My Chemical Memoriam

Music is something that is incredibly important and emotional for me and something that I don't think I've discussed before, aside from I listen to it while I paint. So, let me start with this; music is vital to me. For as long as I can remember, I've been listening to music. Be it classical and country with my dad or whatever was on the top 40 80's radio with my mom, I grew up on it and with it. It would not be outside the scope of my emotional connection to music to say that I don't think I could live without it. I need it and it affects me in massive ways. Just ask Joe how many songs I can't listen to regardless of their lyrical content because their sound alone makes me curl up in the fetal position and weep. Add in lyrics that hit my heart the wrong way? Oh boy. Then ask him how many I crave to lift me up. It's sort of insane, honestly.

By the time I was in the 4th grade, I had already carved out my own musical tastes and had quite the collection of vinyl and cassettes. (Cassettes!) My collection included a little bit of everything that made me smile or that I enjoyed the beat of - from Cyndi Lauper to Nirvana to White Zombie to Meatloaf. I was also a band geek; my childhood friend Jason and I constantly battled to be first chair clarinet and often had to share the title between us. At that point in my life, music was even more important to me than art. I remember getting my first ever CD, Green Day's Dookie (good thing we didn't have those pesky "parental advisory" labels when I was growing up, or my collection would have been very small, indeed.) and listening to it non-stop.

In to my early teens, if you wanted to find me, you'd first look in my bedroom where I'd spend hours with my stereo on and a book in my hand. Failing that, look out in the yard and surrounding woods; chances were good I'd be perched on a rock or in a tree with my headphones on. Songs began to move me in new ways, the lyrics would feel as if they were written for my particular situation, a particular chord would bring me to tears or make me laugh. Everyone just chalked it up to hormones. (Oh, dammit. Is she crying while listening to that song again? Damn hormones.) But it wasn't, because I've never grown out of that.

When my life started to spiral out of control in my late teens, I turned once more to music to help me through. Knowing me as you do, most people will probably wonder why I didn't turn to art. And the thing is, during that time, I gave it up almost entirely because I didn't have the time to balance that with the day to day juggling act of working two jobs, going to school, mediating a divorce, battling addiction and depression and trying to care for my siblings. It took up precious time that I didn't have. And so, I turned to another very deep passion of mine. I shelled out ludicrous amounts of money to go to big shows and tagged along with friends who were in bands to local ones. And it was at one of those local shows, I saw My Chemical Romance for the first time. And I'm not going to lie; I wasn't impressed. In fact, I was so unimpressed that I completely forgot about them.

Until I had hit rock bottom; the cutting, the drinking, the depression were all out of control. I had given up on art, music and most of my friends; all of those things that were so vitally important to me. I was wallowing at the bottom of a black hole and saw no light. I was driving to work one morning, the radio was on as it usually was but I wasn't paying much attention... until this song came on:

For the first time in months, I sat up and paid attention. When it was over, I wanted to hear it again. I needed to hear it again. I called a friend and asked him who the hell they were. His response? "Those guys? I played with them a few times before, remember? They're fucking terrible." Realization dawned on me and I remembered, I also stormed in to our local record store and bought "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" and their first album "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love", effectively running late to work and not even caring. And you know what? They weren't terrible. They were like sexy ass rock and roll angels sent to give me a fucking rock to cling to. And cling I did. I listened to their albums so much, I'm surprised I didn't wear them out. In their songs, I found bits of myself again and I felt things aside from just cold and depressed for the first time in too long. I cried it out, screamed it out, danced it out.

A few of my friends (including the aforementioned former friend) absolutely made fun of me for liking them so much, calling them trite emo garbage and tween goth rock. I didn't give a flying fuck. Here was this band, from the same area as me, only a year or two older than me, going through and working out a lot of the same shit as me. They made me feel less alone and like there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel afterall. They dredged up darkness and fought it off again with their songs and it was so powerful, so hopeful despite all the angst and rage contained in the two albums. These guys, this band; they saved me.

It was their music that I used as hand holds to climb my way, all by myself, out of that dark pit. It was with their songs as my holy armor of sorts that I kicked my addiction, that I stopped hurting myself and pulled myself back up to a standing position. These guys were like me at one point, too. And they weren't hiding it or ashamed of it - they owned it and beat its ass.

It sounds cliche and maybe a bit over blown, but it is no less true. Music, specifically theirs, helped pull me back from the brink of the darkest period of my life. If you had told me that when I first saw them with my very jaded former friend, I'd have laughed at you and told you these guys were never going to make it anywhere. I'd have said they were too much of an under dog for the old under dog winning the day trick to work.

And I'd have been dead wrong. Because they were fearless and brave with their music, they weren't afraid to be themselves and make their music their way. And every single one of their albums was different and wonderfully emotionally charged. I saw them play a few times between "Three Cheers" and "The Black Parade" and I bawled every.single.time. Like a teen fangirl. But that's just the sort of energy they projected; an overwhelming bled of rage and peace. Darkness and Light. Love and Hate. They were exhilarating and terrifying. For an emphatic mess like myself it was almost too much to handle.

When "The Black Parade" came out, I was in a much better place. And yet it still grabbed me by the heart strings and put me through the emotional gammut. The running thread of the concept album, a patient diagnosed with and dying of cancer and then telling tales of his afterlife, struck home with me as my mother has battled cancer in several forms throughout my life. When my best friend was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2011, I clung to this album like a rock and roll bible. For a little while there, he did as well. Once again, My Chemical Romance was my rock in a hard place.

Their (now) final album, "Danger Days: The Life and Times of The Fabulous Killjoys" has been in heavy rotation for me since the beginning of this year. Like, heavy, heavy rotation. I haven't taken it out of my car stereo in at least two months. When I'm having a hard day or just want to make some noise I crank it up and just drive. It's fantastic driving music and it makes me want to put on my dance pants. In fact, it's all I listened to the week leading up to my 30th birthday. And I was telling the hubs about a week ago that I hope they tour again or put out a new album soon, because it's high time I see them again and they're so damn talented.

As it turns out, that won't be happening. They called it quits a few days ago, not in a fit of rage or drama, but in a very soft, eloquent and mature way. The mark of a group of guys that have grown up a lot in the last 12 years, just like myself and a large majority of their fan base. This is the first time in my admittedly short life, that I've had a band that's been vastly important to me, that I grew up with (literally) come to an end and I'm not going to lie, I'm heartbroken. For a lot of people, this concept will seem odd. After all, it's not like I know the band personally. We met once, a long long time ago, but that hardly counts. But for people who have been effected by something in such a large, life changing way, my sadness will make absolute sense.

Yet, while the band may be done, while they may never make music together again the profound effect they've had on my own and so many lives will live on. As will their music and the fearlessness, emotions, triumphs and ideas behind it. Music isn't tangible, but rather a cacophony of sound, concept and feeling that has the power to connect us, break us or save us if we open ourselves up to it.

And for what this music has done for me, I will be forever grateful. The Black Parade will carry on.

All music and video by and property of My Chemical Romance and their respective directors, producers, labels, etc.

Gratitude*Monday

I'm running a wee bit behind for this week's Gratitude*Sunday with Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots and the other lovely bloggers who join in. But, I was on vacation and try very hard not to be addicted to the internet while the lovely and I are spending quality time together. Instagram is the exception of course, I love that nonsense. ;-)

So, Gratitude*Monday it is! And, who couldn't use a little gratitude on a Monday?

This Week I'm Grateful For:

* Having the balls to write a letter to a friend and deliver an ultimatum that's about 2 months overdue. When it comes to people I love, I'm typically a wet blanket. In this instance though, things needed to be said and I needed closure. And I'll get it even if I never hear anything back because I'm terribly clever when it comes to the wording of certain things.

* This was spurred on by my little bit of Brave earlier in the week. That cactus from my past and I have not spoken since, but I've left the ball in his court and if he wants to catch up I'm more than willing. If not, I've at least said my piece about why I left our friendship in shambles three years ago (straight up cowardice and low self esteem) and have, it seems, been forgiven. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I'm hoping we'll eventually rekindle some form of friendship, but again, knowing he's fine, he's forgiven me and getting closure will help that aching wound to heal even if I do always have a twinge of regret.

* That I have much better self esteem than I did 3 years ago.

* A quick trip to the Tennessee Mountains to see Gatlinburg! So much moonshining, attraction visiting and shopping in just two days... I feel like we did a week's worth of stuff! As always, I'm pleased as pie to have been able to hit up the local aquarium and sit and watch the sharks for an absurd amount of time. While nearly every aquarium has the same species of shark (sandtiger, nurse, dogfish and sawtooth) I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching them.

* Luna being such a good girl on her first vacation and hotel stay! We were able to leave her alone in the room to visit some of the attractions and she was so quiet the hotel staff had no idea she was even there! When we checked out, they complimented me on having such a good baby. Which is of course, esay to say when you don't live with her! ;)

Look at that regal beagle!

* My last day at the bank!! No more irate customers, crappy schedules or sweater vests!

* Nights out with my lady friends! When I moved down here, I didn't expect to make many friends because, well I'm a bit odd. And I certainly didn't expect to have such a great group of girl friends since I typically have an easier time making friend with guys. Much to my surprise and delight, I have several! And they're all fantastically open minded and supportive, which is amazingly refreshing.

* A dude who loves me unconditionally and wants nothing more than to make me happy. Really. I am so fucking lucky it's not even funny. Weekend getaway? Potato Pancakes? Need a huge hug because I'm crying for no reason? Have a crazy idea for furniture pieces that will take 3 weeks to build? Want to take over half of the living room to paint despite having a studio? Want to drink too many mudslides? Go in to awkward stores? That's all cool with him. And since I'm a moosh (and maybe had a few too many mudslides...) I'm repeating again; I'm lucky as shit!

* Didn't get any of my plants in to the ground as early as I'd have liked... but it's been freezing, so it works out! Who'd have thunk it?

* Painting! I am in the zone right now and hope it keeps up. I spent between 12 - 15 hours on assorted projects this week; just for me. Sorry loves!


* My Chemical Romance's "The Life and Time of the Fabulous Killjoys" album. I've been listening to it nonstop.


* Lastly, Mudslides. Made with some souvenir Chocolate Whiskey from Gatlinburg, Butterscotch Shine from right here in G'ville, Shine infused with coffee in my own kitchen (don't worry, we bought the legal corn shine and just infused it with coffee. Nothing illegal in my kitchen!) and Bailey's creamer. Yum! Cheers, Monday!

P.S.

Also, this song. Which has been stuck in my head for days. I'll admit it. I love Snow Patrol.

Work in Progress Wednesday

I've still got several thing in the works, including my painting for DEEP which I should update on as we're now halfway through week 5 and there's only week 6 left to go! But for today, I'll keep it simple so I can paint and enjoy the first day of Spring.

Still working on The Lady. We're near 60 hours now and I'm adding snakes. SNAKES! This is a true testament of my ability to listen to my intuition and the painting for direction because, if I'm being totally honest, I don't like snakes. At all. Not even a little bit. And I've never painted them before because, *shivers* Well, I'm painting them now. And I'm not painting just any old friendly snake, like a garter or rat snake, nooo. I didn't know what kind of snake it was going to be when I started them, I just knew they had to be a grey/brown and looked through dozens of pages of images before I found the right snake. Black mamba. Oh boy.


Sketched and inked a new watercolor outline. Going to give this new style of mine a go in a different medium and see what happens. I'm sure it will be drastically different than the acrylic ones I do just by the nature of the mediums. But, it will be an adventure!

What are you all working on this week?

Little Bits of Brave

Photo by realworldracingphotog. Via Creative Commons on Flickr.

Bravery doesn't always refer to big battles, standing up to tyranny or overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes it simply means swallowing your fear, no matter how big or small, and just going for it. It means jumping, asking the question, kissing the person, making a demand or writing a letter.

It won't always turn out in your favor. It may not have any outcome at all. But, when it does and you land, your lips meet or you receive a letter in return... it makes overcoming that quaking fear such a sweet victory. And it makes you wonder if there are other things you could, or should, be doing that fear is keeping you from.

Brave is my one little word for 2013 and I've been wielding it like a holy sword and shield to overcome fears on numerous levels. Everything from finding a new job, to approaching my art in a deeper way, to putting myself out there more, to simply say "hi" to someone. I haven't been keeping a tally or a record of every little thing because honestly? Who has the time or patience for that? At the end of the day, what matters is I know that my fear was overcome and that I was brave. No matter what the outcome may be.

And today, I celebrate a brave moment in that I was able to reach out and reconnect with a friend. It took me three years to write what needed to be written, to own up to my mistakes and apologize because the fear of hearing nothing back was overwhelming. The fear of receiving a "fuck off" was even worse, debilitating eve. It took me three years to write and only 4 hours for them to respond; just like that. While I doubt everything will just go back to the way it was before I let my fear overtake me and hurt my friend, there is so much warmth in just knowing someone who was so close to you for over a decade, that made such an impact on your life still cares and still thinks about you. And that they still have one of your first gods awful sewing projects in their possession, 13 years later. These sorts of deep, time weathered relationships should be cherished and protected; they're a very rare commodity. And to care for them and keep them up in the manner they truly deserve, you have to put in the work and not be afraid of falling or failing, not being afraid to trust them, your friendship and yourself. Sometimes you've got to defend it and fight for it, sometimes people will question it and put it down and you'll have to set them straight. And that? That requires bravery.

And sometimes, a little liquid courage helps. ;-)

Alice in Ozland

Welcome fellow Celebrants to my wee contribution to Celebrate Oz 2013: Altered Oz hosted by my favorite Oma, Linda in New Mexico! 

When the challenge first came up, I thought to myself, how can I alter a story or characters I already love so very much and possibly make them any better? So I pondered and sketched and scratched my head thinking. An idea finally popped in to my head but the first few attempts to convey it were complete busts! After nearly giving up hope and worried I'd have to gracefully bow out once more this year (and not even due to extenuating circumstances, just my brain being all moosh!) I sat down at my kitchen table to give my idea one last try. And after a few hours of sketching and coloring, it's finally done!

Here is the sneak peek I shared earlier today. As you can see, I was a wee bit possessed by Elphaba herself: my fingers had gone green!

And now, it is with Great pleasure that I introduce you to the most wicked of all Ozian witches. You see, we all know the story of Unfortunate East and her lovely sister West, but what you don't know is that before she was unceremoniously melted away, West had taking a shining to another world traveling fanciful girl and took her as her apprentice. And so, once she was gone a distractingly cutesy Wicked took her place. And her first order of business was to tweak the Flying monkeys a bit!

Who is this most Wicked of Witches? 

None other than Alice herself! After she left Wonderland again she continued her travels and ended up in Oz, where she lived happi....er... Wickedly ever after! ;-)

A Little Catch Up

It's a beautiful, albeit cold, morning. The sun is shining, the robins are singing and hopping all over my back yard and I've had my morning coffee so I feel like a semi-functional member of the human race! All in all, a good day so far.

I haven't been the most intensely chatty person as of late and I worry that some folks will start to wonder if they've offended me somehow. I can assure all of you friends and lovelies that if I were upset, angry or apathetic towards you there would be no doubt. I would give you the courtesy and respect of letting you know and not beat around the bush about it and play games; which is something that I'm dealing with from someone I fancied to be a fairly good friend right now. We're dancing the dance of the awkward; I try to get somewhere and am met with total silence or short answers on his end. At this point, I'm ready to throw in the towel, put my hands up in the air and just say "Fuck it! I'm tired of putting forth all of this effort!" But something won't let me, whether it be my inexorable need to no longer give up on someone I care about until it's really over (hard lessons learned.) or that I feel in my gut that he's in a bad spot and will eventually come out of it and need a friend - whether he's willing to admit it and ask or not.

In my own case, my silence is more because I haven't been on the computer as often as I used to be and when I am, I read but rarely comment. With Spring busting out down here and my painting and spiritual practices re-awakening, I've had less and less time to sit my bum in a chair for a few hours. Which in all honesty, is probably a very good thing! But, I'm still around. Reading, listening and acting as a silent support.

Along the same vein, and I don't think I've mentioned this here before, back in the day (a decade plus a year or three ago) I was fairly active on a gaming forum and Livejournal. Those things, as odd as this will sound, helped me get through some of the darkest and toughest times of my life and all of the people I met and befriended there really helped me be comfortable in my own skin. Because as a depressed, awkward and socially anxious teen/young adult it was amazing to be able to open up to people, be yourself and have them like you. I've actually stayed in contact with some of these friends all these years and others have drifted off, some in the usual way and some in heart-rending fashion. Some have floated in to the far reaches of my memories and some I still think about and miss pretty regularly. (My missing Cactus.) Earlier this week, out of the blue, I got a message that a bunch of oldtimers from the forum had returned for a sort of reunion and was invited to join in and it's been really sort of incredible to see that we all turned out OK! We've gone out and traveled the world, helped rebuild lives and towns, saved lives, gotten married, made babies and all grown up in big ways. Nothing will make you feel more good about yourself than looking back on yourself in your late teens and taking note of how far you've come; honest. Having people who knew you back when you were 50 pounds lighter tell you that you still look great doesn't hurt either! Ha.

In other news, it was Luna's birthday earlier this week! My little dog face has gone 'round the sun once already! Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday she was a measly 4 pounds of confusion and heart ache for me as I waded through what I'm now referring to as "post-Puppy Depression", aka, learning to live with something that requires a lot more from you than a cat or husband does! I'm pleased to say, our lives have gelled together a bit better now despite finding ourselves still occasionally scratching our heads about the logistics of some aspects of life with Dog and her still having some guarding/grumpy issues. Those things aside, I'm rather loving life with my furs. Now if I could just get the boys (aka cats) to finally see things my way... life would be grand!

On Luna's birthday, we took her on her first visit to Petsmart to pick out some new toys and then made her wear a party hat. She clearly enjoyed one more than the other! ;)

And in the most exciting news of all... I finally found another job! So I'll be leaving the hell that is the bank behind in just over a week's time to go work with a friend of mine as an administrative assistant. I'll have a set schedule for the first time in nearly five years and weekends off with the lovely. I'll work morning/early afternoon, so I'll have plenty of time to come home and paint, work out, play with dog face and take care of things around the house without feeling incredibly stressed and rushed as I hurry to cram all of that in to sporadic 1-3 hour increments throughout the week. While I'm really excited, I'm also sort of nervous... it's been a while since I was in admin, but luckily I'll have someone there to help me sweep out the cobwebs quickly enough!

It took 13 months, but I finally got to use a fake name at Starbucks! Scratch that one from the bucket-list!

What have you all been up to?

P.S. Finally broke out my DSLR for some play-time this morning! It's been way too long since we've spent quality time together and despite my fingers freezing off (that may be a light exaggeration.) it felt good to be snapping pictures again. I'm a bit rusty, so it'll take me some time to get more good shots than bad, but I'm pretty darn pleased with this one of one od my numerous Robin friends - even if it IS centered. Shut up, photo snobs. :P

Gratitude*Sunday

I'm joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots and several other lovely bloggers in honoring the things for which we've been grateful for throughout the week.

If you would like to join us, just click the image at the bottom of this post. 

This Week I am Grateful For:

* The break in the chill, damp weather. It seems Spring is finally springing here!

* The time I have been left to paint and wallow and dive deep and come back up with just my brush, the color and music for company. It sounds weird, but those are the my most treasured alone times, no matter what they may dredge up.

* Getting to spend time with new friends. Trying new foods and having big laughs as we kicked it "high school style": AKA sitting in one of our cars singing old songs we loved as teens while eating ice cream.

* A lovely afternoon walking around the park and enjoying bubble tea with the lovely and the Luna. 

* Finding a new job which I hope will serve me so much better than the one I am leaving. The hours are much more conducive to the things I want to do at home, with the love and with my art and it isn't in an abusive customer service environment. My new co-worker/supervisor said the worst she thinks I'll have to deal with is the occasional grumpy co-worker, which I can totally handle!

* Having my painting for DEEP be featured on The Dirty Footprints Studio Facebook Page! It seems such a little thing, but to have someone you admire and has done so much to change not only your approach to your passions, but life in general, recognize your work feels incredible!

* Planning the new garden beds and the changes we'll need to make in the space to make it all work out. Also trying to come up with some savvy companion planting ideas. Can't wait to get my fingers dirty!

* Getting out of some of our long standing debt, finally! *whoo!*

* Breaking down the blockage, clearing up the mental and physical space and getting back in touch with my spirituality in a very raw, bare bones and big way. It feels so unbelievable good to be back and just in time for the start of one of my favorite seasons, too!

* That the heavy blanket of Winter's introspection is finally being pulled completely away and the torch bearer is leading me back out of the Black Wolf's cave. 

* That despite how odd it might seem to him, I have someone who will dig deep holes in the hard clay so I can lay all of the animals that have left this side in our yard to rest with rites and love. Today I was heartbroken to find two baby bunnies who we think may have been stillborn, curled up in death's embrace in the hay. I laid them to rest together under the big nut tree in a hole Joe dug and covered over for me. It seems a strange thing to be grateful for this sort of thing, but the reminders of the cycles and interconnectedness of life and death and the ability to reflect and send any spirit off with love and reverence is a thing of beauty in its own way.

To join in Gratitude Sunday, click on the image below! Happy Sunday, lovelies.

A Restless Notice

There's a shifting happening again.

I can feel it not just on a spiritual level, but on a physical one as well. There's a feeling deep down in my guts that's roiling my innards and making eating a tenuous activity. Not necessarily in a bad way mind you, but in a way that demands that I stop putting my mental energies solely towards mundane things like worrying, tidying and over-thinking and pay attention. I note it in the vultures wheeling over head and peering down the tree tops and power lines. Every place I go lately, there he is waiting. And I note it in my own restlessness. I couldn't sit still or focus for beans yesterday, which honestly threw me in to quite a foul mood as it was my day off and I had a to-do list a mile long that I wanted to accomplish.

Needless to say, I didn't finish it. Every time I'd pick up a brush to paint, a pot to scrub or a book to read I'd lost my focus in about 5 minutes and pace aimlessly through the house. I was fidgetty, twitchy... anxious. Something needed to be done, something was messing up my personal Zen day. The energy in the house felt claustrophobic and tight and to make matters worse, my electronics were acting up. Stalking outside, I still couldn't find relief. Pissed off that it was so damn windy that I had to march myself right back in to the house and not wander about as my mind longed to do.

And I just sort of stopped. I stood still, closed my eyes, breathed deep and just let the feeling bounce around me and really listened. And after a while of listening, I stood up, went to my altar and began to prepare waters, oils and herbs. Took up my beloved feathers and fire and cleansed every square inch of my home with all the forcefulness of myself and the elements behind my workings. I sealed it with sweet smoke and holy waters, burned down candles and recharged my protective charms. Offered honey to the fae and they nodded their agreement to what my guts had said: protect and strengthen.

I know not what comes or has occurred; be it the breaking down of friendships and the ensuing slings and arrows of hurt, the seemingly never-ending trend of death and despair this year has left in its wake already or something worse. But whatever it is, I have calmed my own spirit and space and can focus once more.

29 Faces - Wrapping Up

The challenge ended at the end of February, but I haven't had the time (or patience) to fight with my scanner until today. I swear sometimes that device is possessed by a spiteful goblin.

I know I had some requests, especially after posting the lovably skittish Rincewind, but I did a lot of these in little pockets of spare time so they're mostly off the top of my head. Granny Weatherwax's dour face will have to wait a while longer. ;-) So, without further ado, here are my final 11 faces:

These two (and a half but who's counting?) are part of the painting I'm working on for DEEP with Dirty Footprints Studio. They're done in acrylic and may change as I continue to work further on the painting.


This little lady is also part of my larger painting for DEEP.


Just a quick sketch of a Victorian lady from a photo. Not much to say here as she isn't fleshed out very well.


This one is a pencil drawing of actor Zachary Levi. It's not quite finished and is one of the very, very few portraits I've ever attempted. (Seriously, I think this is the 3rd one. Ever.) It looks enough like him for me to be ok with, but looking at this and the reference photo I can easily pick out several mistakes in the proportions. It was great practice though, so I'll take it!


Another quick pencil sketch. I had masks, particularly bunny masks, on my mind for some reason.


A quick oil pastel sketch. Playing with colors in skin tone.


I picked up some bright colored ball point pens to use in my Moleskine! I was getting a little tired of just black and blue. So this one, which is less of a face and more of a body, really, was my first experimentation with color.


And the color exploration just kept going from there... (This one I call The Shamaness.)


To here. Which I love. I'm not sure how much black work I'll be doing for a while, because I'm thoroughly, hopelessly addicted to color right now.


I imagine that emo kids would hate sprinkles. Especially rainbow ones. So that's what I went with for my last face, courtesy of a rainbow sprinkled doughnut. ;)

And that wraps up 29 faces! Hope you enjoyed all of them and thanks for checking them out. :)