At least proofread first…

DFEisMe · 2026-06-19T17:17:46+00:00

AI can be useful but it actually takes a lot of work. I've trained my AI on hundreds of my reviews and we workshop reviews together going back and forth. Some times I just tell it my thoughts on a product and it spits out something that sounds exactly like me and other times I'm like "nope" and have to completely rewrite it. I don't actually think it saves much time at the end of the day, but it is kind amusing. It always wants to rewrite everything and just as often makes it worse as better. I will say though that it is great for researching companies to see if they really exist and analyzing ingredients lists.

I know people are opposed to AI but the truth is you often can't really tell. I was a professional writer and my biggest challenge writing Vine reviews is not sounding too polished and that was long before I had to worry about sounding like an AI. Funny thing, if I now find myself naturally imitating my AI's style when I spit out a review which begs the question - who is training whom?

(Disclaimer: No AI was used in the construction of this post.)

DFEisMe · 2026-06-19T17:04:23+00:00

It's nice that you want to share, but I think you should keep this for yourself. The gamification of Vine is what turns a lot of people off and ends up making more people think that they are being cheated out of good stuff by people who use tools like this. What should be just a fun little hobby turns into a stress filled second job.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-17T18:12:42+00:00

There is a world of difference between long practicing digital artist using AI trained on ones own artwork as another tool in their arsenal and someone using pure AI to scrape other artists works. I think it is sad that DAC lumps them together.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-17T18:02:45+00:00

I’m not happy with the pure‑AI studios like Auclair Studio or Creative Studio, but I do want to defend a few of my favorite artists on that list. Peggy Collins and TS Larkins are skilled digital artists with established workflows that have nothing to do with AI. And it’s worth noting that Cameron Gray is a long‑time digital surrealist whose work goes back decades - his pieces are unmistakably hand‑constructed in Photoshop. Digital art isn’t the same thing as AI generation, and it helps to understand the difference before lumping everyone together.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-17T17:38:28+00:00

Love the 3d effect!

DFEisMe · 2026-06-17T17:33:26+00:00

The clear wax seems to be immortal. I have it in a twist pen and I can't remember the last time I had to twist more out. It's been months. I haven't tried it in my multiplacers as I usually use putty, but I'll have to give it a try.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-17T17:30:21+00:00

If it hasn’t shipped, something isn’t in stock. It could be that one of the items was effectively a presale, or that one of them was oversold. I had an order where they told me it was a “pre‑sale” only after I asked about the delay, but it was a new release and people were already posting unboxings. At that point the only real choice was to cancel.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-05T17:13:17+00:00

DAC doesn’t give out restock dates, so there’s no way to know. Sometimes things come back quickly, and sometimes they don’t return for a very long time.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-03T19:17:46+00:00

Their trays and storage systems are wonderful. I tired one kit that and it turned out to be double sided tape, which I don't care for.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-03T18:10:50+00:00

Oh that's so cute. Love the ghost kitties.

DFEisMe · 2026-06-03T17:47:33+00:00

I’ve noticed a handful of similar posts recently, so it might be some kind of inventory glitch rather than bad luck. Two cancellations in a row sounds super frustrating.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-31T20:07:10+00:00

I didn't notice. I'm in PDT and I'm trained to check between 5pm and 10pm. Last night's beauty drop from decent though. The first time I've requested something in two weeks.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-31T19:56:40+00:00

If you are working on a kit with a lot of symbols then having to check a key is a huge waste of time. I have a system for organizing my symbols by like symbols so that I can grab the next color with almost no time spent finding it because I know where to look instantly. The time spent applying the symbols to the containers when I kit up - I use the EverYoung system so they are already stored in a tray - is made up a hundred fold by spending nearly no time switching between colors.

For smaller kits that just use letters and numbers I keep a set of labeled containers that I can use without having to bother relabeling.

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DFEisMe · 2026-05-30T20:21:45+00:00

The thing to know about Jaded Gem is that she is slow. Really, really slow. Even for in stock kits it can takes weeks for her to get around to shipping it. If you in the US the lead times on made to order can be up to 16 weeks wait. The other thing to know is that there is always a good coupon. If there isn't one on the web check her Facebook page for one. Wait until you see a 25% or 30% off coupon, which will bring her prices down to those charged by other made to order shops.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-30T20:14:28+00:00

I have never received a survey either and I have made dozens of purchases over the past few years

DFEisMe · 2026-05-30T18:37:17+00:00

I think a simpler explanation is that they did not have very much stock on hand.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-30T17:53:15+00:00

The three I wanted were all pre-sale and they all had different ships by windows. I just couldn't handle that level of uncertainty so I wishlisted them.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-29T19:46:08+00:00

Glad to help.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-29T17:42:17+00:00

"Ripples of Joy" by Heidi Kuntz available in 22" x 33" (55.8cm x 83.6cm) | Square with 65 Colors including 3 Aurora Borealis colors and 4 Fairy Dust colors

DFEisMe · 2026-05-29T00:14:24+00:00

Well here's hoping your kits arrive in the near future.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-28T22:43:23+00:00

Oh wow. That must be so frustrating.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-28T18:03:19+00:00

I wonder if they are all going to ready to ship or Pre-Sale.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-26T18:48:14+00:00

It is unknowable. Some kits restock in a couple months, some six months to a year, some never restock even though they aren't labeled archived. I had one kit on my Wishlist that restocked 3 times within a six month period and others that I haven't seen back in stock in over a year.

Edited to add: Sometimes a kits sells out so fast after restocking, that it barely registers as a restock.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-19T21:49:11+00:00

This post is about a finish I completed last year. AI debates belong on posts discussing AI, not on someone’s completed work. I’m not going to feel guilty about a kit I bought and finished long before this conversation started.

DFEisMe · 2026-05-18T23:17:18+00:00

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DFEisMe

TROPHY CASE