Christina "Smudge" Hanson's Blog

OBS is being weird - so I'm trying to post my character icons in a gallery here to see if OBS will actually see it before I start yet another game stream. ^.^

"I just want to give you a big hug!"  Continuing my series of anthro MLP mermaids in celebration of MerMay 2021 it's Tempest Shadow. With her tendency for arcing and sparking energy from her damaged horn it was easy for me to see her as a mermaid inspired by an electric eel.

Tonight 5/15/21 starting at 5:30pm Pacific I'll be doing a mermaid themed Picarto stream. So join me for an evening art, mermaids, stories, the D&D report and more. Tonight's brain lubricant will be the Gimlet. See you there!

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Was pleasantly surprised to get this in the mail this past week. So glad the cover worked out. And the full novel is up on Jarlidium Press' website for sale:

Red Skies Novel

Most of this week has been working on commission stuff. Have not heard back from the client yet so I can't post that here atm. Hoping to do a small pic for personal reasons. Then it's off to the races as I work on the cover for Vol. 2 of Cole and Shapero's story.

Smudge's gonna try and stream tonight, 1/19/2018. Will stat at 6pm PST.

picarto.tv/SmudgeDragon

She will be continuing to work on the Princess Tutu piece. Wanna get that wrapped up before starting something new. Also thinking about doing a couple of sketches beforehand to warm up with. See you all there!

picarto.tv/SmudgeDragon

Just a heads up if anyone is interested, Smudge going to be streaming in 1/2 hour from now (5:15 PST). will probably go til about 8 or 9 pm tonight.

Come join me as I work on some anime fan art!

https://picarto.tv/SmudgeDragon

(Will delete this journal after stream is done.)

Hey all -

Just wanted to give you a heads up on a new project I'm working on inside of Patreon, Lumeria's Hive.

Lumeria's fate was sealed at the age of ten when her and her brothers were kidnapped by a hive of monsters. Now, long after their rescue, they are all discovering that those monsters did more than just take them from their homes. Visions of past and future collide as Lumeria desperately tries to change her fate into the destiny of an Empire.
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I'm currently in the design phase as well as busily shaping up the first draft of this prose story. Whether the final remains in prose is another matter yet to be seen. But this is the fastest way, and easiest on my hand, to get the plot out of my head and onto paper. I'm also sketching out different character designs so I know what folks look and act like.

I'll be releasing the prose in scene chunks, serially, only to Pateron and SmudgeMarks & EngelWerks for Patrons/Subscribers. It's a first draft, it needs to stay locked until it's in shape to find a publisher. I will also be releasing the character designs to DeviantArt a month afterwards. Why not release to FurAffinity as well? Because they have no way of scheduling posts, at this time. And I'm not holding my breath for them to add it.

So wanna come along and follow what I'm working on as I write/draw it? Become my Patron on Patreon for a dollar a month!

And constructive comments and critiques are always welcomed!

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Going to be trying something new with my (Smudge's) Patreon account. Manly using it to posting my first draft of the prose I'm working on, Lumeria's Hive (working title). I'll be posting it weekly on a per scene or two basis (as opposed to per chapter, which are getting mighty long).

You can subscribe to read it on my personal Patreon for one dollar a month there, or here at www.smudgemarks-engelwerks.com via PayPal (BETA). So come along for the ride!

Just FYI - since this is a first draft, some spelling and wrong word usage is to be expected. The auto correct on the system I'm using to write with is trying oh-so-hard to "help". I do have someone doing a read through before posting, but even he misses stuff. Basic editing corrections in comments are welcomed, if not out-and-out encouraged.

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Just spent the weekend tearing down and rebuilding my studio space. Still got a longs ways to go for organization but it's in MUCH better shape already.

For starters (and this is what sparked the whole thing off), I finally had saved enough money for a true, motorized sit-to-stand desk. Been lusting after one of these for ages. But I have been diligent with my money and finally had saved enough to get one, with a nice birch top.

Since James and I were ripping out the area anyways, one of the things on the 'To Do' list was to reorg all the mating snakes, er, loose cables behind the area. Getting all that off the floor means it's now easier to clean/vacuum. And we now have easy access to the heater knob. And no cables are touch the heat-strip anymore, so we can use it in the winter, instead of trying to pump heat in from the front of the house.

We also got a very small UPS for the internet/cable modem/switch so that if power goes out, as long as the machines are still going, due to their own UPS's, we can still reach the outside world. This is super important for Dave, since he's constantly doing file transfers for his job. Him going down in the middle of a transfer has proven disastrous in the past. Now, we can nip that problem in the bud.

Still have lots of desk arranging to do, but the bulk of the heavy lifting is done. All and all, a good weekend well spent, I say.

[image error]Just a heads up!  I'm going to be at WowCool Comix in Cupternio CA for Free Comic Book Day this Saturday, May 6th, from 3pm till closing.

It's a small, hidden little shop filled with awesome Indy and Alternative press titles! If you're interested in coming out for FREE Comic books, I'll happy provide directions as this place is HIDDEN!

Did I mention this place is hidden? More than Eric's Deli Cafes*? Seriously, it is!

*Eric's Deli Cafes, harder to find than the Janet Reno Swimsuit Calendar! At least according to some of their old radio adds. ^.~

It's that time of year again - the annual 'make Smudge's wallet weep' time as I spend money expanding my little garden.

Over Christmas a friend gave me some sweet raised planter boxes that are going to be a god-send for my back.

Yay - now I need to fill them.

My plans this year -

2 Ace tomato plants (in pots) with 8 Basil planted alongside.

1 Mint per Baron's request.

and Lettuce, Roman and something else that looks to be more of a bitter green
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I am trying lettuce, as a quick turn around crop. I always hear people talk as if lettuce being grown year round, but the nursery lady said it was a purely winter crop? I know Kale is, but Roman? I R confused. But I've been wanting to try a lettuce bed for ages so I jumped on for the experiment.

Tomorrow I put in the tomatoes. Had to go get new, larger pots and a new cage for them since the planters aren't nearly deep enough. Cages are set to go. And I'm moving them into a different area in hopes that they will get more morning lite and less afternoon beat-down. Here's hoping for no more sun-scalding.

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All said in done. My wallet took one for the team.... and I don't even have most of the planters filled. ^.^;

Wonder what else I should try?