Need Advice on wait time?

[weisk.livejournal.com]

I'm normally a very patient person when it comes to the completion of artwork, so long as the artist communicates effectively with me, like most people. I'm kind of in a situation where I'm not entirely sure what to do? I rarely commission people that aren't my friends, who I'm fine with taking however long due to our relationship, and the times that I have commissioned outside of people I'm personal with, I've never had any problems with.

It's nearing three weeks since I sent payment for an adoptable/design (one that was already drawn). My original note telling the artist I have sent payment and another note I sent a two weeks later double checking to make sure they hadn't forgotten about me, haven't been read. My main issue with this wait time, is that the artist has been active during this time and have been pretty actively uploading new deviations, making/responding to comments, etc. It doesn't help, too, that I had to wait about a week PREVIOUS to these three weeks, to get their paypal information, and again during that week they were very active. Today I decided to post a comment on their profile, but I'm not sure what else I should do at this point?

I'm patient with artwork but the artist said they all they needed to do was send me a file, so it's not like anything is having to be drawn? I don't think that I'm being impatient, but should I be waiting longer to make a fuss out of this?

Unfortunately I wasn't too smart and sent the payment as "friends and family" (I know, I know, this is my fault), so I cannot file a dispute if the artist continues to ignore me. It's such a small monetary amount ($10), that I really don't want to have to file an AB against this artist. :/ Any advice is appreciated, for now and for future!