#also duct tape your sleeves

[hylianengineer]

I need someone to make waterproof thigh high boots and then we can just walk into streams and ponds with them. Hip waders but sexy.

For the unfamiliar, these are hip waders.

This is a pretty nice pair, actually - sometimes the come in camo. I hate camo. But regardless of pattern, they suck to walk in and they get very very sweaty on the inside. And every pair I've ever worn is designed for men, which sucks when you are AFAB and five feet tall (like me).

You know what, actually? This might solve this really obnoxious problem we have with standard waders where they're just not designed for curvy bodies. Some people with large thighs can't pull their waders all the way up because the legs are too narrow. I don't really wear thigh high boots but I see lots of curvy people wearing them so maybe they're better in that respect?

wore my thigh high boots on a walk today and we had to take a path through some long grass and while everyone else was rolling their pants into their socks and putting on jackets to protect themselves from ticks i was standing there smug as hell in my thigh high leather boots.

[hylianengineer]

Oh my god, you would not believe how many ticks I have removed from my body today. I'm talking SCORES of ticks. Possibly over one hundred. This is not an exaggeration.

How did this happen? There are some downsides to being a field ecologist.

[rueclfer]

Reverse comfort reader taking care of Touya plsplsplsplspls 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I just had the amazing thought of it he's being overly cocky during winter "I don't need a scarf I have a fire quirk!" And the next days he's curled in bed with a fever and sore throat and there's a ton of I told you so's

Not even a fic if u don't feel like it maybe a smau but I think it'd be super funny 😭

🫐 Anon

sick touya supreme bc he can just lay there, be cute n not speak <3

sweat it out // touya todoroki

"What the hell are you wearing?" You exclaim after opening your front door.

"What?" He looks down at his attire. "What happened to hi, hello? A 'thank you for bringing me my package that I stupidly got delivered to your apartment?' Why don't we start there?" He huffs, stepping into your apartment, setting your package down on your kitchen counter.

It had been nothing but near freezing temperatures for the past few weeks- so cold that you had to layer up inside your own apartment to prevent your electric bill from skyrocketing.

"Hi hello, my sweet boyfriend." You roll your eyes. "Do you seriously need me to mommy you right now and scold you for not wearing a fucking jacket out in this weather? Are we not grown adults?" You drops the blanket draped over your shoulders and go over to rub his arms for the thermal friction. "Like you're seriously just wearing this long sleeve? It's freezing if you haven't noticed."

He raises his hand up to your face and snaps a flame into place in between his index and thumb. "You forget I run warm."

"Yeah okay, Mister. I-have-a-fire-quirk. How is that going to help you if it starts raining?"

He pulls you into his chest, letting his body heat transfer into your own, instantly warming you and most importantly for him, shutting you up.

You release a deep exhale in content. "Idiot. You just should stay. For the Winter. Just live here with me for a few months and never leave." You rub your face into his chest, savoring the warmth.

"I think we'd end up killing each other before Spring comes." He chuckles into your hair.

"I'll just chain you to the bed and duct tape your mouth close." You smirk up at him. "Everyone's happy."

"Don't threaten me with a good time, sweetheart." He pulls back, reaching out to tousle your hair. "But I gotta run. Told Shigs I'd be quick."

"Wait! Let me find you a sweater and an umbrella." You frantically look around your living room for any piece of clothing that you had previously stolen from him.

"No need." He bends down and quickly press his lips against yours, letting them linger for a few seconds before pulling away. "I have to go. I checked earlier and it's not going to rain and I'm not cold either. You on the other hand, worry about staying warm."

"It definitely is going to rain, Touya. I can smell it." You huff. "You'll get sick."

"What, is that a new quirk development or something? Weirdo." He lightly pinches your cheeks before slipping his shoes back on. "Also, I have a strong immune system."

"Seriously, let me find you an umbrella at the very least." You rummage around the coat rack for something that could fit him or a spare umbrella.

"Nope, no time. See you tomorrow, yeah?" He calls out.

"I guess." You mutter in defeat as you watch him slip out your door.

"Idiot." You sigh under your breath once the door clicks close.

-

"I'm here!" You call out after stepping into Touya's apartment, using the spare he lent you after locking himself out multiple times.

You kick off your shoes and shed off some layers, draping your jacket, and scarf over his couch before making your way to his bedroom.

"Knock knock." You say as you gently crack the door open, revealing near pitch darkness with sliver of natural light peeking in from the blinds.

You make your way over to the dark lump of mass of blankets on the bed, kicking aside used tissue paper that were thrown onto the ground before kneeling down next to the bed.

"Hello, my sweet stupid boy." You coo, slowly stroking the tuft of dark hair peeking out from the comforter.

"Don't be mean to me." The nasally voice muffled from under the covers. "Princess treatment today, got it?"

Touya finally pokes his head out from under the covers. It may have been dark, but you could still make out his puffy bloodshot eyes, dry cracked lips and flushed cheeks.

"I'll say it this one time then and then I'll give you the best princess treatment, okay?" You lean in close, letting your lips lightly graze the shell of his ear. "I fucking told you so." You whisper.

He groans, retreating back under the covers.

"Did you hear me? Okay maybe one more time." You giggle, trying to rip the covers off from over his head. "I told you so. It rained and it rained hard. Not ideal for that fire quirk of yours, huh? I fucking told you so."

"Fuck off." He groans once more. "One more time and I'm kicking your ass out."

"As if." You successfully tug the covers down to his chin, placing the back of your hand on his forehead. "You don't even have to energy to, you poor thing."

"Am I gonna make it?" He gazes up at you with his tired bloodshot eyes.

"Looks like you got a fever." You push away the sweaty stray hairs sticking to his forehead. "But I think you'll survive."

"Damn." He wheeze out. "That's unfortunate."

"It is, but maybe next time you don't listen to me, you'll get lucky and it kills you."

"Let's hope for it, then." He smirks, bringing his hand up to rub his eyes. "Can I have a kiss?"

"Nope. I'm not trying to get sick, Touya." You smile at the neediness in his voice.

You move over to the blinds and slightly twist them open, letting in some of the dim daylight before tossing the haphazardly thrown stray tissues into the trash bin nearby.

"I don't give a fuck. I want a kiss."

"Too bad." You pay no mind to his piercing stare as you wander around his room, tidying the space as well as clearing off an area on his desk to set up the cough syrups and fever reducers that you brought over from your own medicine cabinet.

You come over to him with the stray glass on water sitting on his desk and a couple Tylenols in your palm.

"Sit up." You order, kneeling next to his bed again, holding out your palm.

"Pop a perc then I black out..." Touya mumbles to himself as he sits up, grabbing the pills from your palm and popping them in his mouth, following it with a large gulp of water.

In this moment, you couldn't help but notice how precious he looked with his old flannel pajama pants, dingy stretched out band tee, disheveled hair and tired eyes- a spitting image of his everyday look when you two were teenagers.

"...Fuckin' I'm blowing her back out." He continues, leaning over to press a kiss on your forehead. "Don't look at me like that unless you're trying to help me sweat out this fever."

Your own face heats up. "The fuck were you saying earlier?" You chuckle, brushing off the insinuating comment and setting the empty glass on his nightstand.

"I don't know. Nothing." He coughs, laying back down, pulling the covers up to his chin. "I think the fever dream-hallucination is hitting hard. You should get in and cuddle before the sickness takes over and kills me."

You roll your eyes at the dramatics, nudging him to scoot over before climbing in under the covers with him, which felt like you had just stepped into a furnace.

He groans in content, wrapping his arms around your body and pulling you in as close as he could.

"Can't cuddle for too long okay? I'm going to have to leave and make you some food soon." You mutter into his chest, letting your hand run up and down his back.

"No." He whines. "Just stay like this and I'll get better. I promise."

"That's not how that works." You mutter.

"Maybe if you give me a kiss instead? I think that'll 100 percent make me feel better." He pulls away, inching down towards you with puckered lips.

You stuck your hand out against his mouth, pushing it away. "I can't get sick, Touya. I know your ass will not know how to take care of me."

"You love hurting my feelings." He huffs.

"Well? Who put themselves in this situation. I told you, didn't I?"

"Shush." He mumbles, letting himself close his eyes and rest his chin on top of your head. "You didn't tell me shit."

You let out a sigh and let yourself close your eyes for a moment as well, letting your deep inhale and exhales sync in unison. Maybe having this every night wouldn't be too bad. Sure you two would tear each other apart if you had to spend every waking moment together in the same home, but for moments like these, you wouldn't mind it. Your eyes pop open the moment you feel the deep vibrations of his snores again your body, now realizing that you couldn't dare move from this position, risking waking him.

Just an hour. You'll only give yourself an hour.

-

touya tag: @moonchild701

[freezingmcxn]

hey.. how you doing.. can you maybe make a lil thingy about toby like you did with the eyeless jack thing I'm just really focused on Toby right know idk why but like write it however you want I just want to see your writing on how you rhing he looks and acts take your time you dont even have to do it I love you I love you i love you I love you I love you I love you I lovw you

TOBY ROGERS APPEARANCE (AU)

AHH YES I CAN my motivation is so bad but these always make me really happy and are easy to write so OFC ILY!!

Toby’s hair is a pale, sun-bleached brown, almost blonde, falling to his neck and curling around his ears.

Naturally curly, his hair has become dry and unkempt from bathing in river water and using cheap soap. His curls puff out, lacking any defined shape.

Occasionally, in a fit of frustration, he shaves it all off or trims it, often in a dingy ass gas station bathroom, depending on how much he despises it at the time.

Standing around 5’7” (5’8” in boots), Toby’s constant slouching makes him look as if he might topple over at any moment.

His most noticeable feature is the gash on his mouth, though it’s not as large as one might think.

The wound is just big enough to expose his upper teeth, which are rotted and decayed. Despite its size, the injury reeks of infection, with pus occasionally oozing from the diseased tissue.

Toby often picks at it, making the wound larger over time.

Originally, it was a small bite he inflicted on himself, but his constant fiddling turned it into the gaping wound it is now.

He no longer bites at it, disgusted by the taste of his own decaying flesh. He usually covers it with a large plaster—often supplied by Jack or just lets the air hit it, depending on his mood really.

Toby has a small gold hoop earring in his left ear, a relic from a day when he and Lyra decided to pierce it with a needle. He didn’t feel the pain but kept the earring all these years, occasionally fiddling with it as a reminder of her.

His trusty hatchets dangle from a hardware belt around his waist, always clattering when he moves, a sound he makes sure to emphasise because he knows it irritates people.

The hatchets are mismatched, one is large with a dark oak handle, carved with doodles, while the other is smaller, with a plastic handle, but much sharper—often the one he uses for the first hit.

Both handles are wrapped in duct tape, one of his go-to solutions for everything.

Toby’s skin is sallow, marked by long exposure to the sun. Freckles and moles speckle his body.

His hands are scarred and battered, with half of his left pinky finger missing, and his right hand covered in self-inflicted bite marks. His palms are calloused, his nails ragged—some bruised black, others completely gone.

His teeth are a mess—sharp, chipped, and broken, with gaps where some have been knocked out from fights or lost to decay.

Toby doesn’t bother brushing his teeth, as he often forgets or simply doesn’t care. Eating people doesn’t help either, wrecking his teeth further.

He typically wears the same tattered hoodie for as long as he can stand it, only washing it at a laundromat when absolutely necessary (when it’s bloody and stinky).

He also has an old Joy Division t-shirt layered over a white long-sleeve, both full of holes, though Toby doesn’t mind, he wears it on warmer days.

He’s been wearing the same pair of jeans for five years, patching them up whenever needed—he’s surprisingly good at sewing thanks to Lyra.

On his feet are either old Timberland boots, once his father’s, now worn with a hole in the sole, or a beat-up pair of red Converse, duct-taped at the top.

He alternates between them.

Toby owns a fleece jacket, fingerless gloves, and two beanies—one grey and one black.

The black one is torn and faded, but he likes the way it adds to his look.

He carries everything in a worn blue Jansport backpack he once stole from a kid at a bus stop, where he rams all his clothes and supplies.

I think that’s enough 😭😭 I rambled I’m sorry, I didn’t want to say too much because I fear he won’t be as interesting but yeah! Hope you like him :)

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 2. 03 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

Without thinking about it I nodded my head before going back inside. I was pacing around for a second or two trying to think how we were going to get safely to Mister Han's place let alone to the kids two floors down. My eyes spotted the stick lying on the floor, making an idea pop into my head.

Taking it from the ground I took it with me to the kitchen. I began to look around for a large knife, and I finally found it. I watched as Hyun-su came back inside still a little in shock.

"Do you have duct tape?" I walk to him with the stick and knife.

He had to process what I was saying for a few minutes before nodding his head. I sat down on the floor waiting for him to find it. We need to hurry to help those kids. It's too dangerous for them to be there all alone. Also if we don't get them they will starve eventually.

I put my hair into a ponytail so it would be out of my face, making it easier to see what I was doing.

"Here." I grabbed it from his hand saying a small thanks before ripping a long piece of cutting it with my teeth.

Placing the knife on one end of the stick, I began to wrap the tape around it making it stay in place. I wrapped another two long strips of tape around it making sure it was secured. The whole time Hyun-su was looking down at me probably thinking what the hell I was doing.

"Here, take it," I said standing up.

Slowly he took it looking confused.

"Why?"

I took the ponytail out of my hair and went through it with my hands before answering.

"It's to protect ourselves. You have longer arms than mine, so it is safer for you to use them so that we have a bigger chance to survive and reach Mr. Hans's place." Slowly he nodded his head still with a scared look on his face.

I can't blame him. I'm also scared shitless, but I just want to save those kids.

They need us.

"You better bring a backpack with stuff in it with you. We have no idea how long you'll be gone from here." I suggested.

I would do the same, but all my stuff is downstairs. Maybe we can pass by it if go the kids with us. Listening to my advice, he began to pack a backpack. I was leaning against the wall at the door waiting for him to be done. I'm wondering how Ji-su was doing. Did she find help or did a monster have a chance to..... kill her? I shook my head.

No!

Of course not!

It's Ji-su!

She's too smart to let some stupid monster get her.

"I'm done."

I looked away from the wall and saw Hyun-su standing there with the stick, well spear now, his backpack, and wearing a black sweater. I wish I had a sweater with me. It's still warm outside and I have long sleeves on, but I still enjoy wearing a sweater over my arms. It makes me feel safer that nobody would notice them.

"Do you have your earbuds with you?" I asked.

Mr. Han had said that if you call a random number and let it on it will make a noise when something is close by.

"I guess now we know why both our phones made the pitching sound when the woman was there." Hyun-su nodded his head taking them from his pocket.

I watch as he plugs them into his phone before putting one earbud in. We both waited for a second if he heard a noise coming from the phone after he called a number, but there was nothing.

"let's go, I guess," I mutter.

Both of us were nervous to get out of the relatively safe apartment, but if we wanted to save those kids we had to. I was about to open the door when he grabbed my wrist.

"Wait," I look back at him confused.

"Let me go first. As you said we have a bigger chance to survive if I used the spear."

He was right, but I didn't mean to put his life in danger to protect me. Nodding my head I took a step to the side letting him go first.

Slowly he opened the door, trying to see if something was there waiting to attack us. When he was sure that nothing was there, he began walking out the door mentioning me to come after him. Holding the door in my two hands, I carefully closed it behind me so it wouldn't make a lot of noise.

We should be safe.

Mister Han is literally next door. A monster should have attacked by now if we weren't safe. His door was right in front of us when I saw something hanging on the wall.

"Wait," I whisper to Hyun-su.

There on the wall was an axe. It's normally used when something like a fire happens. That would be a perfect weapon to have right now, but the only problem is it's behind glass. There should be a key hanging next to it, but it was gone.

My eyes searched around trying to find something I could smash the glass with when they landed on Hyun-su, well then the spear he was holding.

"Can I have that for a sec?" He nodded looking at me with big confused eyes.

To be honest he looked like a puppy when he looked like that. Grabbing the spear I turn it around, smashing the end into the glass. It made a lot of noise that definitely would lure the monster here, but Mr. Han's door was right there. I'm pretty sure we would be inside before they would get here.

Giving the spear back to Hyun-su I turn back grabbing the axe. I held it in my hands feeling how heavy it was and if I could use it to fight anything without getting myself killed. It's this or nothing and I don't want Hyun-su to be the one who has to protect us both with the spear. Looking back up I saw him staring at the axe before looking up at me.

I give him a small smile before walking past him to Mr. Han's door. We knocked two times waiting for him to open the door. The both of us were looking around trying to see if nothing would sneak up at us. A few seconds later the door opened for us. Hyun-su let me go first before he followed me closing the door behind him. The both of us took off our shoes before we walked to where Mr. Han always worked.

"Mister Han," I said with a big smile walking over to him.

"Mi-na, I'm glad you're okay. I know you would be too smart to let a monster get you." A Chuckle left my lips at his words.

Mister Han looked at Hyun-su, who was standing there without making a sound staring at us.

"I'm Han Du-sik and you are?"

"I'm Cha Hyun-su." You could barely hear him when he said his name.

"A slow speaker." I let out a little chuckle when he said that. It was true.

"How?" Hyun-su started, trying to find the right words.

"Can I save the kids?" He asked looking straight at Mister Han.

"You? I'm going with you!" I quickly said making him look at me.

"I...it could be dangerous." He mutters out looking at me before looking away to avoid my stare.

"Don't worry about me. I can handle it." I confidently said.

I have done more dangerous things than this. As I said, I can handle it. Before one of us could speak again. Mr. Han spoke up.

"What do you mean by how?" He looked between Hyun-su and me.

"You'll have to go." I took a step back when Mister Han began to roll my way.

He came from behind the table and I saw how Hyun-su's expression changed when he saw that Mister Han was in a wheelchair.

"Should I go?" He asked Hyun-su.

Hyun-su looks down taking a deep breath before looking back up. I guess he had hoped that an adult would come with us to the kids, but it's just going to be us.

Mister Han began to talk about back in the and how he was a legend. To be honest I can't tell how many stories he told me about his past. I love hearing them and I can tell that he loves reliving them when he tells them.

Hyun-su handed his spear to Mister Han when he told him he could transform it into something more useful. Mr.Han and I leaned back when Hyun-su pointed the knife part at us, but he quickly turned it around making me let out a sigh.

"Mi-na, you too. Give me the axe." I frown my brows but give it to him anyway.

I would have thought that it was already a good weapon, better than a stick with a knife taped to it, but I guess I was wrong.

Mister Han began to work on our stuff so I took a seat next to him to watch. I love seeing him work on things. He let me help sometimes too.

At the orphanage, I had to repair a lot of things, so I had to learn stuff on my own. Which sometimes ended in almost electrocuting myself, but in the end, the job was done.

"So, how did you guys end up together?" Mister Han asked while working.

I looked up to see what Hyun-su was doing, but it seemed like he was in his own world looking at a picture.

"He saved me from a monster attacking me last night. Ever since then, I have been in his apartment." I explain looking back at his work. I hear him let out a soft hum while continuing his work.

"But how did you end up on this floor in the first place?" I shrug my shoulders before speaking up.

"I was on my way to the floor above us when I saw blood on the door of the fourteenth floor. I wanted to make sure that nobody was hurt so I went inside. That is where I saw the monster and that is how I ended up here." I told him putting my elbow on the table while leaning my head on my hand.

I was tired, but I didn't want to sleep. It's because we have to wait and do nothing, that my body is shutting down. The moment I will walk again I'll be fine. It's not like I could sleep yesterday. Hyun-su was passed out and there was a monster outside. Someone had to keep watch.

"Haven't seen him before. A new guy?"

I let out a chuckle.

"You rarely meet new people because you're here most of the time, I'm pretty sure you haven't seen half of the people living here and yes he just moved here a day ago I think." Mister Han laughs nodding his head.

"You're right. It just surprised me that you know him."

I look up at him with frown brows.

"Why?"

"Well he doesn't look like the type of person who is social and would walk up to you on his own for a chat and you aren't the type of person who talked to people without them talking to you first." I press my lips together and think about what he said.

I met Ji-su because of work where she talked to me first, I met Eun-yu on the roof where she talked to me first as well, Eun-hyuk I met when Eun-yu brought me to her place where he talked to me first as well. Which she wasn't happy with.

Jae-heon I met him when I was moving the only two boxes of stuff I had upstairs and he offered to help me, I met Mister Han in the elevator, where he dropped something when he got out of the elevator and I brought it back to his apartment. He began to talk first and asked if I wanted to come inside.

Maybe he is right. Over the years I have never been the one to focus on my social skills.

"I had to talk to him. My friend wasn't the nicest person to him and I had to apologize. That's it." I left out the fact that he was standing on the edge of the building and that he was probably suicidal, something I recognized when I first saw him.

"It's something you both have in commoned then." I shrug my shoulders.

"Maybe. We haven't really talked much, so maybe you're right." I said, looking back at Hyun-su.

He was still standing there, in his own thoughts.

"Hey." Mister Han spoke trying to catch his attention, but I guess he was too deep in his thought to hear it.

He took the spear and pressed a button, making electricity shoot through the knife. Hyun-su jumped when he heard the noise looking back at us.

"They still move around with their head chopped off."

Yeah, that's something Hyun-su and I have experienced. No need to tell us that.

"A kitchen knife won't work, but this will do it." Hyun-su looked amazed at the knife before speaking up.

"Can I kill them with that?" Mister Han's face when completely serious.

"No, you can't." His voice was stern like a dad telling his kids the rules.

"How do you know that?"

"I just do. Avoid them at all costs. If you come across them, run for your life. No, don't get caught in the first place." He looked from Hyun-su to me making sure I would listen to him.

Hyun-su looked scared before looking at something next to Mister Han.

"Then please lend me that canon." I looked over and saw the weapon he used that chopped off the eyeball monster's head.

"No. It isn't stable, so it can fire only a few shots. I fired earlier. I'll fire again if it breaks in. The last shot is for me. So I can go easy." It's maybe an easy way, but it's still a sad way.

This had only started and he already thought about how he could end his life if it was necessary.

"Mi-na." I look up nodding my head.

"Here's yours."

He handed me back the axe, only now it had a better handle so I could have a better grip on it with a much sharper blade. Making it much sharper and harder for the opponent to survive it.

"Thanks, Mister Han. You're probably going to be the reason we are going to survive this." I said twisting the weapon around in my hand.

Hyun-su took the spear looking at it with big eyes.

"These are for your protection, not to attack with. Use it in self-defense only." Mister Han said again in a stern voice, making sure we were going to listen to him.

We both nodded our heads before we headed to the door.

"Kids?"

We turn around after grabbing our shoes.

"Be careful. Look out for each other, you have more chance to survive if you have someone to watch your back." I nodded my head before hearing Hyun-su speak.

"W.....we will."

I have never really been a team player.

I rather wanted to be left alone or do stuff on my own, so this is going to be something new for me. We put on our shoes in silence, not knowing if we were going to come back here or not.

"Ready?" I asked looking up at Hyun-su.

He looked at the door for a second before looking back at me nodding his head.

"Yeah," He breathes out.

I gave him a comforting smile before opening the door slowly. I stuck my head outside looking around if something was there, but it was quiet. Opening the door further, I step outside still looking around.

We have no idea which kind of monster there is out there, so we have to be prepared for everything.

When Hyun-su had closed the door behind him we began to make our way to the area where the stairs and elevators were. The whole way there we didn't say anything. Not just because there could be monsters and they could hear us, but also because I had no idea what to say in a situation like this.

When we came to the place we tried some doors but most of them were locked up with chains.

We were going to the next door when I stopped in my tracks.

The ringing in my ears began again together with the knot forming in my stomach.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

[madderruz]

thank u for postin wips of ya falin cosplay i been wanting to do her for so long but had no idea where to even start, actively taking notes as you make it!

amazing work cant wait to see how it all turns out

Absolutely I'm glad to help!! Here's some detail stuff that isn't really clear from the photos:

-the shirt that I'm wearing is actually a shirt and a shrug. The shrug is a stretchy knit fabric that I glued probably close to 800 real feathers on. Initially I used that quick dry fabric glue and it worked for some of them, but going forward I think I'm gonna switch to hot glue, just because it does have to move a lot in the process of putting it on.

The other shirt is a layer of power mesh sewed to a lace back (I decided to do lace for the back because in a lot of references theres feathers but you can also see her musculature like shoulder blades etc. So I figured something lacy and see thru would work best there.) And then theres a feather ish fabric sewn to the power mesh on the front. Keeping the brood patch visible was very important to me, but I don't want my stomach hanging out, hence the mesh.

The reason I did a shirt and a shrug instead of just a long sleeve shirt is because, if necessary, the shrug is there to hide any sort of harnessing that may be needed to keep the body (the centaur ass as I call it) level. It's not clear if I'll actually Need the harness because the body and the back legs are being made in a way that they'll just kinda roll across the ground as they move. The original plan was to have them completely articulated, but with the weight of it all its just not possible.

- if you do make this and need to make the digitigrade pants, MAKE A DUCT TAPE DUMMY to get your pattern!! If every fursuit maker on earth does it YOU DO IT TOO. I didn't do it and trying to get the pattern off of that myself was a maaajor pain.

- the stilts are flashy, they're the major thing people notice, but they are NOT without risk and need for training. The ones I have I made myself with dad's help following a build log from Willow Creative and a buunch of other videos, instructables, etc. There's a lot of ways to do them. I used aluminum slats, but wood is a cheaper, easier to work with choice, and there are many videos and tutorials for how to do it with wood.

The way that mine are built, with the toe stop, there is quite a bit of pressure on the front of your foot. If you have experience with high heels you'll probably have a better time than me. I've walked on the fronts of my feet forever, and I regularly roller blade, and even then after about 20 minutes my feet will start to ache. I'm hoping if I work with them like any other exercise they'll get easier, but who knows. I'd definitely say if you Want the look but without the hassle, look into pure digitigrade padding and fursuiting. It's still a hassle just in a different way lol.

Thank you once again!! There's a lot of ways to do these, and you could even make one in a way where all of its on your body (like wings with a shoulder harness, tail with a belt), or I've seen some where it was more translated to a dress....it's all cosplay! It's for fun! I'm a crazy person and making this for a contest so keep that in mind lol!! If you do ever make yours, send it to me!!!!

One last thing, if you have a cosgear account, I'm on there at Maltrock !!

[cordcorvid]

hi! i hope this doesnt come off as a bother or anything . but do you have any mask making tips or tutorials you could reccomend ?? (like for materials, jaw movement, and how to see out of there) im planning to do a raven named Goose :D

ive been finding some resources here and there, but i thought it wouldnt hurt to ask !!!

Absolutely not! I'd love to answer all your questions. :D I have not looked at that many tutorials, I mostly looked at pinterest pictures of raven costumes to see what I can come up with. One that really inspired me to get things going is actually another Tumblr user I found on there who has posted some helpful tips that I followed along with! They too have a raven costume and they got their resin base from the same manufacturer (Crystumes, they have a website where you can shop for their blanks) Since this post is awfully long, I'll do a read more from here on:

The tutorials I followed the most is this one by Rah-Bop:

Rah-Bop has some tips about adding feathers, making foam-feathers, adding claws to your gloves, making gloves or feet. In terms of material: I used the hinged resin base by Crystumes which by itself cost me +/- 200USD, they sent me a pair of customizeable glass eyes and a tongue.

Crystumes has some additional tutorials specifically regarding their masks on their website! Crystumes also lists some of the materials on their website that I used and where to get them (Like the apoxie clay to do the eyelids, the glass eyes etc.) I did mess the eyes up though the first time I did it so I had to order them from delviesplastics.com (As suggested by Crystumes) Since I ordered the base with hinges I'm not sure how to do them myself but I will have to figure it out for the second fursuit I'm cooking! In terms of other material I bought some long rooster feathers and hair jewelry off of Etsy. I bought a pair of long faux leather gloves from Ricardo (which is a swiss second hand online shop) but you can buy the gloves anywhere else or even sew them yourself by tracing your arm and hand on a piece of paper, then trace the pattern twice on any somewhat stretchy material like faux leather or spandex and sew those two together for one glove each. I bought black fur in another Swiss textile / sewing shop named Alja (not sure if it's actually Swiss) since it's cheaper (around 60$ for 4 yards) than to ship fur from America to Switzerland (Which amounts to 100-200 for the same amount). But if you can afford it: Take a look at Howl's Fabrics or Big Z Fabric. Both websites offer samples! I personally don't buy from them as the shipping costs for me are devastating. I suggest looking at general "furring" tutorials or "how to fur a fursuit head" tutorials on youtube. Most of them will tell you to make a duct tape pattern on your base, draw on the patterns then cut those patterns out on fur, sew the fur together then glue to the base. Crystumes once made a twitter post about it as well I think but I'm not sure I'll find it. When cutting fur in general just make sure you keep the scissors as close to the backing as possible to avoid cutting any fur fibers in the process, it will be visible otherwise. I made a fur top / shirt by tracing one of my long sleeve t-shirts onto the fur I bought and went with that. For the back of the head I used an 80s Mullet/Rockstar wig I bought from another Swiss online store. Other fursuit makers mostly sew fur even to the back of the head but my personal Raven fursuit is literally just a mask with a wig to cover the back. Which in turn makes the whole mask less hot. To keep the mask ON my face and to keep it from slipping down I used the adjusteable part of a biking helmet or climbing helmet. and attached it to the mask by using a lot of hot glue, I eventually had to use some stronger glue as it kept falling off. Since the mask was fairly big when I bought it and rather uncomfortable I used thick felt sheets and glued them inside the head as padding material! Foam works as well, whatever floats your boat. I went with felt since I could easily cut some feather patterns into them as a nice easter egg. Not sure anymore what exactly I used to cover the holes by the beak that I see out of, but it was some kind of very fine dark and flexible grid that I bought from the swiss equivalent of home depot. In terms of being able to see: The crystume base has holes between the beak and the eyes that you can look out of or you can even look through the mouth, both works pretty well and the mask allows for a lot of visibility from within- Out of all my fellow furry friends I'm the only one that doesn't necessarily need a spotter since I can see pretty well. In terms of clothing I pretty much sewed nothing by myself and only assembled a bunch of my own outfits that would fit the raven costume. Sometimes I did buy some costume specific stuff from online clothing stores or went into the thrift shop to buy some costume specific clothing pieces. In general, for your first raven costume just go with the flow and try to keep it budget friendly, as your first will unlikely be perfect. And that's about it! Not sure if I missed something but I tried to cover everything as much in detail as I could. Hope it helps!

[nekropsii]

200 Days Until: Sprite Showcase... 2!

Thank you for your patience! Or... Impatience!! Impatience is flattering also!

This one's a bit more varied than the previous Development Upd8! Rather than just showing off one character, I'm posting several!! From what I can tell, you guys seem rather fond of these characters- and for good reason so far!!

From left to right, we have...

Presae Covnul, our Knight of Void. When she's not suffering bouts of narcoleptic fatigue, she's keeping the game together with duct tape and tears! Though she may not be well versed in technology- to the point of being actively afraid of most electronics- that's certainly not stopping her from being a wizard at it. She's a bit of an anomaly, and likes hiding in dark places... But don't worry about that too much!

Emeric Sargas, our Bard of Mind. She's an oddball who wears her heart on her sleeve and toxic chemicals on her bare skin and hair! If there's one thing she prides herself on, it's her well-earned titles of Mad Scientist and Local Exterminator. Though she displays some... At times concerning behavior, she means well, and is a beloved and silly friend!

Annomi Errata, our Prince of Heart. A troubled young man from the depraved warzone called Chittr. He's a pessimistic media critic who longs to one day write his very own screenplay- and he's not taking "pipe dream" as an answer... For anything. Loneliness oft drives one to obsession, and prolonged participation in the Panopticon of Fame may dull some to the humanity of even their most beloved figures... Which may or may not be relevant.

Thank you all for tuning in so far! I may do a bonus round later... But until then, I thank you all for your endless support, and for viewing!

[lianabrooks]

Let's talk about how to prep for hurricanes...

This is a very basic checklist for a simple 72-Hour Kit (sometimes called a Bug Out Bag). It has supplies to last your for three days, which is the estimated time needed for relief organizations to arrive in your area and start handing out food and water after a major disaster.

(more below the cut)

VITAL RECORDS – ID, proof that your children are yours, proof of medical insurance, vaccine records, marriage records, and insurance records for your house and car. If possible, make copies of records for everyone in your household so that there are multiple copies. It’s also worth keeping photos of things like birth certificates either in the cloud (there’s a debate here) or with friends or family who live in another area.

FOR THE KIT:

– Protein/granola bars

– Can opener (not electric)

– Trail mix/dried fruit

– Dishes/utensils

– Crackers/cereals (for munching)

– Shovel

– Canned tuna, beans, meat, Vienna sausages, etc. (“pop-top” cans might leak/explode)

– Radio (with batteries)

– Pen and paper

– Axe

– Canned juice

– Pocket knife

– Candy/gum (jolly ranchers or chocolate can melt and mint gum might “flavor” other items so be careful what you pick)

– Rope

– Duct tape

– Water (1 gallon per person/day)

– First Aid Supplies

– Change of clothing (short & long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks, jackets, ect)

– Toiletries

– Roll of toilet paper

– Undergarments (water- proofed in a zip lock bag)

– Rain coat/poncho (lg black trash bags work well for this also)

– Feminine hygiene/deodorant

– Soaps – hand/dish

– Blankets & emergency heat blankets

– Shampoo/hand sanitizer

– Cloth sheet

– Immunization card

– Plastic sheet

– OTC medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, TUMS)

– Prescription medications (enough for 3 days)

– Battery lighting (flashlight, lamp)

– Extra batteries (BE CAREFUL NOT TO MIX THESE ITEMS WITH FOOD ITEMS)

– Flares

– Candles (or crayons – a crayon can be lit and used as a candle for up to 15 minutes)

– Lighter

– Water-proof matches

– Infant needs (if applicable)

– Birth/marriage certificates (also a copy of your insurance with numbers, pictures of your house and valuables, your car info, ect)

– Pet needs (if applicable)

– Insurance policies

– Comfort items (stuffed animals, pictures)

– Cash

– Credit card

FOR KIDS:

– picture album with pictures of family and contact information

– a couple small toys (even new ones)

– extra clothes

– a small surprise that you know they’ll like (this makes the emergency so much easier)

FOR PETS:

– food

– travel food and watering bowls

– pet pads if applicable

– pictures of the pets and contact info so you can share if separated

– medicine

– medical records

(PLACE THESE ITEMS IN A WATER-PROOF CONTAINER!)

Cheap 72-hour kit menu:

DAY ONE

Breakfast – oatmeal, hot cocoa

Lunch – ramen noodles, granola bar, gum

Supper – granola bar, 1 jerky, hot cocoa

Snack – raisins, 10 tootsie rolls

DAY TWO

Breakfast – oatmeal, hot cocoa

Lunch – peanut butter crackers, raisins, juice

Supper – ramen noodles, granola bar, gum

Snack – 1 jerky, 10 tootsie rolls

DAY THREE

Breakfast – oatmeal, hot cocoa

Lunch – trail mix, fruit snack, juice

Supper – granola bar, 1 jerky, hot cocoa

Snack – 10 tootsie rolls, gum

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals - addendums and interesting BTS stuff (part 3/3)

You can go find part 1 here, and part 2 here.

Well, at least when I get around to doing VoicePlay Visuals posts for some of the Christmas videos (which will be sooner than you think - I have Plans), I will already have BTS knowledge ready to share, no addendums needed!

Part 3 below the cut!

Seven Nation Army: "No clue where this was filmed (the description doesn't say), I'm guessing an old abandoned shopping mall or something?" - Well the escalator (or whatever Americans call it) was a bit of a giveaway, but yes, that's exactly right. Also the guys may or may not have been trespassing, oop- 😅

"One thing I do know about the filming of this is that Voiceplay had to use duct tape to cover up/censor some of the graffiti" - Correct, but what you might not know is that there was some graffiti on the floor as well, covered up by specific placements of rubble and chunks of concrete.

In The Air Tonight: "Also the car belongs to Layne's dad, and likely would have been sitting in the garage since the early days of 4:2:Five, at least." - To be specific, Layne's dad has owned the car since 1972. - Geoff in the BTS video: "It's a 52-year-old car, which is a year or two younger than I am." 😂 (The car is 8 years older in actuality, but he does love to joke)

"Geoff is, once again, the only bare-shouldered/sleeveless one of the group!" - We can thank Kathy for that! - Geoff in the BTS (to Kathy): "What you doing there?" Kathy: "Cutting your sleeves off!" Geoff: "Who are you doing that for? Is that for me or for you?" Kathy: "It's for the world." 😆 (she knows what the people want!)

"I believe I read a comment somewhere saying this was filmed outside PattyCake Productions or something, like outdoors? And apparently it was a bit warm outside" - Correction: It was VERY warm! When they started setting up (yes, outside Pattycake Studios) at 6PM, it was apparently 88 degrees Fahrenheit! (Which is roughly 31 degrees Celsius). And it was pretty humid too, but hey, Geoff's hair looked great! 😁 - Also fun fact: Geoff's denim vest was bunched up a little bit at the back and held in place with a clothes peg! So it wasn't too loose on him, I guess? - And finally, they didn't wrap filming until 1AM, and then 7 hours later they were all back at PattyCake to film Minis! Insane!

Creep: "Apparently what this means is that Eli was explaining his video concept to Geoff and Kathy via videocall, and they (I'm not sure/can't remember which one first had the idea) suggested the usage of a mirror" - Maybe the idea was originally suggested via videocall, idk, but in the BTS video is footage of a basic concept video thing that Geoff sent to Eli. So like he had Kathy sitting in front of a mirror in the office at home, and he was moving the camera around and explaining his idea. Neat! - The super-smooth transition that I commented on? The BTS video had a wide-shot clip showing exactly how it was done!

Sleeping In The Cold Below: "Geoff's hair looks greyer than usual here, and I can't for the life of me figure out whether it was coloured grey for the video, or if it's just the lighting, or if this is more of his natural colour nowadays." - It's still mostly brown, it's just the lighting in this one that makes it look lighter (however the white-grey streak is getting even whiter, and it's spreading to the other half of his bangs as well! (kinda love to see it ngl))

"Cesar is wearing two different coloured contact lenses, because apparently he (and Omar too) couldn't decide which colour to go with (valid), and in fact Cesar and Omar are wearing one each of two pairs! (So basically their contact lenses match up)" - So what actually happened is that Omar was looking through the lenses they had available and was like "purple is my favourite colour but I really like these blue ones", and Franchezca (production assistant) was like "you should wear one of each!" and Omar was like "hey Cesar you wanna do one of both with me?"

"Eli's wearing two different coloured contacts as well!" - Actually I'm not so sure now, it might've just been the lighting making them look different. - Also the filming venue (OptiView360) looks freaking awesome, like absolutely insanely rad, what a vibe. - Also I didn't mention this in the original post but I might as well mention it here: A lot of shots had to be refilmed because Layne wasn't wearing his fingerless gloves. However, there are still some shots in the video where Layne's hands are suddenly bare - 6 in total actually. The most obvious is when Omar first starts singing, while 3 of the shots are blink-and-you-miss-it where you really have to be keeping your eyes peeled for it.

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3

[ghost-of-you]

should be working but instead I’m here following the saga of falling apart clothes and shoes. and I have to say. something buried deep into the fabric of western sydney is the need to DIY ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING and I’ve lived in brissy for 12 years now and I think I’m proof that you can’t ever get that fully out of your system. like even my bris friends don’t get it. my soccer coaches get pissed off. I can’t stop. clothes get worn, then cropped and worn again then turned into rags for cleaning they never get thrown away til they’re just threads or dirt. shoes get fixed or mashed up with other shoes when there are just parts. sometimes fall apart in public and I have to walk home barefoot but it’s like. comfort shoes are comfort shoes and I get that it’s not that simple to find a new pair that’s Perfect and sometimes buying duct tape instead of shoes in a rush when you’re almost done with them anyway is preferable?? like throw away culture (I have to look at it this way, I work in sustainability which probably doesn’t help me hoarding of broken shoes problem) just doesn’t touch western sydney. and you run wild trying to fix things too that means your clothes get even more worn. It’s just how it happens. street cred. why not make a brand out of it when it’s such a novelty to most of the rest of the world??

I love this perspective, I do this a lot too (I just finished hand sewing myself a shirt because I did not want to let go of the original shirt so I had to cut around it, so I feel you) and I am personally obsessed with the way they frequently repeat outfits, because a lot of the times they look great so why not just wear it it again? I am also obsessed with the way that Ashton most of all just alters his clothes, the way he just cuts out the sleeves of absolutely everything is everything to me. The shoe thing I also get, I have changed the sole of my favorite pair of boots, like, 3 times by now, I am never getting rid of that thing, but Luke duct taping the converse for me is more about, not exactly safety, but in the end is safety because for that to finish falling apart and him ending up landing face first into the stage would be real easy with how much he jumps and just the amount of equipment around the stage, it could end up being a problem, I feel like when it comes to them being on stage, at least the shoes shouldn't be falling apart (because I will never complain of an outfit that lets me see more skin lol)

[summonerruoste]

You ask and thus shall receive @hoverdahl ! Here is a tutorial for my Elm cosplay~

Measure yourself! The extra measurements you need are the length from your shoulders to the shortest and longest point of the tunic. Also how low you want your v-shaped gap to go. Cut two of the following shapes, but cut out the other tinker bell triangles open but connect them at the ends.

When connected it should look like the following:

It should be somewhat loose and more preferably too big than to small as we are going to make the inwards of the piece later.

Then it's time for the sleeves! Make them as big as you want to. Connect only from the up and low parts. Next up is the filling! Measurements are ment to be a little closer to your body shape. Sleeves can be as or more loose. Connect in the same order as the outside.

Cape should end somewhere in knee height from your shoulders. (I have connected the cape to the tunic itself, but you can do with it as you like.)

Finally comes the fun part, the details~ I used gold ribbon for the decorating the tunic, but also for the choker, headpiece, jewelry, shoes and leg decoration. (You can use gold tape, paint or other things for the same effect.)

For the armour pieces and for the cape's spikes, I used recycled cardboard for the basic shapes and then decorated it with gold cardboard, duct tape and white tape. -And that is also how I made the weapon.

For the shoes, I used basic sandals for the base and coated them with black fabric and hints of gold. Thick black leggings were also easily crafted to look like Elm's bottom half.

For more progress pictures check out my Instagram's story named Elm Cosplay~ (Username is Ruosterauta) Also send me an ask (with or without an username as anonymous) if you have more questions, as sadly I'm unable to reply to the comments here in Tumblr???¿¿¿

[oceangirl24]

Tag Game 3X

Headaches have kept me out of doing much of anything, but I saw my chiropractor today and I am back.

I've been tagged three times. Twice by @mrsmungus and once by @mikaharuka who I believe is the undisputed champ of this game!

My words: laughter, new, realise, melody, shiver, throw, cushion, blank, wood, garbage/trash/rubbish, bloom, current, energy, focus, heat, press, spicy

Your words: limited, due, sensation, temple, elephant

No pressure tags for: @mrsmungus @mikaharuka @tsunderewatermelon @writingpotato07 @hylianjo @winterlovesong1 @kayedium-writes-writes and anyone else who wants to join.

AiP: The Return

Laughter: He breathed in her ear, “You are the only one I’ve ever been able to say that to and not thrown up before I could get the words out.”

Laughter bubbled up out of her and filled the room. Her grin and merriment were like a beam of bright sunlight that warmed him all the way through.

“You are so romantic!” she exclaimed gleefully. “And so poetic!” She kissed him several times then flopped back onto the pillows again.

=======

AiP: The Return (also appears in Flashbacks)- The Leather Jacket

New: "Man, this is so much better than that puke green thing she got me. It got so much worse after it got holes in the sleeves. I don't why she thought stickin' duct tape on it was a good idea!"

He was facing forward again still admiring his reflection.

Eric scratched his head. It was a nice jacket, sure. But it wasn't that great. It wasn't even new. He got it off some guy at the mall and the jacket had seen plenty of wear.

=======

Autumn in Philadelphia

Realize: The ride over to Audrey’s place was quite. Jon realized with surprise that this was the first time they had been alone outside of a school setting. Never before had he had trouble talking to her, but now he didn’t know what to say.

=======

AiP: The Return

Melody: Dylan tossed his book bag into the corner of the hallway and stood staring at it for a long moment trying to decide what to do. An absent-minded melody drifted down the hall from the living room. He frowned. His mother was singing to herself; something she never did. This started in the car on the drive home after she finished gushing about Jonathan Turner. Dylan suddenly felt like he was going to puke. Turning on his heel, he forced himself to head into the living room.

=======

Shiver: Probably a mouse, he thought with a shiver. The new custodian crew who replaced Janitor Bud was nothing to brag about and it wouldn’t surprise him a bit if rodents had taken up residence in John Adams High.

After a moment that mouse moved up his ankle and he realized with a jolt what was going on. He shoved his chair back from the table and looked up sharply at Katherine. The woman across from him smiled innocently at him and bit her lower lip.

=======

From the yet to be publish first chapter of Saudade:

Throw: While Shawn appreciated a more down to earth explanation rather than medical jargon being thrown at him he couldn’t help but feel she was a little too casual in her explanation and her constant looking at and touching Jon bothered him.

=======

AiP: The Return

Cushion: Before Julia could say anything, they heard Jon coming down the hall, clearly frustrated and looking for his phone. Shawn tossed the phone to Julia who, after a moment’s hesitation, dropped it in between the couch cushions.

=======

Blank: “Yeah, she’s got three boys and two girls, so we’re all kind of hoping for another girl to make things even. It’s cool but a little weird. I mean there’s like a seventeen-year gap between me and my sister, now there’s going to be a thirty-three-year gap between me and this one.

This caused Katherine to stop asking pleasantries. It was obvious she was trying to recall any details she could about his parents and was coming up blank. Shawn stifled a smirk and asked innocently, “So when did you move here?”

=======

Wood: The old furniture was replaced by matching wood pieces popular in the 1990s. The old bed was gone as well. In it’s place stood bunk beds clothed in plaid sheets; one with a solid blue comforter and one with solid green. Shawn smiled. He knew why there were bunk beds

=======

Garbage/trash/rubbish: A sliver of silver buried under a bunch of crumpled up papers lay in the waste receptacle. The wrinkled papers were blank. He frowned as he examined the receptacle’s contents. It looked like someone had used the paper to make a lot of extra trash. Jon would never throw away unused printer paper like this. Shawn pushed the discarded paper away and saw the framed picture of himself and Audrey smiling up at him.

=======

Current: Topanga borrowed Trini’s bottle of Chanel in Vamp and painted one of her thumbnails in the deep burgundy color. She gave Jon the bottle and showed him how her nail and that the mark on the key matched along with her observation about Miss Tompkins’ current nail color.

=======

Energy: “Angela was the last stable relationship I had,” Shawn said as though the concept drained his energy. ‘I suppose you could call it stable. I tried datin' after her, but,’ he shrugged his shoulders indicating the level of apathy he felt. “I’d go out with a girl a few times before I couldn’t stand the thought of seein' her again. Then I’d find someone else. Same thing every time. Eventually, I’d give up, throw myself into work, then start the whole thing over again.”

=======

From my not yet published Valentine's story, Birthday Wishes and Valentine's Kisses

Focus: However, that wasn’t Shawn’s biggest concern.

Why was Jon sitting at a table with Dana’s aunt? That wasn’t who he was supposed to be out with. From that point on, Shawn had trouble focusing on his date. Not that it mattered. Dana was so disturbed by the fact that her aunt was dating his guardian that she was no longer interested in their date either.

The teens sat in their booth sullenly sipping on their sodas when a flash of long fiery hair coming down the stairs caught Shawn’s attention.

“Oh, hey,” Dana said, perking up a bit. “Miss Andrews is here.”

=======

The Leather Jacket

Heat: "No!" Eric released Cory and Shawn to whirl on Jason. "We can't let her in with them still here."

"We can't let her stand out there in the heat!" Jason exclaimed.

"Fine!"

"Fine."

Cory watched the spectacle that was his brother attempting to impress a pretty girl way out of his league. He found it humorous watching Eric think he was playing it so cool and sophisticated with Amanda when he really just looked like a dumb high school sophomore who didn't know what he was doing.

=======

From Birthday Wishes and Valentine Kisses

Press: Jon sat on the edge of the desk with a thoughtful frown on his face. “I’ve thought about it but I've come up with nothin’. I have no idea what a kid would wanna do for his fifteenth birthday. I spent mine shootin' pool with your dad. Somehow, I don't think Shawn's gonna wanna do that.”

Audrey wrinkled her nose and pressed her pen against her lips. “Why don’t you let him plan his birthday? Tell him what he can and can’t do, then let him take it from there.”

“Ah, now there’s an idea. That would take a lot of pressure off me and make sure he gets somethin’ he wants.” The thought of not having to stress over Shawn’s birthday came as such a relief to Jon that, as he stood up, he carelessly said, “Aud, I love you.”

Audrey looked up at him in surprise.

========

Words I could not find: bloom and spicy

Phew. That was fun!

[bikeit]

Packing: Self-Supported + Hotel Tour

(part 2 of 5) I'm gradually going through past trip notebooks and random Google Docs and jotting down all my packing lists in one place. 

For a week-long ride like Berlin->Copenhagen which is self-contained but involves staying in hotels every night and is not far from civilization, I pack fairly light, since I have to carry everything on the bike and don’t have to carry camping gear or significant food or bike repair tools. This type of trip often involves a few days after the riding in a city, so I want clothing I feel comfortable walking around or going out to a restaurant in.

A good list for me for what I can fit in two small panniers (in addition to the tools / accessories / etc already on the “always on the bike” list):

Clothes:

(2x) padded bike shorts, to wash alternate pairs in hotel sink each night (3x is more convenient in case one doesn't dry in time)

(2x) quick-dry boxers (also to wash in sink)

(6x) socks

(2x) wool t-shirts to bike + walk in (assuming moderate climate)

(1x) long shorts (to wear over padded shorts, with pockets)

(1x) basic sleeping t-shirt

light gym shorts (to change into immediately at end of ride to “let everything breathe”)

small pack towel, mostly for impromptu swimming stops (since hotels will have towels)

bathing suit (redundant a bit w/ gym shorts)

flip flops

bike cap

rain shell / windbreaker

jeans (wore on plane, then packed away and saved to dress more presentably in the evening or on "city days")

one light + fast-drying long-sleeve shirt

one warmer button-up shirt (worn onto plane, then does dual duty as warmth or "looking more presentable in restaurant")

I just ride in regular shoes that are good for walking as well

Electronics + Paper:

outlet adapter

phone charger + cable

bike computer + microUSB cable

front and rear lights (also microUSB rechargeable)

noise-canceling headphones (a luxury, helps with sleeping on international flight, may skip next time)

larger USB battery pack (enough to recharge everything overnight in case of a hotel without enough working outlets for me + travel partner)

notebook and two pens (having your own pen is frequently useful at border crossings) 

kindle or paper book

phrasebook

passport / ID / vax certificates / etc depending on trip

Other:

panniers (ideally with external pockets or ability to ride open-top to hold bulkier items like bottle of olive oil / wine / beer, loaf of bread, etc)

dopp kit

several days of my favorite pick-me-up snacks

safety pins (quick garment repair + clean out debris in phone port), duct tape, zip ties

map

masks

a few Covid rapid tests

earplugs

extra ziplock bags

two trash bags (for double-bagging possessions in panniers in heavy rain)

backup pair of glasses

Sometimes I add:

waterproof pants and shoe covers (useful in rain, but I also find they get sweaty easily, and in the heaviest rain I find water still finds a way in after a few hours, and they take up a lot of space). A blog reader suggested looking up "Rain Legs"

full-finger gloves for cold days

other warm clothing as needed, though I find I rarely want legwarmers or other base layers beyond the above

instant coffee / a few teabags, in case of a very basic hotel or airBNB that doesn't provide them or has late breakfast hours

bug repellent

Looking back this seems like a long list, but this all (barely) fit in the two small panniers above, and those panniers fit in the small tote bag below that I used to carry or check them as "one item":

[the-new-hip-priest]

Go to your local charity/thrift/op shop! Even if you live in bumfuck nowhere, I promise you'll be surprised at what you can find. I have two favourite jackets that I'm often complimented on, and I got both of them from a little store ten minutes down the road. $15AUD for a proper leather biker jacket! One on them has a Bauhaus backpatch that I made by cutting up a 13 year old shirt, the other has a Milhaus backpatch that I knocked up myself on Paint. A lot of sp00py bands have fairly straightforward logos, too. Look them up on google images, convert the picture to black and white, and bam! You've got your own stencils. Print 'em off and go to town with a scalpel/stanley knife/cutter. If you fuck it up the first time, so what? Have another go. Hell, buy a plain black t-shirt from the op-shop and use it as dedicated patch material. I promise you don't need some inherent artistic skills, just go slow and enjoy it. And don't feel bad for doing the Cross and Cross-Bones Christian Death logo, it's a good start for when you're learning! In Australia, we also have stores we call 'two dollar shops'. This isn't to be taken as literally as Poundland for example (in so much as the items don't actually all cost two dollars, but I digress). These shops almost always have one fancy dress/costume aisle that has fishnets in every colour you can imagine. Grab some in your favourite colour, hack them with scissors, and safety-pin it to your sleeves. I'm pretty sure Killstar sells a piece that is literally just a t-shirt with two slashes through it, held together with safety pins. You could pay $40+ for that shirt, or grab a second-hand one and a packet of safety pins for about $7. Get some white-out or acrylic paint and get creative with spider webs and bats. You can bulk buy hundreds of studs from sites like ebay, and if you're working with leather, you can pick up an awl from your local hardware store for a few bucks. You don't to cough up for a stud press. Also, one of the best aspects is that it's your clothes. If you love Parálisis Permanente as well as Pusheen, go for it. Stick that little kitty somewhere! When I wanted some summer-appropriate shoes, I bought a cheap pair of sandals from K-Mart and a packet of toy spiders (alongside the studs I had left over from buying in bulk). I brought them home, got out the glue gun, and now I have cool, spikey, spidery sandals. I could've bought something similar from Dangerfield for about $70, but what's the point? They would've been the same basic quality as the sandals, and I can reattach anything that might fall off without the horrendous guilt that comes from knowing you paid good money for a poor-quality product. Wanna look like a horned demon/ess? All you need is a generic headband, a couple of toilet rolls/cardboard tubes, duct tape, acrylic paint, and hot glue - significantly cheaper than a $35 premade headband. Grab some black roses from a craft shop, if you're feeling fancy. I also strongly believe in donation karma. Is that The Cure shirt getting a bit too snug around the shoulders? Donate it. I promise the next time you come back to the store, you'll find something gorgeous exactly in your size. OP also acknowledged disability in regards to DIY. If you have a mate that finds it difficult to work with their hands, make them some patches! In the same vein, I have a friend who cannot move her lower body but is incredibly crafty and nimble with her hands. She's done some commission cross-stich for me in the past. Consider your options and support your local scene!

Actually I'll never forgive Punk Rave and Killstar and fast fashion brands for tricking people into thinking that being goth or punk or emo is expensive. Babygirl the only goth brand names you need to know are Rit, Good Will, Etsy, and Studs and Spikes, we used to shove safety pins through our ears and then they started selling earrings that look like safety pins for 15.99. We used to dye thrifted wedding dresses black and they started selling gothic gowns for 300 bucks. We used to put studs on boots we found in the back of the good will and they started making Demonias. DIY or die wasn't perfect it can be exclusionary to disabled people but whatever the fuck we've got going on right now is so much worse. It's not any more inclusive to the disabled and it is exclusionary to the people who made punk, to the people who made goth, to the people who made emo. If you've got the funds and you don't want to do diy pay someone else to do it for you but please let it be a small artist or a friend not some guy in a suit who's made it his business to gentrify punk. You can turn flats into platforms with flipflops, hotglue and gumption don't let anyone tell you different.

[geminairsolutionsau]

7 Ways Professionals Insulate HVAC Ductwork

Insulating HVAC ductwork via an air conditioning installation Sydney professional is a critical step in maintaining an efficient and effective heating and cooling system. Proper insulation helps prevent energy loss, reduces utility bills, and enhances the overall comfort of your living or working space.

In many homes and commercial buildings, HVAC ductwork runs through unconditioned spaces such as attics, basements, or crawl spaces. These areas are often subject to extreme temperature fluctuations, which can significantly impact the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. When ducts are not properly insulated, the air travelling through them can lose or gain heat, leading to increased energy consumption and higher utility bills. Moreover, poorly insulated ducts can cause uneven temperature distribution, resulting in hot or cold spots within your living or working environment.

Find out how professionals insulate HVAC ductwork by reading the following guide.

Fibreglass Insulation

Fibreglass insulation is one of the most common materials for insulating HVAC ductwork. It consists of tiny glass fibres that trap air, reducing heat transfer. Professionals typically wrap fibreglass insulation around the ducts, securing it with foil tape or mesh. This method is effective in minimising thermal loss and is particularly suitable for ducts located in unconditioned spaces. Fibreglass insulation is also available in pre-formed sleeves that can be easily slipped over the ducts, providing a consistent layer of protection.

Reflective Foil Insulation

Reflective foil insulation, or radiant barrier insulation, uses a layer of reflective aluminium foil to reduce heat transfer. This type of insulation is especially effective in reflecting radiant heat, making it a popular choice for ducts exposed to high temperatures. Professionals often use reflective foil insulation in combination with other materials, such as foam boards, to enhance its thermal performance. The foil is usually applied to the exterior of the ductwork, reflecting heat away and keeping the air inside the ducts at a more consistent temperature.

Foam Board Insulation

Foam board insulation consists of rigid panels made from polystyrene or polyurethane. These boards offer high thermal resistance and are easy to cut and fit around ductwork. Professionals use foam board insulation to create a continuous thermal barrier, ensuring that the ducts remain well-insulated. The boards are typically secured with adhesive or mechanical fasteners, and any gaps or seams are sealed with tape to prevent air leakage. Foam board insulation is durable and provides excellent protection against thermal loss and condensation.

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation is a versatile and highly effective method for insulating HVAC ductwork. This technique involves spraying a liquid foam onto the ducts, which then expands and hardens to form an insulating layer. Spray foam insulation provides excellent coverage, filling in gaps and cracks that other materials might miss. Professionals often use closed-cell spray foam, which offers higher thermal resistance and better moisture protection compared to open-cell foam. This method is particularly useful for insulating irregularly shaped ducts or hard-to-reach areas.

Duct Liner Insulation

Duct liner insulation is applied to the interior surfaces of the ductwork. This type of insulation is usually made from fibreglass or foam and is designed to reduce noise and thermal loss. Duct liner insulation is commonly used in commercial buildings where noise reduction is a priority. The liner also helps improve indoor air quality by reducing the risk of condensation and mould growth inside the ducts. Professionals carefully install the liner, ensuring that it is securely attached and that all seams are properly sealed.

Duct Wrap Insulation

Duct wrap insulation involves wrapping the exterior of the ducts with flexible insulation material, such as fibreglass or foam. This method provides a continuous layer of thermal protection, helping to reduce heat loss and prevent condensation. Duct wrap insulation is available in various thicknesses and can be customised to fit the specific needs of the ductwork. Professionals secure the insulation with tape or mechanical fasteners and seal any seams or joints to ensure maximum efficiency. This method is suitable for both residential and commercial applications.

Insulated Ducts

Insulated ducts are pre-fabricated ducts that come with built-in insulation. These ducts are designed to provide superior thermal performance and are often used in new construction projects. Insulated ducts are available in various materials, including fibreglass and foam, and offer a convenient solution for ensuring that the entire duct system is well-insulated. Professionals install insulated ducts just like standard ducts but with the added benefit of integrated insulation, which simplifies the installation process and enhances the overall efficiency of the HVAC system.

Choosing the right insulation method can lead to significant energy savings, improved comfort, and a more consistent indoor environment. Whether you opt for fibreglass, reflective foil, foam board, spray foam, duct liner, duct wrap, or insulated ducts, each method provides a reliable solution for enhancing the efficiency of your HVAC system. By investing in proper duct insulation, you can ensure that your heating and cooling system operates at its best, providing you with a comfortable and energy-efficient living or working space.