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cocoaletta · 6 months

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realizing i never elaborated on this. so basically i thought reavers color scheme and fable 3 was odd cause white and black is an odd combo for steampunky colors esp if there isn’t a lot of brown. but they’re also too drab to be flamboyant reaver colors and like, it’s just a weird color combo. anyways i fell into a rabbit hole about colors in the victorian era and their common usages and white, black, and purple are all common mourning colors. sure i guess you could argue that these colors on the characters represent wealth and prestige but if i was reaver and the bestie died, id be dramatic as fuck about it too. anyways there’s a lot more under the cut so fuck it

disclaimer I know fable 3 isn’t explicitly set in the Victorian era but it takes a LOT of inspiration from early Victorian/Industrial era Britain, enough so that I feel its fair to interpret through that lens.

Reaver

Men’s wardrobes were often fairly muted with some browns allowed, and colors would differ depending on the period of mourning you were in (black> black and grey> black and white> black/white and purple> normal colors again)

also important to note that the mourning period would change based off of how close you were with the deceased. Mourning could be anywhere from a few months to a few years.

Black silk top hat with a seven inch crepe (the band on the hat) that is either black, grey or beige.

His clothes are all white with black trimmings which would have been common half mourning attire

ALSO his undershirt under his brown vest is black. Which is also just uncommon in the Victorian era and also in fable 3 lmao, no one fucking dresses like him

his cravat is also black which you literally do not wear unless you are in mourning. Its weird

Like sure you can say he wears white cause he’s a factory owner and is able to stay clean cause he’s rich, but who shows off their wealth in the dullest, most drab colors. All the other nobles walk around in the brightest, most vivid, eye assaulting color combinations, why is he different. Here are some examples of black and white half mourning and quarter mourning attire.

Most of the examples are women’s clothes because um, Victorian misogyny and women being expected to mourn longer while men were expected to be breadwinners and provide for their families. But if you read through old magazines and guides from the time you’ll find that men also wore similar clothes made with the same colors and materials, just usually for a shorter period of time.

In conclusion you can interpret this as however you like but personally I like this idea cause his clothes are just so ugly otherwise.

Little bonus to talk about the HOBW and Logan because they both wear purple and you could fairly interpret that as “oh those are royal colors” “purple is meant to be a neutral color opposed to blue or red”. But look.

Purple, specifically purples with white were often worn by the children of the deceased while in mourning as drab colors would raise an ‘unpleasant child’.

#Fable 3 #fable 2 #fable ii #fable iii #fable 3 logan #fable 3 reaver

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gothhabiba · 11 months

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do u have more details on your mourning veil(s)?? i am not in mourning but i have been wanting to wear veils in everyday life (probably not in black) and i also plan to dress in some kind of modified mourning when i next experience a death in my circles. im curious about whether u wear it over your face ever (im autistic and thats pretty much why ive been wanting to start wearing veils, apart from the aesthetics of it ofc lol), and also curious about the logistics, like what shapes they are & how opaque they are?

Mine is a 1930s (?) French veil; it's a large (34 x 60") rectangle of sheer material that seems to be black silk crepe. A short stretch of fabric in the center of one of the long ends (5") has two threads drawn through it to gather it together, producing a sort of half-circle of negative space where the veil may be attached to a bonnet; when worn, this causes the two corners of the rectangle nearest the head to fall down somewhat lower than the shoulders, while the two corners further away fall over the back and down to the knees: here's a link to a French mourning veil that looks similar.

1930s French veil laid out over a table; close-up on the ruching.

A bunch of writing from the 19th and early 20th centuries decries the expectation for widows to wear veils over their faces, claiming that the veils were heavy, stifling, and difficult to see and breathe through. I haven't found that to be the case with this one—even with my muscle disorder (like, my neck can only briefly and painfully support the weight of my head), the weight of the veil alone is negligible. It's very sheer and not too difficult to see and breathe through.

That being said, I wouldn't recommend wearing an antique veil (on the rare chance you find one—mourning clothes are harder than most antique clothing to come by, since the dye doesn't tend to wear very well, and crepe in particular had a tendency to shed and break down) over your face! You don't know for sure what kinds of dye or fixatives were used on it, and some of the more popular ones are things that you should not be breathing in.

Re-creation mourning veils intended for re-enactors can be purchased online—you may also have some luck looking into things marketed as Goth wedding veils. The only veil I occasionally wear over my face is a modern recreation. However, I found it difficult to come across one that didn't include satin trim or lace (both prohibited in English deep mourning). If you have some basic sewing skills, it shouldn't be hard to get a rectangle of sheer fabric (silk gauze or cotton voile might work; I have some 100gsm black linen on hand so I can tell you that it's a bit difficult to see through) and hem it on all sides.

You will need a hatpin or something similar to attach your veil to a bonnet or other headwear, or else it will blow right off. Headwear with a brim has the advantage of keeping the veil a few inches away from your face. The veil can be worn covering the entire bonnet and falling down over your face, or you can throw it back (so that it's folded over the back half of the bonnet, still held in place by the pin) to reveal your face. If you place the pin or pins about halfway back, you can make this adjustment on the fly. You could probably also just sew the veil to the bonnet if you're never going to wear them separately.

Short, modern veil worn over an 1860s-style bonnet to cover the face; the same veil worn over a bonnet to partly cover the face.

This veil makes everything look a bit darker and more grainy and gives a slight halo to light sources. It's not too noticable and I wouldn't say it impedes vision for the sake of any everyday task you would need to do.

When I'm forgoing the bonnet, I put my hair up into a bun, leaving some hair off to the side to make a braid; I pin the veil into my hair by putting bobby pins through my hair and then around the edge of, not through the fabric of, the veil (so that one half of the pin is between the veil and my head, and the other half is on top of the veil); then I take the braid and pull it over the area where the veil meets my hair, securing it with the halves of the bobby pins that are on top of the veil, and using another few pins to secure the bottom of the braid (the part closer to my forehead than the back of my head). There's no historical precedent for this, but it keeps the veil secure without damaging it, and keeps me from needing to wear a hat inside.

You can get a lot of variation in style by doing this:

1930s French veil worn directly in the hair with one large braid covering the join;

Ditto, with one large braid covering the join and one small decorative one across the head;

Ditto, with two twists of different sizes in stead of the braids;

Ditto, with the hair drawn into two buns at the side of the head under the veil, in stead of into one bun at the back;

Ditto, with one bun and one braid covering the join, with additional hair pinned into decorative swirling shapes on top of the head.

#questions #mourning #long post /#me

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joyburble · 1 year

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The mourning suit. This is the costume that instantly made me go "WHAT? oh, no" Because look at it. It looks like it's made of wool. This is the moment it appears, half way through episode 33. What.

There's no embellishment, no shine of any kind, no transparency unless it's backlit. I can't tell what the material really is, but it looks like a fine dark grey wool with a subtle richness of shade in the weave, and a sort of crepe edging (which the sleeves also have).

That seam along the top of the shoulder is surprising: visible seams hardly happen in his other costumes, except when they're revealed by patterns, and specifically not there.

None of these high-necked, imperious undershirts. No glitter. No train. No storm-clouds of gauze, no explosions of gold, no river of velvet in five shades of honey, no roots of the forest, no flames, not even the black satin or the silver moonscapes he wore in the human realm. Just a leather belt on top and skin underneath. Not even a buckle.

The total effect of he way the sleeves hang, the textures, and the composition of the shot above, is to make him look tiny in relation to Shangque. Our eyes are invited to abandon the delusion that he is tall or imposing, and recognise the body of a dancer.

The headpiece points down more than up, and hardly even shines. It could be jet, and you can hardly see it from the front, it just makes absurd little antennae above the ears.

It's ankle-length, and there's no train at all; the shape is relatively practical, like the hunting dress, or like Shangque's outfit.

Of all the costumes, I think this has two other outstanding, and contradictory, properties:

it's the one that can only be created instantaneously out of the fabric of fantasy spacetime by the character's state of mind. In the previous scene, in the same location, he was still wearing the Fire Gown. What purpose or occasion could possibly explain this having ever been made for him? It's intentionally unclear how either clothes or bodies are supposed to work in-universe, but can you imagine this sitting in a sandalwood chest in Moon Palace waiting to be magically summoned? It's a nope from me.

It's the one that's most explicit about someone having made it. There's a visible shoulder seam, and another that joins the sleeve.

This outfit is an extreme contrast of visual texture with every other thing the character has worn, up to this moment.

And, to my Western eye, the colour and unadorned texture, not to mention the lapels, bring an association of ideas which I will call on the art historian Anne Hollander to explain. She's writing about the genesis of the modern Western suit, about 1810:

"Formerly the play of light on rich and glinting textures had seemed to endow the gentleman with the play of aristocratic sensibility, and made him an appropriate vessel for exquisite courtesy, schooled wit, and refined arrogance without having to reveal the true fibre and calibre of his individual soul any more than that of his body. ... ... Brocade and embroidery had once indicated the generic superiority even of quite inferior individuals, and had displayed the beauty of the costume, not the man. Careful fit witout adornment, on the other hand, emphasizes the unique grace of the individual body - indeed creates it, in the highest tailoring tradition. The man's rank, or even his deeds, are irrelevant to the fine cut of his plain coat; only his personal qualities are shown to matter. ... ... The perfect man, as conceived by English tailors, was part English country gentleman, part innocent natural Adam, and part naked Apollo the creator and destroyer ... expressed not in bronze or marble but in natural wool, linen, and leather, wearing an easy skin as perfect as the silky pelt of the ideal hound or horse, lion or panther."

Anne Hollander, Sex and Suits, pp 90-91

As a visual comparison, here are three actual suits being worn in masterly fashion by (l to r) Tony Leung, Wang Yibo, and Eric Wang in the trailer for Hidden Blade (2023), which happens to be on my dash:

You see Hollander's point about the panther, right?

I also think it's a great illustration of another point she makes: the similarity of these three different suits focuses your attention on how different these three men really look. But that's another story.

I should spell out here that it's possible, and likely, that my association of ideas here was mostly a coincidence based on the very first glimpse, and the mood they were really going for with this costume is nothing more than humility and grief. The concept of a suit is not just texture and colour and visual simplicity: the complicated, multi-layered inner construction that uses the unique structural properties of wool cloth to create that illusion of panther-like simplicity is important, and tailoring is not being used in that way for this costume, at least not visibly. Other costumes have more fit-and-cut going on than this one.

But, either way. The drastic visual contrast is telling us that we are down to business now, the setup is over, it's all unwind from here.

So, I called this the mourning suit, since that's what he's mostly doing in this series of scenes, and I can't resist the opportunity for a pun that goes with the colour scheme.

And I felt like I was being told: now we find out who he really is and what he does when the chips are down. I for one was delighted to see that "who he really is" still includes "hilarious bitch", among other things. Pour one out for Lady Chiedi. Changheng is right there. The grey underlayer has a subtle pattern.

He continues to wear this right through episodes 34 (this beautiful scene where he tries to be a dick and then silently concedes Shangque's point). The dark top layer is split at the sides, which creates this cute fanned-out tail, like a bird.

Shangque is such a good friend.

The breakdown in Ep 35. This was the nearest I could find to a full-length view of this outfit that's close enough to see anything.

It's still with us when a revelation triggers "RTFM: The Comeback" (see this):

In another visually shocking departure from everything we've seen before: there's no long under-sleeve covering the wrists. The big sleeves just fall back as the 'rescue' theme rises in the music.

The goodbye snog. This grey underlayer actually seems to be two layers, which brings this to the usual number of visible layers, it's just that the inner layer hasn't got the high neck we were seeing before, and the top layer goes under the belt rather than over.

The dramatic exit - and I was delighted to see that as well as "the bitchy part" and "the part that Reads The Fucking Manual and compares it with the data", we also still have "the dramatic flouncy part" of his personality.

Minus glitter, dramatic eyeliner, rivers of velvet or clouds of gauze, he's still backing himself to seize the situation by the throat, and I love that for him.

After this, it isn't worn again.

Anyway: the point of this costume is to pack an emotional punch by its contrast to everything else, and it does that very well.

The DFQC costumes master post is here.

#love between fairy and devil #costumes #lbfad #cang lan jue #dongfang qingcang #dongfang qingcang's fashion sense

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hccn-overseer · 9 months

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Issue 16, 8/2/2023 - The Overseer

Issue Masterpost About the Overseer

This Week At The Overseer HQ: MCC Madness!

By Lydia

The announcement of Minecraft Championship 33, taking place on Saturday, August 5th, has brought with it a very enthused and competitive wave to The Overseer staff members, many of whom have either crafted or bought merchandise to support their preferred team. Everything from foam fingers, T-shirts, paint, and team-branded (non-alcoholic) drinks are currently filling up almost every room of the office. A quarter of the popcorn, over half of the hot dogs, eight pizzas, and a few of the large specialty pastries from Scarland were taken by The Overseer staff as well in preparation for the event’s afterparty. Bets are being placed to predict the winning team of this month’s Minecraft Championship, with the winning pot containing previously lost items that the staff has taken a liking to and special commissions from one of the Citizen Shops of the winners’ choices. The rats in the office, not wanting to miss out, have also taken part in the bets to predict the winning team of this month’s championship.

The rats in the office have continued stealing all of the pizza during the past two weeks,, and they were very pleased at the addition of both more pizza as well as the other snacks that the staff has collected. The rats remained perfectly safe from the office cats. The cats, rather than attempting to catch them, have taken to actively avoiding them, though the staff cannot figure out why. Regardless, all of the office pets have been given their own miniature T-shirts and hats to support the staff’s favorite teams.

Staff members were seen around the server flipping various vendor carts, climbing buildings, and shooting off fireworks corresponding to their preferred teams’ colors during multiple nights of excitement. They also blasted music that they had declared to be “team anthems” at various bases as well as in every public district. The Shopping District is covered in crepe paper, spray paint, streamers, confetti, and team flags for various teams, and over a fourth of the Citizen Shops have been left in a similar state. Some of the shop owners are refusing service to The Overseer until the championship has ended. Citizens should be warned that this will only increase tenfold as the championship draws closer with the intention of encouraging Citizens to root for their preferred teams. Though this will likely have the opposite effect, attempting to tell the staff members will not mitigate the pandemonium.

The staff has reserved seats well in advance in the stadiums. Being able to attend the games at all is considered a notable achievement in and of itself, as purchasing tickets took over a week. This was in part due to the staff members needing to comb past scalpers and being scammed by them no less than fifteen times. Another reason that this took longer than anticipated is that a few of the staff members had insisted upon taking the entire animal menagerie with them, and therefore chose to buy tickets for every cat and rat in the office.

The final piece to complete The Overseer staff’s demonstration of team spirit before the games begin is the collection of superstitions that they must fulfill in hopes of helping their teams win. This denotes specific beverages and food items that must be eaten as well as clothing colors that must be worn on the day of the championship games. These superstitions also include newly-made rituals, ranging from traversing an ancient city to collect various materials (it is against the ritual rules to buy them at any shops), setting at least thirty traps of any kind throughout the server inside other buildings, to challenging Citizens outside of The Overseer to fight to the death if they are rooting for opposing teams. One ritual in particular, sending three stray cats and six rats through The Rift, with the intention of their return with items from each team member’s inventory, is currently in progress and will conclude on the day before the championship games, provided that the animals have not gotten lost along the way.

With the conclusion of this week’s office update, The Overseer wishes the best to all Citizens attending the Minecraft Championship as audience members and hopes that they enjoy an excellent performance from their favorite teams this month.

Now onto other news below the cut!

Joe Hills Support Weekend

By Roo

Joe Hills is a lot of things: undisputed MCYTblr sexyman, calligrapher, poet, eldritch being, musician, pinball machine creator, and a ghost, among many other amazing things.

As you all may know, this weekend, other than being a Saturday and Sunday, was known to many of us as Joe Hills Support Weekend.

Joe had mentioned that he had been trying to keep up his standard stream schedule even though he was struggling to find the financial means to do so, and this weekend, when Joe did a TCG stream each day, many community members supported him through both Patreon and Tips, with Joe reporting over 75 new Patreon signups and pledges.

Not all support has to be direct donations- subscribing to him on Youtube or following on Twitch means a lot, and he makes amazing content on both platforms. Whether a new Joe fan or old, even if the official support weekend may be over, it is Joe Hills time all the time. Continued support is just as, if not even more important, and the Joe affiliates in the Hermitcitizen Hub would always welcome more friends.

Affiliate Summaries

By Roo

Docm77: Things sure have been happening. I'm actually not qualified to disclose to you what Doc has been getting up to, and in turn, the Doc affiliates, but things sure are happening.

Ethoslab: A lot of hype about him in MCC, Etho affiliates are placing bets on whether or not he will change his skin, with the majority of bets on a strong, resounding no.

Joe Hills: (This is the eighth time I have had to report on this. Joe affiliates, are you okay?) Joe Hills.

Mumbo Jumbo: Eat your veggies and never, never watch the realistic Mumbo video. Not again.

Pearlescentmoon: The Pearl affiliates are discussing being cats again. Don't worry, this is perfectly normal and healthy behavior.

Welsknight: He's turned into a Pokemon? Someone explain this to me.

Xisumavoid: Pears? Pears.

Weather Report

By Lydia

Temperatures are represented using Celsius. Sorry, Americans!

Wednesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 26 degrees with a low of 20 degrees. Winds will be very high today, with gusts of up to 58 miles per hour. Be sure to secure any of your loose items.

Thursday: Temperatures will reach a high of 27 degrees and a low of 21 degrees. Scattered thunderstorms are expected, however, it is very likely that they will pass within minutes due to Bdubs sleeping them away.

Friday: Temperatures will reach a high of 29 degrees with a low of 21 degrees. Skies will be mostly cloudy with very mild wind gusts. Evening skies will be clear.

Saturday: Temperatures will reach a high of 28 degrees with a low of 22 degrees. Skies will be partly sunny with very low wind gusts.

Sunday: Temperatures will reach a high of 31 degrees with a low of 24 degrees. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a chance of rain during the late afternoon.

Monday: Temperatures will reach a high of 27 degrees with a low of 19 degrees. Skies will be mostly sunny. There is a predicted increase in whirlpools and rip tides, so be careful if you are swimming.

Tuesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 26 degrees with a low of 18 degrees. Early morning showers will take place, however skies will clear by the early afternoon.

Wednesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 30 degrees with a low of 22 degrees. Skies will be clear throughout the day with light showers throughout the evening and overnight.

Astrology Corner: MCC-Scopes

By Corundumcat

Have you been feeling without guidance? Do you look at your birthday, look up your star sign, and wonder, “Will I be called out this week?” “Who am I in regards to the usual MCC goer?” Don’t worry, here at The Overseer, we can help you.*

Aries: You were convinced by your friends to come to MCC. You don’t know who these people are and why Kakashi sounds Canadian. You are also confused why Naruto is not here as well. Also, Not Kakashi has a Canadian flag where you would put the captain's armband.

Taurus: Your favourite player will come 29th or they won’t. You don’t know. Regardless, you will get them to sign the life size cut out of themself. The cutout seems to be breathing.

Gemini: You are the unpaid intern of Noxcrew who always fixes the elevator and for the majority of the time, the people playing break the f-ing elevator. You have gotten so good at being an elevator mechanic the Noxcrew have sworn that they won’t make a ‘joke’ this time. You have made sure of that. You used bedrock-lined red stone this time.

Cancer: You are the singular MCC stall worker who has been given a box cutter to easily get the merchandise that always sells out, except for the novelty Noxite Plushees. There are always so many that the merch store donated a whole bunch for The Overseer to use as decorations.

Leo: You went in full cosplay to support your favourite team (Kakashi's team). You see that Bdubs, the Bdubs Affiliates, and the Kakashi Affiliates are all dressed as Kakashi Girls. Bdubs seems to be really excited and has told everyone that Etho is only lacking in Limited Life. They all have posters that say “KAKASHI IS NOT WASHED UP.” A rather polite Kakashi affiliate with lilac and duck egg blue hair comes up to you and hands you a poster. It has two photos of a guy called Etho. One looks animated and the other is of him sitting in Bdubs basement, legs up, reading a book called “How to deal with your identical twin.” You also enjoy MCC a lot.

Virgo: You are part of the Kakashi affiliate group and you have cupcakes with you. It has Ethoslabs’ face on it. It is lemon and rose flavoured with elderflower buttercream. It is Bdubs approved.

Libra: You are a Pearl affiliate. MCC is way too early, so you tough it out with 10 cups of caffeine, one shot of sriracha, one cup of peppermint and an Etho cupcake. People fear for your mouth. Why? Because you have drunk stuff that has made people build for months.

Scorpio: You are the underpaid food service worker. The people who work with you ALL claimed to be sick. You are now being paid quadruple your normal wage of 50 diamonds. Nice.

Sagittarius: You have been randomly selected to be the person tagged at the end of TGTTOSAWAF. You decide to wear a suit and tie and bring a deck chair cause you don’t know how long it will take them.

Capricorn: You are on first aid. You know how to deal with injuries and are on call for when they stab each other. If some people get really bad, you force a respawn on them. You also make sure that you have grease and oil for those with mobility aids. You also have anything and everything people would need. You don’t get paid. :)

Aquarius: You got to help create the games this time. You were in charge of hiding a photo of each of the crew. You’ve done it and people will not see it. :( SO, you have replaced the cats so they will notice. You changed them so there are missing photos. Hopefully you won’t be fired.

Pisces: You give a flyer to this person who’s looking very lost. Like, the lost you get when you are told that Etho is not Kakashi and that The Overseer is not paid (please donate in the donation box in the entrance way). You have also brought a friend to grip onto when it gets rough.

All star signs: Comment who you think will be ranked with the most deaths this MCC!

*Ignore how blatantly specific these are. Nothing bad will happen to you. However the team you are rooting for may loose… just like in The Ashes or the Soccer World Cup

Hermits' MCC Statistics

By Ilea

In the light of recent events (Etho in MCC) we here at Overseer come with a spreadsheet of all the prowess that all the Hermits have shown us in MCC!

From iJevin in MCC 1 to Etho joining just now in MCC 33 Hermits have shown us a variety of skills, gained new names and became a nightmare for some other players. You may think that they all are great at Buildmart, yet their statistics have us corrected.

Basically this is a Hermits in MCC appreciation post and an introduction to the spreadsheet, present right underneath. To all the nerds: Enjoy!

View the MCC spreadsheet here!

Lost and Found

By Lydia

All of the following items have been brought to The Overseer staff’s office for safekeeping until they are claimed. If you recognize one of these items as yours, please visit us to receive your items, or contact us at [email protected]. Thank you! *Not a real email address.

Item 1: A statue of a crocodile This statue is one foot in length and appears to be made out of marble. It is painted with a set of gray and green shades. It makes an excellent large paper weight for our many MCC notes from previous championships that are being compiled for Ilea.

Item 2: Bouquets from Nox’s Flowers and Sculk Clearing These four bouquets include tulips, chrysanthemums, peonies, delphiniums, hyacinths, orchids, and calla lilies. They are tied with multi-colored bows and each have 15% off coupons for sculk clearing attached to them.

Item 3: A very old poster of a science fiction rock band Found in Scarland, this poster features a lead singer in a full metallic costume, a keyboardist in armor akin to the Star Wars storm-troopers, and a Wookie-like drummer. The year 1981 is printed at the bottom of the poster next to the name Halyx printed in a large block font. One of the staff members suggested that it may belong to someone who collects various theme park paraphernalia, perhaps a staff member of the park or Scar himself, however, the staff cannot be certain.

Item 4: Medical research notes regarding sculk infections and Wardens These medical notes were found sixteen blocks from the Sculk Research lab. They state that it is very likely that Wardens may thrive off of the sculk rather than succumb to its damage. The notes also discuss a symbiotic relationship between the Warden and the sculk itself, while also stating limitations on enchantments.

Item 5: A pack of greeting cards These greeting cards depict various mobs, all with phrases related to celebrating birthdays of different ages. Some of them are for children, others for teenagers, and a few of them are for adults.

Item 6: Two giant Gnome Depot skeleton sets These skeleton sets are the 50-foot variety. One of them appears to be partially sculk-infected. The other one is covered in glowstone dust. It appears to have been covered with glue and sprayed with glowstone dust. Both of them have glowing diamond eyes.

Item 7: A lifetime rocket supply coupon This coupon’s right side is slightly burnt off, likely from a nearby launched rocket. It is unclear which shop or outlet will accept this coupon, as the burnt side makes the details unreadable. It may be acceptable at iBuy, but this is uncertain.

Item 8: A pixel art clipboard for sporting events This pixel art clipboard has about a dozen sheets of statistic charts for an upcoming sporting event, pleasantly color-coded and easy to read for the untrained eye to sports.

Fun and Games

This week's fun and games are brought to you by Lydia!

And that's all for this week folks! Wish you a wonderful time with the upcoming MCC, remember to cheer for Etho! Have a great week!

#issue #hermitcitizen #hccn affilate happenings #hccn weather #hccn astrology corner #hccn lost and found #hccn fun and games

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chic-a-gigot · 2 years

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Le Petit écho de la mode, no. 43, vol. 35, 26 octobre 1913, Paris. Toilette de deuil et robe simple pour dame. Ville de Paris / Bibliothèque Forney

Notre couverture:

Toilette de deuil et toilette de ville

1. Vêtement en cachemire orné de crêpe. Vêlement demi-long, en pointe derrière, à pans longs devant, arrondis au bas, garni large bande de crêpe. Manchon en crêpe.

2. Costume en satin. Jupe garnie de boutons de velours, ouverte dans le bas sur une quille plissée. Corsage blouse à manches kimono. Devants du corsage croisés de côté, ouverts sur un gilet brodé encadrant un plastron de tulle. Col de tulle. Col, revers de manche et ceinture drapée en satin. Chapeau feutre et velours, orné ruban de moire. Matériaux: 3m50 de tissu en 120.

Ce costume peut se faire, en velours, en charmeuse, en moire, en drap ou en serge.

—

Mourning ensemble and city ensemble.

1. Cashmere garment decorated with crepe. Half-long garment, peaked at the back, with long tails in front, rounded at the bottom, trimmed with wide band of crepe. Crepe sleeve.

2. Satin suit. Skirt trimmed with velvet buttons, open at the bottom on a pleated keel. Blouse bodice with kimono sleeves. Front of the bodice crossed on the side, open on an embroidered waistcoat framing a tulle plastron. Tulle collar. Collar, sleeve cuffs and draped waistband in satin. Felt and velvet hat, embellished with moire ribbon. Materials: 3m50 of fabric in 120.

This suit can be made in velvet, charmeuse, moire, cloth or serge.

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andtheyreonfire · 4 months

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microorganism

Ao3

WC: 1989

AN: happy holidays, ya'll <3

Sumire arrives at Ren’s desk at 2 p.m., sharp.

She cranes her neck back, walking forward to try to take in the expanse of her partner. He’s hunched over a book on the table. Makoto and Haru sit next to one forearm, engrossed in their own. Compared to him, the books look like accessories for a doll. Sumire tries, again, to get a better angle at his form. She knew he was big, sure, but seeing it from any angle lower than his shoulder always gives her butterflies.

—Not entirely the bad kind, mind you, which is why she’s here. Her first Official Hang-Out Date. She’s trying not to be too nervous. She hasn’t known them as long, but she’s determined. She will make a good impression on her girlfriend, and her other girlfriend, and her partner, and her girlfriend’s girlfriends, and her partner’s partners—

“Excuse me,” a calls comes from below her. She’s standing right behind Ren’s other arm. She peeks her head over to see a familiar shock of blue hair, hunched over a sketchbook in his lap. “You appear to be blocking my light source.”

She is, in fact, casting a shadow over Yusuke. She jumps out of the way with a speed usually reserved for a gymnastics meet. “M—my apologies! I should’ve—uhm...“

“it’s quite alright.” Yusuke gives her a genuine smile. He’s tucked in the crook of Ren’s arm, various art supplies strewn in the folds of Ren’s jacket. “I believe the others are here somewhere. Ann and Ryuji should be in his pocket, perhaps? You may find Futaba in his hood.”

He turns back to his notepad without another word.

Sumire breathes out. She assess Ren’s arm. He’s taking a page out of Ann’s closet, today, wearing a hoodie underneath his school jacket. Even though it’s the middle of fall, she’d be worried about him overheating. He runs much, much warmer than she does.

Two layers does mean plenty of material to climb. Sumire slings her bag over her shoulder, and begins to scale his arm.

Ren was the first she’d gone out with. Of the mix of emotions she’d felt upon meeting him—awe, hesitance, pure, unbridled envy—she’d eventually identified infatuation to be one of them. He’d accepted, but not before he asked, twirling a strand of hair between massive fingers, “I’m dating 6 other people, is that alright with you?”

She’d known, of course. She’d seen their dates, their gifts, the tiny lipstick marks on his hands. Sumire accepted, and that was that.

Then, Ann invited her out to crepes. They hit it off, well enough that Sumire now owns a third of her shirts and vice-versa. Then Futaba came, serenading her like a particularly introverted bird. Sumire didn’t quite know what she “computer specs” were, or any of the things Futaba showed her with pride, but she wasn’t able to resist how cute she was during her rants. Now, she has two girlfriends, two more than she ever thought possible.

The two layers of giant cloth under her do make an excellent climbing wall. She digs her fingers in the threads of Ren’s jacket, using the creases of fabric as footholds. Finally, she reaches Ren’s shoulder. She takes only a second to breathe, before ducking down to check which of his pockets might house her girlfriend.

She’d greet Ren if he wasn’t so engrossed in his own activity. He knows someone’s on his shoulder—if the slight tensing of his muscles was anything to go by—but it was a practiced motion, as if he were used to the group crawling on him willy-nilly.

Sumire stifles a fond smile, and begins to look.

The pocket under her lumps, slightly, so she crawls over to it. With—a lot of finagling, she manages to duck under the flap, and slide into the pocket.

She manages to halt her fall just before she collides with Ann and Ryuji’s tangled forms. At seeing them, she isn’t able to stop a grin from blooming on her face.

Ann notices her first. She’s laying flat, one arm intertwined with Ryuji’s, and the other laying behind her head. Ryuji himself lays on his side, curled around Ann’s right. His free hand is circled around Ann’s head and chest. When Sumire hesitates, Ann lifts her left arm to make grabby hands. “Sumi!”

Sumire smiles, before finagling herself into the pocket. She shoves her bag in a corner and hovers over the pair. Ryuji grins, gazing up at her with a puppy-like expression. “Hust lie on top of us, dude. We’ll make room.”

Sumire does, sandwiching between them. Ann and Ryuji adjust, until Ryuji has his arm under both their heads, and Ann’s dragging her nails across Sumire’s scalp.

Sumire’s not dating Ryuji—yet, her brain supplies, the smell of his cologne hitting her directly in her dopamine receptor—but it felt weird to abandon him for Ann. He doesn’t seem to mind, using his free hand to pull out his phone the second she gets settled.

Which, she seems to be doing a poor job, if Ann’s quiet voice is any indicator. “You’re all tensed up, sweetheart. Is something the matter?”

Sumire bites her lip. “Just, ah...what do you do, on these types of outings?”

“It definitely ain’t an outing,” Ryuji answers, eyes still locked on his phone, “But—I dunno. Hang out, study, sleep. Ren’s pockets are the best to sleep in, bro. If we feel like it, we might do a round of Jackbox, or watch a movie, or something.”

“Oh, right.” Ann’s fingernails catch a particularly sweet spot. Sumire melts. “You haven’t been on a group thing yet, have you?”

Sumire shakes her head. “I—I've been too busy with gymnastics meets. I've only been able to do one-on-one dates.”

“Well,” Ann murmurs. “Just relax. There’s nothing to worry about. We got you, alright?”

Insecurity has always cut into Sumire’s skin, telling her she could be smoother, faster, so much better than she is. The memory of things lost will always haunt her. There will always some part of her telling her she’s stealing her opportunities from someone else.

But, love something big enough to share. If Ann’s nails on her skull, her hand intwined with Ryuji, and the love she shares with all of them is any indicator. If Futaba’s custom emojis and memes and messages to all of them, even if Sumire’s the only one she’s dating, is any indicator. If Ren, being able to hold his loved ones close as if it were the act of breathing, is any indicator.

Sumire notices Ren’s heartbeat, now, thrumming right beside their forms. It seems to reverberate through them, surround them. The sound is sweeter than drums to her ears.

Sumira’s able to relax, held by the people she cares for, and, little by little, drift off to sleep.

Sumire wakes up less than an hour later, perfectly content.

—Well, she’s well rested. She’s also covered in sweat. She’s sandwiched between two heat slabs, both of which seem to be drooling on her. Her left leg is completely asleep, and her arm feels like it’s mildly dislocated. Perfectly content.

She untangles herself from the mess of limbs, trying not to step on Ann or Ryuji’s dozing forms. To their credit, they sleep as hard as they run warm. She climbs out of Ren’s pocket—left leg dangling awkwardly behind her, having set alight with pins and needles when she tried to shake it—and hoists herself on his shoulder.

Ren’s gone to scrolling on his phone, but reacts all the same when she sets a hand against his cheek. He turns, slowly enough so he doesn’t dislodge her, and gives her a small, genuine smile that sends butterflies fluttering in Sumire’s stomach.

“Ryuji told me you were here,” he whispers, as not to damage her hearing. He pouts, ever so slightly, and it takes a few seconds for Sumire to realize why.

“I know you would’ve given me a ride, but I didn’t want the others to be dislodged.” She scoots closer, enough to lean in and plant a kiss on his jaw. Even if Sumire doubts he can feel it, he leans into the touch, giving something suspiciously like a purr. “I can handle myself, Ren.”

“Okay,” he murmurs, “I know. We’re here for you if you need it, alright?”

Sumire smiles, running a hand along his jaw. He closes his eyes, as if in bliss, and Sumire feels her heart grow 3 sizes.

While she—pets him, she’s petting her, her partner is a giant cat and she loves him—she looks around for the others. Yusuke seems to have stayed in place, pen moving as furiously. Haru and Makoto have migrated to Ren’s other shoulder. They give her a wave when she makes eye contact, and she returns it.

She cranes her neck back, and finds a flash of orange hair peeking out from the folds of Ren’s hood.

“You should go to her,” Ren murmurs, following her line of sight. “I'm sure she’d love to see one of her key items.”

Sumire still has no idea what that means, but she nods. She braces herself against Ren’s cheek as she stands up. Her partner stays perfectly still, letting Sumire grasp onto his curls. She murmurs into his ear, “Stay put while I'm gone, alright?”

He snorts, but gives her another soft smile, before turning back to his phone. Sumire slides down his hood, stopping just as its altitude evens out enough for her to sit. She immediately scoots over to her girlfriend, watching her fingers fly across the laptop on her chest.

It takes a second, but Futaba does notice Sumire’s presence. She brightens, sliding one headphone off her ear. “H—hi.”

“Hello,” Sumire beams, “Can I touch you?”

Futaba nods, and Sumire immediately curls around her side. She hit a growth spurt during her second year. Now, Futaba’s head rests just above Sumire’s shoulder, firmly solidifying her place as the shortest among them. If Futaba looks small to her, Sumire can only imagine how small she looks to Ren.

But, her height does mean she can cocoon around her completely. Sumire melts into the fabric of the hood, arms wrapped around Futaba, a smile on her face.

Futaba starts the conversation, “So, y’know uuh, shiny Pokémon? I've told you about them, right?”

“Yes?” Futaba tried to get her into that game awhile back. She had to hand-hold her through most of it, Sumire being overwhelmed by the cute designs and the fact that she couldn’t jump. Incredibly unrealistic, for a game so filled with ledges. “What about them?”

“S—so, in previous Gens, the shiny rate was 1/8192. But, in Gen 6, it was cut down to almost half, even further with methods like the Masuda method, radar, etc. That’s not even counting RNG manipulation. Anyways, i—In recent games, it’s even easier to get one of those bad boys. But, there was a shiny in Pokémon Gold/Silver that you could get for free. Cool, right? I have an emulator pulled up right now...”

Sumire recognizes exactly none of those words, but she can’t help but listen as her girlfriend begins to ramble, nodding at the pixels on her laptop. It is a cute sea-serpent-thing, but she doesn’t get the chance to say so as Futaba continues to talk.

Sumire doesn’t mind. Quite the opposite, really. She sees why Futaba chose this spot. It was a place to get away from the group, but still feel Ren’s presence behind them. Every time he shifts makes them shift, a little, too.

His presence is there, but not cloying. A steady pillar of support. That’s what they all are, if the group chat pinging beside her is any indicator. Surrounded, by people who understand them like no one else. Surrounded by their affection, their love.

Sumire lets Futaba’s steady stream of words wash over her, plants a kiss on her cheek, and lets her heart glow.

#persona 5 g/t #p5 g/t #g/t #giant/tiny #g/t writing #g/t fanfiction #my writing

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giggly-squiggily · 1 year

Note

Hii!! For the valentine event, would you mind writing lee reader (platonic, male pronouns), with ler loid from spy x family. With 💙XOXO, 💛Sweet Heart. Thank you!!! Happy early valentine~

Heyo! I wouldn't mind at all! This accidentally went from just Loid to the entire family, so I included Yor and Anya too! I hope that's okay! Also- all reader characters are gender neutral for inclusivity!

Happy Belated Valentines Day! :D

Sweetheart ("Oh? Is someone ticklish?") + XOXO ("Hey, do you like raspberries?")

“Thanks for coming out with us today- I know Anya’s especially happy to see you today.” Loid smiled at you from his seat on the park bench, said girl and Yor laughing in the background as they played with Bond. “Plus, it’s good to catch up. How’ve you been?”

“Oh, you know- I’ve been around.” You smiled in return, even if the gesture felt forced. If you were being honest, it’s been a hellish week for you. Relentless hours at work combined with little to no sleep during the night left you feeling sluggish and stressed. Loid- who had started to notice your zombified state- invited you out with the family for a weekend out of town. You were hesitant at first, but Yor and Anya were just as insistent of you coming upon learning about the invite. “Sorry- I’m just a bit tired.”

“That’s alright- it’s the whole point of coming out here.” Loid nodded in understanding, the feeling all too familiar. Before he could carry on the conversation, Anya bounced up, eyes sparkling.

“(Y/N)! (Y/N)! Can I have a hug?” She made grabby hands at you, a sign she wanted to be hugged. You didn’t hesitate, pulling her into your lap and hugging her close.

“Of course you can, Anya-chan!” You laughed in her hair when her little hands pulled at your sweater, the gesture ticklish. “Careful now.”

“Oh? Are you ticklish, (Y/N)?” Loid asked, something like mischief shifting in his expression. Anya, ever the observant one, looked just as mischievous.

“What? Oh, no- no way! I’m not…oh hey, I know a great crepe shop not far from here.” You started to stand. “Let’s go get some- whoa!” Hands pulled you back, gentle but with enough force behind them to keep you sitting. “Y-Yor?”

“Sorry, (Y/N), but I think you need this.” She smiled apologetically. Even that was laced with mischief. “Ready?”

“Ready!” Anya cried. With that, hands attacked you, tickling along your sides and waist. You squeaked and squirmed in your seat, giggling helplessly as you tried to block out their hands.

“Whhahahait! Whahahhait, Guhuhuhuhuys! Pleahhahahahse!” You laughed helplessly at the feeling. The variation of Loid’s skillful fingers and Anya’s grabby pokes drove you up the wall. In addition- the hands holding your shoulders swept down some to get your armpits and upper ribs, adding to the tickling. “Aheahhahhahaha, cohohohohme ohohohohohn!”

“Hey! (Y/N)! Do you like waspbewwies?” Anya asked, eyes gleaming. She stuck her face into your stomach, blowing as hard as she could against the thick material of your clothes. The actual raspberry didn’t do much- but her gesture combined with her squishing her face into your belly was enough to make you squeal in mirth.

“EHEHEHHHEK! OHOOHOKAY OHOHOOKAY!” At your cries for mercy, the family pulled back, all laughing at the sight of your red cheeks and teary eyes. Around you, Bond ran, barking as if he were laughing too. You shook your head with a giggle, feeling yourself relax.

You were hesitant at first, sure, but you were beyond happy you took up the offer to come.

The Forgers were your family, and you theirs.

Candy Heart Prompts Are Officially CLOSED!

#Candy Heart Valentine Event #chve2k23 #tickle #tickle drabble #loid forger #yor briar #anya forger #platonic!reader #spy x family #fluff #I hope the adjustments I made are alright!#I just couldn't resist not putting the whole crew in!

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deadnymaster · 2 months

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Okay, it's Pokemon especulation time!

First of all, let me say that I already knew that Pokemon company is an impredecible force of random so it was obvious that they was about to do somenthing no one was expecting. BUT POKEMON Z ON A LEYENDS FORMAT?! HOLLY SHIT?! THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF IF SONIC TEAM MAKES A SONIC RUSH REMAKE OR SONIC 06 REMAKE OUT OF THE BLUE!!

Welp, whith this said, time to speculate~

-the game will took place on the past, when they was about to build Luminare city as we now it

-Missions that includes reugnite materials for help to the constructions

-Part of the story that includes convince a Pokemon for help whith some constructions

-Some kinds of megas??

-The rumour of "you can't get out of the city" it's true but they made somenthing for catch Pokemon inside the city. (Just think in Pokemon ranger or Detective Pikachu. Big ass citys)

-Useless coffe shops where you can get in (please, I miss them 😭)

-Zygarde 100% on the top of the Eifel tower at a point of the story.

-Inteleon french form (this is not a especulation is more a wish)

-Diancie/Hoopa/Volcanion like some kind of side story.

-Pokemon can follow you (please!)

-iconic places of the city, like the museum, the video area thing, the crepe shop, clothes shops would be mencioned somehow on the game

And that's all what I can think right now. This notice makes me so impressed. I NEVER speculate about a Pokemon game in my life so you can have an Idea

#Pokemon #pokemonZA #Pokemon Z #pokemon theories

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suzilight · 6 months

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Dimasi prefers protein fibres like wool and silk. She says they have a “natural intelligence” that makes them better to wear because they thermoregulate and don’t need to be washed frequently.

These materials used to be more common. In 1975 fabrics derived from fossil fuels like polyester, nylon and acrylic represented just 30% of the global fibre market. In 2021, that figure was 64%. By comparison in 2021, wool represented just 1% of the global fibre market and silk was just under 0.2%, although the total production of most fibres has increased significantly in that time.

“I do get mad when I see very expensive designer pieces made from poly crepe – it’s like they’re taking the piss out of the customer,” says Press. “People might say, ‘Well poly is durable,’ but for me it’s just nasty, sweaty plastic – and the only reason to add it to a garment is to save money.”

#natural fibers #wool #cotton #silk #linen #sewing #buying quality that lasts longer #pockets #lining in coats and jackets

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dontbestingybaby · 5 months

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from Photoplay, August 1936

How to be Chic On A Small Income

Paris' Leading Fashion Authority Tells How to Dress Inexpensively and Yet Look Smart as a Star

By Elsa Schiaparelli As Told to Harold S. Kahm

Transcription Below!

A WOMAN can dress within her income and be chic almost no matter how small that income may be. Most women are foolish in the matter of clothes; they buy too many things, thinking they have to have them. That even applies to some movie stars. And when a woman has a limited income she is inclined to buy numbers of cheap things, and this is a serious error.

Good taste is supremely important if you wish to be well-dressed, and wish to make a good impression, in Hollywood or elsewhere, and it doesn't matter whether you are a famous Hollywood star, or an unknown stenographer. When I last visited New York I was shocked to see women in mink coats buying pork chops. You must have a sense of the fitness of things, and you must give some intelligent consideration of the matter of where you're going to wear your clothes.

Being a business woman myself, and a busy one (as well as a movie fan), I myself was faced with a problem that I am sure is a common one with girls and women in America who "go to business"; that problem being what to put on in the morning and look smart in all day long, even if it means going to dinner and the movies after office hours in the same dress. I found that a good suit solved this problem. It is satisfactory for work and interviews with important people, and equally suitable if I decided to drop into the Ritz for luncheon. It eliminates the time-consuming change of costume during the business day—and time is important to me as it is to anyone who is busy.

I wear suits nearly all of the time. I like them; they are practical in every way, and my advice to a business girl who wishes to dress smartly at all times and whose income is very limited is this: buy a good suit and live in it, rather than a lot of cheap clothes. Let it be a good, tailored suit, carefully made, with beautiful material, and above all, don't be afraid to be seen in it too often. Good clothes, simply made, never "date," no matter what anyone tells you. Of course, they must not be made with eccentric or exaggerated lines

Wear your suit to business; wear it to dinners; to the theater; wear it twenty-four hours a day, every day in the year, if you must, and if it is a good suit, you will always look smart, attractive. On the other hand, if you own a fairly large variety of cheap clothes and change them a dozen times a day you will never appear chic; cheapness is always apparent.

Not long ago a girl—an American—came to me and asked my advice concerning her clothing problem. She said, I am going to Hollywood to try to get into the movies; it is important that I dress well to make the right impression on the people I will have to contact; but my salary is so small that I cannot afford to buy the type of wardrobe I want. What is the least amount of money one must spend in order to be chic?

I will present here the suggestions which I gave her, because I believe that a great many American girls and women may find them helpful. Whether you are trying to crash the gates of Hollywood, or to make a smart impression upon your sweetheart, or merely wish to be chic at all times, these suggestions will apply to you. I cannot quote any actual costs not being familiar with prices in America at the present time, but I will suggest what in my opinion would constitute the minimum wardrobe that a person with a limited income must have in order to be smartly dressed:

Assuming that you are "starting from scratch," begin building your wardrobe with a good suit, and add to it as you can afford it, a good coat, two plain dresses for afternoon or dinner, a smart evening dress which will do duty winter and summer, and an evening wrap. For the first dress, I would suggest a good crepe with two different scarfs to be worn with a black coat with a fur collar. In the case of the evening dress, add a little jacket for informal parties, and leave it off for the formals. For winter, you should have a three-quarter fur coat, or if you cannot afford fur, a heavy tweed. I do not know how your summer climate is, but Paris is cool and for a cool summer climate I would suggest the addition of a three-quarter cloth coat.

AS to shoes, you should have a minimum of one pair of oxfords, one pair of pumps with Cuban heels, and one pair of evening sandals in either silver or gold (they last a long time). Shoes should never be conspicuous. Don't wear "fussy" shoes with trimming, bows, perforations, etc. A shoe, to be really smart, should be as plain as possible with a heel that suits the girl who wears it. I greatly disapprove of the exaggerated French heels which one sees so often in America with sport clothes. If a flat heel, which is now worn so much, doesn't suit a high-arched foot the effect can be modified by a Cuban heel. Feet are sometimes so overdressed that you can't tell what else their owner is wearing. Americans are more inclined to be guilty of this serious error than the women of any other country. Yet I find American women the easiest in the world to dress because they get no much fresh air and exercise. This particularly applies to movie stars. But invariably the average American woman's feet and head lack attention. Women can learn from men and improve their "chic." A man wouldn't think of wearing a tight shoe or one that didn't harmonize with his suit.

Shoes, hats, bag and gloves are frightfully important and should be considered together. All should match in color. Getting back to the building of our economy wardrobe, you should have a minimum of two hats, one a felt to wear with oxfords and a sport blouse; with the same suit a dressy blouse, a dressy hat and pumps, and you can go anywhere in the afternoon, including a visit to a Hollywood screen magnate, should you have the opportunity; it is all a question of taste, and not money.

Cheap jewelry should never be worn unless it happens to be something that you positively know suits your type. Pearls, including cheap imitations, are always in good taste. Plain gold jewelry in a modern design is always good. Avoid long earrings except for evening wear,

and shun cheap beads as you would the plague. Generally speaking, keep simple; avoid flying ends, untidy appearance, putting on too much.

Don't underestimate the cost of a good bag, a good belt, good gloves. It is far better to pay five dollars for a pair of gloves and wear them for two years than to spend twice that amount in two years on dollar-and-a-half gloves.

A GOOD sweater should be in every girl's wardrobe, of course, for week-ends in the country and general sports.

Try to use the greatest possible care in selecting your hats. Hats are the greatest problem in America, for they are not fitted like shoes, as they are in Europe.

Now then, you have here a complete wardrobe which you can assemble in a few months if your income is very limited, and which will last you for two years. These things you ought to bear in mind always: buy good things only and never be afraid of wearing them too often, or of not "being in style." If you have good clothes, in good taste, you will always be chic and you can ignore passing fads. Remember that it is not necessary to spend a fortune in order to look smart and attractive at all times; it requires a surprisingly small amount of money. It requires only good taste and judgment.

Photo caption: Schiaparelli in person. She likes old clothes. especially suits. Actually is very simple. No designer is a better guide to good taste, smartness, and a sense of fitness

#1930s #1936 #elsa schiaparelli #vintage inspiration #vintage style #vintage #photoplay #film magazine #fan magazine

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exoticwoodzone1 · 3 months

Text

A Tutorial for Making Pens with Crepe Myrtle Burl Pen Blanks

Introduction

In the field of handmade workmanship, creating one-of-a-kind and personalized things is very appealing. Making your own pen with Crepe Myrtle Burl pen blanks allows you to learn about woodworking while also creating unique and visually appealing writing instruments. This guide will walk you through the steps of changing Crepe Myrtle Burl pen blanks into a beautiful and useful pen.

Understanding crepe myrtle burls:

Crepe myrtle is a gorgeous ornamental shrub with vivid blooms, but woodworkers are most interested in the burl wood. Burl wood is prized for its beautiful patterns and unique grain structures, which transform each piece into a work of art. Crepe Myrtle Burl, in particular, has a delicate texture and comes in a variety of colors, including light cream and reddish-brown.

Gathering materials:

Gather all of the supplies and tools you'll need before you start creating. You'll need Crepe Myrtle Burl pen blanks, a lathe, chisels, various grit sandpaper, a mandrel, a drill, and pen kit components such as the mechanism, clip, and nib.

Select and prepare the pen blank.

Select a Crepe Myrtle Burl pen blank that matches your aesthetic tastes. Examine the blank for flaws or inconsistencies before cutting it to the correct length for your pen with a saw. To prevent the blank from cracking while drying, seal the ends with wax.

Drying Pen Blanks:

Crepe Myrtle Burl, like most burl woods, has a high moisture content. Allow the pen blank to dry completely before attempting to use it. To adapt, keep the blank in a cool, dry place for a few weeks. Patience is essential to getting a stable and beautiful finish.

Mounting the blank on the lathe:

After the pen blank has dried sufficiently, mount it to the lathe using a spur center and a live center. Take the time to correctly position the blank to prevent wobbling and uneven rotation.

Shaping the Pen:

Turn on the lathe and form the Crepe Myrtle Burl pen blank with your preferred chisels. Allow the natural patterns of the burl to influence your design. Experiment with different cuts to bring forth the wood's distinct character. Maintain a low lathe speed for improved control.

Sand to perfection:

While shaping the pen, halt the lathe and sand the wood. Begin with coarse-grit sandpaper and work your way down to finer grits to get a smooth and polished finish. This method is required to unveil the wonderful patterns concealed behind the burl.

The Drill Pen's Components:

To drill the necessary holes in the pen blank, use a drill bit that is compatible with the pen kit components. Make sure to correctly measure and mark the locations to ensure that the pen components are aligned.

Assembly of the pen.

Now comes the interesting part: creating your Crepe Myrtle Burl pen. Insert the pen mechanism, clip, and nib, and carefully follow the instructions included with your pen. This phase brings your idea to life, changing it from a bare piece of wood into a working writing instrument.

Finishing touches:

Apply a treatment to enhance the inherent beauty of the crepe myrtle burl. To obtain a glossy appearance, many woodworkers use a clear finish, such as a high-quality wood polish or a thin layer of cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesive. Allow the finish to dry completely before handling the pen.

Admire Your Work:

Take a moment to admire your Crepe Myrtle Burl pen's craftsmanship and unique features. Each swirl and pattern in the wood tells a story, giving your products a distinct appearance.

How to Take Care of Your Crepe Myrtle Burl Pen.

To ensure the brightness and life of your pen, keep it away from direct sunlight and harsh temperatures. To keep the pen bright, polish it on a regular basis with a soft cloth. With careful care, your Crepe Myrtle Burl pen can serve as a permanent reminder of your carpentry abilities.

Conclusion

Making a pen from Crepe Myrtle Burl pen blanks is a satisfying activity that combines carpentry abilities with artistic expression. Each stage, from raw material selection to turning, sanding, and assembly, contributes to the production of a distinct and personalized writing instrument. Accept the natural beauty of Crepe Myrtle Burl and let your imagination go wild as you begin your woodworking journey.

Check out for more information Exotic Wood Zone.

#woods #woodworking #plywood

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gothhabiba · 11 months

Note

To ask a question about something other than moms…What… ARE Victorian mourning codes? And how did you find out about them? Are there any good sources?

Wearing black for some time after the death of a relative was already a convention in England in the Regency, but the common narrative is that Queen Victoria's very long, very public mourning for her husband, Prince Albert, encouraged the increased codification and strictness of mourning codes from the 1860s to the -80s (by the late 90s, stringent and prolonged mourning was occasionally referred to in contemporary writing as a thing of the past; the 1930s is usually given as the last decade when mourning dress was socially codified in England and the U.S.).

Conventions for mourning attire (and visiting, comportment, letter-writing, visitor-receiving, &c.) were laid out in etiquette and housekeeping manuals and magazines of the mid-to-late Victorian era; given the increasing literacy rate throughout England in the 19th century, alongside other economic changes, there was increased demand for works that explicitly explained conventional, "respectable" genteel behavior for those who wanted to emulate it but did not have family history of gentility (many of them merchants, for example).

The relationship between "etiquette," "morality," and class in this time, as well as the relationship between conventions as they are actually lived and as they are written down in etiquette manuals, is debated. What's clear is that prescriptions for mourning the same family member at similar times differ from text to text; these texts also note the personal nature of mourning attire, pointing out that some people follow conventions stringently, while others do much more and still others somewhat less than would be "expected."

So guidelines for mourning attire (and behaviour) differed significantly based on the age and gender of the mourner, their relation to the deceased, the time period and place, and which writer you were consulting. Typically, for widowed women, a period of no less than a year (and up to a year and nine months) of deep mourning is called for, perhaps followed by a period of second mourning and then a period of half mourning, amounting to around 2-3 years in total. For widowers, a year of far less stringent mourning. If the deceased was your child, a year; if a sibling, six months.

Generally, deep mourning consists of black dress covered entirely in black, lustreless crepe; a crepe veil covering the face and descending to the calves on the rare occasions when the widow must leave the house; no jewellery or ornament of any kind, with necessary fastenings (belt and shoe buckles, buttons) being of lustreless jet; no trim except for a deep fold of crepe. The veil might be worn over the face for about three months, after which it would be thrown back over the head to shew the face; or it might cover or reveal the face depending on whether the bereaved were in the mood to talk.

With second mourning, the layer of crepe may be abandoned and black fabrics with a slight lustre may be introduced, as well as jewellery consisting entirely of jet, vulcanite, or other black material; half-mourning introduces lace trim, lavender and grey fabrics, and jewellery including materials other than jet (as long as jet or similar is still the primary material). For men, mourning consists of a black hatband and armband, and perhaps black cravat and waistcoat. This is in England; in many parts of the U.S., mourning codes were less strict, with jet jewellery for example being acceptable immediately after the death of one's husband.

Working class people often followed guidelines for mourning attire to whatever extent they could; certainly they would wear black to funerals, whether this meant renting clothing or buying it "on tick" to be sold again immediately after the funeral, or dyeing their existing clothing black.

I haven't touched on the reasons given for following mourning codes because this is already long! A lot of interesting work has been done with regards to how people during the Victorian era responded to and used codes of mourning--check out my tag on the subject.

Contemporary references:

The art of dressing well (1870), pp. 92-6 (U.S.)

The ladies' book of etiquette, and manual of politeness : a complete handbook for the use of the lady in polite society (1873), pp. 82-3 (U.S.)

Manners of modern society : being a book of etiquette (1875), pp. 83-4 (England)

Cassell's Household Guide vol. 3 (1884), pp. 344-5 (England)

Manners and rules of good society : or, Solecisms to be avoided (1898), p. 230ff (England)

Lancaster History provides references to 19th-century U.S. writing on mourning dress

#questions #mourning #Victorian

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nhidalgo9 · 11 months

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May 29 - Shibuya/Harajuku

Day two of our UF study abroad experience had us going to a fluorescent and neon part of Tokyo called Shibuya. You may recognize its famous crossing from its depictions in all kinds of media from movies, tv shows, to even books. In this crossing you may see up to 500 people crossing the street at once in all directions left, right, up, and down. Shibuya houses the 2nd largest Starbucks in the world as well as many different manga shops and boutiques allowing anyone to come and shop to their heart's content there. Before reaching the actual crossing visitors are greeted by the statue of the dog Hachiko, Japan's symbol of loyalty and friendship. The story of Hachiko is as follows: everyday after work Hachiko would wait for his owner outside of the train station, but one day his owner had died at work but even so Hachiko kept waiting there everyday for many years hoping that one day his master would return. Shortly after that we went to Harajuku, one of Japan’s bigger shopping districts housing many recognizable brands like Nike, Adidas, and Uniqlo. Known for its crepes and omurice this neighborhood is jam packed with foot traffic going up and down the street. This area was a lot more friendly to foreign tourists allowing most of us to pay for our purchases with a credit card rather than cash. Our final destination of the day was the prestigious Meiji shrine which in order to get into we traversed through a beautiful forest lined by gravel with big torii made of wood to greet us as we passed by. Today too it was also lightly drizzling all day which set the tone for the day perfectly.

Academic reflection

As far as relating our daily activities to the readings we did, the main one that stands out to me is Yano’s article “Wink on Pink” which detailed how the Hello Kitty character has made Japan recognizable worldwide for being “Kawaii” or cute. Walking around Shibuya one thing stood out to me, and that was the widespread use of “Lolita” advertising for many clothing brands in the department stores. Rather than showcasing their bodies and flaunting their sexualities like in many western countries, the Japanese instead use the idea of kawaii in order to try and regain their beauty and innocence by encapsulating the purity and cuteness of a schoolgirl. This explains why when walking around Shibuya and Harajuku many Japanese women will be wearing outfits similar to those of a school uniform or even in advertisements doing their hair like that of a schoolgirl. It is not a way of fetishing children like it is thought to be in the west, instead it is a reclaiming of their image and “selling” themselves as an image that they have complete control over. While many nations and countries use their military strength to show their dominance in the global sphere Japan uses their cultural influence to remain dominant, showing how far they reach by the various collabs that Hello Kitty participates in.

The Meiji shrine was built to honor the emperor that was responsible for the Japan that we see and are accustomed to today. After the Tokugawa period of seclusion we find ourselves in a Japan that is rapidly falling behind on the times. Commodore Matthew Perry comes to Japan ordering them to open up their borders to allow the U.S ships to refuel. The emperor realized how Japan was outclassed by the rapid advancements of the rest of the world in regards to fire power and technology and decided that something needed to change. He then enacted various reforms that drastically changed Japan and allowed them to keep up better with the other nations in the 19th century. It is only after reading our materials that I realized how important this one emperor was to the history of Japan, and his grandness and importance was repaid well, with a huge shrine in the middle of the city showcasing how important and necessary his forward thinking was to the rest of Japan. It is impossible to understate the impact that the emperor Meiji had on forming Japan and essentially rescuing them from falling behind more than they already were.

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sifasdt · 1 year

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SIFAS Daily Theatre: 2023-05-18

(Transcription after the break.)

[Image transcription:]

SIFAS Daily Theatre for 2023-05-18

Know Yourself!

Yoshiko: Sorry to keep you waiting, Kotori! Kotori: Hello, Yoshiko-chan! Yoshiko: ...Don’t you have something else to say? And it’s Yohane. Kotori: I’m really looking forward to our sweets tour today! I want to try a buckwheat flour crepe! Yoshiko: That’s not what I mean! Don’t you have anything to say about this Yohane look? Kotori: ...? Yoshiko: Could it be... this outfit doesn’t suit me...? Kotori: Wha!? That’s not true at all! It looks great on you! The big frilly lace on the sleeves is light and cute, and the big ribbon at your waist is also cute, but it doesn’t look too cutesy since it’s made from a shiny, stiff material. Your brooch also looks lovely! Yoshiko: Really?! I put a lot of thought into it! Kotori: Wait, Yoshiko... Yohane-chan, did you remember what I said before? That you should wear what suits you. That’s what I said, right? Yoshiko: Well, not exactly, but... I mean, I didn’t forget everything. It was just in the back of my mind... Kotori: Hehe, I’m so happy!! Hey, after we eat, let’s go shopping! I want to help you pick out some early summer clothes! Let’s goooo~! Yoshiko: Hey, wait up, Kotori! Slow down!

[End transcription.]

#love live #sifas #sifas daily theatre #yoshiko tsushima #kotori minami

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awordwasthebeginning · 2 years

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Moonacre Week 2022

Day 3: Flower crown/s

“I still don’t quite understand what it’s got to do with Pride.”

Maria sighs as she grabs Robin’s wrist and pulls him with her through the clothing stalls. “I told you. It doesn’t have a deeper meaning, it’s about the vibe.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh, come on. Indulge me.” She smiles at him, and thinks that for a split second, Robin actually smiles back.

Then he is scoffing again, rolling his eyes. “The things I do for you, Merryweather.”

Maria stops in front of the florist’s shop she has been heading towards and looks at him. Robin’s tone has been teasing, but he has been a bit reserved lately.

He squeezes her hand and smiles, fully and genuinely this time. “Hey, I’m here, aren’t I?”

Maria squeezes back before they step inside the shop.

The scent is the first sensation that reaches her, that typical scent of a florist’s shop, green and moist and sweet and a bit mouldy. As they walk past a bouquet of lilies, Maria catches a whiff of their perfume-like scent, the one that always reminds her of ripe bananas.

It’s green and humid in the shop and there is the occasional leaf and stem scattered across the floor and the scratched counter. The florist smiles at her. “Ah, Miss Maria! I got the order containing the material for your ideas just this morning, perfectly fresh!”

“No baby’s breath?” she asks with a conspirational smile. Not that it isn’t pretty – but maybe not the right kind of flower for the occasion.

“None at all. Nothing pink, either, and no geranium.”

Maria can see Robin’s grin from the corner of her eye. She knows that he knows about her particular dislike towards pink, geraniums, and pink geraniums.

“Let’s have a look, then, shall we?”

“Please lead the way, Mr Digweed.”

The workshop at the back contains the chaos the front room merely hints at. Petals, leaves, stems cover half the floor. The other half is covered in either soil or water. Buckets filled with twigs or water and plants are lined up along the walls; a tower of precariously stacked empty buckets leans in the corner. One wall is taken in by a huge table littered with half-finished bouquets, more plant parts, and tools – knives, scissors, tongs, secateurs. From the massive cupboard above, ribbons, crepe, wire, and floral foam are threatening to spill onto the surface of the table.

From God knows where, Mr Digweed produces a large plastic box and places it on the least chaotic spot on the table. Maria barely has the time to look at the contents before he makes one, two, three quick picks, and holds them out next to her head. She thinks one of those is rosemary.

“Yes. I think this will work nicely. I’ll add some yellow roses from the garden.” Mr Digweed tilts his head, places the assortment on the table, and turns. “And for you?”

Robin looks like a deer in headlights. “For me?”

“Well, I wasn’t aware Miss Maria would bring a friend, but it’s absolutely no trouble.”

Scratch that, Robin looks positively terrified. Maria puts a hand on his arm. “Hey”, she says. “I know that wasn’t the plan. But it’s just flowers, if you want – and – we’d match?”

Robin takes a deep breath. “It’s Pride, right? Won’t be the strangest thing around.”

“No. And no-one is going to revoke your Man Card for it, really.”

A strange expression flickers across his face, and he lifts one corner of his mouth. “Alright. Why not. But I’m not putting roses in my hair.”

“Oh, no. Yellow is absolutely not your colour, anyway.” The florist turns again, mutters something under his breath, makes another pick.

Maria smiles at Robin, lets her hand slide down his arm a bit, and squeezes his fingers.

They go for a coffee while Mr Digweed prepares their pieces, take a stroll through the stalls, buy a type of candy Maria absolutely must send to Mama Jane on the nearest occasion, and then they return to the florist’s.

In two white boxes lined with paper – like oversized wedding rings, Maria thinks absurdly for a moment – there are their flower crowns: dark green and yellow, rosemary and roses and sprigs of gorse for Maria; blueish green and white, lavender and chamomile and eucalyptus for Robin. Additional greenery fills the crowns, makes them look sturdy enough to survive a day outside. Maria beams at Mr Digweed.

“They are gorgeous, Mr Digweed, you are brilliant!”

“You like them?”

“I do, I absolutely do –” Maria glances at Robin. He is smiling, more at her than at the crowns, but she lets it count. “Thank you!”

They pay, and part with instructions on how to keep the flowers alive until tomorrow.

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

“All right”, Maria says back at their flat, when they’re sitting at the kitchen table working, each with a mug of tea in front of them. “Spit it out.”

Robin lifts his gaze from his tablet. “Hm?”

“You’ve been meaning to say something all day, I can tell.”

Robin sighs, leans back, runs long fingers through messy curls, stares at the ceiling. “It’s two things.”

“Okay. What’s the first one?”

He stays serious for another moment before a wide grin splits his face. “I can’t believe your florist is called Digweed.”

Maria’s groan is drowned out by his laughter. She rolls her eyes, but finds that she can’t be mad, really. It is funny, and it’s nice to finally see Robin so relaxed, after the restraint he has been exerting all day. “I’m almost afraid to ask what the second thing is.”

Robin sobers up immediately. He draws his shoulders forward, fiddles with one of the dozens of metal applications on his trousers. His voice is small, Maria almost doesn’t hear him say it.

“I’m nonbinary.”

Maria sits there frozen for a second. Robin, nonbinary? How – why – when –

Robin looks up. Stares at her with wide, kohl-rimmed eyes.

Does it matter, really?

She gets up, gives Robin a half-hug, places a kiss on a blushing cheek, and takes both of their empty mugs to the kitchen. “I’m getting another one, you too?”

“Yeah.” A cough. “Please.”

“’kay.” She puts the kettle on. “You want anything with it? Milk, sugar, new pronouns?”

Robin snorts. “Honey, and they/them, please.”

Maria turns her face towards the cupboard to hide her wide, silly grin. She can’t even say why this makes her so happy. Just – the fact that Robin trusts her with this, that they’re still talking about the tea at the same time…it’s another aspect of them living in this flat that makes it even more home. Their home.

“We’re out of honey”, she informs Robin. “But they/them I can do.”

#moonacreweek2022 #mine right now #another character! heyhey #i know a lot about plants but not about how to make art with them so #i hope there are not too many floristic inaccuracies in this one #also i am glad i finally got to this chapter bc #SPOILERS!:#change to correct pronouns finally #awordwasthebeginning writes #loquor

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