#3 month improvement method

[pikachudepressivo]

Actually I was in a training of draw of Saitou Naoki's, that one called 3 month improvement method. So because that my artstyle chaged the mood, and I didn't posted here. But I finished this month, and I will post all at once

[prettieinpink]

NEW YEAR, NEW ME

( A collab with thee lovely lele @bloombabydoll )

If you want to reinvent and rebrand yourself, or just continue to make positive improvements in 2024, the first thing is to evaluate your current year. 

EVALUATION

Reflect on how things went for you. Was there continuous growth? Were there many difficult times? Did you discover anything major about yourself and so on. Try to summarise your year in (a) paragraph(s) at least. 

Oversee your goals. Which ones you didn’t, did achieve, difficult ones, easy ones and the impacts it had on your life. 

Compare your dream girl then and now. Is your visualisation of your life currently different to the one you have now and why? 

List any major losses or successes you’ve had in your life, and how they have helped you or why it matters to you. 

This evaluation can be as detailed or simple as you like, but as long as you have a decent outline of your year. 

PREPARING & PLANNING

To prepare for 2024, you want to know what you want life to be like in 2024. Something realistic to a point, but still is a growth journey. 

Think of something that you can associate with 2024. This can be a word, a symbol, art, a song, a book, a movie, a place, or even just all of these things. When you think about your goals and your journey, this is your theme. This is something that should relate to your goals or your dream girl somehow. 

For me, I chose a word and a song. My word is growth because, for me, 2023 was a year for just being able to shed my old self which I did achieve however I just felt there wasn’t much growth as an actual person and not just in my environment. 

For my song, it is Mayflowers by Proleters and Taskrok. This song is the epitome of what I would imagine, is the most polished mindset. I would say perfect, but having a perfect mindset is near impossible. I want to have a mindset glow up because I’ve just been hard on myself lately which has caused my confidence to plummet. 

Before we get into the fun part of the preparation stage, we have to do some organisation in our life. I want you to take a look at your daily lifestyle and your habits, and be completely unashamed about this. 

Then categorise these habits into two sections; Leave and Leap. Leave habits are habits that you are leaving behind in 2023, leap habits are habits that are leaping into 2024 with you. 

Any habits that are self-destructive, addictive or generally harmful are leave habits. Beneficial habits and self-building are leaping with you into the new year.

I want you to do the same for people in your life, all environments (school, work, online etc) and anything else you believe needs to be sorted out. 

This works better if you can reason with yourself why it is a leaping or leaving habit, but don’t try to convince yourself a bad habit is good or vice versa. 

Now, I want you to document an honest paragraph about who you are right now. List your bad and good habits, your strengths and weaknesses and your behaviours. This one requires a bit more detail. 

Then, write a paragraph about who you will be in 2024, your dream girl. List her habits, lifestyle, behaviours, mindset, strengths and anything else extra. I’ll explain later but do not include materialistic desires in this your dream girl. Once again, this one also requires details. 

Stemming from those paragraphs, I want you to create specific and achievable goals. SMART goals are best, but I want to introduce you to how I set goals. 

I divide my year into quarters. For each 3 months, I have 3-5 goals for those months. Usually, it’s one from each area of my life. Then, I break down these goals. 

Questions and How They Help 

Why do I want to do this goal - For motivation and commitment. 

How it’ll benefit me - For the sake of improvement. 

How can I involve myself in this goal - To achieve your goal.  

I prefer this method because it is a lot simpler for me, as I am just a young girl and my bigger goals are more in the future in which I’ll utilise SMART goals. 

To create good goals; Make sure they align with your current values and life principles first. Try to avoid creating goals that you have just taken from the internet. Those goals just aren’t it and you most likely won’t follow through with it. 

Be specific. Don’t say you want to eat more healthily, instead say you want to include (a certain group of veggies/fruits) in your diet and reduce the intake of ( food/drink). 

E.g using eating healthy example

I want to eat healthy -> I want to start including foods that boost my immunity system and support my skin while reducing those that have the opposite effect. 

Then break down those quarterly goals into monthly, weekly and daily goals. Make these habits that you can establish in your lifestyle and have a way in which you can refer back to your progress. 

EXAMPLE GOAL BREAKDOWN

Quarterly Goal - Read 6 books.  

Monthly Goal - Finish 2 books.

Weekly Goal - Be or near half way of one book.

Daily Goal - 20 minutes of reading per day. 

AREAS TO SET GOALS IN YOUR LIFE

Academics

Spiritual

Fitness/sport

Health and wellbeing

Mental health

Personal life

Relationships

Hobbies and recreation

Now for the best part- vision boards! Collect all of your favourite images that embody your quarters or the whole year, then put them in one place where you can see them regularly!

Some ideas are a scrapbook, Pinterest boards, mood boards, playlists etc. 

Choose your theme; It can be your healthy girl era, your academic come back or whatever you want. You can have more than two btw.

Use quotes! Then actually say them in your daily life as a way to shift your mindset to reflect said quote.

Include inspirational people. It doesn't even have to be a millionaire or a very well established person, it could be your friends or someone on the internet.

Be imaginative. Your vision board doesn't have to realistic in my opinion, as the whole point of it to me is that viewing it daily and considering it to be part of your life one day allows for you to open up to those opportunities.

Materialistic Wants

I feel obligated to make this a separate section. This section is practically tangible objects that you want.

However, when choosing this said object that you want, mindfully think about why you want that thing specifically.

It doesn’t have to be meaningful, but as long as each thing on that list has got a purpose to you, and will serve you, I think it’s all good!

Conclusion

If you want, you can definitely start implementing habits before January. However, I believe that as long as you go into 2024 at least knowing who you want to be and shedding away any limiting beliefs, you’ll be fine.

Make sure to incorporate some self care rituals into your daily life as well✨

To end this, I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas! And that 2024 they will achieve to close that gap with their current selves and their dream girl selves! 💖🙏

[csuitebitches]

Things I Have to do for My Sanity

1. Wake up at the first alarm - no snoozing and no going lying around in bed. Getting up straight away and head to the bathroom. It’s going to suck initially but you’ll get used to it in a few days.

2. Mental self care: 30 minute meditation, brain games mental math, reading, news. Knowledge is sexy and don’t deny yourself sexiness.

3. Daily review in my diary at the beginning and end of my day: what went well, what didn’t, what I need to accomplish to achieve my goals. This has tremendously helped my goals and keeping my motivation more consistent, especially at work. Analysing and correcting incremental changes creates long term success.

4. Cleaning up before bed - clothes, shoes, organising my bag, etc. I set a timer for 5 minutes and try to get as much done as possible.

5. Pick out my clothes the night before and steam iron them for the next day.

6. Face masks twice a week, a hair mask once a week, I scrub the soles of my feet with that foot scrubbing thingy once a week. Manicures every month because my nail beds are too sensitive to do it biweekly, iron supplements so that I’m not a moody bitch. Matching underwear to feel good about myself. Lavender spray on my pillow before sleeping so that I don’t get weird dreams.

7. Reading biographies and autobiographies. My mentor had suggested this to me and it’s amazing how literally I don’t have a single original experience - everything I’ve felt or mistakes I’ve made have already been done by someone else.

I’m going to curate a list of business books that I feel that have helped me the most recently.

8. I write a short essay everyday in the language I’m currently learning. I also end my day by talking about my day for at least 2 minutes in that language and I record it in voice memos to keep a track of my progress. I want to be fluent to a level where I can think in this language.

✨

I don’t generally share a lot about my personal life - none of you know my name or where I’m based and I feel comfortable doing that. But I do want to start giving out more insights to what I’m doing personally in my career - the good, the bad, the ugly.

Being self aware and honest to myself has helped me improve a lot. I know that shame is my Achilles heel, so now I’m reading books to combat that. I’ve caved in and decided to try therapy for a bit to see if what I’m doing is useful or not. My first session is tomorrow. Staying disciplined was my initial hurdle but the systems I’ve set (waking up early + habit stacking) have helped me slowly overcome that.

Work side, I’ve started establishing myself publicly more. I don’t want to reveal too much about what I do exactly but the good news is that our biggest competitor has noticed my progress (a former employee of that company came to us for an interview and directly asked our top management about me). It’s been 4 months that I’ve been working here but I know that next year I really have to swing the bat and hit a home run. I’ve decided to work on the field more and less in the office to really understand people’s needs and create unique solutions.

The daily/weekly/quarterly diary is definitely credited to my recent wins. That’s the biggest change I’ve made in my routine and i can already see that it’s working well. I’m going to continue refining and implementing that method.

Recent work methods I’ve decided to start working on (I’m not required to do these but I do it for my growth):

1. I’ve started studying popular companies’ business and revenue models in detail. Everything is adoptable and adaptable, you just have to figure out how to tweak something for your company’s clients and needs. Now I’ve decided that I want to keep a track of our competitors, their business models, their owners names, pricing strategy, their target audience etc etc on an excel sheet so that I’m aware with what’s happening in the market. 

2. I’ve started making client profiles. Every time I meet a client, I note down their name, the company name, what they were like, anything specific they seemed to like or want, how much they had paid us for a service, what their paying capacity could be, etc. 

[austinbutlerslovers]

Benny Cross The Bikeriders Fantasy Part 3

Label Mature 18+

Chapter 3 Playing House

🔗 Chapter 1 🔗 Chapter 2 🔗 Chapter 4

Summary Fully taken with Benny, he moves in with you, and improves your life in ways you never expected. The first month living with Benny is the domestic bliss of your dreams, ultimately leading to a rushed decision between you two that leaves everyone stunned.

♠️ Passionate Smut ♠️ Moving in together•love and affection•oral female•squirting•beholden sex •fingering•dirty talk•Dom Benny rough sex •sex on a dining room table•girl on top•Sub Benny •sex in a car• multiple orgasms •creampies

📖 Proof reader purejasmine 🫦 Smut Consultant burnthheparaphilia

Heavily Based on The Bikeriders Movie 🏍️ Inspo: Anonymous requests combined 🏍️ •Benny makes you squirt with oral •Benny gets drunk & rough •Benny does something super affectionate for reader •Benny super submissive w reader on top •Benny drives a car for once

Playing House

Benny officially moves in with you, his arrival marked by a large, worn rucksack slung over his shoulder. You’ve made space for him in your closet, and he methodically puts his thing away, arranging them with practiced ease.

Once he’s finished he stands admiring his belongings with yours and you approach him, gently resting your hands on his broad chest.

“We live together now, Benny,” you say with a warm smile, looking up to him with affection. “And I’m so glad to have you here with me.” You confess, your voice soft and filled with emotion as your fingertips trail along the firmness of his chest.

He grins down at you, his eyes softening “I’m glad too,” he replies, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you even closer.

You feel his warmth enveloping you, his strong arms offering a comforting security.

“Feels like a dream,” he murmurs his thumbs tracing along the curve of your lower back.

“It’s real, Benny,” you respond, your voice almost a whisper as your eyes lock with his. He leans in capturing your lips in a passionate kiss. His large hands roam your back, pressing you against him even closer and you can feel the intensity of his emotions in every caress and brush of your lips together.

He pulls back slightly, his eyes shining with love. “I get to come home to you,” he says smiling and lifts you effortlessly around his waist his hands holding the backs of your thighs.

You smile, feeling the thrill of being carried in his strong arms “Yes, Benny this is your home now.” You confirm.

His adoring gaze lingers on you, and driven by an intense desire, he presses his lips with yours, his passionate kiss deepening as he holds you firmly in his embrace, steadily carrying you to the bed.

He lays you down gently in the center and trails his hands along your curves, his touch gentle, his eyes filled with affection. “I want you,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion.

You gaze up into his eyes, your heart racing with love for him. “I want you too, Benny,” you whisper, your words filled with longing.

Hearing your response he quickly unfastens your shorts sliding them off and tossing them aside. He lays down positioning himself between your legs and spreads them wide apart with his hands. His face lowers pressing soft kisses against your panties the warmth of his breath and the heat of his mouth seep through the delicate fabric, tightening your core in anticipation.

“I’m going to make you feel so good,” he whispers, his eyes locking onto yours with a promise.

You bend your knees slightly lifting your hips. “Please, Benny” you whisper, your voice filled with need.​ He slips his thumbs into the waist bad, pulling your panties up and over your knees and swiftly casting them aside.

He trails his lips down your inner thigh, the wet heat of his mouth kissing all the way down until he flicks his tongue out, teasing your entrance and making you moan.

“It’s so good, Benny,” you cry out, and he intensifies the sensation, moving his tongue deliberately to tease and pleasure you even more.

He moves to your clit, flicking his tongue against it with just the right pressure to make you squirm.

“You taste so sweet,” he whispers, his breath fanning against your wetness, and when he looks up at you his eyes are filled with hunger.

He slowly latches his eager mouth onto your delicate folds, his lips and tongue moving in a deliberate rhythm that sends waves of pleasure through your core.

His facial hair gently grazes your sensitive skin, intensifying the sensation even more and your body shudders as his warm mouth and the precise movements of his tongue drive you closer to the edge.

“Oh Benny,” you moan, reaching down and tangling your fingers in his hair. Your chest rises and falls as your breaths come in short desperate gasps trying your endure the sensation of his mouth devouring you with passion between your legs.

You arc your back, your thighs involuntarily closing around his head and his hands grip your hips holding you steady. Each stroke of his tongue is deliberate, every flick sending jolts of pleasure to your core. Your hands tug into his hair as you desperately moan unable to control the movements of your hips as you push against him, seeking more.

He slips two of his fingers inside of you, knowing just the way to make you come, and you moan in the air as his tongue moves expertly, flicking and circling your clit as his fingers gently slide in and out of your walls.

The sensation is overwhelming, and you can feel yourself getting closer to the edge. He continues his relentless pace, his tongue and fingers working in tandem to drive you to ecstasy.

Your moans become louder as you feel your orgasm approaching. Benny senses it and works his tongue faster, his fingers thrusting harder flicking your clit and curling inside, delicately stroking a ridge that makes you gasp and moan. The tightness builds until you can’t hold back, and you cry out as you orgasm, the intense release washing over you.

He rubs his fingers faster against a certain place inside that has your walls contracting as your hips buck softly and you feel a sudden rush of liquid squirting out. Benny groans in satisfaction enjoying the taste of your sweet release around his fingers. He pulls back taking in the sight of you lost in ecstasy, your chest heaving, your skin flushed and your walls throbbing around his fingers .

“That’s it, baby,” he whispers licking his lips of your come, his eyes gleaming with pride prolonging your pleasure even more.

“Benny… “ you whimper as your body convulses from overstimulation. Your thighs trembling from the aftermath of your intense release and he slowly removes his fingers from you, sucking them clean.

You lay on the bed your mind in a haze of bliss and exhaustion, your limbs feeling heavy and weak as you try to recover from the overwhelming pleasure.

“You came in my mouth,” he says with a satisfied grin.

You turn your head to look at him, a weak smile forming on your lips. “I didn’t know I could do that,” you say breathlessly. “But it felt so good.”

He grins, his eyes filled with pride. “I love making you feel good,” he confesses. Leaning back, he grabs his shirt at the hem, pulling it over his head and tossing it aside. You gaze at his firm chest and chiseled abs, your breath catching as he skillfully unbuttons his jeans, pushing them down and freeing his large, erect cock.

“I want to give you everything,” he says fully naked as he climbs back on top of you. “I need to feel you, always,” he says, lining his stiff cock against you. “You’re everything to me,” he whispers before leaning down and kissing you.

He slowly pushes in and you feel every ridge and vein of his cock, the way it pulses and throbs inside makes you quickly grab his neck, your nails digging in as he inches deeper and deeper inside of your walls.

You stare into his eyes as he shudders feeling you stretch around his size, the warmth of his breath fanning against your skin. His cock reaches the deepest place inside of you as his hips press firmly between your legs, and you moan loudly, your voice trembling with pleasure.

He watches your every expression, his gaze filled with a mix of raw passion and tender affection.

“You were made for me,” he breathes, his hips starting to move steadily and deeply. “You take me so well” he rasps and you feel the sensation of his cock thrusting inside you, stretching and filling you so completely that it’s almost too much to bear. He holds you tightly, his body pressed against yours, the intimacy of the moment intensifying with each deep stroke.

“You’re perfect for me,” he whispers, his voice filled with adoration. “I’m falling for you.”

You look up at him, astonished by his words as a wave of emotion flows through you.

“Benny, I’m falling for you too,” you breathe, and he pushes inside of you faster, groaning as his thrusts become harder, his need to be close to you driving him to the edge. Every shared breath and touch between you intensifying his pleasure.

“Oh Benny!” you moan out, feeling his pace become reckless, his hips clapping against you, sending waves of pleasure to your core. He grips your hips tightly, pulling you closer with each thrust. The intensity of his cock stretching and filling you so completely makes you his entirely.

“I want to feel you come for me,” he rasps, his voice thick with need, his eyes filled with raw passion.

“Oh god, Benny yes!” you cry out as your walls begin clenching around him, your moans mixing with his in shared ecstasy. Each powerful stroke, sends you closer to the edge, your breaths coming in short, desperate gasps. His movements become erratic, his hips faltering as he nears his climax.

“I can’t hold back,” he cries, his voice filled with need. His movements become desperate, his hips snapping with each thrust. His cock drives into you at such a dangerous rate you feel shockwaves radiate through your core.

Your walls begin to flutter, and your orgasm crashes into you, sending waves of pleasure rolling through your body. You cry out, trembling uncontrollably as the ecstasy overwhelms you and he shudders, his cock pulsing violently as he releases his cum deep within you. The warmth spreads through your core as his body trembles from the intensity of his climax.

As the waves of pleasure subside, he collapses gently on top of you, his breath ragged, his heart pounding against your chest. His forehead rests against yours, his eyes closed, and you can feel the warmth of his breath mingling with your own.

He presses a tender kiss to your lips, his touch soft and reverent. “I’ve never felt anything like this before,” he whispers, his voice filled with awe.

You smile, your fingers trailing down his back soothingly. “Me neither, Benny.”

He nuzzles into your neck, his lips brushing against your skin. “I don’t ever want to let you go,” he confesses, his voice barely above a whisper.

You wrap your arms around him, holding him closer. “I’m not going anywhere Benny.” you reply softly

He sighs as his body relaxes against you. “I’m so glad your mine,” he says, his voice filled with emotion.

You run your fingers through his hair, your heart swelling with love. “I’m glad you’re mine too Benny.”

He pulls back slightly, looking into your eyes with a gentle smile. He kisses you once more, soft and lingering, before resting his head on your chest, listening to the steady beat of your heart as you weave your fingers through his hair and both lay there, savoring the closeness and the unspoken bond between you.

Domestic Bliss

The next five weeks are domestic bliss. Benny begins fixing things around the house, small things at first, changing light bulbs, tightening loose screws. Then he takes on bigger tasks, clearing the rain gutters and repairing the fence in the back yard.

Every time he’s working on a task, you bring him a cold beer. You discover his favorite brand is Schlitz and always keep them stocked in the refrigerator. He gives you an affectionate kiss before getting back to work, determined to make the place even better than it was before.

In the evenings, his favorite thing to do is sit on the couch with you curled up on him, watching shows. Beer in one hand, his fingertips trailing along your thigh with the other. He is fascinated by the television, smiling and laughing at the vivid images on the screen, and you gaze at him, enjoying how relaxed and cared for he looks.

One day, Benny asks if he can fix something in one of the locked rooms downstairs. When he describes a strange electric sound and the room it’s coming from you realize it’s your fathers office and immediately get the keys

As you unlock the door you click on the light stepping aside to let Benny enter. The room is pristine, every item meticulously placed. The walls are lined with shelves filled with books and neatly organized binders.

A large mahogany desk sits in the center, its surface immaculate except for a few carefully arranged papers and a polished brass lamp. The room smells faintly of leather and old paper, framed photos and certificates adorn the walls, each telling a story of your father’s professional journey.

Benny walks over to the desk, his eyes scanning the surface before finding the source of the noise, a small radio emitting static. He clicks it off, the sudden silence amplifying the room’s stillness.

He continues looking over the desk, his curiosity piqued by the array of items scattered across it. He opens a folder, interested in what it contains and looks over the documents inside.

“Your dad was a higher-up?” he asks, and you answer him leaning against the doorframe, too timid to walk inside.

“He worked for Ford Motors, and my mother was an accountant,” you explain. He hums, putting the folder back in place before he walks around the office, taking in more details.

He stops at a corner where your fathers golf clubs are neatly arranged, his fingers brushing over the handles. He pulls one out and examines it, a playful smile on his face, and you giggle, knowing he doesn’t know how to play.

He puts the club back and notices a set of car keys hanging on a hook above the golf clubs. His eyes widen as he reaches up to take them. “Is this what I think it is?” he asks in astonishment and you grin, extending your hand to him from the doorway.

“Come, I’ll show you” you say, and lead him out of the office.

You bring him to your father’s garage, clicking on the light and watching as Benny’s eyes fill with awe.

The garage is a car enthusiast’s dream, the tools are immaculately organized on pegboards with workbenches lining the walls. Each station has its specific purpose, one dedicated to buffing and polishing, another for engine work and another for detailing and wheel maintenance. All of the supplies are meticulously labeled and arranged.

In the center of the garage, under a protective cover, sits a car. Benny walks towards it, his excitement palpable as he runs his hand over the covered shape.

“Your dad worked on cars I thought he was white collar?” he asks, glancing back at you.

You smile thoughtfully “My father loved cars, it was his passion. He knew every part and piece. I would sit right there” you say, pointing to a chair at his work desk. “and watch him work for hours,” As you recall the memory your eyes begin to slowly well up with tears and you quickly wipe them away so Benny doesn’t see.

Benny is far too excited, running his hand over the car cover. “May I?” he asks, hesitantly seeing you saddened with your arms crossed. You snap out of your mood and put a smile on. “Yes, of course, Benny,” you oblige.

Benny’s eyes light up as he pulls the cover back, revealing a cream white 1965 White Ford Mustang. He whistles in appreciation, running his hand along the hood. “This,” he says, coming around to the driver’s side, “is a fine piece of machinery.”

He pulls the handle and pops the front door open. “You want to take it for a drive?” he asks excitedly.

You laugh. “Benny, I can’t drive, and it’s a stick.”

He grins. “I’ll teach you how to drive,” he says, and your heart melts at his enthusiasm.

“Benny I would love that ,” you say, excitedly.

He grins coming closer “Tell you what,” he says wrapping you in his arms. “We’ll make a day of it tomorrow. I’ll teach you to drive out near the lake.”

You smile looking up at him affectionately . “I’ll plan a picnic for us,” you say thoughtfully and you can see his eyes glisten with emotion, his words getting stuck in his throat.

“What is it, Benny?” you smile, stroking his arm.

“I’ll tell you later,” he says softly planting a loving kiss on your forehead.

Later that evening before you prepare dinner, you decide to surprise Benny by putting on a special dress. You head upstairs and choose a low cut, form fitting one that accentuates your curves. The dress is a deep shade of burgundy, hugging your body and highlighting your waist. The neckline plunges just enough to show off the alluring curve of your cleavage.

Standing in front of the mirror, you carefully apply your makeup adding few strokes of mascara and a deep red lipstick that complements the color of your dress.

Then you head down to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the evening, Salisbury steak with peas and mashed potatoes. As you cook, you hear Benny’s small fits of laughter as he watches The Andy Griffith Show, making you smile.

Once the Salisbury steaks are ready, you plate them generously and ladle the gravy on top. You serve them with creamy mashed potatoes and tender peas, arranging everything neatly on the plates.

You set the table and call to him, “Supper’s ready, Benny.” You hear him click off the TV and walk toward the dining room, drawn in by the delicious aroma of the meal. You set the plates of food on the table, and quickly head back to the kitchen, realizing you forgot one thing.

You head to the refrigerator to fetch Benny a beer only to discover he’s already finished two six packs during the day. You blink in disbelief but make a note on the refrigerator pad to get more.

Benny sits down, thoroughly impressed by what you’ve prepared and when you return to the dining room, he compliments the meal, “Looks amazing, baby.” He says voice trailing off as gazes at you, enamored by your beauty seeing you’ve dressed up for the evening.

You bring Benny his beer leaning over him to place it on the table, and in the low-cut dress he looks down the valley of your breasts his eyes filled with lust. You catch him peeking and you grin at him.

“What’s the special occasion baby?” he asks his voice soft, enraptured by your appearance.

“Well,” you say, taking your seat and suddenly becoming shy. “It’s silly really,” you say, feeling bashful and beginning to eat your mashed potatoes instead.

“Tell me,” he says, cutting and taking a bite of his Salisbury steak.

“Well, as of last week…we’ve spent the whole month together…and…and this is the happiest I’ve ever felt, Benny.” you say genuinely

Benny sucks in a breath, your words affecting him greatly, and he takes a moment to recover, his eyes filled with devotion as he looks at you. “I love making you happy,” he confirms.

You smile warmly from his heartfelt response. “I..I just wanted to do something special is all,” you say shyly, looking away from his intense gaze.

As you finish the satisfying meal, you begin clearing the table.

“You need any help with the dishes, baby?” Benny asks, resting back taking a sip of his beer.

“No, it’s fine you relax,” you reply, smiling at him.

You can feel his eyes on you as you take the dishes into the kitchen, you clear the entire table, leaving only his utensils.

As you come to collect them, he’s already waiting for you, his chair pulled back from the table. With a soft but insistent grip, he takes your wrist and draws you onto his lap, his arms encircling you securely. His strong hands rest possessively on your waist, pulling you close against his chest. You can feel his warmth and the steady beat of his heart as he holds you, his fingers lightly grazing your back

“You look stunning tonight,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against your ear as he grins. His voice is a low, intimate rumble that sends shivers down your spine.

“Thank you, Benny,” you reply, your voice barely above a whisper as you feel his hand hold your waist.

He stares into your eyes with deep intensity as his other hand trails over the smooth fabric of your dress, moving slowly down to your thighs parting your legs.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he says, his voice thick with need and as he kisses you deeply you taste the beer on his breath. He reaches his hand between your legs and rubs against your covered folds with a mix of reverence and desire finding your clit and flicking his fingertip against it making you moan into his mouth.

“You’re so good to me,” he whispers against your lips as his other hand cups your breasts through the fabric of your dress, his touch sending waves of pleasure through you.

Your head tilts back as he kisses along your throat squeezing your breast while he rubs your clit simultaneously. “How do I make you feel?” he asks between kisses on your neck.

“Y-you make me feel so special, Benny,” you shakily whisper, your words trailing off.

“I’m glad,” he responds smiling against your skin and his hand slides up your thighs, lifting your dress slightly. “Let me show you just how special you are to me.”

He stands you up with him and gently bends you over the dining room table, pressing your chest against the wood. His hand caresses your back as he unfastens his jeans. “I want you right here,” he whispers.

Your heart races as he pulls your dress up, his touch both gentle and demanding. He pulls your panties down, and the intensity of the moment takes your breath away. His hand grips your hip firmly, his fingers grazing the sensitive skin at your entrance, sending a shiver up your spine.

“You have no idea how much I need you” He says trailing a finger along your folds, barely brushing against your clit, making you gasp.

“I want you in my life for as long as I can” He says touching you slowly, building anticipation with every stroke of his fingertips against the softness of your folds. You feel the slickness grow between your legs as he gently touches you.

“Oh god Benny” you softly whisper against the table enduring his touch.

“You’re getting so wet for me,” he murmurs, his voice thick with desire.

“Please, Benny,” you whimper, your voice trembling with need.

“Not yet, baby,” he replies, his tone both soothing and commanding. “I want to take my time with you, show you how special you are to me”

His fingers circle your entrance, spreading your wetness around as he continues to tease you. “Benny, please,” you beg, your breath shaking. He lightly grazes your clit, making you moan softly.

“I love watching you like this, all desperate for me,” he whispers, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

His fingers continue their teasing, alternating between gentle caresses and firm strokes, as you begin to clench inside, your body responding eagerly to his every touch until the intensity becomes overwhelming.

“Benny Please! I need you,” you cry out , your body aching for more.

“I know, baby,” he whispers, his fingers finally pressing against your entrance. “I’m always going to give you everything you need.”

He slips a finger all the way inside of you, and the sensation causes your walls to tighten. He moves it slowly at first, curling it slightly to find your most sensitive spot.

“Oh god, Benny,” you gasp, your body arching against his hand.

“I’m always gonna satisfy you,” he says, adding another finger, filling you up with a delicious stretch. You cry out loudly as he thrusts them in and out. His thumb brushing against your clit in a rhythm that drives you to ecstasy. You moan loudly against the table, surrendering completely to him.

“That’s it, baby, let it all out,” he murmurs, his voice filled with encouragement. “I love hearing you like this. You’re so beautiful when you let go.”

He increases the pace, his fingers plunging deeper, the sound of your wetness filling the room. Your breaths come in ragged gasps as your body trembles. He feels your walls rhythmically contracting as he expertly works you towards the edge.

“That’s it, baby,” he murmurs, his voice husky with desire. “I can feel how close you are” he says, thrusting his fingers harder, curling them deeper. “Let me feel you come.”

You moan as he presses his thumb firmly against your clit, the sensation pushing you over the edge.

You moan desperately loud as waves of pleasure course through your body. Your walls clenching around his fingers

“That’s it, baby, just like that,” he whispers, his voice full of encouragement.

Your walls flutter as your orgasm hits you with an intensity that leaves you breathless, your body trembling as wave after wave of pleasure crash over you.

He slowly withdraws his fingers, the loss of their touch leaving you breathless. With a firm yet gentle grip, he guides you upward, his hands sliding around your waist. He turns you toward him effortlessly lifting you by your waist and setting you down on the dining room table.

“I want to see how much Im pleasing you” he says his eyes are dark with lust and he roughly pulls down the front of your dress.

You gasp as he lavishes attention on your exposed breasts, sucking your sensitive nipples and squeezing the tender flesh until your moans grow louder, filling the dining room.

His hand trails down your body, sliding between your legs, and finding your wetness again. He slips his fingers inside of you, curling and pressing against the soft ridge that makes you clench on his fingers.

“Oh Benny “You whine feeling incredibly sensitive from the first orgasm. Every touch sending shocks to your core. He continues to finger you, prolonging the pleasure, making your moans turn into whimpers of exquisite overstimulation.

His tongue flicks and circles your nipples, sending electric pulses of pleasure through your body. He gently sucks and firmly pulls, each movement increasing your wetness until you can hear the squishing of his fingers pushing in. You can feel his suction increasing, drawing more of your breast into his mouth, then his teeth graze lightly in a teasing manner that makes you moan uncontrollably.

It all becomes too much, and you cry out as you orgasm again. Your body shuddering, as you moan his name. Benny releases your nipple and watches you intently, his eyes filled with awe and satisfaction, taking in every expression of pleasure on your face as your walls clench around his fingers. The waves of pleasure wash over you ar such an intensity you squirt releasing warm liquid that coats his hand as he removes his fingers.

“That’s it,” he whispers, his voice full of pride and admiration. “That’s what I want to see.”

He positions himself at your entrance, pressing his large cock against you, “Need to be inside you now,” He groans his voice raw with desire.

“Benny… please…,” you beg him unable form words from experiencing so much pleasure and he opens your legs wider, seeing you are absolutely soaked for him.

He groans and from the sight and slowly pushes his cock into you, stretching you out completely until you meet the base. You cry out at the sensation, your walls throbbing around him to accommodate his size and he moves with a desperate urgency, thrusting into you with powerful strokes. His hands grip your hips, pulling you closer with each thrust, his cock filling you so completely it’s too much to bear. Your head falls back as your mouth opens in a silent cry and he hold ofyou against him.

“Need you so much,” he rasps, his movements becoming more intense.

Small desperate cries escape your throat as your body arcs against him on each thrust.

“Every part of you I can’t get enough” he breathes quickening his pace snapping his hips against you with such a relentless rhythm that you cling to him, your nails digging into his back leaving marks as the pleasure builds to an unbearable peak. He thrusts hard and fast, driving you both towards a powerful climax.

“I’m close,” he rasps, his voice strained with pleasure. “Need to come.”

Your breaths come in short, desperate gasps as you lock eyes with him, nodding for him to fill you up, your body trembling with need.

“Come for me, baby,” he says, gazing back deeply into your eyes. “Give me one more.” He breathes and kisses you hard reaching his hand between your bodies. He finds your swollen clit and presses his fingertips firmly against it with a motion that makes you orgasm.

“Benny …oh god…Benny “ you cry out his name trembling as your walls tightly clench around his cock and waves of pleasure roll unending through your body. He groans deeply, his hips pressing against you as he empties himself inside, each spasm of his cock intensifying the waves of your own pleasure.

As the last pulses of his orgasm subsides, he slows his movements, staying buried deep, panting heavily, his body gradually coming down from the intense high. He rests his forehead against yours, breathing hard.

“I don’t know what came over me,” he breaths, his voice filled with a mix of awe and satisfaction. “You felt so good I couldn’t hold back.”

You smile, your body still tingling from the pleasure of your orgasm. “It’s okay, Benny,” you whisper, turning his head and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “ I loved every moment of it”

He looks up, his eyes filled with tenderness and gratitude. “I just can’t get enough of you,” he admits, his voice low and sincere. “I love being with you”

You smile, your hand reaching up to gently stroke his cheek. “I love being with you too Benny.”

He presses a soft kiss to your lips and stays close, his arms wrapped around you, holding you in a protective embrace. The intensity of the moment lingering as you two fall desperately in love with each other.

Since I Met you

You awaken in the early hours of the morning, hearing a strange whirring noise. “Benny,” you say, reaching over in the dark finding his spot empty. “Benny?” you call out again, but there’s no response. You check your nightstand clock, seeing it’s 3 a.m.

The whirring noise stops, and you realize it’s coming from the garage. After a moment of silence, you assume Benny must be working on his bike. Though the hour is odd, you lay back on your pillow exhausted and quickly fall asleep.

When you awaken in the morning, Benny is fully dressed, cradling you with a smile on his face. “Benny, were you watching me sleep?” you ask groggily as you awake in confusion. He stares at you affectionately. “I guess so,” he admits , his voice trailing off. He slowly presses a kiss to your forehead, a twinkle of excitement in his eyes. “Big day today,” he says, stroking his fingers through your hair. “Gonna teach my girl how to drive.” Your face lights up and you smile, making him smile in return.

“I’ll get up and get ready,” you say grinning as you glance at him already dressed and prepared.

“Looks like you got a head start on me staying up all night,” you tease and his eyes shift away awkwardly. “You heard that?” he asks shyly. “Yeah, Benny, the whole neighborhood heard that,” you laugh.

He chuckles, and you both share a tender kiss before you get up and head to the shower. When you return to your bedroom Benny is nowhere to be seen and you get dressed, feeling excited about the day ahead.

As you walk downstairs, the sweet aroma of baking fills the air and entering the kitchen you are greeted by the sight of Benny standing at the stove, next to a stack of golden brown pancakes already prepared. Your eyes light up with delight. “Oh, Benny!” you gush, and he looks back at you with a wide grin.

“Take a seat I almost have everything ready,” he says, and you eagerly settle at the kitchen counter, watching him cook. His muscular biceps flexing revealed by his muscle tee as he expertly flips another pancake.

You glance around the kitchen at the clutter on the counters and see Benny has gone all out, trying to get everything just right. Mixing bowls, scattered flour, and measuring cups surround him. The sight of Benny cooking is sweetly endearing, and you swoon at the effort and care he’s put into preparing breakfast for you.

He approaches with a plate of hot perfectly golden pancakes, each one uniform in size. He places your plate on the counter in front of you and leans down in pressing a kiss on your temple.

“I wanted to do something special for you,” he says softly. “You always take such good care of me, I wanted to return the favor.”

You smile warmly at him and he quickly gets the syrup from the counter, pouring a generous amount over your stack. He adds a pat of butter, and you watch it melt into the savory breakfast.

He sits next to you, his eyes never leaving your face, watching as you take your first bite. The pancakes are fluffy and delicious, and you nod, smiling at him in approval.

Benny grins, a look of pure joy spreading across his face, and he starts to eat his own pancakes with you. The two of you enjoy your breakfast stealing affectionate glances and grinning until you are both filled, then you tidy up the kitchen together you cleaning up the ingredients as Benny rinses and puts away the dishes.

Once the kitchen is clean, you turn to him for help. “Benny, can you help me get the picnic basket? You ask pointing to a high cabinet.

He smiles “Sure thing,” he says and easily reaches up over you opening the cabinet and pulling the basket from the top shelf.

He places the basket on the counter and you already have another takes. “I have one more favor to ask Benny ” you say shyly.

“Anything for you,” he replies affectionately.

“Can you get the ingredients to prep some sandwiches? I need to go get a blanket upstairs for our picnic.”

“Of course,” he says with a smile, moving towards the fridge. “I’ll get everything ready.”

You head upstairs to fetch the blanket, searching through the hall cupboard. You find a thick quilted one and you fold it smaller. Then you grab two throw pillows stacking them on top.

When you return to the kitchen Benny is bustling putting everything away, he already has four sandwiches neatly placed on the cutting board.

You place the blanket down on the counter stool, staring in awe. “You’re really surprising me today, Benny,” you fawn, and he grins.

“It’s the least I can do,” he says modestly. “I want to make today special for us.”

You walk over to him and plant an affectionate kiss on his cheek. “Well, you definitely are Benny, everything looks amazing.”you compliment and he grins.

You finish placing the sandwiches in a Tupperware container, then grab two crisp apples and a bag of salted potato chips, carefully arrange everything in the basket with napkins on top. Once everything is neatly packed, you seal the basket shut as Benny watches you with a warm smile

“Mmm, drinks,” you say, your eyes lighting up as you remember the beverages and find the small cooler under the counter.

Benny is already ahead of you, grabbing the cutting board and using the ice pick to shatter the ice. He fills the container with the shards and places his beers on top.

“We’ll need to restock the beers again,” you comment, giving him a sly grin.

He tilts his head slightly, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “What if we add whiskey this time?” he suggests, his voice low and enticing.

You laugh softly. “You’re really upping the ante, Benny,” you tease, and his cheeks slightly flush with a boyish gleam in his eyes.

“You know what, you’re right. We don’t need any at the house—I have a stash at the club. The beers are plenty.” He relents quickly.

You step to him staring up affectionately “Of course we’ll get you your whiskey Benny.” You confirm smiling unable to resist his charm.

Benny grins leaning in and capturing your lips with a tender kiss, his eyes lingering on yours a moment longer with a secret glimmering within them, before he shyly looks away. “We should get going,” he says, a hint of excitement in his voice.“

With everything ready, you both head to the garage. Benny opens the car door for you, and you climb in feeling a sense of excitement building. You place the picnic basket in the back seat as Benny opens the driver’s side door, handing you the cooler to place next to it.

He opens the garage door and gets back in the car, starting the engine with a deep roar. The sound of the Mustang’s engine fills the garage, the rumble reverberating through the air.

“Today’s the big day,” he says excitedly, waiting for the engine to warm up.

You gaze at him affectionately, a playful smile on your lips. “I can’t wait, Benny,” you reply.

He turns to you, his eyes softening with warmth. He reaches out, gently brushing a strand of hair from your face and giving you a tender look. “I’m glad you’re with me,” he says softly, his voice filled with genuine affection.

You smile, biting your lip and bashfully look away, “Me too, Benny,” you reply feeling your cheeks flush as you grin unable to meet his intense gaze.

He pulls out onto the driveway, the distinct sound of the clutch engaging and the gears shifting echoing around you.

The car idles as he gets out to pull the garage door down. Then he hops back in the front seat his eyes lighting up.

“I love the sound of this car,” he says, his voice filled with appreciation. “The feel of it.” He says his hands trailing along the steering wheel “There’s nothing quite like it.” he says and shifts into gear as the Mustang roars to life, the powerful engine purring beneath you.

The tires grip the pavement, and you can feel the raw power of the car as Benny expertly navigates the streets. The rhythmic sound of the engine and the satisfying click of the clutch as he shifts gears fill the cabin, creating a symphony of mechanical harmony.

You glance over at Benny, marveling at how confident he looks behind the wheel.

“It’s so different seeing you drive a car Benny ” you remark as you smile.

He grins, his eyes twinkling. “I’m a man of many talents,” he replies with a look that makes you blush.

When you reach the lake, Benny steers off to park on a large dirt path that extends through the nearby field. Once he clicks the engine off, you begin to feel nervous.

He opens his door and steps out, walking around the car to open your door, and extends his hand to help you out.

You get into the driver’s seat while he sits in the passengers and as you settle in behind the wheel, you feel a sense of uneasiness and begin to have terrible doubts.

“Benny, I can’t do this,” you say, holding the wheel tightly.

He tenderly strokes your shoulder, his eyes filled with a deep, admiration.

”You are the most amazing person I know. You can do anything you set your mind to,” he says with honesty.

You look over at him, feeling profoundly sentimental and the way he gazes at you makes your heart flutter, his eyes reflecting a blend of excitement and affection that makes you realize just how much you mean to him.

“C’mon, baby, first things first, start the engine for me.” He says redirecting with a warm smile.

You turn the key, and the car comes to life with a loud roar and the vibration of the engine rumbles through the seat.

“Alright, now, remember to keep calm,” Benny says, his voice steady and encouraging. “The first thing you need to do is press the clutch pedal all the way down with your left foot.”

You follow his instructions, feeling the resistance of the clutch pedal under your foot. “Good. Now, move the gear stick into first gear. It’s the top left position.”

With some effort, you guide the gear stick into place. “Good job baby,” he praises. “Now, gently start to release the clutch while slowly pressing down on the gas pedal with your right foot. It’s all about finding that balance.”

Your hands are trembling slightly, but Benny’s calming presence helps you focus. The car jerks a little as you find the biting point, and manage to get the car moving.

“Thats so good baby alright now, give it a bit more gas and ease off the clutch completely,” he continues. “Listen to the engine. When it starts to sound like it’s working too hard, that’s when you know you need to shift up.”

You drive slowly, the car’s engine purring as you get the hang of it. “You’re going so great baby. When you’re ready, press the clutch again and move the gear stick to second gear, which is down and to the left.”

You take a deep breath, press the clutch, and shift into second gear. The car runs smoothly, and Benny’s proud smile boosts your confidence. “That was perfect baby, Now, just keep practicing that. Every time you need to shift, press the clutch, move the stick, and then release the clutch while giving it some gas.”

The more you practice, the smoother the transitions become. Benny guides you through each shift, his voice full of encouragement and patience. The car responds well to your newfound skill, and before long, you’re driving with more confidence.

“You’re a natural baby,” Benny says, grinning. “Now, let’s try parking.”

You find an open spot, and he talks you through the process of downshifting and coming to a stop.

You follow his instructions, and the car comes to a smooth halt. Turning off the engine, you look over at Benny, who is beaming with pride.

“You did so well for me,” he praises, his voice deeply filled with admiration and unable to resist him any longer, you slip out of your seat, guiding your leg over him and settling yourself firmly onto his lap.

As you straddle him, you gaze deeply into his eyes, your voice soft but filled with emotion. “Thank you, Benny,” you whisper, and before he can respond, you capture his lips in a tender, grateful kiss.

He kisses you back with longing, his mouth moving against yours with a mix of hunger and tenderness. His lips are soft and warm as his tongue slowly twirls against yours. His hands roam up your back, pulling you closer, intensifying the kiss even more. You lift yourself up slightly and break the kiss and his eyes look to you wanting more.

“Take down your jeans, Benny,” you request and reach beneath your dress sliding your fingertips under the band of your panties and pulling them aside, the fabric brushing across your skin as you expose yourself to him.

Benny looks up at you, his eyes dark with lust, and quickly undoes his jeans, pushing them down along with his boxers. His hard length springing free and you can see the anticipation in his eyes.

As you lean down to kiss him again your hands trail down his chest, feeling his heart race under your touch and as your mouths meet in another passionate kiss, his hands grip your hips as you feel his cock press against your entrance.

He’s fully hard, and you’re already wet as you slowly lower yourself onto his cock. You feel the intense stretch as he penetrates your entrance and with his substantial size, it takes a moment to adjust as the pressure of his cock pushing in becomes overwhelming.

“Oh, Benny,” you gasp, feeling the exhilarating fullness as you take him.

“Don’t rush, baby,” he breathes, his voice thick with desire. “You feel incredible on me like this .” He rasps, looking up at you with unwavering intensity.

His words spur you on and the pleasure overtakes the initial resistance as you lower yourself onto him all the way to the base. His eyes are locked on you, completely enamored by how you feel around him.

“You feel so good on me baby,” he rasps, his hands gripping your hips tighter and you begin to ride him, your movements slow and deliberate at first, savoring the feeling of his cock inside of you.

He groans deeply, the sound sending a shiver down your spine and as you pick up the pace, your pleasure intensifies and you both lose yourselves in the rhythm, your bodies moving in perfect harmony.

Benny’s weak moans match your movements, his cock slipping in and out, filling and stimulating you completely. Each roll of your hips sending waves of intense pleasure through both of you.

“Benny, do I make you feel good?” you ask, your voice breathy with exertion.

He struggles to respond, his words coming out in broken gasps. “You make me feel… so good… so good, baby,” he manages to say, his body trembling beneath you, on the edge of his climax.

Your walls clench around him as you near your own orgasm, and you lean in close to his ear, “Show me how good I make you feel Benny.” You whisper.

Your words bring his pleasure to a peak, and Benny lets out a deep, guttural moan, his body trembling with the force of his orgasm. As he comes, you feel the warmth spreading inside you, his release triggering a chain reaction within your own body. The sensation is overwhelming, the pulsations of his cock sending intense shockwaves through your core.

His desperate moans fill your ears, the raw need in his voice pushing you over the edge. Your body tightens around him, your own orgasm crashing through you with a blinding intensity. Your walls clench and flutter around his length, as you ride him each spasm of his cock drawing out your climax and prolonging his pleasure.

You both ride out the waves of your orgasms together, your bodies trembling, hearts racing in unison.

As the aftershocks fade, you lean against him, your forehead resting against his and the car falls into a peaceful quiet. The only sounds the synchronized beating of your hearts and the soft noise of your shared breaths.

In that quiet moment, Benny looks into your eyes, his gaze tender and filled with sincerity. “I love you,” he says and his voice is filled with unwavering conviction.

The depths of his feelings for you resonate in his ocean blue eyes and a smile spreads across your face as you reply, “I love you too Benny.” The connection between you becoming unbreakable as you kiss his lips in the intimate moment sealing your devotion to each other.

After your breathes return to normal you slowly climb off him and return to the driver’s seat. Both of you sit in silence, feeling overwhelmed yet content by the profound connection you’ve just shared.

Benny pulls his pants back on and looks over at you with a satisfied grin. He reaches out, gently placing a hand on your thigh and caressing it with a tender touch, his affection evident in every caress.

“Let’s go to the lake,” he suggests softly and you nod in agreement still basking in the afterglow.

You sit up and start the car driving the short distance to the lake and park turning off the engine.

Benny takes the basket and cooler while you bring the blanket and pillows. The view is beautiful view as you walk to the lake together. The water is surrounded by lush greenery, with the trees casting reflections on the calm, glistening surface.

Benny picks out a cozy spot under a large oak tree near the dock. The shade from the sprawling branches creates a perfect, secluded nook. You lay out the blanket on the grass, smoothing it out before placing the pillows on top to create a comfortable seating area.

You both sit down together, sinking into the softness of the blanket. Benny hands you a cold beer, and you take it with a grateful smile. He then passes you a sandwich and an apple. He opens the bag of chips and you share the simple, delicious food together, the flavors enhanced by the beautiful setting.

The combination of good food, the serene surroundings, and each other’s company makes the moment feel perfect. After sharing a few beers and sandwiches, you feel pleasantly full and at ease. Benny puts the items away and pulls a pillow to place behind his head as he lays down.

You relax into each other as you lay against Benny, resting in his arms. His warmth and closeness providing a sense of comfort and security.

You gaze off into the distance across the water, the gentle ripples reflecting the soft light of the sun. Benny looks at you with a thoughtful expression, his eyes filled with affection and contentment as he holds you close.

“I’ve always loved the view from the dock,” he says, his voice soft with nostalgia. “There’s something peaceful about being right at the edge, feeling the water beneath your feet. I want to show you.”

You smile at him, touched by his sentiment. “Alright, Benny,” you say as he slowly stands and offers his hands, pulling you up.

He takes your hand, and together, you walk over to the dock. The soft sounds of nature surround you, and the gentle lapping of the water against the shore adding to the serene atmosphere. As you reach the edge of the dock, Benny looks perplexed, as if a thought is on his mind that he’s trying to express.

“Benny you’ve been acting this way all day is something on your mind?” you finally ask gently, squeezing his hand.

He pauses, taking a deep breath. “Yeah, there is,” he says, his eyes searching yours and then looking down in thought.

“Being with you makes me realize how much you mean to me.” He says taking a deep breath gathering his thoughts. “I’ve been thinking about us and I want to make sure we keep having moments like this. It’s important to me.”

You stare at him, feeling a touch of confusion mixed with curiosity. “Of course we’ll keep having moments like this, Benny” you say with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. “But what do you mean by all this?” you ask noticing his nervous glances.

He looks down, a mix of excitement and nervousness in his eyes. “I’ve, been working on this with my bike tools for a while. Since I met you, really,” he admits, reaching into his chest pocket. “I’ve wanted to share this with you so many times, but it wasn’t complete. Then when I saw the garage and it had the perfect tool to polish it, I knew…”

His voice trails off as he gets down on one knee, his eyes welling up with emotion as he try’s to keep his composure. “I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you,” he says, his voice trembling slightly as he produces a polished silver ring.

You are stunned, your heart racing with love for him. “Benny,” you say in shock, tears welling up in your eyes.

He looks up at you, his expression a mix of hope and vulnerability. “Will you marry me?” he asks, his voice trembling with emotion.

Overwhelmed by the depth of your feelings, you nod vigorously, a radiant smile spreading across your face. “Yes, Benny! Yes, I will!” you exclaim, your voice choked with happy tears.

He slips the ring onto your finger, and you pull him up into a tight embrace, your lips meeting in a passionate kiss. “I love you so much,” he whispers against your lips, and your heart overflows with joy.

“I love you too,” Benny you reply, shaking with excitement as you hold him tightly. The two of you stand on the dock, lost in the moment with the serene lake stretching out before you, the perfect backdrop for the beginning of your future together.

The New Journey

You and Benny decide to wait a few days to share the exciting news with your friends, you both agreeing that the best place to make the announcement is at the Vandals Biker Club.

Benny calls Johnny to set up a routine meeting and once he gets the confirmation you reach out to your friends, setting a time for everyone to meet there.

On the evening of your planned announcement, the club is buzzing with energy. The bar is filled with the sounds of clinking glasses, laughter, and the steady hum of conversations with old blues playing in the background. The scent of leather and beer mingles in the air, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

As you and Benny walk in, the familiar faces of his Vandals crew greet you both with hearty cheers. Your friends Danna, Sara, and Emily arrive shortly after, their eyes wide with curiosity and excitement as they take in the lively scene. The old ladies of the biker gang and your friends blend seamlessly, with Danna already knowing everyone to share drinks and stories with.

Benny takes you with him to the pool table, you both feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as he raises a beer bottle, tapping it to get the crowd’s attention.

“Alright, everyone, I’ve got an announcement to make,” he says, his voice raising over the crowd. “I asked her to marry me, and she said yes!”

The bar erupts into cheers and applause, the sound reverberating through the walls and mingling with the raucous laughter and clinking glasses. The roar of approval is deafening, with patrons raising their glasses high in celebration, their voices blending into a joyful cacophony.

Johnny stands stunned, his mouth slightly agape as he processes the news. His usually stoic demeanor cracks, and a wide grin spreads across his face. His eyes widen with a mix of surprise and genuine happiness for Benny. Around him, the Vandals’ cheer grows louder, their boisterous support echoing off the walls.

“Hell yeah!” Brusy bellows, lifting his beer in a toast. The room fills with clinks as everyone’s glasses come together in a celebratory chorus.

“Benny, you old dog!” Wahoo yells, clapping Benny on the back with such force it almost sends him stumbling. “You’ve done good!”

The Vandals, dressed in their leather vests adorned with patches and insignia, crowd around Benny, their expressions a mix of pride and joy. Laughter and cheers blend with the low hum of blues music playing from the jukebox, creating a vibrant, celebratory atmosphere.

Your friends, caught up in the excitement, weave through the crowd, their faces alight with enthusiasm.

Sarah rushes over, grabbing your hand. “Oh my god, let me see the ring!” she exclaims.

You hold out your hand, displaying the simple polished silver band. “It’s from a bolt on Benny’s bike,” you explain, smiling bashfully.

Sarah’s eyes widen in awe. “That’s so unique and romantic! You two are perfect together,” she gushes, Donna gives you a knowing look and Emily nods in agreement admiring the ring.

The old ladies from the biker gang, approach overhearing the conversation.

“How’d he even have time to get your size?” Betty asks, taking your hand and looking it over with a keen eye.

“He checked my hand when I was sleeping,” you say bashfully, feeling a warm blush creep up your cheeks.

The ladies exchange knowing looks,“That sounds just like Benny,” Gale chuckles.

“Always so thoughtful and yet so sneaky,” Cindy adds with a grin.

Benny is in the midst of sharing a story about you with the Vandals, the group eagerly gathered around.

“And when she looked at me like that and I saw that love in her eyes, I knew I was done for,” he reveals and the bikers all chuckle.

His gaze shifts to you, surrounded by the ladies proudly showing off the ring he made for you, your cheeks flushing with a blend of pride and bashfulness.

When you and Benny lock eyes, a spark of connection passes between you two instantly drawing him in.

“Excuse me, fellas, I think she needs me,” he says, breaking away from the Vandals. The group starts to tease, their voices loud and playful.

“Go get her, Benny!” Corky says with a grin.

“Yeah, that’s right Benny, go get your woman!” wahoo yells, roughly patting Benny on the back as he walks through the crowd.

Benny smiles, shaking his head, and strides over to you with a confident swagger. He pulls you close from behind, wrapping his arm around your waist. The ladies around you smile and nudge each other, clearly touched by the tender display of affection. The group gathers, their excitement growing as they watch the two of you together.

“Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!” they chant, banging their beer bottles on tables and shouting with infectious enthusiasm. The energy in the room is electric, their cheers and clamor amplifying the moment.

Benny turns you gently to face him, his eyes brimming with love and adoration. You smile at each other, feeling the intensity of the moment and he leans in and pressing a tender kiss to your lips.

The bar erupts into wild cheers and applause, the sound of clinking bottles and enthusiastic shouts filling the air. You both smile against each other’s lips, unable to contain your joy as the cheers and yells surround you.

Caught up in the moment, Benny deepens the kiss, cupping your jaw with one hand and pulling you closer. The Vandals begin hollering, swept up in the celebration and shake their beer bottles spraying droplets into the air like champagne. The room is fills with a mixture of laughter, cheers, and the fizzy spray of beer.

You both break the kiss as Benny shields you from the droplets, holding you close until the excitement subsides. He grins at you, his eyes shining with pride. “I love you,” he says softly.

“I love you too, Benny,” you say smiling up at him.

“Speech!” Johnny yells from the back of the bar, and the crowd lowers to a hush adjusting to listen.

Benny gazes down at you, his eyes filled with love. “She’s everything I ever wanted,” he says, his voice warm and earnest. “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”

The bar cheers and gushes, the excitement is infectious. You rest your head on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart as he holds you in his embrace. You bask in the glow of each other’s presence, solidifying the bond you share and reveling in the love and support of those around you.

The night rolls on, filled with toasts, laughter, and a celebratory send-off from the Vandals. They rev their engines as Benny kick-starts his bike and offers you his hand. You climb onto the bike behind him, feeling the warmth of his body against yours.

You cling to him, your heart brimming with contentment and joy for your soon to be husband. With one last glance around, you wave goodbye to your friends and the Vandals, as they whistle and cheer for you both their faces glowing in the soft light of the street lamps.

As you and Benny ride away, the world blurs into a streak of lights and colors. The roar of the engine steady beneath you as the night are rushes past.

You hold tightly to Benny, feeling the strong, reassuring pulse of the bike as the road stretches out ahead symbolizing the thrilling new journey you are embarking on together, the beginning of a beautiful union filled with love and adventure.

🏍️ To Be Continued …🏍️

Part 4 TBA

Till Death

You and Benny tie the knot in a biker-style wedding, surrounded by your closest friends and his Vandal club members. The celebration is filled with love and support for your whirlwind romance.

As newlyweds, you take full advantage of your time enjoying every moment together. Little by little, small cracks begin to surface in Benny’s gentle behavior.

You initially brush it off as the stress of Benny adjusting from biker life to married life, until his charming personality completely falls revealing a side of him you’ve never seen before.

The turning point comes when the illusion shatters completely. The love you once felt is replaced by heartbreak, leaving you to pick up the broken pieces and face the painful reality of who Benny really is.

🔗 Masters List ••• 🔗 Upcoming List

🏍️ Benny Cross Tag List 🏍️

@finley-08 @ashleybutler-26 @ifuckindontknow @landlockedmermaid77 @jvanilly @oceanablue @12joeywheelerfangirl @autumnleaves1991-blog @presley1992 @rose-deathman @sillylittlethrowaway @lillypink @faephoria @butdaddyilovehim99 @nostalgichoya @ausssbutlershortstories

🏷️ Always Tags Me List 💌

@burnthheparaphilia @purejasmine @lindszeppelin @abswifey @magicovento @obsessedvibee @austiebuttbutt @jessica987 @oh-my-front-door @slowsweetlove @hardcoredisneynerd @thegabbyh @thefallofthedamned @buckysteveloki-me @bucking-mustangs-with-wings @shegatsby @darlingisntit @unicoreads @lovereadingfanfic @elvismylove04 @denised916 @thatoneweirdgirl17 @shockercoco @minispice-1 @meetmeatyourworst @avidreader73 @jkdaddy01 @xxmandaveexx @mamawiggers1980 @imjustheretoreadsmuthaha @majestyjade @pearlparty @depressedfairie

[eyrieofsynapses]

why Aurora's art is genius

It's break for me, and I've been meaning to sit down and read the Aurora webcomic (https://comicaurora.com/, @comicaurora on Tumblr) for quite a bit. So I did that over the last few days.

And… y'know. I can't actually say "I should've read this earlier," because otherwise I would've been up at 2:30-3am when I had responsibilities in the morning and I couldn't have properly enjoyed it, but. Holy shit guys THIS COMIC.

I intended to just do a generalized "hello this is all the things I love about this story," and I wrote a paragraph or two about art style. …and then another. And another. And I realized I needed to actually reference things so I would stop being too vague. I was reading the comic on my tablet or phone, because I wanted to stay curled up in my chair, but I type at a big monitor and so I saw more details… aaaaaand it turned into its own giant-ass post.

SO. Enjoy a few thousand words of me nerding out about this insanely cool art style and how fucking gorgeous this comic is? (There are screenshots, I promise it isn't just a wall of text.) In my defense, I just spent two semesters in graphic design classes focusing on the Adobe Suite, so… I get to be a nerd about pretty things…???

All positive feedback btw! No downers here. <3

---

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love the beautiful, simple stylistic method of drawing characters and figures. It is absolutely stunning and effortless and utterly graceful—it is so hard to capture the sheer beauty and fluidity of the human form in such a fashion. Even a simple outline of a character feels dynamic! It's gorgeous!

Though I do have a love-hate relationship with this, because my artistic side looks at that lovely simplicity, goes "I CAN DO THAT!" and then I sit down and go to the paper and realize that no, in fact, I cannot do that yet, because that simplicity is born of a hell of a lot of practice and understanding of bodies and actually is really hard to do. It's a very developed style that only looks simple because the artist knows what they're doing. The human body is hard to pull off, and this comic does so beautifully and makes it look effortless.

Also: line weight line weight line weight. It's especially important in simplified shapes and figures like this, and hoo boy is it used excellently. It's especially apparent the newer the pages get—I love watching that improvement over time—but with simpler figures and lines, you get nice light lines to emphasize both smaller details, like in the draping of clothing and the curls of hair—which, hello, yes—and thicker lines to emphasize bigger and more important details and silhouettes. It's the sort of thing that's essential to most illustrations, but I wanted to make a note of it because it's so vital to this art style.

THE USE OF LAYER BLENDING MODES OH MY GODS. (...uhhh, apologies to the people who don't know what that means, it's a digital art program thing? This article explains it for beginners.)

Bear with me, I just finished my second Photoshop course, I spent months and months working on projects with this shit so I see the genius use of Screen and/or its siblings (of which there are many—if I say "Screen" here, assume I mean the entire umbrella of Screen blending modes and possibly Overlay) and go nuts, but seriously it's so clever and also fucking gorgeous:

Firstly: the use of screened-on sound effect words over an action? A "CRACK" written over a branch and then put on Screen in glowy green so that it's subtle enough that it doesn't disrupt the visual flow, but still sticks out enough to make itself heard? Little "scritches" that are transparent where they're laid on without outlines to emphasize the sound without disrupting the underlying image? FUCK YES. I haven't seen this done literally anywhere else—granted, I haven't read a massive amount of comics, but I've read enough—and it is so clever and I adore it. Examples:

Secondly: The beautiful lighting effects. The curling leaves, all the magic, the various glowing eyes, the fog, the way it's all so vividly colored but doesn't burn your eyeballs out—a balance that's way harder to achieve than you'd think—and the soft glows around them, eeeee it's so pretty so pretty SO PRETTY. Not sure if some of these are Outer/Inner Glow/Shadow layer effects or if it's entirely hand-drawn, but major kudos either way; I can see the beautiful use of blending modes and I SALUTE YOUR GENIUS.

I keep looking at some of this stuff and go "is that a layer effect or is it done by hand?" Because you can make some similar things with the Satin layer effect in Photoshop (I don't know if other programs have this? I'm gonna have to find out since I won't have access to PS for much longer ;-;) that resembles some of the swirly inner bits on some of the lit effects, but I'm not sure if it is that or not. Or you could mask over textures? There's... many ways to do it.

If done by hand: oh my gods the patience, how. If done with layer effects: really clever work that knows how to stop said effects from looking wonky, because ugh those things get temperamental. If done with a layer of texture that's been masked over: very, very good masking work. No matter the method, pretty shimmers and swirly bits inside the bigger pretty swirls!

Next: The way color contrast is used! I will never be over the glowy green-on-black Primordial Life vibes when Alinua gets dropped into that… unconscious space?? with Life, for example, and the sharp contrast of vines and crack and branches and leaves against pitch black is just visually stunning. The way the roots sink into the ground and the three-dimensional sensation of it is particularly badass here:

Friggin. How does this imply depth like that. HOW. IT'S SO FREAKING COOL.

A huge point here is also color language and use! Everybody has their own particular shade, generally matching their eyes, magic, and personality, and I adore how this is used to make it clear who's talking or who's doing an action. That was especially apparent to me with Dainix and Falst in the caves—their colors are both fairly warm, but quite distinct, and I love how this clarifies who's doing what in panels with a lot of action from both of them. There is a particular bit that stuck out to me, so I dug up the panels (see this page and the following one https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-20-30/):

(Gods it looks even prettier now that I put it against a plain background. Also, appreciation to Falst for managing a bridal-carry midair, damn.)

The way that their colors MERGE here! And the immense attention to detail in doing so—Dainix is higher up than Falst is in the first panel, so Dainix's orange fades into Falst's orange at the base. The next panel has gold up top and orange on bottom; we can't really tell in that panel where each of them are, but that's carried over to the next panel—

—where we now see that Falst's position is raised above Dainix's due to the way he's carrying him. (Points for continuity!) And, of course, we see the little "huffs" flowing from orange to yellow over their heads (where Dainix's head is higher than Falst's) to merge the sound of their breathing, which is absurdly clever because it emphasizes to the viewer how we hear two sets of huffing overlaying each other, not one. Absolutely brilliant.

(A few other notes of appreciation to that panel: beautiful glows around them, the sparks, the jagged silhouette of the spider legs, the lovely colors that have no right to make the area around a spider corpse that pretty, the excellent texturing on the cave walls plus perspective, the way Falst's movements imply Dainix's hefty weight, the natural posing of the characters, their on-point expressions that convey exactly how fuckin terrifying everything is right now, the slight glows to their eyes, and also they're just handsome boys <3)

Next up: Rain!!!! So well done! It's subtle enough that it never ever disrupts the impact of the focal point, but evident enough you can tell! And more importantly: THE MIST OFF THE CHARACTERS. Rain does this irl, it has that little vapor that comes off you and makes that little misty effect that plays with lighting, it's so cool-looking and here it's used to such pretty effect!

One of the panel captions says something about it blurring out all the injuries on the characters but like THAT AIN'T TOO BIG OF A PROBLEM when it gets across the environmental vibes, and also that'd be how it would look in real life too so like… outside viewer's angle is the same as the characters', mostly? my point is: that's the environment!!! that's the vibes, that's the feel! It gets it across and it does so in the most pretty way possible!

And another thing re: rain, the use of it to establish perspective, particularly in panels like this—

—where we can tell we're looking down at Tynan due to the perspective on the rain and where it's pointing. Excellent. (Also, kudos for looking down and emphasizing how Tynan's losing his advantage—lovely use of visual storytelling.)

Additionally, the misting here:

We see it most heavily in the leftmost panel, where it's quite foggy as you would expect in a rainstorm, especially in an environment with a lot of heat, but it's also lightly powdered on in the following two panels and tends to follow light sources, which makes complete sense given how light bounces off particles in the air.

A major point of strength in these too is a thorough understanding of lighting, like rim lighting, the various hues and shades, and an intricate understanding of how light bounces off surfaces even when they're in shadow (we'll see a faint glow in spots where characters are half in shadow, but that's how it would work in real life, because of how light bounces around).

Bringing some of these points together: the fluidity of the lines in magic, and the way simple glowing lines are used to emphasize motion and the magic itself, is deeply clever. I'm basically pulling at random from panels and there's definitely even better examples, but here's one (see this page https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-16-33/):

First panel, listed in numbers because these build on each other:

The tension of the lines in Tess's magic here. This works on a couple levels: first, the way she's holding her fists, as if she's pulling a rope taut.

The way there's one primary line, emphasizing the rope feeling, accompanied by smaller ones.

The additional lines starbursting around her hands, to indicate the energy crackling in her hands and how she's doing a good bit more than just holding it. (That combined with the fists suggests some tension to the magic, too.) Also the variations in brightness, a feature you'll find in actual lightning. :D Additional kudos for how the lightning sparks and breaks off the metal of the sword.

A handful of miscellaneous notes on the second panel:

The reflection of the flames in Erin's typically dark blue eyes (which bears a remarkable resemblance to Dainix, incidentally—almost a thematic sort of parallel given Erin's using the same magic Dainix specializes in?)

The flowing of fabric in the wind and associated variation in the lineart

The way Erin's tattoos interact with the fire he's pulling to his hand

The way the rain overlays some of the fainter areas of fire (attention! to! detail! hell yeah!)

I could go on. I won't because this is a lot of writing already.

Third panel gets paragraphs, not bullets:

Erin's giant-ass "FWOOM" of fire there, and the way the outline of the word is puffy-edged and gradated to feel almost three-dimensional, plus once again using Screen or a variation on it so that the stars show up in the background. All this against that stunning plume of fire, which ripples and sparks so gorgeously, and the ending "om" of the onomatopoeia is emphasized incredibly brightly against that, adding to the punch of it and making the plume feel even brighter.

Also, once again, rain helping establish perspective, especially in how it's very angular in the left side of the panel and then slowly becomes more like a point to the right to indicate it's falling directly down on the viewer. Add in the bright, beautiful glow effects, fainter but no less important black lines beneath them to emphasize the sky and smoke and the like, and the stunningly beautiful lighting and gradated glows surrounding Erin plus the lightning jagging up at him from below, and you get one hell of an impactful panel right there. (And there is definitely more in there I could break down, this is just a lot already.)

And in general: The colors in this? Incredible. The blues and purples and oranges and golds compliment so well, and it's all so rich.

Like, seriously, just throughout the whole comic, the use of gradients, blending modes, color balance and hues, all the things, all the things, it makes for the most beautiful effects and glows and such a rich environment. There's a very distinct style to this comic in its simplified backgrounds (which I recognize are done partly because it's way easier and also backgrounds are so time-consuming dear gods but lemme say this) and vivid, smoothly drawn characters; the simplicity lets them come to the front and gives room for those beautiful, richly saturated focal points, letting the stylized designs of the magic and characters shine. The use of distinct silhouettes is insanely good. Honestly, complex backgrounds might run the risk of making everything too visually busy in this case. It's just, augh, so GORGEOUS.

Another bit, take a look at this page (https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-15-28/):

It's not quite as evident here as it is in the next page, but this one does some other fun things so I'm grabbing it. Points:

Once again, using different colors to represent different character actions. The "WHAM" of Kendal hitting the ground is caused by Dainix's force, so it's orange (and kudos for doubling the word over to add a shake effect). But we see blue layered underneath, which could be an environmental choice, but might also be because it's Kendal, whose color is blue.

And speaking off, take a look at the right-most panel on top, where Kendal grabs the spear: his motion is, again, illustrated in bright blue, versus the atmospheric screened-on orange lines that point toward him around the whole panel (I'm sure these have a name, I think they might be more of a manga thing though and the only experience I have in manga is reading a bit of Fullmetal Alchemist). Those lines emphasize the weight of the spear being shoved at him, and their color tells us Dainix is responsible for it.

One of my all-time favorite effects in this comic is the way cracks manifest across Dainix's body to represent when he starts to lose control; it is utterly gorgeous and wonderfully thematic. These are more evident in the page before and after this one, but you get a decent idea here. I love the way they glow softly, the way the fire juuuust flickers through at the start and then becomes more evident over time, and the cracks feel so realistic, like his skin is made of pottery. Additional points for how fire begins to creep into his hair.

A small detail that's generally consistent across the comic, but which I want to make note of here because you can see it pretty well: Kendal's eyes glow about the same as the jewel in his sword, mirroring his connection to said sword and calling back to how the jewel became Vash's eye temporarily and thus was once Kendal's eye. You can always see this connection (though there might be some spots where this also changes in a symbolic manner; I went through it quickly on the first time around, so I'll pay more attention when I inevitably reread this), where Kendal's always got that little shine of blue in his eyes the same as the jewel. It's a beautiful visual parallel that encourages the reader to subconsciously link them together, especially since the lines used to illustrate character movements typically mirror their eye color. It's an extension of Kendal.

Did I mention how ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL the colors in this are?

Also, the mythological/legend-type scenes are illustrated in familiar style often used for that type of story, a simple and heavily symbolic two-dimensional cave-painting-like look. They are absolutely beautiful on many levels, employing simple, lovely gradients, slightly rougher and thicker lineart that is nonetheless smoothly beautiful, and working with clear silhouettes (a major strength of this art style, but also a strength in the comic overall). But in particular, I wanted to call attention to a particular thing (see this page https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-12-4/):

The flowing symbolic lineart surrounding each character. This is actually quite consistent across characters—see also Life's typical lines and how they curl:

What's particularly interesting here is how these symbols are often similar, but not the same. Vash's lines are always smooth, clean curls, often playing off each other and echoing one another like ripples in a pond. You'd think they'd look too similar to Life's—but they don't. Life's curl like vines, and they remain connected; where one curve might echo another but exist entirely detached from each other in Vash's, Life's lines still remain wound together, because vines are continuous and don't float around. :P

Tahraim's are less continuous, often breaking up with significantly smaller bits and pieces floating around like—of course—sparks, and come to sharper points. These are also constants: we see the vines repeated over and over in Alinua's dreams of Life, and the echoing ripples of Vash are consistent wherever we encounter him. Kendal's dream of the ghost citizens of the city of Vash in the last few chapters is filled with these rippling, echoing patterns, to beautiful effect (https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-20-14/):

They ripple and spiral, often in long, sinuous curves, with smooth elegance. It reminds me a great deal of images of space and sine waves and the like. This establishes a definite feel to these different characters and their magic. And the thing is, that's not something that had to be done—the colors are good at emphasizing who's who. But it was done, and it adds a whole other dimension to the story. Whenever you're in a deity's domain, you know whose it is no matter the color.

Regarding that shape language, I wanted to make another note, too—Vash is sometimes described as chaotic and doing what he likes, which is interesting to me, because smooth, elegant curves and the color blue aren't generally associated with chaos. So while Vash might behave like that on the surface, I'm guessing he's got a lot more going on underneath; he's probably much more intentional in his actions than you'd think at a glance, and he is certainly quite caring with his city. The other thing is that this suits Kendal perfectly. He's a paragon character; he is kind, virtuous, and self-sacrificing, and often we see him aiming to calm others and keep them safe. Blue is such a good color for him. There is… probably more to this, but I'm not deep enough in yet to say.

And here's the thing: I'm only scratching the surface. There is so much more here I'm not covering (color palettes! outfits! character design! environment! the deities! so much more!) and a lot more I can't cover, because I don't have the experience; this is me as a hobbyist artist who happened to take a couple design classes because I wanted to. The art style to this comic is so clever and creative and beautiful, though, I just had to go off about it. <3

...brownie points for getting all the way down here? Have a cookie.

[dreamgrlarchive]

High Maintenance 101

Prissy Girl Beauty Regimens 🎀

my prissy girl guide to beauty services and building a beauty lifestyle that fits you 💗

Skincare:

Essential Skincare Routine ❤︎︎

twice daily, in the morning and at night

daytime: gentle cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, SPF

prep and protect skin

nighttime: double cleansing with oil and cleanser, exfoliation, treatments, moisturizer

wash away the day and help skin accept treatments and actives during your beauty sleep

products will change depending on skin type and goals, but sequence will more or less stay the same

Face Masks + Treatments ❤︎︎

Face Masks -

typically done at home 1-3x/week

clay, gel, mud, cream, liquid

my fav masks at home:

aha + bha liquid mask by the ordinary: a literal overhaul of my pores. it’s refining and helps reduce texture and hyperpigmentation. 1-2 x/week

korean modeling mask: i use this after doing everything in my routine. it’s super cooling and smooths my skin out. the low temp of the mask reduces flushing of my skin and helps the steps in my routine absorb better. 2-3 x/week

Treatments -

done either 1-3x/week and/or exclusively at night

consumer grade Retinols, AHAs, BHAs at high strength

little extra things i like to use to enhance my routine:

gua sha, ice pack, rose quartz roller, however often i choose

Facials ❤︎︎

done every 1-2 months by licensed estheticians

often includes exfoliation and extraction

Classic Facial: cleanse, extract, massage, moisturize

HydraFacials: extracts pores while infusing serums to boost skin’s vitamin and nutrient content

dry, dehydrated skin

Microdermabrasion: microabrasive tool removes outermost, textured, damaged layer of skin using suction to reveal a smooth and refined new layer of skin

sun damaged, aged, textured skin or skin with hyperpigmentation

Chemical Peel: application of medical grade AHA, BHA, Lactic Acid, Fruit Enzymes, or Retinol to peel away top layers of skin over the course of 1-2 weeks

pore refining, brightening, and anti-aging

after care is crucial. skin will be peeling and sensitivity to sun is increased. SPF MUST be used. it’s heavily advised that clients stay home for the first few days.

HydroJelly Facial: facial made of electrolytes, algae, organic white grain oat flour, rice flour, and white willow bark powder. leaving your skin hydrated, plump, and nourished. forms a vacuum-like seal that compresses facial contours.

there are 25 different hydrojelly pro masks for most skin concerns you may have, check here

More Facials ❤︎︎

Contouring Facial: sculpting, tightening, and lifting of facial muscles

LED Facial: uses LED light to soothe inflammation, aiding in acne healing and prevention

Vampire Facial: plumps skin and improves wrinkles by extracting blood, removing its platelets, then either re-injecting it into the skin or applying it topically

Diamond File Facial: finely ground diamonds resurface skin by filing to improve dark spots

Glass Skin Botox: multiple tiny botox injections just below the surface of the skin. alleviate fine lines, redness, texture, and more achieving glass skin

AquaGold Facial: microinjections that combine vampire facial methods, hyaluronic acid, botox, stem cells, antioxidants, vitamins, peptides, etc. improves fine lines, wrinkles, pores, pigmentation, acne scarring, dryness, tone, texture, skin elasticity, and more

cite

Hair:

Hair Care ❤︎︎

Wash Routines:

curly textured: wash and condition every 2-3 weeks, deep condition every 1-2 weeks

straight: wash and condition every 2-3 days, deep condition every 2-3 weeks

Styling ︎❤︎︎

Hair should have a style everyday! At home hairstyling is limitless and really depends on your taste and lifestyle. The everyday woman does her own her once every 1-4 weeks using natural hair products, heat, or other tools.

Professional Stylists:

hair is styled every 1-3 months: uses heat to straighten or curl, extensions to lengthen and add volume, shears to maintain/attain a shape and length

trim ends: every 6-8 weeks

hair color: touched up roughly every 6-8 weeks (depending on how fast your hair is growing and how fast your color will fade)

Silk Press:

after a clarifying wash and deep conditioning, natural hair is straightened using flat iron and/or pressing comb, then usually curled in feathers or pin curls to preserve the style

lasts 3-4 weeks depending on maintenance

preserved by wrapping hair at night, keep hands out of hair, and using a wide toothed comb only

can be further styled with different kind of rollers, or with pin curls

Braids:

afrocentric hairstyles typically done to protect hair while maintaining beauty

lasts 3-8 weeks

styles include knotless braids, faux locs, stitch braids, french braids, etc

Extensions:

hair added to natural hair to enhance length or volume

can be done at home with patience and proper materials

sew-in extensions: (my personal fav) 1-2 months

your natural hair gets braided down flush to your scalp and the bundles are sewn on by the wefts in a flat pattern typically with a section of hair left out to cover the wefts $100-600

microlinks: up to 4 months

i-tip extension is added to hair using micropliers, clippers and loop tool. takes far longer than most extension methods but looks the absolute most natural $500-1000

tape-in extensions: up to a year, touch ups every 4-6 weeks

medical grade tape is used to attach extensions to small sections of hair $200-400

clip-in extensions: 3-6 months

extensions are clipped on by the wefts. the hair itself can last up to six months, but it’s not recommended to sleep, shower, or swim with the extensions in $50-100

Natural Styles:

all last roughly 1-2 weeks at most. allowing hair to completely DRY is crucial for these styles. your natural hair can be further changed in styles like buns, puffs, etc once dry

natural hair essentials: scalp oil, leave in conditioner, detangling brush, wide tooth comb, curling cream, styling gel, edge control and edge brush

wash n’ go

wash and detangle, then use leave in conditioner to keep hair moist. oil on the scalp and ends is recommended for growth and healthy ends

bantu knots

a traditionally african style where the hair is cleanly sectioned (usually parted in a cute pattern) and twisted into knots. style can be worn just like this or taken down for curls

braid/twist out

a specific pattern of curls is achieved after hair is twisted or braided with curl preserving products. end result depends on how big your twists or braids are

roller set

hair is sprayed with water and curl cream applied before roller of your choice is added. hair is left to dry usually overnight for springy well formed curls

Brows and Lashes:

Brow Shaping ❤︎︎

in salon or at home

Waxing - every 3 weeks

Threading- every 2-3 weeks

Razor Shaping - weekly

Brow Enhancement ❤︎︎

Tinting - monthly

can be done at home or by pro in the salon

Microblading - every 1-3 years + annual touch ups, exclusively professional work

cosmetic tattooing using a manual tool with nearly invisible hair-like needles to inject pigment in brows to create your desired brow look

Lash Enhancements ❤︎︎

*done exclusively by professionals

Lifts - every 6 weeks

basically a perm for your lashes to curl them semi-permanently for lashes to appear longer

Lash Extensions - new set every 6-8 weeks, fill ins every 2-3 weeks depending on quality and style

false individual strands of lashes glued to natural lashes to create semi-permanent length and/or volume

lash baths: wet lashes and apply a small amount of gentle cleanser or a “lash bath” to lashes. cleanse lashes and eyelids for about 10 seconds. hold a towel under your eye and use a nozzle bottle to flush soap and bacteria from lashes then dry with a disposable lint free towel. finish by brushing your lashes with a spoolie. daily.

Lash Styles:

Classic: one lash on each fan, thin lashes

Volume: fluffier lashes with more lashes on each fan

Hybrid: uses classic and volume lashes to make an alternated look

Russian: volume lashes made with very thin individuals, 5-6 extensions per natural lash, fanned out look

DIY Lash Extensions - lasts about a week (sometimes longer)

lash fragments or individual wisps are glued either under the lashes or on the lash line. KISS Falscara is a product that makes this concept simple and easy

Nails:

all these services can be done at home with the proper materials and KNOWLEDGE

Classic Manicure ❤︎︎

every 1-2 weeks

nail service that consists of soaking hands in warm soapy water then drying them. nails are trimmed, filed, and buffed. cuticles are pushed back before applying nail polish (base coat, color, top coat), then finally cuticle oil is applied.

nails can be enhanced with rhinestones, glitter, or charms and attached with uv gel or nail glue

my fav styles are pink, cream, white, black and any french tip using those colors

Pedicure ❤︎︎

every 2-4 weeks

sister to the classic manicure, but can be upgraded depending on materials. steps are similar to manicure, except feet are scrubbed and exfoliated before feet are washed and dried to apply nail color

regular polish, acrylic, or gel can be used on toenails

Gel or Shellac Mani ❤︎︎

every 2-3 weeks

same process as the classic manicure, but traditional nail polish is replaced with uv base coat, gel or CND Shellac polish, then uv top coat that’s cured in a UV or LED lamp

longer lasting and more strong/3d than classic mani and is typically removed by soaking in acetone

Apres Gel-X Nails ❤︎︎

every 2-3 weeks

my personal fav at home nails using the artme yoko matsuda nails. after doing a classic mani sans polish, you apply a dehydrator and primer to prep nail for gel. then you apply builder gel to your natural nail and cure. then you apply that same builder to the nail extension after etching it using an electric drill or acetone. marry the gel to your nail and cure. then just shape to your liking and top with uv top coat. tutorial here

Acrylic Nails ❤︎︎

every 2-3 weeks, nails are fully grown out after 6 weeks

manicure done with liquid monomer and acrylic powder to build and extend natural nail, then polished with color or just a top coat if desired

Russian Mani ❤︎︎

every 4-5 weeks

essentially a gel manicure, but more invasive. the eponychium is snipped away so polish can be applied more closely and flush to the cuticle. this aids in visuals and longevity

service is seen as risky because the skin is more susceptible to fungal or bacterial infection. this is actually how i do my nails at home.

Body:

Bathing ❤︎︎

2x daily

self explanatory, we all know how to bathe. i have other posts that talk about my shower and bath routines.

use a gentle cleanser then a scented body wash to complement perfume and smell fresh all day.

if needed, you can use body soaps with actives like aha, bha or retinol to exfoliate or treat skin at night

exfoliation - 2-3x/week. using scrubs, loofahs, bath brushes, etc.

Hair Removal ❤︎︎

shaving - 2-3x/week

waxing - every 3-5 weeks

sugaring - monthly

ipl device - a device that uses light therapy to slowly destroy hair follicles and unwanted pigment in skin. i use mine after every 5-6 shaves but i could really use it more often.

Vajacial ❤︎︎

1-2x/month

a “facial” for your lady area

the esthetician will first wax, then cleanse and apply an enzyme exfoliant. then they extract any blackheads or ingrown hairs from the area before applying a soothing mask usually in the jelly form.

Moisture and Hydration ❤︎︎

body cream or lotion - daily right after bathing to hydrate skin

body oil - daily to seal in moisture and protect skin from debris and dryness

masks - weekly to address particular skin concerns

ex. when i was having eczema flare ups on my back, i used a dead sea mud mask every 1-2 weeks to help treat it

done at home or at spa

glycolic, clay, mud, salicylic, etc.

Enhancement Procedures:

the goal is to look younger and balance facial features. all these services are exclusively done by professionals usually in a medspa and are widely considered luxury.

Botox ❤︎︎

every 6-8 months; between brows, smile lines, outer corners of eyes, etc

discourages muscle movement to reduce wrinkles

Lifts ❤︎︎

lasts about 10 years; face, neck, brow, eyelids

skin is lifted to desired look, then excess skin is removed

Fillers ︎❤︎︎

every 6-12 months; under-eye, lips, jawline, wrinkle sites, cheekbones

injects acids (usually naturally occurring) like Hyaluronic Acid and Calcium Hydroxylapatite to add volume to your face

Body Contouring ❤︎︎

every 2-4 months until desired results are achieved

non invasive liposuction to achieve desired physique

CoolSculpting - cryolipolysis freezes fat cells for the body to the metabolize and and remove them

SculpSure - essentially the same as CoolSculpting, but uses heat and laser technology to destroy fat cells

Laser Hair Removal ❤︎︎

every 5-6 weeks; bikini, underarms, legs, arms

touch ups done every 1-2 years

hair growth is inhibited by exposing follicles to light at frequencies that kill them

Building the Regimen 🗒️💕:

when making appointments with your “glam squad” you can stagger your services by week depending on what’s being done. for example you can get your mani and pedi done one week. then your facials, brows and lashes another week.

Things to Keep in Mind 💭💞:

these frequencies won’t be the same for everyone depending on personal wants, budgets, etc. but will most likely land somewhere in the ranges i gave. if you need touch ups or redos any sooner than i mapped out, then the service most likely was of poor quality.

anything done at home may or may not be up to the level of detail and longevity as salon or spa work. if you see yourself doing the majority of your beauty maintenance at home, this can save money but may end up taking more time than professional services. so it’s a give and take.

More Resources:

manage your routines, services and products using a beauty binder

a look at my skincare routine

at home beauty treatments for the summer

my hair care routine at home

pretty on purpose by @shefromhouston

monthly beauty routine by @angeljpg

dream girl routines by me

[antoniosvivaldi]

Neural Filters Tutorial for Gifmakers by @antoniosvivaldi

Hi everyone! In light of my blog’s 10th birthday, I’m delighted to reveal my highly anticipated gifmaking tutorial using Neural Filters - a very powerful collection of filters that really broadened my scope in gifmaking over the past 12 months.

Before I get into this tutorial, I want to thank @laurabenanti, @maines , @cobbbvanth, and @cal-kestis for their unconditional support over the course of my journey of investigating the Neural Filters & their valuable inputs on the rendering performance!

In this tutorial, I will outline what the Photoshop Neural Filters do and how I use them in my workflow - multiple examples will be provided for better clarity. Finally, I will talk about some known performance issues with the filters & some feasible workarounds.

Tutorial Structure:

Meet the Neural Filters: What they are and what they do

Why I use Neural Filters? How I use Neural Filters in my giffing workflow

Getting started: The giffing workflow in a nutshell and installing the Neural Filters

Applying Neural Filters onto your gif: Making use of the Neural Filters settings; with multiple examples

Testing your system: recommended if you’re using Neural Filters for the first time

Rendering performance: Common Neural Filters performance issues & workarounds

For quick reference, here are the examples that I will show in this tutorial:

Example 1: Image Enhancement | improving the image quality of gifs prepared from highly compressed video files

Example 2: Facial Enhancement | enhancing an individual's facial features

Example 3: Colour Manipulation | colourising B&W gifs for a colourful gifset

Example 4: Artistic effects | transforming landscapes & adding artistic effects onto your gifs

Example 5: Putting it all together | my usual giffing workflow using Neural Filters

What you need & need to know:

Software: Photoshop 2021 or later (recommended: 2023 or later)*

Hardware: 8GB of RAM; having a supported GPU is highly recommended*

Difficulty: Advanced (requires a lot of patience); knowledge in gifmaking and using video timeline assumed

Key concepts: Smart Layer / Smart Filters

Benchmarking your system: Neural Filters test files**

Supplementary materials: Tutorial Resources / Detailed findings on rendering gifs with Neural Filters + known issues***

*I primarily gif on an M2 Max MacBook Pro that's running Photoshop 2024, but I also have experiences gifmaking on few other Mac models from 2012 ~ 2023.

**Using Neural Filters can be resource intensive, so it’s helpful to run the test files yourself. I’ll outline some known performance issues with Neural Filters and workarounds later in the tutorial.

***This supplementary page contains additional Neural Filters benchmark tests and instructions, as well as more information on the rendering performance (for Apple Silicon-based devices) when subject to heavy Neural Filters gifmaking workflows

Tutorial under the cut. Like / Reblog this post if you find this tutorial helpful. Linking this post as an inspo link will also be greatly appreciated!

1. Meet the Neural Filters!

Neural Filters are powered by Adobe's machine learning engine known as Adobe Sensei. It is a non-destructive method to help streamline workflows that would've been difficult and/or tedious to do manually.

Here are the Neural Filters available in Photoshop 2024:

Skin Smoothing: Removes blemishes on the skin

Smart Portrait: This a cloud-based filter that allows you to change the mood, facial age, hair, etc using the sliders+

Makeup Transfer: Applies the makeup (from a reference image) to the eyes & mouth area of your image

Landscape Mixer: Transforms the landscape of your image (e.g. seasons & time of the day, etc), based on the landscape features of a reference image

Style Transfer: Applies artistic styles e.g. texturings (from a reference image) onto your image

Harmonisation: Applies the colour balance of your image based on the lighting of the background image+

Colour Transfer: Applies the colour scheme (of a reference image) onto your image

Colourise: Adds colours onto a B&W image

Super Zoom: Zoom / crop an image without losing resolution+

Depth Blur: Blurs the background of the image

JPEG Artefacts Removal: Removes artefacts caused by JPEG compression

Photo Restoration: Enhances image quality & facial details

+These three filters aren't used in my giffing workflow. The cloud-based nature of Smart Portrait leads to disjointed looking frames. For Harmonisation, applying this on a gif causes Neural Filter timeout error. Finally, Super Zoom does not currently support output as a Smart Filter

If you're running Photoshop 2021 or earlier version of Photoshop 2022, you will see a smaller selection of Neural Filters:

Things to be aware of:

You can apply up to six Neural Filters at the same time

Filters where you can use your own reference images: Makeup Transfer (portraits only), Landscape Mixer, Style Transfer (not available in Photoshop 2021), and Colour Transfer

Later iterations of Photoshop 2023 & newer: The first three default presets for Landscape Mixer and Colour Transfer are currently broken.

2. Why I use Neural Filters?

Here are my four main Neural Filters use cases in my gifmaking process. In each use case I'll list out the filters that I use:

Enhancing Image Quality:

Common wisdom is to find the highest quality video to gif from for a media release & avoid YouTube whenever possible. However for smaller / niche media (e.g. new & upcoming musical artists), prepping gifs from highly compressed YouTube videos is inevitable.

So how do I get around with this? I have found Neural Filters pretty handy when it comes to both correcting issues from video compression & enhancing details in gifs prepared from these highly compressed video files.

Filters used: JPEG Artefacts Removal / Photo Restoration

Facial Enhancement:

When I prepare gifs from highly compressed videos, something I like to do is to enhance the facial features. This is again useful when I make gifsets from compressed videos & want to fill up my final panel with a close-up shot.

Filters used: Skin Smoothing / Makeup Transfer / Photo Restoration (Facial Enhancement slider)

Colour Manipulation:

Neural Filters is a powerful way to do advanced colour manipulation - whether I want to quickly transform the colour scheme of a gif or transform a B&W clip into something colourful.

Filters used: Colourise / Colour Transfer

Artistic Effects:

This is one of my favourite things to do with Neural Filters! I enjoy using the filters to create artistic effects by feeding textures that I've downloaded as reference images. I also enjoy using these filters to transform the overall the atmosphere of my composite gifs. The gifsets where I've leveraged Neural Filters for artistic effects could be found under this tag on usergif.

Filters used: Landscape Mixer / Style Transfer / Depth Blur

How I use Neural Filters over different stages of my gifmaking workflow:

I want to outline how I use different Neural Filters throughout my gifmaking process. This can be roughly divided into two stages:

Stage I: Enhancement and/or Colourising | Takes place early in my gifmaking process. I process a large amount of component gifs by applying Neural Filters for enhancement purposes and adding some base colourings.++

Stage II: Artistic Effects & more Colour Manipulation | Takes place when I'm assembling my component gifs in the big PSD / PSB composition file that will be my final gif panel.

I will walk through this in more detail later in the tutorial.

++I personally like to keep the size of the component gifs in their original resolution (a mixture of 1080p & 4K), to get best possible results from the Neural Filters and have more flexibility later on in my workflow. I resize & sharpen these gifs after they're placed into my final PSD composition files in Tumblr dimensions.

3. Getting started

The essence is to output Neural Filters as a Smart Filter on the smart object when working with the Video Timeline interface. Your workflow will contain the following steps:

Prepare your gif

In the frame animation interface, set the frame delay to 0.03s and convert your gif to the Video Timeline

In the Video Timeline interface, go to Filter > Neural Filters and output to a Smart Filter

Flatten or render your gif (either approach is fine). To flatten your gif, play the "flatten" action from the gif prep action pack. To render your gif as a .mov file, go to File > Export > Render Video & use the following settings.

Setting up:

o.) To get started, prepare your gifs the usual way - whether you screencap or clip videos. You should see your prepared gif in the frame animation interface as follows:

Note: As mentioned earlier, I keep the gifs in their original resolution right now because working with a larger dimension document allows more flexibility later on in my workflow. I have also found that I get higher quality results working with more pixels. I eventually do my final sharpening & resizing when I fit all of my component gifs to a main PSD composition file (that's of Tumblr dimension).

i.) To use Smart Filters, convert your gif to a Smart Video Layer.

As an aside, I like to work with everything in 0.03s until I finish everything (then correct the frame delay to 0.05s when I upload my panels onto Tumblr).

For convenience, I use my own action pack to first set the frame delay to 0.03s (highlighted in yellow) and then convert to timeline (highlighted in red) to access the Video Timeline interface. To play an action, press the play button highlighted in green.

Once you've converted this gif to a Smart Video Layer, you'll see the Video Timeline interface as follows:

ii.) Select your gif (now as a Smart Layer) and go to Filter > Neural Filters

Installing Neural Filters:

Install the individual Neural Filters that you want to use. If the filter isn't installed, it will show a cloud symbol (highlighted in yellow). If the filter is already installed, it will show a toggle button (highlighted in green)

When you toggle this button, the Neural Filters preview window will look like this (where the toggle button next to the filter that you use turns blue)

4. Using Neural Filters

Once you have installed the Neural Filters that you want to use in your gif, you can toggle on a filter and play around with the sliders until you're satisfied. Here I'll walkthrough multiple concrete examples of how I use Neural Filters in my giffing process.

Example 1: Image enhancement | sample gifset

This is my typical Stage I Neural Filters gifmaking workflow. When giffing older or more niche media releases, my main concern is the video compression that leads to a lot of artefacts in the screencapped / video clipped gifs.

To fix the artefacts from compression, I go to Filter > Neural Filters, and toggle JPEG Artefacts Removal filter. Then I choose the strength of the filter (boxed in green), output this as a Smart Filter (boxed in yellow), and press OK (boxed in red).

Note: The filter has to be fully processed before you could press the OK button!

After applying the Neural Filters, you'll see "Neural Filters" under the Smart Filters property of the smart layer

Flatten / render your gif

Example 2: Facial enhancement | sample gifset

This is my routine use case during my Stage I Neural Filters gifmaking workflow. For musical artists (e.g. Maisie Peters), YouTube is often the only place where I'm able to find some videos to prepare gifs from. However even the highest resolution video available on YouTube is highly compressed.

Go to Filter > Neural Filters and toggle on Photo Restoration. If Photoshop recognises faces in the image, there will be a "Facial Enhancement" slider under the filter settings.

Play around with the Photo Enhancement & Facial Enhancement sliders. You can also expand the "Adjustment" menu make additional adjustments e.g. remove noises and reducing different types of artefacts.

Once you're happy with the results, press OK and then flatten / render your gif.

Example 3: Colour Manipulation | sample gifset

Want to make a colourful gifset but the source video is in B&W? This is where Colourise from Neural Filters comes in handy! This same colourising approach is also very helpful for colouring poor-lit scenes as detailed in this tutorial.

Here's a B&W gif that we want to colourise:

Highly recommended: add some adjustment layers onto the B&W gif to improve the contrast & depth. This will give you higher quality results when you colourise your gif.

Go to Filter > Neural Filters and toggle on Colourise.

Make sure "Auto colour image" is enabled.

Play around with further adjustments e.g. colour balance, until you're satisfied then press OK.

Important: When you colourise a gif, you need to double check that the resulting skin tone is accurate to real life. I personally go to Google Images and search up photoshoots of the individual / character that I'm giffing for quick reference.

Add additional adjustment layers until you're happy with the colouring of the skin tone.

Once you're happy with the additional adjustments, flatten / render your gif. And voila!

Note: For Colour Manipulation, I use Colourise in my Stage I workflow and Colour Transfer in my Stage II workflow to do other types of colour manipulations (e.g. transforming the colour scheme of the component gifs)

Example 4: Artistic Effects | sample gifset

This is where I use Neural Filters for the bulk of my Stage II workflow: the most enjoyable stage in my editing process!

Normally I would be working with my big composition files with multiple component gifs inside it. To begin the fun, drag a component gif (in PSD file) to the main PSD composition file.

Resize this gif in the composition file until you're happy with the placement

Duplicate this gif. Sharpen the bottom layer (highlighted in yellow), and then select the top layer (highlighted in green) & go to Filter > Neural Filters

I like to use Style Transfer and Landscape Mixer to create artistic effects from Neural Filters. In this particular example, I've chosen Landscape Mixer

Select a preset or feed a custom image to the filter (here I chose a texture that I've on my computer)

Play around with the different sliders e.g. time of the day / seasons

Important: uncheck "Harmonise Subject" & "Preserve Subject" - these two settings are known to cause performance issues when you render a multiframe smart object (e.g. for a gif)

Once you're happy with the artistic effect, press OK

To ensure you preserve the actual subject you want to gif (bc Preserve Subject is unchecked), add a layer mask onto the top layer (with Neural Filters) and mask out the facial region. You might need to play around with the Layer Mask Position keyframes or Rotoscope your subject in the process.

After you're happy with the masking, flatten / render this composition file and voila!

Example 5: Putting it all together | sample gifset

Let's recap on the Neural Filters gifmaking workflow and where Stage I and Stage II fit in my gifmaking process:

i. Preparing & enhancing the component gifs

Prepare all component gifs and convert them to smart layers

Stage I: Add base colourings & apply Photo Restoration / JPEG Artefacts Removal to enhance the gif's image quality

Flatten all of these component gifs and convert them back to Smart Video Layers (this process can take a lot of time)

Some of these enhanced gifs will be Rotoscoped so this is done before adding the gifs to the big PSD composition file

ii. Setting up the big PSD composition file

Make a separate PSD composition file (Ctrl / Cmmd + N) that's of Tumblr dimension (e.g. 540px in width)

Drag all of the component gifs used into this PSD composition file

Enable Video Timeline and trim the work area

In the composition file, resize / move the component gifs until you're happy with the placement & sharpen these gifs if you haven't already done so

Duplicate the layers that you want to use Neural Filters on

iii. Working with Neural Filters in the PSD composition file

Stage II: Neural Filters to create artistic effects / more colour manipulations!

Mask the smart layers with Neural Filters to both preserve the subject and avoid colouring issues from the filters

Flatten / render the PSD composition file: the more component gifs in your composition file, the longer the exporting will take. (I prefer to render the composition file into a .mov clip to prevent overriding a file that I've spent effort putting together.)

Note: In some of my layout gifsets (where I've heavily used Neural Filters in Stage II), the rendering time for the panel took more than 20 minutes. This is one of the rare instances where I was maxing out my computer's memory.

Useful things to take note of:

Important: If you're using Neural Filters for Colour Manipulation or Artistic Effects, you need to take a lot of care ensuring that the skin tone of nonwhite characters / individuals is accurately coloured

Use the Facial Enhancement slider from Photo Restoration in moderation, if you max out the slider value you risk oversharpening your gif later on in your gifmaking workflow

You will get higher quality results from Neural Filters by working with larger image dimensions: This gives Neural Filters more pixels to work with. You also get better quality results by feeding higher resolution reference images to the Neural Filters.

Makeup Transfer is more stable when the person / character has minimal motion in your gif

You might get unexpected results from Landscape Mixer if you feed a reference image that don't feature a distinctive landscape. This is not always a bad thing: for instance, I have used this texture as a reference image for Landscape Mixer, to create the shimmery effects as seen in this gifset

5. Testing your system

If this is the first time you're applying Neural Filters directly onto a gif, it will be helpful to test out your system yourself. This will help:

Gauge the expected rendering time that you'll need to wait for your gif to export, given specific Neural Filters that you've used

Identify potential performance issues when you render the gif: this is important and will determine whether you will need to fully playback your gif before flattening / rendering the file.

Understand how your system's resources are being utilised: Inputs from Windows PC users & Mac users alike are welcome!

About the Neural Filters test files:

Contains six distinct files, each using different Neural Filters

Two sizes of test files: one copy in full HD (1080p) and another copy downsized to 540px

One folder containing the flattened / rendered test files

How to use the Neural Filters test files:

What you need:

Photoshop 2022 or newer (recommended: 2023 or later)

Install the following Neural Filters: Landscape Mixer / Style Transfer / Colour Transfer / Colourise / Photo Restoration / Depth Blur

Recommended for some Apple Silicon-based MacBook Pro models: Enable High Power Mode

How to use the test files:

For optimal performance, close all background apps

Open a test file

Flatten the test file into frames (load this action pack & play the “flatten” action)

Take note of the time it takes until you’re directed to the frame animation interface 

Compare the rendered frames to the expected results in this folder: check that all of the frames look the same. If they don't, you will need to fully playback the test file in full before flattening the file.†

Re-run the test file without the Neural Filters and take note of how long it takes before you're directed to the frame animation interface

Recommended: Take note of how your system is utilised during the rendering process (more info here for MacOS users)

†This is a performance issue known as flickering that I will discuss in the next section. If you come across this, you'll have to playback a gif where you've used Neural Filters (on the video timeline) in full, prior to flattening / rendering it.

Factors that could affect the rendering performance / time (more info):

The number of frames, dimension, and colour bit depth of your gif

If you use Neural Filters with facial recognition features, the rendering time will be affected by the number of characters / individuals in your gif

Most resource intensive filters (powered by largest machine learning models): Landscape Mixer / Photo Restoration (with Facial Enhancement) / and JPEG Artefacts Removal

Least resource intensive filters (smallest machine learning models): Colour Transfer / Colourise

The number of Neural Filters that you apply at once / The number of component gifs with Neural Filters in your PSD file

Your system: system memory, the GPU, and the architecture of the system's CPU+++

+++ Rendering a gif with Neural Filters demands a lot of system memory & GPU horsepower. Rendering will be faster & more reliable on newer computers, as these systems have CPU & GPU with more modern instruction sets that are geared towards machine learning-based tasks.

Additionally, the unified memory architecture of Apple Silicon M-series chips are found to be quite efficient at processing Neural Filters.

6. Performance issues & workarounds

Common Performance issues:

I will discuss several common issues related to rendering or exporting a multi-frame smart object (e.g. your composite gif) that uses Neural Filters below. This is commonly caused by insufficient system memory and/or the GPU.

Flickering frames: in the flattened / rendered file, Neural Filters aren't applied to some of the frames+-+

Scrambled frames: the frames in the flattened / rendered file isn't in order

Neural Filters exceeded the timeout limit error: this is normally a software related issue

Long export / rendering time: long rendering time is expected in heavy workflows

Laggy Photoshop / system interface: having to wait quite a long time to preview the next frame on the timeline

Issues with Landscape Mixer: Using the filter gives ill-defined defined results (Common in older systems)--

Workarounds:

Workarounds that could reduce unreliable rendering performance & long rendering time:

Close other apps running in the background

Work with smaller colour bit depth (i.e. 8-bit rather than 16-bit)

Downsize your gif before converting to the video timeline-+-

Try to keep the number of frames as low as possible

Avoid stacking multiple Neural Filters at once. Try applying & rendering the filters that you want one by one

Specific workarounds for specific issues:

How to resolve flickering frames: If you come across flickering, you will need to playback your gif on the video timeline in full to find the frames where the filter isn't applied. You will need to select all of the frames to allow Photoshop to reprocess these, before you render your gif.+-+

What to do if you come across Neural Filters timeout error? This is caused by several incompatible Neural Filters e.g. Harmonisation (both the filter itself and as a setting in Landscape Mixer), Scratch Reduction in Photo Restoration, and trying to stack multiple Neural Filters with facial recognition features.

If the timeout error is caused by stacking multiple filters, a feasible workaround is to apply the Neural Filters that you want to use one by one over multiple rendering sessions, rather all of them in one go.

+-+This is a very common issue for Apple Silicon-based Macs. Flickering happens when a gif with Neural Filters is rendered without being previously played back in the timeline.

This issue is likely related to the memory bandwidth & the GPU cores of the chips, because not all Apple Silicon-based Macs exhibit this behaviour (i.e. devices equipped with Max / Ultra M-series chips are mostly unaffected).

-- As mentioned in the supplementary page, Landscape Mixer requires a lot of GPU horsepower to be fully rendered. For older systems (pre-2017 builds), there are no workarounds other than to avoid using this filter.

-+- For smaller dimensions, the size of the machine learning models powering the filters play an outsized role in the rendering time (i.e. marginal reduction in rendering time when downsizing 1080p file to Tumblr dimensions). If you use filters powered by larger models e.g. Landscape Mixer and Photo Restoration, you will need to be very patient when exporting your gif.

7. More useful resources on using Neural Filters

Creating animations with Neural Filters effects | Max Novak

Using Neural Filters to colour correct by @edteachs

I hope this is helpful! If you have any questions or need any help related to the tutorial, feel free to send me an ask 💖

[siyzuii]

quick intro & psa for my page + how i shift <3

like the title says.. doing a quick psa & telling you how i personally shift basically almost every time!

remember none of my posts are tailored to fit every shifter because they can't possibly be. what works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. i am not responsible for your shifting journey. thank you!

MEET THE SHIFTER

okay i'm gonna keep this short hi if you don't know me yet you can call me xylia or léa ! close friends call me stella but those are usually the people that i've known for longer.

i'm a minor but if you'd like to know my age for specifics please dm me privately (however, i will only tell people that i consider friends or plan to become friends with)

i currently only have one (main) dr which is my kpop dr so if you're a kpop shifter interact please!!!

SOME DISCLAIMERS

first psa !! i've only been on tumblr for about a month so bear with me because i'm not that good at navigating the app yet neither do i know some terms that people use on here

my first language also isn't english so please don't expect me to be the best at it, i might have to ask you what things mean or how to do things.

second psa !! i recently started school and it's keeping me extremely busy (constant homework, unexpected tests, etc) and i'm also focused on my own shifting journey (it's helping a lot) so i prefer to avoid social media that i don't talk to close friends on right now. this is why it might take a while for me to respond to you if you decide to drop an ask or dm me but i promise as soon as i read it i'll get to it asap!

i also get notifications a lot surprisingly, 99+ every time i check, so it might take longer for me to respond to comments and i might not see yours until i check back again.

please remember that i can't immediately respond to you or answer all of your questions but i'll try to help as much as i can!

　　　　　　　　　HOW I SHIFT

okay this part is probably why you read this post in the first place so i'm not going to bug you too much anymore. things that are optional in my routine will be marked with a pink * but everything is optional really, this is just what i personally do.

also note that you do NOT have to sleep to shift!! if you're not a fan of that i don't recommend doing what i do because for me it works easier doing an "asleep method" or whatever (i don't fw methods)

* ⨳ 　 ʾ 　 OO1 　 #THROUGHOUT THE DAY 　 .　

THINGS I DO THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO KEEP MYSELF MOTIVATED AND THAT HELP ME IN GENERAL.

SUBLIMINALS

this is VERY much optional especially because i don't do it consistently and surprisingly when i don't listen to subs i get way more success in shifting?? but sometimes i still listen to them

subliminals (2) or supraliminals (1) (both two different things but you might've seen both) are basically affirmations backed up by LOA either made really quiet + sped up with audio masked over it so you don't interpret them consciously (1) OR converted into a frequency (2) usually with supraliminals, the affirmations are just loud enough to get to your subconscious mind (but for the sake of comfort & for it being easier and a more general term, we'll just say subliminals for now)

hearing whispers/the affirmations on a very low volume is pretty normal most of the time but if you hear it too clearly, turn your volume down. if your head hurts or you get any bad symptoms it's a good idea not to listen for a while and to rest.

i suppose it's recommended to listen to subs consistently for results to work but you obviously don't have to! it's just something i do throughout the day. i'm very into LOA and subs help me improve my subconscious mind a lot.

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT

this title is kinda misleading because it's not really faking as you are your dr self and always have been, you are living their life right now, you're in that reality, but you're not aware of it yet.

but, i like to think & sometimes even act like my dr self (well because that is me) and at one point it just becomes an automatic thing.

for me, it helps to think about what i have to do when i wake up in my dr, who i'm going to see, etc. mostly think about where i expect to wake up which is a MAJOR important thing in what i personally do to shift.

AFFIRM AWAY

can i say gaslighting..? i honestly don't know. i wouldn't call it that. but knowing that i'm in my dr right now and that i'll wake up there tomorrow feels amazing, constantly affirming that to myself helps me a lot.

even when i wake up and i'm supposedly still in my cr.. wait what do you mean..? i'm in my dr right now! i shifted!

(yeah you get what i'm doing there?)

* ⨳ 　 ʾ 　 OO2 　 #RIGHT BEFORE SHIFTING　 .　

THINGS I DO RIGHT BEFORE I INTEND TO SHIFT

SUBLIMINALS (2)

again very much optional but right before i intend to shift i sometimes listen to subliminals!

"FAKE" SCENARIOS

these motivate me a little more! i imagine these throughout the day as well but it's not very important so i didn't put it there.

⨳ 　 ʾ 　 OO3 　 #ACTUALLY DOING IT　 .　

THINGS I DO THAT HELP ME SHIFT IN THE MOMENT

roll over and go to sleep hoping for the best

simple. easy. that's what i do.

okay kidding it's a taaaaaad bit more than that but in its all i basically just do it and it works HAHAHA

AFFIRM AWAY (2)

after making myself comfortable i affirm that i am in my dr right now and that's where i will be when i wake up. this part is important to me, my expectations are important to me. i also do some other robotic affirmations & affirmations that are a bit more tailored to myself (you can do it in a sassy way, exaggerated happy way, pissed off way, etc. to fit with your personality here)

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT (2)

these noises aren't from my cr..

i sleep in an environment where noises will always get to me which is why i like to pretend everything i hear is from my dr and boom, it's true.

for example.. got a fan playing in the background? well i just so happen to have one in my dr room.. and it's hot in there!!!

this is mostly what gets me to actually shift. i can visualize but it's just not that efficient for me when it comes to shifting.. but knowing i have something to work with (like noises) makes it a shit ton easier for me and i love it

"FAKE" SCENARIOS (2)

both for the funsies and because it actually helps. i imagine myself in scenarios from my dr. again.

it's as easy as that y'all.

if there's no noises in the background and i don't have anything to work with i just do the rest, think really hard about my dr, then let go and go to sleep. yeehaw

like i said i can't determine whether this works for you or not and there's no guarantee that it works for both you and me. but i usually either shift like this, or have vivid dreams about my dr. that's just me though!

remember you have an eternity to shift, and you will do it! i believe in you!

[samwisethewitch]

Grocery Store Fire Cider

I try to always have fire cider on hand during the colder months. Fire cider is vinegar infused with warming, expectorant (mucus-clearing) herbs to help clear out gunk from our respiratory system. It's great for clearing up congestion and helping with wet coughs. Since pretty much everyone in my house tends towards wet cold symptoms (congestion/runny nose, coughing up mucus, etc.), we go through a lot of this stuff every cold and flu season.

I take a shot of fire cider as soon as I feel congestion or a wet cough coming on, or if I've been around someone I know is sick. While it doesn't always keep me from getting sick, I do think it helps speed up my recovery and keep my symptoms less severe.

A lot of fire cider recipes online and in herbalism books call for less common herbs that need to be purchased online or from a speciality herb shop. This year, I decided to make a batch with only herbs you can buy cheaply at most grocery stores. Here's the recipe for my fellow herbalists on a budget!

You will need:

A quart mason jar

1 whole head of fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped, OR 3 spoonfuls of pre-minced jarred garlic

3 knobs of fresh ginger about the size of your thumb, roughly chopped, OR 3 spoonfuls of store-bought ginger paste

1 package fresh thyme OR 2 tablespoons dried thyme

1 package fresh sage OR 2 tablespoons dried sage

1 quart apple cider vinegar

There are two methods I've used to make this cider. The traditional method is a slow infusion that takes 2+ weeks, but I've also developed a fast infusion method for when I feel a cold coming on and need a batch of fire cider ASAP.

Traditional Method:

Add your herbs to a clean mason jar. Pour the vinegar over the herbs and fill the jar to the top. Put a lid on the jar. (Vinegar will corrode metal lids, so either use a plastic lid or place a square of parchment paper between your jar and the metal lid.)

Place the jar in a cool, dark place and allow it to infuse for at least 2 weeks and up to 1 month. You can strain the herbs out to store at room temperature, or you can do what I do and store the whole thing in the fridge, herbs and all.

If you leave the herbs in, you can keep this batch of fire cider going all winter by topping the jar up with more vinegar every time it gets below halfway full.

Fast Infusion Method:

Add the herbs to the mason jar like you would for the traditional method. Instead of adding vinegar, fill the jar halfway with boiling water. Let sit for 2-3 hours.

Once the water has cooled down to room temperature, fill the jar the rest of the way with vinegar. Let it sit overnight and then either strain the herbs out or store the whole thing in the fridge.

To use the fire cider, take a shot glassful whenever you feel cold symptoms coming on. If you made your cider with the traditional method, you can dilute it with water if your stomach doesn't handle acid well. You can also mix in some honey to improve the taste.

Please note that fire cider and other folk remedies are not a replacement for medical care. I highly recommend staying up to date on your flu and COVID-19 vaccines in addition to using remedies like this.

[pinkpigtailsprincess]

𝜗𝜚 ݁ ˖ Summer Glow up: creating new habits 🎀⭐️ *࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ!

Hi Dolls!! Welcome Back 2 Dollies 2 Months of Summer Glow Up !! 🎀⭐️ Today im gonna talk all about implementing brand new habits in my life !!

> Hobbies !! 🎀

> Academics !! 📒

> Beauty Care !! 🧖‍♀️

> Scheduling !! ☀️

> Taking Baby Steps !! 🛼

❤︎ ໋𓈒 Hobbies!! 🎀

…: This Summer I Plan on Taking up Some brand New Hobbies to keep my self busy and learn about brand new things bc everyday is useful!! and so i can use my time more wisely some hobbies i have in mind are…

- Yoga

- Painting

- Creative Writing

- Learning Japanese + Spanish

- Reading

- Puzzles!

- Blogging

- Learning To Code

- Doll Collecting

- Book Collecting

- Sewing + Crocheting

- Digital Art

- Piano

and obvii im already a blogger but i still added it anyways i will watching videos on how to get into these hobbies and videos on learning Spanish and more Japanese, also fun fact i’ve actually been studying Japanese sine 2021 but i stopped bc it got to hard but im starting back up!! anyways, after i watch the videos im gonna set up a financial list bc i have the fund all of these but its okay bc i can easily get money!! 🎀

❤︎ ໋𓈒 Academics !! 🎀

More Goals of mine are to raise my grades in an academic space bc i do have decent grades but i wanna aim higher and have PERFECT Grades so in turn that means i must study more and have more discipline and not so irresponsible with my time!! and i also wanna study subjects outside of school bc its always good to learn something new!! now for learning tips so far i have..

- Flash Cards

- Practice Methods

- Teaching Someone Else

- Trying to explain it to a 5 yr old

- Study a Week Before

- watch ted talks on topics

- SLEEP

- write out notes

Now i Also Have a list of subjects i want to learn about!!

- drawing facial expressions + bodies

- Sewing Stiches + How to Hem and Crochet

- How 2 Draw Bodies + Poses

- Full Anatomy 4 Both Genders

- Japanese + Spanish + French + ASL

- Color Theory

- Learning Cursive + Improving Handwriting

- Expanding Vocabulary

- Religious Cults

- Case and Law

- Poison and Toxicology

- Astronomy

- Medical Surgical Instruments

- Matriarchal Societies

- Socialism Societies

Now i definitely won’t be able to do all of this all at once bc it would definitely we too stressful so im gonna choose as least 2-3 to start with and study them and just learn! 🎀🧁

❤︎ ໋𓈒 Beauty Care !! 🐬

📧: Now I already have my regular beauty care regime skin,hair,eyebrows,eyelashes etc. but im also more focused on getting weekly treatments & weekly beauty care habits like…

- Nails

- Hair

- Eyelashes

- Face Mask

- Hand + Foot Mask

And i wanna try and find people in my city that can do this especially for nails bc i would go to the nail salon but i feel like they won’t be able to do it exactly how i want it to be !!!

❤︎ ໋𓈒 Scheduling !! ⭐️

Now That im gonna be so busy i need to make sure i also stay organized with my time so it doesn’t lead to stress so ill have my regular school classes on my regular schedule then making dedicated hours to studying Things i wanna learn about + Language Learning!

My Workouts are always early morning before school in the evening hours before i got to bed so i won’t have to worry about that affecting my academics. With my Hobbies i feel like only some of them really need scheduling so ill also make time dedicated to those as well !!!!

Beauty Maintenance will probably always be on weekends for the stuff that weekly/bi weekly like face masks,manipedis,hair etc!!

and last but definitely not least!!

❤︎ ໋𓈒 Taking Baby Steps !! ⭐️

This whole process is still all new too me so i’ll definitely only be doing a little at a time and working my way up and i get more familiar with the change in my daily life and i won’t pressure my self to complete everything extremely quickly and just take my time with everything! bye bye dolls tysm 4 keeping up with me while doing this kisses 4 all of u!!! 🎀⭐️

[ghostlyferrettarot]

Hello guys! I'm Kat. I am tarot and astrology reader. I use my psychic abilities and knowledge in tarot and astrology to help you discover and get to know yourself. I am opening my paid services to help myself pay my university expenses as well as my studies supplies.

✨️Your reading will be sent in about 1-3 days and this will be either through email or Tumblr dm, you choose (in exception to the full natal chart reading that will be send through email or other way of your choice due to be a pdf file). All readings are in depth.To book a reading please send me a tumblr dm.✨️

🌟All payments are made through paypal, although im open to use other method if it's easier for you and im able to use it🌟

✨️If you are from Argentina the payments can be made through mercado pago✨️

🧡✨️You can see some of my clients feedback in here✨️🧡

💐Thank you in advance💐

🔮Tarot readings:

If you want a personalized reading with topics and questions of your choice, you can DM me.

♣︎General tarot reading: $12 or $5500 Arg pesos.

-Your current energy.

-How can you improve right now.

-Advice and guidance from your guides about a situation of your choice.

♣︎Channeled Messages from your person. $15 or $6500 Arg pesos.

-What they want to tell you?

-What is their perception of you?

-How they feel about the situation.

-Advice from your guides about the situation.

♣︎Your next 6 months: $15 or $6500 Arg pesos.

-What's coming your way?

- What you should focus on in the next months?

-How can you improve in the nexts months?

-Advice and guidance from your guides for the next months.

♣︎What's coming in your career/studies?: $15 or $7500 Arg. Pesos.

-How is your career/studies energy right now?

-What changes are coming your way?

-How can you emprove and embody this energy?

-Advice from your guides about the situation.

♣︎What is my calling/career?: $15 or $7500 Arg. Pesos.

-What abilities do i have?

-How can i express them and put them to work?

-What careers are more suitable for me?

-Advice from your guides about this.

♣︎Your Spirit Guide: $15 or $7500 Arg pesos.

-Who is/are the guide/s trying to communicate with you? How is their energy towards you?

-Ways they communicate with you.

-What are their messages for you?

-Advice from them for you.

♣︎Your Divine Family/Tribe: $15 or $7500 Arg pesos.

-Who are they? Have you already met some of them?

-Is this your first lifetime together? When are you gonna reunite/meet with them?

-Characteristics of your connection with them.

-Advice from your guides about your situation.

♣︎How is this specific situation evolving?: $18 or 8000$ Arg pesos.

-How is the energy of the situation?

-Where is it leading?

-Is worthy to continue this situation?

- 2 question of your choice about this situation.

-Advice and guidance from your guides.

♣︎Your life as a celebrity: $18 or $9000 Arg pesos.

-What you would be famous for?

-How your day would look like?

-How your fans/admirors would be?

-How will the media view you? Would you have any scandals?

-How to step into this energy?

♣︎ You and Your Celebrity Crush Relationship: $18 or $9000 Arg Pesos.

-What would they think of you?

-How it will be a relationship with them?

-Will the connection be long-lasting?

-What the media and fans will think of the relationship?

-What will their close circle think about the relationship?

♣︎What's next in love?: $18 or $9000 Arg pesos.

-Who is this person?

-What are their intentions towards you and the connection?

-Their first impresion of you.

-Personal characteristics and hobbies of this person.

-Advice from your guides.

♣︎Your Divine Femenine energy: $18 or $9000 Arg Pesos.

-Which is your divine feminine energy?

-When do you connect with this energy?

-How can you step into this energy?

-How is this energy improving?

-Advice from your guides about your feminine energy.

♣︎Your soulmate: $25 or $9000 Arg pesos.

-How your connection will be.

-How they see you.

-Their intentions towards you.

-Physical characteristics and hobbies.

-Their overall energy.

-Their love language.

-First impression their close ones will have of you.

-Advice from your guides.

♣︎Your Past Life: $25 or 9000$ Arg pesos.

-Who were you in this past life? How others view you back then?

-How was your life back then?

-What past life skills/talents can you develop in this one?

-Who from your past life has a message for you?

-What lessons you need to learn from this past life?

-Advice from your guides and higher self.

🌌Natal Chart readings:

★Personal placements (Sun, moon, mercury, Venus, Mars and rising): $15 or $7500 arg pesos.

-Personal planets as well as the houses they are in.

★Synastry/Compatibility Chart: $25 or $9000 Arg pesos.

-In depth analysis of the synastry aspects in yours and your persons chart and how this affects your connection. (It will be an in depth pdf, 20-30 pages, file with the analysis that you will be able to read whenever you like).

★Solar Return chart: $25 or $12000 Arg pesos.

-All planets aswell as the houses they are in.

-Houses and signs they are in.

-Rising and Midheaven.

-Aspects of the chart.

(It will be an in depth pdf file with the analysis, 20-30 pages, that you will be able to read whenever you like).

★Full natal chart reading: $35 or $14000 Arg pesos.

-All planets as well as the houses they are in.

-Houses and the signs they are in.

-Rising sign, Midheaven, Lilith, Chiron and Fortune.

-Asteroids: Fama, Sirene, Juno, Pallas, Ceres and Vesta. (If you would like another specific asteroid, you can let me know and we can add it).

-Aspects of your natal chart.

(This will be an in depth pdf document, 31-40 pages, that you will be able to read when you want; i would also include pictures and advice that can help you understand your chart better, for example pictures of how to dress according to your venus when we get into the venus part, ideal jobs for your midheaven, etc.)

💐Thanks for taking your time reading and i hope we can work together! Have a nice day💐

[2soulscollide]

10 underrated tips to become a better writer

hello hello, it's me again!

today i want to share some tips to improve your writing!

1. write in a different style

sometimes it's important to step out of our comfort zone, especially when it comes to writing. the next time you sit down to write for a bit, try to do something different from usual... try poetry if you always write prose; try fantasy if your thing is mystery; try adventure if you only write romance. it's up to you, just do it! who knows if you discover a new passion while trying this exercise...

2. write from a different point of view

i know it can be tempting to always write from a certain point of view, or to always use the same narrator voice, but (like on the first topic) sometimes change is needed to improve. you'll see things from another perspective, and maybe you can have a brilliant idea!

3. write with music

this one is one of my favorites! i love music, my spotify is full of playlists, one for each mood. try to create different playlists for your stories, and pick songs that motivate you, or that make you feel like you're one of the characters of your novel. this will not only give you a boost to write but also make you feel inspired.

4. set a timer

i always do this! it's a life changer. i started doing the pomodoro method to study and realized how effective it is. it's the same when it comes to writing: set about thirty minutes to write (it's up to you, depending on for how long you can be productive) and ten to fifteen minutes to relax. you'll see how much more work you can do with this method!

5. use prompts

you know how much i love prompts! i think they're so useful and help us so much to become more creative. they are a great way to step out of our comfort zone and develop someone else's idea in a span of a few minutes or hours.

oh, and if you're feeling adventurous, try this month's writing challenge!

6. write in a different place

guys! change your writing environment sometimes, especially when you're feeling overwhelmed or drained. i know it can be tempting to always sit on your sofa / bed / favorite chair, but sometimes we get so accustomed to the same place, that our creativity slows down, as well as our motivation. try to go outside to a park or a café, it can be so fun and you'll feel like the main character. or maybe, if you don't want to be in public, try another room in your house! just make sure you feel comfortable and don't have distractions around you.

7. change your writing support

do you always write on your computer? try to disconnect for a while, grab a pen and a paper, and let your imagination flow. it can be so freeing to write by hand sometimes, especially when you're plotting a novel! how cool it is to draw a scheme to connect all the characters and locations, and to doodle...!

8. find a writing buddy

personally, i don't have one, but i know it can be such a fun way to keep you motivated and to keep yourself (and the other person) accountable. it's great to have someone to share your ideas with, to give and receive feedback, and to lift you up to write when you don't like doing so.

9. write yourself a letter

trust me, it's amazing. it can be to your present self, past, or future, it's up to you. tell yourself what your writing goals are, what you are writing, how you see yourself in the future, what you're satisfied with your writing style, etc. just let it flow and re-read it whenever you feel unmotivated.

10. write with a sense of humor

i know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it can be so fun sometimes. try something less serious when you don't feel like writing. try to come up with a joke mid-dialogue, write a fun scene or re-write a serious scene in a less serious way. this exercise can be great to see things from another perspective, to try a different style, or to lift up your mood.

i hope this was useful! have a nice day!

[olivianyx]

WAKE UP CALL CUS Y'ALLS THICK ASS SKULLS NEED IT

⚠️ tough love rant, I prob won't be nice to y'all atp, swearing ⚠️

Y'all better stop asking others to manifest for you. Like wtf? You're the fucking creator. Tf are you asking to create it for the creator?? You're God. Just stop whining and complaining. Omfg just stop. Who said you can't manifest? Who said you can't have all the things you desire?? Nobody but you. Like aren't you stupid asshole just tired of that shitty life you're living?? How long are you gonna fucking live this life? It doesn't even benefit you, and you dumbass just keep complaining and thinking about the same old story again and again, and are repeating the same shit again in the 3d 🤦‍♀️ but still would go on complaining and complaining. Who's the ultimate power in here? YOU.

If you don't keep your thoughts in check and change your reality, who else will? You think a prince Charming or Flynn rider or Marilyn Monroe or mulan will walk into your life and change your entire destiny?? Gross. You're the one in charge and you should work on your mind set. You are the ultimate problem. And with this mindset you're never going anywhere but stay in the same loop until fAtE decides what's gonna happen to you. BULLSHIT. You only gotta work on your mindset alone. Like you don't have to climb the goddamn mount Everest or run 40 miles or do 1000 pushups a day to change yourself. Tf, you only just need to ignore unwanted thoughts and feed in thoughts which is favourable and live in the end, keep yourself fulfilled, that's it. No more bullshit.

Is it that hard?? Like just switching a thought with something favourable is hard? Bitch don't gimme that shit anymore. Trust yourself and move on. You are the only problem here. You don't focus on improving yourself and tell others to manifest or affirm for you. Like tf??? Why tf would you give free will to someone else that's not you? Why do you trust that person so much that you don't trust yourself? Nobody's gonna come with you till the end. Everybody and everything is a chapter and it'll keep moving forward, and you'll still be left behind still figuring out what went wrong.

STOP. JUST. STOP. STOP WITH THAT AND DECIDE THAT YOUR DESIRES ARE HERE AND EVERYTHING IS GOING ON IN YOUR FAVOUR.

Even if you're doing everything and nothing is working out, you haven't fulfilled yourself internally and just forcing the 3d to change. Wtf? You know the 3d obeys the 4d, then why are you inducing disgusting thoughts in the 4d and expect something like a miracle to happen in the 3d?? Make it make sense. You dumb dip shit, I'm gonna slap you in your dreams. I mean you're really dumb. Like just think whatever you want is already yours and it is. Cus the 3d should obey. Like whatever tf you want to happen is possible. Everything is possible. You ugly ass bitch just stop with that complaining and just go do whatever you want to change your thoughts.

Just fucking decide that whatever you want is already yours. It doesn't matter at all. The past doesn't matter at all. What you did 10 years ago doesn't matter. What you did 5 months ago doesn't matter. What you did 4 minutes ago doesn't matter. Only now exists. No past, no future. Just the present moment and that motherfucking concept called time doesn't fucking exist so stop stressing about that shit. Just decide. Bitch just decide that you just have what you want and the past doesn't matter. Just fucking be as if you already have it, don't stress about it. Suppose you have your phone with you, do you affirm for it everyday that it's yours? Or visualize? Hell no. Your phone is just yours. How do feel about it? Actually you'd feel nothing, you just KNOW it's yours. The same concept here you absolute idiot.

If you forgot to do sats, or you didn't affirm or if you wavered 3 minutes ago, or you had negative thoughts, like bitch those things don't matter as long as you come back to the track. It doesn't matter. Stop fucking stressing about methods or affirming. You already have it. Get that shit into your skull. I don't care what you do, I want y'all to start it today, start now. Just decide that's it. You're so dumb that you don't even make mental efforts that lead you to experiencing miracles dumbass. You're like really really dumb that I'm done. Like gimme a break.

JUST FUCKING DECIDE LIKE RN THAT YOU HAVE WHAT YOU WANT, AND WHATEVER YOU'RE STRESSING ABOUT DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR DESIRES BITCH.

Like why would you assume that nothing is changing?? There's always movement and you dumbass don't notice it. Even if you see that there's no movement, that's because you idiot assumed there wasn't any. You gotta take matters in your own hand you dip shit. Don't fucking get triggered by the 3d cus it's just your older thoughts and nothing else. Your new thoughts that you focus on should also be reflected in the 3d like instantly. There's no time in between, like really fuck that shit. The minute you affirm, it's already manifested in the 4d bitch. You don't gotta stress at all you dumb ass. The 4d is the ultimate reality. You just gotta be fulfilled here. How? By LIVING AS IF YOU ALREADY HAVE IT OR LIVING IN THE END. The 3d will catch up as you remain fulfilled in the 4d, like almost instantly. Is this a harder concept to understand?? For example, you wear a green dress and look in the mirror, you see the reflection wearing green dress too. Cus it's a fucking mirror and it shows you what you wear. Suddenly you wanna wear a purple dress, and you change your dress and look in the mirror and the mirror shows you purple dress cus you're wearing it. THE SAME FUCKING CONCEPT HERE. THE GREEN DRESS IS THE 4D AND THE MIRROR IS THE 3D. YOU CHANGE THE 4D (DRESS) FIRST IN ORDER TO SEE DRESS YOU'RE WEARING IN THE MIRROR (3D). HOWEVER, YOU GOTTA CHANGE THE DRESS TO SEE THE CHANGE IN THE REFLECTION. What y'all do is, go fucking break or beg the mirror to show you that you're wearing a purple dress when infact you're still wearing the green one 🙄🤦‍♀️ and complain that it's not showing what you want. Like which planet are exactly from?? Like tf is wrong with your dumbass brain?? Make it make sense. Change the dress and go see the changed reflection of the dress.

Just fucking stop with that bullshit and go fucking have whatever you want. You're God. Like what validation do you fucking need?? You're the validation. Your validation is enough. If your desires don't manifest instantly or like in less than a day, then you aren't fulfilling yourself internally. You aren't fulfilled yet. Cus it's impossible for the delay. Time doesn't exist. There's no fucking delay. It should be instant. Like just fulfill yourself, do whatever you think works. Don't go so something someone posted on the internet and complain about not getting results dumbass. You already have it all. You're the main character, so stop behaving like a stray dog.

Peace out <3

[csuitebitches]

How to Build the Woman You Want to be - 3

In the first part, we talked about ideation. Who is your ideal self?

In the second part, we talked about executing. How do we reach your ideal self?

In this part, we’ll discuss failures, missing goals or having a burnout, and structuring your routine.

Start every single day reading your New Story. You could even record yourself saying it and play it in the background while getting ready for the day. It is so important that you have to start believing in your improved self and start behaving that way.

If you can listen to Taylor Swift’s 10 minute version of All Too Well in one go, you can listen to 3 minutes of your New Story everyday.

You will not be able to be “her” if you do not start living, eating, breathing, sleeping like her.

While you work on yourself, remember these things:

First of all, none of your goals should be exhaustive in nature. If you’re new to working out, don’t work out for one hour - start with 20 minutes. Work your way up. Take as much time as needed but you need to be consistent.

Two, allow yourself to have a certain number of rest/ lazy days in a month. I limit myself to 3 because of my tight work schedule, but in my opinion, don’t go more than 5. When you use these, use them fully. Allow yourself to be completely relaxed- don’t feel guilty or bad. We all need those days.

Three, it’s fine to not reach all your monthly targets. What’s not fine is making excuses about them or not taking accountability.

“I missed my reading target because I would read after work, and I soon realised how tired I would be after getting home. To solve this issue next month, I’ll start my day reading 5 pages instead.”

Show yourself accountability and honesty. Offer yourself an alternative solution.

Four, do not compare progress to someone else.

Everyone is different - right from their mental capacity, to their body type, to their discipline. Your friend may show better results than you but that doesn’t mean that you won’t show any. Recognise your own progress and don’t be let down by someone else’s. Show genuine appreciation when your friend meets their goals - and don’t feel threatened by it. Everyone has a pace of progress, and it’s important to find yours in order to live sustainably.

Five, do not get into “get rich quick” type of schemes. I can assure you right now that your little crash diet is not going to work. It’s going to make things worse. Choose a healthier, slower method. Set small, achievable targets. You will thank yourself later.

Six, be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. Recognise your flaws but also recognise your strengths. It’s not narcissistic to tell yourself that you did well. Build that relationship with yourself.

Seven. Work on yourself in silence. Don’t broadcast your progress to people at every turn. While the external validation is nice, it’s important to be resilient and not be dependent on someone else’s praises. Be more private. Share your progress and goals after achieving them so that they can’t be affected in any way.

Eight. Learn uncomfortable truths about yourself and the world. Understand that not all discomfort is bad.

[breelandwalker]

Strawberry Moon - June 3, 2023

Grab your baskets and your moon jars, witches - it's time for the Strawberry Moon!

Strawberry Moon

The Strawberry Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs in the month of June in the Northern Hemisphere. The name is taken from the ripening of those little red heart-shaped berries we find in so many summertime treats. Strawberries are typically ready to harvest beginning around the summer solstice, though this will vary depending on variety, planting times, and local weather. The Strawberry Moon, sadly, does not turn pink to match the berries.

Other European names for this moon include Honey Moon, Rose Moon, and Mead Moon. Indigenous names for the June moon include Blooming Moon (Anishinaabe), Green Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Hatching Moon (Cree).

What Does It Mean For Witches?

Full moons are excellent times for bringing wishes to fulfillment and plans to fruition, all the more so under one named after a prolific berry. This is an optimal time to make things happen!

Your intuition may be stronger than usual during this time, so pay attention to those little inklings and gut feelings that won't be ignored. They might be telling you something important. Dreams may also be more vivid, though not necessarily more accurate or revealing.

This is a time to explore things that catch your attention or pique your curiosity, and to let yourself be open to new ideas and new opportunities.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

With a full moon in the sky and the summer solstice hot on its' heels, it's time to prepare for a full bloom. Here's hoping you've been nurturing those plans and seeds of growth you planted in the spring, because they're about to start flowering and the way is clear to sow the next stage of your plans. What they will be and what new prospects the summer will bring is entirely up to you.

With the moon in Sagittarius again this year, it's a good time to look ahead to the future. Think on the plans you have in process and let yourself dream of how things might turn out. If you're inclined to journaling, make a note of how things are going so far and how you hope they'll turn out. Pick your favorite divination method and do a reading for the month ahead. (Make sure you write that down too so you can check back later!)

This is a great time to go berry-picking or flower-gathering, so check your area for pick-your-own farms or farmer's markets with local produce. Have a picnic with friends or just enjoy a quiet afternoon with your own thoughts and a few favorite treats. Make a jar of sun tea or a sweet and summery berry salad. If you're partial to strawberries, indulge that sweet tooth!

Strawberries are also excellent ingredient in spells for love, beauty, fertility, and emotional healing. Create a charm for self-love or perhaps to attract a summer romance. Enchant your favorite makeup or skin care products with a glamour of confidence. Just as expectant mothers once carried strawberry leaves as a folk remedy for pregnancy pains, you can carry a clutch of them in your pocket to help heal a broken heart or assuage the pain of grief. A packet of strawberry leaves is also a potent good-luck charm. Snack on strawberries to bring fertile abundance into your life, whether you're looking for creativity or opportunity or perhaps hoping to grow your family this year.

Charge your crystals and spell jars and moon water under the light of Strawberry Moon to catch the energy of blooming flowers, ripening fruit, wishes coming true, and carefully-laid plans realized. (If you're planning to use it for any consumables, please make sure you're using fresh, potable drinking water rather than rain or runoff.)

Spend a little time reflecting on how your year has gone thus far. Try to focus on the things that have improved and how you've grown as a person and in your life journey. Reflect on your accomplishments and what you plan to do next. Take a moment to be unashamedly proud of yourself for everything you've done and for making it this far despite everything life throws at you.

Happy Strawberry Moon, witches! 🌕🍓

Further Reading:

Strawberry Moon: Full Moon in June 2023, The Old Farmer's Almanac

Strawberry Moon 2023: The Spectacular Spiritual Meaning of June's Full Moon, The Peculiar Brunette

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison

Image Source - Pesto and Margaritas

(If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[manifestingenius]

Why it's important not to always rely on void and putting your life on hold.

I haven't written posts for a very long time because I decided to focus on my present life. But I wanted to write this specific post.

After knowing about the void state I put my life on hold so much. I stopped doing 85% of the things I was doing before I learned about the void. It's embarrassing how I stopped caring about everything and was hoping and telling myself that I'm gonna enter the void this week anyway. Nothing really matters, right? I didn't answer to any of my seminars and colloquiums and barely studied for exams which lead me to losing my scholarship. I cried so so hard because I was angry at myself. I thought that I would enter the void in the summer so the exams and the results didn't matter to me. But I was so broken afterwards.

I never bought myself the things I wanted because I thought "I'm gonna manifest it all for free in the void anyway, why bother now?". I never went to places I wanted because I thought "I will have a lot of money to afford everything I want so why bother now?". I put all my focus and time on reading about void, reading posts on tumblr, trying all the methods and just hoping.

I planned to put videos on Youtube but was so shy and every day I was improving all the skills that were needed for me to be successful. I read a lot, I watched a lot of self improvement content, I watched lots of law of assumption videos, I took classes, in other words I was passionate. I was living. I put everything aside and became so lazy "Why even waste time doing all of this when I can have it all after the void?".

I stopped even trying to improve myself because I thought that I'm gonna manifest being my best self anyway. I was eating fast food 3-4 times a week and gained a lot of weight which made me insecure even more but I consoled myself that it's only for now, that I'm gonna manifest my dream body and everything will be fine.

I wanted to buy some makeup but didn't. I wanted to get laser hair removal for a long time and didn't. I wanted to hit the gym and didn't. I wanted to draw and make money out of it and didn't. And so much more. I missed out on so much and I regret it.

After I lost my scholarship I realized that I messed up a lot. Now I have some problems with a subject I failed and my mom has to pay money so that I can take the classes again. Now I can't afford anything because I don't have my own money, I can't go to work, my parents give me some money but it's not enough for my needs and wants.

I realized that my life became so miserable. 2023 was so wasted. One day I was asked what did I learn from 2023 and I couldn't answer because I didn't know. In 2023 I have only degraded tbh.

The saddest thing is that I was warned. I was warned by other people on tumblr to not put void on the pedestal and to not put my life on the hold. I ignored them all thinking that I'm not gonna be like them, I'm not gonna struggle as long as them. It's gonna take me much less time and everything will be fine. But turns out they were right and I made many mistakes. Turns out I'm still on my void journey even after 1 year and 2 months. I really thought it's gonna take me 1 month or smth. Funny.

After realizing that I need to change my life, I put void aside and focused on the present. I bought some things I wanted and I don't waste money on fast food anymore, I went to the gym, I finally got laser hair removal, I started eating healthier and lost 3 kg, I returned to watching self improvement videos on youtube and now I plan to draw and sell my drawings to make more money. I worked hard to pass all my exams successfully so that I can get my scholarship back.

From the outside it may seem that I forgot about the void or even lost hope but I didn't and I never will. I believe and know that one day I will become a success story myself. I even have a new upcoming post about my mini success (?) not sure if I can call it success yet 🤭

But anyway if you read all of this thank you. If my situation resonates with you I hope it helps you to not make these mistakes like I did and to not put your life on hold. Enjoy the present as much as you can, don't purposely make your life even more miserable. I love you all🫂💕🫶