#click for higher quality it's worth it!

[kanarievogel]

Two highly customized Super Dollfies by LEEKEWORLD. You can read about some of the progress on their website.

[soaplickerrr]

Accidentally Coincidental

CHAPTER 5 (click pictures for better quality)

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a/n: updates will be slow, i'm working on a pretty long fic on my side blog.

(THIS CHAPTER TAKES PLACE LIKE A WEEK BEFORE JJAM CAME OUT)

LETS ALSO PRETEND LIKE YOU GET NOTIFIED WHEN A PRIV ACC QUOTES YOUR TWEET, YOU JUST CANT SEE WHOS ACC IT WAS.

pairing: Idol!Kim Seungmin x Fem!CollegeStudent!Reader

genre: contemporary romance

SMAU

synopsis: Y/N, a regular college student accidentally texts Seungmin, a star in the K-pop group Stray Kids while trying to text her Ex, Soonyoung to come pick up his things, leading to an unexpected connection that blossoms into a heartfelt romance.

ignore time stamps and typos

THERES A WRITTEN PART SO DONT JUST SCROLL THROUGH THE PICTURES🙏🙏

Seungmin puts his phone down, a full-teethed smile spreading across his lips, his heart lighter than it’s been in days. The conversation with Bang Chan had gone better than he had hoped. He knew it was a big ask—one that could have easily backfired—but he trusted Chan, and in the end, his trust was well-placed. Seungmin leans back in his chair, his mind already wandering to the possibilities. He imagines the look on her face if she gets the opportunity, the way her eyes might light up when she realizes her dream could be within reach. It’s a feeling of contentment, of knowing he’s done something good for someone who deserves it.

While Seungmin is lost in his thoughts, Bang Chan is already taking action. He wastes no time, picking up his phone and dialing his manager’s number. The phone barely rings twice before the manager picks up, his tone professional as always.

“Chan, what’s up?” the manager asks, his voice carrying that hint of curiosity that always comes when Bang Chan calls unexpectedly.

“I need to set up a meeting,” Chan says, cutting straight to the point. “I want to talk to the editing team manager, JYP, and the CEO.”

There’s a brief pause on the other end of the line, the manager processing the request. “That’s a pretty serious meeting, Chan. What’s this about?”

“There’s someone I think might be a great fit for our editing team,” Bang Chan explains, his tone steady but urgent. “I know two people from the team quit last week, and we’re a bit short-handed. I want to see if she can step in and help. But first, she needs to be tested—see if she’s got what it takes.”

The manager is silent for a moment, considering the proposal. It’s not every day that one of the members takes such a personal interest in something like this. “You’re sure about this, Chan? This is a pretty big deal.”

“I am,” Chan replies without hesitation. “She’s got potential, and I think we should at least give her a chance to prove herself. If she passes the test, great. If not, then we’ll know. But I want to make sure we give her a fair shot.”

“Alright,” the manager finally says, his voice carrying a note of resolve. “I’ll talk to them and see when we can schedule a meeting. We’ll discuss it further there.”

“Thanks,” Bang Chan says, relief washing over him. “I appreciate it.”

“No problem, Chan. I’ll get back to you once I have more details.”

As the call ends, Bang Chan lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He knows the road ahead isn’t a guarantee, but he’s done what he can. Now, it’s up to the higher-ups and, ultimately, up to her to prove she’s got what it takes. He hopes, for Seungmin’s sake—and maybe a little for hers—that this all works out. There’s something about this situation that feels right, like the pieces are starting to fall into place.

He leans back in his chair, glancing at the clock. It’s late, but his mind is still buzzing with the day’s events. He thinks of Seungmin happiness. That alone makes it worth it. Bang Chan isn’t one to take risks lightly, especially when it involves careers, but there’s something about Seungmin’s trust that makes him want to try.

As he sits there, Bang Chan’s thoughts drift to the upcoming meeting. He knows it won’t be easy to convince everyone, but he’s prepared to argue his case. He believes in Seungmin’s judgment, and he’s willing to put his own reputation on the line to give this girl a shot. It’s not just about filling a spot on the editing team—it’s about helping someone chase their dream, just like he did once.

The night stretches on, but Bang Chan doesn’t mind. He’s already planning his approach, the arguments he’ll use, the points he’ll make. There’s a quiet determination in his eyes, the kind that only comes when something truly matters. He’s ready to fight for this, and for Seungmin. Because at the end of the day, that’s what being a leader is about—trusting your team and doing whatever it takes to support them.

This feels very empty for some reason 🧐🧐

TAGLIST - CLOSED - if your name is in pink, i couldn’t tag you.

🏷️: @disasterousdangerousbi @akitfffr @alexateurmom @jeonginplsholdmyhand @sunarins-whore @feelikecinderella @minniesuperversee @istglevi-gotmesimping @dreamerwasfound @whiteghostt @your-favorite-pirate @pnutbutter-n-j-elyy @chuuyaobsessed @ihrtlix @onlyhyunjin @jisuperboard @dazzlingjade @sellomaybe @lixiesbrownies333 @kkamismom12 @iatemycatfreckles @puppyminnnie @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @ayyonoona @missvanjii @jc003 @dontwannaexsist

[crisismoth]

Tanguish!! from redstone and skulk by silverskye

click for higher quality. closeups + notes below

this was so so fun to draw. the coloring is a bit off over the receipt and card and sticker outlines but its worth it for the vibes.

the little bag + wire heart is from my friend ^_^

@silverskye13 guh

[puffballwarrior-blog]

After months of putting this off, I'm finally posting stuff for Spectral Dreams :D

Click for higher quality

Introducing the mascot, Magonyan! The Yo-Kai version of Magolor.

He's a C-rank Fire Attribute Yo-Kai freed by Nate from the Crank-a-kai. His inspiriting causes lying when you don't mean to. His Skill is Resistance which reduces effects from enemy inspirits. His Soultimate is Bombs of Fury, which is basically just a fire attribute Paws of Fury.

Edit: this has been changed! His Soultimate is now called Mago Bomb Barrage

There's gonna be a MASSIVE lore dump under the cut if you wanna read.

Over 200 years ago, he died being mauled by a dog, thus losing his limbs. After that, he discovered that no one could see him and thought he could do whatever he wanted without consequences. He snuck into a village altar and stole the crown of a tyrant, the Overlord's Crown. He put it on and fused with it, creating a powerful Yo-Kai named Overnyan.

Magonyan thought it was the coolest thing ever, wanting to test his new form's power. But little did he know, the crown he fused with was taken over by a Wicked Yo-Kai. It took over his body and wreaked havoc on the village. But before it could cause any more destruction, a little pink Legendary Yo-Kai stopped him, and he was sealed away in the Crank-a-kai.

While sealed away, he felt all alone. No one to talk to, alone with his thoughts in a tiny cramped capsule. A decade later, he heard a voice, a new Yo-Kai had been sealed away in a capsule just like he was. The voice was rambling on and on about his old master, a shogun who died in a war. Magonyan listened intently to him, even chiming in to make a conversation. They built a close friendship over the years they were trapped despite never seeing each other's faces. Until one day, Magonyan's friend was freed from the Crank-a-kai, leaving him alone once again.

It didn't take long for him to be next, however. He was freed by an average-looking human boy, Nate. Magonyan noticed how much attention Jibanyan got and decided to make a costume of him, even pretending to be him at one point. It was then he discovered his love for making costumes and made a lot of different cosplays of other cat Yo-Kai.

(Unrelated to lore but I imagine if he were in a game, you could customize which costume he wears when befriending different cat Yo-Kai.)

They wound up finding the Overlord's Crown once more but Magonyan only fuses with it if it's a dire situation, he does not want to be taken over by the Wicked again.

Soon, the stuff with Dame Dedtime happened, and Wicked Yo-Kai were taking over Old Springdale and the humans and Yo-Kai in it. In the final fight, Magonyan fused with the crown and dealt the final blow to Dame Demona. Because of this, Kin and Gin sent him back in time to try and change his fate in an attempt to "revive" Dame Dedtime, similar to what they did with Jibanyan and Whisper. He refused, choosing to die again and return to his friends. Reliving his death was scary, but worth being able to be in an afterlife with friends.

After a while, something happened and he ended up losing control as Overnyan again. This caught the attention of Lord Enma and for the sake of Springdale, he sealed him away in the Infinite Inferno. Magonyan ended up fighting the big bosses inside in order to get out, making friends with those wrongly in there along the way who also wanted out. In the end, instead of Wobblewok, he had to fight the Wicked Yo-Kai who had broken free from the crown. When things looked bad, Magonyan picked up the crown and fused with it once more, finally having it under his control. He picked up a sword that had mysteriously appeared on the ground, one that bore a striking resemblance to the Enma Blade, and used it to defeat the Wicked that caused all of this.

(I imagine the fight would be similar to the Yo-Kaiju fight in YKW3 with controlling every action)

After the fight, he's approached by none other than Lord Enma himself. He explains that he sent Magonyan to the Infinite Inferno because he thought he was abusing the power of the crown but knows now that it was the Wicked's doing all along. After he properly apologizes for the misunderstanding, he agrees to let Magonyan out of the Infinite Inferno with the Overlord's Crown and the sword he gave him under the promise that he would use their power responsibly. Magonyan agrees without hesitation and he is let out.

After escaping, he notices that Nate is nowhere to be found in Springdale, his family isn't even in their house. Where could he have gone? And what's Magonyan supposed to do now?

[budder-tigress]

Art Dump Be Upon Ye

The hyperfixarion gods are mad at me, so now I have like a month's worth of Deus Ex OC art sitting around!

(Obligitory click for higher quality, especially the fic covers)

Ref sheets-

Various Art-

Fic Covers-

(I tried to emulate the System Rift DLC for the first one, just with the Utalek)

This girlypop is Kira, she's my newest idiot. I had some of a fic written, but she's been sadly shuffled away by my re-hyperfixation on Borderlands.

[dontforgetukraine]

@/RachelPAV: I have been in Ukraine for several weeks now meeting with everyone that PAV supports. Since 2022 we have supported several hundred volunteers in Ukraine with flights and equipment, both civilian and military. These are some observations based on what they report: 1. This is an entirely different war than it was in 2022 or 2023. The drone threat has changed everything. EVERYONE has agreed on this. The situation a year ago seems completely inapplicable now. 2. The needs in Ukraine are almost entirely military. The needs for civilians are drastically less than they were just a year ago. There are some small Ukrainian groups doing an excellent job assisting people when necessary and there is only a limited need for foreigners to be involved. 3. Being issued poor quality goods is still a surprisingly common occurrence. There are still fake tournaments out there. Same with fake NVGs, fake ACOGs, etc. 4. The injury rate and death rate for foreign military volunteers is higher than ever before. There are no signs of this changing. 5. The biggest needs continue to be the very non-sexy and non-exciting needs that have always existed. Car repairs, fuel, rent for the team house, ecoflows, and generators are needed by everyone. Most volunteers express the most gratitude that our donors are willing to help cover rent and fuel as without this they cannot do their work.

This checks out with everything I've read from articles too. Foreign soldiers that come over to fight are taken aback by how different the war is from wars they have experienced where they had air superiority. Then there is the amount of drones. Drones, drones, drones.

The last point is especially true. Check out the Donation Guide Master Post if you want to help out with the "non-sexy" and "non-exciting" needs.

Or if you want to help out a big-nonsexy fundraiser but super needed item, Constantine (aka @/Teoyaomiquu on twitter) has one going for excavators that is approved by Liberty Ukraine. You can find the PayPal link HERE or just click on the link to the twitter post.

Constantine writes"

"Why is this so important? Whether it's for offensive or defensive operations, the front lines have become much more dynamic, with the line of contact constantly shifting. This means new fortifications are urgently needed, but digging by hand is too slow, and our troops can’t keep up. Additionally, infantry units need to construct their own fortifications without depending on centralized units that sometimes misplace positions. This is crucial—it saves lives by providing shelter from UMPK bombs, artillery, and FPV drones. In the video, you can see an excavator donated by @/LibertyUkraineF to the 26th brigade, doing incredible work fortifying a Krab position. I spoke with an officer from the brigade, and he told me this machine has been a game-changer. It has significantly improved their security, reduced losses, and saved countless lives along with tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment. Help us continue making a difference."

[indigos-stardust]

Four Keys: Character intro, Vix (Vio link)

<Click for higher quality, thank you!!>

Redesigned: (I adjusted his weapon choice and clothing.. I forgot his hoodie, its supposed to be connected to his tunic <:< )

The next two drawings are some older designs, he doesn't use a spear anymore: Not to mention his color scheme is different.

Context: In this world elves aren't their own separate species. They're a result of two biologically different species having their own offspring. The more fantastical elements of both parents are unable of being carried onto the child so it essentially nuetralizes those features entirely. (Such as a winged species and a non winged species having a non winged child. Things like limbs and special abilities can't be carried on.) Although certain traits, such as feathers or other small traits can still be found.

Over time, through generations of elves there have sprouted different elf centered towns, often being trading hubs, on the boarders of different kingdoms. Elves born of several generations of elves are considered Thorough elves, while elves the product of species crossover are called First Generation elves.

Vix is a mysterious monster hunter, making his wealth from valuable monster parts. A materialistic and opportunist loner, he spends his days drifting from different towns and through the wilderness with the soul purpose of making that coin like the king he is. After all, with no home and no family, there's nothing he has to worry about leaving behind.

Then he runs into some idiots in the woods. A selkie folk man that looks like he's about to combust from the heat and... whatever the fluffy four-armed heeto cheeto-lookin' one was. They were just, helplessly struggling to make their way through the muddy mosquito filled swamp. Honestly, it's like they never even learned any basic survival skills. If the swamblins didn't eat them, then the bugs would first. An absolutely miserable, pathetic, and sad sight. They were probably getting so desperate by now. Not to mention the selfie man has such a luxurious looking for shawl... Perfect.

They're grateful for his service<3 And of course, he'll guide these poor sucke- souls to the nearest town! Once arrived, he's already planning on how he was going to negotiate, when they start thanking him for his "act of kindness." Weird, but its payment time.

They are broke. Vix wasted all of that time, while he could've been monster hunting, for nothing. Not a single rupee. So what does his genius mind do? He passive aggressively follows them and begrudingly lets them stay with him at the inn. He adds it to their charge though.

Apparently, these broke b--ches, are on some quest following this magical sorceress lady who's promising them safety? They also mentioned the magical lady disappearing and talked a weird amount about being on a "magical quest" ... Yeah, those guys were definitely on fairy dust. But still, if "Flicker" and "Buwe" were really going to go treasure hunting for some magical artifacts, they'd definitely run into some rarer monsters... And well, once they realize he was listening in instead of sleeping, instead of getting offending.. they ask for his service and help since he knows the monsters here so well.

The coin he makes from these guys better be worth it, because they're only burying themselves deeper into his debt by the minute. Whatever, hopefully they'd be a good investment. He was considering cutting his losses and telling this fire moth to buzz off with the wings he doesn't have but... nevermind. Flicker's pleading eyes didn't change his mind, they just reminded him of the shine of rupees, that's all. Strange cases always were riskier, but had the possibility of an even better reward.

----

Okay, so these guys can absolutely shred into monsters. Very good to know. They could probably shred into him too- Buwe's selfie form was ferocious with an even thicker hide and a fearsome jaw and claws to match. The Nari'shi could create flames by simply moving around the enemy? He didn't even know that they existed before, much less could create flames?!! The loot from the monsters though... It's... It's definitely not enough to pay for their debt from his knowledge and expertise! So, he's simply going to have to stay with them for a little bit longer!!

They rescue, or "assist a great hero in the making" as the avian put it, some chick facing off with a whole lynel. The poor thing's wing is messed up though. Honestly, the guy lost horribly, probably just some wannabe treasure hunter... "Gren" with his baby feathers and holy s--t that's a really expensive set of gear and is that a family insignia?

Oh. Oh this guy is loaded. Alright, alright, maybe he will stay with these weirdo's alot longer. He's an official member now! And as an official member that means Gren would need to share the benefits from that insignia including all the discounts and-

Okay, sure Flicker keeps acting like he has personal beef with this obvlivious air head, but honestly! M o n e y. And sure, flicker may have attempted to strangle Gren with all four of his arms but Buwe handled it! Like Buwe said, family is family! And family shares everything from blood from sibling fights and money!

Nothing could possibly go wrong, and the weird woman who apparently isn't a hallucination keeps yapping about some "ancient curse that will suck the life out of the very earth" but honestly it can't possibly be a real thing. Vix is gonna make some much money from these dolts. And his abandoned orphan sympathy card is really only gonna help.

Gren (or green) is next! Then we can get into the shenanigans and *shudders* plot

[spontaneousglitterbees]

(Click for higher quality, comic description under the cut!) [AU Masterpost]

I know per TDP Gundham doesn't trust Kokichi as far as he could throw him, but consider a timeline where maybe, just maybe, an upperclassman sees the most chaotic freshman in the school putting up a front a few steps removed from the one he built at that age; Ouma is committed to the bit, sure, but it isn't him. Not like Tanaka is the forbidden one, anyway.

There might be hope for him yet, if anyone bothers pointing him in a better direction.

[Comic Description: A black and white comic featuring Kokichi Ouma and Gundham Tanaka.

The scene opens on a front-facing view of a staircase and title card reading "Hope's Peak 20XX". Kokichi sits in the middle of one of the steps, one foot set aside next to him and the other on the step below. His arms are crossed in front of his face, scarf caught and pressed against his cheek, the kind of half-curled seated position intended to keep the small smile on his face hidden from potential onlookers. A few steps below him, a small black-and-white kitten digs the front half of its body into a metal dish. Kokichi speaks to the cat (or, at least, at the cat) as he gathers his thoughts: "Hah, you like it? Brought you salmon today. Bet it beats Chez D'umpstaire, at least."

The cat, a mostly-black kitten with a white splotch over the left half of its face and two differently-toned eyes, looks up at Ouma with adoration. The kitten then peers over the step Kokichi's foot is resting on. He lowers his hand for the cat to sniff and investigate, though the cat pays it no mind. "You know, you've got a good thing going, here."

Kokichi is now holding a very relaxed cat, one comfortable enough to have voluntarily flipped onto its back while in his arms. This, from a cat, is high praise. "Tanaka's nice, really, just the kind of underling worth keeping around,,"

The next panel is blurred, indicating a memory. The shadow of a kitten is barred from approaching its food dish by two larger cats, ostensibly in Gundham's animal shed. The hazy nature of the scene, paired with Ouma's tone, suggest a less literal interpretation applies as well. "No matter what you have to put up with to do it."

Outside the panel structure, a 'LOST' flyer with a photo of the kitten is taped into the comic strip. Along the bottom, tabs with the contact information for the animal shed are printed for passerby to take with them; about half of the slips remain. "He misses you."

In the next panel, Ouma smiles, index finger to his cheek. The smile does not reach his eyes. Behind him, a simplified sketch (presumably Ouma's) of Shuichi and Maki are in a group-hug with Kaito, whose smile is the only defined feature on his face. "'s somethin special, when you've got someone missing you. So I've heard."

In the next panel, the cat bumps into Ouma's chin with the top of its head. "Hey, c'mon... I mean it.

In a long panel, Ouma holds the cat over his shoulder, where it appears to be falling asleep. "You're too little to grasp the concept of deception, let alone how betrayed you ought to feel.... But you really should go back."

The last third of the panel fades into a cement floor as a hamster rund down over the words: "Nico-D! You cannot be so reckless with the clawed demon at large!"

Gundham bends down to pick up the hamster, Nico-D. "That most capricious of beasts has finally been quelled and re-contained..."

In a separate panel, Kokichi holds the cat on one shoulder, where it proceeds to lick his face. "By the Clown Prince of Lies?!"

Ouma laughs in mock-protest, saying: "Quit it, you sorry sack've mouse entrails...." and "You're so gross!" Despite these interjections, he smiles, wide and genuine.

As Gundham takes a step closer to Ouma, a sudden sound shocks Kokichi to attention. The cat continues to show him affection, even as Kokichi scrambles to re-assert his composure. 

Ouma slides a snide smile onto his face, with less joy than malice. "Oh, Tanaka-chan~! I was just about to take out your trash for you!" Even as he refers to the cat as 'trash', he holds it carefully as it purrs. A smaller bit of text reads "Aren't I nice?"

With a suddenly sullen and irritated expression, Ouma holds out a confused cat toward the camera (and Gundham). "Recycle your own damn breed-jects."

Gundham attempts to get through to Ouma, though he does not get a chance to elaborate beyond "Ouma—" 

Regaining his typical confidence, Kokichi puts his index finger to his cheek as he stares Gundham down. "Oh, so you do know my name? Careful, learn much more and I'll be feeding your carcass to those 'pwecious widdle hamsters' you keep around~"

Gundham tries to get a word in edgewise, but Ouma has already turned away with a small wave and an insistent shout of "Later."

Gundham can only watch as Kokichi leaves, wordless. The kitten slowly blinks in Kokichi's direction, paradoxically a sign of trust. Much to think about.

End description.]

[xoxoladyaz]

Anyone in the mood for a little wlw boarding school Steddie?

Part One / Part Two

She couldn’t believe it.

Tamara Thompson.

Stella huffed, kicking the trunk that sat innocently at the edge of her bed. “How – how dare she – ”

The door to her quarters squeaked quietly. 

Her roommate had returned.

“Stella - ”

“Don’t,” Stella spat, whirling around to glare at the newcomer. “What on earth were you thinking? Do you not care what would have happened had you been caught by Headmistress Click?”

“Nothing, because we have been careful,” her dark-haired roommate ground out, not shirking from Stella’s furious gaze. 

“Careful? You’ve been careful?!” She barely refrained from shrieking. “Just how long have you been – been - ”

“Go on, say it,” Edie Munson sneered, as if her daring her to speak it aloud.

Fine. “Kissing Tamara Thompson!” She hissed quietly, as though she was worried someone would overhear them, even in the privacy of their room.

“We’ve done more than kiss,” Edie replied coolly, stalking towards Stella. Stella, who stepped further back on impulse because she can’t, she couldn’t – 

“Does that horrify you, Miss Harrington? The thought of what improprieties your dear roommate has committed? A roommate who has seen you in your bed - ”

“How dare you,” Stella hissed. All of the blood in her body seemed to rush to her face. “How dare you say such things to me, and how dare you be so careless with your future!”

“What future? A future where my father marries me off to whatever man pays the most?” Edie spat back. “A future where I’m forced to bear his children, in which nothing that I have is my own?!”

“That is all of our futures, Edwina,” Stella spat back, ignoring the way that Edie’s eyebrow twitched at her given name, “and you would have thrown it all away for the likes of Tamara Thompson!”

“I - ” Edie’s sudden confusion matches Stella’s own mounting horror. “I – what of it? Are you so worried about me sullying her sterling reputation, is that it?”

“Of – of course not,” Stella said quickly. “I just don’t see how she could be possibly worth the risk, or what qualities she contains that make her so superior to - ”

Oh. 

“To?” Edie asked quietly, her eyes locked onto Stella.

“To someone else,” Stella finished weakly, glancing away from Edie.

“Is,” she heard Edie swallow, “is there a particular someone else you had in mind?”

“Of course not, why – how could there be,” Stella sniffed, finally turning her back to the other girl. 

“Right,” she heard Edie mutter behind her, defeat in her voice, and Stella should let things die. She should let those words in her throat remain unspoken. But her pride is stronger than her fear, how dare Edie Munson fight so vociferously for Tamara Thompson but apparently not do the same for – 

“Yes.”

The word is quiet, yet clear. Clear enough for her to feel the sharp intake of breath against her clothed back. “What did you say?”

“You know I don’t make a habit of repeating myself,” Stella said, her calm words undercut by the shake she was feeling in her hands, her neck, her very bones. 

“Stella.”

“I just find it rather insulting that you would dedicate such passion to someone who clearly has no intention of returning it,” she continued quickly, “and who could not possibly care about you as much as you care for her, especially when there are others, perhaps, who know you more intimately and hold you in higher esteem beyond which Miss Thompson couldn’t dare to dream, and - ”

A warm hand touched her arm, and at its touch the hand’s owner grew stronger, more confident, and suddenly Stella found herself turned back around and only a breath away from Edie Munson. Edie Munson who, for all the time Stella had spent cataloguing her expressions, was looking at her in a way that she’d never seen before. 

“Stella,” Edie spoke softly. Her tongue briefly wet her lips, and Stella was helpless to follow their motion. “You must know.”

“Really? What is it I must know?”

“Stella,” Edie admonished, and any bravado Stella conjured immediately fell to dust. “There is no one I hold higher in esteem than you.”

“Not – not even Tamara Thompson,” Stella asked, although she phrased it as more of a statement, as if daring Edie to contradict her.

“Not even Tamara Thompson,” Edie replied faintly, and the light in Edie’s eyes slowly started to flare back to life. “Stella - ”

What words that followed, Stella would never know, because at the sound of Edie speaking her name, at the growing hope in her expression, Stella could not help herself. She grabbed hold of Edie’s face, the way she’d seen Edie holding Tamara, and drew her in for a kiss that stole the very breath from both their lungs.

Edie was frozen against her, but only for a moment. “Stella,” she murmured into her lips, and suddenly Edie’s strong arms were wrapped around her waist and Edie was kissing her back, kissing her with a fervor that made Stella’s knees feel weak. “Stella,” she murmured again, and then their kisses grew frantic and Stella could barely breathe, could only whimper against Edie’s lips in the hopes that she understood just how much Stella was burning.

“Breathe, Stella,” Edie finally pulled away, breathless herself. “We have all the time in the world.”

Stella felt dizzy – from the passion of Edie’s kiss, from the warmth in Edie’s eyes, from the happiness she dare not name – and she reluctantly drew her arms away, attempting to straighten out her now askew dress. “I trust there will be no more of this Tamara Thompson nonsense,” Stella asked (declared) again, her eyes darting away from Edie just in case.

Edie cupped her hand under Stella’s chin, drawing her attention back to her. “Why would there be,” Edie chuckled in disbelief, “when there is you?”

Stella’s eyes watered as she desperately tried to regain her composure. “Us,” she corrected softly, assuredly.

“Us.” Edie murmured, her eyes dropping to Stella’s lips, and.

Well.

Well. 

Us.

[mothykins]

So you Saw that Computer Spec Post that's been floating around

And realized that the cheapest Laptop they recommend is still out of your price range but you need one for work or School.

I'm here to tell you that if you're on a serious budget, buy the older, Higher end computer. Go look for that 8th generation i7 laptop. Where I am (Canada) the models that they're suggesting as "Budget" (Current Generation i5 systems) Cost between $800-1200.

For a lot of people, they don't have $800 of budget, especially if they're a student. And If you need a computer now for work or school, and your budget is $400-ish, you have to buy what you can get

For new laptops in Canada, a New $400 laptop looks like this:

This is e-waste. This barely counts as a computer. This is so slow that your average phone has more power then it. It is so slow ten year old i5 computers will run laps around it. If you See Pentium or Celeron, the laptop is not worth your money. What you should do is go onto someplace fairly reputable, like BestBuys website, go to their laptop section, and click on the Refurbished option. Why not get something of FB marketplace? Because anything sold as Refurbished in a store has a 1 year warranty. When you're looking for older refurbished laptops, you want to buy something that's listed as an i7 with 16GB or ram and an SSD, which is similar to the other guide, but I'm here to tell you that anything that goes back even as far as the 8th generation (i7 8xxx) is going to do just fine. The other upside is that often the laptops that are in this range are of higher construction quality - better hinges, better keyboards, better screens - so you're getting a nicer laptop by purchasing something a bit older.

This Thinkpad is an absolutely stunning deal - and it's also only slightly slower then the $800 laptop that started this. If you're running excel, working with large PDFs or even running statistical models on this, you're not going to appreciably notice the loss in power over that $800 model. What you will notice though, is that it's more then twice as fast as the $400 Acer laptop above. And unlike the Acer listed earlier, you could actually play some games on this too! While not an absolute beast, it will play games like StarRail or Genshin, or even Fortnite well enough to give you some entertainment. Buy the old laptop if you need the laptop now.

TLDR

Buy the Best Quality at your Price Point, even if its older or used. A used, older i7 laptop is still an i7 laptop, and it will be better then any Celeron or Pentium laptop, even if the Pentium is brand new.

[pictureamoebae]

Hello I recently downloaded "Otis camera tools" for DAI and I was wondering if u could assist me with it, for some reason when I try to use the "IGCS CONNECTOR" dof doesn't activate properly, I click to render the picture but it shakes around on the screen and doesn't do anything ^^' I've never used mods like this so idk what I'm doing sorry if this isn't what u usually help with

Hi anon,

IGCSDOF doesn't work like a traditional DoF shader. It takes a little getting used to.

I'm guessing you've read the guide on Frans' website about IGCSDOF? So you should understand the basics from there. Make sure you have the companion IGCSDOF.fx shader activated in your load order. You want it to be at the bottom of your load order. The only thing below it should be film grain.

Basically what happens is:

choose whether you want fast or classic mode (if you're using TAA/DLAA/DLSS/FSR you'll want to use classic mode) and choose the number of frames to wait (for classic you'll probably want 4-5 to be safe, for fast you'll likely want 2 but you may need to experiment to see which produces the sharpest in-focus results)

decide what you want to be in focus, and turn on the magnifying box and position it over that part of the image

move the focus slider until the double images overlay each other perfectly and sharply in the area you want to be in focus

move the intensity slider (above the focus slider) until the part of the image you want to be blurred has its double images a distance away from each other - the further apart they are the more blurred it will be (this is the hardest part to get used to, but you'll quickly learn what you need to aim for)

readjust the focus slider if it became slightly misaligned when you adjusted the intensity

make any adjustments to quality and bokeh shapes (if you're making a test render to check the bokeh/blur intensity, set the quality to low at first so it renders quickly, and then change it to higher once you're happy)

start the rendering and wait for it to finish

take your shot

end the session

Depending on the mode (fast or classic) and quality you chose, the number of frames you wait, and the fps of your game, the rendering part can take anywhere from a few seconds to several long minutes. That's completely normal.

While it's rendering, it takes hundreds of separate temporary shots from different angles. This is why it looks like it's moving around on the screen. It then blends all those shots together into one final one, and that's when you take your picture.

It is complicated and confusing the first few times you do it, but once you've practiced a bit it'll become a quick and easy process. The hardest part is being patient while waiting for the render to complete. I've waited over 20 minutes before. It's totally worth it.

[metallic-scaled-scarf]

A commission for @lilarus ! This was an honor, and a blast all around— from color, to the overall theme.. I am very happy with this one. I also have a scanner now, so watch out! Hot, high quality art images in your area!

This one was a doozy, I wish it hadn't taken as long as it did, but the payoff was well worth, I'd say! Thank you again, buddy.

Click image for higher quality!

If you'd like to commission me, my sheet can be found here, or in the pinned post on my main blog @metallic-scaled-scarf . As of now, I have 2/3 slots open!

WIPs below.

Reblogs > Likes

[moonlitkilljoy]

finally finished working on this refsheet for my oswald design!! this took forever (largely because i spent forever undoing and redoing things) but i think it was worth it in the end :3

(click for higher quality ^w^b)

[cindylouwho-2]

Etsy Second Quarter 2024 Earnings Report: Sales Still Down, But Not As Much

Above: Slide 8 from Etsy's Q2 Financial Results Call, © Etsy.

The company is doubling down on gifts, AI, and "the quality, diversity, and differentiation of our sellers' most unique inventory"

While sales were still down in Etsy's second quarter, the trend is slowly changing, and the number of sellers is dropping as well, hinting that the site clean-up may be working a bit.

We also got some key information on recent Etsy search changes, more on specific ways engineers are using AI, and some interesting details on the new Etsy Insider program announced the same day. This is definitely a report you don't want to miss!

First, here are the official sources:

the press release

transcript of the conference call

slides from the conference call

video of the call (click on “Webcast”)

my summaries of the second quarter 2023, and the first quarter 2024 for comparison

And the key numbers (covering April to June 2024, compared to the same period in 2023):

Sales on Etsy were $2.5 billion, down 3.2% year over year

Total sales for all 3 marketplaces (Etsy, Reverb, and Depop) were $2.9 billion, down 2.1%. [Elo7 was officially sold in mid-August 2023, so its numbers were included in the comparison totals]

Etsy’s revenue (including all 3 sites) was $647.8 million, up 3.0%

Seller service revenue was up 0.9% , while marketplace revenue was up 3.8% across all 3 sites

Net income was $53.0 million, down 14.4% “reflecting a $7.2 million retroactive non-income tax expense” that Canada is to blame for [note that Canadian sellers will now be paying a ~10% increase in fees starting August 15, with a 1.15% regulatory operating fee almost certainly related to this tax change]

Active buyers on Etsy alone stand at 91.5 million, up 1%

Active sellers on Etsy alone are at 6.6 million, up 300,000 from the second quarter 2023 but down 400,000 from the first quarter 2024. [Note that “active” means one charge or transaction in the past 12 months; many “active” shops currently have nothing for sale]

Etsy sales where the buyer and/or the seller was not in the United States were 48%, although across all three sites that is only 45%

What Sellers Need To Know About Search

As you already know, from previous quarterly results calls and other presentations, Etsy is moving away from serving up the most relevant search results - which often might be very similar in nature - and is instead focussing on the quality of the listings now. CEO Josh Silverman now revealed that they are trying to reduce repetition of items and of individual shops in the search results, as a push to show the wide variety of products and styles available on the marketplace. This part regarding recent search tests is worth reading in full:

"In the past, our search algorithms ranked each listing individually based on likelihood to convert, which often resulted in buyers seeing far too many similar items rather than a more holistic set. Here's some powerful data. We roughly cut in half the percentage of searches where a high percentage of listings seen on page one are from a single seller. We reduced the percentage of searches that have two or more listings that may appear identical by over 70%. We're incredibly excited about what this might mean for future visitation, as buyers see a more diverse and higher quality set of listings each time they visit Etsy. In addition to helping buyers, these initiatives also support our sellers, given how important it is that we nurture the best of Etsy across our seller base. Our latest search experiments resulted in approximately 70% of shops having more visibility in search, with the share of search impressions from small and medium shops increasing by nearly 30%." [my emphasis]

That's right: almost out of nowhere, Etsy is suddenly worried about giving visibility to smaller-volume shops with (possibly) fewer items. They were not only cutting down the number of times a shop can appear on page 1, but are also reducing the number of listings that look very similar. If they adopt some version of these tests in the future, this has the potential to harm resellers, shops that only personalize common finished goods, and shops using print-on-demand (POD) services. I know some sellers are upset that POD shops can still use mock-ups - I wrote more about that here - but if looking the same as other merchants may be a huge drawback later this year, suddenly original photos sound like a great advantage.

They didn't mention when they tested this, but we should assume that search changes will keep coming in this area. Given that Silverman also repeated the promise to soon provide better information about how our listings are ranked in search, definitely expect more volatility in the near future. For bigger businesses with tons of listings, you may want to think about how to get your lines into a broader array of searches instead of depending on competing with yourself in a smaller number of large queries.

AI: It Knows Better

Silverman's ideal world is apparently one where the corporation ignores sellers' own descriptions of their wares and instead lets a machine figure it out for us.

His own words are perhaps the best description of what I mean:

"...to better curate merchandise to improve the buyer experience and drive GMS, we're making it easier for buyers to find quality listings for mid-price jewelry, known as demifine, by having human experts determine what jewelry attributes are most important to a buyer's search, think material, gold purity, or hot trends, then utilizing GenAI to infer those attributes to create new search discovery modules and pathways, and incorporate this into on-site experiences such as landing pages. While this search is very much in progress, these better on-site shopping experiences, combined with targeted marketing initiatives, such as tailored social media content, CRM efforts, and improved data feed curation for paid and organic search, contributed to a 9% year-over-year increase in GMS for demifine jewelry in the quarter." [my emphasis]

To summarize: human merchandising experts figure out what the average shopper wants in jewellery in the $100-$200 range, then AI looks at listings and figures out which have those elements. [Sadly, that means that shops making less trendy items could have even less visibility in generic searches, which kind of goes against the diversity thing he was pushing when discussing search earlier.]

Given that Etsy's AIs currently tell me that my pendants are a completely different size than the actual measurements I've already written into the listing, and still sometimes think that something turquoise-coloured is a turquoise gemstone, I'm not looking forward to more of this. [I am intrigued by the fact they are trying to push sales of jewellery in that price range, though, so that's something.]

The New Creativity Standards

No real news here. As promised in previous calls, the July 9th announcement was about ditching the broad concept of handmade - which both buyers and sellers could find confusing - for different levels of contribution by the shop owner. The accompanying ad campaigns are about changing the public perception of Etsy and focussing on the shop owners themselves. Silverman thinks that emphasizing that Etsy has artisan goods may lead to sellers feeling better able to raise their prices.

Etsy isn't expecting the new standards to increase conversion, but instead to bring people who already know Etsy back to shop more often. Silverman also linked this to the search testing discussed above; showing buyers more variety should also encourage more repeat visitors.

Being a Gift Hub Is Still A Big Goal

Some sellers seem to think Etsy is going to give up on being a gift destination any time now, but that seems really unlikely, given that the proportion of orders marked as gifts went up 4% in the quarter while overall marketplace sales were down 3.2%. Furthermore, "we're utilizing monthly US buyer surveys to gauge the impact of our gifting strategies, and this data shows a significant year-over-year increase in prompted consideration of Etsy for gifts." The press release even mentions selling Etsy gift cards through third parties, although that hasn't otherwise been announced or discussed just yet.

As the company keeps adding new gift features - such as video gift teasers and gift purchase reminders - it's clear this is a long-term plan. If you haven't already, look at how your shop can innovate for the gift buyers Etsy is going after, because the focus on gifting is not going away.

"Etsy Insider" Is A Test; It Might Disappear, Or Change

While some sellers are upset about the new Etsy Insider program that will be offered to US buyers via invite only in September, there are a few facts you need to know:

It's a test. It may not go beyond beta, although they are hopeful.

Silverman is really excited about seeing if offering free US shipping will bring people back in more shopping situations. [Since shipping costs have skyrocketed but Etsy hasn't raised the US free shipping minimum set before the pandemic, this point does not bode well for sellers.]

The target Insider members are not Etsy's best buyers, but "people who shop only occasionally on Etsy. Think people who shop three or four times a year...We're targeting more occasional shoppers and seeing if we can upgrade them."

Miscellaneous

Expect even more pressure to use the buyer app, as 42% of sales now come from it. They are even running paid ads for the app, because shoppers who download it come back more and spend more on Etsy in the long term.

Chief Financial Officer Rachel Glaser is retiring, but not until they find a replacement for her, and she will be staying on as a consultant into 2025.

Offsite Ads are up, in part because they are expanding where they are shown, with way more social media ads. Those tend to bring existing buyers back sooner rather than attracting new buyers as Google Shopping does.

While Offsite Ads spending was up, brand spending was down, because they spent so much on hyping Gift Mode in the first quarter.

98% of sales now go through Etsy Payments [while that led to more income this quarter, it also means there isn't much real growth to come, with only 2% of sales going to other payment processors today.]

The new shop fee is cutting down on fraud and also the number of new sellers. Fraud tends to go way up in the fourth quarter, and they feel they are much better prepared to prevent it this year.

Sales were up at Depop, and Reverb continues to do better than the average musical instrument business.

The economy is still volatile.

Finally, while all of Etsy's top 6 categories were down in the first quarter, 3 were down less in the second, paper and party supplies were about even, and toys and games actually increased.

My Thoughts

It would be easy to criticize Etsy for not managing to increase sales again this quarter, and for expecting to be slightly down in the third quarter as well, but the truth is lots of non-essential ecommerce is still down or struggling. Ecommerce stocks were down this week after several other companies such as Wayfair reported poor numbers. Amazon's online sales were only up 5% in the quarter, which is a bad result for them, especially given that they sell a lot of essentials and grocery items. Amazon revenue missed projections as well.

On the other hand, it would also be understandable if some people fell for the "increasing impressions for small shops/marketing true artisan goods/reducing scammy sellers" rhetoric. It sounds great, but to me it's all a bit too good to be true, especially given that the site just allowed AI art, and 100% commercial gift baskets and commercially-made holiday decor to be sold, competing with genuine handmade artisan creations. We'll have to see how much visibility wreath and pillow resellers get once they realize they are allowed now.

More importantly, Etsy might have tried pivoting a lot earlier instead of losing so much goodwill over the past several years with the increasing quality decline of the site's offerings. I guess someone at head office finally noticed all the articles and social media posts about how Etsy is just AliExpress-lite with a veneer of handmade now. The time to retain core buyers instead of disappointing them arrived well before 2024. What took them so long?

In other news, it's looking there will not just be new insights for Etsy search coming soon, but also actual new changes to search. Silverman discussed the search tests as if they were the plan going forward, while still calling them tests. The increased use of AI to identify attributes for listings is disturbing, given how horrid Etsy has been at this for years now, but no one should be surprised. Expect a lot more of this, and expect it to disrupt traffic for some.

Wanting more diverse search results is actually great if it works and shows people what they are searching for. That doesn't always happen right now, of course. Getting rid of some mock-ups is also a strong idea, as long as Etsy follows through and makes the correct creativity standards very evident to shoppers, thereby elevating items sellers truly made by hand over simple POD. Right now, though, the creativity standards are frequently applied incorrectly, and way too many handmade shops are having items removed when they have done nothing wrong. Without an effective way to appeal bad image bot decisions, many of the proposals might harm more legitimate shop owners than they help.

I wish I felt like Etsy could truly pull this out of the fire, but we should not be surprised if the final 5 months of this year give us buckets of chaos randomly tossed about various features on the site, and even more instability for many sellers. Plan for major disruptions while still hoping for improvements.

[sweetiesour45]

POV: It’s 1994. You were driving through the Arizona desert and decided to make a stop at Red Dusk Diner for some grub

The interior is kinda wack considering the dirty seats and flies swarming around in every direction.. but the food makes it all worth it!!

★ Click on image for higher quality!! ★

[atticusgameblog]

Guide for Beginners in Dungeon Hunter 6.

We have enlisted the expertise of our top guide to provide you with the best advice on gear in Dungeon Hunter 6. Our guide is passionate about creating exciting and authentic content and is eager to share their knowledge with you. If you're interested in playing Dungeon Hunter 6 on your PC or desktop computer, simply click on the affiliate link below in the writing box to download Sky Stacks. This game allows you to embark on thrilling adventures and test your skills. To enhance your gaming experience, we recommend reinforcing and reforging your gear. By focusing on increasing your attack and defense, you'll have a significant advantage in battles. Pay attention to the different parts of your gear, such as your head, shoulders, and rib cage, as they all contribute to your overall performance. To maximize your attack and defense, it's important to use the augmentation feature. Start by selecting the topmost slot and gradually work your way down. Each click brings you closer to achieving a perfect three slots, which will greatly enhance your abilities.

Remember, the key to success is perseverance. Keep improving your gear and aim for a high success rate. By doing so, you'll be rewarded with premium rewards and become a formidable force in Dungeon Hunter 6. There is no rhyme or reason to the haphazard skill of the guard, but consistently act as if you always notice that you hit reinforce. In return, you will receive a double gratuity, which comes with two types of bureaucracy. This is beneficial and opportune. Despite the commotion, simply use the enter place present and hold achievement. If you happen to abandon it, the game will notify you and it won't expose Titan as a plain easy task. Be wary of the different characteristics that contribute to your total augmentation and bonuses. We click this extent all period and proceed to reach a certain amount of idols in order to receive these extra bonuses. Before reaching 336 stars, I will reach my next level 7 effect bounty. This will increase all the opportunities you have as an individual of these advances and full rates. The game somewhat prioritizes you to do all these haphazard ones first, as it wants you to try and take your augmentation Mastery level up to the extreme. Now, let's review the reforge. When you prepare in advance gear or take a new gear drop, the reforge you're making use of will have substats on all of your gear immediately. The rarity and level may be similar, but there can be various drops on it. You can make use of gear reference stones, which are reasonably smooth ways to infiltrate the game. You'll see that I've saved up nearly 2,000 of them. I'll go through my list of gear and choose the individual with the shortest gear score. This is to say that I will somewhat roll as far as I receive a bigger gear score. I do this to try and balance it out because I don't want individuals with a legitimately reduced gear score, such as the ones at 25 and 26, to be left behind.

When performing additional acts, it is important to consider the modifiers that come after the keyword 'Prompt'. One such modifier is the concept of utilizing higher-level rarities. These rarities spontaneously provide better substats compared to lower-quality gear. It is crucial to visualize the abundance of valuable assets and be cautious of the Reds, which represent top-level mythic stats. To ensure the preservation of these Reds, it is recommended to lock them using the lock image. This way, when reforging, the Reds will not be rerolled, but the overall outcome will be different. The oranges, although suitable, can be improved upon through repetition and the use of stones. Continuously reforging and maintaining the Reds is essential. However, it is worth noting that as a free-to-play or financially cautious individual, the ability to lock more than two Reds may be limited unless the weekly pass is purchased. Utilizing the pass allows for more lockable introductions, enabling the locking of additional stats. It is also important to consider the use of healing crystals in conjunction with the locks. If a roll yields a lower-grade item with a desirable substat that was previously absent, it may still be worth considering. Hold on tight and lock that cardinal in place. Roll the dice and watch as a greater individual appears before you. Don't be discouraged by their distressing appearance at first, for they surely possess good substats - even two glowing ones. These individuals are worth keeping, so keep rolling and rolling until you find the perfect match. With 225 in hand, we were able to snag a few extra and even stumbled upon a pink individual. I must say, I was quite amused by its unique color - perhaps even better than the rose. Let's not forget to disassemble any easily distressing gear and focus on recovering our stats. It may take some time, but with patience and skill, we'll hit the mark and reap the rewards. And with the help of reference Stones, the process is made even smoother. So enter the place and break up plenty of gear - for this sky is the limit. The item you are currently utilizing possesses a certain level of significance. Some equipment may suggest the need for demolition, and prior to skilled individuals utilizing additional gear, it is crucial to identify those that truly possess the ability to voice a list of skilled individuals. These skilled individuals possess certain pieces of gear that can be listed on the stock exchange, and you will be able to visualize those top-tier gears that we are currently holding, which amount to nearly 800k Hunter medals. Your intelligence is commendable.

In order to list distant gear, you must acknowledge the possibility of certain risks. However, it is important to exercise caution when keeping track of your gear, particularly those of greater rarity, as there are restrictions in place. By attending to and listing this confirmation, you can proceed in an advanced manner and ensure that your preparations are made in advance. It is advisable to maintain those higher levels of gear, as they are essential for your current usage and necessary for your progression in the art of gear utilization.

The thought-out arrangement of your gear is of utmost importance, as it is crucial to examine and confirm that you are proceeding in a manner that adheres to the restrictions in place. Whether it is destroying, selling, or listing everything that you can use to proceed and improve your gear, it is vital to be cautious and considerate. Additionally, it is important to take into account the added item of set supplies and bonuses.

A perfect example of this can be observed in the piece of gear known as the Rush Quiver Archer support. You will notice that these are two older pieces, but they possess different bonuses that contribute to the finalization of the set. One of them belongs to the soldier set, while the other belongs to the bathing suit set. The soldier set increases my cursor rain ability, resulting in a 10% increase in damage and an additional dividend. On the other hand, the piece from the Swift set enhances my driving speed for a certain period of time, accompanied by a restraint of 20 seconds on each occasion. I utilize this ability to effectively act as a guard. Despite their similar appearance, it is important to note that these pieces of gear, even if they possess the same grade, can have different set bonuses. Therefore, it is my hope that you, gentlemen and ladies, have found this information enlightening. Stay satisfied, stay cautious, and I look forward to visualizing your presence in the future. Harmony.