#Including a book I still have to decide my binding methods for.

[everythingisstardust]

Why is it that the muses always strike right when I'm about to go to bed/suffering from insomnia? I've been planning on using this giant canvas for a tardigrade painting for nearly two months now, and then suddenly, right when I put on my pjs, I actually get the motivation/ inspiration to do it?

Anyway here's the guy half done, gotta wait for the paint to dry. (I'm very bad at that, which is why I love acrylic paint. Very good for my slap-dash methods.)

[jasmine-ash-design]

MP Notes and Learning agreement

Having had some feedback on my major project ideas, I have decided to focus on the hand made instead of imperfection. This is because I think hand made work is what I had ran interest in whereas imperfection can link to a lot of things. Imperfection is still a part of hand making however I think it is a better choice of study for me. I have written my learning agreement and I am thinking about producing a publication using interviews or quotes from makers and illustrating this to show appreciation for hand made work. 

My next steps are to do lots of research into craft and hand made work including existing artists or people that use their hands to produce something and why they like this method of working. I want to try and find an interview or something about this and I can also speak to my fellow students and also my family.

Learning Agreement

Jasmine Ash

Title: Hand made

Description:

For my major project I am going to be studying the beauty and importance of handmade work. I want to investigate why making with our hands is so important and how it can spark new, unique ideas as well as aiding mental wellbeing. There is something special about working by hand that the digital world cannot replicate. Throughout my studies I have worked both by hand and digitally and have realised the positives and negatives of both. However, I have realised that I will always favour handmaking, especially at the start of a project. It helps me to create one-of-a-kind work that inspires new ideas and helps me get my thoughts, feelings and ideas onto a page.

I want to investigate this subject as it is something I am passionate about. I love the messy, unfinished and unique work that comes from making with our hands and I want to show appreciation for this. I have always enjoyed making with my hands, during lockdown I got back into crafting and making art with my hands, it helped improve my mental state as well as producing outcomes and ideas that I was proud of. I love exploring my ideas and feelings through making and I think it is very important today as technology is becoming an even bigger phenomenon. This is not to say I dislike the digital world and its capabilities. It provides artists and designers with even more possibilities. However, I do think that the experience of working by hand cannot compare and I think being hands on can help anyone in some way, artist or not.

I want to present this study through illustration and an exploration of hand making. I have developed my skills in illustration and storytelling throughout this course and it is something I want to push further. I want to produce something that captures and portrays the importance and beauty of handmaking and how we should not let it be replaced by the digital world. I am from a very creative, hands-on family. My dad is a chef and an artist, and my mum is a gardener. I think this is something that has inspired my love of art and traditional ways of working. I am thinking of finding some content possibly about artists or crafters speaking about their experiences with hand making or even speaking to people I know who favour using their hands. I would then present these interviews/phrases or quotes in a book or publication with handmade illustrations.

I want to achieve this by exploring my hand making skills by experimenting with different forms of craft such as drawing, book binding, letter press and printmaking. An artist that inspired my appreciation for imperfection and working by hand is Sooji Lee. I discovered Sooji Lee’s work during my typographic project at the end of last year and she has continued to inspire my practice today. She shows that handmade work cannot replicate what is made by machines, but this is what makes our work beautiful. One of her quotes that I love is “The process of manual labour and the result of imperfection while pursuing perfection is the beauty of human originality”.

[hollyoxleylevel5]

Process book analysis

Before I begin to create my process book for this unit, I have decided to look at the Process book I created last term to see which elements I could change to make it better. This will give me a better understanding of what worked well and what I need to avoid this term.

I like how the cover was simple but effective in showing the audience what the book contained. I think the Typeface is easy to read but still looks decorative and suited to the simple style of the cover.

The varied layouts I have used throughout the book makes it interesting to read. However, I think the information would be easier to read if I made my thoughts separate to the other information, I could use colour or look at experimenting with the hierarchy. I liked the freedom using a 12 column grid has given me because it makes the different layouts look less restricted whilst still being structured. I think the font and page numbers could be smaller in size, as they fill up space that could be used for photographs or little comments and thoughts. To make the book easier to navigate, I could look at including the section name somewhere on the page.

Perfect binding the book has given it a professional appearance. However, I do not like how the book seems like it lacks character. IT looks neutral and does not show my creative style. I will also look at different ways of distinguishing the different project because I think it is hard to see the different projects when reading the book. The coloured edges don't fit the layout of the book, making it look like an after thought.

To make my process book for this unit more effective I will look at making it more suited for the projects it contains. I will look at using typefaces I have used in the projects and a similar colour scheme. I will also look at using at least 4-5 different layouts in the book. I will explore different binding methods to see if they may be more suited to the unit then simply perfect binding it. I could look at creating 4 smaller books that are connected to show that they are the same unit.

[smute]

SO YOU WANT TO COLLECT CLASSIC BOOKS...

So here it is! (almost a year later lmao)

My collectible classics "masterpost"!!!😌 🗣🚨🤯

Splain it!

When I say "collectible" classics I'm talking about any ongoing series of reprints of classic (English-language) titles with a cohesive design. They should look good on a shelf and (ideally) be made to last a lifetime. I'm not talking about rare, antique, or limited editions, or books that are expected to appreciate in value.

I'm focusing on collections of classic works of prose fiction (some classics are nonfiction; poetic and dramatic texts are often published in separate collections), i.e. texts with a timeless appeal, texts that have been in print for a long time, and that have been recognized by critics and readers as "must-reads". Very often, these texts are also considered to be part of the English literary canon.

I'm rating each series on a scale of 1–10 and the final score is based on nothing but my extremely correct opinion. I'll do my best to explain all the pros and cons but I don't have a strict rating system or whatever. Just vibes. 🤪

What I care about:

1. Paper: You don't start a classics collection with books that are gonna turn brown and crumble to dust after 15-20 years. That's why you want acid-free paper. Some publishers even use expensive "archival" paper. (There is no set definition but it generally means that in addition to being acid-free, it's made from pure cotton fibers rather than wood pulp, and without optical brighteners.) Normal acid-free paper goes a long way though. It's used for most hardbacks today anyway, so you shouldn't expect anything less from a collectible edition. I personally prefer paper that is neither too coarse nor too smooth. It should also be durable and neutral in color.

2. Binding: There are many ways to bind a book but for the purpose of this ranking we only have to worry about two (okay, three):

Perfect binding (glued binding): The leaves (1 leaf=2 pages) are folded and gathered in signatures (sections). The signatures are combined into a single textblock, the folded edges are sanded off, and the whole thing is glued directly to a flexible cardboard cover. This type of binding is cheap, it produces a very even result (hence the name), but it is not very durable. It's used for pretty much all paperbacks.

Case binding (sewn binding): With case binding, the leaves are also gathered in signatures, but they're sewn together. The finished textblock is usually reinforced with a backing material along the spine (ideally fabric; sometimes paper) and attached to the hardcover (case) via end papers. That means the text block can move independently from the spine and, when opened, all pages will lay flat. This type of binding is much more durable and it's the preferred method for (high-quality) hardbacks. Many case-bound hardcover books will have additional features like endbands, ribbon bookmarks, and protective dust jackets. This used to be the preferred method for binding books and it is still considered the gold standard but, as you can imagine, it is much more expensive than perfect binding.

I'm not a pressman so I'm not sure about the terminology, but I've noticed many hybrid variations in between these two methods. For example, some paperbacks consist of signatures rather than single pages, but the textblock is still glued directly to the cover. This prevents single pages from falling out, but over time entire signatures can come loose. Some books have sewn signatures while others use staples, and so on and so forth...

Due to their very limited lifespan, paperbacks are not the best choice for a collection... generally speaking. However, they are ubiquitous, affordable, and many people genuinely prefer compact paperbacks over clunky hardcover books, so I've decided to include both kinds in this list.

3. Content: Many texts have been altered significantly over the course of their publication history, and the most common editions aren't always complete editions. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference—like theatrical releases vs. director's cuts. I'm not normally a snob about abridged texts but if your goal is to build your own little classics library, I think it makes sense to stick to complete and unabridged editions. Abridgments aside, most publishers choose their editions very carefully and put a lot of thought into commentary, footnotes, and background information. Some prefer to stick with the most popular versions of texts, others print less common editions. Some want to make texts accessible, others want to stay as close to the original as possible. Some editions include just the original text, others feature introductions or even extensive annotations and additional critical material.

4. Design: should look good innit

Please keep in mind that I'm rating these books with regard to their suitability for collectors specifically.

So here goes! 👁👁

Penguin Classics [3/10]

a.k.a. Black-spine Classics. Books from this series are truly ubiquitous and, in my experience, they tend to accumulate on their own lmao. The series offers a huge selection of nearly 2,000 titles, but as standard paperbacks they're not made to last. They're very flexible and feel good in the hand, although the print quality varies. The paper texture is okay but it's pulpy and not acid-free. Black-spine Classics generally include useful introductions and other supplementary materials.

Pro: literally thousands of titles to choose from, good price, good size, very flexible, okay look and feel, minimal design, additional materials

Con: paperback, black spines crack quickly and don't look very nice on a shelf

Penguin Modern Classics [2/10]

Another huge selection (1,200 titles) that covers more recent texts. They're affordable but, unfortunately, very cheaply made (see below). The discoloration is truly BONKERS—the paper edges yellow super quickly. Very pulpy and definitely not acid-free. They feel aw-FUL.

Pro: same as above

Con: somehow even less durable than the regular Penguin Classics

The Penguin English Library [2.5/10]

I have quite a few of these, but they're not any better or worse than other Penguin paperbacks. The covers are beautiful—very understated and somewhat timeless—and the paper is very flexible and feels quite good compared to other Penguin editions. But it's still not great (see below).

Pro: looks, paper (although not acid-free)

Con: limited selection (126), standard paperbacks

A note on Penguin paperbacks:

All Penguin paperback series suffer from POD disease (POD = Print-on-demand). POD is often used for backlist (=older) titles and titles that are out of print. Thanks to POD, such titles can remain available for a long time after their initial release but since POD uses digital printing instead of offset printing, the quality is absolute dogshit*. The paper used for digital printing is softer and kind of spongy compared to regular books, the text is gray rather than black, and very fuzzy due to the lower resolution. You could achieve the same quality with a photocopier. Personally, I've noticed it the most with the English Library and Modern Classics editions. On some pages, the text blocks are crooked and off center, and some people online have even complained about MISSING PAGES lmaoooo... anyway.

*(I mean that Penguin's POD books specifically are dogshit. Some digital printing methods can produce excellent results.)

Penguin Clothbound Classics [2/10]

Again, a decent selection of nearly 100 titles with absolutely gorgeous covers and a very cohesive design, but made from thee worst materials. The coarse linen fabric feels absolutely gross, the stamped-on decorations basically rub off instantly and the colors fade SUPER quickly. (You can buy a brand new copy, take off the barcode sticker, and the fabric underneath will be several shades darker. The color fades THAT quickly. And yes, the sticker will also take off the decorative pattern.) They're relatively cheap for hardbacks, except they're not actual hardbacks. The have glued bindings with a hard cover, so... the worst of both worlds: stiff spine AND stiff cover. The paper is bright white and feels cheap in the hand, although it is on the finer side, and (as far as I can tell) it is not acid-free. They look really nice on a shelf but if you actually want to read your books, they're terrible. I have no idea why these are so popular.

Pro: hardcover (with glued binding not sewn), original design

Con: they seem affordable, but for glorified paperbacks wrapped in shitty linen they're actually still overpriced

Vintage Classics [5/10]

Another imprint of Penguin. (What isn't?) Vintage Classics look and feel just a little bit nicer than other Penguin paperbacks imo. They feature actual cover designs rather than stock images, but they're still not particularly durable. They do, however, have a few author series with gorgeous covers made from thicker cardboard, e.g., the Austen series or the Woolf series.

Pro: the author series if you're looking for some nicer paperbacks

Con: same as all the other paperbacks

Virago Modern Classics Designer Collection [3/10]

These are very similar to the Penguin Clothbound Classics—beautiful decorative patterns (printed on paper so at least they don't rub off) and the same awful glued-bindings-with-hard-covers-situation. I only have one of these and it's so goddamn stiff it won't open more than 90°. It's pretty much unusable. Also worth noting: they feature some good introductions.

Pro: price, cover designs

Con: small selection, poorly made

Everyman's Library [10/10]

This is one of my favorites. I personally collect the Everyman Classics / Contemporary Classics. The Classics include ancient and non-Western classics, and there are separate collections of Children's Classics, Pocket Classics, and Pocket Poets. EL was founded in 1906 and the current design has been around since the early 90s. EL offers one of the largest selections of hardbacks on this list with new titles being added on a regular basis, and given its century-long history and enduring popularity it'll probably be around for a long time to come. It's an excellent option if you're thinking about starting a collection.

The production quality is unparalleled in this price segment—sewn full-cloth bindings with a rounded spine, ribbon bookmark, and a dust jacket. The fabric feels fantastic and the paper quality is superb. I have no idea how these are so affordable. They could go for 50 or 60€ and still be a great deal. They're color-coded by period and other criteria, but all titles share a similar design and look great together. They also include extensive introductions and additional information.

This series absolutely deserves 10/10 points, but if we're nitpicking... I guess the design may be a little too uniform and understated for some? They're elegant books with a timeless look but they're not exactly jaw-dropping lmao

Important: Most titles are printed in two locations, under different ISBN numbers. The US versions are printed in the US by Berryville Graphics, while the UK versions are printed by GGP Media in Germany. Everything mentioned here applies to the UK versions only. The US versions are glued and the print quality is so bad that people have returned books because they thought they received a counterfeit. If you're buying in person you can simply check the edition notice to see where the book was printed, but if you're buying online you may have to do some digging to find out which exact ISBN to get.

Pro: fantastic quality, very good price, huge selection, future-proof, unpretentious design

Con: differences between US/UK versions

Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics [7/10]

First of all, these things are huge. They are indeed bound in leather, if you consider bonded leather (fine leather scraps mixed with polyurethane on a paper backing) to be leather. The sewn binding seems sturdy, the pages open flat, and the gilt edges (foil, obviously) are among the better ones out there. They have a more classic look with faux hubbed spines (horizontal ribs that help strengthen the binding; purely decorative in this case), and the covers are embossed with foil print. Afaik they use acid-free paper, which also feels very smooth. For their price range (20-40€) the quality is decent.

The series includes some interesting omnibus editions (several titles by the same author in one book) and anthologies, but due to their size and weight you basically need a table or bookstand to read them. They're mostly just great shelf candy. I mean... look at this.

Pro: Big and beautiful, decent quality at a moderate price

Con: Not very user-friendly, made from cheap materials

Barnes & Noble Flexibound Editions [4/10]

Interesting combination of sewn bindings with flexible rubber covers. Ironically, the text blocks feel stiffer than the leatherbound titles. The paper is kind of dark and it feels coarser than other B&N editions. I personally can't stand the texture of the rubber covers and the material tends to attract lint and dust. There are some interesting designs but due to the strange plastic material they just look tacky imo.

Pro: flexible covers if you're into that, moderately priced

Con: unremarkable design and overall quality, small selection

Oxford World's Classics [6.5/10]

Another big selection of several hundred paperback titles. These are definitely better than anything Penguin sells, but what really makes them stand out is their content. As one may expect from a university publisher, they often use less common editions of famous classics, and all of their titles include a ton of additional materials from introductions and annotations to bibliographies, illustrations, and even glossaries. If you want to start reading classics and are interested in supplementary educational materials, these are a great place to start.

Pro: huge selection, low price, focus on scholarship

Con: standard paperbacks, not particularly beautiful or durable

Oxford World's Classics Hardback Collection [3/10]

What a tragedy. I'm a big fan of the minimalist look, but they're similar in quality to the Penguin Clothbound Classics. They use the same glued bindings (wtf?) and the same cheap fabric on the covers. The paper is unusually thick but it still feels very coarse and pulpy. Their unique design makes them stand out, but due to the poor manufacturing quality, I can't recommend them at all. Of course, these also include extensive introductions and additional commentary from renowned scholars, just like their paperback counterparts.

Pro: minimalist design, supplementary materials

Con: cheaply made, small selection

Canterbury Classics (Leatherbound) [4/10]

They're very similar to the B&N Leatherbound Classics, except they don't look as nice. Not a fan.

Pro: (bonded) "leather", okay quality at an okay price, classic look

Con: big and clunky, boring covers, exactly like the B&N Leatherbound Classics but without any of the redeeming qualities lmao

Chiltern Classics [5/10]

A lot of people seem to love these (???) but I can't really make sense of them. They're on the smaller side, with embossed cover designs, lots of foil print, gilt edges, ribbon markers, and sewn bindings. For some reason, however, they're printed on stiff, satiny, semi-glossy paper that you would normally use for pictorial content, and the books feel like a brick in your hand. I personally don't like it at all. The weight of the paper alone makes them feel quite premium, but it also seems to put more stress on the binding. (One of the two titles I own is already falling apart.) I don't think that they're deliberately cutting corners or that the books are cheaply made (although they use paper instead of fabric as backing material), but some of their ~very interesting~ design choices simply do not translate into a better product.

Chiltern's mission statement promises "the most beautiful classics ever published" so their main focus seems to be on aesthetics. Their titles don't include introductions or any additional commentary, and they don't provide any information on editions/versions of the texts used other than "they are unabridged" lol. Tbh it's hard to find ANY sort of information—about the company, the materials, the editions, the production process, the founders, where the books are printed, ANYTHING. It all feels very gimmicky.

All I know is that Chiltern Publishing was founded in 2018 and that the first Classics were released in 2019. The current selection is small, but growing (I assume). But with such a young publishing house there really is no guarantee that they'll still be around in a year or two.

Pro: pretty, heavy, pretty heavy lol

Con: small selection, no info on anything, glossy paper (unless you're into that)

Macmillan Collectors' Library [9/10]

Another favorite. The quality is comparable to the Everyman Classics, but they use very thin paper that is strangely white. And when I say strange I mean it's BRIGHT white. They're bound in light blue fabric (love it or hate it) with gilt edges, endbands, and a ribbon bookmark, and they come with beautiful dust jackets. Very unusual nowadays: the fabric cover underneath actually has an embossed pattern, so they look good with or without a jacket. They're travel-sized, so the text is on the smaller side, albeit very sharp. The overall quality is fantastic.

What makes MCL books stand out from the rest is their editorial quality. The collection includes more classics from otherwise underrepresented writers, and most titles also feature detailed introductions commissioned specifically for this series. As naive as it may sound, it seems as if MCL is one of the few series whose main purpose is not just to squeeze some cash out of old titles. It feels much more measured and.. meaningful (if that makes sense lol).

Pro: excellent selection, great quality, small size

Con: the paper is very white, small size = small text

Norton Critical Editions [6/10]

These are standard paperbacks printed on 30% recycled paper, but in terms of content, they're a fantastic option. No other series provides such a breadth of supplementary materials. Most texts are fully annotated and include hundreds of pages of criticism.

Pro: focus on scholarship

Con: paperback

Honorable Mentions:

The Folio Society

Illustrated editions, high-quality hardbacks, high price point.

Calla Editions

Dover's premium imprint, facsimiles of famous editions rather than original designs

Knickerbocker Classics

Heard good things but cannot speak to the quality since they're kind of hard to find where I live.

Thomas Nelson Seasons Editions

Beautiful hardbacks with laser-cut dust jackets. Collectibles in the classical sense: each edition is limited to 10,000 copies.

Easton Press

Really fucking expensive.

(Not an exhaustive list, obviously.)

[onegirlatelier]

Annie Cardigan | February - March, 2021

Happy International Women’s Day!

The pattern and colours of this cardigan are chosen specifically with Women’s Day in mind, and is named after the first woman to gain honours at Oxford, Annie Mary Anne Henley Rogers. She gained her first class honours in Latin and Greek in 1877, followed by first class honours in Ancient History in 1879, and finally matriculated and graduated in 1920.

A lot has happened in the recent few months which made me re-consider my degree at Oxford, but I have never regretted going there or doubted the value of the experience. I have been taught by so many lovely women teachers and professors and met so many fellow female students—which made me sometimes forget the gender inequality in academia and in schools of all ages—and it almost feels like nothing can make me give up the opportunity to be welcomed in this place where I am expected to actually achieve something.

Aren’t I lucky?

This cardigan is probably my last big project until July, because after a long struggle, I’ve decided to finish what I started—I will need to pass the exams in order to continue my study. Today is one of those good days where I feel connected to the world, and I must cherish my opportunity at Oxford because it hasn’t been an easy fight.

There might be a life waiting for me somewhere. Maybe it’s not going to be too bad. Maybe I just need to push myself a little harder. To eat a bit more, to exercise a bit more (not to. lose weight but to be ready for the long hikes in the summer vacation), and to talk a bit more when I feel like it.

Pattern

Once and Floral by Maxim Cyr.

It was a very simple top-down yoke sweater and the instruction was clear. I set myself a difficult task by deciding to make a cardigan instead and doing the body in flat rather than in the round, which meant doing stranded colourwork from the purl side.

The only problem with the pattern was that the required gauge seemed very odd to me. It was 26sts*30 rows in a 10cm square and the author used a standard fingering weight yarn (400m/100g) and 3.5mm needles. I used a light fingering weight yarn and 3.25 needles, which theoretically should make a tighter gauge, but got around 25sts*34 rows per 10cm. Maybe if I pulled my swatch vertically when blocking, I could have achieved what the pattern asked for, which was very tight in stitch gauge but very loose in row gauge. Thankfully it didn’t create too much trouble for me and I had only a few small mods. (Please refer to the Modification section.)

I am becoming more aware of the accessibility issues of Ravelry, and will try to discover more patterns that are available outside of Ravelry. I have access to books by Japanese designers, but if you know any good source for large, complicated, heirloom lace shawls, please let me know!

Yarn

Isager Alpaca 2, 50% alpaca, 50% wool. 250m per 50g skein.

White: (from the Eco range of Alpaca 2) #E0. I used about 30g (11g left from a used ball), or 150m.

Green: #thyme. I used about 168g (52g left from the four skeins I used), or 840m.

Purple: #52. I used about 10g (44g left), or 50m.

(I find that most skeins are a little more than 50g, so the figures are not exact. The usage of the #thyme also includes two small swatches. The whole cardigan weighs 205g without buttons.)

I’ve worked with this yarn before in my Scandinavian Spring cardigan, and this time I’m very pleased with it as well. It is made of natural fibres and has a nice wooly smell. It creates a thin, soft, and warm fabric that grows and puffs up after blocking. In fact, the Isager website specifically recommends it for cardigans.

The down side of such a soft yarn is obviously that it’s not as hard-wearing as some of the more rustic woolen yarns (such as Tukuwool Fingering). The website does state that it’s not able to handle too much wear and tear, but that is okay for me since both this cardigan and my Scandinavian Cardigan are very special and I do not expect to wear them as everyday garments.

These skeins did have travelled a long way to reach me, so I need to keep the carbon emission in mind. I purchased them from a local yarn store which bulk-ordered from the Isager website, though, so at least that’s better than buying small amounts directly from the Isager store. For this specific project, I only had to buy two more skeins of #thyme and one skein of #52, and the rest came from my stash.

(Can you see the heathered effect on this swatch? I'm swooning 😍)

Other materials

I used freshwater mother of pearl buttons. I’m not sure about the source of these buttons, but I understand that freshwater mussels are very important to the ecological systems in which they live (as are all other species), and I do hope that they come from responsible farming.

As for the thread to sew on the buttons, I opted for Fujix Patchwork Coton #50, which is 100% cotton with a coating that makes it a bit glossier, stiffer, and presumably stronger than the average cotton thread.

Needle sizes

3.25mm for the main body

2.5mm for the ribbing, because I like the ribbing to hug my body snugly and was worried about it being stretched out.

Finished size

I no longer think it’s relevant to take excessive measurements of my finished project, so I will only note the essential figures that might help me (or you) if trying to figure out how many stitches to cast on, how to adjust the yoke, etc.

Underarm circumference: 82cm

Total length of the yoke chart: 16cm

(Three ways to wear the cardigan, and the white bordering with which I'm so pleased - see Mod.)

Modifications

The most obvious mod is of course that I changed it from a pullover to a cardigan. Normally you would still knit in the round and steek the front later, but in order to preserve the yarn, I knitted the body back and forth.

I casted on 110sts instead of 120 because I was hoping for a tight collar. Then in the first row I increased to 120sts.

For the colourwork yoke, there were a few rows where I had only three or four sts of one colour in a repeat and the remaining sts are all in other colours (such as the rows showing the stamen), and for me it wasn’t worth it to carry the yarn of that colour all the way along the row. Hence I used a separate length of yarn to knit those few stitches in each repeat. For the stamen, I cut a length of green yarn for each repeat and knitted it in intarsia.

I did the body first. And then I was hesitant about the design of the hemming, button bands, and the collar, so I did them (in the order I mentioned them) before knitting the sleeves to save some brain power. I had seven button holes, one on the collar band and the rest on the button band, similar to the front of a shirt. The third button was specifically placed to echo the design of the yoke.

The pattern called for 1*1 ribbing, but I did 2*2 as it was stretchier. I did invisible 2*2 bind off with a decorative lining, and the technique is similar to what I did with my Toscana Shrug: after several rows of 2*2 ribbing in green, I switched to white and did one more row of ribbing. Then in white I bound off using the invisible method. You need to knit one row in the contrasting colour before binding off; otherwise it would look somewhat messy.)

You may know that when you change colours, there will be a dotted line on the purl side, and the same thing happens for the ‘purl’ part of the ribbing. I was really worried, but the invisible bound off seemed to have covered up that dotted line, so the result was quite neat—a nice surprise!

For each of the sleeve, I have 74sts on the set up row. I knitted 10 rows, then from next row: (dec 2 for the row, knit nine more rows) repeat five times. So at about elbow length I had five dec rows and 64sts on the needles. I knitted 51 rows to create a straight (instead of tapered) forearm. Then I dec 4 each row for five rows, and ended up with 44sts. I then switched to 2.5mm needles and did 2*2 ribbing. I knitted the ribbing extra long so that I could fold it back, which was the way I preferred.

(Here is a tutorial by Anushka about sewing buttons onto knitted garments, which is very helpful.)

Further Considerations

This was my first time doing colourwork from the purl side and it definitely was not a pleasant job. With more practice I will hopefully become better at it, though! I did reserve knitting (knitting from left to right) instead of purling for a few rows, but gave up as I couldn’t find a way to hold yarn comfortably with my left hand. I might need more practice there, too.

The ribbing is a little bit on the tight side, but at the moment I don’t have a problem with it. If I find it still too tight after some wear, next time I will remember to use 2.75mm needles. The 44sts cuffs are quite snug on my wrists, so next time I’ll do 48sts or more instead.

I still have a fair bit of Isager Alpaca 2 left, and I really need some long gloves to warm my wrists as well as forearms, so I might be knitting a pair of fingerless gloves later.

[imagine-loki]

Pride and Prejudice

TITLE: Pride and Prejudice CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 53 AUTHOR: wolfpawn

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki was raised on Jotunheim as Laufey’s son after the war, but an agreement was then made that he would wed Odin’s daughter so Odin could secure the alliance of Jotunheim through the marriage. Loki, in turn, was raised to be king of Jotunheim, but how he views Asgard is far different from how Odin’s daughter is raised leading to a clash of cultures as well as uncertainty between the pair of betrothed youths.     RATING: Mature   NOTES/WARNINGS: Forced Marriage, not all fun and games. My first real step back into the Loki scene in over a year.

The amount of comments I have received this week have really fed my inspiration to get my ass in gear and write. Thank you for them. The more I get, the more I love to write.

Tags - @skulliebythesea @asimovethroughthisworld @blackcherry26-blog @we-shadowhunter2901

Loki felt himself fill with guilt. He could see now what Odin had meant when he demanded to see who Ella spoke with through her days when she had gotten ill. He had never seen her so animated with anyone as she was currently with the group of women he knew from the momentary displays she gave him in his mind to be her old ladies-in-waiting from Asgard. She laughed and smiled through every sentence said. Her attention was always on who was speaking though it seemed that she was the centre of the grouping throughout. Beside her, a slightly unsure looking Greta sat, though it was clear that her being introduced to the grouping by Ella meant that she was to be included in every manner and though there was clear uncertainty at first, she was indeed being accepted. Seeing Ella in this manner, he could see how darkness and loneliness consumed her when he, the only person she did interact with for those first few months because she had not known the formalities of introduction in Jotunheim, ignored her entirely bar the few moments in her company in which he tried to get her pregnant. He swallowed at that thought, grateful no child ever became of it. The idea that they could have created a child in such a manner shook him to his core. Looking at her now, fondly placing her hand to her stomach as she spoke, he knew this child would be healthy and happy, loved fully by both of his parents, created willingly which he now realised made it all the more special. 

As Ella and the other women laughed joyfully, he wondered and partly feared what they were speaking about. 

*

“So, they aren’t all too different?” Mya asked. 

“No, entirely the same in most manners,” Ella informed her. “Eat, fight and brag for the most part. Those traits are not realm specific, are they, Greta?” 

“Apparently not. Though, Helbindi is more eat than fight,” The Jotnar responded. 

“Be grateful, Volstagg is both. He would eat for the realms and fights too,” Lena scoffed. 

“Can you both even fit in the bed these days? Who even takes up more room?” Mya scoffed playfully, referring to Lena’s stomach which was protruding almost as much as Ella’s. 

“Do not start,” Lena rubbed her forehead. “He does but I am getting worried as he does not seem to recall I am carrying his child and it is growing continuously.”

“For the record,” Ella leant towards Greta before indicating to Volstagg. “That is her mate.” 

Greta eyed Volstagg for a moment before looking back at Lena. “I have to ask….how?” 

The other women erupted in laughter. “It’s easy to see how Ella and you became friends,” Tiana, another laughed. “We all thought the same but none said it.” Greta looked worriedly at Ella, silently asking her if she had done something wrong. Ella simply smiled back. “We don’t get insulted, trust me. There’s nothing you could say here that we would be offended by.”

“Really?” Greta did not think that possible. 

“Remember the day Kristoff tried to hurt my feelings?” Ella reminded her. 

“You tore him apart,” Greta argued. 

“He insulted my mate and our son, of course, I did. But his words never once bothered me in reference to me.” Ella smirked. 

“And with regards to ‘how’,” Lena smiled. “I am just thankful he prefers me on top.” 

“I don’t think that’s a preference as much as it is a necessity, you literally are half Light Elf, any other option would kill you.” Ella pointed out which led to more laughter. “I should also mention that this is not an attack on Volstagg’s weight, but the very important fact that Light Elves are far less dense than Aesir mass wise, so to us, Volstagg is a normal weight, something we could endure, to Lena, he is the equivalent of something almost as heavy as an Ice Beast,” Ella explained to Greta. 

“‘Bind told me of the density situation, that is why I needed to ask how she came to be with child.” Greta eyed Volstagg for a moment. “It is odd to see such burly beings though.” 

“Aesir are far differently shaped to Jotnar, it’s true,” Tiana commented. “But all men are the same when they are lying down.” She leant forward. “Though I am curious, those ridges of body markings, are they present on all areas or just some?”

“All.” Ella and Greta replied at the same time, knowing exactly what Tiana was asking. 

“You usually need to pay extra for such features on toys.” Mya sighed. “Lucky you. No wonder you both smile so much.” 

Greta did not know what the other woman was referencing and looked to Ella for some form of explanation. Rather than try and explain it to her, Ella used her seidr to give Greta a vision of what Mya was referencing. On seeing what it was the other woman had been speaking about, Greta’s eyes widened. “But that...we don’t have that.” “Mores the pity for you. Though you all have the ability to wield ice, don’t you?” Greta nodded. “Do you ever make instruments with those?” 

Greta could not gather what Lena was asking for a moment before she realised and her face fell. “I never even thought of such a thing.” 

“By the way, that book Helbindi has been all but begging you to harass me about?” Ella leant in close to Greta as she spoke. “Lena retrieved it for me. I will give it to you this evening. Read through it, any questions you have, one of us can answer. I am not as well versed as some women on most.” 

“That’s because you decided to be a good girl and wait for a husband, sorry, mate.” Tiana corrected herself. 

“We all know what you mean.” Ella dismissed, not bothered that her Vanir and Aesir friends were not using the Jotnar terms. She knew it was not out of malice. 

“You were….” Greta looked somewhat startled, not certain of how to broach the subject with Ella. 

“A maiden? Yes, I was.” Ella looked down at her stomach. “It’s safe to say that that is long gone.” 

“Last to lose her virginity, first to get pregnant.” Lena joked. 

“I am nothing if not proficient.” Ella laughed back. 

“But you assisted in explaining certain things to me?” 

“I know the theory for many a thing, I simply am not versed in the practical method.” Ella shrugged. 

“Really?” Tiana looked over at Loki who was speaking with Arden and Býleistr on a matter across the room. “He doesn’t seem like he would be boring. He looks like he’d actually be up for some fun.” 

“It’s not like he hasn’t learnt a few things over the years,” Greta commented before she realised she had spoken aloud. “Before you, obviously.” She clarified to Ella. 

The other women looked between themselves awkwardly at those comments. 

“Loki had a few experiences before me, this is not something I was unaware of,” Ella explained. 

“It sounds like more than a few.” Mya pointed out. 

“Fine, he was incredibly promiscuous but he has not been disloyal to the agreement we made not to take another so I don’t think about what came before me. As I stated to one previous female partner, I am grateful to them, they trained him up. I have yet to be left wanting, so I see the positives in it.” Ella smirked as she took a drink. “So he doesn’t kiss, considering he knows everything else a woman could want, I see it as a win for me.” 

“Wait, no kissing?” Tiana looked appalled. “Really, you’re not lying, Ella, he doesn’t kiss, why?” “They don’t do it here,” Ella explained. 

The other women looked at Greta who nodded. “We don’t. Well, ‘Bind and I do because we like it but others don’t.” 

“Norns, that sounds so boring. I’d hate it. I won’t even lie. No, thank you.” Tiana shuddered. “I wouldn’t mind, but I had it on good authority you were good at that.” 

“Really? How is Liuilf, Ti?” Mya shook her head. “Whatever happened to not taking your friend’s ex-lovers?” 

“I didn’t even touch him, I swear but firstly, he was not Ella’s lover, she didn’t let him touch her, and secondly…” Tiana noticed someone else coming to join the conversation and silenced immediately. 

Ella could tell from the manner her friend ceased speaking who was standing close by. Smiling, she turned to face her mate. “Is everything alright?” Loki stood close-by, his face as politely neutral as he could muster it to be. He had a suspicion that the females would speak in a manner that would be like as Ella had shown them to speak in the past. They were indeed the same females as she had shown him in her old memories but hearing one of them speak of Ella doing the act of kissing with the soldier hurt him in his gut and sent a searing heat through it that he loathed entirely. He knew the woman had said that Ella did not allow the soldier to touch her but it still felt odd to think of her do something like that with him. “I am incredibly sorry to intrude and I know I have yet to be properly introduced to you all, something I wish to rectify very soon but I fear I must ask to speak to my mate in private for a moment.” 

“Of course, excuse me, Ladies. Do not scare Greta too much in my absence,” She warned playfully as she rose to her feet, stretching slightly as she did. She followed Loki out of the room and down a hallway she knew was rarely used. When he opened a door to a room that was all but barren of any form of furnishing, she wondered what needed to be so urgent. “I take it that this has nothing to do with the coronation?” Loki’s nostrils flared slightly. “I don’t think you even wanted me for something, did you?” His eyes darted to the side. “You simply reacted to the words you heard?” No response. “I have had to listen to you ridicule my virtue as well as multiple accounts of you as a sexual partner but one reference to me kissing someone causes you to react like this?”

Loki inhaled a shaky breath. He walked over to her and stood looking down at her apprehensively before leaning in. At first, Ella thought it was going to gently place his face against hers but then she noticed the way his lips moved and pulled back. “What are you doing?” 

“Apparently you are somewhat proficient at it.”  

“Do you want to kiss me because you genuinely wish to, or some other reason?” She studied his face. “You never wanted to do this before, why now? We literally were in bed together last night, having sex and you did not think to do it then, why now? Is it because of what Tiana said or is it because you genuinely wish to do it with me because if it is the former, no, I will not kiss you and please don’t lie to me, please.” 

Loki could not lie to her so he pulled back. “I’m sorry.” 

“Why?” “I just came over to say hello but I reacted on hearing her say those things.” He admitted. 

“At least you are honest.” Ella conceded. “I am not going to kiss you for that reason. It means more to me.” 

Loki frowned. “But you never tried.” “With you? No. You made it clear on Vanaheim that it is repulsive to you. Since we did nothing we personally liked before that but instead merely took part in sex for solely procreational purposes, of course I would not attempt that.” 

“But you did with him?” “I cared for ‘him’ at that time. That was a long time ago. As Tiana pointed out, I never allowed it further.” 

Loki felt the other meaning behind those words, she had been honourable and never taken another, something he had not been. She also had been forced more than once to hear of his actions but she never showed any sign of being overly bothered by such. Part of him thought that were she to care for him, she would be more bothered by it as he was hearing about her actions in the past but she did not seem to be in any manner upset by it. “But I did.” “And I never say anything other than it was before me so I have no right to say anything.” “But if you were to say something?” “You do not wish to know.” Her face turned slightly angry at that. “Now, was there a particular reason you came over to us to begin with?” “I came to introduce myself. Those are your friends from Asgard so I thought it polite to say hello.” 

For a moment, Ella thought him to be lying, but seeing his features to be honest, she smiled. “Thank you, for making that effort. They were my ladies, as I tried to explain at the beginning, it was never about them being my servants, just confidentes. I have missed them so much. Part of me wishes they did not come because it reminds me of how much I miss them.” 

Loki swallowed. He had been forced to change some aspects of his life for the agreement, and the only aspects he did have to change had turned into something better than he could ever ask for. Ella, on the other hand, was left to create an entirely new life on Jotunheim, no friends, nothing and a mate that had neglected her, yet she still tried. He walked over to her again and looked at her, noting the apprehension in her face, he gave her an empathetic look. “I am so sorry you feel so and for my behaviour just now.” He leant down, only this time he did not try to force a kiss but placed their foreheads together as he tended to do. “I know you miss your friends but I hope you are happy here.” 

“I am.” Her voice was quiet. 

Loki sighed contently at her answer and the swiftness in which she answered. 

[aeosedo]

A guide to Tech Witchcraft

Hello lovelies this has been something in which has been requested or talked about among my students on discord, so i wanted to make a guide covering all the information and decided to share it to the public of fellow witches , this is a brief introduction on tech witchcraft an the direction it is going now! 

Technology and Witchcraft: A Guide to Techno Witchcraft

Introduction 

With the day of age we now live, we go to a point where we are experiencing so much progression in the ways things are done, in our day to day life. Witchcraft is no expectation to this rule as witchcraft is constantly formatting and changing everyday through new age magic, While there is still much work to be done, There are some wonderful formulas in which you can use to boost your work through the power of electricity. 

On top of the concepts of technology witches I will also be going over apps in which I enjoy and use, in which can help you with your witchy needs How does it work? Well, To start off I think we need to go back and look at what exactly magic is in the first place. Typically magic explains the manipulation and manifestation of energy through oneself and one's mind. It can be used to content with the conscious and subconscious mind. 

It is idealistically all witchcraft leads to a goal typically under these things , however are also not limited to: 1) self improvement

2) to connect to the divine 

3) to keep or follow a pre existing or new traditions/ lifestyle 

4) Healing 

5) Banishing 

Now keeping this in mind , the tools of magic we use work because they are stored with intent and energy.  All items are charged with energy from one self or divine energy as well. Any items we chose to work with will have energy and intent. Money does not really matter in the situation as long as you can get creative. 

However this in mind there are correspondences with the elements In western culture the elements include: Air, Fire, Earth, Water and Spirit 

In Eastern Culture the elements include : Wood, Iron, Fire, Earth and Water

Correspondence plays about 40 percent of the magic in the situation as long as something matches with an element or deity , and you can put energy and intent in it, it could potentially work. 

We can see the light used in smartphones, computer screens, and so on and so forward the element of fire. In the early days of Greece when we looked at the elements:  Light, Fire, Soul and Temperature were all considered things of fire, if something was warm ( such as the human body) it would be associated with fire. 

For example: 

Typically this is how one of the concepts of medicine started with human temperature, if a person was too hot , they needed water and earth to balance it out ( water and food) so using it in this retrospect works with the light being warm and as well as bright like a torch or flashlight.  Often when a phone uses a lot of energy or a computer when gaming it also gets warm due to all the energy in which is needed. 

Now in terms of Eastern Retrospect, the Metal element represents human advancements and Technology, the original concept was the “ Age of Iron” which was a time of building, machines etc. The Metal element shows the progression in humanity and the ability to create and go. In the Chinese Zodiac this is often empathized with the concept of the Metal Element being referred to as the “ Gold” element.  Gold was typically something used in royal buildings and statues as well as Jade. In terms of eastern retrospect 

Gods of the Technological World 

Now, you may be thinking what kind of god would be willing to work with you through a screen? How is it possible to talk to a deity through screens?

There are gods in which are gods of human communication. Typically they are gods who are associated very closely with the throat chakra. The throat chakra represents the ability to communicate and as you know there are a million and one ways to communicate , one way humanity communications with clothes is through technology. If you're one of the first people reading this you may be reading this through a computer screen!  

It is also worth mentioning even if you do not practice reiki, plenty of elements in western lore and gods focus on the energy of communication and 

It is amazing to think about how men and woman have made it possible for this to happen.

Who are the gods of communication? 

Mercury 

(Mercury is a god in which I work with who represents Communication. The first time he talked to me was through a you tube video pop up in fact! , is was quite a experience )

Hermes 

This is Mercury's Greek counterpart. Hermes is the god of: Communication, Medicine Transportation, Advancements and Commerce. 

Papa Legba 

He is a Caribbean God in Haitian Vodou  which represents Communication Speech, and understanding 

Al-Kutbay

A Nabataean god of Wisdom, Communication and Writing 

Saraswati

The  Hindu goddess  of knowledge speech and creativity 

 Benzaiten (Benten)

The Japanese god who is the Counterpart of Saraswati, She represents the way the universe flows, water, advancements in society such as : Music  , words, speech,knowledge etc 

Nabu

A Babylonian god of wisdom and writing

Nidaba

 A Sumerian goddess of communication writing, progression and learning 

This is just to name a few of the major ones from different cultures.  There are many many more  They are all typically connected in some way with the throat chakra and throat energy systems that focus on communication  and advancements that humans make on earth

With that being said technology has become a part of our day to day lives, one of our main forms of communication and such. Many gods adapt and change as we do, they are the ones who help steer the wheel in the way we go with technology and also more than enough use the energy in which cellphones and computers  naturally generate to work with and manipulate if they need be. 

The more and more we spend with items , our energy naturally ends up on the item, due to this we can fill items, apps etc with intent to help you manifest your energy and help you become the best you , now we can get into the question im sure you may have “how? “ 

First I will be going over some methods in which a closeted witch can use in replacement of items in which they may not be allowed to have at home due to the nervousness of being caught 

Altars: 

Pic Collage

Animals Crossing Towns and Houses 

Playlist via Spottily, sound cloud or you tube 

Draw Sigils Using IBS Paint / Procreate 

ORAS Pokemon Secret Bases 

A good way to manifest energy with pic collage and picture based altars are making them your wallpaper ! , and just spending time there meditating with your device and setting intention. 

The Pros and Cons 

Pros

With being able to draw , and spend personal time and energy allowed for more customization than store bought items, you are putting together the item from scratch which is beneficial. I find video games and such are easier to get your energy over and even  gives you more room for items : ex: getting actual gold bars in real life is thousands of dollars, for one offering to Pluto, however in animal crossing this becomes a reality. 

Cons

It can be harder to get your energy on the items  if you are new to energy manifestation as well as conducting energy, you are also not able to touch your items, or use them in more direct spells: ex: pouring candle wax on items is impossible , being able to carve sigils in your items is also impossible as well as of right now.  However despite this there is in a way more customization, and not everyone uses their altar as a workspace, rather just a place of worship. 

While not all gods are gods of communication, gods can still talk through technology however it could be difficult for them if there are not the right correspondences made in order to make communication. 

Now there is an app coming soon called build an altar, and it could be a nice doorway for more customization  but for now we do not have that option!  the future looks bright however ! 

Even if you have a main altar at home, having a digital altar can be helpful on the go, if you're traveling and with friends or family! 

Grimoires / Book of Shadows 

There are few cons when looking at making a digital grimoire, if anything it can be a saving grace if your handwriting is awful or you prefer to do digital art.  You can easily transport your digital grimoire  on any device and you can also prevent page loss and also it is easier to edit. Some Apps for Grimoires Include : 

Google Docs

Word Press 

Notes App

Pro-create 

Lunar Diary

Tumblr ( you can make private / public books to share) 

Twitter ( you can also make private blogs as well 

You can also put them on a USB when you're done to carry it around and share  , and even divide information like it  pro-tip: Draw Small Sigils with Sharpies for protection / binding spells 

Cons

One thing to consider on this method is  this method: some people feel as if using ink is better for sealing and writing spells as well, and it is more personal with adding energy/ easier to put in energy to your grimoire as well as making binding spells to protect your grimoire, however it all comes down to personal taste nor is it impossible to make a binding spell for your grimoire either. 

Witch Apps 

Even if technology is not your thing here are some helpful apps in which can help you with your journey 

( TOOLS) 

Labyrinthos

This is an app in which you can use for learning tarot, it does an extraordinary  job with correspondence meetings and has small quizzes and is set up like a small academy in which to help you 

Golden Thread Tarot

Golden thread Tarot Deck is a Tarot App in which you can do your daily tarot and do tarot readings and also has spreads and such you can use too. Golden Thread Tarot also sells their own decks which are pricey however extremely beautiful and worth the money if you want a physical deck

Seventh Sphere 

A app by Tina Gong focusing on Lenormand Tarot Divination 

Since Lenormand is a newer form of tarot, and harder form of tarot, it has some meanings in which you could read the cards/ base your interpretations about. 

Co-star 

While this app does not have all the information in a natal chart  it is good to get a general look on your chart when looking at all of your planetary placings and have your chart on the go. There is also horoscopes and you can add and compare charts with your friends 

My Moon Phases 

This is a app used to track moon phases based on your location and shows percentages very good for using it if you want to know what types of moon magic you can use and how to celebrate and manifest accordingly 

Wicca Calendar 

This is a app in which has all the wiccan holidays together in a wheel along with dates and  count out timer to keep the hype of the next holiday coming up 

Stone 

This is an App that helps you identify gemstones and rocks along with their properties and in information about them  

Plant-Net 

This is a app to help you identify plants just by taking a picture of them, and then it takes you directly to their Wikipedia page 

Head Space 

An app for guided meditations and allows you to keep track of your practices with logs and goals. It helps you manifest your energy with professionals hypnotherapists and helps teach lessons on how to meditate and mindfulness. While there is a paid membership it is most certainly worth it for those who love meditation 

 Calm

This is another guided meditation app in which i enjoy, it is cheaper and has more free features , it has nice calming music as well and is made to help rewind and relax 

Down Dog 

A free app for yoga with all different types of yoga in which can help heal and restore 

Spell Work 

Disclaimer 

The biggest issue with being unable to do these is the manifestation of energy, it can take a longer period of time than in real life, until you figure out how to manifest through energy work through technology  some things can not be touched the same way, but i truly believe the soul has no bounds. Gods have made this possible by adapting over millions of years 

Virdi Keep a online garden and water and care for your plants 

Candle Apps 

Some candle apps let you make color correspondences as well 

IBS Paint 

Draw sigils, runes and alchemy symbols and keep them in folders or use them for your grimoire 

Mighty Timer / Timer Time your teas to let them cool down/ Steep! 

Breathing exercises for meditation

Here you can also find more on you tube as well! , One of my favorite hypnotherapist is Micheal Sealy 

Another hypnotherapist i have tend to love recently is Liza and her work can be found here

Hypnosis and meditation are steps in the right direction for shadow work and becoming your higher self  using guided meditations rather free or paid for can show a lot of progress and can be used to heal!

Pins Help manifest your goals by putting them collectively together in a vision board you can also use these for altars and such, making them your wallpaper or printing them out can help you manifest your greenery.  consider meditating in front of your vision boards while working with intent for good results  

There are so many more ways you can personalize your craft and be a tech witch, This is a wonderful place to start though and i hope you were able to take away from it 

Thank you for checking out my guide and I hope it can teach you something ! :D

[wolfpawn]

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 53

Story Summary - Based on an idea I had that I submitted to Imagine Loki. Imagine Loki was raised on Jotunheim as Laufey’s son after the war, but an agreement was then made that he would wed Odin’s daughter so Odin could secure the alliance of Jotunheim through the marriage. Loki, in turn, was raised to be king of Jotunheim, but how he views Asgard is far different from how Odin’s daughter is raised leading to a clash of cultures as well as uncertainty between the pair of betrothed youths.

Chapter Summary -  Ella spends time catching up with old friends which goes well, until Loki hears something he doesn't want to hear.

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NOTES -  I have this written since Friday but I was so ill yesterday, I never got to post it. I cannot put into words how grateful I am that people are commenting on this, it has meant that I have flown through writing more for it. The amount of comments I have received this week have really fed my inspiration to get my ass in gear and write. Thank you for them. The more I get, the more I love to write.

Loki felt himself fill with guilt. He could see now what Odin had meant when he demanded to see who Ella spoke with through her days when she had gotten ill. He had never seen her so animated with anyone as she was currently with the group of women he knew from the momentary displays she gave him in his mind to be her old ladies-in-waiting from Asgard. She laughed and smiled through every sentence said. Her attention was always on who was speaking though it seemed that she was the centre of the grouping throughout. Beside her, a slightly unsure looking Greta sat, though it was clear that her being introduced to the grouping by Ella meant that she was to be included in every manner and though there was clear uncertainty at first, she was indeed being accepted. Seeing Ella in this manner, he could see how darkness and loneliness consumed her when he, the only person she did interact with for those first few months because she had not known the formalities of introduction in Jotunheim, ignored her entirely bar the few moments in her company in which he tried to get her pregnant. He swallowed at that thought, grateful no child ever became of it. The idea that they could have created a child in such a manner shook him to his core. Looking at her now, fondly placing her hand to her stomach as she spoke, he knew this child would be healthy and happy, loved fully by both of his parents, created willingly which he now realised made it all the more special. 

As Ella and the other women laughed joyfully, he wondered and partly feared what they were speaking about. 

*

“So, they aren’t all too different?” Mya asked. 

“No, entirely the same in most manners,” Ella informed her. “Eat, fight and brag for the most part. Those traits are not realm specific, are they, Greta?” 

“Apparently not. Though, Helbindi is more eat than fight,” The Jotnar responded. 

“Be grateful, Volstagg is both. He would eat for the realms and fights too,” Lena scoffed. 

“Can you both even fit in the bed these days? Who even takes up more room?” Mya scoffed playfully, referring to Lena’s stomach which was protruding almost as much as Ella’s. 

“Do not start,” Lena rubbed her forehead. “He does but I am getting worried as he does not seem to recall I am carrying his child and it is growing continuously.”

“For the record,” Ella leant towards Greta before indicating to Volstagg. “That is her mate.” 

Greta eyed Volstagg for a moment before looking back at Lena. “I have to ask….how?” 

The other women erupted in laughter. “It’s easy to see how Ella and you became friends,” Tiana, another laughed. “We all thought the same but none said it.” Greta looked worriedly at Ella, silently asking her if she had done something wrong. Ella simply smiled back. “We don’t get insulted, trust me. There’s nothing you could say here that we would be offended by.”

“Really?” Greta did not think that possible. 

“Remember the day Kristoff tried to hurt my feelings?” Ella reminded her. 

“You tore him apart,” Greta argued. 

“He insulted my mate and our son, of course, I did. But his words never once bothered me in reference to me.” Ella smirked. 

“And with regards to ‘how’,” Lena smiled. “I am just thankful he prefers me on top.” 

“I don’t think that’s a preference as much as it is a necessity, you literally are half Light Elf, any other option would kill you.” Ella pointed out which led to more laughter. “I should also mention that this is not an attack on Volstagg’s weight, but the very important fact that Light Elves are far less dense than Aesir mass wise, so to us, Volstagg is a normal weight, something we could endure, to Lena, he is the equivalent of something almost as heavy as an Ice Beast,” Ella explained to Greta. 

“‘Bind told me of the density situation, that is why I needed to ask how she came to be with child.” Greta eyed Volstagg for a moment. “It is odd to see such burly beings though.” 

“Aesir are far differently shaped to Jotnar, it’s true,” Tiana commented. “But all men are the same when they are lying down.” She leant forward. “Though I am curious, those ridges of body markings, are they present on all areas or just some?”

“All.” Ella and Greta replied at the same time, knowing exactly what Tiana was asking. 

“You usually need to pay extra for such features on toys.” Mya sighed. “Lucky you. No wonder you both smile so much.” 

Greta did not know what the other woman was referencing and looked to Ella for some form of explanation. Rather than try and explain it to her, Ella used her seidr to give Greta a vision of what Mya was referencing. On seeing what it was the other woman had been speaking about, Greta’s eyes widened. “But that...we don’t have that.” “Mores the pity for you. Though you all have the ability to wield ice, don’t you?” Greta nodded. “Do you ever make instruments with those?” 

Greta could not gather what Lena was asking for a moment before she realised and her face fell. “I never even thought of such a thing.” 

“By the way, that book Helbindi has been all but begging you to harass me about?” Ella leant in close to Greta as she spoke. “Lena retrieved it for me. I will give it to you this evening. Read through it, any questions you have, one of us can answer. I am not as well versed as some women on most.” 

“That’s because you decided to be a good girl and wait for a husband, sorry, mate.” Tiana corrected herself. 

“We all know what you mean.” Ella dismissed, not bothered that her Vanir and Aesir friends were not using the Jotnar terms. She knew it was not out of malice. 

“You were….” Greta looked somewhat startled, not certain of how to broach the subject with Ella. 

“A maiden? Yes, I was.” Ella looked down at her stomach. “It’s safe to say that that is long gone.” 

“Last to lose her virginity, first to get pregnant.” Lena joked. 

“I am nothing if not proficient.” Ella laughed back. 

“But you assisted in explaining certain things to me?” 

“I know the theory for many a thing, I simply am not versed in the practical method.” Ella shrugged. 

“Really?” Tiana looked over at Loki who was speaking with Arden and Býleistr on a matter across the room. “He doesn’t seem like he would be boring. He looks like he’d actually be up for some fun.” 

“It’s not like he hasn’t learnt a few things over the years,” Greta commented before she realised she had spoken aloud. “Before you, obviously.” She clarified to Ella. 

The other women looked between themselves awkwardly at those comments. 

“Loki had a few experiences before me, this is not something I was unaware of,” Ella explained. 

“It sounds like more than a few.” Mya pointed out. 

“Fine, he was incredibly promiscuous but he has not been disloyal to the agreement we made not to take another so I don’t think about what came before me. As I stated to one previous female partner, I am grateful to them, they trained him up. I have yet to be left wanting, so I see the positives in it.” Ella smirked as she took a drink. “So he doesn’t kiss, considering he knows everything else a woman could want, I see it as a win for me.” 

“Wait, no kissing?” Tiana looked appalled. “Really, you’re not lying, Ella, he doesn’t kiss, why?” “They don’t do it here,” Ella explained. 

The other women looked at Greta who nodded. “We don’t. Well, ‘Bind and I do because we like it but others don’t.” 

“Norns, that sounds so boring. I’d hate it. I won’t even lie. No, thank you.” Tiana shuddered. “I wouldn’t mind, but I had it on good authority you were good at that.” 

“Really? How is Liuilf, Ti?” Mya shook her head. “Whatever happened to not taking your friend’s ex-lovers?” 

“I didn’t even touch him, I swear but firstly, he was not Ella’s lover, she didn’t let him touch her, and secondly…” Tiana noticed someone else coming to join the conversation and silenced immediately. 

Ella could tell from the manner her friend ceased speaking who was standing close by. Smiling, she turned to face her mate. “Is everything alright?” Loki stood close-by, his face as politely neutral as he could muster it to be. He had a suspicion that the females would speak in a manner that would be like as Ella had shown them to speak in the past. They were indeed the same females as she had shown him in her old memories but hearing one of them speak of Ella doing the act of kissing with the soldier hurt him in his gut and sent a searing heat through it that he loathed entirely. He knew the woman had said that Ella did not allow the soldier to touch her but it still felt odd to think of her do something like that with him. “I am incredibly sorry to intrude and I know I have yet to be properly introduced to you all, something I wish to rectify very soon but I fear I must ask to speak to my mate in private for a moment.” 

“Of course, excuse me, Ladies. Do not scare Greta too much in my absence,” She warned playfully as she rose to her feet, stretching slightly as she did. She followed Loki out of the room and down a hallway she knew was rarely used. When he opened a door to a room that was all but barren of any form of furnishing, she wondered what needed to be so urgent. “I take it that this has nothing to do with the coronation?” Loki’s nostrils flared slightly. “I don’t think you even wanted me for something, did you?” His eyes darted to the side. “You simply reacted to the words you heard?” No response. “I have had to listen to you ridicule my virtue as well as multiple accounts of you as a sexual partner but one reference to me kissing someone causes you to react like this?”

Loki inhaled a shaky breath. He walked over to her and stood looking down at her apprehensively before leaning in. At first, Ella thought it was going to gently place his face against hers but then she noticed the way his lips moved and pulled back. “What are you doing?” 

“Apparently you are somewhat proficient at it.”  

“Do you want to kiss me because you genuinely wish to, or some other reason?” She studied his face. “You never wanted to do this before, why now? We literally were in bed together last night, having sex and you did not think to do it then, why now? Is it because of what Tiana said or is it because you genuinely wish to do it with me because if it is the former, no, I will not kiss you and please don’t lie to me, please.” 

Loki could not lie to her so he pulled back. “I’m sorry.” 

“Why?” “I just came over to say hello but I reacted on hearing her say those things.” He admitted. 

“At least you are honest.” Ella conceded. “I am not going to kiss you for that reason. It means more to me.” 

Loki frowned. “But you never tried.” “With you? No. You made it clear on Vanaheim that it is repulsive to you. Since we did nothing we personally liked before that but instead merely took part in sex for solely procreational purposes, of course I would not attempt that.” 

“But you did with him?” “I cared for ‘him’ at that time. That was a long time ago. As Tiana pointed out, I never allowed it further.” 

Loki felt the other meaning behind those words, she had been honourable and never taken another, something he had not been. She also had been forced more than once to hear of his actions but she never showed any sign of being overly bothered by such. Part of him thought that were she to care for him, she would be more bothered by it as he was hearing about her actions in the past but she did not seem to be in any manner upset by it. “But I did.” “And I never say anything other than it was before me so I have no right to say anything.” “But if you were to say something?” “You do not wish to know.” Her face turned slightly angry at that. “Now, was there a particular reason you came over to us to begin with?” “I came to introduce myself. Those are your friends from Asgard so I thought it polite to say hello.” 

For a moment, Ella thought him to be lying, but seeing his features to be honest, she smiled. “Thank you, for making that effort. They were my ladies, as I tried to explain at the beginning, it was never about them being my servants, just confidentes. I have missed them so much. Part of me wishes they did not come because it reminds me of how much I miss them.” 

Loki swallowed. He had been forced to change some aspects of his life for the agreement, and the only aspects he did have to change had turned into something better than he could ever ask for. Ella, on the other hand, was left to create an entirely new life on Jotunheim, no friends, nothing and a mate that had neglected her, yet she still tried. He walked over to her again and looked at her, noting the apprehension in her face, he gave her an empathetic look. “I am so sorry you feel so and for my behaviour just now.” He leant down, only this time he did not try to force a kiss but placed their foreheads together as he tended to do. “I know you miss your friends but I hope you are happy here.” 

“I am.” Her voice was quiet. 

Loki sighed contently at her answer and the swiftness in which she answered. 

[dolly-decadatia]

Notes 12/1/20 s.c book

Incorporate altered consciousness into practice as soon as I move to Nevada.

Reach state of ecstasy during rites- incorporate Invocation of Lust rite from LaVey?

Eww so much gender binary bullshit... kind of toying with the idea of pop culture paganism using Spike and Drusilla but grossed out by the gender binary and heteronormativity of the god and goddess and I don’t want that ickiness all over my comfort characters. Something to ponder further.

Reincarnation is brought up. Not sure how I feel about that either. This all made so much more sense to me when I was like 12.

Magic is the practice of moving natural energies to effect needed change.

I’m like 2 pages in and he’s annoying me already. I was definitely remembering Scott Cunningham with a nostalgia lens.

Next chapter is The Deities. Skipping this completely.

Chap 3 Magic:

2 main sources of energy: personal power, earth power.

Personal power- is the life force that sustains our earthly existences. We absorb energy from the moon and sun, from water and food. We release it during movement, exercise, and sex. Even exhaling releases some power, though we recoup the loss through inhaling. In Magic, personal power is aroused, infused with a specific purpose, and directed toward its goal.

Earth power- is that which resides within your planets and in it’s natural products. Stones, trees, wind, flames, water, crystals, and scents all possess unique, specific powers that can be used during magical ritual.

No matter the magical system, personal power must be infused with the need and then released.

I am more than comfortable incorporating negative Magic in my practice. Scott is super judgmental and priggish and I am not feeling his sanctimonious ranting on the topic.

You don’t need elaborate rites every-time. If nothing else, light a candle, settle down before it and concentrate on your magical need. Trust yourself.

Chap 4 tools

The broom- oh lawd he really thinks there were Wiccans during the burning times before Gardner was born. I can’t with him....

Anyway the broom is used for spiritual cleansing (don’t let the bristles touch the ground). Visualize the broom sweeping out the astral buildup that occurs where humans live. This purifies the area to allow smoother ritual workings. Since it is a purifier, the broom is linked with the element of water. Thus it is also used in all types of water spells including those of love and psychic workings. To make your own broom the classic formula is a ash staff, birch twigs, and a willow binding. The ash is protective and the birch is purifying. The willow is religious and therefore non applicable. A tiny broom of pine needles can also be used. There are many old spells involving brooms 🧹. In general the 🧹 is a purificatory and protective instrument used to ritually cleanse the area for Magic or to guard a home by laying in across the threshold, and under the bed, in windowsills, or on doors 🚪.

I personally like cinnamon brooms 🧹. I used to customize them for the sabbaths when I was Wiccan with colored ribbon and sprigs of the appropriate herbs or flowers. I miss doing that.

The wand:

Instrument of invocation. Also used to direct energy, draw magical 🧙‍♂️ symbols or a circle ⭕️ on the ground, to point towards danger ⚠️ while perfectly balanced on a witch’s hand ✋ or even stir a brew in a cauldron. The wand represents the element of air.

Traditional woods used for wand: willow, elder, oak, apple, peach, hazel, cherry 🍒 and more.

Can even use a wooden dowel and carve and/or paint it.

Crystal can also be used.

Any stick you find will be infused with energy and power.

Censer:

Incense burner. I liked the gold swingy ones because they remind me of Spike but I’m uncomfortable with the concept of a breeding pair of deities and don’t want to taint spike and Dru by pigeon holing them into those gross roles. Really really like that censer though... will have to ponder.

When no specific incense is called for in rituals and spells, use your own intuition and creativity in determining which blend to use.

Spirits can be called to appear in visible form in the smoke rising from the censer. He said “command” which seems rude and I don’t vibe with bullying spirits. I want to be their friends. He also said this is not a part of Wicca. I’m not Wiccan sooooo. C’mon incense ghosties. It’s party time at my place .

Sitting while breathing slowly and watching the smoke can be an entrancing act, and you might slip into an alternate state of consciousness.

Cauldron- ancient vessel of cooking and brew making, steeped in magical tradition and mystery. (Grain of salt- he’s talking about Wicca which is not ancient at all.) the cauldron is the container in which magical transformations occur; the sea of primeval creation. The cauldron is often a focal point of ritual. During spring rites it is often filled with fresh water 💧 and flowers 💐; during winter ❄️ a fire 🔥 may be kindled within the cauldron but the reasoning behind this is very religious so.....

The cauldron should be should be iron, resting on 3 legs, with its opening smaller than its widest part. It can be used for scrying by filling it with water and gazing into it.

Athame:

Used for directing energy not cutting. Often dull, usually double-edged with a black handle because black absorbs power. When the athame is used in ritual a bit of energy gets stored in the handle for later use. A sword can be used (like in Church of Satan rituals) if space permits. My trailer is so small it’s tempting to temporarily use a pocket knife until I move 😂. Scott says knives are phallic but pre op trans men aren’t shaped like knives. Coming out has really opened my eyes to how bullshitty concepts of yonic or phallic are. Not feeling it.

Bolline -

White handled practical working knife you actual use as a knife unlike the athame.

Crystal sphere- used for divination. They remind me of Dru because anything psychic does but like I said- I don’t want to disrespect Drusilla by show horning her into the Wiccan idea of goddess. Can be used to store energy or receive messages. Periodic exposure to moonlight, or rubbing the crystal with fresh mugwort will increase its ability to spark our psychic powers. It may be the center of full moon 🌕 rituals.

Cup- simply a cauldron on a stem. Scott calls it a fertility symbol. Gross. Not in my practice. Contains ritual beverage imbibed during ritual. I need to decide what my liquid will be. It was cranberry juice when I was a teen witch, wine as an adult, and Jack Daniels when I was a pop culture pagan (for spike). Cup can be any substance. I have an awesome baphomet goblet in the storage unit I can use. I still love satanic imagery.

Pentacle- Wiccan specific. Non applicable.

Book of shadows- can be handwritten or digital. Ideally rites should be memorized which is daunting with my learning disability and memory issues brought on by depression but I’ll try.

Bell-

Ritual instrument of incredible antiquity. (Source needed on that, Scott). Ringing a bell unleashes vibrations that have powerful effects according to its volume, tone, and material of construction. Also rung to to ward off evil spirits (what does he mean by that? Let’s not be frigging fluffbunnies) to halt storms or evoke good energies. Placed in cupboards or hung on the door, it guards the home. Bells are sometimes rung in ritual to mark various sections and signal a spell’s beginning or end.

As you collect each tool, you can prepare it for ritual. If old, it should be stripped of all associations and energies; you don’t know who owned the tool or what purposes it may have been used for. To begin this process, clean the tool physically using the appropriate method. When the object is clean and dry, bury it in the earth or a bowlful of sand or salt for a few days, allowing the energies to disperse. An alternate method involves plunging the tool into the sea, river, lake, or even your own bathtub 🛁 after purifying the 💦 by adding a few pinches of salt 🧂.

Use common sense and don’t wreck your tool with water or salt if the material would get wrecked.

After a few days dig up the tool, wipe it clean, and it is ready for magic 🪄. If you use the 💦 method, leave the object submerged for a few hours, then dry it.

There are consecration ceremonies later In the book. Use common sense and edit them as needed to make them non secular or hunt on tumblr for alternate methods.

[incoherentbabblings]

An Endless Hope (5/9)

After a horrendous blizzard falls over Gotham, Tim undergoes a sharp change in character before disappearing. Upon discovering what has become of him, Stephanie sets off on a solo journey in a magic realm to bring him home, meeting some faces who seem awfully familiar along the way.

Archive Of Our Own Link Click Click!

Then

There were certain assumptions, when it came to a young couple moving in together, regarding what stages the relationship had crossed. Tim and Stephanie had kissed. Yes. Tim and Stephanie lived together. Yes. Tim and Stephanie shared a bed. Yes. Tim and Stephanie had had sex?

No.

Not to say they had not tried. Boundary testing had formed a large part of the reuniting, which had included the throwing of Tim’s shirts across the room during make out sessions and yet, the moment hands began to wander, it was Stephanie who would pull back fingers to a safer space. Tim had never complained, or even given a hint of being frustrated, until one day, when they were sat on Wayne Tower watching the sun set and eating a burger, Tim piped up.

“Can I ask you something invasive?”

Stephanie made an encouraging noise, a dollop of sauce slopping out onto her grease paper as she took a big bite of her burger.

“Of course! No secrets now. I’m your open book.”

Tim methodically picked his burger apart, chewing on a pickle.

“It’s really invasive.” He warned, and Steph nodded with a smile. “But, uh, you and Dean.”

Oh God. Steph’s smile froze.

“How often did you two...have...sex?”

“Oh. Okay. Yeah. A bit intrusive there. Oh boy. Yeah, so, no more than three or four times, I think. He preferred...urgh!” She shivered, then made an exaggerated jerking off motion with her hand. Tim frowned, seeming pensive, and Stephanie looked back, a little nervous. “Is this about us not sleeping together yet?”

“I don’t want to pressure you. ‘Cause you never do for me.”

“I know, sweetie.”

“I’m just trying to figure out if there’s something I could be doing better for you. If I’m…lacking.”

Steph swallowed, rocking back and forth on her bum. “Well, okay. Number one, don’t ever compare yourself to him because you are ten times the boyfriend, man, and person Dean ever was or could be. Number two, I’m just not ready, Tim. Not yet. That’s all.”

Part of her hoped he could hear the story she was trying to tell. If she wasn’t ready to be with Tim after five years of knowing him, of loving him, then maybe, just maybe, she hadn’t been ready for anything Dean had made her do after two weeks of ‘dating’.

Only part of her hoped though. Another part of her felt very strongly that it was a conversation she would never have aloud. She didn’t trust herself or Tim with it.

To her conflicted relief, Tim did not pick up on the unspoken.

“You love me.” He stated, seeking reassurance.

“I love you. You’re the only one I ever have or will if I have anything to say about it.” Stephanie watched as Tim turned bashful at her openness. “Just be patient? I can’t give you a date.”

“We don’t ever have to if you don’t want to.” He declared. “It’s not a deal breaker for me. I just thought... If I can do better, to make things better for you, please tell me.”

Stephanie giggled. “Like what? What can you do? What grand plan did you have to seduce me?”

Tim gagged on his burger, retching and coughing, face violet.

“None of your business.” He choked out, which made Stephanie bust a gut with laughter.

“I think that’s debatable boy wonder!”

Tim began to beg, “C’mon Steph give me a break! I love you, and I just want to do right by you.”

Stephanie softened, sobering up, and ran a hand through his hair. Tim closed his eyes, content like a purring cat, and listened carefully as Stephanie whispered over the sound of Gotham traffic.

“You’re the only boy who ever has.”

Now

Stephanie ran until her feet bled on the forest floor. She stumbled through the foliage, disturbing the nocturnal animals that were watching their food for the night. She followed the stars, for the night was clear of any cloud, continuing to go north. That was all she knew to do. Keep going north.

And yet the weather seemed to be only growing warmer. Like she was experiencing a transition at double speed from Spring to Summer. Even the leaves on the trees were looking a darker and drier green. Soon enough she was dripping sweat, and eventually she collapsed against a tree stump, groaning to herself as she checked the damage she had done to her feet. For the first time in weeks, she was thirsty. She was sure the witch was not following her, and decided to take a moment to rest.

“Should have stayed by the river.” Stephanie murmured to herself, tearing her dress so she could wipe away as best she could the dirt on her wounds. “But no. I need to go this way. I just know it.”

She wrapped scraps of her dress around her feet, binding them, stood up, took a deep breath, then continued to move, albeit at a slower pace. She walked until morning broke, and the forest awakened with life.

Songbirds began to chirp, and warm light filtered through the forest canopy. Stephanie could see no edge to the forest and began to wonder if she was lost.

Exhaustion was catching up with her, as was her hurt feet, so she slid down to the floor underneath a rowan tree. It had a multitude of red berries on it, which the songbirds were feasting. Smiling, she watched as a pair of cardinals flew over. Living up to their nature, the male began to carefully pick a berry, then feed it to his mate.

“Cute.”

She turned back around to shut her eyes for a moment, getting ready to begin moving once more, but when she opened them, a crow was sat on a nearby log, looking directly at her.

“Oopf. Hello.”

The crow tilted its head, then hopped closer. It inspected her quite closely, then settled down next to her. Taking a chance, Stephanie raised her hand, finger curled. The crow nipped at her playfully, then allowed her to stroke its head.

“Oh, you’re clever, huh? You know head scratches feel good?” The crow closed its eyes, content. Stephanie watched for a moment, then sighed. “Don’t suppose you’ve seen a black haired blue-eyed young man come through here recently?”

The crow looked up at her, almost looking pensive, then squawked,

“Yes! Yes, I have!”

Stephanie froze in her petting.

Oh. Of course, the birds could talk. Why not. Flowers, birds…what was next? Fish? Moose? Cutlery? This world was bonkers and frightening and –

“Wait you saw Tim?”

“Tim? What’s Tim? Who’s Tim? Can you speak bird? Human language is hard for me.”

“Nuh-no. Sorry. I only know human.”

“Hmm. I will try.”

“Thank you.”

The bird hopped on Stephanie’s knee, and she made a show of listening to the birds squawking.

“Black hair? Blue eyes? A little thin? Young?”

“Yes!”

“He’s married to the princess!”

“Beg your pardon.”

The bird flew up onto the tree. “There was a competition. The princess would only choose a husband from someone kind and smart. There was a riddle. A boy solved it, so he was chosen.”

“Kind? Smart?” Stephanie stumbled onto her feet. “Do you know where they are? Please, I need to see them.”

The bird ruffled its feathers. “I’m meeting my brother at the castle. You are not…you are not a threat?”

“No.” Stephanie replied immediately. “I think I may know this boy. I’m a – a friend of his. He went missing. I was sent to bring him home.”

“Oh. That’s odd.”

“I have to be sure it’s him. I think he’s under a spell. I’m not a threat. I just want him safe.”

The crow jumped on her head, making her squeal. The sensation of the bird’s feet in her hair was very odd.

“I believe you. Follow me. The princess is very kind. She will be able to help.”

Stephanie sighed, hoping this world was cutting her a break. She tugged herself upright, bird still stood on her head.

“See the ash tree?”

“Yes?”

The bird settled down, sitting neatly on the crown of her head. “Go there, then go left.”

Stephanie followed the bird’s instructions to the letter.

It took a good hour, but eventually the forest cleared a little, and Stephanie was asked to stop. The bird thumped down it’s tails feathers, telling her to look up.

“Oh! Like Lothlorien!”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Perhaps castle was inaccurate a description – but the bird had said human wasn’t her first language. But what there was looked like something out of a fantasy film for sure.

“Tree houses?” Stephanie asked, tone mystified.

“They are better than that.”

“Uh-huh…” Gawking, she looked for a way up into the wood and glass structures. “Oh man, is the princess an elf?”

“A what?”

“Never mind.” She gulped, cracking her fingers. “Right, so how do we get up there? Well, you fly, obviously. Do I climb?”

“There’s some ropes around here somewhere…Ah!” The bird squawked, making Stephanie flinch. The bird began to flap, ruffling Stephanie’s hair, cawing out loudly. “It’s my brother!”

A second crow landed on Stephanie’s head, making her curse out loud. The pair nuzzled and made a general racket, fluffing and ruining her hair.

“Sorry, pardon, birds? Not my head?”

The brother sat on her shoulder. “A human!”

The lady crow resettled. “And she does not speak bird!”

“Tragic.”

Stephanie blew air between her teeth, anger rising. “Look, can you get me in or not?”

They could. Soon enough she was several feet up in the air, watching her step to ensure she didn’t twist her ankle on any slots between planks.

She crept along quietly, the birds hopping and fluttering along, showing her the way.

“It is early,” said the male crow. “So they won’t be…”

“Awake.” Finished the female crow. “That’s okay. The princess is very nice.”

“So, you said.” Stephanie gripped the tree trunk, huffing from the exertion. Her feet were killing her. “Do you two live here?”

“We come and go. I love the princess. She is like…like…”

“Your mother.” The male said, settling back on Stephanie’s shoulder.

“Yes!” And the bird hung upside down on a softly glowing lantern. “She took me in. My mother and father were not good. Him,” She said, jerking her wings to the bird perched on Stephanie, “is my brother. My brother is not my brother. But he is my brother.”

Stephanie paused, musing and trying to understand. “Adopted?”

“Is that the word? We have different mothers.” The crow flew up a level, and Stephanie skipped after her. “This way.”

They continued in silence for some time, the size of the palace deceptively large. They spiralled up what Stephanie could only assume was the back staircase. The sun had truly risen by then, but it still felt early, like the sun in summer. Already she was feeling very warm. No wonder this place was built up high and had no real solid walls. Stephanie wondered how many fell out of such heights, or did the creatures that inhabited the palace feel no need to worry about such a possibility?

“Why haven’t we come across anyone?”

“They are all sleeping. It is still early. There are no threats here. It is safe. It is why I asked you.”

“I see.”

“The princess protects us.”

Stephanie stopped and gasped, seeing shadows on the stairwells. The male crow noticed her sharp panic and nipped reassuringly at her earlobe.

“It is okay! We are getting closer to where the court sleeps. Their dreams have come out.”

Stephanie remained still, listening, and watching the shadows move, reluctant to turn the corner. “They do that here?”

The female crow zoomed back, once again landing on Stephanie’s head. “The more responsibility you have, the stronger your dreams. They leak out and play. Come watch. They will entertain you until the princess awakes. No nightmares here.”

Stephanie believed the birds. She knew from the stories she read as a child that crows were supposed to be tricksy. Cruel and malignant with their intelligence, and Stephanie knew she should not be so trusting with the kindness that was offered, but there was something about the two crows that reminded her of home, of people she knew.

Still clinging to the trunk of the tree, Stephanie curled around to the next set of stairs, the trees seemingly never reaching their end, and peered round the bend.

Whatever Stephanie expected escaped dreams to look like, it was not bright bursts of colours, forming shapes with bright chiming bells, only to immediately slip into another form and shape and colour. She craned her neck up to better watch the display, trying to see clearer stories in the shapes.

A pair of birds flying together, a kiss, home, and a cradle. Music, loud and cantankerous, soft and affable. A bolt of lightening that cracked the air into rainbows that split further through glass crystals that lit the way up the palace.

“Wow.” Stephanie uttered.

“They’re lovely, aren’t they?” The lady crow came close then flew back again. “I used to have horrid ones. Still do sometimes. But time is better now. Wait here, I will wake the princess.”

“Thank you…” Stephanie paused as she went to sit on a carved wooden ledge, feet dangling over the edge as she continued to rest. “Sorry, do you have a name? Or is it not safe to share?”

It was almost like the crow smiled. “Silly human. Wait here!”

Stephanie watched as the lady crow flew off. The male remained, hopping off to sit with her watch the light and shadows fly through what seemed to Stephanie akin to an antechamber.

“Your sister is very kind.” Stephanie said quietly.

“She is!” He squawked, his neck feathers ruffling with pride. “She likes to help. People were not kind to her, so she decided to be kind back.”

“Sounds like someone I know back home.”

“Who?”

“The sister of the boy I’m looking for. She was mistreated, but she found some people willing to help her.”

“She’s happier now?”

“Much.”

As she spoke to the bird, Stephanie was again reminded of how much she empathised with Cass. She couldn’t compare with the horror and volume, when she had told Cass that she couldn’t beat her at anything, Stephanie meant anything. Still, it explained why she trusted the bird. It was almost as if someone had taken Cass and made her an overly exuberant and curious bird.

Stephanie watched the dreams some more – staring in particular at the two songbirds twist and turning round the other, splintering off only for a moment, only to crash into each other, singing their songs. She giggled watching them.

“I’ve been told we have a human passing through?”

Stephanie gasped, turned, and scrambled off the ledge in order to perform an awkward curtsey, not sure what to do when faced with royalty.

The female crow returned to her brother, bouncing up and down cutely. “It’s her my lady! It’s her! Looking for a lost boy.”

The princess looked at Stephanie – bedraggled Stephanie with bleeding feet, torn dress, muddy knees and dirty gloved hands – with some level of suspicion, but also compassion.

The nightgown she had on was a turquoise satin, whilst her skin tinged a bit too yellow to be human. The wicked green eyes were playful, but not spiteful. She looked like a water colour come to life. Stephanie tried to relax, but clung to her elbows, holding herself in comfort.

“Please, the boy you just married,” It was ridiculous, but Stephanie had to know. “I think he might be… I think he might be mine?”

She sounded unsure even to herself, and the princess raised her eyebrows and looked Stephanie up and down.

“Interesting. A human comes tumbling into my realm, chasing a stolen boy, and claims I’m the thief?”

“No. No, I don’t think that. I have nothing to go off, just that you married a black-haired blue-eyed boy.”

“I did.”

“Then… please. Can I meet him? Just to be sure? He was taken by a spell and an ice witch and I’m sure he would be smart enough to escape on his own but I got side-tracked by an old woman pretending to be my mother in the woods so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s managed to get himself in another mess not that being married to you would be a mess it’s just I love him and he’s human and he… he belongs with me. To me.” She wriggled her shoulders, brazen. “He’s mine. He belongs with me and his family in the human world. Please, let me just check it’s not him.”

The princess raised an eyebrow throughout Stephanie’s little speech. She smirked.

“And what if it is him?”

“You can’t have him.” She pled.

“I think he should be the one to decide.”

A dream fluttered in front of Stephanie, a horse that galloped straight into the tree trunk, seemingly shattering out of existence with the impact. The solid thunk made Stephanie jump back, determination broken. The princess’ mouth twisted into a fey smile. The sound of someone padding down the stairs, from the same direction the princess had come, made everyone turn to see.

The princess smiled, her face finally growing warm.

“My love, do you know this girl?”

“Uh, no.”

“Do you want to leave with this human?”

“Not particularly.”

“Well, there we have it.” The princess turned back to Stephanie. “My husband wants to stay.”

Stephanie’s gut dropped in the most awful concoction of relief and dread.

It wasn’t Tim.

Relief.

She had to keep moving then. Had to keep searching.

Dread.

The new prince had several years on Tim, and was – like the princess – the definition of fey. Skin the colour of an acorn, hair so dark it absorbed any light that shone on it, with eyes brighter blue than anything found on a normal human.

Black hair, blue eyes, young. Well the crow hadn’t lied about that…

Stephanie’s eyes grew wet.

“I’m sorry. I’ve wasted your time.”

The princess shook her head. “No, I’m interested in the story behind a human running barefoot through my home looking for a lost boy.”

Stephanie sighed, arms flapping in distress. “An ice witch took him. A friend who can jump realm boundaries said I had to be the one to bring him back.”

“Ice witch?” The man said to his wife. “The storm passed through about three days ago, is that her?”

“Probably. I keep the weather how I please, but she’s done awful damage this year. Has she picked up another human? For goodness sake she never learns.”

She looked back to see Stephanie crying. Her royal façade cracked, and instantly she was hugging the poor girl.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I can be a little callous sometimes. I swear that we won’t harm or feed you, but we can help you on your way. Let me see to your injuries and get you some new clothes. You have a long way to go yet.”

“Let me keep my gloves.” Stephanie begged. “They belong to him.”

The man snorted softly, full of admiration. “Young love.”

“Come. Come sit so I can see.”

Stephanie looked at the crows, mindful of another delay or trap, but they nodded encouragingly. Maybe it was a mistake to trust anyone from this world, but the alternative was to solo run bare foot into a winter storm. She would try trusting again.

The man picked her up, making Stephanie squeal at the ease which everyone seemed to handle her, and took her up more stairs. Finally, they reached a hanging gallery, and the new prince sat her on the table. The palace was waking up, and an assortment of interesting looking people flittered by, curious about why the small human sat on a dining table was doing in their home. The crows flew closer, the girl settling on Stephanie’s lap, and nibbled at her fingers reassuringly.

The princess soon returned, wearing such a grand dress Stephanie didn’t know where to compliment first. She settled on her knees in front of Stephanie, who turned red from embarrassment, and began to magic (magick Klarion pushed in Stephanie’s mind) her wounds and dirt away.

“I’ve ordered some clothes ready for you. And transport.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s not entirely selfless. Humans really shouldn’t be over here. The sooner you collect your boy, the sooner you’ll leave.”

Stephanie nodded, not wanting to outstay her welcome regardless. A violent stabbing pain shot up through her legs, causing her to gasp, but as quickly as the pain came, it faded. The princess was smiling, proud at her work.

“What a week I’ve had.” She said to herself.

“You got married, right?”

“Yes. And now a human pays us a visit.” She sighed, rising up to look at her husband. “Can you find her winter clothes? She has far to go north.”

Stephanie watched as he left, only speaking when the princess sat down next to her.

“What’s the story there? The crows said he solved a riddle?”

“He did indeed. A no-one from nothing is now prince. But he was smart and solved it. A few others had as well, but there were two answers. His was the only one that I wanted to hear.” She smiled, in love. “If you break me, I do not stop working. If you touch me, I may be snared. If you lose me nothing will matter. What am I?”

“A heart.” Stephanie replied almost instantaneously. The princess laughed.

“Oh, of course a human knows immediately. I should have known. Our brains and worlds work differently. Different priorities. What is obvious to us is a mystery to you and vice versa.”

Stephanie shrugged humbly, inspecting her poor beaten gloves. “My father liked these sorts of things. I picked up a lot from him.”

“What is someone worth, if not for their heart? Intelligence is a fine attribute, but compassion, love, kindness… they are much more valuable. I encourage that here.”

Stephanie nodded sadly. “My… my… boyfriend.” She sneered as she said it, hating how juvenile it came across. Tim was much more than that. “He is one of the smartest people I know. But he’s also the kindest. But the witch, she froze his heart.”

“Love can melt it.”

Stephanie fought the urge to roll her eyes despite the certainty in the other woman’s voice. She thought back to the very last thing Tim did before he left, and Stephanie’s heart continued to sink. “He kissed me before he was taken. It did nothing. Was that him trying? One last time?”

The princess pet Stephanie’s golden hair. “Maybe. However, kisses are not love. They can show it, but there are other ways to melt a heart.”

“How?”

“No, no. That is for you to discover. This is your journey, we’re just here to help you on your way.” She inspected Stephanie closely, then smiled. “May I braid your hair?”

The clothes Stephanie were gifted were better than anything she had been given by the old woman, even before Stephanie had ripped it to shreds. Deep violet woollen tights and a full dress that reached her knees, detailed with silver embroidery, would keep the heat close to her body. The white woollen coat with a large heavy hood, lined with snow white fur, made her sweat just by looking at it. She had been warned that the warmth of this little haven would flee the moment she went north, and the ground would only grow more perilous. She was gifted a pair of brown boots that laced up tight and securely slid on her healed feet. Finally, she was given a new scarf, as violet as her underclothes, to ensure she would not freeze continuing north.

The carriage Steph was given was plain, painted brown, but the two white horses would be able to take her most of the way.

“The storm has settled three days north from what I can tell,” the prince explained, giving her a hand to get in. “You may have to do the last leg on foot, but so long as you have these clothes on, you won’t freeze.”

Stephanie settled down, then leaned out the little window, gripping the frame.

“Can I just ask… why are you helping me? Aside to make sure I leave quicker. You don’t want anything in return?”

The princess walked up and rested a hand over Stephanie’s. “I said so, kindness is admirable. I want to reward it. Keep your determination. It will see you through. Now in terms of payment… answer a question in return.”

Stephanie nodded.

“What’s the name of yourself and your boy?”

Stephanie gulped, so close to leaving the realm and moving onwards again, she didn’t know if this was a test.

“I don’t know if I should tell you.”

The princess smiled. “I am no threat to you or him.”

The lady crow swooped down and joined Stephanie in her carriage. Stephanie blinked, seeing that she would join her on her journey, at least for a little while. She looked back at the princess. “Stephanie. My name is Stephanie. Tim is my…”

“Your love.”

“…Yes.”

“This faithfulness you are showing, do you think it would be returned if places were swapped?”

“I know it would. This is me proving it to him. He has nothing to prove to me.”

The princess’ look became shrew once more. “As I am sure you have nothing to prove to him.”

“He would say so. But I want to do it all the same.”

“How very mature of you. A little girl you are not.”

Stephanie frowned. “There’s a saying about love which I liked. But I can’t remember it.”

The princess brushed a lose curly strand of hair off Stephanie’s face. In that moment she very much reminded Stephanie of Barbara.

“Love excuses, trusts, hopes, and endures. All things adulthood tries to strip from us.”

Stephanie blinked, pieces of her conversations with Tim and her journey in this realm starting to slip together. Love, childhood, mothers, siblings, adulthood, and young lovers…

“Oh.”

Where to next?

The princess whistled sharply, making the horses begin their trot. Walking beside her on the forest floor, the princess only let go of Stephanie’s hand when she could keep up no longer. “Good luck Stephanie.” She called out. “I hope this boy is worthy of you.”

Stephanie leaned further out the carriage and thanked the young couple.

As the sped off, the crow settled on her lap and snoozed. She was not talkative company, but she was a little warm figure. Her comforting presence was delightful to Stephanie, whose hope was rekindled.

True to the princess’ word, the leaves began to turn the most wonderful shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown, falling to the ground and creating a wonderful crunch as the horses and carriage wheels pressed them down into the forest floor. A gravel road opened up, still shaded by trees, and Stephanie wondered if it would ever end. She did start to notice however, an increase in evergreen trees. In pines and yews and hollies. The temperature had dropped, but still Stephanie was just slightly too warm in her outfit. She kept it on though, not knowing when winter would arrive and leave her craving the warmth she still held.

Eventually the crow awoke. She was shocked at how far she had gone, not intending to travel as far north with Stephanie as she had, and hopped onto the window’s ledge, looking to fly off back to her brother and princess. Stephanie pecked the bird on the head as a thank you. She squawked joyfully upon receipt of the kiss, then flew off. Once again, aside from the horses magically knowing which direction to canter, Stephanie was alone. The silence continued, a little unnerving.

She would find Tim soon, she was sure of it.

[kira-art-design]

magaZINE project

a quick brief

Design a ZINE book by appropriating a style of a company you are inspired by, or would love to work for. The content can be any topic of your choosing.

my process

idea process

When I first began this project I had different ideas for the style I wanted to appropriate, which was vintage Japanese poster design. They have a very unique, bold and colourful use of type, images and illustrations. The colours in these design already make sense with colour I usually use, so when I designed my brief to be a combination of my style and a nod to the poster design my instructor said it looked like Wes Anderson. This made something click in my head, because I love Wes Anderson’s overall aesthetic and beautiful scene composition. From there I decided to go ahead with Wes Anderson style. I wanted to do some more research, I rented out some films from the library, sat on my couch and did some research. I also went to the internet to find some more details on how to replicate his cinematic style, because I planned to take my own photos that looked like stills out of my own Wes Anderson movie. I wrote a list of elements I knew I had to include to make it Anderson, this included: symmetry, Futura, yellow type, outfits with quirky, colourful and specific choices, overhead table shots, handwritten type, etc. When it came to my content, I wanted to do something I’m interested in learning about anyway. I chose film photography because in the past year I’ve been slowly getting into it, and need to teach myself much more.It’s very important to make connections from your design to the content, style, etc. So before I even started I wrote out connections I can make to bring the project together. Some of these include:

Designing and photographs with symmetry to mimic Anderson

Large, centered titles mimic cinematic title sequences

Implied storyline in the photography to mimic stills out of a film

Type box shapes designed to mimic the mailboxes seen in a photograph

Models have film cameras (pentax and pentacon)

Binding with real film

Book dimensions mimic ratio of cinematic screens (16:9)

scene stills from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom and The Royal Tenenbaums

first ideas

notes on random plans for my zine

plans for photoshoot with my 2 models

my research

I conducted my research through a variety of resources. I rented Anderson films from the library, and watched a couple more films to get a better understanding of his cinematic style. I used the internet to find more specific strategies to mimic his style, and to find out more about Anderson himself. I also did all my research for film photography from the internet and included some of my own personal thoughts.

My photographs needed to have a very specific look and opportunity for symmetrical composition so I scouted a list of spots around the city to take my models. This was very helpful to be prepared so the photo shoot didn’t take too long.

I made up some mockup pages in a variety of sizes to determine document size, to see how the size worked in my hands.

working process

Firstly I went to Michaels and took advantage of the deals they had on their scrapbooking paper sheets, I picked out a pile of colours that created a Wes Anderson palette.

I planned my zine to be collaged together post printing so I kept that in mind while designing the spreads in Indesign. I needed to plan the collaged elements to fit in the page, I did this by putting everything I didn’t want to print onto its own “DON'T PRINT” layer which I removed right before printing. Then I printed some tabloid size papers with the photos and text I planned on collaging on.

the plan to collage about half of the type/images on after printing the spreads became complicated, I needed to make note of what gets printed where for each page.

I left myself room for playing with shapes in the collaging process, so it wasn’t all pre-planned before I printed. I wanted to let myself play with the coloured papers and make it up as I went. I did this to get an experimental result and achieve the hand-crafted charm of a zine.

For binding I had the idea to use my resources from home because I have plenty of chopped up developed film that I have no use for anymore. I cut these in half, leaving the holes on one side and trimmed them to fit the short edge of my zine. Using the same impasto gel I’ve been using for collage I glued the film onto the edges of each page on both sides. I had to be very careful to line up the holes well enough for binding aligned later. To attach the pages I could either use thread similar to Japanese stitch bind, however I’ve done that method for a couple past assignments so I tried something new. I have some small metal jump rings I use for making jewelry that would work well through the film. However my pages all together stacked too thick for the rings, so I went with a different sort of stitch with thread.

glueing a half strip of used film on the short edge for binding

*TRAGIC* Over the weekend I accidentally ripped a page, I decided to go to the printing shop Monday morning to reprint and re-collage.

I tried a couple different ways of binding, I originally planned to use small metal jump rings to give a more loose bind but the rings were too small for the stack.

collaged text

Continued on next post - final reflection, timestamps and readings.

[fuck-this-im-a-witch]

My path, what I’m doing and an update. Also, who I am, because I’ve had a lot of new followers recently.

So, I deleted my previous very ranty post because I wasn’t in a good mood when I wrote it and as a Witch who’s been practicing for as long as I have, I should know better.

I have also never actually introduced myself on this blog so I’m going to do that today.

Hello, I go by Pixie, it’s not my Witch name, but it is my nickname so until I find my Witch name it’s what I’m going as. I’m a novice witch. I was introduced to witch craft about the age of 9 and really picked it up about 15. I have talents in kitchen witchery, especially around love spells and protection.

I’m a grey witch, I will Jinx, Hex and Curse. I’m not apologetic about it but I am extremely cautious about it. As every witch should be. Magic isn’t something to take lightly and this kind of magic is something you always want to take extra precautions with.

My current path is leading me to look into the history of witchcraft and my bloodline. I don’t work with any specific deities or spirits, I have a natural connection with the Fae that I’ve always had since childhood that I’ve begun to look into more recently. I’m also currently learning how to best navigate divination for me. I’m learning about Tarot and crystal scrying. In time I will do a post about that.

Any baby witches are more than welcome to ask me anything, if I don’t know the answer to something, I’ll research it or refer you to someone who can answer it.

I’m also currently going through Shadow Work and working with my higher self.

I’ve also been studying and working on some things I need for my future, including;

Fertility magic.

Binding spells.

Abundance charms.

New low spoon cleansing methods.

Protection charms.

High impact Hexes and Curses.

Banishing spells/charms.

I posted a few months ago that I was looking into Wicca and was excited to start a year of study. I’m still going to complete my ‘year and a day’ it’s a good habit to get into, plus it’s helping to grow my witchy book stash.

However; I find the history of any practice I choose to take on incredibly important, I actually tend to take the information I know and build my own spells/charms/hexes from scratch because I’m uncomfortable using something I don’t know the full history of.

When I began looking into the origins of Wicca, I was disappointed and heartbroken at how it began. But also a little bit angry. I recommend doing your own research, but the ‘father of Wicca’ was not a good person and a lot of what it’s become is more in spite of him than because of. It’s a very mixed practice and it comes from a lot of roots. Some of the practices I decided to still take on because when I looked into the history of the specific practice, it was in my family lineage on a side I am proud of.

I don’t have anything against Wiccans, the modern practice seems fine and beautiful and it keeps the remnants of history alive and has helped me find a path to my history.

But the origins of the religion leave me too upset to be a part of it.

My path is a mixed path, a lot of the cultures in my lineage have closed practices handed down through the family that aren’t accessible to me because that side of my family passed away and had been converted to Catholicism before my birth. I learn what I can about it, but most was lost to the witch trials.

Because of these things, I have a few rules for myself in my craft;

1. It is sacred and can only be taught to a point.

2. Safety first, always.

3. History and knowledge matter; without them nothing is fair, nothing is just and things will go wrong.

These are my boundaries for my path.

One day I’ll share more, but today is not that day.

Look after yourselves witches and remember to learn.

🖤Blessed Be.

[han-made-bookbinding]

La Prose Part Five: Finished Binding

OPEN BOOK NEXT TO BOX (ABOVE)

It is always a wonderful feeling when a book is complete. However long it has taken from beginning to end, there is always a sense of achievement. The work doesn’t stop there though, it needed to be photographed and I still had my blog post to write about it. 

It turns out that this blog post has been rather a long one! The fact that it is such an interesting project to have worked on with the recreation of such an spectacular original and all the background research that Kitty Maryatt put in to realising it, alongside the point that I had never worked on this structure of binding before, and also the editing of such a lot of images and stages to write about has turned this in to a five part post.

The book is also on my website here.

OPEN BOOK COVERS (BELOW)

But what do the covers read? I took text from near the beginning of the poem for the back cover:

I was in my adolescence at the time Scarcely sixteen and already I no longer remembered my childhood I was 16,000 leagues from my birthplace I was in Moscow, in the city of a thousand and three belfries and seven railroad stations And they weren't enough for me, the seven railroad stations and the thousand and three towers For my adolescence was so blazing and so mad That my heart burned in turns as the temple of Epheseus, or as Red Square in Moscow When the sun sinks. And my eyes shone upon the ancient routes And I was already such a bad poet That I didn't know how to go all the way to the end. . The Kremlin was like an immense Tatar cake Crusted with gold, With great almonds of cathedrals all done in white And the honeyed gold of the bells… . An old monk was reading to me the legend of Novgorod I was thirsty And I was deciphering…

And for the front cover, a section towards the end. This was a rather apt section of text to choose given it included the words “rouge”, “vert”, “multicolores”, “jaune” and “d’or” - how appropriate for a colourful book!

O Paris Large glowing hearth with the crossed pokers of your streets and your old homes that hunch over warming themselves Like forefathers And here are the posters, red and green multicoloured as my brief yellow past Yellow the proud colour of French novels sold abroad. . I love to squeeze into moving buses in big cities Those of the Saint-Germain-Montmartre line bring me to the assault of the Hill The motors bellow like golden bulls The bovine twilight grazes the Sacre Cœur O Paris Central station last stop of desire crossroads of unrest Only the merchants of colour still have a little bit of light on their doors The “International Company of Sleeping Cars and Europeans Express Trains” has sent me their brochure It is the most beautiful church in the world

OPEN BOOK IN FRONT OF OPEN BOX (BELOW)

FRONT COVER AND TEXT BLOCK EDGE (BELOW)

Although in the original, due to how the text block was folded, neither the text or the imagery could be seen until the book was completely unfolded, this was not the case for my binding. I was really thrilled once it was finished to see how well the coloured stitching harmonised with the strips of colour on the folded edges of the pages.

DETAIL OF BOOK ON TOP OF BOX (BELOW)

BOX LID (BELOW)

I really liked the fact that the box remained so simple, with just the title added on the top. I didn’t want to take away from the intricate a coloured embroidery of the cover that popped out as you opened the lid.

BLAISE CENDRARS SIGNATURE INSIDE SPINE (BELOW)

Blaise Cendrar’s signature was placed so that it would be a little added extra surprise as the book was opened. With embroidering it inside the spine it is hidden behind the concertina when the book is closed.

DETAIL OF OPEN CONCERTINA

The wonderful colours of the pochoir spill out as the concertina is unfolded. I was really pleased with how well the pochoir-covered end-caps worked as an extra design element of the binding.

SPINE TITLE (BELOW)

The title was embroidered, thankfully without any spelling mistakes (see below for details of my near disaster!).

EMBROIDERY DETAIL (BELOW)

From pink, to yellow, to green, to red, to blue and on and on, this truly was a book of multicolour.

THE OUTER BOX (BELOW)

The wooden box I had made was further housed in an outer conservation box. This was partly to protect it, and also so that the small accompanying concertina pamphlet that Kitty Maryatt had produced explaining about the project could live with the binding. This little booklet had a section made for it in the outer box so it could sit below the wooden box.

THE SAMPLE BOARD/BOOK

I have made reference in previous parts of this blog post to the sample board/book that I worked on ahead of the actual binding, I finish with some photos of this. I chose a darker blue goatskin for this spine with gold thread to embroider the title, this changed on the actual binding as I felt the dark blue didn’t match the pochoir.

I didn’t have quite enough vellum to cover the back board entirely so I pieced two bits together and masked the joint with a strip of the leftover pochoir.

SAMPLE BOARD/BOOK COVER EMBROIDERY

I embroidered the sample with writing at and angle, however decided to change this on the actual binding working horizontally. Thankfully, I had asked in advance whether it was okay to post images of some of my work in progress online whilst working on this project, both Kitty Maryatt and Neale Albert agreed. I was very pleased that this was the case as a French friend of mine spotted a spelling error on the sample book! Rather than “La Prose de Transsbérien”, it should have been “La Prose du Transsbérien”, another good reason for doing sample boards I guess - phew!

THE OPEN CONCERTINA OF THE SAMPLE BOARD/BOOK

The book was made so that when closed, the width and height were the same dimensions as my sample boards. Although of course it is thicker than a sample board, it can still sit in the same box as them in a wider slot.

This mini book is also going to have a second purpose, I have been meaning for a long while to make an index for my sample boards. Given this book is a sample board, and will therefore be in the box with them, I intend to use it’s pages to index all the other boards.

SAMPLE BOARD CONCERTINA PAGES

The front and back doublures of the sample book are different colours, initially I thought I would go for red doublures but in the end opted for pale blue to match the first spread of the concertina when opened.

BLAISE CENDRARS SIGNATURE ON INNER SPINE

Blaise Cendrar’s signature also appears on the sample book in red thread. This is sample number 54 in my ever-growing series.

The completed binding is now safely in New York. It is due to be shipped on to San Francisco to take part in the following exhibition alongside some other absolutely wonderful bindings of La Prose by other binders.

EXHIBITION at the San Francisco Center for the Book TITLE: Drop Dead Gorgeous: Fine Bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation DATES: September 6 to October 6, 2019 OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, September 6, 2019, 6:00–8:00 pm LOCATION: San Francisco Center for the Book, 375 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA.

The remarkable book by poet Blaise Cendrars and artist Sonia Delaunay, La Prose du Transsibérien et de la petite Jehanne de France, was produced by letterpress and pochoir in 1913. It was a landmark achievement for its time with its unprecedented format, avant-garde typography and abstract imagery, and remains vibrant and modern today.

Kitty Maryatt of Two Hands Press has been researching the production of La Prose du Transsibérien since 2012. In 2018, she debuted a new edition of 150 copies, which faithfully incorporates techniques and methods used in the original. At the same time, Maryatt and her underwriters commissioned fine bindings by notable design binders from around the world. These bindings, along with Maryatt’s La Prose du Transsibérien Re-Creation, have resulted in a traveling exhibition titled Drop Dead Gorgeous: Fine Bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation.

Debuting in San Francisco, the exhibition will feature the work of twenty-two design binders, including Don Glaister, Monique Lallier, Midori Kunikata-Cockram and Kathy Abbott. Tools, materials, and supplemental material used in the creation of Maryatt’s edition of La Prose will also be on display. Upon closing in San Francisco in October, the exhibition travels to additional venues in the United States, Canada and England.

DOCUMENTARY SHOWING TITLE: The Re-creation of a Masterpiece: La Prose du Transsibérien. Documentary by Rosylyn Rhee. Los Angeles, 2019. DATE: Friday, October 4, 2019, 6:00–8:00 pm LOCATION: San Francisco Center for the Book, 375 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA.

[calleo-bricriu]

Are all your other wands bratty too?

A couple could be viewed that way, I guess.As I already mentioned, the English Oak wand I like handing to other people to use because it's also an absolute brat if anyone else picks it up. Sometimes it'll give you a zap before you even touch it.It's not malicious, it just plays rough.

The Cherry wand, and I'm including it here as its personality hasn't really changed all that much from what I've seen, was once accurately described by someone else as, "A bright little thing, lively and full of laughter until the moment that it turns, after which it is… itself still, but more so. Where that gleam in the eye becomes the glint of a razor. Wild and- fey, that was the word. "

Blackthorn: That one is the Astarte and those wands are a little different. He liked to tout them as "soul bound" but, if you look into it a little further, that's not what it is. Unless you're binding an actual spirit to something, it's not soul bound and, even then, most methods to do that are still Blood Magic based so, while you might be technically binding a soul or spirit to an object, it’s still a blood bind at its base.

Anyway, Astarte wands are blood bound.

What you get with an Astarte is a fairly even mix of your own personality and the properties of the wood itself.

Blackthorn does well in, if you strip all of the fluff away from a wand maker's description, fights and it's not likely to want to be something you don't have to fight WITH until it's been dragged through hell and back with you. Mine didn't settle fully down until after the First War ended.

Yew #1: That's the one with the Ebony handle. Won it in a pub fight. Took ages to turn it but, Yew is like that.  It seems to have retained the personality of its last owner: Temperamental and a bit of a grump.

It's not so temperamental or unreliable with me anymore but if someone else were to pick it up it might either decide to either go dead or cause every attempted to cast to backfire in only the way Yew amplified through Ebony can.

That is to say, spectacularly, violently, and a lot until your didn’t-think-this-through self puts it down.

I use this one a lot in duels and even more in fights, it's positively vicious even when I'm not.

I’d almost swear I’ve nearly heard it say, “Oh look, if you’re not going to hit them properly, I will,” in those situations.

Yew #2:  Pretty typical Yew. Soft hardwoods are interesting.

Yew #3: See #2.

Yew #4: See, the problem I ran into here is the last 2-4 are Yew wands I made myself so they sort of immediately attached to me and it's going to be difficult to impossible to let someone else take them for that reason alone.

They're Hedgewitch wands and don't have a core so they're more adept at being general focus tools as opposed to being anything you'd want to use in a duel or a fight.

Ebony: Ah, my antique! Only one that's got a name attached to it as well, though not a name I'd have chosen as I still find it a bit silly but that does mean you can find occasional references to it in a text here and there, usually in Transfiguration texts.

Traded it for a couple of equally old books that I didn't mind parting with as I already had them transcribed.

Blunt, flat tip, which is interesting, so it works better for broad, sweeping sorts of magic in terms of things to use in a fight and also oddly good for Transfiguration in general.

Nigrum In Umbra. Lovely piece. Very light, perfectly balanced, usually second to the Ebony/Yew wand in a fight or duel. It's also roughly the same diameter from end to end instead of having a big ol' handle on one end. Makes it a lot easier to move with.

In terms of personality it's--transient, almost. It's had a lot of people keep it over the years and doesn't have any particular reputation about that; most people just die with it or trade it off and someone else takes it.

By die with it, I mean of natural causes.

Always kind of gives the impression that it knows you aren't the first and definitely won't be the last to have it. It's not that it wants to leave it's that it knows it'll outlive you and someone else will take it eventually.

Alder: I thought this one would be more difficult to deal with as Alder itself is nearly always an unyielding wood and unyielding wants are a time consuming pain to turn.

This one didn't seem to mind but, then, if your original owner had been dead for thirty odd years and you got left on the floor I'd imagine you'd be pretty pleased to see the first person who picked you up and got you cleaned up as well.

Amazing wand for silent casting. Not sure who made it, though. I mostly use that one for practise.

It's a weirdly polite wand. I don't even know how to describe that more clearly.

Walnut: Nerd wand. I also like to hand this one to other people because it's picky as hell and will only behave for people IT believes are sufficiently brilliant.

It's been used to me for 17 years and part of the fun of handing this one over and having it pull a hard no is being able to say, “Yeah, it doesn’t think  you’re smart enough so...”

If a wand could be an enabler, this one would, and I absolutely love it. Also good in a duel because, after awhile, walnut will go with, "Oh, ok, this is what we're doing? Great! Why are you still standing there not doing it??"

I use the Walnut one at work a lot and it definitely has that personality.

Pine: Pretty standard one to use for experimental magic or creative uses of existing spells. If you talk to anyone who makes wands they'll swear pine will only work well for (or even pair up with) someone that's "destined for a long life".

They'll also insist their proof of that is that they've never personally known anyone with a pine wand to die young.

Correlation is not causation but, try telling that to a wand maker.

Anyway, not only is this one great for experimental and creative uses of magic, it's also another one that's great for silent casting.

Mine is--I don't know that I'd call it cautious but I get the distinct feeling it may be asking, "Are you sure you want to do it that way?" which is a cue to stop and look back over what I'm working on.

Rowan: 100% used for defensive work as defensive work done with a Rowan wand is usually significantly trickier to break than normal.

This is another annoying one in which wand makers like to say silly things like, "No dark witch or wizard can use one!" and "They'll only choose pure-hearted people!"

It's probably a wand that would do well in a duel but, I really do have enough wands in that rotation and prefer to keep this one working strictly on defence and, for that, it's kind of an all business sort of wand.

No messing about, just get the work done and be done with it.

Maple: Another one I picked up because they're pretty adept to experimental and odd magic. If a wand could be a little egotistical it'd be this one, like, it sits there knowing that it's pretty, that other people want it, and that it's good at what it does but I really hope it's not hoping for any sort of status out of me because it's not getting it.

The fun thing about Maple, though, is that it's not a wand that can 'get away from you' in a manner of speaking, it'll only be as skilled as the person using it so there's this weird drive to not somehow disappoint it.

If you’ve never had a Maple wand then you have no idea that a wand can and does somehow manage to look thoroughly disappointed in you if it’s got the idea that you’re not living up to your potential.

Why do you practise so much? Because I don’t want the disappointed accusation that radiates form that wand if I don’t.

It doesn’t even care if I’m working on something with it or with one of the other wands, it just cares that I’m not getting lazy.

Fir: Another one wand makers give stories to. This one gets, "Oh, it'll only go with people who have passed through mortal peril and survived."

Just because the tree itself is resilient, I swear...

Anyway, this one is stubborn, kind of intimidating, definitely doesn't like anyone else putting their grubby little fingers all over it, and is amazing for Transfiguration work.

If you're me.

This one just likes to go dead when someone else picks it up.

Red Oak: I've only had it a day so I can't say for sure but, out of the gate, it reminds me a whole hell of a lot of that old cherry wand so we'll probably get along just fine.

[studiov-alexlondon]

Strategy Statement:

When looking back on this assignment, it is incredibly rewarding to see the final outcome. I believe I better understand the process of creating a publication start to finish, from the researching stage, all the way to this final outcome. I have found this project to be mentally draining at times, specifically in the production stages, however, I am still proud of the work produced, and am able to reflect on what to change next time.

  My personal work process started with researching potential areas, then collating a broad range of information regarding my chosen one — through online articles, books, imagery etc. After this stage, I created my transcript, which allowed me to refine the layout of the book, and understand the best sequential order for my readers. I then collated the imagery, and added it to this transcript, before settling on the book particulars, including its size, texture, cover, binding method and so on. After I had researched these areas, I set up my book in an InDesign template, using multiple master pages and paragraph styles outlined the margins, chapters, typography use etc. Following this phase, it seemed to be trouble-free laying out my transcript. Because I had done the preparation before this stage, I found this to be my favourite part as I saw my plan come to life. After I had laid out my transcript, I went back and did some refining on the initial template to try and improve on the design. In this stage, I decided to change my binding method from perfect bound, to 4-needle binding, which meant changing my margins. I also planned on doing half-pages for my chapters, which were certainly more difficult this way, however, I felt this binding method was more suited to my project. I also planned at this point for laser-cutting my book cover, and creating a ‘pocket’ with an origami guide to set my book apart a little. 

I then sent my files for print with The Print Shop eleven days before the assignment was due, to give myself plenty of time for production issues (as Katie and George told us to cater for). I got four copies my book printed, so that I had some wiggle room in case my binding or the trimming process went poorly. Unfortunately, it was at this stage that I went into isolation as a household contact, and then came down with COVID on day six of my isolation, meaning I had twelve days in total at home. Because of this, I applied to an extension and managed to convince a friend to pick up my printing for me and deliver it to my house! It was at this stage that I found there was a printing issue. I noticed that unfortunately one of my signatures didn’t line up correctly — there is one page that is printed at the end of one signature, and also the beginning of the next. As I am hand-binding it, it’s part of a spread and can’t just be taken out, I’m also unsure how this issue came about as it looks fine in the print booklet, so I assume there was an issue when printing it. As I am reliant on someone else going back to the print shop for me this was something I was unable to fix. It would mean, he has to go buy more paper, explain the issue at the print shop, ask them to redo it for free and pick it up again as it was finished. When I explained all of this to him, it was clear he was a bit uncomfortable with it, so I felt this was something I just had to work with. I attempted to bind one of the books, and then glued this spread so that it isn’t repeated. This of course doesn’t look amazing as it is thicker than the rest of the pages and is very disheartening as it is not the standard I have envisaged for my books, however I had to work with what I was dealt. I also considered changing my binding method completely to a 4-hole bind, meaning only single pages would be needed and I could take this out, however, my margins did not cater for this binding style. I then bound my books together, and added the pocket and origami feature that I had planned earlier. 

Aside from my production issue, I am very happy with how my project turned out. It feels great to produce something physical and see the process through from start to finish. I have also enjoyed that this allowed me to do something more physical, and use my hands. I feel my project responds to my topic well — Ethnicity & Indigenous — by celebrating Japanese culture, and bringing awareness to the way they live. If I were to redo this project, I would spend more time considering my binding method, as changing this halfway through was slightly disruptive. This project highlighted to me the importance of researching before you design, as it definitely aided a smooth, linear process. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this paper, and although I found the production process a bit of a nightmare, I think this would have been a lot more doable had I not been in isolation. I am also quite saddened that I had to miss the book launch due to my isolation, however you can’t control these things! 

[saragrad701]

Final reflection

Looking back on this semester I feel as though I have learned so much from my lecturers, but also through feedback from classmates and spending time learning book-making processes. I enjoyed the group activities at the beginning of the semester as I value teamwork and bouncing ideas off other creatives. I found my group worked well together and was able to improve on ideas from responses to each other’s work.

When deciding on a Pataka publication topic I made sure I was definitely doing something I was interested in and would also aesthetically want to add to my portfolio. Because I chose a topic/location that I had such a strong passion and interest in, I found myself really involved in this project and wanting to represent Hahei in the best way possible - whether that be through the articles included or the way I portrayed imagery, colour and type. I even managed to fit in a trip down to Hahei to get specific photos which just proves that I chose a topic which excited me and inspired me. I enjoyed having a book-making brief as we got to learn many aspects of design and use that knowledge to create a physical output which we can keep!

For me, the hardest part of this project was definitely the printing. As I was doing it myself, I did have more control over what I was doing but I still find the process of getting my work from digital to physical quite hard (making sure you don’t forget any steps!). One of the main things I learnt about bookmaking/binding was that it is so critical to be precise and have high attention to detail as the smallest mistakes can mess up your book so close to the finish line. This was a good lesson to learn while I’m studying as if I’m ever in the same situation within the industry I can look back and learn from the mistakes or learning curves I experienced.

I feel as though I achieved a consistent aesthetic throughout my publication which affectively represented the natural organic textures and colours of Hahei. I made sure to create a layout which was minimalist with eye-capturing imagery so that the design was still interesting and easy to read while walking. Using a thicker paper stock allowed for a bulkier and more durable finish which was essential for a book which would be carried around a beach village. Keeping my book at A5 allows the user to fit it inside a tote bag or backpack (whatever they may be carrying with them to the beach). Using a perfect bind method meant the pages wouldn’t fall open on their own however my book is meant to be held by both hands at all times so works out perfectly.

In conclusion, I am so proud of the design and output I have created and I can’t wait to share with friends and family who can possibly fulfil the purpose of my book - walking through Hahei as they read “The One Next To Cathedral Cove.” My hope is that anyone who reads this may have their eyes opened to the beauty and rich history of Hahei and that they too may come to love it as much as I do!