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HAVE SOME SUGAR IN YOUR SMOOTHIE
Sugar to Soratha for helping out with the outcomes threads, resucing CS History images, and also for maintaining CS Transpets. Your work is invaluable to the community and appreciated! Also sugar for being kind ♡
Sugar to Celozon and the whole LOLO team for organising a fun gifting game every year
Sugar to mothha for being one solid, level-headed, all around kind guy !
Sugar to Blue Eyed Kite for cheering on artists on the oekaki and being an all-around kind, fun person!
Sugar from the entire CSN staff team to BlueEyedKite for being so consistently supportive, engaging with our work, and overall just being an incredible reader Your comments always make our day, and it’s readers like you that it make it all worth it <3
Thanks to our very own Roanoke for this mesmerizing piece!
CHICKEN SMOOTHIE HIGHLIGHTS
CS has been overwhelmingly kind to us in September, with lots of fun goodies We got to experience the fun of watching the annual staff litter grow, learn more about them, and we got a new item set! This set is called the Witch’s Apothecary Item Set, which boasts some beautiful new additions such as plants, a cauldron, and some eye-catching background items! A huge thanks to the talented Codex for making yet another amazing item set!
Additionally, we are eagerly awaiting the Halloween event ever since the Summer Event ended. Some users are chomping at the bit to token hunt and swap again, whereas others are still absolutely exhausted from the rush of event swaps and trading. Which side are you on?
Regardless, we’re very excited to see what lies ahead, so in the meantime, we’re taking a look at what the current goings-on of Chicken Smoothie are and taking a final breather before the next event! Thank you as always for taking the time to read the CSN, we hope you enjoy!
CS FUN FACT
Did you know that one of the pets released in the annual staff litter is based on poorly drawn medieval cats? castiiian, an Oekaki Moderator for CS, decided to pay homage to the fact that medieval painters would often poorly paint cats due to not understanding their facial anatomy, leading to their staff pet looking...peculiar.
Thanks to AislingNyht for such a gorgeous dressup!
ART NEWS
Since we featured Marumis last month, they have absolutely exploded in popularity. The species proudly houses over 200 designs now and every single one is landing as a fan favorite. There are always some adjustments to be made and some growing pains when your creation gets popular to such a degree, with things like making sure you run efficiently and seeing eye to eye with your members in terms of expectations. Regardless, we’ve seen owner twilispark and their team take all of these challenges in stride, with the goal to make the closed species scene more active. We can see in real time that their goal is coming true and Marumis are easily becoming a beloved corner of the site for members of all kinds to enjoy.
Another species we’d like to shout-out are Liogons, a species that actually released around a similar time as Marumis! Created by CS User Winter Shores, the story goes: Liogons are creatures that fell from the stars. They come in many different varieties and temperaments. Liogons love shiny things and can't quite remember where they came from, but you can most often find them in higher places, away from most creatures. We’re excited to see this blossoming species progress as they grow!
TRADE NEWS
September has come to an end, and along with that comes all the new and stunning staff litter designs of the year! With a whopping 31 outcomes, there were so many beautiful picks, and truly something for everyone in terms of preference and design. Out of all these outcomes, it seems that this year one of the most sought after due to design popularity was Doglike’s! Sporting majestic wings and horns, and showing off a style similar to all the incredible store pets they create, it was a very understandable outcome to get the limelight this year.
However this isn’t to dampen the popularity of others as most are all equally sought after due to having such unique lineart edits, themes, and just generally being a pet creation that a staff member put love and time into. It was an absolute blast following along this year with all the outcomes, trying to learn clues for who was the artist behind each outcome, and seeing how they all grew!
Additionally, Doglike has been on fire recently, releasing the most recent store pet set of Draft Horses! Not only are the designs absolutely stunning, this is also monumental for the species as a whole as this is the first time in Chicken Smoothie history that Drafts are part of the store pet archive. It was definitely an excellent decision because it’s clear that their lines and anatomy make for lots of creative freedom in terms of going above and beyond We predict these pets to be incredibly popular due to being the first of their kind, as well as simply being an excellent design overall!
AN INTERVIEW WITH: HELLEVI
WHO IS HELLEVI?
hellevi is currently a Global Moderator for Chicken Smoothie, has been on the team for over a year now, and has been absolutely integral to CS! They have been extremely active and helpful consistently and an incredibly kind presence in the community; they were an automatic interview choice for us! Despite being a relatively new staff member, hellevi has been on CS since 2009, making them a true veteran who has a clear care and passion for the site as a whole. With Global Moderator applications open, we thought it would be interesting to touch on that position with someone who is actively working in that role!
How did you discover Chicken Smoothie?
I discovered CS through Horseland!!! The site is defunct now, but I used to be a big fan of it and everyone would decorate their profiles with CS pets Curiosity eventually got the best of me and I joined the site
Tell me about your journey on CS as a staff member!
I became a staff member in May of 2023! I had been applying to be staff for years at this point, so when I actually got selected this round, I was ecstatic to say the least. I remember sitting at the table and jumping up to show my family and partner that I had been chosen :,) It was really special to me, and they all know how much I value CS. Since then, my perspective on CS hasn't changed a whole lot tbh! The biggest change is that I now understand just how much work goes into keeping CS safe and running. That's a given for any site, but specifically with CS, I admire the effort to keep the younger audiences safe. You probably don't even need an entire hand to count how many places on the internet are actually safe for kids. There really aren't any other sites out there that take protection as seriously as this one, and as someone who grew up with the internet, that means a lot to me to be able to give back to the current generation!
What does being a staff member for CS mean to you?
It means giving back to the community that was and still is a big part of my life! I've been on CS for well over a decade now and it feels great to finally be able to give back in my own way.
AN INTERVIEW WITH: HELLEVI, CONTINUED
You’ve been on CS since 2009! What has sustained your interest in it all this time?
A big part of it is definitely the community and the art aspect of CS, but I'd be lying if I said that my best friend, weeper, wasn't also a reason We met on CS in 2010 and so many of my best CS memories involve her We met IRL not too many years after that, and every so often we still meet up in person CS always reminds me of the nostalgia of finding her and I feel like it's a big part of why I stick around! There's also been many times where I've disappeared for years from the site and she did the same, but we always kind of bring each other back :,)
You started creating art in oekaki in 2010, then stopped for a while before picking it back up in 2020. Why the oekaki hiatus? Were you creating art elsewhere in the meantime?
This is a question that I never expected in a million years and it's taking me out so BAD. Shedding light on my early oekaki gallery :,) but yeah, oekaki was my first ever intro to making art online. It was easily accessible and I saw lots of people using it so I joined in too. Not too long after, I found out that other art programs existed and eventually ended up getting a tablet as well, so I just switched over to that instead of oekaki. When quarantine happened in 2020 and I was stuck inside with literally nothing to do, that was kind of when I had my CS renaissance and with it, oekaki. Lots of closed species were coming up around that time! I still don't use it a ton, but I do enjoy partaking in adopts and closed species every once in a while.
Has CS influenced your art interest and journey at all?
I can say with almost 100% confidence that CS is to thank for a majority of my art journey! I've always been relatively artistic, but I only found out that digital art existed thanks to CS. Shortly after, I got my first tablet, photoshop, and was well on my way to making my first art shop! The community on CS so easily fosters creativity and art and gave younger me an outlet and also let me know that there's an audience for what I produce! I've definitely been spotty over the years with creating art, but there definitely is a correlation between my activity on CS and the rate at which I produce art :p
AN INTERVIEW WITH: HELLEVI, CONTINUED
What piece of advice would you give to any prospective moderators, as applications are open right now?
Be sure you have a genuine and thorough understanding of the site rules and why they are in place. The position won't be worth it if you don't understand why we have the rules that we do!!! I'd also recommend having a deep love for the site as well. Moderating can be tough, but it is so, so, rewarding to give back to this community!
What about moderating interests you? Had you had prior experience moderating before CS?
I like helping people! It sounds corny, but as a mod, people come to you with issues and I like being able to help out and be someone they feel comfortable enough to talk to. Before CS, I was a moderator for a site called Wolf-Haven as well! Another CS staff member has their roots on that site as well heheheh*
Tell
us about Goose, your 2024 staff pet !
I honestly don't have too much to say about him! I don't really put a lot of deep thought into my staff pets a lot of the time, I just stare at the canvas until an idea comes to me. Originally, I was going to do a quilt-dog inspired pattern, but I didn't feel like doing all of that pattern work in pixels hehe. Second best was a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, which the palette immediately reminded me of. That breed of dog has been my favorite for forever, so I just went with that plus some little accessories! And of course he had to make the :p face!
AN INTERVIEW WITH: HELLEVI, CONTINUED
Tell us about Bentley!
Bentley is my baby boy...I've had him for about 2 months now!!!! I've loved horses for forever and have been riding for around 20 years, but have never had a horse of my own. Earlier this year, I began volunteering at a local ranch to get some more experience around horses (and hope that the owner would let me ride in exchange for work!), and Bentley was a horse that was boarded there. He had a lot of behavioral issues and his owner couldn't often come see him, so I offered to help her out by working with him since I was there so much. The two of us clicked immediately and everyone saw it. After a couple months, his owner did the most selfless thing ever and GIFTED him to me...which I am still in awe about. He is my best friend and even though he has issues, we work through them together. We build our trust everyday!! He loves stud muffin treats, being pampered, and going fast (he's a speed demon!). He's in his mid-teens and is a Tennessee Walking Horse. I recently shaved a Cutie mark onto him as well!
Bentley picture for your enjoyment:
AN INTERVIEW WITH: HELLEVI, CONTINUED
What is your favourite pet you’ve ever designed for the site?
HMMMM good question I think either of these two!
What is your favourite pet that you haven’t designed?
Oh this is a tough one I have an entire group dedicated to some of my favorite designs on the site, so it's hard to pick just a few, but here are some that I'm particularly fond of! I love pets with flowers, soft features, deer-like markings, and horses of course!!! :,)
AN INTERVIEW WITH: HELLEVI, CONTINUED
What would you consider to be your biggest challenge in being a CS Staff member?
For me personally, I think it's feeling a bit at a distance from the rest of the community Since I have to uphold the rules of the site, it's hard to communicate and interact with the community in the way that I used to It can become especially awkward if I have to step in when rules are broken My actions are under more scrutiny from being an authority figure and therefore my mistakes are often put on blast, which really sucks It is part of the position, but it doesn't make it any easier!!! A positive from that though is that I've developed really thick skin: I'm confident with myself, my character, and my ability to help people on the site and that is what matters most! :)
Who are you outside of CS?
Online, I go by vi (vee) or hellevi I have one horse (hehe) and three cats: Milo, Sawyer, and Blu I got my bachelors degree in psychology but decided not to pursue that as my interests changed when my college career was interrupted by COVID A few months ago, I had to leave my job due to health reasons and have been struggling to find something steady again as I have a monthlong trip coming up soon, and most potential employers aren't thrilled to hear that, hehe In the meantime, I have been doing numerous odd jobs and art as well as lots of volunteering at the ranch where Bentley is boarded (I instruct riding lessons, work the horses when needed, and guide trails!) I'm autistic, ambidextrous, genderfluid, have 10 tattoos, own over 400+ manga volumes and am abnormal about all of my interests (right now, it's BNHA and horses!) I have a wonderful partner of almost 2 years that I am very obsessed with Art is also a relatively big part of my life, and as of lately, I've been using it to indulge childhood me and all of the stuff young vi was bullied for liking Pixel art is my favorite because it's very structured and is relaxing with how methodical it is to do Some other things I like include cosplaying, alternative fashion, obnoxious music, creating designs and OCs, and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Aaand that's about all I can think of in the moment! :p
If you could tell all of CS one thing, what would it be?
We are all here just to have fun, so have fun!!!!
GAMES GALORE
WORDS:
CODEX
CONCEPT
SOLLOBY
SPACEINMYHEAD
TROMPY
GAMES GALORE
Can you spot all 10 differences?
HAVE IDEAS?
Check out our suggestion form on our main forum page, where you can suggest new games and activities!
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
CLUES:
Across Down
3: What CS holiday is coming up next?
4: How many staff pet outcomes were there this year? (2024)
6: The apothecary set made up for the newest item sets presumably belong to a-
7: What is the name of the second closed species we mentioned?
8: What species was introduced to the store pet archive for the first time this month? (October 2024)
10: What is the "official” name of the staff pet made by the moderator we interviewed?
1: Which user got sugar this month that wasn't anonymous?
2: castiiian's staff dog is an homage to poorly drawn cats from what time period?
5: How many tattoos does our interviewee have?
9: What species, besides speed demon, is Bentley?
Aries:
March 21 - April 19
Gemini:
MONTHLYHOROSCOPE
It’s a great time for you to collaborate with others! You might want to put something up in the editable oekaki board or consider joining a role play this month
Taurus:
Time to grab that to-do list by the horns; get organized to follow through with tasks and projects from start to finish Maybe it’s time to reorganize those pet groups at last!
May 21 - June 21
Leo:
Time to grab that to-do list by the horns; get organized to follow through with tasks and projects from start to finish Maybe it’s time to reorganize those pet groups at last!
July 23 - August 22
Libra:
This is your time to shine on the forums; this season’s planetary movements are sparking up your communication skills, so find some threads you’re interested in and chit-chat away!
Happy birthday! Have fun playing around with your self-expression and style; try out some changes to your signature or profile picture and see how they feel It’s your time to shine!
April 20 - May 20
Cancer:
June 22 - July 22
Virgo:
August 23 - September 22
Scorpio:
October 24 - November 21
The next few weeks will put you in a nostalgic mood It’s a good time to revisit old memories; take a dive through your old forum or oekaki posts.
This month is all about trades It might be time to take a deep dive into the high value trading scene or work out some off-site trades.
Retreat and recharge Maybe it’s time to turn off trades for a little while or take a little break from an activity that’s draining a lot of your energy You can come back to it later, refreshed!
September 23 - October 23
Saggitarius:
November 22 - December 21
Time to chase that dreamie! You’ve got the momentum to make substantial progress on your goals.
Capricorn: You’ve worked hard, and it’s about to pay off Just remember to balance the grind with fun before you get burnt out
December 22 - January 19
Aquarius: You’re full of ideas and inspiration Take a gander at some creative endeavors, especially of the writing variety, and have fun!
Pisces:
Remember that user who gave you the most amazing gift a while back? It’s a good time to give a little something back or pay it forward.
To become a featured supporter, you have to have a CSN stamp in your CS signature! To find out more information on how to do that, visit the main CSN forum thread.
Circle causticsugar ♥ mizu
Meepish
Mrs.Shiro.Tora
AlpinePasserine
zeta1002 piepinkpony
Dark Wolfe p2iimon minifun990
Naruto Uzumaki fizzlesox
FauxFeather
Fofi:]
Katarak
Cade ion
Lostlovebirdz oakhearted axelandria
Vividant
coffee.berry beckyx191 kijauni
Jaguarstar
Turo0
Undyne-the-fish
ADS:
Check out come cool features in our community, officially affiliated with the Chicken Smoothie News!
WE’RE ON DISCORD!
The CSN has partnered with CSDS! A lot of our users have requested we open a Discord Server, but with the creator of the CSN having already created CSDS, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to create a second server So now, within CSDS, you can get pings for new articles and updates, discuss with others, and more!
LGBTQ+CSPRIDEPETCOLLECTION!
Come and see an ever growing collection of LGBTQ+ CS pets! Find pets who can represent you, and maybe learn about some new identities along the way :)
SYLVEON’SADOPTIONCENTRE
Its an adoption center for all players to gain free pets! Its limited to two per day and once a month there are raffles for pets that are worth Rare+!
DAINTERSEXPRIDEPOUND
+da intersex pride pound+, a place to adopt, interact with others, and have fun! lets go pride!
PERCYJACKSONFANCLUB
Calling all Percy Jackson fans! If you love the Percy Jackson books or show, this fanclub is for you!
YOINKGROUP
Yoink group is a monthly giveaway I run with monthly doubles! It goes for 2 weeks or until I run out of pets, so come yoink!
CD’SPWYWARTSHOP
Check out CD's PWYW Art Shop! It has free slots available from time to time, and offers that'll be going around!
OMGSR,UR,ANDSTOREPETCOUNT
This thread is to help users gauge how many pets it roughly takes to turn an "OMGSR" to an "ER" and to possibly help see which outcomes are more rare The thread does not represent site-wide numbers, but we hope to help alleviate some of the pains with trading OMGSR, UR, and old store pets.
AFTERTHERACES
After The Races welcomes you to our rehoming centre, where retired racing Greyhounds await their next adventure!
HOW DO I GET ON THIS PAGE?
To get an ad here and become a CSN affiliate, you need to fill out an application on our home page! You can learn more details there as well.
