R⃨i⃨v⃨e⃨r⃨ Y⃨a⃨t⃨e⃨s⃨

"edit images with AI-- search with AI-- control your life with AI--"

Hello, those of you who follow me on Tumblr (l3irdl3rain) or Facebook (Chloe's Home for Disabled Cats) or know me in real life know about my passion for special needs animals, specifically cats. Almost all my pets are seniors or have special needs. While most of my vet work is covered through my job at the clinic I work for there are still medical costs that can add up.

Arthur is one of the many cats I've taken in over the years. He's the king of comfort, an expert at lounging, and a beloved uncle to foster kittens. I like to joke that he 'tricked' me into adopting him. He was from a hoarding situation and in such terrible shape that the shelter mistook him for a senior. I had my doubts when I went to meet him and saw how spry he was, but he did look really bad. I thought maybe he really was just an energetic old man. Upon taking him to my vet my suspicions were confirmed. We estimate Arthur at around 5 years old.

Due to being an exotic shorthair and having an extremely flat face Arthur does have some special care. I have to clean his face crevice daily as well as apply eye drops. He has also had an entropion repair to fix his eyelid as well as 3 separate rhinoplasty surgeries to allow him to breathe better. Doc also warned me he would need a soft palate resection. This will remove the extra tissue in his throat and allow him to breathe better.

A few months ago I called and got an estimate from a referral clinic. They quoted me anywhere from $5,500 to $7,000. At the same time I discovered a growth on my bird, Joey's head, and I elected to put Arthur's surgery on hold to get to the bottom of what was going on with Joey.

Unfortunately Arthur has started to have actual problems related to his soft palate. He is eating slower and gagging at times. He also has started hyper salivating and it is a struggle to keep his face dry and clean, leading to infections on his cheeks. Unfortunately I no longer can put his surgery off for a better time when it is more affordable for me. I called around and got more estimates. UW Madison quoted me $3,500 to $5,000 for the surgery.

As always, I appreciate anyone and everyone who has supported me and my critters. Any and all funds raised in their fundraiser will go directly into my pet care, even if we exceed the goal I set. Also, after his initial consult I should be able to get a more accurate estimate. For now I have set it to the high end of the surgery, but I will adjust as needed.

***Arthur's Medical Fund***

The Dyeing of Theodore (DIM Happy Ace)

Yesterday I decided to buckle down and finally dye my boy tan. Even though I had dyed a doll before, I was very, very nervous, since previously I used Jacquard iDyePoly and for Theo I was determined to use RIT Dyemore. I had read that RIT Dyemore tans can come off grey—even purple—if the dye bath does not reach a certain temperature, so I waited until my water was at a rolling boil then submerged each piece for three (3) minutes. A beautiful, even tan resulted with little-to-no marbling! I’m really pleased as punch. ^^

My phone’s camera doesn’t want to pick up the dye’s true color, sadly. There is a slight copper undertone to RIT Dyemore “Sandstone” but in-person my Theo looks closer to a cross between LUTS RSB and the old Dream of Doll tan, if anyone knows the shade I’m talking about. I do want to point out two things for those folks out there hoping to dye Doll in Mind resin. First and foremost, DiM resin takes synthetic dye PERFECTLY. It absorbs color evenly and doesn’t streak as long as you keep your water super hot. (And I mean SUPER.) DiM also sands seams, so there will be some lines along the sides of the legs, etc. that absorb the dye differently. Not very noticeable, though, IMO.

But… DiM also uses some sort of glue around the wrist and ankle s-hooks that is impermeable to dye. I received a defective hand with this substance near the knuckles (that I used as a test piece since DiM was kind enough to send me a replacement), and no matter what I did, a patch of NS remained beneath it. Unfortunately, my boy’s other hand had a bit of this on his forefinger that I did not notice during my communication with DiM (thus, no replacement), so there is a small splotch there, as well. Had I seen it before dyeing, I would’ve tried sanding, even though that also would have resulted in uneven coverage.

I figure I’ll just cover his finger with a nude, doll-sized bandage. Theo apparently gets a lot of paper cuts while working late nights at the bureau, LOL. Who knew? Anyway, I hope sharing my experience helps someone! I’ll post another batch of photos once I’ve restrung him. I’m giving the resin 48 hours to cure since it was exposed to extreme heat (I don’t want to end up with any scratches or breaks).

ALSO! After trying both, I prefer RIT Dyemore to Jacquard iDyePoly. Both achieve bold colors, but RIT’s liquid format >>> Jacquard’s powder. I’m itching to dye another doll on my wishlist now. Maybe a Little Monica or a BlueFairy.

What do you folks think? Thank you all for reading! —Mint

Sunny Side Up

Seed Arts Smol Birb Giveaway

Blue Skies and Sunny Side Up are looking for homes.  Maybe yours!

Rules:

You do NOT have to be following me. 

You may reblog up to 3 times (no more than once per day), for one birb or the other. Likes don’t count.

When you reblog, please keep the entirety of the contest text and then write which bird you’re entering for. If you don’t say which one you want, you can’t win it!

You need to either be 18, or you need to clear it with your parents before you send me your address to ship. If you win, they’re welcome to email me directly if they wish.

Make sure that you have asks or messaging enabled on Halloween.  I will give you three days to reply to my notification that you’ve won, then I pick someone else. 

Winners will be chosen at random on Halloween (2016).  Birbs will be shipped at my convenience, most likely via airmail.  (Yes, this is open internationally.)

Good luck! :D

By John Moore (1821-1902)

Photos That look Like Renaissance Paintings

I could think of no better way to share the news than this!

So when I was 17, my cat went missing and I'd given up hope of ever seeing him again.

Until on Monday, 27th of May, 2024, my friend sent me a FB post asking 'isn't that your mother?' about the person named on the microchip.

Here he is! 16 years old, and found safe, twelve whole years after he went missing!

Yesterday (Tuesday the 28th of May, 2024) I went to the rescue that had him, and I reclaimed my boy, renaming him Artie! (He'd originally been called 'Cat' because my mother and I couldn't decide on a name)

He's home safe with me now, currently inhabiting my bathroom and purring up a storm every time someone goes in there!

I'll be doing slow introductions between him and my current cat to give them the best possible chance of living in harmony!

Here's some pictures of Artie once we let him out of the carrier:

The Kats padded silently through the rustling underbrush of the Copper Forest's outskirts. As twilight descended, the warm orange glow of the setting sun cast long shadows across their path. The air was alive with the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers and the distant whispers of nocturnal creatures stirring to life.

Soony is a minifee juri14/Soony color matched to a myou doll double jointed v3 body in coffee. 💖

where's that picture that ruined my life