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peternelthorpe · 10 months ago

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Small Valentines Day Gifts

New Post has been published on https://smallgiftideas.org/small-valentines-day-gifts/

Small Valentines Day Gifts

When it comes to expressing your affection on Valentine's Day, small gifts can be like whispers of love in a crowded room. From intricately designed handmade cards to personalized photo gifts that capture shared memories, the options are as diverse as your feelings.

Consider the impact of a miniature succulent symbolizing growth, or the sweetness of gourmet chocolates that melt on the tongue. Cozy scented candles offer warmth and comfort, creating an ambiance perfect for heartfelt conversations.

But what truly makes a small Valentine's Day gift special is the thought and care you put into selecting it, revealing the depth of your emotions.

Key Takeaways

Handmade gifts offer personalization and care.

Personalized photo items capture special memories.

Plant gifts symbolize love and growth.

Gourmet treats create lasting joy and memories.

Handmade Valentine's Day Cards

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Get crafty this Valentine's Day with unique handmade cards that show your loved ones just how much you care. Dive into the world of paper craft and unleash your creativity to make personalized cards filled with heartfelt messages. Express your emotions through intricate designs, vibrant colors, and thoughtful words that will surely touch the hearts of those you love.

Creating handmade Valentine's Day cards allows you to add a personal touch that store-bought cards simply can't match. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or just starting, the joy of crafting something special for someone special is unparalleled. Experiment with different textures, embellishments, and techniques to craft a card that's as unique as the recipient.

Not only are handmade cards a beautiful gesture, but they also serve as keepsakes that can be cherished for years to come. The time and effort you put into creating these heartfelt messages will be appreciated far beyond Valentine's Day. So, gather your supplies, let your imagination run wild, and make this Valentine's Day one to remember with your handmade cards.

Personalized Photo Gifts

Unleash the power of memories with personalized photo gifts that capture special moments in a unique and heartfelt way. Personalized photo gifts like customized mugs and custom keychains are perfect ways to show your loved ones how much you care. Imagine their delight as they sip their morning coffee from a mug adorned with a cherished photo, or as they unlock their door with a keychain holding a picture that warms their heart.

Product Description Price Customized Mugs High-quality ceramic mug with a photo $15 Custom Keychains Stainless steel keychain with picture $10 Photo Coasters Set of 4 coasters personalized with images $20

These personalized items not only add a personal touch to everyday items but also serve as constant reminders of the love and memories shared. Choose the perfect photo, add a thoughtful message, and watch as these gifts become treasured keepsakes.

Miniature Succulents or Plants

Indulge in the charm of miniature succulents or plants to bring a touch of nature's serenity into your loved one's space this Valentine's Day. These tiny green wonders not only add a pop of freshness but also symbolize lasting love and growth. Here are some creative ways to incorporate them into your gift-giving this season:

Terrarium Arrangements: Gift a beautifully crafted terrarium filled with an assortment of miniature succulents. These self-contained ecosystems are easy to care for and make a stunning addition to any room. Your special person will love watching these little plants thrive and grow within their glass enclosures.

DIY Planters: Get crafty and personalize a small planter with your loved one's initials or a heartfelt message. Plant a resilient succulent in it, like a jade plant or an echeveria, to symbolize enduring love. This thoughtful gift will remind them of your thoughtfulness every time they see it on their desk or windowsill.

Mini Succulent Garden Kit: Consider gifting a DIY mini succulent garden kit. These kits come with everything needed to create a tiny garden oasis, including mini pots, soil, rocks, and an assortment of adorable succulents. It's a fun and interactive gift that your loved one can enjoy putting together themselves.

Gourmet Chocolates or Treats

Embrace a delectable journey into the realm of gourmet chocolates or treats, elevating your Valentine's Day gifting experience with irresistible sweetness. Imagine the delight on your loved one's face as they unwrap a box of decadent chocolate truffles, each bite a symphony of rich flavors and velvety textures. These little spheres of bliss are perfect for indulging in moments of shared joy.

For a twist on the classic treat, consider artisanal cookies that are handcrafted with love and care. These cookies aren't just sweets but edible works of art, each bite telling a story of craftsmanship and dedication. Whether it's a buttery shortbread cookie or a chewy chocolate chunk masterpiece, these treats will surely warm the heart of your Valentine.

Cozy Scented Candles

Transform your space into a haven of warmth and relaxation with the inviting ambiance of cozy scented candles. These small but mighty gifts can create a relaxing atmosphere and set a romantic ambiance perfect for Valentine's Day. Here's why cozy scented candles are a great choice for your loved one:

Soothing Scents: Choose from a variety of calming fragrances like lavender, vanilla, or sandalwood to help your partner unwind after a long day. These scents can promote relaxation and create a tranquil environment.

Self-Care Rituals: Encourage self-care and relaxation techniques by lighting a scented candle during a bubble bath or meditation session. It's a thoughtful way to show your loved one that you care about their well-being.

Warm Glow: The soft, flickering light of a candle can instantly cozy up any space, making it feel intimate and comforting. Share a quiet moment together in the gentle glow of a scented candle and let the stresses of the day melt away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make Sure My Handmade Valentine's Day Card Is Unique and Special?

To make your handmade Valentine's Day card truly unique and special, get creative with embellishments and personal messages. Incorporate recycled materials for an eco-friendly touch and add hand-drawn designs for a personal feel.

Are There Any Restrictions on the Number of Photos I Can Include in a Personalized Photo Gift?

When creating a personalized photo gift, the number of photos you can include depends on the customization options available. Some services may have restrictions on the amount of photos you can add, so check for any gift limitations before getting started.

Despite these constraints, there are still plenty of ways to get creative with your photo gift to make it truly special. Let your imagination run wild within the parameters set!

What Are Some Tips for Caring for Miniature Succulents or Plants as Valentine's Day Gifts?

Taking care of miniature succulents or plants as Valentine's Day gifts requires attention to detail. Make sure to water them sparingly, as these little plants prefer dry conditions. Provide adequate sunlight, but avoid direct exposure to harsh rays.

Check the soil regularly for moisture levels. Consider repotting if the plant outgrows its container. By showing these small plants some love, they'll thrive and serve as a lasting reminder of your affection.

Can Gourmet Chocolates or Treats Be Customized With Specific Flavors or Ingredients?

When customizing gourmet chocolates or treats, you can choose specific flavors and ingredients to suit your taste. The personalized packaging and presentation add a special touch to your gift.

Make it unique by selecting flavors that resonate with your personality or hold sentimental value. Embrace the creativity in customizing your treats to create a thoughtful and trendy gift that will surely be appreciated.

How Long Do the Scents Typically Last in Cozy Scented Candles?

When caring for your cozy scented candles, it's essential to consider their longevity and fragrance retention. Proper maintenance, like trimming the wick before each use and storing them away from sunlight or drafts, can help extend the life of the scent.

Typically, scents in quality candles last around 20-30 hours, but this can vary depending on the brand and ingredients used. Enjoy the warm, inviting ambiance your candles bring to your space!

Conclusion

Surprise your loved ones with thoughtful small Valentine's Day gifts that speak volumes. From handmade cards that warm the heart to personalized photo gifts that capture precious memories, there's a perfect token of affection for everyone.

Add a touch of greenery with miniature plants or indulge their sweet tooth with gourmet chocolates. Top it off with cozy scented candles for a romantic evening in.

Show your love in the little things this Valentine's Day.

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anantradingpvtltd · 2 years ago

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majadejewelrydesign · 2 years ago

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Valentine’s Day gift idea 2023 | Couple’s promise ring

2023 Valentine’s Day gift idea – Unique promise rings for couples.

While there is no clear definition on what makes a promise ring, the common consensuses are rings to signify a relationship between lovers. Get your couple’s promise ring now till 2023-March-01 and receive 20% off with free shipping! 10% off cross shop. Enter code VAL2023 during checkout. Keep reading to learn when to wear promise ring, plus what makes our special design makes wonderful Valentine’s Day gift.

Promise ring verse wedding ring – what is the difference?

In a general sense, wedding rings are made in gold or platinum with classic and timeless design. Promise ring are crafted in silver or more accessible material, and the design tends to be more fun and fashionable. This is because wedding ring symbolize marriage, commitment and a mature stage of life; while promise ring hint a youthful love. Serious and committed, yes, but emphasis on love’s playful and flirtatious nature. Ancient Greek call this stage of love “ludus” or “erotoropia”. Aiming to design for the younger audiences, I want to keep a minimalist design language as well as giving them an adventurous attitude; looking for that perfect balance between uniqueness and something easy to wear.

Matching promise ring for couples in unique design.

Our promise ring collection are all crafted in sterling silver. ANANTAYA appears to be an open circle ring when wears on the finger. The shape is actually an infinity sign twisted in a circular form. The name ANANTAYA means “limitless” in Sinhala (an ancient dialog dated back to 200 BC). A subtle and fashionable way to wear the symbol for infinite love and you’re your commitment. Regardless of the bold appearance, the rings are comfortable to wear with the shank especially made tapered.

CUPID matching ring set features a minimalistic arrow design, symbolize Cupid’s arrow going through lover’s heart. To make this special we incorporated elements of signet ring shape into the design; furthermore tip of the arrow sets a drop shape gemstone of your choice. Arrow couple’s ring is quite common in the market, and yet our non-traditional and refreshing approach brings a unique perspective to this ever-popular motif.

TOKYO is the ring set draws idea from all the Japanese drama series I watch in the later 80’s and early 90’s. The busy streets and especially crossroad are common settings in these shows. Imagine a scene with 80’s city-pop beat as background music, two strangers’ eye meet at a crossroad…… hence my inspiration for this design.

And there is TOKUSHIMA, a spiral ring design after the formation of vortex. Love is sometimes like whirlpool (especially the processive aspect): grabbing onto our lover and pulling them deep into the heart of the ocean. Name after the famous Naruto whirlpool at Tokushima city in Japan.

All our rings are handcrafted in batch to ensure uniqueness. Get yourself and love one a stunning set now to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Sales end 2023-March-01.

#majade #majadejewelry #majadejewelrydesign #promise ring #couples ring #matching ring #valentine gift #indie designer

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the-witty-pen-name · 4 years ago

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It Was the Kid’s Idea

Valentine’s Day Imagine

Pairing: Mando x Reader

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: none; pure fluff

Request: “Hi! I saw that you wanted to inspo for Valentines fics! What about if Valentine’s Day is a really big thing on the reader’s planet and Mando is trying their best to impress them or make them feel at home since they’re always traveling? 🥺🥺 something like that!!”

A/N: Thank you so much @poeandstuff for the inspo! I couldn’t stop thinking about this all weekend- just the imagine of Mando and Grogu making homemade Valentine’s and decorations got in my head and just ughh it’s too cute to put into words.

I hope you all enjoy!! And thank you so much for reading!!

“I was hoping you’d know how to do this,” Din grumbles, frustrated as he messes up for the millionth time to cut out a perfect heart from the red paper in front of him.

The child only coos in response, his little hands covered in glue and glitter and he looks up to Din. “Oh no,” Din says at the sight of the little monster, “Come ‘ere you.” Scooping up the child, he brings him from their seats on boulders outside and into the ship, to clean the little guy’s hands.

“I just don’t understand why it’s so messy,” he grumbles, helping the little guy. He began to start feeling stressed, because he knew you’d be back to the ship at nightfall and nothing he planned was ready.

For the past two weeks of your travels, you’ve done nothing but talk about this holiday Din had never heard of but was the biggest day for celebration on your home planet. You babbled on and on about the origins and the traditions, and he knew you were homesick thinking about not being there this year. He may have faked annoyance, but he did love to hear everything you wanted to share with him. He made mental notes of every detail you described.

Now he’s desperately trying his best to get the ship ready to surprise you. The last stop before this planet, he picked up all the supplies he thought he would need. Pulling things together would be easy, he thought. Now, the man is feeling foolish because an impressive bounty hunting resumè and growing up under Mandolorian Creed, doesn’t teach you about frivolous holidays- Nevermind the crafting skills to make the decorations yourself.

He received the weirdest looks from the people selling in the market, when a fully armored Mandolorian and a green baby were buying red and pink paper, glitter, string, lace, candles, and everything else you mentioned people would decorate with. If he kept it simple, he thought he could decorate the ship when you were away and surprise you when you returned.

The actual day arrived and Din sent you into town to receive parts he had ordered for the crest. He knew it would take several hours and figured he’d have plenty of time. But now, every heart he tries to make is lopsided and he can’t keep the kid out of the containers of glitter.

The image of the ship in his head he was trying to achieve for you involved hanging strings of lights outside and around the inside of the crest along with strings of pink and red hearts. The lights were no problem and they were already done. He had soft yellow lights hanging from the outside door of the ship and also around the walls of the inside.

Now his finished string of messy little hearts would have to be good enough. He had just finished putting it together when he caught the little guy covered in the mess. Once the kid was cleaned up as best Din could get him, he’d need to make sure to ask you how to clean up the glitter mess in the ‘fresher. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t seem to get it all. You’d know what to do, he thought.

Now he brings the kid back outside and places him on the grass. He had cut out a red heart and hands it to Grogu, also giving him some other supplies. “Make (y/n) something nice,” Din instructs and then stars hanging up the many strings of hearts he’s made. He places some in the nearby trees and then places them around the ship. They hang from the ceiling and look like they are somehow magically floating there.

Despite the hearts being wildly inconsistent in size and shape, Din actually was feeling proud of himself. He couldn’t wait but see the look on your face when you see he tried to bring your home planet to you. The Mandolorian harbored feelings for you for a very long time and as you told him about this holiday, he thought it was the perfect opportunity to show you how he felt.

“It’s really all about showing someone how much you care for them and appreciate them,” you had explained. “It’s a day of celebrating love.”

He even went out very early this morning before you awoke and bought several large bouquets of white, yellow and pink flowers. You said when you have someone as a Valentine you got them a gift, lots of times flowers and chocolates. Din had no idea how many flowers were needed to satisfy tradition so he decided to play it safe and get at least 10 dozen from the flower vendor. He figured that would have to be good enough. He had hidden them on the other side of the ship, so when you left you wouldn’t see them bunched up outside.

Now he went back and forth from his hiding place, bringing the flowers up to the front. He used them to line the ramp of the crest and still had two bunches left over, one he could give you and one he could have the kid give you. Looking back at his son, Din sighed, seeing the heart was covered in a mound of glitter and ribbon shreds at least the same height as the child. Picking it up and dumping the loose product into the jar carefully, it looked like a heart again, a heart that had been decorated by a toddler with three fingers.

“You did good, kid,” Din says, patting the little guy on the head affectionately, before bringing it over to a rock to dry. He looked up, seeing that the sun was beginning to set and you’d be back soon. He was incredibly nervous, and he began to doubt himself. He felt responsible for you not being home to celebrate and he wanted to see you happy. If he could’ve, he would’ve gone off course to bring you home. For a while, he was trying to do make it happen. However, the most recent puck was too much to pass on. He hoped the little thing he threw together here would be good enough for you.

He scooped up the child before he caught the frog he had been chasing. Holding him tightly in one arm, he grabbed the homemade valentine in the other. He had planned his entrance for when you would get back. He’d just be casual, and walk out with the kid like nothing was happening. He also figured this way; he wouldn’t have to face you and he could watch your reaction from the safety of inside the ship. It was stupid, but he was so nervous. He was so worried he’d be rejected. He had no idea if his feelings were reciprocated. In his head, this was the perfect plan, but now his heart is in his stomach.

“Din, I’m almost back,” your voice rang in his ear from his Commlink. “I’ll be able to see the ship just about… whoa.”

Panicked, Din froze in place for a moment. He was too scared to walk out and face you, until he felt the kid hitting at the chest plate of his armor. He pulled himself together and mustered out the courage to go out and face the consequences of his foolish actions.

“Din, what is this?” you ask, marveling at the beautiful decorations- your own little Valentine’s Day celebration in the middle of the forest. You were almost convinced it wasn’t real and you were hallucinating.

“I mean, it was the kid’s idea,” Mando said hurriedly, trying to play it off. The little guy babbling nonsense like he was swearing to his father’s lie. He waved the red card in his hand frantically, more glitter falling off and getting everywhere.

“Oh really?” You say with an eyebrow raised, placing your packages from town down on the ground. “And was he the one who put this all together?” You ask, seeing how as soon as Mando releasing him, he just walks in a circle, fascinated by his own little shadow.

“Yeah,” Mando responded tentatively, “I mean it kind of just appeared. I don’t know.”

You couldn’t contain the smile forming on your face. You were beyond touched that he would do this for you, even though he couldn’t bring himself to talk about it. You knew this was difficult to him, matters of emotions were never his strong suit. He spoke by using his actions, he always had, and you always noticed.

You noticed when he would protect you on missions before looking out for himself. You saw him when he would get up and tend to the kid at night, even if was your turn. You noticed that he would give you his full attention when you would talk to him about anything. He would carry you home on nights where you felt like your legs wouldn’t work. You pick up on how carefully he would help you dress your injuries after a bad run-in. No small gesture he made went unseen and you loved everyone of the silent confirmations of his true feelings towards you. And now he just outdid himself in a way you could have never imagined.

“I can’t believe you did all this for me,” you say softly, unable to look in his eyes but settling to rely on the good faith he was meeting your gaze under the helmet. Of course, he was. He was watching every move, every facial expression as always. “Din, I absolutely love this.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he says, looking around nervously. His eyes follow the green trouble maker wobble over to you to be picked up, his gift for you in hand. You scoop him up in your arms and take the heart from him.

“Is this for me?” You ask with a big smile, looking at the kid. He erupted into a fit of happy giggles when you planted a kiss on his wrinkly head. “Thank you, I love it,” you whispered to him. He coos and snuggles himself into your chest. You chuckle at the little guy’s actions before looking back to Din. “I think he likes me,” you joke.

“He loves you,” Din says, smiling at the two of you. His little family. He walks over and wraps his arms around your waist, relieved you can’t see how much he’s shaking. You can tell he’s nervous. Embracing both you and the kid he whispers, “And he’s not the only one,” he admits softly, “I do too.”

“I love you too,” you reply, sighing contently. You feel the butterflies and nervousness in your stomach mixed with a feeling of relief. Months of dancing around the feelings and the never acknowledging the tension between the two of you was finally over, and in his own way, he’s shown you by all this how much he cares.

“There’s just one problem though,” you say, just as you feel begin to relax. He immediately stiffens.

“W-what?”

“You didn’t ask me to be your Valentine…”

“Gods,” he mutters, shaking his head. He frantically removes his helmet and presses his lips to yours in a kiss, before you even register that he just took his helmet off for you. His hand holds the back of your head gently, as his lips move against yours. When he pulls away, he rests his forehead against yours.

“(y/n), will you be my Valentine?” he asks, his beautiful brown eyes looking into yours for the first time without the helmet hindering his vision of you.

“You’re so handsome,” you whisper, bringing a hand to his cheek, propping the child on your hip so you had the free hand. You completely miss the question, too in awe of the man in front of you. “What about the Creed?” you ask worriedly.

“You’re worth it, cyar’ika,” he mumbles, “I’d have left it all if you had asked me too. You and him are the two most important things in my galaxy. The moment him and you arrived in my life, the Creed became second.”

“Din,” you whisper, tears welling in your eyes, “I love you.”

“I love you so much, cyar’ika.”

#mando x y/n #mando x you #mandolorian imagine #mando x reader #mando fanfiction #mando imagine #din djarin x reader #din djarin x y/n #din djarin x you #fluff #fluff imagine #the mandolorian #pedro pascal #pedro pascal imagine

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todaydreambelieversfic · 4 years ago

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Author Spotlight: Gleefuldarrencrissfan Day 2

Author: @gleefuldarrencrissfan

Share one of your strengths.

I've been told that I do a great job writing in each character's voice, especially Blaine, Kurt, Santana, Brittany, and Finn. It's very important to me that my characters remain true to who they are. I work very hard to make sure that each one sounds like they would in the show.

I've also been told that I'm great at cliffhangers. Honestly, I end on cliffhangers a lot as I try to figure out which route I plan to take for the story. I map out stories, but sometimes, the story takes me in a different direction. I also like to take suggestions from my readers. Many times, I have multiple scenarios on the direction in which the story can go. I love keeping my readers on their toes.

Share one of your weaknesses.

Well, because I have so many scenarios running through my head, I sometimes get stuck, and so, I don't update regularly. I used to try to publish weekly or more, but as a mom of two, a full time assistant in a high-needs classroom, an avid crafter, and a member of a band, my plate stays pretty full. I hope that my readers will subscribe and drop a comment from time to time to remind me to keep writing.

Which fic has been the hardest to write?

I'm going to bring up two, Dueling Duets and Love, Blaine. Dueling Duets is a complex fic with many characters and a very intricate plot. On top of that, Blaine has PTSD, as do I. It became too painful to finish this, so it is the only fic of mine that is abandoned. I would like to finish it, but I just don't see that happening any time soon.

Love, Blaine was so difficult for me because I wrote it all before publishing, and I thrive on feedback. I kept going back and rewriting scenes over and over because I just couldn't make up my mind about certain things. I also get anxious with a timeline hanging over my head, and so I went past the deadline. Unfortunately, my appendix decided to burst the week I was supposed to publish, so I was trying to write through the pain. I did finish it, and I'm proud of it, but I probably won't put myself through that again.

Which fic has been the easiest to write?

Private Messages, by far. Honestly, it was so easy because Kurt was me in a sense, a fanfic author, desperate for feedback on his writing. I also outlined this fic thoroughly, and so it just seemed to flow when I got to a certain point. It is by far, my most popular fic, and honestly, it is my favorite of all of the ones that I've written. Don't get me wrong. It was very complex, bouncing back and forth from Blaine's and Kurt's perspectives, with plotlines from the show, Kurt's story, and the actual story all coming together and interweaving at times making it difficult to write, but I always knew where it was going, and so it was the easiest to finish.

Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

It's one of my passions, along with music and crafting. I'm an artist at heart, and so I'd never be happy or fulfilled in life if I wasn't creating in one shape or form. I honestly love the way art makes you feel, both as the artist and as the person affected by other people's art. My favorite thing is one someone tells me how my writing or work made them feel.

I'm also writing educational children's books, and I hope to inspire kids in the future to love to learn, and so it is a major passion of mine to be a published author and get my books out there for kids to read.

Is there an episode or character or arc above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

Blaine Anderson. He was by far the character that inspires me the most, probably because I see myself in him, the confident, happy performer who is really quite insecure and maybe even depressed. I wish that the show would have let us see more of his personal life. At felt like, at times, he was just Kurt's boyfriend, but he was so much more than that. It would have been nice to actually see his home, his parents, and his brother to get greater insight on why he is the way he is. Thank god for fanfiction.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Just write. The first draft does not have to be perfect. That's what editing is for. Get yourself a beta, dig in, and just get the words on the page. No one can read your work if the pages are all in your head.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Stick to what you know. That's what research is for. Branch out. Explore. Interview and talk to others. Although, if you are researching something embarrassing, for example, Brazilian waxing, use incognito mode. lol.

If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

Private Messages. I just love this story, and I think it would best translate into a movie. Besides, Blaine is an actor in this one, so it works.

What’s your process? Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order? Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines? What are the perfect writing conditions for you?

Ha ha. I find it funny that I have a process because it depends on the fic I'm writing at the time. for my more complex stories, I do best when I map them out first. I don't do a complex map, just a basic synopsis of the first 10 chapters or so, and then a rough outline afterward. Of course, I keep it a soft outline, and I also plan a few other scenarios in case the story goes in a different direction. Even Chris Colfer says that his characters surprise him in his stories, and so I'm in good company, I suppose.

However, on my shorter stories like Rim Job, and idea just comes to me, and I just write what comes to me, and then I even take suggestions from my readers about further chapters. I guess it just depends on the tone of the fic. If it's serious, I'm much more structured, but on my less serious pieces, I just have fun and write.

The perfect conditions are when I'm alone (be it when others are sleeping or out of the house) and I can just allow my muse to work. I put on some background noise (Glee music or episodes) for inspiration and just sit down in front of my laptop with my notebooks. Many times, I have scenes written in my notebooks before I type them out (I write when I'm waiting at the dr.'s office or at work during a break, ect) so all I have to do is type and polish the scene. Unfortunately, I have several scenes in my notebooks that haven't made it into a word document yet just because of lack of time. Hopefully, I will catch up this summer.

***

Check out Gleefuldarrencrissfan’s Fics

Somewhere Only We Know - Blaine has three little words on his mind when he says good bye to Kurt in the court yard at McKinley. Can he make himself declare them out loud? An alternate ending to "Born This Way"

Silly Love Songs - It's Valentine's Day, and Blaine had plans to serenade Jeremiah. But what if Blaine discovered the doodle Kurt made in Silly Love Songs before he serenaded Jeremiah? The scene at the Lima Bean is canon and everything to the point of Kurt sketching the doodle, but the ending, of course will be how I had hoped it would've happened.

Courage - Do you believe that one moment can change the course of your life? That one event change the way you saw everything, or do you think it's a series of moments that build from one experience to the next. A year ago, I would've said that was crazy. But I'm not the same guy that I was a year ago.

#author spotlight: gleefuldarrencrissfan

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noahmanskar · 4 years ago

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The Best Albums of 2020 (and from the Before Times)

I read a lot of year-end music roundups, and several this year have come with a resonant caveat: It’s been harder to discover new music this year, both because of physical limitations (no shows, no record-store browsing, no chats with friends about your latest finds), and because the way we used music fundamentally changed. It certainly did for me. Rather than serving as the backdrop for a commute or a night out, it created moments of solace from cabin fever while doing dishes, or showering, or running semi-weekly errands. So I often turned to what was comfortable and familiar, songs that conjured memories and feelings to get me through the day. Even on the rare occasions of social listening, the groups I was with drifted into nostalgia — middle school dance tracks, mid-2000s emo, inherited dad rock, even songs from just a year or two ago, when everything was simpler, relatively speaking.

That’s not to say nothing new moved me. There was a handful of albums and songs that were crucial to getting through the doldrums. They soundtracked bike rides, long walks, longer drives and lots of small moments mentioned above. But I don’t think I can think about my favorite music of this year without thinking about the albums of the past that got me through it. Besides, one of the many lessons 2020 taught is that time is a bizarre illusion anyway. (This exercise also lets me write about some recent albums that I didn’t get to write about when they were actually released.

So here are the albums, past and present, that made 2020 bearable. I hope you found yours, too.

Tame Impala, “The Slow Rush”

Tame Impala’s fourth LP came out on Valentine’s Day. That afternoon, Claire and I had a lunch date to mark the occasion before we got on a plane to visit my parents. The night before, we had gone out to dinner with friends visiting from San Francisco and then to a bar, where we huddled next to strangers on a water bed. Roughly a month later, all of this would be unimaginable, and Kevin Parker’s lyrics to “One More Year” would be eerily prescient as we settled into this new normal:

But now I worry our horizon's been nothing new 'Cause I get this feeling and maybe you get it too We're on a rollercoaster stuck on its loop-de-loop 'Cause what we did one day on a whim Has slowly become all we do

The song is really about surrendering to time, and not worrying about it passing in spite of your ambivalence. The opening chants of Parker’s “Gregorian Robot Choir” make it easy to surrender. They carry you into a world where, as the cover art suggests, all that time you were worrying about has already passed, so you might as well dance. At the same time, the songs that follow, like “Borderline,” “Breathe Deeper” and “Lost In Yesterday” make it easy to remember what it was like to dance in a sweaty room with people you love, and to look forward to doing it again, after a little more time passes.

Fleet Foxes, “Shore”

There’s something comforting about the fact that Fleet Foxes released this record on the exact moment of the autumnal equinox. It’s a reminder that nature has its own rhythms that carry on regardless of what occurs in our human lives. They give us a measure of certainty in uncertain times. One of these rhythms — death — looms large in “Sunblind,” an ode to Robin Pecknold’s departed musical forebears: David Berman, Bill Withers, John Prine and others. This song exuding calm acceptance shifts into “Can I Believe You,” which wrestles frankly with doubt and fear.

These tracks contain profound contradictions, but sonically, they're both bright, hopeful and sure. That’s what made this album such a balm in the sixth month of this pandemic, a time of both growing darkness and hope for what might be on the other side. It reminds us that there’s power and beauty in feeling all these things at once.

Lil Uzi Vert, “Eternal Atake”

This one spent two years in label purgatory, but it finally arrived in March to prove Lil Uzi Vert can do it all. He’s at his most versatile here, spitting and crooning, boasting and balladeering. “You Better Move” is an early standout packed with playful nostalgia, including a beat that samples that classic PC pinball game and delightful jabs like these:

Yeah, step on competition, changin' my shoes Green shirt, bitch, I'm Steve, where is Blue? Every chain on, I pity a fool I'm an iPod, man, you more like a Zune Made her eat on my dick with a spoon, ew Versace drawers, bitch, you Fruit of the Loom

Then there are the melodic tracks like “Urgency,” which compel you to hum along even on the first listen. The excellent diversity made it worth the wait for this hourlong journey to another planet.

Sturgill Simpson, “Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions”

I haven’t spent much time with Sturgill Simpson outside of 2014′s “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music,” and I can’t say I’ve ever listened to another bluegrass album all the way through. But these new cuts of songs picked from Simpson’s catalog are wonderfully enticing. Simpson puts the talents of his backing band front and center, and their harmonies and rhythms illuminate his vivd songwriting in new ways. It was a great introduction to the genre for me.

Fiona Apple, “Fetch The Bolt Cutters”

I got here after the hype, after the perfect 10, after all the year-end number-ones. Fiona Apple lives up to all of it. Her compositions are complex and evocative, the lyrics tender and biting at once. Her artistry is unsparing. The chorus to the title track is already getting stuck in my head, and I can’t wait to spend more time with this one.

Bea Troxel, “The Way That It Feels” (2017)

Almost a decade has passed since I first saw Bea Troxel play. She was in an incredibly talented trio with two of my high school classmates: Maeve Thorne (who has an entrancing solo EP of her own), and Rita Pfeiffer (the violinist on this record). They ended up winning my school’s battle of the bands, and I got to interview them for the student newspaper. Shortly after our senior year, they recorded an album that still outshines most of today’s indie folk. So I jumped at the chance to all three of them again in Brooklyn.

Troxel’s performance in particular was a revelation. I won’t ever forget how I fell into a trance as she picked away at “Talc,” which exemplifies her gift for natural metaphor. I haven’t stopped playing her record since, and it’s been a constant comfort throughout this year. Her voice is one of a kind, her songwriting is rich, and the compositions flow together beautifully. I can’t wait for more; in the meantime, “The Way That It Feels” will be on repeat.

Travis Scott, “Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight” (2016)

There’s been much ado about the brilliance of “Astroworld,” Travis Scott’s magnum opus, but I have a soft spot for his sophomore LP, where he reached the peak of the spare and heavy sound that started to take shape on “Owl Pharaoh.” There are plenty of sonic layers here, and the ordering of the tracks is a craft in itself — a series of peaks and valleys that glides from the haze of “beibs in the trap” to the climax of “goosebumps” and then into the cool waters of “pick up the phone.” It feels like Scott is guiding you to and from these destinations. The journey is, as The Weeknd might put it, “wonderful.”

Harmonium, “Harmonium” (1974)

One of my pandemic binges was “Letterkenny,” the sharp Ontario-set sitcom with top-notch banter and a great soundtrack full of indie hits and Canadian deep cuts. The fight scenes are elegantly choreographed, but so are the handful of sequences at the end of key episodes that reveal the show’s emotional bedrock. One such scene is set to Harmonium’s “Un musicien parmi tant d'autres” — the main characters are reveling in a bar with their Québécois pals, whom they’ve just helped beat up a rival group. As the song builds to its climactic chorus, leading man Wayne, surrounded by couples, realizes his longing for companionship. Another fight breaks out, but instead of joining in, Wayne makes his way through the slow-motion fray toward the woman he’ll propose to in the next season. (Their relationship later falls apart, but that doesn’t undercut this scene’s beauty.)

This is probably the first foreign-language album I’ve listened to in full, but all of it evokes that feeling for me — the joy of walking through the chaos to reach what’s really important. Not a bad sentiment for these times.

Bon Iver, “22, A Million”

To talk about this weird, dark and brilliant album, I need to talk about “715 - CR∑∑KS.” Everyone I’ve talked to about the third track on “22, A Million” either loves it or can’t stand it. I’m devoted to it to the extent that it was my most-played song on Spotify this year. It oscillates between tenderness and fear, between silence and explosions of sound. The lyrics are an epitome of Justin Vernon’s cryptic poetry. It’s isolated and spare and enthralling and beautiful in its own bizarre way — just like the rest of the album, which is rich with themes of persevering through the darkness in spite of the uncertainty about when the light will appear. Vernon is alone on “CR∑∑KS,” but he’s accompanied by a cacophony of his own voice. As alone as we might feel right now, there’s always someone else shouting through the darkness with us, even if we can’t see them.

#music #2020 #bon iver #harmonium #bea troxel #travis scott #lil uzi vert #sturgill simpson #fiona apple #fleet foxes #tame impala

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thedollarcrate · 5 years ago

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50 Best Albums (That I Own on Vinyl) of the Decade

It’s hard to comprehend how much transpires over the course of a decade or wrap your head around how long (or short) of time that really is.

But what better way to try than to make a list!

Now, I know “Best of” lists like this one are inherently subjective – and probably say more about their maker’s preferences than actually reflecting the best music released in a particular time period. And, I’ll be the first to admit that the list below is incredibly limited, and that I need to widen my exposure to more artists and genres.

But hey, this is all in fun.

So feel free to debate, pick apart or share your own favorite albums from the past decade. But before you dive in, just a few quick points for context:

-I only ranked albums I actually own on vinyl released between 2010 and 2019, which limited my choices to about 170 records.

-I only ranked new music released this past decade, so no reissues or older material released for the first time (sorry Prince’s Piano & A Microphone and Originals).

-I first started buying vinyl around ’09-’10 and started off purchasing mostly new releases before my habits shifted and I started looking for older records. This shows in the list below – nearly a quarter of the albums below were released in 2010 and almost 70% from the first half of the decade.

And we’re off…

50. Centipede Hz, Animal Collective (2012)

Let’s be honest, it was impossible for Animal Collective to top a universally acclaimed and era-defining album – and it was unfair to expect them to. But maybe the continuous onslaught of bizarre and eclectic music found on Centipede Hz was just what we needed after all.

49. Singles, Future Islands (2014)

So much more than Sam Herring’s pelvis busting dance moves and “Seasons (Waiting On You),” every track on Singlesbursts with life and heart pumping energy. To quote Letterman: I’ll take all of that you got.

48. Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph, Frog Eyes (2010)

I don’t think I’ll ever understand Carey Mercer’s lyrics, but I’m certain I’ll never tire of getting lost in his hidden words and knotty melodies.

47. Leaving Atlanta, Gentleman Jesse (2012)

Thirty seven minutes of Pure Power Pop Perfection (note the capital “Ps”).

46. Burst Apart, The Antlers (2011)

If there’s another album with a song titled “Putting the Dog to Sleep” that is as haunting and beautiful as this one, I don’t want to know about it.

45. Carrion Crawler/The Dream, Thee Oh Sees (2011)

With John Dwyer churning out record after record in the ‘10s, it should come as no surprise that at least one landed on this list (and they’re all great). Garage rock. Surf rock. Post-punk rock. Psych rock. Noise rock. Rock rock. I don’t care what you call it, Thee Oh Sees put the pedal to the metal on Carrion Crawler/The Dream, taking you for a wild ride that never lets up.

44. 1989, Taylor Swift (2014)

Irresistibly catchy, everyone needs to satisfy their pop sweet tooth every now and then. 1989 is so sugary, it might just give you a cavity or two.

43. City Music, Kevin Morby (2017)

The city. The countryside. A beach. Aboard a train. At the pearly gates. It doesn’t matter where you listen to City Music because Kevin Morby’s jams will immediately transport you to your own laid back, happy place.

42. Remind Me Tomorrow, Sharon Van Etten (2019)

You’ll regret it if you keep waiting to listen this powerhouse – and powerful – synth-soaked record.

41. You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen (2016)

It doesn’t get much darker, bleaker or sparse than this, but I wouldn’t want it any other way from the masterful Leonard Cohen.

40. American Dream, LCD Soundsystem (2017)

Retirement never sounded so good.

39. Capacity, Big Thief (2017)

Quietly captivating, mesmerizing and elegant, Big Thief knock you out without you even realizing it.

38. St. Vincent, St. Vincent (2014)

Annie Clark’s shapeshifting album won’t only shred your face off, it somehow makes you feel smarter, too.

37. Before Today, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (2010)

So, so weird and so, so good.

36. Expo 86, Wolf Parade (2010)

Like #50, Wolf Parade might always live in the shadow and expectations of a towering classic, yet somehow Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner still continually craft eccentric and bombastic rock albums. Expo 86 is no exception, and it is an underrated classic in its own right.

35. Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves (2018)

Like a sunset or sunrise, Golden Hour radiates beauty and warmth with each of its glowing tracks.

34. Yuck, Yuck (2011)

Despite their name and its hideous album cover, there’s nothing gross about Yuck’s infectious indie rock.

33. Play It Strange, The Fresh & Onlys (2010)

I once saw The Fresh & Onlys play at a tiny club in D.C. It might’ve been the loudest show I’ve ever been to – my ears rang for days. This record is just as rollicking, hazy and good as that show was loud.

32. Natalie Prass, Natalie Prass (2015)

There’s a reason “Welcome to 1979” is stamped in tiny letters on this vinyl’s inner ring – it’s silky smooth, filled with impeccable soft ballads and finely tuned jams – and just a tinge of funk.

31. I Am Easy To Find, The National (2019)

Few bands matched the consistent output of quality albums in the ‘10s as The National. They had one heck of a run, and I Am Easy To Find was a fascinating way to end it – a 21st rock album that felt more complex and expansive than anything they’d done before.

30. Melodrama, Lorde (2018)

Everything a pop record should be and then some – bold, breathtaking and exuberant.

29. Just Enough Hip To Be Woman, Broncho (2014)

If you can’t tell from its playful title, this pop rock album wants nothing more than to have fun – and it succeeds on every level.

28. Avi Buffalo, Avi Buffalo (2010)

Sometimes all you want is a light, sunny and meandering album to wash over you and get lost in, and this one will do the trick every time.

27. Hippies, Harlem (2010)

Imagine a band practicing inside a garage inside a garage inside another garage and you’ve got Harlem. This is garage rock to the max – and at its rambunctious best.

26. Puberty 2, Mitski (2016)

It’s hard to describe Puberty 2. Sure, it might sound like simple dreamy indie rock, but it ebbs and flows in unexpected ways that leaves you guessing where it’s heading next.

25. mbv, My Bloody Valentine (2013)

Picking up right where they left off – even if it was more than a decade later – My Bloody Valentine reminded everyone why they are the masters of reverb soaked shoegaze.

24. A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead (2016)

Even after all these years and albums, Radiohead still found a way to reinvent themselves and push the boundaries of rock music – and our expectations of them. With gorgeous arrangements and slow-burning, tension filled tracks, AMSP proves that even Radiohead can still take risks – and proves rock bands can make quiet, intimate songs sound epic. Oh yeah, and it has “True Love Waits.”

23. Art Angels, Grimes (2015)

Grimes gave us the future of pop music before most could even envision it. This laid the groundwork for all the challenging and intricate – and danceable – pop music that would follow. And it still sounds ahead of its time.

22. Meet Me At The Muster Station, PS I Love You (2010)

The first sounds out of Paul Saulnier’s mouth on Meet Me At The Munster Station aren’t words at all but two short, ecstatic yelps. And this same boundless energy and passion bleeds through on every fuzzy, raucous second of every track. Did I mention there’s a song called “Butterflies & Boners”?

21. More Than Any Other Day, Ought (2014)

You really ought to listen to Ought if you aren’t already. Tim Darcy and co. sound a bit uneasy, paranoid and self-aware, but they make the most minute challenges sound so exhilarating and life-altering – even the struggle deciding between two percent and whole milk at the grocery store.

20. Lemonade, Beyoncé (2017)

All hail Queen Bey.

19. Twin-Hand Movement, Lower Dens (2010)

This album sounds like 2 am on a dark, rainy Saturday night – in the best way imaginable.

18. Tomboy, Panda Bear (2011)

You can always count on Panda Bear to make hypnotic, loopy electronic music sound so breezy and effortless.

17. Modern Vampires Of The City, Vampire Weekend (2013)

I don’t know why, but I want to dislike Vampire Weekend so much. But that’s impossible when their music is so damn good and every note sounds so neat and perfect.

16. Past Life Martyred Saints, EMA (2011)

Just do yourself and listen to this album please.

15. The Archandroid, Janelle Monáe (2010)

Blending too many genres to count, this is what I imagine music sounds like in space.

14. Carrie & Lowell, Sufjan Stevens (2015)

I’ll let you know how I feel about this one after I stop crying.

13. The Suburbs, Arcade Fire (2010)

It’s everything you either love or hate about Arcade Fire. Grand, sincere and sweeping rock that swings for the fences with every guitar chord, drumbeat and horn blast. I love it.

12. Silence Yourself, Savages (2013)

Savages grab you by the throat and never let go – this is one intense album.

11. Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes (2011)

This might be the epitome of ‘10s indie rock – and for good reason. Introspective, sensitive and searching for some greater meaning, Robin Pecknold holds nothing back and lays it all out on Helplessness Blues.

10. Kaputt, Destroyer (2011)

Dan Bejar is an enigma and seemingly reluctant rock star. I saw him perform an acoustic set where he spent a majority of the time playing with his back towards the audience (although in fairness, it was at a free outdoor show on a college campus with people mostly chatting obnoxiously over him), and yet it’s as if his creativity requires him to constantly release new albums and show them off. Kaputt is as equally strange and mysterious – and just as creative – as its maker.

9. Black Star, David Bowie (2016)

Take away the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding this album’s release and it would still be in the top tier of David Bowie’s extensive catalogue. Experimenting until the very end, Bowie morphed into something entirely new one last time. Part jazz, part rock and part I’m not sure what you would call it, the results were once again out of this world. He couldn’t give it all away, but we’re sure thankful for what he could.

8. Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)

Shedding the cabin in the woods vibe, Justin Vernon took a giant leap forward with Bon Iver and made ‘80s soft rock popular.

7. Celebration Rock, Japandroids (2012)

Perhaps the most aptly named album on this list, no other album exudes the joy of making music and rocking out with your buddy than this one. It’s hard to believe all that noise and energy comes from just two people.

6. Burn Your Fire For No Witness, Angel Olsen (2014)

Angel Olsen’s hypnotic and seductive vocals, lyrics and guitar suck you in immediately, mesmerizing you from the first gentle strums to the peaks and valleys of “Lights Out” and “Stars” all the way to the closer’s pulsing drumbeats and majestic piano.

5. Black Messiah, D'Angelo And The Vanguard (2015)

Oozing with cool, sexy and confident R&B funk, D’Angelo returned after 14 years with an instant soul masterpiece.

4. The Monitor, Titus Andronicus (2010)

It says a lot when a band can a.) make an hour plus punk rock record b.) loosely base it on the Civil War c.) quote Abraham Lincoln d.) close it out with a 14 minute track inspired by a famous naval battle and e.) still make you want to listen to it over and over and over again.

3. Lost In The Dream, The War On Drugs (2014)

The rare album that can feel vast and ambitious and yet deeply private and personal all at once. You really will get lost in these soaring songs.

2. Halcyon Digest, Deerhunter (2010)

At times perfectly melodic and structured and at others feeling on the brink of falling apart, Halcyon Digest is a paradox – sounding peaceful, bright and idyllic while also peering over the edge into something darker. This is a remarkable record from a remarkable band. If not for the abrupt end to the darkly beautiful closer “He Would Have Laughed,” Halcyon Digest sounds like it could go on forever.

1. Let England Shake, PJ Harvey (2011)

A stunning, thought-provoking, and moving – not to mention endlessly listenable – transcendent piece of art about life and the Great War. PJ Harvey doesn’t hold back on the brutality and absurdity of armed conflict, and the album’s devastating closing track – “The Colour of the Earth” – will linger in your mind long after the record stops spinning. As powerful today as it was eight years ago, this album will remain timely and important for years – and decades – to come.

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designcorral · 8 years ago

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10 Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts To Show Your Love

Valentine’s Day Crafts

Valentine’s Day is upon us and we are gearing up for Valentine’s Day this year with some fantastic Valentine’s Day crafts. There still plenty of time to complete these Valentine’s Day crafts to make sure you set aside some time prior to the 14th to create that special project for that special someone.

valentine’s day homemade crafts

Homemade gifts always seem to be appreciated more than store bought. Even if it’s just creating a Valentine’s Day card at home with a piece of paper and some markers, it makes a big impact. So spend some time this year prepairing and creating that special Valentine’s Day craft for that special person and you may be surprised at how appreciative that will be.

Image via adventures-in-making

What could be more impressive Than creating your own Valentine’s Day bath bombs. She will love all the effort you put in to making these romantic and aromatic fizzy bath hearts.

Image via craftberrybush

Now for this mantel piece you don’t need to make everything you see but I wanted to include it because it gives me so many ideas of what you can do to jazz-up your mantel. Just by incorporating some books, silver cups and florals you can really make it pop!

Image via fynesdesigns

This is cute and we make a great wall hanging for that special someone to see when they first walk into the room. If you use a chalkboard like this in your kitchen, you can add this wreath or create one that is similar and then write in chalk XO, XO and draw some hearts with different colored chalk!

Image via iheartcraftythings

A super easy and colorful kraft for the kids to do and give to mom or dad!

Image via greenweddingshoes

I like this one because it becomes a permanent piece of art in your house. Hang it over your bed on Valentine’s Day!

Image via tatertots & jello

Another fun craft that can be used year round. These are burlap and felt and super easy to make. Definitely give them a try!

Valentine’s Day Terrarium Kit

One of my favorite gifts is one that lives on for months or years. That’s not only a tremendous value but it also a constant reminder of your love! Terrariums are low maintenance and are really neat focal points in a house. This little kit is inexpensive and you just need to add the contents to the glass and then get a small colorful cactus from a local plant store and you’re done!

Valentine’s Day Terrarium Kit (The links above is an affiliate link)

Image via sugarbeecrafts

Colorful mugs always make a great Valentine’s Day craft.

Image via cakewhiz

I like this idea most of all. In addition to anything else you do, this is a funny idea that will bring a smile for sure. There are all types of sayings that go with different fruit.

Image via thehousethatlarsbuilt

Here is an easy way to bring some color to a room using some branches from your backyard and a nice vase or pitcher.

That’s our round up of Valentine’s Day crafts for today. Do you have any other ideas for some Valentine’s crafts? We would love to hear them in the comments below!

Featured Image courtesy tatertots & jello

The post 10 Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts To Show Your Love appeared first on Design Corral.

from 10 Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts To Show Your Love

#10 Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts To Show Your Love

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anantradingpvtltd · 2 years ago

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sasuhinasno1fan · 7 years ago

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I was rewarded your love

Its @plumeriafairy14’s birthday and the one year anniversary of the completion of her story Taking Chances, which is still one of my fav klance stories. Last year as a gift and desire of mine, I wrote a companion fic based on Keith and Lance celebrating Valentine’s Day with Lance making Keith his favourite desert and Keith getting Lance a kitten. This year, and mostly because I feel like I’ve been pushing this couple to the backburner, I thought this year, I’d do Shallura. I did something in my bookbinding class and I wanted to do something similar for all my followers. So I decided to have this be around the same time Lance is doing his gift, so I hope you enjoy and happy birthday fairy!

Allura loved the kids at the kindergarten she taught at, but she never realised how much they could beg for something or want attention until she was trying to finish something. Lance was taking a bookbinding class and he had sent her a video of a book that he had been making for class as well as sending her letter pressed covers they had made. Lance said it was one of the easiest things he had done, but the instructions on how to properly sew all the 10 sections and cover together was utterly confusing. Honestly, if she didn’t want to do this idea so badly, she would have given up long ago. Then again, she wasn’t raised a quitter, not with the life she had.

She left her family after she became pregnant with Lance and she didn’t regret a single moment raising her beautiful and happy boy. It didn’t seem like long ago that they both got something they didn’t think they had time for, a love life. She became her son’s future boyfriend’s tutor and fell in love with his guardian, Shiro. She let herself fall in love again, even with Shiro’s mother looming her scornful face over them. It was hard, having to deal with a controlling mother but Shiro was willing to give up his fortune to be with her and that’s all that mattered. Now she was married to the love of her life and her beautiful boy was engaged and if everything went well on Valentine’s Day, it’d be official with rings and everything.

For her first valentine’s day with her husband, she knew he’d be getting back late because of a scheduled exam at the police academy, so she wanted this gift done, so he’d have it with him the whole day. If only the kids didn’t get into fights or come begging for answers to questions or doing the things that little kids did that seemed to eat up all the time.

“what ‘cha doing?” a little girl named Lindsey asked, rocking back and forth on her feet as Allura struggled to tighten the thread to keep all the pages connected to the cover. It was to create the binding on the cover but she already messed up on the last two making them slightly loose compared the perfect tight bonds Lance had in his book.

“I’m trying to sew a book.”

“You can’t sew a book.” The little girl said matter-of-factly

“Yes you can. Go get a hard book and a soft one from the bookshelf and I’ll show you.” Allura said, which allowed her a few moments to figure out what she was doing wrong. Of course right when she figured it out, her phone started to ring. She let out a sigh and put the book down before answering her phone. “Hello?”

“Hi mom.”

“Lance, sweetie. How are you? Don’t you have class right now?” Allura asked, smiling at the sound of her son’s voice.

“Cancelled, so I’m picking up extra hours at work. I know you’re at work but I’m meeting with my Statistics TA tonight so I wasn’t sure when I’d have time to call you. How’s everything? Getting your project done?”

“If only. You made this seem extremely easy in your video.” Just then Lindsey came back with her books in hand. “Though I’ve seemed to of gained a student. One second sweetie. Ok, see on the soft book where all the pages meet the spine, the back of the book. See all the glue?”

“Yeah, but that’s not sewing.”

“That’s because you sew the pages on the hard book. Can you open it and look at the top? Yeah, just like that. Do you see the thread?” Allura pointed out to the little girl, loving the look of curiosity on her face. This is why she loved teaching, just to see these looks

“I see it, I see it!”

“See, that’s what I’m doing. It’s not going to look this amazing when I’m done, but it’ll look close.”

“Can you teach me?” Lindsey asked, buzzing with excitement

Allura was silent trying to think if it was doable.

“Mom, I’m more than happy to ask my teacher if there’s a kid friendly way to do this. Plus pre punched holes and plastic needles would work.” Lance said, still on the line and hearing his mother.

“I’ll talk to Ms. Ryner and see what she says ok? Go and put the books back and go and play with your friends.” She gently ordered, watching Lindsey go and put the books back, happy with the promise.

“And another happy student thanks to the wonderful Mrs. Shirogane. But really, how are you doing on that project?”

Allura looked over to the half-finished book sitting at her desk. “If I send you a picture of where I am and explain where I’m lost, do you think you can help me?”

“Well, you’ve got a day and a half to finish this and I could use some company. No one ever comes to the school’s art gallery unless there’s a show so I’ve got nothing to do. Text I a picture and I’ll help you.”

“Sure, and while you’re at it, you can tell me exactly how you plan to officially propose to Keith.” Allura said, right before another kid called for her. “Though, this might take a while. Coming Mike.”

It took so long, having to work whenever she had free time or the teacher she worked with Ms. Ryner was able to keep the kids distracted long enough but finally it was done. Granted, the binding wasn’t as tight as she would have liked and she knew one of the sections was slightly messed up and at the top and bottom on the spin, the thread was able supposed to join into a braid but only the bottom braid actually looked like one. It wasn’t as perfect as Lance’s was, but it was perfect for Allura. She just hoped Shiro thought the same thing. She wrote something on each page for him to read all throughout the day, hoping that by the last page, he’d be home to read it with her.

The morning of February 14, morning after their anniversary, Allura stirred as she felt the bed move and the soft footsteps of Shiro getting ready. He moved into the guest room to get changed into his uniform, so Allura took the time to wake up and pulled the wrapped gift out from her bedside table and put it on Shiro’s side so he could see it when he came back in. she was drifting off back to sleep when she felt the bed dip and lips pressed against her cheek.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.” Shiro whispered his gift in hand as he watched his sleepy wife wake up again. She let out a small moan, obviously not getting up that much, leaving Shiro to smile down at her. “Your gift is being delivered to the school, so all the kids will be envious. I’ll call you when you get to work ok?” Allura nodded before her husband kissed her cheek again, his fingers brushing against her cheek softly before he got up and quietly left the bedroom.

The police academy was sporting a few red hearts as Shiro came in, the woman sitting at the front desk handing out chocolate Kisses to those coming in. Shiro decided to spoil his breakfast a bit by eating one, right when his superior seemed to sneak up on him.

“Shirogane.”

“Kolivan, sir.” Shiro spun around, hand in front of his mouth as the chocolate started to melt and stick to his tongue.

The tawny eyes of his superior made Shiro feel like he was a student back at the academy, “sweets at 8 am Shirogane?”

“I wasn’t able to get a kiss from my wife?” Shiro said, trying to justify the sweets, but the sigh he got told him he wasn’t successful.

“You’ve got 3 3 hour classes today plus the exam tonight but seeing how it’s Valentine’s Day; don’t be surprised if you’ve got distracted students on your hands. I take it you’ll be texting your wife?”

“Maybe more than usual. I haven’t opened my gift but according to the note it came with I have explicit instructions that I look at the pages she tells me to, except for the first one which I can read whenever.”

“That’s fine, but on breaks only, got it?” Shiro nodded. “Good, now go put your things away, I want to have a meeting before classes start.”

“Yes sir.” Shiro disappeared into the locker room where a few of his other co-workers were, putting their things away and talking amongst each other.

“Ah! It’s the married man! How was the anniversary last night Shirogane?” one of his co-workers called at the sight of him.

“It was fine and that’s all the details you’re getting.”

“I bet today’s going to be even more intense. Married day before Valentines, that’s something.”

“I mean it works out so you two don’t have to go insane for both days.” One of his female co-workers pointed out.

“We’ve decided that this year we’d do both and see what happens next year and if we can’t do anything on those days, there’s always White’s Day.” At the confused looks he got, he explained, “in Japan, Valentine’s day is a day were women give the gifts to men and white’s day which is March 14, is where men give gifts to women.”

“Ooh. We need that.”

Shiro laughed as he pulled Allura’s gift out of his bag, which got attention.

“Is that the Mrs gift? Jewellery?”

Shiro shook his head as he took a seat on one of the benches. “She was making something.” He ripped the paper off and smiled at the sight of the familiar book cover. He was there when Allura opened the gift Lance sent. “It’s a book.”

“A book?”

“My son is taking bookbinding at college. He sent us a spare book cover and a video of how he did it. I found a bag from the craft store the day after. If the mild cursing I heard when I came in late was anything to go by, it wasn’t as easy as Lance said. She told me to open pages when she told me. I did get a text from her telling me to open the first page.” Shiro opened the printed cover and read the note out loud, knowing his co-workers would be nosy and read over his shoulder anyway. “Happy Valentine’s day to my amazing husband. I have 30 moments that I will always remember with you. The first one is when I met you for the interview of Keith’s tutor. The magazines didn’t do you justice. I was terrified but soon I realised you were perfectly polite and I’m sure that’s what started my feelings for you. You’ll have to wait to find out the next moment when I tell you. All my love, your wife Allura.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet.”

It was, Shiro was going to have a hard time not turning the pages.

Teacher meeting was over when Shiro got a text from Allura to go ahead and open pages 2 and 3. His teacher partner, Antok looked over his shoulder as they headed towards their classroom.

The second moment was the next time I saw you again. I went a bit coupon crazy and was sure I’d be a sweaty, tired mess with all the groceries I had but there you appeared, a gorgeous man, out running when you saw me. You didn’t have to but you helped me take them to my house. Do you remember on our way there, the old couple thought we were together? It was like the universe was trying to say something but I kept myself from listening.

The third was when you came to the apartment for your reward of the no-bake blueberry cheesecake. You said you loved it but I didn’t realise how much. Our conversations were on the boys and their school life but I barely finished my one slice by the time you seemed to devour half the cheesecake. You looked so embarrassed; it was one of the cutest things ever.

“So the blueberry thing isn’t new?” Antok asked, obviously remembering the blueberry cheesecake Allura personally brought over for his birthday, a bright spot in being teased for being a leap year baby by his co-workers all day.

“Nope, and I still do it too.” Shiro proceeded to devour the whole cake while Allura talked to his co-workers. They didn’t notice until he was on the last piece. The scolding from Allura was well worth it.

“I’m sure.” His co-worker said drily as they finally reached their classroom. A few students were already in their seats and the teacher’s desk had been littered with different sweets as gifts from their students. It certainly put Shiro in an even better mood at the sight of it.

The classes had two breaks and Shiro was a bit disappointed their wasn’t a text waiting for him at the first one but the second his phone buzzed at the start of the second 15 minute break, Shiro immediately pulled out his phone, his smile getting bigger when he saw Allura was calling him.

“Hello, wonderful wife of mine.” Shiro said, ignoring the giggles from passing students

“Hello husband of mine. I just got to school, the power went out here last night and all the cupcakes we pre-bought for the kids today melted, so guess who had to go and brave the grocery store?”

Shiro flinched. Because they were on their honeymoon, they avoided the whole rush of Valentine’s Day. Keith and Lance however? Let’s just say he heard the horror stories. “Do I need to send a police escort to come get you? I’ll happily volunteer.”

“I’m sure you would. But no, I’m fine. I know you have a break and after what I went through I wanted to hear you read pages 4 and 5.”

Shiro looked around. There weren’t a ton of student’s in the classroom but he was sure the sight of the book would cause questions that would eventually he’d have to answer. So holding the phone in between his shoulder and ear, he thumbed to the next two pages.

“The next moment was the moment I knew I had feelings for you. While not one of my favourite memories, it was something that showed me just how I felt. That night Pidge and their brother found Keith in the park and I had to call you. I thought the woman you were with was his mother because I didn’t know the truth then. When I realised just how much it affected me, it became apparent to me that I was feeling something for you and I’m actually glad it happened now because who knows how long we would of spent buzzing around each other if it didn’t happen. Oh, Allura.” He knew that Allura had been affected about the call when she realised he was in bed with Valerie long before he and Allura went out but he never really heard it out how she really felt.

“Honestly it was thanks to her it started to make me feeling clear. Now read the next one.”

“Ok. Memory five made me question myself. I thought you were with Keith’s mother so I tried forgetting you but you completely ruined that when you called and asked Lance if I liked coffee because you wanted to give me a bag as a thank you. Honestly, you didn’t have to, but you were making it extremely hard offering, what was truly fine ground coffee. Even now you do it, when I’m mad at you and you give me gift to try and earn my forgiveness, it usually works all the time. Don’t think this is always going to get you off the hook. Nice to know. Maybe I can talk to one of my old associates to get you another bag of that coffee. Though you obviously love me more right?”

“Do I?” Allura teased

“Very funny Mrs. Shirogane. I make you coffee in the morning. I’m more than willing to stop.”

“No, no, no. I’m sorry. Please don’t, how else can I survive in the morning?”

“My love alone?”

“Shiro, not even you can do that. I’ve been waiting near the door while I talk to you but Ms. Ryner just spotted me so I have to go. I’ll text you when you can look at next set of pages. I love you.”

“Love you too, love.” Shiro said, glaring at the students who could hear him and ‘awwed’ mockingly. He made note to call them out for answers as payback during class.

“Moment six wasn’t the best but you kept me calm while I was close to panicking and fearing Lance would lose his scholarship. You were able to take one look at me and kept me calm; telling me you’d make sure Lance wouldn’t lose his scholarship. But we had nothing to worry about when Keith took the blame and we both realised he wasn’t the same difficult boy as before and I felt happy knowing that he was doing better and I knew we were both confident it would improve from there.”

“My Wi-Fi router had died the day I came to see you at your company. I was expecting to see you briefly and leave you on your way, but instead I found you overworked and close to breaking down. I didn’t think being a good person with offering a bit of help would land me a job as your secretary but I don’t regret it. I was around you more and that made me happy.”

“Moment eight was one of my favourites. I had been working with you for a while and you were getting tired of all the paperwork and suggested lunch. It was our first time at Le Petit Jardin de Verre where Vicky worked. The food was good and the company amazing and it made me feel good that you felt comfortable enough to share the place with me. We’ll have to go back there some time”

“This moment was a very big one, but it’s a fond one. You had fallen asleep at your desk because you overworked yourself again. You still do this, keep working until you fall asleep at your desk. I covered you with me shawl and told you to take care of yourself and of course you heard me. I now know unless you’re on a bed, you’re an incredibly light sleeper.”

The next four pages got him through his next class and he was able contain his excitement until lunch when he was told to read from pages 10-17.

“That’s a lot of pages.” Ulaz, one of the visiting EMTs who helped teach the first aid class, said when most of the co-workers gather around to hear what Allura wrote.

“There are 30 pages in here. My day is half way done. I’ve got another class after this and then the exam to oversee.”

“Don’t interrupt him. Most of us don’t have anyone waiting for us at home.” A co-worker told Ulaz from his place.

Shiro felt like a school teacher sitting and reading. But he continued anyway.

“The next moment happened the day after when I was greeting with coffee, my shawl and a red and white tulip. The fact you got close to my favourite flower was certainly something. Not everyone can guess it. It confused me, I’ll be honest since I didn’t know the truth then, but you certainly knew how to woo a girl.”

“Damn Shiro, coffee and flowers, your girl is easy to please.”

“No, she just enjoys the simple things. Doesn’t mean I don’t like spoiling her. Now, shush. Number eleven seems so silly but it’s such a big part of our lives now that the boys got us hooked on it. When I went with you to the event for the Arusian Children’s Hospital, we talked about Space Rangers and how the boys loved it when they were kids. Of course, now they’re obsessed with it all over again.”

“Does your son still have the Space Ranger phone you got him?” Ulaz asked

“Last I saw it, not a scratch on it. While twelve and thirteen happened in the same time frame, I felt like they both deserved a spot. Twelve was watching you win me the lion. I didn’t think it was possible that you could hit all 5 targets in 15 seconds, but it was like you never left the force. I’m sure that carnival man still hasn’t seen anything close to it. Thirteen was proving the man at the strength test booth wrong, and you I guess. Seeing your stunned face when I won you that 2 litre jar of blueberry jam made it even more worth it.”

“Jez, you and your blueberries. Remember when he ate the whole cheesecake his wife made?”

“It was my cake and you guys were being assholes. Don’t yell at me because you got what you deserved.” Shiro said, quickly reading over 14 were Shiro clearing up the confusion about who was Shiro’s mother and what happened to Keith parents made her happy he trusted her with the information and that he wanted to know he was available. It was more private and he didn’t want to broadcast it to the room. “The next memory was when we became gushing parents when Keith and Lance went on their first date. You told me that we were sure Keith would stick to his promise and take care of Lance and he’s done so for the past almost 2 years. The next one is one of the more special ones. My mind had been on memories I didn’t want to remember and instead of getting upset I wasn’t focused, you were worried about me. You told me that I made you nervous, nervous enough to clue me in on how you felt about me. We shared our first kiss than and I knew that I wanted to give this a chance. The next moment is just as special. You opened up to me about your brother and I told you about Lance’s father. We take a chance and put ourselves out there and were rewarded with the start of a new relationship.”

Shiro finished and was rewarded with a collective aww from the room. He knew Allura would be busy with the kids lunch so he texted her an ‘I love you’, silently begging for permission to continue so he could relive these memories. All those memories were important because it made the relationship they had today.

Shiro’s last class had finished when he was greeted with a call from Allura. It was close to 6 and Shiro knew she had to of been home for a while. The exam he was looking over didn’t start until 8 and it was a two hour exam so he’d still be at the school for a while.

“So I was greeted with an Edible Arrangement and chocolate strawberries at lunch today. You were right, the kids were envious.”

“Was there enough to go around?” Shiro asked, knowing Allura would share with her students.

“There was, though the strawberries were all for me. I can’t believe you remembered I wanted one. Is that why you said I had to wait for my gift?”

“Well the other one is us going to see the boys over the weekend, who will hopefully have good news.”

“Lance texted to say he was finally heading back to the couples dorm. Keith will hopefully still be at work.”

“Last I talked to him, he said he’d be getting back late so I’m sure. Let’s not worry about them. They’ll be fine, I know it. Can I read you more memories?”

“Yes you certainly can. You can read up to 25. I want to read the last 5 when your back home.”

“Ok.” Shiro got himself comfortable in the chair in the classroom the exam would be held and opened the book. “Ready?” at Allura affirmative hum, he started. “Moment 18 was after we decided to be together you asked me to dance. I couldn’t remember the last time someone other than Lance turned on music and asked to dance spontaneously. I loved that moment as simple as it was. I loved the kisses during then just as much. I loved them too.”

Allura laughed over the phone. “I hope so. Continue reading.”

“The next is small but it was meaningful to me more than anything. Our first dinner together with the boys. It was both a double date with the two who meant the most to us and a family dinner all wrapped in one. It was the first of many though we didn’t know it but it meant a lot that you both opened your home to us like we did for you. Allura, you were more like home than that place.”

“Even that early into the relationship?”

“Yeah. It was hard not to feel completely comfortable with you. It’s one of things I love about you.” He could hear the smile in Allura’s laugh. “Ready for the next one? I didn’t know the meaning behind it when you gave it to me but it’s one of my most treasured possessions. When you gave me the engagement necklace, you told me you wanted to match and even though I tried to say no, you insisted. I kept it, not knowing what it fully meant but knowing I would treasure it forever. You have no idea how much I battled with myself to give it to you. I couldn’t tell you what it meant just yet but I knew that you were the one.”

“Really?”

“Really. Shall I continue?”

“Mhm.”

“Alright. Watching you win at the meetings was amazing and something that always impressed me. You took me to Aroura for a celebration and gave me the nickname princess. I still blush at the thought that you think me of some kind of royalty. I practically hinted that I loved you but you didn’t seem to get it. Still, I didn’t think we’d be leaving to having one of the most memorable nights. Really? That good?”

“I married you didn’t I?”

Shiro had to give her that. “I don’t know if I can read the dirty details in my classroom.” Shiro joked looking at the next page.

“I’d rather you be here so we might relive it.” Shiro groaned at those words. He wanted that, really badly. If only time could pass quicker so he could be back with his wife.

“Ok, skipping twenty-two, the first time we made love, twenty-three. I got up before you to let myself think. I didn’t regret anything that happened between us but you told me you loved me before you fell asleep. I was never in a relationship were I felt I could say I love you since Owen and I wanted to tell you how I felt. When I told you, you didn’t push me. You were fine with waiting and I wanted to take a chance. I had a feeling that I wouldn’t regret it and I don’t and never will.”

“I don’t regret taking that chance. It was a risk I was more than willing to take.”

“And I’m glad you did. Looks like your next memory fits, with you having to deal with my mother. Moment 25 was terrifying but I know that it was necessary. Your mother arrived without warning, ready to try and take control of your life and I know you’ve been able to defy her enough but seeing you do it for the first time was something else. I didn’t fully grasp how horrible she was until that dinner but I’m glad I had even more reason to hate her. It just makes me more proud of you for being able to stand up to her. Didn’t even regret it then?”

“Nope, not for a minute. If I’m remembering what I wrote correctly, that was 25?”

“Yes princess it was. I have about an hour before the test starts, so really 45 minutes before the students start coming in. how about you tell me about your day?”

“Where do I start? Well for one, Ryner and I weren’t planning on the kids getting cards from everyone but most of the parents wanted to start early so while I got more cupcakes, she had to make mail boxes and then told me to get any kid friendly cards I could get my hands on so some kids didn’t feel left out. I didn’t think parents would be this bad on Valentine’s Day. I feel so horrible that it took me so long to get back, though I really did want to talk to you, so she forgave me. The rest of the day was insane though…”

Allura perked up at the sound of the door unlocking and being pushed open. Soon she saw Shiro coming into the living room to see her laying on the couch waiting for him.

“Keith and Lance…”

“Have made it official.” Shiro finished for her. She was happy for her son, she knew Keith would say yes again but he had been so worried. She let out an ‘oof’ when a sudden weight was dropped on her. Shiro, looking tired, was sprawled out on top of her, her head pressed against her chest, his arms wrapping around her waist.

“Last test hard for the kids?”

“They actually all finished early but I had to do a small amount of paperwork before Kolivan felt sorry for me and let me come home.”

Allura pressed a kiss on top of his head, running her fingers through his hair, noticing the new amount of silver hairs he had. She smiled silently, decided to hold the jokes about him stealing her hairstyle for later.

“Are you hungry?” she asked instead

“I’m hungry for you. I seem to remember that we need to go over a page in your gift.”

“Cheeky. How about we finish the book first?”

Shiro let out a whine at the thought of moving but eventually did. Shiro arranged himself to be pressed up against the back of the couch, Allura cuddled close, her head on his chest, just like he did. She could still see well enough as Shiro pulled the book out of his pocket and thumbed to the correct page.

“How about we take turns reading them out loud? I’ll go than you?” Allura asked

“Alright. That gives me time to put my glasses on.”

“Old man.” Allura couldn’t help but tease.

“Hey! You’re married to this old man.” Shiro said, voice full of fake insult. “Pass my glasses pretty please.” Allura leaned over to wear Shiro’s bag was and pulled out the brown case, handing it to her husband, waiting until they were on and Shiro’s arm was behind her comfortably before she started reading.

“You’d had made it clear to Lance early on that he could trust you and I know he appreciated that. So when he went missing after he was wrongly expelled, I know he was upset that we’d be disappointed in him. That was the last thing on my mind. I was a complete mess, worried for him and you didn’t leave my side for a minute. You got help from your police buddies to go look for him and you made sure Keith was safe so he could go find him. He brought him back and we both told him how proud of him we were before you pulled us all into a hug and I felt like we were a family all over again.”

“And we are. Even more so after the boys are finally married. My turn?” Allura nodded against his chest. “Ok. After we found Lance and he was asleep, you asked me a question? You asked what if you loved me so much to the point you were willing to stay by my side for the rest of your life. You loved me and didn’t want me to bear the burden alone, even though you knew I’d push through. I knew from just hearing those words, my answer would be yes. It would always be yes.”

“Even if you ask me again and again.” Allura promised, leaning up to kiss Shiro. Shiro pulled her closer until she pulled away. “Sooner we finish this, the better.”

“Fine, it’s your turn.”

“Ok. Moment twenty-seven was a whirlwind. You were finally free of your mother, even if it meant she disowned you. My mother was surprised that my sudden new fiancée was now living with me but I didn’t care. It was different and it was an adjustment, but it was one we all made together. Everything was better then, Lance got his scholarship back and he and Keith continued to grace the top ten list. You were in a job were you rarely fell asleep on yourself and we knew we had each other.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t put when you called my mom a bitch.”

“I could have put when you cursed at her and threw juice in her face. After the fact it was so much funnier then.”

“Are we horrible people for making fun of my mother?” Shiro asked

“Sweetie, she was worse. Your turn.”

“This moment is another small one but one that I truly appreciate. You told me you wanted to ask Lance if he wanted a new dad. You asked Lance if you could have his blessing to marry me. When Lance told me he called you dad, I knew that the rest of my life would be perfect. You know, I was actually scared Lance wouldn’t give me his blessing.” Shiro said sheepishly

“Lance loves you Shiro, you couldn’t be more wrong. But the fact that it meant that much to you makes me happy.”

“I’m glad he said yes and that I get to call him my son. It’s gonna be weird calling Keith my son-in-law soon.”

“But you’ll enjoy every minute of it. Ok, last you for me. “Moment twenty-nine will always be a favourite of mine. Last year, on the day before Valentine’s Day, we walked down the aisle and said our ‘I dos’. I never thought the chance to say that would be something I’d ever get but I did with you. I took a chance opening my heart again to love and I was rewarded with the most amazing husband and a new life together. I love you so much and I know our years together will be just as amazing as our last.”

Shiro knew he had one more page, but he didn’t care right now. He pushed his glasses up and pulled Allura into a deep kiss, hoping she could feel all the love he put into it. Judging from how she kissed back, she did and she was doing the same.

She pulled away again, Shiro trying to pull her back in but she pushed the book back in his hand from where he dropped it.

“One last one and then you can tell me thank you.”

“Fine. Moment thirty. It’s a moment that is happening now, a moment that will last and grow and it took everything in me not to say anything. This moment seems only to last 9 months, but it lasts so much more? Wait.” Shiro sat himself up and looked Allura straight in the eye, his hear stuttering in nervousness. “Allura, love, please tell me if I’m right. Allura, are you pregnant?”

Allura broke into a huge smile as she nodded and was pulled into a hug by her husband. “Yes Shiro, I’m pregnant.”

“Oh my god, I’m going to be a dad?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to be a dad!” Shiro said in excitement. “Does anyone else know?” he asked, pulling away to look at his wife’s face

She shook her head. “I wanted Lance to focus on his moment; we’ll tell them when we go see them. Are you happy?”

“Allura, this is the best Valentine’s day gift I’ve ever received. We’re going to be parents.” He said, kissing his wife before hugging her again.

He was going to be a dad. He was going to have a baby with the love of his life. Allura had taken a chance in opening her heart, just as much as he did and they were both rewarded with the best things, each other.

#shallura #pregnancy announcemnt #plumeriafairy14 #taking chance AUs

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asamustardseed3 · 4 years ago

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January Crafts

With January being a more low key month in regards to holidays and more of a recovery time from craft overload between fall and the new year, our crafts are a bit all over the place around this time! Enjoy our month in crafts and don’t forget to visit #toolsfortots to access all of our crafts over time! I tend to theme the crafts around the holidays, current events, weather so the crafts you find under particular times of the year will coincide!

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems is a hit around here. The girls love the stories of Knuffle Bunny’s accidental adventures as he grows with his girl. We decided to work on telling time and make our own custom Knuffle Bunny clocks! Use a printable of Knuffle Bunny or draw your own and cut the ears separate from the head to use them as your short and long hand. Use a round head fastener to push through the two ears and set aside. We used cardstock for a sturdy background and a paper plate to trace it to the size we wanted. Using a coloring book and a smaller paper plate, we traced another circle as a background for Knuffle Bunny. Glue the coloring page circle to the larger cardstock circle and have the kids write their times in. Glue Knuffle Bunny’s head to the coloring page and push the fastened ears through the background to complete.

A simple fine motor skills craft is drawing out lines or letters and numbers and having kids place stickers along those lines. Easy as that! For this lesson, we used “2021″ as our track to follow.

Inauguration Day! Evie and I enjoyed watching the YouTube Kids Inauguration day broadcast and followed it up with a patriotic craft using our American Eagle, Red, White and Blue sparkly stars and “USA” in red, white and blue. And how did we make our eagle?? With hand tracings, of course! Have the kiddos cut out a circle and their traced hand print out of brown construction paper. Glue down to black paper, as shown. Cut out tail feathers and a head with white paper and a beach with yellow paper or drawn on, same with eyes. Garnish with all things red, white and blue and make sure to discuss the symbolism and discuss the importance of voting and different candidates getting an opportunity to be president for 4 years.

Evie and I were enjoying a snow globe book and decided to make one of our own! We found leaves and dirt and berries outside which we glues to cardstock. I drew a little dear to add to our scene. If you have small figurines to add, that would work great! (Think fairy garden figurines). We then used a clear plastic cup and cut out blue paper to fit as a background to glue onto our clear cup. Once all was relatively dry, I used hot glue to glue our cup over the scene, preserving it. Of course, you can’t shake this one but it was certainly inspired by the season and the idea of snowglobes. We did put bits of packing material to appear as snow.

Sometimes a simple paint by instruction can be as exciting as the most in depth craftl!! The kids and I made a cartoon dog. They followed along as I painted one with them. It’s sort of like a Painting with a Twist experience for tots. Pick whatever you feel up to teaching, paint with them and have them pick out a name for their creation!

With Valentine’s Day getting closer, Evie and I opted for a lady bug counting craft (in a heart shape, of course)!

Needed: 10 black or dark buttons of similar sizes, a silver and black sharpie, a manila folder, an envelope, a red heart from construction paper and black paper oval and rounded square shape for the top and bottom of the lady bug.

To do: Glue the heart and head/bottom of ladybug on the right side of the open folder. Once dry, use sharpie to draw antennae, a line down the middle of the heart and 10 circles. Place dots (1-10) as shown in each of the circles. Glue a large envelope on the left side of the open manila folder, opposite the ladybug, and be sure the open flap is accessible to store buttons. Once complete, write 1-10 on the 10 black buttons using a silver sharpie. These can be stored in the envelope and used in a matching game with the circles drawn on the lady bug!

Valentine’s Day Card.

Needed: watercolors, pen, scissors, watercolor paper

To Do: First, gently fold (without creasing too much) the front of the card in order to cut out a heart. On the opposite side of card, have the kids paint watercolor all over their hands in the colors they choose (without muddling too much! is that a word?!) and making a fun print in the card. Let Dry. Once dry, write a message on the lower or upper part of your design so that it doesn’t show when the card is closed and the heart cutout is exposed. This makes a great keepsake card for loved ones!

#tools for tots #january crafts #simple thoughts #childcare #kids #valentine's day #inauguration day #winter #counting #snowglobes #time #fine motor skills

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lovejustforaday · 4 years ago

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2020 Year-end list - #1

SWIMMER - TENNIS

Main Genres: Twee Pop, Soft Rock A decent sampling of: Pop Soul, Psychedelic Pop, Dream Pop, Art Pop

I’ve been a casual fan of Tennis for a while now since their last LP Yours Conditionally dropped in 2017. The band has an established niche, making music that fuses twee pop sensibilities with the retro sounds of so-called ‘dated’ genres like soft rock, surf, and 70s pop soul. Someone who spends less time with their music might shrug them off as just another cute little indie band obsessed with the times long past, and I’ll admit myself that this wasn’t on my AOTY radar when it was first announced. But then they dropped the lead single “Runner” at the end of last year and I had the faintest feeling that this was gonna be a big moment for them, and it turned out that my intuition was right this time.

Swimmer is a gorgeous and delicate musical experience about a love that survives to the end of the world, an ornately decorated wedding cake laced with celestial hallucinogens. While I’m at it, here’s a quick hot take that’s sure to get me murdered by some boomers: this album is better than Rumours by Fleetwood Mac and pretty much all of ABBA’s greatest hits (both artists that I am also fond of). Tennis has been refining their craft and their sound for a decade now, and if past releases in their discography represent footsteps in the band’s evolution, then Swimmer is closer to a parsec of evolution.

The band consists of Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, a quirky couple who celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this year, which is essential context because Swimmer is largely a testament to Moore and Riley’s beautiful relationship and a mature reflection on what it means to spend that much time with someone and know them that closely. When I say the two are quirky, I mean that in the best way possible – Moore and Riley seem to be a genuine two of a kind, a pair of unabashed, offbeat love birds who would gladly leave their regular lives behind to spend months living on a sailboat together with only a few possessions (they did this twice, in fact). I mean, they even dropped this LP on Valentine’s Day. They’re so genuinely nerdy with their love for each other; I want to say that this LP wouldn’t work nearly as well if it was anyone else’s relationship.

Regardless, the music of Swimmer still speaks for itself. Everything is a huge improvement of their last LP, with better production, incredibly infectious hooks, more ambitious songwriting, and a surprising amount of lyrical depth. Still largely maintaining the band’s guitar-driven, twee 70s pop fusion formula, this time they add little traces of sparkly psychedelia that are just enough to leave you feeling love struck. Riley’s guitar work is a big highlight, gliding around melodies and leaving little musical bits of fancy frosted sugar coating everywhere without ever coming off as flashy. The album has a retro sound, but it also has a distinctly modern quality with its honest reflection on darker subject matter and characteristically millennial elements of irony and subversion.

“I’ll Haunt You” begins the album with a gentle, wistful ballad examining the unlikely topic of mortality, as Moore reflects on her own signs of aging before proclaiming “I will haunt you when I’m gone” to her lover Riley. The saccharine twee pop veneer of Moore’s golden voice is so thick that it’s easy to miss the lyrical depth of many of these songs, betrayed only by the conviction of her words. The mood picks up fast with “Need Your Love”, a lively soft rock composition with prog influences, featuring a major tempo shift between its verses and chorus that is ridiculously gratifying to hear each time it switches.

“Runner” is absurdly catchy, both a brilliant pop song and a shimmering sea of little stars that goes higher and higher as Alaina Moore reflects on her very religious upbringing and how it has influenced her perception of human desire. Apparently this track took Moore and Riley a full year of almost non-stop songwriting and editing to get the end result they wanted, and the care and work that was put into it really shows. Title track “Swimmer” is the only song where the darker undertones are fully reflected in the instrumental composition, with a gloomy psychedelic rock dirge about Moore’s fear of swimming and the time she and her husband went to release his late father’s cremated ashes into the sea. In this context, the water itself represents death.

The album reaches an epic climax with its finest song and penultimate track “Late Night”, a warm twee pop serenade that begins soothing the listener with its twinkling refrain, all while Moore philosophically ponders the topics of love, religion, sex, womanhood, and identity. The track eventually bursts into a whirlwind of ecstasy as she triumphantly declares “I am the master of my ship / My ship, the master of the sea” and “I think I'm finally feeling free”, conquering her fear of the water and likewise her fear of death, while asserting her freedom to live as she chooses. This was my other favourite song of the year besides Jessie Ware’s “Spotlight” – “Late Night” fills my heart with joy whenever I hear it and it makes me want to spin in endless circles of euphoria.

Finally, the album closes with “Matrimony II”, a soulful baroque pop song that celebrates the idea of love as a gravitational orbit between two celestial bodies as they pull closer and closer until they are mutually destroyed, beautifully mirroring the opening track’s reflection on the relationship between love and death. This song in particular was written by Moore in dedication to Riley to commemorate the anniversary of their wedding, and I think it’s the perfect choice for a closing track because it really ends the album with such an elegant thought.

In short, Swimmer by Tennis is a collection of indie pop songs that’s not that far from perfect. It’s so funny, this was only the second album from this year that I listened to and it ended up crushing everything else in its path.

It’s almost a miracle that during such a dreary year we were given an album that is so celebratory, so life-affirming, and so unafraid of what the future may hold. Truthfully, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley have given me more than just faith in the future of the music industry; they have given me faith in the future of humanity with their good vibes and their determination to live as their own true authentic selves. So here’s to Tennis and 2020, here’s to the radical past, and here’s to a better future.

Edit: Bumping this down to a 9. Still the most exciting thing I heard in 2020, but in hindsight I think it flows a bit awkwardly at times (particularly the intro “I’ll Haunt You” which feels like it was cut short) and I don’t think this is quite up there with my other 10s. 2020 was kind of a slow year in music for me (crappy year in general obviously) so I wanted a clear decisive AOTY masterpiece. Looks like I didn’t get one this time, but I’ll be checking out some of the stuff I missed.

I still stand by this being better than most of the 70s soft rock it pays homage to, and indeed better than any other act right now that has been putting out similar 70s “kitsch” revivalism.

9/10

highlights: “Late Night”, “Runner”, "Matrimony II”, “Need Your Love”, “Swimmer”, “How To Forgive”

#tennis #tennisband #tennismusic #swimmer #retro pop #70s throwback #twee pop #soft rock #psychedelic pop #best music #aoty #aoty2020 #year-end list #album review #music review

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cancatervation · 7 years ago

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favourite music 2017

The affording of enormous weight to barely concealed fragility and vulnerability; when I pore over the contents of my iTunes from the last twelve or so months it’s plainly apparent that this is the hill I’ve elected to die on. Almost all the albums I found myself infatuated with at some point or another in 2017 meditated upon desire, the transience of romance, and the anguish that often accompanies its pursuit.

I’m acutely aware of how oddly this contrasts with my own life, which for the past almost-two-years has been romantically fulfilling in the way that my previous 25 absolutely weren’t. On this, I would say two things. First, that stability is elusive even (maybe especially?) for the most outwardly rose-coloured of us, and that maintaining relationship hygge takes compromise and is not easy, and for those reasons feelings of vulnerability are never far from the front of my mind; and, second, that it’s testament to the skill of certain songwriters and performers that their work was able to make this gay-ass conventionalist really feel something every now and again last year.

I wouldn’t want to suggest that I only just worked out that the theatrical presentation of desire is something I’m drawn to, but certainly there were some things in the past year that I really did begin to understand. Theatricality is often used in a critical sense as pejorative; something that is too extra, that goes too far, that is all tell and no show. Despite its predisposition towards excess, musical theatre has, for instance, always played out as sterile and spurious to me. (Sorry. And look at it this way, you don’t ever need to worry about getting me tickets to Hamilton). It’s so dramatic that it becomes too dramatic; your self-awareness isn’t allowed the chance to be suspended, even for a moment. An album like Lorde’s Melodrama makes its intentions apparent before you’ve even heard a note of it, but its theatrics (and there are many - think of the wailed chorus of “Writer In The Dark”, the gory car crash of “Homemade Dynamite”, the bridge in “Supercut” that accelerates like you’re on a bike rushing down a hill) are as easily consumed by sitting silently in tears as they are dancing, or walking, or lifting heavy weights, or running up a hill (to make or not to make a deal with God), or lying in blissful supta baddha konasana. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that hyperemotional vulnerability is for all seasons and for all hours of the day and I am now happy to welcome it into every aspect of my life.

I wrote over fifty blurbs for various songs on the Singles Jukebox last year. Some I loved, some I hated, what’s new. I wrote a blurb for “Praying”, Kesha’s first solo single in nearly five years, which turned out to be both the highest scoring song on the site for 2017 and the champion of my personal “list”. I sort of said all this already on the Jukebox, but my love for “Praying” lies nearly entirely in the way Kesha leans so heavily into her aphorisms, finding new ways to bring profundity to ostensibly simple lines like “I’m proud of who I am”. (Contrast this with most of Taylor Swift’s 2017 work, which forewent specific detail in favour of portentously loaded maxim, but forgot about nuance and came up mostly dry). When Kesha punctuates her sermon with a thunderous kick drum, it’s basically game over. As the stories of survivors of sexual assault, abuse and harassment began to dominate news media in the second half of the year, the song only gathered further resonance.

Lorde’s album held court as my favourite for most of the year. A promo image released by Kelela at the beginning of August threatened a coup. The odds shortened a few days later upon the release of its lead single and the arrival of the full album at the beginning of October marked the tangible takeover. Take Me Apart is all juxtaposition, which when applied to albums is often code for jumbled quagmire, but here there’s too much attention to detail, steadfastness of narrative, and, er, feeling, to get mixed up in anything like that. It see-saws between playful flirting, introspection, self-acceptance, control, loss of control, falling slowly through the sky, and falling fast through the abyss. I love it so much. It’s also very queer and very Black. Support Black queer art! Especially when it’s this well crafted.

Aside from all THAT, my favourite things in music last year were Moses Sumney’s Tiny Desk Concert, attending the Lorde show in the Botanic Gardens, the line “every single day I fight another war; every single night I feel more powerful!” in Rina Sawayama’s “Take Me As I Am”, and Rihanna telling Diplo his music sounded like a “a reggae song at an airport”.

My ten favourite songs of 2017 were:

1. Kesha “Praying” - as above and here;

2. Lorde “Green Light” - see here. The score given, however, is wrong. Add another point.

3. Sigrid “Strangers” - see here. I can’t wait until she’s everywhere and everyone knows her; her potential to me scans as “unlimited / infinite / fucking enormous, if it must be quantifiable”.

4. MUNA “I Know a Place”. The album version is acceptable but I’m also partial to this live one, which involves some changes to the lyrics.

5. Tove Lo “Disco Tits”. Like a wonky, filthy Kylie B-side played underwater.

6. Kelela “Turn To Dust”. Refer also to the first set of songs below. She didn’t play this at her concert this week, which is lucky, because otherwise its title may have proved prophetic.

7. Nilüfer Yanya “Baby Luv” - see here. See also dirgey diatribe above re: vulnerability.

8. Rae Morris “Do It” - I’ve become more and more besotted with this as time has passed and am not sure whether I’m most impressed by a) the wordplay b) the ping-ponging percussion in the second verse c) the subtle yet giant switch-up halfway through d) the soaring vocals or e) managing all of the above in less than 3 and a half minutes.

9. Rina Sawayama “Alterlife” - it did not take me long to request for lamination of a stan card for a popstar who loves key changes and here deftly incorporates influences as diverse as the Need For Speed soundtrack, Samantha Mumba and Madonna at her glassiest.

10. Tove Styrke “Mistakes” - see here. I’m ready for her to run away with 2018, in or out of a wedding dress.

Aside from those, here are some other songs I enjoyed in 2017, variously categorised and (with the “top 10″) collected in a Spotify playlist, located here:

Songs that can make you feel like you’re floating slowly heavenward

Björk “Arisen My Senses”

Charli XCX “Track 10”

Julie Byrne “Natural Blue”

Julien Baker “Appointments”

Moses Sumney “Quarrel”

Rae Morris “Do It (Nico Muhly Dance Remix)”

Sampha “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano”

Sevdaliza “Loves Way”

Slowdive “Slomo”

St. Vincent “Slow Disco”

Susanne Sundfør “Undercover”

Dance music that I barely pay any attention to throughout the calendar year and then become unusually enthusiastic about come end-of-year-list season

Bicep “Vale”

Gerd Janson x Shan "Surrender”

Honey Dijon “Catch The Beat”

Jad & The “Strings That Never Win”

Kink “Perth”

Minor Science “Volumes”

Octo Octa “Adrift (Avalon Emerson’s Furiously Awake Version)”

Shanti Celeste “Make Time”

SW. “Untitled B2”

The xx “On Hold (Jamie xx Remix)”

Yaeji “Raingurl”

Songs for the summer gloaming

Charlotte Day Wilson “Doubt”

Daniel Caesar “Blessed”

Frank Ocean “Chanel”

Jessie Ware “Stay Awake, Wait For Me”

Ladi6 “Guru”

Rachel Foxx “Happen To Me”

Sampa The Great “Bye River”

Sevyn Streeter “Before I Do”

Syd “Body”

Tyler, The Creator “Garden Shed feat. Estelle”

Plaintive songs for grey afternoon walks

Alvvays “Dreams Tonite”

Amandla Stenberg “Let My Baby Stay”

HAIM “You Never Knew”

Kehlani “Advice”

Khalid “Winter”

Lana Del Rey “Love”

Laura Marling “Next Time”

Paramore “Forgiveness”

Perfume Genius “Die 4 You”

St. Vincent “Happy Birthday, Johnny”

SZA “Prom”

Taylor Swift “New Year’s Day”

Best bangers

Amber Mark “Heatwave”

Charli XCX “Lipgloss feat. Cupcakke”

Charli XCX “Porsche feat. MØ”

Charlotte Gainsbourg “Deadly Valentine”

Charly Bliss “Glitter”

Drake “Get It Together feat. Jorja Smith & Black Coffee”

Dua Lipa “New Rules”

Haiku Hands “Not About You”

Ibibio Sound Machine “Give Me A Reason”

ionnalee “Samaritan”

J. Balvin x Willy William “Mi Gente feat. Beyoncé”

J. Hus “Did You See”

Jessie Ware “Your Domino”

Jorja Smith x Preditah “On My Mind”

Kah-Lo “Fasta”

Kelela “Truth Or Dare”

Kendrick Lamar “LOYALTY. feat. Rihanna”

Kllo “Last Yearn”

Leikeli47 “Miss Me”

Lorde “Sober”

Maliibu Miitch “4AM”

Miguel “Banana Clip”

Nite Jewel “2 Good 2 Be True”

Paramore “Hard Times”

Phoenix “J-Boy”

Rina Sawayama “Take Me As I Am”

Ronika “Better Than Ever”

Rose Elinor Dougall “All At Once”

Sigrid “Don’t Kill My Vibe”

Stormzy “Big For Your Boots”

The Horrors “Something To Remember Me By”

Tove Lo “Shedontknowbutsheknows”

Whethan “love gang feat. Charli XCX”

Wolf Alice “Don’t Delete The Kisses”

Finally, here are thirty albums I loved last year. Onwards and upwards!

1. Kelela Take Me Apart

2. Lorde Melodrama

3. SZA Ctrl

4. Fever Ray Plunge

5. Charly Bliss Guppy

6. Wolf Alice Visions Of A Life

7. Rina Sawayama RINA

8. Jessie Ware Glasshouse

9. Tove Lo Blue Lips

10. Charli XCX Pop 2

11. MUNA about u

12. Moses Sumney Aromanticism

13. Sevdaliza ISON

14. St Vincent MASSEDUCTION

15. Susanne Sundfør Music For People In Trouble

16. Ibeyi Ash

17. Sampa The Great Birds & The Bee9

18. Kink Playground

19. Daniel Caesar Freudian

20. Bicep Bicep

21. Sophia Kennedy - Sophia Kennedy

22. Miguel War & Leisure

23. Laura Marling Semper Femina

24. Ibibio Sound Machine Uyai

25. Jen Cloher Jen Cloher

26. Dua Lipa Dua Lipa

27. The xx I See You

28. Honey Dijon The Best Of Both Worlds

29. Kesha Rainbow

30. Leikeli47 Wash & Set

#music #musicwriting #2017 #2017music

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diysonline · 5 years ago

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bluebirdblanket-blog · 5 years ago

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Top 10 Best White Fuzzy Blankets

Everyone in this world loves snuggling up under a super white fuzzy blankets, when they claw into bed. Blankets are essential part of bedding's in our bedrooms, sofas, and coaches in our living rooms. Blankets make your home look pleasant, warm and more important they add color and texture to the interior decoration of any of your rooms. Picking the best blanket for your bed, sofas and coaches might not seem complicated, but ensuring you have a soft ,warm ,cozy ,durable , and easy to clean blanket can be a little harder than you think. Top 10 Best White Fuzzy Blankets The white fuzzy blankets make an exceptional wrap for staying warm and comfortable on your bed, couch or sofa. Below we have outlined the top 10 best white fuzzy blankets, and the benefits available for each and all you need to know about each to help you make a purchase. 1. NOAHAS Noahas super soft shaggy Longfur Throw blanket from Noahas are perfect for using on your bed, sofa, or coach. Still, this brand make an excellent cover for staying warm and comfortable for the living room, sofa. Like known by many Noahas never compromises the quality of their products. Therefore, you can always expect high quality materials for your blankets.

Why is NOAHAS‘s super soft shaggy Longfur throw blanket one of best white fuzzy blankets? Size and material This brand comes in two sizes; the large and generous size 60” by 80” (which is our throw blanket to keep you warm and cozy –day and night), and the throw size 50”by 60” (suitable for couch, sofa, chair or toddler’s bed.) Besides, it is made of shaggy long fur on the top and extremely soft Sherpa under side. Warmth level This brand is carefully constructed of shaggy long fur on the top side and extremely soft Sherpa underside .This white fuzzy is super soft, durable, warm and lightweight. Machine washable The throw back blanket is machine washable .You are advised to use a laundry bag when you are washing it. Allergy protected This brand is warm and hypoallergenic washable. That is, you can wash with hot water 55 degrees to effectively remove all the allergens. Moisture wick The washable 250GSM shag throw brings you more breathable and light weight feeling. The double design offers you different senses of softness to improve your sleep. No pilling and shedding The throw blanket does not shed or pills like others in the market when washed. Simply wash in the washing machine on cold with gentle detergent. Never use bleach. Tumble dry on low. Unique design This brand’s fabulous color gives it an elegant appearance to compliment your room a chic feeling, protect your bed and coach from dirt and above all keep them fresh and clean. Affordable prices The brand is selling at low and affordable prices within the reach of your pockets. Customer service Noahas is a brand that strongly focuses on its customers as well as the community. Once you buy any product from them, they will give you all you need to use it. Also, when you a need arises and you call they give you a satisfactory solution in time. 2. TUDDROM Do you want a good blanket for a sound sleep? Tuddrom’s white fuzzy blankets are probably your best choice in the market. Tuddrom is a trusted brand, and their quality is inarguably among the best in the market. Its blankets are modern making them suitable for your living room on a chair or couch as well as for your modern bedroom.

What are the core selling features of Tuddrom’s white fuzzy blankets? Size and material This brand is made up of 100% microfiber polyester .It has a lovely 4cm long hair fabric on the face side. In addition, the Tuddrom’s white fuzzy brand comes with one size, Throw size 50”by 60”. Warmth level This blanket is exceptionally warm since it’s made polyester; therefore it is perfect for winter. Machine washable This product requires you to machine wash on a gentle cycle with cold water separately, and tumble dry at low temperatures. Allergy protected The luxurious shaggy faux fur blanket is made of 100% polyester microfiber dyed with fabric. The lovely 4cm long hair fabric and skin friendly velvet fleece protects your skin from allergies. No pilling and shedding The throw blanket does not shed or pills like others in the market when washed. Simply wash in the washing machine with gentle cycle with cold water separately and tumble at very low temperatures. Also, its long plush faux fur blanket is fade resistance. Affordable price The brand is selling at $19.19, which is low, and affordable within the reach of your pocket. Unique design This brand is carefully constructed with floppy fabric on the top side and extremely skin-friendly velvet fleece underside .This makes its design reversible. Breathable Its light weight fluffy allows it to pass air therefore cooling your body during extreme temperatures. Customer Service Once you buy any product from TUDDROM, they will give you all you need to use it. Also, when you a need arises and you call they give you a satisfactory solution in time. 3. BEDSURE Bedsure has been in business providing high quality bedding solutions since late 1970s .Their warm and quality blankets will convince you to stay in bed a little longer every morning. The soft and light faux fur reversible Tie-dye Sherpa twin-size shaggy Throw blankets are perfect to your favorite couch in the living room, or bedroom for your bed and to your pets.

What features make Bedsure white fuzzy blankets an outstanding brand? Unique design This brand is carefully made with 1.5” thick faux fur on the top side and smooth fleece on the back side which helps to add visual interest and spectacular softness to your home. Size and material This product is made 100% microfiber. Besides, the throw blanket is 380GSM (grams per square meter) and a thickness of 1.5 inch fur. Besides, this blanket is large enough to add an extra person or your lovely pet comfortably when you share with them on sofa, or bed. High-quality Faux fur throw blanket is finished with environmental-friendly dyeing process features superior resistance to fading, shedding or pilling. Also, Bedsure Throw Blanket has an elegant, visually appealing look that adds a touch of chic elegance to your space. Machine washable This blanket is simply washed in the washing machine on cold water on a gentle cycle, and tumble dry on low. Affordable prices This product is priced for your budget Customer care Bedsure values their customers ‘happiness and satisfaction. They strives to provide them with best services as well high quality products. Bedsure gives one month return and replacement service and lifetime free customer service. 4. LOCHAS Are you looking for a perfect gift to surprise your loved ones? Lochas super soft shaggy velvet faux fur blanket is just a perfect gift for your loved ones. Whether the occasion is Birthday, valentine’s day men and women day, moms and dads day this blanket will come in handy every time for any occasion.

Why is Lochas’s white fuzzy blanket perfect gift to your loved ones? Premium comfort and luxurious This product has an exclusive style, double-layer thick fabric. Its front side is soft velvet, and the reverse is super warm Sherpa fabric which weighs 554g per square meter. Besides, it has real silk-touch highlighting the quality of life. High quality Lochas throw blanket is wrinkle, fade resistance, and does not shed because, it is made up of 100% high microfiber polyester. Warmth level This brand is carefully constructed with a double-thick fabric of comfy faux fur on the top side, and extremely soft crystal velvet underside .This white fuzzy blanket is super soft, durable, warm and lightweight. Machine washable It is machine washed on gentle cycle with cold water, tumble dry at very low temperatures .Besides it holds several machine wash and dry beautifully. Air dry is recommended. Moisture wick This blanket has the ability to breathe and pass moisture keeping you dry all night. 5. Rose Home Fashion If you want a blanket of any choice of pattern, Rose Home Fashion is the place for you. Rose Home Fashion throw blanket is super soft in texture and is offered with a variety choice of patterns. Their fuzzy white blanket is perfect for snuggling with your pet, loved ones while enjoying your favorite TV shows on the coach or while enjoying a nap on your bed.

What are the benefits of buying Rose Home Fashion’s white fuzzy blanket? Size and material It’s made of 100% microfiber polyester. Unique design This brand has double sides. The surface of the blanket is fuzzy air, smooth, and well decorative, touching, and cozy. On the other hand, the reverse of the blanket is Sherpa fleece, warm, and soft, and comfortable to keep your temperature warm. Machine washable You can machine wash on gentle cycle with cold water, tumble dry at very low temperature and dry. Warmth level This blanket is exceptionally warm since it’s made of microfiber polyester; therefore it is perfect for cold days. Customer service Rose Home Fashion is a brand that strongly puts on its customers’ needs first. Once you buy any product from them, they will give you all you need to use it. Also, when you a need arises and you call they give you a satisfactory solution in time. 6. VaryCarry At VaryCarry all collections are masterfully designed and crafted with your home and family in mind. We believe your home should be a collection of people and things you love and adore. Our mission is to help you craft a little more love with our warm shaggy Sherpa faux fur Throw blanket.

What makes VaryCarry’s white fuzzy excellent blanket? Breathable Its light weight fluffy allows it to pass air therefore cooling your body during extreme temperatures. No pilling or shedding This blanket is made up microfiber polyester. The high quality comfy faux fur Throw blanket does not shed. Warmth level This brand is cozy and warm with this extremely soft and fuzzy fur blanket. Besides, it’s great size help you keep warm all seasons –day and night Machine washing Allows machine wash on gentle cycle with cold water without tumbling drying and shake off. Allergy protected It’s made with superior hypoallergenic microfiber with a very comfortable weight to it Customer service VaryCarry is a brand that puts its customers’ needs first. Once you buy any product from them, they will give you all you need to use it. Also, when you a need arises and you call they give you a satisfactory solution in time. 7. Chanasya Are you fond of chic, modern and furry designs that hold your interest and attention? Then, Chanasya shaggy Longfur faux fur blankets are your taste. Chanasya ensures you enjoy your life with luxury, quality, and comfort.

What features make Chanasya’s shaggy longfur faux fur throw blanket admirable? Material and size This product is made from 100% premium quality microfiber polyester. In addition the blanket size is 65 by 50 inches making them suitable for couch, sofa and toddler bed. Comfort The warm, fuzzy texture of this blanket effectively warms you at the optimal temperature without getting you sweaty and perspired during wake up hours. Machine wash You can machine wash on gentle cycle with cold water, then, tumble dry at very low temperatures. Also, it holds several machine wash and dry beautifully. Warmth level This blanket is exceptionally warm since it’s made of microfiber polyester; therefore, it is perfect for cold seasons. 8. JOYFEEL JOYFEEL is home for all regardless of age, or gender. It is a trusted brand and their knitted throw blankets feels among the best product despite having modest price tags. Their shaggy longfur white fuzzy throw blankets are nice gifts for mother’s day, father’s day, Baby shower or any other occasion.

What are the benefits of using JOYFREE luxury shaggy longfur white blankets? Material It’s made of 100% microfiber polyester. Unique design This brand has double sides. The surface of the blanket is microfiber fuzzy air, smooth, and well decorative, touching, and cozy. On the other hand, the reverse of the blanket is Sherpa fabric, which keeps you warm. Machine washable You can machine wash on gentle cycle with cold water, tumble dry at very low temperature and dry. Warmth level This blanket is exceptionally warm since it’s made of microfiber polyester; therefore it is perfect for all seasons. Allergy protected It’s made with superior hypoallergenic microfiber with a very lovely 4cm hair fabric and skin-friendly velvet fleece. Customer service JOYFEEL is a brand that strongly puts on its customers’ needs first. Once you buy any product from them, they will give you all you need to use it. Also, when you a need arises and you call they give you a satisfactory solution in time. 9. Nest &Nook Finding the best natural made blankets you can rely on when the temperatures are either low or high is a little overwhelming. You will realize most blankets in the market today are made from synthetics. At Nest & Nook we give the best natural white faux fur blankets from sheepskin.

Why are Nest& Nook’s white fuzzy blankets among the best? Matchless quality This brand is made from sheepskin, which will not shed, or lose its smooth consistency. Easy to maintain This blanket is easy to take care of and will stay beautiful with a little care. Warmth level It can be used for both winter and summer seasons. You can have tight knit woolen blankets which are thick in nature, and keep you warm during cold days and nights. However, light weight woolen blankets are also available and are perfect during summer seasons because they are breathable and don’t make you over-heated. Allergy protected They are made of high quality natural white fur that is soft and provides comfort to the skin. 10. Bedsure Bedsure has been in bedding business since late 1970s .Their warm and quality blankets will convince you to stay in bed a little longer every morning. The Bedsure fleece Throw size white lightweight super soft cozy Luxury bed blankets microfiber are perfect to your favorite couch in the living room, or bedroom for your bed and to your pets.

Unique design This brand is carefully made with 1.5” thick faux fur on the top side and smooth fleece on the back side which helps to add visual interest and spectacular softness to your home. Why is this brand among ten best white fuzzy blankets? Size and material This product is made 100% microfiber polyester. Besides, the throw blanket is 240GSM (grams per square meter). High-quality This blanket is finished with 100% microfiber fabric which has superior resistance to fading, shedding or pilling making it look better than other cotton like blankets. Also, Bedsure Throw Blanket has an elegant, visually appealing look that adds a touch of chic elegance to your space. Unique design This blanket is designed with double designs to offer you different senses of softness to improve your sleep. Affordable prices This product is priced for your budget Customer care Bedsure values their customers ‘happiness and satisfaction .They strives to provide them with best services as well high quality products. Bedsure gives one month return and replacement service and lifetime free customer service. Conclusion In a nutshell, the above are best white fuzzy blankets that people have greatly so far. They have better fabric, warmth, good moisture wick, allergy protected and more resistance to shedding. By considering this, you would be well advised to choose any of them for your home. Read the full article

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