#(which is cardstock btw!)

[blueskittlesart]

kay em ess

[swordsmans]

Behold! My longest bind yet! Which is saying something, really. I began typesetting an anthology of @thychesters incredible zolu fics sometime last fall, printed the textblock in February, and finished the case... well, that's between me and god. Life happens! This was an unexpectedly tricky bind and I hope I did the gorgeous fics inside (and @loopeyfluff / @fluffyartbl0g's lovely fanart) justice!!

The cover is made of nine pieces, not including bookboard. I wanted VERY badly for the case to be entirely flush while still having an old-school layered appearance, so what you're actually looking at is filled blue fabric, a layer of white printed + foiled cardstock cut to lay against the corners, and then a layer of extremely thin translucent marbled paper with both the corners and negative space for the "labels" carefully cut out.

In order to gild the manga panel edit (taken from Sunny's introduction, btw) I printed and cut the cardstock, but before i glued it onto the bookboard i used washi tape, heat-reactive foil, and an iron (i'm cheap!) to carefully foil the parts that I wanted. This was my first time using proper toner-adhering heat reactive foil, and it was definitely a learning curve. I did lots of tests (sooo many foiled stickers. so many) and had a fun time. I'll definitely be using it in the future!!

After the layers of paper and fabric were pressed, I used metallic HTV to hide the seams and title the spine. It's a very neat effect, I think.

The edges of the textblock are also layered, with two coats of matte acrylic (pastel blue and green respectively) and one coat of green shimmer. The shimmer coat acts like a kind of sealant for the matte paints, so I didn't need to break out the beeswax this time. This was also one of the first sets I did with my guillotine (I cut it with Conquering and Spill Your Wine), which was an experience in and of itself.

I used white endbands and a 5mm white silk ribbon (looped this time; learned my lesson), then topped the bookmark off with a gold anchor charm. The textblocks are sewn with teal and green thread. And oh! And the endsheets are a teal, blue, green, and gold marble that's absolutely to die for—and kept staining everything blue the minute it touched moisture! Totally worth it though.

The typeset is my most colorful, I think. I went pretty heavy on the ocean themes because Kate has a really distinct pattern for her titles, and I wanted the book to follow!! I'm very pleased with how it turned out, and also endlessly delighted that Kate proofread her own typeset. That was very fun, hehe.

All in all, I think this was a very successful project despite the endless delays, and the final books look exactly like I pictured. I happy to send them to their new homes!! <3

[snickeringdragon]

this is the coolest thing ive ever made

[octahedral-chaos]

Hello Dollblr/ OOAK Doll customizers!

I have two questions regarding an idea I have.

First up, is there any way to dye nylon hair? Like could I use watered down acrylics or would that not work? One of the dolls have yellow tips to her bangs so I was wondering how to replicate that

Secondly, both characters are Worldless ocs... which means they have a shape/ light instead of a face.

These are the characters btw. They're named Sòl and Nyx respectively.

So I was wondering how to pull this off? Like should I use some Cardstock, paint it and glue it on the face or is there a fancier way to pull this off?

EDIT: Okay I actually have three questions.

Basically how could I make unguligrade legs?I'm planning on using thrift/ flea Market dolls that I think would work but... I'm wondering how to make the legs.

Theoretical I could buy some already made hooved legs and attach it to them but... I kind of want to try my hand at making those.

[nekole-doodles]

I made some paper dolls of Tommy and Wilbur from the fanfic Unlikely Events by Nymphii, my favorite fanfic! This is for an automata I'm making for my engineering final project/exam but I don't know if I'll be able to finish it time :')

Anyway, the specific scene I'm going to recreate with the automata is from Chapter 21: "An Outsider's Break" when Wilbur is chasing Tommy through the precinct. This chapter is probably one of my favorite chapters :>

It was fun to draw and cut out these silly guys and even though I spent quite a bit of time figuring out how to connect the limbs like making them fully movable, it was still fun to do that once I figured it out.

Btw, to connect the limbs, layered the body parts togather, marked out where to make the hole, and used a needle to actually make the hole and scissors as a hammer to sort of help the needle puncture the paper and cardstock underneath. Then I got a toothpick and poked it through both body parts just enough so it would be secure enough but not so much that the hole is too big and tears the limb. I cut the extra part of the toothpick(which was most of it) then to secure it more, I added a little dab of hot glue to make sure the end of the toothpick doesn't go through the hole and fall out.

I'm still working out the logistics of the automata, especially the cams I'm making for the movement, but unfortunately, I can't do realistic running due to the limitations of a simple automata. Making it realistic will be way too complicated that I don't have the time for AT ALL. So, their limbs will just be bending up and down which kind of bothers me but what works will just have to do :/

[moltara]

btw this specific drawing was done on this awful gritty cardstock, which i fucking HATED

[consistantly-changing]

[Image descriptions in order: a tweet by @/Noimujk "Noi" which says "You think school is gonna have an issue with me having a slur on my backpack". Attached is a photo of a red and black checkered backpack with a pink pin on it, which says "that's mister faggot to you!" In white text. There is also a trans pin on their backpack.

Someone with their username blurred out replies to the tweet which says "this genre of gay people is so fucking annoying".

This interaction has been screenshot by @/mattxiv "matt", who responds by saying "noooo. look. i know most young queer people have a phase where they obsessively cringe at other queer people to cope with their own shame. but as someone who has been there - the sooner you recognize and move on from that phase, the better".]

[matt adds on in another tweet, showing a screenshot of a tweet by @/salmattos "Fran Zaya, orca supporter" which says "when I was like 20 I said to a wise friend at brunch "ugh those are the type of gays I hate lol" and he said "I hate that there's a type of gay you hate" and it changed me for the better".

They reply again, saying "the pin is referencing this 1990 photo from a pride parade in new york btw!" Attached is a photo of a man in a sparse crowd holding up a cardstock sign which says "that's mr faggot to you".]

[@/sophiaexotica "miss poopie" replies to the thread, saying "just because we're gay doesn't mean we all have to like each other 😭"

matt responds "that's not what i'm saying. the problem is when you form resentment specifically for a "type" of gay person who expresses their identity in a way that makes you cringe, and then choosing to behave towards them how bigots have behaved towards you".]

[abeautifulblog]

continuing adventures in bookbinding

Decided to go ahead and attempt a full book, so that it would be thick enough for me to learn how to do a proper cover too. I bundled For the Asking with “That Uncertain Season”, which together comes out to a cool 65k words. pdfs, for anyone who’s interested:

e-reader/print on demand version (pages are sequential)

DIY bookbinding version (pages are arranged for printing in three-sheet signatures; all told, it’s 17 signatures of 12 pages apiece)

Made a little jig out of cardstock for punching holes in the signatures:

Began stitching!

(This youtube series, btw, is where I’ve been learning it from.)

All signatures stitched together -- not sure how well I did with keeping the proper tension in the thread. I suppose we will find out.

...at which point I realized I have no glue in the house, and thus, further progress is stymied until I put pants on and go get some. 😞

[candycatstuffs]

yo that posca of sonic looked so cool.. do you mind if i ask what paper you use with poscas? i've had issues with my canvas getting too saturated with posca (albeit it's been a while) and wanted to ask! your art rocks btw i hope you have a nice day~✨💖

Thank u so much!!! <33

Usually i just use my sketchbook, which is onea these

But recently ive been using this rly pretty pastel cardstock i got at michaels! I think the only times either paper seemed overworked was when my pens overloaded and made a big puddle of paint lol

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hello! Much love to ya! I am looking for fics (preferably finished and Sterek) where stiles or derek doesn't really know the pack or community but slowly joins them? Kinda like "What I did on my summer vacation" which btw is an awesome fic everyone should read hehe!!!

Yeah it is! 

What I Did On My Summer Vacation by grimm 

(4/4 I 118,749 I Explicit)

There's something weird about Beacon Hills that Stiles can't quite put his finger on. The way everyone in town knows his name the day he arrives. The way they insist the melancholic howling that echoes through the forest every night is just a dog. The way his dad denies getting a dog, even though Stiles comes home to find one sprawled across his bed, some big black thing whose eyes gleam red in the right light. The way that massive oak tree out in the woods vibrates under his touch, pulsing with sickly life.

There's something weird going on in this town, and Stiles is determined to get to the bottom of it.

***

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh my (god)! by day

(1/1 I 4,253 I Not Rated)

Stiles moves into Beacon Hills when he's 18. He doesn't know about the werewolves or the town hunters or the crazy amount of supernatural shit that goes on, because if he did, he would have hightailed it the fuck out of there instead of buying a small apartment and actually settling down.

So when he catches the scent of wolves on his jog, he groans and fights the urge to fling himself to the concrete and throw a tantrum impressive enough to rival any and all five year olds. He settles for sitting down on the scorching concrete and cursing his life choices.

In which Stiles can shift into any animal he wants and somehow the pack doesn't find out until Stiles' ~dramatic~ reveal.

(I'm serious it's dramatic)

The Wonderful Mess We Made by haleonwheels

(12/12 I 34,619 I Explicit)

Derek is Scott's rude older brother. Scott is Stiles' new best friend. Stiles is in a really hard situation (in more ways than one).

Or the one where Stiles Stilinski moves to Beacon Hills from New York City and immediately befriends Scott McHale. Scott tells Stiles he's an only child--except he really, really isn't. So how was Stiles supposed to know Derek From The Jungle is actually Derek McHale, Scott's older brother that he kept secret for a reason?

Stilinski's Home for Wayward Wolves by owlpostagain

(1/1 I 35,197 I Teen)

“At least your puppies knock first,” Stiles snorts. “Here I thought their alpha raised them to be well-mannered.” 



“There’s a sign,” Derek responds stiffly. 



Stiles, whose curiosity outweighs even his hardest of grudges, abandons his chilly façade of nonchalance in a heartbeat. He jumps right up and all but pushes Derek out of the way in his effort to get to the window, and sure enough when he leans outside there’s a laminated strip of cardstock duct taped to the vinyl siding: 



DON’T FORGET TO KNOCK Stiles gets cranky when we scare him

---

Or, in which Stiles Stilinski moves to Beacon Hills for his junior year of high school and accidentally adopts a pack of teenage werewolves.

in this twilight (i can't see shit) by Anniely

(9/9 I 39,744 I Mature)

About three things Stiles is sure:

First, the people in Beacon Hills are supernaturally gorgeous and he has no idea why he was allowed in. Second, if he hears 'mountain lion' one more time, he's going to do some serious maiming. And third, Derek Hale looks at him like he wants to eat him. And Stiles might just let him.

[stranger-who-writes-fiction]

Back at it again with my self-indulgent comic posts. This time! It’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #3, perhaps the most tonally-distinct entry yet, with shades of The Twilight Zone. 

Spoilers!

So, as mentioned, this issue is the most deliberate in terms of both its pacing and its tone, IMO.

What is that tone, you ask?

To quote Alex Danvers, from “Midvale”: Hello, darkness.

THE STORY:

Kara and Ruthye are still looking for Krem Clues in the alien town of Maypole.

(Which is actually just Small Town, USA, complete with vintage 50s aesthetics.)

But the locals are clearly hiding something! So Kara and Ruthye continue to investigate, and they eventually discover what it was that the residents of Maypole were so keen to keep hidden. 

Genocide, basically. 

As I said, this issue struck me as very Twilight Zone; a genre story involving the build-up to a dark twist, all set against the backdrop of an idyllic small town. (Think, like, “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street” but instead of focusing on the Red Scare, it’s classism and racism.)

The wealthier blue aliens kicked all of the purple aliens out of town, and when space pirates showed up to pillage and plunder, the blue aliens made a deal with them: the lives of the purple aliens in exchange for their safety.  

Which is where the episodic story connects to the larger mission; it was Krem who suggested the trade, and then joined up with the Brigands (space pirates) when he was freed by the blue aliens.

The issue ends with no tidy resolution to the terrible things Kara and Ruthye discovered, but they do have a lead on where to find Krem, now, as well as Barbond’s Brigands.

KARA-CTERIZATION:

Ironically, it’s here, in the darkest chapter yet, that we get the closest to what might be considered ‘classic’ Kara. 

Which I think comes down to that aforementioned deliberate pace--this issue is a little slower, a little quieter. It gives the characters some room to breathe.

That’s not to say Crusty Kara is gone. Oh no. She is still very much Crusty. XD 

But anyways. A list! Of Kara moments I loved!

I mentioned a few of these in a prior post when the preview pages came out: I like the moment where Kara blows down the guy’s house of cards, and I like that the action is echoed later in the issue when she grabs the mayor’s desk and tosses it aside. A nice visual representation of the escalation of Kara being, like. Done with these creeps. (Creeps is an understatement but you get the idea.)

Another one from the preview pages: Kara explains to Ruthye that her super hearing won’t necessarily help her detect a lie, especially if she’s dealing with an alien species she’s not familiar with.

It not only reveals her level of competence and understanding of her super powers, it also shows that, you know. She’s a thinker. She’s smart. 

Amazing! Showing, rather than telling us, that Kara is smart! Without mentioning the science guild at all wow hey wow.

(Sorry, pointed criticism of the SG show fandom.)

Anyways.

I dig the PJs! 

And Kara catching the bullet! Not only are the poses and character acting great, it’s also a neat bit of panel composition:

We start with Ruthye’s POV, and then move to the wide shot of the room. The panel where Kara actually catches the bullet is down and to the side of the wide shot panel--we move our eyes the way her body/arm would have to move to intercept the bullet. Physicality in static, 2D images!

Also, like. It’s a very tense moment, life-or-death, but. Ruthye’s wide-eyed surprise at the bullet in Kara’s hand? Kind of adorable. 

I was pretty much prepared for the page of Kara shielding Ruthye from the gunfire to be the highlight--it was one of the first pages King shared and I was like, ‘yeah, YEAH.’ But, shockingly? The TRUE highlight of the issue?

Where do I BEGIN?!?!

EVERYTHING. About this moment. Is lovely.

From Kara holding Ruthye above the bench to explaining the concept of a piggyback ride, to telling her:

“I’m going to hold my hands here, and these hands can turn coal into diamonds, so they’re not going to let go. I’m going to keep you safe.”

HNNNNNNNNNNNG.

Ruthye’s narration--about how Kara had avoided flying as she was concerned it would freak Ruthye out--just adds a whole additional layer of YES, GOOD, YES, and her line on that splash page is great: “You see, all that time, she was worried about me.”

HNNNNNNNNNNNG. AGAIN.

To say nothing of the STELLAR ARTWORK.

And SPEAKING of that stellar artwork, Evely and Lopes continue to knock it out of the park. Each issue is distinct and beautifully crafted, a true joy to look at.

Before I jump into more of the art, a few final notes of character stuff in general.

Ruthye is the one most affected by the experience in Maypole, as she can’t comprehend how a society of people that look so nice and gentle and peaceful could have been party to such a horrible act.

One of the big criticisms of the book thus far is that Supergirl is not the main character, and I guess I can agree with that observation. Typically, in Western media, the main character is the one who goes through the most change in the story. 

And, yeah. That’s Ruthye.

As I was reading the end, where Ruthye sits on the curb and Kara hugs her, I was imagining how the scene would’ve played, had King stuck with the original idea for the series: Kara as the one learning to be tough/experiencing all of this for the first time, and while I think that could certainly work...

I continue to appreciate that King literally flipped the script; that Kara, especially in this issue, is like, ‘I’ve seen this, I know this,’ as opposed to being the one going through a loss of innocence.

*Marge Simpson voice* I just think it’s neat!

Because Kara’s been a teen in DC comics for so long--ever since she was reintroduced to the main DCU continuity, actually--so this is all brand new territory, here. Having an older Kara who’s SEEN SOME STUFF.

(Alsoooooo, since Bendis made the destruction of Krypton not just inaction and climate disaster, but rather, genocide, and the subtext of a Kryptonian diaspora text, the waitress’ derogatory comment regarding the the destruction of Kryton, as well as Kara picking up the bad vibes the entire time, suggests not just a broad commentary on discrimination in all its forms, but specifically allegorical anti-Semitism. The purple aliens being forced out of their homes and into substandard living conditions, then the blue aliens--their neighbors and once-fellow residents--essentially allowing the space pirates to kill them, making them literal scapegoats, Kara discovering the remains of the purple aliens, and Ruthye’s horror at the ‘banality of evil’...yes. A case could be made, I think.) 

(Which would probably require a post unto itself and a lot more in-depth discussion, nuance, and cited sources.)

(Should mention that King has brought up that both he and Orlando--the other Supergirl writer he talked to--are Jewish, and for him personally, that shaped his views on Kara’s origin story.)

I guess my point is that this issue is perhaps not as out-of-left-field as some might think, and just because there isn’t as obvious an arc for Kara, doesn’t mean there isn’t some sharp character work at play. 

(I could be WAY OFF, of course, and I’m not suggesting it’s a clear 1:1 comparison. I’d actually really love to hear King talk about this issue in particular.)

Anyways.

Here’s the final page, which I think works, because as I mentioned before, there is no easy answer/quick wrap-up to the story of Maypole:

THE ART:

I mean. How many times can I just shout ‘ART! AAAARRRRRRRRRRRTTTT!’ before it gets old?

I dunno, but I guess we’re gonna FIND OUT.

There are some panels in this issue that I just. Like ‘em! From a purely artistic standpoint! Because they’re so good!

Like, I just really love the way Kara is drawn in that top panel. Her troubled, confused expression, the colors of the fading light, the HAIR. 

Evely draws the best hair. I know I’ve said this before. I don’t care. I will continue to say it, because it continues to be true.

The issue I find myself running up against when I make these posts is that I really don’t want to post whole pages, as that’s generally frowned upon (re: pirating etc.) but with something like this, you just can’t appreciate it in panel-by-panel snippets.

(Guided View on digital reading platforms is a BANE and a POX I say!)

Anyways.

LOVE the implied movement of the cape settling as Kara speeds in and stops. 

And, obviously, Kara flicking the bullet away is just. A+. 

And the EYES, man. LOPES’ COLORS ON THE EYES???!?! BEAUTIFUL.

Also, should note the lettering! The more rounded letters for the ‘WOOSH’ of Kara’s speed (and, earlier, the super breath) work nicely, and contrast with the angular, violent BLAMS of the gunshots. 

And, I gotta say, the editor is doing a really great job of not cluttering up the artwork with all the caption boxes. Which is no small task.

(I assume the editor is placing them, as editors usually handle word balloon/caption box placement, but I suppose it could be Evely? Sometimes the artist handles it. Either way, whoever’s taking care of all the text, EXCELLENT WORK! BRAVO!)

Okay I think that’s everything.

Ah, nope, wait.

MISC.

Just a funny observation, more than anything else: Superman: Red and Blue dropped this week, and King had a story in there, “The Special” (which was very good, btw.) Both Lois and the waitress swear a lot so I’m beginning to think that this is just how King writes dialogue for any adult character who isn’t Clark. XD

This is absolutely a personal preference but when Kara was like, “And my name IS Supergirl,” I was like nooooo. I know King is trying to simplify all of the conflicting origin stories and lore but I LIKE KARA DANVERS, SIR. XD

It’s almost assuredly a cash-grab/an attempt for DC to get all the money it can out of a book they don’t have much confidence in, but I like the cardstock covers! Very classy, much Strange Adventures.

(OH my gosh, can you imagine that issue 1 cover with spot gloss???? Basically the only way you could possibly improve on it.) 

Okay NOW I’m done. For real. XD NEXT TIME: Kara and Ruthye go after Krem and the Brigands!

[houses-of-lamentation]

Love Letters!

In Which . . . You decide to confess your feelings in a somewhat unorthodox way

A/N: first headcanons, make some nOISE, idk what im DOING

Lucifer

How ELSE were you supposed to confess your feelings for Lucifer of all people??

You worked damn hard on making this letter look nice by the way, we talking Aesthetic with pretty calligraphy too (ya gotta impress Lucifer somehow)

You slipped it underneath his door (far safer than putting it anywhere his brothers could find it—) and hid in your room until your nerves could die down

Lucifer was undoubtedly surprised when he received said letter, though of course flattered

Will not admit it but after reading your confession, he absolutely spent at least several minutes just trying to Think

Not only did you have feelings for him but you put effort into this elegant letter of sorts??

You made the Avatar of Pride soft!!

The next chance he gets, he asks you for a moment alone

Gets right to the point though and immediately tells you how flattered he is

And fortunately, he absolutely reciprocates your feelings

Hope you enjoy your upcoming date at Ristorante Six—!!

Mammon

Yes you did use gold ink for this love letter, duh

You slipped it underneath his door and even though he wasn’t in there, you absolutely made yourself scarce

When he finds it, he at first thinks this is just another letter from Lucifer like that one time,,,

Of course, he practically dies when he realizes it is actually from you!!

Doesn’t even get a chance to read the whole letter before he starts freaking out

You!! Wrote!! Him!! A!! Love!! Letter!!

Him!!

Immediately texts all of his brothers, and they can’t even understand what he’s saying, far too many typos

Tries to play it off immediately after but it’s far too late

Goes to your room instantly upon finishing the letter

This dumbass is in your room like “The Great Mammon SUPPOSES he could take you out on a date—” as if he isn’t shaking and blushing like a whole tomato

He’s also never ever ever getting rid of that letter now, btw

Leviathan

A love letter just made sense to you, alright! Maybe you panicked—

You were over in Levi’s room playing games with him, and afterwards, you’d made sure to leave the letter behind

Genius plan, really

He was entirely confused when he had found it, moments after you left

Thought you had forgotten it but,,,it has his name?? On it?? If you had something to tell him, why not just tell him??

Then he reads the letter

Oh

Look, he’d seen this before. He’s read about it, he’d just never thought that HE’D be on the receiving end!

Lies to himself as if this hasn’t made him the happiest demon in the Devildom—

After deciding this ISN’T a betrayal to Ruri-Chan, you promptly receive a text or two from him

Totally trying to play it cool but even over text you can practically FEEL how flustered he is

He’s already planning your first date, fun fact, it has to be perfect! You’re his Player 2 now!

Satan

Satan would absolutely appreciate a nice love letter, look at this mans

So, of course, you decided to put down all your feelings in a nicely written love letter

You even signed your name in CURSIVE, the absolute EFFORT

You slipped it underneath his door which might’ve been a bad idea, honestly

Have you seen how cluttered his room is??

Takes him at least a day to notice the letter so you definitely think he’s rejected you for a moment there—

He’s?? Never?? Received?? A?? Love?? Letter?? Before??

Honestly does NOT know how to feel, of course he likes you back?? But you went to the trouble of writing him a letter!

Should he write one back??

Just invites you out for a nighttime walk instead, but he’s got a plan!

He gives you a book, as some sort of gift, but when you open it, you find your letter inside

He’s added a little note though, about reciprocating your feelings and yes, you two hold hands for the rest of the walk—

Asmodeus

Look, you are dealing with THE Avatar of Lust, shouldn’t your confession be,,,big???

You have to imagine he’s been confessed to every number of ways but it’s probably been a while since he’s gotten a love letter!

You even spray the cardstock with one of the various fragrances he’s gotten you, yes we ARE putting out all the stops here

Plus, you get him a nice little rose because you can’t go wrong there, right?

You leave it in his room and honestly, he doesn’t notice it at first

But he instantly does a double take and !!!

You think his heart wouldn’t MELT when he sees you wrote him a love letter??

It’s just so wholesome and soft and gosh, it’s been awhile since someone did something so sweet for him,,,

He bouta buy you a whole bunch of gifts if you aren’t careful, I’m telling ya

Immediately shows up to your room and he’s GLOWING, this man is on CLOUD NINE

This is the softest you have ever seen Asmo and honestly??? It’s a vv nice look, enjoy your new boyfriend because he is NOT going anywhere

Beelzebub

Is a love letter the best way to confess to Beel?? Who knows, but you also bought him a box of chocolates SO!

You leave it in the kitchen which, obviously, sounds like a bad idea but he’s going to be the first one to find it

Plus you shoot him a text to check the kitchen (gotta be careful, okay!)

Just notices the chocolates at first and is super flattered because hey! You bought him food!

He is definitely confused when he reads the letter at first. Like,,,is this,,,normal for chocolate gifts??

Shows the letter to Belphie, who of course tagged along, and Belphie’s just very deadpan about it

“It’s a love letter, Beel”

You don’t get a text back for awhile and when you check the kitchen, he’s gone

Later though, there’s a knock at your door

It’s Beel and he bought you your own set of chocolates, he didn’t even eat it on the way here!

He says something about hoping to share all the food he gets with you from now on

He’s blushing like mad and he somehow seems even softer than normal

You better share those chocolates with him—

Belphegor

Honestly, a love letter made the most sense to you, you wouldn’t get flustered this way!

You leave the letter on his pillow (in his room ofc because he never goes anywhere without his cow pillow—)

He stares at the letter for a few moments just confused

Why are you writing him letters? You live in the same house?

He reads the letter and this does not decrease his confusion

He is totally blushing, but that’s not important!

Shows up to your room not long after reading it and he’s playing it off really well

“You didn’t have to write me a letter...”

Funny because you’re not getting the letter back either, that’s his now, it’s going to stay under his pillow forever, hands off

He says he likes you back though so??

He is sleeping in your room tonight though, move over, he’s tired

He still wants to be with you, okay—

[kirstielol]

just a lil rant to blow off some steam 🙃

ok so a few years ago i started making christmas cards to send out to family every year, and since then i get family members asking if i can commission cards for them

which is cool i love doing this, usually it goes really well

but my god.. my mom finally asked me to make a card for her and she's acting like a customer from hell

i send her a bunch of ideas to choose from, she picks one but wants me to alter it. edit out one part and edit in something in its place. which is fine. more work but fine.

i send her the edited version and ask if shes happy with it before i start cutting it out, she says no. we text back and fourth for i'm not kidding two and a half hours, with her making all these requests that either don't make sense or aren't possible. a bit annoying but okay fine whatever.

after this two and a half hour conversation she finally just says to go with the original idea. so.. i felt annoyed, like that time was just wasted.

yesterday i send her pictures of cardstock colours and ask her to choose some colours to use. the card is a gradient of three colours so i grouped up a bunch of colours i thought would look nice

she finally decided on blue.

today i cut the card out, in the blue cardstock she picked out. i send her a picture. (btw it took me 54 minutes to cut it all out, yes i started tracking the time put into this card after that damn two and a half hour conversation)

suddenly she doesn't like the blue anymore. :| i'm so mad at this point.

so i send her more colours,

now she decides on green. so now guess who gets to spend the next hour re-cutting out this damn card

anyway i'm now at 6 hours of time put into this card and i haven't even put the card together or done any of the calligraphy inside of it

such a waste of my time, my bf says i should bill her by the hour and i might just do that :/

idk i just feel like she's just not valuing my time.

[forestryfae]

small business tiktok is so fucking annoying half of them are like GENUINELY good businesses that sell stuff like homemade clay pins or stickers, clay tableware figurines, pots, etc. homemade watercolours or yarn of other art supplies, metalware and jewelry, glass, prints and canvas art, woodworking, clothes and other fabric products, soaps, etc. most of them also, while maybe not making The Worlds Most lno waste ecofriendly products atleast try to make their their packaging as low-waste and recycleable as they can, and the ones that are independent or self made are genuinely independent or have a small team of coworkers meanwhile, the other half and the most prominent parts of small business tiktok, not to mention the most WHINY and guilt tripping, we have resin and earring tiktok. first off, the fucking audios they use!!??? “PLEASE STOP SCROLLING!!!111!!11!! im just a small business, and tiktok is shadowbanning and hiding my videos so noone can see them ever :’((((( i know im just a small businesss and most people dont care about me at all :’(((( but itd mean the world to me if you liked, shared, and commented on my video 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 pwease? for me?? pweeeaaasseeee???? 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺” its worse than the fucking “like comment subscribe and turn on notifications” shit youtube creators are pulling. and the fucking way they talk and word it? its so fucking entitled and whiny

and its not just resin tiktok, its a very specific part of homemade jewelry tiktok ive decided to refer to as earring tiktok, because they primarily sell those. idk if they bulk buy their studs off of amazon or aliexpress or if they go to target or hobby lobby or whatever yall have in the us, but they then try to frame it like their design is an original one of a kind? i dont have a number on how many times ive seen a small business with a guilt trippy audio complain that noone wants to support or buy their items and then its like. a mini watercolor set or a rubber duck or a pair of cards from a cardstock they bought at dollar store, or some charm or premade stuff that is very obviously bulk-bought from aliexpress or some company that sells bowling alley gacha prices. like yeah theyre cool and they definitley dont sell those at H&M but its also not something id pay over 30 dollars plus shipping for, and not after that guilt trip. not that it wouldnt be hard to find another shop to buy fromt with the exact same or similar product. and then theres resin tiktok. ive seen youtube woodworkers who use resin to spice up their wooden tables, and ive heard about some people who put wedding bouquets or a late relatives ashes in resin to rpeserve them, and im onboard w that! that fuckin dope! but resin tiktok consists of resin coasters (STILL dont understand wtf coasters are good for just wash your table if you spill something), resin jewelry holders (yall ever heard of a jewery box??), resin nonfunctional guns? what???? resin combs (wooden combs? hello?) resin ashtrays and tableware which i am so mad about they need an entire post of their own, resin jewelry (which i can understand to a certain degree because i saw someone put resin on slices of fruit and make jewelry from which looked so tasty and absolutely amazing and i stll want to buy them because they were pretty and not just trendy), resin dice (acceptable as resin dice are used frequently and even if you get tired of them you can sell or give them away to other people instead of throwing them away, and there are people who collect them so theres an interest so if you get rid of them someone would want them, but there are still non-resin options as well which would be cool if people looked into too) starting off with the designs, just like w the earrings i talked abt, theres basically no originality. clear resin with some dried flowers and glitter, or witchy holographic stickers stuck into a mold, btw everyone uses the same 15 molds, i could go to any resin tikok and id find the exact same product and the only difference would be where they placed the flowers and what color it is. usually daisies. i love daisies but not like this. theres also that fucking stop scrolling🥺🥺🥺 audio, so thats fun. and a common issue between all these small businesses, and some jewelry businesses too, is the packaging. there is no need for those tiny cloth pouches. yes theyre pretty but what the hell are you supposed to use them  for after youve unpacked the stuff you bought? they last for like two weeks if you try to use them for ANYTHING else and they fray and fall apart instantly. then the pouch is put in a box or envelope with a ton of shredded paper, then the shredded paper and pouch is wrapped in a fucking silk paper sheet?? what??? thats so much! i bought vintage christmas ornaments\ off of etsy and it was wrapped in less shit than a pair of metal earrings! just put some shredded paper in an envelope, and put the jewelry in a paper envelope in that envelope. better yet, i saw a guy design a special envelope to put his stickers in. do that! anyways, my hot take of the day is basicallly i love small busniess tiktok but i could do without the guilt tripping ans SUPPORT ME!!!! and that resin is a waste. its plastic, its not biodegradeable, and im gonna make a post aout how much i hate ashtrays now

[guylty]

You want waffle? Well, let me give you some waffle… The cleaning up operation has been somewhat successful. I’ll give you a little before and after so you can see the full extent of the problem.

So, my “shtuff” had started to take over the whole room. Not even my room, btw. It’s my son’s old room (hence the football posters on the wall). I had expanded into his room because my study had been too messy. Um. The study has been given the tidy treatment, too, but nevertheless, this is my crafting space, and the books, papers, envelopes, ribbons, bling bits and other assorted paper stuff had accumulated on every available surface space. You get a vague idea in the gif left.

In the end it was so bad, I essentially had created a path that led to the table, while other floor space was filled with yet to be unpacked boxes, bags and envelopes. Also, the shelf next to my desk did not really work for me, either – it didn’t really hold the items I frequently reach for, and the green containers were a little bit too long for the narrow shelf, always on the verge of falling off the shelf. The gif features the solution to the madness: a new cabinet which I needed in order to tidy the shtuff away.

It actually wasn’t really as bad a process as I thought. There is a certain satisfaction in finding a new organisational structure for things, or in sorting everything into collections of the same type of things. A basket for envelopes, one for cardstock, one for assorted printed papers, one for recycled envelopes etc, etc. So, I started here:

And now it is more like this:

Yep, there were still papers on the desk at time of photographing, but that is because I was working on a commissioned junk journal the last few days.

Well, and when the king of the house takes up position on the desk, you know that it is *really* clean… The box contains the abovementioned commission, ready to be sent.

So, with no mess on my mind anymore, a weight has also lifted off my shoulder and I can happily indulge in Armitage on tumblr. Here we go.

TIFF has provided us with lots of new imagery. Here is a collection of screen shots (?) provided by deepestfirefun of Richard and his director Julie Delpy

Mezzmerizedbyrichard has put together some screen shots of Richard from the Deadline interview and also added a gorgeous gif. I mean, when the man smiles, you just want to take him, give him a hug and never let go

oooh, I love this idea by nowiloveandwilllove: She asks for readers to suggest a RA-related fan fic, and will then reply with a matching playlist. I’d love to see her playlist for Zee’s Manna

Big thanks to riepu10 for this new mood gif. I can see myself using this between 7 and 10am every Monday morning 😁

A nice Thorin edit by mmirzasworld

From the world of fan fiction on tumblr: xxbyimm lists the reader-prompted fan fics she is going to work on

Watching Richard thinking… I mean, if it was someone else, I’d say it’s like watching paint dry, but these gifs by riepu10, I could watch them forever

I haven’t watched the intro and Q&A from TIFF yet (for fear of spoilers), but richardarmitagefanpage has linked to it on Youtube, and I am listing it here just in case you are less concerned with spoilers

And riepu10’s contribution to World Beard Day

*doubletakes* Vott? Vott iz zis? *Guylty stares unblinkingly* Um. Shirtless Thorin. Somehow. By thewarriorandtheking

LOL on these falsehobbitquotes

Right, considering that I waffled you up, it may not really look as short a post as it appears to be. Most of tumblr was the photographic goodness of TIFF this week. No complaints there – I enjoyed the images very much – but it would not have made sense to quote 10 links that are all the same content. Let’s see what next week brings.

Happy weekend!

Guylty ❤

Armitage Weekly Round-up 2019/31 You want waffle? Well, let me give you some waffle... The cleaning up operation has been somewhat successful.

[gefdreamsofthesea]

The Stolen Child Tarot is here! It is by artist Monica L. Knighton. I backed it on Kickstarter but you can buy it here.

I’ve had the majors only set for ages so it feels unreal that I have the full deck now.

The deck does not come with a guidebook yet (there’s a digital guidebook in the works for September) but if you flip open the box there’s a QR code and a link for the guide when it comes out. The box is beautiful btw, it’s printed on every side with animals and trees and is a nice light green.

The cards themselves are bigger than a standard tarot deck. The kickstarter says the cardstock will be “smooth, heavy, and matte”. It is definitely smooth but not heavy, closer to a linen texture. It’s not the heavy matte of the Starchild or Light Seer’s decks.

The suits are Flame, Brine, Zephyrs, and Oak. Courts are Page, Knight, Queen, King. Justice is 8, Strength 11.

The imagery is based on the Yeats poem “The Stolen Child”. There are no human-made objects in this deck. The characters are all children interacting (and often merging with or transforming into) animals. There is nudity but it’s not sexual (they’re kids). It’s a very shapeshifter-y, fey deck.

There are so many interesting and uncommon animals in this deck! I love the axolotl in the two of flame, the African wild dogs in the five of flame, the MOOSE in the Knight of Pentacles, and I can’t stop referring to the King of Brine as “Florida Man as a child”. I think the Knights and Queens in particular are amazing (all the court cards are very well done).

The one issue I have with the deck is at first glance, some of the imagery appears to fit other cards better. For instance, in the Four of Oak (which I’m assuming corresponds to coins/pentacles). You have a mountain goat and kid looking sadly at some children (who appear to either be frozen or merged with the rocks) whereas in the Five you have a badger with one paw extended (protectively, I thought) over some honeycombs while some mice reach for it. I really feel like these images should have been swapped since the four is usually about being miserly, keeping your stuff close, shoring up resources, whereas the five is like “well everything kind of sucks right now and we have no money”. But of course since I don’t have the guidebook and thus no context, maybe there’s a way it makes sense.

A note: The Ace of Oak appears to have a child’s skeleton (the skull is upside down) all of the aces have parts of the body on them: flame - hand, brine - heart, zephyrs - brain, oak - bones. I just really wasn’t expecting to see it. The most violent imagery in this deck is of an owl-child about to catch a rabbit.

There are definitely a lot of kids in this deck who are clearly not white but there are some where I can’t really tell where they’re from. I think I see two kids who are clearly East Asian, some who seem Native American, the kid with the narwhals appears to have vitiligo (black skin with white patches). It’s still a mostly white deck but it’s not like some other decks I own with like, five poc in it.

I would recommend this to you if you like nature-based decks, fairy decks but you’re tired of seeing tiny winged people, or even shapeshifters.