know that I usually develop the character, or Avatar, if you will, before I even create the story that goes with them? While there are some stories that are born in my imagination first, most of the children’s stories are born upon the visual produced for the main character… that first few, rough around the edge images that are produced by Norbert, the OpenArt ai assistant.

So, today I want to create a brand new character, build up a supply of appropriate images, and then on Friday, I’ll hopefully have a cute little story to post. I’m by no means expecting you to anticipate an academy award winning performance, or anything.

I suppose that one could say, it’s an exercise in story development. Hopefully, I will learn a good many things about my own writing style, how accommodating Norbert can be, and how flexible I’m willing to be, when it comes to my own content. While I might need Norbert for producing the right images, I don’t need any assistance in the imagination process, nor in my ability to write a decent story.

For this particular act of literary science and exploration, I randomly selected a baby hippo, as our story subject.

My first query was simply asking for a photorealistic image of an adorable baby hippo, but before finishing the prompt, I selected the auto enhance option for a more complete description. This was my first full query…

A photorealistic image of a baby hippopotamus joyfully playing in a sun-drenched meadow, surrounded by vibrant wildflowers swaying gently in the breeze. The lush green grass glistens with dew drops, catching the soft, warm sunlight that filters through a few wispy clouds in the azure sky. The baby hippo, with its round, cherubic face and big, glistening eyes, frolics playfully, splashing water as it leaps into a small, shimmering puddle. Its skin glistens with a hint of mud, adding a touch of earthy charm to its playful antics. In the background, a gentle stream sparkles, reflecting the peaceful atmosphere of this idyllic setting. This photorealistic scene captures the essence of childhood joy in nature, filled with colors and a warmth that embodies happiness.

These were the first images offered…

So far, so good, though I notice that Norbert wasn’t willing to actually put the hippo in the water, for some odd reason.

Without overthinking it, which I have a tendency to do sometimes, I took the very first three images offered, and then I went straight to character creation.

After only a few moments, Norbert gave us our newest character, and I’ve named her Pumpkin…

She even has a little tuft of hair on her head, like little bangs. I think it will be so fun to put a bow in her hair, and I can even change the color of the ribbon, depending on the day. Don’t ask me why I opted to name her Pumpkin. It just sounded like a sweet term of endearment, I guess.

Anyway, throughout this whole creation process, Norbert did fairly well, and only had to remove an object from one of the images. For some reason, the ai thought a hippo should wear a crown on their head. I’ve no earthly idea where a crown was mentioned in my query…

I told Norbert to get rid of the crown, and he actually did it without changing too much else in the image…

Unfortunately, her bangs disappeared, which I really wanted to keep.

For that reason, I asked for a different image, all together. But, still not enough hair on her head…

I spent nearly fifteen minutes arguing with Norbert over the stack of ridiculous selections I was given…

I even tried putting bows in her hair, to see if that would improve things.

Nope!

Sometimes, you just have to go back to the drawing board, as they say. You simply have to query a new background, and/or positioning of the character, in order to produce a workable image…

See what I mean? Change the background and her hair returns, just as I hoped it would.

Now that we’ve a loveable image to work with, the task at hand is to gather a decent supply of differing images that will aid in the building of her story.

By Friday, I should hopefully have a wonderful tale to share with you about our newest guest, here in the Barnyard.

Yikes! Friday’s only a few days away, so I should probably get started.

Hugs

(2024) Just for a Day…

Wiwohka4 Comments

Daily writing prompt
If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?
View all responses

Mary Poppins… Definitely!

I don’t desire to actually look like Mary Poppins, nor am I dreaming of being a Nanny to any child in particular.

To be the woman who could travel by umbrella, I could go anywhere… but that’s not it!

To be able to pop in and out of paintings, allowing me to travel through space and time to visit places I would otherwise never visit… nope, not that either!

For just one day, I would absolutely love to be Mary Poppins, in order to use her magical bag! You know, that carpet bag that could pull out any sort of useful or magical item I might need at the moment. The things I could do with that bag, even if it were only for the time stipulated by the daily prompt.

Just within walking distance of my RV, there are so many things I could use that bag for… like feeding the homeless I see walking around, or going door to door looking for things to hand people, hoping to lighten their burdens and brighten their day. The bag could house money, food, clothes, toys, tools, and/or vitamins and medicines they might not be able to locate.

But it’s more than just using the bag for things… no no… it is the freedom to give, that the bag offers! You see, Mary Poppins took the bag with her everywhere she went. Whatever was inside the bag needed to be taken to where it belonged. Mary Poppins never sent things in her bag through the mail… she always did the foot work herself… or the umbrella travel… or the horse racing… or the tea time on the ceiling… see?

I don’t need Mary Poppins magical loving heart, as I’ve got a real one that offers its own sort of magic… I just need the bag for the day.

Here, have some Mary Poppins style treats…

The Barnyard is changing…

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I can hardly believe that it’s been over two years since Barnyard Business began. So many changes have occurred in the lives of our little babes, with some changes being bigger than others.

Time waits for no man, as they say, and in terms of barnyard life, it couldn’t be more apparent! I wanted to share a big change that’s coming to the barn, but while looking through the old photo albums, I found myself lost down memory lane… in a good way.

Sometimes it just feels good to look back.

I’ll admit that it’s a mixture of bitter and sweet, realizing how much all the babes have grown, and reminding myself that they can’t remain the same forever. I know that I’m certainly not who I was two years ago. I cant expect them to stay babies, nor can I treat them as such.

You try bossing a two ton dragon around. Let’s see how far you get!

Remember when Brutus was just a baby?

He’s far from a baby now…

I could spend hours looking back over their baby photos! Why can’t they stay babies forever, though?

I do actually have an answer to that last question. The babes have grown and changed because I have, as well. Within my imagination and dreams, the babes don’t stay the same… they can’t. With each and every adventure I write about, all the creatures within the barnyard grow a bit, depending on the lessons learned, if that makes any sense.

I never expected to become so attached to these wonderful creatures, nor did I plan their paths out for them, as you may have thought. What I see in them, and write of them, is fully dependent on the way my journey affects my perspective. I shouldn’t feel so surprised when I compare their mature images with their baby ones. I still recognize the baby in them, though they appear far different on the surface.

If I hadn’t have had those dark days of struggle, I may never have imagined Nugget. Remember our little guy from my bedside table drawer?

He’s still in residence, but doesn’t sleep in the drawer much. He prefers to sleep on my pillow, just behind my head. Fortunately for me, this little guy seems immune to aging, in much the same way as our little Dinky Do.

I think characters like Dinky, Boomer, and all those Twilight Dreamers will always be my safe space, my comfort zone. Maybe my anxiety is just a bit more manageable with these little ones. Who knows, right?!

Now Eustace… he’s quite a camel!

But, as much as I loved looking back at his baby pics…

I simply adore the adult camel that he’s become, don’t you?

You’re probably wondering what’s got me all nostalgic and melancholy, so I’ll fill you in on the changes occurring at the Barnyard, and those to come.

It’s been a difficult winter for most of the residents in the barn, as miss Tilly has moved down to the church, where Henry has taken on the roll of pastor. His father was quite aged, and far too old to perform his pastoral duties any longer.

While I realize that she’s got a whole new life ahead of her with young Henry, it hasn’t been so easy explaining things to the babes, if I can still even call them that. Tilly was like a favored auntie, always caring for them, feeding them, and tucking them in each night… I try to do it, but I’m just not her!

Slowly, but surely, they’re coming to accept her absence. Both Boomer and Brutus have helped immensely, in this regard. While Dinky remains small, with only the mind of a child, her brother has begun to grow, and has taken up the roll of caregiver for the others. While Boomer cares for the babes food and bedtime routines, Brutus has been frequently taking them to visit Henry and Tilly, down at the church.

Things are about to change, once more.

Our Miss Tilly, or more aptly referred to as Mrs. Tilly Munster, is expecting her first baby, or possibly babies.

We won’t know how many babies, til the big day arrives. Tilly isn’t due til the end of March, but her belly looks as if she could deliver next week!

We’re all very excited about the newest change, as the babes are now all practicing the art of babysitting, in hopes that Tilly will call on us to help out.

I must admit that the excitement is very contagious! I’ve already added a crib to SugarPlum’s bedroom, just in case. I can’t help but get excited along with all the babes, but it’s so hard to imagine our Tilly having a baby of her own.

I still see the wee little thing that Santa dropped in my Christmas satchel, two years ago. It seems like only yesterday…

From that tiny little ball of love, came the Tilly that we’ve watched grow up…

Time for a bath…

She began changing overnight, it seemed…

Then love found our young mouse maid, in the form of young Henry…

The beautiful thing about our small ones growing up and finding their own way is that we must have done something right. While I can’t take credit for how wonderful Tilly turned out to be, I would like to think that I played some small part in who she is now. Who knows?

So here’s the fun part! We get to throw Tilly her first baby shower, and I want to make it something special. For that, I’ll need some help with ideas for gifts and decorations.

If anyone wants to suggest some things, I’ll bake virtual cookies, in trade.

No worries about thinking things up right this second, as the shower is still several weeks away. I don’t want to wait too long, however, as she might deliver early. You know how babies can be. They seldom operate during normal people hours…

See ya next week..

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka4 Comments

You know, it’s much harder than you’d think to create images of myself in miniature… and even harder to make them look anything like me, at all!

I don’t know why it’s such a big deal to me, anyway, but it is.

For some reason, whenever I work with this program to generate images of the little model I’d created, it still requires me to go back and alter not only her eye color, but her hair color and style, as well. I get very irritated by this little daily detour the ai tries to take me on, so it’s time to make an actual avatar, or character, if you will.

I got to thinking about it yesterday, when I’d attempted to generate an image of myself for the daily prompt. Asking Norbert to create an image of myself dressed in a childish outfit, actually created a random image of me, but in small form.

It was actually kind of funny at first, but then I got to wondering if I could reproduce a similar image of myself for creating a child sized avatar. First of all, the child looks kind of mean. Secondly, I’ve no idea why it put me in that ridiculous pajama get-up!

So, I tried a different scene, with different clothing and actions, just to see if it might improve things.

Nope!

All I ended up with was a really creepy image of one of the von Trapp family singers from The Sound of Music…

Quickly, I realized that it would require an actual child in order to create a valid childlike appearance in the image’s rendered. So, going back to our little model of mini Wiwohka, I asked a similar question to the ai, and this is what it offered me…

While she is an adorable little girl, as you can see in the image, her hair goes blond and her eyes go any color but blue!

Now, OpenArt recently added in a new feature where you can chat with the ai, rather than trying to manually edit the image on the art board. In truth, it’s kind of like leading a child through an art class… very slowly.

I first asked for blue eyes and brown hair,

Now she looks like a small teacher, ewwwww, no! So, I asked Norbert to soften her hair…

Uhhh, no! Please shorten it…

What is this, Shirley Temple hour? Don’t get me wrong here, as I love that actress, but I’m not her!

So, I took the first image of the child and took it to my art board, just to adjust the eye color, which worked better for what I was looking for…

From here, I went back to Norbert for another go, but this time I chose to make mini Wiwohka her own beautiful self instead of trying to copy me! Why? Because, I’m not that little girl anymore, so of course it’s going to be an impossibility for me to duplicate the Now ME into an image of the Then ME. Hopefully, I’ve not just talked you into a giant circle. Sorry for that.

Before I finalize her into the actual avatar, I thought to ask what your take on her personality and image in this next photo…

I tweaked a few colors for comparison, but I can’t decide which is better. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Til next week, thank you in advance for any feedback, and I’ll do a whole fun photo reveal for her… hugs