User:Kooky
Kooky aka Jessica Pace or Jessie or Jess
- This is still a work in progress. I plan to figure out how to add pictures as well as links.
| Kooky | |
|---|---|
| |
| Real Name | Jessica Pace |
| E-mail Address | MagicLivesOn@gmail.com |
| Slack Handle | kooky |
| KookyCreator | |
| Steam | KookyMe |
|
| |
|
| |
| Authorized to use: | None |
| Certified Trainer on: | None |
Contents
Why "Kooky"?
- Back when I was going to the College for Creative Studies (CCS), I created a character that became my Kooky Bat, who I found myself animating and drawing often. Kooky became my mascot, and eventually my nickname.
What do I do?
- I consider myself a bit of a "Hodge Podge Crafter" in that I work with many mediums and often combine them in unique and unusual ways. I'm also good for teaching ANY of what I know to anyone, so just ask! I LOVE to sculpt with clay. Any clay, from earthen-based clay to the air-dry clay, kiln-fired, polymer, and even modeling clay or wax for the purposes of mold making. Oh, and resin clay aka Magic Sculpt seems to be my most favored type of clay yet! Aside from this, I draw with a mix of anime/cartoon style that's a bit kooky (hehehe..) and I do wood burning as well as tile-making and slip-casting. I also know how to make molds, using plaster, silicone, brush-on latex and various putty types, as well as the basics of vacu-forming. I like making jewelry as well, from clay-work to cutting out metal (brass, copper, nickel, silver) and soldering it, to even constructing paper-beads and doing minor wire wrapping and working with aluminum for chainmail. I also play with resin, everything from clear-resin, solid-casting, two-part resin clay and hollow-casting. I use natural materials and potpourri to make faerie houses. I've sculpted leathery dragon wings out of duct tape and metal hangers and LOTS OF FIRE. I make mixed media dragon eggs from plastic and melted rubber, and sometimes a glue-gun. I work with my own concrete recipe in making stepping stones, garden benches, bricks, pavers and more. I have a 3Doodler (original, from before they ever came out, thanks to Patreon) and I play with that for making my own stencils for my clay work, among other things. It's kind of easier to mention what I DON'T do and what I WANT to do in terms of crafting...
- Hobbies
- Bowling
- Writing
- RPGs, and online text-based RPGs
- Fishing
- Movies
- Baking/Cooking
- Nature Trails
- Swimming
- Mini Golf
- Gaming (PC and Tabletop and Card Games)
What do I want to learn?
- This is an "everything" sort of deal, and I know i3Detroit may not have all the equipment for it, but it never hurts to list what I'd like to do, right?
- Woodworking: I own a scroll saw, chop-saw, mini-table saw, jigsaw and some other saws... and a router with various attachments. I have no idea how to use any of them, but I want to learn.
- Laser Cutting: I consider this to be an ultimate multi-media tool with how diverse it is, and this would be amazing to use to create stamps for making my stepping stones, instead of carving them out of clay or commissioning them from other artisans.
- 3D Printer: I actually have access to about four of these of various sizes but NO idea how to use them, and I know each one tends to use different software and thus needs different training with said software for constructing things.. The only thing I currently want to learn how to do with this, is to create stamps/cookie-cutters for my clay.
- Sewing Machine: My mom has one, and is going to try to teach me the basics... But I want to make plushies. I've collected patterns for years! But I've never sewn anything.
- Embroidery Machine: My friend Liz is AMAZING with this and has encouraged me to learn. It's a skill-set I'd love to have, including making and designing patterns as well as modifying existing ones.
- Welding: I drool for metal-work and want to learn this soooooo badly... My uncle is a welder for a living, but sadly lives far away and has no time to teach me. I want to learn this both for crafting purposes, like making wire-welded animals, as well as repair purposes for some shelves that I own and wish to build.
- Plasma Cutting: OMG yes! I would looove to learn how to do this. I've seen people make some amazing things.
- Sandblasting: Be it for ceramics, glass, rock... I would love to learn how to do this.
- Enameling: Mainly on metal, I'd love to learn the process as well as about the enamel itself. I've seen wonderful work done, and I have some of my own jewelry pieces set aside for the day I am able to learn this, because they just won't ever be "finished" without this, even though they look okay right now.
- Glassblowing: I know many of the basics and terminology, and have even collected frit and rods. But access to someone who knows what they're doing, as well as a kiln and the proper tools and know-how is a rare thing.
- Glass Bead-making: And useful for making small-scale glass animals! I dream to get my hands on one of the kits, and learn to do small-scale glasswork, which is proooobably more feasible for me than glassblowing. Sculpting with glass... It sounds so magical!
- Glass Fusion: Yet another glass-related thing! I'd love to learn this, and even have a kiln set aside for this purpose separate from ceramic work.
- Operating Kilns: Erm... yeah.... I have kilns, but have never learned how to use them, and I have very little understanding of the application use of cones, though I have many of those too and DO know what they are for.
- Mechanic/Auto-repair/care: Soooo.. My first car that I ever bought had all four doors caved in, no hood, one headlight, no side mirrors, an oil leak, a coolant leak, two flat tires, and one of the door handles didn't work.... I went to Parts Galore and picked my own parts, and put them on by myself. I had never done anything electrical before, and managed to hook up the lights and mirrors properly, and even got the broken window working when I had removed the shell of the door to toy with the mirror. Thank the internet gods for Google and Youtube! I fixed EVERYTHING... and then a piston-rod went through my engine and I had to say goodbye to Lucky, my 1999 Toyota Camry. That said.. I want to learn more. Even my vehicle now, The Beast, is a fixer-upper. I have a 1990 Astro Van, and the sliding door doesn't open at all, the bottom of the van is badly rusted, there is a pretty bad oil leak, and the steps for both driver and passenger are falling apart and about to break and the passenger window doesn't function at all. I want to learn how to test for electrical connections, how to replace fuses, how to do a lot of stuff, like even how to replace a starter. So if anyone needs extra hands for working on their car, even just me passing them tools, please let me know!
- Electrical: I want to learn how to solder connections, how to put what wires/chips/transformer thingys where, proper names of stuff, and how to splice wires and properly connect them.
- Game Design: From coding to animating, I REALLY want to learn 2D game-design. I have so many ideas.. but no way to implement them. I also want to learn Flash for this reason.
What don't I do?
- Crocheting/Yarn-work/Knitting: I want to learn to make yarn animals... but I just... don't think I have the patience for it. Despite I do SO many other things and have patience for so much else.... yarn work just.. seems way above my ability and mindset. While it's something I do want to sorta do, it's on the low end of my totem pole of wants.
- Candle-making: I have a kit, with a nice green apple scent I wanted..... but I have not used it. This is one of those things that because I plan to do it for myself and not for sales, it's on the low-end of my do-list.
- Soap-making/Bath-salts/Bath-bombs: I appreciate the artistry behind it and especially the chemistry... but this is something that is just not for me, for a number of reasons.
A Bit About Me
- Ummm.. where to start... I grew up in Michigan, though I was born in Jacksonville Florida. I pretty much lived my life in Hamtramck (a small city inside of Detroit) until I was 21, and then we moved to Redford. I went to CCS (College for Creative Studies) right out of high school, and was going there for Traditional Animation... but.. life happened (see the Fibromyalgia section below) and I had to drop out. I regret never finishing... but it was out of my control. I have dreams of one day either finishing there, or going to another place and transferring credits, either for Crafts or Game Design.
- I have a pretty close relationship with my mom. Not only do we do our own crafting business "From Us To You" together, but we practically live together between our two houses, and you'll probably see her around i3Detroit with me as my guest. She also drives me everywhere, which I greatly appreciate.
Allergies
- Stings: I am allergic to bees and wasps. Not to the point that I need an epi-pen, but I will turn red and swell and be in a lot of pain.
- Food: Onions and peppers make me turn red. In some cases, I can't be near raw onions without turning red or gagging. Strangely enough, I love eating Funions...
- Sunlight: While I can be out for short periods of time, prolonged exposure can give me a terrible migraine-headache. I'll also turn red and burn no matter what if it's over an hour. This doesn't stop me from doing outdoor shows however and hanging out. I love the outdoors, even if the sun doesn't like me.
- Weed/Marijuana: I have friends who partake, legally.. and cousins in Canada who do the same. I however am allergic, and find my throat closing up even near someone who has the scent on them from smoking it.
Phobias
- Just adding this here because.. well.. if I scream, you'll know why.
- Wasps/Hornets: These scare me. Badly. I love bumble bees and honey bees.. but wasps and hornets can make me scream, run away, cower, and whine gibberish while shaking in place. I can't really control my reaction to them near me... so I apologize ahead of time.
- Clowns: Yeah. No masks. No figures. No clowns please. They freak me out. If someone dresses up as one for Halloween, please take no offense if I avoid you or leave a party politely early. I'm very polite and calm about it.. but they give me the heebie-jeebies, and if I'm caught off guard or surprised by one, I have actually regrettably reacted violently in self-defense.
Favorites: Things I Love!
- Color: Blue
- Animal: I ADORE frogs.. but I also like owls, bats, tigers, wolves and dragons! Still.. I have a huge collection of froggy stuff and I've owned many actual live frogs.
- Season: Fall/Autumn
- Gaming Console: Computer or Playstation (Any.. but I only own a 2)
- Movie: Rocky Horror Picture Show, Labyrinth, The Princess Bride, Dragonheart, The Court Jester, Battlefield Earth, Rock-a-Doodle
- Music: 80's
- Animator: Don Bluth
- Comedian: Dom Delouse, George Carlin, Robin Williams, Tim Curry
- Actor: Tim Curry
- Fruit: Pineapple, strawberry, cherry, granny smith apple, raspberry
- Food: Cheese is my weakness.. and I like popcorn a lot.. and I'm a seafood fan, including sushi.
- Cookie: I.. I can't pick just one favorite cookie. That's like.. asking someone if they'd rather breathe or sleep or eat.. You need to do them all! All are important priority! That said, I don't often eat ones with nuts.
I'm Broken: Fibromyalgia
- So.. this is something that people have to accept about me. It has to be tolerated. I'm not a fully functioning human being. I have many health issues, and the worst of it is that I have fibromyalgia. What is that? My nerves are hyper-active and send mixed signals, which also mix up my brain. What does that mean? I am always in pain, and suffer from a constant fog over my mind and short-term memory loss. Can I explain it better? Yes. The best way to describe it is this... Picture the worst bruise you have ever had in your life. Now picture that bruise ALL OVER your entire body. Every movement hurts. Sitting hurts. Standing hurts. Breathing hurts. Wearing clothes hurts. Getting hugs hurt. (But I do welcome hugs, just no friendly punches or hard pats on the back please!) And then there's the second part.. the brain part. This to most is called "Fibro-fog" because it literally makes the mind foggy trying to process all of that pain. So I do forget names at times. I may forget what I'm doing while in the middle of it. If distracted, I may forget a certain order to things. For this reason, you'll notice I tend to write EVERYTHING out, and try to often use someone's name when speaking to them. I tend to remember best when it's imprinted to me either via emotion, or application. This is why that even though I have these memory issues, I can still learn, and can follow directions, especially safety protocols. They imprint. Yet, I don't remember how much laundry detergent to use, and sometimes I brush my teeth three times in a row, and I tend to use words wrong and kind have verbal dyslexia... The best I can say is that I'm sorry, and hope people can accept this and tolerate it.
- I also have exercise-induced asthma, lung issues, partially hearing difficulty, severe vitamin D and B12 deficiency and I'm allergic to sunlight.... but I'm not a vampire, I swear!
- I am on SSI (Disability for poor folk who haven't put enough into the system to claim Disability, in my case anyways) and I do not work because I am physically and mentally incapable of holding down a job. Thus my mom and I do craft shows and conventions to help supplement our income. Crafting isn't just a hobby for us, but our way of life.
Also, I'm a Picker
- By this, I mean that I do pick from the trash that others throw out. I salvage. I recycle. I'm a member of Redford's Freecycle. What does this mean to you? If i3Detroit needs something, I'd like to know. This can range from a new table, a desk, more roller chairs, to scrap wood, metal, drywall, pcv pipe and really.. anything. If I know what someone is looking for, or what we need at i3Detroit, and I see it, I can get it. I only pick quality stuff, granted.. if a neat table needs a leg repaired or something, I'm certain we can do that! Most of what I pick comes from homes that are being revamped, going through an eviction or move, or other such things. As far as "fabric-furniture" is concerned, things such as couches or chairs that have fabric cushions on them and the like, I cover these in sealed plastic and bug-bomb them, then let them air-out, and they go through a rigorous cleaning process unless I know for a fact that where they come from is clean. This is just my technique to avoid any unwanted guests.
- I also find some awesome stuff at flea-markets and second-hand stores. If someone is looking for something in particular, I wouldn't mind snapping a pic and texting it, either to let you know where it is, or for an okay to buy it and bring the receipt to be reimbursed when we meet up next.
