Groovacity {jungle and city and rain}

Feelygoods

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:38:18 GMT

This is driving me crazy. It is seriously the coolest shit I've ever seen.

This is the opening cinematic for the game, Beatles Rock Band. It's... it's so incredibly beautiful. I could watch it all day. It mixes a Jaime Hewlett-Gorillaz style of modern animation with a Dali-esque sense of imagination and beauty. That, plus the Beatles, is almost too much awesome.

The video. Watch it!

The game itself is in a different style, but is no less cool. I'm thrilled that this is out there in the world, and I sincerely hope they release it as a concert-style DVD, because I feel sure it would rival even the original Yellow Submarine in popularity. I'll be saving my pennies to get me this game.

... which might be an evil, actually, as it will probably distract me from drawing your new comics.

New stuff is on the way, but in the meantime, enjoy your Chrstmakwanzukkah with some holiday reruns.

I love you guys! Hope your holidays are swell! I miss you, so come by and say hello.

Another hot nugget of goodness from Kit's Bitchin' Kitchin!

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:10:44 GMT

My dad requested that I email him my last Christmas-related article, Yule Be Sorry, and afterward I realized it was time to write up a new one, especially after the conversations I've been having with folks lately regarding the myriad dangers of life during the holidays. So this little chestnut came out.

A Disclaimer: Just in case, I should say this: I love Christmas. Love it. I have enjoyed and looked forward to it my whole life -- even for the right reasons, for the family togetherness and warm feelings and purity of heart that I still actually believe in -- and what's more, I respect Christmas. That which I love, as most of you know, I tend to pick on. So take this as it's intended: a bit of jolly fun. Cheers!

Christmassacre

It’s official this year: Christmas has ceased being a simple holiday, or even a year-end blowout jinglebration. It has been showing signs of mutation for years, with mini klaxons going off from all over the world and being promptly smothered under stapled layers of cotton blend fake snow. We failed to recognize it and now it’s happened: Christmas has become a Flaming Calamity of Sudden Death.

It’s true. Christmas will kill you.

At first I laughed at the organic-food-buying, twenty-dollar-hand-sanitizer-using, triple-padded-baby-stroller-pushing yuppie moms I work with (and love) at my job when they launched into a heated discussion during one of my classes about the merits of real trees versus fake trees. It’s a war being waged bitterly here in Hawaii for many reasons, not the least of which is that, being a tropical island, evergreens are scarce, and have to be shipped in especially for ol’ Noel.

Sometimes, I’ve been told by the wife of a local shopkeeper, a shipment of trees has to be sent back because inspection will yield the discovery of a slug. Even something as seemingly innocent as a single slug is a hazard to the entire crate of trees if the menacing terrestrial mollusk is a world traveler and not a native to the Hawaiian isles. In such a case, the poor slug, and his entire forest, must be sent right back from whence they came, creating even more scarcity.

This means that real trees are ridiculously expensive, which means that people want them more than they would if they were affordable, which means that as the anticipation mounts and the day of joy and togetherness draws closer, riots bust out among the populace, from the lipglossed Zoomba moms to the bling-bedecked Samoans, that often lead to hair-pulling and ear-biting as Ben Franklins flutter through the air.

In my childhood, a real tree was imperative, no question, and we always enjoyed going as a family to the tree farm, picking out a favorite, brushing off the snow and dragging it home, repressing the fact that it would slowly die in our living room. Once it hit home that a fake tree was more economical since it generally gets re-used, as well as more tree-friendly since it means less real trees are getting sliced, I was happy to get a plastic falsie and slap a few “pine fresh” air fresheners in it, pretending they were ornaments.

Now, say the yuppie moms in my class, this omniscient and ever-elusive They are now saying that fake trees are worse for the environment than cutting down the real ones. Some deadly combination of plastics and oils and essence of Cthulhu seeps unseen into the atmosphere with each fake tree, and whenever one of those fakes are disposed of (since many people, it seems, don’t get the concept of buying a fake tree in order to use it, like, again) enough non-biodegradable poison is released into the world to kill a Care Bear on the spot.

What’s more, they add in scandalized whispers, the very material of the fake tree is a hazard to any child in your home.

“Well, I’m sure if you just wear gloves or wash your hands after touching any of the branches, you’d be fine...” said one of the moms, who was afterward chided for her ignorance. I mean, who would even think of touching their Christmas tree?

Wait, whatnow? I thought. Is it actually being said that you can die from touching a fake tree? Is this a put-on?

The argument, as always, went straight to the child issue: who could have something in their home that their child might get their mouth on and drop right down dead?

To which I can only say that, since things made from plastic are now lethal, they should all be put in prison for attempted murder whenever they purchase a chew toy or My Little Pony. Frankly, if you’re the sort of person or baby to spend an evening gnawing on the branch of a tree, you should seek help no matter what the tree is made of.

But all this is just the beginning of the new monstrosity that the holiday has become. Death follows Christmas before the motion-sensitive Pooh Bear Santas are even positioned around the crib of the baby Jesus. The day after Thanksgiving, while it used to be jokingly referred to as Black Friday, an exciting and dangerous time for such-a-deal shopping, the extreme sport of the suburbanite consumer, has finally earned the macabre implication of that nickname with actual death. Now, Black Friday is too mild a name for such a day, which shall hereafter be known as the Exploding Tantrum of Certain Demise.

Come on, people! Two years ago, who’d have believed it? There are a thousand ways you could die at a Wal-Mart, but being TRAMPLED TO DEATH during a shopping expedition should not be one of them! Death. At Wal-Mart. Because they offered a real good price on the XBox. Because you can get a salad shooter at wholesale value. Because The Littlest Petshop, Pekingese edition, is forty percent off. So lets all run over this dude and squash him.

Even though this incident from last year should have been the “hey, chill out” for rabid, frothing consumers everywhere, this past Black Friday was still a hurricane of fisticuffs and riot police, all over Barbies and microwaves and Wii Fits.

Now, I admit, this doomsday talk all comes from a gal who -- only a few years ago -- recounted tales of Christmas terror involving evergreens infested with zombie spiders, blizzards of apocalyptic proportions and flaming pork roasts sailing out the kitchen window (which is just how my family rolls), so you can all trust me. I know the signs. I can see the oozing green tentacular horror that Christmas has become, and it will consume us all while snug in our beds, those visions of sugarplums only adding extra flavor to our tasty brains.

I’m not saying don’t celebrate Christmas, of course -- or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Nondenominational Yulething, as the case may be. I’m just saying that instant, salivating death awaits all who are unprepared. Arm yourself and your loved ones against jingle hell to the best of your abilities. Maybe hang a little can of mace where your mistletoe might be. Maybe set up some trip wire around your inflatable Snoopy Claus. Maybe practice that double tap and watch the chimney closely.

It’s always good to be Scout-style prepared, is all I’m saying. Especially since Easter is next on the list of overblown holiday horrors, and we’ve all seen the look in that bunny’s eyes.

Cacti and blankies and turtles, oh my!

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:43:28 GMT

Growl! I can't even post silly reruns on time!

Sorry kids, I've been all wrapped up in work and the whole Yulething, which is a blast, but time consuming. I've also been working on new Snap Crackle Pops, so I'm planning on having new ones up by Christmas! Or maybe just after. I dunno.

Either way, I'll run a few reruns today to make up for my negligence. I hope you enjoy these.

This one as a big favorite because it comes from a real situation that the people on O'ahu fought hard over, some big, gross hotel parking their fat asses on a beach where sea turtles liked to hang out. I liked the idea of Finn and Bacon slightly redeeming themselves by acting as the forces of karma Stephen mentions, and I loved their expressions in panel two. And any story that ends with happy turtles, well.

This was one of my favorite Mordak and Randall strips, and it surprised me how popular this pair turned out to be. They are so fun to write for and, once I had their personalities down, a lot of their dialogue just wrote itself.

I think doing their expressions was the most fun, but their back and forth blahblah was a blast to write.

Hope you enjoyed it! Write in and tell me what you did today!

Christmakwanzukkah-stravaganza!

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:27:42 GMT

All right friends, avoid the scary malls this year and make me happy at the same time! If you're looking for a special gift, or you're composing a wishlist, keep this shop in mind! I'll ship quickly and everything on here is made by me, with love. I have great prints of my paintings, handmade ornaments, tons of fun clay dudes, and a bunch more.

Please come check it out!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
voodoopastry

Gnarly

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:17:40 GMT

I'm boggled by this... these strange, awesome lights over Norway. I know it's always the first thing I say, but it HAS TO BE extraterrestrial. Has to. Just look. The article and some amazing videos and photos are here.

I finally have good quality prints of my paintings available! Go check out Domestic Voodoo for hula girls, tikis, sea creatures, Sasquatches and other such oddities! Twenty bucks and under for high quality prints. Just to pimp.

I've been super negligent about posting reruns and I forgot to post last week's. This one I feel two ways about... I'm not too pleased with the art in it, but the idea itself and the pun, though all puns are awful, really amused me. It's one I'll want to re-draw one day. I mean, what's better than naked veggies? Enjoy!

He wears a red bandana, plays a blues piana, in a honkytonk down in Mexico...

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:37:32 GMT

It's odd how, even on this far side of the world, in what is technically a tropical climate, it can begin to feel like winter -- not in the cold exactly (though the mornings and evenings here in Wahiawa are not bikini weather), but in the warmth of the season. The way your house gets to feeling especially warm and cozy or how lighting a nice-smelling candle can change a whole room or how snuggling in blankets suddenly becomes so imperative. Or how you get sleepy earlier. Man oh man, it's bedtime for me.

I hope all you lovely people have a great Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it, and if you don't you might consider doing it, or something similar. Among all the crazy traditions and rabid present-mongering that comes with many or most holidays, it's so nice and so comforting to have one holiday that, at its core, is all about taking some time to think of all the things you're grateful for, to concentrate on these positive things and people and forces even if for just one day, and to get together with your family and cook food. After all, such is the very essence of human goodness: appreciating our lives, forming friendships and families, and eating together.

I hope everyone has a great time doing that this Thursday, whether you call it a holiday or not.

This comic was always one of my favorites because it's so unlike my usual fare in a way I can't place. The lines are lighter and more crisp, the character of "me" is not in it, and I have no idea who those porchsitter blokes are, but more than that, I just feel like it's a strip that someone else might have drawn, and as a result, I find it much funnier. I hope you do too.

Crazy beautiful

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:37:11 GMT

This time my lateness is all because I don't appear to have internet at home. I tried, kiddos, I promise, but it looks like my internet is planning to give me trouble for a long time. At least I have slacker privileges at work. ;)

I'm working really hard on myself these days, and feeling better and better because of it. It's tough because even though I'm practicing cultivating compassion and happiness, I recognize that I have a lot more internal work to do and that I need to take a class or find a guide or something, and the more I try to focus and to generate inner poise, the more troubling issues come bubbling up, like a giant soup. They say this is how you know you're making progress, but I feel super emotional as a result. I wonder... how does one find a reputable yoga and meditation teacher in Hawaii? One who is genuine and cool and not a total fruit loop?

On the plus side, it's giving me lots of new toon material. ;)

I miss you guys so much! Tell me about how you are and what you're up to.

Here is your rerun! Somehow, one of my absolute favorites. Enjoy!

A big compliment

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:57:42 GMT

So I've been reading this book which is partially about India and the discovery of one's own self and power through mediation and prayer, and this -- of course -- while it's beautiful and righteous, immediately puts me to mind exactly how much work I need to do on myself. Naturally, I have no idea how to meditate, and I really feel as if, like home dentistry, it's not the sort of thing that should be practiced without some serious instruction first, so at this point I'm just floundering in all these thoughts of my own spiritual and emotional inadequacies.

I try to focus on loving kindness, filling my mind -- and therefore my corner of the world -- with good, warm feelings, spreading out like little spiderwebs of joy and acceptance, calming my monkey mind and inviting tranquility and grace into my brain. The trouble was, I was doing this first thing in the morning, on the city bus, with a guy in front of me talking loudly on his cell phone and a lady next to me who kept trying to shove her duffel bag onto my lap. Possibly the best place in world to start -- but then again, possibly not.

Still, I was doing all right, until I got off the bus and realized that the roadworks had made me late for work and that my manager was already there, ready to see me walk in late. Then my poise got a little rattled.

Erica, my manager, was just fine with me being late, but this didn't help my sudden anxiety, since anxiety is always looking for excuses to come in and root through your fridge, and then it just won't leave.

Sara, the new hire who is very sweet and cute, said, "Do you take the bus? Cause you have that same look on your face that I have when I get off the bus."

"Yeah," I said, sighing. "Worst part is, today was the day I was going to start practicing inner poise and developing a calm and enlightened and loving attitude toward the world. Har har."

Then Erica cocked her head at me and said, "Kit... you are, like, the most calm and peaceful and radiant person I know. You have this completely kind and relaxing presence, all the way to your voice. Why would you even say that you need to improve on that?"

For a second I just stood there. I didn't see any of that, but if she did, that was a big deal to me. It made me feel like I'm not as hopeless as I thought.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:19:38 GMT

Morning everybody! Once again, it is so bloody cold here that I'm wondering why I even bothered leaving Ohio. I still get that stupid, too-cold-to-leave-the-bed-this-early thing happening, but without the added charm of a yard full of snow to ease the pain. Bah. Still, the island is being promised thunderstorms soon, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Hey, it's time for a word from our sponsors-- the sister and I have been working hard on lots of new and exciting things for the shop, so come over and check us out!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
voodoopastry

And now for your rerun of the week. This was one of my favorites for a lot of different reasons -- it has its roots in a real experience, it has an amusing literary reference, and best of all, a giant monster, which just makes any comic more fun. Enjoy!

Toons for the times

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:34:31 GMT

I wish I were outside today, riding round the North Shore in a little boat with a sputtery motor, feeding sharks and watching for whales to fluke near the boat. This morning, Wahiawa was freezing cold, gray and rainy, and it was all I could do to drag myself out of bed, wrap myself up and get on the even colder bus (why they insist on cranking the A/C full blast first thing in the morning when it's still sludgy cold outside is beyond me). Still, in spite of all that, I can see the sun now and I bet it's a good hot day out there in the real Hawaii, on the water, under the sun.

I am in the office, with more detestable air conditioning, feeling like a creature on exhibition, looking outside through glass in a Lysol-scented terrarium.

Today, I wish I were a fisherman. Or something.

Happy Wednesday, 'roos! I have another rerun for you. This was one of the earlier Finn strips (funny how different he looks now) where he's trying to assert his demonic nature. I guess I was still playing with his personality, but I still am. Enjoy!

Halloweenies Part TWO: The Halloballoo!

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:56:59 GMT

Say what you will about the insanity of downtown and the virtues of staying home in your PJs and watching Star Trek. Any other day, I'm right there with you with a caramel apple and no inclination to step out there. But on Halloween night, which I first experienced only a week before the Boyfriend and I became official nearly two year ago now, the city is a good place to be.

Nevermind that that year we saw two different guys open their respective car doors and puke on the street as well as a rhinestone Elvis giving me the eye all before we even got to the center of Waikiki; it was wicked good fun.

This year, Sue drove me up to meet The Boyfriend with his homemade Day of the Dead mask as he got off work, and while Sue went home to chill and pass out candy, Skullface and I drove to the heart of Honolulu, into a giant music and art festival taking place in Chinatown.

All the bands were fantastic, just plunked down at different areas of the city and rocking out, but in particular this New Orleans-derived blues/rock group that would make The Black Keys pee their pants. They had a man on tuba who was using it to play the bass part. Have you ever HEARDA that shit? Well it was great. Band was called Anders Osborne. During their performance two different guys, Cheech Marin included, spilled their beer on my same foot. But it was chill.

The best costumes of all were those handmade, and this guy blew me away. Yes, that is a Tetris piece in blue behind him -- there were a couple going as Tetris.

I just like this shot because everyone looks like ghosts.

The Sexy Ninja. He moved slowly for the crowd, often stopping in mid ninja-pose. His friend informed me that he was stuffing.

I enjoy this shot of the lone flapper.

Ahh, the Hatter! He was marvelous, and very genteel. He drew me in next to him with all the practice of a delightful rake, plucked my camera from my hand and insisted we have a picture together.

The zoom was a little off. He grabbed a stranger and we tried again.

He was a real darling, and when I saw him again later on, he tipped me a wink as I passed through the crowd.

One of my all-time favorites.

At this point I want to talk about the general mood of the whole festival, which might be surprising in that everyone was so damn nice. It was incredible! No one was crabby or boisterous or getting in each other's hair, everyone was sweet and ready to have a good time. If I wanted a photo of someone, all I had to do was ask and they were all delighted, and would take the time to help me get a good picture. When I asked this next fellow for his photo he said, "You want a picture? Hang on..." He posed for me like so:

Others on the street started snapping and one chick said, "Here, Snow White, sit down!" and grabbed my camera. Ordinarily, a stranger taking my camera on the street -- especially one demanding that I sit on a human toilet in front of a throng of onlookers -- would make me nervous, but as I said, the general mood was of such fellowship and goodness that we all loved and trusted each other at once, and deserved it.

So I got on the can.

After I snapped the gorgeous and sweet Princess Leia, she passed her camera to a demon walking by and asked if I'd take a picture next to her as well. The Boyfriend took one of us together, which he assures me will always have a special place in his, er, heart.

Zombie Snow White, sensing a sister in me, asked me to find her a prince, so I did.

You can't tell, but his guy is my friend Raul, who is ridiculously good-looking.

Baby Superman was digging the music, so he was bouncing up and down in his stroller while Daddy Captain America danced with him.

Dr. Venture and Dr. Girlfriend! Yes! Venture said his buds were there as Hank and Dean, but we couldn't find them. Poo.

Jellyfish Rasta actually lit up with blue lights on a battery pack. Way cool!

The Sexy Ninja was back! He rode the mechanical bull set up outside Next Door, a club where The Boyfriend used to DJ. Try as it might, the bull couldn't shake the ninja, though I worried for him.

One of the best: a Dia de los Muertos couple! They were very sweet and liked The Boyfriend's sugar skull mask.

These guys must have been gay strippers. They were on stilts and their costumes were lit up with a hundred white lights!

At the head of the costume contest parade were some Wild Things.

Geishas! And what a colorful shot of everyone, if I do say so myself.

Where's Waldo? Can you spot him?

A very sweet Hatter and incredibly beautiful and appropriate Cheshire Cat. Has she got just the smile for it or what?

Thing 1 and Thing 2!

He looked so perfect, it was startling. I almost asked him for a haircut.

As we were leaving, we saw these guys walking up. We both shouted, "Hey Ghostbusters! Can we get a picture?" They were so adorable! They emphatically said yes, absolutely, and they whipped out their guns and posed for us. As if we were their best friends, they demanded that we have a happy Halloween and I said, "I will, now I know who to call!"

Exhausted and happy, The Boyfriend and I then retired to snag a burger and head home to bed. It was a crazy, but incredibly fun night.

Pirate treasure and toons from the vault part twooo

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:33:18 GMT

Another happy Tuesday night/Wednesday morning to y'all! Before we jump into your revisted comic for today, I want to show you what I made...

The Tortuga Rum necklace.

I have to re-do some of the threadwork, but it's not that bad for my first necklace all by myself! I used these awesome skull beads that I found on etsy and which lend themselves to all sorts of piratey and voodooesque jewelery. I need more tutoring from Sue before I can really make anything astounding, but I had fun with this. It's up on the shop if you want to check it out!

This was my first environmentally conscious strip, and also my first Berkeley Breathed-style poem-toon, so it stands out as one that I enjoyed very much. Plus, I like bagging on Donald Trump, always. Enjoy (again)!

Attack of the reruns!

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:59:11 GMT

Believe me, I don't like being on break from Snap Crackle Pop any more than y'all do. Not that I've heard any complaints (which I'd really love to -- honest!). It's not so much that it's desired as it is necessary, to catch up on things, to finally put the book together, to perhaps actually find out what the deal is with this website jargin...

Anyway, I hate leaving you in the cold. I know there's nothing so comforting and dependable as your morning toons (or whatever time zone you may be in), and being a part of that is the best I could ask for (apart from getting paid for it).

So, to keep us all relatively happy until such time as I'm all prepared to jump back into giving you new toons, I'll be running a few old strips, ones I particularly liked, to keep the Wednesday fires a-burning. It'll be embarrassing at first, as some of this art is over two years old, but hopefully it'll be entertaining anyway.

This one, my computer tells me, ran back in January of 1970. But since I wasn't so much as a zygote then, and since my computer's dating system has lied before, I'd put it at early 2007. Enjoy!

Good day, good clay

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:03:09 GMT

Ahhh. Today has been a heckuvalot better than yesterday. I just got back from a nice swim with mum, I got a lot of important stuff taken care of, and a lot of fun stuff done. What's more, I made up a brand new batch of Claymates to put on Domestic Voodoo and since they are just so cute (though I say it myself) I figured I'd give my favorite people the first look at them. Don't worry if any of these get sold -- I can easily make more, and shall.

Obviously, this one is named David.

Stevie. I dig his crazy eyes.

Another Oswald, since he was such a hit. (Abby, don't worry, your new Oswald should be to you any day.)

Pablo again -- I had to make a copy of him because he's so fun.

Travis, the country apple.

And, one of my favorite Skelebuddies...

Andre.

These guys should all be up within the next twenty minutes, so if you likes 'em, act fast!

Also, now that I'm at #150 for Snap Crackle Pop, I'm thinking of taking a short break so I can get caught up on all my projects. I have commissions for paintings as well as toys, and I'll need the extra time to get the SCP book att finished and ready to print. So, a small survey: would you guys be totally betrayed if I went on hiatus for a month or two? Would you lose interest in the comic? Would you riot? Be honest. I'd actually be flattered if a few of you got pissed. Don't hold back. Really.

Love you all (especially you. Yes, you) and I hope your day is going great!

Hit the snooze

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:24:08 GMT

Evening/morning, y'all! I missed ya.

Since strangers keep writing me angry comments about that one time I made fun of Danny Couch on Haole If You Hear Me, I'm thinking of making it friends only, so if you'd like to read my soon-to-be-more-frequent posts about life in Hawaii from a white chick's perspective, add me fast! To amuse me and satisfy his moral outrage over all my Danny Couch-related hate mail, The Boyfriend wrote a hilarious and topical short post, which you must read. Do so now!

I hope you enjoy this week's comic; it's number 150 and so I believe this is the final one that will go in The Book which is still being put together with the help of my sister and which I hope will be available before too long.

With a lot of love and mush, and with no further ado, your Snap Crackle Pop.

Ah, the dangers of being nearly finished with Nicholas Nickleby...

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:03:20 GMT

Hooo, I am late this week! At least it's still Wednesday.

Sorry folks. The truth is, I've been up to my ears in orders for this Halloween! The Skelebuddies are going like hot malasadas, and I've got another batch order from another shop as well as a very amusing order from a shop in the Dominican Republic, which is a stop on a cruise line so all these folks from Miami and whatnot flock there to buy Dominican stuff. The shopkeeper requested a batch of my handpainted wooden wriggle fish to sell in his shop, which I will happily do, if only because I find it hilarious that Miami tourists are going to buy authentic Dominican folk art made by an Ohioan in Hawaii. I've never even been to Samana.

But you know how Lyle Lovett said it: That's right, you're not from Texas, but Texas wants you anyway. XD

Anyway, enough prattle and excuses. I promised you lovely people a toon! Enjoy, please.

Reader React: If this cartoon made you want ice cream, comment and tell me what flavor!

Shake your lovemaker

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:06:46 GMT

I think if my life were being watched in little bursts by some person or other, it would seem very absurd.

Burst: Early morning on the bus, reading Nicholas Nickleby two seats down from a man periodically shouting at no one.

Burst: Afternoon, trying to explain to a four year old why it's not okay to paint your body parts instead of the paper while another four year old declares that he has stickies in this pants.

Burst: At home, watching Star Trek with The Boyfriend in between Brad Neely impressions and bicycle crunches.

Burst: Stooped over the kitchen sink, trying to dislodge from a fish tank the skeleton of my deceased algae eater with chopsticks.

Burst: At the desk, putting the final touches on a comic strip featuring myself, a dragon and a kilted Scotsman (spoiler!)

Ah well. It's a fun life anyway.

For you gals -- you know who you are -- who get it. Kilts are magic. And, just a note to all those men not of Scottish descent, though I am happily taken I shall still quote Mae West: "I like two types of men; foreign and domestic." Enjoy.

The reader will please take note of my elaborate use of background scenery.

Reader React: If you chuckled at this comic, comment and tell me who Finn would be pulling you away from!

A Zestful Pirate Embrace by Fern McSwanfeather!

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:11:16 GMT

Oh, it's a crazy world. The world is going crazy. I have been absolutely SURROUNDED by rude people lately, from the idiotic lady at work who didn't like how I sang a song so she told everybody really loudly what a terrible teacher I am; to the California snob-man cowing his gum behind my ear on the bus while talking about how much he hates Hawaii and then listing all the body parts people have two of as if realizing this makes him brilliant; to my incredibly loud and obnoxious neighbors, one of whom desperately needs to have a visit from Child Services, or a crowbar.

The good part is that all this stuff just makes me appreciate my awesome family and boyfriend so much more. Not to mention all of you marvelous people. I am a lucky turd. :)

Halloween and Day of the Dead are coming up! I'm making as many new Skelebuddies as I can to keep up. Watch the shop to see if the right pal for you pops up!

I have no idea how today's comic will go over. The Boyfriend liked it, which is surprising, considering. Dig in!

Honk if you love geekery

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:40:10 GMT

Howdy! As of right now, I have nothing interesting to report, even though there are many marvelously interesting things happening. It's been a dogpile of crazy stuff -- the birthday, hanging with the family, realizing my boy cat is a girl cat, really rude mean people at work, snuggling my man, designing new Skelebuddies for the upcoming holiday and -- finally -- painting something just for me. This one will take a while -- there's no real sense to it, it's just a jumble of crazy things, but it has Charlie Chaplin. Which is my focal point, I guess.

And how are you busy people doing? Could you use a comic today, perhaps?

I can't let this theme go, it's too much fun. This one sortakinda alludes to a children's story I wrote and am working on making into a book. Enjoy, campers!

Greetings from another world!

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:59:55 GMT

Hey y'all! Since it's already Wednesday for most of you I'll just go ahead and say that by tomorrow (Thursday) I'll be twenty-four! Good gravy, I'm old.

Either way, we're having a cookout with steaks and campfire mac'n'chee and good tunes and in true Hobbit style I got presents for my family. I think it'll be grand. Lots of love to you all too!

The online store is really taking off, thanks to Sue and her wicked cool hats and her rabid followers, and some exciting things are helping spread our craftiness across the globe. I finally finished the order of Skelebuddies for Krystal, whose comic shop in Kentucky wants a crop of them and some of Sue's felt donuts to sell there. Sue has been contacted by a shopkeeper in Stockholm, Sweden who has ordered a whole heap of her handknit hats to sell over there. Our shop got a note from someone from the Cameron Art Museum in North Carolina who requested submissions from us for an exhibit they're doing on toys made by artists (all my other artist toymakers out there are invited to join in the fun!). Just today I got a note from someone who is part of a big Day of the Dead festival put on each year in Indianapolis who said that they want my Skelebuddies for the festival marketplace.

I've been listening to that Dolly Parton song "9 to 5" with all the gleeful abandon of a gal whose life might one day really take off. ;)

On a similar note, read my comic! And tell everyone you know.

Once again, this week we feature extra-special, extra-awesome guest art from The Boyfriend! When I told him what I wanted to do for this week and asked his advice on how to go about it, it occurred to me that he'd be better at it than I would. He set right to drawing the first three panels and left the fourth to me. Enjoy!

For more of The Boyfriend's fabulous work (including his recent Star Trek Meets Planet of the Apes series which is so rad) go here!

More stuff online!

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:19:55 GMT

Check out our new stuff! We got gourds and hats and shrunken heads and baby owls! All the good stuff in life.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
voodoopastry

Can't make my brain work

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:50:22 GMT

Oh I am way too wrapped up in watching Heroes right now to say much... I did all my inking in front of the show. It's the older season, back before it started to smell.

Anyway, have a comic! This is one that I'm pretty happy with, and also it's completely true. Enjoy!

Heat stroke

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:13:34 GMT

It's hot. I mean, I know it's hot everywhere, but I live on a bloody island, it's HOT. And no ice cream. I can dream about it.

More of Sue's AMAZING hats up on Domestic Voodoo! Some of them are very Where The Wild Things Are. Go check them out!

Today's comic is dedicated to all those out there in the working world who know just what I'm talking about, particularly The Boyfriend, who was my inspiration for this strip. I had to re-name my place of employment, but you get the ideer. This is basically what my day looks like. Enjoy!

If you read this strip and laughed, comment and tell me where you are in your Happy Place!

Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:37:15 GMT

New Claymates are up on the shop! We've got two owls, a peapod and a Sasquatch. Go see! More to come later.

Oy vey. I have another painting to do by September, a set of 20 Skelebuddies to finish and send out, cookies to bake my father, new Claymates to paint, next week's cartoon to write, and today my boss accidentally gave my paycheck to someone else, so I won't see it till tomorrow.

Will I ever get a real job?

I don't know. In the meantime, have a cartoon. Chins up!

Snoogedy boogans!

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:24:28 GMT

Whew! Got it in under the wire. It's still Wednesday in my time zone, baby!

I'll post some pictures tomorrow -- fun at the zoo, more Claymates, possibly even my new gourds. Till then, forgive my lateness and enjoy your ridiculous comic for today.