Dear diary

Making  a lot of paint, dear journ-journ, doing a lot of other things, too. I was a ninja yesterday, checking a third of the hives on my own (under supervision, obviously). 

The happenstance with the mean customer shook me up a little, as things do, but as I find myself to be a constant complainer, my complaints have melted in a sea of Karendom. Most of the official responses have been: yuh'huh, get over it.

To inject myself with some optimism, zeal and enthusiasm, I spent a fuckload of money on things G couldn't stop me in time: books, photoshop overlays, a tiny table ventilator, more pigments, some other stuff I can't think of right now - and because of a conversation with a paint-mate, giving in to a year-long temptation, I finally purchased Daniel Smith samples from that shitty Jackson's store, which really hates me. Their coupons never work and their 1% return policy is fucking retarded. The General was not happy; he claims I've long surpassed anything anyone else can create, but I need to know. The conversation was about starter sets of paint - I am a Schmincke girl, but is that because it was the only high-end brand available or because I actually like it? I've never sampled Sennellier or Holbein, so I cannot be objective. I usually but the exact same paints from everyone to decide - often it's olive green, turquoise and burnt sienna. Or some strange violet. But lately, I have no need to, though I do encourage people to build a single-brand and then add onto it by buying unusual, special paints from everyone and everything they can find :D

G's also come up with some good ideas about how to make dual paint. That, and we talked about painted salts, which I've seen but haven't yet figured out how to create. They look mesmerizing.

Without a hitch, on the tailcoats of Batch #5, inspired by debates with lovely customers (the universe's counterbalance to a depressing one), I've created paint for the remaining pans, shards, shells and acorns I still had, creating the ISLAND ARCHAEOLOGIST sets. Some came out rather large and expensive. I'll have to justify that by adding some adorable shit, like that glow-in-the-dark glue and lovely booklets... the interest in those has been heartwarming, though. The singles I listed have mostly been sold within days. 

I'm leaving for the capital in a few days and again, I am not going to take the camera with me, prudent and cautious with it - for no reason at all rather than being slightly paranoid. The initial sales of my paint have been largely due to the promotional material (though the feedback on how I arrange sets and put stories around them has also been very positive.) My old pastry-chef instructor put it extremely well:

    "A visually pleasing cake will attract a customer, a good cake will bring them back."

Don't fuck up. Don't fuck up. Don't fuck up. 

PS The nephews came across a semi-poisonous (venomous) snake, unusual for the region. The barn cat was fighting with it, so they took it to the forest, as all snakes are protected in this country. (Like, seriously, what the fuck is a semi-poisonous snake? Is it fucking venomous or isn't it??) It looks EXACTLY like either of the two semi-deadly ones we have on the regular, but it is said to be harmless to humans. As if you would seriously pause to inspect it THAT closely to establish a difference. "It looks like a rattle-snake, it acts like one and if it gets you, it's not quite as dangerous." Right. Like, fuck no.