#I need to find some matte plastic ... something ... holder

[chipped-chimera]

Just figured out the reason my Tetra were hiding in the plant-forest in the back of the tank so much was because they were scared. Of a half-visible silver peg. FOR THREE DAYS.

[herradhighpriestess]

The Butcher and the Maiden

Summary:

Summaries are hard, has a definite foundation in the series for names, faces and identities but then goes in a different direction. An abducted Vought scientist, secret formula. Starts slow, but smut and major character deaths ahead. Becca isn’t a part of this Butcher’s world. Lots of triggers and consensual non-consensual activities afoot. I hope you enjoy, xoxo

Chapter One: Outpatient Surgery 

“Were you this much of a sniveling cunt before the Compound V or is this the effect?” Butcher growled before he depressed the trigger on the detonator and watched the Supe’s midsection explode from the C4 belt that Frenchie had wired together from phone charger cords.

“Goddammit Butcher, we needed to try and get some answers first. That’s the fifth Supe you’ve blown up, you know how hard they are to get a hold of,” Mother’s Milk growled as he shook his head.

Butcher chuckled as he wiped grey matter from his forehead. “He wasn’t going to give us anything, these fucking Supe’s are all the same.”

“How do you know? You didn’t even ask him anything?”

“No, but I got this,” Butcher said and tossed a laminated ID badge at MM’s broad chest.

MM examined the badge, seeing it was an access pass for one of Vought’s off-site research facilities.

“So, what, we’re going to go walk right in the front doors?”

“Something like that,” Butcher said with a smirk.

Both men looked to Starlight when she spoke from the doorway.

She couldn’t conceal her disgust at the blown apart and remaining visceral stump of the Supe and averted her gaze up to Hughie as he came to stand beside her.

“I could go there, if I got stopped, I could say I was returning the badge, that I found it.”

Hughie immediately began to protest and both Starlight and Butcher simultaneously interrupted him.

“Let me do this,” Starlight murmured.

“She’s a Supe, she’ll be fine,” Butcher grumbled and pushed past all of them.

Hughie followed him to the shabby bathroom as he wiped a damp cloth over the most obvious of the blood stains he could see and paused when Hughie didn’t move from the doorway.

“Stop getting distracted, your bird wants to help.”

Hughie blew out a breath and stepped aside so Butcher could find Frenchie and the Female and bring everyone together to discuss a way of getting into the Vought facility with the access badge.

Frenchie pulled up some info after hacking a Vought firewall and according to a glossary of Vought’s offsite facilities, this particular badge granted access to a building that was classified as Medical Research and Development.

Frenchie continued to check the schedules of the various companies that hauled away documents to be archived or shredded and trash abatement.

MM noted a few things that would be needed with a stubby pencil on a yellow pad of paper.

Everyone gathered around the dimly lit table in the rundown safehouse. As MM outlined a rough outline of the Vought facility, putting x’s on the entrances and rear access doors as well as the safety required fire escapes, Dr. Olivia Phillips pulled her luxury sedan into her reserved parking space behind the Vought Medical R&D building. She flipped down her visor and checked her teeth to make sure her breakfast bagel from the drive-thru espresso hut hadn’t left a poppyseed lodged in between her front teeth.

Olivia dabbed on a fresh coat of peach gloss before pulling her purse and backpack from the passenger seat. She juggled her coffee as she clicked her key fob and the car beeped twice.

She adjusted the thin strap of the hot pink backpack over her shoulder as her high heels clicked on the pavement of the freshly paved lot.

Olivia gritted her teeth as she slid her access badge and heard her co-worker Craig’s voice sound from behind her.

“Morning Florida,” he drawled.

She fought to keep tension from making her shoulders rise and plastered a saccharin sweet smile on her face before glancing back at him as the door buzzed loudly as it unlocked.

“Good morning Dr. Dalton,” she said and fought to not walk stiffly to the employee lounge and locker room as he called to her back. “Oh, come on, call me Craig.”

Olivia stuffed her bags in her locker and slipped on her lab coat before draining the last of her now tepid coffee and taking the stairs down to the sprawling lab in the basement.

She was buzzed in by security and washed her hands thoroughly before grabbing her daily inventory sheets and reviewing the notes left by the night shift.

Olivia pulled a few cultured specimens from one of the deep-freezes according to an urgent work order from a Vought scientist on the third floor. She tagged the specimen and checked the task off her task list.

Doctor Olivia Phillips had no idea that in just a few hours, her life was going to be completely turned upside down, shaken apart and turned inside out.

Olivia was listening to a voicemail and didn’t hear Craig until he tapped her on the shoulder.

She nearly dropped the phone as he held his hands up and pretended that he hadn’t purposefully made his approach as stealthy as possible.

“How’s it going Florida, what do you have planned for your Friday night?” he asked openly leering at her chest.

“I’ve asked you to not call me that,” Olivia said stiffly and deleted the voicemail.

“Sorry, sorry,” Craig said and leaned on the stainless-steel counter and pulled one of the ink pens from its mesh holder.

Olivia hated her pens getting stolen, so she decorated them with garish artificial hibiscus blossoms and gaudy feathers.

“Come get drinks with me tonight,” he said easily and deftly twirled the blooming pen in his long fingers.

Olivia reminded herself to keep smiling, “no thanks. I’m driving to my parent’s house this weekend, it’s their anniversary.”

“Bring me as your plus one,” he quickly countered.

She shook her head as her smile started to fail around the edges. “It’s just a small family get together; my mom hasn’t been feeling well.”

“You always have an excuse,” Craig said snarkily and shoved the pen back in the crowded holder.

As Olivia took in a deep inhale as the head of Vought’s R&D pouted, across town, MM, Butcher, Hughie and Starlight loaded into the dark nondescript van as Frenchie kick-started the foreign made motorcycle and the Female climbed onto the seat behind him, molding herself against him.

They started towards the Vought facility, obeying all traffic laws, and not drawing any unnecessary attention to themselves.

After checking to make sure it was Friday, they decided to approach through the delivery entrance.

There were several surveillance camera blind spots, but that facility wasn’t considered high-risk for break-ins.

As the van and motorcycle closed the distance between themselves and the facility, in the basement lab, Olivia blew out a relieved breath when Doctor Craig Dalton was paged on the overhead system and he had to leave.

She tapped her fingers on the stainless-steel counter as she listened to the next voicemail message and looked up at her educational accolades in matte grey frames with a simple ivory mat.

“Dad says this job is just a stepping stone,” she mumbled aloud, reminding herself that as soon as she logged enough hours she could get a better job in the main Vought laboratory downtown. She needed two-thousand hours with Dr. Craig Dalton before she could apply.

As she logged some chemical panel results from a high-pitched lab assistant in the downtown lab, MM and Butcher breached the service entrance and went to the right in search of the freight elevator that led to the basement as Hughie, Starlight, Frenchie and the Female took the second freight elevator to the first floor in search of the security office.

Olivia cranked the satellite radio station when one of best classic rock songs ever began to play.

As she sang along to the song in a blissfully unaware off-key tone, out in the hall, a security guard who was taking a smoke break returned early and turned the corner, nearly colliding with MM’s formidable frame.

The fresh-faced guard pulled his firearm as Butcher raised his own gun.

Several gunshots were rapidly exchanged and called the attention of two more nearby guards who began sprinting towards the sound of gunfire.

MM’s hand shot out and pulled the guard into a chokehold and easily snapped his neck, letting his body drop heavily to the gleaming linoleum.

Butcher and MM dashed into an alcove and exchanged gunfire with the two guards. MM threw a flash grenade down the hall and the inexperienced guards were too slow to react and shot wildly as the explosion disoriented them.

MM and Butcher’s sites each found a guard and ended them efficiently with a shot to the head and heart.

Butcher staggered and dropped to one knee as his side felt like it was coming apart. MM saw the blood soaking through his ribbed, grey shirt and half-pulled Butcher to the closest open door.

Olivia nearly fell off her padded stool when MM practically kicked in the door, dragging a bleeding Butcher behind him.

She fumbled for the phone as MM slammed the door shut and engaged the deadbolt.

“Put down the phone,” MM ordered calmly as he aimed his titanium gun at her.

Olivia nodded and replaced the phone and swallowed hard in relief when MM put the gun into his waistband. “You’re a doctor?”

Olivia nodded, not trusting herself to be capable of speech.

“Do you have the supplies here to help him?”

“It’s not really that kind of lab but there are some emergency supplies in the cabinet.”

“Get them,” MM shouted and Olivia scrambled to the cabinet and yanked out a plastic-handled case and nylon duffle bag of emergency supplies. She dropped next to Butcher as she yanked on a pair of snug-fitting green chemotherapy grade gloves.

MM watched Olivia as she yanked Butcher’s blood-soaked shirt out of the way and pressed a large, square gauze to the bullet’s entrance wound. MM dialed Frenchie and told them to pull the van around the back and that Butcher had been injured.

Olivia dug around in Butcher’s side and eventually her gloved fingertips brushed against the bullet lodged in his belly.

“You need to keep pressure on this,” Olivia said to Butcher as she needed both hands to get to the suture kit. The blood threatened to seep around her fingertips as she pressed a fresh white gauze to the wound.

Butcher looked at her and arched an eyebrow, his pupils seemed to truss her up and see inside her before he blinked and added with a ragged chuckle.

“I don’t have time for that love,” he grunted as he leveled his gun at the door as it was broken down and a pair of bulky guards rushed inside.

Olivia blew out a sharp breath and shifted until she could lean her hip against the bandage and hold pressure long enough to dig out a sterile needle and length of sterile suture.

Butcher tried to focus on the door and not the woman who within minutes of seeing him, had a gun pointed at her and was then saving his life. He let his eyes move over every bit of her exposed skin as she put several internal stitches to stop the bleeding and then stitched him close.

She felt herself flush at her uneven stitching. “It’s been a long time since you were in clinical, you stopped the bleeding and that’s what matters,” she told herself.

Olivia looked up startled as a skinny pale guy with huge, unblinking eyes and a cute blonde dropped into the room from an off-white ceiling panel.

“What the fuck is going on?” Olivia murmured to herself, but Butcher heard her. He kept his expression neutral and tried to conceal the pain that was radiating from under her busy, gloved hands.

Olivia taped the edges of a thick absorbent dressing as the skinny guy and blonde each got on a side of her impromptu surgical patient and hauled him to his feet.

She found herself walking with them as they scrambled out the rear of the building, pressing a sterile swab to the wound’s seeping edges.

Olivia shadowed Butcher’s half-carried steps until he helped half-slide himself into the back of a van and then started to back up with the intention of returning to the safety of the building.

“I’m going to need you to get in the van doctor, please don’t make me repeat myself,” MM ordered easily.

Olivia felt her bladder tighten at the emptiness in his words and nodded as she kept her eyes on MM’s broad frame as she climbed into the back of the van.

The skinny guy climbed behind the wheel as the blonde got into the passenger seat. The muscular man pulled the van’s doors closed and Olivia turned her attention back to the man she was pulling a bullet out of just minutes after seeing him for the first time.

Hughie pressed the accelerator and the van lurched as it gained speed. Olivia pressed two smooth fingertips against Butcher’s neck and found his rapidly pounding pulse.

“Don’t worry love, I’m still alive,” Butcher murmured as he sagged against the bare metal floor of the van.

“This will sting,” Olivia murmured as she started a saline IV on Butcher and only had large bore needles available that would part his flesh more than necessary.

She taped the plastic IV catheter in place and injected a broad-spectrum antibiotic, not trusting how sterile her technique was considering the field circumstances.

Butcher grunted and then fell silent as Olivia cleaned the coagulated blood off his side to make sure he had stopped bleeding.

Olivia glanced up at him, finding his eyes closed. “Are you with me?” she asked as she tore off a fresh strip of paper tape and affixed it to his side.

“Yes doctor, but I could use some mouth-to-mouth when you’re done there,” he murmured in a heavy, masculine tone despite the blood loss and ensuing state of shock.

Olivia shook her head and attended to the smaller wounds and lacerations Butcher had sustained as Hughie continued driving the van for another hour before pulling into a low-rent mechanic shop that would serve as the new safer safe house.

MM and Hughie flanked Butcher and moved him to an industrial green cot as Starlight held out her hand towards a visibly shaken and fish belly white Olivia.

“Hi, I’m Annie, I promise you’re going to be okay. Just bear with us a while as we get things straightened out.”

Olivia stared at Annie’s extended hand before tucking her hair behind her ears and clearing her throat.

“Hello, Olivia, Olivia Phillips,” she said and closed her hand around Annie’s as she stood from the rear of the van.

Annie trailed her eyes over Olivia’s blood splattered form. “Let me show you where you can clean up, I have some stuff you can change in to also.”

Olivia felt a touch of relief as she followed Annie to the rear of the auto shop and a shabby bathroom with glorious soap and hot water.

Annie set a stack of clean clothes on the counter and hovered outside the door as Olivia took a long time cleaning up. She washed her hair three times and scrubbed her fingernails until the cuticles threatened to bleed. She turned off the water when it began to cool off and dried with the rough towels before slipping into knit pants and a long-sleeved thermal top and blue-grey hoodie with a local burger chain’s brightly colored logo.

As Olivia got dressed, on the other side of the shop in a room that used to be the manager’s office, MM adjusted the lumpy pillow behind Butcher’s head.

MM paused and looked over when Olivia appeared in the doorway and moved to the other side of the cot. She peeked under the edge of the gauze dressing and nodded in satisfaction that the swelling had not increased nor a return of blood loss.

“Why don’t you go clean up,” Olivia said to MM, gesturing to his blood-stained hands and shirt.

“I’ll stay right here, I swear,” Olivia said dramatically and managed to keep from rolling her eyes.

MM finally nodded and went to clean up in the same cramped bathroom.

Olivia tucked the rough wool blanket around Butcher’s side and felt how saturated his shirt was with blood, sweat and topical antiseptic gel.

She tisked to herself and rooted around in the nylon bag she had carried with her from Vought, the company’s name in bold embroidery on the bag.

Olivia found a couple bottles of sterile water and spied a half-empty cardboard box of clean shop rags in the corner of the room.

She was tearing the cellophane seal on the first bottle of water when Butcher’s pained groan broke into her thoughts.

“Am I going to live?”

“I think so, just don’t aggravate the stiches by moving around too much,” she cautioned before she laid the back of her palm against his forehead as she counted his respirations.

Olivia flinched as he shot out his hand and captured her wrist, keeping her hand pressed to his forehead.

“You should get more rest,” she murmured as she tried to tug her hand free.

Butcher nodded in agreement and gave her wrist a final squeeze before releasing her.

The instant knot dissolved in Olivia’s gut when he let go of her and she adjusted the linen up and around his shoulders.

MM reappeared at the very moment her phone chimed from deep inside her lab coat’s pocket. He crossed the room in three long strides and yanked at her jacket, ripping the pocket until he could close his large hand around her phone.

He frowned as his eyes moved over the text message.

“Are you okay Florida? Call me ASAP,” MM read aloud from the rectangular screen.

“Is that some fucking Vought code?”

Olivia shook her head and stared at her phone solidly in his grip. “It’s a stupid nickname, that’s my direct supervisor.”

Butcher hovered between a conscious and unconscious state, but he heard the stupid nickname and tucked it away for later reference.

Annie rapped on the door jamb and broke the growing heaviness in the small room. “You should get some rest too, we’ll take turns keeping an eye on him,” she said authoritatively nodding towards the passed-out Butcher.

Olivia nodded and followed Annie to another room that had a couple chairs and broken-down sofa kept company by a buzzing, blinking vending machine.

She ate a bag of stale sour cream and onion potato chips and can of flat soda before curling up on the sofa with a similarly scratchy wool blanket that Annie had left for her.

Olivia settled on to her back and shifted uncomfortably as she stared up at the water-stained ceiling.

Her frenzied, stressed mind and physical shock response had her thinking of the most unimportant things.

“I forgot to mail the mortgage,” she whispered to the empty room as she thought about the rectangular envelope on her hallway oak entry table. “Will I ever get to wear that new DVF to Caroline’s wedding?” she murmured before sleep finally conquered her taxed system.

Hours passed as she slept, her future still murky and composed of the unknown.

[blazerexhibitsandevents-blog]

Important things you should bring to any trade show or event.

Being prepared for the unexpected can save your event when unforeseen issues arise.

Matt Smith | July 22, 2019

So, you have signed up to have space at a couple of trade shows that are relevant to your industry. Your exhibit has been well thought out, designed, built to your specifications, and finally transported to the show venue. You have prepared your marketing materials and your staff is checked in at the hotel and all ready to go. Things are going smooth and the big week is just about to begin and then you realize? What exactly should I bring? What have I forgotten, and what will I do if something goes wrong? Don’t be that person. Be the one that is cool as a cucumber on show day.

For the more experienced trade show veterans, the question may seem a bit silly, however, for those that are less experienced or this is the first event the question is a great one. It is not uncommon for even an experienced trade show manager to forget some things. So, how do you avoid this? Make yourself a checklist and cross everything off as you load it into the car or pack it into your bag. Use your phone, or paper and pen. The medium is not as important as the list itself.

Let us get started with a list of items, broken up into important categories, which you should consider putting on your checklist to bring with you on the day of the trade show or event.

Personal items

This list includes important items that will help you and your staff stay comfortable throughout the day. This may include an extra shirt (if it’s really warm and you end up getting sweaty or spill something you don’t want to have to head back to the hotel), breath mints, ibuprofen/aspirin, water bottles, band-aids, alcohol wipes or hand sanitizer.

Promotional materials

It is hard to discount the draw of promotional items and giveaway items. Always make sure that you have what you need before the show so any raffles and other marketing strategies are covered.

Business cards, informational brochures, white papers or data sheets are printed and packed. I like to keep a series of QR codes for those items handy just in case they are all given out. That ensures you can still deliver the information on the show floor.

Make sure that all of the promotional items are ready and on the show floor as the setup is winding down. Also, keep the digital files on a thumb drive so if you are running low on day one you can run to the copy center during the off hours and have some printed.

Exhibit Repair/Maintenance items

Things happen. It is never an ideal time for things to take a crazy turn, but eventually, you will have to deal with one or two. Some of the more common issues are related to items that are misplaced or maybe your exhibit had some modifications and your normal inventory of power strips is a few short.

Velcro, power strips, double-sided tape, rubber bands, and a multi-tool are a good start to help the unknown. If a forklift takes a bite out of the corner of your white laminate counter that double-sided tape and paper can help hide things rather well and even fasten a strategically placed graphic making the issue disappear altogether.

Basic Supplies and Storage

Do not forget the basics like pens, pencils, paper pads, appointment book (and something to record leads in), tape, staples, folders, highlighters, scissors, rubber bands, etc. Also, make sure you have plastic boxes or containers to store and organize things. Organization is the key to success the old saying goes. Keeping things separated makes everything easier to find in a hurry.

Tech

It is always prudent to bring a few items you may or may not need. I have found that having three tablets with tablet holders can be used for an abundance of items such as registering for a giveaway, browsing your company website, and those giant QR codes mentioned earlier. Bring a few power banks as well so they can stay charged as needed. You may not use them at all, but in a pinch, these can be a show-saver!

Summation

When things go perfect it is a testament to everyone involved. When things take a turn for the worse – be a hero and not a victim of circumstance. By taking time to make a list of important items that can help when emergencies happen you will be seen as a person of action who was prepared to deal with issues if they so happen to arise.

Matt Smith has been a professional Graphic and User Experience designer for over 28 years who works closely with trade show and event companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver Colorado.

Also read: Custom Trade Show Exhibits – The Ultimate Marketing Platform

About Blazer Exhibits & Events:

Blazer Exhibits & Events is one of Customize Trade Show Exhibits and Events. We offer / Provide services like Install & Dismantle , Events, Freight & Shipping, Trade Show Calendar, Storage, Asset Management, Free 3D Design etc. Talk to us On - 1.408.263.7000 Or FAX: 1.408.608.1880 Or Email us at marketing@blazerexhibits.com https://justpaste.it/redirect/5y2l7/https://www.blazerexhibits.com/trade-show-booth-displays/

Happy to help!

[fortairsoft]

Best Airsoft Shotguns – The Definitive Guide

In the market for a new airsoft shotgun? One that will really up you’re game and help you become a seasoned pro?

This guide will show you exactly what the best ones on the market are and which one we recommend the most.

We will go over everything from

The most powerful

The most affordable

The best built and best looking design

What we believe to be the winner among them all

So if you want to go from a beginner to a pro in airsoft, then this guide is for you.

Lets get started!

The Best Airsoft Shotguns

CYMA Polymer M870

Our first one on the list is one of the most classics, and for good reason.

The M870 is an affordable option that packs a ton of features.

Sporting a tri-shot system which allows it to shoot 3 BB pellets with the single pull of a trigger.

This allows multiple sprays of the pellets over a long distance, making it much easier to hit a moving opponent.

This comes with a fairly high fps at 280 – 306 FPS, which is a monster for a shotgun.

This is a high powered spring design, but don’t let that deter you, this thing is incredibly quick to reload and provides enough power to hit even the fastest of moving targets.

The build of the M870 is fantastic

The outer design is made from aluminum and sold plastic and feels just like the real thing. You will not notice any weak points in this, meaning that it will last a long time before you encounter any issues.

For the lower price point, this is a great option for anyone wanting to try out how an airsoft shotgun works and feels while playing, which is why we recommend it so much.

Pros

Very affordable

Good fps for the type of gun

Solid build quality

Shoots triple BB’s at once

Very easy & quick to reload

Cons

Not enough accessories to add

Check It Out

FABARM STF12

If you’re after something with a little more bang for your buck, then this is the option for you.

With a fps of 300-310, this is one of the more powerful weapons out there, and it will really help you stand out from the other players.

Like the previous one we mentioned, the STF12 has a triple fire mechanism, which allows 3 BB’s to be shot at once, ensuring that you cover a greater range when trying to hit an opponent.

The reason why we like this one much though is because of the add-ons you can apply to it, they’re almost endless!

You can remove and upgrade the front and rear sight and comes with a built in hop up.

The top rail allows you to add everything from larger optical scopes, all the way through to a holder for your phone.

And did we mention that this is a pump action design, which makes the realism of using it even that much more sweet.

The build quality of this is fantastic, and we never had any issues when using it.

This is one of the better airsoft shotguns out there and can really help you up your game for your next match.

Pros

Large range of add-ons

High fps at up to 310

Tri shot mechanism

Fantastic build quality

Pump action firing

Cons

For some may be a bit on the pricey side

Check It Out

Hwasan Double Barrel

If its power you’re looking for, then have we got the right gun for you!

This is an absolute beast of an airsoft weapon, they do not come much more powerful than this.

The Hwasan green gas powered airsoft shotgun is one not to be trifled with, and you better hop someone on the opposing team doesn’t have one.

Like we said, this is a green gas powered product, so it has far more grunt than the spring powered options, and has a fps range of 420 fps.

That is a ton of power packed into such a small design, but it benefits you greatly.

As you can imagine, this fires two rounds of BB’s with the single pull of a trigger, meaning you can cover a large area , making it ideal for opponents who are on the move.

Due to the compact design, this can easily be carried on a belt with a holder, or even in the side of a backpack, allowing you to carry multiple weapons.

The design and build of this are fantastic to, with a solid wood grain handle and metal barrels and components, this one one of the best designed and crafted products out there.

Ive had this weapon in my tactical loadout for quite sometime not and I can say with out a doubt that its one of the finest airsoft guns you can play with, so we would highly recommend it if you’re looking for something that has the power and build quality of the real thing.

Pros

High 420 fps

Full metal and wood construction

Shoots dual BB’s at once

Green gas powered

Weight close to the real thing

Cons

The price may put some people off

Check It Out

CYMA M3

Now this is a design that will shriek fear in your opposing team.

The M3 is a design that resembles something more along the lines of the terminator, with its beefy pump action, all the way down to its matte black finish.

This houses a triple pump action firing system that will shoot 3 BB’s with the single pull of a trigger, meaning your opponents aren’t going to get out of this one easy, so they better have their body protection on.

The triple shot design makes it so you can spray the other team with pellets from a greater distance, but while still covering an area that will be hard for them to escape from.

The velocity on the M3 is around 280- 306 fps.

While not one of the most powerful out there, the triple shot makes this a worth while purchase, and the accessories that can be added is a big selling point.

It comes with a built in hop up system, ensuring you have a straighter shot and can be customized with endless scopes and sights due to the built in railing on the top of the weapon.

The matte black coating not only looks hardcore, but it feels great on the plastic and metal, giving it a much more realistic feel than some of the other products out there.

The pump action is also so smooth, there is no jamming, no awkward movements, nothing, just a smooth back and forth and the BB’s are ready to be fired.

This is a great option for the more experienced players looking for something a little more realistic and for people wanting a triple shot system.

Pros

Beautiful matte black finish

Triple shot firing

Up to 306 fps

Tons of accessories like scopes can be added

Built in hop up

Cons

Would be good if it held more shells

Check It Out

Final Thoughts

While there are a large range of airsoft shotguns out there, we believe these ones to be the best of the best.

We have tested and tried these and have had no real issues with any of them, meaning you shouldn’t either.

Using this type of gun during a match is a little different than using a pistol or rifle. While those weapons that be used in a stealth type way, crouching behind a bush, aiming carefully, the shotgun is more of a run and fire type weapon.

This means that you need to choose one that has a solid build quality, at least a dual firing setup and one that can store shells and is very easy to reload, and you are going to be doing a lot of it.

We hope this list was helpful and you find the exact airsoft shotgun you are looking for, happy playing.

[kjhomqhan]

XP-Pen Deco 02 review:the best budget drawing tablet for beginner

  Are you unsure about buying budget drawing tablets? While it’s nice to pay less, the fear is you will have to sacrifice a lot of quality for the price. Many cheaper tablets can be smaller, slower, and quite buggy.

The XP-Pen Deco 02 is a different story.

  It’s a real drawing tablet at a budget-friendly price. This XP-Pen Deco 02 review will confirm that you don’t need to be rich to get a decent pen tablet.

  Cheap drawing tablets owe their low prices to a cheaper overall design. This sometimes means that they don’t perform well or lack features you may take for granted if you’re used to high-end brands like Wacom.

  If you’re used to Wacom, the pen may feel a little bit limiting. Otherwise, there’s nothing to really complain about. On their own, XP-Pen tablets are solid options and their best-selling products work really well.

  It’s always little things like these that you should look out for before buying drawing tablet.

  Weighing these factors against the great price is how you determine whether a budget graphics tablet is worth your money. And in this case, I’d say it is.

Technical Specs

Active Area: 10″ x 5.63″

Resolution: 5080 LPI (Lines Per Inch)

Report Rate Speed: 266 RPS

Keys: 6 customizable shortcut keys

Pen Type: free buttons

Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels

Interface Support: USB

What’s In The Box

XP-Pen Deco 02 tablet

P06 Passive Pen

USB Cable

Green Stopper

Pen Holder with 8xReplacement Pen Nibs

Black Drawing Glove

Quick Guide

  The XP-Pen Deco 02 offers a surprisingly good value. It has all the important features you could expect of a graphics tablet, it handles well and it doesn’t lag.

  To put it simply, I think the XP-Pen Deco 02 is an amazing option for beginners and hobbyists because it’s both affordable and easy to use.

Overall Build

  The XP-Pen Deco 02 has a surprisingly solid build. Nice and sturdy for a budget drawing tablet.

  Since the XP-Pen Deco 02 doesn’t come with a stand, creative solutions like a book or lap will be useful. Thanks to the solid build, you can prop it up without having to worry about damaging it if something slips.the Deco 02 comes fully bonded with drawing film, making it durable to use. the Deco 02 is only 9mm thick ,the light weight makes it easy to set up and use anywhere, and really easy to bring with you even in a regular backpack or brief case.

Drawing Surface

  Historically Wacom is credited for the most natural drawing surface with near perfect texture. But the texture on Deco 02 is equally good . I pulled out my Wacom tablet and Xp-Pen Deco 02 for side by side comparison. What I found is the texture feels and sounds slightly different in both devices. But, in my opinion, it all comes down to personal preference, no tablet could be called better over the others.

  With an active area of 10 x 5.63 inches, drawing feels natural and unrestrained. That’s a little bigger than an A5 paper. You’ll find it easy to use with monitors up to about 20 inches.

The Pen

  A Pen is the most important piece of hardware which determines your decision of getting that pen tablet. in this case, they have created a extremely well-performing pen.

  XP-PEN new advanced P06 passive pen was made for a traditional pencil-like feel! Specially designed for the Deco 02. Comfortable grip and high efficiency! A unique hexagonal design, non-slip & tack-free flexible glue grip, the pen comes with a single button on its side and eraser on the top. The pen comes with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and works without any battery with the help of EMR (electromagnetic resonance).

  The various texture and the matte black finish works really well and it is pleasure to hold in hand. Apart from the physical feel, it performed great in various digital painting software. Its pressure sensitivity was on point, and there were no wobble and jittering in fast as well as slow movements. The transition from the low pressure to high very accurate and on point with no traces of pressure bumps.

  Overall the pen was a very accurate and capable. I can happily recommend it to anyone.

Shortcut keys

  Deco 02 Graphic Drawing Tablet comes with 6 customizable buttons arranged in two groups of threes, in-between which sits a rolling wheel. All the shortcut buttons are placed on the left side of the device which is an ideal position for your hand to rest naturally.

Buttons

  The buttons are circular in shape and made of plastic. They sit pretty snugly with no wobble or vibrations, giving it a premium feel. The quality of the buttons is great as they make a crisp click sound with good feedback. With the help of the driver, you can reprogramme any of these buttons to perform any shortcut for any software. Other than that you can also assign application-specific shortcut which automatically changes the buttons as you switch to other application.

Rolling Wheel

  The rolling wheel is one of the highlights of the device as it has not been seen in any other tablet at this price range. At default settings, it is set to perform three tasks which include Zoom, Scrolland changing the Brush size.

  With the help of the driver, you can change these default settings and add two extra shortcuts.

  The tablet comes with a green rubber disk which sits on top of the roller. Its main use is to cover the hole and provide a rubber surface to hold instead of metal.

Driver

  XP-PEN driver supports Windows 10/8/7, Mac OS versions 10.10 and above. Also compatible with many major designer software such as Photoshop, SAI, Painter, Illustrator, Clip Studio, and more. Deco02 drawing tablet suitable for Drawing, Image Editing, Industrial Design, Game, Cartoon Design, Sketching, Signature, Online Education and Play Games.

  You can adjust the active area to better fit the size and shape of your screen. Adjusting the pen sensitivity curve is also easy. It grants a smooth and responsive drawing experience overall, with no notable lag or jitter.

Pros

Large Drawing Area: You can create without unnecessary restrictions.

Price: It’s a great deal.

Build Quality: Sturdy for its price range.

Left-Handed Support: Just flip the tablet and start drawing

Cons

Pen: there are no special nibs.

No Wireless: If you like to sit further from your screen, this is a challenge.

Summary

  When it comes to cheap drawing tablets there are a lot of choices in the market. But with all the other devices, you get some and you lose some (features).The XP-Pen Deco 02 Graphic Drawing Pen Tablet has a lot of features that aren’t common on affordable tablets. With its amazing price-to-value ratio, Making it one of the best drawing tablets in the market.The drawing tablet gives you professional grade digital paintings, the XP-Pen Deco 02 is a great option for both beginners and experienced artists with a smaller budget.

  if you are interested in it , you can visit their official store here : https://www.storexppen.com/buy/59.html

[5paragraphessaytopic142]

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Creating Your Own Rune Stones

Although Rune-sets can be bought from New Age shops, it is preferable to prepare your own. An effective Rune-set can be easily prepared with small stones or pebbles collected from a walk in a natural location.

Choose a time when you can go out into a natural environment – woodland, open countryside, or seashore – in search for your stone helpers. Shamans of all cultures and traditions who have a deep affinity with the Earth regarded the Mineral Kingdom as the most ancient since it appeared on the Earth before there were trees and plants, or animals, birds, and humans.

Rocks were perceived as the “bones” of the Earth and like a skeleton, provided the structure that supported and held everything in place. Rocks and stones are of great age so were considered to be “wise” helpers for the human being who sought to commune with Nature and seek its support. Rocks and stones, including gems and crystals, were perceived as the “holders” of energy since their vibratory pattern is very slow and they are in a state of inertia. That is why stones are very suitable for a Rune-set for they will hold firmly and constantly the vibration of each Rune pattern.

Finding Your Stones

The search for 25 pebble-size stones for your set – one for each Rune plus a 25th which will serve as your stone of destiny – needs to be performed in an unhurried way, for it is not a question of simply picking up whatever stones may be seen during a gentle stroll through natural surroundings.

You must allow the stones to choose you! How? Simply, by having that intention clearly in your mind as you set out on your quest. Just tell yourself – that is, instruct your subconscious self: “I am taking this shamanic walk to enable the stones required for my Rune-set to identify themselves.”

In some way your attention will be drawn to a particular place or places on your walk, to a stone or stones that will be lying there. What you are seeking are small, flat stones about 2 centimetres in diameter. The full set of 25 stones should all be approximately the same size.

When your attention is drawn to a stone, pick it up or gently prize it from the earth or sand using a pen-knife or small metal tool. If it looks the right size and shape, hold it in your right hand, close your eyes, and ask for an indication that it is a stone you need.

Then wait for a response. You will have a clear “feeling” or impression of the stone is right for you – an inner assurance which is intuitive. If no response comes, return it to the place where you found it. Treat it with respect.

You may receive a positive connection with only two or three stones in your quest, so you may need to make several such journeys before your set is complete. On each occasion take the stones home, wash them thoroughly and keep them in a safe place, preferably near a window where they fan be the light. When your collection is complete you will be ready for the next stage of preparation.

Crafting Your Rune Stones

Before crafting your set, it will be a good idea to familiarise yourself with the staves (symbols) and their meanings. You will need the following materials to complete your set of Rune stones:

A soft pencil

A watercolour painting brush

Blue enamel paint

Clear varnish

White spirits for cleaning the brush

Cocktail sticks

Tissues

Choose a place to work where your stones and the materials can be left safely for a few days as this work cannot be completed in a single session. On each occasion light a candle before you begin.

The candle flame serves as an on-off switch when shamanic work is undertaken. It is also a powerful symbol of the living Light that is within you – the inner light of your Spirit and the illumination which you seek. It also serves as a reminder of the Greater Light that is at the Source of the Universe. Make sure the candle is secure in a holder and is safely located where it will not be a fire hazard.

Lay out a sheet or two from an old newspaper to protect your working surface and have handy all 25 stones you have collected. They should have been thoroughly washed to remove any dirt, grease, or grime. Also be sure that they are completely dry.

Cover each stone with a coat of clear varnish, using the watercolour painting brush. This task will need to be completed in two stages to allow the upper surface to dry thoroughly before turning each stone over to varnish the other side.

Apply just a little varnish at a time so it covers the surface evenly. If you overload the brush, the varnish will run and spoil the finish. You will need to exercise patience by ensuring that the varnish has thoroughly dried on both sides before attempting to apply the paint for the Rune Stones.

The kind of paint best suited for Rune Stone sets is one that has a strong pigment, is quick drying, and permanent. Matt enamel as used for plastic models and sold in miniature tins is both convenient and inexpensive. Nail polish can also be used.

Do not apply the paint with a painting brush. Use a cocktail stick instead. The sharp end of the stick is simply dipped into the paint and spread gently along the lines of the Rune-stave, which is best outlined first with a pencil. Just a globule of paint is required for each application.

Continue carefully in this way until each line of the Rune shape is complete. Remove any excess paint with a tissue. Replace the cocktail stick frequently so you maintain a sharp point for painting.

This task should be carried out with great care and concentration. As you apply each portion of paint, whisper the Rune’s name and sense the flow of Runic potency into the stave as the pattern takes shape. Remember vertical strokes should be made downwards and diagonal lines generally from left to right, but do what feels natural to you.

The 25th stone is the “destiny” or Odin stone, and is left blank after varnishing.

Once thoroughly dry, the stones are ready for consecration. This should only be done at a time when you can be undisturbed for a while. You will need to have your candle alight.

Consecrating Your Runes

Consecration is in four stages. The first is to consecrate through the power of Air (mind) and Smoke (spirit), and we can do this through a process called smudging.  You can use a smudge stick, or incense, whatever is best for your situation.

Before consecrating the stones, draw some of the smoke towards yourself with your hands as a gesture of your own need for consecration and purification. Then past the stones through the smoke several times, turning them over slowly so that each one becomes thoroughly immersed in the smoke. As you so so, concentrate on your intention of setting each stone aside for the special task of holding the power of the Rune they carry.

The second stage is to consecrate through the element of Earth. Salt is often used to represent the essence of Earth because it is used to preserve and to conserve and therefore emphasises the qualities of the Element of Earth. The salt used should be rock salt, which comes from the Earth, and not sea salt. Pour a little into a shallow dish or bowl. . Then in an act of consecration and with your mind focused on the intent hold each stone above the dish and sprinkle salt over it. Then, immerse the stone in the dish.

The third stage is consecration through the Element of Water. Use another shallow bowl or dish to contain a small quantity of water. Preferably use spring water, but if this is not readily available, you can use any source of clean water. Dip each stone into the water so that it is fully immersed and again state your intention silently.

The fourth and final stage is consecration through the element of Fire. You may here use the candle flame as a symbol of the Fire Element and it’s great transmuting powers. Pass each stone through the flame several times, again repeating your intention. If your stones are small, you may want to use a small candle with a small flame so that you don’t burn your fingers.

Activating Your Rune Set

Each Rune Stone you have crafted is activated by holding the stone in the palm of your left hand and curling up the right hand into a cylinder through which the breath can be blown forcefully into the Rune-stave. Each time you breathe in you should have the deliberate intention of taking in the life-energy of Chi.

Hold that breath briefly as you place your mouth over the top of the curled hand and concentrate on the name of the Rune, and then blow the breath of life into it. Repeat this action three times.

This procedure is repeated for all 24 Runes and for the blank Rune which may be called “destiny.”

Your Rune Set is now ready to use. By crafting your own set of Runes, consecrating them, and activating them through your own Life-force, they have now become entirely personal to you. So treat them with the care they deserve. To ensure that they can be protected and carried about safely, keep them in a special Rune bag.

Do not allow others to handle your Rune Set; the stones will become tainted with their vibrations. Treat them as something “special” and personal to YOU – which, of course, they are.

The Rune Bag

Now that you have your own set of Runes, you will need something to keep them in and to protect them as they are carried about. Traditionally, Runic shamans kept their Runes in a pouch made from natural material such as linen or leather. Choose a material that is soft and pliable, or chamois leather which is readily obtainable and easily worked.

Here is a tutorial for a very simple bag: Make A Simple Mojo Bag

The pouch can be plain and simple or elaborately decorated and embroidered , or painted with symbols, whatever is significant to you. It can be sewn together by machine or by hand. It is also perfectly acceptable to find and buy a drawstring bag for your Rune set.

Have the Runes in their bag with you as often as possible to begin with. When relaxing, keep the bag and its contents on your lap so it is near your navel region, the center of your physical being. When you go to bed, put them under your pillow. In this way the Runes will quickly become attuned to your energy-system.

More information on using your Runes for divination can be found here: Rune Stone Reading.

Source: Rune Power

https://shirleytwofeathers.com/The_Blog/magickal-apothecary/category/uncategorized/

[spamzineglasgow]

(REVIEW) Pain Journal Issue 3

In this review, Maria Sledmere draws out the material poetics of intimacy, glimmer, memory and salt in issue 3 of Pain Journal, from Partus Press, asking what kinds of dream-writing and ecopoetics we might find among the tangle, the camaraderie, the trace.

> Pain is an immaculate journal of new poetry and short, creative essays, edited by Vala Thorodds and Luke Allan, published by Partus Press and designed by Studio Lamont. Folding out the cover of issue 3, you’ll find an epigraph from Robert Creeley’s ‘The Flower’: ‘Pain is a flower like that one, / like this one, / like that one, / like this one’. Pain is a making, a sap, a sort of seedling and fruiting of where we are in the years. It likens itself to more than we’d tend to acknowledge. A blood, a fur of skin, a flower. It’s such a luxury to hold issue 3 in its peachy, matte dust jacket, admiring the beautiful type and the list of contributors. There’s an air of the covetable to Pain: maybe it’s the print quality, maybe it’s the poetry, maybe it’s the curation. I think it’s also something to do with the cover, dominated by the sans serif title PAIN: when I read this walking in the street, I make some kind of statement. It feels charged with the ambiguity of some high fashion statement, and yet what lucky readers are we that something of the contents may tell the pain — we don’t just wear it.

> Where to start! These are lush poems of communication, intimacy, sensation. Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir’s ‘Gleam & delicacies’ is a surreal and elliptical lyric of superstitious glimmer. Poetry as ‘a trap for the superstitions’. I find myself googling what a ‘glowfruit’ is and find some reddit discussions around the appearance of ‘glowfruit trees’ in Sims games. There’s this line, ‘I still have wild glowfruit trees. Do you?’, which feels like a summons, a challenge. Enter into this logic with me, where the one-time event of the glowfruit’s arrival has seeded the game’s eternal time. Someone comments, ‘They seem kind of random to me’. I had forgotten the magic of games and their luxurious richness and dream logic of glitches and hacks and splintered paths of narrative. Perhaps my childhood adoration of Sega and Nintendo was my way into poetry. The opening veils of an overlain world. Sigurðardóttir’s poetics have that quality of drifting between rooms and scenes, or falling between bodies and scales by one gesture of a linebreak, the slide of a button control, ‘I give birth to suns / for the morning hoax / slippery planets’. It reminds me of David O’Reilly’s video game, Everything, where you can move between a roving shrub, a celestial body and an oil rig in the space of ten minutes. What is meant by a ‘nighthaired waiter’? There is a dream-hand that extends to our proprioceptive venturing, that offers casual refusal (‘I didn’t come here to toothbrush the wolf’) by way of assembling the real and its purpose. The real which feels more like a ‘silhouette’.

> Significant, perhaps, that this poem of mirror-tricks and shimmers stands opposite Ruby Silk’s ‘Re:’, a poem that takes the banal conceit of email and pulling on tights in the swimming pool changing room to figure something of desire and its thirst. ‘we communicate drily’, the poem begins, ending with a slide on the nature of being quenched, on the question. Both poems forego punctuation, and more or less carry themselves on the turns of language: objects form a multiple syntax of moving between. Their cleanness on the page is perhaps what makes them gleam, they seem to hold their own. The gleam is present elsewhere in the issue, with Eloise Hendy’s ‘scrubland’ beginning, in the manner of Marianne Moore moving into Plath territory, ‘i too have a gleaming future. / a future like a fish scale, the eye / of a small bird’. Trauma or remembered pain is a matter of scale(s) and perception, of the body and its existential whittling, whitening. The speaker asks about whiteness, light, memory and dream: ‘all that spilt milk. all that gleaming’. You could say the gleam is metonymy for shame, the beaming cheeks, the sense of glowing or almost burning there in the situation. No capitals, a whittling. The idea of ‘nonsense’ itself, whittling down to the first gleam, its tender origin: ‘as a girl i was very soft’. The way the lines and stanzas slip, enjambed between, the idea of a passing through. The speaker offers her hurts: her fish eye, her pale appetite, her starved future, her dreams of fish bones and choking. ‘be gentle with me’, she implores. I think of this line from the film Lady Bird (2018), after Lady Bird loses her virginity under a pretence of shared experience and the boy Kyle is like ‘Do you have any awareness about how many civilians we’ve killed since invasion in Iraq started?’ and she replies, ‘SHUT UP. SHUT UP. Different things can be sad. It’s not all war’. ‘as an adult i am softer still’, Hendy writes, as though softening herself into the palest ghost and somehow becoming defiant, ‘my hand / is an arrowhead. a future / like a fish eye’.

> It’s no surprise that Pain is tinged with other existential tremors, those of the body and the world, of ecology and domesticity, of sex and dust. Helen Charman’s ‘In the pocket of Big Pig’ wears high theory cool on its sleeve as it sweeps into the muck and dirt of where we are. The movement of ‘manmade’ materials into the ‘natural’ is an aesthetic act: ‘Plastic / can holders entwine themselves around the / sea kelp — to tame and smooth frizz’. In that em-dash I feel the lines reaching out, the kelp and the twine and the human arms, the bristles. Does poetry do more than brush back the mess of the world, or tease it back into static? What are the ethics of pain’s poetic entanglement?

    ecopoets try again and again to convince us of the whiteness of the snow drift. I like            muddy ducklings               dirty reedbeds

                                                          (Charman, ‘In the pocket of Big Pig’)

If ‘muddy ducklings’ has that childlike assonance of storybook rhyme, ‘dirty reedbeds’ feels adult, insistent, dark. The place where you tangle and possibly drown. Turning away from the pristine ‘snow drift’ that pulls us into the picturesque, an ecopoetics that continues the aesthetic throwback of nature poetry before it, this is an anthropocene poetics of living in a fraught, affectively entangled now: ‘I think we’re nostalgic for more than VHS when we / fuck in front of the Blue Planet poster misty-eyed as if / we’ll ever get to show the oceans to our own kids’. Sex is ambivalently yoked to procreation in the ‘misty-eyed’ act of fucking to get back to something primal, deep and planetary. The world as it once supposedly was and exists now mostly as mediation: scenes on tv, posters for Blue Planet. And the word ‘fuck’ for sex that feels iterative rather than tender, two bodies trying to make something of what they have, an intensified point in time and space, a mediation or trace of each other.

> A similar kind of iterative sweetness and friction occurs in Jack Underwood’s ‘Behind the Face of Great White Shark’, where some new entry to the ecosystem upsets the home, ‘Since we brought you home from the hospital / I have begged these hours to a stub’. Enter the metaphoric playground of sharks and dogs, worms, rats, beans and bananas. Something of this new love, the baby perhaps, the shark or the tender thirsty thing at dawn, is a hurt: ‘I admit I have been sick / since we met, pursuing this love-wound / like a moon beyond the windscreen’. A love you’d drive to all through the night, to arrive back where you started, chaste in your own ‘dawn kitchen’ with a moony look in your eye. I think of Dorothea Lasky’s ‘wild lyric I’, the one she discusses in her new book Animal: this playful and manipulative ‘metaphysical I’ that ‘can harness all fragmented senses of self and use them whenever it needs to’. Underwood’s I thrashes like a shark on the sick shores of a new love, a birthing tide, dark and light. An I that threatens violence, desire from all angles and limbs ‘fucking ambidextrously’; an I that ‘can keep you safe inland’, that pulls you into its glow, for this is just ‘the lesser work of living’.

> It is tricky to identify highlights from a journal where, as with amberflora (whose sensibilities resonate here), the selections are impeccable: focused, resonant, but also lovely alone. Nina Mingya Powles’ ‘The Harbour’ has something of Clarice Lispector’s radiance, pressed into a teeming poetics of its own. Its section titles add an epistolary quality, italicised as they are, ‘Dear whales,’, ‘Dear dreamer,’. Post-Arika, with all talk of Moby Dick and the mathematics of the whale, it seems these cetaceans are having a real moment. Powles’ address to the whale is elegiac, ‘I can pinpoint all the places you have died, / where I’ve buried you’. She’s putting pressure on the work of metaphor, the whale as so much more than whale, the whale as what cannot be contained, the whale that cannot contain itself. Her whale is more of a comrade, a friend:

When I looked out of the train and saw your deep blue body and you saw mine you stayed close to me, swimming alongside. We were both travelling home.

What if ecopoetics, or anthropocene poetics, were something more like this surprising camaraderie? Does it matter whether the encounter was imagined or actually happened? Running through Pain is this suffering silk with its shadows and texture of echo and gleam, ‘the dream is wet skin against her hands / the fact is echolocation’ (Powles). I’ve been thinking about what the tensile ethics of this fugitive touch are: the touch of the image, the whale and the speaker on the train, the relative distance of speed and time between them, the hospitality she extends to the animal she is also. ‘I’ll show you my mother’s potted orchids’, in a world where to cross one human threshold is to know that later the sea will be deep enough for you once more. Pain asks how much of each other we need to hold. There’s this passage from Hélène Cixous’ novel Hyperdream (2006) that speaks to this:

I hear it, I hear a murmur your skin speaks, a blood thinks, I hear your thought running under the skin I hear your life thinking under the neat eternal spotless silk. I read with my life. I am torn. At the same time I am healed and glued back together again. During this time the world suffers and dies [...]

What is the murmur of our speaking skins, our thinking blood? The body that dreams? One pain can open the next, there’s a gesture of infinity, the way that Anne Boyer identifies in her ‘meditation on modern illness’, The Undying (2019): ‘My new calamity meant it was possible to feel every cell at once and, in these, every mitochondrion, and that it was possible, too, to have a millionfold shitshow of sensations in locations newly realised’. To have your body illumined, intensified, surged to the end of each nerve and cell with this searing consciousness. When I had shingles, I felt real dreams; they seemed to extend to a million tips, concentrated in clusters on the skin of my belly. Real dreams/real hurt. Is a body in pain the body that dreams the most, from her almost-paralysis in sensory excess? I think poems like Powles are asking these questions, declaring, spacing, opening up, leaving us on the brink of a blank that is its own quiet sublime, ‘everything is so !’. And if ‘the fact is letting go’, what of the fact have we been holding all along? Is this like Creeley, gesturing towards this or that flower, as a way of describing, to insist on it. Something we ask as children: does a flower or a plant feel pain? Pain, pain. There it is in the world, it just is, like a flower, or something more tiny and abrasive, salt after salt. A period.

> Rowland Bagnall’s essay ‘The Metal We Call Salt’ closes the journal with a meditation on the poetry of Philip Levine and Elizabeth Bishop, writers who ‘[address] the delicate failure of poetry to say the things which can’t be said’. This is Creeley, surely, with the flowers which stand for the shapeless pain. I’m reminded of a line from Rachael Allen’s ‘Kingdomland’: ‘the glass and salt my crooked pathway; impassable glass and salt’. The glittering remainders which excoriate the entry and exit of threshold, painful debris of the sea. This is the ‘tantalising’ poetics that Bagnall writes of, words that ‘say that they are lost for words’, words that gift and withhold by their material gesture: words that carry traces of what they may be. Salt-tanged and gleaming as glass. ‘What got revealed when the layers of leaves / Were blown backwards?’ Ralf Webb asks, in his ‘Three Sonnets’. What is it to walk over the crunching ‘pathway’ of such poems for pain, ana-cathartic as they move into, above, through, around and from the wound and its ferric sting? The essay also looks at the paintings of John Salt and photographs of Mark Ruwedel, considering how as a preservative and purifier, salt as both an archival and corrosive mineral: art as what consumes and reveals, what glints with the not yet spoken. Salt in the wound for pain will sting, but it will clear. These poems are such interfusions, sweetness and dreams, the ‘torn’: healed and suffering of a life and a world, coming over. And, for just a while, Pain will hold you together, soft in its peachy embrace.

Pain issue 3 is out now and available to purchase here.

~

Text: Maria Sledmere

Published: 5/1/20

[tamboradventure]

My 2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Travelers

Posted: 11/25/19 | November 25th, 2019

Travelers can be a fickle group of people to buy gifts for as we’re constantly coming and going. We usually don’t carry a lot of stuff with us, and no two travelers are alike so finding the perfect gift for the traveler in your life can be tricky.

While a plane ticket is never a bad idea (I’m a window seat in case anyone is thinking of getting me one), I’ve put together this ultimate holiday gift guide for travelers as there’s a lot of great travel gear out there these days that helps people travel cheaper and better.

Even me, the gear-adverse traveler, likes a lot of this stuff!

This is stuff I actually think is super useful. No nonsense. No fluff. Just the best gifts for intrepid travelers and globetrotting nomads!

Table of Contents

Gifts Under $25

Gifts Under $100

Gifts Over $100

  Gifts Under $25

1. Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are an awesome tool to help you stay organized while you travel. Whether you’re a budget backpacker or traveling with half a dozen suitcases, packing cubes will keep you organized as you travel the world. They come in a variety of sizes, allowing you to store items big and small. If you know a traveler who needs a hand staying organized, this is the gift for them!

Buy now on Amazon!  

2. Travel Padlock

This simple item is one of the most important for the budget traveler. Since many hostels have lockers, backpackers need to have their own travel lock when they’re on the road. While you can usually rent them at hostels, those prices add up after a while. I never leave home without a lock because I never know when it will come in handy.

Buy now on Amazon!  

3. Earplugs

Anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel knows that a good pair of earplugs is a necessity. From chronic snorers to late-night drinkers to copulating couples in creaking bunks, hostels are known for their less-than-quiet accommodation. Add some earplugs to your shopping list. Because the gift of a good sleep is priceless!

Buy now on Amazon!  

4. Sea to Summit Quick Dry Travel Towel

Having a lightweight, quick-drying towel makes a huge difference when you’re on the road. Big, bulky towels take up a lot of space in your backpack and they take a long time to dry. If you’re on the road, you don’t want a towel to delay your plans or stink up your bag. Enter the travel towel. It’s the compact, quick-drying solution that every backpacker needs.

Buy now on Amazon!  

5. Travel Adapter

Nothing is more tedious than arrving to a new destination only to realize you can’t charge your devices because the electrical outlets are different. That’s why you’ll need a travel adapter. They’re a simple accessory. There’s a million out there but this is one I use as it covers every region of the world and comes with USB ports too. It’s cheap, easy to use, and lightweight. Everything you need in an adapter.

Buy now on Amazon!  

6. Scratch Travel Maps from Landmass

Scartch maps are a fun way to keep track of your past travels while helping you stay inspired as you plan your future trips. You simply scratch off the parts of the world you’ve been. Simple. Easy. Landmass is my favorite company that makes these, though there are plenty of other companies that make them now, so you can also find them in all sorts of sizes and colors.

Buy now on Amazon!  

7. Passport Holder

A passport holder is a must-have for any avid traveler. Not only does it protect your passport from wear and tear, but it makes your travels much more convenient. Most passport holders have slots for your travel credit cards as well as any cash you have, making it a safe and convenient way to keep your valuables secure while you travel. While there are tons of expensive and fancy passport holders out there, a simple one will get the job done and save you money in the process (money you can spend on more travels!).

Buy now on Amazon!  

8. Toothpaste Bites

Traveling with liquids is always a pain. They’re a hassle at airport security and, when it comes to toothpaste, there is a lot of waste. The plastic tubes end up in landfills and you can never really get all the toothpaste out of the tube. Enter toothpaste bites. These dry tabs of toothpaste that come in a recyclable jar (no plastic!). They take some getting used to but they’re a great eco-friendly option for the environmentally-conscious traveler. (And they clean your teeth well, which is also very important!)

Buy now at Bite!  

9. Hand-drawn Food Maps

These are unique, hand-drawn typographic maps of food from Legal Nomads and artist Ella Frances Sanders. They make a great gift for anyone who loves to eat and travel (and who doesn’t!). They come in a variety of sizes too! Jodi’s maps are the best! (Use the code SEALUP for 15% off!)

Buy now at Legal Nomads!  

10. The Fearless Guide to Solo Female Travel

Kristin Addis created this detailed guide to solo female travel, addressing all the concerns women have about traveling. The book includes tons of tips and advice, as well as interviews with other female travelers and writers. It gives you the specific, actionable information you need to conquer the world on any trip!

Buy now at Nomadic Matt!  

11. Moleskine Notebook

I never leave home without one of these. They are the perfect notebook for journaling during your trip as well as for writing down travel notes such as directions, contact information, and language tips. I think everyone needs to write more during their travels so they have something to look back on (other than photos).

Buy now on Amazon!  

12. Travel Books

Few things can inspire you to travel like a great book. They can transport you to new places and keep your wanderlust stoked while you work towards making your own travel dreams a reality. If you’ve got an avid reader who loves to travel on your holiday list (or if you’re just looking for something to read over the holidays), get a travel book. Books are the best gift in the world and on my Amazon page you can get a list of all the best travel books I’ve read over the years.

Buy now on Amazon!  

13. Celiac Travel Cards

My friend Jodi from Legal Nomads created these helpful travel cards for anyone traveling with Celiac disease. They are in-depth resources that communicate your concerns to restaurant staff in a way that allows anyone traveling with the disease to have a worry-free meal. If you or someone you love has Celiac disease, these travel cards are a great resource! (Use the code SEALUP for 15% off!)

Buy now at Legal Nomads!  

14. Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a convenient liquid-free alternative to regular shampoo. It’s a useful minimalist solution for budget travelers who travel carry-on only and an eco-friendly choice as well. Natural dry shampoos absorb the grease and oil in your hair, keeping it clean while you’re on the road — and with minimal effort too. It works for all types of hair and hair lengths as well so you don’t need to shave your head or do anythign drastic either.

Buy now on Amazon!  

15. Ten Years a Nomad

This book is my memoir about my ten years traveling and backpacking the world, my philosophy on travel, and the lessons I learned that can help you travel better. It takes you on a trip around the world from start to finish: getting the bug, the planning, setting off, the highs, the lows, the friends, what happens when you come back — and the lessons and advice that come with all that. People have been really enjoying and connecting with it and I think you or any other traveler would love it!! (Plus, getting it helps support everything we do here!)

Buy now on Amazon!  

16. Donate to Charity!

For the traveler in your life who has everything, why not make a donation to charity on their behalf! FLYTE is an awesome charity that I started back in 2015 to help high school students in underserved communities experience the transformational power of travel. Every year we send a new group of students abroad, but we can’t do it without your help!

Donate the gift of travel today!

  Gifts Under $100

17. Trtl Travel Pillow

Travel pillows are perfect for those long-haul flights, delayed buses, and airport naps. Every traveler needs to have a travel pillow on hand to maxamize that downtime and time in transit, and Trtl pillows are the best on the market. They’re great for helping prevent jetlag and make even the longest, most uncomfortable trip a little more bearable.

Buy now on Amazon!  

18. Suavs shoes

Suavs shoes are super versatile and durable, making them great for traveling. Whether you’re just exploring the city or in need something that looks a bit fancier, these shoes can do it all so you don’t have to pack multiple shoes. They are flexible, light, washable, and breathable. I love them! (They look great too!)

Buy now on Suavs!  

19. Travel Headlamp

This is a great tool for both backpackers and anyone looking to do any hiking or camping. In a hostel, a headlamp is helpful if you need to check in or out but don’t want to disturb your fellow travelers. For outdoorsy folks, they’re useful for hiking, setting up camp in the dark, and for emergencies.

Buy now on Amazon!  

20. LifeStraw

Environmentally, pollution from single-use plastics is something every traveler has witnessed. And, monetarily, when you’re traveling, continuiously buying water gets expensive. Do your part to help the planet by traveling with a reusable filter. LifeStraw is an awesome brand with a built in water filter. The filters last 5 years so you save money on changing them too.

Buy now on Amazon!  

21. Superstar Blogging

Is there someone on your list looking to start a new career? Why not give them a leg up and enroll them in Superstar Blogging! We offer comprehensive courses on blogging, writing, photography, and vlogging that outline everything you need to know to succeed in the travel industry. You’ll learn from me and other top travel experts on how to level up your game, reduce mistakes, and get you heard above the noise!

Buy now on Superstar Blogging!

  Gifts Over $100

22. Travel Backpack

If you’ve got a budget traveler on your holiday list, a travel backpack is the gift that keeps on giving. A well-made bag will last for years and through dozens of adventures. Having a reliable travel backpack is one of the most important items for a traveler.

My favorite bag is the Flash 45 from REI but other great companies worth checking out are Osprey, Nomatic, and MEC (for Canadians).

Some bags worth checking out are:

Men’s Osprey Farpoint 40

Women’s Osprey Fairview 40

NOMATIC 40L

(For a different backpack, check out my guide finding the right backpack for more options!)

23. Travel Clothing from Unbound Merino

These travel clothes are some of the most versatile on the market. Made from merino wool, Unbound offers clothing that can be worn daily for weeks (and months!) without getting smelly. They are perfect for the traveler who wants to pack lighter. I really love the material, they feel great, they hardly ever need a wash, and they last forever!

Buy now on Unbound!  

24. Eco-friendly Luggage from Samsonite

If you’re in need of proper luggage, Samsonite has been a go-to brand for durable, reliable luggage for ages. Now, I’m a backpack guy but I love this new luggage set. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic! Every little part of it! I can get behind something that environmentally friendly. It also comes with a limited 10 year warranty too in case something goes wrong.

Buy now on Amazon!  

25. MacBook Air

This is my favorite travel computer. It’s light, it’s powerful enough for regular use, and the battery life is great. While an iPad might be another potential travel choice, I find the Air much more versatile. You can do a lot more with it. When I’m on the road, this is the laptop I travel with.

Buy now on Amazon!  

26. iPhone

While not a cheap phone, the iPhone 11 has such a good camera that you don’t need to take a traditonal camera with you when you travel. It has a solid battery life, a grat lens, beautiful screen, and, is overall, just awesome. True, I’m an Apple fanboy so I might be biased but hey, it’s my list!

Buy now on Amazon!  

27. Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

These are great for those long flights or bus trips as they block out background noise so you can read, work, or sleep without being distrubed. The wireless Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones are fan favorites and my go-to brand. They are comfortable, rechargable, and do an amazing job at removing background noise. If you’re on a budget, consider the QuietComfort 25 instead.

Buy now on Amazon!  

28. Mophie External Battery

These days, we all travel with numerous electronic devices like phones and tablets. It can be hard to keep them all charged. An external battery solves that problem. Two high-output USB ports make this external battery incredibly convenient, and it can charge up to 100 hours of battery in one go.

Buy now on Amazon!  

29. Kindle

While I personally prefer to read physical books, I can’t argue against the convenience and simplicity of the Kindle. Hauling around physical books is a pain if you’re traveling often. With a Kindle, you can pack hundreds of books into a single device, and many versions can also use apps and access the internet. It’s a great gift for the avid reader.

Buy now on Amazon!  

30. GoPro Hero 7 Black

Every traveler needs a camera, and few are as versatile and durable as the GoPro. They’re great for photos and video no matter the climate. They’re waterproof and are perfect for both everyday city exploring as well as more extreme and adventurous activities. They’re just awesome.

Buy now on Amazon!

*** Whether you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift for a traveler in your life or just looking for some holiday inspiration for yourself, this list will help you find an awesome gift for the holidays. No matter your budget, there is something here for you that will help you level up your travels or the travels of a loved one.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years.

My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Photo credit: 13 – Electric Teeth

The post My 2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Travelers appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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[sabreean]

Plastic free personal care:

Hair: This is a major category for me because I have a horse’s mane - 2 1/2 feet long, baby-fine but as thick as any 2 or 3 other people combined. — As soon as the current bottle is empty I will switch to bar shampoo. Many companies make bar shampoo and conditioner so there are a lot of naked products to choose from, and I mean a LOT, so making a decision took a long time and a lot of reading. myHumankind makes some, so does Sheets, but I have decided to try Ethique. They offer mini bars for sale so you can give them a try first and are the perfect size for traveling, they sell plastic-free compostable shower storage boxes for the full size bars (the boxes last about 5 years before they start to break down) and they have unscented. I received my Bar Minimum mini today and may hair feels very clean. It didn’t lather up as much as bottle liquid shampoos but maybe it isn’t supposed to. The Ethique web site says that it will “foam” but that wasn’t my experience. Eh, whatevs, it worked. They also have a purple bar set, for us blondes and silvers, and I don’t think *any* other brand makes that in bar/naked form. —I can’t use bar conditioner, I just have too much hair. But Ethique makes concentrates of many of their products - large bars that can be melted with boiling water into a cream/liquid and stored in whatever bottle is already sitting around. So I am going to try their conditioner concentrate when the current stuff is used up and just reuse the bottle that’s in the shower now. —I keep a small container of dry shampoo handy because the crown of my head needs washing a lot more often than is good for the length of my hair. I’m light blonde so the dry shampoos that lighten your hair don’t look weird but that’s a consideration for people with darker hair, and some brands make dry shampoos specifically for darker hair or claim that their all-for-one won’t make you the Bride of Frankenstein. I have Billie right now (two shades available, for light or dark hair, unscented) which comes in a plastic bottle, but only because I got a sweet discount on it with my first Billie razor set and I hadn’t yet gotten on the zero waste wagon. In a pinch, if you have light hair or don’t care about the lightening, you can just use cornstarch. It’s cheap, it’s in every store, it comes in a cardboard box and it’s the main ingredient of some dry shampoos anyway. But looking for an alternative to the Billie has shown that all-natural dry shampoos are more prevalent than I would have suspected. I even found a zero waste, unscented one that’s made here in Hawaii! — Two reasons to hope I love Ethique’s products: they have pet products. And they are a certified B Corp whose business practices and ethics kick the ass of pretty much any other company out there, maybe even Lush. They tick hippie boxes I didn’t know existed. — If I need to set my hair, I use aloe vera juice. If I need to slick it down I use conditioner. If I need to deep condition it, I use whatever oil is within reach. Heat never touches it. The only hair products in my home are shampoo and conditioner. It’s 2 1/2 feet long, “styling” ain’t something that happens here. It braids, it barrettes, it buns, it tails. So while there may be all natural, zero waste styling products out there, I don't use them. Maybe I'll do a whole separate article some day just to point the way but I won't have dick to say about them.

Deodorant: I don’t sweat much and BO has never been a problem - until now. I am going through it at three times the rate I did before. I have a mini unscented deodorant bar in my Ethique sample pack but the full size is a block that requires an airtight container they don’t sell, and a good number of reviewers reported it leaving white streaks on their clothes that don’t wash out. I just used it for the first and I’m wearing a sleeveless dress so I can’t speak to streaks, but it has a pasty consistency that means you have to wash your hands after using. So…probably not going to go with the full size, as much as I want to love Ethique. I ordered the full size Native unscented deodorant, which is a stick in a paper tube that you push up from the bottom, just like that orange treat you got from the ice cream truck when you were a kid). Sheets has the same but not unscented. myHumankind makes unscented but are currently sold out except to current subscribers who just need refills whereas I’d be a first time buyer, and anyway their dispenser contains a little bit of plastic which ain’t no thang if your community has recycling. Ours doesn’t, so I think I’ll stick with the paper tubes. -- Some brands make powders which I’ve tried and while they can be messy, they work. Other brands make pastes that come in glass jars and you apply with some spatula-like thing, but I can’t get excited about schmearing myself like a bagel. As with hair you have a lot of options to work through if you want to go plastic-free or plastic-minimal. -- The obvious question is whether all natural deodorants work for people who sweat heavily and I really don’t know since I’m not one of those. I’ve read the reviews on all the brands I considered and the answer to that question appears to be much “Your mileage may vary”. Everybody's body chemistry is different so ever product performs differently. Some sites talk about "detoxifying" your pits but bitch, please.

Teeth: — When my current tube of Dr. Bronner’s runs out I will try myHumankinds tooth tabs. I used Lush’s tooth tabs for a long time and I think tabs are fantastic - you can put them in carryon luggage without doing TSA’s stupid human tricks and they take up much less space. Other brands make powders which like deodorant powders above can be messy. But read the ingredients if you go the powder route - some store brands are just flavored baking soda which still works well, but at 10x the cost of a box of Arm & Hammer and they can just fuck right off with that scam. Other brands make pastes that come in glass jars and I think I saw one brand that uses a tube made of sugarcane. Or maybe that was face moisturizer. I don’t remember now. — I’ve been using bamboo toothbrushes for over a year and the subscription option means it’s easy to ensure that you are changing out your toothbrush as often as your dentist lectures you about (I also have reminders on my calendar every three months to nudge). I use Brush With Bamboo brushes because the bristles are USDA certified as 100% biobased and am very happy with them. The bristles aren’t falling out and they are soft enough for tender gums. — There are also plenty of zero waste dental flosses and mouthwashes out there. I don’t use floss so can’t comment (flossing makes my gums bleed, has done so my entire life, even dental hygienists have a bitch of a time flossing me and give up quickly). I have used Lush mouthwash tabs and they work very well, I’m sure all the other do too. But I don’t feel a need to keep any on hand. I’ll update if I change my mind.

Skincare: — My current supply of face moisturizer will last me a good while but when it runs out, again, plenty of bar options and oh so many glass jar options, and a few brands use tubes made out of a sugarcane material. Finding a face cream your face loves is a trial-and-error pain in the ass, I may just default back to Lush even with the plastic pot. My skin loves Magical Moringa so much and it’s created to be matte, so I don’t have to worry about the island humidity leaving a shiny oil slick on my face. Plus it’s thick enough and ‘dry’ enough that it stands a far better chance of surviving shipping conditions than Lush’s other products. — I want to try Ethique’s body lotion concentrate when my jar of Queen Helene cocoa butter runs out but it will be hard to convince me that anything is better than the Queen. — My current shower soap is Lush and when they discontinued my favorite I loaded the hell up, so I won’t have to make a decision on that for months. I may just share my partner’s, it’s in a plastic bottle but I love its orangey scent. I use my shower gel to wash my face because it’s Lush so I don’t need a separate gentler face cleanser. But I did use the mini Bliss Bar that came today in my Ethique sample pack and my face likes it quite well so maybe I’ll stick with it. Finding a new face cleanser can also be a trial-and-error pain in the ass…um, cheeks… — I exfoliate my face and body by mixing sugar into my shower gel, on the rare occasions I feel the need for a face mask I use straight honey (creamed/whipped/spun if I can find it), and for toner I mix tea tree oil into witch hazel liquid. Sorry I don’t have any opinions on specialty products out there but for these three things I’ve always been DIY. The toner and honey mask are good options for people with acne because honey and tea tree oil are natural antimicrobials, if that helps ease your sense of loss.

Shaving: I’ve been using Harry’s safety razors for a few years because I did the math - the subscription safety razors live up to their press, you really do save a shit-ton of money over disposables and they work much better. I switched to Billie just before I moved to the island because of the magnetic razor holder that it comes with, and really that was the only reason for the switch, the razors are just as good (although I admit the differently shaped handle of the Billie is easier for me to handle without dropping). -- I use hair conditioner or shower gel to shave with so I can’t comment on shave-specific products that are plastic-free, although there are a lot out there to choose from. The only shave-specific product I’ve used is Cremo and I liked it very much but it comes in a plastic tube.

Lip balm: It’s in a plastic jar because that’s the only way I can get it but I use straight up 100% anhydrous lanolin (the thick stuff, not liquid). It works incredibly well, is unscented/unflavored, and doesn’t wash off too easily. I order it from bulk supply houses like LotionCrafter or Bulk Apothecary because much cheaper than buying it off the shelf at a store. To exfoliate my lips I mix sugar and just enough oil or honey to make a paste. I don’t know that any one oil is better than any other for this, I just use whatever I have around - almond, avocado, coconut, and there’s always olive in the kitchen.

Tools: I use myHumankind bamboo swabs and I love them! The stems are bamboo and the cotton organic. The stems are rigid and strong, the cotton is tightly wound, and both are very important now that I'm regularly gunking up my ears with salt and sand and water. They are going to be great for makeup if I ever get around to wearing any. Maybe in September when we take our long weekend on Maui. -- If I get to the point that I need cotton balls, which I haven't since I moved here, I would probably try the washable bamboo pads that so many places sell. I used cotton balls before because I just...always had them. It's one of those things you always kept in the bathroom because doesn't everybody and your mom always bought them so I did too. Weird how that works, ain't it?

Feminine hygiene: I'll be blunt, don’t ask me. I haven't had a period in well over a decade because I practice menstrual suppression. And I’m of croning age now so it will be a moot point before long. I can’t contribute to this conversation. Sorry.

[ntrending]

Make cufflinks from upcycled materials and look like a boss

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/make-cufflinks-from-upcycled-materials-and-look-like-a-boss/

Make cufflinks from upcycled materials and look like a boss

If you’ve got blank cufflinks, just fill ’em with some resin and whatever eye-catching material you desire. These cufflinks contain, from top to bottom, eggshells, mobile earphone cables, chocolate wrappers, and CD foil. (Jan D’Sa/)

If you’re the kind of person who tends to hoard odds ’n’ ends in the hope of upcycling them someday, you’ll enjoy making these artistic cufflinks. So dig into your arts and crafts cabinet and let me show you how resin and a bit of creativity can turn bland bits of material into flashy accessories.

You can use pretty much anything, but for this article, we’re using chocolate wrappers, cracked eggshells, the shiny foil from old CDs, and headphone cables. If you’re yearning to work with resin, these funky cufflinks are a good place to start.

Oh, and before you begin, feel free to crank up your favorite music and ease into some mindful meditation of a different kind.

Stay safe, seriously

The most important part about working with resin is knowing how to use it safely. It’s a hazardous material, so if you ignore safety precautions, you could get hurt. So whether I’m working on a large-scale resin painting, wood, or in a 16-millimeter metal circle, this is how I stay safe:

<strong>Read the safety instructions on the resin packaging.</strong> These will tell you how to care for any resin-related injuries. Plus, if something does go wrong—like resin gets in your eyes—you may not be able to read the packaging to figure out what to do.

<strong>Wear eye protection, gloves, and an apron.</strong> The more covered-up you are, the better.

<strong>Work in a well-ventilated area.</strong> Resin is a chemical, and it emits fumes that can affect your lungs. It’s pretty smelly, too, so you may be grateful for good air circulation.

<strong>If you have kids or pets, make sure they’re not around.</strong> As I said, resin can be harmful.

<strong>Cover your work area with newspaper and keep paper towels nearby.</strong> Spilled resin is sticky and you don’t want it on the floor or table. I have a separate table I use for resin projects so I can leave it undisturbed.

<strong>Don’t use the tools for anything else.</strong> You really don’t want to bring the resin measuring cup or stirrers into the kitchen.

<strong>Keep your mobile phone on silent to minimize distraction.</strong> I learned this the hard way. I was in the midst of carefully pouring resin into cufflink blanks when my ringtone jarred me so badly that I accidentally poured too much, making a merry mess. Once the resin dried, the cufflinks were permanently stuck to the base of the wooden holder. It’s like working in a chemistry lab—you need to keep your focus.

The basics of working with resin

When I first started working with resin seven years ago, there weren’t many brands to choose from. I ended up using EnviroTex Lite resin at the time—the same brand I used for this story. It comes in two bottles: one for the resin and one for the hardener.

I have also used ArtResin, but it was not available when I was shopping for resin. Like EnviroTex Lite, it also comes in two parts. If I could get my hands on them, I would experiment with ultraviolet resins and eco-resins, but they’re not available where I live. UV resins dry—cure—under UV light in a matter of seconds, so they save a lot of time. Eco-resins, meanwhile, are non-toxic and solvent-free.

I also tend to buy smaller quantities of resin when I’m working on smaller projects, such as cufflinks and lapel pins, because unused resin turns yellow over time and I don’t want my projects to look old.

If you’ve never worked with resin, make sure whatever brand you buy has proper instructions on its packaging. Some, like EnviroTex Lite, call for a 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener, while others require 1:2. Even so, you have to be willing to make some mistakes along the way as you learn how to accurately mix resin and hardener.

When you mix your resin, do so according to its instructions. Otherwise, it won’t cure fully and you’ll end up with a sticky surface. The packaging will also tell you how long your brand will take to cure. EnviroTex Lite, for example, finishes in 8-72 hours.

The size of each project below is a good thing, too, because the best way to get the hang of resin is to start small. If you’re just starting out, work on one cufflink blank at a time to get comfortable pouring resin before you start handling several—pouring resin is a process you can’t rush.

And if you find you’ve mixed more resin than necessary, don’t throw it out. You can pour it into something else (I used an old wooden tray), and experiment with colors before it cures.

What you’ll need (for every project)

Materials

<a href=”https://amzn.to/31rY7Af”>Acrylic paint</a>

Blank cufflink bases

Resin and hardener

Tools

Apron

<a href=”https://amzn.to/2GYvDWY”>Eye protection</a>

<a href=”https://amzn.to/2YzEZmV”>Gloves</a>

Newspapers (or paper towels)

<a href=”https://amzn.to/31vL8xk”>Paintbrushes with fine brushes</a>

<a href=”https://amzn.to/2YE5BTV”>Resin measuring cup</a>

A sturdy table (or workbench)

<a href=”https://amzn.to/2YCsruV”>Toothpicks</a>

Wooden stirrers (for resin and hardener)

Wooden rack (to hold the cufflinks in place)

Eggshell cufflinks

Look at that—much better than wherever the last eggshells you handled ended up. (Jan D’Sa/)

I have always wanted to create mosaic-like cufflinks, and I knew eggshells could help me achieve that effect.

Materials

Eggshells (cleaned)

<a href=”https://amzn.to/31rhGIV”>Transparent craft glue</a>

Water

Tools

Paper towels

Tweezers

A water container

<p><strong>Prepare the eggshells.</strong> Rinse the eggshells in a solution of warm water and vinegar. Peel away the thin membrane inside the shells and throw it away. Leave the eggshells to dry on a paper towel.</p>

<p><strong>Paint the insides of the cufflink blanks.</strong> Use a fine paintbrush and color the interior with your choice of acrylic paint. I used green on my blanks. Let the paint dry.</p>

<p><strong>Add glue.</strong> You can use any glue that dries into a transparent matte finish. Just put it into a blank cufflink, take a piece of eggshell, and put it on top of the glue. Then press the eggshell lightly with your fingertip to create cracks so it looks like a mosaic.</p>

<p><strong>Adjust the eggshell pieces.</strong> Using tweezers, adjust the space between each piece of shell so the “grout” (the painted background) shows through. Because the cufflinks have a small circumference, I prefer this method over cracking the eggshells into tiny pieces before placing each one. Let the glue dry.</p>

<p><strong>Paint the eggshells.</strong> I wanted a graded color look, so I mixed a bit of blue and yellow acrylic paints, as you can see in the photo. (Yellow on the outside, blue on the inside and a mix of blue and yellow in the middle). Let the paint dry.</p>

<p><strong>Add resin.</strong> After mixing the resin and hardener, position your cufflinks on the wooden rack and use a toothpick to drop resin into the blanks, filling them to the brim.</p>

<p><strong>Let the resin cure.</strong> Bubbles will rise during the first hour after pouring. Use a clean, dry toothpick to pop any that come to the surface and check for bubbles every 20 minutes until the resin is dry.</p>

Chocolate wrapper cufflinks

As an added bonus, you get to eat the chocolate inside the wrappers, too. (Jan D’Sa/)

Any material that gleams, I collect. That’s how I ended up with several chocolate wrappers, many from the Mackintosh and Lindt brands, and a plan to use them to achieve a look of subtle black and gold glam.

Materials

Chocolate wrappers

Tools

Scissors

Tweezers

<p><strong>Paint the cufflink interiors.</strong> I painted the insides of my gold-toned, silver-plated cufflink blanks with black acrylic paint.</p>

<p><strong>Cut the chocolate wrappers.</strong> Using sharp scissors, snip the wrappers into short, thin slivers. I used a mix of translucent purple and shiny gold wrappers.</p>

<p><strong>Put the slivers into the cufflinks.</strong> Once the paint has dried, use the tweezers to place the wrapper pieces into the cufflink blanks.</p>

<p><strong>Pour the resin.</strong> I decided to add a dab of black acrylic paint to the resin before pouring it onto the slivers in the bases—I wanted the wrappers to subtly show through the black, creating a feeling of trekking across the universe. You can skip that modification and simply use a toothpick to drop resin into the blanks, filling them to the brim.</p>

<p><strong>Let the resin cure.</strong> Bubbles will rise during the first hour after pouring. Use a clean, dry toothpick to pop any that come to the surface and check for bubbles every 20 minutes until the resin is dry.</p>

CD foil cufflinks

Perfect for when you find that stash of old AOL free trial CDs in the attic. (Jan D’Sa/)

It breaks my heart when I have to throw something away without exploring how to incorporate it into some kind of DIY project. So when I spotted the rainbow sheen on the backs of some blank CDs, I made it my mission to find a way to harvest the shiny foil that produced those colors. Unfortunately, I still had to discard the transparent plastic part of the CDs.

Materials

A CD

Hot water

<a href=”https://amzn.to/31rhGIV”>Transparent craft glue</a>

Tools

A bowl

Paper towels

Scissors

Tweezers

<p><strong>Remove the CD foil.</strong> For the type of CD I had in my hoard, I needed to soften it slightly by placing it in a bowl of hot water for a couple minutes. Once it had softened sufficiently, I cut off a few pieces of various sizes. Take care during this step, in case the pieces take flight while you’re cutting. I didn’t want the plastic, though—I wanted the shiny foil. I used tweezers to peel off the foil and left it to dry on paper towels.</p>

<p><strong>Cut the foil into slivers.</strong></p>

<p><strong>Paint the interior of the cufflinks.</strong> I painted the insides of my silver-plated cufflink blanks with cadmium blue acrylic paint. Let the paint dry.</p>

<p><strong>Add glue.</strong> Brush the glue into the cufflink blanks and press the foil onto it with your tweezers. Let the glue dry.</p>

<p><strong>Add resin.</strong> After mixing the resin and hardener, position your cufflinks on the wooden rack and use a toothpick to drop resin into the blanks, filling them to the brim.</p>

<p><strong>Let the resin cure.</strong> Bubbles will rise during the first hour after pouring. Use a clean, dry toothpick to pop any that come to the surface and check for bubbles every 20 minutes until the resin is dry.</p>

Mobile earphone cable cufflinks

With everything going wireless, here’s a use for those old wires. (Jan D’Sa/)

I had some broken mobile earphones lying around, and surmised that I could cut the cables into 1-centimeter bits for a set of cufflinks. My cables were white and were pliable enough to turn into small spirals that could fit within the cufflink blanks.

Materials

2 1-centimeter snippets of earphone cable

<a href=”https://amzn.to/2YULdJt”>Super glue</a>

Tools

Scissors

<a href=”https://amzn.to/2KHgKJE”>Round-nose pliers</a>

<p><strong>Paint the cufflink interiors.</strong> I painted half the interior of my silver-toned cufflink blanks with red acrylic paints and let the silver shine through for the other half. Let the paint dry.</p>

<p><strong>Cut the earphone cable.</strong> Using scissors, cut two pieces of the cable, each about 1 centimeter long. Twirl them into a spiral with the pliers.</p>

<p><strong>Place the cables into the cufflink blanks.</strong> Put a dab of super glue at the center of each blank and quickly place the wire spirals into the cufflinks. Apply pressure, making sure your fingers don’t touch the super glue—you don’t want to get the cufflinks stuck to the tip of your finger. Let the glue dry.</p>

<p><strong>Add resin.</strong> After mixing the resin and hardener, position your cufflinks on the wooden rack and use a toothpick to drop resin into the blanks, filling them to the brim.</p>

<p><strong>Let the resin cure.</strong> Bubbles will rise during the first hour after pouring. Use a clean, dry toothpick to pop any that come to the surface and check for bubbles every 20 minutes until the resin is dry.</p>

As you can see, if you’ve got a barrel full of creativity and oodles of patience, there’s no end to the ways you can use resin and upcycled materials to make cufflinks. Test out different materials and let your imagination run wild. From simple pieces of decorative paper to pressed and dried flowers, the possibilities are endless.

Written By Jan D’Sa

[drewebowden66]

Home Designing Christmas Gift Guide 2018

If you’ve been following Home Designing for awhile, you may be familiar with our favorite products of 2018. We wanted to make your holiday shopping a little easier this year, so we’ve rounded up all our favorites in one place. We’ve even included a few fresh finds that tickled our fancy as of late. Still need a gift for a quirky cook, decor enthusiast, or avid reader? We’ve got that! Gifts for a plant loving Mom or tech savvy Dad? We’ve got them covered too. Just don’t be surprised if you end up wanting to keep everything on our list for yourself. Welcome to Christmas 2018’s ultimate holiday gift guide!

$23BUY IT Double Wall Coffee Mug: Help keep your lattes warm on those cold winter days with these unique mugs. When filled with a hot beverage they will remain cool to the touch and with cold beverages they won’t condensate. An elegant way to display fancy and layered drinks. Available in 4 sizes. Who will love it: The foodie, the latte lover, the avid social media poster.

$40BUY IT Hawaiian Pineapple Tumbler: A fun piece that keeps drinks cold in style. Even if you are stuck in a snowy climate this Christmas, this golden pineapple tumbler can infuse even the coldest of holidays with a bit of tropical warmth. Who will love it: The tropical vacationers, the cocktail lover, the glamorous hostess.

$7BUY IT Beehive Cookie Jar: If you are going to get caught with you hand in the cookie jar, at least let it be as cute as this one! This unique cookie jar will keep you in style and on budget. Make it extra special by filling it with some homemade cookies. Yum yum! Who will love it: The bee lover, the cookie monster, the baker.

$40BUY IT Stag Head Holder: A deer head that is as elegant as it is stylish. This holder is perfect to display kitchen utensils or a few flowers. You can even arrange them to look like antlers! Who will love it: The king of the kitchen, the nature buff, the hunter.

$57BUY IT Origami Style Spinning Vase: Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made you out of clay… Inspired by–you guessed it–the driedel, this spinning vase is a modern treat. A recognized symbol of Hanukkah that doubles as a modern vase! Who will love it: The offbeat decor enthusiast, the Hanukkah celebrator.

$200BUY IT Click & Grow Smart Garden: Indoor gardening has never been so easy! If you have someone on your list that loves plants but can’t keep a cactus alive, then this self-watering planter is for them. Simply pick your favorite herb, install the plant cartridge, fill the water reservoir, and plug in. Voila! Fresh herbs all-year long. Who will love it: The urban gardener, the serial plant killer, the cook, the fresh produce fanatic.

$53BUY IT Sparrow Salad Bowl: Skip losing the tongs in the salad bowl with these two love birds that perch effortlessly on the side of the bowl. Always ready to swoop in and grab some salad at a moments notice. Who will love it: The bubbly hostess, the fun cook, the bird lover.

$36BUY IT Hedgehog Toothpick Holder Exclusive: Infuse any dish with a pinch of fun using a conversation starting toothpick server. This little dude made out of recycled plastic is perfect to hold toothpicks while serving cocktails or hors d’ oeuvre. Who will love it: The cute animal fan, the hedgehog lover, the quirky hostess.

$199BUY IT Spartan Knife Set & Holder: En garde! Win the battle for most unique Christmas gift with this spartan knife set and holder. A quirky and fun way to display knives in any kitchen. Who will love it: The quirky cook, the goofy boyfriend.

$24BUY IT Astronaut Vases: To infinity and beyond! Start a conversation in any room with a fun and stylish decorative vase shaped like an astronaut. Who will love it: The space lover, the astronomer, the star gazer.

$86BUY IT Mr. & Mrs. Night Carafe Set: No need to wander to the kitchen in the middle of the night for water anymore with the Mr. & Mrs. Night Carafe set. This carafe set even includes a glass that doubles as a lid, so your water will always be fresh! Who will love it: The nighttime water seeker, the thirsty desk worker.

From $34BUY IT Hay Sowden Bottles: Abolish thirst in 2019 with an ultra-stylish Hay Swoden bottle. The perfect solution for both hot and cold drinks on the go. Available in multiple colors. Who will love it: The hiker, the sports enthusiast, the coffee addict, the busy bee.

$31BUY IT Gold Wine Rack: The perfect gift for the wino in your life that likes to keep things fresh and bold. Psst! If you really want to get in their good graces, include a bottle of wine or two. Who will love it: The wine enthusiast, the gold decor lover.

$276BUY IT Whale Shaped Wine Decanter: Wine drinking will always be a whale of a time with this little guy. A wine decanter is a must to enhance any red wine since it helps tease out flavor notes that you may have otherwise missed. Who will love it: The ocean lover, the whale watcher, the wine drinker.

$20BUY IT Free Standing Knife: Something that both the modern Mom and seasoned cook will enjoy. With these unique knives you will never have to place your knife on the edge of the sink again thanks to its freestanding design. Who will love it: The efficient cook, the avid sandwich maker.

From $93BUY IT Gold-finish Animal Bottle Stopper: Support a small business this year by gifting one of these luxury, bottle stoppers. Inspired by the animal world, these handcrafted stoppers have been cast in metal and will look ultra-chic on any bottle. Who will love it: The animal lover, the hunter, the whisky drinker.

$18BUY IT Magnetic Hourglass: Start the countdown to Christmas with an hourglass filled with unique magnetic sand. Who will love it: The office worker, the study owner.

$36BUY IT Skeleton Hand Hanging Jewellery Tidy: Get a hand organizing your jewelry with a little help from a skeleton friend. Who will love it: The horror movie junkie, the Halloween enthusiast, the anatomy student.

From $80BUY IT Carved Wooden Clock: Tick Tock! These memorizing, wooden wall clocks will help you keep track of time long after the big guy goes back to the North Pole. Handcreated with multiple layers of carved wood by Liotta Design. Who will love it: The unique decor lover, the small business supporter, the modern and traditional home owner.

From $15BUY IT Taschen Architect Book Series: Give the gift of inspiration and knowledge with the Taschen Architect Book Series. Filled with beautiful photos and information regarding various builds and specific styles. Who will love it: The architect, the interior designer, the design lover.

$29BUY IT Laser Cut Wood Journals: Never again be caught without a place to jot down your ideas. A stylish journal that is sure to impress with its sustainable wood cover and hand-binding. Who will love it: The avid journaler, the sketchbook artist, the highschool or university student.

$33BUY IT Lamy Pico Pen: It is no surprise that the sleek, Lamy Pico pen is a Red Dot Design Award Winner. Available in multiple finishes, such as matte chrome, high-gloss chrome, blue, red, black or glossy white. Who will love it: The writer, the journaler, the professional.

$27BUY IT Knight Pen Holder: Always at your service, this mini knight will make sure your favorite pen or pencil is readily available. Who will love it: The writer, the calligrapher, the medieval era fan.

$799BUY IT The New iPad Pro: A must-have for those busy bees always on the go. The new iPad Pro features liquid retina display, Face ID, and an all new Apple pencil that attaches magnetically to charge and pair. Who will love it: The digital artist, the busy bee, the tech savvy teenager.

$229BUY IT Venus of Cupertino iPad Docking Station: An iPad docking station that is also a work of art. The Venus of Cupertino is the perfect way to charge your iPad and decorate your home. Who will love it: The luxury decor lover, the iPad owner.

$578BUY IT Nubia X Dual Screen Phone: The Nubia X dual screen phone reimagines the smart phone by placing a secondary display on the back. Finally, a back camera that can take a good selfie! Who will love it: The avid social media poster, the early tech adopter.

$2000BUY IT Skydio R1 Self Flying Drone Camera: Take your videos to new heights with a drone capable of recording 4K video WHILE flying itself. Using cutting edge technology, the Skydio R1 Drone will avoid obstacles and predict what will happen next. This means that you can focus less on controls and more on your adventure! Who will love it: The Adventurer, the adrenaline junkie, the tech lover.

$545BUY IT Meural Digital Art Frame: Imagine Monet on your wall one day and Picasso on you wall the next. With the Meural digital art frame it is possible! The Meural library has 40,000+ works of art or you can download your own. Who will love it: The art enthusiast, the classic art lover.

$49BUY IT Google Home Mini: “Hey Google, what is the perfect gift for Christmas 2018?” Instantly get hands-free help in any room with the Google Home Mini. Ask questions, listen to music, control your Smart home, even play trivia! Who will love it: The question master, the inquisitive cook, the music lover, the information junkie.

$382BUY IT Vifa Helsinki Hi-Resolution Bluetooth Speaker: It is no wonder that this Bluetooth speaker is an award winner with its sleek design and premium sound quality. This modern and portable speaker can connect to any Bluetooth device and is available in 4 colors. Who will love it: The music lover, the modern design enthusiast.

$798BUY IT Sony Wireless Glass Speaker: Modern and portable, who wouldn’t want to find this beautiful speaker under their Christmas tree? This speaker not only features crystal clear sound, but it also boasts an adjustable LED light that can be controlled through any mobile device. Who will love it: The music lover, the glamper.

$186BUY IT Moon Texture Glass Globe Pendant: Make it a full moon every night with a textured globe pendant or two. A fresh and unique way to finish off any room. Who will love it: the star gazer, the moon lover, the werewolf.

$695BUY IT Carronade Pendant Lamps: Steal the spotlight this season by gifting a multi-directional, pendant lamp. A modern way to direct light to the places that need it most. Who will love it: The avid reader, the Scandinavian decor adopter.

$188BUY IT Sculptural Bamboo Pendant Light: Twists and turns create quite the unique pendant light. The solution for a dining room or living room that needs a little extra flair. Who will love it: The beach house owner, the Asian-inspired decor adopter.

$76BUY IT Bird Shaped Magnetic Bedside Table Lamp: Adopt a few birds this Christmas with a unique, bird table lamp. This motion controlled and magnetically charged lamp makes a fantastic night light. Who will love it: The bird watcher, the bird lover, the nature loving kid.

$70BUY IT Heng Balance Lamp: If you’ve been looking for a unique table lamp, then you definitely need to checkout the Heng Balance Lamp. To turn on, simply pull up the bottom ball. How cool is that!? Available in 4 colors. Who will love it: The fun young adult, the unique decor lover.

$350BUY IT FlowerPot VP4 Table Lamp: A designer table lamp that was inspired by peace, love, and the age of Flower Power. Who will love it: The late night writer, the luxury decor enthusiast.

$38BUY IT Stick Figure Lamp: A quirky lamp with a lot of personality. This reconfigurable stick figure lamp is made of natural wood and is great to add a playful touch to any decor. Who will love it: the book lover, kids, teenagers.

$48BUY IT Philips Hue Bloom Dimmable LED Smart Table Lamp: A lighting solution with endless possibilities. This affordable light features 16 million colors, a gaming light, a wake up light, voice control and so much more. It can even be programmed to change colors when your favorite team scores! Who will love it: The tech lover, the sports fan, the gamer.

$196BUY IT Nano Leaf Lighting Panels: Step your lighting game up a notch –or 100–with these highly unique, Nano Leaf Lighting Panels. The perfect blend of wall art and modern lighting, these panels are reconfigurable and voice operated. Who will love it: The tech lover, teenagers, young adults.

$167BUY IT Modern Octagonal Decorative Mirror With Geometric Cage Frame: A geometric mirror infused with a whole lot of glamour. This bold mirror will make a statement in any room with its golden cage frame and edgy shape. Who will love it: The trendy home owner, the glam Mom.

$449BUY IT Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter: Compact, portable, and a whole lot of fun! Zoom in to this holiday season with a Xiaomi Mi electric scooter. Featuring a high-capacity battery, a double braking system, intuitive controls, and a sleek design, anyone with this scooter will be the envy of 2019. Who will love it: The eco-minded commuter, the adventurous kid. the light-hearted adult.

From $35BUY IT Custom Engraved Rolling Pins: Give your cookies an extra edge this holiday season and all-year round with custom, engraved rolling pins. With music notes, Christmas trees, ghosts, footballs, wording, etc., there is something for everyone! Who will love it: The baker, the kitchen gadget lover.

$272BUY IT Rocking Reindeer: This reindeer is taking a break from Santa’s sleigh to make your home extra stylish. The minimalist design of this rocking reindeer makes it a fit for anywhere in the house, not just hidden in the playroom. Who will love it: The Mom-to-be, the minimalist, kids

$190BUY IT Ferm Living Funkis Dollhouse: This two story, Nordic-inspired house is uniquely wall-mountable. Far more stylish than your typical dollhouse! Who will love it: The doll enthusiast, the Scandinavian decor adopter, the minimalist.

$69BUY IT Cute Cat Cave Beds: Cats sleep 12-16 hours a day, so why not give fluffy his own, private sleep cave? Handmade with 100% all-natural New Zealand wool, this eco-friendly cat cave will keep your cat cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Available in multiple designs. Who will love it: The feline with a passion for sleep, the cat with Batman aspirations.

$170BUY IT Spaceship Like Cat Bed: If a monkey and dog can go to space, then why not a cat? Give your favorite feline his own little wall mounted, spaceship bed. A memorable piece of stylish cat furniture that he is sure to adore! Who will love it: The cat that dreams of being an astronaut, the regular house cat.

$80BUY IT Whistle Pet GPS Tracker: You’ll never lose Fido again with this gadget on hand- or should we say collar. Thanks to advanced GPS and cellular technology, you will always be able to pinpoint your pet’s location Who will love this: The pet owner.

$240BUY IT Lyfe Levitating Planters: Keep everyone guessing with a levitating planter. It is actually powered by magnets, but we won’t tell if you won’t. Who will love it: The urban gardener, the plant enthusiast, the magic lover.

$191BUY IT Divan Watering Can: Add a little luxury to indoor gardening with this sculptural, brass watering can. A unique watering can that is both decorative and functional. Who will love it: The indoor gardener, the sunroom owner, the plant lover.

$99BUY IT Outdoor Pouf Set: To help make a patio chic and functional, consider modern outdoor seating. This outdoor pouf set includes two seats and one storage table. Available in 3 colors. Who will love it: The home owner, the backyard party host.

Recommended Reading:  The Ultimate Gift Guide For Architects

Related Posts:

Home Designing Holiday Gift Guide 2017

10 Gifts for Architects And Designers

Gifts for Architects: The Ultimate Guide

Decorative Ribbon Wrapping

Home Decor Gifts For Photography Lovers

Elephant Home Decor: 50 Elephant Figurines & Home Accessories

[veragillon56-blog]

Wish to Have An Unforgettable Week In Bali?

It was released in 2012 and since then, its structure doesn't require any mining. Do you wish to find out about Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Mining in a style and method that is suitable for you, no matter your expertise? I don't like paying the upper charges but there could also be instances when you could have to get the cryptocurrency straight away. Keep Key’s plastic physique makes it susceptible to wreck if it is by accident dropped, but if you like its interface, it may be the fitting wallet for you. In the coming years, the above-talked about three funds types will develop and evolve: Hedge funds will develop larger and develop extra exotic buying and selling methods, increasingly blending cryptocurrency with mainstream asset lessons like equities and commodities. It’s protected to say we are able to count on posts like this one detailing Storj’s anemic codebase to become the norm and, extra importantly, that these commentaries will sink many so-known as ICOs. As such, Ethereum has misplaced a lot of the respect and prominence it once enjoyed, despite nonetheless being one of the biggest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

One may make straightforward monthly funds with it in every single place via out your society. As at September 2017, DOTA2 is the one game that is accessible on this platform, nonetheless the crew intends so as to add more video games that could make use of FirstBlood. By offering the Mingo Messenger, the Mingo Wallet, and the MingoCoin, they're introducing an app with inherent and separate value which is about to carry newcomers to the sport. Coupled with the oil blockade imposed by petroleum-exporting nations in 1973, the weaker and unhinged dollar immediately generated inflation; as the worth of the world's most important currency sank, the value of all the goods and providers it bought rose. The explanation is rather easy: the value of the US dollar is declining. It's constructed on Ethereum. Bitcoin had actually created something very (and increasingly) precious out of nothing by establishing a system of predictable, long run guidelines which, if followed, rewarded adherents with one thing that was or could be valuable sooner or later. I might use it to purchase a home, however not a espresso. The primary is to buy the coin using your cash of choice, both early in its funding or down the observe.

In line with Matt Krantz, author for USA Right now, the cash goes offshore. @ Cryptsy is down, hopefully they may come back quickly yet remember - never keep more cash on change than you can unfastened. So as to become the most well-liked cryptocurrency exchange platform on this planet, OneCoin has used multi-degree advertising and marketing to draw new users. Nevertheless, the fund will put money into a wide variety of cryptocurrency assets and Preliminary Coin Choices (ICOs) in addition to personal fairness offerings, with the first focus being on current tokens. What is IOTA Cryptocurrency? It’s also good to lookout for which foreign money pairs are available: are you seeking to trade bitcoin for USD, Euros, or different fiat currencies. The purpose is - all good cryptocurrencies (there are lots of various kinds of coins on the market at the moment) ought to be open supply and have limited provide baked in by design. This has not been a very good 12 months for Litecoin normally. On New Years Day of 2018, Tronix overtook the top ten crypto exchanges spot for volume traded on Binance for Alt Coins, together with different major gamers Ethereum, Bitcoin Money and Ripple. It's recognized by the identify of Ripple protocol and Ripple Transaction Protocol (RTXP).

Ripple is my last alternative. Bitcoin is steadily mislabeled as an ‘anonymous’ currency (it’s not). All purchases on a crypto forex blockchain are permanent. These are some main external elements that often have some extreme results on other currencies and markets, but not usually with Bitcoin. We're a community of builders / miners / traders / fans and supporters. Instead, they have decided to provide probability to earn a buck for smaller buyers. Different suppliers need you to first promote your gold and silver, after which you then must transfer/load the realised cash onto your card. Subsequent on the checklist is Litecoin, one other peer-to-peer open source digital forex just like Bitcoin. The Bitcoin foreign money market could be volatile and has already skilled many highs and lows. So How Does The Ether Market Work? Simply switch some Ether after the computer systems shake hands. Speaking on the Davos world economic forum, UBS Chairman Axel Weber, said that bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies were speculative, dangerous and "not an investment we might advise".

I admit, cryptocurrencies intrigue me. As all the time be very careful when investing in cryptocurrencies. Although its future is murky by monetary and financial outlooks, it will proceed growing. For the favored coins, you may be capable of finding tons of supplies. Further, most altcoins is not going to disappear overnight. And there is a lot of causes for this. The fees would be lower if the number of transactions per second increases. Sometimes their shifts can go much longer. It's in some ways a much better place for him because the place he was in New York was a transitional facility. Being a POS currency, Reddcoin may also be staked in a wallet which provides handsome returns to its holders. It's a venture you'll be able to leverage to get what you lost in the past as far the crypto-sphere is concerned. And recorded in a public distributed ledger expertise called blockchain. However the one downside with NEO is that the development group lacks in the marketing division.

[iaccessibility]

IAccessibility Staff Pick Our Best Devices of 2017

Each year, the iAccessibility Management Team looks back at what devices they liked best and we put each person’s favorite down in a blog post. It is now time for our 2017 picks. Do you agree with us? Let us know on Twitter or in the comments section. You can also email your pics for 2017 to feedback@iaccessibility.net

Michael – All-New Amazon Element 50 Inch 4K HDTV

The Amazon Element TV is a 4K HDTV with Amazon FireOS built in. It offers Amazon Alexa voice support, and allows low vision and blind users to use VoiceView, Amazon’s built in screen reader that works on the FireTV line of devices and the Amazon Fire tablets.

Jason: Logitech Slim Combo Keyboard Case for iPad Pro

My pick for best device of 2017 would have to be the Logitech Slim Combo Case  for the 10.5 inch iPad Pro. While I’m not a big fan of the plastic material the case is made of, it’s really light, and typing on the keyboard is a really nice experience. The F and J keys have easy to locate markings on them to help with orientation. In fact, the markings are a bit too prominent for my taste, but it’s something I’m more than willing to live with.

The keyboard has some dedicated function keys for things such as adjusting the display brightness, searching in Spotlight, and controlling media playback. Because the keyboard connects via the Smart connecter, there is no Bluetooth connection to deal with, and no batteries to charge. It’s there when you need it, and you can remove it when you don’t.

The case itself snaps over the back of the iPad, leaving the side with the lightning connecter and speakers exposed. There are covers for the sleep/wake and volume buttons.

It also features a kickstand that angles the iPad in a similar fashion to a laptop screen, so it’s not laying flat on a table or your lap when in use. Both the kickstand and keyboard attach magnetically to the case, and, in the case of the keyboard, will lock the screen just like a Smart Cover does. The front of the case also has a holder for the Apple Pencil, unlike most others in its class.

I know of no other case for the 10.5 inch iPad Pro that has the same level of convenience and functionality that this case offers, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a keyboard and is getting an iPad Pro.

Aleeha: 10.5 inch iPad Pro

Following up on Jason’s comments, I have to say that the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is my pick for this year. Yes, the iPad has been a great device since day one, but the iPad Pro takes it to the next level, especially when combined with a case, like the one Jason mentions above. This lightweight, powerful tablet has become my travel companion, and, in several cases, is taking the place of my MacBook. It has an A10X chip, serious RAM, a beautiful display, a powerful camera, and, favorite in my book, four gorgeous speakers that make the sound from this device extremely pleasant to listen to. I think the 10.5 inch screen size is perfect for me: I can hold it easily and the screen real estate is not too much. With the new features in iOS 11 that allow a user to place two apps on the screen at once, which are completely accessible for blind users, this device is a real workhorse.

Dan: Samsung Galaxy S8+

Yes folks, I continue my Android loving ways. It was a tough choice actually, but the Galaxy S8+ is my pick for favorite device of 2017. This phone is awesome. Its fit and finish are sleak. The Infinity screen display is amazing. You can hook it up to a docking station and almost use it as a desktop replacement. With an Octocore processor and 64Gb of storage, you can do just about anything you want (Minecraft is awesome on this device by the way.) Speaking of Minecraft, let’s not forget the Samsung Gear VR you can put this device into. Whoa! Now that is cool!

Ok, enough of me oohing and aahing. Here is why I love this phone.

The screen is really amazing. The curvature at the edge is very comfortable. I really like how the edges light up with notifications. Also, watching YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Video is no problem. I use magnification quite a bit, and everything looks crisp and clear when I magnify the screen.

Battery life is truely a key point of this device. Every day, I stream music probably six to seven hours, have WhatsApp running constantly, watch several YouTube videos, write several texts, make and receive voice calls, and my battery is still at around 15% when I put it on the charger at night. I typically take the phone off the charger around 6:00 a.m. and put it back on the charger around 10:00 p.m. My household has had the S2, S3, S4, S5 Sport, and the S7 and I have never seen this kind of battery life out of any of these older devices. Keep in mind that your mileage may vary depending on your useage.

Expandable memory: Yes, I am one of those that still wants expandable memory. I only have a 64Gb micro SD card in my phone right now, but my music collection is expanding and I am due for an upgrade.

Finger print reader location: Samsung took quite a bit of grief from this one. I personally find it easy to use, based on the way I hold my phone. My index finger naturally falls into place for the fingerprint reader to scan my finger.

General look and feel: This phone just looks and feels cool in my opinion. the overall fit and finish is very nice. I also believe this to be one of the best phones Samsung has made to date, again in my opinion.

Matt – Victor Reader Trek

My pick for 2017 is not a tablet or a mobile device. It is, however, a very mobile way to access your favorite books, podcasts, and internet radio stations. You can also record notes with the built-in notes feature. The thing that makes this device unique is that you can also use built-in TomTom GPS to guide you while listening. This is all without taking your phone out of your pocket or getting distracted by notifications.

Back in October, HumanWare released a brand new device that puts the famous Victor Reader stream and the Treker Breeze together in one package. The Victor Reader Trek, priced at $699, feels a bit heavier than the second generation stream, has a faster processor, bluetooth capabilities for use with headphones or speakers, 32gb of internal memory, and comes with an 8gb SD card,which can be exchanged for up to a 256gb card, so you should never run out of storage.

I picked this device because, even though I use GPS on my phone, it uses up data, gets constantly interupted by VoiceOver speech and notification sounds that can be distracting. The Trek gets rid of that headache.

One of my favorite features, found only in the Trecker, is the ability for the device to describe to you what type of intersection you are about to cross. This is useful if you’re in a new area and you’re not familiar with it yet. You are able to explore an area before you take your route as well.

I know the device is a bit pricey, but I feel that it is a good fit for those who want a stand-alone book reader, podcast player, note recorder and navigation tool.

from IAccessibility Staff Pick Our Best Devices of 2017

[jerseyisforlovers]

#Elsiesnashvillebnb Bathroom Tour (Before + After)

Hello friends! I am so excited to share my final room tour of 2017 with you today. This year has been incredible!! I learned so much and had an amazing time working on this project house. This post is sponsored by Delta Faucet and these faucets are available at The Home Depot. You all know by now I have an ongoing love for these faucets in both my personal home and at the bnb home. They are amazing quality as well as super good looking, and they’re really affordable compared to the other really good looking brands (cough cough) that I considered. So I kept coming back to them over and over, long before they became our sponsor!

Earlier this year, I worked with them to renovate the master bathroom as well as the kitchen this past month. I chose matte black faucets and hardware throughout the entire home and I LOVED working with a high contrast color story in this space. I’m so happy I decided to branch out beyond my typical brass + pink + white color scheme.

This bathroom was challenging. I will be honest, when we started off it was one of the worst rooms in the house. It 100 percent needed a makeover, but as we got deeper into this renovation, I realized that we didn’t have the time OR money to fully remodel the room. Instead, we needed to do as much DIY as possible to keep the budget reasonable.

Alright … well, you know what time it is! Time for a walk down memory lane. You can see a full “before” tour of this home here.

As you can see from this photo, we didn’t reconfigure this room in any way. Instead, we chose to refinish it and make it the best it could be on the budget (and time) we had. We chose new tile that was cute, but more on the low end of the tile price range spectrum. Then we opted to install it DIY-style, which Collin did. It was his first tile job ever. He learned from YouTube and online DIYs. And the result is pretty darn GREAT. To me, this is just another testament that you can learn to do anything from the internet if you have the right attitude, patience and focus. Because we went the DIY route, we were able to retile this small bathroom (it’s smaller than it looks) for around $500.

If you’re interested in learning anything about tiling, here’s our beginner’s guide to tile laying.

Originally, when I was getting this project quoted, I planned to remove the older bathtub and replace it with a shower and glass door. While this would have been modern and nice, we saved A LOT of money by opting for a bathtub paint kit instead, which only cost $50. In the end, I am SO PLEASED with the result.

Replacing the plastic shower surround with real tile that went all the way to the ceiling really helped the space look more expensive and, of course, the Delta shower + tub faucet set is SO good looking. The whole renovation looks a lot more expensive than it really was.

Finally, the real difference in this space is just making the decor a bit more intentional and finding things that best fit the space. The space is SMALL (like I said, it really is much smaller than it looks—these photos were taken with a wide angle lens), so finding little ways to optimize the space was important. These tiny toilet cabinets can be awkward. Unless you absolutely need the storage, I would skip them since they don’t hold much anyway. Since we added a new vanity with storage, I didn’t feel bad saying goodbye to this little guy.

I always think bathroom curtains are really awkward! In my personal home, they’re the only curtains that don’t match the rest of the house. I personally think the short curtains in the before pic are ugly, but they also still stick out just as much as full length curtains (and toilets always seem to be super close to windows so if you’re sitting there it could feel like a curtain was way up in your face … no good). For these situations, you have to get creative. Here, we opted for a long curtain that went to the ground, but it didn’t feel right. So we added a curtain hook and it looks (and feels) SO much better.

Here are some more images …

Just admiring that tile. It was Collin’s first solo tile job! I am so proud of him!

We chose this tiny hexagon floor tile as a nod to the 1930s when this home was built. I love it so much! Ahhh … that “above the toilet” art moment. It’s important to make this space either a nice art moment, something pretty or much needed storage is also great. There are so many ugly “above the toilet” shelves … and WHY? Just keep it simple.   These makeup wash cloths are GENIUS for any guest bathroom. Love them! I was so happy about these hair dryer bags as well. Such an easy way to make a guest bathroom feel more hotel-like. Normally, I would hide away the spare toilet paper in a cabinet or closet. But in a bnb (or guest bathroom) situation, I really think it’s worth it to just make it simple and accessible! Why not? And a cute basket doesn’t hurt.   I felt so lucky to find a vintage rug that perfectly fit the color scheme. I was worried any rug would be too busy with the patterned floor, but I love it SO MUCH. I am so in love with the light in this room! Actually the whole house. It’s so nice! The morning light is SO pretty. So we decided on a soft, diffused curtain for privacy, yet not total darkness.

Source list: Vanity faucet/Delta, shower + tub faucet set/Delta, toilet paper holder/Delta, robe hook (I used it for the hand towel)/Delta, vanity/Wayfair (This has a real marble top and is so pretty! I highly recommend.), light fixture/Wayfair, Subway tile/Home Depot, Daisy hexagon tile/Home Depot, vintage rug/Apple + Oak, Shower Curtain and Curtain, soap dispenser, towels/Target, mirror/Target (we spray painted it matte black), art print/Jenny’s Print Shop, makeup wash cloth (perfect for any guest room!)/Amazon, hair dryer bag (set of two)/Amazon.

The green paint color is Thunderbolt by Valspar, once again. We’ve now used it in a bedroom, another bathroom, the kitchen and here in this bathroom. I am thinking about using it in one more room (the laundry room, which is still in progress). I feel like I really bonded with this color scheme … it’s a good one!

Well, thank you so much for following along! I hope this renovation has been as fun for you to read as it was for us to work on. We had the best time! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments! xx – Elsie

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson. Project Assistant: Collin DuPree. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

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[gitsygiddy]

#Elsiesnashvillebnb Bathroom Tour (Before + After)

Hello friends! I am so excited to share my final room tour of 2017 with you today. This year has been incredible!! I learned so much and had an amazing time working on this project house. This post is sponsored by Delta Faucet and these faucets are available at The Home Depot. You all know by now I have an ongoing love for these faucets in both my personal home and at the bnb home. They are amazing quality as well as super good looking, and they’re really affordable compared to the other really good looking brands (cough cough) that I considered. So I kept coming back to them over and over, long before they became our sponsor!

Earlier this year, I worked with them to renovate the master bathroom as well as the kitchen this past month. I chose matte black faucets and hardware throughout the entire home and I LOVED working with a high contrast color story in this space. I’m so happy I decided to branch out beyond my typical brass + pink + white color scheme.

This bathroom was challenging. I will be honest, when we started off it was one of the worst rooms in the house. It 100 percent needed a makeover, but as we got deeper into this renovation, I realized that we didn’t have the time OR money to fully remodel the room. Instead, we needed to do as much DIY as possible to keep the budget reasonable.

Alright … well, you know what time it is! Time for a walk down memory lane. You can see a full “before” tour of this home here.

As you can see from this photo, we didn’t reconfigure this room in any way. Instead, we chose to refinish it and make it the best it could be on the budget (and time) we had. We chose new tile that was cute, but more on the low end of the tile price range spectrum. Then we opted to install it DIY-style, which Collin did. It was his first tile job ever. He learned from YouTube and online DIYs. And the result is pretty darn GREAT. To me, this is just another testament that you can learn to do anything from the internet if you have the right attitude, patience and focus. Because we went the DIY route, we were able to retile this small bathroom (it’s smaller than it looks) for around $500.

If you’re interested in learning anything about tiling, here’s our beginner’s guide to tile laying.

Originally, when I was getting this project quoted, I planned to remove the older bathtub and replace it with a shower and glass door. While this would have been modern and nice, we saved A LOT of money by opting for a bathtub paint kit instead, which only cost $50. In the end, I am SO PLEASED with the result.

Replacing the plastic shower surround with real tile that went all the way to the ceiling really helped the space look more expensive and, of course, the Delta shower + tub faucet set is SO good looking. The whole renovation looks a lot more expensive than it really was.

Finally, the real difference in this space is just making the decor a bit more intentional and finding things that best fit the space. The space is SMALL (like I said, it really is much smaller than it looks—these photos were taken with a wide angle lens), so finding little ways to optimize the space was important. These tiny toilet cabinets can be awkward. Unless you absolutely need the storage, I would skip them since they don’t hold much anyway. Since we added a new vanity with storage, I didn’t feel bad saying goodbye to this little guy.

I always think bathroom curtains are really awkward! In my personal home, they’re the only curtains that don’t match the rest of the house. I personally think the short curtains in the before pic are ugly, but they also still stick out just as much as full length curtains (and toilets always seem to be super close to windows so if you’re sitting there it could feel like a curtain was way up in your face … no good). For these situations, you have to get creative. Here, we opted for a long curtain that went to the ground, but it didn’t feel right. So we added a curtain hook and it looks (and feels) SO much better.

Here are some more images …

Just admiring that tile. It was Collin’s first solo tile job! I am so proud of him!

We chose this tiny hexagon floor tile as a nod to the 1930s when this home was built. I love it so much! Ahhh … that “above the toilet” art moment. It’s important to make this space either a nice art moment, something pretty or much needed storage is also great. There are so many ugly “above the toilet” shelves … and WHY? Just keep it simple.   These makeup wash cloths are GENIUS for any guest bathroom. Love them! I was so happy about these hair dryer bags as well. Such an easy way to make a guest bathroom feel more hotel-like. Normally, I would hide away the spare toilet paper in a cabinet or closet. But in a bnb (or guest bathroom) situation, I really think it’s worth it to just make it simple and accessible! Why not? And a cute basket doesn’t hurt.   I felt so lucky to find a vintage rug that perfectly fit the color scheme. I was worried any rug would be too busy with the patterned floor, but I love it SO MUCH. I am so in love with the light in this room! Actually the whole house. It’s so nice! The morning light is SO pretty. So we decided on a soft, diffused curtain for privacy, yet not total darkness.

Source list: Vanity faucet/Delta, shower + tub faucet set/Delta, toilet paper holder/Delta, robe hook (I used it for the hand towel)/Delta, vanity/Wayfair (This has a real marble top and is so pretty! I highly recommend.), light fixture/Wayfair, Subway tile/Home Depot, Daisy hexagon tile/Home Depot, vintage rug/Apple + Oak, Shower Curtain and Curtain, soap dispenser, towels/Target, mirror/Target (we spray painted it matte black), art print/Jenny’s Print Shop, makeup wash cloth (perfect for any guest room!)/Amazon, hair dryer bag (set of two)/Amazon.

The green paint color is Thunderbolt by Valspar, once again. We’ve now used it in a bedroom, another bathroom, the kitchen and here in this bathroom. I am thinking about using it in one more room (the laundry room, which is still in progress). I feel like I really bonded with this color scheme … it’s a good one!

Well, thank you so much for following along! I hope this renovation has been as fun for you to read as it was for us to work on. We had the best time! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments! xx – Elsie

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson. Project Assistant: Collin DuPree. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

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