#it dried so quick and makes it difficult to get a nice smooth wash

[babysitterpng]

stevetober day 4: familiar

i just wanted to draw him in an oversized floppy hat, so thats what i did (yes thats eddie and billy as cat familiars 😊)

[princesscandijane]

Males Reasons to Shave with some tips

A quick guide for those wanting to shave, but cannot seem to find the reasons to.  As well as some tips on how to shave.

Groin

As a favor for someone going down on you. Think about how much you enjoy pulling pubes out of your teeth. I shave my groin every morning, as part of my morning routine. Takes me no less time to shave my face if you do it daily, and I could probably go every other day without notice.

Shaving Groin

From various blogs and articles

Trim—Bust out your trimmer and prep the area by trimming off a good chunk of the bush before you dive in with a razor. This helps ensure that you have total visibility and don’t miss any important areas. Take your time, trimming in small sections starting at the bottom and working your way up to the stomach.

Shave—Generously apply shave cream that you can see through, creating a layer of cream about a millimeter thick on top of the areas where you want to shave. Holding the skin taut with one hand and taking it extra-slow with the other, lightly shave IN THE DIRECTION that the hair grows. Avoid using too much pressure. Rinse the razor with every pass and, when completely done shaving, rinse the body with warm water.

Use a new/sharp razor– DON’T use a dull blade or disposable razor.

Shave Your Balls—The golden rule of ball-shaving is to always hold the skin taut so there are no wrinkles or curves that could catch skin or cause cuts. 

Rinse with Cool Water—Make sure you give your junk a good rinse in cool water after you’re done shaving to soothe the skin and close the pores. This will also help prevent any ingrown hairs or irritation.

Asshole

Dingleberries. If you have ever had to wipe away a dingleberry, that should inspire you to at least trim around the asshole. Full shave can be difficult, but again, how attractive do you find a hairy ass? So consider trimming. I don’t shave completely because I’m worried about nicking something, so I wear a butt plug and shave around it.

Guide to Asshole shaving

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/27dh1x/how_do_i_shave_my_asshole/

Use a moustache/nose hair trimmer to trim off all the excess hair until it's short enough to feel like 2 day old stubble, and then apply good hair conditioner or shaving gel and exfoliate using a loofah or washcloth. The idea is to get all the hair up and on end and stimulate the skin while opening the pores; this avoids ingrown hair and razor burn, which you do not want on your butthole.

Now wash your butthole. Intensely. You do not want to leave any stone unturned, so to speak. Shove your soapy finger up there and really get your sphincters squeaky clean. Don't hurt yourself, just make sure you don't have any icky fecal matter or tiny sharp hair nuggets trapped in the mysterious crevices of your anal caverns.

Use a BRAND NEW 4-blade disposable razor/razor blade cartridge. Don't use a dull blade or you will regret it. Shave with the grain, first, not against it. Rinse after each and every stroke of the blade against your skin. Re-apply conditioner/gel and shave again, this time against the grain and again be sure to rinse after every stroke. Rinse completely and then give it a quick wash with some plain antibacterial soap (kills bacteria on the open skin so should avoid irritation from fecal matter etc that you may have missed during your butthole cleansing).

Now comes the rough part - preventative care. Grab a bottle of witch hazel and spritz it on a washcloth, and pat the fuck out of your butthole with that shit. IT WILL BURN LIKE HELL FOR A SECOND IF YOU DO IT RIGHT. It is not the end of the world. Your butthole is not on fire and you will live to poo another day. After witch hazel-ing the hell out of your ass, lay tummy-down on your bed or on a towel on the floor and either:

When your butthole has been sufficiently aired out and dried, apply non-scented women's roll-on deodorant. This sounds stupid and weird but trust me, it helps. Dove no-scent is the best I've found. This will avoid chafing while walking, irritation as the hair grows back, general stink, and will provide you with some cushioning.

Chest, Back, Arms, Armpits

Do you think any of them are naturally smooth? Once a week I take a nice hot bath, relax with a bowl and shave everything below my neck. Takes me an hour at most.

I think we can acknowledge that a smooth body is sexy regardless of gender.  How weird would it be for there to be hair

Vs. how is this for hair?

Once a week shaving. The more often you keep up with it the easier it is and the less time it takes.

Shaving Chest Tips

various blogs

Before beginning to shave, be sure to trim any long chest hairs to make the process easier.

Apply plenty of shaving gel over your chest and any other areas that you intend to shave.

Begin shaving, using short, gentle, and slow strokes for a clean shave without any nicks or cuts.

After each stroke, rinse the blade to avoid getting it clogged and causing a messy shave.

Once you’ve completed shaving and removed all unwanted hair, rinse your chest thoroughly and apply an aftershave product, such as the one that you use for your face.

Remember to also exfoliate the area twice a week with a quality body scrub to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs.

As the nipple is really sensitive and may not want to risk a nik, I recommend using a tweezer. Before you tweeze, take a hot shower—the heat will open up hair follicles, so it’s easier to grab the root—and pat the skin around your nipples dry. Pull each strand quickly and firmly in the direction your hair grows.

Shaving Armpit

from Men’s Health

Trim Your Armpit Hair First

If you’ve never shaved your underarms before, chances are you’ll need to trim those patches down for the easiest and most comfortable shave . It’ll make less of a mess in the shower as well (because nothing is worse than a clogged drain full of man-hair).

Exfoliate Your Under Arms Before Shaving

Sure, you don’t have to exfoliate, but you should to avoid pesky, painful ingrown hairs. A loofah or exfoliating body scrub will do the trick to remove dead skin cells and bacteria (along with any deodorant gunk) to help you achieve the smoothest shave without razor burn.

Shave Your Armpits Wet in the Shower

You can cut it dry, but Whitely recommends to do it in the shower. Hot water softens the hair and reduces the risk of pulled hair or nicks, he says. Shave towards the end of your time in the shower and use shaving gel for added moisture to prevent irritation.

Shave Slow and With a Good Razor

It's not a race, folks. To avoid razor burn and skin irritation, take it slow with your razor blade to make sure you get the closest shave. Unlike the hair on your face, underarm hair grows in all different directions, so make sure to shave sideways, as well top-to-bottom. Toss your old dull razor, and opt for one with a sharp blade and a pivoting head to move with the curves of your armpits for a more effective, easier shave.

Legs 

First shaved legs feel amazing.  Everyone deserves to know the feeling of freshly shaved legs. Second how are hairy legs, feet, and toes sexy?

Quick guide to shaving legs

Taken from Glamor and Cosmopolitan 

1. Trim

If it's the first time you're removing your leg hair, you might want to carefully trim the area with an electric razor. This will stop your razor clogging up, causing you to miss patches of hair.

2. Soak your skin before shaving

“Hydrating the hairs makes them up to 60 per cent easier to cut”, says Dr Anita Sturnham, Venus Ambassador. “Soak your skin for two to three minutes before shaving.”

Use warm water when you're bent over the bathtub in the middle of winter with goose bumps on your legs, it's tempting to have the shower on boiling hot. But hot water is not your friend when it comes to shaving because it closes your pores. Warm water opens your pores, allowing your hairs to soften (making the whole shaving process a lot smoother).

3. Do not lather your legs with shampoo

Dr Sturnham says using shampoo or body wash as shave prep can, “increase your risk of redness and irritation, and blunt your razor blades.”

4. Don't go ham on the shaving cream

You really only need a thin layer of shaving cream to do the job. Too much will clog up your blades, slowing down your shaving time and making it impossible to see where you already shaved. Of course you don't really need to buy shaving cream in the first place, hair conditioner works just as well (if not better).

5. Always shave against the direction hair growth

To get your closest shave possible, shave against the direction of your hair growth. For the legs, start at the ankle and work your way up towards the knee.If you’re using a good blade, this won’t cause any irritation and will cut the hair right at the root for a longer-lasting shave.

6. Don't apply too much pressure to your razor

Your razor shouldn’t make a dent in your skin in order to work.“ The razor should glide across the skin, not drag”, says Adam Boulding, Venus Scientific Communications. “Remember to use a light touch, exerting as little pressure as possible.”If you need to press your razor firmly to work, it can be a sign your blades need changing.

7. Short strokes

If you're shaving from your ankle to your knee in one long stroke, you are guaranteed to have missed hairs. It's just impossible for your razor to keep contact with every single hair for that long. That's why you need to shave with short strokes. Short strokes = less missed hairs.

8. Change your razor blades regularly

A blunt blade not only increases friction against the skin, but also the likelihood of missed hairs. There are many factors that can impact blade life, including your hair type, how much of your body you’re shaving and how you store your razor.  Roughly every ten shaves. If you shave daily then about every 1-2 weeks, if you shave 2-3 times a day then every 3-4 weeks. You should also change your blades whenever you start to feel tugging or pulling during your shave.

9. Don't use razors with less than four blades

The number of blades you use is actually super important. The less blades you have, the higher the chance of cuts and nicks.

“A razor with more blades means that the pressure is distributed across more evenly”, says Boulding. “Therefore less pressure is applied to any one spot of skin during the shave, reducing the probability of cuts.”

10. Use a manoeuvrable razor head

The second thing to look for in terms of razor quality is the manoeuvrability of the razor head. When it comes to the backs of knees and areas like ankles, where the bone is close to the skin surface, you need a razor that moves with the curves of your skin to glide over trickier areas. A stagnant blade will only increase the chance of missed hairs or cuts.

11. Always bend a knee

Knees are notoriously the most tricky spot to shave. The solution? Sarah says to slightly bend the knee.

“This will pull the skin tight before shaving, as folded skin is difficult to shave.”

Try propping your leg up on the side of the bath.

12. Don't forget your aftercare

If you suffer from red bumps after shaving, rinsing properly is a must post-shave. If you can bare cold water, this is even better to ensure the pores are closed.

Sarah also recommends leaving the skin to rest for at least 30 minutes before applying lotions or moisturisers, to avoid inflammation.

“If you must moisturise immediately following shaving, select a cream formula rather than a lotion, and avoid exfoliating moisturisers that may contain alpha hydroxy acids,” she adds. If not, it will sting!

[lethesomething]

The ghost and the witch

I am still dealing with the emotional gut punch that is the ending of Ghost of Tsushima, so have a very indulgent… fluff piece? My proofreaders have told me I can’t call it a comfort fic, so let’s go with ‘soft fic with canon levels of angst’ instead.

Tags: Jin Sakai x Reader, fluff, soft, comfort (?), angst, ridiculously poetic descriptions of nature, ludicrous levels of symbolism, so much pining

You scoop the dry green dust into the pouch, carefully checking the weight on a tiny brass scale. With a small wooden spoon, you stir the dust into the clay powder and dried grass already present, checking the contents of the pouch one final time before closing it up and using a few quick stitches to secure it. 

"There." You add the pouch to the pile and hold out the order. "One bag of stomach salts for the Fushikawa boy, and five wound ointments. That should keep you going for a while longer."

The Ghost, sitting in seiza on the opposite side of the table, bows his head as he takes them.

"Thank you."

He looks tired, sweat and mud mixing with caked blood on his brow. You're fairly sure it's not his, but that knowledge does not soothe you as much as you'd like. There are hard lines in that face, drawn by sacrifice and pain, etched in stubbornness and unwavering, never-ending pursuit.

"It would be better if you rested, lord Sakai."

He looks up. His eyes are clear and focused, crisp as the winds blowing up the northern cliffs of the island.

"Please, call me Jin."

"My apologies," you say, "force of habit."

"I don't recall you ever calling me 'lord' when we were young," he grumbles.

"That's because you wanted it too much back then," you grin. "But either way. Jin. Please take a rest. Your body cannot keep this up, no matter how tight your resolve is. You need actual sleep. You can stay the night if you want. You'll be safe here."

His gaze drops down and his brow knots, as if he's thinking over a new concept, something so foreign to him that it leads to confusion. Then he gets up. "The boy."

You're not about to argue. He's the most stubborn man you've ever met. With a sigh you follow him to the door of your house. "Then come back."

His retreating form stops briefly. The wind twirls leaves around his silhouette, outlined against the moss-covered trees. It's late in the afternoon, and light comes down the canopy like droplets, skittering from branch to branch until it falls to the ground in ever smaller pools. Shadows rule here, hiding his face, obscuring even the horse trotting to his hand. "I'll see what I can do," he says, and then he's off.

 ----

 Rain beats like hooves on the roof, mercifully muffled by the thick layers of thatch and greenery that shield your abode from prying eyes. Still, for a short moment your heart stops when you hear the screen door softly slide open, and just as quickly, slide shut. He stands there, slick with rain and glowing faintly orange in the light coming from the fire. "Excuse my interruption," he says.

You shake your head. "Welcome back." Embers fall off a log in the fire, popping and crackling. The rain drums above you. "Have you eaten?"

"A little," he mumbles, too stubborn to admit to hunger, but not composed enough to keep his eyes from wandering over the shelves for supplies you may have.

Movement comes to you in a sudden rush. "Sit down, I have some millet porridge leftover."

"You don't have to-"

You wave away his concern. "And I have water in the hearth, I'll draw you a bath."

"That's really not necessary," he starts saying, but he stops when you turn and raise an eyebrow at him.

"Yes it is."

For a long moment he halts, as if to take stock of the dirt, the sweat, the blood, the horse hair dampened by the rain but not washed away fully. He watches the fire, breathes in the smell of herbs that fills the very air inside this house and looks towards you, bustling over a pot of warm food. He nods. "Alright," he concedes, and gets comfortable on the floor. "Thank you."

 ---

 Steam rises, curling and dancing in intricate patterns toward the rafters. Jin rests his back against bamboo planks and rolls his neck. The tub is just big enough to submerge his lower half in warm, fragrant water. Whatever it is you’ve put in there smells nice. Calming. He takes a cloth and rinses it, before he wipes it on his face and shoulders, rubbing away what feels like years of grime and fatigue.

You’re tending to the fire, your form similar, but somehow more graceful than what it was. Your hair is longer, the skin on your hands rougher, but the years have not taken much else from you. Certainly the bright flame behind those eyes is still present, unrelenting and unyielding in the face of everything. 

You look up. “Did you want me to do your back?”

He blinks. “Uhhh.”

And then you smile, and that hasn’t changed either. Your lips curl up in a way that could be read as polite or mischievous, depending on the outlook. He’s always been fond of it. 

“Please,” he says. 

-- -

You sit on a stool by the bath and knead the heated skin on his shoulders between your fingers, the pads of your thumbs running small circles on his neck. His back is a patchwork of colours, from dark purple bruises to blues and reds and yellows.

You try to avoid the more painful looking blotches while you make your way down, but he does not protest at your touch. He’s silent, save for an occasional sigh and a roll of the neck. 

He’s grown, you notice. There is a dignity and a will to him that he lacked when he was younger. You’re well aware of what he’s doing, the lives he chooses to take, and those he chooses to save. You know of the enemies he’s made. Part of you is very proud of him. Another fears for his wellbeing at every turn. The path he’s chosen is not an easy one to walk. 

“How long has it been since you last washed your hair,” you ask into the silence that sits on top of the rumbles of fire and the splash of water. 

“I’m not letting you do that,” he says lowly. 

“Can I at least pick out the leaves?”

He chuckles. “If that’s what you want.” He leans back against the side of the tub and lets his head fall towards your knees. “Next you’ll ask me if you can shave me as well.”

“Would you let me,” you say, tugging at the cord that holds his bun together. 

He grins. “I just might.”

He closes his eyes and a curtain of black falls across your lap. You take a silver comb, one of your few treasures, and start gently tugging at the knots, unraveling the work of the sea and the wind. 

--- 

Jin leans back and closes his eyes. Your comb runs across his scalp in languid, repeating motions, like waves lapping at a beach. He times his breathing to their rhythm and sits there, relishing in the soft intimacy of your hands. 

There is comfort in the motions of your fingers running across his head. The smell of camellia’s is faint but nostalgic as you comb out the strands and oil them. It’s been a long time since he felt this warm, this content.

“Can I ask you something,” he says. 

“Go ahead.”

“Why did you leave?”

Your hands pause for a  second, but do not falter. Your fingers continue their gentle motion,  starting at the scalp and gliding down to part the hair, followed by the comb. 

“I suppose they never told you.” He feels a weight to those words, but can’t quite make it out. 

“I have always wondered,” he says. “I didn’t really understand what happened. One day you were just gone.”

“Jin.”

The weight shifts. There is a pause, a silence in which your fingers keep moving and steam fills the void between the two of you. The rain outside has stopped, he notices, and then you take a breath. 

“We were close,” you say. “Close enough for people to notice.” Your voice gains a raspy edge, as if it is difficult to speak. “I was not good enough. Not for you.”

“That’s-”

But you continue before he can form the sentence. “It was decided that it would be best that I move north, so as not to needlessly distract you from your studies.”

He swallows. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t know.”

“That was, perhaps, for the best,” you say softly, and your fingers start gathering his hair. “You were not in a position to do anything about it.” You collect the strands in the palm of one hand, smoothing up any stragglers with the other. 

“The last I heard was that you were to marry one of clan Terushima’s retainers, but you didn’t.”

“I did not,” you hum behind him, as you coil his hair and tie it with a thin piece of string. “I’m sure he was nice enough, but I was never going to be some random man’s wife. I decided on a different path.”

You tap his shoulder and Jin sits up, takes in the herbs drying from the ceiling, the shelves of jars and powders. The pebbles, the statues, the trinkets. “You did,” he says, and he watches as you wipe down the comb and carefully fold it in embroidered silk, a piece of an old kimono he vaguely remembers, and store it in a box on the shelves. 

“Do you regret it?” he asks. 

You shake your head and carefully put away the oil. You rinse your hands in a bowl of water and dry them thoroughly. You set your shoulders before turning to him. “No path is easy to walk, Jin. Especially if you follow what you feel is right,” you say, finally. “Some roads are smoother than others, but we all crash into the walls and thorns confining us eventually. Whether you pull back from the edge or push through is up to you. We all do what we must.”

“We do,” Jin says quietly. His eyes feel heavy now. The fragrant water hanging thick in the air seems to call out, beckoning his senses deeper into the mist. When he looks up again, you are standing by his side, a towel in your hands. 

“And you must really rest, so get out of there while I pick up some more firewood in the shed.”

--- 

The birdsong of early morning filters through the blankets of vegetation that swaddle your house. The light will take a little longer to get here, traveling all the way from the top of the forest canopy like honey oozing off a spoon. 

You get up from a nest of fabric and straighten your clothes, combing your hair with a wooden pick before tying it back.

The Ghost lies on a mat in the corner, chest slowly rising and falling.

You poke the dying embers in the fire, sparking them back to life. There are many things to do: clothes to darn, balms to brew, but for now you are content to sit here and listen to soft breaths as you watch the sparks rekindle, adding branches to a fire that is sure to burn you if you continue to let it grow.

---

Jin Sakai adjusts the strap of his glove, tightening it. There is a dull ache in his chest that he didn’t notice before today. It has come to the foreground now that many of his other stings and pains have found relief. 

His breath is deeper, his head is clear. The deep, gnawing exhaustion that turned his every movement into a deliberate act, a decision to go on despite the waves crashing down, is shallow now. It tugs at his feet like mud, enough to annoy, but not to trip him, certainly not enough to stop him.  

You’re leaning against the door style, arms folded. Your lips are curled, smiling, but your eyes are not. 

He sighs. The sun dapples you with blossoms of light, crowns you in golden glory. Slowly, his hand reaches up, fingers tracing the line of your jaw. 

You blink rapidly up at him. “Jin?”

A sudden gust of wind whirls around you, tugging pieces of thatch off the roof and blowing strands of hair into your face, obscuring your vision.

He leans in and softly, briefly, places his lips on your forehead. “Thank you,” he whispers. “For everything.”

[soundwavereporting]

An Interim Between Here and There (1/?)

characters: Mothra, Battra, Orga

summary: a prequel/parallel to the Mothra/Biollante fics, in which Battra discovers he’s still alive, Mothra discovers Battra is alive, and Battra meets his alien roommate.

Battra had asked Mothra not to bring him back. He knew she could—he had been born knowing Mothra’s abilities, as he had been born knowing his own. He had asked her when he knew he was about to die, as they hovered over the spot that had once been his grave, to not be brought back.

And though he had sensed her hesitation, she had agreed.

Yet here he was.

This was most likely Mothra’s island—reaching out a leg to prod at a rock, Battra could practically smell her—it was comforting, in a strange way, to know that he wasn’t alone.

That she, at least, was alive.

He had washed up on the shore hours ago, yet had remained still, taking the time to conserve what little of his energy remained.

The island’s plants shifted in the wind, long stalks swaying in the breeze. He could hear animals, among the plants. Beyond that, he heard the deep, familiar hum of the earth and the galaxy, though it was notably…discordant. Not yet angry; nothing that would have warranted his revival. More than anything else, it felt confused.

And there was something else, Battra realized as he continued to poke at the rock—something strange. An unfamiliar scent, lingering on the stone like a bad afterthought.

Battra didn’t recognize it.

It was not even a new smell, one of the billions that had been created during his hibernation. Those were familiar-yet-new; mixtures and variations of the same scents that had been a part of the planet when he was first created.  

This was totally foreign.

Alien entered his mind just as something lunged at him from beyond the treeline.

He was tackled effortlessly, rolling partway into the water as this new creature mouthed his wings and head. Battra hissed, struggling to fight back—he was still weak and sore. Vulnerable. He felt sharp teeth examining the wounds in his neck and yelped, managing to shoot out a weak blast of energy as the alien bit down.

Green blood trickled from his neck. His roar was ineffectual and weak—the alien didn’t seem to notice the threat, continuing to bite at him as snarled and protested.

There was little new pain, Battra realized belatedly, as he managed another weak burst. Again, the alien paid no mind to him.

Battra couldn’t even see its eyes: there were only massive claws the size of his head, and an equally enormous mouth, lined with small, sharp teeth.  

At once, it stopped, pulling away from him like it had been burned. Battra struggled to orient himself; he had been thrown back, partway into the ocean, burning the cuts in his throat and wings.

Battra blinked, and saw Mothra.

Relief flooded through him as Mothra approached. He could feel the shock at the forefront of her mind—why was he here? how? And there was irritation at the alien—she knew the alien?

She moved forward, bumping her head against his. Save for the things he knew innately, Mothra was one of the few familiar constants in his life, and for the first time, her presence did not make his scales itch.

“How?”

“I don’t know,” Battra said. He submitted to her examination of his body as she poked and prodded at his own scales. “You did not do it.”

“No.” Mothra hesitated over the gash in his throat. It dripped blood still, but when Battra hissed and moved back, she relented and let it go. “But someone else has.”

Battra relaxed, body sagging against hers as he felt the warmth of Mothra’s presence. He wanted to give in and sink back into the sand. To sleep.

“Who is that?” Battra asked, instead, inclining his head towards the alien.

“I don’t know,” Mothra admitted. “I don’t think he knows.”

Battra glared at the alien, who stared blankly.

“But he’s harmless,” Mothra was quick to add. “He’s…hungry.”

Battra crept forward. The alien stared at him, remaining still as Battra got within biting range and prodded at him with a leg. Still, he could not pick up any familiar scent. There was the scent of electricity, but even that tasted strange.

“The humans on his planet named him Orga.”

It huffed once, bending to sniff at Battra, who fought his instinctive urge to snap—at the very least, to hiss again. But Mothra seemed at ease with this alien, and he…trusted her.

Probably. As far as he knew, she had never lied; to him or to anyone else.

“His planet?”

“From what he has been able to explain, he is an alien from another dimension.” Mothra said. “But we have not understood why. Or how.”

Battra let the alien sniff at him.

He was not like Mothra—he could not speak into minds as easily as she did, but what little he was able to sense from the alien was very nearly overwhelming. There was curiosity at the forefront of his thoughts, overshadowed only by an uncomfortable hunger, as though it had been eons since the creature had last ate.

“What does he eat?”

Mothra hesitated, speaking only when Battra turned to look at her.

“He last tried to eat his planet’s Godzilla. To become…” Mothra blinked, studying the alien. Was it speaking to her? “Him. And he nearly succeeded.”

Now that he was looking for it, he saw Godzilla in the creature’s eyes. They were so unlike his and Mothra’s, beady and dark, rather than large and bright.

“Why?”

“He said it was to…complete him.” Gently, Mothra pushed past Battra and bumped her head against the alien’s. “To conquer.”

Battra snarled, and for the first time, the alien reacted with a whimpering bellow as it stumbled back. Its roar made his the wounds in his throat sting.

“He’s assured me he has no intention of following through,” Mothra said. “He will not do as he was programmed.”

“Programmed?”

“Can I show you?”

Battra nodded, and Mothra moved from the alien—Orga, he supposed—to stand beside him. He gave Orga one final warning hiss before touching his head to Mothra’s.

He watched patiently as images floated in his mind, feeling the familiar sensation of crushing water and aching loneliness, of being abruptly awakened—created—to something he barely understood.

Except…Orga was not someone, Battra realized. He had begun his life as many someones. And now he was someone, created for a purpose he had not understood.

Battra understood. Sullenly, he withdrew, unwilling to inflict his own discomfort on Mothra.

“I will not attack him,” Battra said, and Mothra seemed relieved.

“Unless he attacks me first.”

“He won’t,” Mothra said, and that seemed to be the end of that. “Now, come with me. You must be tired.”

Battra followed Mothra deeper into the island, fully aware that the alien was following them. He did not dare take flight, not trusting his wings to keep him aloft.

Battra had no desire to fall flat on his face in front of Mothra—or in front of the alien.

He noticed the fairies watching him. Before, they had always been little more than targets he knew he needed to kill. Now, they stood proud for such little creatures, staring as he limped towards wherever Mothra was taking him.

“Here.”

Here was the other edge of the island, but while the shore he had woken on was sandy, this was covered in smooth rocks. Orga seemed to recognize this place, trilling happily as he trudged to the cliff edge and flopped over onto his stomach, seeming to settle in and be content to do nothing more than allow the sun to shine on his skin.

Mothra’s chosen spot was well-worn, smoother even than the other rocks. Battra settled beside her—privately, he was relieved, certain he would not have made it much further.

This was…nice, perhaps. Certainly more pleasant than the uncomfortable half-wakeness of his hibernation under the sea, though this definitely felt uncomfortably impermanent. He could feel Mothra’s emotions churning as she thought beside him.

Something had happened. Something serious enough to have her worried.

“Did you stop it?” Battra asked. Mothra nodded.

“Thank you.” Though he had lived, Battra doubted he would be strong enough to travel to space by the time the asteroid would appear—as he reached out, searching for the low hum he knew to be the asteroid, he heard nothing but silence.

That would take some getting used to.

“May I?”

Battra nodded, unsure what Mothra was asking. He had to fight the urge to pull away as she began grooming him, licking away the dried blood that was encrusted on his scales.

Mothra pushed him away when he tried to reciprocate. He relented, submitting to the mortifying ordeal of being groomed.

This was what her kind did, Battra knew. He had seen them cleaning each other, using that time to commiserate and socialize. He owed it to her, Battra thought, to try.

“You seem worried,” Battra said, to begin. Mothra paused briefly, leg frozen midair before bringing it gently down to scrape at a patch of dirt at the base of his horn.

“Your hearing is getting better,” Mothra said. “I’m impressed.”

Battra shifted his wings at the unexpected—if intentionally distracting—compliment. He gave in and flopped fully onto the stone.

“I do not know how to explain what happened,” Mothra said. “Mostly, because I do not know myself.”

Apparently satisfied, she moved from grooming the base of his head to the base of his wings. She tasted the salt-encrusted scales and recoiled, poking instead at them with her legs before clambering on top of him to resume cleaning his head.

Rather than being frightening, as he had expected, the sensation of pressure on his body was soothing. He snuck a quick glance at the alien, who had not moved from his spot, before allowing himself to relax.

“He and another appeared a month ago,” Mothra said, pulling Battra from his thoughts. “She has been difficult to find, harder to calm. Someone the humans thought dead called to me, and now she lives in the desert. I was here to check up on Orga—finding you here was a coincidence. A happy one, but a coincidence.”

“If you had not been here…”

Battra wanted to say he would have killed the alien. But he was too weak, exhausted from whatever had awoken him and pulled him from his grave. He would have been that thing’s meal.

“But I was,” Mothra said. “And I will be back.”

Battra craned his neck to look at Mothra. She radiated concern. Worry. Not only at him, but at the others—the ones scattered across the globe, lonely and wandering.

“It is not your duty to protect them,” Battra said. “Do not exert yourself needlessly.”

“I want to protect them.”

“Why?”

Apparently finished, Mothra stepped off him and onto her rock. She settled beside him once more, looking as though she planned to sleep, but her thoughts were still active. Frantic.

“They reminded me of you,” she said, finally. “And…I wanted to help them when I could no longer help you.”

“Then I will help you,” Battra said impulsively, but he meant it. At the very least, he could watch over the alien while he recovered. He did need to repay her for taking on his duties, after all. “It is the least I can do.”

Mothra radiated surprise “I believed you would want to return to your hibernation,” she admitted.

He had not even considered the possibility. Perhaps he feared that even if he did try, whatever had woken him would do so once again.

“No,” Battra said. “At least until I am fully healed. Besides, I doubt the planet would allow me to rest. Not now.”

Mothra nodded.

“I had planned to leave tonight,” she said. “But I will stay with you until the morning. Is that alright?”

“Of course. This is your island, is it not?”

Mothra seemed to laugh, butting her head against Battra’s wing. He tucked his wings flat against his back, and she lifted her own wing to settle it over him.  

The sun was still high in the sky, but now seemed as good a time as any to rest. The alien appeared to have the same idea, though it was wise enough to stay on its side of the cliff, far enough away that Battra felt comfortable enough to close his eyes.

Was this what Mothra’s species had done, he wondered. Settled together on a warm, flat rock during the day, slept until the sun went down? The few times he had been awake and not on a mission, he had given in to his desire to sleep while the sun was out and move when it was dark, and it seemed Mothra was the same. Did she miss doing this?

For the first time in his very short life, Battra thought he might be feeling something akin to guilt. Until now, guilt had been a foreign concept, understood in theory. Battra had not been born incapable of emotion, but now, he wished he had.

For a moment, he wished he had been born being able to feel nothing but the pure rage that had fueled him for so long.

“You have nothing to feel guilty about,” Mothra said. “You did not know any better.”

“And now I do?”

When he looked up, Mothra was watching him. Her eyes shone in the sunlight.

“Yes. Now go to sleep, Battra.” Mothra pulled her wing away and moved back, settling more comfortably against the warm stone. “You can moralize in the evening.”

[transmage]

If all is going to end in fire anyway, would it really be so bad to give yourself this one moment? To pretend that you’re happy, feeling the rise and fall of Ortega’s chest? It’s just pretend, right?

this is an extremely self-indulgent chargestep fic that was meant to be soft, and kind of is, but damn sidestep makes it so very difficult for anything to be soft... spoilers for retribution! around 2,300 words.

“Are you going to stay the night?”

“No,” you say, surprising no one. “But I can stay a little longer.”

But heavy eyelids and limbs say otherwise. The two of you settle into a comfortable silence, your mind numbing against the backdrop of whatever is playing on the TV and the ever-present hum of Ortega’s static. You’re pressed against him as if you’ve always belonged here — a missing piece to his heart.

Shit.

When had you become so sappy? This romance is doomed, and has been from the start, but here you are all the same, indulging in his warmth, his scent, his fingers running languidly through your hair. A cigarette hangs loosely between your fingers, smoldering and half-finished. You focus on the smoke instead. Faintest wisps of grey, not unlike your eyes, curling upwards before lost to the vast emptiness of air. Pulled apart in a dozen directions until dissipated. You suppose this is the path you’re headed down. Destruction is inevitable, but each day you’re less and less sure who will die in the fallout. Ortega? Chen? Yourself?

In a small admittance of truth, you realize you hope it is yourself. Perhaps it’s the coward’s way out, but it would be the least painful option. Maybe Chen really can stop you. Maybe you’ll let him. Or maybe Ortega will kill you here in this apartment, at your most vulnerable. The thought is almost comforting; it would be no less than you deserve.

You extinguish the cigarette in the makeshift ashtray Ortega placed on the coffee table. Embers flare briefly in a last, bright act of defiance before snuffed entirely.

If all is going to end in fire anyway, would it really be so bad to give yourself this one moment? To pretend that you’re happy, feeling the rise and fall of Ortega’s chest? It’s just pretend, right? Right…?

“Kafka?”

Oh. You’re doing it again. Thinking in circles until your eyes glaze over and your breath quickens and Ortega notices. He always notices.

“I’m fine,” you mumble in response, flashing him a tired smile. “Just thinking.”

He merely hums, and the lack of questions shock you more than the kiss placed on your forehead. You turn your head to see his face, a taunt on your lips that dies the second his eyes meet yours. Tired. Warm. Happy. And oh, despite all the years marked on his body he looks younger than ever. Radiant, even, with a smile like you’re the only person in the universe. You feel your heart flip with your stomach — damn him, damn him, damn him. He really will be the death of you.

“Don’t give me that look,” you say in an attempt to hide the creeping blush up your neck. It doesn’t work.

Ortega’s smile turns smug. “What look?”

“Don’t make me say it.”

He laughs at that, leaning back against a throw pillow and resuming the soft playfulness with your hair. “I thought you weren’t gonna stay the night.”

“Shut up.” You sound embarrassed even to yourself. “I’m not.”

“Mhm.”

You should get up right then, just to prove him wrong, just to prove to yourself that you still have some semblance of control over this. Over your own emotions. But your traitorous body doesn’t twitch a muscle, too relaxed and melted into him. When was the last time you felt this comfortable? It’s a struggle to recall a moment where you weren’t tense and shaking, hurting everywhere, pushing your body to its breaking point… You need this. This illusion of safety.

Your eyes close slowly. All mental barriers had collapsed several hours ago, and you let the static of Ortega’s mind bleed into your own. Not for the first time, you’re grateful you can’t read his mind. You don’t want to know what he’s thinking. You don’t want to risk ruining the illusion that everything between you is okay. That staying the night might not be so bad.

Against your better judgement — against all judgement — you let yourself fall asleep.

***

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

You peel your eyes open slowly, blinking hard against hazy vision, limbs still heavy with sleep. It’s an unnatural feeling — there had been no…dreams? That doesn’t seem right. You always dream. You always wake up from the clutch of a nightmare, chest tight with panic, curling in on yourself. But now you stretch out like a cat, a tired moan escaping your throat. You’re still laying on Ortega. Oh, god, had you spent the entire night like that?

You sit up abruptly, untangling yourself from Ortega’s limbs, double-checking your clothes hadn’t ridden up in the middle of the night. Safe. Okay. Breathe.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” Your voice is breathless, but the smile is…genuine, for once, as your eyes turn soft. “Sorry for…trapping you all night.”

“I didn’t mind. You’re cute when you’re asleep, you know that? Peaceful.”

“Smooth-talker…”

His laugh is infectious, and soon you’re smiling wide and half-heartedly hiding it behind the back of your hand. He stands a moment later, taking your hand in his and kissing it like it was a perfectly natural gesture.

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For staying the night. I was worried, for a moment there, that if you left, you’d… Disappear forever.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” you lie, turning to hide the way your smile falls, instead picking up the empty glasses from the coffee table to bring to the dishwasher.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Ah. You don’t respond — suddenly the stakes are all too real, and you know you’d be a hypocrite to promise anything. Time to not-so-subtly change the subject.

“Mind if I use your shower?” The second the words leave your lips you kick yourself. Really? How many stupid risks can you take in 24 hours, Kafka? You can even see the confusion echoed in his face, the questions bubbling up to the tip of tongue, the ones he won’t ask out of respect for the privacy you insisted on last night. Ortega’s forehead smooths out a second later, gracing you with another light kiss.

“Of course not. I can even wash your clothes, if you’d like? Since they, uh…”

Another blush erupts over your face. “I — it’s okay, I can just — ”

“Kafka.” You half expect him to roll his eyes. “You can borrow some of my clothes in the meantime, if you’d like.”

You mean to reject the offer immediately, but you can’t deny the discomfort of your pants. “…Okay.”

His eyes widen. He wasn’t expecting this either. You suppose you’ve been checking off a lot of “firsts” in the past day.

You enter his (ridiculously spacious) bathroom with a pile of folded clothing clutched against your chest. Underwear, sweatpants, a long-sleeved shirt. Tight on him, which means it should be fine for your smaller frame. You don’t dare risk a collar slipping down your shoulder.

To your great relief, the bathroom door can be locked. You even do a quick scan for bugs or cameras before undressing — overkill, you know, this is Ortega’s own bathroom, but the paranoia refuses to stop gnawing at your conscious until the space is analyzed. Documented. Moved tentatively over to your “safe” list.

You don’t mean to look in the mirror, but it’s appallingly massive. As you step out of the last of your clothing the orange flashes in it, turned almost neon under fluorescent lighting. A familiar sense of nausea tugs at your stomach, urging you to smash the damn thing, before you notice blooms of purple across your skin. Your neck. Your collarbone. Your hips. Your thighs. Even next to one of your nipples, nearly over…nearly over your barcode.

Part of you is appropriately embarrassed. These are from Ortega, after all, as he worshipped your body last night, his lips and tongue and fingers feeling out every scar, every imperfection, every… He couldn’t see your tattoos. But he’d kissed them. Caressed them in his ignorance.

The louder part of you is horrified. If he knew — if he knew what he’d been kissing, what he’d been fucking, would he turn away in violent shame? If he walked through the bathroom door right now, would he throw up in disgust at what he’s been touching? A Re-Gene. A tool. Not even human.

It’s a sour line of thought, one you’ve been dwelling on far too much lately. The hot water scalds your skin and the steam obscures the mirror. You find relief in the pain, in the way your skin turns red as you scrub it raw. Dried sweat and other fluids wash down the drain until the only record of your idiocy remaining are the hickeys. You’ll have to chew him out for the one on your neck — looks like you’ll be living in turtlenecks for the next few days…

With a hand against white tile you shut the water off with a feeling of finality, inhaling deeply, head bent so you can watch the droplets fall from your hair. You can feel yourself beginning to break down again; it’s been happening with increasing frequency. No doubt a direct correlation with each time you let Ortega closer. But you close your eyes instead, forcing yourself the visualize the cracks forming along your mind. Seal them over, tape them together, whatever it takes. You won’t lose it here. You refuse.

Months ago, the clothes you now slip into would have only emphasized how underweight you’d become, but they fill out nicely. You’ll never achieve the muscles Ortega can flaunt (and Chen is a whole other beast), but you’re proud of how strong you’ve become. Another added bonus of being Mirage. You are undoubtedly in the best shape of your life — more so than your Sidestep days, you would guess. Certainly more powerful, thanks to your vastly improved telepathy and Dr. Mortum’s suit. You told Ortega you’ve been trying to get back into shape, and he knows you’ve been training Herald, so you hope he doesn’t find the toned muscles suspicious. Probably not. Given last night, he appreciates them more than anything else. If not for the jarring tattoos and an ugly patchwork of scars, you might even be a model male specimen.

At the very least, you were designed to be so.

That wipes the smirk from your face.

Just once you’d like to go an hour without thinking about the Farm, but you suppose that scar runs far too deep.

“Well, well, don’t you look charming.” Ortega greets your reemergence with a wide grin. He’s making breakfast in the kitchen, a pot of coffee brewing to the side.

The clothes smell like him and you admit that’s enough to take the edge off, but your hands make a grab for your cigarettes and lighter anyway.

“Really the height of fashion, I know,” you toss back easily. He’d been kind enough last night to let you smoke inside, but you know it’s a peeve of his. Besides, you’re not in any danger of flinging yourself off the balcony at the moment, so you open the sliding glass door to a breathtaking view of Los Diablos. Rich red sunlight drowns the city as mid-morning sets in. You should feel exposed and vulnerable — you know all too well that a balcony like this would be a perfect target for an assassination. Long ago, it would have been you behind the sniper scope.

Perhaps you rely too much on your telepathy now. It’s second nature to stretch your mind out across the buildings and feel the hum of the city. Harmful intents are easy to pick out. So are the thought-voids of the Special Directive. Not to mention Ortega’s own paranoia after having his apartment blown up — you wouldn’t be surprised if there are even more hidden, intricate security systems in here. For now, you’re fairly confident that you’re safe. The click of the lighter and inhale of smoke is out of habit more than any immediate need.

“Coffee?” Ortega leans his back against the balcony railing, two cups in hand. You take one with a nod.

“Thanks.”

“Mmm. Stunning view, isn’t it?”

Oh, and you just know he isn’t looking at the cityscape. You roll your eyes and give him a pointed look.

“You’re not even trying to be subtle, are you?”

“What can I say? Who wouldn’t fall in love with a face like yours?”

You nearly choke on your coffee at that, coughing loudly and pounding a fist against your chest to steady your breathing. There’s that word again. Love. He’s never been one to toss it around casually, so the ease in which he does now — in how he did last night — ignites some unknown emotion deep in your chest. It’s not entirely pleasant.

“Don’t say that,” you mumble.

“What, that you’re beautiful?” He’s still smiling. “That you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever — ”

“Stop, please.” A tightness constricts your heart. You aren’t quite sure why.

“Okay, okay, if you insist.” He can’t hide the brief worry that flashes through his eyes, and you turn your head from him. Always worried. It would be endearing if it wasn’t so frustratingly exhausting.

“Let’s just enjoy this?” Your words are barely a whisper. The coffee is a tether to the here and now, so you focus on it intently, on the warmth which spreads through your fingertips and creeps up your veins. A warmth mirrored in the man next to you; in the sun basking the city.

“Trust me, I am.” There is no smugness to his words. You may not be able to read his mind but you can read his posture, the way his face softens and all his lines smooth out. Ortega follows your gaze across the city, a soft hum resonating from somewhere in his chest. In his last act of testing your boundaries, he reaches for your hand. Entwines your fingers together and gives it a reassuring squeeze. You let him. Maybe you even squeeze back.

And for a moment, there is no Mirage. No superheroes or villains. No tattoos carved into your skin. Just you, and Ricardo, and the warmth between your hands.

Blink, and it’s almost real.

[livingcorner]

Basic Essential Cooking Tools Every Kitchen Needs

Smart and simple cooking requires the right tools for the job. Rather than buying everything on day one, you can slowly build up a stock of essentials that will make your life a lot easier.

Having the most essential cooking tools in your cupboard will make your life so much easier. Although the kitchen world comes out with sleek, trendy, and exciting kitchen gadgets all the time, that doesn’t mean you need to buy every single one to be able to cook well. In fact, the most basic tools are all you need to start cooking delicious meals. And after you’ve saved all that money on home-cooked meals, you can check out our advanced tier of kitchen tools here.

You're reading: Basic Essential Cooking Tools Every Kitchen Needs

To help you know exactly what tools to start out with, we created a Kitchen Essentials Checklist for you. This list describes the uses of 20 basic cooking utensils and is perfect for novice cooks or chefs on a budget.

With these items, you’ll be able to cook just about anything and start kicking butt in the kitchen!

Cookware

1. NON-STICK FRYING PAN

Every household needs a non-stick pan for breakfast duty since eggs and pancakes are best made on a non-stick surface. It’s also a super versatile pan that can be used for searing meats, sauteing vegetables, and making sauces. Just be careful to use non-abrasive tools on the surface! We like this stainless steel frying pan and this aluminum one. Buying a two-piece set lets you have two sizes around and makes it possible to cook two things at the same time.

2. SAUCEPAN

A saucepan is perfect for when you need to cook something with liquids, such as boiling pasta and vegetables or simmering sauces and beans. A 4-quart saucepan is easy to maneuver and handle, and is great whether you’re cooking for 1 or 4. Try this 3.5-quart non-stick one or this 4-quart stainless steel sauce pan.

3. STOCK POT

For bigger batches of soups, stews, and pasta, you’ll want to have a 12-quart stock pot around. Its base allows for even heating, so your soups cook evenly.

4. SHEET PANS

These pans can get a lot of action, including roasting vegetables, baking meats, toasting nuts, and of course, baking cookies. They also make for an easy clean-up with sheet pan dinners.

Read more: What To Do with the #%$@ Corner Cabinet? Kitchen Corner Cabinet Design

5. GLASS BAKING DISH

Glass baking dishes are perfect for baking things like casseroles and enchiladas in the oven. Because it’s microwave-safe, an 8-inch size can fit into a microwave for the times you need to pre-cook vegetables for the quick Microwave & Saute Cooking Method or even to fully cook veggies when your oven and stove are all occupied.

Utensils

6. KNIVES

If you’re cooking, you’re going to be using a knife. If you only have money and space for one knife, get a chef’s knife. You will use this knife for 90% of your food prep, so buy a nice one and take care of it. However, we highly recommend getting a serrated knife and a paring knife as well since they serve different purposes – serrated knives let you slice through tomatoes and bread with ease, and paring knives are great for smaller, more delicate jobs, when a big knife just doesn’t cut it. (We like to use the Global grand, but buy whatever feels right in your hand!)

7. MEASURING SPOONS

Even if you like to “eyeball” ingredients, it’s handy to have a set of measuring spoons around for the times you need precise measurements. But also, they double as mini spoons for scooping spices and dried herbs! This magnetic set here is narrow enough to fit into spice jars, and they stick together so you don’t ever have to worry about losing the teaspoon or misplacing the tablespoon!

8. MEASURING CUPS

Measuring cups are absolutely crucial If you’re a baker, but it’s also great for everyday cooking. We like to keep a 4-piece set for measuring dried ingredients and small amounts of liquid. A 1-quart glass measuring cup makes measuring liquids a lot more convenient and efficient, and you can also make sauces and vinaigrettes right inside and then simply pour it into whatever you’re cooking up.

9. WOODEN SPOONS

Wooden spoons are not abrasive on your cooking surfaces and they’ll last forever. Just don’t put them in the dishwasher! Choose a set that has a variety of wooden spoons, like this 6-piece set, so that you can use it for different kinds of cooking.

10. FISH TURNER

While this handy tool is advertised as a fish turner, it can be used for anything. The wider base of this tool makes it easy to flip burgers, fish, over-easy eggs, and even pancakes. The thin, beveled edge makes it easy to slide beneath the foods you are flipping, and the slots allow any grease to drain.

11. PEELER

When you’re setting up your kitchen with the basics, you want to make sure you have a good, sharp peeler to remove the peels of vegetables, shave off cheese, or make veggie ribbons.

12. WHISK

While forks and chopsticks can be handy, a whisk is quicker and more efficient for emulsifying ingredients like vinegars and oils. We make vinaigrettes and marinades to season up salads and everything else almost nightly, so a whisk comes in very handy!

13. TONGS

Tongs are like your extended hands and are super useful in the kitchen! Not only are they used to flip big pieces of food, but they also help move ingredients around in a frying pan or on a sheet pan without the risk of burns.

Dishes, Tools, and Gadgets

14. CUTTING BOARD

A good, grippy cutting board will protect your fingers during all your prep work, which is why we like this one. We recommend having a few cutting boards, like this set of plastic cutting boards, to prep various ingredients and prevent cross-contamination. Plastic boards can be placed in the dishwasher for full disinfecting.

15. COLANDER

Every kitchen needs a heavy-duty colander for draining out boiled pasta and vegetables. It is also used for draining canned beans and freshly washed veggies.

16. PREP BOWLS IN EVERY SIZE

Every kitchen needs a set of prep bowls to help you organize all your ingredients. If you get collapsible prep bowls, you’ll save a lot of space and have the convenience of covers that can seal off ingredients that are not quite ready for cooking yet. But glass prep bowls can also double as serving dishes!

17. CAN OPENER

A can opener is something you don’t want to forget! Canned beans and vegetables make for quick-cooking and are great pantry staples, but a bunch of things also come in cans that require a can opener – coconut milk, curry paste, fruits, crushed tomatoes, etc.

Read more: How to Stock an Indonesian Pantry

18. MICROPLANE ZESTER

This may not seem like a very necessary tool to have in a basic kitchen, but it makes a huge difference when you’re looking to up the flavor in your meals. A zester is used for zesting lemons and limes, and grating ginger and cheese.

19. IMMERSION / STICK BLENDER

Forget the bulk of a blender! You can now make pureed soups right in their pot, blend single-serving smoothies, and get extra creamy and smooth vinaigrettes / dressings. It’s so convenient, even its clean up is easy – simply pop off the blade for super quick cleaning.

20. SALAD SPINNER

A colander may be sufficient enough for drying lettuce, but a salad spinner is a whole lot more efficient. Salad dressings have a difficult time adhering to lettuce that is still wet and people have a difficult time with soggy tacos and sandwiches. A salad spinner is the answer to your problems because it will help you get rid of water in a matter of seconds and save on paper towels. You can also use this tool to dry fresh herbs. And you’ll have another colander if your primary colander is in use!

Infographic

20 Basic Essential Cooking Tools

With these basic kitchen tools, you can cook just about anything without spending a fortune to fill your cupboards with appliances you rarely use.

A little note:

Some of the above links are Amazon affiliate links, which means we earn a small percentage from those sales. We use this affiliate revenue to support the continued growth of Cook Smarts. Thank you!

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Kitchen

source https://livingcorner.com.au/basic-essential-cooking-tools-every-kitchen-needs-cook-smarts/

[chantellesandland]

Studio culture Techniques and Processes

Black paint

Black paint is an art piece I created experimenting with abstraction and the material wall filler. This piece was all about my experimentation with materials I have never used or consider using before. Wall filler paste is not a common media what many people use, however I have come to realisation this product is very good. The thick paste is easy to manipulate when its soft and it takes an hour to dry. Once it is dried it hardens giving a 3D thick textured look which I really like. The bright block colour of white is very astonishing. I will be using this product to further experiment in my future work.

To create this, I started off with a plain blanc canvas board which I painted black which will be the colour of the background. I used the wall filler paste straight as it came as I found the white colour breathe taking against the black background. Using a palette knife, I scrapped in the middle of the canvas across in a line which created two mixtures of textures. The smooth texture which the palette knife created and the thick sharp like texture which build up around the palette knife when getting the smooth thin layer. I used the white palette knife to incorporate into the piece. I stuck it on the end of the wall paste to create the illusion of someone holding the palette knife mid-way creating the piece. This idea was inspired by an artist called Jean Pauldonadini who I discovered with this page on Instagram.

Blank Painting – Further Development

After creating my first piece I wanted to know how it would look like with colour colours so I decided to further develop my work and I created another piece using the same process. However, this time I decided to use acrylic paint to add a colour on the wall paste. Doing this I found out that acrylic paint does work well painted on the paste. I used the colour blue as I have a special eye for the colour blue. I thought it would be a nice contrast between the black background.

However, this piece didn’t look as good as my first one. Yes, the colour did go on well but the pure white against the background worked so much better. From this experiment I have learned wall paste is a great media to work with as it is cheap and dries fast. Acrylic paint works well.

Mini scrapes

The mini scrapes are the base of all my experiments. This was the start of all my pieces I have created. To create these, they are all based on mixing PVA glue with other medias which is then scraped across on paper using a palette knife. The unique shapes that appear on the paper without any guidance on what the outcome will look like. The mystery of each scrape intrigues me wanted to create more and more.

With PVA glue and acrylic

First experiment started with mixing PVA glue and acrylic paint which created thick paint with I explored scrapping across the paper producing new shapes and different thicknesses with variety of layers.

With sand and acrylic

Another technique I created is mixing PVA glue with sand and acrylic paint. The same created really trough texture when its dried and the acrylic paint is to add colours for a range of colours and shades. The PVA glue creates a thicker substance which helps me with more texture for an abstract piece.

Scrapes

Further developing the mini scrapes, I created the scrapers by dragging out the scrape and experimenting with painting the background with the same colours and different colours. With PVA bring one of the main materials in this mix, it dries like thin rubber which really intrigues me. I also explored ripping off the glue when its dried taking the first layer of the paint on the paper leaving behind an abstract shape creating bright contrast between the colours.

Pink gone wrong

Pink gone wrong is technique I am created using cement. I choose cement purely because of the thickness I can manipulate and how cheap it is. Because I feature best with texture and the thickness, I use a large amount at once making cement the perfect media to use. It air dries hard but keeps the shape which is one of the reasons why I enjoy using this technique. To create this piece, I used board canvas to paint on as its strong and sturdy.

Glue container lids

With all the experimenting with PVA I have come to find that I love the finish it has when it dries, the rubbery fell when you peel it off something. I found the easiest way to peel glue off was from peeling it off plastic. Plastic lids are the best way for me to explore which have turned out to be my best process of making work.

I first started using mixed acrylic paint with glue which poured onto a standard container lid. The glue dries up and you can see when you pull the glue off that the marks on the worn-down lid appear which makes the pieces that deeper and more unique. All the marks that have shown up with the variety of lids I used creates a story within the paint, which is what draws me in to use this technique more.

To further develop the glue lids, I explored more on the materials I can mix with the glue and acrylic paint for example, sand. I have manipulated sand in my work as it gives me the rough texture, I’m so fond of. My speciality is working in impasto and large scale so I tend to use a lot of amount of materials at once and over time I have found I love to use sand. It is a great medium to use as its affordable and when mixed with PVA glue and acrylic paint, it creates this sick substance I love. To include this more into my work I used sand in the lids.

Firstly, I mixed sand and PVA glue together which I poured on the lid and added paint in variety of colours to mix in with the glue. Using materials that are really different to each other it creates a mixture of textures once all has dried. The sand leaves a rough brittle texture but some parts where there is only glue has dried, it is really soft and smooth.

With the knowledge I had and the experiments I had made, I decided to produce loads of the glue lids to see all the marks and designs that show by manipulating the colours and textures.

Some glue lids I used a thicker layer of glue to make more them stainable. I started off with one layer of glue which I left to dry so I was able to play with pure acrylic paint on top and then added another layer of glue once it was dried. The contrast between the pure acrylic and the dry clear glue was very intriguing how I can manipulate the paint by trapping within layers of glue.  

Jellyfish

Jellyfish was created using only thread. I combined 4 different threads together to create this as I used slightly different shades of blue for allowing to make shadows and light instead of having one colour blue. I used the two main colours of blue for the base of the body and used the darker blue thread for the shadow underneath the head of the jellyfish to give it a more realised look which did really help. I used thin strands of white thread for the top of the head to indicate there is light reflecting which also makes it that much more realistic.

I did start working on the jellyfish on a primed board which I painted in advance of the colour white so I have a base to start messing with the threat to create the figure of my jellyfish. To keep the thread firm on the board I used PVA glue to mix with each thread piece and glued it on the board. This has worked really well however it was a lot more difficult then I exacted.

Ink bubbles

Ink bubbles was an experiment I did using straws and acrylic paint. This method is really quick and easy to create and it fitted perfectly with my water pollution theme.

This technique includes plastic straws, acrylic paint or ink, card and washing up liquid. To create the first thing, you do is mix your paint with a little water and some washing up liquid, this is what gives the paint the soapy texture that we want. When it had been stirred using a plastic straw you blow in the paint creating these overflowing bubbles. Then place the paper over the bubbles to take a print of them and allow them to dry.

[guitarsun40-blog]

Ribollita – The Tuscan Stew you Should be Eating Regularly

Ribollita is a thick Tuscan stew - dark greens, lots of beans, vegetables, olive oil, thickened with day-old bread. It is hearty, filling, infinitely nourishing, and flat-out, the sort of food I crave. The amount of kale you collapse into each pot is impressive, and you'll be patting yourself on the back before, during, and after you eat. Here are the details - it's a soup I make constantly this time of year.

I should mention, with ribollita, it's one of those things where there are as many ways to make it as there are cooks. I normally use whole canned tomatoes this time of year - torn up. But had crushed tomatoes on hand, and they worked out nicely. You can use canned beans, beans cooked from dried, or cooked beans you've frozen and thawed. As far as guidelines go? Your ribollita should be thick - eventually. A sloppy sounding, bread stew. Use day old bread, preferably a rustic loaf cut (or torn) into big chunks. The bread absorbs the broth and simmers into beautifully plump zones of pillowy dumplings.

Shortcuts

This isn't a difficult soup to cook, although it does require some chopping. If you're looking for a few ways to shave off some prep time. Use canned beans, and buy pre-washed & chopped kale.

Ribollita adaptations & toppings

There are a bunch! In addition to the tweaks I mentioned up above, I suspect a number of you will want to know how to make it GF. Yes, you can absolutely make it without the bread. it's not the same stew, and not really ribollita, but it is still wonderful - just bump up the amount of beans you use (both the whole & mashed).  I like to add a bit of lemon zest to each bowl for a bit of brightness, and because I can't help myself. And I also like the saltiness of a few olives alongside the kale, so that's a little bonus as well. I'll also drizzle a little thinned out pesto on top if I have it on hand, or, an herb oil made by pureeing olive oil, a couple garlic cloves, parsley, and marjoram together.

Freezer-friendly

This is a freezer friendly stew. I like to make an extra-large pot of it, let it cool, and transfer it to freezer-safe containers. It's good for a month or so frozen. If I know it's a pot primarily bound for the freezer, I sometimes hold off on adding the bread. I'll add it when I reheat later. But really, you can do it either way.

I hope you love this, and I hope you make it. It has all the good stuff in one pot. Enjoy! -h

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  Ribollita

PRINT RECIPE

3.63 from 16 votes

As far as choosing beans, I usually opt for cannellini. On the bread front, I often use a loaf of day-old whole wheat sourdough, but have at times opted for ciabatta. Canned beans can be used here, the equivalent is roughly two or three 15-ounce cans. As far as the kale goes, look for cavolo nero - a craggy evergreen-hued kale that might also be labeled lacinato or Tuscan kale. The ribollita is pictured here drizzled with a simple herb oil made by pureeing olive oil, a couple garlic cloves, parsley, and marjoram together.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4 celery stalks, chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium carrots or equiv. winter squash, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 14- ounce / 400 ml can crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound / 16 ounces / 450g cavolo nero (lacinato kale, Tuscan kale), stems trimmed off and leaves well chopped

4 cups / 22 oz / 620g cooked white beans

1/2 pound / 8 oz / 225g crustless loaf of bread

1 1/2 + teaspoons fine grain sea salt

zest of one lemon

lots of well-chopped oily black olives

Instructions

In your largest thick-bottomed pot over medium heat combine the olive oil, celery, garlic, carrot, and red onion. Cook for 10 -15 minutes sweating the vegetables, but avoid any browning. Stir in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, long enough for the tomatoes to thicken up a bit. Stir in the cavolo nero, 3 cups of the beans, and 8 cups / 2 liters water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the greens are tender, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, mash or puree the remaining beans with a generous splash of water - until smooth. Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. Stir both the beans and bread into the soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bread breaks down and the soup thickens, 20 minutes or so. Stir in the salt, taste and add more if needed. Stir in the lemon zest.

Serve immediately, or cool and refrigerate overnight. Serve reheated, or "ribollita" meaning reboiled, the next day ladled into bowls. Finish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and some chopped olives.

Notes

Makes a large pot of soup - enough for 10 servings.

Serves

10

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

  PRINT RECIPE

nutrition info nutrition info

December 29, 2018 permalink icon

Per Serving: Calories 229

Total Fat 5g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Carbohydrates 36g

Sodium 276mg

Fiber 6g

Sugars 4g

Protein 10g

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[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: NMNL Sept 18

Having done the first new box of the NMNL remake recently it feels really weird to be going backwards again, as they didn’t start the remake until January!

Anyway, if you’re a fan of makeup reviews or just came by to check out this blog I hope you enjoy it :3

This months theme: Moisturizing

When this box came out summer had been ending and fall/autumn was beginning. Whenever the weather starts cooling down the skin begins to dry, which is why this months box will be catering to skin health. 

Besides the importance of moisturization, the pamphlet also covers the beneficial value of rice, popular Japanese celebrity Rola, and the contest of the month, featuring a mermaid makeup look and products by Canmake for the winning entrants.

♥  Let’s get reviewing ♥

Mermaid Brush

Our first item is this gorgeous little handy brush inspired by mermaids (or fishies ♥), available in either rainbow, bronze (it looks gold to me), or pearl white. It comes in a protective cap and re-sealable pouch for easy carrying, and the bristles are ultra-soft and 100% non-animal hair/fur :3

As much as I worried about messing this up at all, I decided I had to test it out and see how it compared to some other items.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Besides it’s heavenly bristles and beautiful design, I really like using this brush. It’s different than those I’m used to, and holding it is a little different, but not in a bad or impossible way. The bristles pick up makeup like a dream and it feels so nice on the face. If you want to show-off your brushes or start a mermaid collection this is the perfect piece to add.

Country & Stream Honey Oil Pack

It’s been a while since we’ve seen this brand hasn’t it? Country & Stream is a well-known brand with a key honey scent and moisturizing use of real, natural ingredients in their skin care products. Besides honey, this uses argan and sunflower oils, and 10 beauty essences to create a sugar scrub to make skin smooth and shiny!

This is a really quick and easy product to use and only requires a quick rub with some water or cleansing before applying, then you rub it in until the sugar begins melting into the skin. After 5 minutes you can rise it off.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

First I’ll start off by saying I’m not the biggest fan of honey in large doses, but at the same time I find it comforting. Using the product feels nice, and I like the fact you can use it in a short period of time and then wash it off- it’d be perfect for those days when you’re in a hurry to get out the door or head to bed.

Comparing my ace to how it was prior to using it, I can see and feel a difference.It went away pretty quickly, but I assume if you keep using it there will be a more noticeable change.

Rilakkuma Eyelash Curler

Our next item is a very unique one! Well at least for me, I’ve never seen such an odd shaped curler before. It was kind of intimidating- but it looks cute right?

It’s also a limited time collab piece :D

It’s very easy to use, all you do is pull open the little flap on the back and you use that as the curler, placing your lid into the space between the rim on top and the black pad (don’t try using it upside-down, I the skin around my eye it hurts >3<).

What’s also neat about this little cutie is that it has a new pad right at the bottom of the base that you can replace the old one with, and so fourth. Very handy!

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I love unique products like this, especially when they work. I have to be honest in saying that it was a little difficult to get used to using at first, but it does work and it isn’t actually hard to use.

Rice Mask Pack

Our next item is this beneficial rice based 10-mask face mask set!

That was a mouthful :P

Like our honey scrub, this product is made to smooth out the skin and moisturize it. It uses 100% Japan grown rice oils and has a generic face mask sort of scent (to me anyway, I’m sure others could describe it better).

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Well, the scent isn’t too bad for starters. It isn’t super-relaxing or anything, but it’s decent. It’s very rare we get a set of face masks, which is nice if you really like using them. My face felt very soothed after using it, and I was surprised to see that the mask was perfectly sized for my face (they’re usually a lot bigger) and really easy to unwrap without making a big soggy mess.

I can’t really say much in terms of how long the effect lasts and it seemed to go away fairly quick- but it’s been rainy and still kind of chilly here so I assume that has something to do with it.

Angelite U Mascara

I already mentioned this, but I love Angelite design packaging, and this was given to us to sort of go with the previous box’s eyeliner, also from Angelite. I’m still on the look out for a good mascara to replace my old one (because it helps to look for alternatives in case the prior one isn’t available).

It’s easy to remove with warm water, and what makes this one special is it’s unique S shape:

I also love the unique design on the tube and how it compliments the box it comes in. I just wish it was scented like my previous one T^T it was so relaxing~

For anyone curious this one does have a scent, but I assume it’s just normal mascara...

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I can’t say I notice a big change or anything, but I can see a change in the very least. It dries very quickly, and it removes easily too. I also like how the actual applicator feels too.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Quality/Pricing - 5 out of 5. Okay, so I’d say that because of the overall small size and 2 larger items, this would kind of be in the middle, but everything is reusable -which isn’t very common- and the quality seems pretty decent.

Content - 4 out of 5. I like the items, I didn’t have any huge impressions left on me because generally when we get items I expect them to be great to begin with. I didn’t have any expectations for these, but I thought they were good. I especially love and appreciate the reusable quality in this one.

Theme: 2.5 out of 5. The theme isn’t outright screamed but it’s very strongly implied and I feel like not everything met with it. We got two items dedicated to moisturizing the skin, the rest were for makeup usage. Now if it was an overall face theme I’d say yeah, nailed it.

Total Rank: 11.5 out of 15 Cuties. I wasn’t amazed by this box, as I said above I got what I was expecting (I think I might just be over this box knowing how much it’s  changed recently and how much more I like it)- BUT I like the stuff and I feel like I could recommend it still. I’m going to try repeating the usage of the masks and scrub to see if I notice any longer-lasting effect.

♥ Cutie Scale ♥

1. Mermaid Brush - I REALLY wanted the glittering rainbow version and I am so very happy I got it!

2. Angelite U Mascara - The packaging is so shiny and pretty, it must take a long time to draw the design~ The tube and wand shape is also really fun.

3. Rilakkuma Eyelash Curler - The packaging was so cute I couldn’t bear to part with it. The little device itself, I’m not into it being yellow- but I’m all about cunique items.

4. Honey Oil Pack - The packaging is pretty basic, but at the same time I love the cute little bear on it. I’m not a fan of yellow but I do like the energetic POP I feel looking at it.

5. Mask pack - It’s really plain, nothing too special. But I love the pack concept.

Alright guys, that does it for another review! I hope you enjoyed it or found it informative, or at least liked the pictures. Next will be the september Kirakira crate review, so until then stay cute!

[dreamweaversofficial]

Year One, Chapter Five

“Care to tell me exactly what happened?” the headmaster inquires, blue robes folded around her arms.  They’re standing in front of her desk for what has to be the tenth time this school year.  To her own credit, only one of those times was for accidentally blowing something up (if only it hadn’t been an entire section of bleachers - she has a terrible habit of getting too invested in Mentality’s sports matches).

Lyric resists the urge to drag her foot back and forth.  She doesn’t dare glance at Reema, who’s surely reveling in getting the both of them in trouble.  Her throat is tight.  “She shoved me.”

“You were asking to be shoved,” Reema replies instantly, serious but for a tenseness in the corner of her mouth, begging to turn into a smirk.

“I was trying to help.”

“And you were failing.  So let’s just get this show on the road, shall we?”

“For the last time,” Headmaster interrupts fondly, “I am not expelling you.”

“Not me either, right?”  Lyric jumps in, anxiety plucking at her stomach.  

The woman shakes her head.  “I understand that the two of you have rather - special situations.  This doesn’t absolve you of guilt, but I do have an obligation to teach you, not send you away.”

The twitch of Reema’s mouth becomes one of irritation, the jacket that’s too big for her shoulders puddling around her arms as she slumps slightly.  “I don’t want you to teach me.”

“Your family can survive without you for the school year,” Headmaster tells her softly.

“They can’t,” she bites back.

Lyric has never thought of the simple act of swallowing as a loud endeavor, but it crackles in her ears.  Reema’s eyes stay fixed firmly on the headmaster, Lyric’s shifting between the other girl and the ground, before the woman exhales slowly.  “Exams are coming up in a few months.  You’ll be sent home temporarily, but you’re required to return for your second year.”

The silence persists.

“You two may go.”

They disappear out the door - Lyric walking quickly away in relief, Reema stalking ahead of her with her hands in fists.  They arrive back at the dorms just in time for Garen to poke his head out of their door.  He raises an eyebrow.

“Headmaster’s,” Lyric explains, slipping into their common room.  “As always, I remain at risk of heart attack, but not expelled.”

“This smacks of favoritism,” Garen accuses.  Lyric can’t disagree.

“If she expels me, I go back to care,” she reminds him.  “My weird eyes and I would be normal again.”

“Your eyes add character,” he claims loyally.  Eraser shavings roll along their table, trembling.  “Though I would like to know why they’re like that.”

“You and me both.”

“Did you at least find your essay sources?”  Garen presses, shifting to lie upside down on the couch.  His feet swish back and forth on the wall.

“Yes,” she says immediately.  “No.”

He snorts.  “Yo.”

Lyric lets out a sound that’s halfway between a laugh and a groan.  She crosses to the couch, flopping onto the open spot beside him, and drapes an arm over her face.  “Magic school has too much homework.”

“Magic school is preparing you for the real world,” Garen recites.  “But yeah.”

She props her chin up on her hand.  “Do you feel like studying?”

“What a ridiculous question.”

“Wanna play Bedazzled?”

Garen sits uprights and wriggles to face her.  “You’re on.”

Bedazzled, Lyric learned in her first month or so, is a game where you try to put on the most impressive light show using your magic.  One person does a few flashes, then the others copy the pattern.  It’s basically Simon Says.

Lyric shoves testing out of her mind for one more day and focuses on the game.

.

.

.

“I’m not ready,” Garen hisses at her.  “Finals are hard and awful!”

“Silence during testing,” their professor reminds them, handing out papers.

Quietly mourning, Lyric flips the first page on the written exam.  She blinks down at it.

Question One: List procedure for creating a ball of light (imobile, dim).

She almost laughs out loud - I know this!

As the test progresses, wave after wave of relief washes over her, images of textbooks flashing in her mind.  Lyric presses her lips together, feels the stickiness of residual chapstick.  She fills in the questions one after another.

Done, she thinks proudly.  A quick glance at Garen shows much the same: he’s filling in the last question with the air of someone who’s shocked he knows the answer.  She supposes all that studying paid off.  Salza appears to have finished twenty minutes ago, a scan of her answers away from an A.  Cirro answers his exam with arrogance, like he’s known the answers for years, and his roommate sighs.

Devon writes in a sloping scrawl, their eyes narrowed in faint concentration.  Beside them, Reema folds her paper back and forth, eyes on the window and teeth on her lip.  Lyric hopes she’s actually answering instead of choosing a zero - hopefully she’ll get to rub the higher score in Reema’s face.

Unless she’s being baselessly overconfident.

Nothing I can do about that now, Lyric decides.  Practical exams had gone well - she and Garen had both produced passable glows and smoke screens, and she’d managed to hide her still-illuminated pinky.  Mixing concoctions to repel dreameaters had proved to be more difficult.  Too much sage in the liquid had resulted in a dreamweaver repelling potion, if she’s being honest.

The professor glances up at the clock.  “Pencils down.”

There are groans as he circles the room, gathering papers, and Lyric follows her own with her eyes until it vanishes into the stack.  Garen flashes a thumbs up at her as their teacher returns to his desk, watching the red pen with trepidation.

“Dismissed.”

“When do we get results back,” Lyric bursts as soon as they exit the classroom, knuckles tight on her backpack straps.  Garen folds his arms behind his head and stretches.  He shrugs.

Salza pops up beside them, tugging a single strand of hair out of her ponytail and letting it wisp in front of her face.  They zone out for a transfixed moment.  “We should get our scores tonight.”

“Melonberries,” Lyric whines.

Garen screws up his face.  “Okay, that’s a made up curse.”

“I’m inventing it.  So there.”

“You guys are kinda funny,” Salza remarks, amused.  “Want to hit the pitch later?”

“I don’t play sports,” Lyric admits, but the other girl just laughs.

“The upperclassmen tend to celebrate after exams, pass or fail.  Everyone on the team’s invited - we can bring whoever we want.”  She wiggles her fingers, moving ahead of them to catch up with her roommate.  “Think about it.”

“... did we just get invited to an upperclassman party by Salza Weber?”  Garen demands once she’s out of earshot.

“The magical sports prodigy?”  Lyric replies, dazed.  “I kinda assumed I was hallucinating.”

“The team is going to be there,” he hisses.  “We’re going, right?  We’re going.”

“I guess?”

“Oh my god,” Garen gasps, stopping in the middle of the hallway.  Outraged cries resonate behind him.  “What are we gonna wear?”

“These clothes?”  Lyric offers.

“You think uncuffing your jeans counts as fancy dress.”

“This is the worst betrayal I’ve ever experienced.”

He yanks her into his room, disappearing into his closet, then remerges with two blue shirts.  The one on the left is slightly darker than the one on the right.  She points to it.  He picks the other.

Lyric, utterly unoffended, goes through his drawers to pick out pants nice enough to be party attire but easy to play sports in.  She doesn’t exactly know what sport he plays, or what it entails, but she’s doing her best.

“Wear the white shoes,” she suggests.  “The Minivans.”

“Mkay.”

Garen waves her out of the room to change, and she eyes herself in the bathroom mirror.  The skin under her eyes is slightly dark and puffy from not enough sleep and too much studying, she hasn’t showered in three days, and she’s only got the one change of casual clothes.

Lyric wonders if her uniform is acceptable for a party.  Probably not.  She ducks into her own room, grabs her other outfit, and scrubs her skin with suds and steaming water.  The mirror is steamed up when she steps out of the shower, clothes rubbing at her raw skin.

Her hair dries quick, especially now that it’s summer, so she gives it a last rub of the towel and steps out of the bathroom.  Garen thrusts one of his bracelets at her.

“Please take it,” he begs.  “You are so un-blinged.”

Accepting it gratefully, Lyric clasps the cold metal against her wrist.  “We’re ready?”

“Ready,” Garen confirms, leading her to the athletics fields.

There’s almost nobody their own age there - a hapless first year who seems to be on the field by accident, one of the backups for the team, and Salza herself.  Lyric eyes the gathering with trepidation.  Thankfully, she thinks, Garen is - 

She glances to her left.

- gone, she finishes with a wince.  Lyric spots her friend making his way into the center of the group, drawing easy smiles as he goes.  Salza grins when he reaches her, jumping into introductions, and the captain gives him a semi-intrigued nod.  Lyric shakes her head and smiles ruefully.

There isn’t even a punchbowl to stand by awkwardly.  How inconsiderate.

She edges around the congregation, making her way to the stands.  A couple are talking softly high up, the girl leaning on the boy’s shoulder, and Lyric’s heart warms.  She’s a bit of a romantic, so sue her.  Careful to avoid disturbing them, she settles on the lowest step.

“Don’t care for the crowds?” a smooth voice inquires from above.

Lyric turns to see Cirro perched on a nearby section of stands.  She debates rolling her eyes, but the sky is softening and some of the fifth years are starting a fire.

A bonfire.  Not a real fire.  That would probably be concerning.

Instead, she shrugs.  “Not much.”

Cirro doesn’t make any move to edge closer.  He watches a fifth year poke another with a piece of firewood, and receive a hip check in response, both boys grinning.  “Me either.”

“Why’re you here, then?”  Lyric asks, surprised.  She would’ve expected him to be sliding seamlessly into the social scene, dealing in high school politics like a - well, a King.

“If I don’t make an appearance -” he hesitates.  “It’s expected.  It’s required.  But I suppose it’s not so bad, if Salza’s here.”

Lyric raises an eyebrow, and he pulls a face.  “Oh, don’t do that.  She’s my friend.  She’s clever, and she’s not half bad at this game.”

“I have no idea what’s going on,” Lyric confesses.

The corner of Cirro’s mouth twitches upwards.  “I don’t either.”

They sit for another moment, watching as the fifth years struggle through their laughter and failed attempts at building the fire.  One plucks at the end of the other’s shirt as he doubles over, laughing, and almost falls onto the pile with a shriek.  A few paces away, the team splits into two for some kind of practice match.

Garen’s nowhere near Salza, but he’s not half bad.  Lyric thinks he’ll be asked to try out next year.

“I think that’s a point,” she offers once Salza runs past a few opponents, to their good natured dismay.

“One can only assume.”

Suddenly, one of the fourth years bursts in on the scene, yelling.  “Grades are in!”

Lyric stands up.  The players abandon their game, gathering around the girl in a babbling huddle.  One of the fire-starting boys lets out a whoop of victory.  The fire’s lit.

“Are you kidding?” he demands of the empty air, watching as the other party goers trickle out.

His friend sighs.  “We’ll enjoy it.”

She spins to grin at Cirro, hope and fear warring on her face, and he looks back, seemingly unconcerned.  Lyric opens her mouth to ask if he wants to walk with her.

“Lyr!”  Garen yells, running up and grabbing her by the arm.  “Holy Milligan, let’s go -”

He tows her away, and she lets herself get caught up in the terrified excitement as they run to their room.  On the table in the common room there are two envelopes with their names on them, respectively.

“On three,” she says, swallowing.

Garen shakes his head.  “I’m decidedly a jock, Lyric.  I changed my mind.  I can’t look.”

“It’s first year,” Lyric reminds him.  She elbows him lightly.  “You’re not even Salza’s level of jock.  I think it’s a little soon to be dropping out of school.”

“Open mine!”

“We’ll open each other’s,” she decides.  “Here.”

Garen eyes her envelope like it’s an angry snake, then hands his own over.  He wiggles his finger under the seal.  “Now.”

Lyric tears it halfway open, gets her finger stuck, adjusts, and rips it off.  “Dude.  You totally passed.”

“So did you.”  Garen stares at the sheet.  He stares at his finger.  “Are you gonna be okay here over the summer.”

“I’d better be.”  Lyric snorts.  “Are you bleeding?”

“No,” he denies.  “... yes.”

Shaking her head, Lyric tugs him to the sink.  “You’d better be alive to come back next year.”

“No big,” Garen says, bumping her shoulder with his own.  She smiles.

[newbathroomstyle]

Where To Buy Towel Warmers

New Bathroom Style towel warmers

The last thing you want to do after enjoying a nice, hot shower is step out into the unwelcoming chilly air. The solution: a towel warmer. Imagine wrapping yourself up in a cozy heated towel – it’s a small but powerful (and affordable) luxury that will pay off shower after shower.

A heated towel rail is great for keeping those towels warm, and it offers other advantages, too. It’s an extra heat source for your bathroom and it dries your towels faster, reducing mildew.

In New Bathroom Style you’ll find towel warmers are available in an array of sizes, types, mounts, and styles. Here’s your quick guide to warmly-ever-after!

Amba towel warmers

It’s known that not so long ago, towel warmers were something rare. And not all residencies in USA had these units. For the last time they become much cheaper and thus gained popularity. Better quality rich functionality, better materials, good prices and stylish design made an impact to this. Nowadays, towel warmers are great solution for heating materials and to be set in different areas of the apartments or homes.

Amba towel warmers have a many different types of uses and applications. They are firstly used to heat towels and bathrobes and this way they are warm when drying off after a shower or leaving the pool, spa or beach.

A towel warmer will dry the towel out after the it is used. This helps to prevent them from giving off that musty/moldy smell they can produce when not dried properly. It also reduces laundry loads and water consumption, as the towels won’t need to be washed as frequently.

There are plenty of rules in selecting towel warmers. But the most important thing is brand.

There is no doubt that Amba – is a leading brand in North American market that offers products of the best quality and price.

Towel warmer Walmart

Before choosing a towel warmer, you may think about how it will be most comfortably used every day.

On the preliminary stage you must decide where the towel warmer Walmart will be mounted. And in most cases, it is kitchen or bathroom. However, there is no special restrictions or rules – you can put it everywhere you want.

There is a huge collection of towel warmers in Walmart. It’s a very popular store that offers a decent choice. But big doesn’t mean best. If you are looking for the alternatives – come to New Bathroom Style showroom in Brooklyn and pick up the perfect towel just for you. Our competent and professional managers will assist you in any issue.

Cloakrooms and en-suites regularly include towel warmers as well, notwithstanding utility rooms.

There are three separate kinds of towel warmers regardless of what kind of structure you settle on and where you’ll put it. A similar number of operational choices directs how to use your picked model.

Towel warmer Amazon

Amazon – is a great trading website where you can buy almost every piece of bathroom furniture including Amazon towel warmers. Electric towel warmers will in general be found in apartments and homes with different height and dimensions. Essentially, in spaces where central heating is not a practical choice.

Electric towel warmers are anything but difficult to set for an expert electrician. They offer the most practical towel warmer option both to purchase and to run. They are provided only with contemporary plan and style element. This makes them one of the most alluring towel warmer alternatives available in the terms of style.

Electric towel warmers in Amazon aren’t exclusively confined to high buildings.

You also choose electric towel warmers for studios, for instance. This is a truly low-cost plan to implement. No changes to your central heating are required. You don’t need to stress over looking for arranging consent or anything comparative. At the same time you’ll set aside cash with a fresh out of the box new electric towel warmer! What’s not to cherish?

In New Bathroom Style you will find even better choice for competitive prices. Moreover, you will get a good warranty and professional help in making the right choice from our competent sales managers.

Towel warmer Costco

The advantages of towel warmers alone justify mounting one or even more to your bathroom. Towel warmers come with the feature of morning comfort so it can be programmed before you start your day so that a soothing, warm and pleasant towel is ready to greet you just after your bath or shower. It suggests the same feel of a toasty towel just out of the dryer, but there is much more efficient energy. And, the towel warmer Costco can be set up to turn off at a particular time so that you don’t waste power by turning on your bathroom thermostat for that. Towel warmers give you a spa bathroom experience at a fraction of the price of a luxury spa salon.

There is a huge selection of towel warmer Costco styles available in this store. You can browse the website and order the delivery. But since not all towel warmers are made the same, New Bathroom Style sales representatives have set out best units to define the differences and make your selection process that much easier.

If you are looking for a proper choice that will fit your bathroom best – welcome to our website or showroom in Brooklyn, New York. We are always happy to meet you and help with all of the possible questions.

 Home depot towel warmer

Another new launch to the collection is the Home Depot towel warmers with different style in a beautiful polished chrome or nickel finish. In a more economical sizes, the Home Depot towel warmers copes with small towels quickly and evenly in just a few minutes. It comes in a plug-in format for simple in installation.

The New Bathroom  towel warmers offer most affordable models on the market. With its smooth modern that allows towels to slide on and off easily, it can warm up few towels at the same time. It also has the exclusive features of a wall mount that swivels for easy access. Like all the other standard models, the New Bathroom Style towel warmers can be mounted in bathroom with no difficulties and are compatible almost with every design.

Now you should be ready to decide which towel warmer style best suits your needs and décor. Just call 718-412-3675 or visit www.newbathroomstyle.com. Therapeutic warmth and comfort is waiting you.

[nabildz31]

How to dry hair fast

Getting Rid of Excess Water in Your Hair

   Drying your hair can be a lengthy process, especially if you have long, thick hair that requires more effort to style, and it can get even more difficult when you’re pressed for time. There are several ways to dry your hair faster than usual, including using conditioner and hairspray, blow-drying in sections and using a ceramic brush, and blotting with a microfiber towel, which can wick away excess moisture and accelerate the drying process.

1. Use a wide-tooth comb after washing your hair. Wide-tooth combs separate your hair and promote better airflow, which will help you get rid of the excess water in your hair. Comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb before you leave the shower.

2. Wring or shake out your hair before stepping out of the shower. This speeds up the drying process and prevents your hair from being soaking wet immediately following a shower.

Separate your hair into multiple sections and squeeze each section to wring out excess water.

Flip your head upside down and run your fingers through your hair to shake out droplets of water.

3. Blot your hair using a microfiber towel. Microfiber towels are soft and very absorbent, and can soak up more water than other towels without damaging your hair cuticles.

Separate your hair into multiple sections and blot each section using a dry towel for the best results.

4. Use paper towels if you don’t have a microfiber towel. Paper towels can soak up more water than regular towels while preventing frizz. Use several paper towels to soak up the water in your hair. Don’t forget to recycle them when you’re done!

Long, thick hair may require more paper towels than short and/or thin hair.

5. Wrap your hair in a towel turban. Wearing a towel turban while getting ready allows the towel to absorb excess water and moisture from your hair. Tilt your head forward so that you're facing the floor. Position your towel at the back of your neck horizontally and start draping your hair with both of your hands. Twist the towel gently, not too tightly, and lift your head back up to its original position

Replace it with a new towel when your existing towel turban becomes heavy and wet.

Getting Rid of Excess Water in Your Hair

1. Treat your hair with conditioner while bathing. Conditioner locks in moisture and helps repel water to prevent your hair from absorbing more water than necessary following a bath or shower. Apply conditioner, mostly focusing on the ends of your hair, and rinse after a few minutes.

You can also use a leave-in conditioner for anti-frizz and a shiny look as well as a faster dry.

2. Use hair products that say “blow-dry” or “quick dry” on their label. Many commercial hair products such as lotions and primers now contain heat-conducting substances that wick moisture away from your hair. Apply these products to your hair as directed, prior to blow-drying or air-drying your hair, and distribute them evenly on your head.

3. Don’t apply any products until your hair is towel-dried and the excess water is soaked.

Use hairsprays with alcohol. Normally, it’s not advised to use products with alcohol since they can make your hair dry, but if you’re really in a rush and your hair is still wet, try using a hairspray or mousse that has some alcohol content—it will help you hair dry faster.[8]

Blow-Drying Your Hair

1. Use an ionic hair dryer with a high wattage. Ionic hair dryers can help smooth your hair better and prevent frying. Choose stronger ones with a wattage of at least 2000 to speed up the drying process as much as possible.

2. Blow-dry your hair outside of the bathroom. It might come naturally to blow-dry your hair in the bathroom but the after-shower steam won’t be helpful for drying it fast. Consider moving to your bedroom or another room to avoid dampness in the air and accelerate the drying process.[10]

As an alternative, open up the bathroom window and let the steam evaporate for a few minutes before you blow-dry your hair.

3. Rough-dry your hair before reaching for the brush. Prior to using a brush during blow-drying, use your fingers as a comb and toss your hair from one side to the other. Keep doing this rough-drying method for 50 to 75 percent of the time, and then switch to a brush. Dry upwards for more volume, and downwards for smooth and glossy hair.

4. Use a microfiber brush or ceramic round-barreled brush for the rest of your blow-dry. A microfiber brush has the ability to absorb moisture while you brush, and a ceramic round-barreled brush can conduct the heat coming from the dryer onto your hair strands while also shaping them nicely. Such brushes with fewer bristles than regular ones also allow for more airflow.

5. Divide your hair into four sections for increased efficiency. Although this may sound like a lot of work, it actually helps you dry your hair more efficiently and effectively instead of handling all of your hair at once. Once you section your hair in four, hold three of the sections in place with clips.

 Working in manageable sections is beneficial for nearly all styling techniques, not just drying hair.

6. Start with the bottom layers. This prevents the top layers from soaking up excess water after they’ve already dried, especially when combing or brushing your hair. Flip your head over, then blow-dry the bottom layers before moving on to the top layers.

7. Spend more time drying the roots. The ends of your hair often dry faster than its roots, which tend to finish drying last. While blow-drying your hair, focus on the roots, although you should try to avoid keeping the dryer at one place and frying your hair.

How to dry hair fast how to dry hair fast, How to Dry Your Hair Fast, no blow dry via change your life http://bit.ly/2X01A7Q

[yesterdaysdreams]

How We Refinished Our Old Wood Deck

Redoing our deck has been such an exhausting and gratifying project! It’s definitely been a lot more work than I had anticipated, but I’m learning that’s just how most home makeover projects go! I learned a lot in the process of making over the deck, so I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with you all—starting with how we refinished our wood deck!

I’m lucky that my husband Phil was game for working on such a big project with me, and that he enjoys the same music playlists as we work. (That’s kind of a big deal!) After days of working in the blazing sun, we’re each rocking a farmer’s tan as we sip iced coffee on the newly finished patio, and I don’t care. I love it! (There’s your hint for what music got us through this project!)

Besides the so fresh and so clean deck, another big part of our patio makeover was the outdoor furniture provided to me by Article. Shown above is their Medan white lounge chair, which is made of coated metal and a synthetic wicker. I’m really happy to have beautiful new furniture that will stand the test of time, even though my new deck will surely need refinishing again before that chair starts showing its age.

I’m not sure how our deck had been finished by the previous owners—or when—but it clearly needed a lot of TLC! You can see how faded and scratched the previous finish had gotten. Also, the wood was pretty damaged in some places. Seeing this before and after is so gratifying, honestly! Because in the midst of all the work, I think I lost sight of how bad it was before, and how necessary this work really was.

Stripping the Wood Deck

Step One: Wash deck thoroughly with hose water and a stiff bristle brush. Then apply chemical wood stripper* with a long-handled roller. Try to work in the shade if possible, as the sun will dry out the wood stripper faster than you want. Work in small areas so that it stays wet and can do its work.

*Be very careful when applying the wood stripper—it will burn your skin! I suggest wearing long pants, sleeves and goggles. I ended up splattering a bit on my legs and it was not good.

Step Two: Remove the previous wood stain with a long-handled stiff bristle brush or power washer, after the allotted time recommended by your wood stripper. The wood stripper I bought says to use a hose and a stiff bristle brush to wash away the old wood finish. This was very misleading for my expectation for this project, let me tell you! I’m assuming the old stain was a semi-transparent penetrating stain, and it was. not. coming. OFF! I brushed, brushed, hosed, brushed, let it dry, reapplied stripper, brushed, brushed, hosed, and cried as it seemed impossible to strip the finish. I spent hours and hours just scrubbing and rinsing the top deck level. It was a great workout, sure, but not very effective.

So we brought out the big guns—a pressure washer.

Be careful using a pressure washer to aid the stripping of a wood deck, because it will easily damage the wood, causing splintering and gouging of the wood. I never would’ve been able to strip our deck without a pressure washer, though, and while there was some damage to the wood, I was able to smooth out most of that damage while sanding in the next step.

Sanding the Wood Deck

Step Three: Sand smooth the wood to prepare it for staining or painting. I used 80 grit, and wish I had used 60, because there was a lot of dark spots still to get off the wood. (I used what sandpaper I had on hand.) I used a palm sander to get the perimeter of the deck, while Phil pushed a drum sander to get the rest of it.

Originally, I didn’t think we would need a drum sander, but after an hour of palm sanding with little to show for it, Phil ran to The Home Depot to rent a drum sander. It was SO worth the cost of renting for a few hours and buying a couple of sanding belts! We ended up with a 5-gallon bucket full of sawdust from all of the sanding.

When using the drum sander, Phil tried two techniques—walking along the length of the boards, and walking across the boards. When walking along the length, the sander is unable to get into the uneven spots of certain boards, but going across the boards helps out with this.

In addition to the palm sander and drum sander, I used a belt sander to sand down the wood posts. The belt sander was too difficult to manage on the actual deck, as it created grooves in the wood along the edge of the belt sander. I was hoping I could control the belt sander a bit better, because it’s so powerful! But in the end, we just decided enough was enough, and we would never be able to get the deck perfectly sanded, with zero trace of the previous finish remaining. You can see in the above right image that there are still some dark spots on the wood, but I’d much rather have some dark spots than spend an entire week of my life sanding the deck!

Safety

Don’t neglect your personal health and safety! When using a palm sander or belt sander without any kind of vacuum dust collection system, you must wear a respirator or breathing mask! Treated lumber makes this especially essential, as it is full of chemicals, even arsenic, which will find their way into your lungs without protection. Wearing goggles is also beneficial, which I did during the messiest parts, like belt sanding the fence posts.

Step Four: Replace any badly damaged deck boards. Quite a few of our deck boards were very splintery and chewed up, but we decided to select the four worst boards to replace. It just wasn’t in my budget to do any more than that.

Together, Phil and I used crowbars and hammers to pull out four of the boards, replacing them with new treated deck boards that looked alarmingly new and bright against the old boards. Oh well! They needed replaced, and the lumber will darken over time to become more like the older boards.

To attach the new boards to the support beams below them, we used specially coated screws designed to be used for treated lumber. If you use standard screws, the chemicals in the treated lumber will cause them to disintegrate over time.

Step Five: Wash your deck a couple of hours before you’re ready to stain. A quick wash won’t waterlog your boards, so you don’t need to worry about wetting it before staining. Just don’t go crazy and use a ton of water.

To wash my deck, I used dish detergent in a large bucket of hot water, and quickly mopped the deck. Then I rinsed thoroughly and towel-dried to speed the drying process.

Applying New Stain

Step Six: Apply new wood stain. I used a large brush and hand brushed the deck to apply the stain. You’ll want to make sure that you aren’t putting it on too heavy, or it may not properly soak into the wood. Nobody wants a literally tacky deck!

Before planning to stain your deck, make sure that it has had a chance to completely dry out at least 24 hours since the last time it rained. In addition, be sure that no rain is in the forecast for 24 hours after staining it. Particularly if you are using oil-based stain, the wood will reject the oil and cause blotchiness in the stain’s finish. You also run the risk of trapping water inside the wood, which will cause splitting and buckling over time.

I used a water-based acrylic deck stain (Behr’s Waterproofing transparent deck stain in Antique Oak), and it was still tacky even two days after applying it. I was pretty nervous about that, but the can says to wait 72 hours for a full cure, so I gave it time. The weather I was dealing with was extremely high humidity with sprinkling rain off and on, so I think that affected the timeline for the stain setting up. Still, I wondered if I had made a mistake by not using an oil-based stain.

Although it’s technically permissable to put on the second (and last) coat of stain after two hours of the first coat, I waited because of the weather, and because of my concern about the tackiness of the first coat. Turns out, everything has cured nicely after finishing up the second coat during a sunny, rain-free week. Woo hoo!

Timeline

All in all, stripping the deck took an entire weekend, with Phil and I working almost nonstop from about 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. We worked all day Saturday stripping the deck, and finished power washing when we lost all traces of daylight. On Sunday, we sent out SOS texts to our loved ones, and ended up with some extra hands to wield power sanders! We had four people sanding—Phil with the drum sander, me with a power sander or belt sander, and Phil’s dad or our friend Jared with the other two available sanders. My mother-in-law was also there to sand as I worked on prep for the next part of the job (fencing), and also to power wash the mildew on our siding.

So thankful for all of the help, and honestly, I’m not sure if we would’ve finished stripping everything in one weekend if not for them. Keep in mind that we were also stripping fence posts as well as the actual flooring of the deck, so there was more labor involved.

Staining the deck was pretty quick. I think the first coat took me a couple of hours to brush on. Walking around the fence to cut in on the other side was a bit of a time-suck. Phil helped me with the second coat, and it probably only took about 30-45 minutes to apply. We did this on two separate days because of the weather situation we were working around.

Budget

It’s difficult to advise what to expect as far as budget goes, because every deck is different. What’s the condition of the wood? How was it finished before? How large is your deck? Will you need to replace boards?

I will try to lay it all out so you can get an idea of the materials I used for our deck refinishing. Some things I had on hand, like power sanders, pressure washer (thanks, Dad!), a paint roller with long handle, paint tray, that kind of thing. So I omitted them from the list. Also, I had purchased a deck cleaner/conditioner, but decided after stripping so much of the wood during sanding, I didn’t need to use it.

6 gallons of deck stripper (I had budgeted for two—oops!)

One roll of adhesive-backed sandpaper for a palm sander (sandpaper cost can add up!)

Renting a drum sander + buying sanding belts for it

2 long-handled stiff bristle brushes

2 gallons of deck stain

4 14′ treated lumber boards

1 box Deckmate screws

In the end, Phil and I decided it would have been soooo much easier to just replace the deck boards than try to polish up the old and worn boards that were there. But, sometimes you just have to work with your budget and make do! Refinishing the deck wasn’t the cheapest project, but it was still significantly less expensive than replacing all of the deck boards. I will say, we do still have some damaged boards we probably should have replaced, but an outdoor area rug is super helpful with hiding that!

The deck obviously looks so much better than the old, worn finish that was on the deck when we bought the house. Worth all the work? Definitely! Can’t wait to share more of our deck project with you all! – Mandi

Credits: Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

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6 Important Tips on How to Maintain Your Hair Extensions

Hair extensions tend to be more expensive, especially the human hair extensions. They are like the crown and an awesome investment. Just like every good investment needs proper care, so does the hair extensions. 

Your natural hair receives nutrients and oils from your body, which keep them hydrated and well nourished. But hair extensions are off the head and need extra care and attention. That is the reason regular shampoo and conditioners don't work for extensions. There are many Hair extension care products such as dry shampoo, leave in conditioner, detangling brush and heat & shine treatment spray. They rehydrate and rebalance the hair's moisture level giving the hair superior gloss and shine. 

Just buying them won't solve the problem but taking proper care as well, will increase the longevity of your hair extensions. 

Below mentioned are the 6 important tips on how to maintain your hair extension

1.    Remove them before going to bed

 Hair extensions such as clip in can prick your scalp while you sleep and can cause extreme pain and that's the reason hair extensions should be removed before going to bed. While sleeping, there are high chances of them getting tangled and will lead to breakage of precious hair strands. When you sleep, your head moves a lot and the hair is rubbed against the pillow which will eventually create lots of tangles and it will be difficult to untangle them.

2. Do not wear them when taking shower

It is always a good practise to remove Hair extension when you take shower, it is because while showering the hair get mix with each other and then they get tangled. Also you might end up damaging your natural hair. But if you have no option to remove hair extension while taking shower then wear the shower cap.

3. Washing Hair Extensions

Just like your normal hair, Hair Extensions should not be washed daily, if it's clip in hair extension, it should be washed once or twice in a month, whereas if it's sewn in hair extensions, it should be washed twice in a week with lukewarm water and gentle hair extensions shampoo and conditioner specially designed for them. 

You need to first moist the hair in a tub filled with lukewarm water, then add few drops of shampoo and create lather, clean the hair nicely and then rinse the hair. Once washed apply the deep conditioner and let it stay for 5 to 10 mins and then rinse it again.  Remove the excess water and hang them up for air dry. Blot out excess water with a towel and once dried you can brush them. Avoid brushing when wet as it may cause damage to your extensions.

4. Brush Them Properly

Brushing your Hair extensions in the proper way will avoid damage due to tangling and make the overall process quick and effortless. They should be brushed using a wide-toothed soft comb.

You need to brush the bottom or the end first and then work your way up to the roots. Be careful while brushing the roots as you could possibly pull the hair out.

Try to brush the hair extension as frequently as you can to avoid tangling. Also keeping your natural hair smooth and tangle free, will keep your hair extension from getting entangled with them. After all, they both are going to remain together to give you that fabulous and amazing look.

5. Caution with Heat Styling Tools and Colouring

Heat styling tools like hair curler and straightener should be used carefully on the hair extensions. They shouldn't be used on synthetic hair and while using on 100% Human hair extensions the temperature should be kept less. You need to use hair protectant spray before using heat styling tools.

Synthetic hair extensions are made from plastics and using straightener or curler will damage them. Human hair extensions can’t handle too much heat. True, they are made from human hair but they don’t get any nourishment from the body like your natural hair. Hence in order to increase its longevity, use those tools with low heat.

Hair colouring like heat styling should be done with caution. It is because when you colour them they tend to become dry and rough. Bleaching them will reduce their life span. It’s better to take them to a salon or take help of a professional to colour them.

6. Storage

Hair extension should be kept in the box in which they arrived for better protection. Before putting it in the box, ensure it is brushed carefully, twisted nicely and then tied like a knot. This will ensure that your hair remains curly and tangle free.

Just like your natural hair, the more you take care of your hair extensions, the better they will look and prolong will be their life.

We hope this information about how to maintain Hair extensions will be useful for you. If you have any queries related to hair extensions please feel free to contact us or let us know down below in the comments. Make sure to share your feedback with us, we love hearing from you!

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BLOG – Sealine C330 to the Med: On to the Seine

Heidi and Kev are wowed by the amazing scenery as they continue their journey along the Seine on their Sealine C330

Words Heidi Hasler

Day 6

We carry on up the Seine, with beautiful calm waters, tide against us as we are going up stream. The properties along the river banks are stunning so there is plenty to look at while traveling along.

We have only seen a few large commercial ships so far which is breaking us in nicely. What you do need to be careful of, and to watch out for, is debris in the water. There are logs and large objects on a regular basis.

Today saw our first lock! We were happily waiting for a barge to come out and he was gesturing madly for us to move over as we had a barge coming up behind us.

One of many stunning properties on the banks of the Seine

They have priority but we knew this and gave way. We thought that we would have to wait for the next opening, when the very nice lock master raised us over the VHF to get us in. As we approached, the space looked very small but we did manage to squeeze in with space at both ends.

I had forgotten how slimy the locks are! I had put my gloves on as I knew I would have to let ropes slide or pull hard on them and I was glad I had them as they took most of the vulgar, smelly slime!

The next nervous moment was the commercial ship starting up with us aft of it. The power from his engines and turbulence from the propellers is a little unnerving and I was glad to have put lots of fenders out as they were needed. Once he was out, we got our little green light and we were off! Just a few more miles to our night stop…

Chilaxin squeezes into a lock with some commercial shipping

More beautiful houses and views, two large piers (that used to hold a railway bridge) and we were turning right into a quiet, disused quarry that is now Port Venables. On Wednesdays, the office is closed so don't bother trying to call for a berth, just head in and Pascale will assist you with checking in.

We paid €18 for the night including water, electricity and showers. The whole place is very quiet and a bit of a nature reserve – no noise whatsoever!

There are a couple of villages near by but no local stores or bars. We will have to wait until tomorrow, at Port Ilon, for any extras that we need as well as topping up with fuel (just to make sure!)

Tonight Kev has cooked dinner – pork steaks, new potatoes, egg fried rice and salad. All good after a long day! At least on the waterways it is easy to make cups of tea and lunch enroute, something that has been difficult at sea over the past few days. I think I will sleep well tonight! It's so peaceful just watching the wildlife in these beautiful surroundings.

Day 7

Yet another beautiful day!

The scenery is stunning and life seems so good… until we get a vibration in what seems to be the port engine. Not what we need so early into our trip.

We stop and drift in the river and lift the port prop to see if anything is wrapped around… nothing! We re-start the engine. The river is empty and flat so we decide to give her a quick blast for a few minutes see if that makes a difference.

It feels extremely naughty but seems to do the trick. We also notice that the part of the river that we are in has a strong under current. This is something we will monitor for the coming few hours.

We face two locks today and the first one isn't too bad. We are on our own, which is a bit daunting as the wash of the water coming in is at such a rate with no other boats to soften the blow.

Heidi gets to grips with the locks

I hang on tight and try to hold the boat as Kev uses the bowthruster to keep her nose in and stop the back end from hitting the lock. Needless to say our lines are now green and stinking!

As soon as we leave the lock the vibration we had been experiencing stops. This confirms to us that it is the current and Chilaxin has a smooth ride for the rest of the day.

Lock number two (mericourt), just before our evening stop, is evil! The sides are concertinaed and mean that, although I have seven fenders on the side, some are missing the lock wall and going in the gap.

As if it's not hard enough holding the boat, the cleats on Chilaxin, though they look extremely smart, aren't quite wide enough so I have to use my foot to keep the line in place while continually moving fenders as best I can. To say I was glad to get out of that one is an understatement!

Chilaxin in Port Ilon

Literally straight from the lock we turned left towards the weir and Port Ilon is on the right.

We are treated to a a very beautiful setting again. Masses of wildlife and fantastic services with really friendly port managers. Ann and Bruno were very welcoming. We asked about the shop and was told that it is 3km away but they have bikes that we can use should we wish.

I've not been on a bike for a couple of years and neither has Kev. These were two beaten up mountain bikes. Mine had a slightly flat front tyre and Kev's a buckled back wheel, but they were good enough to go up the road.

Port Ilon is in part of a national park and everywhere you turn it is beautiful. I stopped to take a photo of poppies in a field just before the village.

Supplies from the local shop are pricey

Guernes is a lovely and very attractive village with a small school, church and cemetery. The shop has a good stock of supplies but, as the nearest shop is over 10 miles away, it has very high prices. Mind you everything in France seems to be a expensive – including fuel at around £1.60 a litre.

We head back with our bag of goodies and €34 less in our pockets for bread, milk, some meat and cheese. We settle down with a beer and a family of Canadian geese come over to have a nose followed by a beautiful swan who was a little too friendly!

Next, we see another Sealine coming across the water We passed them earlier in the day, when they were moored at Vernon (another stunning town). They aim at the pontoon that we are on, which is also the fuel quay.

We help them moor up alongside ours and we meet Pete and Carol – another pair of Brits! They are from MDL Chatham, so we have lots to talk about. Discussing the places that they have stayed at in the past three weeks we discover that they are going at a slower pace than us and only as far as Paris.

The local wildlife takes an interest in the new arrivals

Peter and Carol have lots of sailing experience and have only had their Sealine, which they love, for three years. I have a nose around their boat and they have a good look around a moor modern (Hanse) version. We all agree that we have wonderful boats and are very lucky to be enjoying such wonderful scenery and experiences.

A bottle of gin later and it's time to have supper  (Kev cooks up a mean beef pasta) and then get ready for an early night. Tomorrow, Peter and Carol have said that they will come with us to the next stop at Cergy, which is a sister port to Port Ilon.

Only one lock tomorrow, which us ladies are pleased about. We also get our first visitor on the trip – Katy, my step daughter. She will be flying in from Exeter to Paris and then train and taxi to Cergy. We will then all travel into Paris for the weekend and celebrate her birthday together.

Day 8

We wake up to wildlife is awakening and an eerie mist drifting over the water, though it promises be another hot day. After fueling again (150 litres), we head off alone as the other Sealine is making the most of the washing machine before heading out!

We get back on to the Seine and I start to make breakfast. French bread always dries out quickly so French toast it is! Absolutely the perfect way to start the day.

After a quick tidy up  I'm told that there are Pirates! On the plotter we have the Black Pearl coming straight towards us – I did look out for Jack but, with the new tinted windows, it was hard to see him – but he did wave! We have an uneventful day and a few locks, which we navigate with ease, and head on towards Cergy.

We head off the Seine and up the Oise River towards the Port of Cergy. We see the pretty tower before the entrance to the harbour. We swing into the entrance (as we have a large barge on our backside) and start to sweat as the marina is very full and looks like it is going to be very tight!

We hear a whistle and the Capitinaire is on the bridge pointing beyond him. We do as we are told, slowly, and with me running around the deck from side-to-side to make sure we do not hit any other boats as it is really close! We get put alongside another boat which has not moved in a long time.

The bustling marina at Port Clergy

We get settled in and look around at an amazing marina, surrounded by restaurants and bars. This will make a nice change from the past few days. Within minutes Kev's daughter Katy arrives.

Once all settled in, a quick beer, and we head out to the other Sealine, which has now arrived and moored up outside as they where just too big to get in. It starts to rain! No problem though, the temperature drop is a bit of a relief to be honest.

While chilling and reflecting on the day the heavens open big time We decide to head out for dinner and get as far as the English bar, which wasn't our first choice  but we decide to have drinks first and will then move on.

However, the heavens have now decided they are going to completely dump down on Port Cergy! We are not going anywhere for a moment so we decide to have food here and although not a fantastic menu it will do as it's getting late and we are very tired.

Thirty minutes later the largest burgers arrive but we all struggle to finish the meals! The cost is painful at €40 a head for a burger and two drinks… Ouch!

We head back to the boats in torrential rain, thunder and lightning and to our beds drifting off into a peaceful sleep, knowing that tomorrow we get to Paris!

Next Chilaxin arrives in Paris

    This article BLOG – Sealine C330 to the Med: On to the Seine appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

[itsworn]

We Finish the Revival of a Nearly New 1969 Ford Ranchero GT After 29 Years of Storage

About a month ago, while we were strolling around the grounds of the old family compound, we touched on the topic of long-term storage. That’s what led us to the opening of a 40-foot shipping container. Locked in and forgotten, this time since 1989, Uncle Gary Bauman’s low-mileage 1969 Ranchero GT (12,155 miles to be exact) had languished long enough.

As long as proper steps are taken, a tight container can provide fairly safe storage. Somehow, however, this one’s roof had sprung a steady leak and the poor Ranchero sustained a series of summer-long steam baths. With its contents left unchecked, container No. 2 became the tomb of doom.

With the container doors opened for the first time in 29 years, the near-new/old Ranchero was loaded and hauled to Riverside, California’s Ed Martin Garage for a mechanical evaluation. Sure enough, time and conditions had affected the components we expected: cooling system, fuel system, brakes, and so on.

At the time of this typewriting, all mechanical issues have been tended to, as we witnessed in our Part 1 last month (July 2018). Now it’s time we turn our attention to the Ranchero’s cosmetic needs inside and out. For this phase we called in a second ringer, Ricky Pope of Soft Touch Auto Detailing, also in Riverside.

Pope is a bona fide detailing professional. His regular clientele includes the area’s new-car dealerships, but more and more lately he is in demand with the collector-car crowd. We had to wait for our appointment, but now it’s our turn. Pope’s mission is to restore and preserve the Ranchero’s original finish, brightwork and interior trim.

Based on his visual inspection, Pope estimates this to be a two-day job. Along the way we will see some familiar tools and household cleaning products used. At the same time we’ll embrace this opportunity to try out the latest in polishes, waxes, and cleaners from Mothers. Simply watching these procedures won’t make us professional detailers, but we can surely take a tip or two from Pope. Amongst his mix of tricks we might find something useful for our own detailing needs.

Now, of course, there’s still a less-technical side to this story. My favorite uncle hasn’t seen his near-new/old Ranchero GT since the last time he parked it, 29 years ago. He knows we got it out. He knows we’ve been working on it. We all know we can’t let it die again. There has been some discussion about a big auction somewhere, but maybe there is a happier ending in store. Very soon, when we drive it up Uncle Gary’s driveway, we shall see what shall be.

1 Just to give you an idea, here is what we have received from Mothers. Yes, it’s a lot. The job at hand will require a lot, but we certainly have everything we need. To further sweeten this presweetened deal, we’ve been loaned a brand-new Flex dual-action polisher.

2 On a complete detail job like ours, Pope likes to begin with interior brightwork and trim. For this story we focus mostly on the detailing of the Ranchero’s exterior, but before we start with that, look at this! After working late last night, Pope has our interior looking and smelling like new—and this could be another story.

3 Today we start with a dulled-down, dried-out factory finish. The horizontal surfaces are pretty far gone, and we know the paint is thin. On that note, let’s begin at the beginning with a needed bath.

4 In the mix with Pope’s new stockpile of Mothers products is a generous supply of Mothers-brand microfiber polishing cloths. These are washable and reusable, and a notch or two nicer than others we’ve worked with. The tags are a little scratchy but easily removable by design.

5 Inside the Mothers bucket is one of Mothers’ wash mitts. Made from microfiber chenille, they are very absorbent and very, very soft. At the bottom of the bucket, just out of view, is a grit guard. It’s a pretty common detailers’ tool and keeps the new mitt separated from settling sediment. Also in the bucket, we have mixed a batch of Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax.

6 Being somewhat ambidextrous, Pope often uses both hands. Here, either form of microfiber is safe for our purposes. We know that later on we’ll be using an aggressive rubbing compound, so this time a fresh-mixed batch of this same slippery solution might suffice as a lubricant for clay.

7 Used in straight strokes and folded often as we go, this hunk of clay contours nicely to the uppermost shape of this quarter-panel. This is also a Mothers product, from our 200-gram California Gold clay kit. Used in conjunction with the Carnauba Wash & Wax, it’s gradually smoothing this gritty surface.

8 From the Mothers Speed line, this 2.0 clay is a good fit for the Ranchero’s flatter expanses. The business end that contacts the finish is easy to rinse by tread-like design. For a lubricant we have switched to Mothers Instant Detailer as the company recommends.

9 As the second day of the job wears on, it has becoming clear that we’ll need a third day if we’re going to bring these dead horizontal surfaces back to life. Although playing with clay can be fun, this has been hard work. On this particular job, it has been harder work than usual, but we’re gaining—and now it’s time for another bath.

10 The next step will involve Mothers Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound. The foam cutting pad is a Lake Country item. Lake Country offers a line of pads designed to match Mothers compounds and polishes. Compound application techniques vary from detailer to detailer. After a shake, here’s what Pope does.

11 Beginning slowly to avoid slinging compound, Pope takes the brand-new, borrowed Flex dual-action polisher for a test spin. For starters, he selected the No. 4 speed setting. This is a smooth-operating machine. He likes it, and we’ll see it used again as the job progresses.

12 For the toughest area of our horizontal surfaces, Pope pulls out his toughest buffer. This time-saving move is best left for the brave professional. Used improperly, an 8-inch foam cutting pad on a high-speed buffer could destroy this fragile original finish, but that won’t happen here.

13 For now, let’s take a break from paint-related chores. We’ve got some tire cleaners and metal polishes to play with. For the initial tire cleanup, the leading brand of dish soap does fine. The long-handled brush used here is a Mothers staple, and its reach is just right for wheelhouses.

14 Summertime in Riverside is hot. Summertime in container No. 2 is hot enough to melt the factory’s grease right out of tailgate latches and door latches as well. These jambs are a greasy mess. Despite the time and effort we gave it, dish soap just wouldn’t cut it.

15 Meanwhile, back on the bench we’ve had an ideal degreaser within reach the whole time. Also from Mothers Speed line, this all-purpose cleaner makes quick work of greasy goo. A small section of flexible abrasive pad is handy for the latch, but the painted jamb calls for microfiber cloth, rinse and dry.

16 As insect collections go, this one is well established. Bug corpses are baked into this grille’s porous finish. Even so, Mothers Speed Bug & Tar Remover is helpful in loosening them up. Here again, the long-handled, soft-enough brush easily contours to shape. Next, the grille area will receive a thorough rinse.

17 For the dripping-wet grille and other difficult-to-dry areas, Pope pulls out an invaluable detailer’s tool. This leaf blower is powered by a clean-running four-stroke engine and, like everything else used at Soft Touch, is California compliant.

18 As y’all may recall, we’re not exactly finished with the Ranchero’s original finish, so it’s “lather, rinse, repeat” with a fresh-mixed batch of Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax. Then we towel-dry and blow-dry as necessary. The next step is Pope’s call.

19 For this job, Mothers supplied a bottle of Foam Pad Polish, but Pope skips that step. After washing, this light color shows no compound swirl marks, so he has gone straight to Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax. This could be considered a shortcut, but for this particular job, it’s appropriate.

20 As a time-saving move, Pope utilizes the Flex dual-action polisher outfitted with a brand-new Lake Country foam polishing pad. For those of us at home who might prefer to work in a more manual manner, Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax can be used by hand as well.

21 These circa-1969, original vinyl stripes could also use a little love. These areas are particularly fragile, so here Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax is manually applied and manually buffed dry with small sections of the same Mothers microfiber cloth we have used throughout this job.

22 This remote mirror would be difficult to wax around. With a screwdriver and a few extra fingers, it’s detached and held out of the way for initial cleanup. Followed up with a pump-application of Mothers Speed Spray Wax, this problem spot is no problem at all.

23 The Ranchero’s only nonstock modification came right away, in 1969. After years of storage, these American Torq-Thrust originals are deserving of preserving. Pope applied Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish by hand, and then worked it into this wheel’s rim with a Mothers Power Ball Mini speed polisher chucked up in a variable-speed drill. Although manual labor would yield results, the Power Ball gets better results, faster. Pope is beyond pleased with his test-spin results. He’s stoked.

24 Earlier at the tire shop, I’d neglected to say “no dressing.” Mothers supplied tire dressing as well, but this time it’s me. I’m just not into dressings. We’ve already witnessed a vigorous brush-scouring with the leading brand dish soap. Now let’s try Mothers Back-to-Black Tire Renew as a finishing touch. Although this product is designed to be sprayed directly onto tires, Pope and I prefer a terrycloth applicator. Wiped on and followed with a dry section of terrycloth, this cleans deeper than dish soap while producing a likeable look with no additional dressing necessary.

25 This rear bumper is rusty. In the past we have leveled pitting with crinkly wads of foil. With glass cleaner as a lubricant, it worked fairly well. Some believe that trick works better with acid-laced cola, but Pope wouldn’t appreciate a sticky mess on his shiny shop floor. Let’s test a small area, dry, with Grade 0000 steel wool.

26 Steel wool surprised us. Still, this bumper’s rough and rusty condition will require an aggressive polish. Mothers Billet Metal Polish is aggressive. As a rule, even mild products should be tested first. Even so, here we go! Hand-buffed dry with a larger, cleaner cloth, this bumper is showroom-shiny.

27 Tired and sore at the end of our three-day detailing marathon, we have achieved success. Here the right combination of experience, manual labor, and Motherly love pay off. Uncle Gary’s near-new/old Ranchero GT is truly back in showroom shape.

The post We Finish the Revival of a Nearly New 1969 Ford Ranchero GT After 29 Years of Storage appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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