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ilikekidsshows · 3 years ago

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Miraculous Hair Style Analysis: Marinette

Full disclosure, I really do like the character designs of Miraculous Ladybug. The characters have clearly recognizable silhouettes and the color palettes used in the designs are used for multiple purposes simultaneously. The color palettes are used to create a clearly recognizable "brand" for each character, and they're also used to create cohesion or contrast within certain character combinations and they even have symbolism. Hell, I even think the highly criticized villain designs are delightful! Especially the Bubbler.

But, to the main point of this post: this show puts a lot of emphasis on visual storytelling. That's why the character designs place purpose over what teens would find fashionable. I personally appreciate this choice because it makes the show more timeless than trying to use contemporary fashion would do, and also because I hate it when superheroes show up to fight crime in street wear. Where's the pizzaz in t-shirts and jeans? (The early 2000s Teen Titans comic is a pet peeve of mine for revamping so many outfits into this.) This purpose is so ingrained into the character designs it's even visible in the characters' hairstyles. This analysis is all about picking apart a few of the more standout examples of hairstyles as tools of characterization. First up is Marinette.

Marinette's hairstyle is a classic girlie girl hairstyle. The twintails go great together with the choice of pink as her primary color, because both traits are attached to femininity and childishness. Miraculous Ladybug is about Marinette growing up, so the childish hairstyle emphasizes her role as a person in need of growing. But that's not all it symbolizes and this comes together with the other hairstyle Marinette knowingly picks, the bun on the top of her head, that we see in her old school photo in ‘Reflekta’.

The tightly-wound hair bun often symbolises someone who holds themselves back, who is controlled and measured. This is why the primary person we see with this hairstyle is Nathalie, who never has a hair out of place. Miss Bustier's version of the bun is meant to make her look professional, but the strand of hair escaping from it reveals that she can also be more laid back. Nathalie aims to always remain strictly professional, but Bustier openly cares for her students on a personal level and is very invested in them all growing into the best them they could be.

Marinette is more like Bustier than Nathalie in the symbolism of her hair. Marinette tries to control things (in fact, she's a bit of a control freak), she can act put together when she knows what she's doing, like when she's acting as class president or Ladybug, and Marinette. As an aspiring designer, she probably wants to appear professional and capable. Marinette is also pretty uptight, since the smallest thing going unlike how she planned can make her panic, and that's important to when the hair comes down.

In 'Love Hunter', when Marinette's hair comes out of its twintails by accident but Adrien still says: "It's the first time I've seen you with your hair down." "Letting your hair down" is another way of saying "relax", and this occasion is the first time Adrien has seen Marinette truly unreserved around him since the day they met. Marinette leaving her hair down after Kagami and Adrien compliment her is Marinette letting her guard come down and simply enjoying her time with Adrien and Kagami. It's only after Kagami and Adrien accidentally remind her that she can't really understand the things they go through that Marinette ties her hair up again, and, soon after, she leaves the two and runs off because she can't be her unreserved self around them anymore, constantly second-guessing everything she says or does.

We also see Marinette with her hair down in the split off timeline in 'Cat Blanc', when Marinette is so focused on being in love with Adrien and being with Adrien that facing something that challenges that state brings her closer to Akumatization than anything else she's experienced. I've repeatedly stated that my analysis on the themes of 'Cat Blanc' is that the episode's lesson is "easy solutions don't last". Because Marinette and Adrien getting together happened so easily in that timeline, Marinette grew careless. It was the classic happily ever after moment, and the story usually ends after the happily ever after, so Marinette wasn't ready for Gabriel to make his play.

Speaking of Gabriel, as is fitting of Marinette's foil, Gabriel hairstyle is the typical short-haired version of the uptight-do: it's slicked back with such care that it looks more like a solid helmet than a hairstyle and Gabriel is never seen without his hair in this style. The message Gabriel's hair sends is clear: appearances must be kept at all times. Marinette also is overly concerned and conscious over how she might be perceived by others, hence another reason for an “uptight” hairstyle.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #marinette dupain cheng #ml meta #long post #the hair analysis series

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pkmn-downtheline · 3 years ago

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The Evolution of Pokemon Contests

Now that we've officially seen Lisia and Contest Spectaculars in Pokemon Journeys, I wanted to do a little write-up on how Pokemon Contests work in the Down the Line universe. As a note to avoid confusion, Down the Line is officially an AU/canon-divergent universe to what we see in the anime. Everything from OS through SM remains canon to our universe. Journeys still exists, but it will be a little different. Once the series finishes, we'll do another write-up on what's staying the same/what's different in our universe.

For the sake of this post, all you need to know is Lisia is still very young when Journeys happens in our universe (too young to be competing in contests) and Contest Spectaculars don't exist. Chloe will still go to Hoenn, meet Serena, and participate in a contest, but without Lisia and it would be a standard Super Contest. With that knowledge, let me explain how Pokemon Contests work in Down the Line!

Pokemon Contests are a newer trainer class than the Pokemon League. They're less than 100 years old, having emerged in the Hoenn region around the 1950s. For a while, Pokemon Contests were only appeals, but gradually battles were added in and the standard Pokemon Contest (that we see in AG) was born. Within a decade contests spread to the Sinnoh region. Trainers in Sinnoh put their own spin on Pokemon Contests with flashier appeals, showy outfits, and ball capsules—forming the Super Contest (that we see in DP).

By the time DP-era started, Super Contests began to overpower standard Contests. Within ten years, Super Contests were the default for all contests. But while Super Contests were a little flashier, they were still fundamentally the same thing as standard Pokemon Contests. The same rules applied to both, Super Contests just had a little more pizzaz.

Enter Lisia! Lisia began her Pokemon journey at the age of 10 in 2023. Being Wallace's niece, she already had a little bit of fame surrounding her right from the start. Nothing crazy, just enough to get her a little bit of attention. Over the following six years, the contest world began to shift. Lisia had a very different style of battling and appeals than other Pokemon Coordinators. She took a lot of influence from Pokemon Performers in the Kalos region and often made her appeals performances of her own—frequently inserting herself into them to dance (and sometimes sing) with her Pokemon.

Lisia's style drew a lot of attention (both positive and negative) from people in the Contest circle. Many traditionalists found her appeals tacky and claimed that Lisia inserting herself into them took away from the natural beauty of Pokemon. But others argued that it was a unique way of showing the bond between a Pokemon and their trainer, while still ultimately giving the Pokemon the spotlight. Between her style, charm, and vibrant personality, a fanbase began to form for Lisia. And the more popular she became, the more it grew —hitting a peak by the time she was 16.

Lisia's fans were always showing up at her Pokemon Contests, bringing aqua-colored glowsticks with them to show their support for her. Lisia's fanbase was noisy, often cheering/chanting along with her appeals and battles. Some spectators found this atmosphere annoying, but the majority really loved it. It made contests more fun to attend and let the audience feel like they were a part of it. Soon enough, other Coordinators began to mimic Lisia's style and/or put their own spin on it—growing fanbases of their own. This shift led to many people entering Pokemon Contests as a way to help themselves and their Pokemon grow as performers.

By the time Skye sets off on her Pokemon Journey, the Contest world has changed. Contests still function the same way (an appeal round followed by a battle round), but the atmosphere is very different. Lots of Coordinators participate in appeals with their Pokemon—many of them aiming to become top Contest Idols like Lisia. The audience is very loud, dimly lit, and glowsticks are provided to every attendee. Ultimately though, the scoring system, ribbon system, and the road to the Grand Festival are all still the same! Many people view becoming a Top Coordinator as the first stepping stone to "making it big" in the performance world, rather than a be-all-end-all.

That isn't to say every Coordinator is an idol/performer. There are many Coordinators who participate in Contests the traditional way. There's a pretty even split between traditional Coordinators and performing Coordinators. For example, Briar and Emilie tend to lean on the more traditional end of Coordinating, where they allow their Pokemon to take center stage. Meanwhile, Allie and Cade lean more on the performing end of Coordinating, where they take the stage with their Pokemon.

The basic idea behind this is combining the worlds of traditional Pokemon Contests, Super Contests, and Contest Spectaculars. That way, all of the Coordinators can be kept within the same circuit, battles don't need to be eliminated, and we don't need to worry about rankings. I think that's all we've got for now, but let us know if you have any questions or suggestions!

#World #Contests #Lisia

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jeanvaljean24601 · 4 years ago

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Get a case to protect your Galaxy A50 from scratches or cracks

Samsung's mid-range smartphone options have typically been less than impressive, but with the Galaxy A50, the company's finally crafted a handset that doesn't skimp out on presentation or features while coming in at a price tag that everyone can get behind. If you have the A50 or plan on getting it, we recommend checking out any of the below cases to keep the phone safe and secure for years to come.

The Galaxy A50 is a no-nonsense phone that offers a great user experience without any big compromises. In the case world, that's precisely what the Spigen Rugged Armor sets out to do. It has a simple, yet effective design, shock-absorption technology, and raised edges over the display to prevent unwanted scratches.

Otterbox has been in the case game for awhile and the Commuter series is one of the most popular. With the Galaxy A50, you get a two-piece case with a TPU inner shell, and a hard polycarbonate outer shell. This combination makes for a great way to keep your Galaxy A50 safe from any drops that may occur.

The SupCase Unicorn Beetle Pro is one of the best options for people who regularly drop their phones. The Beetle Pro has multiple layers comprised of both TPU and polycarbonate, along with a rotatable belt holster. SupCase has even built-in a kickstand on the case, while still making it slim to enough to wirelessly charge your Galaxy A50.

Samsung's A50 is a good-looking phone, and as such, we wouldn't blame you if you want to show its design off to the world. With the Spigen Liquid Crystal Case, you can allow its natural beauty to shine through while still keeping it as safe as can be. The four corners are reinforced with drop resistance, there are precise port cutouts, and a raised lip over the screen.

Have a tendency to drop your phone? Like, a lot? If so, the Poetic Rugged Case is a great choice. The dual-layer design offers ample protection for the A50, with the case being shock-, drop- and scratch-proof. There's also a built-in screen protector to prevent the phone from turning into a shattered mess, along with a kickstand on the back.

There's no denying that the A50 is an eye-pleasing phone, but if you find yourself getting tired of its design for whatever reason, the Anccer Colorful Series is a great way to change up its aesthetic in the blink of an eye. Available in red, blue, green, pink, and black with a thin 0.3mm body, this is an excellent option for minimal protection and maximum style.

Combining a clear case and rugged protection into one sleek package, the Ringke Fusion-X continues to be one of our top case recommendations year after year. The protective bumper offers increased drop resistance, a dot matrix pattern on the clear portion prevents unwanted rainbow effects, and there's a hole for attaching a lanyard.

ZIZO's Bolt line of cases is military-grade tested exceeding the 810.1-G Military Drop Test standards, which is rather impressive for a case like this. The Bolt is surprisingly slim, while sporting a tempered glass screen protector, and even a holster clip. ZIZO also offers five different colors along with having a built-in kickstand on the back of the case.

VRS Design Slim Premium Wallet Case.Wallet cases are great, but more often than not, they take the form of bulky folio designs. With this case from VRS Design, the hidden sliding door on the back allows you to store two cards and some cash discretely. The case itself is also pretty slim and offers drop, scratch, and stain resistance.

Poetic Guardian Rugged Clear Case.With the Poetic Rugged Clear Case, you're getting an incredibly well-built package that will ensure your Galaxy A50 stays in great shape for years and years. It's military-grade drop tested, has a clear polycarbonate back, comes with multiple accent color options, and has a built-in screen protector to ensure you get full 360-degree coverage.

If you love the Galaxy A50 but feel like it could use a little more pizzaz, the Spigen Liquid Crystal Glitter is a great choice. The clear TPU material is slim, lightweight, and keeps the A50 safe from daily wear and tear. The star of the show, however, is all of the glitter that gives the A50 an extra bit of pop we think you'll love.

Nobody likes when their phone falls out of their hands and the Ghostek Covert helps to combat this. The soft TPU bumper helps make sure that your Galaxy A50 doesn't slip out, along with the patterned finish on the back and sides of the case. With the Covert, you'll also get raised edges to keep your screen from getting those annoying micro-scratches.

Starhemei is known for making a wide-array of cases, but its TPU cases are some of the best. This Silicone Cover features added padding on all four corners to go along with the non-slip grip thanks to the material. There are even 15 different case patterns to choose from.

Having a phone case that is sleek, protective, and flashy is not a combination that you'll find very often. The Dzxouui Sparkle Case, it combines all of these with improved grip along the edges to go along with added material and protection around all four corners. The best part is that you'll have hearts moving around and sparkling in the light as you use your phone.

The Incipio NGP case doesn't add a lot of bulk to your Galaxy A50, but is flexible enough for easy installation. This wrap-around design is also perfect to protect your phone from drops. And with the two-toned finish, you'll get some added grip to keep your phone in your hands.

If we had to choose,the Galaxy A50 has an impressive selection of available cases. If you're having trouble deciding which one would be a good fit, we'd recommend going for the Spigen Rugged Armor. Its design isn't the flashiest out there, but it excels thanks to its surprising durability, slim and lightweight design, and affordable price.

If you tend to be a bit rougher on your phones, something like the Poetic Revolution Rugged Case is likely a better fit. The dual-layer design offers more all-around protection, and with a built-in screen protector, you never have to worry about shattering the A50's screen. h96 tv box

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we really like the Anccer Colorful Series if you only need basic coverage from daily wear and are primarily after a super-thin case that can quickly add a splash of color to the A50.

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takingcourage · 5 years ago

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A Prickly Diversion

Pairing: Jaime x MC

Word Count: 3,600

Summary: Arden gets roped into yet another animal-related news story -- this time with Jaime along for the ride.

Note: This piece is heavily inspired by a throwaway line from Jaime’s diamond scene in Chapter 6. In case you missed it, one tidbit to come out of the conversation is that Jaime “openly weeps” at pictures of baby hedgehogs. I’ve spent the better part of the past three weeks trying to work out how to turn that admission into a fic. Here’s hoping the result is enjoyable! Even if it’s not, here’s some hedgehog cuteness for your viewing pleasure...

“You’re such a lazy girl, Jinx,” Arden chastened as she returned to the living room. Kneeling down beside the couch, she smothered her face against the cat’s plush fur. Her short, polished nails made contact with Jinx’s chin, and soon the fluffy mass began to rumble in a satisfied purr. Arden settled her cheek onto the sound, sighing her own contentment.

No sooner had her eyes closed than the purring came to an abrupt stop, replaced by another noise altogether.

You’re using me as a pillow? How pathetic! Uprooting herself, the cat became little more than a blur as she dashed behind the couch.

“You and your mood swings,” Arden laughed, brushing a strand of fur from her cheek. She looked up to see Opie ambling toward her.

Strange grumpy dog ran from nice lady. I help!

Lips cracking into a smile, Arden leaned down to scoop the puppy into her lap. “I should have started with you anyway. Your sister isn’t so great at providing affection."

Opie propped his large paws on her shoulders before a broad tongue emerged to lick her cheeks. I help! I help!

With a laugh, she pushed the enthusiastic creature away. “Let’s stick to petting for now. I’ll take my bath later.”

The puppy hopped to the floor, returning to her side moments later with a chew toy dangling from his teeth. He dropped it into her feet before eyeing her for approval.

“Thanks, Opie.” Her smile prompted an enthusiastic wag of his tail. “I’ll treasure it.”

Arden was just getting to her knees to search for his toy squirrel when her phone vibrated across the end table. She caught it just before it fell off the edge. “If that’s anyone from work, I’m going to throw something,” she threatened while flipping the device right-side up.

Damn.

She flung Opie’s toy into the kitchen with a little more vigor than intended.

“Hey, Aubrey. What’s up?”

The senior manager's greeting carried over the line. “Morning, Arden. I’m so sorry to bother you, but we’ve got a story coming out of Northbridge Zoo and Alec is convinced that you’re the only person who can handle it. The van is on its way to your apartment to pick you up -- it’ll be there in fifteen minutes or so.”

Knowing there was little use in arguing, Arden stood and made her way to the closet to find something that was both work appropriate and not too wrinkled --a tall order, even on days when she was anticipating going into the studio. “I’m sending him a glitter bomb. This is actually ridiculous.”

Aubrey’s deep breath implied agreement. “I tried to take it, but after the emu incident, he’s not letting anyone else cover anything to do with animals. Not that you don’t have a way them -- you’re great at dealing with animals -- but I don’t know why he thought he needed to bring you in on your day off to go look at baby hedgehogs.”

Her hand froze on the hanger, green sheath dress swaying wildly beneath the force of her surprise.

“I can try talking with him again. It really isn’t fair for him to do this to you, especially when it’s just a routine visit and not an actual emergency.”

“No, it’s all good,” she answered quickly, tossing the dress onto her bed. “But if anyone asks, I need to make one quick stop on the way to the zoo.”

_______________________________________________________________________

Using one hand to corral the objects in her lap, Arden wrenched herself forward to prop open the front passenger door. Jaime was still occupied in the task of locking his front door, but she wasn’t in the mood to waste any time. The appearance of the very recognizable Northbridge News van was likely to cause a stir, especially among the handful of retirees in the community. If they made it out of this pick up without her father and half of the neighborhood coming out to investigate, she would count it a success.

“Hurry up!” she chided good naturedly as she warmed a fingerful of sculpting gel between her palms.

“Good morning to you too! Unusual ride.” If Alec has forced you into anything, he’s going to answer to me. “How ya doing, Tony?” he greeted as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Tony muttered something incomprehensible before backing out of the driveway.

“So you got roped into this too, huh?”

Arden combed both hands through her hair several times to add body, hoping that the resulting style looked something like her signature coiffure. This was about the level of effort she was used to putting in, but she didn’t typically have to factor bedhead into the equation.

“It ended up being a kind of last-minute assignment,” she explained, adding to Tony’s curt nod. Her tone was casual, but guarded. She was aware that she’d be treading thin ice. “And I promise it’s going to be SO much better than the brunch plans we had to cancel to take it. You’ll see.”

“I hope you’re right.” But, Arden? I’m still not happy about Alec treating you like this.

“Always,” she promised, leaning up to slide her fingers through his hair. “Here you go.” His thick locks were still somewhat damp from his morning shower, and the mingled smell of shampoo and styling product wafted into her nose. When did he start smelling so good? She dismissed the question as quickly as it came.

“What’s that for?”

“Just getting rid of my extra gel. Had to get my fingers clean.” Jaime allowed his hair to remain mussed, though he brushed aside the loose strands from his forehead. Returning the tube of gel to her backpack, Arden withdrew a pair of shiny packages. “And this is why! I can’t go eating Pop-Tarts with oily hands.” Keeping one pack for herself, she extended the other to the front seat. “Trade you for a coffee.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” A full tumbler appeared in the space moments later, and she accepted it gratefully. “I’m guessing it’s not your first cup.”

“Just my second. I tried to sleep in this morning, but Opie came and woke me up at, like, 7:00. He was all worked up because --” she caught her tongue, glimpsing Tony listening from the driver’s seat. “He needed food and a walk.”

I take it Jinx was hiding from him again?

“And Jinx climbed into the back of the recliner,” she confirmed. “Refused to come out until she heard me pouring food.”

“It sounds like an eventful morning.” And we should probably stop talking like this. Tony is going to get suspicious.

“Yep.” She let the word serve as answer to both points, turning her attention to the makeshift breakfast in her lap.

They arrived at the zoo shortly after Arden had finished eating. She brushed a crumb from the corner of her mouth, then set about applying a quick coat of lipstick. Her day’s look was verging on the simple side of what was acceptable, but Alec would need to be happy with whatever footage he got. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about the quality of her work, but as soon as Aubrey had mentioned the specifics of the job, another priority had shifted into prominence.

“How do I look?” she asked Jaime as he exited the vehicle behind him.

Like half the city of Northbridge is about to fall in love with you. "Newsworthy," he responded noncommittally. "Still refusing to tell me what this is for? I'm going to find out either way."

"You know I like a little pizzaz." She threw him some jazz hands and checked her appearance in the side mirror a final time. Upon moving to the back of the truck, she tossed him a bag of equipment. "Here, take this. It'll be better if they think you're part of the crew."

He received the duffle without complaint and they made their way across the sidewalk, Tony taking up the rear.

"I'll go along with this on one condition,” Jaime agreed, hiking the bag over his shoulder.

"Name it and we'll see."

His eyes rolled upward, as if consulting the sky for patience. "Since I'm technically "helping” you with a job, would you come help me out with something once we're done? I was going to ask you to come with me anyway, but this gives a nice chance for some reciprocity."

"You've got yourself a deal."

"I think someone named Lisa is our contact person?" Tony provided, squinting into the canopied entrance. "That's probably her right there."

A tall brunette emerged from the shadows, hand outstretched toward Arden. "Ms. Gale! I'd recognize you anywhere. You look just like you do on television," the woman's smile revealed dimpled cheeks and Arden couldn't help feeding off her positive energy.

"You must be Lisa." She eyed the name badge and extended her hand for a firm shake.

"My four-year-old loves you."

See? I told you.

Arden resisted the urge to glare in Jaime's general direction.

"She's going to flip when I tell her I met you."

"It's always a pleasure to hear I have fans. What's her name?" Arden asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear to distract from the overt delight in her grin. How long will it be before I’m used to this kind of thing?

"It's Evie," Lisa answered with obvious pride. “She’s a wildlife fanatic, so that story a few weeks ago -- the one with the emus -- it really won her over. Hasn’t stopped talking about you since.”

"Well, I’ll see if I can give her a shoutout while we're on air."

"You're officially the sweetest celebrity I've ever met! Let's head on in." She waved them through, propping open the gate so they could follow her inside. "Animal lover too?"

Arden held the gate for Tony, dodging the duffle as Jaime walked in past her. "I do have a soft spot for them. I've got a dog and a cat at home to keep me company. Haven't been to the zoo in ages though -- honestly, it's been too long."

"Well, we're happy to have you here any time. Just say the word and I'll get you right in. Now, the hedgehogs are housed in our...."

Lisa's explanation continued, but Arden failed to hear it over the high-pitched screech coming from her right.

She snuck a glance at Jaime. Definitely worth keeping it a secret.

Arden, you're the absolute light of my life. I’m still mad at Alec, but I may just let you off the hook about earlier.

"They have a full prickle of baby hedgehogs," she whispered to him as they passed through a corridor.

“Is that what a group of them is called?”

“Uh-huh!” Her smile widened at his incredulous look. “I had to google it on the way so I’d know what I was talking about.”

“Let’s be real, Arden. You just wanted to think of puns in advance.”

She flashed him a sly smile as they followed Lisa into the learning center. That woman directed them toward the enclosure of African Pygmy Hedgehogs. Six bristly critters climbed around the habitat, spiky backs providing an adorable contrast to the soft curls of the wood shavings that surrounded them.

“Aside from Evie, these are my pride and joy. Here’s Laurel,” Lisa pointed out the adult hedgehog, “and her babies, Tony, Steve, Natasha, Thor, and Hulk.”

Great, I’m sharing names with a hedgehog now. Tony’s voice came from behind.

Arden resisted the urge to address his complaint, instead asking,“Hulk? Not Bruce?”

Lisa gave an airy laugh. “He’s always been the biggest, so it seemed more appropriate.”

“Well, they’re all adorable. Our viewers are going to love them.” Arden cocked her head toward Jaime. “What do you think?”

“Pictures don’t do them justice,” he answered simply, attention never wavering from the creatures before him. I'm not even going to hold you to that earlier agreement. We're even. More than even.

Giggling, Arden turned back to Lisa. “This is amazing. No wonder Evie is wild about animals.”

“Do you want to get to know them a little bit before you start filming? They’re going to be used with kids in our educational programs, so we’re trying to get them used to interacting with strangers.”

Arden nodded, Jaime’s shriek ringing through her ears. I’m really going to have to tell him to stop thinking in sound effects.

After a very entertaining half hour, Arden wrapped the segment. “Back to you in the studio. Stay sharp, Northbridge." She could feel Tony’s groan even before it became audible.

"Evie's going to be saying that for weeks! Do you mind if I get a picture with you before you go?" Arden was only too happy to oblige.

_______________________________________________________________________

Jaime was bursting with questions by the time Tony dropped both of them off at his house. “Be straight with me,” he began as the van pulled away. “What do hedgehogs think about?”

Arden followed Jaime into his truck, yanking the seatbelt over her shoulder as she rattled off the various things she’d overheard. “Laurel spent most of the time being worried about how their spikes looked. Hulk basically just wanted the green pepper you were feeding him. He was really into that pepper. And you remember when Thor rolled into the ball?”

“Yeah.” Shifting out of reverse provided him with the opportunity to meet her laughing eyes.

“He just kept thinking, my feet are stuck! My feet are stuck! over and over. I almost died.”

Jaime shook his head, lifting his hand from the gearshift to run it through his still-tousled hair. “That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

His free hand fell between them on the bench seat, and Arden’s eyes followed the motion keenly. Does he want me to hold his hand? She couldn’t deny that the prospect intrigued her, but what if she was misreading the situation? Aware of his gaze, she scratched her cheek to diffuse the tension.

Jaime cleared his throat. “Anyway, It’s a good thing we’re about to go mix things up with some manual labor.”

“I’m not about to do manual labor, am I?”

“Nah, you should be fine. I’m just bringing you along as a second pair of eyes. I’ll be doing the heavy lifting myself.”

“That’s a relief,” she said, gesturing toward the skirt of her dress. “What’s the job?”

"Remember that wedding that I helped with a few weeks ago? The couple asked me to install a mantelpiece in their new house and it's a lot easier with someone else there to make sure it’s straight. I might have you hold something in place for a minute, but it’s nothing too strenuous."

"You probably just want me to come along and drool over your muscles," she accused only half jokingly. Somehow the laugh stuck in her throat as she thought about the sight of his toned body. His v-neck wasn’t going to do much to conceal how ripped he was if there was actually any heavy lifting involved.

"Please keep the drooling to a minimum, at least as long as we're in their house. I don't want them coming home from visiting family to find that I've left a trail of slime in their living room."

"Of course not. I'll just have to bottle up all of my awe, I suppose."

“It’s probably for the best.” They fell into easy banter for the remainder of the short drive, though Arden’s attention was divided once they pulled into the sprawling subdivision on the west side of town. The wedding venue had been enough to convince her that the couple had great taste, but somehow she hadn’t expected their neighborhood to be quite so upscale.

“Wow,” she whispered, unable to keep her eyes from traveling up to the shutters of the second-floor windows. They pulled into the driveway of a brick house that could have easily held twenty copies of her apartment.

“Nice, huh?”

“I don’t think a place this big could ever feel like home,” she admitted, removing the seatbelt.

“They’re planning to do a lot of entertaining,” he told her by way of explanation. “Receptions, fundraisers, stuff like that. A lot of this is just for show.” Jaime slid a spare key into the deadbolt.

“I mean, it’s gorgeous, but a little much for me.”

“Me too. You’ve seen my house,” he joked wryly.

With the click of the lock, Arden suddenly felt like they were trespassing into something sacred. This was the couple's home. Their home together.

Even as they crossed the threshold, her overactive mind was running wild, picturing what it would be like to be entering a home she shared with Jaime. She’d come home from work to find him sketching out project designs in the dining room. He’d smile up at her and --

STOP! She snapped down on her inner cheek to halt the progression of that particular train of thought. You can't just go in and pretend that this is your house. You certainly can't go in pretending that Jaime is your... anything -- other than a friend.

Looking for any possible excuse for a distraction, she cast an appreciative eye over the decor and wandered ahead so that Jaime couldn't see the war that was happening on her face. "Jaime! Have you seen the kitchen? They have shiplap on this wall! I think I'm in love." Oh. Poor choice of words.

Jaime didn’t seem to notice the slip. "You wanna take a quick tour before we go to the living room? The Sanbornes won't mind. I've been in and out of here for a lot of projects to get things ready for them to move in. I could show you some of my handiwork."

"If every room is as good as the kitchen, it's going to knock my socks off."

"You're not wearing socks."

"Then you'd better hope it's impressive enough to knock my shoes off."

"It is," he uttered with confidence. Arden followed him through the lower level of the house, wondering just when his assured cockiness had crossed the line from slightly annoying to devastatingly attractive.

Arden, get a grip. This is Jaime. You need to calm down. But the mental pep talk wasn’t enough to quiet the pounding of her heart.

"What do you think of the crown molding in here?" Jaime inquired, flicking on the lights to the study.

"It's too much."

"Really? I think it's pretty classy, myself."

"Sure, it's classy, but can you imagine what it's like to clean that much decorative wood? You'd spend a full day of the week just going around with a ladder and a duster."

"So you don’t dislike the look, you're just too lazy for that kind of upkeep." It was a statement rather than a question. Arden showed him the tip of her tongue.

I'll have to remember that.

"Why would you want to remember that?"she wondered aloud.

His cheeks heated under her curious eyes. "It just seems like a good thing to keep in mind." If we ever have a house together, I’d want to make sure you liked any changes I made.

Why is he thinking that way too? The desire to bolt from the room coursed fire through her blood. Her only option was to pretend she hadn't heard the thought, but the state of her face was likely to have already given her away. "It's nice though," she choked out finally, uncertain whether the words would prove convincing.

Jaime worked his jaw, but moved on to the hallway. "Being in other people's houses just always reminds me of the projects waiting for me at home. I need to refinish the hardwood floors in the living room."

"You've been talking about doing that for years. That and getting rid of that wallpaper you hate in the dining room. And refinishing the entire guest bathroom. And tearing out that wall to open up the downstairs."

"What can I say?” The boyish charm in his brown eyes was enough to stutter her pulse. “I've got a lot of plans for improvement.”

"I don’t need much.” The words were out of her mouth before she’d had a chance to think them through. Mortified, took a gulp of air and added, “My apartment is all the home I need for now, especially with Jinx and Opie.” There was no way she was ceding that kind of ground to him this afternoon. Not when her mind was already set on betraying her into thinking that there was something more than friendship behind his every action.

What do you want, Arden? How long are we going to keep playing these games?

Mouth dry, she stumbled over her question. “Should we get going with that mantlepiece? I don’t want to take up your whole day.”

Jaime’s gaze was pensive. “Sure,” he tried, “let’s head back to the living room.” She could have sworn she heard disappointment in his tone.

That's just the emotions talking, she told herself. Those hedgehogs broke you with their cuteness.

But the hoglets, cute as they were, couldn’t explain why so many of their recent interactions had left her with uncertainty. No, Arden thought with a pinprick of realization, this is something WAY beyond hedgehogs.

She wasn’t sure exactly what that something was yet, but she intended to figure it out.

#playchoices #playchoices fanfiction #wishful thinking #jaime lewis #jaime lewis x mc

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thefreshfinds · 6 years ago

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RaneRaps:

We all are one & the same.

One that goes through a series of different situations or outcomes yet it ties back to us.

In light of this, RaneRaps seems to just get it.

With a pocket full of sunshine he's able to take the world by storm.

Besides using upliftment as a mean of connecting with his audience, RaneRaps also digs deep into himself & relays his own experiences through an expansive vocal range.

Notably his sound has an influx of gospel melodies, soul & funk.

He fills your plate with a food for thought & hypersonic flows that gnaw at your ear-chords.

For this reason, RaneRap's music will go to great lengths for an all around positive change.

Etching his truth so that others can see the bigger picture, RaneRaps uses imagery & vocal tones to deliver the raw & real "without completely surrounding the listener in desolation or despair." As a teen, RaneRaps spent hours playing MMORPGs (Final Fantasy XI) online & so one day as he grew impatient with the process of starting the game, Thus, RaneRaps wanted to make a story for a name & added "Rane" as the first part of his stage name because it really captured his skill level. "With the combination of 1) the hype surrounding FFXI & 2) AOL dial-up taking more than a full day to download all the updates I needed to play," RaneRaps says "Naturally, I chose the first name to come to mind. I didn't end up as Lil' Inkjet, AOL Boi 2002, DAREfailedUS or any other name that just wouldn't have my type of pizzaz. And with that, I brought my URL self into the IRL realm of rap, keeping Rane & adding Raps."

Though he says that music is life , RaneRaps creates it for himself (first), cathartic purposes & the world at-large. "I'm all about positivity, love & sobering truth - even if my truth comes at the cost of a song NOT being upbeat or extremely light-hearted. That being said, I think my secret sauce is finding ways to speak on the worst evils of my life." he adds.

He'd like for authenticity to become normalized again in the current era of hip-hop because there are more people who can relate to life & not the street life. He finds it better to speak on being flawed than whatever the template heroic tale seems to be these days. "I'm a middle class Black male who grew up in a household with both parents and have two siblings. Fortunately, I didn't have to struggle much growing up and as a result of my parent's preparedness for my future - I was able to realize opportunities that some of my peers could not." he goes on to say "I've never been afraid to acknowledge my privilege, make songs about the life I live, lived & what I know. I hope that those like me understand you don't have to become a created player built on a fake thug life to gain a fanbase, nor do you need to brand yourself as a saint. It's an easy fact to get - just be yourself & you'll be fine but there's a lot of willful ignorance perpetuating stereotypes & smoke in mirrors. It can only be a net positive when everyone tells their story."

Similarly he's moved by artist who are fearless in doing so (& even when his first introduction to hip-hop was Will Smith's album Big Willie Style it helped RaneRaps learn how to make music that's designed to celebrate life & get people moving.) According to the star, A Tribe Called Quest got him hooked more into hip-hop. "I woke up in the wee-hours of the morning to their Scenario (Remix) playing on MTV. I couldn't remember the name of the song for the life of me but I searched Busta Rhymes "the charcoal chicken" & went deep into the rabbit hole of New York rap," RaneRaps proclaims "To this day, I still have the mix CD of ATCQ, Gang Starr, Eric B., Rakim & even Drake's So Far Gone." Rane says that these MC's helped him to understand different cadences & styles of rap. Yet he couldn't envision RaneRaps until he discovered Outkast. "I absorbed all of their country funk twist. The messages in their songs, the vocal inflections, the atypical beats an song structure spoke to me & I felt validated in wanting to be myself, whatever that may be."

Nowadays (as in 2014 to now), RaneRaps finds inspiration from artists who carry their own energy & are openly themselves. He says that he's written gospel songs after bingeing Robb Banks' 2phoneshawty mixtape, wrote one of his favorite songs, "Broken Window Theory" after singing along to Lil Peep, & he's still learning how to create narratives from his realities from the likes of Maxo Kream, Dave East, Nipsey Hussle & Anderson.Paak but out of everyone he's ever heard, RaneRaps would love to work with Duckwrth! "Our sounds & aesthetic are very similar & to be from LA with this sort of musical direction has proven quite rare in the year that I've moved back." RaneRaps adds. "Duckwrth's message fits my brand - truth-seeking & positive. So, a collaboration would be highly beneficial for us both, even with a difference in the size of our fan bases. Honestly, I've always wanted to open for the guy & set up his show with my wild stage performance. I think we would make one hell of a duo on the concert circuit!"

Overall expect RaneRaps to make his mark in the next 5 years. He's going to brand "RapSoulFunk" as his signature sound, release a 2 full-length albums with my producer, Hirsh, a mixtape of soulful jams from before & after discovering his "sound", tour with a live-band that supports him & use his earnings to invest in other income streams & environmental education programs for inner-city youth.

After all, It's always intentional that he's out to be the best.

Rane Raps: "For any upcoming artist out there sign up for a monthly subscription to Indepreneur.io & start collecting the data to run your career. Everyone says "You don't need a label these days." but then what? Drop that hit song & you're set right? Not at all. The Facebook pixel has changed my life & I can wake up any day of the week & know 1) how to gain new fans of my music at the push of a button, 2) sell tickets to shows from my own website without handing away percentages to other platforms / venues, 3) run sales promotions that can generate LARGE profits, etc. The music business is AT LEAST 70% of where your time will go as an indie, so if you learn it, you just need decent at best music & you can get the ball rolling for yourself. Getting ahead of the competition is MUCH easier than you think!"

By: Natalee Gilbert

Fun Facts:

A word of advice that stuck with him was "Don't Suck." Through this advice, RaneRaps was able to develop an unapologetic quality control for himself & became obsessed with chasing the feeling of "YES, THIS IS THE ONE!". One he felt could replicate that. After that he started to release music regularly & stood firmly in his art.

Link(s):

1. Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/raneraps

2. Instagram: @raneraps

3. YouTube + Spotify: Search "RaneRaps"

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irrevocablyxrs · 3 years ago

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Letter to my Former self (2018-2020)

On days like today as my past self would have gone for a long walk with my son on job corps empty campus just to get us both some much needed and desire exercise. My life was always beautiful, I was just broke and couldn’t afford to do much for myself back then. If only I could see us now. We are not homeless anymore, I have my teeth fixed and am feeling more light and confident as a result of it. I am in my Goddess energy, My family now consists of 2 beautiful boys and I currently work from home as a call center supervisor and I am more than content and at peace in this phase of my life. I get high everyday and I find the absolute beauty in every single color inside every single moment of every single day. Life is grand. I am eating healthier and working out daily, I am beautiful, I exude grace and my favorite part of everyday is waking up to hear the birds chirp. I now have my own room and can sleep as naked as I wanna. I listen to music without lyrics daily and am even getting into the idea of creating a home out of our house by decorating each room and throwing my style and pizzaz around our home. Once I have completed my room I will move to decorate the living room and then once the living room the kitchen will be decorated. I am thinking a lovely color brown or maybe even green being the entire theme for the kitchen as well as the living room space. I am embodying my feminine energy and getting the absolute most out of everyday. I am waking up early morning’s and writing journal entries while the most is on my brain at 4am. You still have not found love at all and broke down mentally last week when the guy you had been wasting your time on left you in Louisiana without answers and went to go do him. Oh don’t worry, you clapped back at him in a dainty way. You let another pleasure you the days he was gone and because we are one now, you did not and still don’t regret a damned thing. You have a promotion and a higher pay raise as it pertains to your job. You left that god awful company where the women were more focused on mess and foolishness and he said she said and they had way too many petty ass requirements. Giving up and taking a month off in February was just what you needed to do when it came to your mental health. You stopped working at the place you didn’t like because you were fired but you manifested and worked your way up to an immediate replacement but they too fired you and you felt attacked. You took your time off. Meditated, washed your locs in the rain, focused your time and attention on the boys, your children who needed to catch up in terms of education and potty training. You took every opportunity you could to get high and really and truly focus on who you are and what you wanted for your family. As a woman it is of the utmost importance that we do that and that we include us on that long list (for some) of people who need our care. You went through a period of depression because you stayed at a job you didn’t like, that didn’t pay well and had racist callers daily because you wanted the best for the boys. You did NOT realize that what is best for the boys and what is best for you should always cohabitate simultaneously. Yall’s needs can be on different levels but it should never EVER waiver. What is best for you should also, naturally, be best for them. What is best for them should also be best for you and so forth. You have learned that and more over this last year and I am very proud of you my dear. You take good care of yourself now, you use body oils and fancy soaps. Shea butter scrubs and long bath meditations. You bathe in coconut and honey now and your skin is clear.. Your locs are midway to your back and you are happy and healthy. Jazz music and lo-fi are the very root of your existence and you give praise to the moon every day. You can always find at least 5 reasons to be grateful for daily from the moment your feet touch the ground and you can think of at least 3 impossible things before lunch. You are sharp witted, smooth and you exude true femininity. When there is something you want to do you get it done and you are beauty. Your favorite color now is green and you love to pair it with purple. The colors in your room are purple and green. You have a new appreciation for the color purple right now as it seems to be your aura and you do silly things like hop on Tumblr rather quickly while you are at work to Journal your thoughts while they are still newborns. I love the random daydreams you get of sitting in an empty hospital building with the ghosts of dead nurses walking around in 50s nursing gear with clipboards waiting to be of service to the next patient. I love the way each and every one of your words seem to ease gently off of your lips. On days like today when there are clouds in the sky I fall back gently on the sofa in my living room and I watch the trees blow in the Louisiana wind and I am sooooo grateful that I call this place home. My children do not know this yet but I have plans to take them to the Riverwalk mall for cookies and a boat ride this coming weekend. We are going to go out and have us a good old time simply enjoying all Louisiana has to offer. The last time I did it, i was stuuuuupid high and everything just seemed that much more intense, everything just seemed so much more delicious or so much more engaging than the last. I cannot wait to see the look on both of the boys faces when we go out this weekend. That or I can take them both to city park and I can allow them to run around and get out all of their energy. g2g back to work after bathroom break then I will take my final break at 4:45 which isn’t a thing but maybe 30 or more calls away from now. I cannot wait to journal once i clock out but first thing is first, i will be cooking or maybe i will take a nap? UGH endless possibilities when you are as happy as I and working from home with a quality company. Love you guys, tata, Jai.

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em-exceeds-change-zearu · 5 years ago

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I have a question, because I trust your expert opinion on these matters.... What do you think of yugioh sevens?

sorry it took so long for me to answer you, anon! i was puzzling over how to answer this for a long time, because i really wanted to give my honest opinion but i had a Lot to say and not all of it positive. also i’m in the middle of moving out of my apartment with the husband and that’s really busy lol.

so. hm. okay. given that I’ve only seen the first episode so far (I watched it when it first came out and haven’t gotten the chance to see the other two), I can’t say my opinion will be super informed! however, I can give my initial first impressions based on what I saw from the first time I watched it! the impressions will be under the cut, but let’s just say that my opinions are. Mixed. again, my opinions should be taken with a grain of salt, because i’ve only seen episode one and I really expect the show to show it’s true colors by mid-season, but this is just a really quick first impression after mulling over my initial impressions for a few days.

I think overall, my impressions of the first episode is that I can see the potential, but the execution is somewhat shoddy. It honestly doesn’t feel like the producers used the extra six months or so from ending VRAINS early to their best advantage here, but there’s an...effort? I can at least see why people are charmed by the show so far. I’ll break it down piece by piece to show what initial problems I had with it that prevented me from enjoying it fully. It’s still a very charming show, and I plan on giving it a chance, but I feel like the show itself is still finding its footing. And that’s to be expected, most ygo spinoffs are just Like That when they start, but it’s definitely one of the weaker starts to a series i’ve seen. I’ll break it down by its aspects to show what I both like and dislike about it!

Setting - Okay, so I’m actually rather charmed by the setting itself. It feels like it’s a direct callout to how the ygo meta has gotten in real life - there are a few decks that stand out over the rest and sometimes tournaments can come down to being between one type of deck and its counter. Yuga wanting to make his own type of dueling because he feels like the world around him is getting stale is incredibly charming, and the rules he’s come up with absolutely feel like something an elementary schooler would come up with (I used to make fun of pendulum summoning being the same type of thing, but this is just straight up reminding me of the days when pokemon trading cards were super popular and none of us little brats knew the rules so we made up our own as we went along). Yuga’s a little kid who dreams about giant dueling robots and wants dueling to have the mystery and fun and pizzaz it used to, and who doesn’t? I support this baby boy and his dueling robot dreams.

The world around him is established to be pretty restrictive and somewhat eerie as well - the school is largely managed by robots that regulate things down to the smallest level (I don’t think there’s even any adults around, which ???), and even the smallest innovations Yuga does to help make life more efficient, like adding a carrier to his bike to carry his bookbag, are rejected as out of line. There’s actually a nice level of show and don’t tell here and there, like showing how the robots scan each student while greeting them happily at the door, or how duel disks are automatically shut down and locked during school hours. One particularly chilling moment is watching robots clamp down on students trying to trade cards informally in the schoolyard, calmly and cheerily informing them that such trading is prohibited and must be done in a sanctioned G-Corp trading location. What seals the deal is that the student’s don’t express annoyance and anger at this, merely accepting such a restrictive rule as a mildly inconvenient part of life - which shows how such an indoctrinative lifestyle has already affected their manner of thinking. I feel like the first episode would have benefited more from being stretched out into two episodes instead of trying to cram a duel inside the end of the first episode, because the crammed nature of it all meant these moments are very few and far between, lost in how quickly the episode rushes through these plot points.

Characters - Okay, overall the dynamics of our main cast look like they can be really cute. We have our rebellious protagonist that wants to shake up everything and have fun, our uptight class president that wants to enforce the rules but gets swept up in the chaos protag-kun brings, the rival character that thinks protag-kun could change the world around him and looks at him with respect and also might possibly be a chuuni dumbass, and the token female character who’s Totally Not Interested In This Dueling Thing, No Way, Really. But honestly, in the first episode a lot of this characterization is lost in...screaming, actually. They’re very. Loud. Particularly our president, who honestly looks like he’s got multiple facets to his character (he briefly expresses admiration for yuga’s modified bike and its convenience before immediately reverting to screaming about rules, eventually does come around to helping yuga out because he doesn’t want to get Insta-Banned for being near him, etc), but we lose so much of it because, again, he spends 95% of the time screaming. we also get a lot of forced humor and gonk-y reactions that seem kind of exaggerated, partially because said reactions tend to be Spelled Out for us as opposed to just letting us see it happen, but this is lack of how the characters are themselves and more about how they’re being handled so far. which i’ll explain more when i get to talking about storyboarding.

music - it’s...okay? the OP is growing on me and is actually pretty cute, but I’m not getting anything that stands out. the BGM hasn’t really had any pieces that really get my attention so far, but maybe we’ll see something better in the future? i don’t know

storyboarding - okay. I’m not going to be talking about the animation because i’m not harping on the style (although it does admittedly look woefully generic and not very YGO at all) given that they’ve moved to a completely different (and cheaper?) movie studio. i’m not going to talk about the shoddy cgi or the stilted animation or anything like that. i’m specifically talking about the storyboarding itself, how scenes are being framed and arranged, and how the main story is being told. and this key part is where SEVENS entirely falls apart.

the problem is that the story is going by entirely too fast and is craming all sorts of things into its timeslot. the characters react loudly and obnoxiously to every little thing, with exaggerated pratfalls and gonkfaces as opposed to...actual reactions. it’s understandable from yuga and possibly even the high strung class president, but when even characters that are established to be a little more mellow minded (see, rook and romin) end up acting like that, it kind of contradicts what little we know about them. Not that it’s bad for them to act like that, but it has more impact if we see this after we have established characters for them (although if rook is actually established to be a chuuni dumbass later, i would immediately forgive them for that instance specifically, because that’s adorable). it honestly comes off as the animereaction equivalent of Johnny Test - all the exaggerated sound effects and janky reactions to compensate for the lack of animation or storytelling. it’s kind of upsetting to look at.

speaking of establishing character. It’s honestly done rather poorly for a first episode, which is a problem. I need to have a reason to be invested in these characters, and when you rush through their introductions it leaves me wanting. for example, my previously mentioned example of our class president clearly showing interest in yuga’s inventions but having it completely smothered in his need to appeal to authority and his high strung anxiety is a good point! but we get so little of it that it’s very much lost in his constant screaming and yelling - so seeing him portrayed as part of yuga’s friend group from day one is a bit jarring. another more telling example is rook immediately showing interest in yuga because this kid really keeps trying to modify his duel disk. okay cool. why. why should we care about this. we haven’t seen any instance of him before this, and when he’s introduced he talks about this Secret Hidden Backdoor Legend That’s Totally Prominent!!!! except we don’t see any hints in the series leading up to it, it literally comes out of nowhere. there’s no mystery or mystique in this, we haven’t seen rook try challenging this on his own, he’s just immediately dropping the wham ball of OH YEAH I ALREADY BANNED MYSELF, OOPS. speaking of: why is it bad that they get banned?? what happens? obviously you get locked out of your duel disk but then what? clearly, it should affect these kids’ standing in society somehow because the extreme control over said disks and card management means something, but we see rook attending school like nothing is wrong. nobody notices him, he’s not established as a troublemaker or a wanted figure by the nearby robots, he’s just...there. so there’s no emotional impact to seeing that yuga is one strike away from being banned, or that rook was already Banned (you’d think him getting banned at such a young age would cause Problems, but See it’s Fine, So). also yuga reminiscing about how he’d forgotten what he wanted to do with his new style of rush dueling and how he wanted to bring fun back into it falls really flat because, again, we can’t really see why it’s important for him to do this. him spelling it out for us suddenly when he’s close to losing a duel lacks the emotional impact because we haven’t seen how it affects him specifically. we can see little things - he’s already tried so many times, he keeps printing out little robot designs, he’s somewhat annoyed with being locked out of his disk during school or harranged for every little thing he does, but we haven’t had enough time to see why this is so important to him or why he does what he does.

again, a large majority of these problems would be solved if they handled this the way zexal and vrains handled it - having most of the worldbuilding be in episode 1 and introducing the main duel mechanic in episode 2 with a full on duel that was started at the end of episode 1. maybe show some standard dueling as a contrast and use those show-not-tell instances from the setting to show how restrictive or repetitive it is (maybe yuga and co hanging out at one of those G-Corp Mandated Trading Stations after school and watching/playing some duels? yuga trying to show off rush dueling in there and getting kicked out?), then introduce rush dueling as a thing in episode 2 when he’s introduced to the Secret Backdoor Trial by Rook after seeing hints/rumors/etc about Mystery Programmer Man Who Did This For Some Reason. but rushing it through like this, especially when introducing a Whole New Dueling Format AND a new type of card, isn’t ideal. but trying to cram things together like this makes the weakness in storyboarding really stand out, and it taints an otherwise good story. not that the story in itself is bad, but it’s not presented particularly well.

it could be like how vrains clearly improved in storyboarding after episode 14 or so, after the initial rush was over with, so i’m willing to give sevens another chance on this. but this isn’t a very strong way to introduce us to the characters or the world they want to show us.

overall: charming ideas, shoddy execution, will be looking to see if they improve on this. i’m willing to give it a chance, though, because yuga is a darling boy that deserves it. also the class president. i may not remember his name but i also stan him.

#sevens #is that the tag we're using #i don't know #ygo sevens #yugioh sevens #?????#i aint gonna lie every time i hear about ygo sevens i accidentally think about the sevens webnovel #it's got a very yugioh plot without the card games but it's mostly fantasy adventure harem adventures #decent read! but this isn't about the sevens webnovel it's about the yugioh sevens #so i'll shut up now #ask shenanigans

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arplis · 5 years ago

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Arplis - News: Great Tips for Selling a Tiny House: Your Guide to Landing a Big Offer

In 2007, tiny-home enthusiast and builder Jay Shafer gave Oprah a tour of his 97-square-foot house and the modern Tiny Home Movement took off. Today, it’s estimated that there are 10,000 tiny homes gracing the U.S., and over half of Americans are open to the possibility of buying a house of tiny proportions (under 600 square feet). Good news for you, now that you’re selling one! Generally, the number of tiny homes sold per year averages about 30,000 nationwide and has risen in lockstep over the years with the blossoming interest in simple living. However, selling a tiny house in a country where the average home runs about 1,600-1,650 square feet remains an intimidating prospect. To overcome the biggest buyer objections around the lack of space, limited privacy, and zoning complications, follow these tips for selling a tiny home from tiny-home builders, owners, and an agent who managed to attract multiple offers on her client’s tiny cabin. With their advice, you’ll be in great shape to market this lifestyle while highlighting the versatility and benefits of your unique tiny home, whether it’s on wheels or affixed to a piece of land. We’ll cover how to: Create curb appeal with window boxes, vertical gardens, and fresh paint Keep your staging minimal, using mirrors and curtains to your advantage Showcase your tiny home’s space-saving and convertible features Highlight your tiny home’s unique features and upgrades Sell the tiny home lifestyle, from jet-setting to cost savings Capture photos with a wide-angle lens on a sunny day Price your tiny home with a pre-listing appraisal and top agent’s expertise Be clear about local zoning and building rules Source: (Tiny Home Builders)Create curb appeal with window boxes, vertical gardens, and fresh paint Tiny homes get automatic curb appeal points for being so darn cute. But a few simple projects can take your tiny home exterior to the next level (and improving curb appeal is the no. 1 thing you can do to boost the marketability of your home, according to nearly 77% of top real estate agents across the country polled by HomeLight). 1. Install window boxes for a touch of charm Window boxes filled with colorful plants are ideal for improving curb appeal when you don’t have a lot of outdoor space to play with or if you’re selling a mobile tiny home. You can purchase window boxes from any major home-improvement retailer. They come in a variety of colors and styles to match your home, and you can spend as little as $10 or as much as $100 on a single box depending on how high-end you want to go. The more expensive boxes tend to have more intricate detailing (like this White Cape Cod Self-Watering Window Box for $65 — lovely!), but the simpler and cheaper designs come in shades of green, black, and dark orange to boot. You can hang window boxes yourself with a drill, 3-inch galvanized screws, and this handy guide from This Old House, a 40-year-old home-enthusiast brand. (Make sure to choose a window box that’s about 6 inches longer than the window). Then it’s a matter of which plants to choose for your boxes. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, a periodical started in 1792, window boxes look best with lots of plants arranged close together. The Almanac recommends anchoring your window box with some base flowers like: Petunias Geraniums Zinnias Nasturtiums Begonias Then, you can fill the gaps with varieties like wandering jew, ivy, euonymus, heather, or vinca. Succulent window boxes with special draining trays are also rising in popularity — they look great but remain low-maintenance! You can buy a variety of succulents for around $20. 2. Make your own vertical gardens Don’t have a huge yard with big mature trees and perfectly groomed shrubs? Such is the plight of tiny-home owners the world over. Vertical gardens — which are plant arrangements that grow in an upward or stacked fashion — are another great way to add curb appeal to your tiny home. There are lots of different types of vertical gardens, but here are a couple of the easiest ones to DIY: Flowerpot tower (from The Self Sufficient Living) Buy a few terracotta planters of ascending sizes. Use the biggest planter as your base, and fill it with soil. Place a rod in the middle of a planter. Stack remaining planters on top of the base, from big to small (like a pyramid) using the rod to connect them. Add flowers of choice to each planter. Violets, nasturtiums, daisies, marigolds, and pansies will be tower-garden friendly, according to TowerGarden.com. Tiered hanging baskets (from BobVila.com) Purchase a few durable, woven hanging baskets like these Madras storage baskets from World Market. Connect the baskets with braided rope in a color of your choosing. Add your potting soil and flower varieties, and hang the tiered baskets with a strong hook. Ladder garden (from Ana-White.com) Ladders serve more than their practical purpose of helping us reach high places. The right kind of ladder (preferably wood) in the right setting can be the perfect structure to support a vertical garden that you prop up against your tiny home. Ana-White.com has a great tutorial for how to build your own ladder garden planter using cedar fence pickets. The project costs about $20 but does require using a compound miter saw and a staple gun. However, this DIY option allows you to add your soil and flowers/herbs directly into the runged planters. Alternatively (for the more novice DIYers) you could buy a tiered ladder like this natural wood variety from Home Depot ($131), and place your plant containers on top of each tier. You could even paint the ladder a fun outdoorsy shade like robin’s egg blue or sunny yellow. 3. Give your front door a fresh coat of paint Take a look at the condition and color of the front door. If it doesn’t wow you, dress it up with a fresh coat of paint for a dash of instant pizzaz. If your tiny home exterior is neutral, consider a bold color like Moroccan red, blue loch, lemon twist, or sassy green. Alternatively, you could stick with earthy tones like olive, jade, or black. Source: (Filios Sazeides / Unsplash)Keep your staging minimal, using mirrors and curtains to your advantage When it comes to staging your tiny house, less is more. With so little square footage to work with, it’s very easy to over-stage, which makes the space feel cluttered and small. Your top priority, before you bring in any extra decorative items, is to keep an exquisitely neat and tidy home. If your closets and cabinets look stuffed, eliminate items such as excess coffee cups, clothes, and kitchen gadgets to make each precious storage area appear sufficiently spacious. What you do with the overflow is up to you: Sell, digitize, donate, and box up anything you can’t part with. Temporarily place your boxes in an offsite unit or friend’s garage, but get it off the property. As for other tiny home staging techniques: Limit your use of rugs to keep the room-flow open and stick to smaller furnishings proportionate to your square footage. Paint walls a shade of white. Draw the eye outdoors using large mirrors. Hang curtain rods 4-6 inches above windows and use rods that extend 3-6 inches beyond both sides of the frame. Select curtains with a subtle vertical stripe or pattern to add the illusion of height to the window. Showcase your tiny home’s space-saving and convertible features People out shopping for tiny homes may be coming from regular-sized, single-family residences with walk-in closets and tons of cabinets. They know they’ll need to downsize their belongings to comfortably live in a tiny house and shift gears on how many guests they can entertain. However, the more you can show off the storage potential and modifiable room arrangements of your tiny home, the more attractive it will be to those coming from different ends of the “I’m a minimalist” spectrum. Take, for example, the 304-square-foot, off-the-grid cabin of John and Fin Kernohan in the woods of Georgia. The Kernohans, who are also the founders of United Tiny House Association, an organization for the advocacy and support of the tiny house movement, shared that their L-shaped sitting area serves three purposes: Entertaining room in the daytime and evenings Sleeping quarters with two convertible single beds for overnight guests Storage with 48 cubic feet of space beneath the seating View this post on Instagram “Living in 304sqft off-grid doesn’t mean ‘roughing it’… we love our Beloved Cabin!” – John & Fin Kernohan #belovedcabin #tinyhousemovement #tinyhousepeople #tinyhousefestivals #tinyhousecommunity #tinyhouses A post shared by United Tiny House (@unitedtinyhouse) on Mar 21, 2017 at 3:30pm PDT If the Kernohans were (theoretically) selling their tiny cabin, they would want to include images of this space that illustrate each of the three setups and include a summary of the convertible options in the listing description. This differs a bit from a regular listing, where you’d likely capture photos of each room but wouldn’t have to demonstrate multiple arrangements. Highlight your tiny home’s unique features and upgrades Our homes are extensions of ourselves, and that sentiment is amplified among tiny-home owners. Whether you built your tiny home from scratch or selected each update with care, you take great pride in every little detail. Meaghan Baker, a top-selling real estate agent in Dickson, Tennessee, found this to be the case when she sold a client’s one-bedroom, 528-square-foot house in her area. “When I was doing the property description, I tried to really focus on the fact that it was a little cabin, a getaway in the woods,” she recalls. “The house had a connection to the land and it also had a connection to my client — because that’s his family’s land and he really put a lot of thought and a lot of his heart into creating this home for himself.” This particular seller had invested in what Baker estimated to be $3,000 African mahogany countertop in the kitchen. He also hand-built — with wood right there from the land — a cherry barn door to separate the bedroom and living room. The best way to convey these details about your own home to potential buyers? Have a conversation with your agent about your home’s history and what makes it stand out. “I really sat down with the client and asked him to give me all the details on every type of wood he used and where he used it,” Baker says. “It was really important to emphasize that in the listing.” Her strategy worked: The tiny home she was selling (much to her surprise!) attracted multiple offers and sold over asking. At the end of the day, ensure that whatever features are unique to your tiny house shine through as you market the property, whether it’s a high-end stackable washer and dryer, your dedication to using sustainable building materials throughout, your handy bike storage contraption, or a rooftop terrace. If your tiny home is permanently placed (i.e., not on a trailer with wheels), highlight the parcel of land your property is on. Show how it’s nestled at the foot of a mountain or situated in a beautiful wooded area. High-end professional photography is a must, and you could even capture some aerial shots using drone technology. Sell the tiny home lifestyle, from jet-setting to cost savings In Baker’s experience, “Offers [on the tiny home] came in from everywhere, but each of the buyers was looking for the same thing — a more minimalist lifestyle to get away from the upkeep.” What a great insight for tiny-home sellers! You too can highlight how low-maintenance your home is (“It only takes 30 minutes to clean from top to bottom!”) and everything you’re able to do because you’re not tied to a traditional house: Travel, spend time outdoors, work fewer hours, whatever the case may be. “Believe it or not, one of Fin’s main reasons for going tiny is the ability for us to clean our house quickly and thoroughly in a very short amount of time,” John Kernohan says. You should also spell out the cost savings, including what you normally pay in utilities each month. “Utilities in a tiny home are just a fraction of the cost of living in a conventional home, as much as 85% less,” says Dan Louche, the founder of Tiny Home Builders, one of the country’s largest tiny home manufacturing companies. Tiny house living can relieve dwellers of many expenses, leading to debt-free living, and who isn’t excited about that possibility? Depending on your comfort level, the more personal you can be, the better. When buyers are new to the tiny house lifestyle, it pays to educate and share your experience with the home and to really illustrate what your day-to-day life looks like. You can include an FAQ sheet in your marketing materials or provide a personal statement with the property to give potential buyers insight into the tiny home benefits they’d never dreamed of. Source: (Tiny Home Builders)Capture photos with a wide-angle lens on a sunny day “In our experience, a wide-angle lens is a requirement [for marketing tiny homes],” Louche says. Wide-angle lenses have a wider field of view than the human eye and the photos they’re able to capture make tight spaces look roomier. The trade-off with a wide-angle lens, however, is you’ll get a distorted fish-eye look in your photos if you don’t use the technology properly. To avoid that, Louche recommends running the images through software (here are a few methods with varying degrees of difficulty), to correct the images. When in doubt, hire a professional photographer with experience using a wide-angle lens to photograph your home. Be sure to capture photos on a clear bright day, as “You’ll want to show off the natural light that pours into your home,” advises John Kernohan. Lighting a tiny home naturally is much easier than bringing in professional lighting equipment, which can be challenging in a cramped space. Price your tiny home with a pre-listing appraisal and top agent’s expertise According to a Reader’s Digest interview with the producer of Tiny House, Big Living, tiny home prices can range anywhere between $10,000 and $180,000 but tend to average around $30,000-$40,000. All in all, valuing tiny homes can be tricky. For one, from a price-per-square-foot perspective, tiny homes are expensive, making it hard to compare them to any other kind of real estate. Data show tiny homes cost $300-$400 per square foot to build, compared to $150 per square foot for regular homes. When you’re packing so much function into a small space, each part of that space becomes more valuable. Think about how, in a tiny home, kitchens, beds, and baths account for a greater proportion of the total square footage that would otherwise go to hallways, closets, entryways, etc. You also have to adjust your price based on the features and upgrades of the home. Expensive materials and selections (like the luxury cabin in the woods offered) are going to sell for a premium while a no-frills basic version won’t fetch a fraction of the same cost. Pricing is also completely different depending on whether you have a permanent location versus mobile tiny home on wheels. A mobile tiny home isn’t going to gain value in the same way. It’s actually the land your home is built on that appreciates, which is why location has such a big impact on a property’s value. With all of these factors to account for, you can opt to get a pre-listing appraisal from a professional appraiser to use in your pricing strategy. If you need to factor in any land, you can look at comparable land sales in the area to get a price-per-square-foot comparison. Baker’s experience is an excellent example of how pricing a tiny home can be a bit of a moving target: “The seller had gotten an appraisal on the house a few months before we put it on the market,” she recalls. “We took his appraisal, and we looked at the other land that had sold in the area and got the square footage price, which brought our price down a bit to $129,900. We ended up selling it for $140,000, which was close to the original appraisal.” Be upfront with buyers about zoning and building rules It’s no longer the Wild West (as fun as that would be!) Today, city and state zoning laws set rules for how land can be divided and which types (and size) of structures you can put there. Unfortunately, tiny homes often clash with building and zoning regulations, particularly local minimum square-foot requirements for new construction. When a house doesn’t meet these local requirements, you can’t build it on a residential lot. To circumvent this issue, many tiny homes are built on trailers and parked in lots or RV parks (which may require appropriate permitting). In that case, you’re selling a personal property, which can be registered as a trailer, explains Louche, and you should be transparent about what buyers are getting, i.e., just the house — not any land. If you own, instead of lease or rent, the plot of land the tiny house is on, you’ll need to consult with your real estate agent and possibly an attorney about the legal requirements in your area. If the home’s foundation is in the ground and your utilities are wired into the grid, you’ll have little choice but to package the home with the parcel of land. When looking for a top local agent to sell your tiny home, make sure whoever you choose has experience in the market and strong familiarity with the zoning laws in your area to help you navigate these intricacies. Header Image Source: (Tiny Home Builders) #QuickTips&Tricks #SellingAdvice

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/great-tips-for-selling-a-tiny-house-your-guide-to-landing-a-big-offer-1

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sizechainjewelry · 3 years ago

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Picking your jewelry

Picking your jewelry is no various than picking your wardrobe. Most important is to stick within your convenience area as well as your individual fashion style. That stated it never hurts to step out of package from time to time. What's most important is that your precious jewelry pairs up with your outfit. Your fashion jewelry ts marketing inc is the ending up touch on your complete appearance. Make your fashion declaration matter!

You need to determine what you want your fashion jewelry to do. Do you want it to match? The celebration or occasion you'll be using your jewelry to is additionally crucial - make specific it is fitting.

There are plenty of terrific pieces on the market that are unsigned however certainly make a fashion declaration. Mix and also match your precious jewelry to offer it personality as well as a little pizzaz!

Costume Jewelry, both authorized and anonymous, is an economical method to complete your appearance. What's terrific with outfit precious jewelry is you can utilize it, obtain tired of it, placed it away or provide it away as well as have actually still obtained great value for your cash.

Designer pieces tend to set you back a little bit extra, last a little bit longer, and also they generally adhere to a lot more typical lines so you can wear them for greater than a couple of seasons.

If you do not desire to invest the cash for sterling, after that purchase some silver plate pieces. Silver is a should have to any closet!

We always advise have some gold plate or gold tone pieces in your wardrobe essentials. 10-14k gold may be a little bit as well pricey for lots of but gold layered fashion jewelry is quite economical and will certainly give you good value for the expense. Gold like silver can be spruced up or dressed down and is perfect for a really stylish appearance.

The size and dimension of your fingers plays an essential function in what will certainly look good. Long slim fingers do not look good with significant oversized rings, yet a woman that has long thicker fingers they look beautiful. See and also play what you like what looks excellent.

When buying pendants be certain you recognize your neck size so that you obtain a great fit. When acquiring on line as you don't obtain a chance to attempt, this is extremely vital.

If your neck is typical in dimension then a 16" locket will look excellent, nonetheless if you have a rather larger than average neck then a 16" locket could be as well tight. Step the length of a few of your favourite lockets you already have.

This will certainly provide you an excellent sign of what length you like. Opera necklaces which more than 30" are terrific. They can be dual wrapped, bound, or whatever else your creativity generates. When selecting colored lockets make certain its a color that praises your complexion. If it doesn't match or enhance your skin tone your look might be lost, it may match your outfit wonderfully however.

When buying bracelets you'll need to decide where you're mosting likely to use them, and also how noticeable you want them to be. The schedule of size and shape is countless - you can go from large bracelet ts marketing inc to dainy gem bracelets. , if it is a slip on bracelet be sure that it will fit over your hand.. Ensure to measure your wrist as the fit of a bracelet is extremely crucial. To big and also it will certainly look careless and might even glide off. As well small can constrict your wrist motion.

When acquiring jewelry - the forms and also designs are countless - from hangs to light fixtures to hoops to studs to switches. From enamel to grains to gems to metal to timber. Dimension of the earrings is very vital to the declaration your making. The bigger the jewelry the much more obvious as well as the much more incorporated they become right into your complete appearance. Huge jewelry aren't for every person - relying on your face size and shape they might really take away instead of attract. Experiment and find what looks finest on you.

Your jewelry options are unlimited - whatever your preferences, your likes, your disapproval. You'll be able to complete your look simply the way you want it with little effort. Be sure to make your fashion statement!

What's most essential is that your precious jewelry matches up with your attire. Your jewelry is the completing touch on your overall appearance. The event or event you'll be wearing your precious jewelry to is also essential - make particular it is fitting.

Costume Precious jewelry, both authorized as well as anonymous, is a budget friendly method to finish your appearance. Long skinny fingers do not look good with big oversized rings, yet a lady that has long thicker fingers they look exquisite.

#jewelry

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thepennydarling · 6 years ago

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Happy Tuesday, Penny Darlings!

I am writing to you this morning from an AIRPLANE. Yeah, that’s right, ya girl is currently writing this post from the middle of the air. It won’t be published then, but like HOW COOL IS THAT?!

I’m on my way home from Chicago which was an exhausting, exhilarating, inspiring, humbling, stressful, wonderful, and totally amazing whirlwind of a trip. I think I will be napping for the next two weeks. #SendCoffee

Let me just sneak the boring stuff so we can get to the goods! Check me out on Instagram here! I also have a selling Instagram page where I sell some of my old clothes/styles so that I don’t drown in my own wardrobe. I just listed a few new things – so check that out!

Anyway, onto the content of the day!

A few weeks ago I posted pictures of how we cut corners to make our big day the most exciting it could be and everyone wanted some tips on HOW!

Between thrifting, DIY, and using resources like, Zola, to keep everything straight: there’s so many ways to not break the bank this wedding season!

So today, I’m sharing some inspo of where you can save a little budget without sacrificing style or function or awesome!

1.) Get creative with centerpieces!

Centerpieces should represent your style as a couple! There’s no need for $200 centerpieces! We found tablecloths & doilies at a flea market and mixed it with some fun retro board games (which were a HUGE hit!) that we found at the flea market or borrowed from friends! You can stack books, put paintbrushes in a vase, use fun photos in thrifted frames! This is a really easy place that you can achieve the same style without having to break the bank!

2.) Thrift, thrift, thrift

Stop in EVERY thrift store! You never know what you’re going to find! We mixed vases, salt and pepper shakers, tablecloths, doilies, and linens from thrift stores and flea markets! One of my fave thrift store finds were those vintage (1976) Samsonite teal suitcases that we found for a STEAL at $15 (for all three!) at a thrift store in a town my mom and I were passing through. You can find some amazing and totally unique finds that fit you and your spouse-to-be’s style!

3.) Amazon is your BFF

If you know what you’re looking for, Amazon has pretty much anything you can think of. We were able to decorate a large portion of the venue with those rainbow polka dot garland (in the background of pic 1!) and that awesome garland flags, adding some color and pizzaz to the lobby, were both found on Amazon for under $10!

4.) Think Outside the DIY Box

Between Pinterest & YouTube tutorials, you can pretty much make anything if you can type it in! My mom and her girlfriends made that big flower wall by hand out of construction paper and hot glue to decorate behind the bar! It was SO cool! And those cookies were made in HUGE batches by my family and put as an awesome addition to the dessert table! I am NOT crafty, but I love baking! Try to think of unusual things to see if you can DIY!

5.) Wedding Clothes Can Be Literally Anything

Our groomsmen were rocking ASOS jackets (and their own black pants and shoes!). Preston got his wedding suit from JCPenney on SUPER clearance for under $100. Our bridesmaid dresses were under $100 (from ModCloth). My shoes were $30 from DSW. It was easy to cut corners by thinking outside of ‘wedding industry’ clothing stores!

6.) Do your own flowers!

This one is so easy, and so many people don’t do it! For our flowers (centerpieces) we bought several bouquets of flowers from Sam’s Club and arranged them into wildflower bouquets for centerpieces, but you could do this with ANY flowers!

7.) Sometimes Buying & Not Renting is a Budget Saver!

This sounds illogical, but dream with me here for a second.

I wanted those two vibrant couches. We bought them for $100 each on the Facebook marketplace. We looked into renting vintage couches and honestly, it was more like $300 for a rental! Renting linens, renting plates, etc. can be WAY more expensive in the long run! Those little white tables are $10 from IKEA and we bought ten of them and they were PERFECT! And the bonus is, at the end, my mom sold a LOT of it on the Facebook marketplace!

8.) Creativity Can Getcha a Long Way

I knew I wanted RAINBOW. I wanted lots of color and kitsch and whimsy in our wedding. I also am obsessed with balloons (they’re SO photogenic!) and lanterns! Instead of spending a ton of money to get a certain vibe, we were able to achieve it with balloons and lanterns from the local party supply store! We also had cups & napkins (saving us rental fees for glasses & linen) from Oriental Trading (no renting glasses & easy to recycle!) that were wedding themed!

9.) Find Resources that Pull Double Duty

There’s a LOT to keep track of for the big day. Guest lists, RSVPs, mailing addresses, registry, wedding website, checklists, and a billion other little things. Zola makes it easy to host your registry (with a gazillion different brands!) & wedding website, manage your invites & guest list, and makes it a total ‘one spot’ hit for your guests. Bonus = the planning dashboard is AMAZING! Double bonus = it’s totally free to use!

Check out Zola!

Website Facebook Instagram Twitter

*This blog was sponsored by Zola, however all thoughts and opinions are my own*

SO HERE’S THE “END OF BLOG” SPIEL!

If you are at all interested in doing a collab or working with me – please feel free to check out my new Contact Me! page! I also do social media consulting and photography, so please reach out! Let’s work together!

Follow me on Instagram: @thepennydarling

Like my Facebook page here!

Follow me on Twitter here!

Subscribe for updates!

Check out my Gwynnie Bee affiliate page here! (Free month trial if you use my code!)

If you’d like to donate to help me keep Penny Darling going – click here!

Comment for topics you would like to see me cover! Like to help my self esteem! What do you think so far? More fashion? More lifestyle? Do you like the mix?

Thank you for all that you do. You are truly extraordinary.

Love all you wonderful ladies (and gents!) out there!

How Very,

Abby

9 Ways to Make Your Wedding Glam on a Budget! Happy Tuesday, Penny Darlings! I am writing to you this morning from an AIRPLANE. Yeah, that's right, ya girl is currently writing this post from the middle of the air.

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