Death Taffy

Hello! I'm an artist who specializes in using resin to craft unique, handmade art-figures and cosplay accessories. I try my best to bring my imagination to life through drawing, sculpting, sewing, and resin crafts. ★ Youtube Channel ★ Ko-Fi ★ Instagram

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New video today! I finally got around to editing the vlog from last year's Anime ID!

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Drawing Buff Dudes and Pouring Resin

Things have been moving fast over here as I prep for Gem State Comic Con! My brother tossed me a challenge: he asked for a Duke Nukem drawing since the voice actor will be at the con. I thought "why not?" and immediately regretted all my life choices. Just kidding. Sort of. Drawing a mega-muscle guy was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I gave it my best shot (and hopefully didn’t botch the anatomy too badly).

In the studio, my Game Boy keychain project is moving forward! I got some mold boxes 3D printed and finally restocked on resin, since I was down to just a couple ounces in each can. I used my profits from Mini-Con to place the order, so I could start casting more horns and begin experimenting with the keychains.

On a more exciting note, I finally posted a new video! It’s a DIY showing how to make a realistic Animal Crossing fossil out of resin. It felt good to get something up again, and I’m hoping this marks the start of me getting back into a better rhythm with editing and uploading. Convention vlogs are coming soon!

Now I’m all packed and ready for Gem State. Wish me luck!

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I turned the iconic Animal Crossing fossil into a realistic resin replica. I make this DIY video game prop by starting with a polymer clay sculpt, then walk through the full process of transforming this beloved game item into a lifelike art piece. From hand sculpting and silicone mold making to resin casting and working with sand and faux granite for texture and realism. You’ll see every step. Whether you're into Animal Crossing, resin art, or just enjoy chill crafting builds, this one’s for you. Learn the techniques I use to mimic stone texture, use mica powders for added depth, and bring one of the most recognizable fossils in video games into the real world.

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Mini-Con

Mini-Con was such a blast! My brother and I packed up the car and hit the road early Saturday morning to get there in time for setup. We ended up running a little behind what I had planned and got to Game Haven in Sandy around 10:20 AM, but thanks to some prep work and careful planning, we had the table ready to go right on time.

The weather couldn’t have been better for an outdoor event, sunny, warm, and full of good vibes. (Though I could have done without the wind! Some of my lighter items kept blowing off the table, and I had to get a little creative to keep everything in place.) Even with a few windy challenges, it was an awesome day of vending and chatting with people.

Mini-Con packed a lot of fun into one day! There was an artist alley, gaming tables, KPOP and JPOP dance showcases, cosplay meetups, and a cosplay contest for. Plus, there were some food options near by, including a Hawaiian/Filipino food truck, a cheesesteak joint, and even liquid nitrogen ice cream!

One thing that was a little tricky was the volume during the dance competitions. The music got loud and it made it a little hard to talk with people at the table. But honestly, it was hard to stay grumpy with how much fun everyone was having dancing and cheering each other on.

We also treated ourselves while we were there! We grabbed some boba tea and coffee from the cafe inside, and later on had some spicy cheesesteaks that totally hit the spot. By the end of the day, after the cosplay contest wrapped up, we packed up and headed home. I wanted to stop at Kpot for dinner, but we decided we were still to full from lunch.

Huge shoutout and thank you to the team at Game Haven and all the Mini-Con organizers! It was such a fun event, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it. I’m already looking forward to next time!

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Pivoting Projects and Prepping for Mini-Con

The weather is finally warming up, which means it's resin-casting season again! I jumped right in and cast a handful of glittery antlers in colors that sold out at Isekai, in order to get ready for Mini-Con. It felt so good to be working outside again with the sunshine and fresh air.

In less exciting news, I am officially broke from my panic-buying spree. With the May 2nd tariff changes looming, I scrambled to stock up on supplies to hopefully carry me through the end of convention season. I keep crossing my fingers that my melty pop keychains make it here on time!

Speaking of keychains, I’ve been working on a bit of a pivot plan. I ordered some empty Game Boy game shells and started making a mold from them. The goal is to cast resin copies and put my art where the original sticker would go. It’s a fun new idea that lets me use up some older resin I had lying around, at least until resin prices skyrocket too. Hopefully Mini-Con will be kind to me and I can snag a few more gallons of clear resin to keep the projects rolling.

In sticker drama, the order I placed a while ago finally arrived, misprinted. 😒 To make it worse, the manufacturer tried to blame me even though they didn’t follow the file specifications. It’s just a $40 order, but after double-checking everything on my end, why did I go through all the effort of making sure my files were properly set up if they're just going to toss that information out the window and do whatever the hell they want with them? I probably won't buy stickers from them again.

On a brighter note, I managed to get a handful of chonky D20s made just in time for Mini-Con. Since it was hosted by a tabletop game store, I thought they’d be a perfect fit!

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I didn't think it would be when I designed it, but this Garf meltypop has to one of my new favorites. It turned out so cute! It's based on an actual popcicle from, I think, the 90s.

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Today, on things I thought were a good idea at 2am, and now I'm not sure: This sign I made to promote my custom pog sheets.

You guys would tell me if it's cringe, right??

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I should probably post more here.

So I feel a little bad that I haven't been posting to my tumblr. I think it's because I get little to no engagement on here, which is kinda disappointing because I used to be pretty active back in the day, but social media is just so hard for me to keep on top of now. I think because I'm a pretty introverted person, and it's all just. A lot.

I want to change that.

I've made a goal in the last few weeks to try and post weekly/bi-weekly blog posts to my ko-fi and I think I'm going to start cross-posting them here too.

To start things off, I'm going to post the back-dated posts from previous weeks. I hope this won't be too annoying. I think there is only like 6 posts, so bear with me while I get things in order.

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The Art Hustle Hits Different These Days and Bracing for Tariff Chaos

Things have been crazy lately, and honestly, I’m just trying to deal the best I can.

A couple months back, one of the artist Discords I’m in started tossing around the idea of a ribbon game for Anime ID's second year. I was all in. Two weeks ago, I designed four different badge ribbons, and just a few days ago, the group order was finalized. It felt good to contribute something playful and fun to the community.

I also finally sat down to start sketching out and working on new art prints. It’s been way too long since I made prints, and getting back into it felt like catching up with an old friend I hadn’t realized I missed so much.

I’ve also been wrestling with my feelings regarding my YouTube channel. Ever since it got hacked, my views and interactions have plummeted, and now every time I upload something new, I seem to lose subscribers instead of gaining them. It’s disheartening to pour hours into videos only for them to disappear into the void. That said, I have a whole pile of unfinished how-tos and vlogs that deserve their moment, so I’ve made a goal to find time and finally get them edited.

On the convention front, I’ve been waitlisted for both ACEN and NDK, and I’m still waiting to hear back from Otakon. Fingers crossed that something works out.

And then . . . came the gut punch. Tariffs. I can’t believe I’d started moving away from doing all my own manufacturing in an effort to avoid burnout, only for everything to get flipped on its head again. With supply costs skyrocketing and new tariff hikes rolling in, I realized I have about a month to place any last-minute orders before prices became completely unmanageable. In a small act of rebellion (and to keep myself sane), I dove back into designing more melty pop keychains. I forgot how much fun those goofy little faces are to create! I designed a whole bunch of new ones in one sitting, and it gave me the tiniest serotonin boost in a sea of stress.

Of course, immediately after, I dropped a bunch of money I don’t really have on what’s probably my last run of melty pop keychains before the tariffs really hit. And just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did. Tariffs jumped again. 104%. Then 145%. That means a keychain I used to sell for $15 now has to be priced at almost $22. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm going to try to keep prices reasonable for as long as I can, even pivoting if I have to, but if this situation doesn't get under control soon we're all cooked.

I won’t sugarcoat it, I slipped into a deep, sudden depression over it. Doomscrolling. Creative paralysis. The works. I’ve got projects that need finishing, but all I’ve wanted to do is disassociate and cry.

Even so, I managed to get my badge ribbons ordered for Anime Idaho and have been slowly working on adding more listings to my Etsy and Ko‑fi shops. It’s not a perfect bounce back, but it’s something. And right now, I’ll take it.

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Isekai Anime Con Recap

Last week was a bit of a scramble. I finally started to feel like I was getting everything on track just in time for Isekai Anime Con! After being knocked out with the flu for almost a week, I had a lot of catching up to do.

Guess what? My stickers arrived just in time! I was so worried they wouldn't make it, but they did, and I was super relieved. That said, I realized I’d forgotten to order about six designs, so I went ahead and placed a new order for those. They’ll be ready for the next convention, no worries!

My dad also helped me out with the custom slammers. He finished the injection mold, and we got about 16 slammers made. It wasn’t the full batch I was aiming for, but I was hoping it would be enough for the weekend. I also spent a lot of time prepping and counting stock, which made me realize something: I was more unprepared for this convention than I had been in years. It was definitely stressful, but I pushed through and stayed positive. I knew I’d make it work!

By the end of the week, I was in full-on race mode to get everything ready in time. I'm glad it all came together.

Looking back on Isekai Anime Con, it went pretty well. Sales weren’t amazing, but considering it was only the convention’s third year, I felt I did okay. I sold more popsicle keychains than usual, and I think it had to do with how I displayed them. I also sold a few chibi badges, but not a huge amount. I am still trying to figure out if it is the badges themselves that aren't resonating anymore and maybe I should switch to stickers, or if it is because I don't have the characters people care about anymore. Maybe it is a bit of both. I told myself I’d switch to stickers if the badges didn’t sell well, but that means wasting a lot of materials. It's hard. . . Something has got to change, that's for sure. I'm just not accustomed to my table being passed over so much.

But enough about that, let’s talk about the convention itself! Isekai Anime Con was held at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. It took up one hall, while the other halls were filled with a Sportsman Expo and an RV show, so there was a bit of a clash of vibes. It was actually pretty funny walking into the main hallway and watching "normies"  trying to go in and out of the camping-related shows while bright-colored cosplayers roamed around everywhere. The con had the usual panels, arcade games, and cosplay contests, but also an impressively run maid café and an Adventurers Guild where guests could do quests for prizes. I really loved the community feel of this event. It is so refreshing to see a convention that is focused on the community rather than just making a profit. It gave me some serious nostalgia for the good old days of attending conventions in cosplay with friends.

All in all, I had a really good time. Everyone I met was so kind and friendly, and I’d be more than happy to attend again (if they’ll have me!). I’m excited to see how this convention grows and continues to improve. With Anime Banzai’s implosion, I am so glad there are community driven anime conventions like this one to take it's place.

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More Convention Prep

This half-week has been a whirlwind of ups and downs, but I’m finally feeling like I’m getting everything together, just in time for Isekai Anime Con. After being knocked out with the flu for nearly a week, I had a lot of catching up to do, and I’m still not fully recovered. But, I managed to get some good news along the way!

The biggest win: my stickers arrived just in time! I was really worried they wouldn’t make it, but they came through, and I’m relieved. Unfortunately, I realized I forgot to order about six designs, so I placed a new order for them, and I’ll have them ready for the next convention.

My dad helped me with the custom slammers; he was able to finish the injection mold, and we got about 16 slammers made. It’s not the full amount I need, but I’m hoping it’ll be enough for the weekend. I also spent a lot of time prepping and counting stock, which is when the reality hit me: I’m more unprepared for this convention than I’ve been in years. It’s been stressful, but I’m pushing through, and I’ll make the most of it!

Now, it’s just a race to get everything ready in time, but I’m hopeful that everything will fall into place.

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More Setbacks and Convention Prep

The past two weeks have been a rollercoaster. I was completely knocked out by the flu, stuck in bed for nearly a week, and now I’m scrambling to catch up on everything I needed to do for Isekai Anime Con. Even though I’m still not feeling 100%, I finally managed to get back on the computer and start tackling my to-do list again.

On the bright side, my custom Flip Chipz arrived, and they look amazing! The colors and printing turned out perfect, and I can’t wait to package them up once my custom slammers are ready. My dad is helping me get an injection mold made for those, so hopefully, I can get them finished in time. I also got the proof approved for my Paranormal Pals acrylic pins, and they should be going into production. Fingers crossed that they actually arrive before the con.

Speaking of cutting it close, I’m getting really nervous about my sticker, keychain, and pin order. I requested they be delivered by the 15th, but the shipping label was only created on the 8th, and nothing has been sent out yet. With shipping taking up to 14 days, there’s a real chance they won’t make it in time, which would be a huge setback. As if being sick for a week wasn’t already bad enough.

In the meantime, I’ve been assembling mystery bags and boxes with B-grade and retired items and designing labels for them. I also made some for the Paranormal Pals acrylic pin mystery bags, assuming they get here in time. It’s been a stressful couple of weeks, but I’m pushing through and hoping for the best!

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Casting, Crafting, and More Convention Prep

This week has been a little slower than last week, but I'm still at it.

I’ve been busy casting resin horns, and I have to say, they are turning out so pretty! I’ve been using some of the same techniques I usually reserve for my Blobbii figures, making these horns transparent and filling them with glitter and foil instead of my usual opaque painted style. I think people are really going to like them! I’ve also been working on resin cat ears since my stock was completely wiped out after Everfree Northwest. Speaking of which, I’d love to go back to Everfree this year, but I’m still trying to find someone willing to make the trip to Seattle with me.

On the sewing side of things, I’ve been making cat ear and tail sets. I finally settled on a price after getting some feedback, so hopefully, they sell well. I want them gone, but I also don’t want to undercharge too much.

My digital sticker and keychain proofs came back from the manufacturer, and everything looked good, so I approved them. They should be going into production soon. I also ordered some Paranormal Pals acrylic pins, which I’m planning to turn into mystery bags. There will be one of eight different designs per bag.

In some very exciting news, my Flip Chipz order has officially shipped! I can’t wait to see them in person.

Lastly, I’ve been thinking a lot about my display, specifically my horns. There has to be a better way to display them at conventions. I think I have an idea, but I’m still working out the details. Hopefully, I can test something out soon.

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Flip Chipz, Stickers, and Some Setbacks

It’s been a busy and exciting week, with a little bit of frustration thrown in for good measure.

First off, I’ve been working hard on a new product that I’m personally really excited about: custom pogs-er, I mean, Flip Chipz! Turns out, "pogs" is still a trademarked name, and the original company is actually still making them. Who knew? After some brainstorming with my friends on Discord, we settled on the name Flip Chipz. Though, in my head, I keep calling them Flippy Chipz. . .maybe I should have gone with that instead. Too late now! I’ve designed five different sets: Furby, Sushi, Shroomii, Paranormal Pals, and Kitties. I think they turned out super cute. I finalized and paid for my order, so now it's just a waiting game until they arrive.

Speaking of Flip Chipz, I realized they really need slammers. So, I’m working on getting an injection mold made for custom ones that will have my logo on one side and a sticker related to each set on the other. That means more stickers! I put in a large order with about 15 different designs, mostly my cryptid artwork, plus a bunch of circle-shaped stickers specifically for the slammers. I also restocked my Alien Meltypop keychain and added a new SpongeBob design since a few people have been asking for it.

On the resin side of things, I made some new molds for my horns. I’ve got my goat (which I might rename to “Imp”), dragon-style antlers, and a new “Demon” horn design that’s short and simple. These new molds are glossy, so I’m trying out some transparent resin casts with glitter, mica, and foil flakes. I also have a gallon bag full of older, unpolished horns that I plan to sand and paint soon. However, my mold-making process has been giving me trouble. I think my hot glue is bad because I’ve had two mold leaks, which is something I haven’t dealt with in years. I’m going to get some new hot glue and also start 3D printing my mold boxes to save time.

In between all this, I’ve been working on getting more products listed on Etsy and Ko-fi, and I’ve been sewing cat ears and tails for Isekai Anime Con. I found a stash of old pre-cut fabric from back when I used to sell a lot of these at NDK and Anime Banzai, so I figured I’d sew them up and try selling them as matching sets to clear them out of my inventory. We’ll see if people are still interested!

On a more frustrating note, I got rejected from a convention I applied to. It’s always disappointing, but it’s extra annoying when I see a local con filling spots with out-of-towners because they don’t curate their artist alley. Oh well, onto the next one!

Anyway, lots of progress, a few setbacks, but overall, I’m excited about what’s coming. Can’t wait to share more soon!

[deathtaffy]

I'm sorry I haven't been around much.

Lately, I've been feeling pretty stuck in my creative process. I always end up comparing myself to other artists—even though I know I shouldn’t—and it just leaves me frustrated. Some days I spend the whole day trying to create something, only to feel like I've wasted time. It’s like my art is moving in slow motion while everyone else seems to be in the fast lane.

I had some really high hopes for 2024. I dove back into vending at conventions and artist alleys, thinking things would go back to the way they were. But wow, the convention scene is a whole new beast now. It's super competitive, and honestly, nothing feels truly handmade anymore. It’s weird because part of my plan was to ease off on making everything myself—since that’s exactly what burned me out the first time around. Yet here I am, watching items that were once best-sellers just sit there, unwanted on my table. I’ve been trying to replace them with new stuff, but it seems like nothing is clicking with the crowd. As I prep for a convention in March, I keep asking myself: is any of this effort even worth it? Every convention I hit in 2024 ended up breaking even or, worse, being a loss once I factored in my time and energy.

I’ve got these big dreams, like making plushies, launching some cool apparel, even dabbling in sofubi toys, but funds are tight. My hours at work have been cut back, so now I’m thinking about dipping into my personal savings just to get a few keychains and stickers made. It all just adds to this heavy feeling of being depressed and frustrated. I want to go full-time with my artwork, but I can't seem to pull everything together.

Then there’s my YouTube channel. I’m sitting on 2 how-to videos and 3 convention vlogs, just waiting to be edited. I know I should work on them, but I can’t find the time or the motivation. The whole ordeal of getting my channel hacked was traumatizing enough, and the messy process of moving it to a new account pretty much tanked my metrics. Whatever I post now seems to vanish into the void. I even tried livestreaming, and the audience was, well, 5 people, just my close friends. There was even that one day when I had everything set up for a livestream, scheduled it, and then got so overwhelmed with dread just minutes before going live that I deleted the whole thing.

So, what do I do? I feel like I’m drowning here, losing my will to fight for a break in the clouds. If you’ve ever felt stuck or overwhelmed, or if you have any advice on how to swim back to shore, I’d love to hear from you. For now, I’m just trying to keep my head above water and figure it all out one small step at a time.

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