#Cheap creative DIY

[ghostsinthecellar]

I know creativity is a muscle and you need to exercise it or it stops working and I know I've been burnt out for a long time and I just need to start with baby steps just like with any other atrophied muscle but. good fucking lord. why is it so hard.

[thebeccagramchronicles]

Easy DIY Project: refurbishing a picture with a marker

[curatedbyondrea]

How to bring *luxury* into your life while on a budget

Luxury on a budget is absolutely achievable! It's about focusing on creating an experience of indulgence and pampering, rather than just expensive things. Here are some ideas:

Redefine Luxury for You:

Focus on Experiences: Luxury isn't just material possessions. Think about what makes you feel truly pampered and relaxed. Is it a long, candlelit bath with a good book? A picnic in a scenic spot? Prioritize experiences that create lasting memories.

Quality over Quantity: Invest in a few key items you'll love and use for years, rather than buying a lot of cheap things. This could be anything from a luxurious body lotion to a cozy throw blanket.

Create a Luxurious Atmosphere at Home:

Declutter and Deep Clean: A clean and organized space instantly feels more luxurious. Light some scented candles, put on some calming music, and dim the lights for a spa-like atmosphere.

DIY Spa Treatments: Skip the expensive spa and recreate the experience at home. Give yourself a foot massage with homemade sugar scrub, use a facial mask made with natural ingredients, or draw a relaxing bath with essential oils.

Elevate Everyday Activities: Take the time to savor a cup of tea in the morning. Set the table for dinner with nice plates and silverware, even if it's just a simple meal.

Seek Out Free or Low-Cost Luxuries:

Embrace Nature: Take a hike in a beautiful park, have a picnic by the beach, or simply sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. Nature is a free and luxurious way to de-stress and reconnect.

Cultural Gems: Many museums and galleries offer free or discounted admission days. Check your local library for free museum passes or online resources for virtual tours of famous collections.

Learn a New Skill: Taking a free online class in something that interests you, like photography or cooking, can be a stimulating and luxurious way to spend your time.

Remember: Luxury is about feeling good and taking care of yourself. By being creative and resourceful, you can incorporate these elements into your life, regardless of your budget.

[ecoorganic]

10 Creative Garden Stone Ideas To Spruce Up Your Yard

[puppys-tiny-space]

👑Tips for littles on a budget👑

This is some tips for tinies (or carers looking for gifts for kiddos) on a budget! Of course you don't need any gear to be a good regressor but a lot of us like toys etc. and it's okay to want them!

🧸thrift stores, a lot of thrift stores have toys and plushies, sometimes they are a bit broken or dirty but there are lots of tutorials on YouTube for cleaning and restoring plushies and toys🧸

🐾e-books, you can find kids books online as e-books which are often pretty cheap or you can watch tiktoks of people reading those books🐾

🩷diy onesies, a lot of regressors like onesies but the prices are pretty steep, if you can't afford them don't fret! Its super easy and affordable to make one yourself all you need is an old t-shirt and snap buttons plus a way to attach them, just get a big t-shirt, sweatshirt or even hoodie and add 2-4 snap buttons in the crotch, boom you have a super cute and discreet onesie!🩷

🧸diy toys, there are lots of toys you can make yourself either by sewing or crafting and there's lot soft videos on YouTube for it, or get creative🧸

🐾mobile games, I love to play video games when im regressed but game consoles are expensive so free mobile games are a great alternative🐾

🩷dollar store etc, while you shouldn't rely on stores or websites that use cheap labor for everything it's okay to make exceptions every now and then, especially for toys, pacis, sippy cups and similar🩷

🧸pull ups, instead of cute printed diapers get big kid pull-ups in the baby-section or medical diapers from a drugstore, they are less then half the price of a pack of adult diapers from brands like tears etc.🧸

🐾learn to diy, making things yourself is often the most affordable thing to do, not with everything obviously but with a lot of things, learn as much stuff as you can so you can make lots of gear yourself🐾

🩷look for affordable stores, lots of paci stores on Instagram are very affordable and the ones that aren't often have sales so keep an eye out for that, lots of shops also have promoter codes they are happy for you to use, for example with my code 'bunnybab' you get a small discount at pacisbybunnie and cozypacicorner🩷

🧸buy second hand, thrift stores are a great place but if you want little specific stuff looking on vinted, swoop or even insta is a great idea! Lots of people sell gear they no longer connect with🧸

Fun fact of the day: Bluey's pilot was only a minute long and never actually aired

[two-red-lungs]

The Kids Are Alright (Eddie Munson)

Your first date with Eddie Munson is fine, as far as first dates go. You get pizza together: meet awkwardly outside the door at 7pm, hands sweaty, exchanging nervous, butterfly-riddled smiles. You eat. He can't stop moving in his seat opposite you, tapping his hands on the sticky enamel tabletop. He looks at you with big brown eyes. Wary, at first, then as the night goes on and it becomes clear this isn't some string-along joke, or a prank, with boyish glee.

But the second date is the one that really shines.

Eddie, in all his intellectual glory, takes you to the Dollar Tree.

It's late, again, and the D in the logo flickers in and out of existence. The air inside smells like cheap plastic, dust, and the urban sprawl of capitalism. This is a place that's usually... dead. A pathetic sort of dead, where dreams come to die, the cashier looks about five seconds from falling asleep, agonizingly boring elevator music plays over tinny speakers, and Hawaiian themed teacups are on sale for ninety-nine cents.

You think god, what the hell are we even doing here? This is hardly a dinner date, or the bowling alley, or makeout point, or any of the usual dates your friends always bragged so cooling about. But then Eddie looks at you over his shoulder, spins on his heel, and throws his arms wide. His outfit jingles.

"Welcome," he says with a glint in his dark eyes, "to the goddamn kingdom of imagination."

You should leave. God knows to anyone else at school this date could sound like a horror story, an uncouth, uncool, unladylike disaster. But there's something in those eyes. Something vibrant and alive and real. So instead of leaving you think, okay. Why not.

Best decision of your life.

He knows this place by heart, every white-tiled aisle under the buzzing fluorescents. And he's funny, too: you didn't expect him to be so funny. As you both slowly amble and push your squeaky-wheeled cart he picks up random shit, talking as he fiddles.

A fuzzy caterpillar cat toy becomes his moustache. He wraps a crinkled paper streamer around his neck like a boa and faints dramatically against some of the shelves. He scurries to the aisle next to you and pretends to walk down a staircase, disappearing from view: when his moppish head pops back up again, his wild hair flounces.

Huh. He smiles like the sun.

Eddie asks about everything possible, and god, under his stoner slang he's whip fucking smart. You crack a joke or a sarcastic reference and he smoothly returns it with equal emphasis, two tennis players on the court.

You check out picture frames. Eddie suggests throwing a little spraypaint on it, a little silver paint to light the edges, some weathering with sandpaper, and suddenly you've got yourself some primo decor.

"You like to paint?" You ask him, standing in the aisle, holding the shitty wooden frame. He's looking over your shoulder. You can feel his body heat, this close.

"I'm a big believer in, uh. Creativity, y'know?" His smile is big, toothy. Still nervous. Like as extroverted as he is, as big as his personality could be, the sting of a scoff or a sneer could still hurt.

You tell him that's cool. Something in his eyes softens.

God, you don't know how many hours you spend in that place, just talking and touching shit and discussing potential DIY projects and cool ideas. You talk comics, and music, and Hawkins social politics. He tells you about Tolkien. You tell him about David Brin. He likes David Murray, you like Siouxie Sioux. You both agree the autumn leaves this time of year make the Hawkins High look like its roof is on fire (and god, if only).

Your cart is full of bullshit you don't really need, bullshit full of promise and potential, and Eddie is letting you ride the cart with your feet on the front bar as he pushes it down the aisle at mach one speed. He splutters behind you, your hair in his mouth. He's laughing.

The total comes to 12 dollars even. The plan for the next date is to turn the kids bathtub toys you bought- ducks and dolls and dolphins- into zombies and mummies and other creatures with the shitty barely-opaque acrylics set you scored.

The sky is black outside, and it's raining. He asks if he'll see you again this week, and you say yeah, duh. The air feels like fireworks- like lightning, like a live wire. You think for a second that he's gonna kiss you.

Eddie pulls out a silver-plastic tiara from under his vest, nicked free of charge from the girl's section, and sets it on your head. It's cheap, pattern-punched plastic with pink plastic gems. It's perfect. He's made you a fairytale.

Munson bows, smiles again- the one that makes his eyes crinkle- and then he's off in his van.

He's so weird. He's so strange. You don't understand him.

You think you really like him.

[lazypanartist]

Hobie Brown x Artistic/DIY Reader

I love him 💙

pt 1 - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4

Warnings: maybe spoilers for ATSV, IDK. Reader's in the punk scene and from Hobie's universe. Whole lotta projection. Canon-typical injuries

Features info dumping and personal Hobie HCs I guess. It's long ASF. And just self indulgent

Please RB, likes alone don't do anything for the algorithm!

-----

DIY/punk Hobie Brown

If you're in the scene, you know the basics

Patches?

Hand-Stitched

Usually with dental floss for durability/cost efficiency

And originally painted with white-out for the same reasons

Spikes or studs?

Cheap, bulk buy, screw em on yourself

Or just make em out of cans

Hobie's fit looks like it fits the bill

Old leather or denim jacket with the sleeves cut off

FN/SM painted on the back

Shirt's kinda tattered iirc

Spiked collars are easy

Same with the wristbands

When he meets you?

Whoo boy

It was one of his shows he was putting on

New songs, new faces in the crowd

He spots you from a distance at first

Little sketchbook in hand

You stay through his whole performance

When he's chatting up the crowd afterwards, though?

You're already gone

(Bitch writes a song about the pretty thing watching from afar, bc ofc he does)

He next sees you during one of President Osborne's speeches

Standing in the front row of a gathered crowd, shaking your head at the screen

He drops down after a few minutes, hanging upside down and blocking the less-than-pleasant view

He takes a few moments between questions from others

Little explanations

A promise to do what he can

Takes just a glimpse to look you over

You have a similar touch to the rest of the crowd

Worn out boots, tattered clothes, hand-sewn and painted patches

And your sketchbook still in hand

It's a little peculiar for the crowd

But he doesn't question it

What he does question is where you've gone after he turns to look at you

He only took a second for more reassurances

But when he goes to see you again

You're gone, just like the first time you caught his eye

He realizes then

That he's intrigued

He doesn't know what it is about you

Until he keeps seeing you pop up again

Riots

Concerts

Shows

Speeches

His immaterial object of interest

He finally starts actually talking to you the third or fourth time he sees you

At another of Osborne's liefests

An ambassador on a stage, surrounded by punks

Speaking of the President's virtues

Yeah

Spider-Punk shows up pretty quickly to run him off

And gets to chatting with you

When he first approaches, you ask for his opinion on a patch idea

And turn your sketchbook to show him the page

His spider symbol backpiece

But instead of FN/SM, it simply states

"Down With President Osborne"

He takes your pen and signs as a seal of approval before swinging away

Sure, it was a short interaction

But it led to even more meaningful ones

Like, say..

Him practically dropping out of the sky into a park

You were just minding your business, sketching the scenery

When he almost fell on top of you.

Covered in injuries

He laughs when he looks up and sees that it's you

Because of course it's you

Tries to resist when you start futzing over him

If you're the parent friend like me?

Patch him up

PLEASE

Even if you can't see him back together

Just

Bandaids and gauze pads

And maybe some candy

Bc suckers help with creativity

Or it's just my neurodivergence? Idk

Just. Offer him one in case he needs to bite on something while you're putting alcohol on his injuries

When you're done he looks them over

Promptly winces when he twists his arm 🙄

But then thanks you for your help and swings off

Again

These kinds of interactions become common

He'll find you hanging around the city

Either doodling or just vibing

And drops down to talk for a bit

Or get patched up

Loves when you offer to fix his costume

Bc it looks just as nice & homemade as the rest of your/his fits

Grins under his mask when he sees a new patch or two

And starts snickering if you deny their application

He really appreciates everything you do for him

And figures he should prove it

Sure, he's saved you

But he's saved a lot of people..

He wants this to be special

Unique

And he thinks he knows how to do that..

---

Click for next part

[libraryspectre]

Allow me to ramble on the internet about my grandma again

I got much of my diy spirit from my maternal grandmother, who spent most of her time (that wasn't cooking, fishing, gardening, community service, or hunting) doing Art. This could be painting murals on any available surface, hot glueing old jewelry and seashells on things, making elaborate holiday decorations by painting plywood cutouts (cut by my grandfather), glueing ribbons and patches and rhinestones on denim jackets, and, once, making her entire front walkway into a genuinely gorgeous mosaic of broken tile.

The thing is, she didn't have many developed skills. She wasn't a particularly talented painter. But what she lacked in skill she made up for in sheer audacity and an eye for aesthetics, and most of the things she made ended up looking cool and fun/pretty, even if it wasn't my taste (she was VERY maximalist when it came to clothing especially, but I loved most of her painting and a lot of the decor.) She didn't have a lot of money and her materials were cheap - acrylic paint, plywood, garage sale trinkets and goodwill clothing. Tons and tons of hot glue. The corner of the garage where she worked was a wonderland to me, even though it was mostly things like costume jewelry and aquarium beads in old cottage cheese containers.

She was always enlisting me for help - I'd get excited when she told me to wear old clothes, because that meant we were painting. Her attitude was really good for me as a creative kid who struggled with perfectionism. She'd always tell me that if you mess up, you can just paint back over it! "Paint is cheap" was one of her favorite sayings. But the biggest lesson I took away from crafting with her was to customize, to stamp your identity on your surroundings, to take it into your hands to change anything in your environment you weren't happy with. Approach any art project with enough gumption and it will probably be AT LEAST fine - and you can almost always improve upon it in the future. In the meantime, at least it will be yours. And NEVER let yourself be bored when you could be creating.

I've gone down a lot of crafting avenues she never touched - she wasn't one for fiber arts, and I keep falling deeper into that rabbithole. But I've held on to that spirit of customization. I think of her often as I learn new ways to alter my clothes, stumbling blindly into embroidery and rudimentary sewing, bleach dying and fabric paint. I hate the landlord white of my apartment walls and dream of the day I can just paint on them anytime I want. I need to do at least a few seabirds in her honor.

[oldschool-lolita-archive]

Do you know where to buy old school lolita? It's difficult to find these days

‘Oldschool lolita��� is really just a term for the kind of lolita that was popular 20 years ago. So if you want a piece that was made in 2004 you will have to shop secondhand- there are multiple lolita secondhand marketplaces that can be found online (which i’m not going to go into because there are lots of resources on this topic already).

You might even have luck with your local lolita comm. I’ve heard lots of stories about finding such and such rare Victorian Maiden or whatever at swap meets for very cheap.

‘Oldschool lolita’ has also morphed into its own recognisable look that has been replicated by lolita brands trying to capitalise on that sweet sweet nostalgia. Brands will re-release fan favourite oldschool pieces all the time. I’ve lost count at how many Karami JSKs and Elizabeth OPs there are now! Metamorphose also has a very useful basics series for staples like socks and innerwear.

Indie brand recommendations that will work for an oldschool lolita coord~

• Rusanjinroom on IG and Twitter

• Wirehead shop on IG (they sell out quickly)

• Marble is still selling the same lace monstrosities that they always have done

• Lilith et Adalia on IG is currently on break, but their last collection was perfectly oldschool

• Spica shop also produces cheap oldschool accessories that are very endearing

♡♤♢♧

PSA: please use your own creativity when making oldschool lolita coords! Don’t feel like you need to replicate exactly what you see online, or feel that you have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Take your time, use what you have on hand even if it isn’t perfectly lolita, DIY what you can.

This way you will be more true to yourself and true to the spirit of oldschool lolita!

[mcrzines]

Zine topic prompt list! 

I'm partnering with the wonderful @void-flesh to bring you the My Chemical Romance Zine Challenge! Get creating with some DIY zine-ing and share your art and words with your friends! Use the tag #MCRzine or @mcrzines so that we can boost your work!

You can create a whole zine solo, or partner with friends for something collaborative :)

We encourage physical zines, but in order to make work accessible as physical copies even for people in places where shipping ain't cheap, we also encourage PRINT IT YOURSELF zines, with files set up for readers to print at home! 

Some notes: 

This is not a contest, or a time limited challenge! This is just to spark people's creativity! 

Related to above: you don’t need to submit anything to us - these are your personal projects! - but we’d love to be tagged so we can see what you made and boost your work!

Polished and professionally printed zines may be cool, but we are encouraging more DIY kinds of work. It's okay if you just have sharpies, glue, and your grandpa's busted xerox machine! Or perhaps the copy machine at your school is unattended? 

Wanna find more examples of others' MCR zines? At @mcrzines I aim to archive My Chemical Romance fanzine history through reblogs and sharing information. Feel free to take a gander! And @void-flesh is working on collecting and archiving physical zines, so get in touch there if you want to add your paper copy to the archive!

Resources

There's many ways to make zines! Here’s just a few ideas for getting started

What’s a zine

How to Make:

A mini zine

An accordion zine

How to make printable half page zines + Canva Template 

Places to Host Digital Zines

Itch.io - Mostly hosts indie games but has a great interface for any kind of downloads, including zine PDFs

Flipstack - An option to display digital only zines 

Other resources

Barnard Zine Library

Stolen Sharpie Revolution

[mentalmaggot]

Hi!

I’ve been interested in alt fashion and diy and punk for a while but I don’t know where to start. Do you have any advice about how I can start making some cool stuff? I’m terrible at sewing but I’d like to learn!

You don’t have to answer to this if you don’t want to.

Thank you! (And have a good day)

Thanks so much for the ask :]

I'm pretty new at making things myself! The way I got started was to look at everything I already have and don't wear and think about how I could use pieces of it or add things to it to make something new that I would actually love and use. I get most of my additional supplies from the dollar store, or just straight up trash I had lying around (pop tabs, broken jewelry, etc.). Personally, my best inspiration is to see what I could make work with limited materials-- kind of forces you to be creative with things! If you don't have much extra lying around, thrifting is great. My first jacket (the one all over my account) I didn't do much planning for. If planning is more your style then go for it, but don't get hung up on making it perfect. If you're using cheap or free materials, I'd say just dive right in for your first try. Have fun with it!!

As for sewing, dental floss is the best in my opinion. It's super thick and easy to work with. Cheap floss and a needle on the thicker side of things is all you need! The most basic stitch you need is a whip stitch. Pull the floss through the needle, fold it over itself and tie the ends together. Start somewhere to make sure the knot isn't visible. All it is is stringing the needle through what you're attaching, then back down through whatever you're attaching it to.

It doesn't have to be perfect!! It's insanely versatile and pretty strong, great for patches. The only downside is that it's super visible, but you could turn that more into a feature if you'd like! If you look too close at the stuff I make the stitching is shit-- I think the most important part is just that it'll hold together and results in something you're proud of :]

[inquisitive-june]

Separatist Swaps: Home Cook Youtubers

This week’s theme from @radblrthemeweeks is  Separatist Swaps (suggesting equivalent female artists/musicians/creators/etc to support as well as or instead of men)

I’ll admit I don’t read or watch TV much, but I do watch a lot of YouTube.  I added some of my favorite channels to this post in the past (X).  This will be an expanded list in no particular order.

Initially, I wanted to compare each channel to a similar male-led one, but I opted to just summarize what I think is unique about each one.

Food and Cooking

Note: I prefer vegan/plant based cooking, so I’ll specify which of these channels are exclusively vegan.

Cheap Lazy Vegan (V) Rose makes a lot of Korean food, but the ingredients are pretty easy to find at a regular grocery store.  Many of her videos feature high protein, nutritious meals that can be ready in 20 minutes or less.  I’ve also found her recipes to be shockingly simple without getting boring.

Rainbow Plant Life (V) Nisha is one of my favorite youtubers.  Her recipes are a bit more involved that Rose’s, but I’ve made several of them myself so they’re still approachable for a home cook.  Her recipes are primarily American or Indian inspired with advice for meal prep and saving time.

Pick Up Limes (V)  Sadia is a nutritionist, so her recipes tend to be wholesome and nutritious.  However, she still has a lot of recipes for comfort food and desserts.  I don’t make her recipes as often, but her videos are enjoyable.

Sierra Ann  I like her easy “recipes” (more like meal ideas), but she sometimes posts about fashion as well.  Her content is more akin to a vlog than concrete recipes or cooking tips, so I find myself watching her YT shorts more than her longform content.

Lisa Nguyen  I’ve only ever seen her YT shorts so idk if she makes longer videos or not.  She does instant ramen challenges where she tries different brands or ramen hacks.

Morgan Drinks Coffee  Morgan releases a mix of recipes and other content like appliance and coffee reviews.  She has a lot of advice for people just getting into coffee or those who want some fresh ideas.

Inga Lam  When I made the other post she was still working for Buzzfeed, but she recently decided to focus on her own channel.  I’m not sure what she has planned but she’s very creative and ambitious.

How to Cook That  Ann Reardon mostly makes baking videos, but I prefer her debunking videos.  She seems to have shifted more toward debunking dangerous videos in general, not just food related videos.

June Xie from Delish  June makes long videos creating a week’s worth of meals, often on a budget.  My main complaint about her content is that some of the food she makes is either not for everybody or uses ingredients that aren’t readily accessible, like produce from specialty shops.  However, that also means her recipes tend to be unique and interesting.  Her boyfriend also comes off as kinda rude, but he’s only there when they’re tasting the food.

Beryl Shereshewsky  People from around the world submit ways they eat a particular food, like instant ramen or onions, and Beryl makes and reviews them.  These videos are helpful when I feel stuck in a routine and want to see ingredients from a different perspective.

Alix Traeger  Alix used to work for Tasty, but now she makes content on her own channel with her girlfriend Zoya.  Zoya is Persian, so it’s been fun watching Alix try to master Persian dishes.

Here are some others I saw in my Watch Later list that I don’t watch often or haven’t seen yet.

Mina Rome (Cooking)

Doobydobap (Cooking)

Flo Lum (Cooking)

Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen (Cooking)

Sweet Simple Vegan (Cooking)

Julia Pacheco (Cooking)

Feelgoodfoodie (Cooking)

Anne of all trades (DIY)

The busy brown angel (Gardening)

Gardening and Homesteading

Girl in the Woods  I just found her channel last week, but it was too interesting to leave out.  Usually I don’t like homesteading YouTubers because they focus on the aesthetics, but I’ve actually learned a lot about off-grid living just from watching a few of her videos.

HannahLeeDuggan  She bought a property with a run-down cabin a few years back.  Before that, she was living in a van and selling handmade clothes online.  I can’t say I’ve learned much about van life or homesteading from her videos, but I haven’t given her a fair chance yet.  Last I checked, she was planning on documenting the process of fixing up and weather-proofing her cabin.

Learn Something

Answers in Progress  This channel is run by three people, two of which are women.  They answer random questions with a surprising amount of research and interviews with professionals.

The Take The Take claims to be “ the leading female-led entertainment analysis channel on TV, Movies & Pop-Culture”

Cheyenne Lin  Cheyenne focuses on feminist analysis and film analysis through a feminist lens.

Jessica Chou  She isn’t active anymore but she has some basic videos on car maintenance.

Micarah Tewers Micarah sews a combination of beautiful and insane clothes.  I’ve never tried to recreate any of her patterns but she’s so entertaining to watch.  She made fake eyelashes out of her dog’s hair and that’s not even the craziest thing she’s done on her channel.

Since this is intended to be a discussion, I’m also including a list of channels I’d like to find that are usually male dominated.

Game News and Lore I like watching lore videos for games like the Fallout series, RDR2, and TES.  So far, the only female gamers I’ve seen on YT are overly sexualized and don’t make the content I’m looking for.

Food Science There are a few channels that break down food science like Adam Ragusea and Kenji Lopez-Alt.  The closest female equivalent is How to Cook That, but it’s not quite what I’m looking for and she primarily posts baking videos.

I’ve been watching a lot of Ethan Chlebowski’s videos lately because he makes meal formulas and focuses on high protein meals.  If anyone knows who I’m talking about, I’d love to see female-run channels that make similar content.

Gardening and Homesteading  I want channels that actually teach me something new and don’t focus on pseudoscience or religion.

[luvcraze]

Cheap Date Ideas

Planning inexpensive dates can be just as enjoyable and memorable as more extravagant outings. Here are some budget-friendly date ideas to consider:

1. Picnic in the Park:

Pack a picnic basket with homemade sandwiches, snacks, and drinks, and head to a nearby park for a relaxing outdoor meal. Enjoy the scenery, go for a leisurely walk, or simply relax on a blanket and soak up the sun.

2. Movie Night In:

Have a cozy movie night at home with a selection of your favorite films or a movie marathon. Pop some popcorn, snuggle up on the couch with blankets, and enjoy a night of cinematic entertainment without the high cost of movie theater tickets.

3. DIY Cooking Class:

Plan a fun and interactive cooking class at home by choosing a new recipe to try together. Get creative in the kitchen as you prepare a homemade meal or dessert, and enjoy the satisfaction of cooking together while saving money on dining out.

4. Game Night:

Host a game night with board games, card games, or video games for some friendly competition and entertainment. Dust off your favorite games or try out new ones, and enjoy hours of fun and laughter without spending a lot of money.

5. Outdoor Adventure:

Go for a hike, bike ride, or nature walk together at a local park, nature reserve, or scenic trail. Explore the great outdoors, take in the sights and sounds of nature, and enjoy some quality time together in the fresh air without spending a dime.

6. Visit a Free Museum or Gallery:

Many museums and art galleries offer free admission on certain days or evenings. Take advantage of these opportunities to explore cultural exhibits, historical artifacts, and artistic masterpieces together without breaking the bank.

7. Stargazing:

Spend a romantic evening stargazing together in your backyard, at a local observatory, or in a secluded spot away from city lights. Bring a blanket, lay back, and marvel at the beauty of the night sky while sharing stories and making wishes on shooting stars.

8. Volunteer Together:

Give back to your community and bond as a couple by volunteering your time together at a local charity, animal shelter, or community event. Whether it's serving meals at a soup kitchen, cleaning up a park, or helping out at a fundraising event, volunteering can be a rewarding and meaningful way to spend time together without spending money.

9. DIY Craft Night:

Get crafty together with a DIY craft night at home. Choose a craft project that interests you both, such as painting, pottery, scrapbooking, or DIY home decor, and spend the evening unleashing your creativity while making something special together.

10. Scenic Drive:

Take a scenic drive together along a scenic route or through picturesque countryside. Roll down the windows, crank up the music, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the open road as you embark on a spontaneous adventure together.

These budget-friendly date ideas are perfect for couples looking to spend quality time together without breaking the bank. Whether you're enjoying a simple picnic in the park, having a movie night at home, or exploring the great outdoors, the most important thing is to cherish each other's company and create lasting memories together.

[taldigi]

is there a difference between alina and alya???? in terms of personality?

Since Alina is supposed to represent precanon Alya: yes.

From the 9/7/2012 bible: As eccentric as Marinette is classic, Alya wears extravagant outfits, swinging from gothic to geeky. She takes pride in being nothing like the others. It's her way of distinguishing herself. Alya is perfectly at ease with all things technology and telecommunications. Moreover, she's a budding reporter for the college newspaper!... Alya shares her bedroom with her younger sister. The room is divided in two. Alya's half is lined with posters of comic book superheroes, the floor is strewn with cables connected to an imposing DIY computer station.... Besides, she has theories on everything, admittedly- they are often very absurd. She dreams of gaining powers and becoming a heroine like Ladybug... Alya doesn't understand how Marinette can fall for Adrien, On the other hand, Alya finds Cat Noir super classy, ​​molded into his somewhat gothic leather uniform. Oh! If only Alya was Ladybug...

She is bright, smart, geeky- but fashionable! She's an individualist- loving to define and express herself. She's whipping up wacky theories that stem from her hobby of being a reporter for the school newspaper and her love of superheros- something she wishes desperately to be. She's a tech wiz- having built her own computer.

She also has a crush on Chat Noir, which i think is great in contrast to the love diamond and her relationship with Marinette. Later art of her does show that she even put red streaks in her hair, wore goggles, and held a helmet, which I think is super neat and expresses her more... creative or even techy side?

Canon Alya, on the other hand, dosen't seem to be too entrenched in tech, past a passing comment that a "good reporter backs up her files" or smth. But that's like.. something built into most phones these days, so it's not really a.. tech.. geek thing. Alya also never expresses much desire to be a hero, it more falls into her lap due to circumstance and nepotism. and her antics devolved into "stupid reporter" and zero self-preservation instinct- as well as pushing Marinette around for self-confidence reasons. (there is a discussion to be had there around black and asian stereotypes but thats a discussion for another day.)

Anyway, while it's true that none of the characters change outfits much due to cheaping out on 3D, Alya expresses no interest in fashion whatsover. In fact, she seems to carry a hipster vibe (she's rather unfashionable- I mean, most the cast are, actually.) and her outfit sort of expresses a carelessness to her fashion choices- as it's boring and plain, rather than "eccentric" She also actively seems to balk at the idea of Chat, and ignored him for the most part in favor of Ladybug. Her relationship with Nino is actively detrimental to her character and I think was her shark jump- as it suddenly started being the justification for a LOT OF BAD BEHAVIOR.

Hope this helps!

[petula-xx]

I'm a renter so investing in garden infrastructure is a balance and a compromise.

Mine is a garden of poverty. Found objects, repurposed items, cheap tip finds, composting, creativity and elbow grease is what my various vegie gardens run on.

Everything you see here I got for free. Wood lengths and a wire trellis from a curbside rubbish pile and bricks that were onsite when I moved in. This is all packed together between the legs of a garden arch which I bought cheap several years ago.

Today I refreshed the soil with 50% home sourced ingredients. Pea seeds saved from last season will go in soon. This DIY box will be feeding me again shortly.

This is how I spent my Earth Day. I hope your Earth Day was equally rewarding.