ash-creates

[ash-creates]

Incoherent rambling about a plot for a story (it got a lot more coherent as i got into it oops.)

So there's like. Fae. Fae realm and mortal realm. And in this specific setting this specific hole in a tree is the only doorway between them that we need to worry about right now. Right? And obviously fae try to get through there. And that doesn't always go well for everyone who's not the fae. So we start just like. Fucking up this tree. Jam the door full of iron n shit. But fae aren't stupid they'll just poke granny's favorite cast iron pan out of the way with a stick or something eventually. So someone's gotta keep coming back to fix it.

And eventually being the guy who drags their ass like half an hour out into the woods with a bag of iron nails on a semi regular basis becomes a job. And it's a very respected job obviously. So eventually it turns into a more ritual thing, where you have the village Warden who goes out every night with iron weapons and a bag of salt, and sits vigil at the gate. And this role is passed down as necessary.

But eventually as threats taper off people get complacent, and now the Wardens are just weird. The fae don't bother us why are you provoking them going out there every night. Are you working with the fae. Etc.

So fast forward to main character and they've been a Warden for like a year or two. They're young for the job but a more powerful fae has been hanging around the entrance for the last few years and managed to fuck up the last guy pretty bad. Course, everyone else just thinks that's what he gets for tripping down a fairy door, and they're under even more scrutiny than he was because they're a young unmarried person wandering off into the woods every night to fuck around with the fae. So accusations of witchcraft or sleeping with the fae for power or whatever start going around. But they keeps going out there to keep these asshole people safe cause it's their job and being a dick doesn't condemn you to death.

And this more powerful fae is hanging around right at the entrance every night. They've found an iron breastplate and jammed it like a wall in the door, but there's a slashed hole right down the center, presumably from whatever separated it from the guy who was wearing it. And it's just enough for them to see this thing watching them, just an eye. Sometimes teeth.

And it talks. Sometimes it tries to enchant them into opening the door for it, and those nights, they suck on salt crystals until their lips bleed, trying to keep its influence at bay. Sometimes it tries to make them sleep. Or dance and sing for its entertainment. But sometimes it just talks. And they don't talk back for a long time, just sit there and watch it as it asks them why they protect the people who want nothing to do with them. They're not sure how it knows that.

But one day they just quietly correct a remark. And it evolves from there. They're always guarded, and it is always hostile, but they talk. It makes the night pass quicker. It tries to learn their name and they try to learn its own. It never really goes anywhere.

Until one day they don't come. The iron breastplate will burn it, if it tries to push the thing out of the way, and it is wary of the iron axe they carry. So it watches through the crack in the metal, and waits. They're missing until dawn breaks.

And the next night. And the next. It has started looking for something solid enough to allow it to escape, but most things in the fae realm will wither at the touch of cold iron. It's slow progress.

Until they come staggering through the woods, bleeding and bruised and shaking, and they collapse in front of the door like a priest to an altar, asking if the creature is there. It considers letting them wait, but it can see the panic rising in their eyes at its silence, and a desperate person is an easy target. So it shows itself, and as it watches through the crack, it can see torchlight flickering through the trees. And the Warden wants to make a deal.

I'll move the iron, they say, if you give your word to protect me. I'll move the iron if you promise not to let me get hurt. And the creature wonders who would be stupid enough to fear their fellow man over the fae, but it agrees, knowing there is a time limit to the offer. The oath is taken as the village's first soldiers comes into view, and with bloodied, scratched, shaking hands, the Warden pulls away the iron breastplate clogging up the fairy door, pawing half-buried nails and lengths of chain out of the dirt. They have no salt, and they're exhausted and hurt- they find themselves pushed down into sleep before they can process more of the creature's appearance than long limbs, teeth, and those familiar, inhuman eyes.

When they wake up, they're on the other side of the door. The creature isn't there, but the candles surrounding the door are undisturbed. It hasn't left the fae realm yet. And although they promised to open the door, they think, as they drag themselves painfully through the dirt towards it; they never promised not to close it again.

They don't have time to make it through to the other side. They can hear it coming back. It's all they can do to drag the breastplate back into place before they're caught.

Their face in the dirt, claws at their neck, they know it's angry. They can hear it snarling. But the pain doesn't come.

Because it swore not to let them get hurt.

They're still in control. A long iron nail in their palm. It can't hurt them, it has sworn not to; they can't hurt it, they're human and injured and have no other guarantee of safety.

Idk I think it would be a good shitty ya novel that caters a little too hard to monsterfuckers.

[ash-creates]

The gift has reached the intended recipient, so I can FINALLY post it here.

My glorious crochet acorn weevil plush. Pattern is here or can be found under AisCrochets on etsy- I added an extra round to each leg. Yarn is.. dollar store, lol.

(I forgot to add his antennae before I took these pictures so here he is with them)

[ash-creates]

Got so many notes on my weevil doodles that I decided to throw together a quick drawing guide 😌 go forth and doodle him on your homework

[ash-creates]

Finally finished my first ever embroidery project! Design, supplies, etc are all.. from a dollar store kit.

My only complaints are about the type of fabric and the instructions included. The fabric wasn't bad, per se, but I'm not sure it's suited to a beginner project- the transparency meant I had to keep the back super neat, and the mesh build meant it stretched and warped very easily.

The instructions were worse than useless when making the french knots, although maybe I shouldn't have started with that 😅. I got the hang of it after looking up a separate tutorial that explained how to do the knots correctly.

[ash-creates]

Thank you!! I finally managed to take a picture of all (? Missing at least one, I think I've lost it) my pieces together :}

( @ash-creates is my sideblog, I'm off anon to send pictures) this is my most recent piece! I like to make small woven pieces and wear them as bracelets by making a large knot at the end and pulling it through the slipknot. Unfortunately, I can't make them too long if I want to wear them like this.

Ooh, I love a consistent tension! Your weave looks nice and even all the way down. I also love the colors you chose.

I started out making belts. I never really thought to make anything smaller.

This looks lovely, thanks so much for showing me! :)

[ash-creates]

Painted a dollar store box last night! Had to be sanded first.

[ash-creates]

Weevil..

Weevils..........

[ash-creates]

Weevils.

Weevils..........

[ash-creates]

Weevils..........

[ash-creates]

Took me a while, but I finished him!! This is my first character plush and I'm so proud of it. Majority Bernat blanket yarn with an 8mm hook, plus a 5mm and thinner yarn for some of the details.

[ash-creates]

I need to update this blog's theme.. the art in my profile picture is years old at this point.

[ash-creates]

Here is Nasty Lump being loved by his prospective mother.

I'm taking an elective course on the development of infants and young children. One of our assignments was to use trash to make an age appropriate toy. I decided to cut up some tshirts for yarn and crochet a stuffed toy.

This is Nasty Lump. He is very heavy and solid and unpleasant to touch. He wants to give me carpal tunnel. I am probably going to give him to a friend when the assignment is done for an adoption fee of $3: I want him out of my sight and I hope the low price affects his self worth. He is stuffed with more fabric scraps, hopefully making him washing machine safe.

I cannot possibly recommend against making and using tshirt yarn vehemently enough. Most unpleasant experience I've ever had with a textile and I will not be touching a crochet hook for a bit.

[ash-creates]

I'm taking an elective course on the development of infants and young children. One of our assignments was to use trash to make an age appropriate toy. I decided to cut up some tshirts for yarn and crochet a stuffed toy.

This is Nasty Lump. He is very heavy and solid and unpleasant to touch. He wants to give me carpal tunnel. I am probably going to give him to a friend when the assignment is done for an adoption fee of $3: I want him out of my sight and I hope the low price affects his self worth. He is stuffed with more fabric scraps, hopefully making him washing machine safe.

I cannot possibly recommend against making and using tshirt yarn vehemently enough. Most unpleasant experience I've ever had with a textile and I will not be touching a crochet hook for a bit.

[ash-creates]

A friend.......

Crocheted for my partner!!

[ash-creates]

Crocheted for my partner!!

[ash-creates]

Followup question (suggested by my lovely partner)

Out of curiosity:

(I've been thinking about it, but I would need to get a payment method set up, and I'm not going to worry about it if there's no interest.)

[ash-creates]

Out of curiosity:

(I've been thinking about it, but I would need to get a payment method set up, and I'm not going to worry about it if there's no interest.)