#Also she has the goat stereotype of eating anything because it was a need

[akatix]

Lil Ahnah doodle page! Started just trying to work out how she attaches her father's horns, and turned into some little personality doobles. Sass, sproings, and stuffin' her face. 🐐

I am so happy I took the time to redesign her - I love this version so much * v*

[biwenqing]

So this is for the day three prompt: Social Media AU for Spring Sleuthing over at @tsomdevents! I wrote this fic a while ago, and it fits perfectly for this. But I realized it was going to be more than one chapter. I will continue it once the prompt week is over!

teen | pre-relationship | WIP | ao3 link | formatted as tweets | wc:1767

WZ @theroommatedilema

i made this secret account to live tweet my two oblivious roommates having a quarantine romance. or not. they are idiots. follow to find out will they/won’t they.

he/him | Joined March 2020

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 27 we are starting week 2 of quarantine and i realized i needed to document this. my two roommates who have been dancing around each other since before shit hit the fan are driving me crazy and if i have to watch this the world has to as well.

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 27 we need to give them code names because, while i don't think either of them will find this account, best not to tempt fate. so we have 'hot chef' and 'smart aleck'.

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 27 all that out of the way, we can now get to the live tweet. hot chef was doing his laundry so he was walking around the apartment shirtless. smart aleck walked into a wall, not once, not twice, but three times. hot chef didn't help this when he put on an apron

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 28 smart aleck started the day by almost burning down our kitchen trying to make breakfast to impress hot chef. luckily i was awake and stopped things before there was a grease fire, before making breakfast myself. they both seemed to like it.

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 29 hot chef thinks we should try and exercise, but i think it is cold and slippery out, so if he expects me to join him on his morning runs, he is wrong. smart aleck did make an attempt and i got to watch him wipe out from the window. lucky for him hot chef caught him. yea i know

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 29 follow up to wipe out: hot chef helped smart aleck back into the house and then took care of him, before then still going on his run. smart aleck pouted next to me on the couch, watching out the window for when he came back like a puppy.

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 smart aleck has decided he needs to clean and organize the whole apartment. i think he just doesn't want to do his real job. this has led to an argument with hot chef because smart aleck has taken everything out of the kitchen cabinets and messed with his books.

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 as a household, we have a pretty solid 'don't touch my stuff' understanding, but that apparently goes all out the window during a pandemic. hot chef keeps all his cooking tools and supplies in a special order that makes sense only to him and i leave it be

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 but smart aleck wants to "help" and didnt ask if anyone wanted help so here we are. don't worry, this account isn't in vain, i can confirm that their argument is more bickering and that bickering is the stereotype of an "old married couple"

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 SA: but you do so much, i wanted to help! HC: if i need help, i'd ask for it SA: *arms crossed* would you? give an example of when you have asked for help. HC: ....i haven't needed help SA: bullshit! remember when you got the flu last year and didn't tell us?

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 SA: you practically passed out before you let WZ and i take you to see a doctor! and then you still argued about us making sure you got the food and fluids and everything you needed so you didn't die! HC: ...i didn't want either of you to get sick

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 SA: oh yes so ignoring the issue really helped? it’s better that you almost died? in case you didn’t already notice, smart aleck is always dramatic.

WZ @theroommatedilema . March 30 for those wondering, smart aleck is not wrong here. this is exactly how events occurred. it was only a few months after I moved in with them. for the fight i think smart aleck somehow won this round. tune in tomorrow for what happens next!

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 4 no updates because they have been pretending to ignore each other and focused on work. hot chef in particular. smart aleck claims it is because hot chef isn’t used to being cared about. he told me this in a deliberate stage whisper.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 4 i think it is important to note that hot chef did still make dinner each night to share... he just went back to his room after.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 5 i got a question asking what we all do for work. that’s classified. and mostly unrelated. though it is how we met in a very odd course of events.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 5 that was not an invitation to send me more questions. i know you are all nosy, or else why would you be following this account. but we have established this account must go unnoticed.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 5 fine. general ages = smart aleck is in his 20s. hot chef is in his 30s. and because you for some reason all want to know: i am also in my 20s.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 5 pets = yes one. smart aleck has a pet cat named goat he inherited from a past roommate. goat the cat tries to eat anything and everything, thus the name. she particularly likes to eat house plants. she likes smart aleck the least, hot chef the most. i hold a pretty solid 2nd place.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 6 update: they made up. a package arrived today and it was apparently a pan to replace one smart aleck had destroyed. hot chef made smart aleck’s favorite dinner. SA talked the whole way through to meal, and HC looked smitten. so we’re back to normal.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 10 where do we rank the level of domestic where one person brushes their teeth/gets ready for the day while the other is in the shower? bonus points for some mild discussion and/or bickering.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 11 smart aleck has a new scheme. he is trying to persuade hot chef to teach him to cook. so far HC has held firm. we mark day one of this new standoff.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 12 i’ve been asked a few times why i don’t just use initials of smart aleck and hot chef’s names. it’s all part of keeping this hidden. i have also chosen nicknames that i don’t think they would think i’d use for them.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 12 smart aleck is the type to figure this out if i’m not careful. he’s both too clever and too dumb for his own good. which is part of the reason i must document all of this, so i can shove it in his face later.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 12 we are also on day two of cooking teaching standoff. i think some of you rightly assume SA is imagining hot chef standing behind him and idk helping him cut vegetables

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 13 standoff continues. i made dinner to see if that would throw the balance off. no change yet

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 14 resolution! hot chef did give in, on the condition that he teaches both of us. i didn’t manage to escape because smart aleck seemed to decide this was the only way. don’t know how this fits into whatever romantic daydreams he had.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 14 i see those comments that this might give me a chance to put them together. but i think it is more fun to not help them at all. they need to do this on their own

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 15 to do such teaching, a grocery shopping mission is needed. because the world is... well. i suggested just they go together so fine. maybe i will try and assist.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 15 level of domestic of sneaking things you know your “just friends roommate” loves but won’t buy for themselves in the cart without them knowing?

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 15 you ask how i know that and it is of course because smart aleck, so proud of himself, announced it as soon as he reentered the apartment. goat the cat tried to get into the bags to eat raw fish while this occurred.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 16 first cooking lesson, some simple stir fry. i already can cook this so i get to just perch at the counter and watch. vote on the poll below how you think this will turn out

[hands brushing softly] [sparks, and not the sexy kind] [food hopefully?]

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 16 everyone who voted for fire won. the neighbors are quite upset. and not even goat the cat will eat the final product. i ordered take out and a fresh fire extinguisher while they dealt with the mild fire and smoke detector.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 17 smart aleck is pouting so there will be no cooking lessons today. the good news (for his employer) is he seems to actually be focusing on doing his job.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 20 hot chef actually asked smart aleck if he wanted to try cooking again. very interesting. this has mostly been coming from SA’s side, so i would call this positive movement.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 20 SA has completely perked up and agreed.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 20 oh apparently the plan is SA will watch and i get the place as the student in the kitchen. this is probably safer for everyone

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 21 for those asking what happen: dinner was made with no issue. I was in charge of the main dish and that left HC to work on side dishes. SA even helped wash and chop some vegetables. goat took some chicken right off SA’s plate and ran away with it growling.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 21 i take that to mean the cat approves of my cooking. but she also tried to steal things from the trash, so that isn’t much of an endorsement.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 22 SA is avoiding work and trying to clean again. he actually asked if he could move stuff around. growth.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 25 hot chef spotted leaving smart aleck’s room this morning?

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 25 false alarm, he was just looking for the cat.

WZ @theroommatedilema . April 30 final report for this month: progress made in communication. new together activity established. the apartment has not burned down. a baby step closer, yet still so far away from them figuring this out...

[dipplie]

Temporary list of my stories and OC’s until one day I make a comprehensive and well made list:

Blinded:

Polli: My oldest OC and fun fact was my persona till she become edgy and I wasn’t 12 anymore. Everyone’s favorite yes yes I’m aware. Yellow, energetic, eats dirt and bugs, I can’t tell if she’s evil because of a wisp possession or just crazy. Breaks the 4th wall. Is she a Mary Sue???????? Who knows.

Melody: NOT Polli’s girlfriend despite Polli’s delousions. Has an abusive mom :(. Only has one eye and then no eyes and then robot eyes or smthn idk she becomes a badass when she gets older. But otherwise trembling in her shoes all the time.

Melodys Mom/Sharren: Bitch. Okay well all I’ll say is she’s old and grumpy and probably smells bad.

Louise: Total hotty, rich kid, FtM, got bullied as a kid for his weight. Had a squad of fans basically in high school. Lived with his mom after his parents got a divorce but his mom was semi abusive, projected her femininity onto him, and wouldn’t have been supportive of his transition, so between middle and high school he went to live with his dad and got his sex change and testosterone. His best friend in elementary and middle school stopped talking to him after his transition, and became his competition for the most attractive and sought after boy in school (except Louise is a sweetheart while his friend Tommy is a dick and really gross) His dad runs a company that specializes in technology, and after meeting and falling in love with Melody (even after all her abusive trauma and losing both her eyes) he has his dad and some of the developers create a way to get her vision back and I mean honestly I love him how could you not love him he’s so perfect.

Watching:

Fick: Big nerd boy with thick glasses. I feel like he’d use Reddit but don’t quote me on that. Big crush on Vivinya. Boy don’t wander into the woods- oh look dead body with a curse on it don’t touch it- aaaand now he has a wisp that makes him kill people, way to go kid. Panic attack central.

Vivinya: True crime girl, yucky yucky. Probably had a knife collection. “uwu I’m insane” except she actually is and starts using Fick to kill people for her and treats him like her “Yandere boyfriend” or something cringe and gross oh god. She deserves jail. JAIL. Needs to learn guys need to give consent too. Just overall sucks 1/10.

Tommy: I mentioned him early to be Louises ex best friend and rival. He used to have a crush on Louise actually but that don’t excuse being a BITCH!!!! Also needs to learn people gotta give consent he is just as gross as Vivinya. Cheats on all the girls he gets with because he’s again, a bitch. Idk if he deserved to get murdered though I mean he was still a teenager but it’s fine. Thinks of the song Seventeen from Heathers actually this story does feel a tad reminiscent of heathers with vivinya being a crazy and wanting to off a bunch of students. Huh.

Suzannie: Tommy’s older sister who’s a detective. What a coincidence. Monotone and depressed. Probably because her little brother got murdered. Gets real awkward when she’s talking about her brothers murder(s) to Fick and Vivinya like “when I find who did this to him they’ll regret being born”. Kind of really pretty actually.

Adolescents (there isn’t actually a story here yet but don’t worry about it shhhh):

Nelson: HIMBO HIMBO H- Jock stupid idiot big dork god he’s so awkward and his main personality trait is having a crush on Naomi and being a dork when talking to her. Probably could benchpress you.

Naomi: Gamer or something and a nerd geek. Her main personality trait is having a crush on Nelson and also being a dork when talking to him. Probably a weeb and fandom dweller. Can’t draw but she commissions artists to draw. She does write copious amounts of fanfiction though.

Andrés: Ohhh the school bad boy babyyyy. Baseball bat with nails in it or something. There’s like... A thing between him in Charlotte and he wants to be a thing but she’s being difficult and makes it hard to talk to her or about her and ugh.

Charlotte: Princess, high school princess. She’s actually pretty nice when you get to know her- but she’s a diva. Ballerina after school. Best friends with Naomi and doesn’t know what she’s talking about when she mentions ships or OTPs but she listens anyways because she’s a good friend. There’s like... A thing between her and Andrés but she doesn’t know if she’s super into him but geez he’s really hot but she gets such mixed responses when she asks her friends about it and what if it doesn’t work outttt.

Marlon: They/Them but they’re okay with either pronouns they aren’t sure yet, he or she is okay... Box boy box boy. Autism... He doesn’t want to admit He’s attracted to men but he’s totally attracted to men. He lives alone which is probably illegal for his age but somehow he manages. Everyone thinks he’s “the quiet kid” and he’s really sad about it no don’t make jokes like that please guys ahh-

Sing for Me:

Kat: The color pink, addahadda(adhd), angry and loud and short. For being only like 10 and being an adorable little lesbian dressing in sparkly pink dresses she actually likes screaming a lot and would totally sing heavy metal if her producers let her. Loud and mad but gets so soft around her girlfriend. “If anything happens to Brie I’m killing everyone in this room and then myself”.

Brie: French... Birds and stuff. Loves her girlfriend even though she is so loud. So fast. So much. Likes to write pretty things. Is only like an inch taller than Kat. Filled with so much love for everything.

Elliot: The girls manager. Lots of coffee. Stressed out of his MIND please help this man. Probably gay. Seems like a smug dick but he is just a tall and lanky dork that loves puppies and wants nothing more than for Kat and Brie to be happy. Accidentally brands them as sisters and then Kat kisses Brie and- oh fuck oh shit oh no what has he done. Hides the fan and non fan responses from them. Poor guy.

Horror Hosts:

Ichabod: Hot demon who’s the son of the current ruler of hell or something. I mean he’s hot, smart, and royalty, what more do you want. I very specifically hear the dub voice of Kyoya Ootori from OHHC as his voice don’t @ me. Goat legs????? Yeah??? Don’t be rude.

Barnabie: Ohhhhhhhhh big orc teddy bear I’m crying I love him????? He puts up a more confident ploy and the given stereotypical personality orcs supposedly have but he’s just a shy boy that wants to give girls flowers and call boys pretty. Help him.

Garrison: Gary Burger. Fat hairy gay man. I mean werewolf. Wouldn’t it be funny if I made the whole werewolf thing backwards and made him transform into a HUMAN only on the full moon??? Party animal, pun absolutely intended. LOUD AND FUNNY he’s a dork. Bites. Horny on main Garrison please you’re supposed pamper and flirt with the guests but not quite that much.

Vincenzo: Token Vampire but he’s Italian because I felt like it. Talk and lanky of course. Bitch face. Blood coffee? Yeah lots of coffee. Tired. Let him sleep in Ichabod. Steps on people. Can summon and reanimate corpses but has a bitter attitude towards them because they get annoyed with him as much as he gets annoyed with- everyone else. He does have a soft spot but idk where it is. When he’s talking to guests he’s more suave and sexy though.

Kai: Genderfluid haha get it because slime fluid-... I’ll stop. Probably objectively the hottest because they can look anyway they want and shift their vocals to sound like almost anything, also probably objectively the best in bed (if you’re okay with the texture of Jell-o) and honestly come on save some for the rest of us it’s not fair. This boy can SING oh my god seranade me and whisper in my ear baby. Spunky and sassy.

Hallvor: BABY OCTOPOD BOY OHHHHH I LOVE HIM HE’S SO SWEET AND IS AN ANGEL DARLING BOY SO EMBARRASSED SO SHY SOFTEST VOICE OHHH- ohhh nooo he’s got a knife ohhhhh Hallvor baby don’t be like that ohhhh... Used to work in hentai actually (I wonder why) but quit because of immoral practices and good for him we love that. Okay he’s not actually a yandere or whatever but he DEFINITELY wants to squeeze you a little too hard and has those crazy eyes.

Carla: Main character of this OHHC monster clone. She sucks I don’t like her because listen listen she kills monsters as a living and when she tries to kill our boys here, Ichabod catches her and goes “no” but then the rest (not knowing her murderous intent) fall in love with her and Ichabod is like: “shoot well I’ll keep you alive and around but I’m watching you” and blah blah romance and feelings and character development and wow she seems like she’s grown to care about them... So Ichabod removes a curse he put to prevent her from harming them or leaving... AND THEN SHE STABS THEM ALL IN THE BACK IM CRYING. I mean she might have an extra reason for needing to kill them but I haven’t decided if I want to actually put it in the story yet so.

Fingertips:

Maria/Marianna: Was this goth angry chick and the head of these losers but after a failed heist, fire, and being betrayed and dropped from a window on a 3rd or 4th story down into flames, and going to the hospital and changing her name, she changed totally and become a soft pretty girl... And then the next three boys went “HEY BOSS WE FOUND YOU” and she went “oh no” and now she’s just an anxious wreck like “no no no no no I don’t shoot people in the face anymore no no no no no” And has a fear of hands. Also was Diamontés best friend in primary school and yes all these characters went to the K-12 school all the other characters do/did. Pretty voice. The story is mostly about her being anxious around all the other characters because who was it that betrayed her and dropped her into the flames below? Find out next week on th-

Nikki: He’s that character that you see and immediately go “oh he’s gross and is angry and is a bitch” and you’re right he is and has a cockney accent and screams a lot and probably swings a knife around a lot, but he’s got a sweet interior (somewhere in there... somewhere) Screamo heavy metal. Him and the rest of these character briefly talked about having a band and then they didn’t and then at the end of the story they do and although he plays guitar mostly, if he does do lead vocals he screams a lot. Bitch.

Anthony: Pretty boy but like the “was in the army” pretty boy vibe. Probably played football in highschool. Pyromaniac. Punches Nikki a lot. Almost gives himbo vibes sometimes, almost. Kind of likes the old timey cozy aesthetic. Plays the piano sometimes but “oh I’m not very good at it” Plays extremely well

Diamonté: TALL. Purple goth boy aesthetic hellll yeahhhh. CRAZY EYES AND THEY SPEAK VOLUMES WATCH OUT. Drums. The scary kind of quiet because he just smiles at you. Crowbar. Okay but he’s actually really sweet though. Secretly loves watching Anthony and Nikki get into fights so that’s why he rarely puts a stop to it. I think he’s a sadist. Can be a gentle giant, but can also be a not so gentle giant. The only time he’s really talkative is after copious amounts of booze.

Unnamed/Undesigned 1: Literally a pimp and he’s pretty gross. Blonde hair and pink and white clothes.

Unnamed/Undesigned 2: Chick that likes to throw knives and be angry and threatens Marianna a lot but in a quiet and monotone way, Marianna is pretty scared and hopes that these are just shallow threats uhhhhh.

Unnamed/Undesigned 3: Sells guns (without a lisence of course) and wears a bandana over his face a lot. Tired. Grumpy.

Unnamed/Undesigned 4: Like Marianna, was cold hearted and cool but then got caught in the fire and got all soft. He only has one eyes but how sweet his eyepatch is a heart. Recoved along side Marianna and they are good friends good friends tha- wait Marianna are you going back with them oh god you can’t do that oh dear oh no oh-

(I don’t have a story or name for these two but they’re my comfort ship OC’s and my current hyper fixaction right now):

Rodriquéz: I literally designed him with almost all the traits I find attractive in a guy other than freckles so as you can imagine I find him super HOT. I also designed his personality on what I find attractive from a guy so as you can imagine I find him super GREAT. But anyways he’s grumpy and closed off and monotone and smug. I really could go on for hours about how I want him to step on me I’m so sorry guys. Both him and Samantha give the “21 and having immature fun” vibes. They’re a thing but they like going to bars together and splitting off and doing their own thing (or doing someone else’s thing if you get what I mean haHhahHhahGahGhaha-) But so help them if anyone doesn’t oblige by the “no” from one of these two, someone’s gonna get beat up.

Samantha: (She literally just my personality shhhhh don’t tell anyone it’s a secret) Bubbly, energetic, a little shy by extroverted, bombshell blonde or something? It took me way too much time and effort to design her but I’m really happy with how I finally designed her, I love her outfit. She could kick me in the face and I’d say thank you. Girly drinks at the bar. Got that trauma and anxiety™️ secretly though. Skips and jumps a lot. As I’m typing this I keep looking up at the drawing of her and more and more I would want her to also step on me.

(Space Story I don’t have a nice title for):

Unnamed/Undesigned 1: So... Funny story this story originally was with me and uh... My ex I guess... So I gotta replace the MC’s... Whoops ahaha... Awkward. But anyways the MC is a robot and a girl and is a slight tsundere or smthn.

Unamed/Undesigned 2: Has a space ship, works for this organization in space that protects the galaxy. Is cocky, lazy, sly, oblivious, and an idiot. The love interest- obviously. Probably accidentally committing space crimes. (Like space pirating hAHAHA-) Kind of cool when he wants to be.

Dandelion/Dandy: CAT. WITH A JET PACK. Kind of an asshole. Fun fact used to be Polli’s cat but then when the Second MC crash landed on earth she was like “fuck this noise I’m going with space boy laterz” (okay she can’t talk but she thought it).

Zizii: Lesbian alien? Yeah???? Okay but I mean her main character trait is being a dorky back alley doctor and engineer obsessed with the MC because they’re a sentient robot with emotions and a lazer arm and rocket boots WOW!!!!!!!!

Story I want to revive:

So I had a story I started writing a long time ago about this tech theatre kid that had a crush on this other theatre kid character, but in a play that other character has to kiss another person for the show, and as the story progresses the MC convinces themselves that it isn’t just a play and that their crush actually loves and is kissing that other kid. And in the play, that other character is supposed to die. Show night comes along and they die, but like actually, and by the hands of the MC (Idk maybe like a light falls on em or smthn). So it’s a grotesque scene the audience sees as just an act. (Mutters I dunno I think my idea’s cool...) So I’ve been wanting to design these characters and work more on the story but I’m busy being obsessed with Rodriquez and Samantha so. (And the Horror Host Club too I love them too still).

Other Characters that either don’t have a specific story or are kind of like background characters:

Jacqueiliquinne Merril: Sara Berry vibes from 35mm (go look up The Ballad of Sara Berry, maybe like an animatic idk the first one that comes up is nice) But otherwise rich, pretty, popular, bitch. Tries to like, steal Louise from his squad and it’s like bro that’s unnecessary who hurt you that’s so rude. She gives Nui from Kill La Kill Vibes too. Oh she knows her name is long and annoying but you have to say the whole thing.

Brianna: Jaqueiliquinne’s sister. Big titty goth gf??? She’s pretty popular too and kind of a bitch too but to a much lesser degree. Her and he sister throw hands a lot when no one is around, you know, “THEY GIRLS ARE FIGHTINNGGGG”.

The Louise Fan Club: 4 characters I haven’t named yet. One writes fanfiction of Louise and shares it with the others and with him sometimes and although he thinks it’s a bit weird he also finds it a tad endearing and supports her. One is an aspiring photographer and is constantly asking Louise to model for him. One is an artist and draws Louise all the time. And one is an aspiring musician who writes songs based of Louise’s relationships which again he finds a little weird but endearing and supports her.

The Jacquiliquinne Merril Fan Club: Genderbent-ish (I say ish because one of the characters is a little bit less defined gender wise) versions of the Louise Fan Club. Yes I’m lazy, and no they don’t get along with them, infact they hate each others club with a passion. 

Unnamed/Undesigned: I wanna make some hacker kid just because I wanna have one.

Unnamed/Undesigned: I also really wanna have a super cutesy magical girl and then a really super duper generic boring character probably like star vs the forces of evil idk I never watched that show but it looks cute.

Me: I exist in the universe fukc you I can do what I want it’s my story and I get to chose the who also if you wanna be in the mess of a universe go ahead draw yourself with my OC’s I allow and encourage and appreciate it. I literally made the Horror Host Club as a sort of Harem story and you are absolutely allowed to make out with them if you’re a monster fucker DO it GO ahead it’s canon.

and that is ALL I have FOR now Knowing me I’ll make like 12 more characters by July, and I mean I need more characters for the high school anyways so...

[laetro]

Samby Sayward: Comic Art that Celebrates Strength

Samby Sayward, the artist who manages to contain ‘boundless’ ideas on paper, battled her way through the hurdles of perfectionism and procrastination to reach greater heights and thrives for more! Her works are living proof of majestic works. The quirky and ambitious soul has worked on various projects and gained popularity with her ongoing comic series “Daughters of Grimm”.

Samby Sayward or more commonly known as Boundless Bard creates comics focused on female empowerment. She is a dogged person when it comes to working and does not fallibility as a reason to stop and suggests the future artists have a similar attitude towards their work. Sayward hopes her work inspires people from all backgrounds to be proud of who they are and to strive to make their wildest dreams come true.

ORDER CUSTOM ILLUSTRATION FROM SAMBY

Q. What was your childhood like and what made you, you?

Samby: I was such a quirky, scattered child! Constantly curious. Constantly jumping to the next “shiny” thing. I’m extremely lucky to have parents that tried to facilitate my exploration, while also teaching me to focus and direct my energy.

My mom is a pretty curious person herself, so she’d take my sister and me on themed library runs. Sometimes we’d do crafts like building a radio in a shoebox. We had to wrap the wires around the sink faucet to catch a signal, though it was still pretty garbled. My dad always tried to facilitate any interests with tools and instructors. When I latched on to comics, he took me to the bookstore and offered me any book I wanted. And when I wanted to go to college to make comics in Japan, he said, “OK!”

I never moved to Japan, but it just goes to show how incredibly supportive my family is. I changed my dream career multiple times a year for most of my childhood, and as long as I had a game plan for it, my parents cheered me on. And with all these different experiences to go off of, I think comics ended up the perfect industry for me. I don’t have to change careers every time I’ve got a new interest. I just explore it through my characters!

Q. Tell us something about yourself. About your journey of being an Artist.

Samby: I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember, with pretty much anything I could get my hands on. It started on scrap paper with crayons and markers. When my family saw my enthusiasm, I got sketchbooks and paint sets and colored pencils, anything “artsy” they could think of on every gift-giving holiday.

When in class, I drew my notes in the margins. When out to eat, I drew on napkins. When I entered the general workforce, I spent the minutes between shifts scribbling on receipt paper or paper plates in the breakroom. What’s more, my mind has always been my cinema. In grade school, I would spend months crafting serial stories in my dreams, watching the next part unfold each night as I drifted to sleep. And now I have the pleasure of crafting those stories during the day and sharing the finished products with the world. I’ve had a variety of aspirations throughout my life, but I think I was always meant to make comics. Now, I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else.

Q. What or who is your inspiration?

Samby: There are a lot of people, stories, experiences, art, and philosophies that have inspired me over the years. But if I had to bring it down to my top two inspirations, I’d say the combination of seeing people live and create authentically, and hearing that people reading my comics feel inspired to be themselves.

As much as I’ve had supportive influences in my life, I’ve also had people tell me I’m too much, or that my ideas are stupid, impossible, or too idealistic. I’ve even had people judge me to the point that I felt I needed to hide an integral part of who I am.

So seeing other people share their stories, inspires me to keep sharing mine. And when others accept my truth and resonate with it, it keeps that cycle of inspiration going — both to them and back to me.

Q. What inspired you to make comics on Badass Woman?

Samby: Honestly, a lifetime of stereotyped representation. With a few exceptions, I often had trouble getting into media that was marketed to girls and women. It always felt like a caricature that I couldn’t even relate to. When I turned to men and boys’ entertainment, I got stories that were more my speed, but the female characters were still parodies from a male perspective, or a fantasy “ideal”.

When I was younger, I thought that was just the way things were. I even took my action-packed story ideas and changed the protagonists to guys, since that’s all I saw in the stories I liked. But college did a lot to help me spread my creative wings, and around the time I started seriously pursuing comics as a career, I thought, “Screw it. I’m going to make the stories I want to see. With BADASS WOMEN.”

I think a lot of other women had the same epiphany because soon after, I was finding all sorts of movies, shows, and comics with badass female protagonists I could get behind. It’s awesome to see the plethora of stories and experiences that have been represented since. The media’s really heading in a cool direction now.

Q. Is there any specific reason why you make Badass woman comics?

Samby: It started out just as self-indulgence. I wanted to see myself in stories and genres that, historically, I had not. And I wanted to flip the script. To call out the tropes that belittled and objectified women.

I think my motivations have grown from that though. Seeing so many people relate to my work, and their excitement at feeling represented adds fuel to my creative fire. There’s a real need for diverse representation without stereotypes. And though my main focus is badass women, I really hope that over time I can give everyone that joy of seeing themselves in a story they love.

“When I was younger, I thought that was just the way things were. I even took my action-packed story ideas and changed the protagonists to guys, since that’s all I saw in the stories I liked. But college did a lot to help me spread my creative wings, and around the time I started seriously pursuing comics as a career, I thought, “Screw it. I’m going to make the stories I want to see. With BADASS WOMEN.”

Q. What’s your comic “Daughters of Grimm” about?

Samby: “Daughters of Grimm” is a coming of age story about five young women aiming to be heroes in a world that thinks them better as damsels. Set a few generations after the original Grimm fairy tales, each Daughter follows in the footsteps of a hero they idolize until a “Grimm” vision weaves their narratives together for a larger quest.

There are action and intrigue, swords and sorcery, and a cute goat to balance all the badassery. And if women breaking the mould to fight monsters, rule kingdoms, and become heroes intrigues you, you can read the full story to date for free on Webtoon! The introduction is wrapped up and I’ll be launching the first story arc in the spring.

Q. Are there any real-life experiences in your life where you considered yourself badass?

Samby: It’s funny, I don’t think I’ve thought about it before. But I think the times I’ve felt most badass are the big milestones of my career — printing my first comic, tabling my first convention, participating in my first panel, and receiving fan art for my comic series. Each achievement just reinforces the fact that I’m doing it. I’m really a comic pro!

Q. Do you always work on your personal projects or do you take clients’ work as well? If yes, what is it like to work with a client and how much freedom do you have in such projects?

Samby: When it comes to comic projects, I tend to stick to my personal work. But I have done some illustration work and variant covers for other comic creators. Honestly, those projects have been a blast! All my clients have given a lot of creative reigns, just giving some character references and a concept to work off of. And as fellow creators with similar goals, we often end up vibing and helping each other out with cross-promotion afterwards.

I’ll add though, I’m absolutely open to doing comic page work for the right project! I’m pretty hyped about a project pitch I got the other day from a client. It’s all the genres I’ve wanted to do and haven’t gotten to yet. We’ll just have to see if our schedules line up when the script is done.

Q. What’s the strongest female protagonist you have ever created in your comics and what’s the inspiration behind it?

Samby: So far, I think the strongest protagonist I’ve created is Emil from “Daughters of Grimm”. Not only can she take down a sea dragon solo, but also, she’s managed the task of posing as her brother for years! I think it takes a lot of internal strength to hide such a large part of yourself for so long.

Her character and struggle are largely inspired by my own experiences, both with gender roles and with the broader sense of trying to be myself while fitting in with others’ expectations.

Q. What are the projects you are currently working on or looking forward to work?

Samby: I’m currently writing the first main story arc of my fairytale series, Daughters of Grimm! Until now, the series has been made up of little short stories that introduce the world and characters. So it’s really exciting seeing all the characters and plots coming together. I can’t wait to finish it up and share it!

I’m also working on a YouTube channel and book to share some of the story planning and production techniques I’ve picked up over the years. Though I’ll be honest, I’m not sure when it’ll be ready. It’s a passion project I’m building between comic and commission work. But I’m definitely hoping the YouTube channel will be online soon(ish)!

Q. What is one tip or advice would you give to upcoming comic artists?

Samby: My advice is two-fold:

Don’t be afraid to get started, but also don’t be afraid to ‘finish’.

I think beginning artists get told that first bit a lot. “Make something! Just do it! You’ll figure things out along the way.” But in my experience, starting is much easier than finishing. And it’s finishing a project that really levels up your skills and lets you learn something.

My art leveled up more in my time outside of college than in it because in college I got so focused on perfection that I never finished anything. I never learned how to get that polished product.

[thiscatdoesthenanowrimo]

Character Wednesday!

Like my Mondays, my Wednesdays are uncomfortable, and so I have scheduled for my Wednesdays to ramble about my characters.

Unlike Mondays, which will mostly consist of rhapsodies about random worldbuilding, the character introductions will contain spoilers. If you for whatever reason have enough faith in me to want to avoid spoilers for an as-of-yet unwritten story, well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The first character I want to introduce is... actually I haven’t named him yet.

I’m considering Aksym, but we’ll see. I’ll go with that for now.

Aksym, like all my characters, started life in two different ways. It’s the day he was born, and the day I first came up with his concept.

The first concept of him was actually pretty similar to what he is now.

This story started as me wanting to write something with every cool trope I could think of, without worrying about clichés or realism faults. Part of the initial idea was a stereotypical D&D adventuring party, and among them was a stereotypical lawful good paladin.

He’s still called ‘the paladin’ in my notes.

Because there’s lawful good, the way it’s usually portrayed, and then there’s actual lawful good. The usual portrayal is flat like cardboard, and I wanted to try making a three dimentional character of it, and there we have Aksym.

He’s lawful to a fault, and moral to a fault, which means he refuses to judge someone before he’s sure, because he doesn’t hold himself above the law. He’ll speak with the lowest members of society with just as much respect as the highest, because they are all equal under the law.

He’s a high-ranking peace guard officer, which means that he knows how to act in a battle, but mostly he’s acting as a police officer in the country’s capital.

but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start at the beginning. The beginning of his story, that is.

If you read my post on Monday, you know that this country used to have a king, but that the kind disappeared some time ago and was replaced with a democracy.

Most people believe the king went off and died somewhere, because no one ever heard from him again. They are wrong.

In reality, the ex-king somehow managed to cross the mountain range that splits the continent in half and ended up in the eastern, very rural part of the country, where he settled in Egbynn, a small goat herder’s village.

(Did I mention the goats? Like, 90% of this world’s domestic animals are goats.)

There, he got work, got married, had some children, and eventually died. The children stayed in Egbynn and got children of their own, and eventually, Aksym was born. Yes, we’re talking a ‘lost prince’ narrative. It gets complicated.

Another thing you might remember from Monday is that people believe the old kings were literally incarnations of the sun god. Aksym, being fairly religious, believes this wholeheartedly. That is, he believes the old conquering kings were incarnations of the god, and he believes that the more recent kings were deemed unfit to rule, and were thrown out. He lives with the knowledge that his family was discarded by the gods, and it eats at him.

It doesn’t help either that he’s a big fan of the democracy and the current set of laws. He doesn’t believe in the slightest that he has the right to the throne, or any throne. He believes, if anything, that he has to make up for crimes that aren’t even his.

Aksym grew up hearding goats and keeping low-class dancing fowl, more for the eggs than the dancing. At a spring dance one year in his late teens, he got to know a girl who could lug a small goat over a fence if necessary, and who could outtalk him any day of the week, and she was the last person he ever courted, because they got married the next year.

He loved and was good with animals more than anything, and would be happy with staying on a small farm with his wife, a herd of goats, and their hopefully eventual flock of children for the rest of his life, but he was also a bright young man with a strong sense of duty.

One problem with the rural east side of the mountains is that there isn’t a lot of official presence. It is plagued by bandit hordes, and only one in twenty people ever get the chance to vote. When a recruiter from the national guard passed through looking for young men and women willing to serve, his wife punched him in the head and told him he’d regret it forever if he didn’t go to try to make a difference. So he went.

Over the next few years, he rose in the ranks of the peace guard, and he went home to see his wife once a year or so. They did have a child during this time. A little boy who is maybe six by the start of the story.

Aksym caught the eyes of certain high-ranking officers rather quickly, which is how he’s also granted a kid he names Nefki.

No, I’m not talking about a child this time. I’m talking about a goat kid. A war goat, to be precise. Something far more dangerous than the farm goats he was used to, which is why it was so important that he bond with it from the beginning. A proper war goat will only allow one or two people ever to ride it.

Aksym, of course, doesn’t believe he deserves it, but he accepts it with good grace. And he does like having part of his duties be in the stables again.

Then he’s promoted, because his immediate superior is felled in a battle with a dragon. Again he doesn’t believe he deserves it, but now he has the rank necessary to get access to and training with the newest in weapons tech. It’s basically a scary freaking magical gun. I won’t get into it here.

The point is that he has it, and can use it, and when his wife sends him a letter late one winter, saying that an actual bandit army is standing at Egbynn’s door, and they need a bigger stick, he begs for the righ tto take his goat and the gun to go back home and help, which is how he enters the story.

Trust me, it’s not a simple thing that every other main character is some sort of criminal.

[writingformeandyou]

My OC

I FINALLY DID MY OC SUCKAS!

I decided to use mew-poo’s 100 OC asks, so thank you mew-poo!

I swear, I’m not stealing them!

Name: Veil Hagen Halvorsen (To cover, pasture, and guardian)

Home: Einn-Berg (Alone mountain)

1. What do they smell like?

A lot of lotion from Bath & Body Works (anything marshmallow or pumpkin), some sweat, and very faintly her past meal.

2. What is their voice like? It’s a mix between Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe) and Amethyst (Steven Universe)

3. What is their biggest motivator? Her village elder. He always made her feel safe and aided 

4. What is their most embarrassing memory? Veil one time decided to be a show off to the other children in the marketplace by doing a flip in full armor. She did the flip correctly, but she ended up plummeting into the fountain filled with dirty well water.

5. How do they deal with/react to pain? She gets angry but will also cry, promptly getting angry again and try not to cry as she tends to her wounds.

6. What do they like to wear? Veil likes to wear longer clothes if she’s not in her armor. She lives in the cold, so it makes a lot of sense. Trenchcoats coming down to her ankles, turtlenecks, joggers, etc.

7. Which of their relationships have impacted them most positively? It was all of her relationships in general. All of her boyfriends and girlfriends all had the ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude and it rubbed off on her. She grew stronger from these and she never cared much about negativity pointed towards her.

8. What’s the weirdest thing they’ve ever eaten? She ate an entire Naga head one time, eyes, brain and all. Her father brought it home after a large hunt and she was the only one brave enough to eat it amoungst her large family.

9. Describe the way that they sleep. She sprawls out across her mattress, drools a lot, kicks, punches, mutters, the whole shabang.

10. What is their favorite food/kind of food? She enjoys a lot of meat and a lot of sweet things. Mostly sweet things. She can make a bakery hide in shame.

11. What do they feel most insecure about? She tends to feel a little bad about her weight. Like I mentioned, she loved sweet things, so she would feel a little bad about herself if her armor had to be reforged. Also her anger issues. She’s brash and aggressive and sassy, so he doesn’t like it if people jump to conclusions and think she’s just an asshole all the time (like some anons out there, I wonder who they are :o )

12. How do they like to dress? Long clothes, even in the heat. Fuck Lestallum’s officers asking and begging her to change into shorts or something. Long clothes are life. She also has some clothes that are hide and fur. She has a nice cloak made of white coeurl fur and bleached behemoth hide she likes to wear.

13. How do they react to feelings of guilt? She stays quiet and lulls over what made her feel guilty. She stays in the darkest and coldest armor she can put on, especially her helm.

14. How do they react to/deal with betrayal? She gets pissed. She will smash apart anything she can get her hands on and smash anything apart. She screams, roars, and growls while breaking down into a pit of tears.

15. What is their greatest achievement? She became the general of her village’s army, always leading her people on hunts and forages.

16. What are they like when they’ve gotten too little sleep? Grumpy and will sleep anywhere. Even on the backside of a Magi-tek engine. The stereotypical black circles show up on her eyes and the grumpiness literally is written on her face in tired wrinkles. 

17. What are they like when they’re drunk? She spills the whole entire factory of beans. You wanna know everything but magically didn’t say a word? Veil will become that old viking who tells you the whole tales of woe. She also slurs and finds fake trees sad.

18. What kind of music do they enjoy? Viking music and metal music.

19. Are they right or left handed? Ambidextrous.

20. Fears? Bugs, uncontrolled fire, dolls, some supernatural creatures i.e. werewolves.

21. Favorite kind of weather? Snow.

22. Favorite color? Icy colors.

23. Do they collect anything? Armor and weapons. She also somehow accumulated a whole stash of teeth from kills.

24. Do they prefer either hot or cold weather more? Cold. She despises the heat.

25. What is their eye color? They change between gray and hazel.

26. What is their race/ethnicity? Northern European.

27. Hair color? Dyed a light lilac.

28. Are they happy where they are currently? Yes.

29. Are they a morning person? No, Veil likes afternoon where everything is alive.

30. Sunrise or sunset? Sunset, because she anticipates the next day.

31. Are they more messy or more organized? Messy, but that is how she stays organized. Whatever she needs, it magically surfaces.

32. Pet peeves? People who get on her about her accent (she gained an accent from talking to an amature jeweler), perfectionists, those who click their gauntlets against metal, people who don’t wash off blood from kills.

33. Do they own any objects of significant personal importance? Her battleaxe she recieved from the elder before he died.

34. Least favorite food? Anything with fish (for the exception of shrimp and prawns).

35. Least favorite color? Pink and yellow.

36. Least favorite smell? Animal feces.

37. When was the last time they cried? During the funeral of the village elder. She had to burn him herself because she was asked.

38. Were they with anybody the last time they cried? The whole village of course.

39. Tell us about one of the times they got injured? She decided to do a local hunt that was closest to the village. Her village never communicates with the outside world, so she basically is the most modern. She decided to take on a quest that had the most amount of gil which turned out to be three behemoths. As she killed the smallest ones, the largest one manages to scratch open her cheek when her helm feel off. She almost went blind in her left eyes.

40. Do they have any scars? Obviously, the scratch marks from the behemoth. It goes from tthe right side of her nose to the lower half of her neck with another claw mark going under her chin and merging in. Otherwise she has brn marks from when her skin came into contact with heated objects or simply dropping a torch on herself or small scratches from hunts or fights.

41. Do they struggle with any mental health issues? Anxiety and psychosis depression.

42. Do they have any bad habits? She bites on her knuckles a lot.

43. Why might someone dislike them? She’s brash and can come off as rude.

44. Why might someone love them? She’s really cuddly and sweet to those that don’t piss her off.

45. Do they believe in ghosts? Yes.

46. Is there anyone they would trust with their lives? The elder, but he’s dead.

47. Are they romantically interested in anyone? No, but she wants to be.

48. Are they dating/married to anyone? No, but she wouldn’t mind.

49. Do they like surprises? Depends on the surprise. A festival? Yeah. Her mother dying from a werewolf attack? Not really.

50. When is their birthday? June 21, the summer solstice.

51. How do they usually celebrate their birthday? A festival is always thrown on someone’s birthday. For hers, since it is in summer, it celebrated by the whole village setting oil drenched metal suns on fire, a lot of firey objects, and a lot of meat.

52. Do they have any family? A deceased mother, a paranoid father who was thrown in jail for being thought of as a werewolf, nine brothers (in order of age: Valdus - 22, Farkas - 19, Mass - 18, Bjor & Reger - 17, Halvard & Halvdan - 16, Kilmar - 15, Alois - 10) and six sisters (in order of age: Veil - 23, Adelaide - 19, Leandra - 18, Selda - 17, Hildred & Gladys - 15 and Blondine - 10). Don’t get me started on the amount of aunts and uncles and cousins she has. She is the oldest sibling.

53. Are they close to their family? Yes. Mainly with her younger sister Adelaide.

54. What is their MBTI type? INFP -  Idealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them.

55. What is their zodiac sign? Gemini - The Twins.

56. What Hogwarts House would they be in? Gryffindor.

57. What D&D alignment are they? Chaotic Good

58. Do they ever have nightmares? If so, what about? Yes. It is about an attack on the village when she is not there or finding out that something slaughtered her family.

59. What are their views on death? She sees it as a place to either stay in the clouds and drink mead all day or to start over.

60. What is something that they’re sure to laugh at? Aimals doing something adorable.

61. When bored, how do they pass time? She plays with the fingers of her gauntlets or runs her fingers along the horns of her helm. Sometimes she hums songs under her breath.

62. Do they enjoy being outside? Yes.

63. Do they have an accent? She has a mix between a New England accent and a Norse accent. It sounds good actually.

64. Upon seeing a slice of chocolate cake, what is their first reaction? If it’s someone else’s, she’ll leave it alone. But if it a sibling’s or a cousin’s, fair game.

65. If they knew they were going to die, what would they do/say? She’ll take it on head first.

66. How do they feel about sex? She doesn’t care much about it, mainly because she doesn’t think about it. If it happens, it happens.

67. What is their sexuality? Pansexual - The sexual attraction to a person of any sex or gender.

68. Do they become squeamish at the sight of blood? No.

69. Is there anything that they find really gross? Flatuence and vomit.

70. Which TV Trope(s) best describes them? Jerk With A Heart Of Gold One Woman Army Deadpan Snarker Big Sister Badass Girl

71. Do they enjoy helping people? Very much.

72. Are they allergic to anything? Cinnamon (rip), pollen, dandelions, dogs.

73. Do they have a pet? A pigmy goat named Lítill Fótr (Little Foot)

74. Are they quick to anger? What are they like when they loose their temper? Very.

75. How patient are they? It depends on the subject

76. Are they good at cooking? Very.

77. Favorite insult? Do they insult people often? ‘You’re the biggest person here, bitch!’ “I thought I was, until you walked in with that nose of yours.” Or “You remind me of one of those Russian dolls: You’re full of yourself.”

78. How do they act when they’re particularly happy? She’s kinder and always has a small smile on her face.

79. What do they do when they learn about other people’s fears? If it is her family, she will go through everything to use it against them. If it is someone else, she will do everything in her power to protect them from their fear.

80. Are they trustworthy? Very.

81. Do they try to hide their emotions? Are they good at it? It depends. If she’s pissed, curious or depressed it shows. Everything else it barely shows.

82. Do they exercise regularly? The only exercise she gets is when she goes on hunts. Otherwise, she’s lazy.

83. Are they comfortable with the way they look? Mostly, until you get to her height (5 feet) and her stomach & waist region.

84. What are some physical features that they find attractive on people? Height (tallness). Strong jawlines. Big hands.

85. What kind of personalities do they find attractive? Brash yet kind.

86. Do they like sweet foods? VERY MUCH!

87. What is their age? 23 years olds.

88. Are they tall or short or somewhere in between? Short.

89. Do they wear glasses or contacts? None.

90. Do they consider themselves attractive? She finds herself at least 75% attractive.

91. What is their sense of humor like? She uses truth in her humor unless it comes to insults.

92. What mood are they most often in? Mellow.

93. What kinds of things anger them? Some outsiders, those who try to steal from her, picking on her and her family, bringing up her parents, etc.

94. Outlook on life? You focus on yourself first, then worry about others. It can be a cruel place if you do’t figure things out first.

95. What kind of things make them sad/depressed? War, death to those who didn’t deserve it, plaugues.

96. What is their greatest weakness? Paranoia.

97. What is their greatest strength? Loyalty.

98. Something that they regret? Not being at home when her mother was slaughtered.

99. Biggest accomplishment? Becoming the general of the village’s army.

100. Create your own! - What does she look like? 5 feet tall, chubby, long and messy lilac dyed hair that goes past her waist, sharp gray/hazel eyes, a small nose, plush pale pink lips, thick eyebrows, broad shoulders, big breasts, pale olive skin, small ears, thick legs, small feet (about a size 6), a tattoo of Shiva on her back, a nice-sized booty.

[inu-jiru]

Erro Dreemurr

(Template by HarmonyParty on DeviantArt)

~BASIC INFO~

 Name: Erro Dreemurr (Pronounced like “Arrow”)

 Nickname: Airhead (by bullies), Little Rascal (by his parents), Curly Top (by Sans), Punk (by Undyne), and Small Asgore Clone (by Papyrus).

 Gender: Male

 Age: 7, in human years.

 Species/What Are They: Boss Monster

Soul (Color): White

 Sexuality: Straight

 ~BATTLE INFO~

 Atc: 8

 Def: 4

 Exp: 64

 LV: 1

 HP: 104

  Weapons: He has an old dagger given to him by Undyne (ONLY for emergencies, she warned him), and a slingshot.

 Powers/Attacks: He has the same fireball attacks as his parents and Asriel. He tends to combine his fireball attacks with his slingshot, using them as ammo when he fights. He also uses his dagger as a makeshift sword. He has a special magic spell that conjures up a magic-made dagger similar to his own that he gives to his opponent in order to have a fair fight.

 Fighting Style: He takes inspiration from Robin Hood, and it shows in his fighting style. Robin Hood was a master swordsman and archer, so he mimics the attacks of someone fighting with a sword. Since he isn’t allowed to have a bow, he uses his slingshot to launch fire attacks at his opponent.

 ~RELATIONSHIP INFO~

 Friends With: His closest friends are a band of monster children born after the Barrier broke. He calls them his band of “Merry Monsters”.

 Neutral With: Most humans. Frisk and Chara are the only humans he likes.

 Enemies With: A small group of human bullies at his mother’s school.

 Family: Asgore (Father), Toriel (Mother), Asriel (Older Brother), Chara and Frisk (Adopted Older Siblings).

 Crush(es): None.

 Single, Taken, Or Talking (If the last two, with who): Single.

 ~PERSONALITY~

 Personality Towards Humans: Aside from Frisk and Chara (and to a lesser extent, the human teachers at his school), he does not like humans very much. This is because of what he’s been told about the war, as well as the fact that he’s constantly harassed by human bullies at school. Because of this, he’ll either just ignore their presence, or be really supicious of them if they engage in conversation. His parents have tried to convince him that humans and monsters are equals, but it hasn’t helped.

 Personality Towards Strangers: See above for human strangers. For monster strangers, he’ll typically stay away unless he absolutely needs to interact with them for whatever reason. Most times, he’s in his own world, so he’d come off as odd to people who don’t know him.

 Personality Towards Friends: With his band of Merry Monsters, he acts very confident, putting on his persona as a ringleader to their shenanigans. He can come off as bossy at times, and sometimes his friends can be overwhelmed by his overzealous attitude.

 Strengths: Erro’s strengths are his athleticism, his offensive capabilities, his bravery, his understanding of right and wrong, and his sense of honor.

 Weaknesses: Erro’s weaknesses are his youth and inexperience, his defensive capabilities, a lack of any sort of strategy when fighting, a short attention span, and his naivety.  

 Flaws: Erro’s ultimate flaws are his mischievous behavior and overall disregard for rules, his lack of understanding as to why violence is a inherently a bad thing, his prejudice and mistrust of humans, and an ego that tends to get him in trouble. He also only sees things in black and white, so he doesn’t understand just how complex morality can be.

 Likes: He likes stories, especially ones of adventure and action (the stories of Robin Hood are his absolute favorite). He likes sweets, especially marshmallows (he has his own secret stash of him hidden under his bed. He likes to help Toriel cook sometimes (even if she only lets him do boring jobs like mixing batter), and he often gardens with Asgore (he plants Venus Fly Traps because they’re cool). He likes puns, and action-oriented anime, although he “ironically” watches Mew Mew Kissing Cutie from time to time. In fact, he “ironically” enjoys a lot of things one would consider “girly”. He especially likes the outdoors and any activity associated with it. He enjoys spending time with his “Aunt” Undyne so she can teach him some basic fighting skills (nothing too serious; Toriel won’t allow it).

 Dislikes: His hair can be irritating at times, since he has to keep blowing it out of his face to see (although he sees it as “his style”, so he won’t let it be cut). He hates bullies and anyone fitting the stereotypically “evil” label. He hates vegetables and Papyrus’ spaghetti (he’ll do anything to get out of eating it). Being lectured annoys him, as well (unfortunately, he goes through that a lot). Lastly, he can’t stand rain, only because his parents refuse to let him go out when it happens.

 Fears: He fears that humans will attack the monsters again someday, sealing them away like they did in the past. He also has a fear of losing someone he cares about to someone cruel and evil. Being alone makes him nervous as well. A minor fear of his is spiders (he’s no longer allowed in Muffet’s bakery for this reason).

 ~APPEARANCE~

 Eye Color: Erro has blue eyes.

 Clothes: His clothes are based off a medieval style, with a Lincoln Green tunic, and dark brown pants. He wears a rope belt around his waist, which is where he keeps his dagger and slingshot. A black delta rune is printed on the back of his tunic.

 Hair: Erro has short, curly, blond hair that covers his face.

 Skin: The skin under Erro’s fur is a soft, fleshy color.

 Other: Erro has abnormally long fangs, and despite being as younger than Asriel, his horns have started to grow in. His ears aren’t floppy like the rest of his family, but are similar in shape to an Angora goat’s ears.

 ~OTHER INFO~

 Alignment: Chaotic Good

 Goals/Purpose: His ultimate goal is to be a true hero and warrior, like Undyne. Unfortunately, he focuses too much on the violence aspect rather than actual justice.

 Job: None, although he does want to do something hero-related in the future.

 Items: His dagger and wooden slingshot. He sometimes carries some marshmallows on his person.

  ~BACKSTORY~

 Backstory: Erro’s story begins a few years after the Barrier broke. Asgore and Toriel, after months of gradually growing closer after their time apart, finally decided to rekindle their old marriage, living together with Frisk as their child. Not long after that Asriel and Chara were restored to their former selves, and the Dreemurr family was back to what it once was. But one day, Toriel and Asgore broke the news to their friends and family: Toriel was pregnant. After nine months, a healthy baby boy was born, Erro Dreemurr.

 Erro’s first years were peaceful, being part of the new generation of monsters born in freedom. He was taught the history of the monsters, although the darker moments were often skipped over. Knowing how much monsters were hurt by humans, Erro gained a distrust for most of them. It didn’t help that a lot of humans acted antagonistic towards monsters because they were monsters. Despite that, he found a lot of their culture interesting, like Robin Hood, which influenced him to take an interest in heroism and justice. He wanted to be a hero and protect the innocent, like the heroes in his stories. He went to Undyne, who he idolized greatly for her history as the Captain of his father’s Royal Guard, and asked her to train him. Undyne agreed, but she taught him only the basics, knowing how upset Toriel would be if she taught her son to be a killer, or caused the boy to get hurt.

 As Erro grew older, he began acting out his heroic persona in public, acting as a warrior who’d beat up bad guy he came across. This led him to have many fights with the local bullies. While the other children idolized him for his bravery, Toriel and Asgore didn’t approve of his impulsive and violent behavior. Erro wasn’t sure why; he was only trying to be helpful. He didn’t understand what it meant to solve his problems in a pacifistic way. So Toriel and Asgore tried to turn his interests elsewhere, with baking or gardening. They have helped a little, but Erro was still set in his ways. Currently, he’s still a rambunctious, wannabe-hero, although he has more outlets to channel his energy than he used to. But he still has a lot to learn, and a lot of growing up to do.

[sadrien]

wanna chat? pt. 14

on ao3 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

i got my harry potter nerd on for this chapter, mostly because i wanted to write and didn't know what to write about

also, i'm glad you all liked the previous chapter <3

dipshit = adrien fergie = alya no = nino dancing queen = mari

enjoy~

16:30

fergie: its 2 quiet in here time for the #discourse

no: no

fergie: shit im blanking i need a topiC @the babs: someone pls

no: i refuse to support this

dipshit: Anything?

fergie: yes

dipshit: Ok give me a second

no: fuck dude i just wanted a day of chill

fergie: babe with friends like us thats just not possible

dancing queen: What are we doing??

dipshit: Hogwarts house discourse Go

no: i cant believe i have to break up with you

fergie renamed this conversation to “hogwarts house discourse”.

dancing queen: Oh no

fergie: alright alright alright adrien = puff mari = puff nino = puff

dipshit: How do you figure

no: uhhh

dancing queen: Sorry al that seems wrong

dancing queen: oh it is it definitely is but ur all sweet enough for hufflepuff and loyal and we all eat too much food hmmm realistic one… adrien = puff mari = snake nino = raven mayb

dipshit: Make Mari Gryffindor and I’ll agree with you

fergie: whaaaaaat our girl is ambitious aF theres no way

dipshit: But she’s also a really strong leader and incredibly brave

dancing queen: If were arguing over anyone Id say adrien should be a gryffindor Oh wait maybe ravneclaw???? Hes super smart Shit this is really hard? He could be in three???

no: the fuck i was thinking slytherin actually

fergie: ???

dancing queen: ???????

no: listen my dudes the hat takes what you want into consideration right? it does it for harry anyway

fergie: what does this have to do with marshmallow being a snake which is just not accurate

no: im getting there

dipshit: Are we going by stereotypes or nah

dancing queen: Nah The stereotypes suck

no: im just saying theres no fucking way if we were wizards teh agrestes wouldnt be pure bloods and gabriel would be classic fucking slytherin

dancing queen: Ok Ill agree with that

fergie: mhmmmm

dipshit: I wouldn’t say that

no: bro even if you arent going off stereotypes your old man is probably the mos t ambitious perosn ive ever met like scary mari is almost as scary

dancing queen: Hey!!!!!!

fergie: so sorting hat

no has changed their name to sorting hat.

sorting hat: sup

fergie: are u saying adrien would ASK 2 b slytherin

sorting hat: well yeah yeah i am 

fergie: …………… i did not consider

sorting hat: i know you didnt

dancing queen: First of all since we cant decide and Im getting mixed answers from online quizzes

dancing queen has changed their name to lion snake.

lion snake: Second of all doesnt the hat also base it off of what you value the most??

dipshit: Lion snake? Like a chimera?

fergie: nerd

dipshit: Actually the chimera also has a goat ignore me

sorting hat: what the fuck

dipshit: Greek mythology

fergie: u kno what i dont wanna kno

dipshit: Anyway back to this

sorting hat: oh yeah anywa yeah the hat does but adrien wanting to please his dad might overrule that idk my dude jk didnt exactly lay ou t the rules of this super great

fergie: jk needs to c h i l l and ye each of the golden trio couldve ended up in at least one other house

dipshit: That would’ve been cool Also I don’t think I try to please my dad that much

fergie: oh sweetheart

sorting hat: dude

lion snake: Adrien you really really do

dipshit: Really?

fergie has changed their name to adriens legal guardian.

adriens legal guardian: someone needs to take care of you

dipshit: I promise I’m fine I’ve got Nathalie

sorting hat: does nathalie give you hugs

dipshit: No? Why is that relevant?

adriens legal guardian: SHE DOESNT COUNT THEN #HUGADRIENAGRESTE2K17

adriens legal guardian has changed their name to i love adrien.

i love adrien: turn on ur location agreste

dipshit: Please know that’s actually kind of creepy I’m at home you don’t have to worry about location

i love adrien: hella

sorting hat: alya chill out with the name chagnes also now im gonna be confuse d

i love adrien: i love him too but truuuuu

dipshit: ????

i love adrien: can i change it

sorting hat: last time for today??

i love adrien: ilysm

i love adrien has changed their name to cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub

dipshit: I have a fanclub? Wait that wasn’t the smartest thing to say

lion snake: Its a good thing youre cute

dipshit: I try to ignore them

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: have u ever been on the official insta of the fanclub bc its hilarious and beautiful

dipshit: …. Alya why

sorting hat: oh we totally googled you

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: mhm

lion snake: ^^^^

dipshit: That’s…..nice of you?

lion snake: Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable omg

dipshit: It’s just? Kinda weird?? I don’t mind and I probably should’ve expected it I just forget sometimes that that’s a thing people can/will do

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: adri if it makes u feel any better i google everyone ive googled everyone in this chat in our class their parents ymself random strangers if im able to

sorting hat: that is not surprising at all

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: ur not special i mean u r ur v special to me and ilysm but not here everyone gets googled and twitter stalked also tell whoevers running ur official accounts to be less lame idc about salad u eat

dipshit: What????

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: ur social media is B O R I N G i kno u dont run it but i still expected more memes

dipshit: Honestly I don’t look at it

sorting hat: its like the person we thought you were when we first met you except more boring

lion snake: Ok no thats not true Because I thought he was an asshole

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: oh shit tru

dipshit: Ahhhh yeah sorry about that

lion snake: Its fine I promise!!! Weve talked about this Its like Super perfect adn model-y and professional andnot  at all a teenage loser who stayed up until 2 watching sailor moon and eating doritos

sorting hat: fucking relatable

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: weebs

sorting hat: yo youre the one who decided to date some

lion snake: Hey Ive never asked Adrien do you have unofficial personal social media???

dipshit: ……………………. Shhhhhh

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: WHAAAAAAAT LINKS LINK S LINKS LINSK

dipshit: I have a tumblr but that’s it

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: oh my go d this weekend  we get 2gether adn make adrien all the social media and we revamp his tumblr bc ur theme sucks

dipshit: ???? You’ve never even seen it???

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: i know it does marsh !!!!!!!! can u imagine if lb and cn had social media!!!!! id c r y

PM between dipshit and lion snake

dipshit: P l e a s e

lion snake: Oh my og d

dipshit: Please please please please please please please plEASE

lion snake: HOld on!!! Im discussing with tikki

dipshit: Plagg says he doesn’t care what we do

lion snake: Yeah we arent trusting him

dipshit: Fair enough WHAT IF I CAN GET SNAPCHAT ON MY BATON A LITERAL SNAPCHAT

lion snake: No Just because of that No

dipshit: Pleaaaaaseeeeeeeee My lady it’ll be great I swear

lion snake: U gh Well talk on it on patrol tonight k??

dipshit: YES!!!!

19:05 in hogwarts house discourse

sorting hat: i know weve moved on but man. fuck snape

 20:12

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: do u think if i track down lb and cn and ask them for their hogwarts houses theyll tell me

sorting hat: worth a shot?

 20:42

cochairman of adrien agreste fanclub: update: chat says ladybg is a gryffindor and lb says shes iether that or slytherin so like mari and they cant agree on cn

 22:53

sorting hat: damn you adrien i cant stop thinking about this what is mari?? what is adrien??? what am i?? al youre either gryffindor or ravenclaw ive decided

lion snake: Youre the sorting hat shouldnt you know all???

sorting hat: bruh we need the actual sorting hat for this

lion snake: Fair enough

sorting hat: lets say adrien is a hatstall and move on

3:03

PM between dipshit and lion snake

dipshit: Rise and shine bugaboo Akuma at 3 o’clock Literally 3 o’clock the time not the like If you’re using 12, 3, 6, and 9 as directions It’s not You know what My tracker on my baton is turned on so use that to find me

 3:08

dipshit: Mari Mari Alright plan b I’m gonna call  you and if you don’t pick up I’m going to show up on your balcony Which sounds creepy but also this akuma is now stacking cars and I don’t really know what to do? They aren’t even trying to do anything else right now Am I missing something??? I’m confused

 3:12

lion snake has changed their name to ahHHH

ahHHH: IM SO SORRY Tikki woke me up my phone was muted She says Waitw e dont hav etime for this Ive gotta transform so Ill talk to you when I get there??

dipshit: It’s fine just watching an akuma build a tower out of cars Remind me to show you how to sync Skype up to your yoyo

ahHHH: Youre on skype on your baton??

dipshit: Yeah it makes things easier

ahHHH: Huh Al and nino didnt wake up?

dipshit: I think the akumas too far away for them to hear, but also it’s not exactly being distructive When we actually start fighting people might start waking up but for now it’s being pretty quiet even with the car stacking

ahHHH: Well thats good they need their sleep Wait if the akuma was quiet how did you know??

dipshit: People started posting to the Ladyblog forums and I had that open in another tab

ahHHH: ???/ Why were you up????

dipshit: Bad night I couldn’t sleep so I put on Howl’s Moving Castle

ahHHH: Feeling any better?

dipshit: I’m sure I’ll feel better when I see you :3

ahHHH: Oh myg do Itst oo early for this Ill see you in fa few just stop that cat face

dipshit: ;3

[theemichelleb]

I am a Black Woman

From the diary of a black woman…

Yes… I know I haven’t posted in a while….

For that I’m sorry.

What happened you ask?

If I could answer that question maybe it wouldn’t have happened.

Moment of transparency and pure honesty… Sometimes it’s hard.

I hit a wall of sorts. It hasn’t happened in a while, but this isn’t the first time I’ve hit this wall. It’s a mixture of an anxiety episode and insecure feelings of not being enough, which is also a side effect of fearfulness and uncertainty.

I am a 28 year old black woman, searching for my purpose, longing to belong somewhere, and struggling with “what’s next”. I’m always responsible and always handle what has to be handled. Fortunately, I’m a functioning individual that struggles with anxiety, I thank God for that trait everyday because I know some women that aren’t so fortunate… just in case one of them is reading this, I love you and I understand your struggle. Remember you are not alone.

That goes for any men reading this that have this struggle too, I understand and I love you… don’t give up.

I’m sure some people will read this and think, “she’s so brave for sharing.”

Others will read and think, “wow, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one that goes through that.”

And a few people may even think, “I’ll never understand how somebody can, blah blah blah.”

My anxiety is actually skyrocketing as I’m writing this, but it needs to be written for personal reasons. I’m sure I’ll experience another surge of anxiety when I try to post this… if I actually go through with posting, know I’m proud of myself… even if you aren’t proud of me.

Somebody once asked me what it was like to experience anxiety because they couldn’t grasp worrying about something that hadn’t yet happened, it didn’t “make sense” to them. I’ve heard that so many times… I’ve been judged more times than I can remember, even by people that suffer from it as well but can’t understand my specific struggle with it.

What I hate most… when somebody says, “just don’t think about it like that.” If it were that easy, I’d choose to not suffer from it at all.

It’s not that easy…

I feel I have a unique situation when it comes to this. I am a very logical person. Logically, it makes no sense to be worried about what has yet to come or the mysteries of the future. Maybe my logical side is what makes me functioning in the midst of a mental storm. My emotional side goes off the deep end, however.

My current emotional state is stuck in a “limbo” where I’m acknowledging my success up to this point, evaluating what/why I can’t seem to take the next step to do whatever it is I’m trying to do, and questioning where I’m going… what exactly am I trying to do? I currently have no idea what my destination is. On top of those feelings I’m also terrified of “new” things in my life that I’m still learning. Trying to find a new balance after just finding it in my previous circumstance. Things that are taking me into uncharted areas of life and cause a sense of instability because of the unknown. Nothing bad, but I don’t necessarily do well without control… side effects of unspoken past experiences.

I’ve always viewed my tears as a symbol of failure and weakness. I must teach myself they are more of a release than a disease.

Why that’s important? I can’t always explain them, nor can I control the magnitude to which they flow. Sometimes I feel a weight so heavy on my heart that it feels like my brain can’t breathe. Sometimes… it comes out of thin air. Other times, it comes from minuscule situations that are out of my control and don’t even make sense to me why they cause such a battle within myself.

When I was younger, my anxiety felt like I was sitting in the middle of the street suffocating and nobody could see me…

It comes in waves. I can be perfectly fine at the height of a happy moment, and an immediate shift can come out of no where. Something small because of worry, that small worry develops into an expansive doubt, that expansive doubt then turns into an insatiable feeling of impossibility. That impossible idea then turns into fighting to get out of the bed to go to work or going out with friends… even essentials like eating or drinking enough water for the day. It may be small to you, but who made you God?

This actually seems cliche to me, because I feel I’ve seen posts like this so many times before, but don’t forget to check on your “strong” friend. Sometimes their strength isn’t quite as unbreakable as you may think it is.

I am an observer… I watch and react based off what I have witnessed. In my mind, if you don’t notice, I’m not important enough for you to pay attention to. There are more people that think like me… don’t forget those friends. They need you more than ever.

A very special person recently told me I didn’t need to prove anything, but I am a 28 year old black woman in a world created for my destruction and the destruction of my people… I have to prove everything.

I’m a black woman… we aren’t allowed to cave or break down or lose our footing… there are too many people depending on us.

That’s what we hear anyway… And it’s BS.

That truth alone takes my mind through the ringer a million times a day. Proving millennials aren’t lazy and they are loyal. Proving I can do whatever I put my mind to. Proving I can do my work 10 x better than the person next to me so I’m not overlooked for the next opportunity. Proving to myself I’m worth everything God promised me. Proving to my loved ones I can be okay just like “normal” people. Proving my sex and race don’t define me based on the societal stereotypes that run this world. Proving I’m comfortable in my skin even when I don’t fully understand the complexity of my skin. Proving… proving… proving.

Always proving…

I haven’t posted because I’ve hit writer’s block in proving to myself I am actually a writer and people care what I have to say.

Before you say it… should it matter? No… But does it matter? Absolutely.

Stop asking the question that’s obvious to you and ask the one that makes you uncomfortable because you don’t understand it. Stop putting people like me into a box that you fit into, because we can’t conform to your box and understand your logic. Be supportive… that’s what your friend like me needs today… a friend.

Don’t judge me…

I’m human, too.

P.S. Thanks to J for encouraging me and always being who she is to me. My best friend is definitely the GOAT.

[billwells3]

Do Something Different this Year with our Holiday Gift Guide

browse www.transfs.com site for more advice on financing 

No reason to give the same boring gifts this year. Our holiday gift guide offers creative and inexpensive gift ideas that your friends and family will love.

Christmas is right around the corner. Do you have all of your gift shopping done yet?

If you’re anything like me, the answer is no. This isn’t because I’m a procrastinator, though. It’s because I would prefer to give a gift that’s unique and has meaning instead of some stereotypical consumer item that will probably wind up in the Goodwill pile at some point.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of ideas, so that you can change the way you give gifts this holiday season. Some will save you money, and some will be incredibly useful. Others will give you (and your recipient) a warm fuzzy feeling inside, which rivals that of any mug of hot cocoa.

Get out your gift-giving lists, and let’s get started!

Charitable Giving

There are some wonderful opportunities to do good while also giving to your friends and loved ones. Regardless of your budget, you can make charitable causes part of your family’s holiday season.

You can donate to one of your favorite causes, or one which aligns with the interests of the recipient. No matter which you choose, there are simple ways to make a doubly-impactful gift this holiday season.

Buy holiday cards that support your charity of choice

If you’re going to buy cards this year anyway, why not see if your favorite charity has anything to offer? Not only do you show your support, but you may find interesting, unique cards that stand out.

Children’s Art Project (from MD Anderson) offers various items, including holiday cards, that feature their young patients’ art. This gives kids a way to showcase their designs. And net proceeds from sales help to fund the hospital’s pediatric programs.

Holiday Card Center has a stunning array of cards in various designs. They partner up with a number of non-profit organizations, such as the American Humane Society. About 10% of the cost of each box goes to the charity.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation will actually personalize and mail cards out for you, if you wish to make a gift on someone else’s behalf. You can also order blank cards and send them yourself. Or send an e-card to let someone know you made a donation in their name.

The American Diabetes Association lets you personalize cards regardless of whether you are making a gift donation as well.

Buy gifts that provide a percentage to charity

Know someone who loves the water? Oceana has some really cool t-shirts and apparel. As much as 25% of the proceeds benefit their charity.

Sierra Club offers two gorgeous gift-boxed calendars, note card sets, and even books for the nature/scenery lover in your life.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has a great offering of apparel, office accessories, and even water bottles that benefit the foundation. Between 35-50% of the purchase price goes to the cause.

UNICEF has a store full of interesting, international gifts, including candles, journals, and books.

A cancer survivor or supporter might enjoy jewelry, clothing, or a tote bag from the American Cancer Society Gift Shop.

Donate to charity as a gift

Oceana offers a holiday adopt-a-creature program. For $30, you can adopt a sea turtle, seal, or one of 16 other sea creatures. You’ll receive a cookie cutter in the shape of that creature and a special sugar cookie recipe. Spend a little more, and you’ll receive a cute plush of that animal, too. It’s a nice way to donate while still having a fun gift for the recipient to open and enjoy.

Oxfam America offers you the unique opportunity to present your friends and family with the donation of a sheep, goat, or even a toilet. Wait, what? With Oxfam, your funds help provide necessities to growing, impoverished communities worldwide. Then, choose from a number of humorous, fun cards to give to your recipient, telling them about the gift made in their honor. How else could you possibly gift wrap a camel?

Heifer International also donates livestock to countries in need. You can choose from a variety of animals, including a water buffalo for $250.

American Forests lets you plant trees in the name of a loved one for $1 a tree.

Alternative Gifts International offers truly impactful gifts of food, shelter, trees, gardens, and medicines to those in need around the world.

Not sure what charity would be most fitting? JustGive.org sells gift certificates recipients can redeem for any of 1,000,000 charities and nonprofit organizations.

Go Clutter-Free

Another unique holiday gift option if you want to avoid waste is to buy clutter-free gifts. These can be in the form of experiences or consumables. I usually opt to do both. In fact, in my family, we’ve opted to buy “experiences, not things” for our primary gifts to one another. Then we buy useful (consumable) items for stocking stuffers.

While experiences are great gifts that bring memories for years, consumables give you something to open and enjoy Christmas morning.

Eat, Drink, Be Merry

Unclutterer.com has some nice suggestions for theme-based consumable gift collections, such as bulbs and seeds for a gardener, spice collections for someone who enjoys cooking, and the always-popular bath sundries collection for anyone who enjoys self-pampering. There’s even a very utilitarian garage-themed collection idea with motor oil, work gloves, etc.

My tastes run a bit more colorful. I believe the holidays provide a great chance to give premium consumables, little luxuries life might not otherwise afford us.

My favorite food and drink gifts include:

Aged Balsamic Vinegar – It’s a surprisingly flexible gift, suitable for everything from salad dressings and bread dips (include some fresh loaves of bread for an irresistible gift basket), to marinades and even as a topping for ice cream. There are a range of prices and qualities available. You could even print out some relevant recipes and include them, too!

Wine–It’s even better when paired with a gift certificate to a BYOB restaurant and maybe a cute tote. But there’s so much you can do with wine gifts. Give a nice bottle you’ve tried and enjoyed, different vintages of the same wine, or a selection of bottles from a region with accompanying reading material on that region’s wines. These can all make a memorable gift. You can find nice, well-rated wines for less than $20 a bottle. Wine Club memberships are wonderful, too, if you have the budget.

Say Cheese!–Last year, one of the best gifts I got was a stylish, reusable tote filled with a variety of fine imported cheeses, candied nuts, and crackers. Food gifts made for sharing are perfect for holiday entertaining. Plenty of places out there sell pre-assembled gift baskets. But I think the best approach is to find a local cheese shop or market and try things out yourself. Add fresh or dried fruit and nuts, and you can make your own extravagant gift for much less than you’d pay at Harry and David or Williams-Sonoma.

Sweets–Who doesn’t love a little indulgence? Last year, I gave my father-in-law a set of dark chocolate bars made from cocoa beans from different countries, for a comparative tasting. Homemade cookies or cakes are always appreciated, and can provide a more economical gift alternative. I’m also partial to Dutch candy for a fun and inexpensive gift.

Citrus Fruit–Sweeter than candy, the juice from Temple oranges is a rare treat in the cold winter months. I order them now for delivery January through March from Nokomis Groves. You could make a fabulous gift basket around a citrus gift (think breakfast kit), or let its sunny glory stand alone.

Salumis, Seafood, and Special Meats–Salami, bacon, prosciutto, ham, smoked turkey, scallops, salmon… whether you spend a lot for a fine imported meat or seafood product or assemble your own basket from a local specialty shop, there’s much to choose from.

You may be seeking truffles from France or salumis from Italy. Either way, finding a great source is key. If you can’t find these imported items at a local market, you can find them at a markup at places like Dean & Deluca. You can also try your luck finding better deals and culinary rarities at sites like eFood Depot, Gustiamo (Italian), La Tienda (Spanish), and French Feast.

Amazon has a great collection of gift baskets worth checking out. You can also take a look at Food411’s Holiday Picks or browse Sur la Table for more inspired gift ideas.

Spoil Someone

If food isn’t your ideal gift (or you’re unsure whether the recipient has dietary concerns), you can always opt to pamper them.

Soap and Bath Products–Soaps make for a great gift basket but are easily used up, so they don’t contribute to clutter. One of my friends makes her own fantastic-smelling, all-natural olive oil soap and bath products. She had a home show this year where I bought soaps for just about everyone I know. I tried to select scents each individual will love. It should be fun to see how accurate I was predicting their fragrance preferences. And anything I don’t give away, I’ll just use up myself.

Massages, Pedicures, and Spa Treatments–Beauty supplies are a clear winner when combined with gift certificates for massages, pedicures, facials, and other spa treatments. In my book, there’s no such thing as too many massages, and it’s nice to look forward to some luxury. Pick a local spa, or visit SpaWish.com for a gift certificate good at over 1,000 day spas across the nation.

eSubscriptions, Media, and Content–With all the interesting videos, music, games, and books available via iTunes, it’s hard to imagine anyone not appreciating an iTunes Gift Card. I’ve heard great things about Audible.com, as well. Their electronic book and programming subscriptions start as low as $7.49 a month for the first three months with the AudibleListener program.

The Gift of More Time–Take a page from Tim Ferriss’ book The Four Hour Workweek and help someone “outsource” time-consuming or unpleasant tasks. Whether you supply a bevy of homemade frozen meals or set up a running engagement with a personal chef, your gift will directly benefit the recipient’s quality of life. Maid service, child care, and gardening or landscaping services are gifts they’ll remember all year. Plus, they can be accomplished by hiring out or (more economically) by helping out and doing it yourself.

Make Something With Love

Homemade gifts can be so much more than the sum of their parts, which makes them a great frugal gift option. They are redolent of effort, of “I thought of you all year and worked on this for you.” This is a nice contrast to “I realized I needed a gift for you ten minutes ago and picked this up as I was driving here.”

MoneySavingMom has an extensive collection of frugal gift ideas. Some of my favorite homemade gifts from her list include:

Homemade baking mixes

Embroidered pillowcases

Hand-stamped notecards

Personalized CDs (with music, family photos, etc.)

Custom-made photo calendars (every grandparent I know adores these)

Homemade food, including freezer-ready quick meals and baked goods (I am seriously asking my mother-in-law for a giant vat of her famous tomato soup for the holidays this year)

Canned vegetables, jam, pickles, etc.

Scarves, sweaters, and other knitted/crocheted goodies

Fleece throw blankets

Homegrown organic dried herbs (in a charming little jar, what could be better?)

I’ve been blessed with some very creative friends, so in the past I’ve received amazing scarves, jewelry, gorgeous embroidered pillowcases, and even original artwork. This year, one of my good friends knitted me some very chic, pure-white cashmere gloves.

My own talents are more culinary than crafty. So this year, I’m giving out tins of several varieties of homemade cookies and a few premade freezer meals, like lasagna, for those in my life who don’t enjoy cooking as much as I do. If you’re not inclined to create gifts yourself, you can buy amazing and unique handmade gifts of all sorts at Etsy.com.

From the Heart

This ties in a bit with the last section. But the ultimate “handmade” gift may not be a thing at all but, instead, a service. I love the concept of lending your personal services to someone else, especially in this age of so little free time.

If you’re good at sewing, what about giving certificates for mending and tailoring clothing? Or giving proofreading or resume help to someone still in school? Know someone who travels a lot? A few certificates for rides to and from the airport could be just the thing. Or create a scrapbook or photo album for someone with lots of memories and no time to compile them. Babysitting, yard cleanup, etc. are all gifts that cost little except your time.

What are the best gifts you’ve ever received (or given) that weren’t “typical” or even store-bought? Can you think of any other unique holiday gift ideas? Share them below!