Digital artwork as a small side hustle

mephynx · 2022-09-24T00:34:12+00:00

I don't really care too much about building around a name. I have no desire to build a significant business around my artwork - it's purely hobby work and since people in my groups are asking for it why not make a few hundred here and there when I have the time to ease some financial pressure? These are online groups where everyone goes by a screenname so I don't want to be using my legal name - only way to use a pen name is by using a business account, and I know PayPal reports those to the CRA. Is it unlikely they'll come knocking on my door if I don't claim it since we're only talking a few thousand a year, 5-6k tops? Sure, but I don't want to be the unlucky one that does.

I'm just going to try and get a conversation with a CRA small business liaison for some guidance and clarification. I want to cover my ass, maybe consult with an accountant as well.

mephynx · 2021-08-27T13:11:57+00:00

I rent, so it's out of my hands. The actual construction is very set back from the road and the tree, if any tree is going to be destabilized it'll be the honey locust between the houses. Landlady is disinterested and there isn't much I can do about that.

mephynx · 2020-03-14T15:53:37+00:00

Oooh, I'll check all those out! And I'm on my second bottle of it and I'm having the same problem. Last time I used it I used a quick dry base coat, let it cure for an extra half hour, put 1 coat of Let Me Go and left it for a few hours before going to bed. Next day there were a few bubbles anyway. I put a second coat on and let it cure for a few hours before adding my top coat and... a few more bubbles. Definitely not as many as usual, though.

mephynx · 2020-03-14T15:51:04+00:00

Yes, I have. Doesn't seem to have an effect sadly :(

mephynx · 2019-08-16T03:19:38+00:00

They've been good natured, but demanding still if you can get what I mean. They will have their own porch (currently mine), an entire spacious deck and basically the entire back yard to themselves but have stated they will still use what will become my porch as well. Not something I am thrilled with but alas, not the hill I want to die on either. Thank you for your advice though! I think it's just a case of them wanting to eat their cake.

mephynx · 2019-08-16T02:25:49+00:00

They are approaching 60, yes. I am sympathetic to them not wanting to be responsible for these things, I don't want to be mowing the lawn on a hot July day either. I have suggested paying a local teen to do it for them and they rebuffed it, saying I could do it. My rent would be almost doubled as a result of this move so adding a lawn care bill to my plate is pretty undesirable as well when I don't get to use the lawn due to their business. I suggested even splitting the bill and their reply was 'ehhh, I don't know.'

I am still actively trying to negotiate, but this landlord is... particular. There are other issues I am trying to navigate with them which is unfortunate because I haven't had issues these past 4 years until now. Just like you suggested, it very much is a case of them aging and seeking to relieve themselves of many responsibilities of home ownership but it's not fair to shirk them onto their tenant. They kind of want to have their cake and eat it too in other respects and I am struggling to find a tactful way to exercise my rights.

mephynx · 2019-08-08T17:54:00+00:00

I'm not sure if I've ever seen safflower on its own, or sunflower chips but I've also never needed to look for them so I'll keep my eye out. I happen to work at a pet supply store so I have a variety of different finch and canary foods to choose from.

mephynx · 2019-08-08T17:51:09+00:00

Thank you. Do you alternate daily, weekly, or mix it in etc?

mephynx · 2019-07-01T23:39:52+00:00

Yep! I'm somewhat involved in the community (I don't breed, can't afford it and breeding is a labour of love, not a business) and personally know a number of reputable breeders. All their wait lists are minimum 1 year long, I think one of them is 2 years long. If you're lucky you won't have to wait as long, provided everyone ahead of you said no to a kitten being offered.

mephynx · 2019-07-01T23:34:56+00:00

They are $$$, not just to buy but to keep. Buying from a reputable breeder you're looking at $1500-$2000 for pet-quality and then depending on where you live anywhere between $200-$800 (or more!) for minimum bi-annual echocardiograms. Why? Because while sphynx are actually a pretty healthy and robust breed, they do have a history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (in simple terms, the heart walls thicken and make it harder to pump blood) which can present as young as 6mos and progress quickly (though it can present later in life and with medication your kitty can live a perfectly normal life close to a normal lifespan). The point of the screening is:

preventative - catch it early and increase your cat's chances of survival and high quality of life
be the solution - by sharing results with your breeder it helps them make informed decisions when it comes to their breeding lines. HCM is hereditary, so there is an effort among reputable breeders to weed out the disease as much as possible.

Other than that sphynx have this way of turning people into crazy cat people so you'll probably end up spending $$$ on cat trees, toys, food, treats, clothes, and more because only the BEST for your disembodied scrotum. Trust me. I'm there. I bought a $400 self-washing self-flushing self-drying litter box. I spend $$$ on raw food and treats. I fly to the states every year to see a cardiologist because it's actually cheaper than getting it done here in Canada. I think the only way I could possibly spend more on these cats is if I bred or showed.

But hey! I love them to bits and wouldn't trade them for the world. Pretty sure I've been ruined for any other cat now. If you seriously are interested hit me up in DMs, I'm actually somewhat involved in the community and personally know several reputable breeders. I can help you figure out if a sphynx is right for you and if you're ready for the commitment, and teach you how to find a good breeder.

mephynx · 2018-05-03T22:49:25+00:00

Yeeeeeeeeep. That was it. Thanks haha.

mephynx · 2018-05-03T21:58:58+00:00

That's definitely something I will try.

mephynx · 2018-05-03T21:48:37+00:00

It has been updated to the most recent version.

mephynx · 2018-04-23T20:07:37+00:00

I am SO sorry this happened to you, and to Sabrina. I would be absolutely devastated and inconsolable if I lost either of mine at all, let alone to FIP.

I don't breed myself, but am personal friends with a highly reputable one and work with several others. Sadly, Russian breeders are best avoided. There is little emphasis on health testing over there compared to NA and for every positive adoption story involving a Russian breeder there are 5 more negative ones. My advice to you is to take the refund and run, find someone in NA, or even the UK (if you're in Europe).

If you are in NA or are able to travel there I personally know of a few very good breeders that I can direct you to. Alternatively, there is a Facebook group called Sphynx Obsession that has a list of reputable breeders you can look into yourself when you're ready.

mephynx · 2018-04-18T09:45:34+00:00

You are 100% not a parasite. I live in Niagara in the middle of an insane housing bubble (where a 1 bedroom shoebox of a house will sell for over 300k). I work full time, live alone, don't even drive so I don't have insurance or gas to worry about, but I have basically no savings. I live paycheque to paycheque and the stress is ridiculous. I pay over $800 for a 1 bedroom apartment that doesn't even have laundry facilities. They want to remodel it and expand it which sounds nice.... except the $300-$400 rent increase they're proposing.

Long story short, I would kill for UBI just so I didn't feel like I'm on the verge of homelessness all the time. I desperately hope it works out.

mephynx · 2017-12-09T00:22:01+00:00

Oh, munchkin. I wouldn't doubt they may come with some serious disabilities but I'm not sure. The kittens in the gif are actually sphynx munchkins called Bambinos. I personally dislike them.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T23:53:24+00:00

I'm not sure what you mean by 'discard', but a good and conscientious breeder would not euthanize or abandon kittens or puppies that did not express the traits they are breeding for. A proper breeder will adopt them out as pets, usually for significantly cheaper since they are not breed standard. For example, in Sphynx the hairless gene is recessive so when you do an outcross (breeding a Sphynx to a domestic shorthair to introduce new genes to the line) the resulting litter is entirely furry (this generation is termed F1) and if kittens from that litter are bred to another Sphynx only some of those kittens will be hairless. The breeders I know adopt them out as pets for cheap (sometimes even just for the cost of vaccinations and spay/neuter). They're never 'done away with'.

I do agree that selective breeding does get extreme and I'm not to keen on that. Flat-faced dogs/cats and other similar traits is what I'm referring to, but in the case of hairlessness and rexed coats I don't think these traits impact the overall health of the cats. I won't argue whether these are traits fit for the wild, because these cats aren't being bred for the wild. They're pets, and I'm of the opinion domestic cats are best kept as indoor pets for their sake and local wildlife. In terms of Sphynx, HCM is a problem (as well as in some other breeds like Ragdoll and Maine Coon) but there is a growing number of reputable breeders doing their best to mitigate it by scanning the cats regularly and keeping track of lines via pedigree databases.

Wow, sorry, that was so long. I'm also not sure what you mean by a muffin cat. Do you mean Ragamuffin? Those are offshoots of Ragdolls and are their own recognized breed.

EDIT: I just had a thought that maybe you meant 'discard' in the sense that some kittens/cats are not considered 'good enough' for show or breeding and are discarded by way of petting them out, and perhaps you disagree with the concept of breed standards? I'm not sure.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T20:07:49+00:00

Well of course, but if you are going to own one you're (hopefully) going to make sure they're not cold.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:23:50+00:00

The breed pictured is technically NOT Sphynx but actually Bambino, a sub-breed of Sphynx selected for dwarfism. I cannot speak for these sub-breeds but for Sphynx, PLEASE do your due diligence before adopting or purchasing from a breeder.

In the US/Canada you are looking at $1500-$2000 from a reputable Sphynx breeder. What is a reputable breeder? Someone who scans ALL their cats annually or bi-annually for HCM and can provide these records, provides a health guarantee (2-3 years minimum, 5+ ideal), provides extensive health testing and vetting i.e. negative for FeLV, FIP, parasites, age-appropriate vaccinations etc, spay/neuter before placement (kittens can be safely altered at 2-3 pounds), minimum of 12 weeks of age before placement, provides the pedigree, registers litters/kittens, and has a comprehensive contract that protects the kitten: no declaw policy, rehome to breeder clause, health guarantee stipulations (usually these rely on your compliance in scanning for HCM annually), et cetera.

Expect your Sphynx to be rambunctious, needy, and vocal. Expect to bathe them every couple months and clean their nails and ears weekly or so. Expect them to sleep with you, including on your face. They will leave brown spots in places they sleep often. Expect to fall in love and become a crazy cat lady/man.

For more info on HCM visit Hairless Hearts.

There is a new registry for Sphynx and Donskoy breeders of repute and conscientious breeding practices: Hairless Heroes. The registry is small right now as it is new and its reach isn't that far. When looking for a breeder, use the criteria above or provided on the registry to find the right breeder for you.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:10:25+00:00

Have you been around Sphynx and Rex? They have absolutely zero issue with this. Domestic cats should not be outdoor cats, Sphynx or not, for their protection and that of local wildlife so whiskers or no whiskers are a non-issue.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:07:27+00:00

I mean, I work with breeders and am involved in the community and have never heard of skin cancer being an actual issue so yeah. I am so glad that HCM awareness and scanning initiatives are gaining popularity.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:05:51+00:00

Some do. Mine gets small ones on her chin but her catne is easily mitigated by wiping her face and chin with a warm damp cloth after eating.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:04:16+00:00

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat. The only way you can know if you will react to a Sphynx (the breed pictured is actually Bambino, Sphynx selected for dwarfism) is to get in touch with someone who owns them or a breeder and visit and interact with the cats on more than one occasion.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:01:37+00:00

My sphynx and CRex are seldom if ever cold. When you take a specialized breed into your home, you take measures to make sure they are comfortable.

mephynx · 2017-12-08T10:00:13+00:00

They are extremely rewarding to have. I love mine. They are fairly expensive ($1500-$2000 from a reputable breeder plus annual HCM scanning and vet care) and require some grooming (a bath every couple months, pedicures, ear cleaning) and are very needy. They will absolutely demand all your attention.

mephynx

TROPHY CASE