#Best Printing Paper Solutions

[omkarpaper]

Top Printing Paper Suppliers in Ahmedabad: Your Ultimate Guide

Looking for the best printing paper suppliers in Ahmedabad? Our comprehensive guide provides valuable insights into the top providers in the region, including Omkar Paper, renowned for its exceptional quality and service. We’ve done the research so you don't have to—find out which suppliers offer the highest standards of printing paper to meet your professional needs. Whether you’re searching for paper for high-quality prints, durability, or cost-efficiency, this guide has got you covered. Discover the key factors to consider when choosing a printing paper supplier and why Omkar Paper stands out in the market. With our expert recommendations, you’ll be well-equipped to make an informed decision and find the perfect printing paper supplier in Ahmedabad.

[celestial-sphere-press]

Book Decoration: AKA All The Ways I Don't Use a Cricut

(this post is for people who don't want to buy an expensive cutting tool, or for those that do have an expensive cutting tool that would like to mix things up a little)

1. Print That Shit

If you're already printing your own textblocks, an easy step for titles is to print them. Above is a title printed onto an "obi" of decorative paper. I measured out where I wanted things on the finished book and laid it out in Affinity, then printed it on a full sheet & trimmed it down to wrap around the book. A more simple method is to print & glue on the label into a slight indent in the cover (to protect it). A third option is to do the spine in bookcloth, while you print on paper for the cover and then glue that paper onto the boards (this usually looks even better when it is a three-piece bradel bind).

2. Foil Quill / Heat Pens

The heat pen is one of my go-to tools, but it can be a bit touchy about materials. The most popular version is the We R Memory Keepers' Foil Quill (which is one of the most ergonomic), but other pens exist that can get you to a higher heat temp, finer lines, or more consistent foil. For example, I have a pen created by a local Japanese bookbinding studio that fares way better on leathers than the WRMK quill & with a finer tip, but it's hell to control. Best results in general are on paper or smooth bookcloth (starched linen, arrestox, colibri - even duo will work but its less solid). The fuzzier a bookcloth is, the less your foil quill wants to deal with it. This means the heat n bond method of making bookcloth does not play nice with a heat pen usually, but there are two solutions: 1) use this tutorial on paste + acrylic medium coated bookcloth instead that will get you a perfect surface for the heat pen, or 2) use the pen on paper & then glue onto the cloth. I did a video tutorial for both foil quill use and this type of homemade bookcloth for @renegadeguild Binderary in 2023.

You get the most consistent results by tracing through a printed template that is taped in place, as I do in the video above.

3. Paint That Shit

Acrylic paints will do you fine! The above is free-handed with a circle template, because I wanted that vibe. If you need straight lines that won't seep, lay them down with tape first & then paint over it first with a clear Acrylic medium, then your color. Same goes for stencils. Two more examples of painted bookcloth:

4. IT'S GOT LAYERS

By using layers of thinner boards, you can create interesting depths & contrasts on your cover. You can also make cutouts that peep through to the decorative paper behind. The most important part to this technique is the order in which each edge is wrapped. To get a good wrapped inside edge, you will split the turn in into tabs to get them to conform to a curve. You can also layer multiple colors of bookcloth without multiple layers of board, as seen below left, so long as you mind your cut edges for fraying.

5. Inlaid... anything

Mirrors! Marbled paper! I saw someone do a pretty metal bookmark once! The key is creating a little home for it to live in, which is pretty similar to the above layering method. On one layer you cut the shape, & glue that layer onto the bottom solid board before covering. You can do the top layer as an entire 1 mm board (like I did for the mirrors) or a sheet of cardstock, like I would use for inlaid paper.

6. Decorative Paper

Decorative paper is always helpful & adds to the paper hoard... & its effects can be layers with other techniques, as below. Marbles, chiyogami, momi, or prints & maps of all kinds can be great additions. Some papers may need a protective coating (such as wax or a sealer).

7. Stamps (with optional linocut)

While I've not used many more regular rubber stamps, I do know some who have, successfully! And I've used one once or twice with embossing powder (see photo 3 up, the gold anchor on the little pamphlet bind). What also works is to carve your own linocut or stamp, & then use block printing ink to ink it onto your fabric (as i did above). A bit time intensive, but it was nice how easily reproducible it was, and I liked the effect I got for this particular bind.

These methods are not exhaustive, just ones I've used, and there are of course many others. I haven't gone too into detail on any of these for the sake of length (& post photo limits) but feel free to ask about more specifics. Usually I'm using them in combination with other options.

[foone]

why are printers so hated? it's simple:

computers are good at computering. they are not good at the real world.

the biggest problems in computers, the ones that have had to change the most over the time they've existed, are the parts that deal with the real world. The keyboard, the mouse, the screen. every computer needs these, but they involve interacting with the real world. that's a problem. that's why they get replaced so much.

now, printers: printers have some of the most complex real-world interaction. they need to deposit ink on paper in 2 dimensions, and that results in at least three ways it can go on right from the start. (this is why 3D printers are just 2D printers that can go wrong in another whole dimension)

scanners fall into many of the same problems printers have, but fewer people have scanners, and they're not as cost-optimized. But they are nearly as annoying.

This is also why you can make a printer better by cutting down on the number of moving elements: laser printers are better than inkjets, because they only need to move in one dimension, and their ink is a powder, not a liquid. and the best-behaved printers of all are thermal printers: no ink and the head doesn't move. That's why every receipt printer is a thermal printer, because they need that shit to work all the time so they can sell shit. And thermal is the most reliable way to do that.

But yeah, cost-optimization is also a big part of why printers are such finicky unreliable bastards: you don't want to pay much for them. Who is excited for all the printing they're gonna be doing? basically nobody. But people get forced to have a printer because they gotta print something, for school or work or the government or whatever. So they want the cheapest thing that'll work. They're not shopping on features and functionality and design, they want something that costs barely anything, and can fucking PRINT. anything else is an optional bonus.

And here's the thing: there's a fundamental limit of how much you can optimize an inkjet printer, and we got near to it in like the late 90s. Every printer since then has just been a tad smaller, a tad faster, and added some gimmicks like printing from WIFI or bluetooth instead of needing to plug in a cable.

And that's the worst place to be in, for a computer component. The "I don't care how fancy it is, just give me one that works" zone. This is why you can buy a keyboard for 20$ and a mouse for 10$ and they both work plenty fine for 90% of users. They're objectively shit compared to the ones in the 60-150$ range, but do they work? yep. So that's what people get.

Printers fell into that zone long, long ago, when people stopped getting excited about "desktop publishing". So with printers shoved into the "make them as cheap as possible" zone, they have gotten exponentially shittier. Can you cut costs by 5$ a printer by making them jam more often? good. make them only last a couple years to save a buck or two per unit? absolutely. Can you make the printer cost 10$ less and make that back on the proprietary ink cartridges? oh, they've been doing that since Billy Clinton was in office.

It's the same place floppy disks were in in about 2000. CD-burners were not yet cheap enough, USB flash drives didn't exist yet (but were coming), modems weren't fast enough yet to copy stuff over the internet, superfloppies hadn't taken over like some hoped, and memory cards were too expensive and not everyone had a drive for them. So we still needed floppy disks, but at the same time this was a technology that hadn't changed in nearly 20 years. So people were tired of paying out the nose for them... the only solution? cut corners. I have floppy disks from 1984 that read perfectly, but a shrinkwrapped box of disks from 1999 will have over half the disks failed. They cut corners on the material quality, the QA process, the cleaning cloth inside the disk, everything they could. And the disks were shit as a result.

So, printers are in that particular note of the death-spiral where they've reached the point of "no one likes or cares about this technology, but it's still required so it's gone to shit". That's why they are so annoying, so unreliable, so fucking crap.

So, here's the good news:

You can still buy a better printer, and it will work far better. Laser printers still exist, and LED printers work the same way but even cheaper. They're still more expensive than inkjets (especially if you need color), but if you have to print stuff, they're a godsend. Way more reliable.

This is not a stable equilibrium. Printers cannot limp along in this terrible state forever. You know why I brought up floppy disk there? (besides the fact I'm a giant floppy disk nerd) because floppy disks GOT REPLACED. Have you used one this decade? CD-Rs and USB drives and internet sharing came along and ate the lunch of floppy disks, so much so that it's been over a decade since any more have been made. The same will happen to (inkjet) printers, eventually. This kind of clearly-broken situation cannot hold. It'll push people to go paperless, for companies to build cheaper alternatives to take over from the inkjets, or someone will come up with a new, more reliable printer based on some new technology that's now cheap enough to use in printers. Yeah, it sucks right now, but it can't last.

So, in conclusion: Printers suck, but this is both an innate problem caused by them having to deal with so much fucking Real World, and a local minimum of reliability that we're currently stuck in. Eventually we'll get out of this valley on the graph and printers will bother people a lot less.

Random fun facts about printing of the past and their local minimums:

in the hot metal type era, not only would the whole printing process expose you to lead, the most common method of printing text was the linotype, which could go wrong in a very fun way: if the next for a line wasn't properly justified (filling out the whole row), it could "squirt", and lead would escape through gaps in the type matrix. This would result in molten lead squirting out of the machine, possibly onto the operator. Anecdotally, linotype operators would sometimes recognize each other on the street because of the telltale spots on their forearms where they had white splotches where no hair grew, because they got bad lead burns. This type of printing remained in use until the 80s.

Another fun type of now-retired printers are drum printers, a type of line printer. These work something like a typewriter or dot-matrix printer, except the elements extend across the entire width of the paper. So instead of printing a character at time by smacking it into the paper, the whole line got smacked nearly at once. The problem is that if the paper jammed and the printer continued to try to print, that line of the paper would be repeatedly struck at high speed, creating a lot of heat. This worry created the now-infamous Linux error: "lp0 on fire". This was displayed when the error signals from a parallel printer didn't make sense... and it was a real worry. A high speed printer could definitely set the paper on fire, though this was rare.

So... one thing to be grateful about current shitty inkjet printers: they are very unlikely to burn anything, especially you.

(because before they could do that they'd have to work, at least a little, first, and that's very unlikely)

[hellooldshame]

White

Mark Grayson x Reader (Angst)

Synopsis: You always thought Mark looked good in darker clothes. You didn't like seeing him wearing white.

CW: Angst, gn!reader, reader referred to as "beautiful" one time, childhood friends to lovers, grief, coping with grief, non-graphic violence, major character death

Word count: 2.3k

A/N: I got carried away again writing this. You know this was supposed to just be mini scenarios or a drabble. Hope you enjoy despite the sad sad.

Mark Grayson was Invincible.

When he first got his powers it was a matter of testing his limits. Bullets, lasers, punches. Everything bounced off and nothing left a permanent scratch on that perfectly untarnished body. You were skeptical but relieved when a black eye healed overnight.

"Hormones and puberty," was the lamest excuse Mark could give. He was terrible at keeping secrets and when you're as close as you two were—12 years and an awkward introduction—it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. Heroes hid in plain sight but you never did think he was ordinary.

When the Graysons first moved next door, you were peeking into their backyard. Tool boxes, chests, and several cereal boxes propping you up to just barely get a glimpse of a father, who was much bigger than yours, and his son. When the boy turned towards your direction and your eyes met, you felt the world spin. Probably because the cereal boxes collapsed and you were falling backwards into grass and cornflakes.

The next day, the lady—you very soon learned was named Debbie—had to explain to her husband that it wasn't an attack or threat when a note was left on their front porch. Messy handwriting on a ripped out slip of a notebook, a cartoon character printed out on the corner of the paper. "Get out of my neyburhood," scrawled in marker, letters written backwards because they had to give you some slack. It was impressive for a five year old to be writing full sentences, mistakes and all.

When you jumped the gun and asked Mark out before Amber could, you wished an alien crashed its UFO into the school. You hit it off easy as friends, sure, but dating was different. It was easy to claim how worrying about ruining the friendship was dumb. "Just confess," was easier said than done now that your mouth ran faster than your inhibitions.

Alien invasions didn't happen until later that week. At the moment, you were faced with the boy you grew up with. Awkward smile pressed into a thin line on his lips. You were ready to punch him and claim it was all a joke. Hurried words stopped your clenched fist from swinging, coupled with reddening cheeks that were quickly matching yours.

The second confession came as soon as the Flaxan fiasco ended and Nolan had come home. You told Mark you knew about his powers as soon as you heard him eat shit and leave a crater in his backyard.

When his father beat him to a bloody pulp, it was envying that his teeth grew back. It would've been funny. Maybe it would've been better if he had gone a moment with missing teeth that reminisced his childhood photos. You could almost smile at the idea of cyan and yellow zip by. Too fast for hellos lest someone notices the gaps.

It was hard keeping him in high spirits at that time. Most of the healing process was him saving the world and going on missions. It was a distraction more than a solution. You did your best to be supportive but months upon months of him leaving and coming back only to be sent to space again was getting too much.

When Mark disappears into the portal one last time, you wished you got to talk to him more. Regretted that you didn't tell him how hard it was. How much it hurt that you were left behind every time. You wished you had the chance to scold him and complain about everything because at least you had the chance to be with him for longer.

Mark came back in clean clothes but was devastated. Gone for barely a few minutes but had looked like he aged by months. He never told you what happened after he killed Angstrom Levy. But whatever it was had him jumping the gun just like you did in highschool. Relief, fear, regret, and determination all swirling in those surprisingly bright eyes despite the trauma. A desperate voice with an even more desperate question.

You were both too young but had gone through too much for two eighteen year old idiots. Somehow too young with too much time lost. You said yes.

You would've preferred him in a black suit. Selfishly, you wished he was next to you instead of across. White didn't suit him. He looked good in darker clothes.

Mark Grayson was Invincible.

But your husband was not an immortal.

When the old Guardians died, Mark needed you to come with him. It was raining that day. It rained just as hard today that the scene was nearly identical. Only now, it was you next to Debbie and Eve and that bastard Nolan wasn't around to recite a eulogy bullshitting about friendship and honor.

You considered pulling an Olga. Falling to the ground and sobbing. Cursing the corpse for staying pristine. For closing the wounds that kept your husband looking young and beautiful but not enough to wake him up. You understood what she meant now, two years ago. God, it had only been two years since everything went to shit. You were barely married a year.

No, you were luckier than Olga. You got to see him in the casket. Him and all his unblemished glory. It wasn't right that your brain played tricks and made you think the body was breathing. As if to give you hope that this was some morbid, tone deaf prank. That any second now he'd open the closed casket and tell you it was all a joke.

Debbie's devastated cries practically chastised you to keep calm. She had been so levelheaded during the first funeral. Then again, she didn't have to shed tears when her husband and son were alive and well. Now she had neither and a one year old tween to care for. You weren't going to take away her only moment to breakdown and grieve. Because Debbie was too strong and kind. If you started crying she could very well wipe her tears and comfort you.

You held her close, both to comfort and hold her up lest she fall and get her clothes all muddy. It was Eve's turn to speak as you held Oliver's hand. The Graysons lost too much in such a short span of time. Lose one gain another. Add one and end up subtracting a member. You should've known the family was cursed to fit only three.

Slowly the box was lowered and you hoped Oliver didn't mind how tight you squeezed his hand. Maybe he'll see it as you trying to comfort him too. Holding Debbie was keeping you standing, and Oliver's small hand squeezes in return kept you from crawling towards the descending coffin and following Mark down.

Black didn't suit you. You wished you were wearing white instead.

...

It was hard coping with the loss. It would always be hard to cope with loss. Having something to distract her, Debbie managed to go day by day. Oliver kept growing in significant rates that she couldn't really risk neglecting or shutting him out. And he needed the support. Maybe Debbie needed it more in the form of Oliver.

Apparently, he had really good memory. This wasn't technically his first death in the family. You had a talk with him about death and loss and he was surprisingly mature about it. It was relief if not a bit of a concern at how fast he was maturing. You'd always wished for a quiet life—nearly begged Mark on occasion to retire for the mundane. You hoped Oliver had the chance to at least get some semblance of childhood without the hero baggage. He proved to be the best in coping with the situation.

You had stayed living with the two of them. It was the most logical thing and you knew Debbie needed all the help she could get. Eve and William came by often as well to pitch in however they could between classes—you took a leave of absence to grieve. Meals were lively, no one ever letting things go quiet for too long. You all needed the noise. Needed something to keep your attention from the empty seat next to you. Recently, you had a feeling Oliver got into a few extra scrapes just so everyone else worried about parenting instead of...

It was getting a bit hard living in the house. Not to anyone's fault. You all tried to cope and grieve in your own ways. Debbie kept that practiced smile despite her brows knitting in worry. But in the dead of night, when it was too late for Oliver to still be awake, you could hear muffled sobs through the wall. You didn't blame her. She had barely just gotten over her grief with Nolan. And now with-

You used to come to her room, comfort her, and wipe a few of your own tears. She seemed to appreciate the gesture, grateful for your hugs and the shoulder to cry with. After all you, were her kid too, by law. She was elated to have you call her "mom" even before you got married. But you noticed the sobs get quieter, that they would come later in the night. It didn't take much for you to realize she was hiding the grief from you too. You understood that she didn't want you to worry or see her so devastated so often. It was why you didn't cry in this house either.

You knew Oliver would hear it, super hearing and all. Had a feeling he heard his mom's cries too. The kid, for all his maturity, wouldn't know how to comfort someone. Let alone the woman who raised and showed only strength around him. He needed a solid support and you wanted to be that for him until Debbie got better. He listened to you well and went to you to talk about things after all. Despite the grief, you could see things heading to some form of normalcy.

Three months. Usually, that was the benchmark for broken up couples to move on. You were nineteen and if things were different you technically had the right to date someone new. But did the same rule apply for married couples? Despite the vows "til death do us part," you had no intention of parting with anything.

The house was quiet when you got home, a very rare occurrence. A regular teen would use the chance to indulge. You used the same chance to make as much noise as you could. The problem with an empty house meant it was quiet. So quiet that your brain had to compensate with thoughts. Thoughts of things you hadn't stopped thinking about since- since the funeral. Since the all too sudden death. Since Mark.

Tears well up in your eyes faster than you were planning. Just his name had your heart aching. You couldn't tell if it was good or bad luck that you could still vividly remember him in white. Of all the things seared in your mind, it was the most recent image of him instead of the best. You had pictures, looked at the wedding photos so often that the pages were starting to discolor. But whenever you lied in bed it was his sleeping eyes that stared back.

It started with shallow breaths. Choked whimpers trapping in your throat because for a while you'd forgotten how to wail. You'd tried so hard to keep it all in that now you were struggling to get it out. You slept in his room, on his bed, in his sheets that still smelled like him even after you lived here for a year. Despite trying, you could not ignore that everything reminded you of Mark Grayson.

The whimpers turn to sniffles that give you enough air to babble words of sorrow. The ring on your finger was a reminder that you would never forget. It was a shackle you insisted on wearing. Heavy and painful but the one thing you had left of him that mattered the most. It was hard to scrape together money for a ring. It was even harder to plan a wedding on such short notice. The romantic man that he was, insisting on a celebration instead of just going to court.

The ache in your throat got worse as you cried loudly, screaming like you were being tortured. Because you were. Because you spent your entire life loving one man and losing him so soon. Not even an eighth of your life. Not even a fraction of his.

You collapse on the floor of your shared room, clutching the sheets of the bed. You felt the sound echo back at you when your face pressed on the mattress. You were a total mess. But you needed to cry. You needed to let this out before it made you crumble. Before someone gets home and sees that you weren't moving on at the same pace as them. Before anyone realized that this destroyed you more than-

The knock on the doorframe was drowned out by your wailing but you still heard it. It made you stiff, fear jumping in you that it shocked the grief of the moment right out. Thoughts ran through your head faster than you had the time to process. Fear curled into shame and you turned to apologize after wiping what was admittedly a really snotty nose.

Lips part to talk but a voice spoke first that had you turning faster. It was familiar. Painfully, horribly, impossibly familiar. You hadn't stopped hearing the voice that you would have thought it was a hallucination if you didn't see him standing at the doorway. Alive, healthy, not a single scratch or bruise in sight, smiling at you so sweetly. He wasn't in the white suit that haunted your dreams and you were too relieved to care what color he was wearing.

"Why're you crying, beautiful?"

A/N: idk what dead people wear in America during their funerals tbh. Cos where I'm from they wear white. Truly a not American moment bdjsbsn.

In any case, yes. Major character death indeed. Idk if I should expand more on this cos the idea is very much a set up for variant x reader

Idk if I've seen this concept before but Like- in which the variants meet a Y/N who lost their Mark. Because I love a replacement and unhealthy rebounds lmao.

It's 1 am and I got work in the morning but I really wanted this out before I gotta lock in. I still need to edit the animatic too

Anyways thank you for reading. Please comment or feel free to send asks cos I low-key wanna talk and imagine the variants in this situation.

[reasonsforhope]

"Clothing tags, travel cards, hotel room key cards, parcel labels … a whole host of components in supply chains of everything from cars to clothes. What do they have in common? RFID tags.  

Every RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag contains a microchip and a tiny metal strip of an antenna. A cool 18bn of these are made – and disposed of – each year. And with demands for product traceability increasing, ironically in part because of concerns for the social and environmental health of the supply chain, that’s set to soar. 

And guess where most of these tags end up? Yup, landfill – adding to the burgeoning volumes of e-waste polluting our soils, rivers and skies. It’s a sorry tale, but it’s one in which two young graduates of Imperial College London and Royal College of Art are putting a great big green twist. Under the name of PulpaTronics, Chloe So and Barna Soma Biro reckon they’ve hit on a beguilingly simple sounding solution: make the tags out of paper. No plastic, no chips, no metal strips. Just paper, pure and … simple … ? Well, not quite, as we shall see. 

The apparent simplicity is achieved by some pretty cutting-edge technical innovation, aimed at stripping away both the metal antennae and the chips. If you can get rid of those, as Biro explains, you solve the e-waste problem at a stroke. But getting rid of things isn’t the typical approach to technical solutions, he adds. “I read a paper in Nature that set out how humans have a bias for solving problems through addition – by adding something new, rather than removing complexity, even if that’s the best approach.”   

And adding stuff to a world already stuffed, as it were, can create more problems than it solves. “So that became one of the guiding principles of PulpaTronics”, he says: stripping things down “to the bare minimum, where they are still functional, but have as low an environmental impact as possible”.  

...how did they achieve this magical simplification? The answer lies in lasers: these turn the paper into a conductive material, Biro explains, printing a pattern on the surface that can be ‘read’ by a scanner, rather like a QR code. It sounds like frontier technology, but it works, and PulpaTronics have patents pending to protect it. 

The resulting tag comes in two forms: in one, there is still a microchip, so that it can be read by existing scanners of the sort common within retailers, for example. The more advanced version does away with the chip altogether. This will need a different kind of scanner, currently in development, which PulpaTronics envisages issuing licences for others to manufacture. 

Crucially, the cost of both versions is significantly cheaper than existing RFID kit – making this a highly viable proposition. Then there are the carbon savings: up to 70% for the chipless version – so a no-brainer from a sustainability viewpoint too. All the same, industry interest was slow to start with but when PulpaTronics won a coveted Dezeen magazine award in late 2023, it snowballed, says So. Big brands such as UPS, DHL, Marks & Spencer and Decathlon came calling. “We were just bombarded.” Brands were fascinated by the innovation, she says, but even more by the price point, “because, like any business, they knew that green products can’t come with a premium”."

-via Positive.News, April 29, 2024

--

Note: I know it's still in the very early stages, but this is such a relief to see in the context of the environmental and human rights catastrophes associated with lithium mining and mining for rare earth metals, and the way that EVs and other green infrastructure are massively increasing the demand for those materials.

I'll take a future with paper-based, more humane alternatives for sure! Fingers crossed this keeps developing and develops well (and quickly).

[magnificentmiraclenacho]

The sister of the winner

Part 3 = leaving already

Summary: When gi hun wants to take down the games he faces a lot of problems. But one problem he also has is his relationship with his sister minji ( reader ). Gi hun dosent want to tell her about the games do to her innocent. But what happends when the salesman lores her into the games, and the siblings finds them self fighting for their lifes

---

Back in your room, the card sat on your desk like it was mocking you. The note seemed to burn into your mind, and the number printed beneath it seemed to call out to you, louder than the thoughts in your head.

You sat cross-legged on your bed, staring at it. The dim glow of your bedside lamp illuminated the tiny piece of paper. You'd thought about tossing it away the moment the salesman left, but something had stopped you. And now here it was — this impossible thing, promising a solution to the impossible situation you were in.

You pressed your hands into your lap, trying to quiet the storm raging in your mind.

What kind of game could this be?

The question repeated itself endlessly. Gi-Hun’s words about his “business trip” resurfaced, and with it, the memory of the hidden weapons in his room. You closed your eyes, trying to breathe.

What had he gotten himself into?

And worse, why hadn’t he told you?

---

The clock on your nightstand ticked louder than ever as the hours passed. You found yourself sitting by the window, staring out at the quiet street below. Your neighborhood, though peaceful now, always seemed to reflect how fragile things had become.

The cars parked along the curbs were old and worn down, just like your life. Repairs on hold. Needs left unmet.

You picked up the card again, running your thumb over the embossed shapes.

It’s a chance, you thought.

But what kind of chance?

Could you trust the salesman’s words? His smooth demeanor felt too polished, too carefully rehearsed. And yet, there was something about him — or maybe it was just that you wanted to believe him.

What would Gi-Hun think if he found out?

---

Gi-Hun had always been overprotective of you, ever since you were little. He wasn’t perfect — far from it — but he always tried his best, even when it felt like the world was against him. Especially after you mothers death he couldn't smear the thought of something happening to you.

Now you could imagine him , his voice in your head as clear as if he were standing in front of you:

“Don’t trust strangers. Don’t do anything dangerous. We’ll figure it out.” the words you have heard so meny times before.

But that was the thing — you didn’t think you could hang on anymore.

We’ll figure it out? you thought bitterly. How? By waiting for a miracle?

You gripped the card tighter. All the lies and empty promises comsuming you head.

---

You stood abruptly, pacing back and forth across the small space of your room. The phone on your desk seemed to taunt you as much as the card.

You couldn’t take it anymore.

With trembling hands, you snatched up your phone, hesitating for only a moment before dialing the number. Quetly so that gi hun didin't hear you.

---

The line clicked almost immediately. You didn’t even hear it ring.

“Thank you for calling,” a calm, professional voice said on the other end. “Do you wish to participate? If yes please state your name”

Your throat felt dry. Your voice came out in a whisper. “Participate in what?”

“In the game,” the voice replied simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

You gripped the phone tighter.

You bit your lip, your head spinning. You could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on you like a tidal wave.

But the desperation was louder.

“I... I accept saong y/n” you said, the words leaving your mouth before you could second-guess yourself.

the voice replied, as calm as ever. “You will receive further instructions soon. ”

And then the line went dead.

---

The sunlight streamed through the thin curtains of your bedroom window, waking you far earlier than usual. You blinked against the bright light, feeling the lingering weight of exhaustion pressing down on you. Sleep hadn’t come easily the night before, not after the call you’d made.

The calm, emotionless voice on the other end. The words, “You will receive further instructions soon.” What did they mean by soon? Did they know where you lived? When would something happen?

You sat up in bed, your fingers gripping the blanket. What had you done?

---

The day felt endless. You couldn’t sit still, couldn’t focus on anything. Every sound startled you — the creak of the floorboards, the hum of the refrigerator, the faint voices of neighbors outside. It was like the walls of your house were closing in on you.

You tried to distract yourself. You cleaned, reorganized your desk, and even flipped through an old magazine, but none of it helped.

What if it was a scam? Or maybe they wanted to kiddnap you and sell you forward.

You found yourself glancing at your phone constantly, half-expecting another call or a message. But the screen stayed dark, offering no answers.

---

In the late afternoon, Gi-Hun walked into the small living room, stretching his arms and yawning. He looked well-rested, almost carefree — the complete opposite of how you felt.

“Hey,” he said, his voice light. “You’ve been quiet today. Everything okay?”

His gaze was warm, but you felt exposed under it. Did he notice how restless you’d been? Did he know something was wrong?

You forced a smile “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… tired.”

Gi-Hun tilted his head, studying you for a moment. “You sure? You’ve been pacing around all day.”

for a split second, you wanted to tell him everything — about the call, the card, your mounting fear. But the thought of burdening him stopped you. He had his own problems to deal with.

“I’m fine, Oppa,” you said, keeping your voice steady. “Just a bit stressed. You know how it is.”

He nodded slowly, his concern still evident. “Alright. But if you need anything, you’ll tell me, right?”

You nodded quickly, giving him a weak smile. “Of course.”

He seemed satisfied enough with your answer, but the guilt lingered as he walked away.

---

By the time the sun began to set, the tension in the house had shifted. Gi-Hun was packing his things for the so-called business trip he’d mentioned the night before. You watched from the hallway as he shoved clothes into a worn duffel bag, his movements rushed and careless.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to go with you?” you asked, your voice hesitant.

He glanced up, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “No, no. I’ve got this. It’s just a quick trip, nothing to worry about.”

But there was that same strange tone in his voice again — the one that didn’t quite match his words.

You hesitated, biting your lip. “When will you be back?”

“A few days,” he said, zipping up the bag. “Don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself while I’m gone, alright?”

You nodded.

---

When it was time for him to leave, Gi-Hun lingered by the door for a moment, his hand resting on the doorknob. He turned back to you, his expression softening.

“I mean it,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Take care of yourself. And don’t forget to eat, okay?”

You nodded again "I will. You too.”

He stepped forward and gently rested a hand on your head, ruffling your hair like he used to when you were kids. Then, to your surprise, he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to your forehead.

“Bye, Y/N,” he said softly before stepping out the door.

You stood frozen in the entryway, watching as he walked down the street, his figure growing smaller in the fading light. The house felt eerily quiet without him,

---

You were pacing the living room when your phone buzzed in your hand. The sharp vibration startled you.

It was a text message.

“Be outside in 10 minutes. The car will pick you up.”

Your hands trembled as you put the phone down. Part of you wanted to delete the message, to pretend you’d never made that call. But the other part—the desperate part—couldn’t ignore what this might mean.

You grabbed your jacket and slipped on your shoes, the minutes ticking by faster than you anticipated.

At the ten-minute mark, you stepped outside.

The cool night air hit you like a wave, sending a shiver down your spine. The street was quiet and empty, the only light coming from the flickering streetlamp down the road.

---

You stood there, clutching your jacket tightly around you, your eyes scanning the street. Every sound—the rustling leaves, the distant bark of a dog—made your heart race.

You were about to turn back and head inside when you saw it.

A black van rounded the corner, its headlights cutting through the darkness. It slowed as it approached, coming to a smooth stop right in front of you.

The sliding door opened with a quiet hiss, revealing someone sitting inside.

---

The figure was dressed in a bright red jumpsuit, their face concealed by a black mask with a circle symbol on the front. The sight of them made your blood run cold, and your instinct screamed at you to run. But your feet stayed planted, frozen by equal parts fear and curiosity.

“Y/N?” the person asked, their voice muffled but clear.

You swallowed hard and nodded, barely able to speak.

“Get in,” they said, their tone calm but firm.

You hesitated, staring at the dark interior of the van. After taking a deep breath, you climbed into the van.

---

The door slid shut behind you with a quiet thud, sealing you inside. The interior of the van was dimly lit, with two rows of benches lining the walls.

The guard sat across from you, their posture rigid and their masked face emotionless. They didn’t speak.

You clutched your bag tightly, your eyes darting around the van. There was no one else inside.

---

The van began to move, the quiet hum of the engine filling the space. You watched as the familiar streets of your neighborhood disappeared behind you, replaced by shadowy roads and unfamiliar surroundings.

Suddenly, you noticed a faint hiss coming from somewhere above you. You glanced around, trying to locate the source of the sound, but the guard remained still, offering no explanation.

Then it hit you—the faint, sweet smell in the air.

Your vision began to blur, and your body felt heavy, your limbs sinking into the bench beneath you. Panic flared in your chest as you realized what was happening.

“What…?” you managed to whisper, your voice barely audible.

The guard didn’t respond, their mask turned toward you in silent observation.

Your thoughts became hazy, your panic giving way to an overwhelming drowsiness. You tried to fight it, to stay awake, but it was no use.

Your head drooped, your eyes fluttering shut as the gas filled the van.

The last thing you saw before darkness claimed you was the guard sitting across from you, their mask gleaming faintly in the dim light.

And then everything went black.

-------

Ps: Hope you liked it. Btw if you wan't to be tagged tell that in the comments. I also hope that i have time to post the next part tomorrow but well see 😩🙏

Masterlist:

[left-side-up]

The Thirteen Steps

It's been three years since Grian's husband died. And yet, Scar has somehow managed to send him a letter from beyond the grave, beckoning him to come find him.

It has to be a joke. Some sick prank. But Grian can't help but follow the call to the town of Silent Hill, if only for the tiniest chance to see Scar one more time.

(Scarian Silent Hill AU by @polarchariot )

~~~~~~

This voice, can you hear it?

This sign, can you read it?

I'll wait forever if you'll just come to me.

~~~~~~

This town can't possibly be the same one from three years ago. Before, it had been a paradise. A lovely little place with beautiful scenery, quaint shops, and an atmosphere perfect for two lovers to spend on vacation. Scar had smiled practically the entire time they were there.

Now, the buildings are dilapidated, if not half collapsed. The beautiful greenery that once surrounded the town has shriveled up, dissolved into sand that gets thrown about in the awful winds that plague this place. And there are inhuman figures that lurk just beyond visibility, gurgling and moaning and crying.

Grian would question it further if he didn't have a much more important objective to follow.

He does his best to shield his eyes from the sandstorm with his coat as he scans the area for any signs of life. For once, he's grateful for his glasses- if he had known the type of weather he'd be facing, he would've brought better eye protection.

"Where could you be?" he whispers to himself, gritting his teeth.

There are no footprints. Even if there were, they would be swept away by the wind in an instant. There's no vegetation. No open doors, or running cars, or stray animals. If Scar was here, it probably wasn't recently.

Just get to the park. If there's any chance he could be there, you have to take it.

The park used to be next to a lake. Is it still there, an oasis in the middle of the desert? Or has it dried up too? If it's gone, would Scar still be waiting there?

Grian feels for the ring in his pocket. His fingertips meet cool metal, and he clutches it tightly. A paper crinkles next to it- the letter.

In my restless dreams, I see that town.

A letter from Scar. Grian's beloved husband. In his handwriting, signed the same way he always would- with a little paw print, as if Jellie had helped too.

You promised me you'd take me there again someday.

It couldn't possibly be true. It had to have been a sick joke. A mix up in the mail. Some terrible mistake.

But you never did.

After all, how can a dead person write a letter? Much less send one three years after they've died.

Well, I'm alone there now... In our special place.

Even if Scar was still alive today, he probably wouldn't be able to do much writing. Or moving at all. That damned illness stole his mobility long before it killed him.

Waiting for you.

But... if somehow, he survived. And disappeared, leaving Grian with no clue as to what really happened to him for three long years. And was able to send that letter.

...It'd be rude to leave him waiting, all alone in the desert.

The hole in his chest aches. The hollowness that's haunted him since Scar died could finally be put to rest.

If only the road leading to the park was clear of debris.

Annoyance tugs at him, but before he can act on it, something growls, much closer than he's used to. The radio clipped to his belt crackles to life.

Grian runs. He'll find another way. For now, he'd rather not have another encounter with the... things... that inhabit this town.

He scans his brain for solutions as he flees. The map showed no other way to the park by main roads, and all of the alleys he's passed by have been blocked off or unsafe. He has a key to the bar further down the road, but he's already taken everything he's going to get from there, and it's in the opposite direction of where he wants to go anyways. There's another key in his pocket, seemingly for one of the apartment buildings just a few blocks away.

At first, it doesn't seem all that useful. But it's the only thing he has right now, and the apartments are close to the park's entrance. Maybe he can find a way through.

The moment he takes off in the direction of the apartments, the sand storm picks up. As if it can sense that he has a solid objective in mind now.

It won't stop him. It won't. No matter how tired his legs are. No matter how many monsters screech and swipe at him as he ducks past. No matter how he can barely see the ground a foot ahead of him.

"Is this really what you want?" says the storm. "Do you really think he'll forgive you for making him wait?"

A chain link fence enters his vision, and he clings to it as he trudges forward. Soon enough, there's an opening, and a sign.

Wood Side Apartments

He fumbles with the key, the sand storm attacking his exposed skin. It takes a moment to find the right key, and a while longer to fit it in the keyhole. But he makes it.

He made it.

The door slams shut behind him, and for the first time in a while, it's quiet. It's dark, and the lobby floor is coated in a layer of sand, and some of the stairs to the second floor seem to be on the verge of collapsing.

Something creaks further into the building, and Grian clenches his fists. There's a long road ahead of him still, and there's no turning back now.

"Don't go," says an evil, selfish little voice.

"I'm waiting for you, Grian," says another, kinder one.

He pulls himself together, and steps into the darkness.

[seafoamgalaxy]

At last. After ten thousand years (eleven months), they are done. The entirety of @sunfloweraro’s Stitch series so far, bound into two volumes.

Now featuring cover borders and back cover illustrations! As the cover of the second book is brown, I opted for gold lettering and designs to complement the earthy tone, whereas the first one remains consistent to the original plan with blue and silver. The endpapers don’t fully match - one is white on the other side rather than the same colour, and that’s purely because I went through so many blue papers I only had one option, while I soon discovered that I’d only had one brown option to start with. Even if they don’t match exactly, I think they look much better as a set this way.

As usual, more details on the process below!

These books. Hoo boy. So, book one is actually the sixth copy of it that I’ve made. So many things kept getting in the way, but my skills have vastly improved along the journey. This copy did come out a little… pointy in the rounding, but it was by far the better of the two I was making simultaneously considering I accidentally cut off part of the headband on the other. (Exactly the reason I was making two at the same time, so I could send off the better and keep the worse for myself.)

When I hit book two, there was a technical issue that was entirely not my own fault. You might notice that the pages in the last photo look noticeably… wavy. My last paper shipment is to blame for that. I went through so much of it trying to successfully print book one, by the time I got to book two I only had creased paper left. I did the best I could with picking out the least bent paper and I hope it isn’t too much of a problem.

I have made leaps and bounds of progress in the pastedown! No longer is it the bane of my existence and I’m proud of myself for that improvement. Book one is a bit uneven, but better than most of what I’ve done so far. Book two came out much better in that regard. Of note is a tiny superficial imperfection on the back endpapers of book one - there was a little bit of paste that got between them during the pastedown and I failed to notice, so when I opened the book later a bit some of the colourful surface came away, leaving a little spot of white at the bottom. I entertained the idea of colouring over it with marker but eventually decided that if it’s minor enough for that to be the solution I’m considering, then it’s still acceptable in the range of human error. I am still a novice at this and, after all, tiny imperfections are what makes handmade things special.

They’ll finally be on their way to their new home as soon as possible!

[thehaberdasheress]

Now at my Etsy shop: The secrets to my success! Do what I do in the comfort of your own home!

Which is to say: I'm finally selling loose sheets of the material I use for all my embroidery patterns, the stick-and-stitch interfacing that dissolves in water. This means you can turn whatever design you want into a super-easy embroidery pattern.

Right now this is an improvement on just buying this paper on Amazon because you can try out a few sheets to see what you think before buying a full multi-pack, and the optional printed grid can really help when sketching out complicated or repeating embroidery patterns. So that's the loose option.

The loose pages are intended for drawing your pattern out by hand with a pen or pencil. But what if you want to print your own digital image onto this paper? That's what my whole business is based on, after all. And I am willing to help other people do that, too!

But, small warning. Pro tip. Do not just buy the loose packs if you want to use your home desktop printer. It will make you cry and waste so much valuable material.

If you want to use a computer printer, buy these packs instead.

It took me most of a year to figure out best printing practices for this material. It's soft and easy to handle when you stick it on fabric, but that makes it a giant pain to run correctly through a printer. So after months and months of testing, I'm finally willing to say I've found a solution I'm happy with.

I make these sheets in my workshop, by coating cardstock pages with a spray that makes them into a kind of beefy post-it note. When you stick your interfacing sheet to one, the backing sheet holds it steady and helps it feed through your printer with minimal fuss, muss, or printer jams. Then you can pull the interfacing off and do whatever you want, and re-use the backing sheet for your future projects. So if you want to print, I've got bundles of backing sheets and blank pages to help you out.

And oh my god, do I love this material a lot. It opens up so many cool creative avenues.

Sound good? Come try it out for yourself!

[londonfoginacup]

Hello friends! It’s THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

But… this year has been a weird year. For all of us? I fear. And as much as it breaks my heart to do this, I’m going to take a TEMPORARY PAUSE on the holiday cards.

It’s just this year! It’s not forever!

But after a lot of evaluating, I’ve realised that I just don’t have the time or money to devote to it this year. i’M VERY SAD ABOUT THIS! Sending holiday cards is my favorite part of the year!

Alas. I am trying to make my peace with it.

That being said, I don’t want to leave you all without holiday joy!! I have been thinking and come up with a sort-of solution;

This is my ko-fi account

It’s empty as of posting this, but as of December 1st, I’m going to be posting a download every day! I’ve realised recently that I’ve never posted my paper dolls online for people to print themselves, and I often forget to post previous years’ cards, so this feels like a good opportunity!

So what do we call this?

LONDONFOGINACUP’S ADVENT CALENDAR OF VARIOUS DOWNLOADABLE PDFS

(I’m workshopping the name)

So!! I’ll post about these every day, but expect; downloadable PDFs of all the previous years of cards (plus one for this year), all the previous paper dolls and outfits (plus new ones), and maybe some other stuff! I was thinking about little 1D ornaments to print and cut! The sky’s the limit!

(Also also— when you download things on Ko-fi, it automatically asks you if you want to tip. I don’t want money! This is just the best way to host files that I’ve found. Don’t pay me. For real.)

And also— I’m taking suggestions. Outfits for the paper dolls you’ve always wanted? Let me know!

I know this isn’t what people are expecting (unless they’ve read the previous two posts I’ve made about this)— but I hope you still enjoy it! I hope it brings joy into your life this December!

(Also lowkey the reason the ko-fi is currently empty is because making PDFs is confusing— so bear with me pls hahahaha I’m trying my best 😅😅)

[omkarpaper]

The Ultimate List of Printing Paper Suppliers in Ahmedabad for 2024

Discover the best printing paper suppliers in Ahmedabad for 2024 with OmkarPaper's ultimate guide. Explore top-quality options for your printing needs, from premium coated papers to budget-friendly choices. Find your ideal supplier today!

[bluejayblueskies]

Do you have any advice/suggestions for getting into bookbinding? What is the process like if you don't mind sharing?

Hello! Very happy to share bookbinding advice/resources 💜 it's a wonderful and delightfully rewarding hobby, and while it can be complicated and easy to get stuck in the weeds with it, you can also get started with some really simple binds with materials you may already have around your living space.

Info below the cut:

First off, there are a lot of instructional videos and guides out there for bookbinding. My favorite YouTube channel for those just starting out bookbinding is Sea Lemon, who has a ton of instructional videos for various styles of bookbinding. Her method of explaining things is clear and concise, and she tends to work with simpler tools and materials that don't cost much and that you may already have on hand. She is not a professional bookbinder with professional tools (afaik) but in my opinion, that's perfect for a beginner because it's not as overwhelming and has a much lower barrier to entry. Perusing her channel and watching a bunch of videos was where I started before even picking up tools to start my first bind.

Another guide I highly recommend is How to Make A Book, by ArmoredSuperHeavy. This is a wonderful step-by-step guide for taking a fic from AO3 and turning it into a book. The most helpful part of this guide, for me, was the typesetting instructions. Typesetting is the act of taking a piece of text (eg. a fic on AO3) and formatting it in the correct way for printing and binding into a book. Note that this guide is specifically for MS Word, though you can also typeset in Google Docs, Libre Office, Affinity Publisher, InDesign, and other programs (even LaTex!).

(Pro tip: save yourself the headache of trying to use Word's bookfold option and just set your document page size to the page size of your finished book (if you're printing on letter paper, this is 5.5" x 8.5") and then use this software to put your pages in the correct order: https://momijizukamori.github.io/bookbinder-js/)

A final resource that I recommend, but that can also get a bit overwhelming, is the Renegade Guild Bookbinding Discord. It's a space specifically for people doing fanbinding, and there are a ton of resources within it, including typesetting guides for various softwares, guides for where to get the tools you need and which tools are best, and people who can answer any questions you may have along the way. It's gotten quite big since I joined, and it can be overwhelming since there's so much information available and so many people who have been binding for a while and thus often offer up solutions or advice that's hard for beginners to understand, but it has never failed me when I've had a tricky question that I needed answered that I couldn't find information on anywhere else.

All that said, here's some more advice from me when just starting out!

Start with a simple bind. A single-section pamphlet bind is easy, cheap, and quick. Here's a Sea Lemon video for how to put together a pamphlet bind.

If typesetting seems intimidating, you can bind blank notebooks. This is also a good way to practice new binding styles if you don't want to go through the hassle of typesetting, imposing, and printing for something you worry you might mess up.

A good word count range for fics when you're learning how to bind case-bound books (ie, the typical hardcover books you see in stores) is 25-50k. Shorter than that, and your books will be thin and a bit fiddly to work with. Longer than that is probably fine, but it will be a quicker process for a thinner book, which is nice when you're just starting out. (And then you don't have to worry about rounding and/or backing, which can be complicated.)

There are very, very few tools that you absolutely need to make a book. There are quite a few tools that will make your life easier, or that will make your book look nicer, or that will make your book last longer, but when you're just starting out (especially if you're trying to minimize cost or deal with space constraints), you can forgo a lot of "required" tools. I'll include a list below of the general bookbinding tools you'll want and some substitutions for them.

You might hear talk about the grain direction of paper or bookboard. When you're just getting started, don't worry about this. Once you get more comfortable with the bookbinding process, then you can start ensuring that your bookboard has the correct grain direction (parallel to the spine) to reduce the warping of your covers. The grain direction of your textblock paper matters the least, and I didn't start using "proper" textblock paper (ie short grain) until about 2.5 years after I started binding.

Bind something you like! Pick one of your favorite fics and bind it, even if it's your first bind and you're worried about it turning out ugly. The excited feeling of having bound your first book will be that much more exhilarating when you're able to put a story that you love on your shelf for the first time.

So you're ready to bind a hardcover book! Here are the tools you will want/need:

An awl, for punching holes in your signatures (groups of paper). You can use a thumbtack for this, or even a strong needle if you have something to cushion the end of it that you'll be holding, like an eraser. Awls are typically pretty cheap, though. You'll want a thinner one so you don't make huge holes in your paper. I have this one and it's worked just fine for me.

A bone folder, for creasing the pages. Historically, these are made out of actual bone, and the reason for using one is to get sharp creases in your paper without tearing or damaging it. You can also use basically anything else in your house that can accomplish this task. When I'm feeling lazy and just need to crease one piece of paper, I use my thumbnail. Bone folders are also cheap, though--I have this one. (As a tangent--when you're making your signatures for your book, you're going to be folding and slotting together usually between 4-6 sheets of paper. Fold the paper normally without creasing with the bone folder, slot them together, and then use the bone folder to sharply crease them all together. Trust me on this--the pages will fit together much better if you crease after putting the signature together.)

PVA glue, for all aspects of gluing involved when making the book. You can, I've heard, use Elmer’s glue for this in a pinch, but I've never tried it. PVA will dry flexible, which is what you need for your book, especially when gluing the spine. For things like attaching decorative paper to your covers, this is less important. If you're making a book that doesn't require gluing the spine (like a pamphlet or coptic stitch book), you may not need PVA. There are also lots of other glue mixtures you can use when bookbinding (paste is a popular one) but I've been a straight PVA guy for over three years now and I can't offer any advice when it comes to other types of adhesives. One note about PVA is it dries quick, so once you've stuck something to it, that's that. Prepare yourself for some crooked books until you get the hang of it.

Gluebrush/paintbrush, for applying glue. I recommend something with bristles; the foam brushes technically work but will absorb most of the glue and will probably cause you a headache. Silicone brushes are wonderful, as you can just wait for the PVA to dry and then peel it off, but a regular glue brush will also work; just be sure to put it in water immediately once you're done with it, otherwise the PVA will dry on it and ruin your brush.

Ruler + pencil, for measuring. Any kind of ruler will do, but if you have access to a quilting square or something similar, this will help you get nice and even right angles.

Needle and thread, for sewing the signatures together. You can use regular sewing needles and sewing thread (doubled up for more strength) if you don't want to buy anything specific for this. An easy step up from this that I recommend is buying a block of beeswax (I got mine for like $4 from a farmer's market) and waxing your thread (running the thread along the block a few times). This will keep your thread from tangling and make it easier to work with. You can also use embroidery thread, especially if you're doing a pamphlet or coptic stitch bind and want some color. I recently upgraded to linen thread (thread weight 35/3), which is the standard for archival-quality books, but you absolutely can use cotton thread and it will be fine.

Paper, for the textblock. You can use your standard white copy paper for this and all will be well. Or, if you want to get a bit fancier, you can use cream-colored paper; 8.5 x 11 hammermill 20lb cream colored paper is easy to find and relatively cheap and will make your books look better, as plain white paper can look almost blue in a book. (That said, I also have some actual published books that use white paper, and I've never noticed anything off about them.) If you decide you want to get really into the proper grain direction, I get my short-grain cream-colored paper from Church Paper. They have both 20lb (typical copy paper weight) and 24lb (slightly heavier) weight. I have both and I actually really like the 24lb; it has a luxurious feel to it, with less bleed from my inkjet printer. If you feel like springing for nice paper, check out their site!

Book press, for pressing your book while it dries and pressing your folded pages before sewing. There are a lot of different kinds of book presses out there, many of which are very very expensive. You can usually make do with some heavy books to weigh down your book while it dries, or thin boards and C-clamps if you have those on hand. If you have access to basic power tools, it's also super easy to make your own press with carriage bolts and cutting boards (this is what I did). There's a lot of videos out there with instructions; here's one from Sea Lemon.

Printer and ink, or a printing service/print shop like Staples. Print shops can get expensive in the long run, and it's nice to have your own printer so you can do test prints of your typesets. If you're going out and buying a printer, I highly recommend either a black and white laser printer (if you're not planning on printing in color; Brother is a good brand) or a tank inkjet printer (like the Epson Ecotank). Do NOT get a new HP if you can help it; their ink subscriptions are brutal. I'm upgrading to a black and white laser this year, but I've been using a very old, cheap HP inkjet that I got off Facebook marketplace for the past few years and it's been reliable (if a bit restrictive). If you do have an inkjet currently that takes cartridges, I highly recommend looking up how to refill your own cartridges. Buying one set of genuine HP cartridges and then refilling them with generic brand ink until they die has saved me probably hundreds of dollars by this point.

Book board, for the covers. Otherwise known as chipboard, which is easy to find on Amazon or at craft stores. This is NOT the same as corrugated cardboard; that will not work. You can cannibalize old three-ring folders, which have chipboard inside them, or even old hardcover books/textbooks. Don't bother with genuine bookbinding chipboard; imo, it's overpriced and unnecessary. You can find chipboard on Amazon for relatively cheap; I recommend the 12x12, as you can get a front and back cover out of one sheet with the correct grain direction. You can use chipboard for your book spine, if you're making a flatback, or you can use a thinner material that you can bend if you're making a rounded book (or for flatbacks as well). For this, thin cardboard (eg. old cereal boxes) or thicker cardstock will work just fine; you don't have to go out and buy genuine bristol board, and I've never bothered with it.

Exacto knife, for cutting things. You could also use a boxcutter, but a craft knife will be easier to handle. You will probably need to frequently change the blade, as cutting chipboard will dull it quickly, so get one that comes with a bunch of replacement blades.

Bookcloth and/or decorative paper, for covering your book board. Bookcloth is basically fabric with a paper backing on it. You can make your own using heat and bond, tissue paper (I use white tissue paper), and fabric; iron the fabric so it doesn't have any wrinkles in it, then iron the heat and bond onto the fabric, then iron the tissue paper onto the heat and bond. There are other methods out there that you may find easier/better, but this is the one I use. The purpose of the paper backing is to prevent glue from striking through the fabric; if you use a thicker fabric or paper, this is not necessary. For your first books, you may find it easiest to just use paper, or to go out and buy some premade bookcloth.

That's a lot of information, but I hope it was helpful! I'm more than happy to answer any more questions you (or anybody else) might have, and happy binding!

[ratherbefangirling]

Belong pt.7

Pairing: ot7 x reader

Genre: Fluff, hurt/comfort, Omegaverse

Synopsis: The pack seems to be falling for you but Jungkook doesn't like it one bit. What happens when he learns you are his mate

Masterlist

Previous / Next

Jungkook walked into his professors office. Along with Namjoon as his guardian. The instinct to hide behind his pack alpha was pretty strong.

"Don't worry." Namjoon comforted rubbing his back. "I have all the papers here about Y/n's friends admittance to the hospital. I'm sure we will figure it out."

Jungkook nods biting his lip in worry.

They knock the professors door.

"Come in." The voice calls.

"Oh Jungkook ssi. And this must be your guardian."

"Pack Alpha. Kim Namjoon."

"Yes. Please take a seat."

Namjoon explained the situation to the professor.

"I'm not sure how much I can help you. You understand that he could have submitted before and its an important project for the final grade."

"Ofcourse professor. But it would be very gracious of you if you could offer us any solution."

The professor thought for a moment.

"While usually I don't do this but to raise your grade you may volunteer to supervise the freshmen trip. I'm the Head of the committee and we could use some man power."

"Thank you. Thanks a lot professor." Namjoon says flashing her a very bright blinding smile and Jungkook would be jealous except he knew how Namjoon always giggled when he was truly happy. The professor seemed charmed.

Namjoon rubbed Jungkook's back reassuringly.

"Everything will be fine now."

"Thanks hyung."

"You're welcome."

Jungkook fiddled with his thumbs. Unsure how to broach the topic of you. He almost hated that you came in their lives but in reality he hated himself for being insecure.

"Hyung." Jungkook started.

Namjoon's phone began to ring.

"Give me a moment Jungkook." He said before answering the call.

From the end of the corridor, a figure waved. Jungkook waved back to his friend Eunwoo.

"Hyung, I'm going to go meet Eunwoo. See you later."

Namjoon nodded and gave Jungkook a side hug before leaving.

"Still need Mr. Alpha to protect you." Eunwoo joked as Jungkook neared. Jungkook only rolled his eyes in response. He had enough of his friends teasing. Yes they had to listen to him show off about his pack and he might have gone over board. But nobody can blame him, he felt so good with his pack.

"What are you doing here?" Jungkook asked.

"Nothing important just dropping off some forms. You?"

"I kind of missed an important deadline so Namjoon hyung came to talk to the professor."

"You should be careful kook-ah." Eunwoo cautioned his friend.

"I know. I know."

Working together with your soulmate had to be the best thing ever. Jimin thought.

The two of them had been very busy after their break they had to set up a new exhibition. And setting up a new theme was never easy from looking into artworks, their aptness, setting them, having the backdrop and lighting changed to fit the new theme, archiving carefully the old ones, separating the loaned ones and returning them before their due. Making sure new pamphlets and posters are printed according to the guidelines.

The two of them had been working overtime because of all that. So when their boss instructed them to overlook installation of some of the artworks that had been bid on previously. They took the time to have a lunch break.

The restaurant was nice and casual. It was famous for its latest addition. A Polaroid wall for people to make memories. They gave you a free picture if you left a review. Otherwise they'd just put your picture on the wall. Whoever planned it, their plan was working the place was packed.

"What do you want to order?" Jimin asked.

"Chese burger and potato wedges." Taehyung answered perusing the drinks section.

"Fine I'm having the lemon chicken bake pasta. What about drinks?"

"Mojito." Tae decides

"The Berry slushie sounds good to me. You want dessert?" Jimin says.

"We can grab churros on our way back from that bakery we saw while we came here." Tae suggests.

"Ok. I'm going to go order now." Jimin replies.

"Am I seeing things or is that y/n" Tae wonders aloud.

Jimin turns and there you are. A sight for sore eyes. He misses your company but there is nothing he can do about it.

Taehyung tugs his sleeve. "Jiminie ok"

Jimin nods.

You too seem to notice them as the server guides you to the table. You nod your head in greeting but focus on Yeonjun.

Jimin feels a flash of possessiveness and jealousy.

"Do you want to share the milkshake?" Yeonjun asks. "Their large one is cheaper but I can't finish it alone."

"Yes, it's fine." You reply. It's weird to sit across Jimin and Taehyung and not with them.

Their faces look tired but you suppressed your curiosity about them. There was no point of being overly friendly.

"Are you going to the camping trip?" Yeonjun asks.

"I think I will Suyeon send me the brochure. It sounds fun. What about you?"

"If you're going I'll go." He says smoothly causing you to blush.

Jimin can feel his temper rising. My omega his brain screams.

"Yeonjun." You whine and hit him playfully.

"It's true I've already been there with my pack so I'm only going if there's good reason."

"So I'm your good reason?"

"The best."

Taehyung's eyes narrow. Both of them can't help but eavesdrop on your conversation.

You chuckle.

"Sure sure. I'm sure I'm not that special."

"You are. You are special to me." He replies.

The server comes with your meals.

They try to ignore it. They really do but you sharing the Milkshake with Yeonjun's the last straw.

When the time comes to pay the bill you learn that it has been paid and they leave you a note.

Have a nice day Y/n

Love jiminie and tae

"Do you know them y/n?" Yeonjun asks.

"Yes they are omegas I'm close with."

"Oh." Yeonjun said. It wasn't unheard of for omegas to court omegas but it was odd for friends to behave this way. Maybe they were trying to warn me. Yeonjun thought.

Taehyung and Jimin share a look. They need to tell Jungkook. If he doesn't get his act together now he never wouldn't even get a chance to try.

You call your mom when you reach home. You hope she'll let you go on the trip.

"Hello?" You ask as soon as she picks up.

"Hello Y/n everything ok?"

"Yes everything is fine? How's your day going?"

"Good good things have been busy here but it's nice. How's the pack?"

"Good... they're fine." You answer.

"I remember courting your dad. What a time it was. Make sure you enjoy it."

"Mum actually our college is going on a trip can I go. I'll send you the details."

"Ah my baby has grown up. Ofcourse you should go. I will send extra money ok. Buy yourself nice clothes and things you need too. "

"Thank you mum."

"Anything for you. Now I'll check the brochure send me any forms I might need to fill."

"Ok understood. Thank you. Love you. Bye."

"Bye love you too." Your mum replies before hanging up.

You feels so happy you do a little dance of celebration.

You text Suyeon.

Y/n: I got it. I got permission. This is going to be the best trip ever

Suyeon: fr fr. I'm so happy congratulations 🎊 👏 💐 🥳

Y/n: ☺☺

Y/n: let's go shopping 🛍 for cute outfits.

Suyeon: 🤑

You giggle to yourself.

•○•○•

You called Suyeon. You were supposed to go shopping together but you hadn't heard from her all day.

"Hello y/n. What's up?"

"Where are you ? We were supposed to go shopping today?"

"God that was today. I'm sorry actually Soobin's birthday is coming up so I'm with his pack. Rain check. Let's go tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow I have to study for a class test."

"I'm sorry. Honest mistake... why don't you go with the pack."

"The pack."

"Yes its not like you are not close to them. Things might be awkward because of a certain someone but that doesn't mean you shouldn't hang out with the others. I mean you always miss them. And you did go out shopping with them before."

You find yourself being convinced. So you knock on their door.

Yoongi opens the door.

"Is everything ok?" He asks looking over you to see any signs of panic and injury.

"Hi yeah. It's just that Iwasgoingshoppingandwonderedifanyonewouldaccompanyme?"

"Slow down biscuit."

"I sorry I'm a bit nervous."

"No need to be nervous. Now did you need something? Why don't you come in first huh. Its so hot you might get a sunburn."

You nod and follow him inside.

"I wanted to go shopping because there is a University trip and I was wondering if anyone would like to come with me?" You tell Yoongi.

As you enter the living room. You see Jin and Taehyung snacking watching anime in the living room.

"Y/n!!" Taehyung is the first to notice you and calls you excitedly.

"Y/n come sit we were just talking about you. You'll like this one." Jin said patting the empty space next to him.

You felt your heart warm.

"Y/n needs to go shopping for... where are you going?" Yoongi tells them.

"Camping." You supply.

"Oh I have just the thing for you. Guys take care of her."

"Do you want to go right now." Jin asks turning of the TV.

"Yes I was supposed to go with Suyeon and she's busy and then I'm busy so today I'm hoping to find something good but if I go by myself it'll take longer to find myself things."

"Give us 15 minutes." Taehyung says and he rushes into his room.

You nod. Jin goes to the kitchen and brings out cookies.

"Here's a little snack. I will be back quick." Jin says.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome sweetheart."

As Jin leaves you sit on the couch and munch cookies. You feel comforted by the packs scent. You didn't realise how much you missed the pack. In a way you were grateful your best friend made you come to the pack.

Yoongi enters the room smiling fondly at you. He places a box infront of you.

"What's this?" You ask.

"A first aid box and some camping essentials. If you need anything else ask me. Me and Jin hyung go fishing so we have enough camping supplies no need to but things you will only use once. I can teach you some things if you want as well. There is basic first aid supplies and then there are fire supplies to light up campfire post rain as well and other things."

"Thank you." You say touched.

"Anytime biscuit." He replies feeling good.

Taehyung and Jin come out of their rooms dressed up. You can't help but admire how good they look. Jin is dressed in a button down and black ripped jeans and Taehyung's dressed in a tshirt with rips and faded blue jeans and a beanie.

"Come on let's go. Y/n." Jin says.

"Ah yes." You look at the kit.

"You can take this when you come back." Yoongi says.

"Thanks."

"Come on Y/n-ie we are getting late." Taehyung says.

Yoongi comes to drop you all out. Even opening the door for you.

"See you later. Have fun." He says.

You all wave him goodbye.

Jin turns the radio. You sit next to him and Taehyung is in the back but leaning front.

"So do you have any outfits in mind?" Taehyung asks.

"No not really. Something comfortable but also I look good in and avoid material that can get damaged in a camping trip." You reply.

Jin's and Taehyung's phones both go off at the same time. Taehyung looks at the phone and his expression turns into neutral, Jin looks at Taehyung via his back mirror, Taehyung mouths 'tell you later'.

"Is something the matter?" You ask.

"Nothing. Why don't you tell me have you thought about buying boots?" Taehyung answers.

Namjoon: pack meeting to discuss Jungkook and Y/n situation. Everyone needs to be present tonight.

All I'm going to say is that rereading this to collect info I just made up along the way makes me reflect on the bizarre writing process. Anyhow I made notes not to forget from now on.

When I write it feels like going up a mountain but reading was just like walking down a hill.

It's been a while I got busy with life and a little writers block I hope you like it. Let me know your thoughts.

Taglist @jaiuneamesolitaiire ; @mintsugarmy ; @goooood-vibes ; @juju-227592 ; @singukieee ; @zae007live ; @rainbow-bunny-bts ; @fluffy-canada-pancakes ; @bleubirdinthesky ; @kyrah-williams ; @thedarkwinterrose ; @realswimshaddy ; @emu007 ; @jcrml ; @scuzmunkie ; @angel-121 ; @passionandsuga ;@popcatx0 ; @exfolitae ; @raineandskye ; @notsooperfect ; @toriluvsfics ; @northspiritstorm

[d3adbr3inc3lls]

Just Two Teens (highschool AU) | Spinel x Reader | Oneshot

I had a convo with @//amethiosspouse abt this but I'm using diff headcannons and such for this,

CW: Implied stalking,(?)

You never really noticed the boy with teal hair until recently when he came late to class, uttering an apology to the teacher with a slip of paper between his fingers explaining his late arrival.

That was the first time you've ever noticed him, and ever since then, it's like you can't just not notice him. He's in most of your classes, he's in your Calc, Digital Solutions, English and he's in some of your Sciences, the only subjects where you don't really see him are the two subjects you chose to make school tolerable.

Apparently, he's one of the smartest students in your grade which honestly suprised you because he'd often skip class, preferring to watch some streamer in the bathroom instead of focusing on his poor attendance to class.

But hey, the teachers couldn't complain, he was the best student in the class.

Sometimes you swore he was following you, or even keeping tabs. It started with him following your pokégram -which was set to private and had no mentions of your name or anything that could hint at it being you- and it slowly spiralling to you seeing him during breaks and in hallways despite your other classes being nowhere near eachother.

Talking to him was easy, he sat with no-one, giving you a chance to sit next to him.

He never admitted or hinted at stalking you, (even if the chances of it happening were high) but you never asked.

--

"Fancy seeing you here,"

The teal-haired main quickly flicked his head up, his body relaxing as he realised that it was just you, and not one of his other quote-unquote friends.

Nodding, he slid his glasses -which you swore didn't have lenses- up his nose before patting a spot next to him, his mechanical pencil was slotted between his fingers as he corrected his finger placement before continuing to write.

"Assignments, eh?"

Talking to him proved to be difficult at times. He rarely spoke to people, preferring to be an observer and only speak up when he knew what to say.

Nodding, the teen quickly read his paragraph before scribbling some stuff down and sliding the piece of paper into his English book.

"Yeah. English is fairly simple. Hopefully you've worked on yours at home, it's due tomorrow."

You often forgot that he sat behind you in English, so he knew about all those times you've played games instead of focusing on classwork.

To be fair, tetris was a relatively simple and mindless game that kept your attention to the arc-awful audio book playing in the background.

"Give me some credit, I've finished the assignment a few days ago,"

It was true. You finished the assignment as quickly as possible so you could do whatever you felt like in class, and it proved to be successful, with you handing in your printed copy to the teacher last period who was happily suprised.

Nodding, the teal haired teen glanced in your direction, only to focus on the science building somewhat infront of the two of you.

"We have math next, and that assignment is due today,"

Picking himself up off the ground, Spinel grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, giving you a grin as he left you dumbfounded.

Since when did you have a math assignment??

[fitz-higgins]

Spring in New York often seemed to have two minds; when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, it was fresh and sublime. And when it was in a dour disposition, it rained cats and dogs... which is exactly what Henry was dealing with now, his umbrella barely offering any shelter as he made his way in long, urgent strides towards the bookshop. An out-of-print work which he long been after was up for sale here and having seen it advertised in the papers at the breakfast table he shared with Monty, Henry's heart was set on obtaining it at last. Even if he had to walk out of the shop and once more into the heavy rain, at least he would head into it happier, albeit with his wallet significantly lighter.

Alas, his hopes were dashed almost from the moment he had stepped into the shop. "My apologies, sir, but another gentleman bought it not half an hour ago" was the bookseller's earnest reply. "He was most eager to purchase it, he was barely in here five minutes before he was off."

Perhaps Henry's deep disappointment was all too plain to see for the man quickly offered a possible solution. "Maybe I could connect you with the gentleman, Mr Higgins, at the very least. I can't say whether he'll be open to letting you borrow it, but it's worth a try. I have his address down somewhere..."

By now, Henry's mood was as dark as the storm clouds swirling about Manhattan. He was not one to sulk, but he felt damn near close to it, after getting drenched on his way to and from the university today and now this blow...

Listless, he watched the man jot down the address in his neat hand. '416 West 20th...' Wait! In an instant, Henry's face lit up.

"Thank you for your help, that's all I need for I do know the gentleman!" was all the bemused bookseller heard as Henry rushed out of the door, bounding into the pouring rain towards home and his wonderful husband who always knew how best to surprise him.

[sillysybilsden]

PART II

Click here to check out Part I.

Now that we know what a Lararium is, it is time to start making your own. Let us see how to go about doing that, shall we?

1. Find inspiration

The Internet will be your best friend. In order to find inspiration, I would personally recommend searching for Lararia from Pompeii or Herculaneum (due to the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, these archaeological sites show perfect examples of Ancient Roman shrines, untouched by time).

You may want to select the Lararia that draw your attention the most and put them all either in a moodboard or in a Pinterest board. You will look at these pictures frequently, so keeping them all in one place might come in handy.

2. Draw your project

Start your project by drawing the Lararium you would like to make. It will take quite some creativity from you, so take your time with it and keep brainstorming until you are satisfied with your sketch. This is mine:

3. Start planning

Now is the time to figure out the measurements of your project and, after that, collect the supplies you will need. Me, I had to gather some wood, glue, acrylics, paper, a ruler and a pencil. As for the measurements...

4. Cutting process

Shoutout to my grandfather who helped me with this process.

Take your time to cut all of the pieces of your project and sand them down, if needed. Be particularly mindful when working with wood.

5. Assemble your shrine

Glue all the pieces together. You can use hot glue, vinyl glue or similar solutions depending on your preference.

6. Take care of the details

Time to colour your Lararium! After all, Romans did love colourful things (just look at any house in Pompeii). The palette is really up to you and your preference. Me, I will go for earthy tones.

Also, remember to print a picture of the domestic gods so that you can glue it on your shrine! In alternative, you can also attempt to painting it yourself.

And voilà! There you have your personal Lararium!

I hope that you liked this "DIY" and that you found this post informative! If searching for further readings, check out the "IV. Resources" section.

- Silly Sybil

🌿 Posted in honour of my twin Lares. 🌿

➳ vRoma /Lararium

➳ Nova Roma /Lararium

➳ Nova Roma /Making a Lararium

➳ Ad Maiora Vertite /Suppellettili Sacre

➳ Ritus Romanus: Make an offering to your Gods (pdf)

➳ Saturnia Tellus /Il mistero dei larari d'argento naufragati a Comacchio: sono doni di Augusto?

➳ Viotti E., "La via romana agli dèi"

➳ Orr D. G., "Domestic Roman Religion"

➳ Flower H. I., "The Dancing Lares & the Serpent in the Garden"