hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio
@hellchick.bsky.social
150 followers 57 following 130 posts
Mostly trying to be a painter and printmaker. Also a solo game dev. Check out my work at carynvainioart.com and shadowdoggames.com
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · Jul 9
It's ALIVE! I pushed the big green button on Steam today to release my word puzzle app, Wordy Rain! I've got a small launch discount for you to take advantage of today. store.steampowered.com/app/3767020/... #wordgame #wordpuzzle #steam #indiegames #cozygames
Save 10% on Wordy Rain on Steam
A word-making puzzle game with an action mechanic, or a cozy chill experience. Make words from falling blocks, but don't let them get to the top! Use powerups and strategy to see how long you can go.
store.steampowered.com
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Reposted by Caryn Vainio
greyalien.bsky.social
Jake Birkett - Veteran Indie @greyalien.bsky.social · 2d
If you are waiting for Forbidden Solitaire, how about trying out one of our other solitaire games.

- Regency Solitaire 1 & 2 have a nice story.
- Shadowhand and Ancient Enemy have a story and also solitaire combat and RPG-style stats.

store.steampowered.com/developer/Gr...
Steam Developer: Grey Alien Games
All games that Grey Alien Games has created or published.
store.steampowered.com
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 2d
The Fall Steam sale ends in a few hours, so grab Wordy Rain and its new Halloween content at 20% off while you still can! store.steampowered.com/news/app/376...
Wordy Rain - The Halloween Update! - Steam News
Check out the new Halloween background and find ten new spooky secret words.
store.steampowered.com
hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 2d
Just in time for the Steam Fall Sale, my game Wordy Rain is 20% off today AAAAND has a new Halloween update! New background scene, new VFX, new music in each mode with the new scene, and ten new spooky secret words to find! MacOS and Windows!

store.steampowered.com/news/app/376...
Wordy Rain - The Halloween Update! - Steam News
Check out the new Halloween background and find ten new spooky secret words.
store.steampowered.com
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 7d
He got up, alert, looking into the brush next to our trail. I thought he was after a squirrel. A small black bear came out of the brush about 8ft away. Turned and ran away from us SO FAST that I barely had time to panic, LOL. He wasn't a baby, just a young guy probably in his first year alone.
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 7d
Had my closest encounter ever with a bear since I began living here in the PNW in 2007. Was on the dog walk through the woods nearby, had my AirPods in and a podcast on -- which I should have turned down in these woods because bears live there! Dog was doing his business and then perked up...
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Reposted by Caryn Vainio
greyalien.bsky.social
Jake Birkett - Veteran Indie @greyalien.bsky.social · 8d
Regency Solitaire II, cosy as heck, 97% positive, on sale at 53% off. You'll love it.

store.steampowered.com/app/2137470/...
Save 53% on Regency Solitaire II on Steam
Revisit romantic Regency Britain to build a glorious garden, in this charming solitaire sequel. Tour historic hotspots, silence gossips, and host the season’s most anticipated soiree. Play your cards ...
store.steampowered.com
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 7d
Wordy Rain is 20% off during Steam's Fall Sale! Grab it if you were thinking about it and didn't pick it up -- especially since I'm planning a little themed update later this week that might be Halloween related...

store.steampowered.com/app/3767020/...
Save 20% on Wordy Rain on Steam
A word-making puzzle game with an action mechanic, or a cozy chill experience. Make words from falling blocks, but don't let them get to the top! Use powerups and strategy to see how long you can go.
store.steampowered.com
Reposted by Caryn Vainio
drewscanlon.bsky.social
Drew Scanlon @drewscanlon.bsky.social · 12d
Hi Internet! I'm Drew and THIS IS MY FACE.

If this GIF has ever brought you joy in the past, I humbly ask you to consider making a donation to the National MS Society. It would mean a lot to me and to those I know affected by the disease!

Donate at blinkingguy.com
240 9K 21K
Reposted by Caryn Vainio
greyalien.bsky.social
Jake Birkett - Veteran Indie @greyalien.bsky.social · 12d
I share other people's indie games more often than our own, so for once, here's our one!

Please wishlist Forbidden Solitaire if you fancy playing a cursed CD-ROM game from 1995.

store.steampowered.com/app/3414580/...
Forbidden Solitaire on Steam
Forbidden Solitaire is a card-slashing horror game about unearthing the contents of a cryptic 1995 CD-ROM that should have never existed. From the creators of Ancient Enemy and Home Safety Hotline.
store.steampowered.com
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 11d
September is almost over, and I MIGHT be working on a new themed update for Wordy Rain for October. Which means there's only a few more days to find the hidden words for September (and get the Steam achievement on Windows). Have you found any?? store.steampowered.com/app/3767020/...
4
Reposted by Caryn Vainio
mcdjoel.bsky.social
Joel McDonald @mcdjoel.bsky.social · 12d
Prune, my bonsai puzzle game and love letter to trees, is finally out on Steam for its 10th anniversary!

store.steampowered.com/app/3903490/...
Save 38% on Prune on Steam
Grow and shape your tree into the sunlight while avoiding the dangers of a hostile world. Bring life to a forgotten landscape and uncover a story hidden deep beneath the soil.
store.steampowered.com
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Reposted by Caryn Vainio
alyssamerc.bsky.social
alyssa mercante @alyssamerc.bsky.social · 13d
Ghost of Yotei is a masterpiece. It ruled over my waking and sleeping moments for a week.

There's so much love and attention poured into this game, so much artistry on display, so I tried to do the same with my review for @rollingstone.com.

www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...
'Ghost of Yōtei' Is an Emotionally Gripping and Meditative Samurai Revenge Saga
'Ghost of Yōtei' improves on every aspect of 'Ghost of Tsushima,' and is one of PS5's best games
www.rollingstone.com
8 74 450
hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
So what's next?

I'm blocking the swatch now. You can see a bit of bias in the unblocked version -- I need to know if that blocks out or if I have to account for or fix it in the sweater. Then I'll take measurements and begin sweater design drafting.
hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
I knit the swatch on bamboo size 7 needles with the yarn held double. This was my solution for "I don't want to knit a sweater, even a small one, in fingerweight yarn on size 3 needles." And it's perfect: the doubled 2-ply makes a gorgeous fabric at this gauge.
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
The resulting yarn is FABULOUS so far. Met my expectations on specs, exceeds them on hand and feel. I finished the sample yesterday, washed and snapped the yarn, and it was dry enough today to knit into the swatch. I used the entire 1 oz (plus a bit of wool at the end of the last row).
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
On the sampling!

I hand carded the fiber into rolags, then spun them on a low-whorl hand carved spindle I have. I chose that spindle due to its low-ish weight and spin: light enough not to remove too much loft as I spin, but not as light as, say, my Peruvian pushkas (I use those for true loft).
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
Here's the raw materials: clean alpaca fleece from my boy Indie, who passed away a few years ago at age 16. I still have about 2 lbs. of his gorgeous rose-gray fleece. Also, a bunch of Tencel fiber I've had for years that needs to be used up.

Assumption: tencel will add drape but be breathable.
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
Because of the fibers/my experience, I knew this would "want" to be spun finely, so I figured the resulting 2-ply yarn would end up being about a fingerweight yarn (i.e., just above lace weight). But I don't want to knit a sweater at size 3 needles. :P So maybe holding it double. SO: prototyping!
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
I make my own yarn for different textiles (woven fabric, knit sweaters) and I make yarn to specifications according to what I want out of the resulting garment. So given that criteria, I decided:

- Alpaca/Tencel blend (I have alpacas, and also had some tencel to use)
- 2-ply for drape and hand
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
The qualities I want:
- slight boxy shape
- short-ish, but not shrug-short
- cardigan with short sleeves
- should have good drape in the yarn but also a teeny bit of structure (more on that in a moment)
- should be breathable/have good thermal qualities
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 13d
🧵Deep dive on yarn making!

One of the things I do: I make yarn and textiles. And this week I'm starting a new project from the animal up: a short lightweight sweater to throw over summer dresses (I know, the season is almost over) made with alpaca from my herd. Here's my quick sketch:
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 18d
See that cone? That cone's gonna be an alpaca in The Next Game, which has entered prototyping. And that's all I'll say about that for now!
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 22d
I watched a video recently of a Gen-Z age music producer listening to Boston's "More Than a Feeling" for the first time recently and he said, "wait...did Nirvana just take that riff and make it minor for 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'??" And holy shit, yeah, hahahaha.
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hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 22d
I use my newsletter as a way to talk about my art process, how the current work is going, and where my work might be getting exhibited. I sometimes highlight another artist whose work I love.
hellchick.bsky.social
Caryn Vainio @hellchick.bsky.social · 22d
I'm really happy with what I've been doing in the studio recently. The current body of work is exciting. Here's a corner of something finished and new...if you want to see the whole thing, I've been showing finished pieces to my newsletter subscribers! I don't spam, I promise. www.carynvainioart.com
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