#you can do it!

[lowpolyanimals]

Bear by @itnerdboy

[drfelici]

Almost...juust need to pull this throigh the loop and...! Dangit.

[lee-posted]

How Nick looks when he's talking about the Mysterious Stranger:

[humancandy-comic]

“Human Candy"

Chapter 3 - Page 38

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Errrh, there's this ONE thing about Hotland you should keep in mind when your human-turned brother's with you… Especially when he's not exactly "dressed for the occasion".

[grimygrimygrimy]

Multiple partners so your basically a whore.

well I have sex for money so I am literally a whore, you might have to try harder if you wanna hurt my feelings lol

[rattusrattus3]

hi rabbit! this is maybe a silly/strange question.. but you seem like someone who would understand regardless. i've been crocheting my own plushies for awhile, and i want to get into modifying existing ones too!! i've seen some really beautiful, unique transformations in other folks' projects, and i love the idea of giving an existing buddy more personality. but.. every time i've tried, i can't bring myself to do it. adding piercings or dying fur/fabric is one thing, but anything involving cutting, sewing, embroidery, replacing parts, etc makes me feel like i'm hurting them somehow :( have you ever felt like that, or do you know of any way to get around that feeling..?

hi hi!

Aw this is not a silly question at all; i completely know what you’re talking about and can highly relate.

On the upside, i will say, the more i have done cutting and sewing etc of the plushies, the more desensitized i got; so sometimes you just need to ‘bite the bullet’ and cringe your way through the first one, and once your brain realizes ‘nothing bad is happening, i did not hurt them for real’, it is easier and easier to move through the discomfort :)

Howeverrrr, I have some other suggestions/advice that helped me through it, but your mileage may vary with these!:

try using a thrifted/second hand plush for the first time. It’s less emotionally uncomfortbale (at least for me) to cut a plushie i dont have an emotional conneciton/history with, versus a beloved childhood one

you can put them under pretend ‘anesthesia’ (may sound silly but. hey. whatever helps!) When i started i would sometimes tell them “I am going to do a surgery on you, but first i am going to give you a shot so you don’t feel any pain (using a pen or something); when you wake up you’ll be different but i think it’ll be a great improvement!” (and sometimes adding a silly voice of them replying like ‘ok Rabbit, I trust you! go for it! I cant wait to see my new look :)” … sometimes when we allow ourselves to inject a bit of humour / silliness /playing pretend into the mix, it makes it more tolerable; and little rituals and ceremonies are great for that

(Covering their eyes can also help)

On that note, imaging yourself as a Dr. Frankenstein type can help; like if you imagine you arent actually ‘…killing a plushie’ you are ‘creating a new life via mad scientist means’ can make it feel like any cutting and sewing is like … for the Creative Good and you’re allowed to expirement

reminding yourself (outloud if needed) ‘they can’t feel this, they dont have the same pain receptors i do, they dont have a central nervous system like a living being, i am not hurting them’ can help

Sometimes, imaging the process of them being made (from cutting the fabric to sewing in the eyes , stuffing the body etc) can help make it feel like whatever you’re gonna do isnt so bad; they literally came into this world through the same means! they’re used to it!

telling yourself “i am not multilating a being, i am making an art peice” can sometimes help place some mental distance between the guilt of ‘hurting a little sweetie something’ and just having a little ‘creative transformation DIY time’

the guilt feeling goes away (for me anyway) once the results of ‘how cool they look with their new face/body/upcycle’ come through! And then its easier and easier to do each time. takes some practice but i promise you the discomfort is worth fighting through! Our brains can be very creative at coming up with weird guilt loops but sometimes applying the same creativity back (via “I am a Certified Plush Surgeon and this is my Magic Anesthesia Pen” or whatever, can be a way through the guilt)

Hope this helps and enjoy the plush mods!!!

Any other upcyclers feel free to pitch in ideas! :D

[mcromwell]

Highly recommend joining a local political/community group that shares your ideals and values. If you don't know what you can do to help: don't worry, if you show up and be real, they'll tell you how you can help. And even if you can't help, at least you made their day brighter by showing up at all and reminded them (and yourself) that Yes, there are people out there who DO give a shit. Makes me feel a lot less freaked out about things.