Spring Cleaning Update Thread!

[Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff)]

It's Monday, March 27th, so that means the update thread comes up! This is where you can post progress on your projects as often as you like but weekly is recommended.


I'll be updating on Mondays.


Flower pressing project looks good but watercolor paper was definitely the wrong paper to use. Going to try with marbled cards rock. Ugh. Need more wildflowers.

Secret organization project was well underway but turns out it wasn't even needed. So that's not going anywhere but under. Edit: upon the coaxing of someone more stubborn than I; I'll finish this.

I found my old friend's old address but didn't yet outline the letter. Nor have I worked up the courage to ask her if she has a wedding registry on facebook.

I did write my half of a collaboration for 777...so there's that.


How did y'all do this week?

[Twillie]

So far, I've mostly touched upon a few art projects, namely my April Project and Neopets Art Requests. For the former, I've gotten the sketch layers down, which took longer than I expected xD Next step is to figure out how to color it, and if/how I should line it. I have a more specific vision on how this will look, and it differs greatly from my usual methods.

I got two more Neopets art requests done, and one is near completion. These were all for friends as I was feeling little motivation for these and wanted to at least make the most important ones for me, but I'm sort of considering if I should finish the rest. I, uh, may have lost a couple of the usernames of some who asked for art; I just have their nicknames, which doesn't help when I need to look up their pets ^^;

Only other thing I've worked on is Greenless Rainbow a bit, and that's mostly just mental notes and experimentation to get a better grasp of what it'll be. I think I'm getting a more solid design of my protagonist, though, so that's definitely good x)

[Gelquie]

I suppose I'll update Mondays as well, but I wonder if it might be easier for me to update not just that, but whenever I manage big things. If that'd be alright

I'll admit, I haven't really done much this week. Some days just got... absorbed by other self-centric things.

That said, I did get some stuff done.

I kind of need to do the spring cleaning of my room and stuff thing, though I haven't made progress on that. One day, I did decide to consolidate some things and it made an empty space in my room and it's inspiring me to continue, so I might well try to tackle that a bit at a time this week? Depends on what else is going on.

I've been thinking about fics, but a lot of it is mental writing and planning, and nothing really coherent enough to really put down besides "I thought more about these fics". I did do some writing, though. I did more of the Clue backstory fic, and am almost done with that scene. It's kind of slow-going, though. I don't have as clear an outline there as I do other fics and am kind of just letting it run. Hopefully I don't run into any "oh, oops" that'll cause me to re-write large chunks. But it's supposed to be a short fic, so it should be do-able if I push myself to it.
(EDIT: I finished quite possibly the first scene of Clue fic. =D Kind of brainstorming exactly how to continue (whether to actually write out the scene or just describe what happened), but once I get that, I should be okay? I might get some mental roadblocks because I'll admit, I haven't planned 100% of everything, including kiiiind of a major thing, but maybe that just means rewriting later.)

And the data analysis thing, I kind of went and consolidated all the data. Right now though... I can't pinpoint any trends. I feel like I need to average the data in order to make a decent trendline, but that's going to take more work. ...It kind of feels like there's not much correlation here, but I'm at the point where I can't really prove that, so averaging is just what I gotta do.

And I added another thing today in response to recent events, and that's going to take over as priority because it's super important. In fact, that may be my focus this week.

[Moni]

In a not-so-plot-twist, I actually got -2 things done! Huzzah!

I a) made my room even dirtier after cleaning it and b) erased a few projects

Let's see how much negative progress I can make!

[Killix]

I finished a project. Hurray!
The candycane dragon sculpture is fully painted and it took me much longer than I anticipated. It just needs a coat of sealant (which I don't have) and it'll be ready for display!

I've also been working on the Caprica sculpture. It's nearing completion! Our dining room table is covered in craft supplies and yarn fuzz.

Attempts were made on the NuzLock comic, and I managed to sketch a bit more, but my mouse is just being too much of a jerk. I can't art properly and I don't think I'll be able to get the digital art related projects done.

I also went and took a look at the sprite project... and it's just too old. I started the thing in 2005 and most of the spritework is outdated and many creatures need to be redrawn. I don't have the time for that right now. I think that particular project is pretty much dead and I am counting it as "done". I'm glad I finally took the time to sort it out, though.

[Lizica]

Made only minimal progress on a few things, but I did finish reading Book #1, at least! =D

I may have cried all over the climax and ending of Book #1. :'D Book #2 is next, but it should be quicker because it's an action pageturner, and several years ago I finished reading the first book in this series over, like, four days, which is saying something. Also, Book #2 is a library book, so in addition to Spring Cleaning inspiration, I also have LOOMING OVERDUE FINES to motivate me. xD

Otherwise, got a liiiittle bit done on the *Maniacal Laughter* artwork. It's so close to being finished, it's exasperating. XD This last little piece is just taking forever.

Even though it's lower priority, I got some random inspiration this week and started rewriting the Pending thing.

Annnd whilst on the internet, I got inspiration for a random NTWF character doodle that was not on my list, but I finished it anyway. Counts as neutral? X3

[Huntress]

Since I have a stupid-crazy-long-xtreme list, I opted to focus on a few things at a time and won't move on to other stuff until I've completed at least some of them, because otherwise I'll do snippets here and there and won't actually finish any one thing.

I also opted to take progress photos, because everything is better with pictures.

So I made decently good headway with the paint-by-numbers painting and realistically might be able to get it done in a few weeks. It's quite pretty. I also have seekrit plans for extra features when it's done.

SPOILER: Click to show

For twenty bucks you too can be an artist =D

And I pushed ahead with the sweater I've been knitting (or rather not knitting) for Fraze for the past three years or so. Did y'all know that I knit? Because I totally knit, frequently for other people because I like the process but don't necessarily feel the need for piles of knitwear myself. Assuming those other people are very very patient.

SPOILER: Click to show

One week's worth of sleeves. The ribbed wrist-bits were done before.

[Tiger]

As predicted, haven't gotten too much done yet, but I've at least started some things. And I did get two appointments I'd been putting off (one for over a year, whoops) scheduled, so that's good \ o /

I also did start some art, including a spring avatar (currently coloring) and getting back to work on some Medieval art (also currently coloring, though I'm sure it's going to take longer because four dragonets is a lot. And there's like, a background and stuff.)

And I've been working on my writing, it's just mostly handwritten at this point so I can't update my wordcount until I get that transcribed. I did finish part...seven? Eight? Of my Markus-fic, thank goodness; I'd been wrestling with how to move forward for like two weeks...and then once I figured it out, wound up staying up until two AM one night to finish the scene following it. Novel is going kinda slow, though partly that's because my brain smacked me with "Hey - hey - what if you do the plot this way, it only requires re-rewriting everything you've written so far! 8D" After freezing in terror for a bit, I beat that idea aside and I'll try to get back to work on it and move the freakin' story forward instead of going back for rewrites.

So, nothing major yet - but it has been nice to have the list there, it sort of narrows my focus. It's also nice to be able to record progress on a task, instead of it being all or nothing, so kudos to Fluffle for a format that made it easy to add a "PROGRESS" section!

[Allison]

I'll update when I get a chance. lol Probably Mondays, though. (Even though today isn't Monday.) I'll be a "weekend warrior" with most of this stuff. I've made very little progress so far. I've gotten the first Harry Potter book from the library, and have gotten to bed earlier the past couple of nights so I've been able to read. And by getting them from the library, I'm not making the book situation any worse. So that part's good, at least. And here's my "Before" picture for the bookshelf project. I'm hoping to reorganize the entire corner of the room here, including the drawer unit, which is full of stuff I don't need and really haven't even touched for probably over a year.

SPOILER: Click to show

[Ginz ❤]

Ahh, I was going to post yesterday, but I was feeling pretty guilty because I hadn't really made much progress on project >>;; But I shouldn't keep putting it off, so I guess my update day will be Tuesdays!

So, being honest, I got a head start the day after I made my post on the Project Lists thread. I was feeling really motivated after that and I didn't want to waste that energy, so I got the first step done early, which was gathering all the information I needed to start. I also started sketching a couple of ideas.

On the very day the event actually started, I decided I wanted to do an art swap with other forumers. I made a thread about it and proceeded to spend that first week working on that instead of my actual Spring Cleaning project >>;; Aren't I the best at time management? XD;;

Anyway... today I got back on track and continued with my sketches. I also dug up the old file with the presents I managed to complete back then, and I was surprised to find out that my thought process for them was very different... they look nothing like the new sketches I've been doing, and so I think I will re-do them with my new ideas. I think they'll all be better that way.

So, yeah... progress has been minimal and it's going slow... but at least it's going now!

[June Scarlet]

Ah, so the weekend before last, the 18th and 19th, was the end of my Spring Break. Now, during my Spring Break, I basically did two things. I went to work, and I worked on Ink. So that weekend, I inked Parts 3, 4, and 5. Sunday night, I was getting pretty tired, but I pushed myself to finish Part 5. I did this knowing both that it would burn me out, but also knowing that since I spent all of spring break working on Ink, I'd have to spend last week doing all the homework I could have done.

Which is exactly what happened. Last week I took up a lot of time working on Javascript homework, and some WordPress homework. Wasn't in much of a mood to work on anything art related, but that was okay, because I simply didn't have the time.

Last Wednesday I did draw a Dinner with the Scarlets comic, it should appear this Friday. I also started planning for the art collab with Rabbit and Celestial.

Also, a week ago, I became inspired to organized and clean and move things around. This is pretty rare for me, so I have to take advantage of it while I can. This did include organizing my bookshelf some more, but also moving around furniture, organizing other shelves, and just lots and lots of little things. I did wash dishes several times last week as well, per my mood.

I had a pair of old jeans finally give out, getting a rip in a worn spot. I figure I can use the fabric from that for my pet rat hammock.

This week, I finished my Javascript homework today, even though it usually takes me until Saturday. It was a short chapter. So that should give me extra time this weekend to do stuff.

Overall, I'd call this past week and a half a success. I feel I was generally productive, and that's what really matters.

[Thorn]

So I'm not doing regular updates, but I thought I should update about now just to show that I have made at least a little progress.

I've made a little more progress on my room. Ornament shelves are looking better and I can probably start moving my dragons over there (at least, those which aren't displayed on the dragon castle or wall things!) The Scattered Scraps are much reduced and the Paperwaste too, but the Mound of Clothing keeps reappearing so...not so much.

I did not finish drafting my Sunstory, but I finished a couple of leetle stories so...that's something? One of them has already been rejected, waiting to hear back on the others. The microfic for 'Pockets' has been submitted.

I submitted one of my CVs. There's not really a lot I can apply for before moving, though.

As for the audio thing...I totally forgot about it until this morning, but will get to it in the next few weeks and hopefully produce something of a respectable standard. xD

[Gelquie]

Oops, it's Monday.
...Hey, it's still Monday in my timezone.

So, not very much progress this week. I got a lot of writing ideas, but they're all for things that are not on my Spring Cleaning list. I did a bit more of the Clue fic, though. Finished one of the scenes, in fact! \ o / Still kinda figuring out what to do next, but it's becoming clearer and clearer. I think it'll be from a continuation of the previous scene, if I can figure out the small talk subjects. Or maybe I can just skim over that, get to the important parts, finish the fic, then come back to the small talk scene. I'll think about it.

I'm happy to announce that I did manage to cross one thing off my list! It's the data analysis one. I finally sat down and created an averaged chart. Unfortunately, the results turned out... fairly inconclusive. While it seemed like a lot of data, turns out it was less than I thought. Which kinda makes sense when you really think about it. The only thing that can fix that is more data, which I can get over time, but the speed at which I can get this data without fudging data is... slow. So for the sake of the Spring Cleaning event, I'm going to consider this task done and just update the document for my own needs in the future, as there's really nothing else I can do about it at this point.

I've done a little more reorganizing. One of my table spaces is a bit clearer, though it's still not great. It's really not enough to consider significant progress, though.

Next week, there'll be days in which I'll be out of town or busy, so progress will be significantly slowed. Though I might have some downtime in which I could write more fics, so we'll see. Kind of depends on what happens.

Oh! And I added another item to my list. I try not to do it too much for tasks that could be solved shortly, though I'm starting to wonder if I should. But as would be obvious if you were here with me, I'm very scattered about getting to my fics (I tend to jump from idea to idea, it's very annoying for actually getting anything done xD ), but I keep bouncing back to this idea, which I'd been pondering anyway. I actually got to the point of a brainstorm document, and now have kiiind of a vague outline in my head? Though it's still in the malleable "anything can change" stage. But because it's tied to another item on the list, I'm also kind of simultaneously working on that, so that's a plus. I don't know how much of the worldbuilding I'll actually need for this fic. I'll probably complete the fic before I really complete the worldbuilding. But it can also enhance the worldbuilding by highlighting points of the culture I'm developing while also going on about... Well, the subject matter of the fic.

So, there's that going on. Not too much progress, all in all. And next week, unless I have a super strong buckle-down day over the weekend, will probably also be not too much progress. Hopefully that won't be my trend for the entire event.

[Tiger]

Guess I'm updating Tuesdays, sure, why not.

Finished some stuff this week. Took Lark to the vet (she was Not Pleased), was forced by my coolant to go get that and my oil changed, finished my spring avatar, finished some art of one of my FR dragons, and formatted a couple of FR bios.

Started a couple things - Between last night and the night before I actually reorganized my art folders, just need to scan in a crapton of things. I also started making an Err Bear emoji for the NTWF Discord chat; I need to decide if I like it before I show it to the group and see if they like it; I'd also kind of like to try and alternate design but I don't know if I can make it fit into 32 x 32 pixels. ...I also started a broom icon for this event's badge, but forgot badges are 21 x 21. So uh. We might have a broom emoji for the Discord chat... well once I redraw part of it

I worked a very little bit more on the Markus fic. I'm just kind of stuck with what I'm doing next, I think is the problem. I guess I need to brainstorm some conflict. I've been even more stuck on my stupid novel, I couldn't figure out how to phrase something a character wanted to say and I'm just tired and grumpy this week and have no patience for sitting there trying to coax it out of them.

I made a Tumblr for my Flight Rising stuff yesterday; we'll see if it takes off, but I thought it might be some encouragement to make and post art and lore and whatever. I have written some stupid-long bios for some of my dragons, having the "extended version" in an easy Tumblr link might be nice as opposed to the vague Google Doc route I'd been thinking earlier. Means I need to draw Fireglass so I can have an avatar, so I added that to my list of tasks. To be honest I should've drawn and colored her ages ago, so, I'm sure she'll be pleased about that.

[Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff)]

Blegh. Work has been brutal and I forgot to update.

I finished the letter to my childhood friend but need to dry the flowers and make the bookmarks. They're taking too long and I'm thinking of microwaving them when I finally have a few hours to myself.

Haven't started a single art project. I sketched Edward Elric but that's about it. Hate how it's coming out.

Finished my positivity/kiddie blog updates and I don't have to touch it for at least a few weeks. Most of the updates are pictures I took myself that I've been hoarding for that he past several months.

Finished the story for issue 777 with Riel. It's a cute little number that's light and relatively happy. I'm surprised I was so passionate about that to do my part quickly.

Apart from unrelated but equally necessary projects I think that's about it for me...