So, I've been away from dA a bit. Some 1,5 years to be more accurate. I had no real reasons to be away, just being tired at first (since doing my graduation work at school and then comissions and other stuff) and after that I kinda forgot about it.

So, I graduated as a metal artisan. Since then I've been unemployed a bit over a year, as there's not much jobs available for blacksmiths... But then I decided I want to be a goldsmith, and applied for such a school, and now here I am, learning goldsmithing. I've already done some little things and I've got some photos of earlier work that I have not yet uploaded so I'll put them up soon enough. I hope I find time and energy to be more active in the future here also. At least I should have again some new stuff to show.

It's been a while since I've last posted anything in here. I've been a bit busy during the last autumn and winter, so I haven't had much time for dA. I have gone through all the deviations that had piled up from my watchlist and answered every comment I've received, but that's it... I still got some hundred journals to go through and some news articles etc. I won't be commenting much on anything, not at this time but I try to read every one of them.

I've done some new stuff and just minutes ago posted one of them. The rest will follow soon.

...and into darkness bind them.

So, I got married to my beloved ~Gufihtar. Actually did already on friday, but my mind was elsewhere for the weekend so couldn't update my journal. Now it's monday and getting back to the usual routine.

The school started again in last week, but I only went there for one day and tomorrow I'm starting it for real. I got few comissions to make and would need an another place for work experience before christmas. I got some kind of jewellery workshop in mind but we will see.

That's about it for now.

Yesterday was probably the single saddest day of my life so far. Our beloved cat, Kummitus died. She stopped eating on Thursday, and drinking on Saturday evening... At Sunday morning we took her to animal hospital and there she died, in the waiting room. The doctor said though, that there was probably nothing they could have done even if we had took her there earlier. The cause was probably some internal organ failure, maybe liver or kidneys. At least she didn't suffer for a long time...

She was so young, only five years behind. I will never forget the moment life left her deep, yellow eyes.

Might be a good time for a bit of an update.
The summer has been and has not been busy... I've been mostly sitting home ever since I got back from the work experience period and while I have done nothing productive it seemed I never have time for anything... I'm getting married in August so preparations have took some time and I thought I'd be doing mostly that during the coming weeks. Then I was offered a job, and while it couldn't have been worse timing, I couldn't refuse... so I went to the place where I was supposed to do some welding for two weeks, but it's wednesday and I'm yet to touch welding machine. Instead I've been cutting steel tubes and milling wood. Well, I don't really care as long as I get the pay...
So that's about it I think... For now.

Now to The Truth.
I found this in the journal of *Kivutar.

RULES:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!

1. How are you feeling today?
The Circle of Life - Freedom Call
(actually I'm only tired..)

2. Will you get far in life?
10th Man Down - Nightwish
(dying so soon?)

3. How do your friends see you?
Cross My Heart And Hope To Die - Sentenced
(...)

4. Will you get married?
Consider Us Dead - Sentenced
(is there life after marriage?)

5. What is your best friend's theme song?
In Longing Spirit - Emperor

6. What is the story of your life?
Give Me Love - Annica
(love is nice)

7. What is high school like?
A Portage To The Unknown - Turisas
(isn't that a bit strong expression for it..)

8. How can you get ahead in life?
Wild - Inkubus Sukkubus
(that's one way probably)

9. What is the best thing about your friends?
In The Rain - Edenbridge

10. What is in store for this weekend?
Ever Dream - Nightwish
(might be happening, I'm so tired already and it's only wednesday)

11. To describe your grandparents?
The Kinslayer - Nightwish
(didn't see that coming)

12. How is your life going?
Locked Away - The Gathering
(aren't we all in a sense?)

13. What song will they play at your funeral?
Holy Light - Stratovarius
(it's only appropriate, since they say I look like Jesus)

14. Will you have a happy life?
Lords Of The Sea - Visions Of Atlantis
(some people are happy at sea, some are not)

15. What do your friends really think of you?
At The Dawn I Wept - Silentium
(now that's not so nice)

16. Do people secretly lust after you?
Mary Lou - Sonata Arctica

17. How can I make myself happy?
Dark Star Burning - Tarot

18. What should you do with your life?
Mõõk - Metsatöll
(maybe I should start forging swords then, as mõõk is estonian for a sword...)

19. Will you ever have children?
Lions In the Storm - Elysian Fields
(beware!)

Today I broke the record of 1337 pagewievs, which is significant in that it's so l33t number.

Otherwise, my work experience period is at it's end, I'm leaving back to home in few hours. It's been nice here in the middle of nowhere at Astalo's place. I even managed to get him to register to dA, and his deviations should follow in few days

So I'm heading back to home where I was last time about four weeks ago... it's been quite a strain to be away from my soon-to-be-wife Gufihtar. It's also summer and again I have no job so maybe I can get some stuff done. Or then not. We will see...

Today is the day I'm leaving to my work experience period for two months. I'm going to other side of my country, working for my friend who has blacksmith's shop there. This means I might not post much during the coming months (leaving for summer holiday right after) with the exception of my last schoolwork, of which I will post photos as soon as I get them. Which might take some weeks.

I'll continue to read dA, though, so I'll answer and comment of course when there's something to comment.

[link]
Today my dA gallery hit the magical number of 666 Pageviews! Usually people are thrilled for hitting 1000 or 5000 or something so I decided to be a bit different. I just have to think what would be the next significant number

So, it's been about 4 months since I posted my last journal (I think?) and maybe it's time to update my feelings about what I've learned and done and about everything else generally.

I promised earlier to improve my forging skills, and at least there I've succeeded somewhat. Now my hammer usually hits close to where I plan to hit and I also seem to know better where to hit and how hard than before. Even my power hammer skills seem to be a bit better, altough there's always room for improvement there.

I've also done some jewellery and other "lighter" metal work and I've becoming more and more interested in goldsmith's profession. It's just that I'd have to go to another school to study it and it's not easy to get in that particular school.

Well, at least I've managed to learn new things, and I always wanted to be proficient in many different areas of craftsmanship, so now that I have some skills in different areas of metal work there's only woodwork, leatherwork, textiles and clothmaking, etc... to study.
Oh well, you can't have everything I guess...

Merry Christmas and happy new year to everyone who managed to read this far

It's less than week left of my summer holiday. Next weekend I'm going to Ropecon in Helsinki, and next Tuesday school starts again. Aside from the dragon relief (which was completed in spring anyway) I haven't posted almost anything during the summer and I can honestly say that I haven't even done anything useful either. It's been my first real holiday (in the sense that I have nothing to do) for at least three years, and altough I initially planned to get summer job, I'm quite a happy that I didn't.

Now I'm aching to get back to school again, got many ideas for things to make. Also I really need to improve my forging skills and perhaps start practicing making knives and other edged tools. I also need to start considering where I specialize. Forging is what I had in mind when I started the school, but casting and jewellery are quite an interesting areas too... It'll be hard decision to make, so I'll probably just do a little bit of everything. We will see.

I've submitted my deviations on quite a steady rate, but now it seems I'm going to have a break. The summer is at hand and that means I'm out of school for few months so I don't have so much of a place where make things. I yet to have my chandelier to be photographed and submitted and I might make some minor things (like rings) during the summer, but nothing significant. I'll continue to follow my account and comments though, and I would like to thank everyone who has bothered to comment me since I joined. I haven't received very much of commentary, but the little I've received has given me insight in the work I've done and how people like them, so it's valuable feedback nevertheless. So with these words, I'm off for summer. Be seeing you!