Tag: Saintlov Customs

Welcome Back! … To me.

It’s been a while. A long while. A combination of life, health, brain and horrid computer that made doing anything a chore I wasn’t up to. Now I have a brand new built computer thanks to my Boy. Some brain help thanks to finally taking days off from work (10 this year is the most taken in 7 years!) and with those days off, some time to get things done that have been making me feel overwhelmed and therefore, since I couldn’t do it all, I didn’t do anything!

Over the next few weeks. I’ll be rearranging pictures, adding new ones, new tutorials and process videos. If you want to see something, let me know!! There will be more than Pops. there will be etching, vinyl, paper crafts, leather crafts. There will be kids things done with my creative assistant Lil-Bell. There will be good things, and you’ll see ALL the failures!

Not everything here will be in or for the store. Some will be for me, some will be experiments, some will be one off’s that may be for a commission or charity. Some that have been made and given away. I’m horrible about taking good photos before I send them away, so I’m hoping to be more consistent at that.

Below are my newest babies. Soldier Boy, Abbadon – The Devil Made Me Do It and Garth with Mr. Fizzles. There are others in progress that will be posted. Welcome to 2023. I hope we can spend some time together! ❤

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Bricks and Hammers

The past few weeks, I’ve been struggling with a bit of a block. I couldn’t get the King!Jensens to where I wanted them to be and it affected EVERYTHING! I realized it wasn’t really the Jensen’s it was me. The block was with my creative side and not with the Jensens. Until I realized that, I kept changing the Jensens thinking that was the issue. I went from this.

Original design

To this..

Trying to add “texture”

And finally I realized that the issue was me so I went back to the original design that I loved. Once I did that, I was able to get so much done simply because the creative juices were now flowing. Part of the issue, I realized, is that I was micro judging. By that, I mean judging the entire pop based on this incredibly small view of one particular area. When I do that, and forget to see the bigger picture (or in this case, the entire design that works together) I tend to focus on tiny things that aren’t “perfect” and it colours the entire project. When I step back and take the entire thing as a whole, and remember that being handmade means that there WILL be imperfections and that is part of what makes them good, I can progress and remember the joy from the art, instead of the need for perfection.

The original design that worked, once I realized they weren’t the problem

How do I stop it from happening? Got me! My hope is that I get better about recognizing when it’s happening so I can catch it sooner sooner and change my view. Finding the different things that have helped, and adding them to my artistic toolbox helps too. Things like

-making a new prototype

-changing up what I’m working on. From Pops to Vinyl to Wood to Jewelry

-taking a project that has been stumping me and just doing it. Getting that off my to do list helps.

-organizing my work-space or cleaning my area

Each time I go through this I am a little more empowered and a little more comfortable with my art. I deal with Impostor Syndrome in a lot of areas of my life. The thoughts that I don’t really deserve any recognition and that people are just humouring me come through when I get a block. Every time I pull myself through it gives me that much more solid of a footing in my own creativity.

We all have doubts. Every. One. Of. Us. Never forget that. Remembering that can help push you through when those scary voices raise their head.

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Welcome! …. And Housekeeping

SCLOG

Welcome to Saintlov Customs. I started this site as a place to have all my creations in one spot, and open the door to the processes involved with making them. My aim is to add how to videos, photos, blog posts and more to allow you all in the workbench with me. Feel free to browse, comment ask questions and share. This isn’t a sales site, my Etsy is for that, the link is in the SHOP button. Not all items you see here will be for sale, but feel free to message me if you see something not in the store.

I started customizing for a couple reasons. First, I wanted pops that were just not being made, so I decided to make them myself. Second, I am fighting two autoimmune diseases Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pemphigus. The constant fighting of my own body leaves me exhausted, strains my mental health and the damage from Rheumatoid will possibly take my mobility and hands. Doing this is a fun way of keeping my mind busy and my hands moving and bringing you all into the workshop with me.

Some housekeeping…

  1. I love making pops and jewelry, but it doesn’t put food on table or keep me in the style I would like to become accustomed to. I work fulltime on a real world job, so protos can take a few weeks due to time constraints. If you have a deadline, please mention that up front so I can set proper and reasonable expectations.
  2. Sometimes pops aren’t available in the store because the costs of the base has risen, or the pop has been vaulted. I’m happy to do these, but you must purchase the bases before I can start, and the price will reflect the cost of the more expensive base (unless you purchase it yourself and have it sent directly to me)
  3. I occasionally make #AKF items, but will never, ever sell a charity item. I make these items to give away to people who are struggling to remind them that the SPN Family is always there. I have/may send them with proof of a donation in kind to the charity, but please verify first, as I only have the opportunity to do a few this way, and will not take any form of payment, including shipping. That being said, there are occasionally pops that have a portion of their purchase price sent to that actor’s charity. Donation receipts are available on request, or can be sent with the finished pop if requested.
  4. I am kinda known for TMI. Fair warning right off the bat. Feel free to comment but keep it kind. I encourage all opinions and comments don’t have to be all positive, but they do have to be all kind.
    Come on in, and enjoy!
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