Advice : Worth reopenning communications?

[savriti.livejournal.com]

Way back in 2010, one of my friends needed a bit of help and was saying she was unsure if she should open up commissions. I told her if she did, I'd get some art off of her. (Unfortunately, half of those logs went missing). We smoothed out the final details, sent the money on its way, and I saw a half-inked WIP by the end of the month.

And then, nothing. We lost contact, despite having each other's contact information.

I waited, and waited, and was contacted in early 2012 by the artist, apologizing and saying she had meant to send it to me physically, but she never got my address. I didn't remember asking for that, but told her I would be back in touch with her in a while, since I was about to move and didn't know my exact address at the time. She agreed, and I emailed her after a bit when I finally had everything smoothed out and ready to go. Of course, I made it clear that I would be happy with scans if she had done it physically, or just a copy of the final image sent. No response.

I recently found her Tumblr, where she's been posting art and commissions done. A quick skim says that mine hasn't been touched on, even after all this time, though it could be due to it not being recent art.

What complicates this is that she's still friends with someone who used to be a mutual friend (Person C), but that ended in a ball of messy drama. Considering Person C is far more in touch with them, I'm not sure if it's worth going after my commission at this point.

AB, I need help. Money spent is money spent, but should I just keep as I've done and chalk it up as a loss and avoid the potential problems by talking to them again, or poke them again even though it's been another two years, and risk opening a can of worms?

Advice needed.

[candyfizzle.livejournal.com]

Hi there are. I have been having some issues with a maker I commissioned to make me a partial. It was just the head and tail. We started contact late January, early February, for a special type of fursuit mask, and a tail. She said it would only take a couple weeks, but I set a deadline for the beginning of August so I could have it by a certain con.

A little knew to the community and commissioning of fursuits, I paid the entire amount in advance. She said that she didn’t usually start work until it was entirely paid off.

With little updates, the due date came and past, and I noted her several times prior to requesting updates. A couple weeks later, she noted me asking when the due date was and acted shocked when I told her it had passed. With great politeness she apologized and offered to make me hand paws in addition. I reluctantly agreed, knowing it would take her longer but I really wanted the partial. We agreed to yet another deadline of September. Came and passed.

Since then, communication has been very spotty. When I DO receive updates, the partial (what little bits she shows me) looks beautiful. And, everytime she does note me back, she is really nice, and it almost makes me feel bad for asking her to show me something, anything. However the excuses kept coming. It has now been 5 months over due, and I haven’t really seen any progress in 3 months.

I don’t know what to do. I have a feeling it was dumb to pay all upfront…and she has such a long queue, I’m afraid it won’t ever get done. She’s very kind and a lovely artist, but so far I am having my doubts about her work ethic.

Customer Beware - Reddythefox

[drakonicknight.livejournal.com]

WHO:
Michael and Laura / Reddythefox
https://www.weasyl.com/~michaelreynard
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/creaturesandcreations
( Read more )

All the pictures are here.
Just click on one that you want to see, right click and click view original.

Edit:
This is a note I received when this post was approved.
"I admin a group on Facebook called fursuiters and fursuit makers and Michael had posted about you in there.
All we could do is advise him on making an ab but then I read yours and thought you should know

Cap I was linked.

This was said about you by him.

We do not approve of this behavior and are discussing a ban for him from our group."


Edit again:
Threatened to take me to court if I didn't take down AB post, and told me to take down my FA posts of his suits.

More texting:
Kind of an apology?
Part of me wants to respond and try to work things out, however I don't think that would actually be the outcome since I already tried to resolve things initially. Also after threatening me I don't feel comfortable responding to them at all for anything at this point.

Got a message:
I was nicely requested by an admin to take Laura out of the title but that I can keep their business name in because he is a part of that.

Another edit:
Reddy removed from their business, or "team".