#i need to buy supplies

[shkika]

i adopted some cacti that no one could take care of anymore. all good and cool.

but those morons had grown super fat at the top with tiny slutty little waists that are wilting up and dying. and i literally dont have anything??? for plants on me?? so i broke a piece of spaghetti in pieces and shoved it into the dirt as crutches.

spaghetti crutch cacti plz live girls

[nartothelar]

guys look what I made 💀

[estrangedandwayward]

Alicent and Helaena in the sept, moments before chaos

[angel-clouve]

The overworked moms ghouls trio, on their way to go bar-hopping and taste-testing new liquors outside Darkwick :)

(because the dads and the children have stressed them enough today that they decided to hold the drinking session in places faraway from home oops)

Putting the silliness aside... if we only consider the different backgrounds and personalities, these trio are actually quite an unusual housewife friend group 🤔

Not counting the fact they entered Darkwick on the same year and knew each other's name during The Weighing of Souls... when and where they first actually meet and get to know each other? I can only think of them getting assigned to a mission together and it ended with a success, thus a celebratory drink in a bar somewhere outside Darkwick? And maybe as they spent time sharing alcohol and chatting with each other, they eventually also bonded through their similar experiences as people who always end up dealing with troubles happening inside their dorms 💭

(Speaking of "people who always end up dealing with troubles happening inside their dorms", there are two certain vice-captains that also fit this criteria... makes me wonder if they also used to be part of this friend group before The Clash and the whole spy shenanigans fucked up relationships among some ghouls)

[saturnvs]

commissions open: pride flag horse icons! now closed

hello :D i mentioned a short while ago that i wanted to do pride flag icons/profile pictures as june is approaching and now i'm opening them!

my dear polaris is the model for the example drawing. it will be a simple headshot with some minor rendering + the background being the pride flag of your choosing! if several flags apply to you, i can provide the same drawing with different backgrounds without extra cost.

edit: if you would also like the drawing without a flag background that can be arranged as well!

the horse in question can be an oc, a horse from real life, a fictional horse from a show or a video game ... you name it! all the horses are welcome here :)

price: $15

paypal only. full payment upfront!

I may not be able to work very fast at the moment but I will do my absolute best considering the circumstances!^^

if you're interested, send me a message here on tumblr and i'll get back to you as soon as possible! alternatively, you can also email me at art.saturnvs@gmail.com

what i need from you:

clear reference images of the horse

for you to tell me which pride flag(s) i should add to the background

payment

that is all! i will then let you know when i've started and let you know when i estimate i'll be done.

if you are not interested in getting a commission but still want to help out, you can find my tip jar here: https://ko-fi.com/saturnvs

happy (almost) pride!

[flufflecat]

bill cipher deconstructed, a cosplay

[comfymoth]

hiii guys! :D i’m back with a temporary commission update! for the week of valentines day, i wanted to run a discount on additional characters, so from now until february 18th they’ll only be quarter price instead of half!

as per usual, backgrounds are priced on a sliding scale that caps at 20 USD max depending on color and complexity, so if you’re interested in adding one feel free to ask me for a quote!

you can contact me through tumblr, discord, or email (comfymoth@gmail.com) to reserve a slot, and payment is available through venmo, paypal, and ko-fi. thank you! :D

[rubenesque-as-fuck]

Finally got my phone battery replaced today, but they must have gotten adhesive or something on the inner camera cover because this is what the photo quality is like now 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

It's too late in the day to go back and ask them to fix it now (by the time I get over there the shop would be closed) so I'm going to have to go back again tomorrow to see if they can clean it or if I'm just screwed out of a camera function now.

[anipgarden]

Supporting Your Plants for Cheap

This is my fifth post in a series I'll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert--just an enthusiast--but I hope something you find here helps! 

Once you start gardening, you’ll find a lot of things go into it, and it can be a bit daunting to think about--especially if you’re trying to keep things low-cost. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be as hard--or as expensive--as it initially appears.

Composting

There’s several different ways to compost, any of which are helpful indirecting food waste and nutrients out of landfills and into your soil--which in and of itself can help increase biodiversity by making the space more livable for microorganisms and insects, which then cycles around to the rest of the habitat.

The classic one you see is hot composting. Most of the time, when I see hot composting set ups online, or hear people talking about them, it’s like listening to a wizard cast an intricate spell and prattle on about ratios and temperatures and special ingredients while standing over a detailed self-built setup made of the finest wood money can buy. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be complicated. First off, there’s lots of ways to make compost bins--some can be more expensive than others, but there’s definitely options asides from buying pre-made tumblers or getting an engineering degree. I’ve seen people use metal trash cans dug into the ground, make compost pile setups out of old pallets, or just pile stuff up and leave it. While using different ratios of certain items can help them decompose faster, it’s ultimately not something you need to worry about a lot. If it can break down, it’ll break down--it just might take awhile. Composting this way can also help provide habitat--some insects like bumblebees have been known to make nests in compost heaps. In addition, it provides a robust ecosystem for decomposers like worms and other organisms, and bats and birds will be attracted to open-top piles to eat flying bugs that live off the compost. Amphibians enjoy them for humidity, warmth, and feasting on insects. Do note that sometimes snakes may also rest in and lay eggs in compost heaps, so be careful when turning them.

Do note, though, that if your compost pile looks like that you're getting roaches and rats and raccoons out of your goddamn mind. Bury the food scraps.

Personally, when I compost, I use a worm bin--they’re a fantastic option for limited space and limiting smells. I keep mine outside in a big rubbermaid tote with holes drilled into the bottom, sides, and lid. I put a layer or two of weed block on the inside, so it’s still able to drain but keeps the worms from trying to escape during rainy days. There is an initial cost of buying the worms, getting enough bedding materials, and getting a new bin if you don’t have an old one suitable for use. But with occasional feeding, it should sustain itself and provide valuable worm castings that can be used in the garden. Please do note, however, that earthworms are considered invasive in some places.

Look at that worm bin-y goodness. This is a pic of my bin, from earlier this month!

Though I’ve never done it, I’ve heard of people having good results with bokashi composting--a method that’s done in a bucket, and is relatively easy to do indoors.

Once you start a composting system, keeping it stockpiled with organic material can become pretty easy for cheap. In general, if it comes from a plant, it’s safe to use. It’s also a good idea to avoid putting already-cooked things in a pile, as salts and sauces can kill beneficial bacteria in the compost while also attracting animals. Adding meat is also generally avoided to not attract animals. But below are some things that I’ve put in my worm bin quick, easy, and cheaply; or things I’ve seen friends put in their compost piles.

Cooking scraps/snack leftovers--things like cut up bell peppers, the ends of tomatoes, strawberry tops, apple cores, watermelon rinds, coffee grounds, and orange peels are amassed somewhat quickly in my house--my dad likes to cook. Around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas? Corn husks, potato peels, sweet potato fibers, leftover greens and other trimmings are a feast for compost piles and worm bins.

Vegetables and Stuff that went bad in the fridge/pantry--we’re constantly victims of the ‘forgot it was there’ conundrum. Fridge cleanouts are great times to decide what can be tossed to the compost--moldy bell peppers, spotty celery, questionable carrots, onion halves, old eggs, bagged salads, and stale/moldy bread have all been tossed into the pile before! 

Grass clippings--though my worms don’t like grass clippings, they’re still great material for a classic hot compost set-up!

Fallen leaves--another classic addition to a hot compost pile. Some friends keep them stocked up and stored for later use.

Plant trimmings--what is plant clean up if not compost material? I’ve put cleaned-out sunflower heads and stalks in my worm bin, and they decomposed after about two months. If you get  blossom end rot on your tomatoes or peppers, they’re still fair game for the bin as well!

Shredded mail--just make sure to not put in the thin plastic that covers the address section on some envelopes. Otherwise? As long as  the paper isn’t glossy, it should be great for a bin or pile! Shredded paper or cardboard also makes great bedding for worm bins. Put those Amazon boxes to good use!

Pumpkins! Snag your neighbor’s halloween pumpkins in November and toss them in my compost! Last year my dad went around the cul-de-sac and nabbed all of the post-halloween pumpkins, the worms loved it.

Christmas tree needles--can’t confirm I’ve tried this, but it seems like it would work.

Mulch

Mulch is an excellent way to keep your soil moist, while also beginning and continuing to improve soil conditions as it breaks down into organic matter. You’ll have to water less, and it’ll prevent/slow down the growth of unwanted weeds (which is always the final straw to gardening for me, I get so overwhelmed I just stop going outside). Win-win situation, right? Except stepping into a Home Depot and finding mulch being sold for five dollars per square foot and knowing you have to cover a whole garden with it all can add up… pretty quickly, to say the least.

Fortunately, there are a few solutions to this, and likely from your own backyard!

Grass clippings are the first that come to mind. If you’re mowing your lawn, or have neighbors who are, collecting the clippings and spreading them over your soil is a cheap and easy option for some quick mulch. It’ll be very nitrogen-heavy, so keep that in mind, but it’ll still prevent weeds, retain moisture, and break down into organic material over the course of a few months. Do try to not use grass clippings you know are treated with pesticides, since the aim is to use this mulch to help increase your biodiversity, and having insects around plays a big role in that.

Fallen leaves are the next that comes to mind. If you’ve got a tree in your yard, or in your neighborhood, then you or someone around you knows the neverending avalanche of leaves or pine needles that drop come fall. As mentioned before, they can be used to make brush piles for creatures, or added into compost, but they have a fantastic third use as mulch. Add them on top of your beds!

Want free wood mulch? A program called Chip Drop might be the best solution for you! They team up with arborists to find cheap drop sites for shredded wood, logs, etc. that are produced as they maintain trees! If any local arborists tied to the program are operating in your area, instead  of paying to dump the resulting mulch at a landfill or some other dumpside, they’ll simply dump it at your place! Now, you won’t be able to control when the mulch gets dropped--I’ve heard of people coming home from work one day to find a chip drop in their driveway. But… free mulch!

Want wood chips but not a whole truck load? If an arborist is working in your area, and you can muster the courage, its worth a shot to ask! One time someone in my neighborhood was getting a tree removed, so my Dad and I parked near their car with a tarp in the trunk, some shovels, and an old storage bin. We approached nicely and asked if we could have some chips, and they were totally cool with it! At that point, how much you get depends on how big your trunk space is, and how many times you’re willing to ferry mulch back and forth out of your car so you can go back for more. But it is an option! Alternatively, you can ask them to dump the whole load in front of  your house, but at least you’ll know when and where it’s happening!

Trellises

Many plants need, or will appreciate, some kind of climbing structure. But trellises aren’t often cheap to find. To that, I say--we’ll create our own!

One popular option is to grow taller plants, and then plant climbing species are few weeks/years later so they’ll climb the taller plants! I’ve planted passion vine near a tree in my garden for it to climb, and I’ve seen people do similar concepts with sunflowers, corn, and other such plants! Sunflower stalks can provide support even after they’ve been cut back.

A combination of wood, some stakes, some nails, and some string can create a great frame trellis that can be used for beans, tomatoes, vines, etc--so I’m sure if could be put to good use for native climbers, especially since my dad’s used this structure for passion vines before. You may have to replace the string every year, but most of the time, the string is compostable anyways!

This may take a bit more setup and have a more upfront cost, but creating a trellis out of cattle panels makes a durable structure that can support all kinds of vining plants! 

Of course, there’s always the easy alternative of simply letting plants climb along your fence! This is especially easy if you have a chain link fence, but wooden fences are plenty suitable for some species as well! I’ve seen passion vines do great growing along chain link fences as supports, and one of my favorite sights as a kid was always seeing bushels of trumpet vines growing up and over fences on the drive home.

Why are we worrying about trellises? Creatures are attracted  to diverse landscapes with a variety of plants within them, so having a few climbers can be a great way to attract more wildlife! I know some plants in my area that pollinators are attracted to, or even rely on as host plants, are climbers that can get upwards of 15 feet tall, and will climb any surface you give them. A trellis provides you a great place to put extremely beneficial plants.

That's the end of this post! My next post is gonna be about how different 'kinds' of plants can all be beneficial in a biodiversity standpoint. Until then, I hope this advice was helpful! Feel free to reply with any questions, your success stories, or anything you think I may have forgotten to add in!

[tj-crochets]

I have sewed a few more blocks from the beach quilt, and I repaired a stuffed animal for a neighbor (no pictures because it's not my stuffed animal), but crafting updates might be a little sparse for the next week or so? I have a short week at work this week, a lot of work to get done, and I am getting my covid booster this week (we'll see how that goes lol)

[icedbatik]

Dear popular mail-order pet supply business, I love your products and your nice, sturdy boxes, which is why I was a regular customer for a few years there.

But I wish you would have taken the hint when I requested removal from your email mailing list after you sent that one featuring the graphic with the adorable cat and the "We miss you."

The actual snail-mail mailer with the even more adorable kitten and the "Long time no treat" to start the new year was no more popular in my house. We still miss him. But I don't think buying him more treats is going to bring him back.

Sincerely,

[antivancorvo]

FIRST OF ALL HOW DARE YOU

[dimsilver]

☀️

[morecrearty]

figure drawings i’ve painted during the spring using ecoline liquid watercolors 🌈

each figure was 5-10 minutes, with flowers/sparkles added later 🌿 i really want to paint more of these~

[the-elder-polls]

totally sorry if this isn’t the right place to send this but I was wondering how you’ve been recovering from all the damage the hurricane caused?

tis fine to send it here!

there's still two houses in my neighborhood that are uninhabited due to being collapsed/destroyed by the storm (walls and roof were torn off and caved in on both) and the gas station nearest to me only recently (within the past month) managed to get its electricity fully repaired.

there are still a ton of downed trees that we kinda just shoved off to the sides of roads. you can still see evidence of the destruction everywhere (like the destroyed houses) but y'know.

overall we've recovered well. i've noticed we get much antsier about storms and the power now, because being without it for days was nightmarish, especially when it meant watching our phone batteries slowly die while we tried to get updates on the power situation. (we never got any updates btw. amazing communication skills from the power companies.)

i also have a newfound fear of buying much refrigerated food since i went grocery shopping days before the hurricane struck and then had to throw away hundreds of dollars worth of food. thankfully y'all were kind and donated and it meant i was able to buy food again when the stores were safe to get to.

[karda]

fr though the only thign i will be buying the next 2 months is food and my brothers birthday presents lol. I Am saving money. no more online shopping. i cannot even LOOK at ebay. i cant. i wont