Not Impressed

I'd been wanting to do a Chain of Memories Riku sprite for a while, and I also knew that getting to one of the larger talk sprites was going to be a tiny bit intensive, but even pausing about 1/3 of the way through to start (and finish) a Desert Bus for Hope chocobo did not ease how very long it felt that it took. ...Of course it did actually take a long time, too, but--

Part of that is adding an additional five bead colors (14 colors in the original art, 19 bead colors) to distinguish better between hair, skin, and clothing, and also because I wanted the background diamond to be frosted. I don't know, reasons. I also anguished over the eye color even if it is literally three beads, because I am me, and I will continue to lament Riku looking much too tan just because the lighter "skin tone" beads I was looking at appeared so washed out yellow that I was worried he'd turn out looking jaundiced... but when all packed together with black thread, they might have turned out better than the tests. The only way to know is to do it again, and that is definitely not happening without a specific commission. Ah well, I have learned a thing. I also learned that it would currently (October of 2026) take over $110 to replenish all 19 bead colors so welcome to that little factoid that I didn't want in my head either.

On top of that, there are some other assorted techniques in here, some which worked beautifully and some which could use a few changes in another iteration, but I am extremely pleased with the very obviously human-made result regardless. The odd/unbalanced shape assured me that I didn't really want to make it wearable and risk several points of weakness that no thread reinforcement was actually going to help with, so backing with white paper and then mounting it on a thin piece of wood and hanging that seemed like the best idea. The white was partly an attempt to lighten up some of those transparent beads, but also because it really lets all the colors shine through with some extra reflection for SPARKLE. Initially I'd been playing with ideas to have him against a Castle Oblivion pillar or against a save point diamond, but none of the sketches or attempts worked out as well as a plain old white slab, so. Fine, then.

For those curious (Chain of Memory spoilers, I guess), the sprite itself comes from the moment when Riku takes his life (and heart) back to walk his own path.

(Currently available for sale, though I wouldn't mind keeping him around.)

I Looked for You

That extended D23 trailer, am I right? I was absolutely possessed by the idea of reproducing Riku's cuff... except of course we barely got to see it. That just gave me complete control over how I wanted it to look, anyway.

I had one rectangle of royal blue silk velvet left, which I'd just unearthed from a scrap pile while rearranging materials. I'd set it aside for something else, but then... Predictable, I suppose, but I decided to act quickly. Apparently, because I was consumed by the need to create a prototype (which I am keeping, thanks), and then was immediately stricken with the thought, "How can I complicate this yet more for myself?" It turned out not to be so complicated, wanting a subtle embroidered diamond pattern along the band both for the look and stability, and I decided to add a background layer of thin, flexible god iridescent fabric paint to further accent the metallic gold thread I wound around the edges. THIS WAS SO HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH. I'm deeply happy with the results, but now completely out of silk velvet.

Currently available for sale.

I Looked for You

That extended D23 trailer, am I right? I was absolutely possessed by the idea of reproducing Riku's cuff... except of course we barely got to see it. That just gave me complete control over how I wanted it to look, anyway.

I had one rectangle of royal blue silk velvet left, which I'd just unearthed from a scrap pile while rearranging materials. I'd set it aside for something else, but then... Predictable, I suppose, but I decided to act quickly. Apparently, because I was consumed by the need to create a prototype (which I am keeping, thanks), and then was immediately stricken with the thought, "How can I complicate this yet more for myself?" It turned out not to be so complicated, wanting a subtle embroidered diamond pattern along the band both for the look and stability, and I decided to add a background layer of thin, flexible god iridescent fabric paint to further accent the metallic gold thread I wound around the edges. THIS WAS SO HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH. I'm deeply happy with the results, but now completely out of silk velvet.

Currently available for sale.

Dream Eater Jacket

Admittedly this idea has been in my head for a few years now, since I came across this almost-new jacket at a Savers when secondhand stores were still, you know. Affordable and not super trendy. (That's not even old person talk, that's just a thing that's happened the past few years.)

REGARDLESS, I'd wanted to smack a Dream Eater symbol (ala Kingdom Hearts) on the back of this beautiful soft dark maroon-ish microsuede, but didn't quite know... how. I finally decided on "holographic dot (polyester) velvet", which was incredibly stupid. These are two very thick, very tightly-woven fabrics, one stretch and one not, so I decided it was going to be "easier" hand sewing. Maybe it was, I couldn't say for sure, but I didn't break a needle, so... success! Such as it is. The symbol got sewn in place with regular black thread, then I decided that I really wanted it to pop (yeah,I know) so out came the rainbow "holoshimmer" thread. For obvious plastic thread, I have to say, it actually holds up incredibly well and doesn't knot or kink too dramatically as long as you take your time... so I had mostly no problems.

Of course, patches were necessary. The official Loungefly Oblivion Keyblade patch was admittedly from Hot Topic, oh... I have no idea how many years ago. Many, unfortunately. The"press triangle to Sora" patch made me laugh, so I had to buy it from Dead Cute Pins.

And now we will all sit back and pretend that I'm not seriously tempted to embroider a particular phrase along the bottom in Scala ad Caelum text.

Elegance and Expletive

Naturally, the moment I found out that the Kingdom Hearts fan community had actually cracked the Scala Ad Caelum language/font, and it was based on the English alphabet, I knew that what I really needed to do was take this elegant writing (based on the font openly available here) and use it for a beautiful expletive. It started some experiments with stenciling, and while the result here is a little rougher than intended, it is obviously human-made and I liked the look of it enough to follow through and finish it in... a relatively simple way.

Yes, the word is all-caps "FUCK" because I am predictable and in "Riku colors" because I am always mentally in the "Let Riku say 'fuck'!" space while I'm playing the games.

Available for Sale

Elegance and Expletive

Naturally, the moment I found out that the Kingdom Hearts fan community had actually cracked the Scala Ad Caelum language/font, and it was based on the English alphabet, I knew that what I really needed to do was take this elegant writing (based on the font openly available here) and use it for a beautiful expletive. It started some experiments with stenciling, and while the result here is a little rougher than intended, it is obviously human-made and I liked the look of it enough to follow through and finish it in... a relatively simple way.

Yes, the word is all-caps "FUCK" because I am predictable and in "Riku colors" because I am always mentally in the "Let Riku say 'fuck'!" space while I'm playing the games.

Available for Sale

Heartless Tag Pendant

I couldn't make a Nobody symbol without making a Heartless symbol.  That's just not done.

Made up of 213 glass beads individually woven together by hand, then backed in such a way as to make the panel itself sturdy but still flexible (so there are no hard edges).

(For Sale)

Nobody Tag Pendant

After the successful Shadow Portrait experiment, I wanted to try something a little simpler... and what better than a classic symbol of both magnificence and hilarity?

Made up of 213 glass beads individually woven together by hand, then backed in such a way as to make the panel itself sturdy but still flexible (so there are no hard edges).

(For Sale)