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inkskinned · 6 months

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it is the first snow today. i think we should all have off work, even though it didn't stick. i think there should be 4 national holidays, one for each season. happy first snow, go home and make cookies. for spring it can be the first crocus. for summer the first lightning bug. for autumn, the first golden leaf. go home, kiss your dog, feed your cat (who is absolutely already-fed but somehow still starving.)

i think we should all take more showers together, but i mean that in the soft way. i mean it like taking a nap. two years ago i had 5 adult friends in my queen bed, all of us laying across each other, head over belly over thigh over hand. any time one of us would giggle, it would ripple over each of us, like pulling on a spiderweb. kim actually needed to nap and didn't get to sleep and i am still sorry for it even though this is one of my most precious memories.

i think we should all wash each other's hair, i mean. i walk my dog and i watch someone put up twinkle lights around their front porch. alex and i just moved, and i love the neighborhood. already so many of our new neighbors have stopped by to say hello. the nice lady downstairs also collects plants, like me. she gave us her number on a pink post-it note. i am trying to decide whether to make her cookies or brownies.

i am going through a very hard time. something bad happened this weekend that i do not wish to discuss. it is hanging over me. i think of the green ribbon, and the woman who had her throat cut. it feels like that sometimes, inside of my body. like i am walking and talking despite being half-corpsed. like i am hanging on by a ribbon, standing on some kind of cusp. i keep saying - at least it wasn't worse. we are so lucky it wasn't worse. the idea is river-rock smooth now, all the edges worried off.

in this very dark night - the sun sets by 3 now - people don't need to, but they try anyway. they paint the missing light into things. i have an embarrassing number of missed calls and texts, but i feel the love from them nevertheless - hey. if you need something, i'm here. i will bring you food/puzzles/anything. i got you.

i think we should all have a big group chat where we do errands with strangers. this week i got lost in a home depot, which is wild because i'm a lesbian and we are actually hatched in a lowe's lumber section. there were two other women in the whole store. we ended up shopping together, at first by accident (we all needed things in the same aisle), and then because, well, why not. one of the ladies was taller than me, so she pulled down the screws i needed. i am agile and have the personality of a raccoon, so they sent me after anything below 3 feet. we talked about holiday plans and never learned each other's names, but did learn all the drama about each other's families.

i am making you cupcakes, because i have so much affection i want to pour it into batter. you ask me if i am eating enough per meal. i wrap your gift twice, trying to do it prettily. i get excited to give it to you, just because i hope you'll be excited too.

my parents drive an hour just to see the new apartment and to do the parent thing; standing in the kitchen saying things like "oh you'll get so much use from this dishwasher" and "well, you could paint that" and "when your mother and i moved it was uphill both ways and in a snowstorm and of course your brother was an infant." my mother brought me a plant for housewarming. i always say i love you before she leaves.

i play dnd on tuesdays still, after all these years. we all keep that night free. at one point, between grad school and marriage and all of it, we had to have a serious discussion about how to keep it running. we will keep going, we decided eventually. just to see each other, even if we don't play - you are all important to me. sebastian is not prone to affection but last night he stole my usual sign off - i love you all, be good, he said. he was laughing.

i don't love the winter, actually. i like snow in theory, but i grew up in the north, and am too-familiar with the season of "mud and sludge". i don't like being cold. but i do love something kind of soft and rare: every year around this time, people remember oh yes. you and i are human together. and i have love to spare.

it is the first snow, and something in my heart is finally warm again. i have spent what felt like the last 18 months just going-through-the-motions. it has felt blank and immediate, like i would never actually feel again. that sounds extremely trite and stupid - but that is the boring and familiar experience of depression. life just washes up against your windows, and you watch it happening. you see things that should be lovely and affecting, and it just whispers too-thin. i was desperately uncreative. uninterested in my hobbies. unimpressed by my writing. i told my therapist, often, i don't know how to find hope again.

almost sheepishly, something strange and lovely is burning in my chest. i keep not-looking at it, worried it will scamper back into the shadows again. it is skittish and wild, but it is so warm i want to sink my hands into its fur and feel it breathing. i love-hate it: if it's real, it can hurt me when it leaves again. but i am icarus-born, sun-lover and poet: i can't help myself. despite my best intentions, i am falling in love with life again.

i am planning to make cookies for my friends. alex and i are going to go christmas tree shopping. we picked out matching dish towels last night, and they have little mushrooms on them.

i love you. it does come back. yes, even after a long time. even for you. i promise. keep trying. you will wake up and it will be a day you can smile about.

write me when you get there. we will take the day off of work, and i will wash your hair, and we will both be laughing.

#spilled ink #writeblr #pos #recovery #my brain is like - don't trust it!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!! we can't be wrong again!!!!!!#and im like. what if the sorrow is the thing that's wrong though.#what if this - this!!!!! - is the truth

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prismarts · 2 months

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I REDESIGNED THE MANE SIX PONIES!!!

I had so much fun doing these and I really wanna ramble so if you wanna hear about my thought process, click below!

✨️Twilight Sparkle✨️

Twilight was the simplest and arguably the closest to her canon design with a few differences, she is tad taller as an alicorn, while she was a medium height as a unicorn before this

I REALLY wanted to change her colour palette into one of an actual twilight sky and skew darker in terms of colours for that almost dark academia feel.

I added some silver glasses and a collar and some sort of tie for that fantasy almost witch apprentice look as almost a nod to Twilight being Celestia's apprentice.

Her mane is up in a bun to keep it tidy while she studies and her tail is kept short so she doesn't get caught in anything as she runs around looking for books.

I thought it'd be cute for her to have sparkle like freckles to match the sparkles on her wings.

Finally, her cutie mark is all around the same but with more of the twilight colours instead.

🧁Pinkie Pie🧁

Pinkie Pie is now EXTRA fluffy to just fit her extra bubbly personality while also being the second shortest pony.

I decided to give Pinkie heterochromia, I just feel like it suits her really really well! Alongside the lighter rounded patches of fur and darkening the rest of her pink coat.

She got hoof-icures of sprinkles on her light pink hooves!

Her mane and tail are extra fluffy and shorter, making it look a lot more puffed up like the canon mane and tail she has as a filly in canon! She has sprinkles all over her mane and tail and a bow on her tail.

Finally, her cutie mark now has different coloured and shaped balloons as well as a cupcake and party hat, the cupcake referencing her baking talents as well as her party talents!

🦋Fluttershy🦋

Fluttershy has a few changes to her design, she is the third tallest pony of the group.

I gave Fluttershy, dark forest green eyes to contrast with all the pastels in her design.

She has significantly longer mane and tail with a gradient from pastel pink to a pastel leaf green.

I really wanted Fluttershy to have smaller wings, like Scootaloo in canon, she has this disability now and is unable to really fly. I wanted to explore just how much animals and the nature impacted her as a filly by making her a lot more connected to it. An example being the leaves and flowers in Fluttershy's mane and tail is from her climbing trees to help critters, something she LEARNED from her critter friends.

Her smaller wings have a small feather pattern that resembles a butterfly's wings in the inner of her wings and the fluff on her hooves also resemble leaves and butterfly wings.

💎Rarity💎

Rarity has a few changes, mainly to her mane and tail, she is also the fourth tallest among the group.

Rarity has piercing dark blue eyes, I made her eyes a more striking colour than in her canon design.

Her mane and tail now have small curls and waves, decorated with pearls and up in a half bun. With a gradient colours of dark purple to a pastel indigo. I really wanted to give her a very fashionable mane and tail style without it just being a single giant curl.

Rarity's hooves have a gradient into an ice blue.

I gave Rarity so many accessories and jewelry, I really wanted to dress her up in diamonds and pearls and gold.

Rarity's cutie mark is now a big single diamond with a dark purple thread spool and needle. The diamond representing her backstory where she found all those gems and got her cutie mark after using them in her design and the heart shape the dark purple thread makes, represents her big and generous heart.

🍎Applejack🍎

Applejack's coat is now a darker brown with patches of light brown and the orange from her canon design. She is also the second tallest of the group.

Her eyes are now a brighter leafy green.

Her mane and tail are now significantly shorter, in a more orangey tone of blonde as her tail is tied in a braid to help keep it neat and tidy during her farm work.

I added a red ribbon to her hat, which is now a darker shade of brown as well as gave her a handkerchief tied around her neck that has red and green plaid.

Applejack has a slightly bulkier body from all the apple bucking she's done around the farm.

Her cutie mark is now a heart shaped picnic mat with her three apples that are now three different colours to represent Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith.

⚡️Rainbow Dash⚡️

Rainbow Dash is the shortest of the group, but of course is absolutely the fastest.

She now has a darker greyish blue coat with a lighter grey blue patches as well as light blue lightning and cloud patches all over.

Her wings are now bigger, this being something that has hindered her flying as a filly and made it hard for her to control her flying and crashing into things as a filly, being given the nickname 'Rainbow Crash'. But now her bigger wings help her fly faster than ever before, even helping her do the impossible Sonic Rainboom.

Her hooves are now a gradient from light blue to white to represent clouds.

She now wears goggles around her neck all of the time.

Her mane and tail are significantly shorter and in a cool swoopy sharp style, the rainbow in her mane and tail are a lot brighter now to make her stand out a lot more.

Her eyes are now a stormy grey to show off her aggressive nature while also being a perfect contrast to the rainbows in her designs.

Her cutie mark is now a giant rainbow lightning bolt in the middle of a ring of clouds and smaller rainbow coloured lightning bolts. This is to represent her ability to create a Sonic Rainboom.

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those-late-night-feels · 2 years

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Choke

Summary: Loki almost killed you during the Battle of New York. You struggle when he returns.

Warnings: If the title didn't give it away, choking. Also, Loki being an ass. Smut. 18+

AN: I'm a slut for comments and reposts!

*****

Why wouldn't he just leave? That irritating smirk, as if something was so damn amusing, lingered on Loki's face, his eyes on you like prey. He was that constant itch that you couldn’t scratch away, the ever looming ache in your side that you couldn’t ignore. While the rest of the team discussed their next mission, you sat at the far end of the table incessantly tapping your foot while he reclined in a chair. It was bad enough that after all the destruction he had caused in New York that he decided to show his face again on Earth, in tow with his brother. But the fact that you had to see him every day, breathe the same air, act like everything was water under the bridge, felt almost impossible. Thor had framed Loki's return in the brightest of lights–that he'd changed, that he had been brainwashed and tortured and wasn't the same person anymore. The rest of the team was willing to be cautiously accepting for Thor's sake, and perhaps were starting to buy into the idea that Loki had turned over a new leaf. But the rest of the team hadn't looked into Loki's eyes, seen that possessive evil, when he had lifted you by your throat while smiling, slowly closing your windpipe as you struggled to break free.

That fateful day had been permanently etched in your memory. New York was under attack and you had been focused on surveillance for the team in Stark Tower when he had shown up, strolling proudly with his scepter in hand. Standing abruptly, your heart pounded as you sized up this towering giant and watched his movements; your combat and defense skills were good, but they'd never been put to the test by a god. "Are you going to attempt to appeal to my humanity?"

His demeanor was so high and mighty, like this was all so far beneath him. "And why would I do that? Clearly you have none."

Your legs mimicked his movements, circling each other around the open loft. He paused and cocked his head, an amused smirk pulling on his face. "Don't tell me you intend to fight me, girl. Adorable, but I can assure you I am no match for you."

"We'll see about that."

"And why would I waste my time fighting you? You could be quite useful to me." He aimed the tip of the scepter at your chest, but you were quicker than he’d anticipated and swiped the staff to the side before kicking him in the chest. It didn't do much, he was as solid as a tree, but it was enough to catch him slightly off guard to kick the scepter out of his hand and you both watched as it slid across the room. Adrenaline pumping, you attempted to lurch at the fallen weapon, but he was faster and grabbed your wrist, spinning you around.

"And where do you think you're going?" His tone was sinister and his large hand wrapped around your neck, lifting you off the ground as your legs flailed. Long fingers slowly squeezed on your windpipe and you struggled to pry them off. Tears blurred your vision and started to stream down your face. "Such pathetic floundering bottom feeders you Midgardians are. I should put you out of your misery."

He smiled while watching you struggle in his one hand, prolonging your agony. Squeezing tighter, the world moving out of focus into black. And then a window shattered and the Hulk emerged, ultimately saving you and smashing Loki in the process.

For three weeks, every time you looked in the mirror you were reminded of what he did to you. Your neck turned black and blue, then purple, then green, then brown and yellow. But even as the bruises faded, it was still raw in your mind.

So when Thor had pulled you aside to convince you why his brother deserved another chance, you screamed internally while plastering a smile on your face. He had to have known the trauma Loki had put you through. "Are you okay with this, y/n?"

The pleading in his eyes confirmed that if you said no, it would break his heart. Thor was like a brother to you, and while his brother was the spawn of Satan, you pushed your feelings aside and lied straight to his face. "If you say he's changed, then I believe you."

*****

Loki knew who you were, what he had done to you. The recognition on his face when you first walked into the room and stopped short was evident. His eyes lingered as you leaned against the far wall, keeping a significant distance between you and him. Absentmindedly, you nibbled at your lip and fiddled with the hem of your shirt.

"Lady y/n!" The bellowing voice made you freeze as you watched the large blonde man stride over, dragging his darker haired brother behind him with a perturbed look. He wasn't actually bringing his brother over to you, was he? "I'm glad you are here," he smiled, like this was a family reunion, "Y/n, my brother Loki."

The expression on your face was blank as you tried to hold it together. "We've met," you deadpanned at the same time Loki said, "I don't believe she cares to meet me, Thor."

The oblivious blonde shook his head at your responses. "Nonsense! The last time you met was a misunderstanding. This is a chance to start anew."

Loki watched the vein in your neck as you clenched your jaw together, your nostrils flaring slightly at the thought of your near death being a "misunderstanding." The way your hand shook by your side. He knew you were not ready for this.

"Please excuse my brother. Y/n, it is a pleasure to meet you formally.”

You studied the carpet as he spoke, noticing a burn mark on the rug you'd never seen before. He turned to leave, pulling Thor with him.

“Is that it?” The words were so quiet you barely heard them yourself. But Loki paused and turned toward you. You didn’t want to look at him, didn’t want to be near him, didn’t want to be on the same planet as him, but you also didn’t want to be the weak girl that he clearly thought you were, so you pulled your eyes from the floor to look directly at him, your eyes blazing with anger. “Is that all you have to say to me?”

“I… No. I am sorry for any pain that I caused you. It is inexcusable, I know that.”

You willed yourself not to bring your hand to your neck, remembering how the person in front of you toyed with attempting to snuff out your existence without blinking an eye.

It's an act. It's just for show.

Glaring at him, you didn’t want to believe his words. If he was expecting forgiveness, he wouldn’t find it from you. "You're right," you replied. "It is inexcusable."

Pushing past him, you hated the feeling that perhaps he had been sincere.

*****

The constant stress of being cooped up in a tower with him was weighing on you. The need to leave rooms, change directions, hide out in your apartment; was it childish? You didn't know. But every time you saw him, your pulse started racing, your throat turned to sandpaper, and your stomach tensed.

When Natasha announced it was time they all went out for a night, you were all in, needing to literally let your hair down and dance your cares away.

Stark paid an exorbitant amount of money to have access to an exclusive club that he and his friends could access at any time. You showed up in a little black number with a mission to let your cares go.

Dancing for hours had left you parched and you made your way to the bar. He was already there, arms crossed as he watched others with a judgmental look of disapproval. You ordered a rum and coke, telling the bartender to put it on his tab, causing Loki to roll his eyes but nod all the same. He turned his attention to you, the hairs on the back of your neck prickling. "Having fun?"

"I was," you snided, sipping your drink. "I thought you enjoyed this type of thing. Thor said you had your fair share of banquets and masquerades."

"Yes, well, my tastes are…a little more…refined."

You rolled your eyes at his snobbery. He was truly the worst. "When are you planning to leave Earth? I'm sure there are other planets just waiting to be conquered."

Hesitating at your remark, he studied you, no longer shaking from nerves and a more bold tongue, chalking it up to liquid courage. Leaning in closer to you, he could smell a mix of your vanilla body wash, sweat, and alcohol. "Why would I leave when my presence is clearly torturing you?"

The sinister smile on his face made the lump in your throat return and you quickly sipped at your drink again, the alcohol pushing your nerves back down. "Look at you. I don't even have to lay a finger on you and you whither in front of me."

Your cheeks went hot under his intense gaze, feeling small as he hovered over you. Swallowing, you looked up at him, butterflies erupting inside you.

"Fuck you, Loki," you breathed. Storming off, you could only imagine that arrogant smirk on his face as he watched you walk away. Heart pounding, blood boiling, you grabbed the first man you saw on the dance floor, gyrating with him under the strobe lights, trying to remove the image of him hovering over you from memory. When you looked up toward the bar, Loki was still watching you, a smile pulling on his lips like he knew exactly what he was doing.

*****

Combat training with various team members was grueling but necessary work, dripping sweat and lungs burning. You and Natasha went at each other, you landing a blow to her ribs, her landing a kick which resulted in an armbar. A few rounds and the two of you had called it a night, her leaving to shower while you stretched weary muscles.

"Your combat skills have seemed to improve since the last time I saw them." You heard him before you saw him. Narrowing your eyes and putting on a braver face than you felt inside, you groaned, crossing your arms.

"You're like an annoying gnat. What do you want?"

"I'm curious, when the team goes on missions, who is the one that babysits you? Do they take turns or is it the same person?"

He was trying to goad you, trying to get a rise out of you, you knew that. Well two could play this game. "How exactly did you convince Thor that you changed? All that talk of torture, did you make that up? Is there even a, what was his name? Thanos?"

His face dropped for the quickest of moments and a part of you regretted your words. But when he recovered, the look on his face made you take a step back.

"Tell me, how many nights have you been kept up at night thinking about my hand around your throat."

Your hand reacted before your brain could and the crack of your palm against his cheek was heard before it was felt. He smiled when he turned his face back to you, taking another step in your direction. Fist clenched, your arm swung up toward him, but he grabbed it and held it in place. Another step, your knee came up to his stomach, and he grabbed that too. You felt the wall behind you, a shallow breath released as you tried to hold yourself together, his chest centimeters from yours. When you looked up at those blue-green eyes though, it wasn't the same look as last time. There was no darkness, no evil, no possession. His smile was covering something else. Slowly, your eyes locked on his, you guided his other hand to your neck. His breath hitched as he watched you wrap his slender digits around your throat.

"Wha–" but you silenced his question with your lips. What started as a desperate need to shut him up turned to lips hovering near each other, tongues dancing together, breaths being shared. He pulled away to look at you, a question playing on his face, his silver tongue clearly tied. Your eyes dropped down, embarrassment starting to flood your mind, and his hand flicked your face back up to his and kissed you again, hand gliding from your neck to the back of your head, gripping onto your hair. Your fist was dropped as he glided his palm down your side, wrapping around your ass, bringing you wanting core to him. A whimper left your lips and he pressed into you with need.

Brains turned off, hands scrambled to pull at clothes and feel every inch of one another. His fingers slipped inside your pants, running his long digits along your silky crevices and you shook as the tip of his finger circled your clit, smiling into your mouth. "Seems like you've thought of this multiple times, pet."

"Shut up,” you demanded, greedily scrambling to free his throbbing erection from its enclosure, pulling at zippers and buttons, a relieved sigh escaping from him when it was freed.

He was quick with his movements and flipped you around, hands pressed against the wall, pants yanked down with a swift jerk, fingertips drawing lines up your thigh, up your hip, up your spine, causing shivers. His hand came to rest on your neck, tilting your head back to him. His warm throbbing cock slid between your ass cheeks and through your thighs, playing with your anxious opening.

"Beg me," he whispered into your ear. A strained cry left your throat as he rubbed his hot erection up your slit.

“Please,” you breathed, then moaned loudly as he stretched your tight opening, flexing his fingers under your jaw.

“Is this what you want, pet?” You wondered that yourself as he smoothly pulled and pressed into you, but as he hit your cervix while locked against him, you knew this was exactly what you wanted all along. A secret desire you wouldn’t even admit to yourself. The noises you made were sloppy, no longer able to make sense. He pulled your head toward him again, gripping down a little harder while pounding into you. “I asked you a question girl.”

“Y…ye…yes…” you wailed. You were close, but if it were to coming or passing out, you didn’t know. His cock hit in places you didn’t know were inside of you, and as he reached down to circle your clit, your body shook violently. The world went black for a moment and you collapsed into him, but vaguely you could hear his words. “I got you. I got you. Good girl.”

Pressing yourself into him on the floor, your lungs burned. He rubbed your neck, your arms, your back, while you came back to full recognition. Looking up at him, he pressed his lips together while you bit at yours. “Do not tell anyone about this.”

He cocked his head, raising an eyebrow. “I doubt they would believe me even if I did, pet,” and kissed your hand. "Do you still want me to leave Midgard?"

Lowering your face into his shoulder, you hid your reddened cheeks. Your lips pressed together, unable to answer, but knowing you didn't want him to go.

Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/thoselatenightfeels

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wastelesscrafts · 2 years

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hi! this is embarassing but i'm trying to learn how to embroider, and i wanted to ask: how many threads are we supposed to put in the needle hole? i wasn't sure wehre to find this information...the tutorials show one thread but the thread from the embroidery spool is so big and won't fit when i try to thread it through the fabric :(

How many embroidery floss strands

It's okay, we all have to start somewhere.

A lot of us feel like everything we do has to be perfect on our first try, but that's just not realistic. It leads to us feeling embarrassed about messing up, and then giving up altogether.

Mistakes are an important part of learning any skill, and so is asking for help when you run into trouble.

And you know what? Asking questions you're embarrassed about is really brave, so good job on sending this ask in the first place!

Embroidery floss:

Most embroidery floss consists of six separate strands. (This may vary depending on which type you use.)

(Image source) [ID: a bunch of green embroidery floss looped around a plastic tag labelled "320", lying on a white piece of fabric. One of the floss threads has been loosened up, showing the different threads it consists of. Text: "needlenthread.com".]

By having multiple strands at your disposal, you can choose how many to use. Using all six will give a bolder look than using just one strand. It's kind of similar to drawing: lines made with a big marker will look different than those of a fineliner.

(Image source) [ID: six short lines in stem stitch embroidered in light blue floss. Each line is numbered from one to six, indicating how many strands of floss were used per line. Text: "How many strands of thread to use? stitchfloral.blogspot.com".]

And just like how a fineliner or a bold marker will result in different effects, the amount of strands you use will effect what your embroidery looks like.

(Image source) [ID: two sets of an embroidered red and yellow flower paired with a green leaf. The set on the left has been embroidered with six strands of floss while the set on the right has been embroidered with only one strand of floss. Text: "© Sarah's Hand Embroidery".]

How many strands to use depends on the look you're going for and the fabric you're working on.

How many threads?

So, how do we decide how many strands to use? Ask yourself the following questions:

What visual effect do you want to achieve? A bold design, or something more delicate?

How much thread do I have? Can I afford to use six at the same time, or should I use my floss sparingly?

Do I want my embroidery to lay flat on the fabric, or do I want something raised?

Do I want to work fast and bold, or slow and detailed?

What's the most comfortable amount of strands to work with for me personally?

What's my fabric like? Can it handle six strands, or would that result in damaging it? Does my thread count match the needle I want to use?

Which amount of floss is the most appropriate choice for the stitch I'm using?

If you're unsure, try your stitch and strand combination on a scrap of spare fabric first and see what it looks like before tackling your project. Make sure to use a needle that's appropriate for your fabric and thread, too.

(Image source) [ID: four cross-stitched blue hearts on white canvas. Each heart is labelled one to four and was stitched with a different amount of thread, resulting in different fabric coverage.]

Conclusion:

How many strands to use depends on your project, your design, and your fabric. It can be hard to choose how many to use at first, but this is something you get a feel for the more you practice.

For more information, check out these strand guides by Needle 'n Thread, Crewel Ghoul, Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials, Stitch Floral, and Better Cross Stitch Patterns.

#wasteless crafts #ask #embroidery #embroidery floss #embroidery 101 #embroidery for beginners #diy #fibre arts #fibre crafts #thread count #how many strands #tutorial #how to #sewing #cross stitch #crafts

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stagefoureddiediaz · 1 year

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Costume meta 6x10

Costume metas are back baby!!!! I’m so happy to be back writing these - you have no idea how much i missed writing them. This one is not quite as full on as my normal metas and has taken me far longer than I’d intended - if you’ve been following my posts over the last couple of days you will be fully aware of my insanity spiral over the Eddie of it all (as well as poker Buddie!) so I hope you’ll forgive me - I’ve not had the mental capacity I normally do to dedicate to costume spiralling!

No Eddie this week as he only appeared in uniform 😭

A couple of more general things to point out - the use of Check - we see it on Nathaniel Greene and Phillip Buckley - which I think is a very interesting and loud choice considering this episode was all about fathers and fatherhood and the two fathers who are not all that (Mr Han is also in that number but his grey on grey suit was a deliberate choice that I will talk about in a minute) are the ones wearing check and tapping right on into my check theory!!! So Nathaniel is going to find himself in hot water very soon so the check is foreshadowing this for him. Philip (and Margaret as well actually!) in check is also foreshadowing whatever is about to go down with the Buckley parents (that happy family facade they’ve been putting on is about to crack big time!).

Grey is one of those colours that can be either warm grey (like we often see on Buck) or cool grey (which we have here on Mr Han) and that affects which meanings you attribute to it. Mr Han in double grey just about sums him up as a person - cold, conservative and controlling. Its also a colour that conveys gloom and frustration when worn in multiple like this, there is also the fact that ill people are often described as looking grey - which leads me to think that Mr Han being terminally ill is actually very likely!

The other thing I want to point out is the red harnesses - I know I don’t talk about the uniforms all that much except when there is something important an interesting in relation to them and this is very much that! Chim, Buck and Eddie are the ones we see in the red belt harnesses. Chimney removes his after Buck stakes his claim on it being his turn to go up the ladder and Chimney steps back from ladder detail. The reason I point this out is because its a very bright visual way of identifying and connecting both the fact that Chimney also has a red string of fate connected to Buck (I’m talking about family here and I know that technically all the firefam have strings of fate connecting them, but in this specific incidence its about the brotherly connection - the parallel to Kevin and Albert) which is relevant at that first moment but then the focus needs to shift. Eddie and Buck become the only ones distinguishable in the pouring rain - the only ones tied by that red string of fate - even when (and especially) when Buck is on the gurney.

over to our mains - below the cut to save your dashes!

Athena and May

I’m doing the two of them together this week because they are the costume version of yin and yang!

The silk blouse has a monstera leaf print - monstera symbolises suffocation in western culture which is a perfect symbol for this story arc - suppressing of evidence or information because of money etc. the use of navy red and white is also interesting - its very much a hint towards patriotism - a deliberate choice to play into the upperclass America vibe they’re claiming to be part of!

Mays two main costumes are costumes themselves - they aren’t representative of who May is or her character, the are the clothes of the character she’s playing - Jada. As outfits for Jada - they are very much playing to type - teenager with issues who’s rebelling against straight laced parents - Both Athenas and Mays outfits work perfectly in sync with each other as the anthesis of the other. Mays are both in the same tonal range - burnt dusty reds, washed out blue greys and beiges - all in the same colour spectrum as Athenas ‘costume’ but tonally at the oposite end - where mays are dark and muted, Ahtenas are bright and bold

in the middle of the undercover work we get a reminder of who they really are - Athenas generally more muted palette - her comfort colour choices of black and olive khaki green, while May is back in her bold and bright blocks of colour. Perfectly summing up that while Athena is playing a role that is not a million miles away from who she is (and channeling a bit of Beatrice in the process because that blouse is a Beatrice blouse in every way!), Athena also tends to wear the olive khaki colour on top when she’s investigating something outside of work - and by this I don’t just mean full blown investigating, I also mean low key - clocking something is going on with a member of the extended firefam and she’s paying attention. May is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Jada! I’ve talked about May wearing this sugary bright pink before in season 5 and the scene here is somewhat of a parallel to the one in 5x15- youthful and considered feminine but also compassionate and caring. It is sensitive and intuitive. All things we see in this scene - May is using her intuition about Tamara and her being a ‘weak link’ that will get some information. We also see her showing compassion for Bobby in this scene.

Bobby

keeping it simple for Bobby this week - just the one outfit and its supposed to essentially blend in with his uniform - we see him working on things related to the wildfire that Wendell died in both at the station while in actual uniform, and then at home with Athena and May (as an aside the fact that we see bobby with his family esp his stepdaughter and then with Buck and no other members of the fire fam is very telling!!) - it’s all signalling Bobby is in work mode even when he’s at home.

Hen

If there was ever a cardigan to signal the fact that Hen is puzzled by Denny’s behaviour and new interests - this one is very definitely it - it literally has neutral face emojis all over it 😐😐😐 which are often used to convey mild irritation and concern - both things Hen is clearly feeling in this scene. Red is also a colour associated with both anger and and love - we know Hen loves Denny, but its very likely that there will be anger down the line when she discovers what Denny has been up to. This jumper also fits with my check theory - it is a big checkerboard - so its foreshadowing for the upcoming Denny issues!

I’m going to say something here which is being used as a narrative device - Hen is wearing maroon, because she is in the ‘male’ or ‘father’ parent role at this moment - I don’t prescribe to the concept of queer parents fitting into gender stereotypes of parenting (that theres a fatherly one and a motherly one!) nor do I believe sport is a fathers domain but in this particular instance the wardrobe team are playing into a costume theme they’ve developed - namely that maroon is the colour worn when (mostly male) characters are being fatherly in someway. It is implied in this scene and the one in the firehouse, that Hen is the one who has been the one mostly supporting Denny in his sporting interests - football (sorry soccer - Im British its football 😂) initially and now she wants to be supportive in his baseball interest.

Not a costume thing, but I think its interesting and its costume adjacent, but I love the fact they’ve chosen two very different sports - one played with hands, the other with feet and the one Denny is taking up is the one where curveballs are a thing!

Denny

Or should I be calling him ‘D’??

we have this blue and black shirt - I have to confess my brain went off in 6 different directions on this one. Firstly there is the fact that its not that disimilar to what Christopher is wearing when Eddie catches him talking to his friends online late at night - the colours are different but the use of patterning is similar and the fact that Chris and Denny have paralleling story arcs is very 👀👀 It also ties Denny in with Hen as she also wears a lot of patterning similar to this. then there is the fact its black and blue - what is the first thing you think of when you say black and blue - being beaten up - potentially foreshadowing - not necessarily for a physical beating, more likely for the psychological bruising ahead. there is also the Rorschach test and camouflage elements as well. All in all its a shirt that speaks of secrecy pyschological trauma and trouble ahead!

This tee has me feeling all levels of insane. We have green for growth and renewal- its a bright green too, so its really reenforcing that idea. Then there is the design - a leopard in a jungle setting which is so many metaphors all rolled into one - the obvious ones of the jungle being dangerous, leopards not changing their spots and hiding in pain sight. But there are a few others - camouflage, the fact that leopards are nocturnal and solitary, they are also opportunistic. Then theres the jungle - jungles as well as being dangerous places, are also dense and in places impenetrable, they are overgrown and tangled. All of these things speaks volumes about what is going on with Denny right now, and the fact that he’s getting himself deeper and deeper into the jungle where opportunistic animals are waiting to strike. It a really clever use of imagery in graphic tee design to convey information and its something the show does a lot with the kids clothing!

Chimney

some really interesting stuff going on with Chimney in this episode - namely the fact that he’s wearing check - all the time, as well as the fact we get him in this lovely burnt orange colour!

Starting with the check - I’ve said it a million times and I’ll probably say it a million more, but the check is foreshadowing trouble ahead - in this instance its the unexpected arrival of the Han’s. The button down shirt under the jumper is maroon and burnt orange check - maroon is the colour of fatherhood in 911 verse so the maroon is a nod to that, both the fact that Chimney is a father (and a good one), but also that his father is the trouble ahead! While the orange - well orange is the colour of optimism, enthusiasm and emotional strength - the perfect colour for Chim in this scene - he’s being optimistic about what having the Buckleys to visit will be like - that together he and Maddie can get through anything. This opening outfit for 6b also shows us that Chim is in a much stronger place - things are going well for him - life is good and that has given him confidence and placed him in a better place emotionally.

then we get this blue check button down shirt - its light blue and a darker blue, and again the check is portending doom. I don’t want to make this all about Buck, (becasue it isn’t) but, the fact we see Chim in a blue check specifically while the Buckleys and Hans argue over Bucks sperm donation is super interesting. Its not only foreshadowing that Buck - who is also in blue, is about to come to harm in the place that was very nearly chimneys (as inBuck going up the ladder instead of Chim). It is also hinting at the fact that Chimney and his father (who is incidentally also in a blue shirt) are on a collision course. This check is about foreshadowing the two opposite disasters/ issues heading Chimneys way - the fact that he is about to potentially lose a brother - and one that has taken the place he was supposed to be in. That Chimney is going to have to reckon with the guilt and grief that causes - making this shirt about Chim’s connection to Buck but also connected to the idea of another man raising a child - much of Chimneys trauma stems from that very issue - he was raised by Mr Lee, had Kevin who was a brother in all but blood - who died in a work related accident and now he’s going to go through the same thing with Buck. the whole thing is setting up for Chimneys trauma to come and hit pretty hard - which all goes back to his own blood father - which is why we see Buck and Sang in the two very different blues and chimney in the check of both of them.

Maddie & Jee-Yun

Maddie going for full on black is such a choice! Black is a power colour, its sophisticated and mysterious, while also being authoritative and protective. It is also a colour of rebirth which is really important here for Maddie. This is a Maddie who is in the best possible place right now, but her choice to wear all black for the arrival of her parents is all about her wanting to but on a display of power while at the same time protecting herself and her family (Chim, Jee and Buck) its very much fake it till you make it - its not necessarily about her having power/control (which she does), but about the appearance of it.

This is about her rebirth as a person and as a mum and her showing that rebirth to those who have judged her in her life.

the purple suit and bright blue top are an interesting choice. The jewel tones exude happiness and contentment. I’ve spoken before about how we often see characters in these brighter versions of colours when they’re in a good place or having fun (think of the times we’ve seen Athena in bright jewel colours, or even Buck) and here we see Maddie embracing that her daughter is having fun with her grandparents and her family is all together and not fighting or distant from one another - don’t forget this is likely the fist time she has experienced this ever. The purple blazer is in line with other things we’ve seen on Maddie this season - we’ve seen her in bright purple before. Purple is a really interesting choice to me because so much of its meaning is connected to mystery, but also the understanding of ones self better, building and strengthening emotional connections to our deepest thoughts and desires. its such a choice for this scene - the happy family Maddie wants, has wanted all her life and hasn’t had in her grasp until now, but also the Daniel of it all - that she is now free to talk about her brother, to share her knowledge of him and that she has been able to actually sit in her grief and come to terms with it. It’s a really powerful choice for her and speaks so much about how far Maddie has come.

Look I love love love what the show does with the kids clothes - its always so on point for the scene - and this Baby Jee tee is no exception. ‘Shapes I know’ - a literal point at the fact that families can look different - they come in different shapes and thats something Jee ‘knows’ and is experiencing. It’s literally one of the cornerstones of he show - that families look different and come in a multitude of shapes and sizes and in this scene the show is very much pointing out that the Buckley parents and Han parents don’t really understand that in any great depth. The Buckleys are only being supportive and nice when it suits them - when they’re in front of others and can be judged - creating a fantasy of a loving and supportive family to the outside world - while behind closed doors - they’re not really interested and are in fact the complete opposite. The Han’s have a very rigid view on family and that there is only one type of family (I’m expecting Sang Han to make some comment about Jee being born outside of marriage etc at some point) and anything that doesn’t conform to that isn’t acceptable.

Buck

I so desperately wan to quiz the wardrobe department on the choice to have Buck in trousers that sit two inches above his ankle.

You can’t see them in either of these pictures, but Buck is still wearing trousers far too short for his legs and its making me insane. I know Oliver has stupidly long legs, but its not like they don’t have the budget to get trousers made and tailored to fit him. I mean its been this way since season 2 and everything is intentional so they must have decided on it as a character thing but I for one cannot figure out what its supposed to tell us about him - the only thinking I’ve managed to come up with is that he’s stuck in this liminal space between child and adult - not really one or the other (because of the saviour baby and not knowing about it of it all) so its a play on the historic idea of breeching and short trousers! It’s literally the only reason I can think of as to why they would do this. Especially because the outfit he is wearing in his coma dream he’s wearing trousers that fit his leg length which only proves to me that its intentional!

If we see Buck figure things out this season and we then see him start wearing longer trousers going forwards - ones that are actually the right length for his legs I might actually ascend to the astral plane!!!

This green top continues the theme of seeing Buck in either blues or this light green shade - it echoes both the polo shirt from 6x07 when he made his donation, and the one he wore to the Ren Faire in 6x08 and continues to prove my theory about the use of these green shirts on Buck - the colour might not have gotten darker, but the fact its still the same light shade and we’ve had no further progress (in terms of where Buck is at mentally - the pregnancy is obviously progressing!) at this point in time - we know he’s wearing gree ni the coma - and its a darker/brighter shade - hinting that progress- growth etc is happening and that the coma will be the catalyst for that growth to start - I fully expect to see Buck in more green as the season progresses and to see it getting deeper and brighter as we go along.

I have so many thoughts about this dark navy blue shirt we see Buck wearing for the Buckley-Han showdown. Its yet more Buck in shades of blue - forget 50 shades of grey Buck is all about 50 shades of blue (I think were up to 12 blue tops now for him this season and the next highest colour he wears is green with 3)!! theres the uniform aspect of it all - a bit like Bobby in this episode as well, but for Buck its almost like wearing the uniform gives him confidence and strength - superhero style - something he feels he needs to go through another experience with his parents.

There is something to be said about the use of blues at opposite ends of the spectrum on Buck - from the light pastel blues to this dark navy almost black blue, almost like Buck is oscillating between where he’s at mentally - projecting confidence, reliability, loyalty and trustworthiness, while also suggesting that internally he is struggling - blue is also a colour depression and suppression. We have to remember that Buck is still trying to figure out who he is, what he wants and how to be at ease with himself and so the use of both dark and light blues speaks of the duality of Buck right now. I bring this up because looking back through my costume plots for each character its become obvious that this season its very much deliberate - all his blue outfits in previous seasons have been within a much smaller spectrum of colour - wearing blue but all similar in shade - tending toward bright blue or navies!

If you’ve made it to the end then I thank you - have a cookie on me 🍪🍪🍪 we all deserve them after that episode and we’re going to need out strength for next weeks!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my deep dive ramblings on costume for 6x09 - drop me a reblog or a comment to let me see your thoughts - I love reading them!!

As always tagged people below - if anyone wants to be added (or removed from) to the list please let me know in the comments!

Until next week (when I have a feeling I might be being set up for a very very long meta post 😬😬😬)

@mistmarauder @theladyyavilee @loveyourownsmiilee @leothil @girldadbuddie @kitkatpancakestack @buckscurls @lemotmo @trashendence @elishareads @clipboardsandstethoscopes @comfortbuddie @fiona-fififi @callanee @calyssmarviss @pbandjeremiah @batgrldes @spotsandsocks @livingwherethesidewalkends @idontshitpostbuttheolympicpark @diazboysbuckley @sweettsubaki @shortsighted-owl @sherlocking-out-loud @dickley-buddie @favouritealias @hearteyesdiaz @ktinastrikesback @princesschez75 @bucksbuddie @oneawkwardcookie @leatherat @moniquekatie @wanderingwomanwondering @trickster-archangel @outrunningthedark @asharadaine @ajunerose @talespinner230 @pop-kam @swiftiebuckleys @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @butchjerry @mandzuking17 @yelenasbuddie @copyninjabuckley @name-code-black-widow @rogerzsteven

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fanfoolishness · 1 month

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starlight + hunter? :)

Please enjoy! This ended up being a little longer. Hunter walks beneath the stars of Pabu, set in season 2. :)

The Soldier

He isn’t sleeping well.

It doesn’t make much sense, objectively. Pabu is the safest world they’ve been on in months, maybe in their lives. It’s a paradise here. The people are genuinely kind, grateful to them for all of their help during the sea surge. Omega runs and plays and laughs, and he keeps losing her in crowds of dozens of other children, all unique. Hunter knows he should be sleeping better than ever in a place of such security.

But night after night he wakes up after a few hours of uneasy, broken sleep, and eventually gets up, going on walks alone.

He lets the night-voice of this world wash over him as he walks the mountainside. He’s used to the blending of a place’s scents, sounds, light spectrum, gravity, weather all combining into a particular signature. Pabu is painted in a rich new palette, and he walks through it in the dark, memorizing it on his own.

There’s the ever-present lap of the waves on the shore; during the day he’d have to go to Lower Pabu to pick out the sounds in the maze of the village’s ambient noise, but here in the quiet it’s easy for him to hear, even hundreds of feet from the shore. It mingles with the songs of tree-crickets and the chatter of sea-bats.

There’s the scents of the large shade-trees, green vines bearing lush fruits on the sides of homes, the smells of sand and surf and leaf. He breathes deep of all of it, marveling at the lack of oil, exhaust, ozone.

There’s the mercurial breeze, sometimes sweet and gentle from the south-southwest, sometimes a bold blast from the wild north seas, sometimes a constant gust from the utter west. It dances over his face, flutters his hair against his neck and cheeks.

There’s the low-pitched hum of tectonic plates deep in the stone, the deep and vital shift just barely palpable when he lays his hand on stone. It always makes him pause; he stops, digs his palm against the stone wall, prays for the sake of the people here that there will not be another quake.

There’s the starlight. It’s still so strange to see a starfield unmarred by the steady stream of ships, the lights of landing fields. Countless constellations smatter the darkness in white and twinkling gold. He wonders if Tech knows their names already, if Crosshair could see them in incredible detail.

One night he turns at the top of the stairs. The wind has shifted; someone is coming up behind him, though they exercise no attempt at stealth. Hunter takes a pace forward and pauses as the person steps beneath a string of glowing lights on the veranda above. It’s only Shep.

“Can’t sleep?” Shep asks kindly. “This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you making the rounds.”

Hunter shrugs. “I’m just not used to it here. It’s so…” Peaceful. “Quiet.”

“And you seem restless. A tough combination,” Shep observes. “Do you ever watch the stars?”

“Sometimes. More to scan for any potential threats than for the stars themselves, I suppose.”

“That’s about what I thought,” says Shep. He points up to the sky, to an arc of bright white points loosely near each other. “You see that up there?”

He squints. “Sort of. Is it supposed to be something?”

“That’s the Soldier,” says Shep.

“Really now.”

Shep gives him a rueful smile. “Hey, I didn’t name them.” He gestures, drawing a hint of an outline. Hunter studies the stars above them. If he tilts his head to the side, he supposes he can see something like a figure up above, holding a sword, or maybe a rifle.

“If you say so,” he says.

“In the stories, the Soldier is a tragic figure,” Shep says. “Doomed to wander the skies. It’s one of the easiest constellations you can see shift with the seasons. Sometimes it seems like he’s never in the same place twice.” He turns to Hunter. “It must be hard to settle down after seeing so much.”

The stars glitter above them. The Soldier’s rifle swings high; his feet march onward. Hunter lets out a long breath. “Yeah. I guess it is.”

Shep reaches out, squeezes his shoulder before letting his hand fall. “I hope it gets easier. You and your family deserve it.” He nods to him. “Try to get some sleep, Hunter.” He heads back the way he came, and Hunter’s left alone beneath the stars.

He slowly makes his way back to the ship. For a moment, he thinks about asking Tech in the morning if there really is a constellation here called the Soldier. But the more he thinks about it, the more he decides he doesn’t need to know.

He climbs back into bed, the sounds of night-crickets and waves in his ears. He falls into a deep and dreamless sleep, and when he finally wakes again, the sun is high and the stars are long forgotten.

#hunter the bad batch #hunter tbb #tbb hunter #the bad batch #the bad batch fanfiction #my batcher fic #fic prompts #shep #pabu #shep hazard

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gardening-is-punk · 4 months

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Lunarpunk gardens

Okay, I'll admit I'm not on top of the whole aesthetics of the various -punk genres, but looks imo should be considered after function and ethics. SO...

I was inspired by this post and got to thinking about what a Lunarpunk garden would mean on my site.

I decided the most important part of the post was "Let me propose lunarpunk being more than just witchy aesthetics. It should be about reducing light pollution, protecting all endangered species including the ugly ones, and most of all seeing darkness as a coexisting counterpart and not something to conquer." So, that's three ideas that I can work with.

reducing light pollution: Working through this idea the same way I would evaluating an established garden in terms of layers and scale of objects in the space, at a site-level the only exterior lights are those at the front and back door. Various flying insects are very attracted to the back light, which is a normal incandescent bulb, and less are attracted to the front ones, which are green. In both cases, we never leave them on all night, but working off what several websites say about bulb color and warmth, I can swap all the bulbs for a warmer-tone LED bulbs and that would cause less issue when they are on at night. Scaling up, I'm not sure what I can do about the huge streetlight on our road, which has the most hideous white-light. Before I DO anything, I probably should dig into the city's files, since I know the bulbs were changed into those LEDs a few years ago, and maybe there was some thought put into that decision.

protecting all endangered species including the ugly ones: Given I'm looking at Lunarpunk, an obvious connection here was moths, the 'ugly' relatives of butterflies. Personally, I love moths and understand their greater ecological role compared to butterflies from a video presentation I watched a few months ago (I'll post that later). Focusing in on the "endangered" aspect, I used Xerces Society's 'Species Profile' tool to look at my state and see what moths are endangered in my area. (Side-note: I also looked at the other categories, like Bees, Beetles, etc. and nothing was specifically noted for my area, so I'm putting those categories on the backburner for ideas rn.) I identified three species of moth as endangered for my area: Diana Fritillary, Dukes' Skipper, and Early Hairstreak. The idea to then ID what plants the eggs and larvae need as host plants, what adults need for sustenance, and what mirco-climates I can make to support their life cycles.

Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana) "As a forest-dependent species, threats to the Diana fritillary come mainly from forest management: logging operations and pest control... There is one flight from June to September. Males emerge before females and patrol within the forest. Females lay eggs later in the flight period, mainly August, walking along the ground and attaching eggs singly to twigs and dead leaves. As with other Speyeria species, the caterpillars hatch and hibernate without feeding. They emerge in spring to feed on the leaves and flowers of various species of violets. Adults feed on nectar from a variety of plants, including milkweeds (Asclepias sp.), ironweed (Vernonia sp.), and red clover (Trifolium pratense). Males will also drink fluids from dung...Habitats for the Diana fritillary are the edges and openings in moist, rich mountain forests. They will also use pastures, shrublands, and fields for nectaring but will only breed if there is a suitable forest margin. Larval hostplants are various species of violets (Viola sp.)" (quotes from Xerces Society).

So, this species wants a forest edge, which my neighborhood is certainly not; however, I have a decent handful of trees which I mulch using unprocessed leaf litter and stems over the winter, and this provides a decent base for supporting any number of species in my site. I also have lots of self-sown viola in the lawn and beds, which I greatly enjoy not only for their tiny and delicate looking flowers, but also the fulsome heart-shaped leaves the rest of the summer and autumn. I have two Swamp Milkweeds planted, and I'll consider more species as space and needs arise. So far, off to a good start.

Dukes' Skipper (Euphyes dukesi) "It can be found in a variety of moist habitats with long grass, such as marshes or ditches, but the primary habitat is patches of sedge—its main larval host plant—in forested swamps. Dukes’ skipper deserves conservation efforts wherever it is found. Its forested wetland habitat should be protected from drainage, logging, and spraying...In the mid-south, there are two between June and September... Adults visit open wetlands to drink nectar from flowers such as pickerelweed (Pontederia sp.), sneezeweed (Helenium sp.), hibiscus (Hibiscus sp.), and blue mistflower (Conoclinium sp.)...Dukes’ skipper can be found in a variety of moist habitats with long grass, such as marshes or ditches, but the primary habitat is sedge patches in forested swamps. Larval hostplants are sedges, including hairy sedge (Carex lacustris) and shoreline sedge (Carex hyalinolepis)" (Xerces Society).

Again, not a habitat that is immediate to my site. The good news is that I'm already starting several Swamp Hibiscus from seed this year for various spots, and I've been looking more into sedges for a couple wet spots. In particular, I want to run an open pipe from the AC drip into a spot where I removed a non-native 'hibiscus' this winter after some damage. I could feasibly do a few sedges around the Swamp Hibiscus. I doubt I would get a breeding population on my own, but if it becomes an effective use of the water, this might be a technique that I can demonstrate to others in the neighborhood - and again, it's a good habit for several species besides the Skipper.

Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta) "The habitat is mature deciduous and mixed woods containing its host plants, American beech and beaked hazelnut. As a forest-dependent species, both logging activities and pest control spraying are possible threats...There are usually one flight (May – mid-June) in the north and two flights (mid-April – mid-May and late- June – July) in the east. Rarely, a partial third flight (late-August – early-September) in the southern Appalachians. Males perch in treetops on ridges and hilltops to watch for females. Adults nectar on fleabane (Erigeron sp.), oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), and steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa) Early Hairstreaks spend a considerable part of their life in the canopy. Some observers note that adults visit moist ground in the morning (for example, along dirt roads) before returning to the canopy in the afternoon. Eggs are laid singly on the hostplant fruit. Caterpillars feed on nuts, initially the husk in early instars and later boring inside. Most of the year is spent as pupae, probably in the leaf litter" (Xerces Society).

I'm realizing now that the reason these three species are threatened so much is that their habitat is decidedly not urban or adaptable to the swathes of monocultures that have swallowed my area. I don't have any Beech or Hazel nut yet, but I do have some beechnuts sown in a pot, that I picked off the path in a local park. If those germinate, I can probably keep some in pots and maybe get one in the ground depending on the circumstances this summer. I don't have any of the nectar plants, except the fleabane which randomly pops as a volunteer ( a "weed" to those more judgmental about pioneer-recovery species), and I can look into Steeplebush seeds, since they do look gorgeous and I can probably sell the more reluctant in my household on that factor.

seeing darkness as a coexisting counterpart and not something to conquer

This one is a bit tougher to work with outside of my own praxis, specifically in convincing others visually through my site. Honestly, I think the best way to suggest this visually is in using plants that are either dark foliaged (I have a ninebark and planning on some corn that fit this bill) or silver foliaged/white flowering ( a garden sage I have in a pot and the sown buttonbush, maybe). In daytime, I'm hoping to focus a lot on bright masses of color paired with bright hardscape, like the existing white accents and planned turquoise painted pots. The dark foliage are native plants; the ninebark is a replacement for the awful barberries I spent hours hacking out, and the corn is "Flor de Rio" a burgundy-colored popcorn variety. Those alone I hope are visually different enough to catch people's interest, but I know a lot of people take walks in my neighborhood in the evening, at dusk or after dark. The white flowers and silver foliage might actually benefit from the harsh streetlight, here, shining out from the muted greens and darker foliage.

The easiest way to try and further this point is naturally to talk to people about the idea, but I think this visual communication/demonstration could serve as the backbone of those potential conversations.

further thoughts

Lunarpunk isn't a genre I've really worked with before, but I hope this interpretation of the idea (a dark/hidden counterpart to the more well known Solarpunk ethos) can meaningfully help people reconsider their biases about visibility and usefulness, and of course provide support to various critters in the area.

#lunarpunk #garden #gardening #moths #gardening for moths #light pollution

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platonicreaderinsertfanfic · 2 months

Text

Was Your Friend About to Quietly Go Rogue?

Word count: 820 “You’re going with Naruto?” you asked, searching Kakashi’s one visible eye for how much trouble this would cause. He nodded. “Yamato is coming as well. If anyone asks about us, can you help cover for our absence?” “Sure, although I’m far from a brilliant liar.” "I know." Kakashi almost chuckled as he stood casually in front of the card table you were using to chop vegetables. Hands shoved into his pockets, partially silhouetted in the opening of the sturdy military tent, he may as well have been talking about visiting your family for a game night, instead of a personal mission which sounded dangerously like insubordination. Even with his headband covering his left eye, and his cloth mask covering the lower half of his face, it was easy enough to read his smile. Perhaps he was about to do something uncharacteristically stupid, but he looked the same as always, wearing a green flak vest and holster pouch. With the village destroyed and construction constantly ongoing, you had been assigned to peel and chop a sizable pile of potatoes, each of which you dropped into provided buckets of water once it was in quarters for easy boiling later. “Why all the secrecy?” He shrugged. “I doubt Danzo would approve of our journey.” “The new Hokage?” Usually Kakashi was more aware of the political ramifications of people’s actions than you were, but this seemed unwise. Although, you obviously didn’t know all the facts about the situation. Civilians rarely did. “The temporary, unconfirmed Hokage, yes.”

While you knew almost nothing of the man, it was clear Kakashi didn’t approve of this arrangement, so it seemed likely you would not care for the new Leaf Village leader either. Resuming peeling a potato, you wondered how serious this self-appointed mission of Kakashi’s was? The problem was, even if he was setting out on a suicide operation, he would likely be talking to you with his hands in his pockets and ever-calm demeanor, just like he was now. You knew that from personal experience. Sighing, your shoulders slumped as you planted your hands on the tabletop and leaned forward. “If you’re doing something the new Hokage doesn’t like, how many rules are you breaking?” “I’m not sure of the exact number. Maybe I’m technically not breaking any.” You stared at the tip of your knife, which rested on the cutting board. “Worst case scenario?” “You used to be an optimist.” “I’m a realist who hopes Providence has my back. Answer the question.” After a long, slow exhale, Kakashi rocked back on his heels. “Danzo gets back from his trip, discovers Yamato and I left the village with Naruto, and decides to make an example of me. So I might be facing a demotion. Maybe a short prison sentence, if he’s feeling particularly harsh.” Your stomach twisted at his words, but your face didn't flinch as you continued staring down the tabletop. “Very well.” Leaning forward into your line of sight, Kakashi gave you a thumbs up, his right eye squinting almost closed as he smiled at you. “I hope you’ll visit me in prison if it comes to that, right?” He teased. Still clutching your vegetable peeler, you raised your fist and brought it down on top of his head playfully, squashing his spiky silver hair. “Idiot.” Pulling your hand away, you grinned back. “You’re my friend. Of course I’d visit.” Better than him not coming back at all, which was how you assumed your friendship would end one day. Of course, he had died right here in the village not long ago, so there really wasn’t anywhere safe, for either of you. “Don’t worry.” Your friend’s voice was quiet but reassuring. “Kakashi?” Captain Yamato stuck his head into the tent. “I’ll be seeing you.” Your friend raised a hand in a wave, and then he was gone. Picking up another potato, you muttered. “I hope so. I really hope so.” Ever since Kakashi had rescued you nineteen years ago, back when both of you were still children, you’d always known his ninja world was dangerous. Heck, your younger brother had commented that he didn’t know how you had the courage to befriend ninjas when you knew how likely they were to one day shatter the friendship by dying. You thought you had grown accustomed to the knowledge, accepted the future pain in exchange for a handful of interesting friends who could manage feats a civilian like you could only dream of. But this felt different. Political problems at home couldn’t be solved with force. If Kakashi got himself in trouble with the Hokage, there would be little to do but watch it unfold. You snorted as you quickly quartered a potato with two violent strikes of your knife. Honestly, why worry about this? Nothing you could do to change events, only try to alleviate the pain of bad outcomes if they came to pass…

Author's note: This is my first attempt at writing anything for a Naruto character. So if you've got feedback, then I'm interested to hear it. (But you don't have to say anything.)

#Kakashi Hatake #Naruto Shippuden #Kakashi x Reader #reader insert #platonic #gender neutral reader

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accidentalshifter · 2 months

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[March 23-24, 2024: Oops, 404! Shifting not Found, Caroline and Elena show up.]

⚜️ TW: My Mikaelsons are a ✨️ problem ✨️ and don't play nice at all. Death, sex, blood, violence, manipulation, and dark themes will probably be present. I don't condone any of the actions taken by these vampires, I'm just recording them. For science.

Shifting Notes:

Ugh, not gonna lie, this trip in wasn't very productive but it DID provide me another clue (about my DR-self) and set up events for later. Not every shift can be a winner, I guess?

Astrological Timing: Sun in Aries, Moon in Virgo. Notable aspect is Venus in Pisces... Creativity, romance, dreams, & devotional acts are enhanced. Mars is at 0 degrees of Pisces, encouraging spiritual action. Moon in Virgo isn't ideal for dream activities, but I wanted to experiment with shifting under an earth moon to see the difference. It did not go well.

⚜️ Throughout this ordeal, my therapist has been really supportive of me and my shifting experiences. She says that documenting my trips & using them as (free therapy) a coping skill for stress is a good tool to have. When I described this particular DR to her, she said that a lot of the elements (a town with many issues, dramatic relationships, and violence) seem to coincide with situations I've already been in, & have yet to heal. This could be the common root that ties my CR-self to my DR. And to the Mikaelsons. Or, you know, I'm my DR/CR-self because it's all literally me. 😅

⚜️ I entered my DR in ghost-mode. Zoey is still deciding on her choice of outfit for the evening, tapping her chin, and staring down at the selection that I had spread out on the couches (the last time I was here).

Available Outfits:

▪︎ White hoodie with angelic wing patterns on the back. White T-shirt with sword and angel wings printed on it. Acid wash jeans that have a few rips in it.

▪︎ Green hoodie with gold oak leaf patterns on it. Green T-shirt with red, sacred heart printed on it. Normal denim jeans. No rips.

▪︎ Blue hoodie with black lacy pattern and big, golden Fleur De Lis on the back. Blue and gold T-shirt with dragon scale pattern on it. Black jeans.

▪︎ Black hoodie with red bat wing pattern & spider web design. Black, skin-tight, long sleeved shirt with keyhole and mock turtle neck. Black ripped jeans.

⚜️ I glance at the time displayed on a glass and gold-plated clock that's placed on the mantle of the fireplace in this room. It's 6:05 pm. I do a doubletake. I notice that this is the same clock my grandparents had sitting on their mantle when I was a kid. Which is weird but also kinda figures... If my DR-self is just another me in a different universe than there has to be some commonalities between us.

⚜️ I pop out of DR and take some time in my CR to listen to: "Hometown" by 21 Pilots. My DR mimics the elements of a TVD episode in that each significant event/s is preluded by a song. Also, it helps me synch with Z and get into 1st person perspective. As soon as I feel synched, I enter my DR again as Z. I decided upon the blue outfit because (my friend said I should) it started with The Originals, so... I gotta rep that Fleur De Lis! Checked myself for wallet, keys, and cellphone. Then, I chose to dig out a purse from the canvas bag just so I had something (better than pockets) to carry my stuff in.

Observation: Out of curiosity, I checked the information on my I.D. Idk, I figured the info might come in handy during conversations in the future. Apparently, I'm from Oregon and a Virgo because it says my birthday is 9-12-1992. Which is weird because in my CR, I'm a Pisces; the opposite of Virgo within the zodiac. Also, I've lived in Oregon! But Oregon is the home of Kai as per TVD canon. Does that mean my DR-self have something to do with the Gemini Coven? God, I fucking hope not.

⚜️ All ready to go, I take my purse, head out the door, and lock up the house behind me. I notice that it's golden hour outside. The sun is sinking into the horizon, shadows growing long, and darker. I see a lot of car traffic as I step out onto the sidewalk of Washington St and peer down it to gaze at the square that's three blocks away from me. There's a ton of people walking down the street and I'm sort of confused about that until I see a sign. It's announcing an "Anual Hops Festival" in lime green on white & emerald hops surrounding it. An errant wind brings the tempting aroma of fried foods and meats to me. It makes the sign tied to the street lamps flutter like they were all waving their hands at me. Extending an invitation to me to join the festival.

⚜️ I followed the crowds towards the square and came to stand at the crosswalk because the green lights were on at the intersection. It blessed me with a brief moment to assess my surroundings. I see food, beer, and gift stalls selling homemade products & trinkets. Like a farmer's market but aided by alcohol. Families with children sit on picnic blankets in the lawn areas of the square. People walk all around with giant pretzels and cold drinks in their hands. There's a huge stall that has these fancy barbecue pits. They're roasting huge chickens and pork ribs slathered with sticky, red sauce. The sounds of delight fill the air. How did they set this up so fast? The square was normal this afternoon. Eh...

⚜️ The intersection flashes red. The crowd I'm in crosses the street towards the park in the square. Suddenly, a voice rises above the ambient noise of the crowd. It's cheerful and bright. Infused with optimism. It's Caroline's voice. "Raffle tickets!!! Come purchase raffle tickets to help fundraise for the Mystic Falls cheerleading squad!" and "Come help raise our team up!". My eyes land on the blonde. I see that she's sitting at a fold-out table with a large donation bucket placed on it. Next to her is a brunette with ramrod straight hair & a silver locket around her neck. Elena. I feel my pulse instantly race. I wasn't prepared to have any (main) character encounters! I was planning to scope things out beforehand. It looks like my DR has other plans...

⚜️ I try to avoid the encounter by continuing to walk with the crowd, ignoring the two, but as soon as I do...Caroline points her finger at me. "YOU!!" she exclaims, "Would you like to purchase tickets? It's for a GOOD CAUSE!". I feel my feet stop. Involuntarily, I turn to look at Caroline and then move towards the table. My CR-self's anxiety is getting worse while Z is like: 'That's weird, my heart is racing'. Care tells me that tickets are 5 $ for 1 ticket, 10$ for 2 tickets, and 20$ for a whole line. Raffle prizes are picked at 10 pm. I catch Caroline's face register that she's never seen me before and asks if I know about Mystic Falls cheer squad. And that they're the best in the state & won competitions.

⚜️ Elena is staring at me. She has the same kind of puzzled/who is this person? look on her face. There's a hint of suspicion mixed in. When I go to answer Caroline's question, I suddenly de-synch with Zoey and wake back up in my CR. UGH. My social anxiety. I know you're supposed to be able to script it out. I can't seem to do that currently. I'll have to go in and try again later. There's a lunar eclipse tomorrow anyways...

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nanistar · 1 year

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Any advice on how to draw backgrounds? Gotten to the point in my art where im semi confident in drawing poses and expressions but backgrounds?? girl help i can only somewhat draw a tree

oh hell yeah i love backgrounds, ive been working on more interiors lately (when not overburdened by sbc work lol) but im assuming you're asking about nature so that's how im going to answer it as okay so: -first of all find yourself a good TEXTURED blending/smudging brush because it will save your life. i use these rock texture brushes from This Studio Ghibli pack, it's $6 and i HIGHLY recommend the whole pack because it's the main one i use for most of my bg foliage/grass ect and i love it dearly

-find references either in irl photos or other artist's work. if using another artist's work watch their speedpaints or look at what you like about their art style and techniques and steal it. im serious. obviously don't trace it and pass it off as something of your own but look at how they do the aspects you struggle with, and try to incorporate that

for me, that struggle is forest foliage because i have a hard time filling out the spaces without everything looking like same colored blobs, so i looked at how my buddy hannah mudshadow does bgs because she's really good at filling out a scene and making it look natural, and i noticed she uses a lot of abstract shapes instead of trying to render every leaf, so rather than doing my base work for bushes/trees with a leaf brush, i use a chunky scatter brush now and it looks really good, and then i can go and add some leaf brushes on top of that for more definition in areas that might catch light ect so that will give it the thick, bushy .. bush look without looking crowded or too shaped

-nature is messy as hell and things are never going to be perfectly shaped and toned unless you're drawing perfectly managed hedges or something. got some dirt brown on your green bush? those are dead leaves now. accidental weird texture on your tree? the bark is gone there, something ate it. bushes and trees have dead branches that just hang out there in them, grass grows long and sometimes a deer or whatever doesn't eat the whole patch so there's long uneven sprigs sticking up. petals fall off flowers. trees have huge webs of branches

-don't try to detail everything. make things further away more abstract and messy to give the illusion of detail. throw a gradient over it for some slight tone variation or something so it;s not completely flat but ppl are going to look at your subject and see the rest of it with the corner of their eyes, so you don;t need to fully render every flower in the field. here's some examples of that

the cactuses in the far BG are just V and Y shapes, the joshua tree in the middle distance is dark with some light blobs right on the edge where the needles would catch light.

this is from 2021 so be nice to me but as the flowers go back in the distance, i stop rendering their petals and start doing blue dots with white dots, and then even further away i just sorta blend blue and green together to give the illusion of a field of flowers.

-i dont know what your style is, but i personally hate using a ton of layers and tend to merge them as i go, but for the most part i draw every panel of SBC bg on the same 1 layer, going back to front (start with sky, mountain, bg grass, foreground grass and cactus, then go back and scatter foliage as necessary) and it keeps my stuff loser and i tend to get less precious about making things look perfect. i also work very fast because i am unironically really lazy at art and am desperate for shortcuts.

-oh yeah one more thing. assuming you draw cats, cats are SOOOOOO small in comparison to literally everything. as warrior artists i think our perspective gets a but confused sometimes (i am certainly guilty of this too!) and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this because sometimes that's just how you have to build your scenes, but it really makes me laugh when i see scenes of like, rusty jumping off his fence to go into the woods, but the fence is only a bit taller than him. so try to remember things are huge and cats are small as hell

na'ni's a huge cat, all things considered but look at her compared to my small aloe plant

or the cedar tree in my front yard.

absolutely microscopic. don't look at my slippers.

so yeah. i hope this helps, it's not so much a tutorial because i don't think i'm the best person for tutorials because honestly i dont know much and this is all stuff i've picked up on, like i dont know shit about composition or values or color theory but this is important stuff to keep in mind about the environments themselves. don't worry too hard about colors at first because you can always change it by adjusting your curves n stuff. or slap a filter on that bad boy. or dont. also pay attention to your horizon line because it helps angle the rest of your piece. but look up tutorials for that because i only started learning about it like a week ago

#mine #art advice #idk man #ppl feel free to add on to this #nani irl

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sarcastic-kaz · 2 months

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Pink and Green Hair (trendy in the taisho era)

We all know that Mitsuri ate a crazy amount of it to get her signature pink-green hair, but just how many would she have theoretically eaten?

To start, we have to look at the numbers. She ate 170 mochis per day for 8 months straight.

It's already crazy enough of a number, but imagine just how much that the Kanroji family would've spent on that mochi even before Mitsuri was a part of the Corps with her own salary, not to mention the fact that hashira can choose how much money they recieve. We can prove this fact by Mitsuri having her hair at a pre-pubescent age, when she beat that sumo wrestler at arm-wrestling.

First, since all months but one (mumbleaugustusmumble) have 30 days, we multiply it by eight for the eight months she spent eating the mochi. Then, I estimate by adding 4 for half of the months having 31 days. Since this is a bare estimate, these numbers can't be perfect.

244 days. This is, according to Mitsuri/Gotuge, how long it took until the Kanroji family started to notice Mitsuri's hair turning pink OR when her full transformation ended.

Now. We can multiply those days by how many sakura mochi she would eat in one of those days.

41,480.

If you wanted anime hair from eating a sweet, that's an estimated amount of how many sakura mochi you would have to eat.

Since this is unreliable information because there's not enough data given about this, and Mitsuri herself wasn't keeping track of this specifically, there's not much of a way to tell how many sakura mochi to actually eat, and this is also really unhealthy because duh it's a dessert that any normal person who isn't a girlboss like Mitsuri should eat more than three.

We also have to think about the actual sakura mochi. This sweet is made with pickled sakura leafs, which are edible, along with anko (red bean paste) and glutinous rice coloured pink, the same as sakura blossoms. Sakura are already notorious for only blooming for a week or two before fading for the rest of the year. This is why this wagashi (sakura mochi) is only designated as a spring treat.

Of course, it can still be eaten year-round. It's simply customary to eat in springtime, late March. You would just have to have loads of ingredients all the time in order to make it. Since, as I talked about Japanese tradition of only eating this in spring, it's probably that the Kanroji family would pickle their own sakura leaves, in the same way that they also make their own honey. Yet another way of telling us how well-off they are.

Other than that, anko (the filling) and glutinous rice (along with the pink colouring) is relatively easy to find because other types of wagashi are served year-round, and I believe that many of them have those two core ingredients (such as ohagi or manjuu). The main thing that makes sakura mochi special is the pickled leaf that can only be harvested in springtime, hence why it's only really served in the time that there are blossoms.

And finally, it also happens to be that I'm currently in Japan in middle-late March. I got to visit a (romantic) love temple nearby, prayed that I would find a Mitsuri gachapon before I leave Japan (because that's what you do when you go to a love temple, pray to see the love hashira), then it so happened that three doors down, there was a wagashi store!!

They also happened to serve ohagi (despite that being an autumn wagashi, in spring ohagi would usually be called botamochi), mitarashi dango (which will totally calm Haganezuka-san down), and of course, the reason for this post, sakura mochi!! Three character's favourite foods, so we obviously got some!!!

Taste test.

Mitarashi dango, as per usual, is amazing. I love warm mochi and the sauce is always great, especially when it's served fresh or you can watch the storeperson dunk the mochi into the sauce. I also got to have a huge version whilst exploring Odawara-jou, and before that too.

Ohagi, I was very excited to try some, but surprisingly, out of these three, it was my least favourite. That's not to say it wasn't good, but I don't think I really liked the anko being on the outside. Thinking back, it's probably unhealthy for Giyuu to hold it out to Sanemi with his bare hand.

Finally, sakura mochi. The leaves are edible, and they don't give any sort of taste or reliable texture, they seem to more be there as an ornamental piece, it was just the stem that could be a little pokey. The glutinous rice is light pink and on the outside, wrapped in the leaf. It's sweet! A bit sticky too, which is probably the reason for the leaf-holder. The anko on the inside is also very sweet, and this sweet was my favourite out of the three types of wagashi that we got. They are relatively small, maybe 10cm from a rough estimate, but they have a lot of density from being packed tight. While I really enjoyed this, I don't think I could ever eat 170 in a single day, much less for eight months.

I also forgot to mention, but there's two types of sakura mochi. First is the type with glutinous rice, the type Mitsuri is shown to be eating in the manga and anime, and the one I just tried. Second type is made with a pink pancake wrapping the anko, which is also wrapped in the sakura leaf. I think maybe two or three days after the first type's taste test, I got my hands on the pancake ones, but I was so tired that it got stuck in the fridge overnight. Let me tell you. Those pancakes were solid. If anyone has a taste of the pancake sakura mochi, feel free to give your actual impression!

Since, as I've already said, sakura mochi is the main type of wagashi served in spring, in the sakura season, there's loads of shops selling it nearby. I even got to try this taiyaki with sakura mochi filling instead of anko, which was... interesting, I suppose, but not terrible.

So try some sakura mochi if you're ever in Japan for the March season! I'm pretty sure that people sell this wagashi for the entire month, for more sales. (unfortunately, the sakura will only bloom in the week after i leave japan) (talk about a letdown, i always have to leave japan the week before they bloom for school)

Unfortunately no photos, but I did get to go on a train called the RomanceCar!! I immediately thought of Mitsuri with this, and I did get photos of that! Then, I searched up why it's called that, and the only reason is that there's two seats side-by-side with no armrest between, which gives room for couples to cuddle. Imagine modern Mitsuri with Iguro or Shinobu on one of these!!

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freedominthecircus · 8 months

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To think that all color symbolism would be the same across the board in people’s cultures (and thus, their witchcraft) is laughable. What is anger and vengeance in one culture may just be luck or passion in another - and an individual themselves may have a completely out-of-left-field viewpoint due to their own lived experiences. There are as many different interpretations as there are people in the world. And while there are plenty of witches out there that don’t give a damn about color theory or symbolism and get along just fine without it - there are also plenty that do care and do want to learn, just are caught up in a more euro-centric view of the color spectrum.

Namely using this site as a jumping-off point, here are my personal views on the colors as of now:

RED

A color of passion in North American and European cultures, it is frequently associated with love (seen extensively along with Pink) in Valentine’s Day celebrations. It is also associated with anger or danger and as such I have personally used the color in more aggressive workings where it has worked well. The color red is also used in religious practices in Central and South America as Christianity associates red with the blood of Christ (of course) and the crucifixion. In China - and possibly other East Asian countries - red symbolizes honor and success. While American brides are more used to wearing white on their wedding day, Chinese brides more prefer red for this association. Wanting that success in their marriages as well as a long-lasting love.

As stated before: I use Red in workings where I feel the need to be more aggressive or passionate about what I am trying to convey. Whether that be screaming a warning at someone/something to back the fuck up, or whether the red wax is being used to seal the envelope of Lust Dust. I know some people who are die-hard about using red in their Love workings - but it has never really worked for me unless the end result was an intense romp in the bedroom rather than their heart being touched.

ORANGE

Very frequently associated with Autumn in North America and Europe. Halloween and the agricultural harvests are frequently thought of - as well as the color is known as a more royal color in the Netherlands. Counties in Central and South America view Orange as one of the more primary colors of nature, and it is almost always associated with the earth and sun. China and Japan also view Orange as a color of good things. From financial prosperity to making sure one is in good health - it’s also associated with a general happiness, courage, and other good fortunes. It is also known as a more sacred color in India.

I personally do not work with Orange much as I find it an off-putting color to me. I’ve never gravitated towards it and there have actually been a few times where once Orange was introduced to something - the “vibes” we all off and the spellwork had to have been done for the night. For what reason this may be I do not know.

YELLOW

A mixed bag of correspondences. From being seen as a color of wealth in Africa to being a color of mourning in the Middle East. (And apparently as a color linked to pornography in China - though this is a claim I have not looked into myself yet. In North America and Europe, we tend to associate it with sunshine and good weather which is usually how I personally incorporate it when it does get used - but it is also frequently known as a color of jealousy in Germany and France.

The color of the sun and associated with Summer more than Spring in my mind. Yellow gets used in my practice usually at two points in the year: Either during the Summer to celebrate the moments of sunshine that graces my Seasonal Depression with little pepper-light kisses - or dead in the middle of Winter to try to remind myself of those kisses.

GREEN

The green four-leaf clover did a lot in terms of minds in North American and Western Europe to associate it predominately with good luck. Even with other associations such as envy/jealousy or progress - luck tends to be the go-to correspondence. Even with countries in Asia and the Middle East viewing green with a more natural lens and corresponding it with fertility and prosperity also - it still remains a color of good fortune as well.

Green in the color in my head associated the most with money and financial prosperity. It is the color of the American dollar and is used in many, many, wealth spells and other work along those lines and I have used it exactly as such in the past. While this is the main way I personally use and view green, it should be noted that I have used the color in abundance workings as well.

BLUE

A strong color with the main association across cultures as one to ward off evil, as well as a color of strength thanks to the Hinduism deity Krishna - who is often (if not always) presented with having blue skin. Some other more Asian cultures also recognize blue as a color of long life, healing, and even immortality. That is not to say there are not other - more somber - connotations though. In more western cultures we tend to have a saying of “feeling blue” - which means extreme sadness or even mourning.

To me, Blue is a color associated mostly with a tranquil sadness or melancholy. I use it in a lot of grief work to guide me through and let loose the well of tears inside if I’m having trouble releasing them. I have also used it as a “booster” color of sorts though, usually in conjunction with other colors on the cool color spectrum, as mixing it with warm colors left me feeling very odd afterwards.

PURPLE

A general consensus throughout most of the world is that Purple is the color of wealth, and it’s a color usually reserved for royalty. The exception to this is found in Latin and South America where - in that part of the world - it means death.

This is the association I have with it. I have never fully viewed it as a royal or wealthy color, and instead have always viewed purple as a color of death and frequently use it in works with death.

BLACK

The color of death, mourning, and - curiously - formality in Europe and North America. Western funerals have featured black for centuries for it’s association with death and the dead, and some places in the Middle East also see it as a color of death and evil. India also views black as more evil than good. Other parts of the world have a different take. Black is a positive color in places like China and Japan and is a very popular color amongst young boys and girls. Some African cultures also see it as a symbol of maturity rather than anything associated with death.

Black is probably my most used “color” in my practice. Along with technically being a “color” comprised of all other colors - it’s used as a substitute for a lot in my practice. It’s a color I also use a ton for meditation, and I do use it as one of three colors I associate with death (the others being White and Purple). It’s never been a “bad” or negative color for me.

WHITE

The “color” that is the lack of all other color - its associated heavily with purity throughout most of the world. It is also associated with good luck and prosperity in some pockets of Africa as well. There are other places in Eastern Europe and Asia where it is associated with death in addition to purity. It can also denote bad fortune or general unhappiness.

I tend to skew towards the latter because of the fact that white is the “color” that is the lack of all others. Giving the general feeling of emptiness where there once was something. I do sometimes also use it to cleanse or purify because of it’s lack of all other color.

#//personal ramblings #witchblr #witch community #witchcraft

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rei-does-stuff · 6 months

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MAKE YOUR MARK CHAPTER 6 LIVE BLOG BABYYYYYYYY

EPISODE 1!!!!!!

-FIRSTLY I’ve been so fucking excited for this that I dreamt about it THATS RIGHT I DREAMT ABT IT

-This is gonna be the last mym chapter….:(((((

-OKOK LETS STARTT

-NO MORE SPARKY TRANSFORMING THE NETFLIX LOGO :((((

-MANESTREAM!!!

-SIBLING BONDING I LOVE THEM

-“Hold onto your cutie marks!” IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE SUNNY

-AAAA THE INTRO ITS THE LAST TIME WELL HERE THE INTRO!!!

-PIPPP YA GOTTA STOPPP

-I love you izzyyyyy

-HOW THE HELL DID SHE BLOW THOSE SO FAST, strong fuckin lungs

-BLAIZE!!!!

-All the dragons have the same model yes, but they all still look unique and pretty good IN MOTION

-OH SUNNY IS TERRIFIED

-Aww trying to put on her tough voice this is why ur my favorite sunny!!!

-AWW IZZYYYY

-I LOVE LUXXE

-Leaf is cuteee

-Tumble and him are def gay

-FOUNTAIN IS A LITTLE CREATURE….Well big creature but yk

-PIPPS FACEEE

-OH SO THEY HAVE THE SAME SHIT AS SPARKY

-OPALINEEEEE

-OOO SONG

-HER VOICE IM IN LOVE

-God that was sooo goodddd

-Love sunny rushing in to defend alicorns

-Also her putting her hoof around zipp GAYYYY

-MISTY I LOVE YOUU

-Hitch and your dad jokes I love youu

-Sunny trying to make friends with Blaize, IS THAT A PERSONALITY I SEE?

-Also her and Blaize? Rlly gay

-Love this green dragon (already forgot his name im a little dumb)

-SPIKEEE

-OH HIS VOICE WILL TAKE A WHILE TO GET USED TO BUT ITS NOT BAD, he finally has the deep voice he’s always wanted, good on you for the transition, plus he is total nonbinary goals

-AWW SAME HUMOR!!

-Also Sunny fangirling a bit

-AWW HE DOESNT REMEMBER :(

-TWILIGHT MENTION

-AW HIS LIL ‘Twi?’ OUGHHH

-okok so we were all pretty right on the real story!

-“You lost magic??” LMAO EVEN SPIKE IS LIKE ‘rlly???? After everything you rlly lost magic yall are wild mannn”

-When sunny gets excited her alicorn-ness starts to show, I’m not saying its a stim but it’s totally a stim

-AWW SUNNY REMINDS HIM OF TWILIGHT AAAA

-Love his speech but I wish they referenced how he thought the same but realized his true family were with other ponies

-GAYYY i need to see ship art of sunny and Blaize NOW

-ALSO WHY ARE YOU ON HER BACK SUNNY YOU CAN FLY, MORE REASON WHY SHES GAY

-YOU TWO PIPP AND ZIPP YOU CAN FLY!!!

-OUFHHHH THAT WAS SOOO GOOD!!!!

OKOK NEXT EP

EP 2

-TWO PARTER BABYY

-NO NOT THE TOGETHERNESS TREE

-The townsponies still freak just the same as g4, some things never change

-SPROUT

-‘And Pipp’s hair is still fabulous!’ I LOVE YOU ROCKY

-YEA MISTY WOULD KNOW

-LOVE THIS SPEECH UGHHH

-“That is…An option!” SUNNY DONT BE MEAN

-AWWW IM GONNA CRY

-PRINCESS SUNNY AAA

-FILLY MISTY

-‘SHE DOESNT KNOW HOW TO CHECK HER MESSAGES’ HAHAH

-NOOOO NOT THE DRAGONS

-SPARKY YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN

-OHH SHE KNEW SHE FUCKING KNEW MISTY BETRAYED HER

-GET HER ASS ANIMAL FRIENDS

-OOO YAY THE DRAGONS ARE BACK

-OOP NEVERMIND

-YES HITCH GET HER ASS

-OUGH SUNNY UNDERSTANDING HOW AFRAID MISTY MUST BE TO SEE HER ABUSER AGAIN AAAAA

-AAAAAA THAT WAS SOO GOOD

NEXT EP NEXT EP

EP 3!!!

-GRAB HITCHS CUTIE MARK MISTYY

-YESSS GO MISTY

-GET HER ASS

-GO AFTER YOUR GIRLFRIEND SUNNY

-OO PIPP YOU SMART

-WELL IT WORKED FOR A SEC

-UGHH I LOVE THIS INTERACTION BETWEEN MISTY AND OPALINE

-HEY YOU GOT TO DO YOUR PLAN IZZY

-SHE IS SO SMARTTT

-DAMN IT NOO

-‘We could just call’ I LOVE THEMMM

-THE NECKLACE

-NOT OPALINE PLAYING THE “you and I were not so different” CARD

-BUT ALSO SUNNY YA CANT REDEEM HER SORRY

-SPARKY YOU GOTTA BRING IT ALL BACK HOME

-SONGG

-DONT CRY REI AAAA

-NECKLACE TIME RAINBOW POWERR

-THEYRE RLLY PULLING OUT EVERY STOP

-ELEMENT OF HARMONY???

-HA GET YOUR CUTIE MARK WIPED

-AWWW

-CRYSTAL PONY TIMEEEE??

-AWWW THAT WAS AMAZING

LAST EP LAST EP

-40 MINS AND NEW NETFLIX PRESENTS LOGO

-THE MUSIC????

-THEYRE SO PRETTY

-ZIPP BEING WORRIED ABT HER GIRLFRIEND

-THEY DID ALL THE STOPS WITH THE VISUALS ITS SO PRETTY

-CRYSTAL TOWN CRYSTAL TOWN

-New threats maybe?

-MISTY I LOVE YOUU

-CRYSTAL PONIES

-SONG

-TRANCE???

-Auroricorns! New name for Crystal ponies?

-STARSHINE TIME

-AWW THEYRE ALL DOING CUTE EYES AT HITCH

-This is def giving me comfort special vibes!!!!

-Trip-Skating!

-STIMMING SO MUCH RN

-THEY DONT KNOW ABT EQUESTRIA

-Never allowed to leave? Ooooo

-SNOW PONIES

-GIRLFRIENDS AGREE WITH EACH OTHER

-If this keeps going this well this might be my fave ep

-WTFFF

-This is some freaky shit

-WTF ARE THISE????

-GRIFFINS??

-ANGEL BUNNY 2.0

-HER VOICEE

-So she’s like Opaline, but probably less fun? Interesting….

-Messed up tbh

-Maybe Allura will get a redemption arc?

-SUNIZZY CRUMBS

-SONG

-WOW she is stupid I love it

-DAMN THIS IS SOME OUR TOWN SHIT

-SNOWBALL FIGHTT

-YEA MISTY

-SONG

-So she might be back!

-VIOLET FROST

-AWWWW

-NEW FRIEND

-LETS GO COMET

-THEY EACH GETTING THEIR OWN FORM OF ELEMENTS OF HARMONY

-WHO IS THAT VOICE???

-BROTHER???

-THIS IS GETTING INTERESTING

-MANE 7 MAYBE??

-NEW GUY TOO

AAAAA I LOVED THAT, even tho there’s no more mym I’m sure tyt will be just as good once the episodes get longer!!

#rei says stuff #mlp g5 #make your mark #mlp make your mark #mlp mym #mym lb #long post

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veryimportantsparkles · 1 year

Text

The story thus far...

Megan (me) has been going through some kind of midlife crisis, but it's for the midlife of the Pokemon franchise. There's a long and convoluted gameplan that won't be explained here because parts of it are stupid. In this stupid part, I replayed Sapphire on an extra cartridge we had for reasons, MOSTLY to get a Latias, but also to refresh my memory on the events of 3rd gen. This was a relatively simple project, compared to the three separate playthroughs I just did for Leaf Green. I did not saddle myself with nickname theme gimmicks nor did I train any unevolved starters up to level 60. There was also no necromancy this time, and none of my Pokemon were burdened with the legacy of their forefathers. Pretty straightforward.

This post is to commemorate the brave and mighty Pokemon who fought for the championship in this playthrough, the

~~✨Second Sapphire Gijinka Journey✨~~

Becky Fern is our valiant starter. She thought she could solo the entire game, and that was almost true. She kicked her way across Hoenn, stopping only to cower from Brendan's Swampert and various Psychic-types. As the starter, she was forced into a 'big sister' role for every Pokemon I caught, and she hated it. She thought level grinding with the Exp. Share was a waste of time. But although she'll never admit it, she needed these losers. And she's proud of them.

Eryn Fern was the first Pokemon I caught after starting the journey with Becky. Shroomish are found in the Petalburg Woods, so Becky spent the first few routes and towns as the only Pokemon in my party. She was so mad when her 'only child' status was revoked. But I wanted a Breloom, they're neat!

So, Breloom's moveset options hinge on knowing Spore, and in order to learn it you have to leave a Shroomish unevolved until level 54. So Eryn spent the entire journey with an Everstone on, only to evolve right before the championship fight. The poor guy has no self confidence because he was stuck in baby mode for so long. But he's strong. And he's lucky; Dynamic Punch has 50% accuracy, but somehow in the Elite Four battles he managed to land his hits every single time.

When I first caught Shina Nera Fern, I thought it would be cool to train a Shedinja. Unfortunately, either I'm managing her wrong or Nera just isn't very good at battling. But Shina, the Ninjask, has been a great fighter. Shina and Nera both are big fans of Becky, they're sort of like Becky's cheerleaders. But Shina considers herself a friendly rival to Becky, and aspires to become stronger than her hero. She did it too; I entered the Elite Four with everyone at level 55 and Shina was the first to level to 56, making her officially stronger than Becky.

Ambience Fern was caught around the same time I got Shina, but I wasn't sure at first if she'd stay on the team. She's actually got decent stats and kept up with the rest of the team. Eventually I got her Ice Beam and that provided important coverage against Flying-types, which Becky, Eryn, and Shina are all weak to. I gave her Flamethrower in between attempts at the Elite Four, and I think that was the change that got us the win.

Ambi's appearance and personality was built around her Whismur form and she's kept a lot of those affectations. She's a shy little pastel-wearing princess, even if she's a giant shoutmonster who shoots three different types of mouth laser. She is soft and she cares about her friends a lot.

Ponderous Fern was added to the team because I encountered a Spoink and thought, "oh neat, a Spoink." He beat Becky in that fight before I could capture him! He's a prodigy and Becky hates him. He and Eryn are buddies, they get to sit together at the scorned-by-Becky table. He's normally soft-spoken and agreeable but he'll be rude and sarcastic to Becky, usually because she instigates it.

Spoinks really like pearls, which they somehow steal from Clamperls despite the 0% overlap between those species' habitats. Even after evolving, Ponder keeps a collection of pearls that he can use as amplifiers for his psychic power. Over the course of our journey we were given the Blue Orb, a key item that awakens Kyogre. Ponder claimed it and he won't give it back. It's his favorite orb. It's a key item so he can't hold it (I checked), but he won't let it go.

And finally, we have Hanna World, our world pillar. Now, every time I have to reset a cartridge I take every Pokemon out of it first, but you're required to have one Pokemon on the file. They get deleted when you make a new save file, so I commemorate them by catching a new version in the new file. The old file in this cart had an OT named Hanna, and I left behind a level 15 unnamed female Spinda. When I encountered a level 15 female Spinda in the new file, she gained the name Hanna. She's a clown, I guess.

Every 'world sacrifice' Pokemon gets a design theme that stands out from the others. Prometheus got a toga, Fujiko got a kimono, and Hanna is a clown. Or maybe, Spindas are just like this? She's dizzy and wobbly and giggly and says a lot of ominous shit. She's great in battle, although sadly her role in the Elite Four was mostly to stall while I healed someone else. She's always a sacrifice of some kind. Is it poetic? Maybe not.

Anyways they beat the game! Good job, kids!

After their victory, we went after my original goal, the Latias that only appears in postgame. I Master Balled her the moment we got her to show up. To give the team a little more challenge and adventure, we went after the Regis and Rayquaza. With some vital assistance from Inari, Mola, and Dayo we got all our legendaries, and this cartridge is concluded.

My next playthrough is Alpha Sapphire, which I'm playing for the first time. The idea is that with regular Sapphire fresh in my memory I'll get the most out of the remake's changes. I've already started gijinka designs for that run! When the game is completed, that cartridge is the promised land for a bunch of my champions from various 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen games. But before their world gets overrun by level 100 turtles from beyond reality, the locals need to tell their story. It's coming, I'm up to Mossdeep and my main obstacle is getting sidetracked by Super Training and berry farming.

I made this post really big because I'mma blaze it! Hi, random tumblr users! Follow my sideblog Popkas for non-OC-focused Pokemon shitposts! Let's find out if there's a size limit for blazeable posts!!!

#doodles #pokemon #gijinkas #second sapphire gijinka journey #gpoy #becky #blaziken #eryn #breloom #shina #ninjask #ambience #exploud #ponderous #grumpig #hanna #spinda

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