#and this doesn't even include all the shells and corals like

[blastadiamond]

okay so i already know i have a touch of the ‘tism - seeing as my main hobby is rocks. and sorting. but my toxic trait is i can’t help but look at my meticulously sorted piles and think ‘okay but if someone saw this they’d be impressed. and that there’s something wrong with me, for sure, but they wouldn’t be able to deny how satisfying and cohesive my piles are’ anyways my most prized possession is my emotional support box of rocks.

sorting results of a haul from my latest trip. i am fine & normal :)

[lsleofthelost]

once again, im here with set pictures, info from the set designer, Mark Hofeling, and my own commentary on it. this time, i wanna share stuff on Isle of the Lost from Descendants 2.

post about Isle of the Lost in part one

post about Maleficent's castle

Ursula's Fish and Chips Shoppe:

About Ursula's place: "Like all the imprisoned villains on the Isle of the Lost, Ursula has had to find a way to make ends meet. Thus her Fish and Chips Shoppe is right at the tide line of the prison island. I wanted the feel of a faded old carnival attraction, still alluring despite its decay."

"Uma (China Anne McClain) and her pirate gang, including her trusted lieutenants Harry Hook (Thomas Doherty) and Gil (Dylan Playfair) rally to take back what is theirs in Uma's mother's dingy tidal pool of a Fish and Chips Shoppe."

"A detail of the menu board and specials in Ursula's Fish and Chips Shoppe."

i think this gives us info on the money on the Isle. there are two units, m and n, and there are a 100n in 1m. i think the prices are comprable to us dollars back like 30-40 years ago? which further supports my theory that the Isle is stuck in the past, in the time of their imprisonment. the menu itself has some genuine regular items, like fish cakes, dumplings, but most of them are isle specials, like pond scum, shell smell, and gulf goo. which i think is hilarious considering Ursula and Uma still just serve them whatever.

"A detail of Uma's coral throne."

Isle of the Lost:

"A view of Low Tide Lane on the Isle of the Lost. Having been an isolated prison island for decades now, the idea was that every slat and board is on its 9th or 10th life, and every object not screwed down had changed grubby hands hundreds of times."

they kept the dirty candy colour palette! and i love how they truly kept to the 'everything is used and stolen 10 times over' philosophy.

this is the Bazaar, which is another market on the Isle. there is one in the main square and then this is the one closer to the docks, we can see Mal riding through it in D2. here, we once again see the money measurement. and i think it's intereting to see that crab and potatoes are priced higher than other things. i also like the 'satisfaction no guaranteed' sign.

Curl Up and Dye:

"Drizella's Curl Up and Dye on the Isle of the Lost is where Mal and Evie load up on chemicals for their showdown with Uma's pirate gang. So more than a hair salon as absurd as the rest of the Isle, it also had to be a repository for all kinds of chemistry and alchemy. The idea here was that out of every 100 of young Dizzy's experimental, chemical beauty concoctions, 99 blow up."

"The ever-unpredictable dye distillery."

"A detail of the dry chemistry set up."

i like that the base for this is a rough finish, like a construction before any renovation. and then its just neon splashes and broken mirrors from Dizzy's experiments. also i like the note that it's more chem lab than a salon.

Rotten four's hideout:

"The VK's hideout was always a place of respite from their raging and overbearing parents. It's where the VK's purloined all the best stuff on the Isle, and where Mal perfected her street art. "

this is Mal's room! which confirms for me that she doesn't live with her mother, at least not full time.

im kinda sad that we didn't get a view of the side with all those board games (kitchen, i think?) but even just these pictures are full of interesting details! as far as i saw only Mal's and Jay's 'Long Live Evil' tags are on the walls, i think it's because it was theirs first. i like the thorns that are circling the walls, like Maleficent's thorns around Sleeping Beauty's castle. they have some kind of an old school sound system, too! which i can i assume they use when throwing parties. and there are bikes, probably repaired 10 times over, but prised nonetheless. also, i thought that the green lamp in Mal's room is a hookah lol

Uma's ship:

"Uma and her pirate gang rule the rotting docks and rocky edge of the Isle of the Lost."

"Uma's HQ is this ruined pirate ship. After all the Disney Villains were relocated to the Isle of the Lost, all the ships that brought them were scuttled and they were all locked behind an enchanted barrier. So this is one of many wrecks in these waters, including the sails of the ship, rammed into her side. We found real tall-ship riggers for this work, and they used 10,000 feet of rope in the process."

i love that they really rigged that ship! i think it's a detail that shows that Uma's pirates are real professionals.

"This photo shows the "rickety" and treacherous landscape of the rotten docksides. This became the setting of a 20 person melee to rescue King Ben and escape the Isle and Uma's vengeful clutches."

we can see Uma's 'We ride with the tide' tag in the bg, signifying that this is her territory.

there are a lot of cool details but what i'm focusing on here are the old school washing machines, again showing us how the Isle is frozen in time. im assuming theyre on the docks because this is where the water is.

i am looking to make another post with details from D3, here's hoping i'll get to it sooner than i did this follow up

[coarsely]

glance, night, wardrobe, and change for oc design asks? c: whichever oc you'd like!

I'll answer these for Imperator V, Hendrix and Ucalegon if you do not mind ^_^

glance -> At first glance, what stands out most about your OC's appearance? What's their distinguishing feature?

There are a few different things that draw attention to Imperator V. First, he is extremely tall, and always armoured in the style befitting of the Empyrean's soldiers. He always has a weapon, clearly displayed, announcing to people that he is one of their protectors. It makes him very difficult to miss, and commands both respect and fear across the general population. Other than that, his mask is extremely striking, designed to look like multiple hands reaching around his face and clasping over his eyes, mouth, throat.

Hendrix meanwhile, well, if he doesn't have his mask on, most people are going to be startled by the coral and hard shells growing up out of his skin like cysts or tumours. His skin is almost pinkish, and almost always wet regardless of his proximity to water, not to mention his fucked up black-and-silver eyes. However, he does wear his mask out and about fairly often, so when his facial features aren't on display most people are taken aback by his clothing choices, which are a 17th century style pirate captain look. Flamboyant, but most certainly not in keeping with Nod's futuristic, bondage aesthetic most have adopted. Picture Captain Hook from Peter Pan, if he was possessed by Cthulhu.

Ucalegon doesn't stand out too much in Nod, as she's pretty archtypal, in the aforeformentioned futuristic, bondage look most citizens of Nod have adopted. What does mostly stand out is the very long, thick plait she keeps her hair in, which appears almost whip-like. The metal chain she keeps on her person at all times might draw some eye, but she blends in pretty well admist the other crowd in Nod.

night -> What does your OC wear to sleep? Do they have a favorite pair of PJs, or are they more the birthday suit type?

Imperator V rarely sleeps, mostly because he can't remove his armour without help of a priest, and it's not a comfortable thing to sleep in at all. When he's allowed to sleep after getting his armour taken off, he will sleep in a plain, no-frills nightshirt. He isn't allowed to take his emotional support chastity belt off while he's sleeping, but he's used to it so it doesn't bother him. He basically is wearing this;

Hendrix just takes his coat and waistcoat off, maybe his breeches if he can be fucked, and sleeps in his undershirt. He basically only owns these clothes, you can't ask much of him. He'll probably be sleeping nude if the weather is hot, though.

Ucalegon is always sleeping in the nude. Always. Never worn pajamas in her life, doesn't particularly care to.

wardrobe -> How big is your character's wardrobe? Do they wear things threadbare, or can they afford new clothes often? Are they any good at mending and repairing their own clothing?

Imperator V's wardrobe is entirely dependent on the Priests of Eden, the way he is dependent on them for essentially everything, including food and a home. If anything is damaged, it gets replaced immediately, as it is important that he has all the tools needed to defend Bronze Eden, but he doesn't get any say in what those clothes look like. It's not until he gets closer to Sylvester Praeceptor, where he starts to be able to make more decisions about his clothing, but even then he's very hesitant as it's a luxary he's never been afforded before.

Hendrix, as I said, basically owns those clothes and nothing else. This is fine with him, as he doesn't really want to wear anything else, and he has gotten pretty good at repairing some of the more glaring rips and tears, but it is also visibly a little threadbare despite his efforts.

Ucalegon has a fairly large wardrobe, and most of it is hand-made, either by her or her friends and comrades. It is primarily variations on the same theme; black, tight, lots of leather, latex and straps––bondage gear, essentially. She does own clothes stolen from Bronze Eden, but these are never worn unless she's going undercover. Her clothing variety is primarily due to the kind of work she does, the need for having multiple options. This coat is large and has various pockets, for guns and ammunition and weaponary–that coat is short and tight, so it doesn't get caught on anything while trying to squeeze through small spaces, etc etc.

change -> Has your OC ever drastically changed their appearance? Significant haircuts, big tattoos, complete wardrobe swap, etc? Why? How do they feel about the change?

V as we've touched on has essentially no control over his physical appearance, so he hasn't ever had the opportunity to do so. The closest he's gotten was being stripped of his Imperator's gear on his pilgrimage, but again, that wasn't a choice he made so I'm hesitant to count it.

Hendrix wasn't always an unmedicated bipolar pirate cosplayer, but the amount of drugs he's doing means his memories of the before-times are pretty hazy. He's feeling pretty positive about his life though, so it must be better than what came before, right?

Ucalegon shaves her head completely bald every year, and we're coming up to that soon, so that primarily. It's mainly because having her hair too long can start to get risky, but she does quite like having the long plait she's sporting now, so she might put it off until it properly becomes an issue, but she has no proper reservations about going bald if she has to.

[alcoholbelly]

There was a girl who held what I like to refer to as an amber grace

She was engulfed in these amber flames to the point it was trace

The point it stuffed bones in bags

.

Drawing from the past, I'd always colored her a sage

Prone to the dark arts of psychosis

But none the less, in lighter times, a mushroom guide

And the world I'd first be indoctrinated with

By her

.

Go to the river and get all the way in

I forget this isn't about me

The cold is a rush

To have your heart sunk

Go on and properly get in

.

Anna talked about never having cracked it

But boy did it crack on me

To take a hard shift, I must talk about it seeping.

(And oh how it soaked)

I could dance around the sparkling notes,

In quotes "I've never laughed the way I laughed with you"

And never shrieked as hard as how funny you mimicked your tinder dates boy moan

Like I said, I could dance around the boy talk and boy mock

You talk, I listen,

I could take the light way out

But when it seeped on me, that's when we could agree

All of a sudden, there's no joking

All the ways in which we'd trapped ourselves include: to name just a few

- Being pen pals, the heart is a URL link. Or a big juicy strawberry

- Our modern female way of dropping love bombs

- This doesn't even cover the fact we were hooked up to adderalls matrix

- Speaking of neurolinks

- My mom saw our trash full of empty beer cans, canonizing our faithfulness to The Fix

- I don't need any new friends, already have two

- In our apartment, we had all these problems and they were multiplying. One even crawled across my face.

I take my coral colored towels out. My bedding is sea themed. I remember how it warmed me, your laundry scent. And not like the kid at school you smelled coming all the way down the hall. It was a better smell, plus you had a cool mom, so it wasn't like that. Most of the time we were healing - running a gentle cycle.

And we were both gently philosophical, like a shell.

This yogurt label reads:

1 Billion Proven Probiotics

My mom reminds me there's more to life than chilling and, well, poetry

Either way, I stick it in the freezer after covering it with melted coconut oil and dark chocolate

It comes out a hard shell

.

There was a long time where I did not fear you

We were as twin sisters, but such that you came out first

My envy for you, sweet fire,

Expands me

It second hands me

As a sister in your flames shadow,

Alone in the umbra, I appear as a bunch of dancing ripples

.

I look at it like a tree

"I think I'll take a break from writing poetry"

After all this time, still producing fruits

A soft whisper asking will

Will we ever write again

.

I know you know the feeling

I can no longer read these passages in my voice

I change the lighting in my bathroom ready to see a new me because

There’s a forbidden temptation to throw a couple back before reentering this realm

How I must hear it coming from you

See if through your eyes

But surely, I can smell it coming on

.

And does writing age well, does it degenerate?

Is there a reason Christmas tunes have stayed the same?

As poetry floods through my veins

Let me weave drunk between these lanes

Alone in the dark again

My friend

My sweet stubborn end

[bluegekk0]

Yes, the "bugs" of Hallownest in my AU aren't actual insects. It's just a general term for all creatures of different species, kind of like "people". Some have insect-like traits, some don't. FPK and Grimm are both quite mammalian in their appearance, so they do have mammal-like teeth, which were inherited by their children. You can see it in their references, as well as other art I made.

I have a post that goes a bit more in detail about how I see the characters, and the term itself. Here it is. But in short, most of the characters are vertebrates, they have skeletal structures and many of them resemble animals (and even non-animals in some cases) other than insects (though insect-like traits are still present in a lot of the species, implying a common ancestor). The characters are fairly big (FPK is just a bit smaller than a raccoon, for reference), so their bodies would need the skeletal structure for support, as opposed to if they were actually tiny like insects.

You have those with mammalian traits, such as fur (Grimm, Brumm, Ogrim), blubber-like fat (FPK) and, as mentioned before, teeth (Grimm, FPK, Hornet, even Zote, though his teeth are more adapted for a plant diet). Reptilian traits are also present, most notably in FPK (especially his previous form). Some resemble plants or fungi, for example WL (who has traits of a tree, as well as some coral and certain fungi), the Mosskin (with their moss-like body coverage) or the Mushroom Clan (self explanatory). There are some with bird-like qualities, my Radiance design resembles an owl a little bit, and I do want to include some other characters with feather-like body coverage. If there are distant lands surrounded by large bodies of water, perhaps they're also inhabited by fish- or crustacean-like species (the latter of which would fall under invertebrates, so they would be an exception). And of course, bug-like traits are also present, many characters have shells and general body shapes resembling that can be compared to our insect species, though unlike our insects, they do still have skeletons.

There are some exceptions, like the aforementioned crustacean-like species, and some named characters, for example Unn, and perhaps Monomon (I haven't made a design for her but I really like the jellyfish like appearance so I would stick to that), who don't have skeletons. Salubra is also a possibility, she does seem to have a very soft body, similar to what you'd see on a slug. But it could also be mammal-like blubber. Since mammal traits are pretty common already, I think I would go in a more slug like direction for her.

They're also meant to be fictional species, so none of them are supposed to be actual existing species of animals (so for example, the Hallownest spiders aren't meant to be actual species of spiders, though they do share some traits and the general name). Any similarities could be explained as convergent evolution, so similar environments might lead to similar adaptations. They could also just be a coincidence. For instance, FPK doesn't belong to any existing group. He isn't a reptile, or a mammal, he just shares some traits with both.

Considering the different species can mate and produce offspring even with vastly different biological traits, I imagine the line between certain groups got so blurry that a singular term works best. So in this case, that term happens to be "bug". Since they have their own languages that aren't English, their word could mean something completely different to its English equivalent and have a completely different origin. So any recognizable terms would just be translations or nearest equivalents. But I won't get too much into the etymology and linguistics of the AU, that would be a bit overkill hahahaha

There is a lot of variety within insect species so the potential for unique designs is there. But I do tend to gravitate towards mammalian traits, as you can see in many of my designs, so I figured I could try to expand on that with some worldbuilding. It's certainly a bit of a leap from usual interpretations, but it's something I personally find more engaging to work with as I'm a big fan of speculative biology. I love making designs inspired by various groups of animals, there's so much variety and also a lot of symbolism related to some of them.

Plus there is some precedent for this kind of direction in the actual game. WL is quite literally a pale glowing tree/coral, Brumm doesn't look like any kind of insect, and even Grimm, despite being headcanoned as a moth by many people, looks nothing like one (and was stated to be inspired by "a mix of different things" instead of any specific bug).

I hope this makes sense, and sorry for the long response! I'm just super passionate about this. The AU has kind of turned into a playground for worldbuilding and speculative biology for me. I find it super fun to take things from the established canon and try to mold them into something a bit different, while staying true to the original wherever I can. I may get a bit carried away but hey, it is an AU, so the possibilities are endless. And I think I found a neat little niche for myself in the sea of different AUs and interpretations. It may not be for everyone, but it's one I genuinely love writing and brainstorming, and I hope other people find it interesting as well!

In response to this and this comment I got, I decided to turn my replies into its own ramble post, mainly about Hornet.

The way I picture it, Hornet goes gathering whenever she patrols the areas around Dirtmouth, she sets her hunting traps and collects fruits, leaves, roots, anything she can use as ingredients (or whatever Zote eats). So when she returns home, she brings something for everyone. Back when she was surviving on her own, this was part of her daily routine, so she has no problem continuing it now, especially since it makes her feel more useful. She'll often collect extra ingredients for Ogrim's diner, which he pays for with geo (even if she keeps telling him there's no need).

Of course, FPK often eats by himself whenever he goes hunting, but he'll never say no to a family dinner even if he's not hungry. He loves spending time with the rest of the family, so family dinners would make him incredibly happy. That said, I wouldn't say those group dinners are actually very common. Since Ogrim's place located very close to their house, they often eat there, Grimm and FPK especially, though they also occasionally go on dates and eat in the city (Grimm knows a nice place that is in a relatively secluded area, with its owner owing him a debt, so it's safe for FPK). Hornet also usually eats alone or with Holly and Zote, sharing what she gathered with them while they hang out.

But sometimes she feels inspired to cook something for everyone so that they can all eat together. This is how she shows that she cares, since she's terrible at voicing it, and the others make sure to show their appreciation. So whenever she prepares a meal with everyone in mind, Grimm and FPK change their plans so they can help her prepare a family dinner.

She'd try to match everyone's tastes. A meal heavy in meats for herself, FPK and Holly, something with more fruits and a sweeter flavor for Grimm and Lewk, and a vegetarian meal for Zote. She even makes a softer meal for the twins, they're still toothing and they need softer foods, so that they can join the table. I like to think she learns to really enjoy cooking over time (a passion Lewk picked up by watching her) so this is something she would be happy to do.

And the sight of everyone together and joyful would make her feel all warm inside, and give her hope that perhaps things will finally be alright now. That she can finally open up and enjoy the family life she desperately wanted for so many years. A complete family, something she never got to experience.

I think it's at those moments that she looks at Grimm and sees a father in him, and at Zote, who isn't a brother or even a cousin to her, but is still part of the family. She looks at FPK and Holly, her blood family, and appreciates that they're still here with her after everything that happened. She looks at the kids, at Lewk, whose arrival caused a lot of conflict in her mind, but whom she learned to love and cherish, and at Asta and Milo, her little siblings who still have so much to see and learn, and who brought even more joy to the house and her life.

She struggles to tell them how much she cares, and she will keep struggling for a long, long time. But she hopes that, by doing things like this, the family dinners, the trinkets she brought home because they reminded her of someone in the family, the little acts of care, that the others know that she values and appreciates them more than anything.

[linddzz]

Hi! I saw the post about octopusseseses and I went down a rabbit hole of octopus-human interaction vids, and apparently some people have a pet one. Thoughts on hobbyist aquarium keepers with octos? It seems like a very difficult animal to care for properly at home, but an interesting one. There's a lot of conflicting info on if one can ethically keep one at all. Sadly, I have chronic "cute i want one" disease when I see any animal. But I can't keep houseplants alive, so I won't, don't worry lol

Small octopuses can be successfully kept as a pet, but they do require a specialized tank and specialized care, and the smaller species can have a lifespan of 1-2 years. Overall my opinion is that as a pet, the amount of specialized care and expense that goes into keeping an octopus is just...not worth it for their short lifespan. Also I do NOT think anyone should get an octopus unless they're experienced with keeping saltwater aquariums. Here's a quick list of things that need to be kept in mind for an octopus.

-Lifeapan: like I said, smaller species of octopus that you can find in the hobby have shorter lifespans. You'd pretty much be setting a whole system up to keep one animal for a relatively short time.

-Octo-Proofing: the escape stories of octopuses are only slightly exaggerated. Public aquariums keep their octos in tanks designed to hold an octopus. They can climb, they're strong, and they have no bones and too much curiosity. An octopus tank will need a lid that is latched down, plus every single filter intake and return and overflow and ANYTHING will need mesh attached and attached in a way that the octopus can't just figure out how to rip it off. You will then have to clean that mesh frequently to make sure it doesn't get clogged up and mess your whole tank up

-Filtration: octopuses are messy. They have mucus that comes off them, they toss bones and shells from their food all over the tank and eat daily. They're sensitive to high nitrates and their hemocyanin blood makes them sensitive to shifts in pH. You'll want a good protein skimmer at least and I'd recommend a system with a sump that'll allow good gas exchange while still being able to keep the top of the tank closed up against octopus escapes. You'll want to do weekly water changes and for smaller systems it's better to just set up an automatic top-off to keep the salinity stable.

-Tankmates: you won't have any tank mates that last long except maybe some tiny asterina starfish and corals.

-Bastard Factor: ok so I don't know if it's common in the hobby but it is not unheard of for some smaller octo species with lidded tanks to figure out that if they can push the lid up just enough to spray water out of the tank then the lid will open up and other such bastard animal shenanigans that sound charming and fun to read but are way less charming to actually deal with.

-Food: so this isn't impossible but they do need a variety of prey items that are sometimes more expensive. Octos are opportunistic hunters but most of their prey consists of invertebrates and you'll want to offer a good mix through the week for the best nutrition. This can include whole small clams/mussels, small crabs, krill, squid chunks, shrimp, and occasional fish like silversides.

-Enrichment: these are smart animals, which is the appeal! But even when you're not interacting with them the octopus is going to need things to interact with. This can be puzzle feeders, toys to take apart, plastic jars, frozen whole small clams/crabs, octopus popsicles made of frozen saltwater with food inside (which will also make a mess of your water as it melts!) and then you need to change up the items offered or add multiple items through the day.

So overall I would say it's possible to keep an octopus ethically as a pet if you're already an experienced aquarium hobbyist who is able to do a specialized system and the extra routine of enrichment. But the money, time, effort, money, and MONEY involved just makes them not really worth it as a pet. And each one has a different personality, so there is no guarantee that you'll have an octopus that has any interest in human interaction.

[bposnerpublishing]

Art for the Coastal Lifestyle

Nor is it the same thing as Mediterranean, or tropical. In the simplest definition, coastal is beachy. Through use of natural light, soft tones, and a clean aesthetic, it's meant to evoke the breeziness of the beach. Basically, it feels like summer year-round inside your house. "A coastal space takes its cues from the natural environment for everything from color palette through to materials used," says Will Taylor, author of Dream Decor, and the blogger behind Bright Bazaar. "The core features are usually jute textures, earth tones, layered blues, crisp whites, stripes, and loose linen upholstery." In order to create a relaxed, easy vibe, coastal design usually incorporates many natural elements. This comes in through the furniture, often made out of wicker, rattan, or light, weathered woods, and fabrics. Rugs are generally straw, seagrass, or jute, and fabrics are simple and devoid of shine. You won't find many metallics or flashy textures, but rather, natural materials or light, billowy fabrics, like sheer curtain panels. Though wood is common, it will usually be white-washed, or a blond maple or ash.

If you're decorating for the coast, it's not like you're about to decorate with antlers or modern, geometric accents, so it's totally OK to add in a few, like shells, glass bottles, or woven baskets, but the key is not to go overboard. You want it to feel easy and natural, not kitschy and overdone, and clutter is a serious no-no. Keep it simple and you can't go wrong. "The key is to stay away from anything too cliched," Taylor says. "Avoid anchor prints, “beach this way” signs, etc. Instead, take your lead from the elements of the coast: a collection of blue glass vases and bottles upon a fireplace hearth, or a classic blue and white stripe wallpaper to add striking visual interest to a stairway or hallway."

While you might be inclined to picture a bold blue and white palette when you think of Art for the Coastal Lifestyle , a crisp, white interior is actually more accurate. It's almost like minimalist design in the sense that less is more, and it favors neutral. Again, it's all about natural light, so a white room is going to make the space feel even airier ,But that doesn't mean you can't accent with color. Though you'll still want to keep it soft (remember, there is nothing bold about this design), accent colors typically include neutrals, such as a warmer beige or khaki, light blues, greys, and greens. The palette "can be adjusted according to taste: true blues and crisp whites for a Med-like vibe; warm whites and pale blue-green shades for a country coastal mix; bright coral paired with sky blue for an exotic coastal style," Taylor says.